WSSN Stories

By California Black Media

Sacramento-based attorney, businessman and activist James Sweeney, who was an avuncular and towering African American figure in California political and social circles, has passed. He served as the regional Vice President of the Sacramento Black American Political Action Committee (BAPAC).

Politicians, businesspeople, media leaders, activists and others up and down the state remember him with fondness for his influential and inspirational presence in their lives. Consistently offering sound advice, they say, always giving them his unconditional support, kind words of encouragement and occasionally sharing dry “uncle” jokes.

James W. Sweeney was born in Fresno, California on July 28, 1948 to the union of Lonnie Lee Sweeney and Evelyn Randle. He is the younger of two sons born to this union. Sweeney’s parents, and his brother Sherman Sr., preceded him in death.

“James Sweeney’s leadership and wisdom will be missed,” said Betty Williams, President of the Sacramento Chapter of the NAACP.

James W. Sweeney was the Founder and Managing General Partner of James W. Sweeney and Associates, an advocacy and small business consulting firm located adjacent to the State Capitol. James worked with major companies and clients and was involved in deals exceeding 3.5 billion dollars. James was founding stockholder of Revere Bank. Starting with twenty million in assets, the bank now exceeds one billion in assets. James was co-owner of First Federal Financial Services, a credit card processing firm that has successfully processed over 500 million in transactions.

“He will truly be missed,” said Rory Kaufman, President of BAPAC, the largest African political fundraising organization in the state. “A Black man of vision, courage and insight. He stood for us and he fought with us.”

Throughout his career, Sweeney has been involved in a number of business investments across the state, and has worked in several political capacities, including the Berkeley City Council and the state Council on Mentally Ill Offenders (COMIO). He has served COMIO under four governors: Newsom, Brown, Schwarzenegger and Davis.

Sweeney attended San Bernardino high school in the Inland Empire, east of Los Angeles, where he was a basketball star.

He later graduated with a bachelor’s degree in three majors (Political Science, Black Studies and Sociology) from the University of California Riverside. He earned his law degree at the Humphreys School of Law in Stockton.

“This is sad news for our community,” said Kendra Lewis, vice chair of the California Democratic Party African American Caucus (CDPAAC).

Sweeney was a quiet force in California politics. Often working behind the scenes, he was instrumental in setting up a minimum-security juvenile detention facility for children in California named after him (Camp Sweeney). He also worked on California divesting from the African nation of Sudan because of war crimes the Arab government committed against Black citizens in the country’s Darfur region.

“In true Sweeney fashion,” Lewis said the last time she saw her “mentor,” he told her, “You have our support. Let us know what you need.”

James W. Sweeney was called home on February 27, 2020. His memories will always be cherished by his loving wife, Renee; his devoted adopted siblings, Jerry King and Toni Turner; his children, Wayne Sweeney, Jr. (Angela); Samantha Stonework- Hand (Eric); and Brett Sweeney; his grandchildren, Shayne Sweeney, Ronan Sweeney, Xavier Hand, and Roosevelt Hand; and a host of other family and friends.

No funeral arrangements, as of yet, have been made.

By Arthur Davis

This is a story that I am very proud to tell about my granddaughter, Tayler Davis, born to our son LaMond Ray Davis and daughter-in-law Patrice Townsend, and of course her proud grandparents Arthur L. and Fredda Davis. 

My wife and I grew up in San Bernardino and attended the local schools, as well as our oldest son LaMond Ray, who lives in San Jose with his wife and family where he currently works as a Sergeant with the Santa Clara Sheriff’s Department.

Tayler Davis was born on September 27, 1991.  She had early influences in her life that made her the compassionate young woman that she is today. When one hears the saying, “It takes a village to raise a child”, it was clearly the case with Tayler.

She spent her early childhood with her maternal great grandparents, both paternal and maternal grandparents, she was also surrounded by many aunts and uncles who helped shaped her morals and values. She started her schooling at Apostles Lutheran School in San Jose where she attended from Kindergarten to eighth grade. It was very structured and taught her discipline and respect along with developing faith and trust in God. 

During elementary school years she developed her passion for tennis at the tender age of 7.  She was blessed with an African American coach, Don Johnson.  He picked up Tayler and her younger sister from school during the week to help develop their tennis skills. 

From the very beginning when she first picked up a racquet, one could tell how gifted she was. She was very athletic, has excellent hand/eye coordination, was competitive, and was yearning to learn the sport and soak up all the strategies and techniques involved to become a top player. 

