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The Biden for President Victory Fund invites the public to join Senator Kamala Harris, Maya Harris, Andrew Young, and special guests for “A Celebration” on Saturday, October 24, 2020. The time will be announced upon registration. 

Special guests include Margaret Cho, Connie Chung, David Henry Hwang, Padma Lakshmi, Lucy Liu, Aasif Mandvi, Kumail Nanjiani, Ravi Patel, Lou Diamond Philips, Maggie Q, Lea Salonga, and George Takei. 

Video calls will also be provided to all confirmed guests 24 hours prior to the event. To register, please visit https://secure.joebiden.com/a/aapi-celebration?attr=103876375.

For more information, please contact Sreyashe Dhar at sdhar@joebiden.com.  RSVP is REQIRED. 

RIVERSIDE, CA— – The 4th annual SoCal Women’s Cancer Conference led by The Pink Ribbon Place, a program of Riverside Community Health Foundation, and co-hosted by Anthem Blue Cross returns this year on October 21-24 for the English conference, and October 28-31 for the Spanish conference. This four-day virtual conference is a one-of-a-kind event that focuses on what it means to be a woman and a cancer survivor. This event promises to offer a memorable and incredible experience for all participants!

Breakout sessions during the conference include intimacy during cancer, navigating cannabis and the connection between genetics and cancer.

To kick-off the 4-day event, live speakers on October 21 will include: Dr. Shannon La Cava, Chief Clinical Officer at Cancer Support Community Los Angeles and Monique Tiffany, MSN, RN, Regional Medical Specialist II for Myriad Genetics, Inc. Dr. La Cava will explore finding meaning, purpose, and joy while living with a cancer diagnosis and COVID-19 isolation and Monique will identify the common body changes that occur during and after cancer treatment that may affect sexual health.

The cancer conference will feature over 40 speakers and eight categories of information related to cancers of the breast, gynecological, colorectal, skin, and more.

The English conference begins October 21 through October 24. Registration is now open at www.socalwcc.org. The Spanish conference begins October 28 through October 31. One can also register for the conference in Spanish at espanol.socalwcc.org.

SAN BERNARDINO, CA—- San Bernardino County residents are urged to prepare for the upcoming influenza (flu) season by getting a flu vaccine, especially in light of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Getting a flu vaccine will not only reduce risk of illness, hospitalization, and even death, but will also help reduce the burden on our healthcare systems responding to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The single best way to protect against the flu is to get vaccinated,” said Dr. Erin Gustafson, County Interim Health Officer. “Early vaccination will provide protection throughout flu season and into the spring.”

Flu is a contagious respiratory illness caused by influenza viruses that can cause mild to severe illness and at times can lead to death. Since the flu can affect all age groups, everyone six months of age and older should get a flu vaccine in early fall, just before the flu season starts in November.

To stop the spread of flu and other respiratory illnesses:

• Cover your mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze and throw the tissue in the trash after use.
• Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after a cough or sneeze. Alcohol-based hand sanitizers may be used if soap and water are not available.
• Avoid close contact with sick people and stay home from work or school if you get sick and limit contact with others.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth.

In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, it is also important to continue to avoid gatherings, wear a face covering, and keep six feet distance from others.

This is also the perfect time for residents to ensure they have received all needed vaccinations, especially older adults. Adults over the age of 65 are at higher risk of developing serious complications from flu, such as pneumonia and are highly encouraged to get the pneumococcal vaccine.

To find free flu vaccination clinics throughout the county, visit https://wp.sbcounty.gov/dph/flu. 

By Glynda C. Carr

With November 3rd less than a month away, Black women voters hold a huge stake in this year’s election. With the first Black woman vying for the vice-presidency, a recent poll of 506 likely 2020 Black women voters conducted from September 30-October 4, 2020 by Higher Heights and Change Research, showed that 75 percent of Black women are now more motivated than ever to vote. But the remaining 25 percent of Black women polled are feeling hopeless that their ballot won’t bring the change they want to see.

