WSSN Stories

NATIONWIDE — Stacey Woodson, a registered dietitian, food activist, and HBCU graduate from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania has partnered with her 10-year-old daughter, Paige, to write and release Grow. Eat. Repeat. A Love Letter to Black-Eyed Peas, a beautiful children’s book that centers on the beauty of Black culture by displaying the intimate relationship between generations of family, Black history and their garden. An educational and inspiring read that is sure to evoke appreciation for growing your own food.

The new book aims to illustrate the beauty and value of growing your own food – especially black-eyed peas. Written to nourish the mind, body and soul by exploring nutrition, science, family, and Black history while artfully highlighting the special bond between daughters, their mothers and their gardens.

Grow. Eat. Repeat. A Love Letter to Black-Eyed Peas combines whimsical alliteration while celebrating diversity, and the multigenerational tradition of growing food. This heartwarming story is the perfect addition to any library or classroom as it entertains and inspires young readers to have a deeper appreciation for the many gifts provided by Mother Earth.

Stacey is a registered dietitian that believes all people should have access to nourishing foods and culturally sensitive nutrition education. She is also is a proud graduate of Hampton University. She also earned her Master of Science in Clinical Nutrition from New York University.

Stacey and Paige enjoy gardening, yoga, and frolicking in nature. The new book caters to readers that grow or wish to grow their food and those interested in nutrition. “We will never have to worry about going hungry as long as we grow our own food,” says Stacey.

For more information and/or to purchase the book, visit her official web site at StaceyWoodson.com/books.

By McKenzie Jackson | California Black Media

Clint Thompson, a Santa Monica resident in his 30s, wouldn’t say he has been inundated with advertisements supporting or denigrating Propositions 26 and 27, but he sees an ad focused on one of the legislations each time he turns on his television.

“I usually watch the news during the day — NBC — and on NBC, Prop 26 or Prop 27 comes on every other commercial break per show,” said Thompson, an actor, who admitted he hasn’t researched the sports gambling propositions. “Both of the props seem to have good things with them. The commercials seem to have reasons why you should say ‘yes,’ or ‘no.’”

Prop 26 would legalize roulette, dice games, and sports betting on Native American tribal lands if approved by voters in the Nov. 8 election. It is backed by over 50 state Native American tribes.

Prop 27, supported by sports books DraftKings, FanDuel, BetMGM, Fanatics, PENN Entertainment, and WynnBet, would give those sports betting companies the reins in sports gambling in the Golden State and allow online gambling.

If people like Thompson feel the advertisements from the campaigns for and against the propositions seem to be flooding the television and radio airwaves — and to be ever-present on social media (Watched a YouTube video lately?) — they might be right.

The dueling propositions have raised a combined $400 million for advertising leading up to Election Day this November. That has led to ads backing and slamming the two propositions to be front and center in all forms of media Californians consume.

Dinah Bachrach of the Racial Justice Allies of Sonoma County, a group supporting Prop 26, said the proliferation of ads supporting Prop 27 is concerning.

“They are all over the place,” Bachrach said. “Gambling is already a pretty big business, but to be able to do sports gambling online is dangerous because it hurts what tribal casinos have been able to do for their communities in the state.”

According to Bachrach, Prop 26 protects the sovereignty of native tribes. “It’s a really important racial justice issue,” she said. “Indian casinos provide a tremendous amount of financial support for the casino tribes and the non-casino tribes, and they contribute a lot locally and to the state.”

Bachrach’s organization is one of several civil rights or African American organizations that have thrown its support behind Prop 26.

Santa Clarita NAACP spokesperson Nati Braunstein said in an email, “The NAACP supports Prop 26, which would legalize retail sports betting at California tribal casinos only and opposes Prop 27 which would allow online sports betting via mobile sportsbooks.”

Kathy Fairbanks, speaking for the Yes on 26/No on 27 coalition, composed of California Indian tribes and tribal organizations, and other partners, said winning the approval of every potential voter, including Black Californians, is their goal.