Tayler was also very tall for her age due to the Davis’ gene.  She quickly emerged as a top junior player in the United States Tennis Association (USTA) in a very competitive sport that requires much time and travel in order to become a top junior player in the U.S.  She was able to obtain a sponsorship for her racquets, clothes, lessons, travel, and tournaments due to her high ranking and was able to secure an African American scholarship to help offset some of the costs involved. She ended up being top 10 in the nation by the end of her junior year. She was offered scholarships to various academies early on, but would have to be home-schooled and live in dorms at the academy. She chose not to pursue the academy road, but rather focus more on school as she wanted to go to college and secure a college scholarship to play tennis.

Tayler decided to attend a private Catholic school Archbishop Mitty High School in San Jose.  The school is well known for top academics with elite athletic teams; admission is very difficult to get into. Tayler entered her freshman year and wanted to play on the tennis team. 

The tennis team was very competitive and was in a very tough conference which was the WCAL (West Catholic Athletic League).  Tayler played on the varsity tennis team in the #1 singles position. It is very rare for any freshman to play in that spot due to mostly senior veteran players who has experience and can win at the important position. Tayler ended up playing all 4 years for Archbishop Mitty and compiled a 101-3 record.

She was selected team MVP for 4 years, Mercury News Athlete of the Year 4 years, team captain 4 years, WCAL MVP for 4 years and ultimately selected for the highest honor at the school which was induction into the Hall of Fame for Mitty High School in 2015. There were notable other athletes such as Drew Gordon, UCLA basketball player, Aron Gordon, 1^{st round} draft pick, Orlando Magic basketball, Keilani Ricketts, softball player at Oklahoma and USA Olympic team. Tayler was also selected to Hall of Fame for leading the tennis team championship in 2017 for winning league and state with a record of 31-1. 

During her high school studies and tennis, Tayler missed 32 days of school per year as she traveled to various US cities in order to compete at a much higher level and continue her high ranking. At this time she developed her discipline, organization and sacrifices to be the best student and athlete in order to continue on with her dreams. She missed various, dances, proms, parties and other social functions that interfered with what she was aspiring to do in her life. She did always find a balance to incorporate fun in her life to attend football games, hanging out with friends, school sporting events and dates.  She was featured in various newspapers, cover of ESPN sports, cover of Mercury News many times, community newspaper and of course the USTA media outlet.

Tayler ended up with a 3.8 GPA and was offered many scholarships to all the top schools in the nation for tennis. She committed to CAL Berkeley with a full tennis scholarship her junior year basing her decision on staying close to home, CAL academics, top 5 NCAA tennis team and the diversity of the school.  She had a very successful college career, playing at the number 3 or 4 spot in the singles line up and playing number 2 spot for doubles. Her highest ranking was #30 in the NCAA. She was voted co-captain her sophomore year thru her senior year. She was a strong leader and a role model for her teammates. She continued on with her discipline to focus and persevere with her mind set on graduating in Legal Studies in 2016. It is very difficult to play college tennis at such a high-level school that also excels in top academics due to the length of the tennis season which is August until May. The student athlete misses many lectures, classes and notes.  Tayler stayed on track and graduated in 4.5 years which is the standard due to their tennis schedule.

After graduation, Tayler was undecided on what she wanted to pursue after college, so she traveled all over as a hitting partner for a young top player in the world 15-year-old Cici Bellis. Tayler spent 1.5 years practicing every day with her when they were not traveling, they were playing WTA (women’s tennis association) tournaments with all the pros in the world.  She gained knowledge, experience and dedicated her time and effort to help this young girl reach her aspirations.

From her work she was able to save $70,000 and then decided to take the LSAT (Law School Admission Test) to attend law school.  She continued to teach and share her knowledge of the game to younger students while studying and preparing to take the test. She passed the test and was offered another scholarship to Santa Clara University Law School. 

In order to maintain the African American Scholarship, she needed to end the school year in the top 3% of the class each year. Once again, she dedicated her life to pursuing her dream to become a lawyer. She sacrificed much of her three years to study tirelessly to pass the bar in 2019.

She continued giving tennis lessons early in the morning or in between classes to keep up with her financial responsibilities and even traveled with young students in the summer to take them to out of state national tournaments just as she did when she was a junior player.

During her law studies, she became involved in the Innocence Project for 2 years and was instrumental in helping 2 different clients get exonerated. It was truly her passion to help others who were wrongfully accused of a crime and not having strong representation due to financial or poverty issues. Tayler continued as an intern for Santa Clara County in the public defender’s office learning and gaining experience for her next journey after law school.

