What it do with Lue

By Pilar Marrero

Many are vowing to continue the fight to protect diversity in higher education and warn policy makers and educators not to overreach in interpreting the controversial ruling.

Civil rights leaders joined together to denounce last week’s Supreme Court decision ending Affirmative Action. Many are warning of the negative effects the ruling will have on students of color.

“Race is still relevant, racial discrimination is still relevant,” said Thomas A. Saenz, President and General Counsel of the Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund (MALDEF).

Saenz pointed to the majority opinion written by Chief Justice John Roberts, which states that college admission programs can consider how race has affected an applicant’s character specifically, but that race cannot be a general consideration in admissions.

“That is a clear indication that this is not a mandate or even an invitation to ignore race in the context of higher education,” explained Saenz in an interview with Ethnic Media Services.

The June 29 decision overturned 45 years of precedent by ruling that Affirmative Action policies violate the Equal Protection Clause of the Constitution.

Saenz and others warned policymakers and higher education leaders not to overreach in their interpretation of the ruling. They also urged students of color not to “adjust their ambitions in any way” because of this decision.

“That is a clear indication that this is not a mandate or even an invitation to ignore race in the context of higher education,” explained Saenz in an interview with Ethnic Media Services.

The June 29 decision overturned 45 years of precedent by ruling that Affirmative Action policies violate the Equal Protection Clause of the Constitution.

Saenz and others warned policymakers and higher education leaders not to overreach in their interpretation of the ruling. They also urged students of color not to “adjust their ambitions in any way” because of this decision.

“Policymakers cannot use this decision as some excuse to ignore racial disparity or to ignore the imperative to address it,” said Saenz. “This doesn’t change regulations under the Federal Civil Rights Act of 1964.”

Thomas A. Saenz, President and General Counsel of the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund (MALDEF), notes that race can still be taken into account for college admissions, as it relates to an applicant’s life experience.

Racial gaslighting

Colleges and universities across the country – particularly those states where, before this decision, race was still used as part of the criteria in college and university admissions – should evaluate their practices for equity, said leaders in the higher education access arena.

“We know that Affirmative Action was one of the best tools to ensure there was a diverse student body,” said Michelle Siqueiros, President of the Campaign for College Opportunity. “SCOTUS should have also banned legacy (admissions), which makes up more than a quarter to a third of the class at some selective institutions, including Harvard.”

She added the practice of granting admission to the sons and daughters of alumni, along with early decision admissions and the extensive use of standardized tests, “do not expand opportunities to low-income Black, Latino and Asian American Students.”

Several groups in Boston filed a complaint with the Education Department on Monday requesting that it review the practice of legacy admissions, arguing it discriminates against students of color by favoring the children of alumni at elite schools, most of whom are white.

Author and education scholar J. Luke Wood described the ruling as “racial gaslighting at its best.” Wood is the incoming president at Sacramento State University.

“If they are concerned about discrimination, they should move away from standardized testing, which is a better indication about a student’s resources” and not his or her capacities. “This will definitely have an impact on access to colleges and universities by students of color,” said Wood.

Sending a message to students of color

Marita Etcubañez, Vice President of Strategic Initiatives with Asian Americans Advancing Justice (AAJC), discusses the Asian American response to the ban on affirmative action and notes that Asian Americans did not initiate the lawsuit, nor were there any student plaintiffs in the case.

All of those interviewed said they worried about students getting the wrong message from the ruling and the impact this could have on students of color already in higher education institutions.

“We want to make sure that students of color know that they still belong, that we will be fighting for you, and we encourage you to apply to the school of your choice, don’t be scared off by this opinion,” said Marita Etcubañez, Vice President of Strategic Initiatives with Asian Americans Advancing Justice (AAJC).

Etcubañez, like other Asian American civil rights leaders, also expressed concerns about arguments that Affirmative Action policies unfairly discriminated against Asian students. “This is simply false,” she said.

“The District Court examined all the evidence and found no evidence to support the claim that there was discrimination against Asian Americans,” said Etcubañez. “I also want to make sure people know that Asian Americans were not behind this case.”

