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Clean Air Is a Human Right
HealthOp-EdOpinion

Clean Air Is a Human Right

By Noemí Gallardo, Senior Manager of Public Policy, Sunrun Inc.May 7, 2019

My baby brother suffered from acute asthma his entire childhood, and witnessing his pain was tough on me, but even more so for my parents. It was disheartening to watch him suffer and miss school when he had trouble breathing. My parents, Mexican immigrants with limited education, worked multiple low-wage jobs to make ends meet. They often had to skip work to take care of him, which also hurt our ability to purchase appropriate treatments for him. For low-income families like mine, having health issues presents hard decisions about priorities and survival. This is not a unique story. Asthma is

Nation’s Racial Wealth Divide Worsens With Federal Tax Cuts: Black Families Have A Dime For Every Dollar Held By Whites
BusinessCharlene CrowellEconomyFinanceNationalNews (Business)Op-EdOpinion

Nation’s Racial Wealth Divide Worsens With Federal Tax Cuts: Black Families Have A Dime For Every Dollar Held By Whites

Charlene CrowellMay 2, 2019

If you’re like me, every time you hear a news reporter or anchor talk about how great the nation’s economy is, you wonder what world they are living in. Certainly these journalists are not referring to the ongoing struggle to make ends meet that so much of Black America faces. For every daily report of Wall Street trading, or rising corporate profits, you’re reminded that somebody else is doing just fine financially.

Religious Leaders Urge City Council to Stand Up for Those Left Behind by Gig Economy
Op-Ed

Religious Leaders Urge City Council to Stand Up for Those Left Behind by Gig Economy

Rev. Edward Anderson and Rabbi Joel SimondsApril 30, 2019

ADVERTORIAL These days, as the income gap between the wealthy and the working poor grows unchecked, it is time for people of conscience to stand up for those being left behind. That is why we are asking the Los Angeles City Council to allow taxicab and rideshare drivers to continue to attach digital advertising signs to their vehicles. These drivers are part of the unstable “gig” economy, which means they work without benefits, paid vacation or a 401(k) plan. They earn a small amount for every trip they make, and the fares they can charge have been repeatedly decreased, as

Federal Marijuana Legalization Must Learn from California
Op-EdOpinion

Federal Marijuana Legalization Must Learn from California

Yvette McDowellApril 25, 2019

(Yvette McDowell/Courtesy Photo)   Ten states, including California, and the District of Columbia have legalized marijuana use for adults age 21 and older. Marijuana remains illegal on the federal level, though reform is on the horizon. In February, multiple 2020 presidential candidates joined forces to re-introduce the Marijuana Justice Act with the intent to legalize marijuana on the federal level, expunge criminal records, and reinvest in the communities most heavily targeted by the War on Drugs. Marijuana legislation must not leave the individuals who bore the brunt of racially biased marijuana enforcement out in the cold. California is modeling how

JoJo Smollett: What If Jussie Is Telling The Truth?
EntertainmentNationalNewsNews (Entertainment)Op-EdOpinion

JoJo Smollett: What If Jussie Is Telling The Truth?

JoJo SmolletApril 25, 2019

JoJo Smollett says his brother was condemned by the Chicago Police Department in an unjust investigation. It has not yet been 90 days since my younger brother, Jussie Smollett, was assaulted on a cold winter night in Chicago. Within less than three months, his life has been turned upside down as my family and I have witnessed him endure unrelenting attacks to his character and reputation. Like so many others, this entire process quickly devolved from a focus on him as a victim of assault, to him being falsely accused and held responsible for a crime that was perpetrated against

Follow up to ‘FBI Aims to Build Relationship with Los Angeles’ Black Community’
Op-EdOpinion

Follow up to ‘FBI Aims to Build Relationship with Los Angeles’ Black Community’

Rev. Dr. James M. Thomas, Pastor of Living Word Community ChurchApril 25, 2019

A few nights ago, I had a terrible nightmare. In my dream, a casual conversation with a law enforcement agent resulted in my employment as an informant. In desperation, I screamed, “Oh no, what have I done? Will I have to kill and sabotage my people now? Black Lives Matter help me! Please get me out of this mess.”

Black Women and Trauma
HealthNews (Family)Op-EdOpinion

Black Women and Trauma

Zaneta J. SmithApril 18, 2019

Pow, pow, pow. Gunshots fill the air. Sounds of police cars and ambulances resound. The EMTs fight to keep him alive. His lifeless body sits on the stretcher. Another black man gone …in an instant.