Amid what experts call a global mental health crisis, a new article series has been released highlighting the Bible’s role in promoting mental wellness.

“Mental Health — Help From the Bible,” available free of charge both in print and on Jehovah’s Witnesses’ official website, jw.org, encourages readers to seek assistance with mental health concerns and outlines how guidance found in Scripture can help in practical ways. The lead article in the series, “A Worldwide Mental Health Crisis,” not only documents contributing factors but also defines what a mental disorder is and what it is not.

“The Bible is not a medical guidebook, but its enduring principles are as powerful today as they ever were,” said Robert Hendriks, U.S. spokesperson for the organization. “This special series provides comfort and strategies based on those principles. We are thrilled to provide such a powerful resource to the world” Houstonian Chelsea Hart, 29, recalls giving little thought to her mental health during the pandemic. It wasn’t until COVID-19 restrictions had lifted in her area that she began to realize something was wrong.

“Everything around me was getting back to normal, but I wasn’t,” said Hart. “I had always been a really outgoing person, but I didn’t want to go anywhere or see anyone. I hardly recognized myself — I felt so numb.”

Hart’s experience is echoed by millions worldwide. The World Health Organization’s 2022 report on global mental health — the largest report of its kind since the turn of the century — found that during the first year of the pandemic alone, anxiety and depression rates rose 25%. The same report called the global response to mental health needs “insufficient and inadequate,” noting that many people who have a mental disorder have no access to care – numbering into the hundreds of millions worldwide

Since her diagnosis with depression last year, Hart has sought medical treatment, but she says tips from “Mental Health — Help From the Bible” are making a difference, too.

“When I experience intrusive thoughts and feelings of worthlessness, I fight negative thoughts with positive ones,” she said. “I remind myself that God loves and values me.”

Hart’s husband, Jonah, 30, found the article’s “How to Help Those With Mental Health Challenges” section especially useful.

“When Chelsea first began having issues with her mental health, I didn’t know how to help her,” he said. “I was impatient at times, and I even blamed myself for not being able to do more. The article has helped me be the patient, supportive partner she needs.”

“Mental Health — Help From the Bible” is available free of charge and without a subscription on jw.org.

By Lila Brown | California Black Media
Recent studies suggest that the economic picture for Black Californians is not looking rosy.

Increasingly, the state is becoming more unaffordable for African Americans, leading many families to relocate to less expensive places both within and outside of the borders of the Golden state.

“After pandemic-era declines, California’s poverty rate is on the rise. Expansions to safety net programs during the pandemic reduced poverty substantially, but these expansions had mostly expired by the end of 2022,” reads a report published by the Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC) on October 24.

For Black Californians, the poverty rate at 13.6% is more than double the percentage of African Americans living in California, which currently stands at about 5.8% of the state’s population of nearly 40 million.

“While economic growth throughout 2022 countered some of these program losses — by boosting family resources from work — the state’s overall poverty rate increased from 11.7% in fall 2021 to 13.2% in early 2023,” the PPIC report continued.

The unemployment numbers for Black Californians also remain high – and continue to climb.
According to the Economic Policy Institute, the unemployment rate for Black Californians stands at 7.4%, which is higher than the 4.5% unemployment rate for all racial groups in the state for Q2 2023.

This is also higher than the national rate of 5.8%.

In California, the Black-White unemployment rate ratio is at 1.9 to 1.

The national Black-White unemployment ratio remained at 2-to-1 in the second quarter of 2023, maintaining the historic trend of Black workers being twice as likely to be unemployed as White workers. There’s nowhere in the country where the unemployment numbers for Black and White workers are equal.

For September, the California Employment Development Department (EDD) reported that unemployment is on the rise. The state’s unemployment rate crept up to 4.7%, an increase of 144,000 people. It is the second highest unemployment rate of any state. The labor force – Californians working or looking for work – also shrank.