Yes on 27 – Californians for Solutions to Homelessness, the campaign arm of Prop 27 backers, had not returned California Black Media’s requests for comment for this story as of press time. Prop 27 proponents say in ads and the Yes on 27 website repeats that the initiative would help solve California’s homelessness crisis.

Prop 27 imposes a 10 % tax on adjusted gross gaming revenue. Eighty-five percent of the taxes go toward fighting California’s homeless and mental health challenges. Non-gaming tribes get the remaining 15% of tax revenue.

Organizations such as Bay Area Community Services, Sacramento Regional Coalition to End Homelessness, San Diego Regional Task Force on Homelessness, and individuals including Long Beach Mayor Robert Garcia, Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf, Bay Area Community Services CEO Jamie Almanza, and Middletown Rancheria of Pomo Indians Chairman Jose “Moke” Simon are listed as Prop 27 supporters on the Yes on 27 website.

On the campaign’s Facebook page, commenter Brandon Gran wrote under an advertisement photo that voting for Prop 27 was a “no brainer.”
“People are already gambling using offshore accounts,” he typed. “Why not allow CA to get a piece of the pie … money that will (hopefully) go to good use.”

However, a statewide survey by the Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC), conducted between Sept. 2 and 11 and released on Sept. 15, revealed that 54 % of California voters would vote “no” for Prop 27, while 34 % would vote “yes.” Twelve percent of the respondents were “unsure.”

The survey’s authors wrote that a strong majority of Republicans wouldn’t vote for the proposition, compared to half of Democrats and independents.

“Regionally, majorities in the Inland Empire, Orange/San Diego, and the San Francisco Bay Area would vote ‘no,’ while likely voters in the Central Valley and Los Angeles are divided,” they wrote. “At least half across most demographic groups would vote ‘no.’ Likely voters age 18 to 44 (52%) and renters (51%) are the only two demographic groups with a slim majority voting ‘yes.’”

The survey, titled “PPIC Statewide Survey: Californians and Their Government,” did not ask participants about Prop 26. The Yes on 26/No on 27 coalition, said in a news release that the PPIC’s research confirmed what Prop 26 supporters have said for some time.
“Despite raising more than $160 million for a deceptive advertising campaign, California voters are clearly not buying what the out-of-state online gambling corporations behind Prop 27 are selling,” the statement read.

By Lou Yeboah

You always resist the Holy Spirit. As your fathers did, so do you. [Acts 7:51]. Woe unto thee, Chorazin! Woe unto thee, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works, which were done in you, had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. [Matthew 11:20-24]. What willful ignorance! You snakes! You brood of vipers! How will you escape being condemned to hell? [Matthew 23:33] … “where the fire never goes out; where the worms do not die, and where you will be tormented with burning sulfur and the smoke of your torment will rise forever and ever.” [Mark 9:43-48]. Avoid hell at all costs you stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears. For I am shaking all that can be shaken. And what is still to come is too dreadful to think about. Wake up! It is past midnight, and My coming has drawn near. Stir yourself and don’t be slothful. Your salvation is nearer now than when you first believed. [Romans 13:11-12].

Hear the word of the LORD, ye rulers of Sodom; give ear unto the law of your God, ye people of Gomorrah [Isaiah 1:10]. The present world as you watch is undergoing shakings. Governments who were previously unmovable are trembling. Kings and Rulers who were untouchable in the past are being removed from their glorious palaces. It’s time to read the signs of the time and check the historical map. For I am not slow in keeping My promise, as some understand slowness. I am patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. Therefore, “look carefully how you walk”, “use wisdom in redeeming the time, and “understand what My will is” [Ephesians 5: 15-17].

Because Hell is populated with people that meant well. They may have heard of God and intended to get their lives right with Him, and then suddenly came a time when they needed to know Him, and it was too late. Like the five foolish virgins who made a big mistake thinking there would be another opportunity when the time came. Do not make the same error. The bridegroom will come at a time you are not expecting Him [Matthew 24:44]. Therefore, keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour” [Matthew 25:1-13].

“Whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words, when ye depart out of that house or city, shake off the dust from your feet. Verily I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgement, than for that city. [Matthews 10:14-15; Luke 10:11-12].

“And the door was shut.”

By Antonio Ray Harvey | California Black Media

The California Black Chamber of Commerce Foundation Inc. (CALBCCF) is offering “game-changing opportunities” for mini micro, micro, and small business proprietors of the state at the Economic Business and Roundtable Statewide Summit 2022.

Under the theme, “Pitch Your Business,” the summit is scheduled to be held in Sacramento on Friday, Sept. 30, and Saturday, Oct. 1, at the Embassy Suites Sacramento Riverfront Promenade.

Jay King, the president and Chief Executive Office of CALBCC, said the Economic Summit provides a different outlook and “a bold new journey into the ecosystem of business and how it’s effectively done.”

Startups or established businesses attending the summit will be able to present their services to potential clients on the spot or set up a bidding process in the near future. Interested individuals will be able to explore employment opportunities at the two-day event.

“This is not the same format that it has been in the past,” King told California Black Media. “We’ve been working with California Transportation (Caltrans) and DGS (California Department of General Services), to identify contracts that smaller firms can bid for and win if not at the summit days afterward. We will have workshops but all of them are interactive.”

A workshop on how to pitch a bid will be held on the first day of the summit. The pitch presentation is scheduled to be done in front of a panel of corporate judges with the hope of winning investment capital.

The next day, the participants will pitch their business concept with a chance to land $50,000 in capital. Two second-place winners will receive $25,000 each, and 10 functional businesses each have a chance at $10,000 in cash prizes.

“We are only awarding businesses in the state that have done all the hard work. It’s difficult running a small business,” King said. “Because small businesses are macro (a business that makes less than $100,000 per year) or mini macro (less than $35,000 per year), especially in the Black sector, it’s extremely difficult. About 96% of the African American businesses fit that description.”

The Economic Summit will feature Black chambers of commerce from across the state, including operations from Los Angeles, Fresno, Bakersfield, San Francisco, Oakland, and San Diego.

Wells Fargo, Lyft, UC Davis Health, the city of Sacramento, the Department of General Services, and the Black Small Business Association are Economic Summit sponsors.

The Economic Summit was created to bring “change makers” together with minority-owned businesses with a mission to create meaningful economic opportunities to increase spending with small businesses and strengthen the conversation of small business diversity, equity, and inclusion, King said.

The Summit is also set up to assist interested homebuyers. King said attendees will have a chance to see if they qualify for a home loan.

The summit will feature guest speakers Chris Horton, National Black Entrepreneur Project, Ann Tompkins, Director of Professional Services at the University of California, Davis (UC Davis); and Mike Condrin, Chief Operation Officer at UC Davis.

The California Black Chamber of Commerce Foundation, Inc. was created as a public charity dedicated to education, training, community growth, and youth entrepreneurial development. Its mission starts with educating local and state-wide communities about the importance of financial literacy.

“We believe in diversity, equity, and inclusion,” King said. “We are not excluding any business sector, racial groups, or White, Asian, Latinos business chambers. We know that they have the same challenges. We (CALBCC) are putting on display (an Economic Summit) that we would like to see from other chambers and entities across the state when we talk about diversity, equity, and inclusion. This means everybody to us.”

For more information about the Economic Business Summit, registration, and hotel accommodations, contact Angela Lowe of the California Black Chamber of Commerce at (916) 467-8878 or visit cbcc@calbcc.org.

NATIONWIDE — At the age of 12, Elijah Muhammad has become a freshman at Oklahoma City Community College (OCCC) making history as the youngest Black college student in the entire state of Oklahoma.

Elijah, who is being homeschooled as a high school senior, is simultaneously majoring in cyber security at OCCC. He is currently enrolled in 3 classes including Computer Technology, Computer Hardware, and Computer Operating Systems.

