WSSN Stories

By Lou Yeboah

Brings God’s punishment. Attracts God’s wrath. Damns you in hell. In all your getting, get an understanding. God has promised in [Leviticus 26:14-20] that disobedience will always be punished. The Scripture is so abundantly clear, I do not need to add commentary beyond what the Scripture plainly teaches: For Jesus said in [Isaiah 66:24], “Then they will go forth and look on the corpses of the men who have transgressed against Me. For their worm will not die and their fire will not be quenched; And they will be an abhorrence to all mankind. Repercussions of disobedience to God!

Listen, disobedience to God’s has always come with consequences. Since the inception of this world, God has always punished disobedience. Repent before it is too late! Understand that God’s purpose for warning man is to motivate him to repent and come back to Him [Luke 15; 1 Peter 3:20; 2 Peter 3:9; Revelation 8; Revelation 9]. What are you waiting for? The Book of Revelation, which we are living in now, is God’s final warning to the sinner to repent before His wrath and judgment come upon this wicked world.

I implore you to PLEASE repent of your sins, seek the forgiveness of God, and surrender your life to the Lord Jesus Christ right now! If what Revelation says is true [and it is], why would you want to delay or deny what is obviously upon us? Do not make that foolish and eternally deadly decision. Repercussions of disobedience to God always have consequences. Heed God’s Warning!

Remember Christ through Noah preached God’s Word to the people living in Noah’s day warning them of certain judgment through the impending flood [Genesis 6:13; Hebrews 11:7; 1 Peter 3:18-20]. They did not repent and heed God’s warning and perished in the flood. Only eight souls heeded God’s “ample warning” and were saved [Genesis 7:7; 1 Peter 3:20].

Note the example given of disobedient Israel in [Numbers 14:29-30; Hebrews 3:5-19]. The disobedient did not “enter into his rest” because they didn’t repent and heed God’s warning through the testimony of Moses.

God warned Israel through Jeremiah and Ezekiel of their impending captivity by the Babylonians [Jeremiah 6:10; Ezekiel 3:10-11,17] because of their idolatrous worship [Jeremiah 11:10; Ezekiel 6] but they did not repent and heed God’s “ample warning” [Jeremiah 6:19; Ezekiel 14:6-10].

Heed the warnings and repent! If you do not, you will face the consequences of your disobedience sooner or later. Repent! Repent! Repent!

By Antonio Ray Harvey | California Black Media

Last week, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a budget trailer bill approving $5 Million in funding to the California State University at Dominguez Hills (CSUDH) to house the California Black Women’s Think Tank.

The California Black Women’s Collective (CBWC) Empowerment Institute will be a founding partner in the development of the policy research institution.

The legislation, Assembly Bill (AB) 179, authored by Assemblymember Phillip Ting (D-San Francisco), paves the way for establishing a policy institute that will focus on improving structures and practices that impact the lives of Black women and girls across the state.

“The California Black Women’s Collective has diligently worked hard over the last year to make the California Black Women’s Think Tank, the first of its kind in the nation, happen,” Kellie Todd Griffin, speaking for CBWC, told California Black Media.

CBWC in partnership with Black Women Organized for Political Action (BWOPA), is a coalition of more than 1,500 Black Women leaders throughout California.

The coalition utilizes Black women’s expertise and collaboration skills in political, community, and social justice activism to amplify their voices, knowledge, and issues throughout the state.

On June 20, Newsom signed a $308 billion state budget that helps address rising costs for Californians, tackles the state’s most pressing needs, builds reserves, and invests in the state’s future.

AB 179, the Budget Act of 2022, implements funding for key priorities established by the California Black Legislative Caucus (CLBC) for this legislative session, including CBWC’s Think Tank.

“We are thankful to the California Legislative Black Caucus (CLBC) that included it as a priority-budget ask and CSUDH for partnering with us on it,” Todd Griffin said.

The CBWC’s goal for the Think Tank is for it to be “relevant and accessible” in providing an “independent, academic, research entity that provides a “rigorous analysis approach to policy,” CBWC explained in a written overview.

The state and CLBC are in support of addressing the need to expand work that drives systematic change, brought forth by CBWC. The Think Tank is an effort to serve as a research institution and resource for lawmakers, elected officials, business leaders, and advocating organizations willing to impact sustainable and scalable change.

