Activism

“A Time to Reflect and Rejoice”: Black Caucus Members Commemorate Juneteenth on Assembly Floor

On June 17, two days before Juneteenth, members of the California Legislative Black Caucus (CLBC) delivered remarks on the Assembly floor commemorating the national holiday and its significance in American history.
ACR 192, introduced by Assemblymember Reggie Jones-Sawyer (D-Los Angeles), aims to honor, and reflect on the emancipation of African Americans from chattel slavery and honor their contributions throughout America’s history.

Published

4 months ago

July 9, 2024

Oakland Post

Assemblymember Dr. Akilah Weber (D-La Mesa) speaking on the California Assembly Floor.

By California Black Media

On June 17, two days before Juneteenth, members of the California Legislative Black Caucus (CLBC) delivered remarks on the Assembly floor commemorating the national holiday and its significance in American history.

ACR 192, introduced by Assemblymember Reggie Jones-Sawyer (D-Los Angeles), aims to honor, and reflect on the emancipation of African Americans from chattel slavery and honor their contributions throughout America’s history.

Speaking on the Assembly floor, Jones-Sawyer said the resolution is the CLBC’s annual commemoration of Juneteenth as “Freedom Day.”

“Two years after President Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863, the bell of freedom rang true for over 3 million Black Americans, marking the beginning of the fight to secure the freedom of those still enslaved and provide fair and equal treatment for the formerly enslaved,” Jones-Sawyer said.

“Juneteenth is a time to reflect and rejoice for all the work it took to reach this point, as well as a reminder that true equality is not accomplished overnight,” he added. “While there have been great strides to acknowledge and address the history and plight of Black Americans, society, as a whole, still has a long way to go. Juneteenth is an opportunity to educate all communities that we may not repeat injustices and abuses committed in the past.”

The resolution particularly highlights how Black Americans have helped enrich American civic life through their steadfast commitment to promoting unity and equality.

Assemblymember Dr. Akilah Weber (D-La Mesa), also a member of the CLBC, spoke on behalf of the Women’s Caucus in support of Assembly Concurrent Resolution (ACR) 192, the California Legislature’s resolution acknowledging the federal holiday and celebrating the emancipation of African Americans from slavery.

Weber highlighted that African Americans won their hard-won freedom after providing free labor illegally for two-and-a-half more years in Texas.

Weber shared the story of Opal Lee, known as the “Grandmother of Juneteenth.” Lee is among numerous civil rights activists and leaders who campaigned for decades for June 19th to be recognized as a federal holiday.

Lee traveled around the country educating people about Juneteenth and led walks each year commemorating Juneteenth before it was federally recognized.

At 89, Lee led a symbolic walk, said Weber, from her hometown of Ft. Worth, Texas, to Washington, D.C., leaving in September of 2016 and arriving in January of 2017.

Juneteenth became a federal holiday in 2021 and Lee was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2024 for her activism.

“Lee represents the millions of women throughout the history of this country who have worked tirelessly to ensure that our history is not erased, reframed nor ignored,” said Weber.

Other lawmakers who recognized Juneteenth on the Assembly floor included Assemblymember Lori Wilson (D-Suisun City), Chair of the CLBC; Eloise Gomez Reyes (D-Colton), chair of the California Legislative Latino Caucus; Assemblymember Jim Patterson (R-Fresno); Assemblymember James C. Ramos (D-San Bernardino), chair of the California Native American Legislative Caucus; and Assemblymember Corey Jackson (D-Moreno Valley), also a member of CLBC.

“It is a call-to-action for all Californians to interrogate the systems that keeps others in bondage,” said Wilson.

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LIVE! — TOWN HALL ON RACISM AND ITS IMPACT — THURS. 11.14.24 5PM PST

Join us for a LIVE Virtual Town Hall on the Impact of Racism hosted by Post News Group Journalist Carla Thomas and featuring Oakland, CA NAACP President Cynthia Adams & other Special Guests.
Thursday, November 14, 2024, 5 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. PST

Published

5 days ago

November 12, 2024

Oakland Post

Discussion Topics:
• Since the pandemic, what battles have the NAACP fought nationally, and how have they impacted us locally?
• What trends are you seeing concerning Racism? Is it more covert or overt?
• What are the top 5 issues resulting from racism in our communities?
• How do racial and other types of discrimination impact local communities?
• What are the most effective ways our community can combat racism and hate?

