Community

Military Service Runs in the Family of Woman Heading California’s Advocate for Black Veterans

Published

4 years ago

December 10, 2020

Kiki

Carole Stanford is a veteran as is her father and many other relatives. Even though she “grew up Navy” she and her relatives, like many Black veterans, were unaware of benefits they were entitled to receive after leaving the military.

National Association for Black Veterans (NABVETS) is filling that void.

Stanford was born in a Navy hospital as were her seven siblings. Their father served 30 years in the Navy.

A Vallejo High School graduate and mother to three adult children — 32, 28, and 25 – Stanford currently lives in San Jose. She has worked in the medical profession for 30 years, and is employed full-time. That experience helps her understand the system and the psychology of services for veterans.

Stanford joined the Navy after attending college and just six months after her first child was born.

Pre-military her career choice was to be a psychologist, but mainly she wanted her son to be proud of her.

There is lots of military in her background. In addition to her father, two of her brothers joined the Navy, all six of her uncles and one of her aunts served in all branches of the military.

At one point her father and three of his brothers served in Vietnam at the same time. Generations ago, a family member was drafted by the Union to fight in the Civil War, and one of her three sons has enlisted in the Navy.

It took her father 10 years to receive the benefits he was due from the Navy. This is all too common for veterans of color. They aren’t denied benefits, they simply are not given.

Stanford describes her father as a hero, her mother as a warrior. She considers herself a combination of her parents and has taken up the mantle of ensuring that Black veterans receive their benefits.

She says: “I do not want that to happen to any other veteran. I am committed to serving those who have served us. A veteran’s group that is underserved is women, particularly Black women. As a female veteran I am very aware how little information is given to us. This is the way we are represented in every aspect of society. Just as women are often overlooked in the civilian workforce, the same happens in the Military. I am a person who believes that change can only happen when people make it happen. I have done it for years and I will continue to do so.”

Stanford is indeed a changemaker.

During the pandemic, she was appointed California State Commander, NABVETS, INC.

NABVETS was established in 1969 and the tag line is “creating positive lifestyles for veterans, their families and the community.”

The mission of NABVETS is “ . . . to honor the bravery and the strength of the people who were ready to save the mother land.”

NABVETS’ vision is “ . . . [to] ensure that these veterans receive the respect they deserve from the society and lead a peaceful life.”

The philosophy: “ . . . to make sure that the community understands the value of working and helping these veterans gain peace.”

In addition to serving in her statewide post, Stanford volunteers with NABVETS through their Richmond chapter.

“The Cost of Courage Foundation,” based in San Jose, awarded her the Veteran of the Month Award for the month of November 2020.

“Growing Up Navy” is a book, available on Amazon (and in Kindle) that Stanford wrote in honor of her father who was the inspiration for her joining the Navy.

Thank you Carole, for your service and beyond and thank you NABVETS for assisting our Black veterans.

For more information about NABVETS, log onto NABVETS.com.

Kiki

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Oakland Post: Week of May 21 – 27, 2025

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of May 21 – 27, 2025

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OP-ED: Oregon Bill Threatens the Future of Black Owned Newspapers and Community Journalism

BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE — Nearly half of Oregon’s media outlets are now owned by national conglomerates with no lasting investment in local communities. According to an OPB analysis, Oregon has lost more than 90 news jobs (and counting) in the past five years. These were reporters, editors and photographers covering school boards, investigating corruption and telling community stories, until their jobs were cut by out-of-state corporations.

Published

7 days ago

May 23, 2025

Oakland Post

By Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis, Jr.
President and CEO, National Newspaper Publishers Association

For decades, The Skanner newspaper in Portland, the Portland Observer, and the Portland Medium have served Portland, Oregon’s Black community and others with a vital purpose: to inform, uplift and empower. But legislation now moving through the Oregon Legislature threatens these community news institutions—and others like them.

As President and CEO of the National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA), which represents more than 255 Black-owned media outlets across the United States—including historic publications like The Skanner, Portland Observer, and the Portland Medium—l believe that some Oregon lawmakers would do more harm than good for local journalism and community-owned publications they are hoping to protect.

Oregon Senate Bill 686 would require large digital platforms such as Google and Meta to pay for linking to news content. The goal is to bring desperately needed support to local newsrooms. However, the approach, while well-intentioned, puts smaller, community-based publications at a future severe financial risk.

We need to ask – will these payments paid by tech companies benefit the journalists and outlets that need them most? Nearly half of Oregon’s media outlets are now owned by national conglomerates with no lasting investment in local communities. According to an OPB analysis, Oregon has lost more than 90 news jobs (and counting) in the past five years. These were reporters, editors, and photographers covering school boards, investigating corruption, and telling community stories, until their jobs were cut by out-of-state corporations.

Legislation that sends money to these national conglomerate owners—without the right safeguards to protect independent and community-based outlets—rewards the forces that caused this inequitable crisis in the first place. A just and inclusive policy must guarantee that support flows to the front lines of local journalism and not to the boardrooms of large national media corporations.

The Black Press exists to fill in the gaps left by larger newsrooms. Our reporters are trusted messengers. Our outlets serve as forums for civic engagement, accountability and cultural pride. We also increasingly rely on our digital platforms to reach our audiences, especially younger generations—where they are.

We are fervently asking Oregon lawmakers to take a step back and engage in meaningful dialogue with those most affected: community publishers, small and independent outlets and the readers we serve. The Skanner, The Portland Observer, and The Portland Medium do not have national corporate parents or large investors. And they, like many smaller, community-trusted outlets, rely on traffic from search engines and social media to boost advertising revenue, drive subscriptions, and raise awareness.

Let’s work together to build a better future for Black-owned newspapers and community journalism that is fair, local,l and representative of all Oregonians.

Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis Jr., President & CEO, National Newspaper Publishers Association