Happily Divorced And After

By Lou K Coleman-Yeboah

The signs are everywhere. Signs in the sun, in the moon, in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring [Luke 21:25; Matthew 24:29; Mark 13:24-26; Revelation 6:12-17]]. Just take a look around you. What do you see? War and the nations gathering for more war. Economic woes, massive inflation, crime on all sides, wickedness everywhere, natural disasters, famine, etc., etc., etc. I tell you; we are living in a time like no other before us, and yet just as in the days of Noah and Lot, people continue to ‘eat and drink’ and live as if nothing is going to happen. But I tell you, great changes are soon to take place in our world, and the final movements will be rapid ones. Despite all the talk about things getting better and better, the contrary is true…things are getting worse and worse. There is a great deception taking place in this world that many people, are not seeing. It is an extremely dangerous deception, one that is perpetrated on a massive scale. So much so, that [Mark 13:22] tells us that it will be so strong and so powerful and so convincing that even Christians will be tempted to be deceived by it. Do not be complacent. Be alert! Be ready!  Because now unfolding before our eyes, certain signs hint that the enactment of Antichrist’s plan is imminent. Satan has been planning this world takeover for millenniums now. He has cunningly formulated his plans and will, and at the right moment, he would put them into play. Be alert! Be ready! Because I tell you, the last piece of the End-Time puzzle is being put together.

The question for all who are still unsaved is: Will you be delivered by Christ, or will you be deceived by the Antichrist and his puppets? Who will use all power, signs, lying wonders, and every kind of wicked deception for those who are perishing because they refused to love the truth and so be save [Matthew 24:23-24; 2Thessalonians 2:9-11].

As I see it, it is only the mercy of God that He has not sent His Son to rapture us out of this world before now. If I were you, and was not prepared for eternity, believe me, I would run to Jesus to get saved, because end time prophecies is fast being fulfilled. Watch the sun and moon and the stars of the Heavens. When they appear to be unduly disturbed and restless, know that the day is not far away. The time of trouble, which is to increase until the end, is very near at hand, even at the door [Matthew 24:33]. You have no time to lose. The world is stirred with the spirit of war. The prophecies of the eleventh of Daniel have almost reached their final fulfillment. “The hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try us that dwell upon the earth” [Revelation 3:10] will soon be upon us, and all who are not firmly established upon God’s Word and the righteousness of Jesus Christ will be deceived and overcome. Run to Jesus before it is too late!

Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of the prophecy and heed the things which are written in it; for the time is near” [Revelation 1:3, see also 22:7].

PASADENA, CA – Assemblymember Chris Holden hosted and participated in thankfulness and holiday celebrations over the weekend. On Saturday, November 19, 2022, Assemblymember Holden held a turkey drive in partnership with Inland Valley Hope Partners, UFCW 1428, and the City of Claremont. Over 200 turkeys were provided to the community.

On Sunday, November 20, 2022, Assemblymember Holden participated in the annual community event, Operation Gobbler in partnership with Friends Indeed and Pasadena Jaycees. Over 400 turkeys were provided to the community.

“With the burden of inflation impacting families across the state, this year more than ever, working with the community to provide holiday meals has made this thanksgiving even more special for my staff, family, and me,” said Assemblymember Holden.

He continues, “As we celebrate this holiday season, let us practice gratitude but also kindness, being kind to our neighbors and our communities.”

ATLANTA, GA— On Saturday, November 19, the film premiere of Manifested Bliss was held at the Atlanta Marquis Marriot, Tower Two, in Downtown Atlanta. The evening was a red carpet event that consisted of press interviews, a cocktail hour where popcorn, drinks, and sweets were served all followed by the screening of the film and a question and answer session led by Bonman’s fellow Clark Atlanta University alumni, the Marvelous Marissa. The next step of the film will be to distribute it to film festivals, host more screenings, and then shop it to different platforms. This will be done after a few minor adjustments are made to the film. There will also be a trilogy series follow up to the film.

For more information and to stay updated on the film, please join the mailing list at www.theawakenedlounge.com.

SAN BERNARDINO, CA— On November 17, 2022, Supervisor Joe Baca, Jr. donated over 100 turkeys to organizations in San Bernardino County’s Fifth District right in time for Thanksgiving. The event was held at Leno’s Rico Taco’s in Colton, where the chosen organizations drove in and had their turkeys placed into their cars. Those who received turkeys are planning on giving them out to members of their organizations who are unable to afford Thanksgiving dinner this year for their families.

