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(EMPIRE NEWS NETWORK—ENN)— COLTON, CA— Applications are now being accepted for an intensive program of education, business planning, and business counseling for women who want to start their own businesses or expand an existing business.

The program is offered by the Inland Empire Women’s Business Center, a program of the Inland Empire Center for Entrepreneurship at Cal State San Bernardino in partnership with the U.S. Small Business Administration and sponsored by Citibank. 

“It’s Your Time: An Entrepreneurial Training Series for Women,” offers women education, business counseling, and individual support to help them develop a workable business idea or improve an existing business. Participants selected for the program must attend a minimum of 13 workshops, meet individually with a business counselor, and write a business plan. The cost to participate is based on income, and ranges from a minimum of $25 to a maximum of $130 for all program services. The program is open to women living in San Bernardino and Riverside counties and takes about 90 days to complete.

Graduates of the “It’s Your Time” program have gone on to open successful Inland Empire businesses such as hair salons, fitness studios, professional services, personal and business coaching, and bakeries.

Applications for “It’s Your Time” are available at the IEWBC website at www.iewbc.org, and must be completed and submitted by Friday, Aug. 9, 2019 at 5 p.m. Early application is encouraged. Participants who are accepted before the official program orientation on Aug. 20 can begin attending workshops immediately after their program intake session.  Late applications will not be accepted.

The Inland Empire Women’s Business Center, 1003 E. Cooley Dr., Ste. 109, in Colton, is a program of the Inland Empire Center for Entrepreneurship at Cal State San Bernardino.  Housed in the Jack H. Brown College of Business and Public Administration, IECE, which administers the program in collaboration with the U.S. Small Business Administration, is inland Southern California’s leading organization dedicated to supporting and promoting entrepreneurship. The IEWBC provides business counseling, training and mentoring designed for women business owners. 

The Inland Empire Women’s Business Center hours are Monday-Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday by appointment only. For more information, visit the IEWBC website at www.iewbc.org or contact Michelle Skiljan at (909) 890-1242.

By Naomi K. Bonman

(EMPIRE NEWS NETWORK—ENN)— REDLANDS, CA— Back in the day there was the D.A.R.E. program and then there was TRUTH. Both were initiatives that rallied against drugs and tobacco use among minors. However, even though these were strong campaigns, these brands are rarely seen in the communities anymore which is why it is critical for community organizations to create their own campaigns, and what better way to do then through music and art.

On Saturday, June 22, Music Changing Lives (MCL) premiered their new music video, “Jewels Not Juulz”, featuring artist Tiana Phipps. The premiere took place at the MCL headquarters in Redlands.

“We are an organization that focuses on reducing the prevalence of tobacco in our communities,” San Bernardino County Tobacco Control Program representative, Amber, stated. “This project was made possible because of the collaboration with MCL. Continue doing what you are doing. The youth is the reason we are here; the youth is the reason for all of us.”

The song was curated to raise awareness about the harmful effects of tobacco use and the epidemic of vaping among teens. CEO and Founder of Music Changing Lives, Josiah Bruny, combined forces with the Coalition for a Tobacco-Free San Bernardino County to use music and art as a way to reach the youth and the community.

The event was well attended with community members, MCL youth and staff, and elected officials of San Bernardino County. In addition to the live premiere of the video, there were refreshments, networking and a tour opportunity of the MCL recording studio and art lab. 

A few MCL students also performed solo acts after the premiere. Check some of them out below.

(EMPIRE NEWS NETWORK—ENN)— SAN BERNARDINO, CA—Assemblymember Eloise Gómez Reyes honored the Inland Empire Community News Group as the 2019 Small Business of the Year for the 47^th Assembly District today at the State Capitol.

The Inland Empire Community News (IECN) Group started out as the “El Chicano” newspaper founded in 1968 by a group of young activists in San Bernardino and Riverside who were determined to reinvent public perception, provide a voice to, and tell the stories of, the underserved and underrepresented Mexican-American community.  For half a century, El Chicano has created a news platform for the community and has received countless recognitions.  The expansion of IECN to include news outlets in Colton, Rialto, the Inland Empire and beyond, has elevated its reach in the community.

