What it do with Lue

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

On January 9, with the sound of African drumming in the background, Shirley Weber was sworn-in as the first-elected Black Secretary of State (SOS) of California and the 32nd person to hold the position.

The ceremony was conducted at the SOS’ auditorium in downtown Sacramento, one block south of the State Capitol.

Senate President pro Tempore Toni G. Atkins (D-San Diego) administered the oath of office in front of Weber’s grandsons Kadir and Jalil Gakunga.

“I want to thank all of those who work so hard to make this position, the Secretary of State — and all of those wonderful things that come with it — possible, and for being in my life,” Weber said. “I have been blessed beyond imagination with all of the good things California has to give.”

The daughter of a sharecropper from Hope, Ark., Weber said she is “not supposed to be here” as the state’s chief clerk, overseeing a department of 500-plus employees.

Weber grew up in a two-room, “clapboard house” in Arkansas with her parents and five other siblings before the family relocated to Los Angeles where they lived in Pueblo Del Rio, a housing project known as the “pueblos.”

Weber said the “data” projected that she would not have a bright future. Still, she went on to graduate from UCLA with a PHD, serve on the San Diego Board of Education, teach African American studies at San Diego State University, and successfully ran for California State Assembly in November 2012.

‘My father came from Hope, Arkansas, because there was no hope in Hope,” Weber said. “He came to California because he wanted his children to have a better chance and a better life.”

When Gov. Gavin Newsom appointed Alex Padilla the state’s junior U.S. Senator in Jan. 2021, he nominated Weber as SOS. Padilla filled in for Sen. Kamala Harris, who was elected U.S Vice President. Weber was officially installed as SOS in April 2021.

Weber’s plan after serving in the Legislature was to move to Ghana, Africa, and “build a house up in the hills.” That all changed when Newsom called.

“It was hard for me to think about becoming Secretary of State because I was so content in the Assembly,” Weber said. “When I was asked to be Secretary of State, I thought hard and long about it. I realized that everything about the Secretary of State was central to my life. I thought to myself that I am always the one taking the hard challenges. I said who better than a kid of sharecropper, who never had a chance to vote, who could fight for the rights of voters.”

The Secretary of State is the chief elections officer of the State, responsible for overseeing and certifying elections, as well as testing and certifying voting equipment for use in California. Weber’s duties also include overseeing the state’s archives division and registry of businesses.

In her remarks, Atkins praised Weber’s “leadership” and “morality” and called her “a tireless champion of democracy,” adding that those characteristics are integral to performing the duties of Secretary of State.

Atkins told guests that she first met Weber when she was 24 years old and that Weber helped her run for state Assembly.

For the first time in its history, California has three Black constitutional officers. The others are Controller Malia M. Cohen and Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond.

“You know, our constitutional officers are unique, and I give credit to our Governor (Gavin Newsom) and the people of California. “There is no other list of constitutional officers like this. Where do you have a list of constitutional officers where it only has one White male in it? That is unheard of. The diversity (and) the fact that women are constitutional officers in California is historic.”

Weber’s daughter, Assemblymember Akilah Weber (D-San Diego) was the ceremony’s emcee while Assemblymember Chris Holden (D-Pasadena) provided the invocation. David Bauman’s African drumming and musical selections by Dr. Tecoy Porter, pastor of Genesis Church Sacramento and President of the National Action Network Sacramento Chapter and his Genesis Church choir were the entertainment. Weber’s son Akil Weber provided the closing statements.

“Words cannot express how truly proud I am of what my mother has done, what she will continue to do, the door she has opened, the legacy she is creating,” Assemblymember Akilah Weber said of her mother.

By Antonio Ray Harvey | California Black Media

Last week Malia M. Cohen was sworn-in as the first Black woman – and first African American — to serve as California’s State Controller.

On Monday, January 2, the oath of office was administered by Gov. Gavin Newsom.

“I am proud and honored to serve as California’s state controller,” said Cohen. “The work to create a more equitable California has already begun. I look forward to ensuring fiscal accountability, with an eye toward transparency and innovation.”

On Friday Jan. 6, Cohen was given the oath of office by San Francisco Mayor London Breed with her husband Warren Pulley by her side.

The community event was held at St. Paul Missionary Baptist Church in Sacramento.

