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Standing up for Inclusion and Empowerment: Six Questions for the National Black Justice Coalition

By Edward Henderson | California Black Media

Since its inception in 2003, the National Black Justice Coalition (NBJC) has been America’s premier civil rights organization dedicated to the empowerment of Black lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer+, and same gender loving (LGBTQ+/SGL) people, including people living with HIV/AIDS through coalition building, federal policy change, research, and education. The organization’s mission is to end racism, homophobia, and LGBTQ+/SGL bias and stigma.

Operating out of Los Angeles, the NBJC supports Black individuals, families, and communities to strengthen the bonds and bridge the divides between the movements advocating for racial justice and LGBTQ+/SGL equity.

The leadership at the NBJC envisions a world where all people are fully empowered to participate safely, openly, and honestly in family, faith, and community, regardless of race, class, gender identity, or sexual orientation.

Black LGBTQ+/SGL Americans constitute a significant subset of Black families with 3.7 percent of all Black Americans (more than one million people) identifying as LGBTQ+/SGL, according to the Williams Institute in 2013.

NBJC acknowledges that the challenges facing the community are exacerbated by the stigma and marginalization that attend social constructions of race, normative gender, and sexuality. In an effort to empower Black LGBTQ+/SGL people and their families, NBJC prioritized three policy pillars in 2023: Ensuring that all Black lives matter; co-creating a nation where everyone can thrive; and repairing and healing a divided nation.

California Black Media spoke with Jeffery Wallace, President and CEO of Leaders Up, which is a member of the NBJC.

What does your organization do to improve the lives of Black people in California?

Despite California being a progressive state, when we look at economic outcomes, we still see a major gap between us and our White counterparts. Leaders Up looks at how to build an anti-racist and inclusive economy where there is no racial disparity in the areas of education, employment, compensation and benefits. Beyond that, how do we normalize psychological and physical safety in the labor market, equal opportunities for pathways to leadership and sharing power.

In particular, we know that the queer and trans community are under full frontal assault. What NBJC has allowed us to do is to incorporate an intentionality, a level of consciousness where we can work with our employers and our development partners around identity and inclusion. Ensuring that when we think about Black folks, we’re thinking about Black queer folks and the unique supports and advocacy necessary to ensure they have the support they need to thrive. It has been critical as we think about an intersectional economy that we center queer identities in that work and ensuring the workplace has the capabilities to best serve the population.

What was your greatest success over the course of the last year?

Our greatest success has been defining how we shift from employment and placing folks into careers to transforming the conditions of the economy and the workplace and education system to ensure that those types of opportunities can be generated at scale. Over the last 10 years we’ve been able to place 70,000 people into employment. However, when the pandemic hit, young people of color in particular were the last
ones hired and the first ones fired. Which means that the conditions of the economy had to be transformed in the way where industries saw frontline workers and people color as vital aspects of their strategy. So,
we decided to do something about that.

In your view, what is the biggest challenge Black Californians face?

Systemic racism. I think that when we think about a system that has been designed even in California for African Americans to not win, that’s the biggest challenge that we’re facing. The biggest challenge is also ourselves. For us to organize in a way for us to consolidate our power and shift the conditions we operate in. It’s time for us to not just win the game but change the rules of the game to ensure policies are designed to give Black folks an equitable opportunity to build out here.

What was your organization’s biggest challenge?

It’s capital. Finding out how to amass the capital that frees us up to do the work in a more impactful way. So, we’re no longer concerned about sustainability and more concerned about transformation. That’s the biggest gap between Black service organizations and our White counterparts. Access to resources to be able to have the capacity to
dream and execute with intention and impact.

Does your organization support or plan to get involved in the push for reparations in California?

Absolutely. The more that the movement incorporates organizations like ours, it becomes important for us to dream big around the capital for Black folks to build economic power. Our interest is for Black folks to have the agency to live the lifestyles that aligns with their aspirations and needs. When we think about reparations and the missteps America made post-Civil War and the intentional harms that California has allowed to happen to Black people, the equitable thing to do is to invest in not just reparations but healing and infrastructure.

