Happily Divorced And After

By Joe Bowers, Jr. | California Black Media

When Gov. Gavin Newsom presented his 2023-24 budget, educators around the state were happy to hear his funding plans for California’s public schools.

The deficit had little impact on education funding. K-12 per-pupil funding is $17,519 from the Prop 98 General Fund and is $23,723 per pupil when accounting for all funding sources. Last year, it was $22,893.

Newsom announced, “We’re keeping our promises.”

The budget reaffirms his commitment to invest in Transitional Kindergarten (TK)-12 education. Funding levels are being maintained for universal TK, community schools, behavioral health programs, special education, programs to mitigate learning loss during COVID-19, teacher and staff recruitment and retention and the universal meals program.

The biggest new program presented in the budget is called the LCFF (Local Control Funding Formula) Equity Multiplier.

“We made a commitment with leaders in the Assembly and the Senate, led by the great work that former Assemblymember Weber and now current member Weber is doing in terms of equity,” Newsom described the program. “We’re committing an additional $300 million in this year’s budget.”

“We’re committing an additional $300 million in this year’s budget.”

Newsom was referring to the efforts Secretary of State Dr. Shirley Weber made with Assembly Bill (AB) 2635 and her daughter, Assemblymember Dr. Akilah Weber (D-San Diego), with AB 2774. The bills were written to fix the LCFF by creating a supplemental grant for California’s lowest-performing subgroup of students not currently receiving funding, which are African American students.

Black students have consistently been the lowest performing students in the state. Currently, 70% are not meeting the English Language Arts standards and 84% are not meeting math standards.

About 80,000 African American students — or just over 25% — are not receiving additional supplemental funding or accountability through the LCFF.

It’s only by targeting additional funds to the lowest performing subgroup that most school districts will be willing to adopt specific and concrete solutions to bridge the achievement gap for Black students.

Although Shirley Weber had shelved the bill in 2018, Gov. Jerry Brown agreed to fund AB 2635 with $300 million in one-time money. The funding went to “low performing students” not the “lowest-performing student subgroup”. It is estimated that Black students received about 8% of that amount.

Last year, AB 2774 passed through the Senate and Assembly without opposition, but Akilah Weber opted to pull the bill before it was sent to Newsom due to potential constitutional issues and lack of an appropriation to fund it. However, she secured Newsom’s commitment to include it in the 2023 budget – targeted funding that would address the needs of Black students.

However, the LCFF Equity Multiplier Program Newsom is proposing falls short of the expectations of the educators and education advocates that supported AB 2774.

They formed the Black in School Coalition and they are asking Newsom to develop a program more like AB 2774.

Coalition member Debra Watkins, Founder and Executive Director of the California Alliance of African American Educators, told California Black Media (CBM) the program was, “Almost the opposite of what we were asking for… it’s misguided.”

Dr. Margaret Fortune, the president and CEO of Fortune School of Education, a charter school network based Sacramento told CBM, “You have a proposal that is put out there as the solution for Black kids, but the funding is not going to get to the Black kids.”

The Equity Multiplier Program is a $300 million ongoing add-on to the LCFF to accelerate gains in closing opportunity and outcome gaps.

The funds will be allocated to LEAs (Local Educational Agency) which are a school district, county office of education, or charter school with schools serving high concentrations of students eligible for free meals (90% or more free meal eligibility for elementary and middle schools and 85% or more free meal eligibility for high schools).
Brooks Allen, Education Policy Advisor to the Governor and Executive Director of the California State Board of Education, revealed to CBM that budget trailer bill language is being written to strengthen the ties between the three elements of California’s accountability system: the LCAP, the California School Dashboard, and the Statewide System of Support.

According to Allen, the trailer bill will require LEAs, where student group performance is low on a Dashboard indicator at the school level, to include specific goals, actions, and funding to address these demonstrated student group and school-level needs in the LCAP and LEA budget.

