Repent before it is too late! Judgment is Coming! The word of the Lord that came to Zephaniah son of Cushi, the son of Gedaliah, the son of Amariah, the son of Hezekiah, during the reign of Josiah son of Amon king of Judah: Judgment on the Whole Earth in the Day of the Lord – I will utterly consume all things from off the land, saith the Lord. I will consume man and beast; I will consume the fowls of the heaven, and the fishes of the sea, and the stumbling blocks with the wicked: and I will cut off man from off the land, saith the Lord. I will also stretch out mine hand upon Judah, and upon all the inhabitants of Jerusalem; and I will cut off the remnant of Baal from this place, and the name of the Chemarims with the priests; And them that worship the host of heaven upon the housetops; and them that worship and that swear by the Lord, and that swear by Malcham; And them that are turned back from the Lord; and those that have not sought the Lord, nor enquired for him. I will punish the princes, and the king’s children, and all such as are clothed with strange apparel. In the same day also will I punish all those that leap on the threshold, which fill their masters’ houses with violence and deceit. And it shall come to pass in that day, saith the Lord, that there shall be the noise of a cry from the fish gate, and a howling from the second, and a great crashing from the hills. [Zephaniah 1:2-10].
Get Ready, Get Ready, Get Ready! The great day of the Lord is near, it is near, and hasteth greatly. That day is a day of wrath, a day of trouble and distress, a day of wasteness and desolation, a day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness; the whole land shall be devoured by the fire of his jealousy: for he shall make even a speedy riddance of all of them that dwell in the land. [Zephaniah 1:14-18].
I tell you, the importance of discerning the times and seasons. God’s prophetic time clock is ticking. God’s judgment is coming. Don’t be like the rich famer. The rich farmer had no idea that judgment was coming. He had just decided to build bigger barns and live a good life. God immediately said to him: “Fool! This night your soul is required of you, and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?” [Luke 12:20].
Listen, whether Christ returns tomorrow or a thousand years from now, your life may be required of you tonight. Don’t be a scoffer. Wake up and get things right! Live in the awareness of God’s judgment to come. For the Lord is stripping the earth bare and making it desolate. He is twisting its surface and scattering its inhabitants. The earth will be stripped completely bare and will be totally plundered, for the Lord has spoken this message. [Isaiah 24:1-3].
The importance of discerning the times and seasons. Ye hypocrites, you can discern the face of the sky and of the earth but how is it that ye do not discern this time. Wake up from your slumber! In one hour, judgment will fall, and all will be laid to waste.
Ample warning times – but many will go to hell because they have chosen to ignore the warnings and continue life as usual, what tragedy.
SAN BERNARDINO, CA — New high-visibility ladder style crosswalks and pedestrian activated rectangular flashing beacons were installed near Bloomington High School last week at the intersections of Alder/Avenida and Alder/Slover. Additionally, all school zone crosswalks surrounding the high school were freshly painted.
The County’s Department of Public Works participates in the Bloomington Traffic Mitigation Meetings which includes San Bernardino County Sherriff, California Highway Patrol and Colton Joint Unified School District to identify additional countermeasures to improve safety for students walking and biking to school in the Bloomington area. These improvements will serve to calm traffic and enhance student safety.
Last week, the Bay Area Black Housing Advisory Task Force (BABHATF) — a coalition of more than 40 groups with housing and community expertise –unveiled a $500 million plan to make housing more accessible and affordable for Black families.
BABHATF is asking the region’s leaders and residents to support the “Bay Area Regional Black Housing Fund” initiative. The organization is also calling on the Legislature to include funding for the effort in this year’s state budget.
The task force is supported by Assemblymember Lori Wilson (D-Suisun) who was sworn into office April 6 after winning a special election in the 11th Assembly District.
The investment “will help repair the injustices that have shaped the housing experiences of Black people in the Bay Area and in California,” BABHATF leaders said in a letter drafted to bring awareness to a problem that the group says is statewide.
“It will also create new opportunities to expand housing for Black people in places where they have largely been — and are still — excluded. Increasing Black homeownership will benefit our entire region,” said task force members Fred Blackwell and Melissa Jones in the letter.
