REDLANDS, CA—- Cooking guru, entrepreneur and auctioneer extraordinaire, Martha Green served as the keynote speaker at the recent Salvation Army Red Kettle Kick Off at the ESRI Café in Redlands.  The event raised $72,000 of the $100,000 goal. All funds raised will go to help the Homeless, Hungry and Hopeless.

“Please give at the Red Kettles this Christmas Season so that we can help more people in need,” said Green.  Last Christmas The Salvation Army assisted over 1000 families and delivered 5,500 toys to 1,400 children.

The Red Kettles are one of the main fundraisers for The Salvation Army and the funds raised help those in need here in the county throughout the year.

The Salvation Army has served the Inland Empire since 1887, supporting those in need without discrimination.
“Just wanted to take a quick moment to thank all who attended and donated to this years Red Kettle Kickoff”, said Major Edward “Duke” Markham, Corps Officer/Administrator, The Salvation Army San Bernardino California South Division.  “I want to thank Martha Green for joing us, she did a great job and has shared that she will continue to be of support to us and our mission here in San Bernardino County to help those in need,” Major Markham.
Donations may always be made online at www.salvationarmyusa.org or by calling 1-(800)-SAL-ARMY.  For more information please call: 909.792.6868 or 909.888.1336.
-end-

About The Salvation Army San Bernardino Corps
The Salvation Army has been in existence since 1865 and in San Bernardino County since 1887, supporting those in need without discrimination.  The Salvation Army provides emergency services including food; lodging for homeless or displaced families; clothing and furniture; assistance with rent or mortgage and transportation when funds are available.

The Salvation Army is an evangelical part of The Universal Christian Church, and also offering holistic programs for people of all ages. One of the largest charitable and international service organizations in the world,

The Salvation Army of San Bernardino serves the communities of: Redlands, Yucaipa, Calimesa, Mentone, Bloomington, Loma Linda, Colton, Grand Terrace, Highland, Rialto, Muscoy, San Bernardino and other Mountain Communities. Donations may always be made online at www.salvationarmyusa.org or by calling 1-(800)-SAL-ARMY. Our local numbers are (909) 888-1336 or (909) 792-6868.

NABJ President Heads to Doha for Al Jazeera Press Freedom Symposium

The National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) President Dorothy Tucker will travel to Doha, Qatar in the coming days as part of the organization’s plans to intensify efforts to combat increasing verbal and physical attacks against journalists, including NABJ members, in the United States and abroad. 

Tucker, who was elected in August, will speak at the two-day Al Jazeera Center for Public Liberties and Human Rights’ symposium, titled “The Challenges of Press Freedom: Facing Impunity, Rule of Law and Human Rights.” 

The speech, which will be live streamed globally on December 9, will call for action and unity in the international fight for press freedom and journalists protection and share NABJ’s plan to be an active partner in the cause. Tucker plans to sign an NABJ Declaration of Partnership, meet with leaders of Al Jazeera and heads of various press freedom organizations while in Doha. 

According to a recent analysis from Reporters Without Borders’ 2019 World Press Freedom Index, the United States has been classified as a “problematic” media climate. “Of all the world’s regions, it is the Americas (North and South) that have suffered the greatest deterioration in its regional score measuring the level of press freedom,” the analysis states.
More than a year after NABJ passed a resolution condemning the U.S. Administration’s detrimental actions, statements and hostile attitude toward press freedom, NABJ is disheartened that progress has not been made. As a world leader, other countries follow the United State’s example and now more than ever we have seen a rise in not only the disrespectful and demeaning attacks that some Black journalists have experienced while covering their beats — such as the White House — but also in the rise in dangerous work environments for international journalists, sadly leading to violence, imprisonment and death.

“America must do better and governments worldwide must do better. No journalist should be attacked or harmed for simply striving to do their jobs effectively. Action must be taken because at this very moment a journalist somewhere in this world is being treated like a criminal or worse,” said NABJ President Dorothy Tucker. “The United States should be ashamed that esteemed journalists and NABJ members like April D. Ryan (American Urban Radio Networks, CNN), Joy-Ann Reid (MSNBC), Abby Phillip (CNN), and Yamiche Alcindor (PBS NewsHour) have been consistently and publicly verbally attacked by our own president for simply asking the important and tough questions that citizens deserve answers to. And, unfortunately, efforts to dilute and destroy press freedom abroad hit closer to home than one may think.”