“There are approximately 1.1 million Black females in California. However, there are 75% of Black households headed by single Black mothers and 80% of Black households have Black women breadwinners. There are economic, educational, health, and electoral barriers confronting Black women every day. In California, 23% of Black women live in poverty, according to the Women’s Well-Being Index from the California Budget and Policy Center,” CBWC stated.

According to the Status of Black Women report from the Women’s Policy Research (WPR) and information provided by CBWC, the median income for Black women in California is $43,000 a year- compared to $52,000 for White women and $69,000 for White men. The report by WPR also shared that the average cost of childcare for an infant makes up 28% of a Black woman’s average income in the state.

CBWC’s Think Tank intends to approach its work in a data-driven, strategic, and collaborative manner. Based on current information concerning Black women and girls in the state, the collective specifically aims to provide actionable policy solutions, remove persistent barriers that this group of women faces on a daily basis, and achieve racial and gender equity.

The CBWC Empowerment Institute falls in line with these initiatives to help Black women, Todd Griffin asserts.

“The magnitude of this funding allocation will be transformative as we continue the work to improve the quality of life of Black women and girls throughout California,” Todd Griffin said.

The Labor Day Weekend event featured Africa’s finest cultural representations with music artists, visual art, fashion designers, performances and more.

LOS ANGELES, CA—- Labor Day Weekend brings a variety of events to cap off the summer – and renowned Afrobeats DJ Peter Lentini, Founder and Creative Director of the 13th Annual Ankara Fashion & Music Festival Los Angeles (AFLA), made it a memorable holiday weekend for Los Angeles. Every year, Lentini expects hundreds of people to come through the festival to experience the art, fashion designers, performances, and music artists that are some of Africa’s finest cultural representations. This year’s event exceeded expectations with more attendee’s than the previous year.

Lentini, who was born and raised in Lagos, Nigeria, is a self-made American success story. For the last 15 years, he has been delivering an eclectic mix of entertainment with event production and concerts around the world featuring African artists. Lentini created the Ankara Fashion & Music Festival Los Angeles to build a social landscape for African cultural pride in the U.S. and foster entrepreneurship by providing greater visibility of African artists from multiple industries. AFLA is the largest African cultural event in the United States. This year’s event was hosted by popular Nigerian actor and comedian Seyi Brown.

“All of our staff, volunteers, sponsors, entertainers – everyone that attended AFLA, made this year’s event an incredible success,” said Lentini. “We surpassed our attendance goals and smashed the previous record. It shows we have made our mark in Los Angeles as a culturally-rich festival that celebrates Africa’s contributions to art, fashion and music.”

The three-day festival kicked off September 2 and ended September 4. Opening night featured a headline performance by Wande Coal at Catch One. Other artists who performed at Catch One included King Abu, DJ Zuko, Chimdi. E Major, Otito, Tomi Trive, and MJTheDJ.

The second day featured an African Marketplace pop-up of vendors, and an Afrobeats Day Party at The Fountain LA. Closing night at Exchange LA featured a red carpet, a runway fashion show with live African music followed by a live performance by Nigerian Singer Yemi Alade.

Closing night included dignitaries, celebrities, musicians and actors who were invited to support and enjoy the fabulous styles on the runway as well as walk the red carpet. Those in attendance included: Chief Oladiran Alabi, Honorable Mame Mbaye (Senegal Consulate), Nyakim Gathwech (Supermodel “Queen of the Dark”), Petri Hawkins Byrd (American court show bailiff and TV Personality), Bayo Akinfemi (CBS “Bob Hearts Abishola”), Isaac C. Singleton Jr. (“Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl”), Nola Ade (Singer), Tyrone DuBose (American Radio Personality), Jaida-Iman Benjamin (HBO’s “Insecure”), and many others.

This year’s event was well supported by several sponsors, which included Lentini, AIDS Health Foundation (AHF), Umu Igbo Unite, AfroBeat Los Angeles, Zena Fashions, Toms One for One, AfroBrunch Los Angeles, Royal Dynamite, Andrea Williams of MUD cosmetic, Mrs. May Odiakosa of Star Beer USA, Chike Nweke of Life & Times Magazine Group, #StandAgainstHate, Celestina of Benz Life Collection, and entrepreneur Mrs. Lara Okunubi.
For more information about Peter Lentini and Ankara Festival, visit www.ankarafestival.org.

