WSSN Stories

By Lue Dowdy | LUE Productions

Congratulations to the first-place winners of LUE Productions Community Umbrella Services Summer Youth Talent Competition and Showcase. These young ladies came ready with fire in their eyes to take the prize. The crowd went wild when they ended the routine with their death drop move to the floor. The team looked amazing all decked out in their emerald green and black uniforms with their sneakers that lit up as they danced. I remember when they came into the auditions, the girls were a little shy and not quite all together. After talking to them, I saw the determination in their eyes and that they really wanted it. These girls worked hard, and it showed. The event took place Saturday, July 30 in the beautiful city of San Bernardino at the San Bernardino Women’s club. Once again congratulations, DDC!

MORE ABOUT THE DANCE COMPANY:

What is the meaning of NLAA DDC?

(Next Level Athletics Association) Dare Dance Company

List Board members and coaches

President/choreographer: Imani Travis

VP/secretary: Ernestine West

General Manager: Sonya Bellamy

Historian/ choreographer: Deja Brown

Assistant Coaches: Nikita Harris & Kayla Mitchell

Why was DDC started?

“DDC” was created to give our young boys and girls an opportunity to develop good work ethics and strive at their talent of dance. DDC is a non-profit organization that provides the youth with dance instruction that builds self-esteem, coordination, leadership skills, and the value of teamwork.

By Lou Yeboah

Listen, God sent warning through Ezekiel conveying that He was finished with disobedience and hard hearts, and He was ready to judge and punish His people for their rebellious spirit and actions. For Thus saith the Lord, “Behold, I Myself am going to bring a sword on you, and I will destroy your high places; And I will send My anger against you; I will judge you according to your ways and bring all your abominations upon you. My eye will have no pity on you, nor will I spare you; then you will know that I am the Lord!” [Ezekiel 7: 4-9].

Listen, God gave Ezekiel three specific prophecies regarding how the people will be punished—one-third will die by plagues or famine; one-third will fall by the sword; one-third will be scatted to every wind.

But the people could not believe God would punish or hurt them, so they ignored the prophecies which instructed them to repent and turn to their own. [Ezekiel chapters 4-7]. Don’t you do it! Don’t you be like disobedient Israel. God’s patience was all used up and the penalty for their disobedience was coming no matter what. [Ezekiel 23:35]. Instead of trusting God, they refused to enter the Promised Land. As a result, they missed settling in their own homeland and instead wandered in the desert for 40 years until that generation died.

You see all throughout the Bible, God has tried to get us to do right, but naw, we want to do what we want to do. Well, I got news for you; continue to do you boo, boo, and see what happens. Soon and very soon you will regret your rebelliousness toward the Lord. God desire is for us to “learn and turn.” Don’t be a hard head like the rebellious Israel who died after wandering in the desert for 40 years. “Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. [Matthew 7:13]. So, if your hand cause you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter into life maimed, rather than having two hands, to go to hell, into the fire that shall never be quenched–where ‘Their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.’ And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life lame, rather than having two feet, to be cast into hell, into the fire that shall never be quenched–where ‘Their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.’  And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye, rather than having two eyes, to be cast into hell fire–where ‘Their worm does not die, And the fire is not quenched. [Mark 9:43-48].

I tell you every day God is doing everything possible to keep us from going into that awful, inconceivable place. God wants all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth [1 Timothy 2:4]. So repent before it’s too late! As the Apostle Peter says, “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise . . . but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance” [2 Peter 3:9]. So, I ask you what will it take before you heed the word of God? Keeping in mind that there could come a time when God says, “Enough is Enough!”. Shudder at the thought. Do not take God’s forbearance for granted, for if the word spoken through angels proved steadfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just reward, how shall you escape if you neglect so great a salvation, which at first spoken by the Lord and was confirmed to us by those who heard Him. [Hebrews 2:1-3]. You ought to know that God has no pleasure in the death of the wicked but would rather that we should turn unto Him and live. [Romans 2:4]. Turn and be saved, for Jesus says of those who refuse to be saved, “These shall go away into everlasting punishment [Matthew 25:46] and be lost forever.

