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By Antonio Ray Harvey | California Black Media

This Women’s History Month, California Black Media is profiling three Black women on the leading edge of California’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic: Surgeon General Nadine Burke Harris, California Gov Operations Secretary Yolanda Richardson and Kimberly Goode, Senior Vice President of External Affairs at Blue Shield of California. The profiles explore how these exceptional women have brought their experience, knowledge and leadership abilities to driving California’s COVID-19 recovery efforts. It also looks at the challenges they have faced, the successes they have won and how they balance the rigors of their public roles with the responsibilities of their private lives.

Profile: Kimberly Goode, the Implementer

During a time when an all-out effort is underway to get Californians vaccinated, a few women leaders in California are leading the charge to reach the communities hardest hit by the coronavirus pandemic, including Black families in “hard-to-reach” areas across the state.

Kimberley Goode, the Senior Vice President of External Affairs for Blue Shield of California) is one of those Black women in on the frontlines.

Blue Shield of California is the state’s “third-party administrator” as California ramps up its push to get its 40 million residents vaccinated. Goode says the company, with headquarters in Oakland, has taken a number of steps to support the state’s goal to get vaccines to all Californians – particularly those who have been disproportionately impacted — in a way that is safe, equitable and swift. Blue Shield’s provider network boasts more than 1,200 vaccination sites in California, including community clinics, multi-county entities, hospital systems, medical groups, pharmacies and others.

“The state makes final allocation decisions. The state makes all decisions around eligibility,” says Goode. “Our job is to make sure that the robust network that we’ve built is able to get that vaccine to the providers who are throughout every community in the state of California – to reach every zip code.”

Goode says their distribution efforts target areas in the state where data shows there are higher incidents of infection and death. “Those are the places we really want to double down on and make sure that we have more vaccines there, more quickly,” she said. “We make sure we partner with local community clinics, trust

“Our goal is two reach 3 million doses per week by March,” Goode added.

A public-relations specialist, Goode’s position with Blue Shield of California puts her in charge of communication and outreach on behalf of the nonprofit that generates more than $20 billion in annual revenue and serves more than 4 million members in commercial, individual, and government markets.

“There is a lot of concern about the impact of COVID-19 on communities of color and, in particular, the African American community,” says Goode. “One of the things that should give comfort to people in this process is that there are a lot of people who care about equity, and two state leaders I work with, Dr. Nadine Burke Harris and Secretary Yolanda Richardson – they are two very important voices that are ensuring that equity is at the forefront of the decision-making process, and the implementation of the vaccine distribution.”

She has more than 25 years of communications experience with several global companies, including Kellogg’s, Prudential Financial, American Express, and Allstate. She also spent time as the vice president of Corporate Communications and Corporate Affairs at Northwestern Mutual, where she was responsible for leading the company’s internal and external communications strategy.

In the summer of May 2017, Goode joined Blue Shield of California to provide strategic leadership in corporate communications, government affairs, and corporate citizenship. She is also responsible for building relationships that help advance the nonprofit health plan’s mission.

“If that’s not enough titles, I get to work on the communication, education, and equity workstream for the third-party administration work that we’re doing on the behalf of the state for the vaccination program,” said Goode, who chairs Blue Shield of California’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Leadership Council.

Goode is active professionally and in the community with a number of organizations, including the Executive Leadership Council, the Bay Area Council, Children Now Leadership Council and California Women Lead Advisory Council, Jack and Jill of America, Inc., and The Links, Inc.

At home, Goode says she has been working from home and sheltering in a “four-generation family bubble” with her husband, her two daughters, her 75-year-old mother and her 95-year-old grandmother.

“The silver lining of this pandemic has been that it has really helped me to reflect on what matters most and prioritize my time with my family – to focus on the things that are meaningful. We engage in some old fun activities. We play “Black Panther Monopoly.” It’s a board game that is a ton of fun. Just having fun with family in ways that we used to take for granted.”

But the greatest reward of her work right now, Goode says, is working for a “mission-driven company.”