Stay connected with Ankara Festival at:
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Twitter: @AnkaraFestivals
Facebook: @AnkaraFestivals

By Solomon O. Smith | California Black Media    

For the first time in history, a Black woman, Sedalia Sanders, was honored by the League of California Cities Past Presidents Council with its 2022 Past Presidents Lifetime Achievement Award.

Sanders has had a lifetime of firsts, pushing boundaries in local politics. As a past president of the California League of Cities, elected in 1995, she was given the President’s Council’s highest honor at the opening of the organization’s three-day conference last Wednesday, at the Long Beach Convention Center.

On stage were some of the past winners — but no African Americans. Cheryl Viegas Walker, also a past president of the league, presented the award.

“Today we recognize a true champion of local government,” Viegas Walker said, voice wavering. “One of my dearest friends and mentors who has been not only a champion of local government but a champion of quality-of-life issues, making our cities better places to live, to work to raise our families.”

Sanders delivered her acceptance speech with a combination of wit and humor. Thanking the audience for coming, she asked those who did not come to see her to “refrain from saying so.” Her speech recalled events of the last 80 years of her life and how they contributed to making her “part of the greatest generation.”

Sanders described her accomplishments as those of a “small town gal” from a “rural community” acknowledging the difficult job of governing, particularly with the recent pandemic. She emphasized the importance of a diverse, fair representation in government.

“So those who look like me, meaning of the same gender, those who may look like me, meaning the same ethnicity, and those who may look like me, because you’re my age or more,” said Sanders, “know that if you live long enough, work hard enough, all things can be accomplished.”

In a moment of reflection backstage, Sanders recalled how her political career began. The mayor of El Centro wanted her on the Board of Trustees of El Centro Community Hospital in 1982 but he warned her that she would need to be appointed to the position.

“This is 20 years after Martin Luther King, Jr. marched on Washington,” said Sanders. “He was killed in ‘63 and people were still worried about whether we (African Americans) have the knowledge, understanding or know-how and education to do this.”

But she persisted. Sanders said she won them over with her willingness to work hard and her tenacity. She went on to win, and defend a seat as a city councilwoman, and later mayor, of El Centro, in Southern California from 1984 to 1999.

Leaders that were inspirational to Sanders at the time included former Los Angeles mayor, Tom Bradley. She remembers meeting him and being asked how she was able to do it. She answered. “it wasn’t easy,” to which Bradley responded, “tell me about it.”

Bradley was the first African American to win the Lifetime Achievement Award.

Sanders has achieved a long list of accomplishments and received several awards over 30 years in California politics. She has been mayor of El Centro, the president of the League of California Cities, a two-year member of the Board of Directors of the National League of Cities, a member of the Taskforce on Rural Competitiveness appointed by Gov. Pete Wilson, and the Vice-Chair of the Rural Development Council.

Hard work and faith were what Sanders says got her through some of the most contentious parts of her political career. Now in her eighties, she is not done yet. She has been reappointed by Gov. Newsom to the Executive Committee of the California Commission on Aging Commission, where she has been serving since 2016.

For Sanders, the message is clear— no one should be told they are not as good as someone else. Everyone should be able to participate in the governing process.

“What I’m hopeful for is that the presentation I made today in my acceptance speech will inspire someone so that they can see that they can do this.”

LOS ANGELES, CA—- From an inspirational keynote by acclaimed television personality and Founder, State of Menopause Stacy London to a “queening ceremony” performed by personal transformational vision coach Barbara Biziou, WisePause Wellness LIVE provided a full day of presentations, panel discussions, therapeutics and most importantly, solutions from top physicians, functional medical practitioners, and experts for women on the topics of hormones through menopause.  Over 25 speakers covered a myriad of issues women 35-65+ face ranging from incontinence, belly fat and sleep, to sex, brain fog and nutrition during the daylong event held at the Skirball Cultural Center on September 10, 2022.

“WisePause Wellness is about empowering women with knowledge and information,” says WisePause Founder, Denise Pines.  “The message that we convey to women is that they are not alone, and they don’t have to suffer in silence because there are answers out there.  WisePause brings together experts to discuss virtually every menopausal symptom that women experience, so for the attendees it is like having their own personal appointment with a medical team to not only get crucial information, but also to see how they can thrive during this period of their lives.”

