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National Community Renaissance (National CORE) today lauded Congress for a historic first federal funding for supportive services for low-income residents in federally assisted housing. National CORE also called out Rep. Pete Aguilar (D-CA) for his leadership in introducing legislation to authorize funding for supportive services and for securing this $2.5 million to demonstrate the efficacy of this initiative.

“National CORE commends Congress for recognizing that affordable housing should mean more than just housing low-income families – but should also help those families become self-sufficient, help seniors age in place, and help families with needs that contribute to poverty,” said Mike Ruane, Executive Vice President of National CORE. “We call on the next Congress to build on this historic step by authorizing a program for supportive services and ramping up funding for this critical activity.”

With the adoption of the year-end omnibus spending bill, the Labor HHS appropriations conference report included a $2.5 million initiative spearheaded by Rep. Aguilar for a demonstration program for grants to owners of federally assisted low-income housing to provide supportive services for such residents. Eligible services include family self-sufficiency, homeownership and literacy initiatives, care for the elderly and disabled, after-school programs for children and teenagers, and help with mental health, alcohol, and addiction treatment.

Consistent with previous years, HUD funding in the omnibus bill included approximately $200 million for services programs for low-income housing residents. However, none of these funds are designed to directly fund resident supportive services for the millions of non-public housing units that are federally assisted, such as tax credit properties, Section 8 properties, and Housing Trust Fund properties.

As a result, the $2.5 million funding represents a historic first in directing funding for supportive services for residents in such federally assisted housing. Stakeholders will be urging Congress, which convenes on January 3, to enact broader authorizing legislation and dramatically boost this level.

Ai art & content is sweeping through the community

NATIONAL—- A new online marketplace, Melanated AI (www.melanated.ai), is dedicated to celebrating and supporting the work of AI artists and creators of color. This unique platform allows these artists to sell their art as digital downloads, prints, canvas, or non-fungible tokens (NFTs).

Non-fungible tokens (NFTs) are a digital asset that represents ownership of a unique item, such as a digital artwork. They have become an increasingly popular medium for artists and collectors in the digital art world, allowing for the creation and trade of unique, verifiable digital items.

NFTs offer a new avenue for artists to monetize their work and reach new audiences. By selling their artwork as NFTs, artists can potentially earn a higher price for their work, as collectors are willing to pay a premium for the uniqueness and authenticity of the piece. This can be particularly valuable for emerging AI artists who may not have a large following or established reputation.

Currently there is a debate on the ownership of AI artwork since its generated by crafting text prompt sand feeding them into software. The question of ownership in the context of AI artwork is a complex and often debated topic. On one hand, AI artwork is created using algorithms and software, which raises questions about the extent to which the artist can claim ownership of the final product. On the other hand, many AI artists argue that they play a significant role in the creative process and should be recognized as the creators of the work. Overall, the debate over ownership in the context of AI artwork is ongoing, and there is no one-size-fits-all solution. However, by taking an active role in the creative process and using their own original content as input, AI artists can assert their ownership of the work and claim a significant part of the creation.

Melanated AI was founded with the goal of increasing representation and visibility for AI artists and creators of color within the art world. It is a place where these artists can showcase their talent and reach new audiences, while also monetizing their work.

The platform features a diverse range of art styles and mediums, including digital illustrations, graphic design, and 3D modeling. Customers can browse and purchase artwork by theme, style, or artist, making it easy to discover new talent.

Melanated AI is also committed to educating the public about the role of AI in art and creativity. The platform will also host regular events and workshops featuring AI artists and experts.

“We are thrilled to launch Melanated AI, a platform that celebrates and supports the work of AI artists and creators of color,” said Aquarius Maximus (aka Technologist Tavonia Evans), Founder of Melanated AI. “We believe that representation and diversity in the art world is crucial, and we are excited to offer a space for these talented artists to share their work and connect with new audiences.”

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) released the following statement after being sworn-in to represent California in the United States Senate for the 118th Congress:

“I am honored and humbled by the opportunity to serve the people of California in the United States Senate. The promise of the American Dream is alive today as the first-generation son of a housekeeper and a short-order cook is sworn in to represent the largest state in the Union. For working families, for small business owners, for underserved communities, and for Californians of every race and creed from the most diverse state in the nation — I will continue fighting to keep that Dream alive.