“Giving back to our Fifth District community is the least I can do. I am thankful for many things in my life and being fifth districts county Supervisor is something I will forever be thankful for. There is no better way to show thanks then by giving back to those who need some extra help during the holiday season. It was so touching to see just how grateful these organizations were as they drove in to pick up their donated turkeys. We wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving, full of happiness, peace, and love,” Supervisor Joe Baca, Jr. stated.

By Edward Henderson | California Black Media

Yvonne Wheeler was elected the new President of the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor, AFL-CIO, (LA Fed) Nov. 21. The historic unanimous vote by her peers makes Wheeler the first Black woman to hold the title and makes her one of the most influential people in Los Angeles politics.

The LA Fed, the second largest central labor body in the nation, is a federation of over 300 affiliated union and labor organizations that represent more than 800,000 members. LA Fed is known for fighting for better wages, establishing respect in the workplace and the vast political influence their endorsements hold.

“Yvonne is the best selection and most informed Union leader in the state,” said Danny Bakewell, Executive Publisher, LA Sentinel and the Chairman/CEO of Bakewell Media.

She has integrity, understands union leadership and she is one is those rare leaders that the community and the people trust,” Bakewell continued. “She is the perfect person at the perfect time for this role.”

Wheeler’s election comes in the wake of a political scandal involving former LA Fed President Ron Herrera and three City Council Members – Council President Nury Martinez, Kevin de León, and Gil Cedillo.

A secret recording of Herrera and the City Council members was released in October that featured a conversation involving crude and racist remarks directed towards African Americans, Jews, Armenians, and other ethnic groups. They also were plotting ways they could use the council’s redistricting power and influence to their advantage.

Herrera stepped down from his position as president the day after the LA Times released their initial report on the recording. Massive protests and demonstrations followed the release of the report and the audio of the conversation.

The LA Fed’s decision to elect Wheeler shifts attention from the scandal and directs focus on its mission of representation and inclusivity for the diverse workers they represent.

“I am honored to be elected to lead during such a critical time for workers,” said Wheeler. “In a post-COVID reality, we have to rebound, restabilize and reimagine from the perspective of workers to ensure we are on the right path, and that has to be our priority.”

A Baton Rouge, Louisiana native, Wheeler was serving as the LA Fed’s vice president at the time of her election. Her years of experience as a labor worker, union representative, and activist earned her a reputation as a steward of speaking up for the voiceless and demanding fair treatment from employers.

Wheeler emerged as a labor leader in the late 90s when her advocacy for Black operators at South Central Bell (SBC) prompted her co-workers to elect her to lead the local union. She became president of the Los Angeles Chapter and President of the California State A. Philip Randolph Institute, an AFL-CIO-sponsored group bridging the gap between the African American community and the labor movement through civil rights campaigns, voter registration, and job training.

“Yvonne and I grew up in the labor movement. She is the right person to lead the LA Labor council. She has integrity and she is a true leader who understands how to bring people together from diverse backgrounds. She is fearless and at the same time very humble. She is a natural organizer and a natural leader. She will bring those skills to the labor council and the labor movement will thrive,” said Doug Moore, Executive Director, UDW/AFSCME, and AFSCME International Vice President.

In 2002, she was recruited by the AFL-CIO as a national field representative. Wheeler also co-chair of the L.A. Immigrant Workers Freedom Ride in 2003, championing the plight of immigrant workers. Her credits include pivotal L.A.-area campaigns such as the longshore union lockout, supermarket strike/lockout, and helping to defeat Gov. Schwarzenegger’s 2005 special election initiatives.

Wheeler served as an AFL-CIO Senior Field Representative covering all of Southern California. She also served as the California Area Director for AFSCME Western Region prior to serving in Washington, DC as the Special Assistant to the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) National Secretary-Treasurer. She transferred back to California to reunite with her family in 2014.

“Change is never easy,” Wheeler said. “But it is what we need right now. Our members, our communities rely on us, so we will fight to uplift their voices and build their power to make sure they are never put in this position again. My term as President will not be about what I can do, or what my staff can do, but what we will all do together.”

By Maxim Elramsisy | California Black Media

Around 48,000 academic workers at all 10 University of California (UC) campuses went on strike November 14, shutting down classrooms and research laboratories in the largest employee walkout at any academic institution in history.

The Post-Doctoral scholars, teaching assistants’ and associate instructors, graduate student researchers, and academic researchers are represented by the United Auto Workers union in contract negotiations with the UC system.