“This is work that enables us to help every Californian,” she said. It is very gratifying to know that when I wake up and come to work every day (even though it is in my living room), it is not

focused on ‘how I can help Blue Shield today.” It is focused on “how can Blue Shield help Californians across the state.’”

By Tanu Henry | California Black Media

https://youtu.be/qp6S4C6zG_M

Can COVID vaccines affect fertility? Were Black people used in the COVID vaccine research studies? Do you still need to get vaccinated if you’ve already had COVID-19? What is emergency use authorization? 

These are just four out of about 50 resurfacing questions a group of Black doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals’ answers in a video intended to penetrate clouds of misinformation about COVID-19 as it provides vital information that address lingering questions, still unanswered, that many people have about COVID-19. 

The video titled “A Conversation: Between Us, About Us,” is moderated by Palo Alto native, comedian and San Francisco resident W. Kamau Bell. The video is produced with the support of a partnership between the Black Coalition Against COVID (BCAC), a national advocacy group, and the San Francisco-based Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF), a philanthropic non-profit focused on generating data and resources to equip policymakers and the general public with important health information. 

Berkeley-based Jacob Kornbluth Productions worked with KFF and BCAC to create the videos. California Health Care Foundation, the Commonwealth Fund and Sierra Health Foundation also contributed to funding the production and distribution of the video. 

“I was a part of the expert African American panel, which is a group of providers like myself – with doctors, nurses, community people, et cetera. This is a group that was created through National Institutes of Health to review the various vaccine protocols for the different companies that were developing the vaccines,” said Orlando Harris, a public health researcher, during the introduction of the video featuring him. 

The healthcare professionals’ push to educate African Americans with the intention to reduce “vaccine hesitancy” is just one of many other similar campaigns around the country organized by civil rights organizations, government agencies, professional organizations, community groups, foundations and others. 

The information they are providing comes at a time when California is taking major steps to relax social isolation guidelines, reopen large businesses like theme parks and restart in-person learning for children attending K-12 public schools. Last week, Gov. Newsom announced that the state is investing $6.6 billion into recovery efforts that include facilitating the safe reopening of schools. 

On Friday, Mark Ghaly, California Health and Human Services Secretary, said he believes as more Californians become vaccinated the safter it would be to change the state-issued guidance on restricted activities. Theme parks could reopen as soon as April 1, he said. 

“We feel like now is the appropriate time to begin to reintroduce these activities in some fashion and, again, in a guarded way, in a slow and steady way, with the other protective factors of the blueprint all sort of wrapped around it,” Ghaly said during the news briefing. 

The medical professionals who participated in “Conversation” project say the information they share in the videos will facilitate discussions among family members and arm health workers with credible information they need to answer questions patients may have. 

“Taking off my hat as a clinician and a researcher, I have to go home and have conversations with my mom, with my dad, and my grandparents about the vaccine and why taking the vaccine is important,” explained Harris, who is also a family nurse practitioner and assistant professor at the University of California San Francisco School of Nursing. 

“Being on that panel with the rest of my colleagues and reviewing the protocols, gave me great insights,” he continued. “So, now I can have the conversation with you. I can have it with my family, and I can say, actually, we were represented in the trials and these are the numbers, et cetera. 

Black Americans are among groups least likely to get the vaccines even though their COVID-19 mortality rates are among the highest in the U.S., according to KFF. The report states that 34 % of Blacks across the country say they will “wait and see” if the vaccines are working on others before they take it. 

 “As Black health academicians, researchers, and clinicians, we understand our empathy-based responsibility to provide our community with the resources and guidance on surviving this pandemic,” said Dr. Reed Tuckson, a member of BCAC. “As such, we appreciate this partnership with KFF to produce one of the largest of its kind campaigns to creatively provide trustworthy information that will save Black lives.”

In California so far, there have been 54,128 COVID-19 deaths as of March 7. Across the state, there have been about 3.8 million confirmed cases with about 1.2 million of them registered in Los Angeles County alone. 

Dr. Pamela Simms-Mackey is chair of Pediatrics and Chief of Graduate Medical Education at Alameda Health System in Oakland. She says much of her work has been centered around promoting equity and reducing health disparities for African Americans and other minorities who have been underserved. 