Today the Inland Empire Community News Group is comprised of the Colton Courier, the Rialto Record, Inland Empire Weekly and El Chicano.

Over 70 nominations were received, with 26 finalists selected from throughout the community for the Small Business of the Year award which honors small businesses of the 47^th Assembly District.

This year’s Small Business of the Year Finalists for the 47^th District includes:

Colton Advanced Silkscreen (Colton)

Hour Glass & Mirror, Inc. (Colton)

Tacos La Central (Colton)

Inland Empire Community News Group (Colton)

Reche Canyon Rehabilitation & Health Services (Colton)

Rialto Flooring (Rialto)

Rosie’s Preschool (Rialto)

Dollish Polish Nail Studio (Rialto)

Benitez Family Daycare (Rialto)

Forum Blues Café (Rialto)

Rise Above Skate Shop (Rialto)

Esquivel Auto Depot, Inc. (Rialto)

Jaynes Bee Products (Bloomington)

Felipe’s Truck Repair (Bloomington)

La Pasta Italia (Grand Terrace)

Woody’s Classic Grill (Grand Terrace)

Chillz Froyo (Grand Terrace)

Technical Employment Training, Inc. (San Bernardino)

Black Chamber of Commerce (San Bernardino)

Adela’s Beauty, Barber & Nails (San Bernardino)

Roger’s Burgers (San Bernardino)

Clay Counseling Solutions (San Bernardino)

Empowering Success Now (Fontana)

AAA Container Sales & Rentals (Fontana)

Dawn’s Barber Shop (Fontana)

Good Choice Tires (Muscoy)

“Congratulations IECN for being chosen as the 2019 Small Business of the Year for the 47^th Assembly District and all of the small businesses who were nominated this year,” said Assemblymember Reyes. “Small Businesses are the backbone of our economy, together we must renew our commitment to small businesses in the State of California, because as they thrive so do our local economies.”

For more information on the Small Business of the Year and finalists contact District Representative Daniel Peeden at (909) 381-3238 or email at Daniel.Peeden@asm.ca.gov.

(EMPIRE NES NETWORK—ENN)— U.S. Representative Norma J. Torres (D-Pomona) recently congratulated seven area high school students accepted to the U.S. military service academies. The students were nominated by a panel of judges with military backgrounds. Following a rigorous application and interview process, the judges made their recommendations to the respective service academies for final approval.

“Attending the nation’s military service academies is an incredible honor, and it’s one of my greatest privileges as a Member of Congress to nominate the best candidates the 35th district has to offer,”said Torres. “Students who graduate from these distinguished institutions don’t just leave with a degree in their hands, they also gain the skills, maturity, and connections to embark on a successful career in service to this country.”

The following are this year’s nominees, their city of residence, and the academy to which they have been accepted:

United States Naval Academy

·         Ryan Alexus, Pomona

·         Justin Chu, Pomona

·         Joshua Reyes, Ontario

United States Naval Academy Prep School

• Jessica Felix, Ontario

Air Force Academy

• Ryan Torres, Chino

United States Military Academy (West Point)

• Alexander Ramos, Chino

• Jacob Turner, Chino

Members of Congress may nominate candidates for appointment to four of the five U.S. service academies: U.S. Military Academy (USMA), West Point, NY; the U.S. Naval Academy (USNA), Annapolis, MD; the U.S. Air Force Academy (USAFA), Colorado Springs, CO; and the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy (USMMA), Kings Point, NY. The fifth service academy, the U.S. Coast Guard Academy (USCGA), New London, CT, does not require a congressional nomination for appointment. 

This year’s class of students collectively received the equivalent of $3.5 million in scholarships to attend the military academies, or $500,000 per student. In addition to a free college education, the honor of attending a service academy comes with the obligation and commitment to serve in the military for a minimum of five years upon graduation. Congresswoman Torres will nominate, through a competitive process, one individual for each vacant academy slot allotted to the 35^th district.

By Tanu Henry | California Black Media

(EMPIRE NEWS NETWORK—ENN)— How did Kimberly Ellis, an African-American, progressive Democrat and Bay Area grassroots activist, lose her second bid for chair of the California Democratic Party (CDP)?