Between 2021 to 2022, the overall poverty rate in California rose from 11.0% to 16.4%. This increase can be linked to the high costs of living, inflation, and the end of pandemic-era supports, such as the expanded federal Child Tax Credit and other welfare benefits. While financial assistance cut the poverty rate for Black Californians by three-quarters to 9.5% in 2021, it lessened poverty for Black Californians by well under half the following year, contributing to a near doubling of their poverty rate to 18.6%.

The California Budget Center checking the pulse of households from US Census data showed that more than half (54%) of Black Californians reported facing difficulty paying for essential needs like food and housing.

Los Angeles County (15.5%) and San Diego County (15.0%) had the highest poverty rates. The Central Valley and Sierra region had the lowest (10.7%), largely due to lower housing costs.

In China last week, Gov. Gavin Newsom highlighted the strength of California’s economy, the fifth largest in the world, and President Joe Biden released his Bidenomics report in June highlighting the achievements of his Invest in America plan.

The White House reports that under the Biden-Harris Administration, Black Americans have experienced their lowest unemployment rate on record and the highest employment rate since November 2000. The participation of Black workers in the labor force has also reached its highest level since August 2008. There has been reduction in the Black child poverty rate by greater than 12%, impacting over 200,000 children, through the Thrifty Food Plan.

Most reports point to signs that the nation is currently at pre-pandemic levels and California has recovered its pandemic-induced job losses in June 2022, according to the latest California Labor Market Review released in August. However, those numbers indicating the state economy is strong and stabilizing contrast with the harsh realities confronting many Black Californians struggling every day to make ends meet.

A study by the Urban Institute released in September shines light on the complex challenges Black Californians face as more of them make the decision to relocate to less expensive areas in the state, mostly driven by a combination of economic factors like housing unaffordability, rolling layoffs, rising inflation, an increase in renter evictions and stagnant salaries.

The report indicates that, “Over the last decade, several factors have contributed to many Black residents relocating from urban epicenters to the suburbs of metropolitan areas and to smaller, less dense, less populous cities.”

“This has been the reality of many Black Californians: as the Black populations of San Francisco and Alameda counties drop, those of Contra Costa and Sacramento rise. As Los Angeles sees its share of Black residents decline, neighboring Riverside and San Bernardino shares increase,” that report further highlights.

Lisa D. Cook, Governor of the Federal Reserve Board, says unemployment lies at the root of all America’s social problems and pushing for maximum employment for all Americans is the solution to minimizing poverty. Cook made the point while accepting the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies’ Louis E. Martin Award on Oct. 18 in Washington, D.C.

“Maximum employment boosts long-run economic potential. It means that a vital resource is being used productively. A strong labor market increases labor force participation and the willingness of firms to recruit and upgrade the skills of workers,” cook stated. She explained that the Full Employment and Balanced Growth Act of 1978, also known as the Humphrey-Hawkins Act, set economic priorities for the federal government centered on promoting good-paying jobs for all Americans.

“Maximum employment also promotes business investment that boosts productivity and long-run economic potential. And the full participation of all segments of society should be expected to result in more ideas, including more diverse ideas, more invention, and more innovation,” Cook concluded.

SACRAMENTO, CA – This month, Assemblymember Chris Holden’s legislation, Assembly Bill 289, Youth Mental Health Services Act (MHSA), which will include youth or youth mental health organizations in the list of stakeholder counties must confer with when developing their three year expenditure plans under the Mental Health Services Act, was signed into law by Governor Newsom.

“When we are making decisions for the future generation of Californians, it is critical that their voice and perspectives are heard,” said Assemblymember Chris Holden. “Listening and providing quality care that is youth informed helps the adults of tomorrow, today.”

Under the MHSA, it falls to our counties to develop their three-year expenditure plans with local stakeholders, including adults and seniors with severe mental illnesses, their families, service providers, and law enforcement among many others. This partnership between counties, constituents, and stakeholders ensures that the expenditure plan is a well-rounded, all-inclusive response to their community’s behavioral health needs.