In the poll, the top priorities and anxieties about the upcoming election for Black women included: the desire for a stronger response to the coronavirus and the need for racial justice. In addition, the Black women polled noted that when it came to the demographic who could bring about the change the United States needed with voter turnout, an overwhelming 64 percent, of course, chose Black women.

Over the last two presidential elections, Black women have continued to show up and show out. Whether it was voting for Barack Obama or Hillary Clinton, Black women have been at the forefront of trying to protect the United States from eating itself alive. But over the last 4 years, the Black community has dealt with everything from the coronavirus to the state sanctioned killings of Black people at the hands of law enforcement, as well as voter disenfranchisement.

For example, in Harris County, Texas, home to 2.4 million voters, Gov. Greg Abbott allowed the closing of ballot drop off sites, which has now resulted in several lawsuits. This is one of several examples of how voter suppression is in full force this election. But these tactics, along with long lines, changes to voting and the present pandemic won’t keep Black women from the polls. When asked in the survey, ‘what is one word or phrase that best describes your motivation for voting this year?’ participants responded with the need for change and racial justice.

As COVID continues to disproportionately affect Black and Brown communities, this election’s turnout is tantamount in putting someone in office who is capable of instituting laws that will protect the Black community’s health, as well as providing assistance to those who have been displaced from their homes or have faced unemployment. 48 percent of the respondents stated that the coronavirus was a top issue for them personally. But when it comes to what keeps them up at night, weeks before the election, racism was the most common response.

After a summer of protests and Black deaths at the hands of law enforcement, the poll results show that Black women voters are concerned about being safe in their Black skin, and if they would end up like Breonna Taylor. Others were also concerned about their Black children being safe once they leave their homes on a daily basis. Only 34 percent of respondents said they felt more hopeful of the progress that has been made in light of the recent protests, whereas 38% said they didn’t feel any different from before the protests, and 28 percent stated they felt less hopefully. Across the country, we saw millions of people hitting the streets in protest and allies standing in solidarity to the systemic racism that has engulfed this country for centuries. Black women know that the only way to rid the country of its vile history is by voting, and not only on a national level, but also on local levels. Black women know that we possess a political power like no other, and the poll results are reflective on that, particularly when 50 percent of the women polled said they felt motivated by the upcoming election.

Across the country, many people have already voted using mail-in ballots. But on November 3rd, others will head to their local polling location and cast their vote. And although the weight of the world seems as though it’s on the shoulders of Black women, this election is literally a vote or die situation. And once again, Black women will rise to the occasion to save their country.

Greenwood has secured $3 million in seed funding from private investors as the first digital banking platform for Black and Latinx people and business owners.  Greenwood features best-in-class online banking services and innovative ways of giving back to Black and Latinx causes and businesses. 

Greenwood’s founders include: Andrew J. Young, civil rights legend, former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, and former Mayor of Atlanta; Michael Render, aka Killer Mike, rapper and activist in Black financial empowerment; and Ryan Glover, Greenwood Chairman and founder of Bounce TV network. 

“Today, a dollar circulates for 20 days in the white community but only six hours in the Black community,” Ryan Glover stated.

He continued, “It’s no secret that traditional banks have failed the Black and Latinx community. We needed to create a new financial platform that understands our history and our needs going forward, a banking platform built by us and for us, a platform that helps us build a stronger future for our communities. This is our time to take back control of our lives and our financial future.  That is why we launched Greenwood, modern banking for the culture.” 

“Today, a dollar circulates for 20 days in the white community but only six hours in the Black community,” said Michael ‘Killer Mike’ Render. “Moreover, a Black person is twice as likely as a white person to be denied a mortgage. This lack of fairness in the financial system is why we created Greenwood.”