Assemblymember Weber told CBM, “I am a huge supporter of this proposal in its entirety…. It’s about making sure that the money that we’re getting is being used properly. That it’s going to the students that are supposed to be getting it and making sure that whatever indicators that we have found to indicate poor academic performance are being improved.”

Watkins is not convinced. “LCFF is almost 10 years old, and accountability was baked into it. That accountability legislated through LCFF has failed Black children. The money that was supposed to be directed to Black children, hasn’t gone to them.”

The Governor’s program is trying to address the needs of Black students given constitutional constraints. But his office has not let the press know what the constraints are.

The advocates for improving Black student performance are urging Newsom not to shy away from the possibility of being sued.

The members of the coalition and Newsom’s office have a meeting planned to, according to Allen, provide an opportunity for a “meeting of minds.”

Watkins is open to continuing talks, but “they need to make adjustments.”

Fortune says, “We’re going to engage the governor’s office. And we’re going to get engaged in the Legislature, and we’re going to engage the court. We’ll be everywhere.”

The discussions about the LCFF Equity Multiplier have been conducted without the benefit of the budget trailer bill language. Details are expected to be available in early February.

Negotiations on how best to fund Black students are expected to be ongoing with the Governor’s office, the Black in School Coalition and the Legislature until May 15 when Newsom releases his May budget revision. And further negotiations will likely continue until the June 15 deadline for the Legislature to pass the budget bill.

Coalition member, Christina Laster, education advisor for Al Sharpton’s National Action Network, Western Region told CBM our motto is “No Justice, No Peace. We will do what is necessary to gain justice.”

SAN BERNARDINO, CA— With our theme being “I Am …Changing the Narrative” the Social-Lites Inc., are excited to have 5 outstanding young men participating in the 2022- 2023 Beautillion Program. The Knights are Jermaine Moreno and Jordan Evans from Grand Terrace High School Senior, K’Miles Davis of Rialto High School, Shannon Williams of Mojave High School & Davion Boyd-Phenix of Arlington High School.

These Knights are in full swing with many dynamic speakers. To date we have had several special guests, starting with:

• Edward Brantley, Student Outreach Coordinator for the PAL Center & Lead Instructor for the San Bern. County’s Probation Depts. Independent Living Program opened our season with a well-received spirited talk about Self-Confidence and How to Bring You’re A-Game into your Life.
• Michael Davis, newly retired 25-year School Administrator who worked across Southern and Bay Area California covered the proper attire for Dressing for Success for any occasion from head to toes.
• Tina Darling, BN MSN Educator and Asst. Director of American Career College discussed all avenues of health and the awareness of STD’s.
• Pastor Reginald L Woods, PhD, Pastor of Life Changing Ministries and former Sir Knight 1976, spoke to the entire units (Squires, Fair Maidens and Pages) about all aspects of life and how to attract positive relationships & how to recognize them at an early age.

• Chief Joseph Paulino, for the S.B.U.S.D. talked to our youth about life and how to think outside the box and now is the time to start your focus.
• Zuriah McKnight – Police Officer of Valverde S.D. and Owner of District Charter Patrol talked to the men about entrepreneurship and how to seize the moment reminding the Knights “if you want something don’t waste time and get it.”
• Fire Chief David Reddix for the City of L.A. City Fire Department shared his journey as an African American male and the challenges of growing to the top rank of Chief as well as the career paths available.
• Charles Brown, former Sir Knight 1989 and member Dar’rell Jones both of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., Mu Xi Lambda Chapter along with Social Lites, Inc. member Twillea Evans-Carthen of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., Eta Nu Omega Chapter presented information on the upcoming 35^th Annual Oratorical Contest and encouraged each of them to participate for scholarships.
• Anthony Roberson, Associate Director of Operations at California State University, San Bernardino and former Knight of 1995 – talked about his past participation of being a “Knight” in the program and how it helped him with his future life experiences. He also shared with the young men the importance of being an African American man today.