During its National Convention in South Florida this summer, NABJ celebrated two Black journalists who have brought to light the heart-wrenching deaths of international journalists whose murders were a result of reporting on their governments. NABJ’s 2019 Journalist of the Year Karen Attiah, Washington Post Global Opinions editor, boldly used her platform and the pages of her Opinions section to sound the alarm on the disappearance and subsequent murder of her colleague Jamal Khashoggi. 
As Khashoggi’s editor, Attiah advocated for justice on his behalf after it was revealed that agents connected to the Saudi government were responsible for his murder. Khashoggi was forced to flee Saudi Arabia in 2017 and, upon Attiah’s recommendation, the Post hired him as a Global Opinions columnist. 

This summer, NABJ also honored Pap Saine, co-publisher and managing editor of The Point newspaper in The Gambia as the recipient of the 2019 Percy Qoboza Foreign Journalist of the Year Award. Saine has been arrested, criminally charged and imprisoned in the West African country for simply doing his job as a reporter. In 2009, he was sentenced to two years in prison with five other journalists for using his platform to criticize then-Gambian President Yahyah Jammeh’s comments about press freedom and the unsolved murder of his colleague and newspaper co-founder Deyda Hydara, a previous NABJ Percy Qoboza honoree. While he was eventually pardoned, he continued to endure harassment from the government.
Also, during NABJ’s Convention, media partner Al Jazeera shared the story of one of its journalists and the persecution he has endured. Mahmoud Hussein, who has been detained in Egypt for more than 1,100 days, since December 20, 2016, was allegedly accused of  “incitement against state institutions and broadcasting false news with the aim of spreading chaos.” 
According to Al Jazeera, Hussein’s incarceration is unfounded and has breached Egypt’s penal code, which sets a maximum pretrial detention period of 620 days for individuals being investigated for a felony. NABJ agrees with the International Press Institute’s call for the penal code to be upheld.

These stories are just some of the shameful incidents occurring around the world to muzzle journalists.

The U.S. Press Freedom Tracker, led by the Freedom of the Press Foundation and the Committee to Protect Journalists, in collaboration with other press freedom groups, reports that in the United States:

• 32 U.S. journalists have faced physical attacks so far in 2019
• 5 were killed in 2018
• 46 faced physical attacks in 2017
• Since 2017, 55 U.S. reporters have been attacked while covering protests

The Committee to Protect Journalists also reports that:

• 40 journalists and media workers have been killed to date in 2019 worldwide
• 64 journalists are missing worldwide so far in 2019
• 251 journalists were imprisoned in 2018

NABJ applauds these organizations for their valiant efforts to ensure that attacks on press freedom and the journalism profession do not go unnoticed and will endeavor to partner with such organizations to help advance this cause.

“As the attacks on press freedom continue to grow across the globe, we implore all governments to condemn any behavior that promotes the silencing of journalists and undue interference with their work, which in turn infringes on the public’s right to have access to information without censorship,” Tucker said.

Tucker is also extending NABJ’s support to the International Press Institute, Al Jazeera Media Network, the International News Safety Institute, and the Africa Media Initiative and their development of theInternational Declaration on the Protection of Journalists. The declaration outlines guidelines to ensure a global culture of safety for media professionals and offers important solutions to cease the harm that is being done to the journalism profession. We encourage all news companies, the United States government and other nations worldwide to consider adopting the solutions offered in the declaration.

Among its many solutions, the declaration states:

• All journalists, media professionals and associated personnel have the right to protection from all human rights violations and abuses, including through killing, torture, enforced disappearance, arbitrary arrest and detention, expulsion, intimidation, harassment, threats, etc.

• Journalists, media professionals and associated personnel whose fundamental rights and freedoms have been violated must be granted legal, medical and psychological aid in case such violations occur. Perpetrators of such violations should be brought to justice and denied immunity.

According to Tucker, NABJ will work with and support the International Press Institute, the Committee to Protect Journalists, the Fallen Journalists Memorial Foundation, and others to continue to call attention to lives that have been lost or impacted by efforts to suppress and, in many cases, kill press freedom.