Bargaining between the disputing parties has been ongoing for months, and while UC officials recently called for a third-party mediator to address remaining issues, they are continuing to negotiate without one.

“When I was working in the lab, I worked 50-60 hours per week, and the salary was so low that every month I really had to think about if I would make it through the month,” said Neil Sweeny, President of UAW 5810, which is representing the striking UC employees. “I have two small children and my partner was a full-time student. We lived in campus family housing, and we went to the campus foodbank every month to make sure that we had food.  This was while my research was bringing in millions of dollars in research funding for the University.”

The workers are demanding better pay and benefits, including wage increases tied to housing costs. Housing costs in California are among the highest in the country, especially in the Los Angeles and San Francisco metropolitan areas

Aside from UC campuses located in the state’s biggest cities, many of the research university system’s campuses are in parts of the state that have relatively high costs living, like Berkeley, San Diego and the Westside of Los Angeles.

“UC’s pay falls below all their self-identified peer institutions, including Harvard, Stanford, Yale and even public schools like the University of Michigan where living costs are far less” the union said in a press release on Thursday.

The UC maintains that “On average, UC rents systemwide are 20-25% below market rates, with some campuses providing even deeper discounts. UC has offered wage increases for all UAW members which would further help them meet their housing needs.”

The aggrieved employees paint a different picture.

“Being a TA pays for tuition but there is no way I can support myself in this city with what they pay,” said Victor E., a PhD. student and Teachers Assistant on strike at UCLA. “With teaching, my own coursework, and my research, there isn’t really any time to pick up another job. This has resulted in me taking out loans just to live and eat here. This shouldn’t be the case. With the amount of work the university gets out of its graduate students, postdocs, and others, a living wage is a small ask… A number one ranked public university should be doing no less and certainly much, much more.”

Another priority for the workers is transportation costs. The cost of gasoline has gone up around the world and according to a statewide survey conducted by The Public Policy Institute of California, an independent and non-partisan research firm, 43% of Californians including half of lower income residents worry every day about the high cost of gasoline and the increasing unaffordability of various modes of transportation.

The union wants UC to cover regional transit passes, and additional subsidies and incentives for taking public transit or bikes to work.

Recently, UC has offered to pay campus fees to extend “existing student-funded transit discounts,” to UAW members.

Although agreements have yet to be announced, on Thursday the UAW reported that “parties made progress on issues related to Parking and Transit, Appointment Notification, and Paid Time Off.”

There continues to be a large gap between the salary asks and the UC proposals. On Friday, a UAW statement said, “UC made another economic proposal to Academic Researchers containing 4.5% raises that do not match the rate of inflation.”

However, they did report progress in some other areas. “We have reached agreement on a few issues – such as health benefits improvements for Postdocs – which, while important, are not the major ones dividing the parties.”

As final examinations approach for students in the UC system, so does uncertainty. “UAW remains ready to meet for round-the-clock negotiations, but UC has not agreed to schedule sessions for the weekend,” a UAW release said. “Workers will be back on the strike lines Monday Morning.”

Students, faculty and elected officials are showing support for the strikers. Some professors are cancelling classes, and some students are electing to walk out. California State Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon tweeted “Academic workers are essential to the success of all of our @UofCalifornia campuses. The UC must continue to bargain in good faith to reach an agreement with the @UAW.”

SAN BERNARDINO, CA— Southern California Black Chamber of Commerce brings back The San Bernardino MLK Day Parade & Extravaganza in celebration of Dr. King’s birthday on Monday, January 16, 2023, at 11 a.m. The Parade starts at Graciano Gomez Elementary School at Mt. Vernon and Baseline and continues west on Baseline ending at Arroyo Valley High School and Anne Sherrell’s Park.

“Everyone is invited to attend the parade and & Extravaganza in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and his legacy of freedom. Come rejoice with vendors, music, community booths, First 5 children’s zone, custom and classic cars, motorcycles, fun and entertainment at the parade and after at Arroyo Valley High School and Anne Sherrell’s Park,” said event Chair Lou Dowdy.

Set up and staging for The San Bernardino MLK Day Parade & Extravaganza begins at 11:00 am at Graciano Gomez Elementary School in San Bernardino and the parade starts at 1:00 PM. The celebration at Arroyo Valley High School and Anne Sherrell’s Park continues until 8:00 PM.