Tayler graduated from Santa Clara in May 2019 with her JD degree (Juris Doctor). She was able to maintain her scholarship for 3 years and is proud to have paid the remaining balance with the money she saved, entering her career debt free, a truly amazing feat!

She took the bar after studying for 3 months in May 2019 and was getting the results in November. Needless to say, with her dedication and hard work, she passed it the first time. The California Bar is said to be one of the toughest to pass in the US.

She was already working as an intern for Santa Clara County however there was only 1 opening for the public defender position. There were 4 colleagues in the department that also passed the bar. They all needed to interview with a panel of 5 judges. Tayler received all 5 unanimous votes and was selected to begin her career in December 2019 as Santa Clara County Public Defender, Attorney Davis!  

She was sworn in December 2019 by a judge who Tayler worked for during her internship who shared she had nothing but praise for her work ethic and was not surprised she was offered the opportunity, and this is only the beginning for her.  When reflecting back on all her success and accomplishments in both academics and athletics, it is beyond amazing the characteristics she possesses and the hard work she puts in day after day without ever losing sight on what she sets her mind and heart to do!

We are most proud of the woman who wants to stand up and provide legal aid for those who are poor and needy, being able to provide representation for those who cannot afford an attorney to represent them. 

She has become one of the most well educated, well trained and a very dedicated person to advocate for others that there is no limit on what she can attain.

She plans to move up within the Public Defender’s office and possibly pursue politics as her next move. We are beyond proud of the amazing young woman she  become!  My Granddaughter thank God every day for all the gifts she has been given.

By Tanu Henry | California Black Media

The California Legislative Black Caucus (CLBC) announced March 10 that it has introduced legislation to repeal proposition 209.

The bill is called ACA 5 or the California Act for Economic Prosperity.

“Since becoming law in 1996, Proposition 209 has cost women-and-minority-owned businesses $1.1 billion each year,” said Assemblymember Shirley Weber (D-San Diego), who is chair of the CLBC.

“It has perpetuated a wage gap where women make 80 cents on every dollar made by men and has allowed discriminatory hiring and contracting processes to continue unhindered,” Weber continued.

Weber announced the bill at the California state Capitol flanked by members of the CLBC, the  California Legislative Women’s Caucus, other progressive lawmakers, as well as  supporters like Asian Americans Advancing Justice.

In 1996, after a heated public debate divided Californians who supported Proposition 209 and those who opposed it, voters passed the ballot initiative.

Also known as the California Civil Rights Initiative, Prop 209 outlawed the consideration of race and gender in hiring, awarding state contracts, college admissions, policymaking, and even in most forms of official state documentation.

The entire CLBC co-authored ACA 5. And supporters range from churches and civil rights organizations to community based organizations, labor unions and legal aid providers.

Besides Weber, other members of the CLBC are: Senators Steven Bradford (D-Los Angeles) and Holly J. Mitchell (D-Los Angeles); and Assemblymembers Autumn Burke (D-South Bay, Los Angeles), Jim Cooper (D-Sacramento), Mike Gipson (D-Carson), Chris R. Holden (D-Pasadena), Reginald Jones-Sawyer (D-Los Angeles), Sydney Kamlager (D-Los Angeles), and Kevin McCarty (D-Sacramento). 

By Lou Yeboah

Why are you surprise about the disasters, famines, pestilences [Coronavirus Disease], and the increasing earthquakes? Why are you surprise? Didn’t I tell you; “Before I winked at ignorance, BUT NOW I command all men to repent.” What part of that did you not understand?  You have provoked my anger! Yes, I’ve had enough of your blatantly disregard for Me. I’m fed up and if you don’t repent, I tell you, you ain’t seen nothing yet! [Amos 7:1-9]. “I will utterly sweep away everything from the face of the earth. I will sweep away man and beast; I will sweep away the birds of the heavens and the fish of the sea, and the rubble with the wicked. Yes, I will cut off mankind from the face of the earth, make no mistake about it,” declares the Lord. [Zephaniah 1:2-3].

The Warnings has been issued. The Alarm has been sounded! [Hebrews 10:26-31]. If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire. Listen, anyone who rejected the law of Moses died without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. How much more severely do you think someone deserves to be punished who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, who has treated as an unholy thing the blood of the covenant that sanctified them, and who has insulted the Spirit of grace?

