Rhonda Smith is an experienced leader with a diverse background spanning nonprofit leadership, cancer advocacy, health equity, corporate consulting and international business.
The American press is facing a crisis deeper than shrinking newsrooms or digital disruption. A new study from the News Literacy Project finds that teenagers overwhelmingly believe the nation’s news media is fake, chaotic, and dishonest, a view that threatens the foundation of an informed society at the same time a sitting president intensifies his attacks on journalism. The findings land in an era where corporate consolidation, political pressure, and presidential intimidation collide with the public’s fading confidence in the institutions meant to hold power accountable.
Federal tax refunds are positioned for a sharp rise next year, with new projections showing that the average payment could increase by about $1,000 for millions of Americans.
South Los Angeles native Sonya Young Aadam is the CEO of California Black Women’s Health Project (CABWHP).
For many military veterans, what they endure while serving their country is just half of the battle. The toll of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) can appear in every part of life, including strained relationships, halted careers and a fading sense of identity.
Swinging side by side with a friend on the playground. Sharing chalk over bright, colorful sidewalk drawings. Hiding behind a tree during a spirited game of hide-and-seek. These simple moments between children may seem small, but they matter more than we think: They lay the foundation for some of life’s most important skills.
In a significant moment for the labor movement, Roxanne Brown, set to become the first African American woman elected as President of the United Steelworkers (USW), North America’s largest industrial union, joins Make It Plain with Rev. Mark Thompson. With the official transition happening in March, Brown’s ascent is more than just a personal achievement; it represents a shift in the labor movement’s leadership reflecting the demographics of today’s workforce.
Forty-three years after “Thriller” hit the world like a lightning bolt, its anniversary still behaves like a global holiday. This weekend the celebration stretched from one continent to the next. In London, a Brixton record stall blasted the bassline of “Billie Jean” as shoppers argued over vintage vinyl. In Paris, a street musician near Châtelet blended Jackson’s melodies into a Metro platform performance. In Tokyo, clusters of teens practiced the zombie routine in Yoyogi Park, laughing when someone forgot a step. In Los Angeles, where the album was born in the studio, the track drifted from convertibles rolling down Sunset.
facebooktwitterinstagram Every child deserves a strong, healthy start in life. However, across California, too many children—Black families included—miss out on basic preventive care like regular
Republican power in this country has chosen cruelty as policy. It is not an accident. It is not a mistake. It is a decision.
A busy news week heading into the Thanksgiving holiday has distracted from a continuing effort by the Trump Administration to relocate, and in some cases end, the U.S. Department of Education. It has long been known that Trump and his policy advisors want to dismantle the department — but the acceleration over the last week has taken some by surprise.
Childcare is draining American families with a force that has begun to rival housing costs, and new national analysis shows that in cities across the country, parents are paying more to care for their children than to keep a roof over their heads. Researchers at LendingTree found that infant care exceeds average rent in 11 of the nation’s 100 largest metro areas, while childcare for two children exceeds rent in 85 cities across the country.
In a ruling signed by a federal court and signed by a Judge nominated by President Donald Trump, new congressional maps created by the Texas GOP have been blocked.
Several sources have confirmed that former President Barack Obama phoned Reverend Jesse Jackson over the weekend, who is in Stable Condition at a Chicago Hospital. President Obama is said to have been coordinating with the family for several days before the 44th president reached the civil rights icon.
“I’ve heard it said. That people come into our lives for a reason…” That poetic lyric is from the song “For Good,” arguably the second most famous tune from the Broadway musical Wicked. The words hint at the theme of this final half of the Wicked duology, which has been magically created by screenwriters Winnie Holzman and Dana Fox and manifested brilliantly by director extraordinaire Jon M. Chu.
The fight over the Epstein files reached a boiling point today as Congress moves to force their release, but the real story has already unfolded behind closed doors. The documents were scrubbed long before lawmakers ever approached the floor. What should have been a moment of transparency has become a demonstration of how political power shields itself while the public is told to wait.
A new report reveals that while Black women in California face some of the steepest inequities in wages, health, and housing, they also display remarkable strength through high civic engagement and community leadership.
California’s latest School Dashboard makes one thing clear: Black students are making progress, but not nearly fast enough — and the public education system is still not organized to deliver the excellence they deserve.
The March of Dimes has released its 2025 Report Card, and across the United States, the findings tell a story of mothers and infants facing preventable risks that too often lead to tragedy. The national preterm birth rate remains at 10.4 percent. Babies born to Medicaid-insured mothers experienced an 11.7 percent preterm birth rate, while babies born to mothers with private insurance recorded a 9.6 percent rate. For Black mothers, the rate climbed to 14.7 percent, the highest of any group in the country.
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