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By McKenzie Jackson | California Black Media

Aaron Ellis, 43, has personally experienced the pain and animosity victims of hate incidents suffer.

On January 30, Ellis, an editor for a press release service and a Black resident of San Dimas, was dressed in his workout clothes and wearing a backpack filled with bricks to increase the intensity of his workout when as he started to walk around his Charter Oak neighborhood in the San Gabriel Valley, a Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department cruiser pulled up and directed him to halt.

Within moments, Ellis reported that the officer aggressively slammed him against the cruiser hood, frisked and handcuffed him, and tossed him in the backseat of the patrol car. Someone had accused Ellis of peeking into parked vehicles. Ellis, barely 10 minutes into his 45-minute workout, said he was dumbfounded and terrified.

“The deputy said they got a call that someone matching my description was trying to break into cars,” Ellis recalled. “I said that was absurd because I just started walking. I was on the street so short of a time I didn’t have a chance to come around cars.”

The officer, Ellis remembered, acted like everything about him was suspicious. Not having his ID with him didn’t help. Two additional police cars arrived, and the deputy who detained Ellis said they would release him if they could verify that no crimes had occurred.

Ultimately, Ellis was released. After a tense exchange with the deputy, he walked home and told his wife what occurred.

Ellis’ dad filed a complaint at a sheriff’s station.

The actions and presumed biases of the person who called 911 and the Latino deputy who detained Ellis were rooted in hate, Ellis believed.

“I can’t think of any other reason someone would call the police on me and say some heinous, straight-up lies unless it was race based,” he said. “As far as the actions of the police, they were just responding to a call. How I was treated though — they didn’t give me a certain benefit of the doubt they would have given other people.”

UCLA’s Initiative to Study Hate aims to understand and mitigate the kind of hate Ellis experienced at the hands of law enforcement and other forms this societal issue takes. For example, how hate shows up in groups, institutions and even organizations that form to fight against it.

The three-year social impact project, launched in October 2022 with the support of a $3 million unanimous donation, brings together scholars from various specialties to explore topics such as the impact of social media hate speech on youths, racial bias in health care settings, the neurobiology underlying hate, and the unexpected areas where hate appears in daily life.

The initiative’s director, David Myers, the UCLA Sady and Ludwig Kahn Professor of Jewish History, recently said in a press release that hate is pervasive and vexing.

“But in just one year, we have gained important new insights into how it functions and how we might better address it,” he said.

During the study’s first year, researchers investigated topics including the treatment of Black youth experiencing suicidal thoughts, the roles of Black and Latinx youth in gun prevention programs, the hyper-sexualization of Asian women and the crimes in the U.S. motivated by race and gender, and how partisan media has spurred right-wing extremism.

Researchers discovered that hate speech on social media affected 80% of fifth to 12th graders with 47% cyberbullied. Additionally, 75% of unhoused peoples experienced discrimination within a month, with over half stating they had been harassed or threatened.

The project will launch a podcast series within the next year and work in partnership with the California Commission on the State of Hate to develop resources and guidance for governments and communities to reduce and respond to hate activity. Another partnership with UCLA’s Alan D. Leve Center for Jewish Studies will put a spotlight on antisemitism in the U.S. and across the globe.

The research is set to continue. A team will explore historical approaches to combat hate and how its definition can hinder its mitigation. Another group will broaden its study of hate and cyberbullying on social media to include college students. Other researchers will analyze hate’s impact on youth and the media and information landscape, racism in childbirth, and anti-Black hate.

In an email to California Black Media (CBM), Meyers said future initiatives to study hate will examine Islamophobia and Antisemitism in response to the headline-grabbing news pouring out of the conflicts in Israel and Palestinian lands.

Initiative fellow and social scientist Kevin Gatter said the project brings scholars together to push through challenges.

“This initiative is a testament to the importance of drawing from other fields in order to produce research that will have a greater impact,” he said.

Hate crimes and incidents are on the rise in California – and they continue to impact Blacks more than any other race. According to the California Department of Justice, in 2022 hate crimes involving racism, anti-Semitism and homophobia increased by more than 20%.

