Antonio Ray Harvey | California Black Media Senate Bill (SB) 1067, introduced in February by Sen. Akilah Weber-Pierson (D-San Diego), seeks to close California’s racial achievement gap in education by requiring universal screening and early identification of math difficulties for students in kindergarten through second grade. “California students are tested multiple times throughout their academic…
Steep education staff cuts unable to correct loan servicer mistakes, says GAO By Charlene Crowell On March 10, a federal appellate court order effectively ended the popular Saving on a Valuable Education (SAVE) program. The likely effect will be an increased financial strain on 7 million borrowers who used the program to keep their monthly…
By Victoria Mejicanos AFRO Staff Writer After decades of facing various social, economic, racial and health disparities, it’s no surprise that some Black elderly patients are hesitant to visit the doctor for regular screenings or may not always know what to ask. This month the AFRO spoke with medical professionals to discuss the importance of…
Joe W. Bowers Jr. | California Black Media A Los Angeles town hall on immigration took on broader urgency as speakers warned that encounters with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) are not limited to immigrants and can also affect African Americans, underscoring shared concerns across Black communities. The Black Migrant Town Hall, convened…
Bo Tefu | California Black Media California Requires Personal Finance Course for All High Schoolers — Promising Gains for Women and Girls On March 18, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced a new requirement for California high school students to complete a personal finance course, part of a broader effort to expand economic opportunity and address wealth…
WASHINGTON, D.C. (March 21, 2026) — The National Medical Association (NMA), the nation’s largest and oldest organization representing African American physicians and their patients, is convening leading clinicians, researchers, and health advocates for its 2026 National Colloquium on African American Health, taking place at The Morrow Hotel in Washington, D.C. The event started on Thursday…
By Sunita Sohrabji Northern California and several states on the East Coast are experiencing a dramatic surge in human metapneumovirus. Antivirals are not yet available to fend off the illness. The US is experiencing a dramatic surge in human metapneumovirus — HMPV — a little-known respiratory illness, which currently has no vaccine or antiviral treatment….
San Bernardino, CA — March 28, 2026 — Ladies Rising Together, an initiative of The WIN Organization, invites the community to attend “AunTea’s Garden Soirée,” a free community celebration honoring women who uplift and inspire through service and leadership. The event will take place Saturday, March 28, 2026, from 12:00 PM to 5:00 PM at…
Wanda Haynes-Certified Sommelier What’s up chocolate lovers, did you know about 70% of the world’s cocoa beans are grown in West Africa? Ghana and Cote d’Ivoire are major sources of the commodity. Unfortunately, the farmers haven’t always been treated respectfully or paid a living wage. Fairtrade is a non-profit dedicated to certifying products for equitable…
New York Carib News The government of Cuba has firmly rejected any suggestion that its political leadership or governing system could be subject to negotiation in ongoing discussions with the United States, as tensions between the two nations intensify. Deputy Foreign Minister Carlos Fernandez de Cossio delivered the government’s position unequivocally during a press conference…
By Dayvon Love | San Diego Voice and Viewpoint Director of Public Policy, Leaders of a Beautiful Struggle In 1953, the United States and other Western forces collaborated to overthrow the democratically elected president, Mohammad Mosaddegh, of Iran. The stated rationale for pursuing regime change was based on the Cold War logic that Mosaddegh was…
By Dr. Julianne Malveaux Frederick Douglass did not know the day he was born. Like many enslaved people, he was denied even the dignity of documentation. Birth dates were approximations. Family lines were severed. Identity existed in property ledgers, not in public record. His mother, Harriet Bailey, called him her “little Valentine,” and Douglass later…
Supporting seniors’ access to food assistance in the IE Riverside, CA – March 24th, 2026 – Feeding America Riverside | San Bernardino (FARSB) is proud to be part of Enterprise Mobility’s Fill Your Tank® Program, which is helping to end hunger by supporting local food banks. This incredible $50,000 from Feeding America, a key partner…
Agency alleged Air AI made deceptive claims about business growth, earnings potential, and refund guarantees Air AI will be banned from marketing business opportunities as part of a settlement with the Federal Trade Commission over charges the company misled many entrepreneurs and small businesses with deceptive claims about business growth, earnings potential, and refund guarantees….
By JaDonna Harris At 38, I began to experience pain I dismissed as minor. I was young and healthy—or so I thought. But as months went by, the pain worsened until one morning I woke up and couldn’t move. That day in 2023, two months after my 40th birthday, doctors found a 7-centimeter mass in…
The Washington Informer | WI Editorial Staff The nation is right to hope and pray for the safe return of Nancy Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of journalist Savannah Guthrie, co-anchor on NBC’s “Today.” Any disappearance is terrifying. Any family thrust into uncertainty deserves compassion, urgency, and relentless attention. But compassion should never be selective —…
SACRAMENTO, Calif. – To educate members about retirement and health benefits available to them, the California Public Employees’ Retirement System is hosting a two-day CalPERS Benefits Education Event (CBEE) in Anaheim on April 10 and 11. Whether a member is new to CalPERS, in mid-career, or close to retirement, CBEEs offer a wealth of information…
New York Carib News The U.S. Embassy Port of Spain has introduced a new WhatsApp-based communication channel to strengthen outreach to American nationals residing in or visiting Trinidad and Tobago. The initiative, led by the Embassy’s American Citizens Services (ACS) Unit, is designed to deliver real-time updates on safety, security, and emergency situations. Operating under…
By Dominique Lambright October 22, 2023 Humming has been shown to have several positive health effects. Some of these benefits include making it easier to relax and breathe, easing sinus pressure and congestion, decreasing blood pressure, and improving your mood. Many positive outcomes may result from doing what most of us already do instinctively. Is…
LOS ANGELES (AP) — A civil jury in California found March 23 that Bill Cosby was liable for drugging and sexually assaulting a woman in 1972 and awarded her $59.25 million. After a nearly two-week trial in Santa Monica, jurors found Cosby, 88, liable for the sexual battery and assault of Donna Motsinger. They awarded…
By Charlene Crowell On behalf of the nearly 9 million people who are now in default on their student loans, a coalition of advocates from consumer, civil rights, and education organizations is appealing to the federal Education Department to halt its plans to begin garnishing borrowers’ wages this month. Default status connotes borrowers are…
By Kristen Amundson What did you call your grandparents? What do your grandchildren call you? Are you Grandma and Grandpa? Nana and Papa (the current favorites in the U.S.)? Mimi and PopPop? In some families, the name for grandparents is the result of the oldest grandchild’s mispronunciation, which is why my grandparents came to be…
Bo Tefu | California Black Media The California Democratic Party has selected EVITARUS Research, a Black- and Latina-led firm, to conduct a new statewide polling project tracking the governor’s race ahead of the primary election. Party Chair Rusty Hicks said the California Voter Opinion, Trend and Engagement Research Index, or VOTER Index, will give voters,…
By Obama Foundation The Obama Foundation announced March 7 that the Obama Presidential Center’s grand opening celebrations will begin on June 18 and last through June 21, with a series of events that bring together the changemakers, community members, volunteers and supporters who made the Obama presidency a reality and that welcome visitors to celebrate…
“Make thick my blood…” When Etiwanda High School junior Vanessa Mejia delivered that line from Macbeth, the room fell silent. The intensity of her performance — drawn from one of Shakespeare’s most famous passages — was so powerful that even her drama teacher, Christian Kiley, was stunned. “Vanessa is one of the most natural actors…