In fact, the case was brought forward by a group called Students for Fair Admissions led by conservative activist Ed Blum, who Etcubañez noted “has engaged in a campaign to systematically take down Affirmative Action for years. This was not an organic case to right a wrong.”

Blum is a Republican financier who was also behind the 2013 Shelby v. Holder decision, which gutted Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act, eliminating the requirement that states with a history of racial discrimination targeting voters of color seek federal preclearance for any changes to their election laws.

In a scathing dissent to the majority’s ruling, Justice Sonia Sotomayor wrote: “The three Justices of color on this Court graduated from elite universities and law schools with race-conscious admissions programs, and achieved successful legal careers, despite having different educational backgrounds than their peers.”

In her opinion, Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, who joined Sotomayor in her dissent, offered a fiery exchange with conservative justice Clarence Thomas, who is also African American and leads the ultra-conservative wing of the court.

‘We will be watching’

Michele Siqueiros, President of The Campaign for College Opportunity, says affirmative action advocates will continue to fight for fair admissions to colleges and to ensure that campuses remain diverse.

“Thomas went to Yale Law School, my alma mater, at a time when almost certainly the law school was using an Affirmative Action system that benefited him,” said Saenz from MALDEF. “This indicates how much of a limitation this could be for our future. Future justices, future leaders, elected leaders, and future professionals will be diminished in their ranks by the court’s wrongheaded decision.”

Michelle Siqueiros, President of the Campaign for College Opportunity, said that her organization and many others would fight to counteract the effects of this ruling as they have done in California and other states where local laws limited the use of race in admissions over the years.

“We won’t accept a return to the 1940s and 1950s when colleges blatantly discriminated against women, African Americans, Jewish Americans, Latinos, and Indigenous folks at their campuses,” said Siqueiros.

“We will be watching,” she added, noting that at a time when more than 50% of students in K-12 schools are students of color, “we are hopeful that college leaders know and support and value providing opportunity for all Americans.”

By Nekima Levy Armstrong, Esq

(BLACK ENTERTAINMENT TELEVISION (BET)—On this third anniversary of the Minneapolis police murder of George Floyd, one is left to ponder whether any real progress has been made regarding increased police accountability and improving the lives of Black folks in this country.

By Joe W. Bowers Jr. | California Black Media

Last week, the California Senate voted 39-0 to pass Senate Concurrent Resolution (SCR) 76. This measure recognizes June 19, 2023, as Juneteenth. During the session before the vote, Senators Steven Bradford (D-Inglewood) and Sen. Lola Smallwood-Cuevas (D-Ladera Heights) spoke about why the commemoration is important for all Americans.

Bradford highlighted the historical significance of the color red for formerly enslaved people.

“Many times, people stereotype African Americans as great lovers of watermelon, red soda pop, or other things of that nature. But if they knew our history, they would know the significance of ‘red’,” Bradford told his colleagues before they cast their votes in favor of California commemorating the 158th Anniversary of Juneteenth.

“It is the significance of the watermelon, the significance of hibiscus tea, or as my old man used to say, ‘red velvet cake’,” Bradford continued. “The red was reflective of the blood that we shed in this country. The blood that we shed for over 250 years of slavery. That’s why those items are so significant to a Juneteenth celebration if you’ve ever been to one.”

Smallwood-Cuevas reminded her colleagues that Black Americans were enslaved longer than they have been free.

“It is a celebration, historically, of how America became the “Land of the Free” for everyone in this country on Juneteenth,” said Smallowood-Cuevas. “An estimated $20 trillion was amassed on the backs of enslaved labor, making the U.S. the largest economic power in the world.”

Authored by California Black Legislative Caucus (CLBC) members Bradford and Smallwood-Cuevas, SCR 76 urges lawmakers and Californians to celebrate the anniversary of the day in 1865 when some of the last enslaved African Americans in America were told they were free through the Emancipation Proclamation signed by President Abraham Lincoln more than two years earlier in 1863.

By Maxim Elramsisy | California Black Media

Civil Rights and personal Injury attorneys Benjamin Crump and Carl Douglas announced a $100 million lawsuit against the City of Los Angeles last week for the death of Keenan Anderson, a high school English teacher visiting Los Angeles from Washington D.C.

