California Black Media

NAACP Demands Investigation into San Bernardino City Council Meeting Hate Incident

The San Bernardino Branch of the NAACP is calling on the City of San Bernardino to investigate a racial incident that occurred last week. During the public comments section of a City Council meeting on Oct. 18, Amy Malone, a Black resident of San Bernardino, was interrupted by racial slurs from a commenter who was viewing the meeting remotely.

Published

2 years ago

November 3, 2023

Oakland Post

Screenshot of Amy Malone at the San Bernardino City Council meeting on Oct. 23. Photo by California Black Media.

By Manny Otiko

California Black Media

The San Bernardino Branch of the NAACP is calling on the City of San Bernardino to investigate a racial incident that occurred last week.

During the public comments section of a City Council meeting on Oct. 18, Amy Malone, a Black resident of San Bernardino, was interrupted by racial slurs from a commenter who was viewing the meeting remotely.

The anonymous commenter told Malone to “go back to Africa” and called her the N-word. She was also called a “b—h.”

Malone was shocked by the comments and insisted that they be addressed immediately.

“You should apologize for what just happened,” she said to the City Council members present.

The local branch of the NAACP also reacted to the incident, calling it “disgusting.”

“It is with a heavy heart that we must deal with racial insults being tossed at the Black community on 10/18/23 as they cautioned the mayor and council not to hire Mr. Charles Montoya as City Manager because of his public legal issues cause from being fired by the Mayor and Council from Avondale, Arizona,” wrote Chache Wright, the president of the NAACP San Bernardino Branch.

Before she was interrupted, Malone was expressing her objections to the hiring of Montoya because of past misconduct and his questionable professional past. She was one of several residents who opposed his hiring because of his checkered employment history.

According to some of the protesters, Montoya also has a history of filing lawsuits against previous employers. During an appearance at the meeting, Montoya said he had no regrets about his decision. The case is currently proceeding to federal court.

Despite these concerns, the City Council approved Montoya’s hiring. Montoya has previously worked as a city manager in California and Arizona.

A statement posted on the city’s website says that the official recording of the meeting has been edited to remove the offensive language.

“The racist comments made during the October 18, 2023, City Council meeting by individuals connected remotely through Zoom were offensive and unacceptable, and the City of San Bernardino condemns what happened in no uncertain terms,” reads the statement.

“The city apologizes to anyone who heard what was said. Our community will not tolerate this type of hateful language in our public meetings, or anywhere. The city is working to identify the individuals who made the comments.

“The City Clerk and her staff, along with our IT department, are working with the San Bernardino Police Department on this. We have identified all the IP addresses that were in the queue at the time and are working to identify those that were involved. SBPD is investigating this as a violation of California Penal Code 403.”

The offensive comments are part of a phenomenon known as Zoom bombing, which gained prominence during the coronavirus pandemic when many groups and businesses were forced to conduct most meetings via the video conferencing platform. When these meetings were not properly secured, unauthorized individuals could join the chat and make inappropriate comments.

The San Bernardino NAACP says it plans to file a formal request for an investigation into the hate incident and the hiring of the city manager with the city. It will also share that request with State Attorney General Rob Bonta and the United States Department of Justice.

“The NAACP Legal Redress Committee is currently in the process of compiling relevant information and plans to transmit this information to the appropriate authorities next week, accompanied by their official request,” Wright concluded.

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post

Up Next

The Inventive Genius of William B. Purvis: Transforming Industries and Daily Life

Don't Miss

‘Struggle for Power’ in Higher Ed Stalls Advances in Online Education, Report Says

Oakland Post

Click to comment

Activism

Oakland Post: Week of December 31, 2025 – January 6, 2026

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of – December 31, 2025 – January 6, 2026

Published

2 weeks ago

January 2, 2026

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.

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post

Activism

2025 in Review: Seven Questions for Assemblymember Lori Wilson — Advocate for Equity, the Environment, and More

Her rise has also included several historic firsts: she is the only Black woman ever appointed to lead the influential Assembly Transportation Committee, and the first freshman legislator elected Chair of the California Legislative Black Caucus. She has also been a vocal advocate for vulnerable communities, becoming the first California legislator to publicly discuss being the parent of a transgender child — an act of visibility that has helped advanced representation at a time when political tensions related to social issues and culture have intensified.

Published

3 weeks ago

December 29, 2025

Oakland Post

Assemblymember Lori D. Wilson (D-Suisun City). File photo.

By Edward Henderson, California Black Media

Assemblymember Lori D. Wilson (D-Suisun City) joined the California Legislature in 2022 after making history as Solano County’s first Black female mayor, bringing with her a track record of fiscal discipline, community investment, and inclusive leadership.

She represents the state’s 11th Assembly District, which spans Solano County and portions of Contra Costa and Sacramento Counties.