This bill would require stakeholders to include sufficient participation of individuals representing diverse viewpoints, including youth representatives from historically marginalized communities, representatives from organizations specializing in working with underserved racially and ethnically diverse communities, and representatives from LGBTQ+ communities. By requiring counties to consult with additional stakeholders, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program.

“How we respond to the mental health crisis today, will shape who our society becomes in the future. Our kids need us to drive solutions and this week, with the Governor’s signing, we are well on our way,” said Holden.

By Lou K Coleman
Because choosing not to heed God’s warnings is rebelliousness and idolatry. Think long and hard about the decision you are making, because if you keep on ignoring the Lord and His warnings, you will soon find out the consequences of such and it ain’t gonna be nice.

Listen, [Jeremiah 30:4-10] warns that just ahead is the time of Jacob’s Trouble, a time so disastrous that no other period in mankind’s history can equal it. [Parallels to Matthew 24:15-31; Luke 21 and Mark 13]. We ain’t seen nothing yet. Wars will be fought on a scale never seen before, and weapons of mass destruction. You best take God’s warnings seriously. Because right now, is the day of salvation. Right now, is God’s grace being offered to you again. Remember, God issued a Final Invitation before the flood. “Come into the Ark”. Grace offered prior to judgment. [Matthew 11:28-30]. Don’t wait until its too late! Think Long and Hard
About the Decision You Are Making.

They despised the longsuffering of God. They said, “Here has Noah been telling us for one hundred and twenty years that a flood is coming, where is it?”

They mocked him, believing it was impossible that God would bring down floods to destroy the world. They refused to believe, and so not one of them accepted God’s warning.

At that time, the door of the ark was sealed shut, and apart from the eight people of Noah’s family who survived, everyone else, all those who had defied God were swept away by the floods— all life outside the ark perished. They had missed their chance to be saved by God.

Don’t you do it! Think long and hard about the decision you are making because as [Proverbs 14:12; 16:25] reminds us, “There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death.”

By Edward Henderson | California Black Media
On February 16, 2022, a Black student in the Santa Barbara Unified School District was assaulted by Latino students. His attackers called him the n-word and kneeled on his neck while repeatedly, chanting the name “George Floyd.” A district-wide acknowledgment of the hate crime was not sent out until Feb. 22, of that year.
Despite the psychological trauma this student experienced, the school did little to provide him with mental health support. This is despite Assembly Bill (AB) 1145, the Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act, a state law that provides specific instructions for schools to follow in such incidents.

Connie Alexander-Boaitey, President of the Santa Barbara branch of the NAACP, says against African Americans are often minimized in her city due to their representation as the smallest demographic group.

“Oh, there’s “not that many,’” Alexander-Boaitey says, referring to a common response when hate crimes are reported or when people complain about racism. “But ‘not that many’ are still being harmed.

Alexander-Boaitey was speaking during a news briefing hosted by Ethnic Media Services on Oct. 27 on school bullying. She was joined on the panel by Becky L. Monroe, the Deputy Director of Strategic Initiatives and External Affairs at the California Civil Rights Department (CRD); Dashka Slater, an award-winning journalist and author who has written books about children who are victims of bullying; Mina Fedor, a young AAPI activist who was honored by President Biden for her efforts to address racism, Xenophobia, and hate in her community; and Barbra Risling, another young activist and member of the Hoopa Valley Tribe as well as a Descendant of the Karuk and Yurok Tribes.

Alexander-Boaitey says the hate crimes and hate incidents, including bullying and cyberbullying, affecting children are all connected to “generational pain” for Black Americans.

Among schoolchildren, “It’s the pervasive calling of the n-word to Black, African American students by young Latino students,” she said. “It’s every day. Its weekly.”

Another Black family in Santa Barbara now walks their child to school to protect her from bullying classmates. And one has pulled their daughter out of the school system completely, opting for home schooling.