During her last run for the job in 2017, Eric Bauman, who resigned amid sexual harassment allegations last November, only beat Ellis by a razor thin margin of 62 votes. Her near-win two years ago emboldened her supporters – their candidate could become the first Black woman to serve in the state party’s executive role in more than 30 years.

Depending on who’s responding, each answer to the question about Ellis’ loss falls somewhere between deepening fault lines of race, gender and politics that seem to be testing the strength of the Democratic Party, foreshadowing divisions that could open up even more as the party moves toward the 2020 election primary season.

Echoes of the Bernie vs. Biden rift between grassroots progressives and establishment Democrats and rumblings about the persistent marginalization of women voters and candidates all seemed to be playing out locally in the politics leading up to this year’s CDP elections.

Many African-American Democrats attending the convention, especially the women who voted for and supported Ellis, say their frustration with the party’s leadership’s routine neglect of African-American issues and candidates is reaching its peak.

“Kimberly Ellis’ campaign gave us all insight into the inner working of CDP and its voting bodies,” said K. Patrice Williams, an African-American woman and delegate from Solano County. “A world of special elections, held in January during off years on weekends between 10 and 1 PM, of which Black and Brown voters were not aware. We have now received a painful lesson in the world of super-delegates. State and federal elected officials that refused to vote for the most qualified, solutions-focused candidate who happened to be an intelligent, dynamic Black Woman.”

The CDP held the vote for chair this past weekend during the state party annual convention themed “Blue Wave Rolling” at the Moscone Center in San Francisco.

More than 3,000 delegates voted Saturday night. Of that number, about 57 percent cast their ballots for the winning candidate, Rusty Hicks, a prominent union leader from Los Angeles, backed by a majority of elected officials, most of the state’s organized labor groups and several influential party insiders.

Ellis, who secured the support of the Bernie Sanders-affiliated “Our Revolution,” other progressive and moderate Democratic groups, and a cross-section of African-American and other women voters, lost to Hicks by at least 25 percentage points. About 36 percent of delegates voted for her.

The remaining votes were spread among five other candidates who contested, including current state party vice chairman, Daraka Larimore-Hall. About six percent of the delegates voted for him.

The CDP held its annual convention this year in the midst of a firestorm of racial discrimination and sexual harassment allegations that have unsettled the party and resulted in a leadership crisis since former chair, Bauman’s resignation last year. In April, Tina McKinnor, an African-American woman and former operations director of the CDP, cited several incidents of alleged racial discrimination in a lawsuit she filed against the organization. Two men, John Vigna, former communications director, and a party activist, Spencer Dayton, have also filed separate lawsuits against the CDP, claiming former chair, Bauman sexually assaulted them.

For some of the Black women Democrats who supported Ellis, her loss is as a stinging reminder. Although their ballots often represent the deciding vote in critical national and local elections, Black women candidates typically have had a harder time attracting broad enough support from other voting blocs to win statewide races.

“If I, as a young Black woman in this party, can’t see myself in leadership, then what’s the point?” Dallas Fowler, an African-American woman and a delegate from Los Angeles told the LA Times. “This is a majority-minority state, and until our party really shows up and puts our money and our time and our muscle behind these communities to ensure that we have adequate representation, we’re not going to see that.”

The CDP is also facing an internal uprising, according to some of its more left-leaning members, because they sense the state party priorities increasingly reflect the wish lists of big donors and corporations rather than the interests of members, who do the ground work to elect Democratic candidates during elections and who fight for Party ideals everyday.

“We say that we support campaign finance reform,” said Ellis, who stresses that she did not accept any corporate donations for her campaign. “I think it’s a fair question for us to ask, what are we doing as a state party to advance that value?”

Ellis, whose Facebook bio reads “Disrputor-In-Chief @Unbought-Unbossed” also touts herself as an independent advocate for the average Democrat, including young people, women, minorities and other groups who feel left out by the party’s establishment.