“I am proud and honored to serve as California’s State Controller,” Cohen said. “The work to create a more equitable California has already begun. I look forward to ensuring fiscal accountability, with an eye toward transparency and innovation.”

California now has three Black politicians holding Constitutional offices including Cohen. Secretary of State Dr. Shirley Weber and State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond are the others.

“Congratulations @MaliaCohen. As California’s first Black state controller, Malia has made history and continues to break barriers while helping build long-term equity throughout our communities. I’m confident she will continue fighting for the rights of all Californians,” Breed stated in a January 6 post on her Twitter page

“I am excited to get to work on creating a more equitable California as your next Controller,” Cohen tweeted January 6.

Cohen was elected to the California Board of Equalization (BOE) in November 2018 and was named chairperson in 2019 and 2022. As Controller, Cohen continues to serve the Board as the BOE’s fifth voting member.

Prior to being elected to the BOE, Cohen was President of the Board of Supervisors of the City and County of San Francisco. As a Member of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, she also served as the Chair of the Budget and Finance Committee and President of the San Francisco Employees’ Retirement System (SFERS).

Cohen was born and raised in San Francisco. Her political journey, she says lightheartedly, began when she was elected class president of San Francisco’s Lowell High School, the oldest public high school on the West Coast. She has a bachelor’s degree in Political Science from Fisk University, a Historically Black College and University (HBCU), and a master’s degree in Public Policy and Management from Carnegie Mellon University.

She and her husband reside in San Francisco along with their daughter.

As the chief fiscal officer of California, Cohen is responsible for accountability and disbursement of the state’s financial resources. The controller also has independent auditing authority over government agencies that spend state funds.

Cohen’s duties include being a member of numerous financing authorities, and fiscal and financial oversight entities including the Franchise Tax Board. She also serves on the boards for the nation’s two largest public pension funds.

At the St. Paul Baptist Missionary Baptist Church swearing-in, Kenneth Reece, the Senior Pastor, gave the opening prayer.

Held at the church six miles from the State Capitol, Cohen’s swearing-in ceremony included prayers offered by Imam Yasir Kahn, the Chaplain of the California State Assembly, and Rabbi Mona Alfi, the Senior Rabbi of Congregation B’Nai Israel.

Among guests were Assemblymember Chris Holden (D-Pasadena), Director of Bay Area Rapid Transit Bevan Duffy, California Labor Federation Executive Secretary-Treasurer Lorena Gonzalez, the singer Aloe Blacc and Jaqueline Thompson, Pastor at Allen Temple Baptist Church in Oakland.

Cohen’s swearing-in was held on the second anniversary of the attack on the U.S. Capitol. The day was packed with political activities in Sacramento and shadowed by references to the infamous Capitol insurrection in Washington that shocked people across the country and around the world.

That day, Gov. Newsom was sworn in to a second term. Rob Bonta was also sworn-in for the first time as the state’s Attorney General. He was appointed to the position by Newsom in March 2021.

Before Newsom’s outdoor ceremony, the Governor, his wife, and four children led a march from West Sacramento, across the Tower Bridge, to the Capitol. During the Governor’s address on the steps of the Capitol, he shared his feelings about the attack on the U.S. Capitol two years ago while addressing some of the state’s most pressing issues.

“Our politics doesn’t always reward taking on the hardest problems. The results of our work may not be evident for a long time. But that cannot be our concern,” Newsom said. “We will prepare for uncertain times ahead. We will be prudent stewards of taxpayer dollars, pay down debt, and meet our future obligations. And we will build and safeguard the largest fiscal reserve of any state in American history.”

WASHINGTON, D.C.—- The 400 Years of African American History Commission (YAAHC), a federally appointed committee operating independently as established by the Secretary of the Department of the Interior and administered by the National Park Service invites you to join them for Justice Sunday Service Around the Clock on Sunday, January 15, 2023. Programming will begin at 12 p.m., EST, hosted by acclaimed actor/producer Ernie Hudson, featuring remarks from distinguished leaders such as:

• Sec. Lonnie Bunch, Smithsonian Institute
• Courtney Cox, SNCC Legacy Project
• Kemba Smith, Kemba Smith Foundation
• Glenn Anton “Doc” Rivers, 400 YAAHC Mentor of the Year
• Bryan Stevenson, Founder of The Equal Justice Initiative
• Bishop Eugene Taylor Sutton, Episcopal Diocese of Maryland
• Dr. Kideste Yusef, Bethune Cookman University
• 70+ additional voices who maintain a commitment to service across industries, as well as music and spoken word

“Cultivating a space for African Americans to engage with the history of the leaders that preceded us is of the utmost importance. Justice Sunday is a space for us to reflect, reaffirm, and remember our charge on this earth,” explained Executive Director, Ms. Addie Richburg.