“We have our work cut out for us over the next six years. To defend the Dream for millions of Americans, we must work to bolster our democracy in the face of escalating threats, so that all Americans can access their fundamental right to vote. We must restore fairness and humanity to our outdated immigration laws, to rebuild an immigration system that better reflects our values as a nation of immigrants. And for the sake of our very future, we must continue to boldly confront the climate crisis head-on.

“The work we do in this moment will shape the course of our country for generations to come. I’m ready to continue working on behalf of families across California and our nation and for all those who strive for their shot at the American Dream.”

The son of immigrants, Padilla grew up in the San Fernando Valley and studied mechanical engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He was called to politics in response to the passage of California’s anti-immigrant Proposition 187. Padilla was elected to the Los Angeles City Council in 1999 and the California State Senate in 2006. As California’s Secretary of State, he oversaw a historic expansion of voting rights and voter participation. Padilla lives in the San Fernando Valley with his wife, Angela, and their three sons, Roman, Alex, and Diego.

By Aldon Thomas Stiles | California Black Media

Aaliyah Muhammad is a member of the civil rights group All of Us or None and a pillar of her community in Sacramento. She works tirelessly to help the homeless population along Market Street, a thoroughfare in the Sacramento County community of Walnut Grove.

She also is a mother to a son suffering from severe mental illness.

Muhammad fears that she might be the one thing standing between her son and a life on the streets.

“He told them one day he didn’t want their services anymore and so they stopped coming and that’s when he started going downhill,” Muhammad said of the social workers who were handling his case. “But I feel that they shouldn’t have just quit. They should have tried to talk with him or find some other group that he might work with.”

For many Californians this is not an unfamiliar story. For a lot of families with homeless relatives – or loved ones on the verge of becoming unhoused – it is that one intervention or strategic assistance at the right time that prevented that person battling mental illness or other life challenges from losing their stable housing.

About 161,548 people in the state experience homelessness on any given day, according to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The Stanford Institute for Economic Policy Research (SIEPR) reports the number of homeless people in the state increased 42% from 2014 to 2020.

About 25% of the adult homeless population in Los Angeles County deal with severe mental health issues according to a report from the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority.

According to a survey conducted by the California Health Care Foundation, 43% of the Black Californians interviewed reported that someone close to them has experienced homelessness – a rate much higher than any other racial group in the survey.

Experts attribute California’s homelessness crisis to a few key historical factors.

La Tina Jackson, a licensed clinical social worker and a deputy with the L.A. County Department of Mental Health, explained that a person can become homeless due to struggles with severe mental illness and vice versa.

“A person with severe mental illness may experience delusions or hallucinations that might result in bizarre, irrational, impulsive, or disorganized behavior. In a minority of cases, even aggressive behavior,” Jackson said.

Alex Visotyzky, Senior California Policy Fellow at the National Alliance to End Homelessness, claims that this crisis has been decades in the making.

“We’ve seen the federal government slowly, over the last 50 years, disinvest from affordable housing in major ways,” he said.

The Lanterman-Petris-Short (LPS) Act of 1967 was signed into law by Gov. Ronald Reagan to provide guidelines for handling involuntary civil commitment of individuals to mental health institutions in the State of California. Its intent was to move away from locked mental institutions in favor of more community-based treatment.

LPS also implemented 72-hour holds to limit involuntary and indefinite institutionalization.

Jackson – who, much like Muhammad, is intimately familiar with the subject of mental illness in her own personal life –  claims that while the legislation was born from the best intentions, the LPS Act has not worked as well in practice.

“I’ve yet to see someone who truly is having a psychotic break completely reconstituted 72 hours,” she said. “They might be better because you get medication, but I’ve yet to see somebody completely reconstitute.”

Visotyzky argues that the LPS Act led to a lack of adequate investments due to the lack of alternatives. The LPS Act resulted in many individuals being released from state hospitals to live in the community.

In the 1980s, under Pres. Reagan there was a disinvestment from the health care systems most American families relied on to provide care  and shelter for mentally challenged relatives or those dealing with other behavioral issues.   It came in the form of the Mental Health Systems Act of 1980 (MHSA), according to Vonya Quarles, the Executive Director of Starting Over Inc.

“That shut down mental health facilities and led to the increase in the prison system.” Quarles said.

In the last couple of years California announced a $3 billion investment to provide affordable housing options and services for those suffering from severe mental illness or substance abuse issues.

