Yuriana and Hector live for the smiles on their daughters’ faces, but just five years ago, they were uncertain about what size family they would have in this expensive health care climate.

The passage of the federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and Covered California opening for business changed that equation for Yuriana and Hector. It allowed them to get covered and plan for their “Covered California miracle baby.”

The Salinas couple had one toddler and wanted to expand their family, but the high cost of health coverage had been deterring them from having another.

“After we had insurance, we were able to plan our second baby,” Yuriana said. “It was a blessing, because without that insurance we wouldn’t be able to have our daughter.”

The family also qualified for the new state subsidy program designed for middle-income Californians in 2020, and they are now saving over $1,700 a month in premiums.

“People that don’t have it live in fear, so having it is just a relief,” Yuriana said.

With Covered California’s open enrollment lasting until Jan. 31, giving yourself and your family the peace of mind that comes with having health care coverage in 2020 — like Yuriana and Hector did — should be at the top of your list.

If you need motivation beyond getting quality, name-brand health coverage, be aware of the Individual Shared Responsibility Penalty for Californians who choose to go without health insurance in 2020, which will be administered by the Franchise Tax Board.

“We do not want Californians to face a penalty; we want them to have quality health insurance that gives them access to some of the best doctors and facilities in the nation,” said Covered California Executive Director Peter V. Lee.

For those facing a penalty, a family of four could pay at least $2,000 for not having health insurance.  

Also, Gov. Gavin Newsom and the state Legislature made new financial help available to eligible consumers to help further lower the cost of their coverage. More than 560,000 Californians have already qualified for the new state subsidies.

Syd and Lisa of Elk Grove, CA. are happy recipients of the new state subsidies.

“Healthcare was the No.1 expense. It was our largest household expense,” said Syd. “Because of the income range we’re in we did qualify for some of the subsidy. That changed everything. It does give you that peace of mind so that other things in life go better.”

“You can find out in just a few minutes whether you are eligible for financial help from the federal government, the state, or both,” Lee said. “Do not leave money on the table; do not put yourself at risk if you get sick or ill; do not get stuck with a big bill when you pay your taxes in 2021.”

Covered California’s open-enrollment period runs through Jan. 31. Consumers can easily find out if they are eligible for financial help and see which plans are available in their area by entering their ZIP code, household income and the ages of those who need coverage into Covered California’s Shop and Compare Tool.

Those interested in learning more about their coverage options can:

1. Visit www.CoveredCA.com.
2. Get free and confidential in-person assistance, in a variety of languages, from a certified enroller.
3. Have a certified enroller call them and help them for free.
4. Call Covered California at (800) 300-1506.

By Lou Yeboah

Woe to me!” I cried. “I am ruined! For I am a

[woman]

of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the LORD Almighty.” Then one of the seraphs flew to me with a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with tongs from the altar. With it he touched my mouth and said, “See, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for.” Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?” And I said, “Here am I. Send me!” [Isaiah 6:4-8].

What a precious Scripture. Despite feeling as though he was not worthy, Isaiah responded to the Lord’s call by saying, “Here I am; Send me!” I tell you, every believer ought to have the same heart’s attitude as Isaiah… “Here I am; Send me,” but one of the saddest testimonies in the Bible, which is so true in the world today, is found in [Philippians 2:20-21] spoken by the frustrated Apostle Paul, “For I have no man like minded, who will naturally care for your state. For all seek their own, not the things which are Jesus Christ’s.” God sought for a man to stand in the gap. To rebuke God’s people for their sins. To stand against the tide of wickedness. To teach the truth in the midst of error. To prevent their destruction by a heathen nation. But no one would stand in the gap…” [Ezekiel 22:30, 31.] God couldn’t find even one man who cared about the injustices being committed in the land, who would stand before God in prayer to make up the gap. How tragic!