A Voice from Hell. [Luke 16:19-31]. “In Hell, he lifted up his eyes being in torment” It is an awful cry, “Cool my tongue, for I am tormented in this flame.”

By Edward Henderson | California Black Media

On August 15 on what would have been his 37th birthday, the late Grammy-nominated rapper, entrepreneur, and philanthropist Nipsey Hussle’s was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

He is the 11th rapper to have a Walk of Fame star.

Hussle’s fans, family and friends from the industry attended the ceremony.

“I think I speak for the entire city of LA when I say that we’ve known Nip was destined for greatness,” said Lauren London, Hussle’s longtime girlfriend who spoke at the ceremony. “This moment only amplifies that for us. Nip would have been honored by this moment. I think he would want everyone to remember that you can’t get to what’s possible unless you commit to moving forward. It doesn’t mean forgetting where you come from, but it requires acknowledging the reality you were born into and the power you must change that reality for the better.”

Los Angeles City Councilmember Marqueece Harris-Dawson declared Aug. 15, Nipsey Hussle Day in Los Angeles.

“Today, on his born day, we finally got him a star on the walk of fame. Rest in Paradise Nip” Assemblymember Isaac Bryan (D-Los Angeles) a guest in attendance at the 30-minute ceremony posted on Twitter.

Born Airmiess Joseph Asghedom, Hussle was a Los Angeles native who rose to fame in the mid-2000s. After gaining notoriety locally following the release of a string of mixtapes, his gritty sound and inspirational spirit captivated listener’s imaginations.  He became more famous as he sold physical copies of his mixtapes for $100 each, an unheard-of strategy given the music was available digitally for free. This declaration of self-worth caught the attention of his fans and the music industry at large. Jay-Z famously bought 100 copies of the mixtape in a show of respect and support.

Hussle’s crowning musical achievement was the release of his 2018 album ‘Victory Lap’. The effort received a Best Rap Album Grammy nomination in 2019. In 2020, at the 62^nd Grammy Awards, he posthumously earned three more nominations and took home two wins for Best Rap Performance and Best Rap/Sung Performance.

His impact on the community impact grew with the opening of his Marathon clothing store in the heart of the Crenshaw commercial district. The store gave customers access to exclusive music along with the clothing. Hussle would go on to buy the entire shopping mall that surrounded the Marathon clothing store, in which he invested in STEM technology workspaces and housed other local entrepreneurs.

On March 21, 2019, Hussle was killed outside of his Marathon store by Eric Holder who last month was found guilty of first-degree murder. Following his death, there was an outpouring of tributes. People in his community, across California and around the country honored his life with murals, vigils and other remembrances, reflecting the impact Hussle had on California and the hip hop community worldwide.

While the Marathon store has closed, the location remains a memorial to Hussle where fans pay daily tribute to his memory. There are plans to open a second store on Melrose Avenue. However, no date has been set for its opening.

Writer and sports media personality Justin Tinsley narrated an ESPN 30 for 30 special about Hussle and his close relationship with athletes and the sports world, particularly LA Sports.

“That star on the Walk of Fame is symbolic of so much,” said Tinsley. “Nipsey is one of those people who will always be remembered, yes, as an incredible rapper. But even more than that, he was a man who had a vision for himself and his people. He put that into action and the result of which will keep his name alive for generations of Black folk. That’s so beautiful and it’s inspiring that he cared so much to do everything he did. But that star is also symbolic of everything we lost with him to. Everything he was yet to think of. Everything he was supposed to do and accomplish.”

Tinsley said he feels the sadness following the senseless murder of Hussle still lingers amongst his supporters but that the joy, pride and motivation he brought to many cannot be forgotten.

“Losing Nipsey in the physical sense will never truly make sense. It’s something God — or whomever you pray to — can truly answer. But it’s such a blessing that we were all given the time to be impacted by him whether up close and personal or from afar. And through all the pain that’s still there — and will always be there — that’s how we got to look at it. Grief is a very real emotion. But it shouldn’t be the only one when we talk about Nipsey Hussle.”

The concept of ‘The Marathon’ was a staple in Hussle’s music. Persevering through obstacles to reach your goal and enduring the pain that inevitably comes when striving for greatness. At the conclusion of London’s Walk of Fame induction speech, she referenced this concept and left a message for everyone visiting Hussle’s monument.

