California Black Media

Republican Lawmakers Announce Agenda to ‘Fix California’

“Crime is soaring, homelessness is out of control, the cost of living is unsustainable, schools are failing students, our water infrastructure is out-dated and our communities are susceptible to wildfires,” said Sen. Brian W. Jones (R-Encinitas), Senate minority leader and host of the Jan. 25 event.

Published

2 years ago

February 15, 2023

Oakland Post

Republican Caucus members press conference at the California State Capitol.

By Solomon O. Smith
California Black Media

California Senate Republicans recently held a rally at the State Capitol announcing their legislative goals to “fix California” for the next year.

Slamming proposals and policies their Democratic colleagues and Gov. Gavin Newsom are championing, the GOP State Senators presented several bills of their own. They also called for more oversight — and in some cases, a total rehaul — of state programs addressing crime, homelessness, education, climate and more.

“As the loyal opposition, I am proud to stand here with my colleagues and commit to fixing this state,” Jones added.

The Republican lawmakers presented their agenda for 2023 a few weeks after Sen. Janet Nguyen (R-Huntington Beach) delivered the Republican response to Newsom’s 2023-24 California budget proposal. More than once, Nguyen, in her speech, pushed for oversights and audits and rebuked Democrats’ handling of the state government.

Sen. Kelly Seyarto (R-Murriato) slammed high crime rates and human trafficking under Democrat leadership. Democrats hold a super majority, he said, pointing out the 32-to-8 ration of Democrats to Republicans in the State Senate.

He blamed progressive policies for rising crime in the state, citing Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascon, who met heavy opposition for his attempts at bail and police reforms.

Seyarto called for the creation of a task force to examine the fentanyl epidemic, which he links to high crime rates. Opioids have been a leading cause of drug overdoses across the country, according to death rates reported by the National Institute of Health.

“California’s approach to public safety needs to change, for our families, for the survivors and for our community,” said Seyarto. “In order to do that we need to fix California and pass these effective policies.”

The Republicans’ condemnations of California’s social and economic health go against assessments Democratic leaders are making.

During his budget announcement earlier in January, Newsom said his proposals are putting the state on “solid economic footing while continuing to invest in Californians — including transformative funding to deliver on universal preschool, expand healthcare access to all and protect our communities.”

Senate President pro Tempore Toni G. Atkins (D-San Diego) said Newsom’s decision not to cut critical resources is making a difference.

“We’re seeing that in action as local communities, emergency responders and state agencies do all they can to help us get through these severe winter storms armed with the resources and tools made possible in past budgets by lawmakers determined to prepare our state for what may come,” she said. “While no one can predict the future, we are entering this year from a position of strength and readiness.”

Sen. Steven Bradford (D-Inglewood), one of two Black state senators (the other is Sen. Lola Smallwood Cuevas (D-Ladera Heights), said Newsom’s budget moves the state “in the right direction,” while acknowledging that, facing a $24 million shortfall, lawmakers will have a challenge to set priorities.

Water woes and wildfire fears were also on the Republicans’ agenda.

Sen. Brian Dahle (R-Bieber), said there are several major dams and the Sites Reservoirs in his district, which is the largest Senatorial district in square miles in the state. Dahle blames Democrats for the ongoing drought, calling them out for not making more of an effort to complete the reservoir, which was funded in 2017.

The Sites Project Authority issued a report, that concluded had the facility been completed, it could have stored a total 382,000 acre-feet of water for the state. Dahle criticized the lack of action on water storage and plans to streamline the process while holding Democrats “feet to the fire.”

Sen. Roger Niello (R-Fair Oaks) discussed the Republican proposal for homelessness, called the ACT Plan. Almost 28% of all unhoused people in the United States (about 170,000 people) in 2021 lived in California — although the state’s population accounts for about 12% of the U.S. population. These numbers are growing according to data from the Senate Housing Committee.