“The work we do to reduce the rent burden for Black people will provide a way forward for the Bay Area overall,” the letter continued.
Blackwell is CEO of the San Francisco Foundation, a community nonprofit committed to advancing racial equity and economic inclusion. Jones is executive director of the Bay Area Regional Health Inequities Initiative. Her work focuses on health, social inequity, and well-being.
The task force points out that there has been no regional response to California’s housing crisis’ well-documented impact on Black communities. It believes “a targeted solution” is necessary for an “issue rooted in racial injustice,” Blackwell and Jones wrote.
The California Housing Finance Agency (CalHFA) reports that Black homeownership rates are the lowest among California’s ethnic groups.
The Black homeownership rate was 50.98% at its peak in 2004. Since then, the homeownership rates for Black Californians have fallen at a steeper curve than those of all other racial and ethnic groups in the state.
During the early 2000s, several mortgage lenders specifically targeted Black homebuyers offering them subprime loans. High default rates on those loans contributed to the Great Recession, which began in 2007 and lasted through 2009. As a result, the Black homeownership has dropped by more than 10% since 2004 and has yet to recover, according to CalHFA.
BABHATF illustrates how affordable housing impacts Black communities throughout the state, pointing out that there is no major ethnic group over-represented in the state’s homeless population than Black people.
Various reports state that 150,000 Californians experience homelessness on any given night and nearly 40% are Black.
“We envision a Bay Area with thriving, healthy and resilient Black communities, where all Black residents have a home. We want a region that rebuilds Black commercial districts destroyed by highway development, regains the Black homeownership losses from the racially targeted lending schemes that drove the Great Recession, and creates the affordable housing our region has failed to deliver over the last two decades,” Blackwell and Jones stated.
The task force is certain that with California’s $98 billion budget surplus, there is a historic and unprecedented opportunity to help right past wrongs and invest in Black communities and housing.
The group is calling for the Legislature to include the fund in this fiscal year’s state budget. The fund will create more affordable housing with a $500 million investment that includes:
No.1, Financial support for initiatives such as down payment assistance for low- and moderate-income Black households, preserving Black housing and neighborhoods, pre-development resources for housing development by Black-led developers, and preserving cultural districts and anchor institutions.
No. 2, Community support for strengthening smaller, Black-led community groups so they can better serve the housing needs of Black communities, plus community planning to develop ideas and blueprints for future projects.
The Black community in the Bay Area has been disadvantaged in the state’s housing market for decades because of discrimination, including redlining, unequal access to wealth and good jobs, and other systemic problems.
All of these issues have been discussed in the last 12 months during meetings conducted by the California Task Force to Study and Develop Reparations Proposals for African Americans, under Assembly Bill (AB) 3121.
BABHATF says that increased disadvantages will leave Black communities facing multiple systemic barriers leading to massive displacement in the Bay Area
“As a result, San Francisco, Oakland and Berkeley each lost between 40% and 50 % of their Black residents between 1990 and 2018. In Oakland alone, more than 60,000 Black residents have left. East Palo Alto had a 66 % decrease. This is a profound loss,” Blackwell and Jones stated.
Efforts to combat housing across the state got a partial boost last week. Homeownership for low- and moderate-income moved closer to reality after the California Senate approved a plan to establish a $25 billion fund financed by voter-endorsed general obligation bonds.
Senate Bill (SB) 1457, authored by Majority Leader Emeritus Sen. Bob Hertzberg (D-Van Nuys), now goes to the Assembly for consideration. It establishes the California Family Home Construction and Homeownership Bond Act of 2022.
If SB 1457 is adopted by voters on the November 2022 ballot, it will authorize the $25 billion bond fund to finance homeownership opportunities and promote new home construction.
Hertzberg stated that “the underlying problem is simple: A lack of supply” and says his plan “tackles this problem head on.”
“California policymakers have a responsibility to create more opportunities for first-time or left-behind homebuyers,” Hertzberg said. “Purchasing a home, attaining a middle-class lifestyle and building generational wealth cannot be accomplished without addressing the severe lack of housing production that is fueling the state’s homeownership crisis.”