“Whenever you’re in the City of Angels and you see this star, I hope it encourages you to break away from whatever might be holding you back and for you to run your marathon until God says that it is finished,” she said.

By Lue Dowdy | LUE Productions

Once again folks it’s ya’ girl LUE DOWDY here to tell ya’ about an amazing talent. I’d like to congratulate Recording Artist, ‘LJ Savvy’ on taking Second (2^nd) place at ‘LUE Productions Community Umbrella Services’ Youth Talent Competition and Showcase. Straight out of ‘P TOWN’ (Pomona) and a senior at The School of Arts and Enterprise, this young man had the stage LITT with his energy, and the Mic on fire with his dope lyrics.

My first encounter with LJ Savvy was back in April at San Bernardino Valley College. He was one of the youth performers performing at a youth showcase presented by ‘CHORDS YOUTH ENRICHMENT CENTER’, overseen by Founder/CEO Edwin Johnson. From the moment the beat dropped he had me hooked. LJ Savvy has several gifts and he’s been performing since the age of 12. He plays instruments and writes poetry. Currently, Savvy is working on designing his own show and will be dropping new music throughout the year. His team is working on a music video for his song, titled, ‘Getting It’.

“Drake and Kendrick are two of my biggest influences musically and Kyle influences my performances. I also get inspiration from my need to grow and impact people through my music, and of course, having fun”! Savvy states.

This aspiring rap artist, under the guidance of his parents, is one to watch for. Make sure you look him up on all social media platforms under, ‘LJ SAVVY’.

For more information on events and showcases provided by LUE Productions please visit our website at lueproductions.org, or visit us on social media. Please call or email us at 909.567.1000 lue.info@yahoo.com

By Antonio Ray Harvey | California Black Media

At its last meeting, the California Racial and Identity Profiling Advisory Board (RIPAB) discussed the discrepancies in the racial profiling data reported by the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department (LASD).

RIPAB co-chair Melanie P. Ochoa told her board colleagues that there is “sufficient evidence” that data concerning police stops are not being reported by LASD as required by Assembly Bill (AB) 953.

Ochoa said that “over 50,000 self-initiated stops” were “not captured as Racial and Identity Profiling Act (RIPA) data.” Deputies “failed to report over 18,000 consent searches,” and “over 25,000” or 37% of backseat detentions were not filed.

“It’s a big deal,” said Ochoa, a staff attorney for Criminal Justice and Police Practices at the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Southern California. “The overall trends may be accurate but it’s really scary how much certain communities are impacted by this.”

The Los Angeles County Office of the Inspector General (OIG) confirmed data was missing in its June 10 Underreporting of Civilian Stop Data to the California Attorney General report.

OIG reported that LASD’s Sheriff’s Automated Contact Reporting System (SACR) which supplies data to RIPA and its Computer Aided Dispatch System (CAD) which tracks patrol-related contacts run independently and do not communicate information.

The SACR system underreported observation-based stops by at least 50,731 entries and underreported reasonable-suspicion stops by 8,625 entries. Reasonable suspicion stops are made by deputies when they suspect a person is engaging in criminal activity.

RIPAB learned about the LASD missing information about 6 months after it released its fifth annual report that found Blacks or African Americans were searched 2.4 times more than Whites in 2020.

Information from agencies reporting data showed law enforcement officers used force against Blacks 2.6 times more than White people.

Board member Lawanda Hawkins, founder of Justice for Murdered Children (JMC) said, “I am concerned that the data received from the biggest (law enforcement) agency in the state is inaccurate. It makes you question all of it. If they are not giving us all the stops…. there’s a problem. And what is the repercussion if they don’t do it?”

AB 953, the Racial and Identity Profiling Act of 2015, requires California law enforcement agencies to report data to the Department of Justice (DOJ) on all vehicle and pedestrian stops, and citizen complaints alleging racial and identity profiling. AB 953 was authored by Assemblywoman Dr. Shirley Weber (D-San Diego), currently the Secretary of State.

On July 1, 2018, the eight largest law enforcement agencies, began collecting stop data and reporting the information to DOJ. According to Attorney General Rob Bonta California is now one of the leaders in the country in collecting and analyzing police traffic stops.