To address the problem, the Santa Barbara Unified School District commissioned a survey titled “2023 Anti-Blackness and Racial Climate Assessment and Analysis” that proposed a set of recommendations for addressing the problem.

The hate incidents targeting African American children are not confined to Santa Barbara but are increasing across California, according to the NAACP. These incidents, often involving physical violence and verbal abuse, are more frequent as Black families relocate to predominantly Latino neighborhoods.

In Santa Barbara, African Americans make up only 2% of the population but they account for the most victims of bullying and hate crimes in the area. At 47.5%, Latinos make up the majority of Santa Barbara’s population followed by Whites at 43.5%. According to the local NAACP branch, most of the perpetrators of the bullying and hate crimes are Latino children.

Alexander-Boaitey says she believes the hate incidents are rooted in historic racism and connected to a general desire to make Black people invisible.

“That somehow or another in an effort to move towards more White- facing or White upstanding, one group has said this group doesn’t need to be here so we can be more approximate to what is White. That’s what’s really happening in our schools,” says Alexander-Boaitey.

According to Dashka Slater, author of ‘Accountable: The True Story of a Racist Social Media Account and the Teenagers Whose Lives It Changed’, three in four American young people ages 15 to 25 have run into extremist content online. One in four students between the ages of four and 18 have seen hate or words or symbols written in their schools. About 1.3 million students were bullied because of some aspect of their identity during the 2018-2019 school year, according to a US Government Accountability Office report on schools. Half of those children were targeted because of their race.

“Some forms of bullying are in fact acts of hate,” said Monroe. “Some acts of hate are crimes, while others are violations of civil rights laws. Some may be lawful but incredibly harmful, nonetheless. We must recognize the civil rights issues at the heart of this discussion around bullying.”

Monroe also spoke about the state law requiring schools to provide all students with a safe environment free of harassment.

“Schools have a legal obligation to ensure that students are not denied opportunities, treated differently, discriminated against, or harassed because of their race, color, national origin, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, or disability,” she said.

“Students who are doing the bullying are following the lead of a biased peer and imitating things that they see on social media,” said Slater. “We also see kids of color who are harassed for their identity and harassing somebody else for their identity. Studies show that kids who are the bully and bullied are the ones who have the longest lasting effects afterward.”

Studies have also shown that students who perpetuate racially motivated bullying onto their fellow classmates don’t necessarily ascribe to racist ideologies but have simply fallen into the trap of influence from outside sources online or mirroring behavior from their parents or guardians at home.

Alexander-Boaitey says Black and Latino leaders and residents from the area have not formally met yet to resolve tensions brewing between their communities.

“I know this is where the struggle really is,” she added. “How do we have leaders from the Black, Latino, and Hispanic communities sit down and have our own conversations? What makes it not happen is erasure culture that says we don’t need to talk about it, or it was a single incident.”

Some parents of California students are pushing back against ethnic studies requirements brought to schools to combat hate and ignorance.

“Parents are trying to take their kids out of the classes,” Alexander-Boaitey continued. “The bill (Assembly Bill (AB)101) does not go deep enough to fight against it. We need to start this at TK. We are way too late by the time we get to high school for this.”

Monroe says the state provides various resources and care coordination for victims of hate crimes or hate incidents.

To report hate incidents or crimes in California, victims or witnesses can file them online here. They can also call 833-8-NO-HATE; (833) 866- 4283 Monday – Friday from 9:00 am – 6:00 pm. If outside of those hours, they can leave a voicemail, or you can call 211 to report hate and seek support.

This California Black Media report was supported in whole or in part by funding provided by the State of California, administered by the California State Library.