Greenwood’s executive leadership includes: 

• Aparicio Giddins, President & Chief Technology Officer (previously of Bank of America and TD Bank) 
• David Tapscott, Chief Marketing Officer (previously of Green Dot and Combs Enterprises) 
• Andrew “Bo” Young, III, Board Member (managing partner, Andrew Young Investment Group) 
• Dr. Paul Judge, Board Member (co-founder of Pindrop and TechSquare Labs) 

Product

Greenwood’s initial products are savings and spending accounts that come with a stunningly designed black metal debit card for customers who sign up by the end of the year.  Advanced features like Apple, Samsung, and Android pay, virtual debit cards, peer-to-peer transfers, mobile check deposits, and free ATM usage in over 30,000 locations are offered with no hidden fees. Customers who invite their friends to open accounts receive cash awards as a thank you from Greenwood. All deposits are FDIC insured by a partner bank. 

Additionally, Greenwood plans to work with brick and mortar minority-owned backs to provide deposits to help strengthen historically black banks.

“The work that we did in the civil rights movement wasn’t just about being able to sit at the counter. It was also about being able to own the restaurant,” said Ambassador Andrew Young. “We have the skills, talent and energy to compete anywhere in the world, but to grow the economy, it has to be based on the spirit of the universe and not the greed of the universe. Killer Mike, Ryan and I are launching Greenwood to continue this work of empowering black and brown people to have economic opportunity.”

Greenwood Gives Back

Greenwood has three key avenues to support Black and Latinx causes and businesses:

• For every customer sign-up, Greenwood will provide five free meals to a family in need. 
• Every swipe of a Greenwood debit card will prompt a donation to UNCF for education, Goodr to feed the hungry, or NAACP to support civil rights. 
• And every month, Greenwood will provide a $10,000 grant to a Black or Latinx small business owner that is a Greenwood customer.

History of the name “Greenwood”

The Greenwood name pays homage to the prosperous “Black Wall Street,” part of the  Greenwood District of Tulsa, Oklahoma, during the early 20th Century — a center of African American enterprise, entertainment, skills, wealth and investment capital.   Though it was destroyed by white mobs in 1921, the Greenwood District remains an enduring symbol of the economic potential of community solidarity. The new Greenwood neobank takes inspiration from the entrepreneurial and empowering spirit of the Greenwood District where a dollar typically circulated 36 times – and for up to a year — within the Black community. The new Greenwood also is proud to be a backer of the contemporary Greenwood Culture Center in Oklahoma.  

To sign up for a Greenwood account, visit www.bankgreenwood.com.

LOS ANGELES, CA—- The Taste of Soul returns on Saturday, October 17 at 6 p.m. But of course, due to COVID-19, things are a little bit different this year. While you won’t be able to walk the Crenshaw Blvd. with your friends and family, you guys can still catch the performances by hosting a watch party live from your living room. 

The evening will be hosted by Kym Whitley with sounds by D.J. Mal-Ski. Musical performances will be performed by After 7, Anthony Hamilton, Deborah Joy Winans, Doug E. Fresh, En Vogue, Fred Hammond, Jade Novah, and Montell Jordan. There will also be celebrity appearances by Darrin Dewitt Henson, Dr. Bobby Jones, Faithe C. Jones, Kim Fields, Lamman Rucker, Loni Love, and Wendy Raquel Robinson. 

The live stream will take place at tasteofsoul.org. 

By Quinci LeGardye | California Black Media  

California is expanding aid and protections to health care workers as the COVID-19 pandemic continues through two new laws and an executive order. 

Late last month, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed an executive order that orders new actions on health care in response to the pandemic. 

The order allows public health officials working to mitigate COVID-19 pandemic to participate in the Secretary of State’s address-confidentiality program, known as the Safe at Home program.  

The Safe at Home program provides substitute addresses for groups that need protection against harassment or violence, including sexual assault and domestic violence victims. Multiple public health officials have reported receiving death threats, including Los Angeles County Health Director Barbara Ferrer and Santa Clara County Health Officer Dr. Sara Cody. 

“Our public health officers have all too often faced targeted harassment and stalking,” said Secretary of State Alex Padilla. This “program can help provide more peace of mind to the public health officials who have been on the frontlines of California’s COVID-19 response.” 