I tell you the world is going to Hell! Jesus said that the world would once again become as it was in the days of Noah before the flood [Matthew 24:37-38] because He could not find one man to stand in the gap. “I looked for someone who might rebuild the wall of righteousness that guards the land. I searched for someone to stand in the gap in the wall so I wouldn’t have to destroy the land, but I found no one. So now I will pour out my fury on them, consuming them with the fire of my anger. I will heap on their heads the full penalty for all their sins. I, the Sovereign Lord, have spoken!” [Ezekiel 22:30-31].

God wants to get the truth out to everyone of the coming judgment against sinners; but the gap remains empty. Where are the men and women today who are willing to make a difference for the Lord? Where are the men and women today that are wholly devoted to God? Who will rise up against the evildoers? [Psalms 94:16]. I tell you, God islooking for some men and women today who are willing to live for Him. To stand boldly in the midst of a wicked generation, that will stand for Truth and shine the Light of the Lord. Will you be the one? Will you stand in the middle between God and destruction [hell]? “I sought for somebody!” That same call of God is resounding once again in this hour. “Who will stand in the gap? God desires to bring a Spiritual Awakening to the sin dreary land. He’s looking for a man/woman who will stand in the gap! Will you be the one? If, so tell the Lord, “Here I am. Send me, Lord. I’ll go.”  Like Moses, who stepped between the Lord and His people and begged God to turn from his anger and not destroy them” [Psalms 106:23] and intercessor can make a difference.  Just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom of many [Matthew 20:8] tell the Lord, not my will, but Thy will, Oh Lord. God needs you. God has called you. Don’t allow Satan to deceive you. God’s call is a blanket one. Know that no one will escape their responsibilities at the judgment seat of Christ for what they did or did not do about a lost world.

“I Heard the Voice of the Lord Saying, “Whom Shall I Send and Who Will Go for Us?”

“Then the Spirit entered me when He spoke to me, and set me on my feet; He said, “[Daughter] of man, I’m sending you to the family of Israel, a rebellious nation if there ever was one. They and their ancestors have fomented rebellion right up to the present. They’re a hard case, these people to whom I’m sending you—hardened in their sin. Tell them, ‘This is the Message of God, the Master.’ They are a defiant bunch. Whether or not they listen, at least they’ll know that a prophet’s been here. But don’t be afraid of them, [daughter] of man, and don’t be afraid of anything they say. Don’t be afraid when living among them is like stepping on thorns or finding scorpions in your bed. Don’t be afraid of their mean words or their hard looks. They’re a bunch of rebels. Your job is to speak to them. Whether they listen is not your concern. They’re hardened rebels. “Only take care, [daughter] of man, that you don’t rebel like these rebels. Open your mouth and eat what I give you.” When I looked he had his hand stretched out to me, and in the hand a book, a scroll. He unrolled the scroll. On both sides, front and back, were written lamentations and mourning and doom.” [Ezekiel 2:2-10]

“And Abraham went early in the morning to the place where he had stood before the LORD. Then he looked toward Sodom and Gomorrah, and toward all the land of the plain; and he saw, and behold, the smoke of the land which went up like the smoke of a furnace” [Genesis 19:27-28].

By Curtis Bunn, Urban News Service

January 28, 2020

Kobe Bryant was the only man in history to win five NBA championships, two Olympic gold medals, four All-Star Most Valuable Player Awards and an Oscar. And he could speak four languages. A Beethoven fan, he was a genuine man of many gifts and interests.

Many measure Bryant’s life by the numbers, but his humility, sacrifice and tireless work ethic shone through. He was the youngest starter in NBA history, at 18 years and 158 days old. Bryant became the first guard to play 20 consecutive seasons and all with the same team. When he retired in 2016, he had scored more than 30,000 points.

The greatness of Kobe’s athletic career merited a first-ballot selection to the Hall of Fame, as the basketball world unanimously agreed. He would have been inducted into Hall this year even if he had survived the helicopter crash near Los Angeles that killed him, his 13-year-old daughter and seven other people on Sunday.