In addition to presentations from the stage, attendees were treated to Table Talks during lunch, where they could sit down one-on-one with experts to ask their own questions on topics such as hair loss, sex, mindfulness, stress, weight loss, facial rejuvenation, CBD and more.

Over 30 exhibitors showcased their latest health, beauty, medical and nutraceutical products and services designed for women 40+ and at the event.  Many of the exhibitors also presented their products in a 2-minute pitch during the WisePause Lifestyle Showcase segments, to provide more information on advances in women’s health and wellness.

At the end of the day, after a relaxing sound bath, attendees feasted on Mediterranean-inspired food at the “Afterparty” and were treated to massages, acupuncture, skin and eyebrow consultations and sampled products at the Best Self Wellness Experience.

Concludes Pines, “The feedback I’ve gotten on WisePause Wellness has been amazing.  I kept hearing the words ‘powerful,’ ‘transformational,’ and ‘I had no idea that what I was experiencing was due to hormones and menopause’ throughout the day.  That is the environment I wanted to create—a safe space for women to talk about what they are going through, get answers and most importantly, a place where community is cultivated and developed through shared experiences.”

Sponsors of WisePause Wellness include Toyota, Tea Botanics and Equelle. Partners included New Beauty magazine, State of Menopause, MoxieLash, Gennev, GoodPharma, Potency NO. 710 and podcast Hot Flashes & Cool topics.

Stacy London, Founder, State of Menopause on Loving Your Age – photo credit Joan Fuller

Panelists (l-r) Master Your Hormones panel Dr. Leita Harris, Dr. Michael Krychman, Dr. Suzanne Gilberg-Lenz and moderator/WisePause Founder Denise Pines – photo credit Joan Fuller

By McKenzie Jackson | California Black Media

One hundred and ten African Americans died or suffered serious bodily injury during encounters with law enforcement officers in the Golden State over the course of the last year.

Blacks made up 16.7 % of the civilians that were killed or suffered severe injury injured during incidents involving the discharge of a firearm or the use of force by police officers in 2021. Of the 660 civilians, who died or were injured, 50.6 % were Hispanic and 25.5 % were White.

The report, however, does not indicate how many of the 149 individuals that died during the 628 incidents were Black or of any other race.

The stats were gleaned from the Use of Force Incident Report released by the California Department of Justice (DOJ) late last month.

The report was one of four annual criminal justice statistical breakdowns released to give the public, policymakers, researchers, and law enforcement statistics to support informed policy choices based on data and analysis and to help protect the safety and well-being of all Californians, according to an Aug. 25 press release from California Attorney General Rob Bonta.

“Good data,” Bonta said, “is key to good public policy.” He urged people to read the documents.

“Accurate statistics and the data in the annual crime reports are a critical part of calibrating our response, ensuring policymakers and law enforcement are able to make informed decisions,” Bonta stated.

The other reports released by the DOJ include Homicide in California, Crime in California, and Juvenile Justice in California.

The quartet of documents are available online and offer an analytical breakdown of criminal activity and related statistics such as the number of homicides reported last year, how much violent crime has increased in the state and the specificity of those crimes, a breakdown of age, race, sex of crime victims and offenders, and the various types of force used by law enforcement during encounters when an individual died or was injured badly.

The information found in the Use of Force report reveals that the types of force used by law enforcement officers against the 660 individuals included blunt impact weapons, chemical sprays, firearms, impact projectiles, vehicles, electronic control devices and their hands, feet, fists use or other body parts.

According to DOJ, officers shooting a firearm hit 233 people and missed 58 others. They used K-9 dogs on 77 people and controlled holds or takedowns on 121 others. While officers perceived that 383 civilians were armed during the incidents, 341 or 89% of them were confirmed to have been carrying weapons.

1,462 officers were reported to be involved in shooting a firearm or using excessive force during incidents that resulted in death or serious injury. Fifty-eight of the officers were Black.

The Crime in California report presents an overview of the criminal justice system in California. It revealed that the violent crime rate rose 6.7 %, from 437 crimes per 100,000 people to 466.2 last year. The property crime rate increased 3 % and the homicide rate jumped up 9.1% while the rape incidence rate increased 8.6 %. The motor vehicle theft rate rose 8.2%. The state’s burglary and arson rates dropped.