The attorneys are representing Anderson’s son, Syncere Anderson, and Syncere’s mother Gabrielle Hansell.

The complaint alleges civil rights violations, assault and battery, false imprisonment, and negligence on the part of Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) officers in the death of Anderson.

“They are trying to George Floyd me,” Anderson said as he lay face down on the street in Venice, California on January 3. The 30-year-old died later at a hospital after body-camera footage shows him being tased at least six times by LAPD officers.

“[He is] calling out to the public when he’s on the ground being tased and squashed. He’s calling for help. He was anticipating his own injury,” Douglas, said to California Black Media (CBM).

“When you think about Black people, our fear is that every time police stop us, they might do us like George Floyd,” Crump said to CBM.

The LA County Medical Examiner-Coroner reported in early June that Anderson’s cause of death was an enlarged heart and cocaine use and reported manner of death as undetermined.

The attorneys argue the report is irrelevant.

“After they assassinated him, they tried to assassinate his character. That is the strategy, tried and true, in America when the police kill Black people,” Crump said. “Look at that video, your eyes are not deceiving you. What killed [Anderson] was an overdose of lethal force, it’s that simple. If he were not tased, he would be here today.”

They believe the video shows that the use of force by police was inappropriate in this situation.

“It matters not whether there was cocaine in his system, because the actions of the officers were wrong. It matters not why he was in distress, because it’s clear from the body camera footage that he was never a threat. He spoke to the officers politely. He was always compliant; he never balled his fist, he never kicked. He never did anything to give an officer the belief that he was a threat.

Instead, these officers acted like hammers. And when you send a hammer into a garden, they treat all the flowers like their nails,” Douglas said to CBM.

“They did not know that Keenan Anderson was a schoolteacher of high school students. They didn’t know he had a five-year-old boy who loved him and he was engaged in his young son’s life. They didn’t know he was a role model to dozens of other kids across the country.”

“It resonated with me because I was so close to George Floyds family,” said Crump, who represented the family in a lawsuit against the city of Minneapolis.

“The one thing that I think is similar is just the fact that Black people who have mental health crises, man, we get the death sentence,” Crump said. “When White people have mental health crises, everybody is trying to help them.”

This month the U.S. Department of Justice released a report outlining systemic problems in the Minneapolis Police Department. It said police officers used “unjustified deadly force” and other types of force, and that they “unlawfully discriminate” against Black and Native American people, violate the rights of people engaged in protected speech, and discriminate against people with behavioral health issues.

There were similar findings in Los Angeles Police Department after the Rampart Scandal uncovered corruption.

“20 years ago, there was a finding that there were systemic problems in the Los Angeles Police Department and there was a consent decree,” Douglas said. “The problem is there is a warrior mentality that envelops law enforcement: us versus them; military equipment against citizens instead of a guardian mentality to protect and serve, to help.”

L.A. Mayor Karen Bass discussed the incident with CBM in February.

“People have died at the hands of the LAPD. You had those three deaths in one week, which was really horrific from my point of view,” Bass said. “With my medical background, I looked at those tapes unedited, and I saw two people in serious crisis.”

Bass also described assurances she received from Los Angeles Police Chief Michael Moore. She said, “Part of my agreement in supporting him was that we identified a group of objectives of what I want to see done. I am insisting that every officer be trained in mental health to spot crises.”

“The Commitment I made to the chief was to work to increase the funding for mental health, social workers, so that they can go out and be part of these assessments, because I believe if those officers had been accompanied by a mental health professional that it may not have escalated the way it did.”

A June 23 statement from Mayor Bass’ office to CBM stated, “The Mayor’s approved budget has money to continue funding the SMART teams. The primary challenge isn’t lack of funding for these positions but a shortage of licensed clinicians who work alongside the officers to respond to people experiencing mental health crises. The Mayor’s Office is working with our partners at LAPD and LA County Department of Mental Health to pursue strategies to hire additional licensed clinicians.”

The LA City Attorney declined to comment for this article, citing pending litigation.