Collaborators for The San Bernardino MLK Day Parade include: The Southern California Black Chamber of Commerce, Lue ProductionsCommunity Umbrella Services, Dameron Communications, YouthBuild Inland Empire, Chords Youth Enrichment Program, San Bernardino Valley College, San Bernardino Airport, Off the Chain Alliance, Westside Story Newspaper, Empire Talks Back and Black Health Coalition.

For more information or to sign up to be in the MLK Day Parade go to BlackChamberofCommerce.org follow the link for information and registration or call (888) 466-7408.

By Gail Fry | Westside Story News Contributor

As Gail Fry, Contributor to The West Side Story, waited at Gram’s Mission BBQ to meet with its owner, Benita Bratton, a new customer was overheard sharing with a friend of how she was digging into the mac & cheese exclaiming, “it was so good.”

The new customer was not wrong as Fry placed her own order for beef BBQ ribs and a healthy side of fresh grilled vegetables, which was exceptionally delicious, despite the temptation to try the mac & cheese, or the fried green tomatoes.

Benita Bratton, the owner, explained that in 1987 her dad, Robert Bratton, was the founder of the Gram’s Mission BBQ restaurant, which for ten years was located directly across the street from the Mission Inn Hotel.

Robert Bratton found an opportunity, an abandoned restaurant building in a prime location.  The name, Gram’s Mission BBQ, was to tie in the Mission Inn Hotel directly across the street, under renovation at the time of the restaurant’s opening day.

Photo of Robert Bratton

Benita Bratton recalled the struggles her father went through when his restaurant became a political hot potato and a struggle to exist ensued when the owner of the Mission Inn Hotel attempted to influence elected officials of the City of Riverside that he wanted something “classier” than Gram’s Mission BBQ, where meat was grilled outside in a big barrel.

In response Benita Bratton remembered, “The community banded together, and rallied in a petition to fight against the City of Riverside and its effort to close my dad’s restaurant.”  Press-Enterprise humorist columnist Dan Bernsteinregularly covered her father’s battle with the city, she recalled.

Robert Bratton persevered with the community’s support and help that came from all cultures and races when they realized what the City of Riverside was doing to Gram’s Mission BBQ wasn’t right, as Benita Bratton remembered.

Eventually, Robert Bratton sued the City of Riverside which led the city to award him with a settlement and paid for his restaurant’s relocation to where they are today at 3527 Main Street in Riverside where the restaurant was equipped with an indoor smoker.

At the time, according to Benita Bratton, the area was an older dilapidated area of town with sidewalks in disrepair, the Convention Center, a Sheraton and a Holiday Inn, and abandoned businesses.  However, Benita recalled, her father fought back through hustling. until where Gram’s Mission BBQ is today, 25 years later, basically in the sweetest spot in Riverside.

Photo of Gram’s Mission BBQ

Benita Bratton shared that she was there with her dad in 1987, when the restaurant opened, as she had restaurant experience from working at a restaurant in Las Vegas.  But when they did not see eye to eye she left and worked for AT&T for many years.

Robert Bratton is a great businessman, a great community leader, people liked him like to be around him.  “My dad knew how to make a business happen, how to hustle,” Benita Bratton credited, by then he had remarried, and had a new wife who liked to cook.

Benita Bratton shared she found herself becoming increasingly unhappy with her job at the phone company, and kept going to church and praying asking the Lord for guidance on what she should do, and the answer that kept coming was to help her dad at the restaurant.

AT&T was outsourcing jobs to other states and foreign countries, she had thoughts of retiring, there was an opportunity for a buyout, Benita Bratton explained she finally let go and surrendered to what the Lord wanted for her life returning to help her dad at the restaurant, however, their views still differed on its direction.

Benita Bratton explained she wanted a smaller menu, their foods to be really fresh, grilled every day, offering collard greens with turkey, not pork, to increase quality and service, add music, and desserts.  Benita Bratton told West Side Storyshe took ownership of the business in 2012.  A link to Gram’s Mission BBQ: https://gramsmissionbbq.com/

Photo of Benita Bratton

Benita Bratton shared she continues to go to her dad for guidance, that he is a visionary always looking at the big picture, reminding her the restaurant is about community, giving back, nourishing families, providing food, giving people jobs, sponsoring youth sports teams, scholarships for college, and looking out for each other.

Benita Bratton explained she started offering the grilled vegetables when her father suffered a stroke and needed to change his eating habits, she grew a vegetable garden, which increased her dad’s appreciation of vegetables.

“I love what I do, it’s hard work,” Benita Bratton acknowledged, that she wouldn’t have it any other way, observing, “Cooking brings people together, to the table, most people they want to eat with somebody, they don’t want to eat alone.”