But the world lost more than a hardworking phenomenon known for a picturesque jump-shot and graceful style of play. Lost was an honest voice that shared a lot. He told his mercurial story in heartening detail. He shared his uneasiness with life, and people who were not hardcore NBA fans felt a connection to him.

“When I was growing up in Italy, I grew up in isolation,” Bryant said in 2015. “It was not an environment suited to me. I was the only black kid. I didn’t speak the language. I’d be in one city, but then we’d move to a different city and I’d have to do everything again.

“I’d make friends, but I’d never be part of the group,” he added, “because the other kids were already growing up together. So, this is how I grew up, and these are the weaknesses that I have.”

Bryant’s plainspoken humanity and link to the outside world are not typical in professional sports. He donated at least $1 million to the National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, D.C. In Los Angeles he backed My Friends Place, a safe haven for homeless youth, and Stand Up on Second, which offers job training and finds jobless Americans housing.

“The most important thing is that you try to inspire people so they can be great in whatever they want to do,” Bryant said.

Part of his message, however, was centered on the sort of sacrifice he made during every off-season—working out at 3 a.m., spending countless hours in the gym perfecting his artistry. . . instead of enjoying his wealth and down-time with his wife and daughters.

“We can all be masters at our craft, but you have to make a choice,” Bryant said. “What I mean by that is, there are inherent sacrifices that come along with that: family time, hanging out with your friends, being a great friend, being a great son, nephew, whatever the case may be. There are sacrifices that come along with that.”

Bryant won five NBA titles with the Los Angeles Lakers, one short of his idol, Michael Jordan, but more than most. In times of duress, he wanted the ball, seeking the responsibility of a game’s biggest moment. Often he delivered.

“If you’re afraid to fail, then you’re probably going to fail,” said Bryant. “My brain, it cannot process failure. It will not process failure, because if I sit there and have to face myself and tell myself, ‘You’re a failure’ … I think that’s almost worse than death.”

He was a constant thinker, a musing adventurist who won his 2018 Oscar for an animated short, “Dear Basketball,” with music by “Star Wars” composer John Williams. He patterned the pace and momentum of some games on Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony. He thought of himself as a symphony conductor, leading the Lakers and their global legion of fans in one orchestrated aria after another.

And the ensemble of his opponents never intimidated him.

“The last time I was intimidated was when I was six years old in karate class,” he said. “I was an orange belt and the instructor ordered me to fight a black belt who was a couple years older and a lot bigger. I was scared s**tless. I mean, I was terrified, and he kicked my *ss.”

“But then I realized he didn’t kick my *ss as bad as I thought he was going to and that there was nothing really to be afraid of,” Bryant said. “That was around the time I realized that intimidation didn’t really exist if you’re in the right frame of mind.”

He shared that mantra with his daughters, including his basketball-loving 13-year-old Gianna, who perished with him on Sunday. He coached her team, basked in her passion for the game, and was proud she adopted his assertive attitude.

“The best thing that happens when we go out,” Bryant said, “fans will come up to me and she’ll be standing next to me and they’ll be like, ‘Hey, you gotta have a boy! You and [wife Vanessa] gotta have a boy to have somebody to carry on the tradition and the legacy.’”

And Gianna, he said, replied: “Hey, I got this! You don’t need a boy for that.’”

Kobe smiled a daddy’s grin, broad and knowing. It was a proud moment for him.

“Have a good time,” he said. “Life is too short to get bogged down and be discouraged. You have to keep moving. You have to keep going. Put one foot in front of the other, smile and just keep on rolling.

“It’s the one thing you can control. You are responsible for how people remember you or don’t. So, don’t take it lightly.”

SAN BERNARDINO, CA— The Provisional Accelerated Learning (PAL) Charter Academy celebrates 20 years of providing educational and community services in Muscoy. 