Just this past weekend we accompanied the Knights to the L.A. Black College Expo where they were able to meet Admission Counselors from the majority of our historically Black Colleges from around the United States. We were thrilled that several of our Knights walked away with partial scholarships that day!

The Beautillion Program, now it its 56^th year, it’s designed to help young men who are seniors in high school prepare for college through the solicitation of ads, leadership development, accountability, responsibility, etiquette, attire for all occasions, spiritual growth, public speaking, and community service. At the conclusion of the program one young man will be recognized “Sir Knight.”

The Beautillion program will conclude on April 1, 2023 at California State University, San Bernardino. To date, we have given out approximately 2.5 million dollars in scholarships to our college bound young men.  For more information, please contact Sheri Lewis (909) 320-0799, Elsie Paulino (951)205-8823 or Marlene Davis (909) 709-5502.

LOS ANGELES, CA—- Afro Unicorn®, a fully-licensed character brand founded by trailblazing African American businesswoman April Showers, begins 2023 with a breakthrough year for creativity and authentic representation. Shattering the glass ceiling, Ms. Showers is the first Black woman to own a fully licensed character brand in major retail.

In 2022, Afro Unicorn hit the shelves of 3,800 Walmart stores across the U.S. and Puerto Rico with party supplies and apparel. For the holidays, Afro Unicorn launched a new gift-giving tradition with its Magic Afro Unicorn gift box, encouraging acts of kindness. The conscious brand also debuted an original EP featuring Grammy Award Winning Anthony Hamilton, Lara D, Brooklyn Marie, and executive produced by producer Askia Fountain, Afro Unicorn’s GM.

2023 promises to be a Jordan Year for Afro Unicorn with a major presence at seven of the world’s top retail stores, including Walmart, Target, HomeGoods, Kohls, JCPenney, Amazon, and NovaKids. Afro Unicorn will also launch at Walmart Canada this February. The brand will skyrocket onto the scene with 25+ categories, from apparel and accessories to toys, puzzles, books, bedding, bandages, backpacks, collectibles, and more. With 45+ licensee partners worldwide, Afro Unicorn is the “blueprint” to empower and inspire entrepreneurs to enter the licensing space.

Ms. Showers says: “Afro Unicorn signifies two ideas: firstly, empowering and elevating emerging entrepreneurs. Secondly, it’s an homage to Africa and a promise to amplify representation. We deliver a product that feels ‘true and right’ and normalizes Black beauty. By doing so, Afro Unicorn uplifts women and children of color with the confidence they need to embrace who they are – unique, divine, and magical.”

Building the brand from the ground up, Afro Unicorn started in the e-commerce industry in 2019. Back then, it was an organic, grassroots brand, and Ms. Showers was pressing shirts and selling them through her eCommerce store, adding logos to T-shirts and bags at her customers’ request. Afro Unicorn burst onto the scene as a brand in August 2021 after a video of a little girl wearing an Afro Unicorn shirt went viral. Then, Ms. Showers received an email from Walmart with the subject title “Afro Unicorn x Walmart” collaboration, marking her start with Walmart as one of the first Black Women to enter the party supplies/celebration category with Afro Unicorn gaining prime shelf placement next to Marvel characters and Disney princesses.

Children will soon be able to live and play in a world of Afro Unicorn with plushies, collectibles, games, puzzles, books, playsets, ride-ons, outdoor play, and live animation in the works. A new line of original Afro Unicorn® books under the Random House Books for Young Readers imprint will be released widely in Fall 2023 featuring three Afro Unicorn characters by name across all Afro Unicorn® products.