Ellis said, overall, most of his experiences with people in his area are friendly. Now, he is concerned about the source of the hate he experienced.

“The ones who lurk in the shadows are who I worry about,” Ellis said. “The person who called the police on me, I still don’t know who that is. That is why I don’t go down that street.”

Myers said the UCLA initiative is more than a school project.

“We don’t want to simply to know how hate works,” he said. “We want to eradicate it.”

This California Black Media report was supported in whole or in part by funding provided by the State of California, administered by the California State Library.

By Antonio Ray Harvey | California Black Media

Last week, California Attorney General Rob Bonta’s office released data that established which demonstrated a connection between domestic violence and gun violence, and highlighted the risks women face in abusive relationships.

The California Partnership to End Domestic Violence (CPEDV), reports that women being abused by male partners who own guns are five times more likely to be murdered by their abusive partners. From 2013 to 2022, women accounted for 83% of victims killed in domestic violence-related gun homicides by a current or former intimate partner.

“The data is clear. People who commit domestic violence and abuse, they simply should not have firearms,” Bonta said during a news conference on Nov. 6, at the office of WEAVE in Sacramento’s Midtown. WEAVE is the primary provider of crisis intervention services for survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault in Sacramento County.

The California Department of Justice “Domestic Violence Involving Firearms in California” report explores the effect of firearm-related domestic violence incidents involving firearms throughout California. It covers the state’s long-term progress in reducing domestic violence involving firearms, the significant increases since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, the large differences among counties across the state, and the impacts on different populations based on victims’ reported sex, age, and race or ethnicity.

The report broadly defines “domestic violence” to include both family-related and intimate partner-related violence, which may occur in “public as well as private spaces.” The data indicates that the state’s efforts have helped significantly reduce the incidence of domestic violence, especially incidents involving firearms.

California’s population grew from 31,274,928 in 1993 to 39,437,610 in 2019, a 26% increase. Correspondingly, on a per capita basis, from 1993 to 2019, California law enforcement agencies reported a 53% reduction in domestic violence-related homicides and a 61% reduction in domestic violence-related gun homicides.

Researchers estimate that about 4.5 million women alive today have been threatened by an inmate partner with a gun and that nearly one million have been shot, shot at, or had a gun used against them by an inmate partner.

The report highlights that there are significant differences across California communities in rates of reported domestic violence involving firearms. Los Angeles County, for example, recorded 184,956 domestic violence calls between 2018 and 2022, with 2,908 calls involving firearms.

In addition, the counties of Alameda reported 27,482 calls (265 involving firearms), San Francisco had 16,509 (105), Sacramento reported 24,752 (247), Riverside 34,464 (212), and San Diego listed 88,497 calls (523 involving firearms) during the four-year span.

“Violence is not an accident. It is also not inevitable, and it can be prevented. Removing dangerous weapons from people who pose a danger to others is key to that goal,” Bonta stated. “This report gives an in-depth look at the ties between domestic violence and firearms, shining a light on the problem at hand, and illuminating the path to safety before us.”

Recognizing the dangerous connection between domestic violence and gun violence, California has adopted and invested in policies that enhance safety for survivors and the community, the report states.

Bonta launched the Department of Justice’s Office of Gun Violence Prevention (OGVP) in 2022 with the mission of supporting data-driven and impact-driven efforts to prevent gun violence and related traumas.

From 2013 to 2022, California law enforcement agencies reported 1,254-gun homicides where the suspected offenders were identified as a current or former intimate partner or family member of the victim, based on the OGVP’s analysis of victims’ race and ethnicity.

A majority (38%) of these domestic violence gun homicide victims in California were identified as non-Hispanic White, followed closely by Hispanic victims (33%). However, Black victims (13%) were disproportionately represented among adult female, male, and minor victims of domestic violence gun homicides. The Black population of California accounts for about 5.7% of the state’s population of nearly 40 million people.

“Survivors deserve to begin their pathway to healing with laws that promote their safety. We refuse to leave domestic violence survivors and communities behind — especially Black and Native women who disproportionately feel the impacts of gun violence,” stated Rocci Jackson, Gun Violence Restraining Order Community Analyst at the CPEDV.