Niello said, California has “thrown” $20 billion on the homelessness problem, but it remains unsolved. “Common sense measures,” he said, created by California Senate Republicans are needed to tackle the issue. Niello said he introduced Senate Bill (SB) 232 to make it easier to treat mental health among the unhoused. But Niello also wants to know where monies earmarked for homelessness in the past have gone.

“No more fake checks, no more failing programs,” warned Niello, “Californians deserve better for their money.”

Sen. Rosilicie Ochoa Bogh (R-Yucaipa) used “choice” when referring to school policies, a word which has become synonymous with Charter schools. Ochoa Bogh said recent state test score data reveals that 53% of students don’t meet the English standard; 67% failed math; and 71% scored below the passing grade in science.

Although California student test scores have fallen over the last few years, education officials say the lower scores are the result of COVID shutdowns, and many of those numbers are slowly improving, according to a report from the California Department of Education.

The report shows that significant improvements have been made and that all scores across the country are lower, but California has done better on average than most of the nation.

Black students, however, have been the lowest performing sub-group in the state (only above students with disabilities) even before the pandemic began.

“Quality education is one of the most important services that government provides to our children,” Ochoa Bogh said. “Unfortunately, California students continue to fall further behind.”

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Oakland Post: Week of March 28 – April 1, 2025

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of March 28 – April 1, 2025

Published

3 days ago

March 28, 2025

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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Sen. Lola Smallwood-Cuevas Honors California Women in Construction with State Proclamation, Policy Ideas

“Women play an important role in building our communities, yet they remain vastly underrepresented in the construction industry,” Smallwood-Cuevas stated. “This resolution not only recognizes their incredible contributions but also the need to break barriers — like gender discrimination.

Published

1 week ago

March 24, 2025

Oakland Post

Sen. Lola Smallwood-Cuevas (D-Los Angeles), center, is shown with other guest speakers at the Sacramento Chapter of the National Association of Women in Construction brunch held at the State Capitol on March 6, 2025. On the left is Jennifer Todd, LMS General Contractors Founder and President. To Todd’s right is Dr. Giovanna Brasfield, from Los Angeles-based Brasfield and Associates. CBM photo by Antonio Ray Harvey.

By Antonio‌ ‌Ray‌ ‌Harvey‌, California‌ ‌Black‌ ‌Media‌

To honor Women in Construction Week, Sen. Lola Smallwood-Cuevas (D-Los Angeles), a member of the California Legislative Black Caucus (CLBC), introduced Senate Concurrent Resolution (SCR) 30 in the State Legislature on March 6. This resolution pays tribute to women and highlights their contributions to the building industry.

The measure designates March 2, 2025, to March 8, 2025, as Women in Construction Week in California. It passed 34-0 on the Senate floor.

Authored by Assemblymember Liz Ortega (D-San Leandro), another bill, Assembly Concurrent Resolution (ACR) 28, also recognized women in the construction industry.

The resolution advanced out of the Assembly Committee on Rules with a 10-0 vote.

The weeklong event coincides with the National Association of Women In Construction (NAWIC) celebration that started in 1998 and has grown and expanded every year since.

The same week in front of the State Capitol, Smallwood, Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis, Assemblymember Josh Hoover (R-Folsom), and Assemblymember Maggie Krell (D-Sacramento), attended a brunch organized by a local chapter of NAWIC.

Two of the guest speakers were Dr. Giovanna Brasfield, CEO of Los Angeles-based Brasfield and Associates, and Jennifer Todd, President and Founder of LMS General Contractors.

Todd is the youngest Black woman to receive a California’s Contractors State License Board (A) General Engineering license. An advocate for women of different backgrounds, Todd she said she has been a woman in construction for the last 16 years despite going through some trying times.

A graduate of Arizona State University’s’ Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law, in 2009 Todd created an apprenticeship training program, A Greener Tomorrow, designed toward the advancement of unemployed and underemployed people of color.

“I always say, ‘I love an industry that doesn’t love me back,’” Todd said. “Being young, female and minority, I am often in spaces where people don’t look like me, they don’t reflect my values, they don’t reflect my experiences, and I so persevere in spite of it all.”