Hear what the Lord says; This I have against you, that you have left your First Love. Repent and return unto Me. If you do not, I will come to you and remove your lamp stand from its place. [Revelation 2: 4-5]. What a solemn warning. I want you to know that God did not try to reform the descendants of Cain that had no time for Him. He rejected them and ultimately destroyed them in the flood. His complaint of His people was that they failed to give Him the honor and the respect He deserved. They treated Him with contempt and no longer held Him in awe. In their eyes He was no different than they were; and because of that, they were destroyed. God says, “A son honors his father, and a servant his master. Then if I am a Father, where is My honor? And if I am a Master, where is My respect?” [Malachi 1:6].  “I have had enough of disobedience and hard hearts. I am ready to render my verdict, sentence and punish. [Read the Book of the Prophet Ezekiel].

Listen, God has conveyed the same message over, and over, and, over again, that He is more than fit to be tied of disobedience and harden hearts and that He’s ready to render His verdict, sentence, people for their rebellious spirit and actions. Don’t take God’s grace for granted. Don’t let the Devil rob you out of the riches of the Lord because of a lack of knowledge. What is the “knowledge” that Israel lacked that led to their oft destruction? It was the fear of the Lord. Whoever is wise, let him understand these things; whoever is discerning, let him know them, for the ways of the Lord is right. [Hosea 14:9].

“When I shut up the heavens that there is no rain, or command the locust to devour the land, or send pestilence among my people, if my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.” [2 Chronicles 7:13-14]

“But if you do not obey Me, and do not observe all these commandments, and if you despise My statutes, or if your soul abhors My judgments, so that you do not perform all My commandments, but break My covenant, I also will do this to you: I will even appoint terror over you, wasting disease and fever which shall consume the eyes and cause sorrow of heart. And you shall sow your seed [a]in vain, for your enemies shall eat it. I will beset My face against you, and you shall be defeated by your enemies. Those who hate you shall reign over you, and you shall flee when no one pursues you.  ‘And after all this, if you do not obey Me, then I will punish you seven times more for your sins. I will break the pride of your power; I will make your heavens like iron and your earth like bronze. And your strength shall be spent in vain; for your land shall not yield its produce, nor shall the trees of the land yield their fruit. Then, if you walk contrary to Me, and are not willing to obey Me, I will bring on you seven times more plagues, according to your sins. I will also send wild beasts among you, which shall rob you of your children, destroy your livestock, and make you few in number; and your highways shall be desolate. And if by these things you are not reformed by Me, but walk contrary to Me, then I also will walk contrary to you, and I will punish you yet seven times for your sins. And I will bring a sword against you that will execute the vengeance of the covenant; when you are gathered together within your cities I will send pestilence among you; and you shall be delivered into the hand of the enemy. When I have cut off your supply of bread, ten women shall bake your bread in one oven, and they shall bring back your bread by weight, and you shall eat and not be satisfied. And after all this, if you do not obey Me, but walk contrary to Me, then I also will walk contrary to you in fury; and I, even I, will chastise you seven times for your sins. You shall eat the flesh of your sons, and you shall eat the flesh of your daughters. I will destroy your high places, cut down your incense altars, and cast your carcasses on the lifeless forms of your idols; and My soul shall abhor you.” [Leviticus 26].

But these things have I told you, that when the time shall come, ye may remember that I told you of them. [John 16:4]

By Mark Hedin

In a February 12 Capitol Hill hearing that stretched more than three hours, Census Bureau Director Steven Dillingham updated the 2020 effort and fielded questions from the House of Representatives’ Oversight and Reform Committee.

His long-scheduled appearance coincided with the nonpartisan Government Accounting Office releasing its latest report on census preparations and what needed action according to its recommendations previously agreed upon by the Census Bureau. Overall, it said, deemed Census Bureau readiness for 2020 operations is “mixed.”

Topping the concerns at the hearing was the finding that the Census Bureau is behind on its hiring goals. About a half-million people will be needed to help get a full count, and for each position, Dillingham said, he would like to have six applicants. But 202 of the bureau’s 248 regional offices are still understaffed, with the first of five mailings targeting 95 percent of U.S. households due to be sent out in less than a month.

Dillingham said he believes concerns about the rate of hiring are premature. He expects to be fully staffed by April when the people knocking on doors to get questionnaire responses from households that haven’t responded either online or by telephone will be needed.

Citing the low unemployment rate as a challenge, he promised, “We will continue to recruit all through the census.” Besides, he said, “20 million college students are out there with student loans and needing money.”

Also of concern to committee members was the report’s description of the Census Bureau falling behind on forming partnerships with the community organizations, businesses and nonprofits that will be crucial in educating the public and maximizing survey response rates, particularly among hard-to-count populations.

Fraud and cybersecurity form the other key concern in the GAO report.