The 400 YAAHC recently awarded $150,000 in Network to Freedom grants to 26 existing and prospective listings in 10 states plus Washington, D.C., to document, preserve and interpret Underground Railroad history.

On December 02, 2022, the National Black Caucus of State Legislators (NBCSL) presented its David P. Richardson, Jr. National Nation Builder Award to the 400 YAAHC at the 46th Annual Legislative Conference Gala Award Dinner in Las Vegas, Nevada as fighters for truth and justice.

The 400 YAAHC National Student Ambassadors Saniya Gay, the inaugural National Miss Juneteenth, and Tybre Faw, a mentee of the late Congressman John Lewis will co-host the one-hour virtual watch party beginning at 4:45 pm, EST, on Sunday, January 15, 2023, for Justice Sunday Service Around the Clock.

Please visit www.400yaahc.gov for more information.

“This is a diverse event that honors Black, Latino, Asian, white and all ethnicities,” said LuCretia Dowdy, president of LUE productions, the event’s organizer. “All races and creeds are welcome to this celebration of unity.”

SAN BERNARDINO, CA—- On Saturday, January 14 from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m., the annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Gala Awards is hosting a Red-Carpet Event at the San Bernardino International Airport. This year’s honorees are Wallace Allen, Wilmer Amina Carter, Danny Tillman, Hardy and Cheryl Brown, Jimmy Jews, Damon and Felicia Alexander and Darren Goodman.

“We are so happy to be honoring this year’s awardees,” said LuCretia Dowdy, president of LUE productions, the event’s organizer. “These people all have demonstrated diligent service to the communities they serve, helping to fulfill Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s dream of equality for all.”

The black-tie event will open at 5 p.m. with a cocktail hour and live entertainment that will regale attendees during the dinner, followed by the awards presentation. The airport is located at 275 North Leland Way in San Bernardino.

Damon Alexander serves on the San Bernardino City Council, representing the 7th Ward since November 2020. He has also been the Chairman of the City of San Bernardino’s Public Safety and Human Relations Commission, the Citizens Advisory Committee on Marijuana, as well as the President of the North End Neighborhood Association (NENA). His wife, Felicia, serves as Member at Large on the San Bernardino County Human Resources Equal Opportunity Commission.

Wallace Allen hosts a radio talk interview show, Empire Talks Back, on NBC affiliate KCAA and is the publisher of the West Side Story online newspaper that covers news and events happening in the west end of San Bernardino County.

Cheryl Brown is also a former California Assemblymember and current San Bernardino City Library Foundation Board member and Founder of the Black Voice News and the Black Voice Foundation. Hardy Brown College Prep, a tuition-free public charter K-12 school in San Bernardino, is named after her husband Hardy.

Wilmer Amina Carter served as California Assemblymember for the 62nd District and today is Director of Rialto-based Creative Business Services, Inc., She was the first Black elected to the Rialto Unified School District and served as district Director for the late Congressman George Brown for 21 years. Carter is the only living African American woman to have had a high school named after her, in her hometown of Rialto, Wilmer Amina Carter High School.

Danny Tillman is an information systems administrator for the County of San Bernardino Human Services Dept. and sits on the San Bernardino City Unified School District Board of Education, where he serves as the longest serving member and Board Vice President. He advocates for the success of district students.

The last two honorees both broke color barriers by becoming the first Blacks to be hired by their respective agencies. On June 16, 2022, Darren Goodman became the first Black chief of police in San Bernardino. He also served as the City of Upland’s first Black chief of police. His 31 years of law enforcement experience included 27 with the San Bernardino Sheriff’s Dept.

