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By Antonio? ?Ray? ?Harvey? ?|? ?California? ?Black? ?Media

Three reparations bills authored by Sen. Steven Bradford (D-Inglewood) passed out of the Assembly Appropriations Committee on Aug. 15.

Senate Bill (SB) 1403, SB 1050, and SB 1331 are now on their way to the Assembly floor for a full vote. If approved, the bills would advance to Gov. Gavin Newsom’s desk for his signature or veto.

“I want to thank the committee for seeing the importance of these measures,” Bradford said. “I think it speaks to the fact that reparations is an issue that still needs to be addressed. We still experience institutional racism and discrimination in this country.”

SB 1331 proposes creating an account in the state treasury to fund reparations policies approved by the Legislature and the Governor.

SB 1050 would offer compensation to Black Californians who are descendants of enslaved people who lost homes or had their land taken without fair compensation as a result of racially motivated misuse of eminent domain.

SB 1403 establishes the framework for establishing the California American Freedmen Affairs Agency (CAFAA), a state-level department that would oversee all reparations activities, including validating individuals’ status as a descendant of an enslaved person in the United States.

Assemblymember Buffy Wicks (D-Oakland), Chair of the Assembly Appropriations Committee, said it was critical that the reparations bills moved out of the “suspense file,” a designation for bills estimated to cost over $150,000 to implement.

“We moved forward with all the reparations bills. I think this is obviously a huge issue not just for our state but our country,” Wicks said. “It’s about time we have real-direct public policy conversations about it. It was important to move them through the committees so that we can have that conversation.”

In its final 1,075-page report submitted to the legislature in June 2023, the California Reparations Task Force to Study and Develop Reparation Proposals for African Americans made 115 recommendations to compensate African Americans for harms experienced as a result of slavery.

One of the recommendations is for the state to issue a formal apology to the descendants of people enslaved in the United States. Assembly Bill (AB) 3089, authored by Assemblymember Reggie Jones-Sawyer (D-Los Angeles), would require the state to make that statement.

It passed out of the Senate Appropriations Committee with a 5-0 vote and is the fourth reparations bill advanced by the Legislature. Senate minority leader Brian Jones (R-San Diego) and Sen. Kelly Seyarto (R-Murrieta), abstained from voting.

Chris Lodgson, a member of the Coalition for a Just and Equitable California (CJEC), a Sacramento-based reparations advocacy organization, attended the Assembly Appropriation Committee’s suspense file hearing.

“Our ancestors have been with us every step of the way,” Lodgson said. “But there is still more work to do. We must get the (current) bills off the floor in the next two weeks. Make no mistake about it, we would not have those opportunities for the next fights if we did not win today.”

Dawn Paige of Concerned Black Citizens, Inc., flew in from North Carolina to be present at State Capitol Annex Swing Space to witness the passage of the bills. She sat with members of CJEC and other reparations advocates.

Paige traced her lineage back to 1721 in Virginia and 1830 in South and North Carolina. She trains and educates organizers and communities on how to advocate effectively reparations policy at the state and federal levels.

Reflecting on California’s significant role in creating a reparations blueprint for the rest of the country, Paige told California Black Media (CBM), “I came to see history. We’ve been working so hard, so long on this, and fought so hard that it’s actually yielding results in our favor. We are winning. There is no question that North Carolina was a slave and Jim Crow state, but to have the state with the fifth largest economy in the world pushing these legislations through and ultimately funding them is a big stamp of approval.”

Paige added, “It says that this can actually be implemented and that we can take this template and fit it into other states. That’s what I’ll be pushing in my organizing circle.”

Bradford, who terms out of the Legislature in November after serving in the Assembly and Senate, hopes the bills and other reparations legislation pushed by the California Legislative Black Caucus (CLBC) set the standards for other states.

This year, Newsom added $12 million to the 2024-2025 budget to support reparations legislation.

“This is not a handout. This is what was promised to us 163 years ago and it’s long overdue,” Bradford said. “I hope it sends a signal not only for California but for the rest of the nation that this is a priority. Not only is California watching. The nation is watching.”