The order also authorizes the Department of Managed Health Care to gather data to assess the impacts of the pandemic on health care providers and health care service plans. 

Gov. Newsom also recently signed two bills, AB 2537 and SB 275, that would increase the amount of personal protective equipment (PPE) for health care workers.  

Assemblymember Freddie Rodriguez (D-Pomona) introduced AB 2537. The law requires hospitals to stockpile a three-month supply of PPE by April 2021. 

“We are currently experiencing something we haven’t before, and healthcare workers are at the frontlines of it all. While dealing with this pandemic, the last thing our workers should be worried about is whether or not, they will be protected from exposure. We must protect those providing care so that they too can continue to do their work,” said Rodriguez. 

SB 275 mandates the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) to establish a 90-day PPE stockpile for health care and other essential workers within one year. It also requires major health care employers, such as hospitals, nursing homes and dialysis clinics, to build an additional 45-day stockpile of PPE by 2023 or later. 

Under SB 275, essential workers will receive PPE from the CDPH stockpile include school workers, childcare providers, in-home support providers, and any workers who provide services directly supporting patient care. SB 275 was sponsored by the Service Employees International Union California. 

“One of the hard-learned lessons of the COVID-19 pandemic is the need for a well-managed supply of personal protective equipment (PPE) to keep California’s healthcare workforce and other essential workers safe. SB 275 creates a reliable supply of PPE to ensure healthcare workers, essential workers, and the public at large are protected during the next health emergency,” said SB 275 author Sen. Richard Pan (D-Sacramento). 

By  Rachel Rossi | Special to California Black Media Partners   

A common misconception of the criminal justice system is that it is as simple as guilty people admitting their guilt and innocent people going free.   

The truth in our courtrooms is rarely so clear.  Instead, there are layers of issues beyond guilt, including systemic injustice, rushed proceedings, undue pressure, and broad prosecutorial discretion on what charges are filed and the length of sentence that will result.    

Plea bargaining — an imperfect and often coercive process — usually dictates criminal justice system outcomes, and it can be a tool to either fuel over-criminalization or to obtain restorative and just outcomes, depending on how it is wielded. In the United States, more than 90 % of criminal cases end in guilty pleas.  Our criminal justice system rarely produces the exciting jury trial scenes from our favorite movies and TV shows; it instead produces the rote theater of back-to-back guilty pleas.    

The plea-bargaining process that yields the great majority of these guilty pleas is riddled with risks of coercion.  This is especially the case when an accused person is behind bars.  When a person is locked up pretrial, they risk losing their job, losing their home, and even losing custody of their children.  Under these circumstances, there is a strong incentive to plead guilty if it comes with a promise to go home soon.  It is not surprising, then, that studies have shown pretrial detention increases a person’s likelihood of pleading guilty by 46 %.   

In Los Angeles, on any given day, approximately 44 % of people in County Jail – around 7,500 people – are locked up pre-trial and deciding whether to plead guilty.  

The plea-bargaining process is also a byproduct of over-burdensome caseloads combined with the time and stress of jury trials.  When there are hundreds of cases to get through in a day in court, the prosecutor, judge, and sometimes even the defense attorney, are all incentivized to resolve cases.  There is precious little time to determine what result will adequately ensure public safety, respect the interests and wishes of victims, and be consistent with the facts.  Every actor in the criminal justice system is faced with incredible pressure to keep the cases moving and get them resolved.  Indeed, it is a truism in the criminal justice world that if every defendant exercised his or her right to trial, the system as it currently operates would cease to function.     

Often, these structural problems in the plea-bargaining process result in innocent people pleading guilty.  In nearly 11 % of the nation’s DNA exoneration cases, innocent people entered guilty pleas.  And these are just the cases where DNA made it possible to overturn a conviction; researchers do not know how many innocent people have in fact pleaded guilty.  