Bonta held the news conference one day before the U.S. Supreme Court began hearing arguments in the U.S. v. Rahimi, a case involving a Second Amendment challenge to a federal law disarming individuals subject to certain Domestic Violence Restraining Orders (DVROs).

The report highlights California’s efforts to empower and protect survivors by providing a range of support services, offering crisis intervention and safety planning options, providing DVROs, and enforcing laws to protect against gun violence.

Bonta urges the SCOTUS to reverse a decision that would endanger domestic violence victims and allow firearms to remain in the hands of their abusers. The Fifth Circuit vacated the criminal conviction of a defendant who had possessed a firearm while subject to a DVRO, which a state court in Texas issued against him after finding he had assaulted his ex-girlfriend.

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit’s decision in U.S. v. Rahimi would, Bonta expressed, invalidate a federal law that prohibits adjudicated domestic abusers subject to DVROs from possessing firearms.

On August 22, 2023, Bonta joined a coalition of 25 attorneys general in filing an amicus brief in the case, urging the Supreme Court to strike down the Fifth Court’s decision and reaffirming California’s commitment to preventing gun violence through protective orders such as DVROs.

“No one should ever fear becoming a victim of gun violence, let alone at the hands of an abusive partner or loved one.,” Bonta stated. “Violent perpetrators like Zackey Rahimi have demonstrated their risk to public safety and have no business possessing a firearm. Removing dangerous weapons from people who pose a danger to others is key to protecting both survivors and the broader community.”

By Lou Coleman

“Everybody talkin’ ’bout heaven ain’t goin’ there.” O my Lord!

As in [Proverbs chapter 30 verse 12] it says, “There is a kind of generation who is pure in their own eyes, yet not washed from their filthiness,” “They have a zeal for God, but not in accordance with knowledge.” [Romans 10:2]. I tell you, “Everybody talkin’ ‘bout heaven ain’t goin’ there.”

The Word of God is quite clear that many will be excluded from Heaven. [Matthew 7:13-14]. Jesus warned, “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness” [Matthew 7:21-23]. Your soul is being weighed in the balances. Mene, Mene,Tekel, Peres [Daniel 5:7]. Depart from Me, ye that work iniquity. [Matthew 7:21-23].

Everybody talkin’ ‘bout heaven ain’t goin’ there.” Oh my Lord!

By Tanu Henry, Antonio Ray Harvey and Joe W. Bowers Jr. | California Black Media

In recognition of Veterans Day on November 12, Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA-12) urged military veterans to submit claims for burn pit exposure, which research has shown is linked to several illnesses, including some cancers.

“This Veterans Day, let us recognize the courageous servicemembers and their families who have sacrificed so much on behalf of our nation,” stated Lee, whose father was also a servicemember.

According to Lee, funds for treating veterans affected by ailments linked to burn pit exposure was made possible by the Honoring Our PACT Act, federal legislation President Biden signed into law in 2022.

“It delivered more than $2.46 billion dollars in PACT Act benefits to veterans,” the statement from Lee’s office read.

“Additionally, 1,103,860 total PACT Act-related claims have been submitted, more than 4.6 million veterans have received new toxic exposure screenings, and more than 426,000 new veterans have enrolled in VA health care,” Lee’s statement continued.

Lee is currently in the race for California U.S. Senator. According to a Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies poll conducted in October, at 9%, Lee is trailing three frontrunners: Rep. Katie Porter (D-CA-47) at 17%; Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA-30) at 16%; and Republican Steve Garvey, a former professional baseball player at 10%.

By Tanu Henry, Antonio Ray Harvey and Joe W. Bowers Jr. | California Black Media

From all indications last week, San Diego City Councilmember and former California Reparations Task Force member Monica Montgomery-Steppe will be elected the county’s Fourth District Supervisor.

Early results in the special election for San Diego County Supervisor show that Montgomery-Steppe holds a commanding 22% margin over private investigator Amy Reichert as of Nov. 9.

District 4 has 700,000 residents.