Elijah recalled his classmates’ reactions when he first met them in class. “A bunch of them were like, ‘how old are you?’” he told KFOR News. “Once I told them my age, they all got surprised.”
Coming from a family of achievers, Elijah’s accomplishment did not come as a complete shock. His older sister, Shania Muhammad, made history just last May as the youngest person ever to graduate from both OCCC and Langston University at the age of 14.

Their father, Elijah Muhammad Sr., said the siblings always have healthy competition amongst them.

“When he sees her accomplish certain things, he’s like I’m up next and I can do it,” said Elijah Sr. “We are the cheering section for our scholars.”

However, Elijah acknowledges that despite them being competitive with each other, his older sister is a big help to him.

“We have a bunch of competitiveness. But she really helps me out with a lot of my studying,” said Elijah, who is on track to surpass his sister’s record of the youngest to graduate in the state.

Aside from being a historic outstanding student, Elijah is also a three-time state champion wrestler and an entrepreneur with his own clothing line called Smart Boy.

By Dr. Salvatore J. Giorgianni, Jr. PharmD. and Dr. Jean Bonhomme, MD MPH

Over two and a half years ago, in the article “African-American Boys and Men in America Are Killing Themselves and No One Seems to Care,” I wrote about the national disgrace that is the heavier toll of suicide facing African American boys and men. I said that in minority communities, people often misunderstand what a mental health condition is; therefore, discussing the subject is uncommon. A lack of understanding leads many to believe that a mental health condition is a personal weakness or a form of punishment. African Americans are also more likely to be exposed to factors that increase the risk of developing a mental health condition, such as discrimination, social isolation, homelessness, and exposure to violence.

What has changed – for better and for worse – since then? Do African American men and boys continue to have a higher death rate from suicide and violence than others? Is the male suicide rate in the United States still far higher than women? Is suicide still a leading cause of death for minority males? Are African Americans still more likely to experience serious mental health problems than the general population? Sadly, the answer to all these questions remains yes.

What has gotten worse? As I’ve said previously, an African American youth exposed to violence have a 25 percent higher risk of developing PTSD than non-Black youth. Violent crime rates in US cities have only increased since 2019. This is especially true amongst young African American men. These two facts seem inextricably tied together: violence leads to PTSD; PTSD leads to violence, repeatedly.

Minority access to mental health-related diagnoses and care is impeded by barriers and challenges experienced by minorities who need addiction and recovery support and resources. There also seems to be a strong correlation between mental health issues and overdose rates.

A recent JAMA study suggests that during the COVID epidemic, specifically from January 2019 through mid-2020, opioid overdoses decreased by 24% among whites in Philadelphia. Conversely, opioid overdoses increased amongst Black Philadelphians by over 50%. According to the U. S. Health and Human Services Office of Minority Health, only one-third of Black adults diagnosed with mental illness receive treatment. According to the American Psychiatric Association‘s “Mental Health Facts for African-Americans” guide, Black adults are less likely to be included in research and receive quality care while more likely to use an emergency room as primary care.

I recently spoke with Dr. Jean Bonhomme, founder of the National Black Men’s Health Network, who relayed some other startling statistics. In 2020, African Americans made up about 13.5% of the U.S. population, and over 55% of homicide victims, with a more than 65% increase in homicides relative to 2019. Other stark figures that Dr. Bonhomme shared were from a recent CDC study.

In the same period–2019 through 2020–drug overdose death rates for non-Hispanic Black persons increased by 44%, while for non-Hispanic American Indian or Alaska Native (AI/AN) persons, the drug overdose death rates increased by 39%. Other numbers that jump out include the 2020 death rate from overdose among Black males aged 65 years (52.6 per 100,000) as being nearly seven times that of non-Hispanic white males of a similar age. Meanwhile, treatment for substance use was at the lowest for Black persons (at 8.3%).

