Category: Uncategorized
Video evidence undercuts ICE accounts in multiple recent shootings
By Hannah Schoenbaum The Associated Press Federal authorities announced an investigation Feb. 13 into two immigration officers who appeared to have made untruthful statements under oath about a shooting in Minneapolis last month. It is among at least five shootings in which initial descriptions by the immigration officials were later contradicted by video evidence. Those…
Tensions Flare at Newsom’s Signing of $90 Million Reproductive Health Bill
Antonio Ray Harvey | California Black Media On Feb. 11, California Gov. Gavin Newsom held a news conference to sign a $90 million one-time emergency funding bill for Planned Parenthood and other reproductive health care clinics in the state. The event became tense when questions from reporters veered into unrelated political issues, prompting California’s First…
Rail Merger Aims to Enhance Urban Quality of Life
By Hazel Trice Edney America’s freight rail network is more than an economic engine. It is a force that shapes daily life in the cities across America where people live, work, raise their families and breathe the air. From Chicago to Kansas City, from Memphis to Houston, New Orleans, and beyond, the flow of goods…
Why Clean Roads & Water Are a Health Equity Issue for Black Californians
By: Rhonda Smith, Executive Director, California Black Health Network Black History Month is a time to honor the brilliance and contributions of Black people across generations. It’s also a moment to reflect on how we carry that legacy forward through the everyday choices we make to protect our health, families, and communities. As Executive Director…
Political Playback: California Capitol News You Might Have Missed
Bo Tefu | California Black Media California Initiative Would Exempt Some Homeowners 60 and Older From Property Taxes California voters could decide whether to exempt certain homeowners age 60 and older from paying property taxes under a new constitutional amendment now cleared to gather signatures. Secretary of State Shirley N. Weber, Ph.D., announced that the…
Chef Basil, Army Veteran at 72
Chef Basil, Army Veteran at 72, just reached National legendary status for the following reasons: 1. Severely brutally gang raped and survived in boot camp as a Veteran and still served his country. 2. Mental breakdown. Survived PTSD, ADD, ADHD, MIGRAINE HEADACHE (STILL HAS) 100% DISABLED. 3. Jail and prison 13 months, with a mental…
11 Children’s Books That Bring Black History to Life
A Century of Black History This year marks a historic milestone: the 100th anniversary of the first Black History Week, established by Dr. Carter G. Woodson in 1926. As we celebrate under the theme “A Century of Black History Commemorations,” there is no better time for families to explore the rich legacy and achievements of…
Revival in Motion: Black History Month and Environmental Stewardship
By: Dr. Rev Ambrose Caroll Sr. Black History Month is a time of reflection, and each year I think about the legacy we carry. It’s a legacy deeply tied to the land. Long before “environmentalism” was a common word, our communities knew how to live with the Earth. We learned to care for it, respect…
Cuts to Childcare Grants Leave Rural Students in Limbo
By Madeline de Figueiredo, Daily Yonder Major changes to a federal childcare grant program have forced student parents across the country to scramble for care in the middle of the academic year. The disruption has been felt by rural student parents acutely, where childcare options are already limited, and losing access may push students to…
Beyond the deletion: Why 47 owes the Obamas and the public the truth
by Rev. Stacy Swimp On the night of Feb. 5, 2026, a video shared to President Trump’s Truth Social account depicted former President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama as apes. This occurred during the first week of Black History Month, just days after a presidential proclamation praising the contributions of Black Americans. This…
Opinion: When a child pulls the trigger, the adult must face the consequences
by Michael Eugene Johnson There are some headlines that should never feel routine. Yet across this country—from Baltimore to Chicago to Atlanta—we continue to read the same devastating words: Child injured in accidental shooting. We call them accidents. But too often, they are acts of adult negligence. When a child gets hold of a…
Old Tradition, New Line: Black Line Dancers Create Community in Sacramento
SACRAMENTO OBSERVER — At the center of it all is Nights in the Valley, a Black-led line dancing group founded by Sumarah Lewis, 26, and Quincy Middleton, 33. Launched a little more than a year ago, the Sacramento-based group teaches line dancing every Wednesday night, creating a space where beginners and experienced dancers learn side…
USPS says postmarks haven’t changed, but transportation changes could affect timing
by Megan Sayles AFRO Staff Writer This year, a final rule from the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) went into effect, defining postmarks as being applied when a mailpiece is processed. While the agency said this definition has been consistent for decades now, recent changes to transportation operations may mean mail is processed later than it’s…