Montgomery-Steppe, who has declared victory in the race, is a Democrat. She won the Aug. 15 primary with 41.7% of the vote while Reichert, a Republican, came in second with 28.8%. Montgomery-Steppe would be the first Black woman to serve on the San Diego County Board of Supervisors should those figures hold.

County District 4 covers parts of central San Diego, La Mesa, Lemon Grove and Spring Valley.

“The Board of Supervisors serves over 3.2 million San Diegans – this is not a task I take lightly. As your Supervisor, I look forward to teaming up with you to tackle homelessness, promote holistic public safety, and invest in our County. Together, we can move the People’s Country forward,” Montgomery-Steppe said in a Nov. 7 statement.

LOS ANGELES, CA—- Charles Moore and Miesha Carter, an innovative African American couple from Los Angeles, California is revolutionizing real estate investment accessibility with the launch of their Affordable Real Estate Investment Course Series. As seasoned real estate professionals with years of experience, they have a passion for fostering financial growth and are excited to announce that enrollment is open for their transformative online course series.

This initiative is only open and available two times a year and it aims to impart unconventional yet successful real estate investment strategies that have been honed and perfected over the span of five years. With a commitment to making quality education accessible, this couple brings forth an opportunity that not only equips but also caters to the budget-conscious investor and levels the playing field.

Miesha shares her enthusiasm, stating, “We’re here to help our clients start up, invest up, and scale up.” This is why it is good to tap into a community of like-minded people to pursue real estate investment.

Venturing into the world of real estate investment often requires navigating uncharted waters. Considering this, the couple’s real estate investment courses are designed to offer guidance for people eager to explore innovative investment avenues.

A pivotal focus of this online course lies in aiding individuals to master the intricacies of land and real estate government auctions, as well as property liens. These aspects, often overlooked, hold immense potential for those who understand how to navigate them effectively. The course delves deep into the nuances, enabling participants to emerge with a comprehensive understanding.

The highly anticipated Real Estate Investment Class Series titled “Getting Ready for the Auction” stands as a testament to the couple’s commitment to education. This course is a total of 10 modules, 8 Primary modules, and 2 Bonus ones, this series will give the participants the tools and knowledge to understand the auction process.

The modules include:

November 6, January 8th 2024, March 4th 2024: Free Webinar

January 13, 2024: Series 1 – Understanding Tax Liens and Tax Deeds Property Auctions
January 27, 2024: Series 2 – How To Bid At The Property Auction
February 10th, 2024: Series 3 – Researching Tax Property
February 24th, 2024: Series 4 – Getting The Auction Rules
March 9th, 2024: Series 5 – Searching For Liens
March 23, 2024: Series 6 – Zoning
April 13th, 2024: Series 7 – Board of Health and Properties
April 27, 2024: Series 8 – Wiinning The Bid
May 11th, 2024: Bonus Session 2: What To Do With Properties
May 25th, 2024: Bonus Session 3: Creating Your Team

“We believe that everyone should have access to effective investment education,” says Miesha.

Her husband, Charles, comments, “Our courses are designed to empower individuals with the knowledge and strategies necessary to explore unconventional avenues in real estate.”

Enrollment for these courses is now open, offering a unique opportunity to learn directly from experts who have successfully implemented the very same strategies they teach. Participants gain access to a treasure trove of practical insights, industry secrets, and actionable tips that can pave the way to realizing their real estate aspirations.

Dr. Leonard Weather, Jr, RPh, MD, FAPCR a New Orleans and Shreveport, LA distinguished gynecologist was recently elected President of the Academy of Physicians in Clinical Research (APCR). Dr. Weather assumes the role of the first African American to hold this esteemed position in the organization’s history.

Dr. Weather’s extensive academic background includes a Pharmacy degree from Howard University and an MD from Rush Medical College in Chicago, IL. He further honed his expertise through comprehensive training, completing his internship, residency, and fellowship in gynecology and obstetrics at the renowned Johns Hopkins University Hospital.

Beyond his medical accomplishments, Dr. Weather is a multifaceted individual, embodying roles as a health educator, professor, ordained minister, artist, author, and photographer. His literary contributions include three inspirational poetry books, an infertility handbook, and his most recent publication, Endometriosis the Name of the Pain and How to Repress It, released in June 2023.