California is transforming Medi-Cal to better support and meet the whole-person care needs of members experiencing, or at risk of homelessness.

Medi-Cal provides members with access to new and improved services to get well-rounded care that goes beyond the doctor’s office or hospital and addresses their physical and mental health, and also social drivers of one’s health such as housing.

Medi-Cal is opening the door to essential health care services for the most vulnerable populations, no matter where they live or seek care.

Enhanced Care Management

Enhanced Care Management is a new Medi-Cal benefit that assigns a dedicated Lead Care Manager, a personal guide who helps qualified Medi-Cal members navigate all medical, dental, social, and community services such as housing navigation, housing deposits, and more.

Enhanced Care Management takes a whole-person, interdisciplinary approach to care to address clinical and non-clinical needs of members with the most complex medical and social need and serves as a safety net of care coordination for high-risk groups, including, but not limited to, individuals experiencing homelessness.

“Our unhoused population has inadequate access to shelters and experiences a lack of food and care,” said Glenn Tsang, Policy Advisor for Homelessness and Housing for the California Department of Health Care Services. “These members tend to have extensive medical and mental health needs that are difficult to address in an unstable living environment. To help address their needs, the Enhanced Care Management benefit builds consistent connections to medical care, mental health care, substance use disorder treatment, and housing stabilization services.”

Addressing Health-Related Social Needs through Community Supports
Community Supports are services or care settings, in addition to those required under the California Medicaid State Plan, that Medi-Cal managed care plans may elect to offer. The goal of Community Supports is to provide services that address a member’s health-related social needs that may be exacerbating their health condition, such as housing instability. Among the 14 services available as Community Supports services, six are specifically focused on helping unhoused members.

Many of these services empower high-risk individuals and families to live healthier lives in less restrictive settings and avoid unnecessary emergency visits and inpatient nursing facility admissions. They include services that go beyond traditional care received in a doctor’s office and may include housing deposits, housing transition and navigation services, housing tenancy and sustaining services, short-term post-hospitalization, recuperative care, and day habilitation.

Street Medicine
Street medicine is a set of health and social services developed specifically to address the unique needs and circumstances of individuals experiencing unsheltered homelessness, delivered directly to them in their own environment. The fundamental approach of street medicine is to engage people experiencing unsheltered homelessness exactly where they are and on their own terms to maximally reduce or eliminate barriers to care access and follow-through.

Medi-Cal Expansion
Starting on January 1, 2024, all eligible Californians qualify for full scope Medi-Cal coverage, regardless of immigration status.

This expansion allows even more Medi-Cal members to potentially qualify for Enhanced Care Management and Community Supports, among other services, to improve outcomes for California’s most vulnerable populations.

“By expanding Medi-Cal, we’re addressing the root causes of health disparities and providing equitable access to quality health care, leading to a healthy California for all,” said Tsang.

How Providers Support Members
Providers are vital in delivering Medi-Cal’s expanded services, ensuring the most vulnerable members receive the care they need. These providers include, but are not limited to, housing service providers, housing organizations, and other organizations that have an existing footprint consistent with Community Supports activities and in the communities they serve. Providers are essential in providing dedicated care management, ensuring seamless transitions and continuous support across various housing settings.

Street medicine providers also offer direct medical care to individuals on the streets, build trust by consistently providing compassionate services, and use comprehensive care management platforms for efficient coordination. Providers include Federally Qualified Health Centers, mobile medicine units, and many other organizations that provide care to unsheltered members living on the street.

They collaborate with community-based organizations and community support systems like schools, food banks, and housing agencies, and offer proactive support when patients transition through emergency departments, homelessness, or incarceration.

Encouragement to Seek Services
If you or someone you know is experiencing homelessness or is at risk of homelessness, Medi-Cal’s expanded services offer vital support for members enrolled in a managed care plan to improve their health and well-being.

For more information, call the state’s Medi-Cal Managed Care Office of the Ombudsman at (888) 452-8609 or email MMCDOmbudsmanOffice@dhcs.ca.gov.