In his acceptance speech, Hicks, current president of the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor, said his plans as CDP chair include a zero tolerance policy on sexual harassment, an effort to unite various factions of the party – including progressive Democrats, who supported Ellis – and preparation for the Democratic primary in March and national elections in November.

“We should embrace the passion that comes into the party, and also remember what our party is singularly focused on – and that’s seeing a change in the White House in 2020,” he said.

Ellis congratulated Hicks and thanked her supporters and the delegates who voted for her in a statement she shared the morning after the election.

“Party politics is always going to be tough and often disappointing,” she said. “But great change is never easy. So many delegates put a tremendous amount on the line in the face of extraordinary pressure. Certainly, there are challenges for us ahead, and I hope our new chair can bring harmony to our party during these difficult times.”

For Ellis’ supporters, their fight for equity and recognition in the CDP is just beginning.

“I’m offended, hurt and ready to mobilize our voting power,” said Williams.

By California Black Media Staff

(EMPIRE NEWS NETWORK—ENN)— Here’s an update on five pieces of California state legislation that could have impact on the conduct of your local police and the way you live. –  from how (and how much) you get paid, to the school you select for your children and where you reside (or invest) in rental property.   

AB 392

The California Act to Save Lives may soon be law. After police groups dropped their opposition to the bill authored by Assemblymember Shirley Weber (D-San Diego) last week, a majority of lawmakers came out to support it. If passed, the bill will change the standards for police use of force in California and hold officers more accountable if a suspect is shot. It would also be one of the toughest laws in the country intended to discourage the use of lethal force by police. Weber, who is also chair of the legislative Black Caucus, introduced the bill after police officers shot and killed Stephon Alonzo Clark, a 22-year-old African American man, in the backyard of his grandparents home in Sacramento. With the new changes to the language in the law, the bill stands a fair chance of passing the Senate and making it to the governor’s desk for his signature. Black Lives Matter and some family members of victims dropped their support after Weber made the changes to the language. They say the amended legislation isn’t as strong or specific enough, and is open to interpretation by the courts.  Other family members of victims have maintained their support, saying they understand negotiation is part of the legislative process. “I kept saying I wanted a bill that would make it safe behind and in front of the badge,” said Weber, thanking her colleagues and supporters after the bill passed in the Assembly.

AB 5 – Worker Status: Employees and Freelancers

Wednesday last week, the state Assembly voted 59-15 to pass AB 5. If signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom, the legislation will make if tougher for companies to enter contracts with freelancers and could affect hundreds of thousands of “gig economy” workers across the state, including nail technicians, Uber drivers, Amazon delivery workers and even exotic dancers. Assemblymember Lorena Gonzalez (D-San Diego) introduced the legislation, also known as the “Dynamex Bill” or the “Employee Misclassification bill.” By writing into law specific rules and penalties, AB 5 builds on a California Supreme Court 2018 decision that instructed business to apply an “ABC” test to determine whether a worker is a freelancer or employee. For a worker to be classified as a freelancer, employees would have to prove that the worker is (A) not under the contracting company’s control, (B) is doing work that is not central to the company’s business, and (C) has an independent business providing a service. If workers don’t meet those requirements, companies would have to provide all the required pay and benefits under California law like overtime pay, minimum wage, workers compensation, employee insurance, paid parental leave and healthcare subsidies. Leaders from various industries throughout the state are lobbying Lawmakers in Sacramento to retain the ability to hire certain kinds of freelancers that are critical for their particular trade or businesses. The bill has now moved to the Senate for review.