“When people in their minds think of side effects, they think of something that happens that is not supposed to happen,” she said. “Soreness at the injection site, headaches, fever, a swollen lymph node. Those are vaccine-anticipated reactions. That shows your body is reacting to the vaccines. Those are good signs. You want to see that. That shows that the vaccine is working in your body.” 

Dr. Rhea Boyd, a physician at the Palo Alto Medical Foundation and Chief Medical Officer of San Diego 211, a community health organization, says she believes roadblocks that prevent African Americans from getting COVID-19 vaccines have little to do with hesitancy. 

“The barriers are accessible facts about the COVID-19 vaccines and convenient access to receive a vaccine,” said Boyd. She co-developed the project with KFF and the Black Coalition Against COVID. 

“This is a comprehensive effort on behalf of Black health care workers across the country,” she said. 

By Manny Otiko and Antonio Ray Harvey | California Black Media

Fourteen California Black Democratic elected officials serving at the federal, state, county and city government levels joined hands in a virtual show of support for Gov. Gavin Newsom on Monday during a news briefing on Zoom. In one-minute statements, each one explained why she or he is standing behind Newsom as a Republican Party-led effort to recall California’s 40th governor gains ground across the state.

The two main organizations spearheading the recall effort, RescueCalifornia.org and RecallGavin2020.com, announced last week that they had collected the signatures of more than 2 million Californians for the petition they expect will soon trigger a recall election.

To begin the process of removing Newsom from office, the governors’ opponents must collect 1.5 million signatures – or 12 % of the total number of people that voted in the last gubernatorial election. They must also submit the signatures to registrars in all 58 counties by close of business on March 17.

“This is the beginning. Let’s hope this is the last time we come together to talk about this. But mark my words, if this recall does qualify, we will crush it because we will be united. We will not fall for a trick,” said U.S. Congresswoman Karen Bass (D-CA-37), pointing out that Gov. Newsom has done nothing that should warrant him being removed from office.

Bass said based on the price tag of past attempts to recall California governors, most recently Gov. Gray Davis in 2002, an election to remove Newsom from office would cost taxpayers over $100 million.

A total of 9.4 million voters cast ballots in the special election that ended Davis’ governorship.

Because the state, will hold a gubernatorial election next year, Bass says, it not fiscally responsible to hold one this year.

U.S. Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA-13) said there is “no reason to recall the governor of the state of California.”

“There will be an election in June 2022 and people will have a chance to vote. So, I urge everyone to join us in this unfair recall against Governor Newsom,” she said.

Sen. Steve Bradford (D-Gardena) said Gov. Newsom has been a “friend of the African American community.”

“This governor has stood with us on criminal justice reform. He has eliminated and paused executions because he realized the majority of people of death row are minorities – Black and Brown individuals who are over-sentenced and over-prosecuted all the time and many times are innocent,” said Bradford. “So, we stand with this governor. He has stood with us.”

So far, recall supporters say they have over 2 million signatures – well over the minimum required by the state. The Secretary of State’s office has until April 29 to verify the signatures.

Many supporters of the recall effort say their plan to oust Newsom has been motivated largely by frustration over the strict coronavirus lockdown the governor imposed on the state. Some of the leading supporters are the California Republican Party, 2018 Republican gubernatorial candidate John Cox, former San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer and the Republican National Committee. Both Cox and Faulconer have put their names forward to replace Newsom, if he’s removed from office.

“We’ve proven we can win. And I did it twice in San Diego. San Diego’s registration mirrors that of California — 24 % Republican — it’s the same in San Diego as it was statewide,” Faulconer said in an interview with the conservative magazine National Review. “So, I know how to build coalitions and win and get results. I know how to use the power of the bully pulpit to go out and win the argument publicly and then win the vote. That’s what you have to do to be successful in California and you have to get not just Republicans but independents and a portion of Democrats as well.”

But according to Ballotpedia, Republicans have had it in for Newsom for a while. This is the sixth recall attempt against Newsom since 2019. But the previous five weren’t successful.