Jimmy Jews broke the color barrier as San Bernardino’s first Black firefighter in 1971 and retired 25 years later, having risen through the ranks to hold the positions of fire investigator and then as spokesperson, achieving the rank of Captain in 1989. Jimmy passed away on November 17, 2022, at the age of 79. He will be honored posthumously.

Event sponsors include the Southern California Black Chamber of Commerce and Youthbuild Inland Empire Charter School.

“This is a diverse event that celebrates Black, Latino, Asian, white and all ethnicities,” said Ms. Dowdy, “All races and creeds are welcome to this celebration of unity.”

For tickets and to RSVP for the event, call 888-466-7408 or go to the Black Chamber of Commerce website, info@blackchamberofcommerce.org.

By Joe W. Bowers Jr. | California Black Media

The Los Angeles County Office of Education (LACOE) will soon announce its choice for the next County Administrator for the Inglewood Unified School District (IUSD).

In the job description applicants were told “the district has made significant strides toward recovery and is within 3-4 years of being able to meet the minimum milestone for self-governance, offering the successful candidate a rare leadership opportunity.”

If history is any indication, IUSD has had eight State/County Administrators (including 3 interim) in a little over 10 years. The odds are against the ninth administrator being around to coordinate IUSD’s transition back to local control.

The IUSD Board of Education should be selecting the next leader for the school district, not LACOE. But, in 2012 facing the possibility of insolvency, Senate Bill 533 authorized a state loan and gave the State Superintendent of Public Instruction (SPI), Tom Torlakson control over IUSD. In 2018, Assembly Bill 1840 transferred authority to LACOE Superintendent Debra Duardo.

Since 2012, IUSD’s five-member Board of Education has been serving in an advisory role to the revolving door of appointed State and County Administrators.

Existing laws governing receivership say that a school district will regain control when it shows adequate progress in implementing the recommendations of a comprehensive review conducted by the Fiscal Crisis and Management Assistance (FCMAT) in five operational areas (financial management, personnel management, community relations and governance, facilities management, and pupil achievement).

FCMAT is an independent and external state agency that provides financial management assistance and general consulting to the state’s school districts. Their latest review of IUSD generated 885 recommendations for implementing 153 operational standards spread across the five operational areas.

IUSD has achieved proficiency in just two of the FCMAT operational areas – governance and personnel management – after 10 years under State and County control.

Existing laws give Duardo, with the concurrence of SPI Tony Thurmond and State Board of Education President Linda Darling-Hammond, the power to determine when IUSD can resume local control. However, many Inglewood residents familiar with the school district believe it’s Duardo’s choice of administrators that are failing to conform with FCMAT standards.

The nine reviews FCMAT conducted show that constant turnover of leadership and the number of poor leader choices by the State and County have led to inconsistency in developing and executing effective recovery plans for IUSD, stunted academic progress for the students, and inadequate maintenance of IUSD facilities.

When Torlakson took over IUSD, he said, “The State Administrator will control the district until fiscal insolvency has been eliminated, between two to six years.

The commentary I wrote titled, “After 10 Years it’s Time to Return Control of Inglewood Schools to the Community,” showed that ten years of state intervention is not a guarantee that a school district in receivership will be better managed.

While existing law mandates that the state controls IUSD to protect its $29 million loan, the opportunity cost to IUSD of the state’s mismanagement has been significantly more than the amount it borrowed.

For example, before receivership, the Los Angeles World Airports (“LAWA”) agreed to fund noise mitigation measures for IUSD not to exceed $118.5 million. The State/County Administrators who took over have only secured $44 million of the funding, leaving $74.5 million on the table.

City Honors High School is a dependent charter school run by IUSD that was recognized by U.S. World and News Report as a silver-medal finalist. When the Charter Schools Facilities Program was awarding grants for charter school construction, Don Brann, who Torlakson had appointed to oversee IUSD, didn’t apply for a state grant. But, DaVinci Charter schools which Brann helped found in the Wiseburn Unified School District located next door to IUSD applied and was awarded a $52.7 Million grant. Had IUSD applied for a grant for a City Honors building it would have been ahead of DaVinci in line for the limited funds.

Since 2012, IUSD has paid FCMAT about $2.6 Million for the nine yearly comprehensive reviews, an expense mandated by the statue authorizing the loan and paid from the school district’s General Fund.

