Category: Uncategorized

By Jennifer Porter Gore | Word-In-Black | San Diego Voice and Viewpoint SAN DIEGO VOICE & VIEWPOINT — Last month healthcare leaders, birth workers, and community members gathered to honor the legacy of Charleston native Dr. Janell Green Smith, a nurse-midwife and doctor of nursing practice who died in January from childbirth complications. She had…

By Marcia Claggett  My name is Marcia Claggett. I reside in Calvert County, Maryland , and work at the United Planning Organization’s (UPO) Office of Early Learning in Washington, D.C. As a child at the age of 3, I was enrolled in the Head Start program located at the Southern Maryland Tri-County Community Action Committee. The year would…

Despite recent progress, more than 16 people die every day on U.S. roads over six months By Adam Shapiro Drivers struck and killed 3,024 people walking during the first half of 2025, an average of 16 per day, according to a new data analysis from the Governors Highway Safety Association(GHSA). That is an 11% decline…

By Bo Tofu, California Black Media | L.A. Focus California’s public health programs could lose billions of dollars due to recent federal budget cuts, state health officials told lawmakers during a joint committee hearing on March 10. The hearing, held at the State Capitol, focused on the impacts of reductions to programs such as Medi-Cal,…

Bo Tefu | California Black Media  New Poll Shows Gender Divide Among Black Voters in California as 2026 Primary Approaches  A new statewide survey of California voters reveals a notable gender divide among Black voters, with Black men more likely than Black women to lean Republican ahead of the 2026 primary election. The findings come…

By Victoria Mejicanos  AFRO Staff Writer  March 1 marked the beginning of Women’s History Month, a time to celebrate and honor women’s contributions to society as well as continue to advocate for their rights. This week, the AFRO interviewed people, asking the best advice they have ever received from women in their lives. Take a…

By  LaMonika Jones For countless families, children, older adults, disabled persons and veterans experiencing food insecurity, meeting basic human needs is like running a race you will never finish. The help is there, but for far too many families there are too many obstacles keeping them from reaching the finish line. Accessing critical resources shouldn’t…

By ReShonda Tate Black women have always been at the center of the story—even when history tried to write us out.  Thankfully, a brilliant group of contemporary African-American authors is giving our foremothers the spotlight, the mic and the flowers they deserve. From Harlem to Hollywood, sewing rooms to skyways, these novels bring the past…

Wanda Haynes-Certified Sommelier I finally decided to retire from years of hard work as an educational administrator, becoming a tour bus escort felt like a way to merge those skills with travel.  Well, after six months of passing out day old doughnuts, settling arguments over the free door prize, and searching for lost passengers in…

Rhonda M. Smith | Special to California Black Media Partners    California has always been seen as the land of vitality — sunshine, beaches, and wellness culture. But beneath that image is a growing public health crisis we cannot afford to ignore.   Roughly 11 million adults in California — about 27% of Californians — are living…

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…

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….

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…