By Tanu Henry, Antonio Ray Harvey and Joe W. Bowers Jr. | California Black Media
From the Gold Rush of the 1800s to the iconic unofficial state song “California Dreaming,’” the Golden State has built an enviable reputation. It has become known around the world as a destination for fortune seekers, economic opportunities, and a laidback West Coast lifestyle made more desirable by pleasant weather and a picturesque natural landscape that incorporates breathtaking scenes — from the Pacific coast cliffs and glistening inland lakes to snow-capped mountains and lush forests housing the earth’s oldest tree species.

However, over the last few years, that perception of California’s exceptional desirability is being challenged as the state loses population to Arizona and Texas at higher levels than ever before, including a greater share of college graduates and residents at all income levels, according to a report dubbed “California Draining”, released by the Stanford Institute for Economic Policy Research (SIEPR).
“California lost a net of 407,000 residents to other states between July 2021 and July 2022, including a greater share of those with a college degree and residents at all income levels than in the past,” the report reads.

The state’s high cost of living has spurred many businesses and residents to exit, posing serious consequences for the state’s job market and fiscal outlook. California is still the largest state with more than 39 million residents as of 2022, constituting 11.7 % of the U.S. population, according to SIEPR’s report.

From 1959 to 2022, California’s average rate of population growth was 1.52 percent, but since 2000, it has been consistently below that number. The state even experienced negative growth in 2021 and 2022.

Among recent movers, Black residents make up about 12% of people exiting the state, a significant number in a state where the total Black population hovers around 5.7 %.

The report states that two-thirds of those who moved said that politics was not a factor in their decision, but the population loss has political consequences: California lost a congressional seat after the 2020 census.

SIEPR draws from an original survey of residents in California, Arizona and Texas conducted jointly by researchers at Stanford University, Arizona State University, and the University of Houston.

By Tanu Henry, Antonio Ray Harvey and Joe W. Bowers Jr. | California Black Media
Four years ago this month, Senate Bill (SB) 464, also known as the California’s Dignity in Pregnancy and Childbirth Act, was signed into law by Gov. Gavin Newsom.

The law, authored by LA County Supervisor Holly Mitchell, when she served in the State Senate, mandated that health care facilities implement training to address unconscious racial bias toward expectant mothers to address California’s high maternal death rate among Black women.

However, a report released by the California Department of Justice on Oct. 27, four years after the law was enacted, found that most hospitals and clinics either failed to implement the training or instituted it late.

“The disparity in maternal death rates in California reflects the deep and shameful racial inequities in our healthcare system,” said Attorney General Rob Bonta in a statement the DOJ released Friday.

“In California, people of color, particularly Black women, continue to die at three to four times the rate of White women,” Bonta continued. “This is unacceptable. With today’s report, the California Department of Justice has taken an important step forward in addressing this issue by successfully building upon the California Dignity in Pregnancy and Childbirth Act.”

According to Bonta, the United States has the highest maternal death rate in the developed world. He disclosed that one year into the program, less than 17% of health facilities in the state had initiated the mandated staff training, as reported to the DOJ. It was only after Bonta wrote a letter in 2021 threatening state intervention for non-compliance, that the percentage began to rise.

“As a Black woman, a mother, a legislator, and as a board-certified OBYGN, this topic of implicit bias and black maternal mortality is both personally and professionally important to me,” said Assemblymember Akilah Weber (D-La Mesa), a member of the California Legislative Black Caucus (CLBC), in a statement.

By Rick Burke, Navy Office of Community Outreach
MILLINGTON, Tenn. – Airman Jeremiah Davis, a native of San Bernardino, California, is one of more than 5,000 sailors serving aboard the self-contained mobile airport, USS Theodore Roosevelt.

Davis, a 2019 graduate of Eisenhower High School in Rialto, California, joined the Navy three years ago.

“I joined for the opportunities in education and to travel, as well as to have a fresh start,” said Davis.

The skills and values needed to succeed in the Navy are similar to those found in San Bernardino.

“I learned to stay humble, stay true, always be open to learning something new and keep God first,” said Davis.