There were 153,546 violent crimes in the state in 2021. All the data are based on the number of known victims and incidents.

Bonta said crime rates remain below historical highs, but property and violent crimes continue to have terrible effects on California communities.

“Gun violence, in particular, remains a consistent and growing threat. In fact, in 2021, nearly three-fourths of all homicides in California involved a firearm,” he said. “As we confront these ongoing challenges, we must have accountability and appropriate consequences for those who break the law.”

The total number of reported civilian complaints against peace officers increased from 16,547 in 2020 to 28,617 last year. The number of complaints from civilians accusing officers of crimes — 683 — was the lowest since 1983.

There were 2,361 homicides reported in 2021, according to the Homicide Crime in California report. Of the homicides where the victim’s race or ethnicity was identified, 29.5 % or 690 were Black, second only to the 47.1 % or 1,102 victims who were Hispanic. The largest segment of Black victims — 38.4 % or 264 — were aged 18-29. Three hundred and twenty-five of the Black victims were killed on a street or sidewalk. None were killed on school grounds.

Blacks are 5.5% of the total California population.

The Juvenile Justice in California report detailed the 19,355 juvenile arrests in California reported by law enforcement last year.

Felony arrests made up 47.2 % or 9,132 of the apprehensions, with Black juveniles being 60.3 %. Black juveniles were arrested for 49.0 % of the felony violent offenses.

Over 70 % of all juveniles, including 77.3 %of the Black juveniles arrested were referred to probation departments by law enforcement.

Bonta said the DOJ is using every tool it has to prevent violence and combat crime.

“Whether it’s successfully securing federal certification of our data systems or taking guns out of the hands of dangerous individuals,” he said, “my office remains committed to doing our part to support safety and security for all Californians.”

By Dr. Alveda King

Reverend Martin Luther King Junior was an American patriot. In the years since his death, my family has shared the memory of my martyred uncle with the world. More than any figure from modern American history, my uncle and his call to “let freedom ring” unites people from all walks of life and every corner of the political spectrum.

As we celebrate the 59th anniversary of the March on Washington and the I Have a Dream speech, social media will be flooded with excerpts from the address. People will rightly highlight his ever-consistent call for America to honor its promise to all citizens.

His love for America manifests all these years later in the true example of patriotism. His expression of love was never ever giving up on this great experiment in Democracy. Yes, all these years later, his model of non-violent protest and servant leadership are examples of excellence that would benefit each of us to study and emulate.

My memory will always be of an uncle who loved America too much to not push her towards becoming her best self. He refused to give up on America living out the true meaning of its creed. The self-evident truth that all men are created equal remains a courageous standard today.

In a speech about Vietnam, he dispelled any confusion about his motives and his love for America. He described his disappointment in America but asserted that “there can be no great disappointment where there is no great love.”

Over these past months, I have felt disappointment in America. But like my uncle, my disappointment pales in comparison to my faith in Americans to do what is right. My hope for America’s bright future is fortified because I join Dr. King as he believed America is a nation bent towards justice. For all the areas of sorrow that might bring us despair, there are far more reasons that bring hope.

I was 17 years old when my uncle died, and as a guardian of the King family legacy, I remember him well and still have faith in his American Dream. As one blood, one united race, with eyes wide open and not colorblind, we, the people of America, must press on to realize the “possible dream” together, from the womb to the tomb into eternity.

BPA LiveWire features articles and news releases from organizations with altruistic missions that celebrate diversity of thought in the marketplace. BPA LiveWire content may be shared on your media platforms with attribution BPA LiveWire. 

By Lou Yeboah

Just image the Reality of Hell ? Brutal Heat! Unquenchable Fire! Everlasting Fire! Where the pain is horrific, and the suffering is endless. Where is no pity; no light; no food; no water; no second chance, no God’s mercy, or His compassion. If you think it is hot now, you don’t know hot. But keep on doing you and you will find out what hot really is.

Gods wrath is going to bring more than a heat wave. Every place with evil will go up in flames; there will be earthquakes, floods, winds, storms, volcanic eruptions, snow, and hail. Extreme weather all apart of God’s plan to get our attention. He will use these events to speak to, and judge, the nations. Fierce, Scorching heat! I say, and I say again if you think it’s hot now, you don’t know hot!