District is Showcasing Commitment to Sustainability with June 20 Environmental Vehicle Trade Show

SAN BERNARDINO, CA—- The San Bernardino City Unified School District (SBCUSD) proudly announces its achievement as the top-ranking school district in California and fifth in the nation for energy efficiency, according to a recent assessment conducted by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). This remarkable recognition reflects the district’s commitment to sustainability and its diligent efforts to reduce energy consumption while providing a safe and conducive learning environment for its more than 47,000 students in San Bernardino and Highland.

The EPA’s evaluation examined the energy efficiency initiatives and practices of school districts across the country, acknowledging the exceptional performance of SBCUSD in optimizing energy usage and implementing environmentally friendly measures. In fact, 49 SBCUSD schools were awarded the coveted Energy Star Awards.

The district has installed and is in the development and construction phase of solar panel shade structures at 41 of its schools, including a future ground mount solar farm, in which cumulatively will generate as much as 81 percent of the district’s electricity consumption, said Samuel Precie, Administrator of Operations. Over the last several years, the district has implemented many energy efficiency improvements including variable frequency drives, turbocor and multistage compressors, weather-based irrigation, LED lighting, cool roofs, power factor correction, and many other initiatives. The district’s energy management program has saved close to $50 million in cumulative costs and reduced SBCUSD’s energy use by nearly 40 percent. All vital given that the Inland Empire region has some of the worst air quality in the United States.

“Our district’s commitment to sustainability not only contributes to environmental conservation but also yields significant cost savings, allowing resources to be allocated towards enhancing educational programs and student supports. That’s a testament to our dedicated Board of Education, which truly values putting students first.”

To celebrate this remarkable achievement and promote further environmental awareness, the SBCUSD will be hosting an Electric Vehicle event at its upcoming Board of Education meeting on Tuesday, June 20. Participating vehicle makers include Karma Automotive, with a production facility nearby in Moreno Valley, Zevx, and Phoenix Motorcars.

The District is purchasing its first electric utility truck, which will be on display at the show, from Phoenix Motorcars. And by this fall, SBCUSD will own five Ford Lightning electric trucks.

The event will showcase an impressive array of sustainable vehicles, including electric and conversion models, with participating automobile manufacturers offering insights into the latest advancements in eco-friendly transportation. The District is holding the show in preparation for a large purchase of electric vehicles for its fleet over the next 10 years and eventually transitioning its entire fleet of 330 vehicles to zero-emission vehicles. Board of Education members will have an opportunity to test drive the vehicles on June 20, ahead of the meeting’s start at 5:30 p.m.

This event, held at 4.30 p.m. in the Board of Education parking lot, 777 North F Street, will provide an opportunity for District staff, Board members, and community members to explore sustainable transportation options and learn about their benefits.

Beyond the purchase of electric vehicles, the accolades from the EPA reinforce the District’s ongoing commitment to environmental stewardship and energy conservation, said Precie, who oversees the District’s Operations Departments. By implementing energy-efficient technologies, optimizing building operations, and promoting sustainable practices throughout its expansive facilities across 110 square miles, SBCUSD continues to lead by example, inspiring other educational institutions and the broader community to embrace sustainability initiatives.

The San Bernardino City Unified School District invites media representatives to attend the Electric Vehicle event at 4:30 p.m. on June 20, 2023. This event promises to be an enlightening and engaging opportunity to witness the District’s dedication to environmental sustainability firsthand.

By Dominique Ulloa and Lori Condinus | Special to California Black Media

As industry insiders, advocates for change, and social justice activists, we are joining forces in this Op-Ed to shed light on the critical need to strengthen California’s Film Tax Credit program through community and stakeholder participation and oversight.

Thankfully, Sen. Lola Smallwood-Cuevas (D-Los Angeles) and Assemblymember Tina McKinnor (D-Hawthorne) have been spearheading this effort in the Legislature, calling for a Film Tax program that reflects the diverse landscape of the California workforce.

The motion picture industry is grappling with a multitude of challenges, including strikes, COVID-19 disruptions, and fierce competition from other states offering enticing tax incentives.

