Category: Opinion

Rhonda Smith | Special to California Black Media Partners In 2008, I received news no one ever wants to hear. I was diagnosed with Stage I breast cancer, with an ER/PR positive tumor type. The road to recovery was tough, taking more than a physical toll on my body. I grappled with the emotional and…

Joe W. Bowers Jr. | California Black Media In recent weeks, California’s mostly tranquil college quads have erupted into epicenters of pro-Palestine and anti-Israel activism. At Stanford’s White Plaza, dozens of tents have sprung up, while UCLA’s Royce Hall was tagged with the graffiti message “Free Gaza”. Students are demanding divestment from companies linked to…

ST. LOUIS AMERICAN — There is data that shows that the Democratic candidate for president over the last five presidential elections since 2000 has averaged 90% of the Black vote with an average of only 8% for the GOP candidate. In addition, the overwhelming concern of most Black voters continues to be race and racism…

By Texas State Representative Ron Reynolds We need DEI programs to help remedy decades of Jim Crow policies that led to underinvestment in Black and Brown students. As a lawmaker, a parent, and a member of a community that has felt the sting of systemic injustices, it’s time to confront the uncomfortable truths of our…

 Kirstie McDermott Opinion Telling porkies may be fairly common in the job-hunting process, but employers are finding ways to tackle this problem. Imagine this scenario: you’re at an interview for a job you really want and you’re asked a question about a particular aspect of the role. So far, so usual. But what if you…

Assemblymember Tina McKinnor | Special to California Black Media Partners Organized retail theft is a significant issue that impacts both consumers and businesses. While it is crucial to address theft and protect businesses from losses, we should also be mindful of safeguarding individuals’ constitutional rights, particularly the right to due process. AB 1990 by Assemblymember…

NNPA NEWSWIRE — Advertising in the Black Press provides deeper visibility beyond the mainstream media. It allows the Democrats to reach Black voters who might not otherwise encounter their campaign messages. Moreover, national polls may not capture the diversity of Black communities among urban, suburban, and rural areas. Black-owned newspapers reach readers in small towns,…

Jay King, President | Special to California Black Media Partners The California Black Chamber of Commerce is the largest African American non-profit business organization in the state. Our primary mission is to empower Black-owned businesses to succeed. Our Chamber spends countless hours nurturing relationships with our members and advocating for sensible policy changes that help…

NNPA NEWSWIRE – The decision of many Black men to disengage from the Democratic Party is rooted in a complex interplay of historical disenchantment, unmet promises, and a sense of disillusionment with the political establishment. By Rep Ron Reynolds Rebuilding Trust and Unity in the Democratic Party As a Black man deeply committed to the…

Craig J. DeLuz | Special to California Black Media Partners In the ongoing debates about book bans in American schools, there is one narrative that dominates the discussion: those who oppose certain materials in school libraries are merely “book banners,” seeking to censor and limit the free exchange of ideas. However, a controversy last year…

By Maxine J. Wood, Ed.D “HomeWork: Lessons Learned in the Home for Success in School and Life,” released in May 2023, marked the publication of the second edition of a book fifteen years in the making.  It reflects a composite view of my observations, recommendations and motivations for encouraging parents and parenting adults to give…

INGLEWOOD TODAY — As with all traditions in all cultures, it is up to the elders to pass down the rituals, food, language, and customs that identify a group. So, if your auntie, uncle, mom, and so on didn’t teach you how to play Spades, well, that’s a recipe lost. But outside of Spades, Uno…

Michael Lynch | Special to California Black Media Partners College matters. Obtaining a college degree continues to be the most powerful tool we have to combat poverty. College graduates earn more than $1 million more in their lifetime than individuals with a high school diploma. For low-income youth, it is the most promising path out…

NNPA NEWSWIRE — The Fed is taking every effort to promote income equality and workplace diversity and inclusion, but Regulation II would undercut its great work in this respect and cause potential harm to millions of minority families. Now that a congressional coalition has drawn the Fed’s attention to this concern, the central bank should…

NNPA NEWSWIRE — As a former history teacher and student of history, I’m deeply concerned by the dark efforts at work to silence these stories. The NAACP Legal Defense Fund estimates that more than 1,600 books have been banned across the country, with 566 books having been banned in Florida alone. Teachers and librarians are…

By Hamil R. Harris, NNPA Contributing Writer Political provocateurs are determined to stir up controversy over Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin’s failure to tell President Biden about his treatment for prostate cancer. Yet, his desire to keep the matter private—and out of the public eye—is in line with what many men, particularly men of color, have…

NNPA NEWSWIRE — An effective strategy to overcome poverty in Black America is to increase homeownership and prevent racial hypersegregation. President Biden has pursued some regulatory actions to address housing discrimination, but improving access to homeownership will require greater efforts to reduce inflation so Black Americans can save and get out from under the burden…

By Leeland A. M. Jones, MD The prostate gland is making big headlines. This month O.J. Simpson received a prostate cancer diagnosis, while Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin’s struggle with the disease led to a second hospitalization. King Charles III, in England, recently disclosed information about his enlarged prostate. And with the Jan. 22 death…

By Bakari Height February 4 is Rosa Parks’ birthday. It is also Transit Equity Day. These days are tied together because Rosa Parks is an iconic figure among many of the civil rights era who chose the tactic of refusing to give up her seat on the bus. And transit advocates, like myself, want to…

Special to California Black Media Partners In the words of W. E. B. Du Bois, a trailblazer in the founding of the NAACP, “The power of the ballot we need in sheer self-defense — else what shall save us from a second slavery? Freedom, too, the long-sought, we still seek — the freedom of life…

By Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis, Jr. President and CEO of the National Newspaper Publishers Association Earlier this year the U.S. Department of Education sent all colleges and universities across the nation a notice, reminding them that they need to comply with the newly updated cybersecurity regulations published by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). The regulations…

Sen. Steven Bradford | Special to California Black Media Partners There is no greater pain than that of a mother who loses her child — or whose child goes missing. Bettersten Wade has experienced both. Her 37-year-old son, Dexter Wade, disappeared on March 5 after visiting with her. She reported him to the police as…

NNPA NEWSWIRE — The CDC’s report is a sobering reminder that our work is far from over.  The fact that infant mortality has increased after two decades should serve as a call to action.  It is our responsibility to respond to these inequities in the healthcare system and ensure that every Black mother and child…

“I’m for truth, no matter who tells it. I’m for justice, no matter who it is for or against. I’m a human being, first and foremost, and as such I’m for whoever and whatever benefits humanity as a whole.” Malcolm X First in a Series) By Reverend Dr. RB Holmes, Jr., Chairman NNPA NEWSWIRE —…