Shortly after members of the California legislature took a knee for eight minutes and 46 seconds at the California Capitol to protest racism and the death of George Floyd, Assemblymember Lorena Gonzalez (D-San Diego) took the opportunity to call out some of her Latino colleagues.  “I have to be honest, I’m disappointed with our Latino caucus,” Gonzalez said at the event that Assemblymember Syndey Kamlager (D-Los Angeles), a member the California Legislative Black Caucus (CLBC), organized.  ... read more »

Last week, African American activists confronted affirmative action opponents on a Zoom town hall a conservative Republican candidate organized. At least one Republican elected official attended the event that the Silicon Valley Chinese Association Foundation (SVCAF) supported.     ... read more »

African American developers across California are worried about a rule change the state Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) is considering. ... read more »

They live in small clusters in inland valley towns and in  larger  ethnic enclaves in San Diego, San Francisco and Los Angeles — or  they blend  into  suburban  communities  across the state, according to  data collected by  California Black Media  to support its  Census 2020  awareness  mapping. ... read more »

On May 11, the California Assembly Judiciary Committee voted yes on a bill that would mandate the state to set up an eight-member commission to examine how California engaged in — and benefited from — the enslavement of Black men, women and children. ... read more »

A shocking video of a police officer beating a 14-year-old African American boy over a Swisher tobacco cigarette is being shared across social media platforms around the world.    In the clip that has been re-posted tens of thousands of times, a Rancho Cordova deputy is captured pummeling the youth in his chest as he presses him to the ground in an incident that happened April 27.  ... read more »

The National Collegiate Athletic Association’s (NCAA) highest governing body announced last week that it is moving toward allowing student-athletes to receive compensation for endorsements and promotions.   ... read more »

The Frederick Douglass Family Initiative (FDFI), an organization the social reformer and writer’s descendants founded to keep his legacy alive, commissioned the award-winning African American concept artist Nikkolas Smith to sketch a rendering depicting Frederick Douglass in a medical mask.   ... read more »

Earlier this month, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced that California was the first state in the nation to secure Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) funding to place unsheltered people in hotel rooms at no cost to them. The state’s action is providing safe isolation for tens of thousands of homeless Californians during the global COVID-19 pandemic.     ... read more »

Out-of-work gig workers in California whose employers have not paid into the state’s unemployment insurance fund — as well as Californians without jobs who have run out of unemployment benefits — will be able to file new unemployment claims.  ... read more »

“We are all in this together,” said Gov. Newsom. “We will continue to support older Californians who are more at risk during this public health emergency.” ... read more »

Since then, all the major African-American community-based organizations, political leaders and other advocates in California — concerned that there may be an undercount of Black Californians during the 2020 census count — have found themselves grappling.   ... read more »

In 2018, when Gov. Gavin Newsom was lieutenant governor in Gov. Jerry Brown’s administration, California passed Senate Bill 10 (SB 10). It was landmark legislation that abolished the cash money bail system for defendants waiting for trial, and also gave judges more discretion to determine who will be sent to jail or not – based on risk. ... read more »

Over 8000 educators statewide participated in a webinar conducted by Thurmond to go over guidance the California Department of Education issued to all school districts detailing how they can provide distance learning opportunities for students including those with disabilities and English learners.  ... read more »

Black-owned salons and barbershops have always served as a hub for men and women to congregate and catch up on the latest news, gossip and overall happenings within the community. These “meeting places” of sorts have also proven to be extremely profitable for its owners. ... read more »