SB 756 – Charter School Moratorium

Last week, Sen. Maria Elena Durazo (D-Los Angeles) sidelined her own charter school Bill, SB 756. Her proposal called for a 5-year moratorium on charter schools. By temporarily halting the legislation and moving it to an “inactive file,” she has a chance to re-introduce it next year. For the last few months, hundreds of Black parents of charter school students have been campaigning against several charter school laws that were making their way through the state legislature. Together, the proposals sought to slow the growth, take away legal rights and restrict the operations of the independently run, taxpayer funded public schools in the state. Last month, the Assembly passed two of the bills, AB 1505 and AB 1507. The Senate is expected to review and vote on the bills shortly. The California branches of both the National Urban League and the National Action Network opposed the package of bills, including Durazo’s, saying they are attempts to take away education options for Black families who live in neighborhoods where traditional public schools have failed their children for more than 30 years now.   In California, about 80 percent of Black students score below the state standard in math and 68 percent fail to meet the English Language Arts requirements. The state chapter of the NAACP supported the bills, arguing that charter schools take away resources from district-run public schools and that they may lead to the re-segregation of public education in America.  In California, about 50,000 African-American students attend charter schools. That’s about 8 percent of the total Black student population enrolled in public schools.  Gov. Gavin Newsom has commissioned a task force to investigate the impact charter schools have on public education in California. If Sen. Durazo re-introduces the bill, hopefully by then California voters will have access to the findings of the governor’s study to make a more informed decision on whether or not to support SB 756.

AB 1506 – Charter School Cap

Like Sen. Durazo’s charter school bill in the Senate, a similar proposal in the Assembly, AB 1506, called for a moratorium on charter schools in the state. Both the state NAACP and the California Teachers Association supported the legislation introduced by Assemblymember Kevin McCarty (D-Sacramento), who is African-American and a member of the Assembly Education Committee and the Legislative Black Caucus. The National Action Network and the National Urban League wrote an open letter to Gov. Newsom opposing the bill.  Last week, a day after Durazo sidelined her bill, McCarty decided to hold his from a floor vote, although it had already been approved by the Education Committee earlier this year. Responding to McCarty’s decision to shelve AB 1506 for now,  Myrna Castrejón, president and CEO of the California Charter Schools Association issued a statement. “Charter public school families’ voices were heard loud and clear by Sacramento politicians,” she said.  “We cannot and will not accept legislation that limits access to great public schools.”

AB 1482 – Rent Cap

Wednesday evening last week, the Assembly passed AB 1482, a statewide rent cap bill, with a 43-28 vote. Introduced by Assemblymember David Chiu (D-San Francisco), the bill prohibits landlords from raising rents above 7 percent per year, plus annual cost of living increases. Selling the legislation to his colleagues in the Assembly, Chiu talked about the high cost of living in California and urged legislators to take action to protect people who are often a rent hike away from eviction. “They are our neighbors,” he said. “They are our co-workers. They are our brothers and sisters. They are our grandparents.” Since introducing the bill, Chiu has made several changes to it in negotiations with landlord and realtor groups to gain their support. The rent cap, which sets itself to expire in 2023, covers single family homes and condos – even in areas with existing local rent control laws. It exempts landlords with no more than 10 single family homes and properties that are under 10 years old. AB 1482 is expected to undergo more amendments in the Senate.

(EMPIRE NEWS NETWORK—ENN)— SAN BERNARDINO, CA— San Bernardino’s Westside Action Group (WAG) presented the Inland Empire Ronald McDonald House with a $1,000.00 check.

“This, our third annual donation to the Ronald McDonald House, comes from WAG’s Frank Stallsworth Benevolent Fund. This donation is part of our effort to support those elements that give back to our community… And the I. E. Ronald McDonald House certainly fits that category.” Said Joe Mays, WAG Treasurer!

Since opening on September 11, 1996, the Inland Empire Ronald McDonald House has served more than 18,000 families. The House supports up to 54 families each night. Room requests are sent from the social workers at the hospital. Requests are reviewed on a daily basis based on diagnosis and distance.

Each family is considered on a case by case basis based on room availability. A contribution of $12
per night is requested to stay at the Inland Empire Ronald McDonald House. However, no family has ever been turned away due to inability to
pay. The House is able to support many families through the backing of local community partners.

(EMPIRE NEWS NETWORK—ENN)— SAN BERNARDINO – A total of 65 recipients of scholarships from the four-county region representing Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) schools will be recognized during a ceremony on April 30 in San Bernardino.

The students who represent schools and districts from Riverside, Inyo, Mono and San Bernardino counties (RIMS) will be recognized during an event at the Professional Development Center building for the San Bernardino City Unified School District.