To address these issues and support the ever-evolving industry, California plans to extend the $1.2 billion film tax credit for another five years. While we applaud the commitment of Gov. Gavin Newsom and the Legislature to retain jobs in our state, it is essential that we seize this opportunity to bring about real change for disadvantaged and underrepresented workers.

We can’t afford to settle for mere job retention or isolated success stories from underrepresented workers; this moment calls for us to strive for true accountability and inclusivity within the industry.

Looking to the future, the very essence of Hollywood as we know it may be at stake. Other states, including Texas, Georgia, Louisiana, New Jersey, and Missouri, have embraced film tax credit legislation, luring productions away from California.

According to McKinsey & Company’s 2021 Study on Black representation in film and TV, addressing persistent racial inequities could unlock an additional $10 billion in annual revenues for the industry. This presents an incredible opportunity for California to not only lead by example in equitable representation, but also bolster our economy and help shield ourselves from recession.

Throughout history, the motion picture industry has lacked the necessary mechanisms to ensure diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility in hiring practices. Version 4.0 of the California Film Tax Credit presents us with a fresh chance to make significant headway in this regard.

Previously, the industry operated mostly within the private sector, making it difficult for the state to evaluate compliance, progress, and enforce reporting requirements as it does with public sector jobs.

Under Version 3.0 of the California Film Tax Credit, the implementation of a Diversity Requirement aimed to increase employment opportunities for underrepresented workers. Unfortunately, this program fell short due to its lack of meaningful reporting requirements, community and stakeholder participation, and institutional support.

Studios receiving the tax credit were allowed to devise their own diversity plans and benchmarks.

We firmly believe we can change this by implementing a community- and other stakeholder-led film tax credit task force. This task force would be responsible for monitoring and evaluating the diversity plans of tax credit recipients, using certified payroll data to verify that the industry’s efforts to promote diversity lead to tangible changes in its workforce demographics.

The task force would also provide productions with resources to help them implement these requirements through partnerships with nonprofits like Ujima Entertainment Coalition – a Black entertainment professionals staffing liaison, networking alliance, and advocacy group – as well as by offering guidance in using the ‘Inclusion Rider’ as a process for inclusive hiring.

As the state prepares for Version 4.0, let’s make sure that the creation of high-quality film and television content right here in Hollywood is an attainable goal for all aspiring creators, free from the confines of an antiquated ‘old Hollywood’ model that continues to perpetuate exclusion. We want to ensure that the real stakeholders—the workforce and community — are given a prominent seat at the table. We can’t sit on the sidelines as passive observers; we have to show up as active participants who hold the power to enact change. So today, we are using that power to demand community- and stakeholder-led oversight as part of California’s Film Tax Credit Proposal.

As an editor, and the Founder of Ujima Entertainment Coalition, I, Dominique Ulloa, remain committed to advocating for a more inclusive and equitable television and film industry.

And, I, Lori Condinus, a labor leader and activist for over 30 years and the President of the National Action Network Los Angeles, have witnessed, firsthand, the amazing progress that is possible through labor-management-community collaboration, and I look forward to a fruitful endeavor with the Legislature and the other motion picture industry stakeholders. Let’s seize this opportunity to shape the future of California’s production landscape together.

About the Authors

Dominique Ulloa is a Peabody-Award winning editor and Founder of Ujima Entertainment Coalition.

Lori Condinus is the President of the National Action Network Los Angeles.

By Lou K Coleman

It ain’t gonna be nothing nice. Mercy would have left the building, and each man and woman will be judged according to their works which will culminates in the fierce wrath of God with unending torment [Revelation 20:12-15]. Yes, America the sister of Sodom and Gomorrah, who leads the world in every abomination known to man will be destroyed by God for their wickedness and rebelliousness. For God raised up many prophetic voices to call America to repentance and to warn that continued rebellion will lead to doom. America has refused to listen. Because of that, America has passed the point of no return, the point of “dread release”. Therefore, America will be a reproach and a taunt, a warning, and a horror to the rest of the world, declares the Lord. [Ezekiel 5:15]. From judgment to wrath, from discipline to doom. America, a nation that CANNOT be saved even by the prayer of the Righteous! Read [Ezekiel 14:12-20].