Today, Davis serves as an aviation boatswain’s mate (equipment) responsible for the launching and recovery of aircraft.

“I’ve assisted in over 200 maintenance and zone inspections with my job and in supply,” said Davis. “I’ve also assisted in providing over 12,000 meals with the culinary specialists to service the crew. The thing I like best about my job is that I get to work and form bonds with amazing people from all over the world.”

Aircraft carriers are the centerpiece of America’s Naval forces. For more than 100 years, they have projected power, sustained sea control, bolstered deterrence, provided humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, and maintained enduring commitments worldwide.

According to Navy officials, aircraft carriers are versatile and have unique mission capabilities that make them a more strategic asset for the Navy than fixed-site bases. They are often the first response in a global crisis because of their ability to operate freely in international waters anywhere in the world. In addition, no other weapon system can deploy and operate forward with a full-sized, nuclear-powered aircraft carrier’s speed, endurance, agility, and the combat capability of its air wing.

This year commemorates 50 years of women flying in the U.S. Navy. In 1973, the first eight women began flight school in Pensacola, Florida. Six of them, known as “The First Six,” earned their “Wings of Gold” one year later. Over the past 50 years, the Navy has expanded its roles for women to lead and serve globally, and today women aviators project power from the sea in every type of Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard aircraft. According to Navy officials, our nation and our Navy are stronger because of their service.

With 90% of global commerce traveling by sea and access to the internet relying on the security of undersea fiber optic cables, Navy officials continue to emphasize that the prosperity of the United States is directly linked to trained sailors and a strong Navy.

As a member of the Navy, Davis is part of a world-class organization focused on maintaining maritime dominance, strengthening partnerships, increasing competitive warfighting capabilities and sustaining combat-ready forces in support of the National Defense Strategy.

“The Navy contributes to national defense by showing our allies we are capable of defending them, and showing our adversaries that we won’t go down easy,” said Davis.

Davis has many opportunities to achieve accomplishments during military service.

“I am proud of the positive impact I have on other sailors in helping them achieve their goals,” said Davis.

As Davis and other sailors continue to train and perform missions, they take pride in serving their country in the U.S. Navy.

“Serving in the Navy gives me the chance to better myself while protecting the people I love,” added Davis.

By Antonio Ray Harvey | California Black Media

The NAACP California Hawaii State Conference (Cal-Hi NAACP) held its 36th annual State Convention at the San Francisco Airport Marriott Waterfront Hotel.

The convention featured a series of workshops and discussions organized to promote solutions for some of the most pressing issues impacting Black communities in California and Hawaii. The focus was on a range of topics, including next-generation leadership, environmental justice, housing, veteran’s affairs, labor, education, and more.

“This is when we bring our branches to get them trained up and ready to go back into their communities ready to fight for what we’re fighting,” said NAACP Cal-Hi President Rick Callender. “What we are fighting, we’re fighting for criminal justice, environmental justice, equity in education, equity in the legislation and trying to move the NAACP’s agenda forward.”

 This year’s event, themed “This Is How We Thrive,” was held from Oct. 27 to 29. Around 500 NAACP Cal-Hi leaders, delegates, elected officials, activists, organizers, faith leaders, and entertainers from across the state and Hawaii participated in the festivities.

Keynote speakers at this year’s Convention included Dr. Hazel N. Dukes (Spingarn Medalist, NAACP Board of Directors, NAACP New York President), Eleni Kounalakis (Lt. Governor of California), Rob Bonta (California Attorney General), Shevann Steuben (NAACP Texas Youth & College Division President, NAACP Houston, Young Adult Committee Chair, NAACP Board of Directors), Oakland City Councilwoman Treva Reid (District 7) and Los Angeles-based attorney Kamilah Moore (Chair, California Reparations Task Force).

Moore reminded the attendees at the Women In the NAACP

Labor Luncheon on Oct. 28 that the NAACP has been a beacon of light ensuring Black Americans are granted their constitutional rights.