Our weekly coverage of local news in San Bernardino County is supported by the  Ethnic Media Sustainability Initiative, a program supported by California Black Media and Ethnic Media Services to support minority-owned-and-operated community newspapers in California.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Corionsa “Khorry” Ramey, the 19-year-old daughter of Kevin Johnson, is asking a federal court to allow her to be present for her father’s execution.

The American Civil Liberties Union filed an emergency motion on behalf of Ms. Ramey today in the United States District Court for the Western District of Missouri.

A Missouri law bars people under the age of 21 from being present at an execution. Mr. Johnson, whose execution is scheduled for November 29, has put his adult daughter on this witness list, and Ms. Ramey wants to attend.

The filing argues that the state law violates Ms. Ramey’s right to equal protection under the Fourteenth Amendment and her First Amendment right of association, and that the age threshold is not reasonable and not supported by any safety or penological purpose. The federal Bureau of Prisons and the overwhelming majority of death penalty states either have no age requirement for family of the condemned person to witness an execution, or the minimum age is 18. Ms. Ramey is asking the court to find the Missouri law violates her constitutional rights, and to permit her to attend her father’s execution.

Mr. Johnson was 19 when he committed the crime that resulted in a death sentence, the same age as his daughter is now.

“My father has been the only parent for almost all of my life, and he is the most important person in my life,” Ms. Ramey stated in her declaration to the court. “If my father were dying in the hospital, I would sit by his bed holding his hand and praying for him until his death, both as a source of support for him, and as a support for me as a necessary part of my grieving process and for my peace of mind.”

She continued, “The harm that I will suffer because Missouri officials bar me from attending my father’s execution for no other reason than my current age is deep and cannot be fixed.”

Mr. Johnson, who is 37, has been an involved and active parent since his daughter was a small child — despite his incarceration. They built their bond through years of consistent prison visits, phone calls, emails, and letters. Mr. Johnson even set up an academic liaison from prison with his daughter’s school so that he could be involved in her educational progress. Ms. Ramey graduated from high school in 2020 and is pursuing a career in nursing. Last month, Ms. Ramey brought her newborn son to meet his grandfather (photograph attached).

The following statements can be attributed as noted: 

Michelle Smith, co-director, Missourians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty: 

“Khorry has and is experiencing unimaginable suffering in dealing with the impending loss of her dad, the only parent she has left. Denying her access to attend the execution of her beloved father is but a further piling on of the trauma and unfairness she endures. Logic escapes me in trying to understand how a person can receive the death penalty at 19, a person can receive a life sentence in prison at 19, and a person can even be hired as a prison guard with the Missouri Department of Correction at 19; yet a person cannot witness an execution at 19. The institutional injustices and systemic inequities continue to plague this family and Khorry continues to be most harmed. She, more than anyone, has the right to be a witness when the state executes her father.”

Corene Kendrick, deputy director, ACLU National Prison Project, attorney for Ms. Ramey: 

“The Missouri law barring Ms. Ramey from attending her father’s execution is illogical and irrational. If the State of Missouri thinks that her father’s actions when he was 19 make him mature enough to warrant execution, then a 19-year-old should be mature enough to witness that execution. There is no dignity when a state kills its residents. The State of Missouri can refrain from needlessly inflicting even more profound and grievous pain on Ms. Ramey — a loving daughter with a simple wish to be with and say goodbye to her only living parent when the state takes him away from her.”

Anthony Rothert, director for integrated advocacy, ACLU of Missouri: 

“Ms. Ramey has built a strong relationship with her father over many years — despite his incarceration — through personal visits, letters, emails, phone calls, and even introducing her son to his grandfather. Kevin Johnson is Ms. Ramey’s only living parent — and as she says, the most important person in her life. It will not hurt the state or harm the state’s interest if it permits Ms. Ramey to witness her father’s execution. On the other hand, if the state continues to deny Ms. Ramey’s request — it will cause her irreparable harm.”