On Tuesday, January 14, 2020, PAL Charter Academy (PCA) received its fourth consecutive charter school renewal from the San Bernardino City Unified School District (SBCUSD). The board vote was unanimous. The PCA, chartered in 2000, was the first charter school in San Bernardino to be approved by the SBCUSD. 

The tentacles of PCA’s Founder, Dr. Mildred Henry, retired CEO and Professor Emeritus at California State University, run deep throughout Muscoy and San Bernardino. The SBCUSD honored her with a namesake school, the Dr. Mildred Dalton Henry Elementary School, several years ago.

PCA has two campuses. The school’s main campus is nestled in Muscoy, a rural unincorporated area of San Bernardino County.  PCA Muscoy campus is home to over 250 students and parents.  The second campus is located in the heart of the City of San Bernardino and serves over 150 students, which come from all areas of the Inland Empire. Most are in search of an opportunity to recover credits and graduate from high school. Others come to embrace the small classroom sizes, one-on-one instruction, and the family-like environment PCA provides. 

The PAL Charter Academy’s CEO, Dwaine Radden, Sr., states, “We have some great students; however, with most schools that provide students the opportunity to close achievement gaps, their state test scores are impacted. We have taken a 21st-century approach to help us curtail our academic gaps and improve test scores.  We have invested in technology, integrated testing curriculum into student’s classes and schedules, and partnered with programs that can provide our students with support.” 

The PAL Academy has graduated thousands of students over the years. The school received the highest WASC accreditation possible from the governing agency. The motto is, ‘Education with an Individualized Approach’. PCA’s holistic approach to help students academically, socially, and emotionally has elevated them to be a school of choice for communities and local districts. 

In addition to the customized Independent Study approach to education, the school offers all the benefits and opportunities of a traditional setting.  These include, but are not limited to: College prep, CTE classes, CIF sports, Concurrent enrollment with a Community College, Grad-nite, Prom, AVID, College Expos and visits, Mock Trial, Accelerated classes, vocational training, student transportation, and Adult High School. The PAL Center also has an Upward Bound program that provides college preparation services and training to 65 students at San Bernardino High School and the PAL Academy.

The Muscoy campus is currently installing a football field, soccer field, and indoor gymnasium to support their sports program for the students and community.

The school is a subsidiary of Provisional Educational Services, Inc., a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that has been providing a variety of services in the community for over 35 years. 

For more information call (909) 887-7002 or visit PCA’s website: www.palcharteracademy.com.

As crucial count gets started, experts fear many will be missed

By Mark Hedin, Ethnic Media Services

With the United States about to begin its monumental task of counting everybody in the country once every 10 years, the House Oversight Committee held a hearing on Thursday, January 9, to see what the Census Bureau is doing to avoid overlooking so-called “hard to count” communities.

Arturo Vargas of the National Association of Latino Elected Officials objected to the “hard-to-count” designation: “What makes people hard to count are the enumeration strategies.”

For instance, he said, all outreach efforts to Latinx residents are in Spanish. And despite the Supreme Court barring the proposed addition of a question about everyone’s citizenship, the Census Bureau, he said, is squandering its “trusted brand” status by forbidding staff from discussing what has become a very alarming concern, particularly in ethnic communities.

Vargas was joined at the committee hearing dais by Marc Morial of the Urban League, Vanita Gupta of the Leadership Conference, John Yang of Asian American Advancing Justice, Kevin Allis of the National Congress of American Indians and Darrell Moore of the Center for South Georgia Regional Impact.

In her initial remarks, Gupta cited the Census Bureau’s slow pace of hiring for the enormous task: “The Census Bureau has acknowledged that it’s way behind. It needs more applicants in all 50 states.”

This year, the Census Bureau is optimistic that computerizing the primary response mechanism for the first time will help minimize the expense of tabulating printed questionnaires and paying enumerators to knock on the doors of non-responders.