God has had enough of our disobedience, hard hearts, and rebellious. How long did you think He was going to just sit back and let us continue to ignore Him and His warnings. Through these extremes happening, God is thinning out the impurities in the world and burning them. “And I heard the altar reply: “Yes, Lord God Almighty, true and just are Your judgments.” Then the fourth angel poured out his bowl on the sun, and it was given power to scorch the people with fire. And the people were scorched by intense heat, and they cursed the name of God, who had authority over these plagues; yet they did not repent and give Him glory.… [Revelation 16:7-9]. Extreme Heat is just the beginning. So I admonish you to repent before it is too late because if you do not the Lord will smite you with consumption and with fever and with inflammation and with fiery heat and with the sword and with blight and with mildew, which will pursue you until you perish. [Deuteronomy 28:22-24]. If you think it’s hot now, you don’t know hot!

The day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and its works will be burned up … the heavens will be destroyed by burning, and the elements will melt with intense heat [2 Peter 3:10,12].

I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come. I say, ‘My purpose will stand, and I will do all that I please.’ From the east I summon a bird of prey; from a far-off land, a man to fulfill my purpose. What I have said, that I will bring about; what I have planned, that I will do. [Isaiah 46:10-11].

Traumatic Times for a Rebellious World!

LOS ANGELES, CA— KBLA Talk 1580 is gearing up for its election coverage of heated races making news with a Public Safety Forum, designed to provide a place to discuss politics for Black voters.  First up, incumbent Sheriff Alex Villanueva will face off with his challenger, former Long Beach Chief of Police Robert Luna from 7 to 9 p.m. on Monday, September 12, 2022, in front of a live KBLA Talk 1580 listening audience of 200 invited guests.

Moderated by media personality Tavis Smiley, he’ll be joined by radio hosts Dominique DiPrima, Angela Reddock-Wright and Nii-Quartelai Quartey, who also serves as KBLA Talk 1580’s chief national political affairs analyst. The trio will pose tough, probing questions to the candidates. The Public Safety Forum will be live streamed on  KBLA1580.com as well as KBLA’s YouTube channel and Facebook page with an encore broadcast to air on KBLA Talk 1580.

A new poll by UC Berkeley, co-sponsored by the Los Angeles Times, shows that Luna has a slight edge over Villanueva – 31 to 27 percent among L.A. County voters. During the KBLA Talk 1580 Public Safety Forum, Villanueva and Luna will be expected to share their thoughts on questions, like:

• How will you make all Angelenos safer?
• What are your thoughts on the sheriff becoming an appointed rather than elected official?
• What is your position on the ballot initiative to give the Board of Supervisors the power to fire an elected sheriff?
• And how would you deal with the appearance of anti-Blackness in the LA County Sheriff’s Department, especially since both finalists are LatinX, and the department is now 52 percent Latino? How will this be addressed, if elected?

The KBLA Talk 1580 Public Safety Forum is co-sponsored by the LA Urban League, the Empowerment Congress and Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC/SC).

“We intend for KBLA Talk 1580 to be the election information station for our audience. We will be covering all of the local, state and national elections that matter to our listeners,” said Tavis Smiley. “This particular sheriff’s race is perhaps the most hotly contested in some time, and we are appreciative that the candidates have agreed to speak to our audience directly.”

Smiley, radio host and owner of KBLA Talk 1580, launched the city’s first and only “Unapologetically Progressive” talk radio station for the African American listening audience just one year ago on Juneteenth 2021. KBLA Talk 1580 serves an audience long ignored by talk radio in LA – namely, people of color and progressives. Interestingly, KBLA 1580 AM is a heritage station and the original home of the iconic Hip-Hop station KDAY.

Recently, an independent survey found that KBLA Talk 1580 is the “most trusted, credible and reliable source of information” for African Americans in Los Angeles. In a fiercely competitive radio market, the findings are a big win for Smiley.

EVITARUS shared its findings from a survey of 400 Black/African Americans in the Los Angeles media market (June 4-12, 2022) revealing their habits and attitudes toward the media landscape and trusted sources of news and information. The independent survey found that KBLA Talk 1580 fills a void in providing relevant programming and content to the Black community. Furthermore, in comparison to other talk stations in LA, Smiley’s KBLA consistently emerged as “the station of choice” for the African American listener. EVITARUS is a widely respected public opinion research and public policy consulting firm based in LA. Visit EVITARUS.com.