Data from the National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors shows one factor in the mental health crisis disproportionally facing the Black community. This data indicates that the number people admitted to psychiatric hospitals (and other residential facilities) in the US declined from 471,000 in 1970 to 170,000 in 2014. This reduction in the availability of a potential intervention opportunity appears to have led to growth in incarceration and similar non-therapeutic interventions, which, in the absence of these other options, take the place of real psychiatric help.

We must also consider that the life circumstances of young Black men must also be the driver of many of these differences and disparities. Out of decency alone, the US needs to find a way to identify and target systemic changes to benefit these populations, which have the most urgent need.

Are there any positives the can impact minority mental health? Absolutely! The new nation-wide 988 crisis number launch went live July 16th of this year, and text-based services will be included. Studies suggest that over 75% of those using text on existing crisis services are under 25. Minority populations in the USA have a higher percentage of young people in younger age groups than whites.

Therefore, better serving an underserved community is an outcome that is a clear improvement on the current situation.

Men’s Health Network redoubles its recommendation that those charged with the health and social welfare of boys and men consider the following:

1. Acknowledge the heterogeneity of boys and men and the unique needs of diverse populations.
2. Develop culturally appropriate male-focused screening tools.
3. Develop guidelines that recognize the need to regularly and routinely screen boys and men for both physical and mental health issues.
4. Address the poor reimbursement for behavioral health clinical services.
5. Establish culturally and gender-appropriate programs to identify, interrupt, and manage mental health issues in African American boys and men, providing education and training for those in the community who interact with boys and men.

With this said, Men’s Health Network, Healthy Men, Inc., the National Black Men’s Health Network, and the Men’s Health Caucus have launched a public awareness campaign, “You Ok, Bro?” (https://www.youokbro.org/) and will be hosting a workshop summit on Thursday, October 13th, 2022, at the National Press Club in Washington, DC to build awareness of the mental health crisis now erupting in the male population of the US. This important event will be live-streamed. The summit aims to examine and return recommendations to help reverse the recent increase in mental health crises. Behavioral experts from multiple organizations will share research, trends, and discoveries and supply information to men, boys, and their loved ones to help them identify the signs of mental distress and recommend ways to improve mental and emotional fitness.

“You OK, Bro?” is the beginning of a dialog that can start with those words, whether between just two men, or at a national scale. We hope it changes the way the US sees and talks about men’s mental health.

Men’s Health Network (MHN) is a national non-profit organization whose mission is to reach men, boys, and their families where they live, work, play, and pray with health awareness and disease prevention messages and tools, screening programs, educational materials, advocacy opportunities, and patient navigation.

By Aldon Thomas Stiles | California Black Media

Almost as quickly as it began, the music industry may have seen the end of the infamous Artificial Intelligence (A.I.) rapper referred to as “FN Meka”, a computer-generated character being widely condemned for appropriating Black culture and saying the N-word.

The A.I. rapper was developed by Anthony Martini and Brandon Le, cofounders of Factory New, a Metaverse media company. Some critics claim that the creators who are not Black are trivializing Black art and the Black experience, tantamount to what some are calling “digital blackface.”

“In many ways, digital blackface is an example of …. the ‘digital afterlife of slavery’ and Jim Crow, where you have real people and virtual characters engaging in a kind of machine-automated minstrelsy that disrespects and disregards the artistry and production value that goes into the creation of Black culture,” Dr. Faithe J. Day, Assistant Professor of Black Studies at the University of California Santa Barbara (UCSB), told California Black Media.

Media watchers say FN Meka is modeled after rap artists like Lil Pump and Travis Scott and was voiced by real-life rap artist Kyle the Hooligan.

Kyle the Hooligan says that he will be suing the company responsible for the A.I. rapper. The Houston-based artist says he had not been paid for his work and he wasn’t aware that his voice had been sold to Capitol Music Group (CMG) until he saw it in the news.

CMG terminated its contract with Factory New less than two weeks after they signed it amid the controversy surrounding the A.I. artist’s lyrical content and depiction of rap culture.