California Rep. Katie Porter entered into the hearing record a fund-raising mailing from the Republican National Committee that gives every appearance of being the census questionnaire.

Porter said the RNC sent a similar mailing in 2010, that led to legislation outlawing such misrepresentations.

Committee Chair Carolyn Maloney, of New York, called the RNC mailing “outrageous” and vowed to revisit that legislation and add enforcement mechanisms to it.

“Clearly, people are violating that,” Maloney said, looking at the mailing both Porter and California Rep. Jimmy Gomez had brought to the hearing. “The census is one of the sacred things in our Constitution.”

The adequacy of the Census Bureau’s preparations for prioritizing online responses also came up. Echoing his reassurances about the pace of hiring, Dillingham said that other targets the Census Bureau hasn’t met had been set higher than he expected would be necessary.

Although the Census Bureau decided on Feb. 7 to change the computer system it will use for online responses, Dillingham said it’s being set up to accommodate up to 600,000 users at once. But realistically, said his deputy, Al Fontenot, traffic at any one time is likely to be perhaps only a third of that.

Many committee members worried that their constituents lack adequate access to computers to ensure they’ll be counted. Dillingham and Fontenot described various plans, such as working with community libraries, but Michigan Rep. Brenda Lawrence pointed out that some libraries in her district have limited hours.

Missouri Rep. Lacy Clay noted historic census undercounts of African Americans — 718,000 people in 2010, he said — and noted the Census Bureau itself estimates that 60% plan to wait until someone visits their home before they’ll respond to the census.

Clay asked what outreach the bureau is planning, and specifically if it includes weekly newspapers and radio. Fontenot said a black advertising agency has partnered with the census’ primary advertising firm, Young & Rubicam, to help in communication efforts.

Michigan Rep. Rashida Tlaib complained about the reversal of the Census Bureau’s decision after 2010 to add “Middle Eastern/North African” as an option for the final question on the census questionnaire, about ethnicity. If, instead, people of that ethnicity have to identify themselves as white, she said, it will affect health research, language assistance, civil rights, minority businesses’ ability to get loans and more.

Writing in an identity, “doesn’t have the same impact and you know that. You’re making us invisible. You’re erasing us,” Tlaib said.

California Rep. Harley Rouda, whose Orange County district includes “Little Saigon,” home to the country’s largest Vietnamese population, including many refugees, asked how the census will enumerate those with limited or no English language skills.

Besides the census questionnaire being printed in English and Spanish, online forms are in 12 languages and, Fontenot said, materials including instructional videos total almost 60. But, he said, the primary way the census plans to meet people’s language challenges is by hiring partnership specialists with language fluency.

“We do count on our partners for language assistance,” Dillingham said.

New Mexico Rep. Deb Haaland shared an estimate that for every 1% of New Mexico’s population not counted in the census, the state loses $600 million of federal funding per decade. That’s money badly needed for “schools, health care programs, roads, so many other services,” particularly for Hispanic, Native and other communities of people of color, she said.

Unemployment is relatively high among the Spanish- and Navajo-speaking people Haaland represents, yet job applicants from her district have waited weeks to hear back from the census, she said.

“I know what it means for people to open the door and see someone who looks like them,” she said.

Dillingham said the bureau has boosted pay rates in response to unemployment and cost-of-living considerations in different communities. Fontenot cited the approval just last week of a $2 million budget for local advertising in “low-count areas.”

“If there’s more recruitment needed, we will make those efforts,” Dillingham said.

By Lue Dowdy

Child actor Michael Eshaun York is What it Do! This week ya’ girl is highlighting a young rising star. I love seeing the youth moving in a positive way, especially when it comes to going after their dreams. 

From his beautiful big, wild fro’, fly gear, and cute personality, I was immediately drawn to Michael; a humble kid with a bright spirit. Tapping into the industry is no easy task but he’s doing it with a great support team.

I look forward to seeing more of Michael in the near future. Please do me a favor and checkout his biography below. Make sure to follow him on all social media networks. Until next time folks!

Michael Eshaun York was born in Colton, California in 2010 and began acting in early 2014 at the of age 3 when he accompanied Fatimah Hassan on a Luv’s Diaper Commercial portraying her stage son.

He began taking Martial Arts (Tae Kwon Do) classes in 2015 at age 4. In 2016, at age 5, he begin taking Hip Hop Dance Classes with “Young Champions Dance America”, and also acting classes with actress/acting coach, Betty A. Bridges, whose list of clients (soon to become stars) included her oldest child, Jimmy Bridges, her daughter Verda Bridges, her son Todd Bridges , Nia Long (The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, Love Jones), Regina King (Jerry Maguire), Lamont Bentley (Moesha), and Aaron Meeks (Soul Food).