This included funds for the Community Assistance, Recovery, and Empowerment (CARE) Act – or Senate Bill (SB) 1338 – which is designed to provide several points of intervention and alternatives before facing more severe outcomes.

The CARE Act includes Care Court, which aims to divert homeless people with severe mental illness away from correctional facilities in favor of mandatory treatment.

“CARE Court has the potential to change the lives of thousands of families across the state,” said Harold Turner, Executive Director of the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Urban Los Angeles. “Organizations like NAMI urgently need this support so we can quickly begin helping our loved ones who are struggling with untreated mental and behavioral issues.”

While Care Court has its fair share of criticisms, Muhammad believes that this program is exactly what her son needs.

Muhammad continues to work for those who are not as fortunate while her son is being treated through the Care program in the Napa State Hospital.

“We’ll all go pick up dinners and take them to different encampments and pass them out,” she said. “We hand them all out. We never come back with any dinner.”

?California Black Media’s coverage of Mental Health in California is supported by the California Health Care Foundation.

SAN BERNARDINO, CA—- The San Bernardino MLK DAY Parade Committee is excited to announce the Iconic Rap Group J.J. Fad as the official headliner for the Extravaganza. Don’t miss it! The event will be on Monday, January 16, 2023, from noon to 5 p.m. The parade route will be from Graciano Elementary to Arroyo Valley High School.

SAN BERNARDINO, CA—- The “Poseidon Adventure” was No. 1 at the box office, “Killing Me Softly with His Song” topped the Billboard charts, “All In The Family” was far and away the most

popular show on TV and San Bernardino’s legendary Swing Auditorium was, well, in full swing, with a spring concert lineup that included Fleetwood Mac, Deep Purple and Swing favorite Rory Gallagher.

Pop culture was thriving back in March 1973, and so was San Bernardino County, with a population that had swelled more than 700,000, a growing Cal State University campus that was about to launch its first master’s degree program, and a Norton Air Force Base that employed more than 20,000 military and civilian workers. Growth brought its challenges, too – notably, an outdated mid-century transportation grid that needed significant care and upgrading.

Determined to confront future needs, leaders from across the county formed the San Bernardino Associated Governments (SANBAG) in a formal ceremony in 1973, creating the platform and mechanism to attract billions of dollars in transportation funding over the next 50 years.

Today, the San Bernardino County Transportation Authority (SBCTA) – as SANBAG is now known – has emerged as a regional and national leader in bringing innovative transportation solutions to one of the fastest-growing population and economic centers anywhere.

“As current board members, we’re grateful for the vision and determination that our predecessors showed a half-century ago. Today, we confront similar challenges, along with some new ones, but are better equipped than ever to deal with them and improve the quality of life across our county,” said Art Bishop, President of the SBCTA Board and Mayor Pro Tem for the Town of Apple Valley.

Formed as a joint powers authority, SANBAG was governed by a 19-member general assembly, including five supervisors and one delegate from each of the county’s 14 cities. Today’s SBCTA Board consists of 29 members – five supervisors and one delegate from each of the 24 incorporated cities.

Along with more cities, the county’s population has continued to grow, tripling to nearly 2.2 million today.

“We are fortunate to live in such a dynamic region, but as our own history has taught us, we need to continue innovating and finding ways to meet the needs of a population that is growing much faster than anyone could have anticipated,” said SBCTA Board Vice President Dawn Rowe, San Bernardino County’s 3rd District Supervisor.

SANBAG had little time to waste after its formal dedication. Almost immediately after its formation, the Southern California Rapid Transit District would shut down its east-west bus line across San Bernardino County. This incentivized local leaders to connect local bus service from one city to the next.

The agency’s early work was bolstered by the original state Senate Bill 325 and the one-quarter cent sales tax it authorized for transportation improvements. By early 1976, San Bernardino County had received $11.6 million in SB 325 funding.

Through the 1970s and beyond, SANBAG/SBCTA has taken a leadership role in addressing air quality issues, including endorsing annual smog inspections, promoting public transit and enhancing our highway system to reduce congestion and the accompanying greenhouse gas emissions. It played a leading role in bringing Metrolink service to San Bernardino County in 1993, extending the 210 freeway from the Los Angeles County line to Redlands, and developing the nine-mile Arrow rail line from Redlands to San Bernardino. The latter, which opened earlier this year, represents the next generation of rail transit through an innovative multiple-unit approach that allows for the current low-emission diesel power pack to be replaced by a hydrogen powered zero-emission unit currently under development.