About Afro Unicorn®

Afro Unicorn® is a fully licensed character celebrating representation founded by visionary entrepreneur and CEO April Showers as a conscious brand with the mission to positively uplift and impact women and children of color. Afro Unicorn® represents the beauty and uniqueness of vanilla, caramel, and mocha complexions. From clothing and accessories to holiday gifting and educational resources, Afro Unicorn provides women and children with the confidence they need to embrace who they are – unique, divine, and magical. When a video of a kid influencer wearing an Afro Unicorn® t-shirt went viral, Walmart reached out to Ms. Showers about a collaboration. Recently, ABC News Good Morning America 3: What You Need To Know and CBS Mornings did segments on Afro Unicorn™. She created the character @afrounicorn_official (IG Account) to remind women and kids of color how unique and magical they are. Oprah Daily, Viola Davis, Sherri Shepherd, Alicia Keys, and Tina Knowles are all early believers. Ms. Showers hopes her success is the “blueprint” to empower and inspire women of color to enter the licensing space with 45 + licensee partners worldwide.

Shattering the glass ceiling, Ms. Showers is the first Black woman to own a fully licensed character brand in major retail. In 2022, Afro Unicorn® hit the shelves of 3,800 Walmart stores across the U.S. and Puerto Rico with party supplies and apparel. To learn more about Afro Unicorn™ and how you can become part of this inspiring community, please visit www.afrounicorn.com or follow the brand on Instagram and Facebook.

YUCAIPA, CA—- Construction is underway on Crafton Hills College’s (CHC) voter-approved and funded Public Safety Training Center, following a groundbreaking ceremony on January 20 in front of a crowd of more than 150.

Upon completion, the $9.5 million facility will house CHC’s Fire Academy and public safety programs and further elevate CHC’s reputation as one of the premier public safety colleges in the nation. The Public Safety Training Center was made possible thanks to the vision of current and former CHC leaders and funding from 2018’s Measure CC, approved by voters to fund campus upgrades at both CHC and its sister college, San Bernardino Valley College.

Consistent community support has been the cornerstone of the public safety programs’ successes. Neighboring agencies, like the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians and its fire department, have partnered with CHC to provide necessary tools of the trade, such as fire engines, equipment and training while supporting students’ growth with scholarships.

During the groundbreaking, Tribal leaders presented a check for a $1.8 million grant that will cover student out-of-pocket expenses associated with the program. The need for a steady income and secure housing is an obstacle for many who wish to study public safety fields, said Ed Duro, San Manuel Business Committee member-at-large.

“San Manuel believes that those with their heart [set] to serve others should be able to, especially if they come from historically underrepresented communities,” said Duro, a CHC alumnus, as Tribal leaders presented the gift during the event. “This is why I am proud to announce our investment to offer direct support to students, enabling them to devote themselves to the program. It is a priority for the Tribe to advance these opportunities for everyone regardless of background.”

“This project has been a decade in the making and serves as the best example of what happens when a community comes together for a common goal,” said CHC President Dr. Kevin Horan.

Dr. Stephanie Houston, chair of the San Bernardino Community College District Board of Trustees and a CHC alumna, called the new facility “near and dear” to her heart. As a parent of a first responder, Houston said the Public Safety Training Center brings her a sense of relief because “at that end of the day, [first responder graduates] are going to rely on their training, and their training all started here,” she said.

“So, as we look at our cadets, this next generation of students who are going to be coming through this amazing facility that we are building, [we will know that] it’s to ensure that parents, siblings, spouses and children of our first responders can sleep at night,” Houston said during the ceremony. “Because they can rely on that training we provide [to their loved ones]. This is an amazing opportunity for all of us.”

The Academy—including other first responder-related training programs, such as those for paramedics and respiratory care— has undergone a series of upgrades since its inception in 1982. CHC’s Fire Academy originally operated from an old automotive shop on campus that was transformed into a training space.

Horan concluded the ceremony by thanking the community and the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians for their legacy of support.

“San Manuel’s generosity in the direct support of fire cadets enables us to continue to build a capable, highly qualified and diverse first responder workforce that will serve our region for decades.”

By Solomon O. Smith | California Black Media

At a press conference held at the Pasadena Rose Bowl last week, Assemblymember Chris Holden (D-Pasadena) introduced Assembly Bill (AB) 252, called the College Athletic Protection Act.