Kaiser strike hits fourth week as 31,000 workers demand higher pay and better staffing
by Kristen Hwang More than 31,000 Kaiser Permanente health care workers remained on strike Monday as the open-ended walkout entered its fourth week, disrupting patient appointments, surgeries and treatments across California and Hawaii. Bargaining teams for Kaiser and workers resumed negotiations after weeks of stalemate, but no agreement appears imminent. This is the latest of…
To Strengthen Local Journalism, California Launches $20 Million Civic Media Program; Appoints Diverse Advisory Board
Edward Henderson | California Black Media To stabilize and strengthen local journalism across California, the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz) announced on Feb. 10 that it has launched an initiative called the Civic Media Program and appointed a diverse advisory board to steer the effort. According to GO-Biz, the grant program is…
Extend Obamacare Tax Credits: Calif. Assembly Votes to Pass Resolution Pressuring Congress and White House
Antonio Ray Harvey | California Black Media On Feb. 5, the California State Assembly voted to pass Assembly Joint Resolution 25 (AJR 25) – legislation focused on maintaining lowered health care costs authored by Assemblymembers Mia Bonta (D-Alameda) and Dawn Addis (D-Morro Bay). The resolution urges the United States Congress and President Donald Trump to…
NAACP Calls on Gov. Newsom to Veto Veterans Benefit Bill
Edward Henderson | California Black Media As early as this week, Gov. Gavin Newsom could act on California Senate Bill (SB) 694, a measure approved by the Legislature that has reached his desk aimed at curbing what supporters call predatory practices against veterans seeking federal benefits, As the governor weighs whether to sign or veto…
Ed. Dept. dismissed 90 percent of discrimination cases, report says
By Alvin Buyinza Overview: According to the Government Accountability Office, while nearly half of the Education Department’s Office of Civil Rights staff were laid off last year, the federal agency resolved 90 percent of discrimination cases during that time. The Education Department office responsible for protecting the rights of marginalized and minority students in the…
Why Black Parents Should Consider Montessori
By Laura Turner-Essel, PhD As a mother of four children, I’ve done A LOT of school shopping. I don’t mean the autumn ritual of purchasing school supplies. I mean shopping for schools – pouring over promotional materials, combing through websites, asking friends and community members for referrals to their favorite schools, attending open houses and…
Trump’s Affordability Crisis Is Catching Up to Republicans As Black and Brown Voters Shift
Kevin Harris and Richard McDaniel Donald Trump won 48% of Latino voters in 2024 – the best Republican showing in half a century. Fourteen months later, 70% disapprove of his performance as President. What changed? The price of groceries. Pew Research found 68% of Latinos say things are worse for them today than a year…
Political Playback: California Capitol News You Might Have Missed
“And During Black History Month” – California Officials Blast Trump for Posting Video Depicting the Obamas as Apes Gov. Gavin Newsom and a number of elected officials joined a wave of national backlash after President Donald Trump shared — and later deleted — a video widely condemned as racist for depicting former President Barack Obama…
Flu Cases Rise Dramatically as New Virus Strain Emerges
By Sunita Sohrabji Influenza targets people at both ends of the generational spectrum: seniors and children. The US is experiencing a dramatic spike in influenza cases as a new, more contagious strain of the flu virus makes the rounds. In its latest report on flu, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported 20 million…
Commentary: Court ruling forces No. 47’s administration to restore CFPB funding
By Charlene Crowell Over the past year, the Trump administration took a series of steps to weaken the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB). Despite broad and bipartisan legislative and consumer support for the agency’s efforts that delivered transparency in financial transactions for consumers, these reversals also ended the kind of data collection, research, and investigations…
Women’s Heart Health: Here is What You Should Know About Risks, Warnings
By Anna Jones | UAB News Heart disease is the leading cause of death for women in the United States, according to the American Heart Association. Heart disease can develop and present differently in women compared to men, and studies show that women may downplay their symptoms or delay seeking treatment. In women, the risk…
What to know about dating and companionship after 60
By Victoria Mejicanos AFRO Staff Writer Dating can provide renewed confidence and companionship, but as time passes, returning to the dating scene after divorce or widowhood can appear intimidating. Modern dating, online scams and emotional unavailability or stagnancy have created new challenges that experts say should be approached with community, caution and patience. Lauren Sanders…