In San Bernardino County, Medi-Cal recipients can contact:

*   Inland Empire Health Plan: 800-440-4347

*   Kaiser Permanente: 855-839-7613

*   Molina HealthCare of California Partner Plan, Inc.: 888-665-4621

So, if you are at risk of or experiencing homelessness in San Bernardino County, your health and well-being matter. Medi-Cal’s expanded services are here to support you every step of the way.

SAN BERNARDINO, CA— The San Bernardino Pastors United –SBPU has been providing spiritual leadership in San Bernardino County since 2016. The organization was founded by a group of Pastors in San Bernardino, expressing a desire to work with the chief of police to help stop and prevent violent crime in the city.

Over the years the organization has had several presidents. The first was Dr. Joshua Beckley, Ecclesia Christian Fellowship. The next one was Pastor Robert Cuencas of The Way World Outreach Church, and then Dr. Reginald Woods of Life Changing Ministries. These extraordinary men of God, did extraordinary work.

A new era has begun as Pastor Marco Garcia, Sr. Pastor of the Way World Outreach Church, leads the organization. Continuing the mission to combat murders, engage our civic leaders, and provide support to families through community engagement activities.

Many community members attended the 10:00 a.m. ceremony held on Wednesday, August 14, at 4835 Hallmark Parkway, in San Bernardino.

According to Pastor Reginal Young, a spokesman for the group, “The organization is excited about the next chapter as it continues to battle crime, homelessness, drug additions, youth runaways, political corruption, and the economy. Pastor Garcia has been an advocate for the residents in San Bernardino for years. He has a strong faith and belief in the people of the community. He believes, each church must grow and reach the lost. As we help more people who are hurting, restoring more lives; our love will show the world.”

Reverend Young finalized, “Join the movement as we work in unity with the power of God’s favor. May God continue to bless you. Visit our website at www.sbpastorsunited.org for more information email sbpastorsunited@gmail.com. Thank you for your prayers of support!”

More Than 3,000 Attended in the First Hour

SAN BERNARDINO, CA—San Bernardino City Unified School District (SBCUSD) held a record-breaking, annual Back-to-School Extravaganza (BTSE) July 24 at San Bernardino Valley College to help District families get ready for the start of the new school year.

There were more than 60 booths providing information and free school supplies. Families could collect stamps from select SBCUSD booths on a special passport to get a free backpack for their school-aged children. Other SBCUSD booths offered free books, three-ring binders and other school supplies that students will need for the first day of school on Monday, August 5.

“The Extravaganza provides our SBCUSD families with standard back-to-school items like backpacks, but it does so much more,” said Dr. Beatriz Barajas-Gonzalez, Director of Family Engagement, the department that organizes the yearly event. “We want the Extravaganza to provide families with important information on everything from the music and arts programs in our schools to the career pathways available to our high school students. We also want our families to know there are many free and low-cost resources available to support the physical and mental health of the entire family, not just through SBCUSD but also through city and county programs and local nonprofits.”

One of the biggest community partners was the California Association of African American Superintendents and Administrators (CAAASA) and Power of Sight. The organization set up an entire section to provide families with free vaccinations, sports physicals, eye exams and glasses.

A total of 55 community partners participated in the Extravaganza, including:

• IEHP (Inland Empire Health Plan)
• Costco
• Stronger Together Now
• Avva Dental
• Option House Inc.
• Rainbow Pride Youth Alliance
• Mother’s Nutritional Center
• Omnitrans
• YMCA of the East Valley
• County of San Bernardino Child Support Services
• Imagine Learning
• City of San Bernardino
• AI Bonds
• Amazon Air KSBD
• Asian American Resource Center
• Dignity Health Community Hospital of San Bernardino
• First 5 San Bernardino
• Making Hope Happen Foundation
• Molina Healthcare of California
• San Bernardino County Department of Public Health
• Assistance League of San Bernardino
• Inland Empire Immigrant Youth Collective
• San Bernardino Valley College
• Bright Life Kids
• Children’s Choice Dental Care
• Great Clips
• Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Inland Empire

“I cannot thank our community partners enough for stepping up and helping to make sure our students and their families have what they need to start out the school year on the right path,” said Assistant Superintendent of Student Services Dr. Sandra Rodriguez. “Our community came together today to show how much they support and care about our students. When we work together, our students, our families, our community and our city will thrive!”