For as Nahum pronounced it is one thing for a nation to ignore God and another for it to rebel against God. Both actions will provoke the judgment of God. But when a nation goes to war with God, that nation beckons the wrath of God and thus seals its doom. America is in trouble. God has lost His patience with His unfaithful, disobedient, and covenant breaking people. As God informed Abraham in [Genesis 18:16-21], that a great outcry against the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah had come up before Him, and so He was going to destroy the cities if they were as wicked as He had heard, and so will it be for America, who hate God, who hate the things of God, who are filled with their own lust and with their own desires. America will be transformed from a lush and fruitful ground to a place which just screams death. For as surely as I live, declares the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, surely Moab [America] will become like Sodom, the Ammonites like Gomorrah?a place of weeds and salt pits, a waste land forever. [Zephaniah 2:9].

Oh, When the Wrath of God Touches America!

Then Abraham started negotiating with the Lord. He said, “If you can find fifty righteous people will you spare the city. The Lord said if I find fifty righteous people in the city, I will spare all the people for their sake. [Genesis 18: 26]. Abraham continued to negotiate with God. He dropped the number of righteous people to forty, then to thirty, then to twenty. Then in [Genesis 18:32], Abraham said to the Lord, “If I can find ten righteous people in Sodom and Gomorrah will you spare the cities? The Lord said if He could find ten, He would not destroy it for the ten’s sake. But not even ten could be found in these cities. Tragic!

Consequences of Distracted Driving and Speeding disproportionately impact Black lives

ELK GROVE, CA— June marks the beginning of summer and the observance of National Safety Month. The California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) and Caltrans are calling on all drivers to prioritize safety and help raise awareness about current dangerous driving behavior and its disproportionate impact on Black communities in California and across the U.S.

According to the latest projections from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), more than 4,400 people were killed in traffic crashes in California in 2022, or 12 people every day. A disproportionate number of those deaths affect Black communities and people walking and cycling. People outside of vehicles do not have the same protections as people riding inside vehicles.

A recent study published by the American Journal of Preventive Medicine found that, on a national level, Black people experience a passenger vehicle fatality rate 73% higher than their white counterparts, with the highest overall traffic fatality rate per mile traveled and across all modes of transportation, including walking, cycling, and driving. In California, Black pedestrians have a 65% higher fatality rate compared to white pedestrians.

In an era where screens dominate our attention, distractions behind the wheel have become an alarming issue. Using a phone to dial, talk or text doubles the risk of a driver getting into a crash. Sending or receiving a text message takes a driver’s eyes off the road for an average of 4.6 seconds. In 2020, 3,142 Americans were killed in crashes involving distracted drivers.

Other dangerous driving behaviors like speeding have also become increasingly normalized. Whether it involves exceeding the posted speed limit, driving too fast for conditions or racing, speeding was a factor in 29% of all national traffic fatalities in 2021. In California, 1,509 people were killed in speeding-related crashes in 2021.

To address the dangers of distracted driving, speeding and the disproportionate impacts each dangerous behavior has on Black lives, the OTS and Caltrans launched a call-to-action campaign that aims to establish a strong safety culture in California. You can join the Go Safely Movement and become a traffic safety champion by taking a short Community Call to Action survey to share what issues you are experiencing in your everyday travels. Your answers will assist the OTS and Caltrans in strengthening connections with communities, providing access to resources, and promoting traffic safety across transportation systems.

The OTS and Caltrans encourages everyone to prioritize safety by reminding drivers to practice the following behaviors:

• California has a hands-free cell phone law, which prohibits drivers from holding a phone or other electronic device while behind the wheel.
• Drivers under the age of 18 may not use any mobile communications device at all, whether hands-free or hand-held.
• If you need to make a call or send a text, pull over and park at a safe location.
• Be Work Zone Alert. When you see flashing amber lights ahead and you’re approaching a work zone, slow down and Move Over a lane if it is safe to do so. It’s the law.
• Avoid the temptation of using the phone while driving altogether. Put the phone in the glove box, trunk, or back seat; anywhere you cannot reach.
• Remember, there are other distractions: eating, grooming, reaching for something that fell on the floor, putting on or taking off clothing, deep conversations with passengers, or fussy children in the back seat. If you find yourself in any of these situations, find a quiet, safe place to park and address the distraction.
• Know and respect the speed limit. It’s not worth pushing the envelope to save a minute or two.
• Be aware of your surroundings: Look out for pedestrians, cyclists, and obstructions in the road, especially in hard-to-see conditions such as at night or in bad weather.