In addition to Bass, Lee and Bradford, the other African American California elected officials who joined the media briefing to express their support for Newsom are: State Sen. Sydney Kamlager (D-Los Angeles); Assemblymembers Autumn Burke (D Inglewood), Reggie Jones-Sawyer (D-Los Angeles) and Mike Gipson (D-Carson); San Francisco Mayor London Breed; Los Angeles County Supervisor Holly J. Mitchell; California State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond; California Board of Equalization Member Malia Cohen; Antioch Mayor Lamar Thorpe; Los Angeles City Councilmember Mark Ridley-Thomas; and Los Angeles City Councilmember Marqueece Harris-Dawson.

Gov. Newsom, who has said very little publicly about the recall, spoke up in an email to supporters Monday.

“I am not going to take this recall attempt lying down,” Newsom said. “I’m going to fight because there’s too much at stake in this moment.”

The governor also took to Twitter.

“I won’t be distracted by this partisan, Republican recall — but I will fight it,’’ he tweeted. Getting Californians vaccinated, our economy safely reopened, and our kids back in school are simply too important to risk.”

Breed said Newsom had led the state through a difficult time. She said Newsom showed more leadership than former President Donald Trump. According to Breed, Trump had abandoned San

Francisco during the early days of the coronavirus pandemic. She dismissed the recall effort as a “right-wing attack.”

In Washington, Sens. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Bernie Sanders (D-VT), Alex Padilla (D-CA) and Cory Booker (D-NJ) all came out in full-throated support of Newsom the same afternoon. Shortly after, Georgia Democrat Stacey Abrams also voiced her support for California’s governor.

“This governor was duly elected and deserves to serve his full term,” said Cohen. “A recall is the ultimate statement of voter suppression. Citizens of California came together and voted disproportionately to support Gov. Newsom. It is our duty to fight this baseless, senseless recall.

Ervin became superintendent of the Bakersfield City School District (BCSD) in 2016. Mr. Ervin came to BCSD after having served as Superintendent for the Greenfield Union School District in Monterey County. He has served as a classroom teacher, school principal, and assistant superintendent at various school districts across the state. Ervin is fluent in Spanish and received both his Bachelor of Arts Degree in Liberal Studies and his Master of Science in Education Administration from Alliant International University and his Administrative Credential from California State University, Fullerton. He is a proud veteran of the United States Marine Corps.

His start date and salary with SBUSD are to be determined.

SAN BERNARDINO, CA— Rialto resident Vanessa Mendoza, 26, wanted to study literature, write novels, and possibly even become an English professor, but that all changed after her first cultural anthropology class.

At the end of her first year at San Bernardino Valley College, Mendoza began experiencing vertigo spells and migraines. They became chronic, and for almost a year, she was unable to attend classes on campus. During this time, Mendoza says she “began to question and think about the social circumstances that made it difficult for me to obtain a proper diagnosis and treatment.”

Mendoza signed up for an online cultural anthropology course, and upon its conclusion, “felt that I had finally found a lens through which I could understand myself and my experiences related to culture and health.” When she was well enough to return to campus, she enrolled in more anthropology classes, and Professor Melissa King introduced her to other branches of study.

“Through her classes and mentorship, I came across something called medical anthropology, which further confirmed that this was the major I wished to pursue,” Mendoza said. “This branch of anthropology deals with the social, cultural, political, and historical complexities of health and illness. The way medicine and healing are practiced vary tremendously around the world; anthropologists can learn about these complexities through ethnography. In a lot of ways, I felt that I had fatefully ended up where I belonged. Anthropology is the study of what it means to be human, and as a human with a lot of questions, this major seemed like a perfect fit for me.”

Mendoza grew up in Rialto and graduated from high school in 2012. She wanted to attend UCLA, but as an undocumented and first-generation college student, it was difficult to navigate the application process and secure enough financial aid. Mendoza applied to SBVC to stay close to home and save money, and through the Dream Act, was able to receive aid.