IUSD is no longer in financial trouble. According to the latest 2022-23 budget projections, it will have a positive ending General Fund balance of $94.5 million and positive ending cash balance of $83.7 million. IUSD owes $19.6 million on its state loan.

In a recent review FCMAT conducted, LACOE admitted that IUSD had made little annual progress and is no closer to recovery today than two years ago.

IUSD has gone without local control longer than any school district that’s taken a state loan. It can no longer afford the compromised quality of education being delivered to students by LACOE’s management.

The IUSD community has been expressing its frustration at school board meetings about the quality of the schools the last 10 years, but LACOE lacks the management judgment to effectively respond to community concerns.

Schools LACOE operates not including IUSD, lead all California with the largest gap between Black and White students meeting states standards on the 2022 Smarter Balanced Assessments in English language arts.

Because statues governing state loans offer no way for IUSD to regain local control at this time, legislation amending those statues is needed that recognizes for 10 years State and County administrators have failed IUSD students and that it’s in the best interest of IUSD students to have the school board retain all of its legal rights, duties and powers.

The education system in California is based on local control

The new legislation needs to recognize that a statute of limitations has to be established on how long school districts under receivership have to put up with ineffective state management, especially if the school district is no longer in financial hardship.

Specific agencies have to be identified in the legislation with authority to hold the State or County accountable for addressing the slow progress it is making to qualify the district for a return to local governance. Incentives for quick turnarounds must be offered.

The offices of the legislators representing IUSD – Sen. Steve Bradford (D-District 35) and Assemblymembers Tina McKinnor (D-District 61) and Isaac Bryan (D-District 55) have been approached about the need for legislation to return local control to IUSD. The office of recently elected Sen. Lola Smallwood-Cuevas (D-District 28) was also contacted, but no staff was available to discuss legislation.

Support from the California Legislative Black Caucus is also being solicited.

It will be up to IUSD’s legislators to introduce a bill during this legislative session for the return of IUSD to local control.

By Dr. Hermene D. Hartman 

When we look at contemporary trends of 2023, it reveals an increasingly interconnected world where technological advances have revolutionized almost every aspect of life. We have experienced a digital revolution and evolution. In the realm of romance, virtual dating has become more popular than ever as people are finding new ways to form relationships. social media has changed how we relate to one another, and this pattern will change further with new apps.

The push for more equitable policies has been gaining momentum in politics, and citizens are given a more excellent voice in shaping their futures. This has created friction and disturbance to the political order, but it is here to stay. Elections are becoming electrifying as candidates present themselves from _Facebook_ to _TikTok_. A candidate today is a media production of personality and cutesy more than message and platforms. This is taking American politics to another place. Yet, with these platforms, democracy is presented and challenged. On the financial front, cryptocurrencies have become a viable investment option, and digital currencies are becoming increasingly popular. Soon this new currency will return to the market but with government regulation in place.

When it comes to health and social issues, 2023 will see considerable advances in medical technologies and treatments that have made a tremendous difference in the lives of people around the world. Social media continues to play an important role in connecting people, offering opportunities for open dialogue about social issues, and providing platforms for activism. Cannabis has become widely accepted, with many countries decriminalizing it or even legalizing its use for recreational purposes. This might be the year when we see cannabis legalized at the federal level. The more states open up cannabis stores, the more pressure will be put on the feds to level the business so they might receive tax benefits.

Finally, 2023 will be a great year for entertainment. The rise of streaming services has brought fresh content to the forefront and made it easier to access new films, shows, and music, that appeal to many tastes. This trend continues as we will recognize new talent and new platforms as we all try to figure it out. There will be specials galore in every category. Who would have thought we would be looking at folk selling real estate or cooking or fixing up old houses on TV? Some of the best shows lend themselves only to your imagination. In the world of TV, we have seen “_I Love Lucy_” become “_I Love the Kardashians._” Content is king and comes in many forms, with new faces, stories, and documentaries. Everybody has a story.

In the area of politics, we wonder, will Donald Trump go to a jail cell, or will he be the presidential candidate for the Republican party? Who knows? It seems by the polls that his popularity is dwindling, but who will step up? I predict there will be an upset, and President Joe Biden will serve a second term. Biden brought civility back to America by being pure and wholesome.