But it also is doing all its hiring online, which has depressed interest, and is having to compete in a relatively strong job market as compared to the run-up to the 2010 Census. Other reasons cited for the hiring lag include that, as the first census to prioritize online responses, enumerators have to be comfortable with tech tools. And the hiring and onboarding process, including background checks, has been so drawn out that applicants have drifted off in pursuit of other opportunities.

Vargas, like others, recalled the troubled rollout of the healthcare.gov website set up to enroll people in the Affordable Care Act and recommended that the Census Bureau be ready with plenty of paper questionnaires in case the online response rate falls short of expectations.

Even in its rosiest predictions, the Census Bureau still only expects about a 60% initial response rate via online questionnaires, Morial noted. For African American men, 40% is probably more realistic, he added.

Yang criticized census hiring for being slow and “inconsistently inclusive” in its diversity. He cited the chilling effect of the failed citizenship question proposal, which makes it even more important that enumerators and partnership specialists be culturally competent.

He also noted that the written questionnaire, available only in Spanish or English, excludes Asian Americans, the fastest-growing minority group in the country. Yang did, however,  single out for praise the recent announcement of media campaigns in Hindi and Urdu.

The Native American population, which the Census Bureau believes it undercounted by at least 4.9% in 2010, is plagued by mistrust, privacy concerns, a sense of futility as to the usefulness of responding at all and the feeling that going online to fill out the census form, not always even possible, is a significant risk, Allis said.

Census-taking is about to begin in Alaska (Jan. 21), but no native partnership specialists are on board yet, he said. And as with hiring, the census’ work to establish partnerships with community organizations to help obtain a complete count is behind schedule.

New Mexico Democratic Rep. Deb Haaland, one of only two Native women ever elected to the House, noted the absence of Navajo-language census materials.

“Does the Census Bureau understand our needs?” Allis asked. “Hard to say.” The way things are going so far, he said, “is deeply concerning” and lacks “proper attention given to the purpose of the census, what it can do, what it can’t. The Census Bureau has identified this as an issue, but we have yet to see that this will be addressed properly.”

“The census is a big deal,” Morial said, echoing Allis’ call for increased advertising and media outreach and a hope that accurate census data will improve decision-making and equitable distribution of resources and political representation. That outreach, he emphasized, should extend all the way through the non-response follow-up process scheduled into August.

Morial also noted, with chagrin, that in the waning days of the Obama administration, the census had been on the brink of reversing its policy of counting prisoners where they’re incarcerated and not in their home communities.

Moore attracted attention for his reports on organizing efforts in rural Georgia. As committee members from both sides of the aisle pressed him for one-size-fits-all ideas on how to reach rural populations, he repeated that the answers lie with local organizers and activists.

“You’ve got to have trusted voices in your community,” he counseled Arizona GOP Rep. Paul Gosar. “The communities know about their needs best — what works in one community will not work in others.”

Responding to West Virginia GOP Rep. Carol Miller’s concerns about the mountain communities she represents, considered 60% hard to count, Moore advocated more creative outreach efforts, perhaps at sporting events and churches, in addition to the food pantries and mobile mammogram services she had suggested.

Vargas listed educators, health care providers, local officials and minority-led organizations including newspapers and radio as trusted sources for census outreach. Many at the hearing advocated using librarians and, particularly as a way to meet the technology concerns, libraries themselves to help maximize participation.

A benefit of the computerized effort is that easily sortable data will reveal where there’s more work to be done in getting people counted, and where the census is being embraced, Yang noted.

“The Census Bureau better step up its game and respond to the concerns we’ve raised today, or the risk is grave. It’s time to ring the alarm bell,” Morial warned.

By LORRAINE MIRABELLA,  BALTIMORE SUN   

About 60 strong, the group of mostly African American men walked the streets of East Baltimore on Saturday, talking with residents on porches, greeting drivers at stoplights, handing out flyers about jobs, drug treatment and family support. They invited passers-by to join their growing ranks.

