What’s clear is that the scientific community and community leaders must reach out and work hard to ensure that African Americans gain the confidence to get vaccinated. This won’t be easy. But with the leadership of Dr. Corbett and others, and with a new administration getting serious about providing the resources for mass vaccination and for outreach into the communities most impacted, lives can be saved. ... read more »

There was a time when the aspiration of most Black Americans was either sports or music, as other vocations were closed or limited at best. As the old saying goes, if life deals you lemons, make lemonade. So, Blacks like Joe Louis, Jackie Robinson and Berry Gordy ran with what they had to work with. ... read more »

Our country will remember this year as the year of COVID-19 and the uprising in activism for Black communities throughout the country. During a financially burdensome time for all restaurants, but especially for Black business owners, we started the Black Restaurant Coalition of Los Angeles. Our organization was founded to strengthen, support, and promote restaurateurs, small businesses and the entire Black restaurant community. ... read more »

This has been an incredibly difficult year, and we still have very tough times ahead. However, as we head into this season of thanks-giving, we owe it to ourselves to take a moment to give thanks, ... read more »

Even now, Trump and his campaign have specifically sought to have officials toss out all votes cast in heavily African American populated cities like Atlanta, Detroit, and Milwaukee. It is a tactic used since, during, and after Reconstruction: disenfranchise Blacks and the poor. ... read more »

As the year comes to a close, it is imperative that we use our collective economic power to transform systems and make Black Lives Matter. ... read more »

The moment president-elect Joe Biden announced that Kamala Harris would be joining his ticket as VP of the United States of America, Hollywood reacted enthusiastically with tweets flying left, right, and center. My favorite came from @kerrywashington on August 11 with Yes We Kam! ... read more »

The school to prison pipeline starts as early as preschool for our youngest Black learners. ... read more »

As grief and despair over the racially-disproportionate impact of the COVID pandemic and police brutality erupted in unrest across America’s cities this summer, the National Urban League mobilized to channel the protests in the streets into power at the polls. ... read more »

National politics is increasingly marked by negative messaging cynically intended to inflame rather than inform voters. It’s disturbing to see the same happening in our local mayoral race. ... read more »

Jackie Lacey has been a member of my church since she was five years old. She was baptized here and met her husband of 50 years in the youth choir group when she was 17. Today, she and her family have been active members and I know that her life has been shaped by the extraordinary church leaders that have counseled her over the years. ... read more »

It’s the year 2020 and we are still fighting systemic racism – not just in our neighborhoods and streets, but also in our healthcare system. The roots run deep –the 19th and 20th centuries included several ground-breaking studies which advanced medicine. ... read more »

Since my own cancer diagnosis and treatment, I have spent a good part of my life listening to and supporting Black women battling breast cancer. ... read more »

Councilman Joe Buscaino recently replied to a series of articles by the undersigned setting forth facts demonstrating that Watts is and has been a politically neglected appendage of Los Angeles. Mr. Buscaino takes issue with that contention and responds that Watts has not been neglected and cites several recent projects to support his argument. At the outset, we need to express appreciation for Mr. Buscaino’s efforts for the people of his district and his willingness to debate the larger political issues relating to Watts in particular, and the city generally. Healthy debate always leads to positive results. That said, let us take a closer look at Watts. ... read more »

President Trump wants to paper over the living wound of racism. He’s issued Executive Orders and established a new national commission designed to whitewash our history—and deny the daily reality of being Black in America. He actively appeals to white supremacists and fans the flames of hatred and division in our country, because he thinks it benefits him politically. He ignores the most basic job of every president: the duty to care for all of us, not just those who voted for him. ... read more »