Plea bargaining also takes place within the broader systemic racism entrenched in the justice system.  When the plea offer that is made is decided by any person, conscious and unconscious biases create disadvantage and inequality across race, ethnicity, gender, and age.  While research shows that increasing the diversity of prosecutors decreases racial sentencing disparities, 95 % of elected prosecutors in the U.S. are white.  These disparate results are clear when the odds of receiving a plea offer that includes incarceration are almost seventy percent greater for Black people than white people.    

But before you decide it is time to do away with plea bargaining entirely, realize that it can also be used to bring humanity into a justice system that is not built to understand or fix societal problems.  The plea-bargaining process can potentially provide a mechanism for reformative and decarcerative efforts to succeed.  It can allow a prosecutor to look at a person and a situation and decide whether treatment, programs, employment or other outcomes would better ensure public safety than jail.   

For example, a person experiencing a significant mental health crisis who yells out a threat could be charged with a felony “strike” offense and face years of prison time.  By virtue of the plea-bargaining process, a prosecutor has the power to charge a misdemeanor instead, to pursue alternatives to incarceration as a sentence, or to charge no criminal offense at all and instead refer the person to mental health treatment.   

Our justice system is far from perfect.  And plea bargaining has many flaws that reflect the larger problems within the system, and society at large.  But in the right hands, prosecutorial discretion provides the power to scale back on mass incarceration, promote public safety, and ensure restorative and just outcomes.  

By Dana Givens

Monica R. Lawson made history. The U.S Army promoted the active-duty military woman chaplain to the rank of colonel, making her the first Black woman to receive the honor. Lawson spoke about the milestone at her ceremony, which was streamed through the U.S Army Chaplain Center and School’s Facebook page.

“As an African American woman who has always been proud of the skin that I’m in, in this time, this is a bright spot in a sea of what seems to be darkness never-ending,” Col. Lawson said during the ceremony, according to the Richmond Free Press. “In a time when we are faced with political polarization, racial unrest, a pandemic, and economic uncertainty, it’s good to have something to celebrate and to take our minds off of what is going on, if only for a moment.”

Col. Lawson also spoke on the significance of her achievement as a win for both her and the Black community serving in the military.

“I know many of you are saying, ‘What does race, race relations, and racism have to do with you being promoted? Well, just in case you didn’t figure it out, it took us 245 years for this moment to happen,” said Col. Lawson.

U.S. Army Chief of Chaplains, Maj. Gen. Thomas Solhjem, also congratulated Col. Lawson on her historic accomplishment.

“You’re being recognized today not because you are a Black female,” he said. “But you are being recognized today because you have exhibited to a board of what will soon be your peers and those superior that you have the potential to lead in this United States Army Chaplain Corps.”

Monica Lawson is the @USArmy’s first African American chaplain to pin on colonel. Today, women make up only 5% of the Army’s active-duty chaplain corps. During her ceremony, Lawson was recognized for her ability to lead. Congrats, Colonel! #HerMemorial #Leadership #Promotion pic.twitter.com/qIQ8UU0BRx

— Military Women’s Memorial (@wimsatweets) September 10, 2020

By Stephanie R. Wilson

Vibrant Green for Vibrant Peace and Vernon Dental Specialties recently collaborated with 911 Biocare to show their gratitude and appreciation to the heroic firefighters who are effortlessly fighting to tame the Eldorado and Bobcat fires.

Founder and CEO Eugene Weems of Vibrant Green for Vibrant Peace and a few of his local business partners are doing what they do best and that is giving back to the community. Only this time, Vibrant Green for Vibrant Peace and Vernon Dental Specialties wanted to support the firefighters by acknowledging their hard work and efforts to tame the horrific fires happening in Southern California. 

This has been such a tragic time for the firefighters, working in extreme heat, and in the process losing a team member in the midst of it all. What is greater than showing their love and cherishing the firefighters by providing bags of hope filled with tee shirts, free dental care certificates, IV hydration bag gift cards, and other items to show thanks to all the fire fighters who work non-stop to preserve, save the property of the residents and keep the community safe.