If the Legislature passes the bill, it will expand and reinforce protections for college athletes, says Holden, who also serves as Assembly Appropriations Committee chair.

“As a former college basketball player at San Diego State, I know how close you can come to an injury taking away not only the game you love to play, but also your opportunity to finish college,” said Holden. “So, we look at this bill as going further and establishing some important safeguards for athletes as they are out there enjoying what they love to do, but also getting a degree.”

In 2019, Holden introduced a similar bill, the college Athlete Civil Rights Act, which was signed into law by Gov. Newsom. That bill required schools in the state to inform student athletes about their rights and made it illegal for schools to retaliate against athletes who report the school for violations of any kind.

Holden represents Assembly District 41, where Pasadena, “The City of Champions,” is the political center. It is a town that prides itself on its appreciation for sports and the many accomplished athletes who have called the area home, including baseball great Jackie Robinson and several NFL players who have excelled in various sports and made it to the Super Bowl, according to the Pasadena Sports Hall of Fame website.

Holden described AB 252 as “comprehensive.” He told California Black Media at the Rose Bowl press conference, that it will require colleges to set aside $25,000 in tuition for athletes who are not fairly compensated annually to cover the cost of game-related injuries. It will also require that Division1 schools set aside 50% of sports revenue to pay athletes as well as make it easier to report abuses and inform their student athletes of their rights.

While other state and federal bills have dealt with the needs of college athletes in a piecemeal fashion, Holden says, this bill comes with a built-in way to enforce it.

A 21-member watchdog group, called the College Athletic Protection (CAP) panel, will oversee enforcement of the bill’s requirements and ensure that schools are reporting their athletic program’s finances. The board will have the power to enforce the provisions in the new bill and mete out discipline to violators.

The financial responsibility of the schools remains tied to annual revenue reports made to the United States Department of Education. For example, institutions reporting revenue over $20 million will pay for “out of pocket sports-related medical expenses” while colleges reporting over $50 million in revenue will also provide “nationally portable primary medical insurance” to each athlete, according to the language in the bill.

Ramogi Huma, the executive director of the National College Players Association, is a former football player at UCLA and has been a longtime advocate of college athletes.

He was introduced by Holden as a “partner” in crafting the bill.

Huma pointed out the difficulties faced by Black athletes and the exploitative nature of some of the NCAA rules, many of which were highlighted in a 2020 study by the National Bureau of Economic Research, which looked at basketball and football. It found that the system funnels funds away Black and students from low-income backgrounds.

Huma was quick to call the NCAA business model illegal using “amateurism” to “strip wealth” from Black athletes. 

“The NCAA and its colleges do nothing about the trail of seriously injured abused and dead college athletes. This unchecked abuse is not an oversight – it’s by design,” said Huma.

Huma’s organization supports the bill, and, in his speech, he talked about player safety and fair market value as important parts of helping student athletes. He referred to the bill as a step to ending what he characterizes as “exploitation” by the NCAA.

The bill requires those students who are not receiving “fair market” value to have a graduation fund created for them every year which will apply to tuition – even if they can no longer play. Making graduation a goal for student athletes, the bill’s supporters say, is pivotal because data shows many students are spending long hours training to the detriment of their education or forced to play with serious injuries for fear of losing a scholarship.

Amy LeClaire was a college gymnast and victim of sexual assault at San Jose State in 2016. She and over two dozen other victims settled with the college, according to Jemma Dunn, her attorney. LeClair was abused by her coach and her trainer, and the college failed to report the abuse, the lawsuit alleged.

Several of the working conditions LeClair endured will also be addressed by the bill. Ensuring athletes can complete medical treatment and providing ways to report abuse without repercussion are both included in the language.

“I have witnessed firsthand the depths and complexities of institutional cover ups. Universities have not earned the privilege of operating unchecked, nor have they earned the benefit of the doubt,” said LeClair. “I entered the Institute as knowing the risks of a high-level sport, but never imagined the dangers of the institution itself.”