“We’re all we’ve got,” they chanted as they left Faith United Baptist Church on The Alameda. “We’re all we need.”

The men — pastors, activists, residents and others — have been walking three times a week for several months now through different parts of the city. It’s not a march, they say, but a movement. Their mission is to save lives in a city beset by violence. 

They see themselves becoming a consistent and trusted presence in neighborhoods where shootings and homicides have become all too common, making connections, mediating disputes, helping residents feel protected and safe. The city ended the year with 348 homicides and the worst homicide rate on record.

“We have to be at the center of the change of saving lives,” Dr. Andrey Bundley, an organizer and director of African American Male Engagement, a division of the Mayor’s Office of Children and Family Success, told the group setting out from the church. “If the state of black men is going to change, it’s going to take black men to inspire and guide black men, first, and then other people of good will.”

Baltimore ending the year with 32% homicide clearance rate, one of the lowest in three decades »

The group is calling for 1,000 men to march during the city’s 20th annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. parade on Jan. 20. If their ranks can swell to 1,000 men, they eventually can reach a goal of 10,000, organizers said.

Their efforts are beginning to bear fruit, said Donnell Eley, associate pastor of Faith United. He said 80 people they have met along the walks have been able to find jobs.

The men also are looking to help mediate disputes that can escalate into gun violence.

“The stuff that happens in our city as it relates to the violence, a lot of it is foolishness,” said Andrew Muhammad, one of the organizers. “You’ve got people saying things and then getting murdered about stuff that they said, not about stuff that they’re doing. … It’s mandatory that we engage everybody in the streets. I don’t care if they’ve got two guns on them.”

Dozens of participants on Saturday headed along The Alameda, then down Harford Road. Some climbed porch steps or went in and out of local stores to hand out flyers. A man walking his dog took the dog home and returned to join the walk.

Selena Weatherby, an East Baltimore resident, heard about Saturday’s “call to action” on Facebook and came with her 11-year-old son.

“I hope that we can have some type of unity,” said Weatherby, one of the only women on the walk. “This is definitely something I want to expose my son to and I want to be part of myself.”

Franklin Blackmon, a pastor of Eastside Baptist Church on Preston Street, said he had been a victim of a stabbing near his home. Still recovering and unable to make the entire walk, he followed the parade of participants in his car.

“We’ve got to do what we need to do to make a change,” Blackmon said. “Change is inevitable, but we’ve got to make sure to be out and be visible, so that people can see.”

48 emerging basketball stars take the court in the Annual Girls and Boys Games on April 1

LOS ANGELES, CA—- Brandon Boston Jr. and Ziaire Williams of Sierra Canyon High School and Josh Christopher of Mayfair High School joined the rich legacy of high school basketball elite as they were selected to the prestigious 2020 McDonald’s All American Boys Game. Brandon Boston Jr., Ziaire Williams and Josh Christopher’s selection was revealed during ESPN’s The Jump on January 23. Brandon, Ziaire and Josh will showcase their skills alongside 23 other top male high school basketball players from across the U.S.

To see the next generation of basketball greats, tune in to the 19th Annual McDonald’s All American Girls Game live on ESPN2 at 5 p.m. ET on Wednesday, April 1, 2020 from Houston’s Toyota Center. The 43rd Annual Boys Game will tip-off live on ESPN at 7 p.m. ET. Tickets are now available through the Toyota Center box office.

Brandon Boston Jr., Ziaire Williams and Josh Christopher now share the McDonald’s All American title with many notable basketball players who have also donned the McDonald’s All American jersey including: Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Carmelo Anthony, Chris Paul, James Harden, Candace Parker, Maya Moore, Elena Delle Donne, Skylar Diggins and Breanna Stewart.

Recently, the McDonald’s All American Games lost a champion with the passing of its founder Morgan Wootten. It was his passion for coaching that led to the founding of the McDonald’s All American Games as a showcase to recognize the best high school basketball talent in the country. Since 1978, Morgan championed emerging basketball stars and helped girls and boys realize their dreams.