25th Anniversary San Manuel Golf Tournament raised nearly $500,000 for charity

HIGHLAND, CA — For 25 years, the San Manuel Golf Tournament has delivered an impact that extends far beyond the golf course. Since 1999, San Manuel has invited tens of thousands of golfers to answer the call of Yawa’ – a Serrano concept that means “to act on one’s belief” – by playing in the San Manuel Golf Tournament and contributing to impactful charities across the nation. Together, San Manuel Golf Tournament participants have raised more than $3.5 million in donations benefitting over 70 charities.

This year’s proceeds exceed previous records totaling $480,000 to benefit eight charities representing local and national causes. Each charity received $60,000 in unrestricted funds.

Proceeds benefited this year’s chosen nonprofit partners:

Elevate Navajo strives to develop genuine connections with Navajo youth that will strengthen individuals’ confidence, classroom engagement, provide lifelong skills, and lift the community. Elevate Navajo’s four primary program focuses are accredited classes to provide life and professional skills, mentoring available 24/7, adventures to inspire grand aspirations, and career & college prep.

Firefighter Cancer Support Network provides critical assistance for career, volunteer, active or retired firefighters, emergency medical service providers and their family members who are diagnosed with cancer.

Growing Inland Achievement (GIA) is a collective impact organization created to improve the long-term economic outlook of the Inland Empire by improving educational attainment rates among the region’s underrepresented groups. With an equity-framed approach, GIA connects more than 150 educational institutions, community-based organizations and workforce partners to create a network for K-20 students to provide strategic support for Black, Latinx, Native and other marginalized groups while removing barriers for all individuals.

Junior Achievement of Southern Californiainspires and prepares young people to succeed in a global economy. Volunteers from the professional sector help youth explore the business of life through hands-on dynamic programs that teach skills related to managing money, starting a business and entering the work world.

The Lindy Waters III Foundationenhances and supports Native American youth and Indigenous communities through sports, health and wellness, and leadership programs. The foundation is committed to providing a platform for individual improvement, opportunity, exposure, and access for all Native youth.

Phenix Gateway empowers adults with disabilities to secure full-pay employment through innovative job training programs and advocacy to remove barriers and promote equitable opportunities for all. Phenix Gateway has a unique ability to see what others might overlook and empower individuals to embrace their skills.

Social Work Action Group(SWAG) advocates for, educates and inspires marginalized individuals and families in the Inland Empire achieve sustainable independence through community support. SWAG believes the resources to address homelessness already exist in each community, and the missing component is communication and coordination of existing resources to address the different aspects of homelessness.

Southwest Indigenous Women’s Coalitionprovides critical services to all 22 tribes in Arizona to work towards a future of safe indigenous communities. This Native-led coalition helps Native communities develop their capacities to address and respond to violence through education, training, technical assistance, policy advocacy, and culturally sensitive and supportive services.

Each organization was selected for their ability to bring tangible and practical impact to their communities.

More than 850 golfers were in attendance to take part in the four-day event that spans three exclusive golf venues: Monarch Beach Golf Links at Waldorf Astoria Monarch Beach, Pelican Hill Golf Club and Torrey Pines Golf Course.

Photos and b-roll of the event are available here.

About the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians 

The San Manuel Band of Mission Indians is a federally recognized Indian tribe located on the San Manuel Indian Reservation near Highland, California.  San Manuel exercises its inherent sovereign right of self-governance and provides essential services for its citizens by building infrastructure, maintaining civil services, and promoting social, economic and cultural development.  As the Indigenous people of the San Bernardino highlands, passes, valleys, mountains and high deserts, the Serrano people of San Manuel have called this area home since time immemorial and are committed to remaining a productive partner in the San Bernardino region. For more information, visit http://www.sanmanuel-nsn.gov

SAN BERNARDINO, CA—The Educational Results Partnership (ERP) named four San Bernardino City Unified School District (SBCUSD) campuses to its 2023 Honor Roll for being high-performing schools that improve student academic outcomes. The award-winning schools are Hillside, Kimbark and North Verdemont Elementary Schools; Richardson PREP HI Middle School and Rodriguez PREP Academy Middle School.