One of the A.I. rapper’s questionable lyrics is in the song ‘Moonwalkin’. It says “boom, police on my back, hot pursuit (Skrr)/ Know that they mad that this A.I. gettin’ [inaudible],” along with several uses of the N-word.

The A.I. project attracted more criticism when Factory New posted on its Instagram account an animated video depicting the program’s avatar on the ground being assaulted by police.

The post’s caption read: “POLICE BRUTALITY?? What Should I Do ?!?! This Guard keeps beating me w/ his BATON because I won’t snitch. I ain’t no RAT. Life in Prison is so Depressing…. I wish I could get out so I could start making music again.”

CMG issued a formal apology for its involvement with Factory New saying, “CMG has severed ties with the FN Meka project, effective immediately. We offer our deepest apologies to the Black community for our insensitivity in signing this project without asking enough questions about equity and the creative process behind it.”

Martini suggested that critics of his A.I. rapper have taken a hypocritical stance.

“If you’re mad about the lyrical content because it supposedly was A.I., why not be mad about the lyrical content in general?” Martini was quoted saying to the New York Times.

Prof. Day found that comparison grossly oversimplifies what some people are concerned about.

“In the case of FN Meka, comparing what an A.I. (character) does to what an artist does is a false equivalency and misses the point of why so many people are upset about the representation of this A.I. rapper,” Day said. “The real issue is that FN Meka is an example of what Adam Clayton Powell called ‘high-tech blackface’ and what more recently has been called ‘Digital blackface’, a phenomenon that we have seen for decades in video games, chat rooms, and social media.”

Day said there is an extensive history in music and entertainment of appropriating Black culture without compensating the African American originators of various art forms.

“Due to the fact that within America and the Western world, there is a history of those in power freely benefitting from the cultural and material production of BIPOC individuals, it only makes sense that the same ethos would continue in the digital realm,” Day said.

“And, in this case, the popularity of FN Meka and other virtual artists might make it easier for creative industries to forgo actually increasing the diversity and inclusion of their artists’ roster and production teams in favor of creating their own caricatures of Blackness, or any other combination of identities,” Day continued.

Martini is no longer associated with the FN Meka project and Factory New. In his announcement, he sided with Kyle the Hooligan.

“In the past few days, I’ve learned of Kyle the Hooligan’s experience with Meka which is deeply at odds with my core values. I believe that artists must always be at the center of the creative process and must be compensated fairly,” Martini stated.

While AI technology is making massive strides, it is still limited to processing massive amounts of data based on parameters set by the programmer, according to Josh Lovejoy at Google’s Privacy and Data Protection Office. Consequently, AI is not an independent entity but an extension of its creators and thus inherits their biases.

“In addition, while it is important to stay aware of racist AI, we also have to think about intersectionality and the fact that AI isn’t just racist, it can also be sexist, homophobic, transphobic, classist, and many other things that speak to the fact that oppression acts in a matrix,” Day said.

Day is still optimistic about the future of artificial intelligence as more Black and other minority-led projects become a reality, such as NeuroSpeculative AfroFeminism (NSAF) from Hyphen Labs, a global team of women of color doing pioneering work encompassing art, technology, and science.

“By drawing on both speculative and liberatory approaches to art and design, I believe that there are many artists that are poised to build a more diverse and justice-oriented future within, and outside of, the creative industries by using technology and artificial intelligence for social good,” Day emphasized.

By Lou Yeboah

Brings God’s punishment. Attracts God’s wrath. Damns you in hell. In all your getting, get an understanding. God has promised in [Leviticus 26:14-20] that disobedience will always be punished. The Scripture is so abundantly clear, I do not need to add commentary beyond what the Scripture plainly teaches: For Jesus said in [Isaiah 66:24], “Then they will go forth and look on the corpses of the men who have transgressed against Me. For their worm will not die and their fire will not be quenched; And they will be an abhorrence to all mankind. Repercussions of disobedience to God!