Meanwhile, new politicians and younger politicos will emerge on the local spectrum. A more youthful politician is coming forth. The political landscape represents what America looks like for real, with more women and more people of color will be elected to higher office. The key to campaign winning today is authenticity. People want the real deal, not promises.

On the fashion front, we will see anything goes. Tuxedo and evening gowns will be worn with sneakers. The goal is to be comfortable. Women may never return to day-to-day 4-inch heels when flats will do. Instead, we will see a return to basics with a touch of extravaganza if you wish. During the pandemic years, people got comfortable at home with sweats, and why take them off as we still work from home?

(Black PR Wire) Her skin is like coal mixed with diamonds and her color-rich resort planet is the jewel of the galaxy. But when a series of phantom voices and painful scars force her into exile, she discovers she’s so much more than a dark beauty queen. Her spirit can inhabit the souls of the dead.

This description summarizes “Where it Rains in Color,” (Angry Robot Books) a sci-fi novel that uplifts black women, celebrates the power of melanin, and shines the spotlight on the brilliant Dogon Tribe of Mali, West Africa (best known for their ability to chart stars without telescopes or other devices).

Written by award-winning journalist, Denise Crittendon, the novel plays with universal beauty standards and challenges the structure and system in which they live.

“It’s important to note that the protagonist is not loved and revered despite being black. She is loved and revered because she is black,” says Crittendon, a former features-writer for “The Detroit News.” She adds: “It elevates African culture and what it means to be black. I wanted to usher in a new black aesthetic and project people of African descent into a future that doesn’t strip us of our innate majesty. The inhabitants of my futuristic black planet are powerful, technological geniuses far removed from the misery of the past.”

Listed by Literary Hub and denofgeek.com as one of the best sci-fi releases of December 2022, “Where it Rains in Color,” was number one on Amazon’s Kindle for two weeks and was heralded by “Book Riot” as a novel that will have you “rethinking how you see beauty.”

Crittendon, who was the first woman in the history of the NAACP to be appointed editor of their naitonal magazine, “The Crisis,” is a native Detroiter who was voted one of the “Most Influential Black Women of Metro Detroit.” She’s co-author of “Millionaire Moves: Seven Proven Principals of Entrepreneurship” (written with business mogul William Pickard).

For more information, contact Caroline Lambe at caroline@angryrobotbooks.com or denisecrittendonbooks@gmail.com.

SACRAMENTO, CA— Following the Bruce family’s decision to sell their property to the County of Los Angeles, Senator Steven Bradford (D-Gardena) released the following statement:

“I fully support the decision made by the Bruce family to sell the property to the County of LA. They are exercising a right that should have never been taken away from them. I understand why the Bruce family would want to sell the property. The current zoning regulations would prevent the Bruce family from developing the property in any economically beneficial manner. Based on that fact it leaves LA County as the only logical purchaser of the property.

“The Manhattan Beach City Council stole the land under false pretenses nearly one hundred years ago and deprived the Bruce’s of generations of wealth. I am proud to have authored the legislation (SB 796) and to help descendants of the Bruce family reclaim their land and to have the deed transferred back to its rightful owners.

“In no way does selling the property diminish the powerful example that the return of Bruce’s Beach represents in America. They were able to reclaim what was rightfully theirs.”

Senate Bill 796, authored by Senator Bradford in 2021, cleared the way for the beachfront land to be returned to the Bruce family. In June of last year, the County of Los Angeles Transfer Documents detailed a 24-month lease agreement with the Bruce family and rented the property from them. The Lease Agreement also included the Bruce’s right to sell the property to the County for a purchase price not to exceed $20 million.

Black Californians are most affected by criminal offenses based on prejudic

By McKenzie Jackson | California Black Media

Officials and advocates across California are pouring resources into pointing out that racism and racial intolerance impact public health — major factors, they say, behind the substantial increase in hate crimes and hate incidents in the Golden State.

In Stop the Hate, a 2021 report focused on hate crimes in Los Angeles County researchers reached several revealing conclusions that line up with trends reported across the state.

Among the findings that stood out in the LA County report were: Black Californians are still most impacted by hate crimes; hate crimes are significantly underreported to law enforcement (by as much 50 %); and they violate human rights as defined by 177 nations around the world in the United Nations Universal Declaration on Human Rights.