“To date, the state has provided the public with an in-depth look into nearly 9 million police stops. This information is critical and these annual reports continue to provide a blueprint for strengthening policing that is grounded in the data and the facts,” Bonta said.

RIPAB is a diverse group of 19 members representing the public, law enforcement, and educators. Their charge is to eliminate racial and identity profiling, and improve diversity and racial and identity sensitivity in law enforcement.

Ochoa said the missing RIPA data could have a “significant” effect on people’s lives in terms of litigation, policy change, and potential intervention programs, and implementation of Assembly Bill (AB) 2542, the California Racial Justice Act (CRJA).

CRJA prohibits the state from seeking or obtaining a criminal conviction, or from imposing a sentence, based upon race, ethnicity, or national origin.

“There should be an acknowledgment of missing data and the direction this missing data is probably (going). It’s just not randomly missing. It’s just missing in a way to suggest that there are more certain things happening than being reported,” Ochoa said.

Bill Ayub, Ventura County Sheriff and the California State Sheriff’s Association representative on the Board said there could be many reasons why the absent information was not entered as RIPA data.

The report shows that in December 2020 LASD was aware of issues with SACR system data and assured OIG that “steps would be taken” to prevent misreporting of stop data to the DOJ.

But a year later, LASD “conceded” that the department was not “in compliance with RIPA requirements” due to the system being outdated. The CAD system was implemented in the 1980s and is running on hardware and software that are no longer supported by the manufacturer.

Ayub warned that there should be “a word of caution” when considering the data.

“If you look at arrests by my agency you would see far fewer RIPA entries for arrests than arrests that actually occur. Court-ordered remands, warrants that appear for people that are already in custody, and in-custody incidents that result in arrest are all incidents that would not trigger RIPA reporting,” Ayub told the Board.

RIPAB’s latest report analyzes millions of vehicles and pedestrian stops conducted Between Jan. 1, 2020, to Dec. 31, 2020, by 18 law enforcement agencies. All state and local law enforcement agencies will be required to report stop data to the California DOJ by April 1, 2023.

About 40 million people live in California, according data from the state’s Department of Finance. 2.25 million African Americans live in the state (about 6.5%).

Reporting agencies made over 2.9 million stops during the stop data collection period, with the California Highway Patrol conducting the most stops of any single agency (57.7%). Law enforcement officers searched 18,777 more people perceived as Black than those perceived as White

The law enforcement agencies reporting 2020 RIPA data were the Police Departments serving Bakersfield, Davis, Fresno, Long Beach, Los Angeles, Los Angeles Unified School District, Oakland, Sacramento, San Diego, San Francisco and San Jose; the Sheriff’s Departments of Los Angeles County, Orange County, Riverside County, Sacramento County, San Bernardino County, San Diego County; and the California Highway Patrol.

LASD is the largest sheriff’s department in the world with nearly 10,000 deputies serving almost 10 million people. San Francisco has a population of 888,305 with 2,140 sworn officers and San Diego has 1,415 residents and 1,887 sworn officers.

SACRAMENTO, CA— Assemblymember Jesse Gabriel (D-Woodland Hills) announced that he has selected Cafe Aficionado, a family-owned coffee shop in Northridge, as the Small Business of the Year for California Small Business Day 2022.

“Small businesses are the backbone of communities across California, and Cafe Aficionado is the perfect example of why these establishments are so valued,” said Assemblymember Gabriel. “I’m proud to be honoring such an incredible small business that does so much to enrich the lives of those in the West Valley, both through its delicious food and coffee, and even more so through its commitment to serving our community.”

After Reggie Cua returned from service in the United States Coast Guard, he and his wife, Abby, opened Cafe Aficionado in 2018 with a vision to bring coffee culture to the San Fernando Valley and to create a space that all members of the community could enjoy. The cafe frequently hosts trivia nights, meetings for local non-profits, speed dating events, art shows, fundraisers—anything that makes the cafe “feel like home,” as Abby and Reggie have stated.