KBLA Talk 1580 is helmed by Smiley of Smiley Audio Media, Inc. Elston Howard Butler runs the day-to-day operations as president and general manager of the station as well as president and COO of the holding company, Smiley Audio Media, Inc.

The studios of KBLA Talk 1580 are located in historic Leimert Park, directly adjacent to Destination Crenshaw’s “Sankofa Park,” a 1.3 mile open-air museum along the new Crenshaw/LAX Metro rail line, presently under construction.

For more information, visit KBLA1580.com.

ABOUT KBLA TALK 1580
KBLA Talk 1580 AM is a heritage station and the original home of the iconic hip hop station KDAY. At 50,000 watts, day and night, KBLA serves a coverage area of nearly 12 million listeners. KBLA Talk 1580 boasts an all- star lineup of hosts who speak candidly and passionately to the challenges people of color face daily trying to navigate life and realize their hopes and dreams. KBLA Talk 1580 serves an audience long ignored by talk radio in
Los Angeles – people of color and progressives. For more information, visit KBLA1580.com.

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By Manny Otiko | California Black Media

After Brandon N. Smith was imprisoned for the ninth time, he found himself at a crossroads. That’s when he learned about the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) conservation campfire crews, which allows inmates to train as firefighters.

Smith initially joined the program to get out of his cell, but something changed after working alongside firefighters and saving lives and homes. Smith said he found direction and realized he gained satisfaction fighting forest fires.

Smith is no longer incarcerated and now serves as executive director of the Forestry and Fire Recruitment Program, a nonprofit organization that supports formerly incarcerated firefighters, and those currently incarcerated in California’s Conservation Camps.

He said, “This work changed my life.”

Inmates who participated in one of the 44 California Conservation Camps received the same training from the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection or CAL-FIRE as it gives to seasonal firefighters but inmates are paid $2 to $5 a day in camp and an additional $1 to $2 an hour when they’re on a fire line. But once they were out of custody, former inmates couldn’t get hired on with fire crews despite their training and experience because of their criminal backgrounds.

That changed in 2020 when Gov. Gavin Newsom signed AB 2147. The law changes the penal code so that formerly incarcerated firefighters can file a petition to request their records to be expunged of convictions and gain early termination of probation or parole. This opened the door for their employment in firefighting.

“This legislation rights a historic wrong and recognizes the sacrifice of thousands of incarcerated people who have helped battle wildfires in our state, and I would like to thank the Legislature for passing this bill,” said Newsom in a press release.

Smith says AB 2147 opens opportunities in the fire protection field to formerly incarcerated people.

“Signing AB 2147 into law is about giving second chances. To correct is to right a wrong; to rehabilitate is to restore,” said Assemblymember Eloise Gomez Reyes, the bill’s author.

According to Smith, finding employment continues to be a challenge for people with criminal backgrounds. But it’s not just finding work; it’s finding well-paying jobs too. He was looking at minimum-wage jobs when he got out of prison, but now he could find a good job because of his firefighter training.

It’s not just about financial compensation for Smith. He genuinely loves his job and finds the work meaningful.

“The first fire I did, we saved 10,000 lives,” said Smith.

Smith credits retired Chief Betty Ashe for giving him a chance when he got out of prison. He had tried to get a job in the fire protection field but ran into obstacles because of his record.

Professional firefighters initially hesitated to work alongside former inmates, but eventually, they were glad for the help.

“They want to find a way to get more people into the program,” said Smith

Forest fires continue to be a major problem in California. The situation has been exacerbated for several reasons, such as climate change, hotter temperatures, drought, and mismanagement of forests.

Current climate conditions have created a perfect storm for forest fires, and there is a great need for people with the skills to work in fire protection and prevention.

“There are not enough people to do the work,” said Smith.
Smith admits that fighting fires is dangerous and scary. He said the first time he fought a fire, “I have never been that scared in my life.”

However, for Smith, being a firefighter allows him to “be a good citizen for the state of California.”

Being a firefighter has allowed Smith’s family to improve their situation. Now his daughter wants to be a wildland firefighter. And members of his church are interested in getting their family members into the program.