In January of 2016 by the request of Michael’s Management Company, he was sent to a TV Studio along with three other boys to be interviewed by actress Regina King, Director of the TV show “Scandal”. After meeting with her it was decided it’s time for Michael to take acting classes. After researching who taught Regina King and other successful child actors, it was confirmed Betty A. Bridges actress and acting aoach had a high success rate in the industry with children.

By Aldon Thomas Stiles | California Black Media  

After a tough battle with Sen. Bernie Sanders (D-VT), former Vice President Joseph Biden sealed the frontrunner position in the race for the Democratic Party U.S. presidential nominee on Super Tuesday. Sanders; however, snatched a few key victories, one of which was California with 29.5 percent of the vote.

So far, Biden has picked up 390 Democratic National Convention delegates compared to Sanders’ 330.

The 2020 presidential primary election took place in California, 13 other states, and one U.S. territory (American Samoa) Tuesday March 3. Voters got the opportunity to back their favorite candidate to challenge President Donald Trump in November’s general election.

With five Democratic candidates remaining, after Mayor Pete Buttigieg dropped out of the race this past Sunday and Sen. Amy Klobuchar’s withdrawal Monday, Super Tuesday was a pivotal moment for presidential hopefuls.

Then, a day after the former U.S. vice president’s big win, former New York City Mayor Mike Bloomberg dropped out of the race and endorsed Biden, his former rival for the nomination.

Over the course of their campaigns, Democratic candidates have relied on several different demographics to help swing votes in their favor. One such demographic is African Americans, and these candidates all had strategies to secure that vote.

Some relied on targeted advertising blitzes. Biden, Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and Bloomberg’s camps all ran campaign advertisements touting relationships with former President Barack Obama.

Meanwhile, Sanders continued to invoke his involvement in the civil rights movement and his relationship with prominent progressive personalities like recording artist Michael Santiago “Killer Mike” Render.

Biden also claimed to have been arrested in South Africa in the 1970s while attempting to meet Nelson Mandela. He has since retracted that claim following evidence to the contrary.

Before Super Tuesday, in the South Carolina primaries this past weekend, Biden led the race with Black voters, clinching 61 percent of the Black vote, according to Washington Post exit polls. Sanders trailed Biden with 15 percent of the Black vote.

On Super Tuesday, Biden secured 72 percent of the Black vote in Alabama, 71 percent in Virginia, 62 percent in North Carolina and 53 percent in Tennessee, according to USA Today.

Bloomberg has had some controversy regarding Black voters resulting from his “stop-and-frisk” policies when he was mayor of New York City and from subsequent statements he made in 2015 defending said policies.

“So one of the unintended consequences is people say, ‘Oh my God, you are arresting kids for marijuana that are all minorities,’” Bloomberg said in his 2015 speech. “Yes, that’s true. Why? Because we put all the cops in minority neighborhoods… Why do we do it? Because that’s where all the crime is.”

Despite this, Bloomberg secured endorsements from several prominent African-American politicians like Assemblymember  Shirley A. Weber, chair of the California Legislative Black Caucus. Some Black members of the U.S. House of Representatives, including Rep. Lucy McBath (D-GA), Rep. Gregory Meeks (D-NY) and Del. Stacey Plaskett (D-VI) endorsed the former New York City mayor as well.

Several high-profile lawmakers, including U.S. House of Representatives Majority Whip Rep. James Clyburn (D-SC) — as well as former presidential candidates Buttigieg and Klobuchar — have endorsed Biden.

 Former President Barack Obama also gave Biden his blessing.

Warren only won 12 delegates, placing her last on Super Tuesday behind Bloomberg, who picked up 36. 

Film includes tributes from tennis legend Serena Williams and Olympic Gold Medalist Swin Cash

In recognition of International Women’s Day, Secret Deodorant debuts its latest equal representation campaign, “Not The First,” spotlighting some of the most remarkable women in sports today, while paying tribute to the women who paved the way for their professional success. Starring tennis legend Serena Williams, as well as Olympic Gold Medalist and NBA New Orleans Pelicans executive Swin Cash, Secret’s “Not The First” campaign celebrates the accomplishments of trailblazing women in sports.

Secret invites women to watch “Not The First” here, join the conversation on social media (#NotTheFirst) and share a tribute to a woman who first inspired them to pursue their passion. Secret will also support a group of multicultural female influencers as they share their tributes and make a donation to an organization of their choice that works towards equality for women.