Not everyone will be happy if the bill passes. The NCAA has asked the federal government to block many of the Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) laws being passed by states and claims that these types of laws undermine their ability to regulate this billion-dollar industry, according to Linda Livingstone, the NCAA’s Board of Governors chair who was quoted in Fortune magazine.

Livingstone said in cases involving NIL disagreements, said, “We already see that state legislators will take action that they believe will give the universities in their states a competitive edge over their neighbors.”

Elisha Guidry is a recent graduate from UCLA and was a student athlete for the Bruins. As a recent graduate, he has a hopeful view on how the bill will affect students.

“I want to thank all student athletes out there past current and future,” said Guidry. “Our hard work and dedication on and off the field has gone unnoticed. This bill is a step in the right direction to improving things for us now and in the future to come.”

Media 2070’s award-winning documentary, Black in the Newsroom, continues to screen at film festivals and universities around the nation, spotlighting the inequality many Black reporters face trying to tell the news.

The 17-minute documentary follows Elizabeth Montgomery, a Black journalist who lands her dream job at The Arizona Republic. However, her dream soon becomes a nightmare when her low salary forces her to choose between rent and groceries– while a white colleague is paid thousands of dollars more per year. The documentary sheds light on the lack of diversity in newsrooms and how this can impact Black news reporters and transform the way stories are told:

“When newsrooms are white-dominated and there is not the diversity that reflects the community or that reflects the demographics or the future of this country even, it means that stories aren’t told truthfully,” says Alicia Bell, co-creator of Media 2070.

Montgomery and many Black journalists report struggling with their mental, physical and/or financial health, highlighting a need for change across the industry.

A trailer for the documentary can be found here. Montgomery, Bell and other reporters are available for interviews.

For more information or to request a screening of Media 2070’s Black in the Newsroom, visit https://blackinthenewsroom.com/.

By Antonio Ray Harvey | California Black Media

The California Racial and Identity Profiling Advisory Board (RIPA Board) released its annual report on policing in December. It revealed that People “perceived as Black were searched at 2.2 times the rate of people” appearing as White.

Additionally, law enforcement officers in the state searched a total of 6,622 more people perceived as Black than those perceived as White, the report states. Also of note, those perceived to be Black adolescents between 15 to 17 years old were searched at nearly six times the rate of those perceived as White youth.

“In addition to providing a detailed analysis of the policing activities of 58 law enforcement agencies, this year’s report provides much-needed context on the negative physical, emotional, and mental health consequences experienced by students and the broader communities that are most often the subject of those activities,” said RIPA board member Melanie Ochoa, Co-Chair of the Board and Director of Police Practices at the American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California.

RIPA Board is a diverse group of 19 members representing the public, law enforcement, and educators. It was formed in 2016 when Assembly Bill (AB) 953, the “Racial and Identity Profiling Act,” was passed. The bill was authored by Shirley Weber, California Secretary of State, when she was an Assemblymember representing the 79th District in the greater San Diego area. The board’s charge is to “eliminate racial and identity profiling and improve diversity and racial and identity sensitivity in law enforcement,” according to language included in AB 953.

“California remains at the forefront of the nation in examining police stop data,” said California Attorney General Rob Bonta. “Over the last several years, we’ve collected and analyzed information on nearly 12 million police encounters in our state.”

The current report, sheds light on a study of millions of vehicular and pedestrian stops conducted from Jan. 1, 2021, to Dec. 31, 2021, by 58 law enforcement agencies in California — a notable expansion from the 18 participating agencies documented in the previous report released by RIPA last July.

At the conclusion of a stop, officers are required to report the outcome such as no action taken, warning or citation given, or arrest. For individuals perceived as Black, the 2023 report stated, officers reported “no action taken” approximately 2.2 times as often as they did for individuals viewed as White. The report concluded that there is an indication that a higher rate of those stopped who were perceived as Black were not actually engaged in unlawful activity.