By Edward Henderson | California Black Media

A lawsuit filed by the California-Hawaii NAACP Conference on August 2 to remove an election ballot opposition statement to Proposition 26 attributed to a Los Angeles NAACP branch member has been settled.

The statement will be stricken from ballot materials.

The civil rights organization found the statement “false and/or misleading” because it supports Prop 26. Also, according to NAACP bylaws, a local branch is prohibited from taking positions opposite that of the state group.

The statement against Proposition 26 found on the Secretary of State’s website reads as follows:

“We oppose Prop 26 to protect young people from developing lifelong gambling addictions that often lead to ruined finances, relationships, even homelessness and crime.” Minnie Hadley-Hempstead, Retired teacher, and President Emeritus of the Los Angeles NAACP Branch

The lawsuit named Secretary of State Dr. Shirley Weber as the defendant because removing the quote from ballot materials, requires a court ruling.

A declaration statement made by Hadley-Hempstead for the lawsuit describes how she was misled by the No on Prop 26 Campaign.

The lawsuit also points out that the position ‘President Emeritus’ does not exist within the NAACP, and the only branch that can clear use of the trademarked term NAACP in support or opposition of any legislation is the state branch of the organization. It also claims the use of the term ‘We’ creates the belief that the NAACP supports a NO vote, which it did not.

“We’re glad the card room casino operators did the right thing and removed the deceptive and inappropriate quote from their “No on 26” ballot arguments,” said Rick Callender, President of the California-Hawaii State Conference of the NAACP. “Despite the California-Hawaii NAACP’s strong support for Prop 26, opponents tried to deceive voters into thinking the opposite. Thankfully, voters will not be provided this false and misleading quote in the official voter guide sent to every voter.”

Prop 26, the in-person Tribal Sports Wagering Act would authorize in-person sports wagering at existing tribal casinos. All bets must be placed in-person at a tribal casino with safeguards in place to prevent underage and illegal gambling.

Proponents of the proposition believe it will help create jobs and economic opportunities that support Indian self-reliance, while benefiting all Californians, generating new revenues for public schools, wildfire prevention and other state priorities.

Opponents of the proposition believe it will force local cardrooms out of business and, in turn, cause the state to lose tax revenue.

A statement from the “No on 26” Campaign, respectfully adheres to the wishes of Hadley Hempstead while standing behind the ballot initiative.

“Californians from across the state have been clear with their objections to Prop 26 which includes a poison pill that will unfairly harm communities of color. We appreciate and respect Ms. Hadley-Hempstead and will honor her wishes to remove her previously approved quote from the ballot statement,” it read.

Also named in the NAACP lawsuit, was Jay King, President of the California Black Chamber of Commerce. He told California Black Media opposition to Prop 26 is justified saying, “With the tribes, they want to oversee what cardrooms do and want to legislate cardrooms. We have a body to do that already. I stand on the opposite side of the NAACP statewide and that’s ok.”

By Lou Yeboah

Tricked, backstabbed, [hoodwinked, bamboozled, lead astray, run amok and flat out deceived ? Malcom X] believing, the lies of Satan. Jesus clearly revealed Satan’s intentions: He said in, [John 10:10] “The thief cometh not but for to steal, and to kill and to destroy.” Satan’s ultimate goal is to promote death and destruction, as the Bible makes clear. I tell you; you’ve been had, tricked, and backstabbed. The devil was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies. [John 8:44].

Be sober [watch], be vigilant [stay awake]; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour [1 Peter 5:8]. The devil is active and working to take hold over your entire life. His ultimate goal is to steal you away from God, through lies, distorting your view of God, and appealing to your fleshly desires. And so far, he has done well, got you believing that you can continue on the destruction path that you are on without any consequences. The devil is a liar! You better repent before it is too late! Cause living in sin means playing a game that you cannot win. And sooner or later, sin’s consequences will catch up with you [Leviticus 20 and Deuteronomy 22].

I tell you; you’ve been had, tricked, and backstabbed, just like Adam and Eve in the garden [Genesis 2:16-17]. The devil showed up in the garden and deceived man into eating from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. God told Adam that he could not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil because he would surely die if he had done so. Yet Satan came along and whispered in Eve’s ear that they would not die if they ate from the tree, and that they would be like God, knowing good and evil [Genesis 3:2-5]. Believing the lies of the devil, Adam and Eve ate from the tree and from that, both sin and death entered into the world. Don’t let his lies deceive you into compromising your obedience to God. You have an enemy. His number one weapon against you is a lie, and if you believe that lie, your onward progress will stop with God.