Among the honorees are 41 students from San Bernardino County high schools. Students being honored by their schools and districts include:

Apple Valley Unified: Kayla Spruill, Apple Valley High;

Chaffey Joint Union: Victoria Aispuro, Ontario High; Evelin Avila, Chaffey High; Ariana Hernandez, Colony High; and Steicy Melendez, Montclair High;

Colton Joint Unified: Filimon Fregoso, Grand Terrace High; Daisy Martinez, Colton High; and Mauricio Valtierra Munoz, Bloomington High;

Fontana Unified: Rogelio Aguilar Lopez, Giovanny Flores Ceniceros, Marlen Garcia, Andres Larios and Itzhary Tamayo, Fontana High; Andrea Rodriguez and Nelly Velasquez, Summit High;

Hesperia Unified: Marilin Ayon and Brian Mojica, Hesperia High; Daniel Black and Martha Marquez, Sultana High; Cheri Long and Laura Morales, Oak Hills High;

Redlands Unified: Matthew Meyer and Nicasio Romero, Redlands East Valley High; and Joshua Venegas, Citrus Valley High;

Rialto Unified: David Gonzalez, Carter High; Simranpreet Kaur, Eisenhower High; and Ashley Morales, Rialto High;

San Bernardino City Unified: Paloma Alvarez, Pacific High; Ryan Chung, San Gorgonio High; Sofia Dominguez, San Bernardino High; Andrew Hernandez, Margarito Moedano, Destiny Serrato and Wang-Meng Yang, Indian Springs High; Luisita Munoz, Arroyo Valley High; Daysi Ramirez, Cajon High; and Samantha Spencer, Middle College High;

Upland Unified: Inia Brooks, Upland High;

Victor Valley Union: Jacqueline Cortez, Victor Valley High; George Pineda, Cobalt Institute of Math and Science; and Amber Van De Walle, Silverado High.

Los Angeles area residents owe nearly $51 billion in student loan debt, according to a recent study by Experian

Appropriations bill increases funding for federal student aid programs by $492 million  

(EMPIRE NEWS NETWORK—ENN)— Recently, U.S. Representative Norma J. Torres (CA-35) announced that the Fiscal Year 2020 Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, Related Agencies Appropriations Bill contains her priorities to provide Inland Empire students with financial support to pursue higher education. A 2018 study by Experian found that California student debt has more than doubled over the last 10 years. The legislation increases funding for federal student financial assistance programs by $492 million for a total of $24.9 billion. Federal student financial assistance programs like grants do not need to be repaid, while work-study programs allow students to earn money to help pay for school.

“We cannot allow high costs and a crippling student loan crisis to keep the dream of a college education out of reach for Inland Empire students. Federal student financial assistance programs make it possible for low-income and first-generation students, not just a privileged few, to pay for college without being buried under debt that they’ll have to repay for the rest of their lives,” said Torres. “This increased funding will lessen the financial burden on students, allowing them to focus on their studies and preparing for a career.”

Specifically, the legislation increases:

• The maximum award for Pell Grants to $6,345, an increase of $150, to help keep pace with inflation.

• The Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant program by $188 million for a total of $1 billion. The President had proposed eliminating this program.

• Federal Work Study by $304 million for a total of $1.4 billion.

Torres has long been a strong supporter of federal student financial aid programs. She is a cosponsor of H.R.2084, Year-Round Pell Grant Restoration Act, which would make qualified students eligible to receive more than one Pell Grant in an award year.

By Tanu Henry | California Black Media

(EMPIRE NEWS NETWORK—ENN)— Black civil rights groups in California are knuckled up in a battle of principles as the state Assembly and Senate prepare to vote on a set of three charter school bills this week.

The state chapters of the National Urban League (NUL) and the National Action Network (NAN) have teamed up to oppose the bills. They say the proposals amount to a “step backward” for African-American charter school parents and their children.

While the California chapter of the NAACP has publicly expressed its support for all three pieces of legislation; two of them in the Assembly – AB 1505 and AB 1506 – and one in the Senate, SB 756.

Members of the California chapter of the NAACP, the  nation’s oldest civil rights organization, came to the State Capitol Monday to lobby the legislature on several issues, including the charter school bills.