How can more Californians of all backgrounds get involved in the work you’re doing?

You can visit our website at leadersup.org. We are always looking for professionals who want to give back through career coaching. We have a myriad of opportunities to expose young adults to different career pathways. And we’re looking for business leaders who are looking to connect to the next generation of talent and do it in a way where you are improving your own workplace environment so that you have deeper retention and higher performing teams.

You can also visit nbjc.org to connect with the work we are doing nationwide.

Black Triplet Sisters Make History, Graduate Together with Nursing Degree

NATIONWIDE— The Stephenson triplets — Jean, Jeanet, and Jeanice — have made history after recently graduating together with nursing degrees from South University in Montgomery, Alabama. The sisters, who are now 23 years old, say they were inspired by their mom, who is also a nurse, to carry on their family tradition.

Growing up, the three siblings formed a close bond that extended into their academic pursuits. They said being triplets has its perks, especially when it comes to studying.

“If one person doesn’t know something, you can go to the other, and maybe they’ll explain it a little better,” Jeanice told WSFA.

“We motivate each other, help each other, make sure everyone is passing and learning at the same pace,” said Jean.

The triplets cherish the unique connection they share, tracing back to the day they were born.

“We’ve always shared everything: cars, clothes, rooms, bathrooms,” Jean added. “We were always very close because we shared everything.”

The trio also have fun with their identical looks which sometimes lead to amusing mix-ups. Teachers and students alike find it challenging to tell them apart.

“Sometimes we do play tricks on people,” said Jeanet. “We do get confused a lot.”

Moreover, after earning their nursing degree, the 3 sisters wanted to pursue different paths within nursing.  Jeanet aims for the ICU, Jean is interested in pediatrics or NICU, and Jeanice wants to do the ER. Despite that, they dream of working in the same hospital one day.

Advancing Health Education and Equity: Six Questions for The California Black Health Network

By Edward Henderson | California Black Media

The California Black Health Network (CBHN) is the only organization committed to advancing health equity for African Americans and Black immigrants in the Golden State.

CBHN’s mission is to ensure that all Black Californians, irrespective of their educational background, socio-economic class, zip code, sexual orientation, gender identity, living conditions or immigration status have access to high-quality and equitable primary and behavioral healthcare.

This mission aims to prevent people from unnecessarily succumbing to disease-related fatalities and is supported by CBHN’s many events, informational sessions, fundraisers, and training sessions.

One recurring event that CBHN hosts is the online Health Equity Forum. At the forum, various stakeholders convene to discuss the most pressing health issues affecting Black communities.

CBHN’s Health4Life series brings together health professionals from diverse disciplines to share information about family health history. That knowledge of genetic genealogy is an important aspect of achieving a healthier community in the eyes of CBHN. The organization also forges partnerships with community groups to participate in festivals and other recreational events to bring health information to the public in more informal settings.

CBHN prioritizes supporting research and educational initiatives that document the underlying factors influencing the health status of Black Californians and informing policy initiatives aimed at reducing disparities.

CBHN’s #carrythevoice campaign provides the Black community with a platform to share their experiences with the healthcare system.

California Black Media spoke with Rhonda M. Smith, Executive Director of CA Black Health Network, about the organization’s impact, achievements, and challenges over the year.

What does your organization do to improve the lives of Black people in California?

The California Black Health Network conducts outreach, education, and advocacy to achieve health equity for Black Californians through the lens of understanding critical issues that lie at the intersection of racial justice, social justice, and environmental justice.

What was your greatest success over the course of the last year?

Over the past year, we were recognized for our work and impact. CBHN was chosen as Nonprofit of the Year by the Sacramento Black Chamber, and as a DEI Award Honoree by the Sacramento Business Journal. In addition, we enrolled over 1,000 people in healthcare coverage and provided health education to over 2,000 Black Californians to improve health literacy and self-empowerment.