Listen, disobedience to God’s has always come with consequences. Since the inception of this world, God has always punished disobedience. Repent before it is too late! Understand that God’s 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]. What are you waiting for? The Book of Revelation, which we are living in now, is God’s final warning to the sinner to repent before His wrath and judgment come upon this wicked world.

I implore you to PLEASE repent of your sins, seek the forgiveness of God, and surrender your life to the Lord Jesus Christ right now! If what Revelation says is true [and it is], why would you want to delay or deny what is obviously upon us? Do not make that foolish and eternally deadly decision. Repercussions of disobedience to God always have consequences. Heed God’s Warning!

Remember Christ through Noah preached God’s Word to the people living in Noah’s day warning them of certain judgment through the impending flood [Genesis 6:13; Hebrews 11:7; 1 Peter 3:18-20]. They did not repent and heed God’s warning and perished in the flood. Only eight souls heeded God’s “ample warning” and were saved [Genesis 7:7; 1 Peter 3:20].

Note the example given of disobedient Israel in [Numbers 14:29-30; Hebrews 3:5-19]. The disobedient did not “enter into his rest” because they didn’t repent and heed God’s warning through the testimony of Moses.

God warned Israel through Jeremiah and Ezekiel of their impending captivity by the Babylonians [Jeremiah 6:10; Ezekiel 3:10-11,17] because of their idolatrous worship [Jeremiah 11:10; Ezekiel 6] but they did not repent and heed God’s “ample warning” [Jeremiah 6:19; Ezekiel 14:6-10].

Heed the warnings and repent! If you do not, you will face the consequences of your disobedience sooner or later. Repent! Repent! Repent!

By Antonio Ray Harvey | California Black Media

Last week, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a budget trailer bill approving $5 Million in funding to the California State University at Dominguez Hills (CSUDH) to house the California Black Women’s Think Tank.

The California Black Women’s Collective (CBWC) Empowerment Institute will be a founding partner in the development of the policy research institution.

The legislation, Assembly Bill (AB) 179, authored by Assemblymember Phillip Ting (D-San Francisco), paves the way for establishing a policy institute that will focus on improving structures and practices that impact the lives of Black women and girls across the state.

“The California Black Women’s Collective has diligently worked hard over the last year to make the California Black Women’s Think Tank, the first of its kind in the nation, happen,” Kellie Todd Griffin, speaking for CBWC, told California Black Media.

CBWC in partnership with Black Women Organized for Political Action (BWOPA), is a coalition of more than 1,500 Black Women leaders throughout California.

The coalition utilizes Black women’s expertise and collaboration skills in political, community, and social justice activism to amplify their voices, knowledge, and issues throughout the state.

On June 20, Newsom signed a $308 billion state budget that helps address rising costs for Californians, tackles the state’s most pressing needs, builds reserves, and invests in the state’s future.

AB 179, the Budget Act of 2022, implements funding for key priorities established by the California Black Legislative Caucus (CLBC) for this legislative session, including CBWC’s Think Tank.

“We are thankful to the California Legislative Black Caucus (CLBC) that included it as a priority-budget ask and CSUDH for partnering with us on it,” Todd Griffin said.

The CBWC’s goal for the Think Tank is for it to be “relevant and accessible” in providing an “independent, academic, research entity that provides a “rigorous analysis approach to policy,” CBWC explained in a written overview.

The state and CLBC are in support of addressing the need to expand work that drives systematic change, brought forth by CBWC. The Think Tank is an effort to serve as a research institution and resource for lawmakers, elected officials, business leaders, and advocating organizations willing to impact sustainable and scalable change.

“There are approximately 1.1 million Black females in California. However, there are 75% of Black households headed by single Black mothers and 80% of Black households have Black women breadwinners. There are economic, educational, health, and electoral barriers confronting Black women every day. In California, 23% of Black women live in poverty, according to the Women’s Well-Being Index from the California Budget and Policy Center,” CBWC stated.