You see, the Bible describes Satan as the prince of this world who opposes God and lies to you, to appeal to the appetites of your flesh. “I don’t want you to be ignorant of his devices.” He’s a schemer. [2 Corinthians 2:11]. Scripture tells us that those who end up falling for the devil’s tricks, and are fully convinced to follow him, that God will give them over to a debased mind [Romans 1:28] and that they will be condemned because they did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness [2 Thessalonians 2:11-12]. I tell you, you’ve been had, tricked, backstabbed, “hoodwinked, bamboozled, lead astray, run amok and flat out deceived.”

It’s time to wake up! Do not give place to the devil [Ephesians 4:27]. Resist him and he will flee [James 4:7]. Learn to recognize the devil’s lies, reject those lies and replace them with the Truth of God’s Word. Only then can you live the way you were meant to live. The devil had your past, but he shall not have your future! Declare war on him –Make up your mind that you are going to resist him. Become indignant about the damage he has done in your life and the lives of those you love. Determine you are going to do everything to keep him from invading your life anymore. Verbally declare that he has no place in your life and mean it. Arm yourself – [Ephesians 6:10-17 – 2 Corinthians 10:4-5], and FIGHT! [1 Timothy 6:12] God has authorized you to stand against the enemy. [Ephesians 6:10-18]. Go to battle because your life depends on it!

And the devil who had deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur where the beast and the false prophet were, and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever. [Revelation 20:10].

By Austin Gage | California Black Media

As students and parents contemplate how best to be prepared for school after the summer break, engaging in summer education offers a way to recover from the trauma and learning loss caused by the pandemic. To address this vitally important issue, the U.S. Department of Education held a virtual roundtable on July 27th titled “Summer F.U.N. for Black Students: Families Understanding and Nurturing Learning at Home”.

Hosted by Alexis Holmes, Policy Manager at the National Education Association, the virtual panel focused on how Black families can support and provide rich summer learning experiences for their children.

The roundtable participants were Dr. Rosiline Floyd, Chief of Staff at Normandy Schools Collaborative; Kier Gaines, licensed therapist and Job Placement Specialist at District of Columbia Public Schools; Frances Frost, education advocate and the first Family Ambassador at the Department of Education; and Josh Davis, vice president of policy and partnerships at StriveTogether.

The advice provided by the panel stressed engagement of Black students during the summer as valuable to academic success in the fall and for the students’ futures.

Speaking to the roundtable audience, Holmes shared her appreciation with everyone present for understanding the importance of the topic. “We appreciate you taking the time to be here today to talk about something so important, and that is making sure that our students continue to have the out-of-school/summer experiences that they need to support them and to get them ready for a very successful and rich fall and back to school season,” Holmes said.

The panel maintained that Black families must provide support to their children due to its lasting impact on their educational future. Emphasizing this point, Floyd and Davis both agreed that because Black and other marginalized students face steeper challenges in their journeys for higher education, these obstacles must be dealt with efficiently and effectively.

“I started out as an engineer at Purdue, and I noticed that students of color didn’t have the resources that I had to make it to a Division I university, so I started researching why and a lot of what I found was the education level that they were getting inside the schools. They changed the standards to get into universities, but schools didn’t even offer some of the classes that students needed to be able to enroll in universities,” said Floyd.

When asked to identify resources and what they can mean to Black communities, Davis said “When I think about resources, it is the non-financial but oftentimes more important social and political capital that Black families and children do not have with equitable or equal access to those things other communities have that allow them to thrive.”

Understanding the obstacles standing in the way of Black students’ academic potential success was the first step the panelists explored. Next, they discussed strategies to academically engage the students during the summer.

“Try to find that sweet spot in between what some of the children are naturally good at and what they like to do, help them understand that those two things sometimes are two completely different things and then just allow an exploratory nature in introducing them to different options that they might not have had otherwise. Putting kids in the driver’s seat seems to be a really remarkable strategy,” Gaines said.