Let’s work together to create safer roadways this National Safety Month and beyond. To learn more about the Go Safely Movement, visit gosafelyca.org/thegosafelymovement, and follow Go Safely on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram @OTS_CA and @GoSafelyCA.

By Antonio Ray Harvey | California Black Media

The California Hawaii State Conference of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (CA/HI NAACP) held its 11th annual Legacy Hall of Fame induction ceremony. The event took place on June 24 at the Sheraton Hotel in downtown Sacramento.

At the event, the NAACP paid tribute to 1968 Olympic medalists Dr. Tommie Smith and Dr. John Carlos, and 1967 Olympic Project for Human Rights co-organizers Dr. Harry Edwards and Dr. Kenneth Noel. These men were honored for their contributions to the civil rights movement in the 1960s.

All the honorees except Smith were present at the ceremony. Smith’s friend Darrell Goode accepted the award on his behalf.

“If you receive this award, it exemplifies greatness of your career whether it’s in politics, whether it’s in business, or whether it be activism,” said Rick Callender, President of the CA/HI NAACP.

“I’m sure you can see why now our current inductees are receiving this honor. It just shows you what an incredible impact they had on the lives of everyone in their fight for civil rights,” he added.

After placing first and third in the 200-meter dash at the Olympic Games in Mexico City, sprinters Smith and Carlos ascended the medal stand to receive their respective gold and bronze metals with second-place silver medalist Peter Norman of Australia. During that historic moment, the men led a protest to draw attention to racial discrimination and other negative conditions affecting Black people in America and across the globe.

Shoeless, donning black socks to represent Black poverty, and wearing beads to protest violence against African Americans, the athletes raised a black-gloved fist to show support for Black and oppressed people. Smith wore a black scarf around his neck to show Black pride.

The iconic image of their stance on the podium and their bold display of the Black power movement’s most recognizable symbol (the raised fist) was seen around the world. That moment changed the racial dynamics of international sports forever.

After their stand against racial injustice, Smith and Carlos never relinquished their medals even though the International Olympic Committee (IOC) prohibits protests at the games. They were immediately asked to leave the games in Mexico City.

Carlos said it was a widespread myth for decades that the IOC took his and Smith’s medals.

“They never took our medals. It was pure propaganda,” Carlos told California Black Media. “They were saying for years that they took our medals but what it really was a fear factor. They said it to try to instill fear into every Black athlete after 1968.”

Carlos, Smith, Edwards and Noel were associated with San Jose College’s track and field team in the mid-1960s. Facing discrimination as students on the campus, Edwards and Noel orchestrated rallies, protests and social justice events to attract African American student-athletes and fellow campus activists.

Noel and Edwards started The United Black Students for Action (UBSA). They both noticed that Black student-athletes could use their fame to elevate civil rights issues. They both converted UBSA into the Olympic Project for Human Rights (OPHR), a civil rights organization created to boycott the 1968 Summer Olympics.

On Oct. 16, 1968, Smith won the 200-meter race in a world-record time of 19.83 seconds. Norman finished second with a time of 20.06 seconds, and Carlos was third with a time of 20.10 seconds.

“There were several other people who were really important in our lives and involved in the struggle too,” said Noel, who was known as a gifted middle-distance runner. “One of the things that I will say about the fight for human rights is we endeavored to change the paradigm of what it means to be a champion athlete. Not only to perform on the field but to get involved in politics, and support activities in our communities.”

Edwards, an emeritus professor of Sociology at the University of California Berkeley, and former scholar-athlete at San Jose State College (today San Jose State University), encouraged African American athletes to protest the 1968 summer Olympics in Mexico City with the support of the Project for Human Rights.