The McDonald’s All American Games continue to celebrate the nation’s top athletes on their journey from hustle to greatness, while also enriching relationships with local communities across the country. Family, friends and fans can follow-along on their journey @mcdaag on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.

One way that comes to life is though the McDonald’s All American Games continued support of Ronald McDonald House Charities and its network of local chapters. At RMHC, programs like the Ronald McDonald House®, Ronald McDonald Family Room® and Ronald McDonald Care Mobile® provide comfort and compassion to families with ill or injured children so they are fully supported and able to be a part of their child’s care.

ATLANTIC OCEAN— Aviation Structural Mechanic 2nd Class Tykie Nunn, from Apple Valley, California, assigned to USS Gerald R. Ford’s (CVN 78) aircraft intermediate maintenance department, performs a routine inspection on a blade clamp assembly in Ford’s aviation structures shop. Ford is currently underway conducting aircraft compatibility testing.

LOS ANGELES, CA—- The National College Resources Foundation will be presenting the Black College Expo this weekend in Los Angeles at the LA Convention Center, located at 1201 S Figueroa Street in Los Angeles. The Expo will be held from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is FREE, and all students are welcomed.

This is the perfect time to get accepted to colleges on the spot, meet one-on-one with college recruiters, apply for scholarships on the spot have all your application fees waived. There will also be an AFTER SHOW featuring entertainment, celebrities, and an opportunity to win some cash. Students please remember to bring at least 10 copies of your transcripts and SAT/ACT scores.

Every year the expo also has seminars to attend. This year’s seminars include: ‘How to Find Money for College’; ‘411 for the Student Athlete’; ‘Why Attend an HBCU’; ‘Booming Careers’; ‘How to Start a Business’; and more!

For more information, please visit www.thecollegeexpo.org.

Wave of key endorsements follow recent polling showing strong support for Schools & Communities First

With a wave of critical new endorsements for the Schools and Communities First initiative, momentum continues to build behind the most important measure on the ballot this cycle. These key endorsements follow recent polling conducted with the new Title and Summary showing 58 percent support amongst likely voters, further emphasizing that Californians are ready to reclaim $12 billion every year for schools and local communities by closing corporate property tax loopholes while protecting residential property and small businesses.

The initiative has already garnered key endorsements from many of California’s most important leaders and organizations. These endorsements include state leaders such as Speaker Anthony Rendon and a large number of legislators; mayors Eric Garcetti, Michael Tubbs, and Libby Schaaf; presidential candidates Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren, Joe Biden and Pete Buttigieg; and many of the most powerful community and labor groups across the state. 

San Francisco Mayor London Breed and the Board of Supervisors, joined by the San Francisco Board of Education, City College Board of Trustees, and a coalition of community and labor groups, endorsed the Schools and Communities First initiative today, showing incredible unity in San Francisco: 

“As someone who went to public school in San Francisco and grew up relying on our libraries, our Rec and Park programs, and Muni, I understand how important it is for local governments to have the funding necessary to provide the support that the community needs. The Schools & Communities First ballot measure will make sure that our schools are strong and our young people have the opportunity to succeed, and will support our efforts here in San Francisco to create a City that is equitable and thriving. I’m committed to supporting this measure and working to get it passed this November, because our City is stronger when we put students and communities first.” – San Francisco Mayor London Breed

“Schools and Communities First will close commercial property tax loopholes on wealthy corporations and investors and reclaim $800 million for SFUSD, City College, and San Francisco public services without affecting residential property. This influx in revenue will help retain our public school teachers, librarians, and school staff in San Francisco. It will also help us address our city’s affordable housing and mental health needs. That’s why I am so proud to pass my resolution today that puts the City and County of San Francisco on record endorsing Schools and Communities First along with our School Board and College Board.” – Supervisor Gordon Mar