Today, SBCTA also is on the front line of bringing a high-speed rail system from Las Vegas through the High Desert and into the recently rebranded Cucamonga Station. The agency also is seeking bids for a proposed transit tunnel between Cucamonga Station and Ontario International Airport.

“From the earliest days of SANBAG, our county transportation agency has looked for – and found – creative ways to connect people and places across the largest geographic county in the U.S. This has also helped to fortify our economy by opening up new business opportunities, attracting more jobs and helping to establish us as the place to live and work in Southern California,” said Alan D. Wapner, President of the Ontario International Airport Authority and Council Member for the City of Ontario.

Funding, of course, is key. SBCTA has been highly successful in securing grant funding for transit and transportation improvements, including more than $110 million for the future West Valley Connector bus rapid transit system linking ONT, two Metrolink lines and multiple activity centers from Pomona to Rancho Cucamonga.

Significant funding also comes from Measure I, a half-cent sales tax approved by county voters – first in 1989 and again in 2004. Over those years, Measure I has funded billions of dollars and leveraged billions more in State and Federal funding in much-needed improvements across the county. The foresight and trust shown by the voters of San Bernardino County played a critical role in the positive growth of the region.

“San Bernardino County was ahead of the game when SANBAG was formed 50 years ago, and we remain ahead of the game today. As we address regional challenges, the collaboration and cooperation of our cities and stakeholders is as important as ever, and SBCTA is the vehicle to make that happen,” said SBCTA Board Member and former Board President Larry McCallon, Councilmember for the City of Highland.

SAN BERNARDINO, CA—- Assemblymember James C. Ramos (D-San Bernardino) recently announced he has named Vanessa Brierty as his new district director. In November, Ramos was elected to represent the newly drawn 45th Assembly District which includes Fontana and Rialto, as well as San Bernardino. He will also represent constituents in Highland and Redlands which he previously served as the assemblymember from the 40th assembly district.

Brierty has served as a senior consultant to the California Native American Legislative Caucus which Ramos chairs, for the past year. She is an enrolled tribal member from the Pueblo of Laguna and is one of the few Native American staffers serving in the Legislature. She is currently a graduate student studying Indigenous Education and recently delivered a TedX talk sharing the importance of incorporating traditional cultural practices in one’s overall health and wellness.

SAN BERNARDINO, CA— Ephesians New Testament Baptist Church along with the City of Fontana will host the 36th Annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Celebration.

This year’s celebration will be held on Friday, January 13, 2023, at the historical Community Baptist Church located at 15854 Sierra Lakes Parkway in Fontana. The event will start at 7 p.m.

The speaker for this year’s celebration will be the renowned, Dr. Jasper Williams of Salem Baptist Church of Atlanta, Georgia. Music presentations will be presented by Praise Leader, Joslyn James; Psalmist, Yolanda Dancy and the Fontana Community Choir.

For additional information, please call the church office at (909) 823-2310.

By Aldon Thomas Stiles | California Black Media

In October, Gov. Gavin Newsom held a press conference in San Diego County to announce that the construction of the Middle-Mile Broadband Initiative had commenced.

A collaboration between California’s Department of Transportation (Caltrans) and the Department of Technology, the initiative’s purpose is to construct a 10,000-mile-long broadband network to provide open internet access statewide by the end of 2026.

The Middle-Mile project was authorized by Senate Bill (SB) 156, announced by Newsom, Senate President pro Tempore Toni G. Atkins (D-San Diego), and Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon (D-Lakewood) in July of last year.

“California is now one step closer to making the digital divide a thing of the past,” said Newsom. “This is about ensuring that all Californians, no matter the zip code they call home, can be part of the Golden State’s thriving and diverse economy.”

Once the network has been constructed, the state will provide funding for “last mile” efforts which refers to infrastructure that connects the network to “end-use” entities such as homes and businesses.

The Middle-Mile Initiative boasts a $6.5 billion budget to extend and improve internet access for “unserved and underserved communities” such as Indigenous American reservations, some low-income neighborhoods, and rural areas.

“So, I really want to underscore that our stance on digital equity is that it’s a 21st century civil right,” Sunne Wright McPeak, President and CEO of the California Emerging Technology Fund (CETF), told California Black Media (CBM).