SAN BERNARDINO, CA— Booster doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine for 5 to 11 -year-olds are now available countywide. Children in that age group are eligible for their booster at least 5 months after completion of a primary series of Pfizer. County residents can make a booster vaccine appointment by visiting MyTurn.ca.gov or vaccines.gov or by calling our COVID Hotline at (909) 387-3911.
Black women leaders in California want to raise COVID vaccine awareness among young people across the state as the number of infections creep back up.
Last week, Black Women Organized for Political Action (BWOPA), a statewide political advocacy organization, hosted a town hall meeting via Zoom organized to engage youth through their Young Enough to Know Campaign.
The effort is aimed at educating young people and their families about the importance of being vaccinated to protect themselves against Covid-19.
Vashone Huff, co-director of BWOPA’s Black & Vaxxed campaign, opened the town hall with a welcome message and stated the purpose of the gathering.
“We are focusing and engaging elementary, middle school, high school and college students in conversation and highlighting the voices and lives of those that are not too young to know about the impacts of Covid as well as the actions they can take to advocate and protect themselves and their families,” said Huff.
In East Oakland Council District 7, for example, there have been 1.3 million cases of COVID among youth ages 5-17. Less than 25% of youth in that age range are fully vaccinated.
Experts say there are many factors that contribute to this number including the short time the vaccine has been available for youth.
Last week, 19 California counties were recategorized as “medium risk” from “low risk,” based on the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) three-level ranking system for tracking COVID hospitalization rates. Thirty-three of California’s 58 counties are now ranked in the “medium risk” category, accounting for more than 75 % of the state’s population, according to numbers compiled by the California Department of Public Health.
BWOPA says that is one reason the organization is working to encourage Black and Brown communities to fight the stigma surrounding the vaccine and encourage youth to become fully vaccinated.
At the beginning of the event, Huff introduced the hosts of the town hall: Lady Ray of iHeart Radio and Tyler Baty, a 7th grade student and athlete at St. Leo the Great Catholic School in Oakland.
Baty, an accomplished student athlete and orator said it is important for kids his age to remain safe and continue to wear masks in public places. He also shared that many of his friends had come down with COVID and wants more youth and their parents to take the vaccine seriously.
BWOPA wants young people to know that that children ages 5-11 are eligible for the Pfizer vaccine, and kids 12 and older are now eligible for boosters.
Patricia-Blue Pharr, 11, shared her experience contracting COVID while at a summer camp last year. Pharr said she began to feel sick shortly after she arrived at the camp and had to return home.
“It just comes to show that Covid can spread really quickly. That’s why you have to be very careful,” said Pharr. “I had a lot of doctor’s appointments and had to stay home and not have contact with anybody. Anytime I wanted to eat, I had to take it to my room and eat it by myself. I couldn’t even sit on my porch which was really upsetting.”
Angela Sou, Program Manager for the Youth Engagement Program of the state’s Vaccinate All 58 Campaign, followed Pharr and shared her support for BWOPA and its efforts.
Vaccinate All 58 partners with BWOPA to providing funding for outreach and engagement within communities disproportionately affected by barriers to healthcare and information.
“These projects nurture a culture of trust, engagement, buy in and civic engagement. We want to make the conversations surrounding COVID-19 more accessible and collaborative,” said Sou.
According to BWOPA, hospitalizations due to COVID-19 are eleven times higher in unvaccinated children than fully vaccinated ones. Across the United States, ICU COVID hospitalizations for children are on par with the numbers for adults.
Oakland City Councilmember Treva Reid (District 7) also spoke at the town hall, offering encouragement to the youth attending and sharing a message to the people as they prepare for a safe summer.
“As people are going back to their daily activities people are not wearing masks,” said Reid. “Be sure to get involved in these conversations and influencing people in your family and communities. You are young enough to know, you are young enough to advocate as we all work to come through Covid and love each other through it all.”
Other speakers included Dr. Norlisa Cooper of BWOPA, Jessica King and Aldane Waters, who helped produce a public service announcement (PSA) aimed towards youth and their parents about the importance of wearing masks, staying socially distant and becoming fully vaccinated.
Visit blackandvaxxed.org to learn more about BWOPA’s efforts to raise awareness.