All but Kimbark Elementary also made the Honor Roll in 2018 and 2019. Kimbark was last honored in 2016. In fact, Richardson has been named to the Honor Roll 11 times and Hillside 8 times. All five schools earned the Star Award in 2023 and in previous years, which recognizes Honor Roll schools that are high performing and closing the achievement gap despite being high-need schools. This is the first year ERP has published the Honor Roll since 2019.

“I already know that our schools SHINE, that they are preparing SBCUSD scholars for success in school with high expectations that make them college and career ready,” said Superintendent Mauricio Arellano. “But it is certainly nice when outside organizations recognize our schools’ efforts.”

ERP is a non-profit organization that uses public school achievement data to help improve student outcomes and career readiness. ERP Honor Roll schools have demonstrated consistently high levels of student academic achievement, improvement in achievement levels over time and a reduction in achievement gaps among student populations.

In California, the ERP Honor Roll is supported by numerous businesses and organizations, including the California Black Chamber of Commerce and the Campaign for Business & Education Excellence.

Associated Press

The third-grade students at Roberta T. Smith Elementary School had only a few days until summer vacation, and an hour until lunch, but there was no struggle to focus as they filed into the classroom. They were ready for one of their favorite parts of the day.

The children closed their eyes and traced their thumbs from their foreheads to their hearts as a pre-recorded voice led them through an exercise called the shark fin, part of the classroom’s regular meditation routine.

“Listen to the chimes,” said the teacher, Kim Franklin. “Remember to breathe.”

Schools across the U.S. have been introducing yoga, meditation and mindfulness exercises to help students manage stress and emotions. As the depths of student struggles with mental health became clear in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention last year endorsed schools’ use of the practices.

Children nationwide struggled with the effects of isolation and remote learning as they returned from the pandemic school closures. The CDC in 2023 reported more than a third of students were affected by feelings of persistent sadness and hopelessness.

“We know that our teenagers and adolescents have really strained in their mental health,” CDC Director Dr. Mandy Cohen told The Associated Press. “There are real skills that we can give our teens to make sure that they are coping with some big emotions.”

Approaches to mindfulness represent a form of social-emotional learning, which has become a political flashpoint with many conservatives who say schools use it to promote progressive ideas about race, gender and sexuality.

But advocates say the programming brings much-needed attention to students’ well-being.

“When you look at the numbers, unfortunately, in Georgia, the number of children of color with suicidal thoughts and success is quite high,” Cooper said. “When you look at the number of psychologists available for these children, there are not enough psychologists of color.”

Black youth have the fastest-growing suicide rate among racial groups, according to CDC statistics. Between 2007 and 2020, the suicide rate among Black children and teens ages 10 to 17 increased by 144%.

“It’s a stigma with being able to say you’re not OK and needing help, and having the ability to ask for help,” said Tolana Griggs, Smith Elementary’s assistant principal. “With our diverse school community and wanting to be more aware of our students, how different cultures feel and how different cultures react to things, it’s important to be all-inclusive with everything we do.”

Nationwide, children in schools that serve mostly students of color have less access to psychologists and counselors than those in schools serving mostly white students.

The Inner Explorer program guides students and teachers through five-to-10-minute sessions of breathing, meditating and reflecting several times a day. The program also is used at Atlanta Public Schools and over 100 other districts across the country.

Teachers and administrators say they have noticed a difference in their students since they’ve incorporated mindfulness into their routine. For Aniyah Woods, 9, the program has helped her “calm down” and “not stress anymore.”

“I love myself how I am, but Inner Explorer just helps me feel more like myself,” Aniyah said.

Malachi Smith, 9, has used his exercises at home, with his father helping to guide him through meditation.