In your view, what is the biggest challenge Black Californians face?

I think that our health is our greatest asset. Unfortunately, Black Californians don’t all have the same opportunity, ability, and resources to live long healthy lives like other racial or ethnic groups. So, access to quality, equitable, culturally competent, and affordable healthcare is our biggest challenge. If we don’t have good health and longevity, it affects all other aspects of our lives.

What was your organization’s biggest challenge?

Like all nonprofit organizations, we’re in the business of fundraising, and like many Black-led organizations there’s the challenge of the philanthropy giving gap. The unrestricted net assets of Black-led organizations are 76% smaller than their White-led counterparts, andtheir average percentage of revenue was less than half. It’s a major challenge, especially in garnering investments for core operating support and capacity building — especially since there has been a decline since 2020 of funding opportunities available for Black-led nonprofits.

Does your organization support or plan to get involved in the push for reparations in California?

Yes, and we support the activities of the reparations task force and will do our part to address the issues identified in chapter 12 related to physical and mental health.

How can more Californians of all backgrounds get involved in the work you’re doing?

They can start by becoming a member of the Black Health Network, attend our webinars and events, and volunteer their time, talent, and treasure in support of the organization’s mission and work, and join the Campaign for Black Health Equity.

The Black Health Network is the membership arm of the California Black Health Network and is a virtual community of like-minded health equity leaders, professionals, policy makers, advocates, individuals, and partners who work to ensure that Black Californians live lives free from violence, racism, and health inequities. As a Network member, you will be able to network and interact with others virtually; exchange information and collaborate on common interests and goals; develop professional or social contacts; and leverage tools and resources to help you achieve impact in your mission to improve the health and well-being of Black Californians.

Visit CaBlackHealthNetwork.org for more information on how you can get involved.

“Since You Are Not Willing to Listen, Then You Are Going to be Destroyed, Says the Lord!”

By Lou K. Coleman

Your house will be left desolate. Not one stone will be left on another; everyone will be thrown down. [Matthew 24:2].

So, when you see standing in the Holy place ‘the abomination that causes desolation,’ spoken of through the prophet Daniel—let the reader understand—then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. Let no one on the housetop go down to take anything out of the house. Let no one in the field go back to get their cloak. How dreadful it will be in those days for pregnant women and nursing mothers! Pray that your flight will not take place in winter or on the Sabbath. For then there will be great distress, unequaled from the beginning of the world until now—and never to be equaled again. [Matthew 24:15-21].

Since you are not willing to listen know that the Lord Almighty is mustering an army for war. They come from faraway lands, from the ends of the heavens— the Lord and the weapons of His wrath— to destroy the whole country. Wail, for the day of the Lord is near; it will come like destruction from the Almighty. Because of this, all hands will go limp, every heart will melt with fear. Terror will seize you; pain and anguish will grip you; you will writhe like a woman in labor. You will look aghast at each other, your face aflame. For, the day of the Lord is coming —a cruel day, with wrath and fierce anger— to make the land desolate [Isaiah 13:4-9].

Wisdom Call – Does not wisdom call out? Does not understanding raise her voice? At the highest point along the way, where the paths meet, she takes her stand; beside the gate leading into the city, at the entrance, she cries aloud: “To you, O people, I call out; I raise my voice to all mankind. You who are simple, gain prudence; you who are foolish, set your hearts on it.

Listen, I have trustworthy things to say; I open my lips to say what is right. My mouth speaks what is true, for my lips detest wickedness. All the words of my mouth are just; none of them is crooked or perverse. To the discerning all of them are right; they are upright to those who have found knowledge. Choose my instruction instead of silver, knowledge rather than choice gold, for wisdom is more precious than rubies, and nothing you desire can compare with her. Counsel and sound judgment are mine; I have insight, I have power. I love those who love me, and those who seek me find me. Now then, my children, listen to me; blessed are those who keep my ways. Listen to my instruction and be wise; do not disregard it. [Proverbs 8].

