We knew many of our fellow Angelenos worked on the margins of the previously healthy economy, but that reality didn’t hit home until we saw reports that less than half of adults in Los Angeles County had a job post pandemic. We all probably had at least heard that minorities had worse health outcomes than white Americans, but perhaps that didn’t really register until statistics about the shockingly high death rates of black and Latinos from Covid-19 became reality.  ... read more »

The country’s largest cities released numbers showing the novel coronavirus is having a disproportionate impact on racial minorities. Epidemiologists say this is because my Black and Brown brothers and sisters often live close together in multigenerational households, work in jobs in which we interact closely with others, and have higher rates of asthma, hypertension, cardiovascular disease and other conditions. Officials in Los Angeles County said that Black people alone accounted for 17% of COVID-19 deaths where race was known – yet African-Americans make up only about 9% of the county’s population.    ... read more »

On May 16, 2020, Larry Aubry passed away, and left a legacy that few can equal, but to which many should aspire. He was born in New Orleans, Louisiana in the time of southern segregation and came to Los Angeles at an early age, attending Jefferson High School. ... read more »

Larry Aubry was a consummate journalist and a dedicated activist. His columns were perfect storms of passion and facts. He had an ability to seamlessly merge institutional knowledge with current affairs. When he put pen to paper, it was to expose injustice and systemic racism. Larry took no hostages. ... read more »

You never wanted to get on Larry’s bad list. It didn’t matter whether you were Black, White, an elected official, or dirty police officer, he’d call you out in hot minute. But Larry would never call you out without speaking to you first. ... read more »

COVID-19 is shedding a disturbing light on existing health disparities among African Americans in the County of Los Angeles; disparities rooted in a history of limited access to affordable housing, nutritious foods, and primary health care. Living under such conditions can make it harder to prevent and control chronic conditions, like high blood pressure, asthma, heart disease and diabetes, which increases our risk for severe illness and death from COVID-19. And our seniors 65 years and older, especially those who live in nursing homes, are particularly at risk from this virus.   ... read more »

The virus called SARS-COV2, causes a disease known as COVID-19 which is having a historical and unprecedented impact across the globe. Because this transformative pandemic has touched or altered everyone in the world’s life or lifestyle the return to normalcy is but a faded memory. ... read more »

The behavior of the Rancho Cordova police officer who pinned an unarmed 14-year-old African American boy to the ground and punched him repeatedly for purchasing a tobacco product is disgraceful, distressing and outrageous. Sadly, this is not an isolated incident. It is one of far too many videos of police using physical force on a daily basis against people of color in neighborhoods of color. Most police officers work hard to do the right thing but bad police behavior is enabled and fueled by racist policies such as the proposed ban on the sale of menthol cigarettes preferred by over 80% of African Americans who choose to smoke. ... read more »

It is our hope, and intention, to help save it for the generations that follow. ... read more »

The great Maya Angelou said, "Hope is born again in the faces of children." This sentiment should be a guiding theme throughout school districts nationwide, especially the Inglewood Unified School District (IUSD). ... read more »

Springtime is a season when thoughts turn toward warmer weather, new beginnings, and budding opportunities. Such is the case for freshman and transfer applicants to colleges and universities around the state and country, ... read more »

The COVID-19 pandemic doesn’t discriminate – people all over our country and world are being hospitalized, losing their jobs and health care, and fearing for the safety of their families. It impacts us all, and doesn’t care what your race, national origin, gender identity, income level, sexual orientation, or age is. Stopping this virus requires following the facts, providing critical resources to those who need them, and showing kindness to one another. We will not stop it by blaming the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community. ... read more »

Every 10 years, the United States Census Bureau works to conduct an accurate count of the nation’s population, as provided for under the U.S. Constitution. This decennial count – which is currently underway – is one of our nation’s most inclusive civic activities, including every person living in the country, regardless of age, race, ethnicity, religion or citizenship. ... read more »

Build Back Better has become the mantra of post-disaster reconstruction, since the United Nations’ 2006 report, “Key Propositions for Building Back Better.” It points out that disasters can be leveraged as opportunities for change and improvement.   ... read more »

For decades, we have been fighting to improve the material conditions of our lives. We have fought against and worked to overcome systemic racism, economic inequality, and mass incarceration. Now, during a global pandemic, the impact of this bias is clearer than ever. ... read more »