Op-Ed

An Easy Way to Put More Money in the Hands of Californians

There is no way around it—California’s Assembly Bill (AB) 5 has been a disaster for our state. The so-called “gig economy” legislation passed last year has been a short-sighted and dangerous attack on nearly ten percent of our state’s workforce. What’s worse—businesses continue to be attacked on all sides from attorneys looking to exploit the vague “ABC test.” And all this is peaking during the worst health crisis in a century, when millions of Californians remain jobless and small businesses are struggling to survive.

GENERATION LOST: UC-BERKELEY’S MISSING BLACK GRADUATES

In the mid-1960s, the University of California, Berkeley started its Educational Opportunity Program to target underrepresented applicants and combat this history of discrimination. Unsurprisingly, this program was asuccess and the number of Black freshmen continued to rise until 1996. That year, Governor Pete Wilson and Black conservative Ward Connerly led an effort to repeal these education gains by passing Proposition 209.

NO ONE IS HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR BREONNA TAYLOR’S MURDER

A grand jury indicted one former Louisville police detective, Brett Hankison, in connection with the death of Breonna Taylor charging him with three counts of wanton endangerment of someone else – a man, his pregnant wife and their five-year-old daughter in an adjoining apartment.  But no officer was held responsible for Breonna Taylor’s murder.  The two officers who fired the fatal shots that hit and killed Ms. Taylor were not charged.

The 2020 Assessment Roll: LA COUNTY PROPERTY VALUED AT $1.7 TRILLION FOR 2020 Reflects pre-COVID Market Conditions

First off, let me say this comprehensive tally values more than 2.5 million real estate parcels in Los Angeles County and results in the very tax dollars that goes to pay for vital public services, such as healthcare, police, fire, schools, and even librarians, to name just a few. I am constitutionally mandated to close the role by the end of the Fiscal Year on June 30.

When Will We Talk About Black Fear (Instead of a Fear of Black People)?

Two emotions, love and rage, seem to be commonly used to frame historical Black political and social public actions.  On the one hand, narratives of Black resistance and radical action are often popularly framed in terms of us having endured too much or simply being fed up with a society that refuses to offer racial equality. 

At the end of the day – right is right

I am a Black man in America who is a father, grandfather, husband, brother, uncle and cousin. I am also Assemblymember for California’s 64th Assembly District and a former police officer. I am proud of all of those titles. As a former police officer, I know first-hand the hard work and undeniable value of good officers. But, as in many other industries, bad apples (‘cops’) exist. The police unions would have me look the other way when racism rears its ugly head whether it originates with leadership or manifests through the actions of some rank and file. Like most Black

She Will Answer

Our future VP is who she is and where she is because she is driven in her quest for freedom, justice and equality and she is loyal. Senator Harris at times will stop what’s she’s doing to answer a call. I have known California’s first African American woman District Attorney and first African American Attorney General Harris to be this way for her 18-year political career. To make it plain: She is “Kamala Harris For the People.”

Black Riders Matter

A court in California just issued a temporary “stay” on restricting rideshare operations in the state over the independent contractor issue. The court ruling should be made permanent while civil rights and business leaders work together to undo the unjust and unfair rideshare regulations that may negatively impact millions of people throughout America.

A PIVOTAL TIME: 15 TO 9

While this is a pivotal moment in our nation’s history, it is also a pivotal moment in the history of Los Angeles.  Although it is a time of crisis, we need to use it as time of great opportunity, a time to breathe new life into the marvelous minority communities of South-Central Los Angeles.  In short, we need to embark on what may be called an Urban Marshall Plan designed to expand political power to minority communities and to promote fairness in the distribution of public resources. This is an opportunity to bring new hope to the poor and underserved who are suffering the most in these times of crisis, as they do in all times. 

Our Battle to Protect Democracy’s Greatest Tool: It’s on us to honor the legacy of Representative John Lewis

Even in the darkest of times, we can hear our friend and mentor John Lewis: “Ours is not the struggle of one day, one week, or one year. Ours is not the struggle of one judicial appointment or presidential term. Ours is the struggle of a lifetime, or maybe even many lifetimes, and each one of us in every generation must do our part.”

Fighting to Bring Jobs to South LA Residents

The age-old adage “A good Job can save a life” rings especially true during the current COVID-19 pandemic. Millions of people across Los Angeles have lost their jobs while thousands of people have lost their lives. COVID-19 continues to threaten the health and economic vitality of South Los Angeles neighborhoods. The need for secure permanent employment is heightened even more as California grapples with mountains of requests for unemployment benefits.

California Should Follow President Obama’s Lead on Balancing Conservation and Recreational Fishing Access

Few groups interact as closely with our country’s waterways and fisheries as the recreational boating and fishing community. Particularly here in California, with over 270 protected areas and miles of scenic coastline, recreational boaters and anglers daily, see firsthand the need to protect these resources to ensure future generations can continue to enjoy our waterways for years to come.