“Everyone at City College is dedicated to helping our students learn new skills and build a brighter future for themselves. But budget challenges and 100+ vacant positions make it hard for many students to access critical services like priority course registration, meal vouchers, the supplemental textbook assistance program, and more. Programs serving our most vulnerable students, like the Homeless At-Risk Transitional (HART) program, are badly understaffed, while over 2,000 student veterans of the Armed Forces have only two clerical staff to serve them. That’s why it’s critical for California’s students and communities that wealthy corporations start paying their fair share.” – Maria Salazar-Colon, President of City College of San Francisco

“Working people in SF know how important it is to pass Schools and Communities First and make the biggest corporations across California pay their fair share. Whether it is our partners pushing for full funding for black and brown students, or members fighting to guarantee muni access for all San Franciscans, these resources belong in our communities and we are proud to join elected officials, organized labor, and community organizations in supporting SCF.” – Emily Lee, Director of San Francisco Rising

“I am an accountant for the City and County of San Francisco for more than 11 years. My job is to make sure that our public dollars are spent fairly. This initiative will do that.” – Tina Cen-Camarao (???), IFPTE Local 21 Member and Accountant at San Francisco Recreation and Parks

California State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond endorsed the Schools & Communities First initiative today in Sacramento, and was joined by the California Federation of Teachers (CFT), California Teachers Association (CTA), and California Parent Teachers Association (PTA):

“As the head of California’s educational system, it is my top priority to champion policies which give our students more opportunities to succeed. That’s why I’m endorsing the Schools & Communities First initiative. Right now, our schools and local communities face structural roadblocks to delivering on the promise of a world-class education and safe, healthy neighborhoods – corporations have avoided paying their fair share for years while school funding has fallen farther and farther behind. The Schools & Communities First initiative would reclaim $12 billion every year for our schools and local communities by closing corporate property tax loopholes. If we’re serious about addressing the historic inequities within California’s educational system and delivering results for our students, we all need to step up and pass this initiative.” – Tony Thurmond, California State Superintendent of Public Instruction

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“As the state’s foremost education leader, and a decades long advocate for our students, Tony understands the power and promise of what a quality public education means for every student and community in California. And that is why we are here today. Because the Schools and Communities First initiative will reclaim $12 billion every year for schools and local communities to fund classrooms and critical local services that our students and their families rely on.” – Jeff Freitas, President of the California Federation of Teachers

“We are here because we all agree that California’s schools and communities are severely underfunded, with limited resources while wealthy corporations make millions by abusing loopholes that shortchange our students. We are also here because we want similar things: good schools for our children, a healthy family, and safe neighborhoods. To achieve these goals, it will take all of us to work together.” – Mike Patterson, California Teachers Association Board of Directors

“Due to lack of funds, California schools have difficulty providing students a full curriculum including robust arts, PE, and science programs.  Schools and Communities First will support students to be better prepared for the future.” – Celia Jaffe, President of California State PTA

Equality California, the state’s largest statewide LGBTQ civil rights organization, announced their endorsement Monday: 

“Equality California is proud to support Schools & Communities First because we believe it is a critical first step toward providing every child with a safe and supportive school and every family with the resources they need to succeed and thrive. California has led the nation in the fight for LGBTQ civil rights and social justice. But the reality is too many LGBTQ students and families across our state — especially LGBTQ immigrants, people of color and people living with HIV — still face persistent disparities in health and wellbeing. Four in 10 California youth experiencing homelessness are LGBTQ. Sixty-four percent of LGBTQ students report being bullied and harassed in school. Behind each of these statistics are real people with futures we simply cannot afford to sacrifice. Equality California is committed to creating a world that is healthy, just and fully equal for all LGBTQ people, and that starts with investing in educating all of our kids and in the vital services necessary to support our families and communities.” – Rick Zbur, Executive Director of Equality California