TICKETS ON SALE NOW FOR THIS HISTORIC EVENT

SAN BERNARDINO, CA—- Experience a NEW renaissance inspired by Harlem’s late nights and hot jazz, at The Cotton Club 2020, Saturday, February 15. Come dressed in your 1920’s inspired attire and take a step into an unforgettable era of art, culture and music in the prestigious Renaissance Room at the National Orange Show, beginning at 5:30 p.m.

Garrett Management Group (GMG), LLC is pulling out all the stops Valentine’s Day weekend, where guests will enjoy a divine 3-course dinner, dancing and dynamite jazz performances by j.dee and the Big Time Band, with host Jammin Jay Lamont. Guaranteed to be the hippest event of 2020!

Tickets are on-sale now and can be purchased at www.gmgevents.net, www.showclix.com and for additional information by calling 1-866-514-3391. VIP Access is available for $100.00 where guests can expect to enjoy a 3-course pre-fixe dinner in the best seats in the house. VIP Access includes reserved seating, waiter service and a complimentary bottle of champagne at each table. A limited supply of VIP tickets is available and guests are encouraged to purchase their tickets early. General Admission tickets are $75.00. General Admission tickets are available for a discounted rate of $70.00 when purchased as a group of 6 or more.

The Cotton Club 2020 celebrates a great turning point in history where blacks began to control their social culture, music and artistry– what is recognized as the Harlem Renaissance. GMG is not just creating the music from this era, but they are creating the space and platform to make it happen. The infamous jazz clubs of the 1920’s were usually run by white gangsters selling bootleg liquor during Prohibition. Black people were not typically stakeholders in the clubs where they performed. However, this Cotton Club is from the black perspective, OUR point of view—reclaiming what makes us great. The event also allows a younger generation to experience the rich history of the Harlem Renaissance. GMG understands this event is different than anything else they have produced. “We’re recreating a historic moment in time, says Managing Partner, Alton Garrett. “From the fashion and costumes of the evening, it is the personal participation that will drive the excitement and energy around this event. Better believe people are going to show up and show out!”

By Lou Yeboah

Why? Don’t you know that if you want to walk on water, you got to get out of the boat. Forward is a fight. On the road to moving forward are many obstacles. It’s not the easy road of the least resistance but the hard road of great resistance. Why? Because Satan does all he can to prevent our growth and development. He knows how great that path is so he resists every step forward we take. But I want you to know that you have all the weapons of warfare you need to carry on for, “No weapon formed against you shall prosper.” [Isaiah 54:17] “If God be for you who can be against you?” [Romans 8:31]. I tell you, don’t let anything get in the way of you moving forward. God wants to do more than you can ever imagine. Move out and move forward!

You see, there is only one way to move in the Kingdom: Move Forward! When we ‘Move Forward’ the Lord will open the door! Be dissatisfied with your position. As Paul said in [Philippians 3:12] “Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me.” I tell you, God has created an open place for you to walk in. If you would just believe and move forward into the things of God, “He would supply all of your needs according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” It’s time to ‘Move Forward! Don’t wander in wilderness – move out and move forward. The command given is, “Forward!”

As [Deut. 1:7] says, “Break camp and advance into the hill country of the Amorites; go to all the neighboring peoples in the Arabah, in the mountains, in the western foothills, in the Negev and along the coast, to the land of the Canaanites and to Lebanon, as far as the great river, the Euphrates. I have given you this land. Go in and take possession of the land that the Lord swore he would give to your fathers – to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob – and to their descendans after them.” [Deut. 1:7-8]. You have stayed long enough in this mountain…now set up your journey. Go up and possess the land.” Forward March!

I want you to know that the purpose of my thought and intention today is to convey the significance of the moment or occasion we as a people of God have embarked upon. It is an occasion of opportunity, a point of entering, a moment of possessing.  Now is the time we must move. “For a great door and effectual is opened unto (us).” For God desires to take us places that “eyes have not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him.” Shake yourself off from the things that inhibit or obstruct your mobility and progression from entering into the things God has prepared for you. Forward March!

By Joe W. Bowers Jr. | California Black Media

According to the California Education Code, all California school districts will have to submit a first interim budget report by December 15.

This report compares the school district’s ongoing fiscal condition to what was projected in the budget they submitted in July. The report includes the latest student enrollment and attendance figures, data on staffing, year-to-date accounting, and projections of expenditures and cash flow.