At SBVC, she found support from all of her professors, especially King. She was “a crucial part of my academic journey,” Mendoza said, providing everything from book recommendations to career advice. Mendoza graduated from SBVC in 2018 and transferred to UC Berkeley and has found that all of the anthropology classes she took at SBVC “served as a really strong foundation for the upper-division courses that I am now taking.”

Mendoza plans on attending graduate school and is interested in the “critical study of climate change as it relates to health outcomes in vulnerable communities,” with the hopes of one day becoming a professor. She encourages anyone who is thinking about studying anthropology at SBVC to talk to the professors about transfer and graduation requirements and current students about their interests and struggles.

“The staff and students in the anthropology department have always been extremely helpful and friendly,” she said. “They will provide the guidance you need as you embark on your journey as an anthropology major.”

By Destinee Porter

Communication and comprehension is key! It is how your business can and will survive. If you can’t communicate in a way that people can understand, it can be frustrating. However, there are professional out there to assist in this area.

Dr. Yashima White AziLove is master communicator, Brandologist, and a marketplace mentor. She started her career as a journalist, turned marketing communication executive, in insurance, healthcare, and financial services, and entertainment industry space, before launching her firm, Magnate Consulting, LLC, which is a communications boutique serving global companies, celebrities, and people of influence with communications, brand and leadership solutions.

Her dichotomy, the other side of her, is that she the founder of an organization called, TRIP Network, which is specifically for women of faith, who feel just as called to the marketplace business in their careers, as they are to their ministry lives. So, they walk the dichotomy between their ministry and business, it is a great network of women that is growing as a global network. They are on 3 different continents now.

“I am really excited about the growth and expansion of that endeavor,” Dr. AziLove states.

Re-written and edited by Naomi K. Bonman

March is Women’s History Month, and although it is normally used to recognize women in history that have made tremendous strives to pave the way for other women, it deemed appropriate to highlight young women who are local to the Inland Empire that were of impact to the community but are no longer with us.

Ariell L.M. Gipson left this earth on June 3, 2017. Her mother, Todella D. Brown, strongly believes that there were spiritual signs surrounding the night and location of Ariell’s death that stated she was needed in Heaven. According to Todella, the number “5” was also very prominent surrounding the day of her daughter’s death.

Ms. Ariell was headed to Unit #5. She was driving from Planet Fitness. Ariell exited the 215 freeway at “5^th Street” and was hit by a DUI driver in front of In-N-Out Burger. Ariell was transported to Arrowhead Regional Medical Center where she later succumbed to her injuries. She had just successfully completed the exam to become licensed as a LVN (Licensed Vocational Nurse). She completed her internship at Community Hospital. She was the oldest of “5” children.

While still in high school, Ariell became a Certified Nurses Assistant (CNA) and later completed her LVN exam. She was also a cast member at Disneyland where she enjoyed working.

Ariell is the Great Granddaughter of Ms. Scoot who was a Gourmet Chef and Nannie. Ms. Scoot was born in Crystal Spring, Mississippi and is the mother to Ariell’s Grandfather, Willie F.J. Brown. Brown served in the U.S. Army and Air Force ad became a U.S. Immigration Agent.

Ariell is survived by her parents Aaron L. Gipson and Todella D. Brown; her siblings Aaron Brown, Aaron Gipson Jr., Tahan Cooper, and DaShia Taylor.

Today in the light of the COVID Bill that was submitted into congress named HR 6666, as the COVID-19 pandemic, Todella Brown wants to share through her daughter’s memory that our health has always been more important than our wealth. She also recommends the movie, “5 Feet Apart” to add to people’s list of things to watch while still in quarantine. The number “5” means “God’s Grace”.

The Pan African Film & Arts Festival (PAFF) presents the World Premiere of Genius: Aretha, on Thursday, March 11, 2021 at 7:30 PM PT / 9:30 PM CT / 10:30 PM ET. Join star actor, Courtney B. Vance for a pre-show special performance at 7:00 PM PT / 9:00 PM CT / 10:00 PM ET, and star actress Cynthia Erivo, following the screening, for a post-show special performance.

For information about virtual screenings and events, or to purchase a ticket or pass to participate in PAFF now through March 14, please visit PAFF.org.