SAN BERNARDINO, CA—- Juneteenth, a national celebration of freedom and equity, has become San Bernardino County’s newest official holiday.
The Board of Supervisors on Tuesday unanimously proclaimed June 19 of each year as Juneteenth within San Bernardino County, encouraging all county residents to take time on that day to reflect upon the freedoms we enjoy and how each of us can practice and promote equity for all people.
The Board also formally granted County employees a corresponding holiday to celebrate Juneteenth and what the observance represents. June 19 falls on a Sunday this year, so County offices will be closed on June 20.
“This time of year holds special significance for San Bernardino County because it was on June 23, 2020 that the Board of Supervisors officially declared racism a public health crisis, added Equity as an element of the Countywide Vision, and established an Equity Element Group to address the underlying causes of disparities in various key aspects of community life,” said Board of Supervisors Chairman Curt Hagman.
“The Board is committed to making equity a focus of everything we do,” Hagman said. “We look forward to continuing to work with our county team, community leaders, our residents, and those who invest in the county to build a prosperous and healthy community that creates opportunity and an outstanding quality of life for everyone.”
Juneteenth, a blending of the words “June” and “nineteenth,” marks the date in 1865 when slaves in Galveston, Texas were informed the Civil War had ended and they were free. Although President Lincoln had signed the Emancipation Proclamation more than two years earlier, countless Americans continued to be held as slaves for the duration of the war. June 19 has become the date that represents the end of slavery in the United States.
“On behalf of the Board of Supervisors, I encourage everyone to observe Juneteenth as a day to celebrate that race, ethnicity, heritage, or belief must never stand in the way of freedom,” Hagman said.
With the upcoming recognition of Juneteenth, also referred to as Freedom Day or Emancipation Day, the Victor Valley Museum is pleased to embrace the theme of diversity in the Wade in the Water: Art and Quilt Exhibition. Curated by artist Theresa Polley-Shellcroft, Wade in the Water will be on display June 1 through June 30, 2022, featuring twenty-five nationwide artists whose interpretations derive from African American Spirituals containing messages of freedom through mediums such as painting, photography, mixed media, dolls, and quilts. For more information visit https://fb.me/e/1OqhKSYFp.
SAN BERNARDINO, CA— As the only Latino History Bee in the nation, the San Bernardino City Unified School District (SBCUSD) event is truly unique and the student winners are among an elite group of who have proven that they value the rich culture and history of Latin America.
Last month, students in grades 6–12 from 11 SBCUSD schools competed in three rounds focused on different aspects of the Latino experience. Round one focused on Latino history. During round two, students identified Latino artwork, including the title, artist, and country of origin. New this year for round three, students presented a Latino-inspired dance, skit, monologue, or other performance.
This year’s judges included Dr. Barbara Flores, Dr. Scott Wyatt, Dr. Esteban Diaz, and Dr. Enrique Murillo.
The winners of the middle school division (grades 6–8) were:
1st Place—Alani Guzman, Richardson PREP HI Middle School
2nd Place—Sophia Williams, Arrowview Middle School
3rd Place—Katty Camacho, Arrowview Middle School
The winners of the high school division (grades 9–12) were:
1st Place—Elizabeth Bañuelos, Arroyo Valley High School
2nd Place—Crystal Tello, Arroyo Valley High School
3rd Place (tie)—Stephen Zermeño, San Gorgonio High School, and Valeria Ramirez, Arroyo Valley High School
“We are proud of the hard work that our students put in to prepare for the competition and their ability to perform under pressure,” said Multilingual Department Director Tex Acosta. “Their collective mastery of facts and knowledge of the Latino culture was impressive.”
SAN BERNARDINO, CA— “66ERS” is teaming up with Riverside Black chambers of Commerce, and Green Smilez Loving Care Foundation to present a community meet and greet tribute featuring the minor league baseball team who will pay a tribute to the 102nd year negro league, along with a recognition ceremony to the Black Excellence and Achievements of individuals and their businesses.
The “SB 66ers Negro League Tribute” Community Meet and Greet & Award ceremony event gives the community the opportunity to showcase and celebrate the talents of African American players during segregation. Their organized efforts became a successful business enterprise generating millions of dollars in revenue and thousands of jobs in the Black community.