Throughout Bible history, God has repeatedly provided man with more than “ample warning” of His impending judgments. His purpose for warning man is to motivate him to repent and come back to Him [Luke 15; 1 Peter 3:20; 2 Peter 3:9; Revelation 8; Revelation 9]. For the most part, man has not taken advantage of God’s “ample warning” because of his evil and doubting heart; man will be destroyed! [Genesis 6:5; Deuteronomy 1:35; Revelation 9:21].

 

Sec. of State Certifies Candidates for March Primary, Including Trump

By Antonio Ray Harvey | California Black Caucus

Dr. Shirley N. Weber, the California Secretary of State, has certified a list of 20 candidates, including former Pres. Donald Trump, for the state’s presidential primary election scheduled for March 5, 2024.

Weber made the decision on December 28 to certify Trump despite calls from a number of prominent Democrats, including California Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis, to disqualify him. They cite the former president’s actions and inactions during the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection at the U.S. Capitol as a violation of Section 3 of the 14th Amendment, which should disqualify him from public office.

Responding to Kounalakis, Weber emphasized that removing a presidential candidate is a matter of public interest and must be handled within legal parameters and in the best interests of all California voters.

“It is incumbent upon my office to ensure that any action undertaken regarding any candidate’s inclusion or omission from our ballots be grounded firmly in the laws and processes in place in California and our Constitution,” Weber stated.

Trump’s quest to run for the presidency has been blocked by two states, Maine and Colorado. Appeals of the decisions in both states are expected to be heard by the Supreme Court of the United States.

In a letter to Weber dated Dec. 20, Kounalakis urged the Secretary of State “to explore every legal option” to remove Trump from California’s 2024 presidential primary ballot following the Colorado Supreme Court’s ruling in Anderson v. Griswold.

“I am prompted by the Colorado Supreme Court’s recent ruling that former President Donald Trump is ineligible to appear on the state’s ballot as a Presidential Candidate due to his role in inciting an insurrection in the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021,” Kounalakis wrote.

“This decision is about honoring the rule of law in our country and protecting the fundamental pillars of our democracy.”

Weber wrote back to Kounalakis, saying that she is guided by her “commitment to follow the rule of law.”

“As California’s Chief Elections Officer, I am a steward of free and fair elections and the Democratic process,” wrote Weber. “I must place the sanctity of these elections above partisan politics. As you may not be aware, my office has been engaged in multiple lawsuits regarding the former president’s appearance on the ballot.”

Weber also acknowledged the complicated nature of the issue and her decision regarding it.

“We can agree that the attack of the capitol and the former presidents’ involvement was abhorrent, there are complex legal issues surrounding this matter,” she added.

Ramos Measure Would Count Prior Convictions in Determining Penalties For Retail Theft Crimes If Approved By Legislature And Then Voters

Lawmaker’s bill would result in changes to 2014 Proposition 47 initiative.

SACRAMENTO, CA— Prosecutors will find it easier to seek sterner penalties against retail theft suspects if a bill, AB 1772, introduced today by Assemblymember James C. Ramos (D-San Bernardino) is approved by the legislature, governor and then wins voter approval. If approved, store thefts would no longer be processed as a misdemeanor with no jail time if a suspect has been convicted of two or more specified theft-related offenses, and punishment could range from imprisonment in the county jail ranging from six months to as long as three years.

Ramos said, “Shoplifting, smash-and-grab thefts, and other acts of retail theft trends are causing retailers to close their businesses and endangering customers and employees. Since the pandemic, these crimes have increased. That is not the direction California needs to go.“ He added, “The Public Policy Institute reported that the 2022 rates for commercial burglary rates had increased by almost 16 percent compared to 2019. The PPIC also reported that shoplifting in 2022 had increased by nearly 29% from the pandemic years.”