CETF is a non-profit committed to closing the digital divide. It is the only non-state agency serving on the California Broadband Council which identifies and deploys resources for internet access.

“We live in this whole space around the most digitally disadvantaged, which are often the most economically disadvantaged,” said McPeak. “That persistent concentrated poverty is all rooted in systemic racism.”

Communities of color have slightly less broadband access than White communities. While 17% of Black households are without access to internet, 13% of White households lack access, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2020 American Community Survey (ACS).

“Beginning construction on the Middle-Mile network is a significant step toward broadband equity and providing all Californians the opportunity to access critical information,” Secretary of the California Transportation Agency Toks Omishakin said in a press release.

“High-speed internet is much more than a connection – it’s a lifeline that families need to work, learn, and access critical services,” Omishakin continued.

McPeak asserts that high poverty urban areas are hard to reach and suggests that broadband infrastructure often neglects these neighborhoods.

Another piece of the puzzle is the private sector, California State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond told CBM.

“And because of the way internet service providers and other companies have tried to capitalize on the internet, that means that the U.S. has communities that have been without access to the internet for a long time, even though there’s so much resourcing available,” Thurmond said.

McPeak echoed the assessment and suggested how state officials can convince private companies to aid in providing open access for Californians by providing incentives to do so.

“One thing the state could do to get much more cooperation is what I call ‘step up or step aside,'” said McPeak. “And that would be powerful if there was that kind of bold leadership that’s on the deployment side.”

Thurmond called these companies to action to bolster state efforts.

“I think that the state is doing everything that it can, and our office is certainly taking the lead as it relates to our students, but we need everyone to help,” Thurmond said. “And that means internet companies have to find ways to help build out pieces of the infrastructure that will reach the homes of Californians.”

SAN BERNARDINO, CA—- Supervisor-elect Jesse Armendarez, elected last month to represent San Bernardino County’s Second District on the Board of Supervisors, will take the oath of office during ceremonies on Thursday December 29, in the Board of Supervisors Covington Chambers in the County Government Center in San Bernardino.

Supervisor-elect Armendarez was born and raised in San Bernardino County. A strong believer in hard work, Supervisor-elect Armendarez earned his first job pressure washing trucks for a local logistics company at 16 years old. He eventually completed an apprenticeship program to become a licensed mechanic. After graduating from the first class at A.B. Miller High School in Fontana he started his own small business. Supervisor-elect Armendarez currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Inland Valley Association of Realtors and is Past President.

After starting his family with his wife Delene, Supervisor-elect Armendarez decided to become more involved within the community. He served on the Board of Directors for the Fontana Rotary and Fontana Exchange Clubs. He is also a member of the Fontana Chamber of Commerce and the Water of Life Church.

Supervisor-elect Armendarez also served as a Director for the Chaffey College Foundation, helping to raise money so disadvantaged youth could afford to earn their degree. The Jesse and Delene Armendarez Endowment at Chaffey College is fully funded and has helped local students attend college. Wanting to get involved in local government, Jesse earned an appointment to the Fontana Planning Commission where he helped shape the development of one of the largest and fastest growing cities in the Inland Empire.

As a Fontana School Board Member, Jesse Armendarez stood with local educational and community leaders to ensure vital school programs remained in place and expanded. As a Fontana City Councilmember, Jesse Armendarez served as Chair of the Inland Empire Utilities Agency Policy Committee where he represented Fontana on policy issues about sewer, wastewater and recycling programs and was also the Vice Chair of the Housing Authority and Industrial Development Authority for the city.

Being a successful small business owner, Supervisor Armendarez earned a reputation of helping attract businesses and jobs to the city and working to strengthen public safety throughout the community.

Supervisor-elect Armendarez has four children and lives in Fontana with his wife Delene.

About San Bernardino County: San Bernardino County is a diverse public service organization serving America’s largest county. We are governed by an elected Board of Supervisors and dedicated to creating a community where nearly 2.2 million residents can prosper and achieve well-being as outlined in the Countywide Vision. It is comprised of 42 departments and agencies, which are staffed by more than 22,000 public service professionals who provide a wide range of vital services in the areas of public safety, health care, social services, economic and community development and revitalization, fiscal services, infrastructure, recreation and culture, and internal support. San Bernardino County’s organizational culture is defined by the four pillars of value, innovation, service, and vision. For more information, visit sbcounty.gov.