Walker’s Legacy, the largest digital platform for multicultural women in business, has announced that effective March 1, 2021, Ayris T. Scales will be the CEO of Walker’s Legacy Foundation and the Managing Director of Walker’s Legacy. 

Ayris T. Scales has built a strong reputation as a champion of women, entrepreneurs, and underinvested communities in the public, private and not-for-profit sectors. Scales has nearly 20 years of leadership experience at both the local and national levels addressing racial and gender inequities. In 2018, Ayris was appointed by DC Mayor Muriel Bowser to serve as the District’s official Chief Service Officer where she led Serve DC, the Mayor’s Office on Volunteerism and Partnerships.

“Ayris has demonstrated herself as a leader at all levels. She is committed to advancing economic opportunities, expanding networks and driving solutions, stated Natalie Madeira Cofield, Founder & departing CEO. “We believe wholeheartedly that she is a phenomenal choice to shepherd the organization into its next era and aid in supporting the organization’s advancement and expansion.”

Previously, Ayris was the Vice President of Economic Growth and Jobs for World Business Chicago (WBC). She also has the distinct honor of having served as the inaugural Executive Director of the DC Promise Neighborhood Initiative (DCPNI), a flagship organization under President Obama’s White House Neighborhood Revitalization Initiative to end generational poverty. She is a sought-after advisor, speaker, moderator, lecturer, and blogger. Her work has been featured in Fast Company, Ebony, Fox, ABC, and NBC news affiliates, Telemundo, Blackher.us, and numerous other publications. 

“I am honored to take the helm of this illustrious organization. Advancing entrepreneurship, building generational wealth, creating a legacy and empowering women economically are what keeps me up at night,” said Ayris T. Scales, incoming CEO and Managing Director. There is no greater time than now to uphold the vision of our founder and to amplify the mission of our work.”

Scales utilizes a mission-centered approach to generate solutions which has led to transformative public-private partnerships with numerous global brands, as well as innovative policies and initiatives in which she has secured over $50M in funding and overseen more than $100M in grants and subsidies. Ayris has held leadership roles in Indianapolis, Savannah, Atlanta, Chicago, and Washington, DC.

After 11 years, Cofield departs from the organization to join the Small Business Administration where she has been appointed to serve as the Assistant Administrator for the Office of Women’s Business Ownership, effective Monday, March 1, 2021.

For all questions surrounding the leadership transition, please contact Skylar Green at skylar@walkerslegacy.com. 

By Quinci LeGardye | California Black Media 

After launching a campaign last year to push for another Black woman to replace Vice President Kamala Harris in the United States Senate, a coalition of California Black women leaders say they are not defeated. They are organizing. 

Many of the women – federal or state legislators, other elected officials and political leaders –have made history in California and across the nation. Now, they have come together to organize, launching an effort to ensure that more Black women are voted into elected office in California.  

On February 15, the California Black Women’s Collective (CBWC) hosted “Conversation with Congresswomen Karen Bass, Barbara Lee and Maxine Waters.” Melanie Campbell, President and CEO of the National Coalition of Black Civic Participation and convener of the Black Women’s Roundtable, moderated the virtual event.

“After we were disappointed that we were not able to keep the seat for the United States Congress, we wanted to make sure that we did not lose our momentum, so we brought together this collective of Black women across California to make sure that we stay visible and active and engaged,” said LaNiece Jones, Executive Director of Peralta Colleges Foundation and Black Women Organized for Political Action (BWOPA).

According to the event’s organizers, the goal of CBWC is to amplify the priorities of Black women and organize with the goal of securing adequate representation for Black women in government. They also work in solidarity with the #WinWithBlackWomen initiative, which advocates for Black women lawmakers nationally.

The congresswomen spoke about how they ended up serving in the state legislature and later Congress, with all of them mentioning that they were ushered in by other Black legislators who called them to serve. Congresswoman Karen Bass (D-CA-37) said she entered the race for the California Assembly because other Black legislators were going to Congress and there weren’t going to be any African American women serving in the state legislature had she not run and won. 