In 2014, voters approved Prop 47 by a 60% to 40% vote and categorized some nonviolent offenses as misdemeanors rather than felonies. One provision increased the threshold amount for theft misdemeanors from $450 to $950 and did not allow prior such convictions to count toward the new $950 threshold. If Ramos’s measure becomes law, it would become effective only upon voters’ consent at the next statewide election. AB 1772 does not state a new threshold for triggering the increased penalties for retail theft, only the existence of prior convictions on the suspect’s criminal record.

In February 2023, the legislator requested the state auditor to review the effectiveness of Proposition 47 to determine whether it had escalated crime rates in San Bernardino and Riverside counties and if so, what categories had been affected. The auditor’s report is expected later this year.

Southern California Black Chamber of Commerce and Youth Build Inland Empire Hosts 4th Annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Service Award Gala

SAN BERNARDINO, CA— The Southern California Black Chamber of Commerce, in collaboration with Youth Build Inland Empire, is proud to present the 4th Annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Service Award Gala. This distinguished event will honor ten outstanding individuals for their unwavering commitment, hard work, and dedication to fostering growth, success, and prosperity within their local communities.

Congratulations to the 2024 MLK Gala Award Honorees:

  1. Amanda Moody – San Bernardino Valley College Community Engagement Coordinator
  2. Kimberly Calvin – San Bernardino City Council Board Member, 6th Ward
  3. Gwen Dowdy-Rodgers – San Bernardino County Board of Education, representing Area D
  4. Sandra Rodriguez – San Bernardino City Unified School District Board Member
  5. Frank Reyes – San Bernardino City College District Board of Trustees, Trustee, Area 1
  6. Green Shack Marketplace
  7. Inland Empire Concerned African American Churches
  8. James Thoms Tillman – Community Liaison
  9. Lata Wilson – Talon Networks
  10. Linda Hart – African American Health Coalition

The gala will take place on Saturday, January 13, 2024, starting at 5 p.m., at the San Bernardino International Airport, located at 105 N Leland Norton Way in San Bernardino. The evening promises to be a celebration of achievements, featuring a delightful dinner and a special performance by Monibee Henley Medina and the Old School review group, The Bromatics.

The event will be hosted by LUE Dowdy, President of the Southern California Black Chamber of Commerce Inland Cities East Chapter and co-hosted by Ipyani Lockert of Motivational Realizations.

Tickets for this extraordinary gala can be purchased on the chamber’s official website at www.blackchamberofcommerce.org. We invite the community to come together, enjoy a night of celebration, and show support for these well-deserved honorees.

“Dancing with the Leaders of the Inland Empire” Workshops Begin January 13

VICTORVILLE, CA—- Join the “Dancing with the leaders of the Inland Empire” project for two FREE dance workshops in the Inland Empire! Makeda Kumasi of WE 3 PRODUCTIONS, Joy Willson of Caribbean Joy Dance Group, and Monique Williams-Randolph of Unity Dance Studio will be hosting the workshops that will feature classes in Jazz, Caribbean, and West African Dance. The first workshop will be in Victorville on Saturday, January 13, 2024, from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. at the Hook Community Center, located at 14973 Joshua Street in Victorville. The second workshop will be in San Bernardino on January 27 from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. at San Bernardino Valley College, 701 S. Mt. Vernon Avenue in Gym 214.

This activity is funded in part by the California Arts Council, a state agency, as part of the Creative Corps Inland SoCal Arts Project. The “Dancing with the Leaders of the Inland Empire” multi-media production will be touring this Summer 2024 with three shows in three locations! Victorville 6/8/24, San Bernardino 6/15/24, and Riverside 6/22/24.  More information is coming soon.

 

Ephesians New Testament Church Hosts Dr. Martin Luther King Celebration, “Jazz for Scholarships”

SAN BERNARDINO, CA—Ephesians New Testament Church along with the Community of Fontana will be hosting Dr. Martin Luther King Celebration “Jazz for Scholarships”, an evening of jazz featuring 4-time Emmy nominee Oleta Adams with special guest jazz pianist, J Michael O’Neal. Concert will be held 7:00pm at the Fontana Steel Workers Auditorium, 8437 Sierra Avenue, Fontana, California. Tickets prices are: $50/General Admission, $75/Reserve Seating, and $100/VIP.

