African Americans - Observer News Group

Walmart Ends Diversity Commitments as Trump Policies Stoke Division

by Stefi Mar | Dec 4, 2024 | African Americans, Bakersfield, Donald Trump, Front Page, Latino, Los Angeles, Valleys | 0

In 2020, following the global Black Lives Matter protests, Walmart pledged to foster a culture of inclusion and belonging. Its “Belonging” program promised associates they would “feel seen, supported, and connected” and highlighted that diversity would drive engagement and business success. Four years later, Walmart is reversing course, dismantling many of those commitments as the incoming Trump administration advances policies critics argue will deepen racial divisions in America.

Blacks Feel Erased by Santa Barbara’s Changing Demographics; — Latinos Express Similar Fears

by Stefi Mar | Nov 25, 2024 | African Americans, Bakersfield, Features, Latino, Los Angeles, Valleys | 0

In Santa Barbara, a coastal city of about 89,000 residents, the Black population has dwindled from a peak of 3.27% in 1970 to about 1.37% in 2024.

Three Percent of Calif’s Doctors are Black. Advocates Want Increased Representation

by Stefi Mar | Nov 19, 2024 | African Americans, Bakersfield, Front Page, Health, Health Care, Los Angeles, Valleys | 0

Only 3% of doctors in California are Black, compared to about 5% nationwide. The California Black Health Network (CBHN), Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science (CDU) in Los Angeles and other health advocates are working to increase that percentage.

2024 SHIBA Report Urges Action as Black Homeownership Faces Critical Challenges

by Stefi Mar | Nov 19, 2024 | African Americans, Bakersfield, Features, Los Angeles, Valleys | 0

The National Association of Real Estate Brokers (NAREB) has issued an urgent “Call to Action” to address Black homeownership, which has reached what NAREB President Dr. Courtney Johnson Rose describes as a “State of Emergency.” According to the 2024 State of Housing in Black America (SHIBA) report, systemic barriers continue to inhibit Black Americans from building generational wealth through homeownership, which currently sits at a mere 45.7% compared to 74.3% for White households.

Professor Tonya M. Evans on Cryptocurrency, Black Wealth, and the High Stakes of Trump’s Agenda 47 and Project 2025

by Stefi Mar | Nov 19, 2024 | African Americans, Bakersfield, Business, Donald Trump, Features, Financial Markets, Los Angeles, Valleys | 0

In a recent appearance on Let It Be Known News, Professor Tonya M. Evans—an expert in fintech law at Penn State Dickinson Law and a prominent figure in digital asset strategy—discussed the evolving landscape of cryptocurrency, particularly its impact on Black America. As an advisor on fintech policy through her company Advantage Evans, LLC, and a board member of Digital Currency Group, Evans is deeply invested in guiding Black investors through the complex world of cryptocurrency.

Mississippi Senate Accused of Paying Black Attorney Half the Salary of White Colleagues

by Stefi Mar | Nov 19, 2024 | African Americans, Bakersfield, Features, Valleys, World & Nation | 0

The U.S. Department of Justice filed a federal lawsuit accusing the Mississippi State Senate of racial discrimination against Kristie Metcalfe, a Black attorney who worked in its Legislative Services Office (LSO) for nearly eight years. The lawsuit claims that Metcalfe was consistently underpaid compared to her white colleagues despite holding similar job responsibilities. Filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi, the suit alleges that Metcalfe’s salary was set at about half of her peers’ pay, violating Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, which prohibits racial discrimination in the workplace.

Election Proves Black Americans Have No Allies

by Stefi Mar | Nov 12, 2024 | African Americans, Bakersfield, Donald Trump, Features, Kamala Harris, Los Angeles, Political Campaigns, Valleys, vice president, Voting | 0

Texas Democratic Rep. Jasmine Crockett’s words mirrored Shirley Chisholm’s groundbreaking observation decades ago: “Of the two handicaps, being Black is much less of a handicap than being a female.” Crockett’s reflection on Donald Trump’s resounding victory over Vice President Kamala Harris pointed to what many saw as a dissonance between the candidate and the country’s decision.

Commentary: Guidance from Black Ministers Offers Strength and Unity for the Road Ahead

by Stefi Mar | Nov 12, 2024 | African Americans, Bakersfield, Donald Trump, Features, Los Angeles, Politics, Valleys | 0

With Donald Trump recently elected as the 47th President, many Black Californians are feeling a mix of concern and uncertainty, especially with Project 2025 — a conservative plan poised to impact social services, voting rights, education reform, and environmental protections — areas that support the well-being of Black communities across the state.

Martin Luther King III Embraces Interfaith Effort to Rebuild Scotland A.M.E. Zion Church

by Stefi Mar | Oct 29, 2024 | African Americans, Bakersfield, Valleys, World & Nation | 0

Martin Luther King III, the son of revered civil rights icons Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Coretta Scott King, directly tied his parents’ dreams for America to the multi-faith initiative to rescue the historic Scotland African Methodist Episcopal (A.M.E.) Zion Church. King passionately spoke about the Potomac, Maryland church that formerly enslaved congregants built by hand. Yet it’s a modern challenge that caught his attention; flash flood waters in 2019 and additional weather damage, exasperated by the rerouting of a nearby road, threaten Scotland.

Researchers Launch $3.7 Million Study on How Structural Racism Accelerates Aging in Black Americans

by Stefi Mar | Oct 29, 2024 | African Americans, Bakersfield, Features, Front Page, Los Angeles, Valleys | 0

A group of researchers from Rutgers University and Michigan State University have launched a major study to examine the long-term effects of structural racism on cognitive aging, physical decline, and frailty—particularly in Black Americans. A five-year grant from the National Institute on Aging, a division of the National Institutes of Health, will support the study under the direction of Danielle L. Beatty Moody, an associate professor at Rutgers University, and Richard C. Sadler, an associate professor at Michigan State.

Black Press Urges DSCC to Expand Black Media Reach in New Ad Campaign

by Stefi Mar | Oct 22, 2024 | African Americans, Bakersfield, Kamala Harris, Los Angeles, Valleys, Voting, World & Nation | 0

The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC) has launched a new advertising initiative to encourage Black voter turnout in seven key battleground states. The campaign “Our Vote. Our Power.” will appear in select Black-owned media outlets across Florida, Maryland, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Wisconsin. The effort focuses on promoting voter participation in the 2024 Senate elections while urging individuals to create a voting plan using the online platform IWillVote.com, where everyone can access information to plan their involvement in the election.