Through this review, districts assess whether they will be able to meet their obligations and are required to self-certify whether their fiscal condition is positive, qualified, or negative (i.e., will meet, may not meet, or will not be solvent over the next three years).

Most school districts will certify that they will meet their financial obligations for the current and two subsequent fiscal years, but there are a growing number of districts that will assign themselves qualified or negative certifications.

Large school districts, based on their July budgets, that may be on the list of qualified or negative certifications include Los Angeles Unified, Sacramento City Unified, Sweetwater Union, and Oakland Unified.

Districts with negative and qualified certifications must come to terms with the fact that unless they find new revenue sources or gain better control their expenditures, they will have to request a state loan to avoid fiscal insolvency.

According to Assembly Bill 1200, called the Eastin Act, the state of California is required to maintain the financial soundness of public-school districts. Since 1991, when the bill passed, nine districts have been given emergency loans. Four are still repaying loans they accepted.

Under AB 1200, a district secures a state loan through Legislative action. A state-appointed administrator takes over, the superintendent is fired, and the board of education becomes an advisory body. All decisions about the district’s operational priorities are taken away from the local level until the state loan is paid in full.

State intervention has not guaranteed that the school district in receivership will be better managed. This must concern school districts facing this prospect.

Inglewood Unified is currently the only school district in state receivership. Its experience is “the canary in the coal mine” that districts on the verge of accepting a state loan need to look at closely.

In September 2012, the governor approved Senate Bill (SB) 533 authorizing a loan up-to $55 million to Inglewood Unified to allow it to avoid fiscal insolvency. The State Superintendent and California Department of Education (CDE) took over Inglewood’s schools and drew down $29 million from the loan, obligating the school district to pay $1.8 Million a year for 30 years to retire the loan.

Between 2012 and 2017, the state superintendent appointed three administrators, two interim administrators and one trustee. During this period of unstable leadership, the district’s finances and operations did not significantly improve and little progress was made toward being able to return to local control.

In 2015, the Joint Legislative Audit Committee approved an audit concerning the State Superintendent of Public Instruction’s oversight of the Inglewood Unified School District.

A key recommendation the State Auditor made to the Legislature was “any future state emergency funding for a school district appropriated by the Legislature should specifically require the state superintendent to document the selection and appointment process of a state administrator, including the rationales for progressing certain candidates once screened or reasons that particular individuals were ultimately selected to serve as state administrator.”

So far, the Legislature has failed to implement the recommendation put forth by the audit. It’s clear that Inglewood’s progress has suffered because of a lack of stable leadership provided by the state.

A similar experience happening to any other school district in the future is unacceptable.

In 2018, Assembly Bill (AB) 1840 provided financial relief to Inglewood Unified and Oakland Unified as both school districts struggled to balance their budgets and pay off state loans. In that legislation, responsibility for managing a school district under state receivership was removed from CDE and given to each of the responsible County’s Office of Education.

The last State Administrator appointed by CDE to lead Inglewood Unified, Dr. Thelma Melendez, recently retired. Under the guidelines of AB 1840, a new County Administrator, Dr. Erika Torres, was announced by the Los Angeles County Office of Education (LACOE).

All that is known about how this appointment was made is that the Fiscal Crisis Management and Assistance Team (FCMAT pronounced Fick-mat) identified 26 candidates to be interviewed, a LACOE interview panel made a recommendation and it was approved by County Superintendent Debra Durado, State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond and President of the Board of Education Linda Darling-Hammond.

Before her appointment, Torres was acting interim County Administrator and, for about a year, she was the LACOE Deputy Superintendent charged with working with Melendez. So, she takes the job already knowing what needs to be prioritized and what resources she will need to succeed in turning around the school district.

This may be the model that should be adopted for future state takeovers. Instead of firing the superintendent of the school district, a reasonable transition period should be observed. Prior to the appointment of Torres, each state administrator had to figure out on their own how they would lead. That process failed to produce satisfactory progress.

It is time for the Legislature—hopefully, during the upcoming session—to craft legislation that will provide better direction on how school districts under state receivership are managed. The future of the students in those districts will be the beneficiaries of the legislation they approve.