California Black Media spoke with Wilson about her successes and disappointments this year and her outlook for 2026.

What stands out as your most important achievement this year?

Getting SB 237 passed in the Assembly. I had the opportunity to co-lead a diverse workgroup of colleagues, spanning a wide range of ideological perspectives on environmental issues.

How did your leadership contribute to improving the lives of Black Californians this year?

The Black Caucus concentrated on the Road to Repair package and prioritized passing a crucial bill that remained incomplete during my time as chair, which establishes a process for identifying descendants of enslaved people for benefit eligibility.

What frustrated you the most this year?

The lack of progress made on getting Prop 4 funds allocated to socially disadvantaged farmers. This delay has real consequences. These farmers have been waiting for essential support that was promised. Watching the process stall, despite the clear need and clear intent of the voters, has been deeply frustrating and reinforces how much work remains to make our systems more responsive and equitable.

What inspired you the most this year?

The resilience of Californians persists despite the unprecedented attacks from the federal government. Watching people stay engaged, hopeful, and determined reminded me why this work matters and why we must continue to protect the rights of every community in our state.

What is one lesson you learned this year that will inform your decision-making next year?

As a legislator, I have the authority to demand answers to my questions — and accept nothing less. That clarity has strengthened my approach to oversight and accountability.

In one word, what is the biggest challenge Black Californians are facing currently?

Affordability and access to quality educational opportunities.

What is the goal you want to achieve most in 2026?

Advance my legislative agenda despite a complex budget environment. The needs across our communities are real, and even in a tight fiscal year, I’m committed to moving forward policies that strengthen safety, expand opportunity, and improve quality of life for the people I represent.

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post

Activism

2025 in Review: Seven Questions for Assemblymember Tina McKinnor, Champion of Reparations, Housing and Workers’ Rights

In 2025, McKinnor pushed forward legislation on renters’ protections, re-entry programs, reparations legislation, and efforts to support Inglewood Unified School District. She spoke with California Black Media about the past year and her work. Here are her responses.

Published

3 weeks ago

December 29, 2025

Oakland Post

Assemblymember Tina McKinnor (D-Inglewood). File photo.

By Joe W. Bowers Jr., California Black Media

Assemblymember Tina McKinnor (D-Inglewood) represents

California’s 61st Assembly District.

As a member of the California Legislative Black Caucus (CLBC),

McKinnor was elected in 2022. She chairs the Los Angeles County Legislative Delegation and leads the Assembly Public Employment and Retirement Committee. McKinnor also served as a civic engagement director, managed political campaigns, and worked as chief of staff for former Assemblymembers Steven Bradford and Autumn Burke.

Looking back on 2025, what do you see as your biggest win?

Assembly Bill (AB) 628. If rent is $3,000, people should at least have a stove and a refrigerator. It’s ridiculous that people were renting without basic appliances.

I’m also proud that I was able to secure $8.4 million in the state budget for people coming home from incarceration. That includes the Homecoming Project, the menopause program for incarcerated women, and the Justice Leaders Program.

How did your leadership help make life better for Black Californians this year?

After the Eaton Fire, I pushed to get the same kind of support for affected areas that wealthier regions get after disasters.

I also did a lot of work building political power— establishing the Black Legacy PAC and California for All of Us PAC so we could support Black candidates and educate voters. We also called voters to make sure they understood Prop 50.

People need to understand this: there are only 12 Black legislators in the Capitol. Folks act like we can just walk in and pass reparations, but that’s not how it works.

What frustrated you most this year?

The governor did not have the political will to sign these bills: AB 57 and AB 62. They both passed overwhelmingly in the Assembly and the Senate. We did the work. The only person who didn’t have the political will to sign them was the governor.

The public needs to ask the governor why he didn’t sign the bills. We can’t keep letting people off the hook. He has to answer.

I also introduced AB 51 — the bill to eliminate interest payments on Inglewood Unified School District’s long-standing state loan — held in the Appropriations Committee. That was frustrating,

What inspired you most in 2025?

The civil rights trip to Alabama was life changing. We visited the Legacy Museum and the National Memorial for Peace and Justice. We took members of the Black, Latino, Jewish, and API caucuses with us. It changed all of us.

People aren’t always against us — they just don’t know our history.

What’s one lesson from 2025 that will shape how you approach decisions next year?

The legislative trip to Norway taught me that collaboration matters. Government, labor, and industry sit down together there. They don’t make villains. Everybody doesn’t get everything they want, but they solve problems.

What’s the biggest challenge facing Black Californians in one word?

Inequity. It shows up in housing, wealth, stress – all these things.

What’s the number one goal you want to accomplish in 2026?

Bringing back AB 57 and AB 62, and securing money for the Inglewood Unified loan interest forgiveness.