In addition, Black children and adolescents (10 to 14 and 15 to 17 years old) were detained curbside or in a patrol car, searched, or handcuffed during a higher percentage of stops than any other combination of perceived race or ethnicity and age groups.

The report also details that law enforcement officers used force against people perceived as Black at 2.2 times the rate of individuals perceived as White. For those perceived as Latino, officers used force against them at 1.3 times the rate of individuals perceived as White.

Fifty-eight agencies reported over 3.1 million stops during the data collection 12-month study, with the California Highway Patrol (CHP) conducting the most stops of any single agency (54.9%). In addition, individuals perceived to be Hispanic/Latinos (42.4%), White (30.7%), or Black (15.0%) comprised the majority of stopped individuals.

 “Coupled with a strong set of evidence-based recommendations to the Legislature, local jurisdictions, and policing agencies, such as an end to pretext stops and consent searches, our hope is that this year’s report will continue to push California towards building communities that are safer for all,” Ochoa stated.

The Peace Officers Research Association of California (PORAC), a coalition of over 77,000 public safety workers in more than 950 associations, released its own study, which refutes the RIPA Board’s report.

PORAC’s 2023 annual report, “A Critical Analysis” by Dr. Brian L. Withrow, dated Jan. 2, 2023, states that “California is experiencing a public safety crisis” while “law enforcement departments are understaffed, underfunded, and underappreciated.”

 “Unfortunately, California’s Racial and Identity Profiling Advisory Board (RIPA) has pursued an inherently flawed approach to assessing police stop data that both misrepresents the data itself and misleads the public to believe things that simply are not true,” Withrow said. “Californians deserve appropriate scrutiny of officer behavior, but they also deserve the truth. To do otherwise would only sow further division between law enforcement and the communities they risk their lives every day to serve.”

To date, the traffic stop data made available by the RIPA Board is the nation’s largest and most comprehensive collection effort under which all state and local law enforcement agencies will be required to report to the California Department of Justice by April 1, 2023.

In addition to providing an in-depth look into policing in 2021, the Board’s report lists a wide range of recommendations related to policing, with a focus on the impact of pretextual stops, law enforcement interactions with youth, civilian complaint processes, and training on racial and identity profiling.

The RIPA Board insists that the report is consistent with the disparities observed in prior years’ data with respect to perceived race, gender, and disability status.

“California is leading the nation in its effort to collect data on police-citizen interactions and to foster transparency and make progress towards fair, equitable, effective policing,” said Steven Raphael, Co-Chair of the Board and Professor of Public Policy at UC Berkeley. “Data collected under RIPA provides important information to the public, to legislators, and to law enforcement to guide policy and practice throughout the state.”

For more on RIPA and other criminal justice data, members of the public are encouraged to visit OpenJustice, a California Department of Justice, data-driven public initiative that works to increase access to criminal justice data and support the development of public policy.

SAN BERNARDINO, CA— The City of San Bernardino Building and Safety Division issued
6,093 building permits in 2022, more than any other recent year. The total reflects an increase of 42.6% over 2021, when 4,270 permits were issued.

“These numbers show that people are investing in San Bernardino,” said Mayor Helen Tran.

“There is a great deal of opportunity here and I am glad to see people are taking advantage of it.”

The valuation of the permits issued also jumped significantly, totaling $363,841,706. This represents an increase of 57% over 2021, or a gain of more than $132 million in investment. Also noteworthy is that the building permit amounts do not reflect total project costs. Property acquisition costs and architecture services are not included. Government projects are not included in the total either.

“I expect these numbers to increase further in 2023 despite the national economic headwinds,” said San Bernardino Community, Housing, and Economic Development Agency Director Nathan Freeman. “We have a number of large projects in the queue and our phone continues to ring with developer interest.”

In the short term, the increase in permitted activity will be reflected in an increase of local construction jobs, to be followed by new housing, new shopping options, permanent jobs, local sales tax revenue, and property tax revenue.