ATLANTA, GA— Actress and Comedian B. Simone has recently launched a cosmetic line. The line features an assortment of lip glosses, mattes and liners to enhance the natural beauty of the everyday woman. The up-and-coming beauty mogul reached a whopping $100,000 in sales in just 24 hours on Black Friday. B. Simone Beauty is available exclusively at bsimonebeauty.com.

B. Simone’s Instagram videos have received recognition from the likes of Chris Brown, Rihanna, Lil Boosie, TI and many more. She has a crazy social media following of over 3.8 million. Her ultimate goal is to be an actress and movie star aka the “Female Jamie Foxx.” She recently released a new freestyle titled “Raw Shit” that received 1.6 million views in 48 hours. Aside from selling out of lip gloss, releasing new music, and partying with Rap-star crush Da Baby, Simone is prepping for a national comedy tour with comedy legend Martin Lawrence in February.

“I just wanted to create something to sell that I love and use every day. I know beauty and I’m a licensed cosmetologist. I went over to China and developed a formula from scratch. We finally got it right and I’m proud of it,” B. Simone tells Dash Radio.

Select cosmetics are still available, but all new colors will be released in January. Visit bsimonebeauty.com for more information.

By Naomi K. Bonman

SAN BERNARDINO, CA—- On Monday, January 20, 2020, several community organizations will be celebrating Martin Luther King Jr. and his legacy with the San Bernardino Dr. Martin Luther King Day Parade Extravaganza and Awards Gala. The parade will be held on the west end of San Bernardino starting at Arroyo High School located at 1881 W Base Line Street in San Bernardino at 11 a.m. The parade will end Graciano Gomez Elementary School located at 1480 W 11^th Street in San Bernardino. The parade and expo will end at 4 p.m.

The organizations behind the parade include: Youth Build Charter School Inland Empire, the Southern California Black Chamber of Commerce, Young Visionaries Leadership Academy, The Black Cultural Foundation and LUE Productions along with other community entities.

The SB MLK DAY PARADE will be an informative and educational event, in which the entire community can enjoy. The day will consist of parade activities followed by entertainment and a vendor extravaganza that will showcase local talent, an art walk, food, classic cars and celebrity guest.

The Awards Gala which will honor key sponsors, community members, and community organizations that have contributed time and resources in the beautiful City of San Bernardino. Awards Gala set to take place Saturday, January 18th, 2020 in the City of San Bernardino.

The committee is currently seeking sponsorship, car and float entries, vendors, performers and volunteers. For more information or to get involved, visit www.blackchamberofcommerce.org.

By Covered California

Sheila Head has been an entrepreneur in Oakland, California for 36 years.

“I love what I do,” said the hairstylist and owner of Head Designs.

But while her business was relatively healthy, Head’s body was not.

“I only would go (to the doctor) when I absolutely had to go,” Head said. “Then Covered California came around, and I jumped on it. My life seemed to blossom.”

Open enrollment is underway for consumers to sign up for health insurance through Covered California. A key deadline is December 15 for consumers who want their coverage to begin on January 1. Open enrollment runs through January 31.

A free health screening revealed that Head was pre-diabetic.

“Oh, no. I don’t want to have anything to do with diabetes,” said Head.

Diabetes is one of the diseases that disproportionately affects African Americans. The U.S. Office of Minority Health estimates that African Americans are 80 percent more likely than other races to get diabetes and are twice as likely to die from the disease.    

                                                                       This year’s open-enrollment period features some of the biggest changes since Covered California first began offering health coverage in 2014. First, two new state initiatives — the state subsidy program and the restoration of the individual mandate — were key elements in Covered California’s record-low 0.8 percent rate increase for the upcoming year.

While preliminary, early data shows that 85 percent of eligible low-income Californians are qualifying for a state subsidy on top of their federal tax credits. About 50 percent of middle-class Californians across the state with household incomes between 400 and 600 percent of the federal poverty level are finding out they are eligible to receive a state subsidy starting in January.

“We have heard from people across the state who will be saving hundreds of dollars a month because California is putting its people first,” Covered California Executive Director Peter V. Lee said. “Whether you never thought you could get financial help, or if you have checked before, you need to check again because there is new money available that may dramatically reduce the cost of your coverage.”