As an active gynecological clinical trials researcher, Dr. Weather has presented over 210 peer-reviewed presentations and papers, specializing in pelviscopic surgical treatment of infertility, endometriosis, pelvic pain, and uterine fibroids. Notably, he is credited with inventing the revolutionary surgical procedure known as Optical Dissection Pelviscopy, a groundbreaking advancement in laparoscopic surgery that aids in the prevention of organ injury.

Dr. Weather’s impact extends beyond the APCR, as he is the Past President of the National Medical Association, the Louisiana Medical Association, and the New Orleans Medical Association. He currently holds a position as a board member of the State of Louisiana Board of Medical Examiners and serves as the National President of Chi Delta Mu Medical Fraternity.

The APCR is a nonprofit membership organization dedicated to advancing the fields of clinical practice, academic research, and pharmaceutical industry engagement in clinical research (clinical trials). Its mission encompasses the prevention and cure of diseases, as well as safeguarding the welfare of patients and study subjects through the acquisition, dissemination, and evaluation of knowledge concerning medicine and device development.

The APCR provides a vital platform for enhanced education, professional development, qualification, and certification for physicians participating in clinical research endeavors. It is the sole organization representing the physician research community within the American Medical Association (AMA), thus influencing national policies on numerous issues related to clinical research.

Dr. Weather brings a wealth of expertise, dedication, and vision to his role as President of the APCR. His historic election is a testament to his outstanding contributions to the medical field and his commitment to advancing clinical research.

By Tanu Henry, Antonio Ray Harvey and Joe W. Bowers Jr. | California Black Media

The California Civil Rights Department (CRD) is joining local governments, advocates, and other partners to launch the United Against Hate Week (UAHW) in Berkeley on Nov. 13.

The initiative was started by local government leaders and elected officials in the Bay Area after several hate groups held rallies in San Francisco and Berkeley.

UAHW activities organized to raise awareness about hate and promote cross-racial and ethnic unity will run from Nov. 12 to 18.

“The week is marked by individuals and community organizations coming together to host events and take action to help combat a national and statewide increase in hate,” reads a press release from the CRD.

“In California, reported hate crimes have reached their highest levels since 2001 — jumping more than 20% from 2021 to 2022. As part of the state’s response to hate, the California Civil Rights Department recently launched CA vs Hate, a non-emergency, multilingual hate crime and incident reporting hotline and online portal,” the press release continues.

Held at the Martin Luther King Jr. Civic Center in Berkeley, the Nov. 13 launch ceremony featured several prominent speakers, including Becky Monroe, Deputy Director, Strategic Initiatives and External Affairs at the California Civil Rights Department; Rick Callender, President of the California and Hawaii State Conference, NAACP; Assemblymember Phil Ting (D-San Francisco); Berkeley Mayor Jesse Arreguín. Ilan Davidson, President, L.A. County Commission on Human Relations; Patrice O’Neill, Founder and Co-Director, Not In Our Town; Pardeep Singh Kaleka, Senior Strategic Advisor, Not In Our Town.

On November 6, California Secretary of State Shirley N. Weber released her department’s latest voter Report of Registration in anticipation of the March 2024 primary elections.

The report, which covers a 154-day period ending Oct. 3, 2024, provides a running count of California voter registrations with data gathered from elections offices in the state’s 58 counties.

About 22.1 million people or 82.91% of eligible voters in the state have registered to vote.

Among registered voters, Democrats outnumber Republicans by nearly 50% with 46.82% or 10.3 million voters. Republicans account for 23.9% (5.2 million voters) followed by voters with no party preference at 22.2% (4.9 million voters).

Californians who are registered to vote can also check or change their pollical party and vote-by-mail preferences on the Secretary of State’s website.

The Report of Registration includes:

• Voter registration by political party, county, city, congressional district, state senate district, state assembly district, state board of equalization district, county supervisorial district, and political subdivision
• Statewide voter registration by age group and by county
• Historical comparisons to previous reports in odd-numbered year
• Voter registration by political bodies attempting to qualify as political parties (by county)

Californians who are not yet registered to vote can do so or update their voter registration online as well.