Regarding specific teaching strategies, Gaines shared that, “What has been the most effective for me in the program that I’ve been in charge of is finding ways to integrate social media and technology into what you’ve already been doing. Also allow time for breaks. ‘Hey y’all, we are going to work for an hour and then we’ll take a 15-minute break; you can be on your phone, you can go chill, you can do whatever you want but promptly I want us to be back in and back ready.’”

Frost shared a specific strategy of her own regarding making a summer education system effective. “Make sure that your program is a welcoming environment. That’s one of the standards that we have as National PTA [National Parent Teacher Association]. It is summertime, they have been in school for 180 days, they want to do everything but be in school so make it something that they want to come to and things they want to learn,” said Frost.

The main message the roundtable panelists conveyed to the audience was Black families supporting their children was key to academic success.

“Our research shows that children who have parents who are engaged are more likely to show up to school, they are more likely to graduate, they are more likely to be successful in school because you are encouraging your child, you are in contact with their teacher, you understand what’s going on,” Frost said.

By McKenzie Jackson | California Black Media

The Golden State is doing more than just praying for rain amidst the historic drought that is battering the state and the western United States.

Gov. Gavin Newsom unveiled a plan that would increase California’s water supply and combat the extreme weather patterns caused by climate change. The initiative, its scope captured in the 19-page “California’s Water Supply Strategy, Adapting to a Hotter, Drier Future” document released by Newsom’s administration, will invest $8 billion in water recycling, storage, and desalination.

The plan, Newsom said, is in response to a deeper understanding of how dire California’s water crisis is.

“The hydrology in the state has begun to change pretty significantly,” he said. “The aridification that we are experiencing leads us now, the science and data leads us now, to understand we will lose 10 % of our water supply by 2040.”

The governor made his remarks at an Aug. 11 press conference held in front of the $110 million Antioch Brackish Desalination Project facility, currently under construction at the city of Antioch’s wastewater treatment plant. When completed within the next two years. the first surface-water desalination plant in the Bay Area will use large reverse-osmosis filters to create six million gallons of fresh water per day.

Antioch mayor Lamar Thorpe said the facility is one of the innovative solutions Californians need to in response to climate change and the current drought, which began in 2020.

Assemblymember Lori Wison (D – Suisun) said, “We are experiencing the worst drought the Western United States has seen in 1,200 years. We must find innovative solutions to climate challenges like this if we are to move forward successfully…… Under the Governor’s leadership, California is investing in technology, solutions, and people to build a more resilient, even as California leads the charge to combat climate change.”

Newsom said constructions like Antioch project are part of the plan.
“We are focused on creating more supply. We are focused on creating more water,” he said. “We need to be more creative and more aggressive in not just promoting this technology but delivering on its promise and more over its potential.”

The “Water Supply Strategy” includes creating storage space for up to four million acre-feet of water, so that rain water from big storms can be captured and stored for dry periods and recycling and reusing at a minimum 800,000 acre-feet of water per year by 2030, reducing wastewater discharged to the ocean. Employing more efficient water conservation the state will free up 500,000 acre-feet of water to make up for water lost because of climate change. Additionally, new water captured by stormwater and desalinating ocean water and salty water in groundwater basins will be available for use.

Officials across the state applauded plan.

San Diego County Water Authority General Manager Sandra L. Kerl said the “Water Supply Strategy” is an important step to protect California’s economy and quality of life.

“The governor’s approach aligns closely with the Water Authority’s 30-year strategy that combines new supplies, infrastructure upgrades, and conservation,” she said.

There were some that disagreed with some of Newsom’s plan.

Kate Poole, senior director of the Natural Resources Defense Council’s nature program, told the LA Times some of the initiative was good.

Poole said, “It’s really the things that aren’t in there that are most concerning,” she said. “Agriculture obviously uses 80 percent of our developed water supply in California. So you can’t really deal effectively with water use without dealing with Big Ag. And Newsom does not seem very willing to do that.”

California is experiencing its second drought in the last decade. The sense of urgency is real, said Newsom.

“The hots are getting a lot hotter and the dries are getting a lot drier,” he said. “We have to adapt.”