Commentary

Black Caucus Endorses Sen. Kamlager to Replace U.S. Rep. Karen Bass

For months now, people in California political circles have been speculating that Sen. Sydney Kamlager (D-Los Angeles), 49, would enter the race to succeed Bass, but, until last week, she had neither denied nor confirmed the buzz around her candidacy. “Yes, the rumors are true. I know, some think it’s the worst kept secret, but I felt it would be presumptuous to make a final decision before the lines of the district were finalized and wanted to make sure this was the right decision for me and my family,” she tweeted last week.

Published

4 years ago

January 23, 2022

Oakland Post

U.S. Congresswomen Karen Bass, California State Senator Sydney Kamlager. Public domain photos

By Tanu Henry | California Black Media

The California Legislative Black Caucus (CLBC) has thrown its support behind one of its own.

Last week, Sen. Steve Bradford (D-Gardena) announced that the group of African American state legislators will endorse Sen. Sydney Kamlager (D-Los Angeles) to succeed U.S. Rep. Karen Bass (D-CA-37) in Congress.

Bass, who has served in the U.S. House of Representatives since 2011, announced in September that she is not seeking re-election to Congress to run for mayor of Los Angeles.

“Sydney Kamlager has spent her career prioritizing equity and access for Californians,” Bradford said, praising his colleague, who is also vice-chair of the CLBC.

Bradford and Kamlager are the only two Black lawmakers serving in the California Senate. The other nine members of the CLBC are all members of the Assembly.

“She has a distinguished legislative record on criminal justice reform, health care equity, environmental protections, and affordable housing,” Bradford continued, explaining the CLBC’s decision to support Kamlager.

For months now, people in California political circles have been speculating that Kamlager, 49, would enter the race to succeed Bass, but, until last week, she had neither denied nor confirmed the buzz around her candidacy.

“Yes, the rumors are true. I know, some think it’s the worst kept secret, but I felt it would be presumptuous to make a final decision before the lines of the district were finalized and wanted to make sure this was the right decision for me and my family,” she tweeted last week.

“I waited until the lines of District 37 were finalized before I officially launched my campaign for U.S. Congress,” she said in a statement.

In a special election last March, two-thirds of the voters in California’s 30th Senate District in Los Angeles County elected Kamlager to represent them in the upper house of the State Legislature.

Before that, Kamlager served in the State Assembly for three years, representing the 54th District, which includes Baldwin Hills and Ladera Heights. A former district director for former California State Sen. Holly Mitchell, who she succeeded, Kamlager was also a member of the Los Angeles Community College District Board of Trustees from 2015 to 2018 and served as its president.

The Democratic Primary will be held on June 7.

Kamlager faces two challengers: Culver City Vice Mayor Daniel Lee and Jamaal Gulledge, a UCLA staffer.

Bradford credits Kamlager for introducing several “landmark” criminal justice reform and anti-discrimination bills that have now become law in the state.

“Our state is fortunate to have such a qualified candidate who stands up for working families and small businesses,” he said.

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Oakland Post: Week of March 18 – 24, 2026

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of March 18 – 24, 2026

Published

1 week ago

March 22, 2026

Oakland Post

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Advice

Financial Wellness and Mental Health: Managing Money Stress in College 

While everyone’s financial situation is unique, several common sources of stress have the potential to strain your financial health. These include financial and economic uncertainty, existing debts, unexpected expenses, and mental or physical health changes. Financial stress may differ from situation to situation, but understanding the factors contributing to yours may help you begin to craft a plan for your unique circumstances.

Published

2 weeks ago

March 17, 2026

Oakland Post

Sponsored by JPMorganChase

As a college student, managing financial responsibilities can be stressful.

If you’ve found yourself staying up late thinking about your finances or just feeling anxious overall about your financial future, you’re not alone. In one survey, 78% of college students who reported financial stress had negative impacts on their mental health, and 59% considered dropping out. While finances can impact overall stress, taking steps to manage your finances can support your mental, emotional and physical well-being.

When it comes to money, the sources of stress may look different for each student, but identifying the underlying causes and setting goals accordingly may help you feel more confident about your financial future.

Consider these strategies to help improve your financial wellness and reduce stress.

Understand what causes financial stress

2. Determine your financial priorities

Start by reflecting on your financial priorities. For students this often includes paying for school or paying off student loans, studying abroad, saving for spring break, building an emergency fund, paying down credit card debt or buying a car. Name the milestones that are most important to you, and plan accordingly.

3. Create a plan and stick to it

While setting actionable goals starts you on the journey to better financial health, it’s essential to craft a plan to follow through. Identifying and committing to a savings plan may give you a greater sense of control over your finances, which may help reduce your stress. Creating and sticking to a budget allows you to better track where your money is going so you may spend less and save more.

4. Pay down debt

Many students have some form of debt and want to make progress toward reducing their debt obligations. One option is the debt avalanche method, which focuses on paying off your debt with the highest interest rate first, then moving on to the debt with the next-highest interest rate. Another is the debt snowball method, which builds momentum by paying off your smallest debt balance, and then working your way up to the largest amounts.

5. Build your financial resilience

Some financial stress may be inevitable, but building financial resilience may allow you to overcome obstacles more easily. The more you learn about managing your money, for instance, the more prepared you’ll feel if the unexpected happens. Growing your emergency savings also may increase resilience since you’ll be more financially prepared to cover unexpected expenses or pay your living expenses.

6. Seek help and support

Many colleges have resources to help students experiencing financial stress, like financial literacy courses or funds that provide some assistance for students in need. Talk to your admissions counselor or advisor about your concerns, and they can direct you to sources of support. Your school’s counseling center can also be a great resource for mental health assistance if you’re struggling with financial stress.

The bottom line

Financial stress can affect college students’ health and wellbeing, but it doesn’t have to derail your dreams. Setting smart financial goals and developing simple plans to achieve them may help ease your stress. Revisit and adjust your plan as needed to ensure it continues to work for you, and seek additional support on campus as needed to help keep you on track.

 JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. Member FDIC