“You can relax yourself with the shark fin, and when I calm myself down, I realize I am an excellent scholar,” Malachi said.

After Franklin’s class finished their meditation, they shared how they were feeling.

“Relaxed,” one student said.

Aniyah raised her hand.

“It made me feel peaceful,” she said.

This resource was supported in whole or in part by funding provided by the State of California, administered by the California State Library via California Black Media as part of the Stop the Hate program. The program is supported by partnership with the California Department of Social Services and the California Commission on Asian and Pacific Islander American Affairs. To report a hate incident or hate crime and get support, go to https://www.cavshate.org/

By Aldon Thomas Stiles

According to the Department of Justice (DOJ), hate crimes targeting the LGBTQIA+ community in California were on the rise between 2022 and 2023, despite the state seeing a decline in overall hate crimes.

While the frequency of overall hate crimes reported to the California Attorney General’s Office (OAG) between 2022 and 2023 decreased by 8.9%, 24.2% of all hate crimes reported to the OAG were LGBTQIA+ hate crimes.

According to the California DOJ, anti-LGBTQIA+ hate crime incidents grew by 86.4%.

“As this report makes clear, homophobia and transphobia can all-too-easily morph into something even more dangerous,” said California Attorney General Rob Bonta in a letter of this year’s DOJ State of Pride report. “This rise of hate is unacceptable, and we will not stand for it.”

On July 9, the DOJ’s Office of Community Awareness Response and Engagement (CARE) held their annual hate crime report briefing during which members of the CARE Team discussed the report’s findings on overall hate crimes and how the state plans to address them.

Among the next steps the state plans to take based on the report are reaching out to communities that, on average, are reporting less hate crimes than other communities, billboard campaigns, regular updates for underserved communities and “community-specific engagement” through grants and partnerships, including a subgrant with California Black Media.

During the presentation, the DOJ identified organizations that they are partnering with to quell hate crimes in the state, including the California Department of Social Services, the California State Library, and the OAG.

The DOJ intends on taking a “community-centered approach” to their efforts to address hate, ensuring collaboration with community organizations.

These next steps include connecting with culturally competent resources, improving hate incident and crime reporting and continued training in cultural competency

Of the reports made to the OAG, 18.4% cited discriminatory treatment, 16.7% reported verbal harassment and 16.7% reported incidents of the use of slurs.

According to the report, 29.9% of these incidents were reported to occur in residential areas, 9.7% in the workplace and 9.1% in public facilities.

“Everyone has a part to play as we continue to fight prejudice and create safer communities in California,” Bonta stated in a press release. “I urge everyone to review the data and resources available and recommit to standing united against hate.”

In the press release, Bonta spoke about the responsibility of the state to address these issues.

“The California Department of Justice has a zero-tolerance policy when it comes to hate, and will continue working with law enforcement, elected leaders, and community organizations across the state to keep our communities safe through education, prevention, and enforcement,” he said.

To report hate incidents or crimes, visit the California Civil Rights Department website, or call 833-8-NO-HATE.

This resource was supported in whole or in part by funding provided by the State of California, administered by the California State Library via California Black Media as part of the Stop the Hate program. The program is supported by partnership with the California Department of Social Services and the California Commission on Asian and Pacific Islander American Affairs. To report a hate incident or hate crime and get support, go to https://www.cavshate.org/

By Aldon Thomas Stiles

On July 16, Zócalo Public Square and the University of California, Riverside’s (UCR) College of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences hosted a panel titled “How Does the Inland Empire Strike Back Against Hate?”

Moderated by Professor Emeritus of Cal State San Bernardino’s School of Criminal Justice Brian Levin, the conversation centered around the Inland Empire’s history with hate crime as well as the current state of hate in the region.

“In a civil, democratic society, we have to build spaces that actively support strategies to diffuse the underlying elements that give rise to violence and hate crimes,” stated Moira Shourie, executive director of Zo?calo Public Square, on UCR’s events web page. “Our goal with this program is to examine the past, present, and bright future of the Inland Empire’s fight against injustice that local policymakers and advocates in the region are spearheading.”

