On Monday, January 16, we celebrated the life and legacy of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., a civil rights and social justice champion in the US and beyond. ... read more »

This Fall, Duane moved into his own apartment after 15 years of homelessness. He said he feels like he’s living someone else’s dream and takes pride in decorating and settling into his new home. ... read more »

To further resist the threat of authoritarianism, we must lift up young leaders who will be democracy’s champions for this and future generations. People For the American Way’s Young Elected Officials Network is celebrating the election of young leaders as new members of Congress from across the country: Greg Casar from Austin, Texas; Emilia Sykes from Akron, Ohio; Maxwell Frost from Orlando, Fla.; Summer Lee from Braddock, Pa.; Robert Garcia from Long Beach, Calif.; Sydney Kamlager from Los Angeles, Calif; and Jasmine Crockett from Dallas, Texas. Dozens more were elected to local and state offices, building a crucial leadership pipeline. ... read more »

The significance and relevance of Karen Bass being elected as the first female Mayor of the City of Los Angeles is not just a concern for people of color or persuasion. ... read more »

We get syrupy about “Hidden Figures” from all over and know little about the heroes and sheroes who grew up in our own back yard. Mrs. French L. Cowens was born French L. Jackson to Willie Mae and Willis Jackson in Gladewater, Texas. She grew up in old North Central Dallas. ... read more »

“Although I have no personal knowledge of when Dr. King died, I fully support the research of Dr. William Pepper, who has established that King's life was terminated at the hospital. His research came through a credible witness, Johnton Shelby, whose mother personally witnessed the event. According to these sources, King did not die immediately, but shortly after being shot and transported to the hospital, when he was smothered to death with a pillow by the head surgeon, Dr. Breen Bland.” — Phillip F. Nelson, author of “Who REALLY Killed Martin Luther King,” in an interview with Our Weekly. ... read more »

One of the great joys of my life is teaching. I’m fortunate to teach classes on social justice at the University of Pennsylvania, one of the most respected schools in the country. Penn has a longstanding commitment to affirmative action, and I have seen first-hand how diversity in the classroom benefits all my students. ... read more »

The pandemic put into light how critical our healthcare workers are in our local communities. These frontline workers should be adequately compensated for their heroic efforts, ... read more »

Black Lives Matter Los Angeles (BLMLA) has pitched their tents in front of disgraced Los Angeles Councilmember Kevin De León's Eagle Rock home. ... read more »

President Biden declared the pandemic is over, then quickly backtracked. Unfortunately, his premature word choice undermines the ongoing efforts to prepare the country for future outbreaks. Even before the statement, Congress denied funding to prepare America for the next outbreak. ... read more »

As a small business advocate for over 45 years, these past two years, without a doubt, have ranked as some of the most difficult. Small businesses have been forced to navigate California’s pandemic policies and faced supply chain issues, staffing shortages, inflation, and rising healthcare costs. ... read more »

All eligible households are urged to enroll in the Affordable Connectivity Program, which allows qualifying families to save as much as $30 a month on high-speed home internet.   ... read more »

Gunsmiths and Wordsmiths are not to blame for the mishandling, misuse, and abuse we are seeing today resulting in gun-related massacres along with suicides triggered by cyberspace bullying. These consequential events have become so common – we see the symptoms and know the causes, and yet we all seem to be helpless and neutralized to do anything about them. It’s how we use guns and how we use words that kill. ... read more »

The next phase of the COVID-19 pandemic in California has arrived. As the state begins to implement its SMARTER Plan, protecting ourselves and our communities from COVID-19 and its fast-spreading variants through vaccination can ensure better outcomes for us all. ... read more »

“Healing Our Hearts, Minds and Bodies” (HHMB) is a five-year grant aimed at improving cardiovascular health among men and women of color living with HIV. ... read more »