The new state subsidies are already helping consumers who have selected a plan for 2020. Eligible low-income consumers who qualify for a subsidy are receiving an average of $19 per month, per household, while eligible middle-income Californians who receive a subsidy are getting an average of more than $500 per month, per household.

Enrolling for coverage now is critical because California restored the penalty that was part of the federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act from 2014 to 2018. That means most consumers who do not get covered could face a fine when they file their 2020 taxes in the spring of 2021. A family of four would pay a penalty of at least $2,000, and potentially more, for not having health insurance throughout 2020.

The penalty aside, Lee and Head focused on the positive aspects of being insured, including free health screenings, an annual checkup and peace of mind knowing that if a health crisis occurs, you won’t go bankrupt when bills pile up.

Free preventative health care services offered by all Covered California health plans helped Head make wise choices to stay healthy, and she is now an active participant in an innovative diabetes-prevention program offered through her health provider, Blue Shield.

“Covered California gave me, like, my own heath care team,” Head said. “I hope everyone will have the opportunity to feel like I’ve been feeling.”

---

Covered California Open Enrollment Information

Those interested in learning more about their coverage options can:

• Visit www.CoveredCA.com.
• Get free and confidential in-person assistance, in a variety of languages, from a certified enroller.
• Have a certified enroller call them and help them for free.
• Call Covered California’s Service Center at (800) 300-1506.

Open enrollment runs through January 31, 2020. Enroll by December 15 to have coverage start on January 1.

By Tanu Henry | California Black Media

Black Republicans in California are focused and organizing. 

They want to “reintroduce” African Americans in the state to the GOP, Black Republican leaders and activists say.

By increasing the number of Black Republicans holding political office in the state and inspiring more Black Californians to vote red, they believe their efforts will purple the deep blue African-American vote in the fourth bluest of blue states in the country, according to a ranking by The Hill, a Washington D.C.-based website that covers the U.S. Congress, Presidency and national politics.

“We are Black first, then Republican,” says Corrin Rankin, 45, a GOP activist and delegate who splits her time between homes in San Mateo and San Joaquin counties.

“We believe Republican policies are more in line with our values as Black Americans than democratic policies,” says Rankin. “We believe in low taxes, small and efficiently-run governments, and limited regulation. The more regulations you have, the less people – especially people from economically disadvantaged backgrounds – are able to get involved in any industry.”

Last February, at the state Republican convention, Rankin says she and other African-American conservatives who attended decided to organize themselves and form an association called the Legacy Republican Alliance (LRA), a political action committee, after they found out the California Republican Party had a directive to not reach out to Black voters.

“We understand from a business perspective that the number of Black Republicans in the state is relatively small, but that was not the right way to go for the party,” she says. “There were other ethnic organizations at the convention. That’s why we decided to create the LRA, to increase our numbers and make our voices heard so that we can have a seat at the table.”

California has the fifth largest Black population in the country, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.   African Americans account for about 6.5 percent of the state’s total population of nearly 40 million people.

Democrats in California make up 72 percent of Black registered voters, according to the Public Policy Institute of California. Six percent of those African-American likely voters are Republican. Independents account for about 20 percent.

And there are no Black Republicans who are members of the state legislature or among California’s delegations to the United States Congress.

But some African-American leaders in the California Democratic Party are concerned that their party has not done a good job empowering Blacks when it comes to things like organizing voter registrations and encouraging voter participation. Many point out, too, that fellow Democrats at the state, county and local levels often overlook issues important to African Americans like failing schools and the high cost of housing, and they sometimes advance public policies that disproportionally impact Blacks as well as middle class and lower-income families.

.

Those Black Democratic leaders – two of them spoke with California Black Media off the record for this article – say those missteps by their party cause them to work harder to ensure that their party remains the first choice for Black Californians.

But Taisha Brown, who was sworn in chair of the California Democratic Party African American Caucus last month, says Black support of the Democratic Party and elected Democrats in the state has never been stronger. And with more African-American Democrats being appointed to influential leadership positions in the state, she is confident things are moving in the right direction.

“We may not see eye-to-eye on every issue as Democrats in California, but we still stand with each other, and we support a party where there is room to have difficult conversations that allow us to move forward together in good faith as we work for a better California, a better country, a better life for all of our families,” she said. “Now, more than ever, we have to listen to each other and think about how the things we fight for impact all of us.”