“Secret carries a strong reputation of supporting equal opportunity and representation for women,” said tennis legend Serena Williams. “It is crucial to me that I use my platform to inspire change and support all women, particularly women of color because we are often overlooked and underestimated. I am excited and honored to partner with Secret to inspire a brighter future where women no longer have to be labeled as the ‘First.'”

To further extend the conversation, Secret will release a “Not The First” campaign ad featuring Williams in the March 16 issue of TIME magazine.

Said Olympic Gold Medalist, Swin Cash, “As a woman of color, I understand the difficulties that can arise while trying to make headway in a male-dominated Sports and Media industry. Secret has a history of supporting equal opportunity for women by spotlighting and celebrating our stories, and ‘Not The First’ is no different. I am honored to pay tribute to my role models, inspire honest dialogue and motivate women to keep pushing so they aren’t the last!”

“At Secret, we are proud to continue our commitment to equal representation and to keep working until all women can live in a world where we don’t have to sweat equality,” said Sara Saunders, Associate Brand Director, Secret. “Our ‘Not The First’ partners demonstrate unwavering strength and a relentless approach to empowering women of color. We hope ‘Not The First’ will encourage all women to share their incredible tributes, to help drive change.”

Join the “Not The First” Conversation

• Watch “Not The First” HERE
• Join the conversation and share a “first” tribute on Instagram (@SecretDeodorant) and Twitter (@SecretDeodorant)
• Tag a “first” woman who inspired you
• Follow the conversation: #NotTheFirst #ASNS #IWD

By SixFootah The Poet

I am a mother and a daughter, and I will not be silent because my pain can be someone else’s voice.  The makers of menthol cigarettes have taken my heart, and ripped it out, with no remorse.  They are the creators of a cancer-causing, lung-collapsing, aging-in-a-box of a disease that is a cancer in a stick that caused my mother to get hooked. It’s funny how they say cancer doesn’t kill, all so they can make a dollar bill.  But they created her lover, and since she got in bed with it, her life has been over.

My mother was raised by loving parents in an affluent home. I need you to understand that my mother was not a smoker.  But when she began working at a See’s Candy store in one of Oakland’s wealthiest neighborhoods, she was the first African American manager ever to work there and during their 15-minute breaks, some of the Caucasian women would smoke.  One of them handed her one and it was history, she was addicted.  My mother said that if she had known all about the side effects of smoking and the damage that it can cause she would have never started smoking. She wishes she would have known ahead of time.

My mother raised us in Oakland.  While I was growing up, she tried to quit smoking several times, but she was never successful.  Looking back, we remember she spent so much time smoking that we would have to wait to be around her or figure out another way to breathe. She would go through two packs a day and put the cigarettes before a bill. But little did we know that the menthol in cigarettes makes them easier to start, harder to quit and more damaging.

Thanks to menthol cigarettes, I have been losing my mother a little at a time for years.  My mother became sick on December 26, 2013, spending her life in and out of hospitals and care facilities due to the damage menthol cigarettes had done to her.  Two strokes and two heart attacks, I knew my mother and our lives would never be the same. I spent many nights beside her hospital bed where I cried, all because the tobacco industry lied.

It’s funny that they say tobacco doesn’t kill and it is our freewill, but in my neighborhood I seem to find more marketing toward my kind where it seems like there are 10 times more signs.  The Tobacco Industry has been advertising menthol cigarettes to our community for decades stacking the deck against us, making sure the menthol playing field isn’t level or fair.

I wish my story was unique, but I know it’s not. In California, more than half of African American smokers use menthol cigarettes, but less than one in five Caucasian smokers use them.  That’s not an accident.  The Tobacco Industry has altered people’s way of thinking, that they need menthol cigarettes as a coping mechanism for life.  And it’s why our community bears the greatest mortality due to tobacco.

But I won’t let her story, my story, our story, stay quiet. 

On November 2, 2019, my family and I lost our beloved mother.  She passed away after suffering serious and debilitating health issues from smoking menthol cigarettes for most of her life.  I’ve lost time with my mother, space with my mother, and memories with my mother.

But my mother was a fighter, and because of her, so am I.  With my mother’s blessing, over the past few years I began to educate and speak up for my people. Through my poetry, that I perform throughout my community, including at the Black Repertory Theater in Berkeley, I want people to know what menthol cigarettes have taken from me — my biggest supporter, holidays, birthdays, too many things for me to even count.  All gone. 