Freeman added that San Bernardino is in the process of launching a One Stop Shop to speed up the development process. “This is reinventing our customer service approach to serving residents, contractors, investors, and developers through the entitlement and
permitting process, making it easier to get projects done.”

By Barbara Arnwine

I’ve fought for civil rights my entire career. In fact, in honor of my late mother, Vera Pearl Arnwine, I will tell you that my actual birth was amidst a fight for justice and equality to desegregate a White Hospital that refused to service the African Americans in the nearby community.

After being driven past the White hospital during two previous labors, my mom was determined to force change. She purposefully waited until her contractions were advanced and called the ambulance, which seeing her state, took her to the nearest hospital, the White hospital. When the White nurses tried to refuse service, the examining doctor said it was too late and ordered, “We got to deliver this baby.” Thus, my mom defied the “Whites Only” designation and ultimately won as she gave birth to me, the first Black to force the integration of the now closed Seaside Hospital in Long Beach, California.

Being born a “civil rights protest baby” It is no wonder that I went on to graduate from Duke University School of Law and became president and executive director of the Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, where I served for more than 26 years.

That hospital story, of course relayed to me by my mother, is quite relevant during this season in which we not only celebrate the birth of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. but we escalate our commemoration of Black History. Now, as founder of the Transformative Justice Coalition, I remain keenly focused on issues of justice from every walk of life.

In 2023, one aspect of civil rights and racial justice that barely remains addressed is racial inclusion in media ownership. It’s high time to irrigate that fallow civil rights ground as America’s access to trusted, credible and diverse local and national news sources is the key to democracy. There is far too much misinformation and non-inclusion out there; especially impacting communities of color.

An article by the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, headlined, “The Abysmal State of Media Ownership Diversity in America,” says that “Access to the media by the broadest sector of society is crucial to ensuring that diverse viewpoints are presented to the American people, but racial and gender disparities in media ownership that date back to the beginning of the civil rights era continue to persist. Diverse voices in the media landscape help to ensure that diverse topics and perspectives are presented to counter disinformation and misinformation.”

The article continues, “At a time when more people, particularly Black people, are distrustful of the media, diversity in media ownership has become more important than ever for the functioning of our democracy. Diversity in ownership is part of that solution.”

This crucial issue is the reason that my good friends and colleagues in the current civil rights movement are going on the record in support of Standard General’s application before the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to acquire TEGNA, a media company which owns more than 60 television stations across the country. Those colleagues include Dr. Benjamin Chavis, president/CEO of the National Newspaper Publishers Association, and the Rev. Jesse Jackson, president/CEO of the Rainbow/PUSH Coalition. Standard General has a proven record of investing in local news and enhancing diversity with a goal to have newsrooms look like the communities they serve.

Enhancing media diversity is a primary objective at the FCC, but it has a lot of work to do. The FCC just reported that Blacks account for only 3% of majority interests in full-power TV stations with Asian Americans at only 1%. Now it has a chance to really show that it cares about this goal as the Standard General transaction would radically enhance minority media ownership of broadcast channels. Asian-American Soo Kim, Standard General’s Managing Partner and Chief Investment Officer, has expressed commitment to helping newsrooms evolve and stay relevant in this age of on-demand content.

One of my primary venues for taking stances on civil rights issues is my 8-year-old radio show, “Igniting Change with Barbara Arnwine,” heard weekly on Tuesdays at Noon on Radio One’s WOL 1450 a.m. During the hour-long show, I have spent much time discussing voter participation and suppression. Based on the questions and concerns expressed by my listeners on the call-in format, it is clear that preserving local news and making it better and more reflective of the changing faces of America will make our democracy stronger and produce more informed voters. We cannot get this done without aggressively irrigating and sowing into the now fallow ground of minority media ownership. This is a goal that we must all share and promote.

Barbara R. Arnwine, Esq, is president & founder of the Transformative Justice Coalition and former president and executive director of the Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under Law