Assemblymember Corey A. Jackson (D-Riverside), one of the event’s panelists, claimed that there is much work to be done to combat hate in the region.

He also stressed the importance of historical context.

“We are not doing enough in the Inland Empire,” said Jackson. “I think that we have to remember the history of the empire and this rise of hate, only to me, shows me that it’s going back to its roots and we have got to do all that we can to fight against that.”

Near the beginning of the event, organizers played a video of California Attorney General Rob Bonta discussing hate crimes, citing hate crime statistics.

“Between 2022 and 2023, we witnessed a 20% increase in overall hate crimes. Crimes based on race, religion, and sexual orientation,” said Bonta. “Hate against any one of us is hate against all of us. That’s not something we can ever stand for.”

Panelist Luis Nolasco, Senior Policy Advocate and Organizer for ACLU’s Southern California Inland Empire Office, spoke about the immigrant experience in the state and his involvement in projects meant to improve it.

He said that during election years, immigrants tend to be “scapegoats” for the nation’s woes and that the Inland Empire is “no different.”

“I think one of the biggest projects has been ensuring that our localities are implementing policies that are proactive in defending and affecting our immigrant community,” Nolasco said.

Jackson said that one step the Inland Empire can take toward reducing hate crime is to build anti-racist institutions.

He mentioned the Commission on the State of Hate, California’s Civil Rights Department’s commission dedicated to identifying, addressing and preventing hate activity statewide.

“We are making sure that we are upholding what other generations did for us so that when hate, racism and xenophobia raises its ugly head, we’re going to beat it back into the shadows where it belongs,” said Jackson.

Project Director of Mapping Black California and speaker on the panel Candice Mays spoke about reporting hate crimes and how crucial that is for understanding the scope of these types of crimes in the region.

She asserted that citizens need to be made aware of how to report hate crimes and who to report them to, considering that sometimes the perpetrators of hate crimes are those sworn to protect the citizenry from them.

“I think the first hurdle to report a crime is how do you tell the police on the police,” said Mays.

In terms of victimization, Jackson stated that no one is safe from hate crime, saying that “we are all on the menu.”

“As a matter of fact, it is starting to become a buffet when it comes to hate,” he said.

During the event, Inland Valley News inquired of the panel what measures the state can take to improve upon how they respond to reports of hate crimes.

“When instances of hate arise, the Civil Rights department cannot respond to it unless someone calls them and asks them for support,” Jackson said. “So we’re changing the law to say that they can be proactive so that they can begin. And their direction is going to be to send someone into the community, provide them with training, help them build coalitions and the infrastructure to prevent it from happening again or to respond in a better way.”

He went on to emphasize the crucial role lawmakers play in addressing hate.

“The idea is that we have to make sure that we’re eliminating legislative legal barriers, but also unleashing the power of the state to actually be the in the forefront of anti-hate,” he said.

PERRIS, CA – This past Saturday, July 27th, the community gathered for Assemblymember Dr. Corey A. Jackson’s first annual Community BBQ Competition, an event that celebrated local culinary talent and brought together over 1000 community members. The competition featured four local BBQ small businesses, each vying for top honors in the categories of Best Meat and Best Side.

The participants included Mama T’s Food for the Soul (Moreno Valley), D.E.N. Catering (Riverside), Coronado BBQ (San Jacinto), and Nini’s BBQ (Menifee). Attendees had the delicious task of tasting the offerings and voting for their favorites.

The winners are:

• Best Meat: D.E.N. Catering earned top honors with their expertly prepared and flavorful BBQ meats.
• Best Side: Nini’s BBQ delighted voters with their outstanding side dish, securing the win in this category.

“We are thrilled to have hosted this event and look forward to it becoming a beloved annual tradition,” said Assemblymember Dr. Corey Jackson. “Events like these showcase the incredible talent and entrepreneurial spirit within the 60th Assembly District and the Inland Empire.”

This event was not only a culinary celebration but also an excellent opportunity to support our small businesses. All BBQ competitors are proud local business owners who contribute greatly to their community.