But the one thing they can’t take is my voice, and I will continue to use it until no more of our families bear this loss.   To hear more about our story, please visit www.wearenotprofit.org. 

By Jennifer Queen, Resource Fellow, Recreation and Tourism

It has been said that Black history is simply the missing pages of world history. Nothing could be truer. The Triple Nickles African American paratrooper unit left their mark, not only in Black history but, ultimately, in the history of the Army, the Forest Service and our great country.

On Feb. 29, the Triple Nickles will be awarded the Buffalo Soldiers Medal of Valor. The medal was created in Louisville, Kentucky, in 2014 by John Taylor Jr., a veteran and Buffalo Soldiers camp director. It was created to honor African Americans, living and deceased. The medal is presented and housed annually in Washington, D.C., at the African American Civil War Museum.

The 555th Parachute Infantry Battalion was a pioneering paratrooper unit of the United States Army. Instated in 1943 during World War II, the unit was given the unprecedented and undeniably dangerous job of jumping into forests that were set on fire by the nation’s enemy at war. The unit was nicknamed the Triple Nickles because of its numerical designation and because 17 of the original 20-member “colored test platoon” came from the 92nd Infantry Division, or Buffalo Division. Hence, the nickname Buffalo Nickles, symbolized by three buffalo nickels joined in a triangle. The unit’s 75-year legacy intersects with USDA Forest Service history in a very special way.

At a time when the Army traditionally relegated Black service members to menial jobs, the Triple Nickles succeeded in becoming the nation’s first Black parachute infantry test platoon, company and battalion.

Major James C. Queen—my grandfather—dedicated his life to fighting forest fires as a 555 paratrooper during the war. While serving, he was stationed at Fort Bragg, Fort Benning and other bases, where he underwent extensive training despite the many forms of discrimination that often hindered Black soldiers from advancing through the ranks. Despite the roadblocks, in 1994 Queen went on to become the first African American inductee into the Ranger Hall of Fame for his leadership during the Korean War.

A Washington, D.C., native, and the son of a secretary and a factory worker, Queen entered the army at the age of 18 with only a high school education. Nicknamed “Big Jim” for his towering 6’5″ height, he enrolled in the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps, where he earned the rank of junior colonel for Washington, D.C., by the time he graduated high school.

After retiring from the army in 1964, Queen went on to become assistant principal of H.D. Woodson High School in Washington, D.C., and later began writing the history of the first Black airborne company to fight in Korea—the 2nd ranger infantry.

“War Department studies indicated that they didn’t believe Black troops could become paratroopers, Queen said. “Just like they didn’t believe Black soldiers could become airmen…they just didn’t think we could do it.”

My grandfather lived a life colored with dignity, perseverance, love and determination in service to family and country. His body now rests next to my grandmother, Phyllis Queen, in Arlington National Cemetery, where he was buried with full military honors. Major Queen, like innumerable other paratroopers of color, proudly served his country and carried out tremendously dangerous work without the full respect, resources and support given to other troops. Many of their contributions to American infrastructure are still yet to be fully told.

The Triple Nickles was a skilled mix of former university students, top-notch professional athletes and veteran non-commissioned officers. Unlike other divisions of the army, the Triple Nickles did not deploy overseas during World War II. Instead, in 1945, the unit was secretly assigned to a series of firefighting missions in the Pacific Northwest Region. This special assignment, called Operation Firefly, saw the Triple Nickles transferred to Pendleton, Oregon. While there, the unit was trained by the Forest Service to become the first military smokejumpers in U.S. history.

That spring, the Triple Nickles parachuted into U.S. forests to battle wildfires that were set ablaze by incendiary balloons the Japanese were delivering across the Pacific Ocean. The Triple Nickles went on to operate in all the northwestern states. When the battalion was finally deactivated in 1947, their impact was undeniable.

That impact is recognized in the Forest Service Headquarters in Washington, D.C., with a conference room in their name located in the building’s promenade. Photos and descriptions of the men from the first iteration of the company adorn the walls. One paratrooper, the late Richard Williams, whose photo also hangs in the conference room, will be honored this year with a post office named after him in Columbus, Georgia. The commemoration is scheduled for March 18.

Resources:

Smokejumpers: 80 Years of Wildland Firefighting

The US Army’s First, Last and only all Black Rangers by Edward L. Posey

The Ranger Hall of Fame— http://www.nationalrgrassociation.com/ranger-hall-of-fame-1/ 

To learn more about the history of the Triple Nickles:  http://triplenickle.com/history.htm

More about the legendary capture of hill 581: When Men Don’t Panic