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, only 11.2% of the construction workforce across the country are female. Overall, 87.3% of the female construction workers are White, 35.1% are Latinas, 2.1% are Asians, and 6.5% are Black women, the report reveals.

The National Association of Home Builders reported that as of 2022, the states with the largest number of women working in construction were Texas (137,000), California (135,000) and Florida (119,000). The three states alone represent 30% of all women employed in the industry.

Sen. Susan Rubio (D-Baldwin Park) and the California Legislative Women’s Caucus supported Smallwood-Cuevas’ SCR 30 and requested that more energy be poured into bringing awareness to the severe gender gap in the construction field.

“The construction trade are a proven path to a solid career. and we have an ongoing shortage, and this is a time for us to do better breaking down the barriers to help the people get into this sector,” Rubio said.

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Report Offers Policies, Ideas to Improve the Workplace Experiences of Black Women in California

The “Invisible Labor, Visible Struggles: The Intersection of Race, Gender, and Workplace Equity for Black Women in California” report by the California Black Women’s Collective Empowerment Institute (CBWCEI), unveiled the findings of a December 2024 survey of 452 employed Black women across the Golden State. Three-fifths of the participants said they experienced racism or discrimination last year and 57% of the unfair treatment was related to incidents at work.

Published

1 week ago

March 24, 2025

Oakland Post

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By McKenzie Jackson, California Black Media

Backed by data, a report released last month details the numerous hurdles Black women in the Golden State must overcome to effectively contribute and succeed in the workplace.

The “Invisible Labor, Visible Struggles: The Intersection of Race, Gender, and Workplace Equity for Black Women in California” report by the California Black Women’s Collective Empowerment Institute (CBWCEI), unveiled the findings of a December 2024 survey of 452 employed Black women across the Golden State. Three-fifths of the participants said they experienced racism or discrimination last year and 57% of the unfair treatment was related to incidents at work.

CBWCEI President and CEO Kellie Todd Griffin said Black women have been the backbone of communities, industries, and movements but are still overlooked, underpaid, and undervalued at work.

“The data is clear,” she explained. “Systemic racism and sexism are not just historical injustices. They are active forces shaping the workplace experiences of Black women today. This report is a call to action. it demands intentional polices, corporate accountability, and systemic changes.”

The 16-page study, conducted by the public opinion research and strategic consulting firm EVITARUS, showcases the lived workplace experiences of Black women, many who say they are stuck in the crosshairs of discrimination based on gender and race which hinders their work opportunities, advancements, and aspirations, according to the report’s authors, Todd Griffin and CBWCEI researcher Dr. Sharon Uche.

“We wanted to look at how Black women are experiencing the workplace where there are systematic barriers,” Todd Griffin told the media during a press conference co-hosted by Ethnic Media Services and California Black Media. “This report is focused on the invisible labor struggles of Black women throughout California.”

The aspects of the workplace most important to Black women, according to those surveyed, are salary or wage, benefits, and job security.

However, only 21% of the survey’s respondents felt they had strong chances for career advancement into the executive or senior leadership ranks in California’s job market; 49% felt passed over, excluded from, or marginalized at work; and 48% felt their accomplishments at work were undervalued. Thirty-eight percent said they had been thought of as the stereotypical “angry Black woman” at work, and 42% said workplace racism or discrimination effected their physical or mental health.

“These sentiments play a factor in contributing to a workplace that is unsafe and not equitable for Black women in California,” the report reads.

Most Black women said providing for their families and personal fulfillment motivated them to show up to work daily, while 38% said they were dissatisfied in their current job with salary, supervisors, and work environment being the top sources of their discontent.

When asked if they agree or disagree with a statement about their workplace 58% of Black women said they feel supported at work, while 52% said their contributions are acknowledged. Forty-nine percent said they felt empowered.

Uche said Black women are paid $54,000 annually on average — including Black single mothers, who averaged $50,000 — while White men earn an average of $90,000 each year.

“More than half of Black families in California are led by single Black women,” said Uche, who added that the pay gap between Black women and White men isn’t forecasted to close until 2121.