The Negro league athletes were inspiring, and a grand success beating the odds, and representing the very best of the sport.
The event will be held on Friday, June 10, 2022, from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at San Manuel Stadium, 280 S E St, San Bernardino, CA 92401. The event hashtag for social media posts is #66ersblackexcellencetribute. The community is encouraged to attend the event. Admission is $18.00. San Manuel Stadium will sell food and beverages. There will be merchandise for purchase and a small vendor marketplace.
The Inland Empire 66ers of San Bernardino are a Minor League Baseball team of the California League and the Single-A affiliate of the Los Angeles Angels. The 66ers are based in San Bernardino, California, and play at San Manuel Stadium.
The Black chambers of commerce of Riverside Mission is to empower and inspire minority entrepreneurs, in their indigenous communities to be successful, partner with like minded individuals, companies, and nonprofit organizations to achieve that mission. We believe that our greatest opportunity to empower and inspire minority communities and businesses lies in cooperation and collaboration with the industries of tomorrow.
The narrative of African-American playing Professional Baseball has changed sports history. An enterprise of Black ownership launched and funded the Negro National League.
Black Baseball became known for showcasing a style of speed, daring play and showmanship. August 1945, Jackie Robinson shook the baseball world with his official announcement he integrated major league baseball playing for the Dodgers in 1947.
After Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier other major league team followed suit and eventually the Negro American league support was stretched thin. As of 2020 many of the founding Negro leagues baseball teams have been declared official major leagues with their players records and statistics counted in baseball’s record books.
Baseball fans around the world garner strong supporters of players, teams, and the BIG games.
The inner-city kids who play baseball in the community spend this time rising above their circumstances, baseball is where young people find a common purpose in the ball parks and in the stadiums.
It is important that the inland empire youth, and many who grow up in challenging neighborhoods with limited opportunities, be exposed to positive events like the 66ers Negro league tribute to honor the legacy of their ancestors and be empowered by the organizations that bring them resources. Public recognition and highlighting the achievements of local businesses and the people who serve, motivate, encourage, and inspire is the icing on the cake for this event. There will also be a fireworks display preceding the Baseball Game. This will be a Family fun event where all is welcome and your support very much appreciated. Purchase tickets at this link.
Gervonta Davis’ fights guarantee high-drama, celebrity-filled crowds and knockout victories, and Saturday night’s clash with Rolando Romero was no exception.
“Tank” Davis scored a highlight reel sixth-round stoppage of Romero, defending his WBA 135-pound title before a sold-out arena record 18,970 fans at Barclays Center in Brooklyn.
“Tank is the biggest puncher out of the guys at 130 and 135,” said trainer Stephen Edwards. ”I don’t care what anybody says: He deserves top pound-for-pound consideration.”
Previously unbeaten Rolando Romero (left) rolled to all fours and rose on unsteady legs from a counter left hand by WBA 135-pound champion Gervonta Davis. Referee David Fields (right) waved an end to the fight. (Amanda Westcott/Showtime)
The 27-year-old Davis (27-0, 25 KOs) won his fourth straight pay-per-view match in defeating Romero (14-1, 12 KOs), having consistently produced between 200,000 and 230,000 pay-per-view buys.
Davis knocked out Romero in a star-packed venue including Madonna, tennis star Naomi Osaka, television personality and former NFL star Michael Strahan, former NFL running back LeSean McCoy, Indiana Pacers guard Lance Stephenson and other current and former NBA players.
Davis’ knockout was his third in as many appearances at Barclays.
“This meant a lot to come back to Barclays, where I won my first belt,” said Davis, whose 96-percent knockout ratio ranks second among world champions to that of IBF/WBC 175-pound titleholder Artur Beterbiev (17–0, 17 KOs).
“I knew my Baltimore fans were going to come, but I also have a huge fan base in New York. So to see them show up was amazing. It wasn’t just me who won tonight, I think it was the whole [sport of boxing] that won tonight.”