If passed, the laws would put a moratorium on authorizing any new charter schools in the state for the next five years. Critics of the law say they would also significantly restrict the operations and roll back some legal rights the taxpayer-funded independent public schools currently have.

“I ask my friends at the NAACP, ‘did you see the numbers?’” Dr. Tecoy Porter, president of the Sacramento chapter of the NAN, told California Black Media.

For both the NUL and the NAN, they say, their difference of opinion with the NAACP boils down to one fact: Black students across California are failing in the state’s district public schools at rates that should cause national concern.

Advocates say many of the schools on the frontline that have begun to help Black students improve their literacy, score higher on state standardized tests, and prepare for college and jobs, are charter schools.

“African-American children are not doing well in California public schools. There is a severe and persistent Black achievement gap throughout the state of California in both English Language arts and math,” the NAN and the NUL wrote in an open letter to Gov. Gavin Newsom, which the organizations shared with California Black Media.

“Seven out of eight African-American public school students are enrolled in district run schools,” the letter to the governor continued. “Many African-American parents respond to this failure by choosing to send their kids to public charter schools.”

This week, local leaders of both the NAN and the NUL are requesting a meeting with Gov. Newsom to share their concerns about the bills.

In California, about 80 percent of Black students score below the state standard in math and 68 percent fail to meet the English Language Arts requirement. African-American children are also next to the lowest performing sub-group in the state, scoring only above students with disabilities.

Last week, the Assembly passed another charter school bill, AB 1507. It required charter schools to be physically located in the boundaries of the school district that licenses it. Assemblymember Kevin McCarty (D-Sacramento), who is African American and a member of the California Legislative Black Caucus (CLBC), sponsored that bill, along with the other two bills his colleagues will hear this week.

Other sponsors of the charter school bills are Assemblymembers Patrick O’Donnell (D-Los Angeles) and Christy Smith (D-Santa Clarita).

Sen. Maria Elena Durazo (D-Los Angeles) sponsored the Senate bill.

O’Donnell, who is chair of the Assembly Education committee, shelved another bill Assemblymember Shirley Weber (D-San Diego), chair of the CLBC, introduced. That bill would have designated lowest performing subgroup students a high risk category under California’s Local Control Funding Formula.

“Historically, the NAACP has been in strong support of public education and has denounced movements toward privatization,” the California chapter of the NAACP wrote in that statement. “Considering this, we are concerned that charter schools in California are increasingly causing the underfunding of neighborhood schools.”

Julian Heilig-Vasquez, Education Chair of the California NAACP, argues that increased independent and private control of charter schools will lead to the resegregation of America’s public schools and

“The California NAACP and other community-based activists have called upon education reforms to refocus on inequities rather than privatization and private control of education,” he says.

Porter says he understands that the NAACP stated its opposition to charter schools long before these bills became an issue in California. But the arguments they are using to support their stance, have not evolved and are mostly out-of-touch with the needs of the majority of African-American families across the state.

“How are they promoting segregation when they make up less than 5 percent of all public schools in the state?” Asked Porter. “Also, by law, charter schools have to be judged on their performance every five years. District-run public schools can go on failing forever.”

He said since Gov. Newsom signed SB 126 earlier this year, the state now requires charter schools to be more accountable and transparent in their operations.

On Wednesday, May 22, the California Teachers Association (CTA), one of the largest unions in the state, is holding a rally in Sacramento on the steps of the State Capitol in support of the bills. They say, the event is being held “to fix the broken laws that govern charter schools.”

But NAN and the NUL disagree with the NAACP and the CTA. Porter says many Black families who live in communities where traditional public schools have failed their children for decades don’t have the means to get up and move to a better school district or enroll their kids in private schools.

Porter says he is thankful that he had a choice. His son, who attended a mix of private, public charter and traditional public schools is graduating from high school this year. He has accepted a full ride to Harvey Mudd college in Claremont.

“I had a choice. I want all parents in California to have choices of where they can send their children to school for the best education for them,” he says. “I know there are some bad apples who have abused the charter school system, but its Black and Brown kids that end up getting the short end of the stick. They deserve better.”