Your questions and comments will be shared LIVE with the moderators and viewers during the broadcast.

STREAMED LIVE!
FACEBOOK: facebook.com/PostNewsGroup
YOUTUBE: youtube.com/blackpressusatv
X: twitter.com/blackpressusa

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Oakland Post: Week of November 6 – 12, 2024

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of November 6 – 12, 2024

Published

1 week ago

November 9, 2024

Oakland Post

To enlarge your view of this issue, use the slider, magnifying glass icon or full page icon in the lower right corner of the browser window.

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Stop-the-Hate Message Shared with Tens of Thousands at Calif’s Largest Black-Themed Street Festival

Hundreds of thousands gathered at the 19th annual Taste of Soul Festival in Crenshaw — an event dubbed “California’s largest block party” — on Oct. 19. At the event, California Black Media (CBM) partnered with the California Civil Rights Department (CRD) to spread the word about the California Vs. Hate, a statewide hate crime online resource and telephone hotline, launched in 2023.

Published

2 weeks ago

November 4, 2024

Oakland Post

Office of the Civil Rights Staff and CBM Representative. Courtesy Photo.

By Tanu Henry, California Black Media

Hundreds of thousands gathered at the 19^th annual Taste of Soul Festival in Crenshaw — an event dubbed “California’s largest block party” — on Oct. 19.

At the event, California Black Media (CBM) partnered with the California Civil Rights Department (CRD) to spread the word about the California Vs. Hate, a statewide hate crime online resource and telephone hotline, launched in 2023.

“Held in the heart of south Los Angeles on Crenshaw Blvd, over half a million people attend the one-day event that brings out the best our community has to offer,” said Brandon Brooks, Stop the Hate project director at California Black Media.

“The festival promotes local businesses as well as it brings out local and statewide resources to assist community members, Brooks continued. “The day has proven to be a great opportunity to speak to people directly and provide information to combat hate crimes and incidents.”

During the event, Brooks said he, James Williams, Community Based Organization Manger for California Vs. Hate and Leah Brown-Goodloe from CBM informed and shared literature with tens of thousands of festivalgoers about the state’s Stop the Hate resources.

CBM’s Stop the Hate outreach was held at the beginning of United Against Hate Week (UAHW), a commemoration held annually across the country to recognize the fight against all forms of hate.

UAHW was first launched in 2018 by elected leaders, staff, and community groups from 13 cities in the Bay Area who organized a “United Against Hate” poster campaign responding to White supremacists marching in Northern California streets in the aftermath of Charlottesville riots.

In 2018, Los Angeles County, LAvsHate, a campaign that provided anti-hate crime information and resources to report hate incidents and hate crimes.

According to CRD director Kevin Kish, the L.A. initiative provided a model for the state’s program.

Today, UAHW has grown into a national movement with events organized across the country to mark the day.

In June, California Attorney General Rob Bonta released the 2023 Hate Crime in California Report. According to the report, hate crimes in California decreased by 7.1% from 2,120 in 2022 to 1,970 in 2023.

However, incidents and crimes against Black Californians remained higher than average with 518 reported cases in 2023.

When it comes to reported hate crimes, we know that Black Californians are the most targeted group for hate and discrimination in our state,” said Williams. “The California Civil Rights Department wants people to know that we are committed to reaching the Black community through outreach events and campaigns, including our first-ever billboard campaign, forging new partnerships, or increasing awareness about the hotline and available resources to historically hard-to-reach and underserved Californians.”

Williams said he wants to remind all Californians that there is “support when you report!”

“No matter your background or where you come from, if you’ve been targeted for hate, you can get help accessing legal, financial, mental health, and other services by calling 833-8-NO-HATE or by going to CAvsHate.org,” Williams added.

How To Report A Hate Crime:

CA vs Hate is a non-emergency, multilingual hate crime and incident reporting hotline and online portal. Reports can be made anonymously by calling (833) 866-4283, or 833-8-NO-HATE, Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. PT or online at any time.

For more information on CA vs Hate, please visit CAvsHate.org.