Tickets may be purchased at Ephesians New Testament Church, 9161 Sierra Avenue, Suite #201-B, Fontana, CA. For additional information and to reserve tickets, you may call (909) 823-2310.

2023 Freedom’s Eve: Remembering the Signing of the Emancipation Proclamation along the journey to our official Juneteenth Holiday in California

By H.E. Khubaka, Michael Harris, Minister of Agriculture, BARN Bulletin #1

On December 31, 1862, enslaved and free, human beings of Pan African, Indigenous and allied others all across the country stayed up until midnight praying and awaiting the passage of the Emancipation Proclamation, which President Abraham Lincoln was preparing to sign, Noon, January 1, 1863.

Lincoln first announced his plan or the Emancipation Proclamation on September 22, 1862, when he issued a preliminary version of his wartime decision after the very bloody US Civil War Battle at Antietam.

Enslaved prisoners of war, in Confederate states that seceded from the Union understood that the future of slavery hinged upon whether Lincoln would follow through with his promise to issue the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863.

Since the start of the war, well before the passage of the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863, enslaved people had been taking matters into their own hands.

“Freedom Seekers” called “contraband” escaped to US lines by the thousands and resisted enslavement in other ways such as demanding wages. Policy makers in the United States, especially Republicans who supported the ultimate abolition of slavery, took notice; they recognized that cracks in the institution of slavery weakened the Confederate war effort.

However, getting to the point where the Northern public and US military would accept emancipation as a war aim would take time as the military and political landscape evolved; hundreds of thousands dead Confederate and Union soldiers paid the price.

The presence of large numbers of enslaved people (contraband) in Union military camps surrounding Washington D.C. pressured the US Government to take decisive action against the institution of slavery, Arlington Cemetery is the lasting symbol, quiet as ot os kept.

This pressure led to legislative decisions like the First and Second Confiscation Acts, policies that slowly began acknowledging the freedom these Pan African formerly enslaved refugees sought, on the way to becoming second class American citizens.

Presidential Executive Order known as the Emancipation Proclamation built on top of these existing policies,

While the Emancipation Proclamation did not free enslaved people in the slave states loyal to the United States, it did offer clear language of freedom for enslaved people living in areas controlled by the rebellious Confederate States of America, an important step toward the permanent abolition of slavery in America.

The Emancipation Proclamation also allowed for the enlistment of United States Colored Troops to join with United States military officers on the bloody US Civil War battlefields.

Most Americans understood the implications of this policy: freedom would follow the arrival of the US military into any Confederate territory gained beyond January 1, 1863, and formerly enslaved men could officially participate in this liberation.

However, the Fall of 1862 had not treated the Union war effort well. Bloody repulses came not only at Fredericksburg but also at Chickasaw Bayou, Mississippi. A Confederate raid destroyed equipment U.S. General Grant had been storing for an attack on Vicksburg, Mississippi.

Politicians, business interests and lobbyists encouraged President Lincoln to back away from his preliminary Emancipation Proclamation; they believed it was not the right time, in the face of so many defeats, to go ahead with the document.

President Lincoln refused to wait “The promise must now be kept, and I shall never recall one word,” Lincoln told a visitor to the White House, on what we remember fondly as Freedom’s Eve and Emancipation Day.

Soon come the authentic story of “From Slavery to Freedom, Our California Juneteenth Journey” still an “optional holiday” in the Great State of California by design.

Cajon Pass, today’s San Bernardino County holds the secrets of Chattel Slavery in Southern California and Modern Juneteenth Movement along Ole Route 66, an ole Native Trail poised to come alive for the world to see.

Edited from the National Parks Service