Since Feb. 12, 1909, the NAACP has advocated, agitated, and litigated for civil rights. Its legacy is built on a foundation of grassroots activism by the biggest civil rights pioneers of the 20th century and is sustained by 21st century activists.

“We are resiliently surviving the afterlife of chattel slavery. In fact, as African Americans we have been confronting these lingering badges and incidents of slavery without any significant government aid or private actions. We’ve been doing it on our own and the NAACP is a testament of that,” Callender said during the luncheon.

Several influential leaders — U.S. Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA-12), Assemblymember Mia Bonta (D-Alameda), Exodie C. Roe III (General Services Administration, Washington D.C.), NAACP Senior Vice President of Communications Trovon C. Williams — spoke at the convention.

NAACP Cal-Hi’s Youth and College Division hosted multiple workshops, including a “Stop the Hate Mock Trial,” and another titled “Youth Focused Dinner, Juvenile Justice Workshop, and Health Forum.”

On Oct. 27, NAACP Cal-Hi presented an exclusive preview of “The Space Race,” a National Geographic documentary that weaves together stories of Black astronauts seeking to break the bonds of social injustice in their quest to reach for the stars.

On the evening of Oct. 28, Callender joined Dr. Hazel N. Dukes for a fireside chat at the President’s Awards Dinner. Earlier, on the afternoon of Oct. 27, a special “Hats Off Award” ceremony was held honoring Alice Huffman, President Emeritus of the NAACP Cal-HI State Conference, at the WIN Luncheon.

From this day on, the Hats Off Award will be incorporated into the convention to recognize individuals from California and Hawaii who have demonstrated outstanding leadership and commitment to social justice and equity.

Huffman was first elected president of the Cal-Hi NAACP in 1999 and served eight terms of unwavering service and provided significant contributions.

She expressed her gratitude for having an award named after her and said she was proud to be around appreciative people at the convention who understood the work she performed for the Cal- Hi NAACP.

“It’s an honor to see all of you, feel your love, feel your understanding and appreciation,” Huffman said. “Let me tell you, it wasn’t always easy, but it was great. I hope that I never let you down. I don’t think that I ever have. I don’t know what else to say to you all but thank you, thank you, thank you.

By Tanu Henry, Antonio Ray Harvey and Joe W. Bowers Jr. | California Black Media
Less than half of the Black students enrolled at California State University (CSU) campuses graduate.

That troubling statistic was one data point in an announcement released by CSU during its Graduation Initiative symposium Oct. 2023 in San Diego.

Overall, the data painted a positive picture of student performance at CSU, but the Black student graduation rate at 47% stuck out as a dim spot.

The difference in graduation rates between students from historically underserved backgrounds and their peers remains an ongoing challenge for the CSU system. For example, the graduation rates for all historically underserved students and Pell Grant recipients increased by one percentage point each over the last year.

“We recognize this important opportunity to engage and collaborate with our larger community to narrow equity gaps so that all students have an opportunity to earn a life-changing college degree,” acknowledged Jennifer Baszile, CSU associate vice chancellor of Student Success & Inclusive Excellence. “This work is a moral imperative for the CSU, and it is essential for meeting California’s need for a thriving, diverse workforce.”

The report indicated that four-year graduation rates remain flat for the 23-campus system.

On the upside, the data reveals that CSU undergraduate students are earning their degrees at faster rates than ever before and are now graduating an average of one semester earlier compared to when the Graduation Initiative 2025 was initiated.

The information released shows that the CSU’s systemwide four-year graduation rate for first-year students remains at 35%, nearly doubling the rate (19%) at the launch of the initiative in 2015.

The improved outcomes, combined with enrollment increases, have contributed to an additional 150,000 bachelor’s degrees earned. But as CSU looks past the year 2025, its administrators plan to devise strategies to improve outcomes for all students, with a particular focus on Black student success and other historically underserved groups.