Category: Features

Bakersfield
Stefi Mar

Millions of Americans Juggling Side Hustles to Make Ends Meet

A new 2025 Side Hustle Survey from LendingTree shows that nearly half of Americans, 44 percent, have a side hustle, with many depending on the extra income to cover basic expenses. The findings reflect the financial strain millions face as wages remain stagnant and the cost of living continues to rise.

Bakersfield
Stefi Mar

Target Takes a Hit: $12.4 Billion Wiped Out

Target Corporation’s stock plummeted by approximately $27.27 per share by the end of February, erasing about $12.4 billion in market value. The drop came on February 28, the designated economic blackout day, and coincided with mounting backlash over the retailer’s decision to abandon its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) commitments.
The National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA) has taken action through its Public Education and Selective Buying Campaign. NNPA President and CEO Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis Jr. said, “Black consumers helped build Target into a retail giant, and now they are making their voices heard. If corporations believe they can roll back diversity commitments without consequence, they are mistaken.”

Bakersfield
Stefi Mar

Asm. Wicks, Sen. Cabaldon, Introduce $10 Billion Housing Bond Package

As California continues to face a severe housing crisis, only 17 % of households can afford to purchase the median-priced single-family home, which is less than half the national average, according to a report by the California Association of Realtors.

African Americans
Stefi Mar

A Black Church CREDO For An “Undemocratic and Dysfunctional” America

Of the 2024 U.S. presidential election, it delivered grave results. I alongside others, was not surprised that white America chose to hold fast to its mythologies, supremacies, and hegemonies. These cultural norms are undemocratic and dysfunctional. They are toxins that mutate into dysfunctional pathologies which sadly, but predictably, inform white America’s dysfunctional religion and politics. These toxins are dangerous and man – made for the genocide of black America, otherwise people of all colors and creeds. Its latest and deadliest effort is highly organized, supported by corporations, the United States Supreme Court, joint Houses of the United States Congress, and the Executive branch of the United States government. I am describing Project 2025 as representation of white supremacy.

Bakersfield
Stefi Mar

The Courage to be Curious: A Head Start Success Story

Dr. Eric Motley worked as a special assistant to President George W. Bush. He was director of the U.S. Department of State’s Office. He served as executive vice president at the Aspen Institute. In 2017, Dr. Motley published Madison Park, A Place of Hope, adding the author to his resume. Most recently, he joined the National Gallery of Art as deputy director. In an interview with the National Head Start Association (NHSA), Dr. Motley attributed the courage to be curious about his experience at Head Start.

African Americans
Stefi Mar

Modern Love, Black Voices: BLK’s First ‘State of Black Singles’ Report Uncovers Shifting Dating Norms

BLK, the leading social and dating app for Black singles, has released its inaugural State of Black Singles report, revealing the evolving dynamics of love, sex, and relationships within the Black community. Drawing on thousands of responses from Black singles across the United States, the comprehensive study sheds light on shifting sexual preferences, the growing influence of social media on dating, and the changing landscape of relationship norms.

African Americans
Stefi Mar

The Black Press: The Last Line of Defense as Trump Seizes Control of the National Archives

Donald Trump’s recent takeover of the National Archives marks yet another chilling step in his broader campaign to rewrite history, erasing the truths that challenge his authoritarian ambitions. With the forced resignation of Acting Archivist William Bosanko, Trump and his allies are moving swiftly to reshape how American history is recorded, preserved, and ultimately remembered. This power grab, executed under the banner of Project 2025 and backed by figures like Elon Musk, is more than just an attack on government records—it is an existential threat to the preservation of Black history and the truth itself.

Black Journalists, Activists Condemn MSNBC for Firing Joy Reid

MSNBC has parted ways with Joy Reid, marking the departure of another prominent Black woman from the network. Reid joins Rashida Jones, the first Black woman to head a major cable news network, along with Melissa Harris-Perry and Tiffany Cross. All four women brought critical, unapologetic perspectives on race, politics, and power—voices that many believe are being systematically eliminated.

Bakersfield
Stefi Mar

Healing in the Soil: Honoring Black History and a Cleaner Future for California

We all face moments when life feels overwhelming, especially after losing someone close. When I lost my mother, Nita, I sought peace and balance. Surprisingly, I found solace in the soil. Digging my hands into the earth and spending hours in my garden wasn’t just a distraction—it became a path to healing.

Bakersfield
Stefi Mar

American Heart Association Partners with the Black Press for Groundbreaking Black Health Symposium

For the first time, a major corporation has chosen to broadcast a significant health initiative exclusively through the Black Press of America. The American Heart Association (AHA) partnered with the National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA) to present “Changing the Future of Health for Black Communities: Public Health and Media Symposium,” a virtual event streamed live on NNPA’s YouTube channel as part of Black History Month. The NNPA is the trade association representing the more than 200 African-American-owned newspapers and media companies in the United States, which only known as are commonly known as the Black Press of America.