Rolando Romero (left) fell face-first into the ropes from a counter left hand by WBA 135-pound champion Gervonta Davis (right), resulting in Davis’ sixth-round stoppage victory. (Amanda Westcott/Showtime)
A five-time, three-division title winner, Davis delivered the highest-grossing boxing match at Barclays, which was hosting its first post-pandemic fight since heavyweight Robert Helenius’ fourth-round knockout of Adam Kownacki in March 2020.
There was talk that the bout with Romero might be Davis’ last fight with Mayweather Promotions, but the champion hugged the company’s CEO, Leonard Ellerbe, at the post-fight press conference, stating, “We’re still with Mayweather Promotions, baby!”
“Gervonta Davis is a terrific fighter who does a phenomenal job inside of the ring,” Ellerbe said. “He has a great trainer in Calvin Ford, and when all of these things are working together, this is what you get. That’s big. It shows that we know what we’re doing.”
So did Davis against the 5-foot-8 Romero, who had vowed an early knockout against the 5-foot-5½ Davis.
“Even when we weighed in, I knew that I could out-think him, easily. I knew that I was going to out-box him,” Davis said. “I thought I was going to wind up stopping him in the later rounds, but I knew he was strong off of the first punch he threw.”
Romero troubled Davis with a timely jab, twice forcing the champion to clinch after landing hard second- and fifth-round right hands.
“He caught me with an early shot, and I knew I had to stay out of the way. But I knew that down the stretch, I was gonna break him down,” Davis said. “I knew he would run into something. I was just trying to figure out his range and see how hard he hits. But he definitely has power.”
Davis ended matters with 21 seconds left in the sixth. Davis’ head-jolting, counter-left hand to the face sent Romero crashing forward into the ropes and eventually onto his butt.
Romero rolled to all fours before rising on unsteady leg. Referee David Fields waved an end to the fight. Davis led, 49-46 and 48-47, on two cards and trailed, 48-47, on the third.
“I want the fight again,” said a defiant Romero, 26. “I exposed him and won every single round. I jumped into something and ate a stupid shot.”
Davis compared his fight-ending blow to the right hand by Juan Manuel Marquez that floored southpaw Manny Pacquiao once each in the third and final round of his come-from-behind, sixth-round knockout victory in December 2012. The blow left Pacquiao knocked out cold and in a prone position.
“[It was] something like when Manny Pacquiao got caught. The crazy thing is that I didn’t even throw it that hard. He just ran into it. He just ran into it,” Davis said.
WBA 135-pound champion Gervonta Davis “is a terrific fighter who does a phenomenal job inside of the ring,” said Mayweather Promotions CEO Leonard Ellerbe after Davis stopped Rolando Romero on Saturday before a record 18,970 fans at the Barclays Center. (Amanda Westcott/Showtime)
A similar scenario played out in October 2020 for Davis’ sixth-round knockout of four-division champion Leo Santa Cruz, who was knocked out and stopped for the first time in his career by Davis’ ripping left uppercut.
“That was a different shot than the one against Santa Cruz, which just shows you that a focused Tank Davis is a dangerous Tank Davis,” said Ford, Davis’ career-long trainer. “That’s a factor, which speaks for itself in that Tank’s an exciting fighter.”
Davis yet again displayed “an elite IQ,” according to Edwards.
“Tank knew [Romero] was a threat, and his punches had heat on them. Rolly also has reflexes where you can’t just hit him when you want to,” Edwards said. “Tank was trying to take Rolly into deep waters, moving and not allowing Rolly to get set. Tank felt the impact of Rolly’s punches and used his legs to box Rolly and not get touched. While boxing, he got Rolly to run into a money shot.”
“I’ve never seen Tank under-perform, which says a lot about his courage, character and integrity…,” said retired two-time 147-pound champion Shawn Porter, who attended the fight and is a Showtime and Premier Boxing Champions analyst and host of The Porter Way Podcast.
“Tank is a sharpshooter who is very vast and a very good counter puncher who can throw the fight punch at the right time,” said Porter, who called Davis the best fighter at 130, 135 and 140 pounds. “Gervonta Davis is a sellout and a main attraction in Los Angeles and everywhere else when he’s from Baltimore. From a media standpoint, it’s long past the time to give this man the credit he deserves.”