Edwards, a long-time consultant at the San Francisco 49ers, is a proud and committed social activist.

In 2016, Edwards supported then-49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick’s controversial protest against excessive use of force by police officers.

Kaepernick took a knee during the playing of the National Anthem before each game, as a way of bringing attention to police brutality against Black people in the United States.

After the first time Kaepernick kneeled, Edwards told him to give him his uniform immediately because his action would be a monumental moment in sports and representative of the new wave of civil rights. Edwards sent the garment to the National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, D.C., alongside Carlos, Smith, and Muhammad Ali’s exhibits.

“He felt strong enough about it to put his career and life on the line. Look at the number of death threats and other things that happened to him. He put it all on the line in order to make that statement,” Edwards said. “He was saying we are better than this. He started a movement that swept the world.”

The Legacy Hall of Fame honors outstanding community leaders who have fought tirelessly to advance the civil rights movement while also creating vital funding for local unit capacity building, youth leadership programs, and NextGen Leadership programs and initiatives, according to the CA/HI NAACP.

By Lue Dowdy, WSS News Commentator | LUE Productions

I love going to comedy events or listening to audio of comedy shows. Comedy has been around for years and has always been a source of inspiration by infusing humorous content into film, theater, radio, television, and more.

In my opinion comedy is a form of medicine, like they say laughter is good for the soul. Please meet a very funny comedian doing her stand up show all over SOCAL, KYMEDIENNE.

Kymedienne has always had a funny sense of humor and there has always been something very special about her. In 1998, Kymedienne started to notice the people around her were always laughing at the witty and funny things she’d say or do. She would encounter different people and situations and would humor people from all walks of life; that is when she decided to pursue a professional career in comedy. ”Kymedienne the Fluff Puff” was born.

She began her comedy career in 2006, when she attended the Ontario Improv Comedy Class.  Her comedy instructors Johnny Dam and Gary Cannon helped her immensely. With their help and comedic guidance, she performed at the Ontario Improv in front of 300 people. The audience received her well. Kymedienne realized that her true passion in life was comedy.

Kymedinne has a fun playful way with the audience and audiences love her. She is fantastically entertaining, bubbly and very confident. She has a dramatic stage presence filled with laughter and high energy. Kymedienne is a natural born entertainer, who knows exactly how to take control of a room and take command of an audience and she does it all with laughter. Kymedienne has performed for many of the hottest comedy clubs in and around greater Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco Bay Area and Las Vegas. Here are just of few of the major clubs where she has graced the stage: Ontario Improv, Laugh Factory, Comedy Store, Comedy Union, The J Spot, Flappers Comedy Club, The Ice House, Ha Ha Comedy Club, Pechanga, Win River Casino and Downtown Comedy Club she also has hosted Antelope Valley Gay Pride and 20% LA Works Festival

In 2008 Kymedienne started her acting career. She has one of the highest rated episodes on the Tru TV Network, with her staring role on Operation Repo. Her many television credits include: Real Husband of Hollywood, Mike and Molly, Rake, True Blood, Total Blackout, Tosh.O, The Doctors, 1000 Ways To Die and We The People With Gloria Allred. Kymedinne’s film credits include: Scout starring Danny Glover, Road to Redemption starting Akon, Last Cry, and Face of Evil.

A highlight for Kymedinne came when she was asked to appear in the music video “One”, by ‘Take 6’, the Grammy award winning Christian R&B singing group. The video featured Brian McKnight, Lil’ Fizz (of B2K) and Mr. Stevie Wonder.

In 2010 Kymedienne entered the world of Radio Broadcasting as Co-Host on “The Truth w/ Cocoa Brown Radio Show”, on Hollywood Outlaw Radio. Due to the success of the show, Kymedinne was appointed Guest Relations Manager for Cocobub Media Productions.

In 2013 Kymedienne stared in these four hysterical webisode Shorts, all of which she created, wrote and produced: For Real, Bill Collector, You a Pigeon, Ain’t Got Money For That. Kymedienne continues to write and produce brand new material as well as perform stand up comedy, which will always be her first love.