Since the LRA was formed, Rankin says the group has launched a website and focused on informing Black Californians that Republican policies on employment, business, education, taxation, criminal justice reform, community-police relations and criminal justice reform are better for their families and communities.

They have also been actively raising money to support Black Republican candidates and LRA members, including Navy veteran Joe Collins who is running for U.S. Congress against Rep. Maxine Waters in the 43^rd district which covers the Los Angeles area; Aja Smith, an Air Force vet, also running for U.S. Congress against Democratic Rep. Mark Takano in the 41^st district in the Inland Empire; Tamika Hamilton, another Air Force vet running for Congress against Democratic Rep. John Garamendi in the 3^rd Congressional district west of Sacramento; and Major Williams who is running for mayor of Pasadena.

Another member of the LRA, Jonathan Madison, has been elected Regional Vice Chair of the Bay Area GOP.

In April of this year, the California Republican Assembly (CRA), a statewide conservative activist group former California Gov. and U.S. President Ronald Reagan called “the conscience of the Republican Party,” elected Johnnie Morgan, 68, as its first African-American president for a three-year term.

Morgan says one of his main goals as CRA president is to recruit more African Americans and Independents to join the California Republican Party.  

“African Americans place a high value on family as does the Republican Party,” Morgan told California Black Media.

Rankin is encouraging Black Californians who want to make a difference in their communities to reach out to the LRA for mentorship and guidance on how to get elected to county or municipal office.

“You can run for city council or your local school board and represent yourself, your interests, your neighbors and your community,” she says.

Rankin says the LRA is building a framework in California that it hopes to take nationwide.

“Our state is in desperate need of diverse and thoughtful leaders who will bring a much-needed, new approach to solving California’s toughest challenges,” she says.  

By Zack Whittaker | Tech Crunch

If you just bought or plan to buy a smart TV, the FBI wants you to know a few things.

Smart TVs are like regular television sets, but with an internet connection. With the advent and growth of Netflix, Hulu and other streaming services, most saw internet-connected televisions as a cord-cutter’s dream. But like anything that connects to the internet, it opens up smart TVs to security vulnerabilities and hackers. In addition, many smart TVs come with a camera and a microphone. But as is the case with most other internet-connected devices, manufacturers often don’t put security as a priority.

That’s the basic takeaway from the FBI’s Portland field office, which just ahead of some of the biggest shopping days of the year posted a warning on its website about the risks that smart TVs pose.

“Beyond the risk that your TV manufacturer and app developers may be listening and watching you, that television can also be a gateway for hackers to come into your home. A bad cyber actor may not be able to access your locked-down computer directly, but it is possible that your unsecured TV can give him or her,  an easy way in the backdoor through your router,” wrote the FBI.

The FBI warned that hackers can take control of your unsecured smart TV and in worst cases, take control of the camera and microphone to watch and listen in.

Active attacks and exploits against smart TVs are rare, but not unheard of. Because every smart TV comes with their manufacturer’s own software and are at the mercy of their often unreliable and irregular security patching schedule, some devices are more vulnerable than others. Earlier this year, hackers showed it was possible to hijack Google’s Chromecast streaming stick and broadcast random videos to thousands of victims.

In fact, some of the biggest exploits targeting smart TVs in recent years were developed by the Central Intelligence Agency, but were stolen. The files were later published online by WikiLeaks.

But as much as the FBI’s warning is responding to genuine fears, arguably one of the bigger issues that should cause as much if not greater concerns are how much tracking data is collected on smart TV owners.

The Washington Post earlier this year found that some of the most popular smart TV makers — including Samsung and LG — collect tons of information about what users are watching in order to help advertisers better target ads against their viewers and to suggest what to watch next, for example. The TV tracking problem became so problematic a few years ago that smart TV maker Vizio had to pay $2.2 million in fines after it was caught secretly collecting customer viewing data. Earlier this year, a separate class action suit related to the tracking again Vizio was allowed to go ahead.

The FBI recommends placing black tape over an unused smart TV camera, keeping your smart TV up-to-date with the latest patches and fixes, and to read the privacy policy to better understand what your smart TV is capable of.

As convenient as it might be, the most secure smart TV might be one that isn’t connected to the internet at all.