Davis’ victory preceded this Saturday’s 135-pound unification battle of unbeatens in Melbourne, Australia, between IBF/WBA and WBO super titleist George Kambosos Jr. (20-0, 10 KOs) and WBC counterpart Devin Haney (27-0, 15 KOs).
“If you win, and you’re saying all of that. If you win … let’s make the fight happen since you wanna talk crazy,” said Davis of Haney, who must grant a rematch to Kambosos if he wins. “Let’s do that. I wanna fight you if you win. Devin Haney. Just know that the winner [of Haney-Kambosos] can come and see me.”
By Alton Thomas Stiles | California Black Media Partners
As the costs of goods surge nationwide along with gas prices, Gov. Gavin Newsom is committing $18.1 billion in “inflation relief” to Californians through the California Blueprint, his mid-year revised budget proposal.
The White House is also taking steps to ease the pinch from inflation Americans across the country are experiencing.
“Global inflation, the war in Ukraine driving up costs, climate change impacts – everyone is feeling the weight. So, we’re putting $18.1 billion on the table to help lower costs for Californians – tax refunds, [money] for healthcare, rent, utility bills, public transit [and] more,” Newsom tweeted.
California’s economy is the largest in the United States and is currently experiencing a budget surplus of close to $100 billion, according to the governor’s office.
“Backed by a robust surplus and grounded in our unshakable values, we’re paving the California Way forward to prosperity and progress for all,” said Newsom recently, referring to investments the state is making in financial relief efforts, including an increase to the minimum wage, rental and utility bill assistance, tax refunds, health care subsidies, and more.
As Newsom and federal government officials announce relief packages to tackle inflation, they are taking the opportunity to criticize their colleagues across the aisle.
“While gridlock persists in Congress and Right-wing fanatics turn statehouses across the country into laboratories of hate and oppression, here in California, we’re putting in the work to grow our economy and implement real, inclusive policy change to create a brighter future for all,” said Newsom.
President Joe Biden also urged Republicans in Congress to cooperate with Democrats on their inflation efforts.
“I encourage Congressional Republicans to join us in our efforts to lower prices for families across the country, by making more in America, strengthening our supply chains, and cutting energy and prescription drug costs,” Biden tweeted recently.
The federal government’s plan for offsetting the impact of inflation includes giving Medicare the power to negotiate prices for prescription drugs and bringing food prices down in grocery stores by “bringing more competition to those markets,” according to Sameera Fazili, Director of the White House National Economic Council.
Fazili told California Black Media (CBM) about some of the unique challenges facing communities of color as the prices of goods and services skyrocket nationwide.
One such challenge is childcare, which is essential for many parents of color as they are less likely to work remotely.
“Often times, the amount that you spend on childcare may be as much as what you bring in from going to work,” said Fazili.
The White House has also received commitments from large internet providers to lower the cost of internet access for lower income households. such as Verizon, for example, has committed to dropping monthly payments for highspeed service by $10.
Housing is another challenge for Black Americans, Fazili told CBM.
“We don’t have enough affordable housing in this country,” said Fazili.
Fazili said the federal government cannot directly lower or raise the price of gas because gas is traded on the global market.
United States Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm told CBM that the increases in gas prices are due, in part, to U.S. sanctions on Russian oil because of the country’s invasion of Ukraine.
Granholm says since the European Union is following the U.S. with sanctions on Russia, there might be additional challenges around the corner.
“We’re going to see more volatility, more increase,” said Granholm.
To combat this, the federal government plans to tap into the U.S. Strategic Petroleum Reserve in the Gulf of Mexico, which Granholm called the “biggest tool we have” against rising gas prices.
On the state level, Granholm praised California’s approach to combating these prices.
“Some states are providing direct payments to people — I know Gov. Newsom has looked at that – to try to alleviate this huge impact on people’s wallets,” said Granholm.
Fazili says she is optimistic. When the economy begins to recover from hardships it is currently experiencing, the financial outlook for Blacks will begin to improve as the equity and relief programs the Biden administration is implementing take effect.
Westside Story Newspaper – Online The News of The Empire – Sharing the Quest for Excellence