According to the Status of Black Women report from the Women’s Policy Research (WPR) and information provided by CBWC, the median income for Black women in California is $43,000 a year- compared to $52,000 for White women and $69,000 for White men. The report by WPR also shared that the average cost of childcare for an infant makes up 28% of a Black woman’s average income in the state.

CBWC’s Think Tank intends to approach its work in a data-driven, strategic, and collaborative manner. Based on current information concerning Black women and girls in the state, the collective specifically aims to provide actionable policy solutions, remove persistent barriers that this group of women faces on a daily basis, and achieve racial and gender equity.

The CBWC Empowerment Institute falls in line with these initiatives to help Black women, Todd Griffin asserts.

“The magnitude of this funding allocation will be transformative as we continue the work to improve the quality of life of Black women and girls throughout California,” Todd Griffin said.

The Labor Day Weekend event featured Africa’s finest cultural representations with music artists, visual art, fashion designers, performances and more.

LOS ANGELES, CA—- Labor Day Weekend brings a variety of events to cap off the summer – and renowned Afrobeats DJ Peter Lentini, Founder and Creative Director of the 13th Annual Ankara Fashion & Music Festival Los Angeles (AFLA), made it a memorable holiday weekend for Los Angeles. Every year, Lentini expects hundreds of people to come through the festival to experience the art, fashion designers, performances, and music artists that are some of Africa’s finest cultural representations. This year’s event exceeded expectations with more attendee’s than the previous year.

Lentini, who was born and raised in Lagos, Nigeria, is a self-made American success story. For the last 15 years, he has been delivering an eclectic mix of entertainment with event production and concerts around the world featuring African artists. Lentini created the Ankara Fashion & Music Festival Los Angeles to build a social landscape for African cultural pride in the U.S. and foster entrepreneurship by providing greater visibility of African artists from multiple industries. AFLA is the largest African cultural event in the United States. This year’s event was hosted by popular Nigerian actor and comedian Seyi Brown.

“All of our staff, volunteers, sponsors, entertainers – everyone that attended AFLA, made this year’s event an incredible success,” said Lentini. “We surpassed our attendance goals and smashed the previous record. It shows we have made our mark in Los Angeles as a culturally-rich festival that celebrates Africa’s contributions to art, fashion and music.”

The three-day festival kicked off September 2 and ended September 4. Opening night featured a headline performance by Wande Coal at Catch One. Other artists who performed at Catch One included King Abu, DJ Zuko, Chimdi. E Major, Otito, Tomi Trive, and MJTheDJ.

The second day featured an African Marketplace pop-up of vendors, and an Afrobeats Day Party at The Fountain LA. Closing night at Exchange LA featured a red carpet, a runway fashion show with live African music followed by a live performance by Nigerian Singer Yemi Alade.

Closing night included dignitaries, celebrities, musicians and actors who were invited to support and enjoy the fabulous styles on the runway as well as walk the red carpet. Those in attendance included: Chief Oladiran Alabi, Honorable Mame Mbaye (Senegal Consulate), Nyakim Gathwech (Supermodel “Queen of the Dark”), Petri Hawkins Byrd (American court show bailiff and TV Personality), Bayo Akinfemi (CBS “Bob Hearts Abishola”), Isaac C. Singleton Jr. (“Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl”), Nola Ade (Singer), Tyrone DuBose (American Radio Personality), Jaida-Iman Benjamin (HBO’s “Insecure”), and many others.

This year’s event was well supported by several sponsors, which included Lentini, AIDS Health Foundation (AHF), Umu Igbo Unite, AfroBeat Los Angeles, Zena Fashions, Toms One for One, AfroBrunch Los Angeles, Royal Dynamite, Andrea Williams of MUD cosmetic, Mrs. May Odiakosa of Star Beer USA, Chike Nweke of Life & Times Magazine Group, #StandAgainstHate, Celestina of Benz Life Collection, and entrepreneur Mrs. Lara Okunubi.
For more information about Peter Lentini and Ankara Festival, visit www.ankarafestival.org.

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