Although African Americans in Los Angeles County make up only 9% of the population, they accounted for 46 % of the victims of hate crimes in 2021, according to the Stop the Hate Report.

Statewide in 2021, Black Californians accounted for a disproportionate 44% of the victims of documented hate crimes although African Americans make up about 6% of the state’s population, according to statistics released by the California Attorney General Rob Bonta’s office in June.

The Los Angeles County study was spearheaded by the Los Angeles County Commission on Human Rights and research for it was conducted in an area encompassing Central and South Los Angeles, neighborhoods in the San Fernando Valley, West Hollywood and Hollywood

In nearby Orange County (OC), officials there joined a growing chorus of other Golden State cities and counties that have declared racism a public health crisis.

At their Dec. 6 public meeting, the Orange County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved “A Resolution of The Board of Supervisors of the County of Orange Declaring Racism and Inequity as a Public Health Crisis.”

The resolution is based on the premise that systemic racism causes persistent discriminatory policies and evidence cited in numerous studies linking racism to negative health outcomes. In it, the OC Board of Supervisors vowed to promote an inclusive and racial equity justice-oriented governmental organization that is aware of “unfairness through robust trainings and continuing education to expand the understanding of how racial discrimination affects individuals and communities most impacted by inequities.”

Orange County Human Relations Council Director of Operations Don Han applauded the Southern California county board’s move.

“This signified that we are serious about stopping hate,” said Han, whose nonprofit is geared toward combatting discrimination in the Southern California county. “That is our goal.”

Han said there is evidence that systematic racism has existed in Orange County — which is 70 % White — like most of the U.S., for generations.

Within the last two years, the cities of Coachella, Goleta, Long Beach, and Los Angeles and counties such as Monterey, Riverside, Sacramento, San Diego, and Santa Barbara passed resolutions categorizing racism as a public health distress.

The Oakland City Council deemed racism a public health crisis in June and promised to work to advance racial equity.

At the time, Seema Rupani of the Oakland City Attorney’s Office, said the government had a responsibility to address the health problem racism has caused.

“Structural racism has existed for centuries, and it has always impacted communities of color here, but during the pandemic the inequities became more pronounced,” she said. “They were growing. They were becoming more exposed particularly with COVID and housing and homelessness and economic disparities and there was just a responsibility to acknowledge what was happening and to take steps to address it.”

Oakland’s resolution directed $350,000 in the city budget for data analyst and consulting services to aid the city and its department of race and equity to enhance “improvements in systems for collection and processing data to track performance and equity progress,” reads the council’s resolution.

The OC supervisors did not attach a dollar amount to what the county will do to combat discrimination but indicated they will support diversity and inclusion as a core component to the delivery of health and human services for underserved populations, including appropriate allocation of resource to personnel training and public education.

Over 200 governmental bodies in 37 states have passed declarations concerning racism’simpact on public health.

U.S. Centers of Disease Control and Prevention Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky called racism a public health danger in 2021.

She pointed to how the pandemic impacted communities of color in terms of case numbers, deaths, and social consequences.

“What we know is this: racism is a serious public health threat that directly affects the well-being of millions of Americans,” Walensky said. “Racism is not just the discrimination against one group based on the color of their skin or their race or ethnicity, but the structural barriers that impact racial and ethnic groups differently to influence where a person lives, where they work, where their children play, and where they worship and gather in community.”

In Orange County, hate crimes and related incidents were up 165 percent in 2021 compared to five years ago, according to OC Human Relations Council’s “2021 Orange County Hate Crimes Report.”

Black people were the target of 24 reported hate incidents and 16 hate crimes in 2021, while there were 153 hate incidents and 10 hate crimes committed against Asian/Pacific Islanders.

Han touched on how systematic racism can be traced back to slavery — citing, for example, the U.S. Government never honoring Union General William T. Sherman’s promise to grant formerly enslaved Black people land they after they were freed. He added that people who do not understand history fear what the OC resolution could mean legally.

 “There are a number of folks who have a lack of knowledge on this, and they lash out,” Han said. “But they don’t represent a majority of the county. The resolution signified that we are serious about stopping hate. We are seeing a shining light at the end of the tunnel.”