“That was very motivating to me because all of the issues that we had worked on in the community. When people leave, everything that you’ve worked on can be reversed. So, that’s what led me to run for office,” said Bass.

When asked who had been critical to their success in their career, the congresswomen spoke about Black women community leaders and local government leaders who have worked with and inspired them, including Mary Henry, Opal Jones and Lillian Mobley in South Los Angeles, Maudelle Shirek in Berkeley, Nolice Edwards and Kellie Todd Griffin in Sacramento, and Edith Austin in Oakland.

“What I liked most about them was the courage that they had. If you could’ve seen them operate, you would’ve been instilled with the kind of strength that they helped to generate for me. I’ve been out of place, outspoken, confrontational, all of that, because of all these women, and I love it, and I’m so pleased I knew them and embraced me,” said Congresswoman Maxine Waters (D-CA-43).

Speaking about their legacy, the congresswomen all say they hope they will be recognized for the fights they have led on behalf of their communities, and for delivering for their constituents. Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA-13) emphasized the importance of changing systematically oppressive systems.

“Like Shirley Chisholm said, when you get inside it’s not about playing by the rules, it’s about changing those rules because they weren’t made for you and me. So, I hope that my legacy will be, I didn’t go along to get along and I tried to change the systems and structures that are creating such oppression for so many marginalized people,” said Lee.

State and local Black women legislators also spoke about the legacies they want to leave, and what they want to accomplish for both their constituents and the women who will follow in their footsteps in various roles. They also touched on the importance of creating a better future of Black Californians.

“I wanted to demonstrate to people from San Diego and for African Americans across the state, that we can actually fight this battle and win,” said California Secretary of State Shirley Weber. “That was something that was so important because so many of our communities settle for little or nothing in terms of representation. So, my goal was to basically demonstrate that we can get police reform, that we can get a reparations bill passed, that we can do things in California that others think that we couldn’t do.”

State Board of Equalization Member Malia Cohen said, “This country has done dubious things in terms of passing policies that have shaken the bedrock of our financial stability. When I think about my legacy at least, as I serve on the Board of Equalization, I really want to begin to elevate the conversation. There are very few women – let alone Black women that are in this space that are paying attention to taxes and fees and they’re paying attention to budget. That is the legacy that I hope to leave behind.”

Assemblymember Sydney Kamlager-Dove (D-Los Angeles), whose district includes Crenshaw, Ladera Heights, Baldwin Hills and Culver City, says Black politicians have to press their colleagues holding elected office to push for the changes they would like to see. 

“We are at the bottom of just about every statistic when it comes to talking about Black futures, and what our Black babies are going to grow into. At the end of the day, we have got to be riding every single fellow colleague and the administration on budget decisions that are coupled with policy decisions,” said Kamlager-Dove. 

Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors member Holly Mitchell emphasized that courage is required to succeed. 

“I want people to be clear about my ‘why,’ and understand that I was not afraid because fear is the only thing that can stop us as Black women from being overwhelmingly successful. Don’t be afraid. If others are afraid of you that is their problem, not yours,” Mitchell said. 

Assemblymember Autumn Burke spoke about her mother, Yvonne Brathwaite Burke, who also served in the state legislature. Burke said she now feels it’s her responsibility to bring Black women into the legislature as her mother did. 

“Creating a bench is incredibly important to me now. It was one of my mom’s legacies. So many of her staff became speakers and supervisors and city council members. It’s something she’s really proud of. And as I look now, as I’m getting a little bit older, I’ve realized how important that really is. When I look around that room, knowing that I’m going to be the only one there, and what a disservice that is to our communities,” said Burke.

San Francisco Mayor London Breed spoke about her motivation for getting into politics, after growing up in poverty. Now, she wonders why she was one of the only people in her neighborhood to go to college and get out of poverty.

“All the people I grew up with, I now see them in the Tenderloin, sometimes strung out. I’ve gone to more funerals and I can count. The only reason why I decided to do work as a public servant is because I wanted to change things from a perspective of someone who’s was forced to live in it for most of my life. So, what I want my legacy to be is I want to look back, and I want to feel and see a difference in people’s lives,” said Breed.