Court filings: 

Complaint: https://www.aclu.org/legal-document/ramey-v-parson-complaint

Brief in Support of Motion for TRO/Preliminary Injunction: https://www.aclu.org/legal-document/ramey-v-parson-brief-support-plaintiffs-motion-tro-and-preliminary-injunction

Affidavit of Corionsa “Khorry” Ramey: https://www.aclu.org/legal-document/ramey-v-parson-affidavit-corionsa-ramey

Photograph of Corionsa Ramey and her baby son with her father, Kevin Johnson, Jr.: photo of Khorry Ramey, Kevin Johnson and baby Kaius.jpeg

This press release is available online: https://www.aclu.org/press-releases/daughter-seeks-emergency-order-attend-her-fathers-execution-despite-missouri-law

By Antonio Ray Harvey | California Black Media

A webinar hosted by ChangeLawyers, American Constitution Society (ACS) Bay Area, and Equal Justice Society was held on November 15 to discuss the possible outcomes of the United States Supreme Court’s pending decision in the case Students for Fair Admissions (SFFA) v. Harvard.

The online event titled, “The End of Affirmative Action: How SCOTUS Is Coming After BIPOC Students” delved into the impact of banning the consideration of race as a factor during the college admission process.

Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) students would be affected by such a ruling, said panelist Lisa Holder, an attorney and president of Equal Justice Society (EJS). EJS is an Oakland-based nonprofit and civil rights organization that does work geared toward transforming the nation’s consciousness on race through law, social sciences, and the arts.

“(Ending Affirmative Action) essentially, completely upends our ability to level the playing field and remediate for centuries of discrimination and marginalization,” said Holder said. “If you do not have intervention and take affirmative steps to counteract continued systemic racism it’s going to take hundreds of years to repair those gaps. It will not happen by itself.”

Holder is also a member of the California Task Force to Study and Develop Reparation Proposals for African Americans, a nine-member panel established after Gov. Newsom signed Assembly Bill 3121, authored by then-Assemblymember Shirley Weber. The task force is investigating the history and costs of slavery in California and is charged with recommending an appropriate remedy for the state to implement.

Also participating on the End of Affirmative Action panel were Sally Chen, education equity program manager at Chinese for Affirmative Action, and Sarah C. Zearfoss, Senior Assistant Dean for the University of Michigan Law School.

Shilpa Ram — Senior Staff Attorney for Education Equity, Public Advocates and a board member of the ACS Bay Area Lawyer Chapter — was the moderator.

On Oct. 31, the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) listened to oral arguments in two cases challenging race-conscious student admissions policies used by Harvard University and the University of North Carolina (UNC) to promote creating diverse student populations at their schools.

The case emerged in 2014, when SFFA, a nonprofit advocacy organization opposed to affirmative action, brought an action alleging Harvard violated Title VI of the Civil Rights Act (Title VI).

SFFA argues that Harvard instituted a race-conscious admissions program that discriminated against Asian-American applicants.  SFFA also alleges that UNC is violating the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment, by unfairly using race to provide preference to underrepresented minority applicants to the detriment of White and Asian-American applicants.

Chen is a first-generation college graduate from a working-class immigrant family. She is an alumna of Harvard College. She was one of eight students and alumni that gave oral testimony in support of affirmative action in the 2018 federal lawsuit Students for Fair Admissions, Inc. v. Harvard.

“Particularly as these cases were taking advantage of a claim that Asian American students don’t benefit from Affirmative Action or are harmed; we really saw how this was a misrepresentation of our community needs,” Chen said of hers and seven other students’ testimonies. “My testimony really spoke to that direct experience and making clear that Asian American students and communities are in support of affirmative action.”

In 1965, Pres. Lyndon B. Johnson issued Executive Order 11246, requiring all government contractors and subcontractors to take affirmative action to expand job opportunities for minorities.

Fifty-seven years later, a decision by SCOTUS could be reached at the end of the current term in late June or early July 2023 banning affirmative action. The decision would dismantle race-conscious admission policies that overwhelmingly help BIPOC students create a better future for themselves, members of the panel stated.

“Schools take race into account as a factor in admission because that is the single best, most effective way to create a racially diverse class,” Zearfoss said.

Zearfoss directs the University of Michigan Law School Jurist Doctorate (JD) and Master of Law (LLM) admissions and supervises the Office of Financial Aid.

California ended affirmative action policies in 1996 with the passage of Proposition 209.

Prop 209 states that the government and public institutions cannot discriminate against or grant preferential treatment to persons based on race in public employment, public education, and public contracting.

Proposition 16 was a constitutional amendment designed to repeal Prop 209, but the initiative was defeated by voters in 2020. Secretary of State Dr. Shirley Weber introduced the legislation that was the basis for Prop 16 when she was a state Assemblymember for the 79th District.

“When we no longer live in a White supremacist society then we can start thinking about ending these interventions that are necessary to counteract preferences for White people that exist and continue to exist,” Holder said.