Category: Government & Politics

By Lauren Victoria Burke, NNPA Newswire Contributor President Donald Trump has ordered the bombing of seven countries in 2025. They are Iran, Iraq, Nigeria, Somalia, Syria, Venezuela and Yemen. There has been no congressional authorization for any of the military action. Trump is also threatening Columbia and Cuba. On the afternoon of January 5, Trump’s…

Antonio‌ ‌Ray‌ ‌Harvey‌ ‌|‌ ‌California‌ ‌Black‌ ‌Media‌ A bill authored by Assemblymember Sade Elhawary (D-Los Angeles) and signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom will extend the sunset (repeal) date of the California Commission on the State of Hate from Jan. 1, 2027, to Jan. 1, 2031.  Assembly Bill (AB) 822 allows the California Commission on the…

By Stacy M. Brown The U.S. Secret Service is preparing for one of the largest expansions in its history as officials confront what they describe as an unprecedented volume of credible threats, fueled by escalating global tensions and a series of aggressive U.S. actions overseas that have triggered unrest at home and abroad. The agency…

by Ellen A number of key laws important to California workers became effective with the new year. The CA Workforce Development Agency (LWDA) stressed the importance of workers, employers, and community organizations being aware of and understanding these changes.  LWDA stressed how the new laws are intended to reinforce California’s continued commitment to building a…

By Stacy M. Brown As questions mounted over the heavily redacted release of the Jeffrey Epstein files and new material placing President Donald Trump closer to the late sex trafficker than previously acknowledged, the White House shifted abruptly to a familiar tactic. The president turned outward, announcing U.S. military strikes in Nigeria and framing the…

By D. Kevin McNeir/Special to the AFRO Members of the armed forces, both active duty and reserve personnel, recently learned that effective immediately, they must be clean-shaven when in uniform or on duty. In addition, the new policy severely limits medical shaving waivers, with the Army, for example, reducing exemptions to a temporary 12-month period…

By Lauren Victoria Burke/BlackPressUSA Newswire Contributor “The Commonwealth of Virginia will now be properly represented by an actual patriot who embodied the principle of liberty and justice for all, and not a traitor who took up arms against the United States to preserve the brutal institution of chattel slavery,” said House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries…

By Antonio Ray Harvey | California Black Media On Jan. 1, Assembly Bill (AB) 422 — legislation authored by Assemblymember Corey Jackson (D–Moreno Valley) – takes effect. Signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom in October, the bill updates the criteria for the State Seal of Civic Engagement (SSCE), an official recognition awarded to high school students…

Nationwide — Attorney Zulu Ali, a former police officer and U.S. Marine Corps veteran, has released a powerful commentary titled “Attorney Zulu Ali Speaks on Justice: Trying Cases in a System Built to Oppress Black People.” In it, Ali argues that the American court system is racially biased beyond repair, compares being Black in the…

By Edward Henderson | California Black Media  Assemblymember Mike Gipson (D-Carson) is entering his final year of service in the state Legislature due to term limits.  A native of the Watts community in Los Angeles, Gipson says he inherited a spirit of service from his parents. He was elected to the Carson City Council in…

By Edward Henderson | California Black Media  Dr. LaShae Sharp-Collins was elected to the California State Assembly in November 2024 to represent the 79th District, which includes southeastern San Diego, El Cajon, La Mesa, Lemon Grove. She earned her bachelor’s degree in Africana Studies, a master’s in education with an emphasis in Multicultural Counseling, and…

By Edward Henderson | California Black Media  Assemblymember Corey A. Jackson (D-Moreno Valley) represents the 60th Assembly District. He was first elected in November 2022.  In the Legislature, Jackson has emerged as a key voice on issues related to equity, social services, and community well-being — first as chair of the Human Services Committee in…

By Andrea Stevens AFRO Staff Writer/astevens@afro.com The Department of Education will no longer classify several long-recognized graduate programs as professional degrees, a shift that will affect financial aid limits and reshape how universities describe advanced training in fields that rely on licensing.  The updated definition removes nursing from the government’s professional degree category. The change…

by BVN Enhanced premium tax subsidies under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) will expire on Dec. 31 as Congress prepares to break for the holidays without voting on a health care package. Though House Speaker Mike Johnson refused to call for a vote regarding extending ACA tax credits for three years as proposed by Democrats,…

By Fred Redmond, AFL-CIO  Secretary-Treasurer In our workplaces, in our communities and in our government, the right to vote is how working people make our voices heard. The late Rep. John Lewis (Georgia) proclaimed, “Your vote is precious, almost sacred.” The Supreme Court’s recent decision allowing Texas to use a racially discriminatory congressional map threatens…

Over 50 years ago, Ms. Cathy Hughes, Founder and Chairperson, Urban One, Inc., was one of the very first faculty members of the School of Communications at Howard University. Myla Roundy Published on December 11, 2025 Over 50 years ago, Ms. Cathy Hughes, Founder and Chairperson, Urban One, Inc., was one of the very first…

By Stacy M. Brown This is not a reflection. It is a demand. The Black Press of America is being deliberately starved, and unless people act now, it will collapse in full view of the nation it has served for nearly two centuries. This is not about nostalgia. It is about whether truth survives when…

Edward Henderson | California Black Media Representing the 28th Senate District, Sen. Lola Smallwood-Cuevas (D-Los Angeles) brings a lifelong commitment to working families, shaped by her upbringing as the daughter of a single mother who was a military veteran and a registered nurse.  After earning her communications degree from California State University Hayward (now known…

Edward Henderson | California Black Media Assemblymember Lori D. Wilson (D-Suisun City) joined the California Legislature in 2022 after making history as Solano County’s first Black female mayor, bringing with her a track record of fiscal discipline, community investment, and inclusive leadership.  She represents the state’s 11th Assembly District, which spans Solano County and portions…

Joe W. Bowers Jr. | California Black Media   Assemblymember Tina McKinnor (D-Inglewood) represents California’s 61st Assembly District, covering areas including Hawthorne, Gardena, Lawndale, Venice, Westchester, and West Athens.  As a member of the California Legislative Black Caucus (CLBC), McKinnor has become a prominent voice in the Legislature. Elected in 2022, she chairs the Los Angeles…

Edward Henderson | California Black Media  Elected in November 2024 to represent California’s 35th Senate District in the Los Angeles area, Sen. Laura Richardson (D-San Pedro) brings decades of experience in public service to her role.  Before entering elected office, she served as a legislative staffer at the local, state, and federal levels and built…

Edward Henderson | California Black Media   In November 2024, Dr. Akilah Weber Pierson (D-San Diego) became the first African American south of Los Angeles County to be elected to the California State Senate. She is also a board-certified obstetrician/gynecologist and founder of the Pediatric & Adolescent Gynecology Division at Rady Children’s Hospital-San Diego.   Weber…