Author: Stefi Mar

Arts & Culture
Stefi Mar

Morris Day & The Time Headlined the 15th Annual Uptown Jazz Festival

The City of Long Beach and Office of Ninth District Councilmember Dr. Joni Ricks-Oddie presented the 15th Annual Uptown Jazz Festival. The celebration was held on Saturday, August 1, 2026, from 2- 7 PM at Houghton Park (6301 Myrtle Ave., Long Beach, 90805).

Elections
Stefi Mar

Meet Candidates Seeking Office This November in Inglewood

As Inglewood continues its transformative era of growth, economic opportunity, and civic renewal, voters are presented with a slate of progressive, experienced leaders dedicated to ensuring this progress lifts every neighborhood.

African Americans
Stefi Mar

Predatory Auto Lending Exploits Black Consumers

Nearly 92 percent of American households rely on a personal vehicle to manage their daily lives.  Consumers shopping for a vehicle in May learned that the average cost of a new car was $49,307, and that used cars averaged $25,918, according to Cox Automotive.

Bakersfield
Stefi Mar

Alphas Use Mentorship to Prepare Jacksonville Youth for Manhood

A group of Jacksonville boys returned home from Atlanta with more than souvenirs. They came back with a deeper appreciation of history, higher education and leadership after participating in a mentoring trip designed to prepare them for successful futures.

Bakersfield
Stefi Mar

Newsom Reverses on Long-Sought Paid Leave Benefit for Teachers in California

California public school teacher Mollie Blustein planned her pregnancy so that her daughter would arrive during summer break. But when the elementary school teacher went into premature labor and delivered her baby two weeks before the end of school, she faced another stressor: a huge pay cut.

Bakersfield
Stefi Mar

Gov. Newsom Signs New Affordable Housing Legislation

Gov. Gavin Newsom has signed new legislation aimed at expanding affordable housing, reducing construction costs and speeding up housing development across California as part of the state’s 2026-27 budget.

Bakersfield
Stefi Mar

Cyclospora Boosts Fears That Worse Foodborne Outbreaks Are Ahead

The next foodborne illness outbreak could be much worse. That’s the concern of food safety leaders across the U.S. who are raising alarms over federal cuts they say have made it harder to detect and stop the spread of foodborne illnesses, such as the recent outbreaks of cyclospora, which has sickened thousands in dozens of states. And they’re especially worried the next pathogen will be much more deadly.

African Americans
Stefi Mar

COMMENTARY: We Lived It: Why a Different World Still Matters Today — an Ode to HBCUs

Some shows you watch. Others shape you. A Different World did both. It gave us one of our first real glimpses into life at an HBCU, where Black excellence, growth, struggle, and purpose all coexisted. It wasn’t just entertainment; it was a vision. It showed us that college wasn’t just possible; it was ours.

African Americans
Stefi Mar

OP-ED: ‘The Trusted Messenger’ and the Black Vote

It is a well-established fact that the Black Press is and always has been the “Trusted Messenger” of the Black community. With that being said, it is also very interesting that when many political organizations and donors decided to support Voter Registration and Get Out The Vote, those donors gave their dollars predominantly to Black organizations like the Urban League, the NAACP, the League of Voters, and other nonprofit groups.