Category: Features

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.

African Americans
Stefi Mar

Treated as Suspects, Not Patients: How Systemic Racism Harms Black Male Gun Violence Survivors

A disturbing new report reveals that Black men who survive gun violence are often treated as suspects rather than patients, exposing systemic racial biases in healthcare and law enforcement practices. The findings, compiled by Dr. Cherrell Green, a non-residential fellow at the Violence, Inequality, and Power Lab, examine the structural inequalities that shape how Black men experience trauma, recovery, and medical care.

Health
Stefi Mar

Equity, Empowerment and Action: Combating STI’s In Our Communities

Let’s talk about something real. In our community, sexual health is about love, respect and trust, not just health. However, all too often, Black men and women are navigating relationships where their health takes a back seat to the expectations or desires of their partners.

Bakersfield
Stefi Mar

The Climate-Driven Insurance Crisis

The climate crisis is costing all of us a lot of money in our everyday lives. Higher utility bills. Higher healthcare costs. Housing prices skyrocketing in some areas and home property values nosediving in others. Climate change – as well as the pollution that causes it and the natural disasters caused by it – is exacting a steeper and steeper financial toll on American households.

Bakersfield
Stefi Mar

NFL Drops’ End Racism’ from Super Bowl Field, Bows to Trump’s Anti-DEI Agenda

The NFL has confirmed that it will remove the phrase “End Racism” from the end zones at Caesars Superdome ahead of Sunday’s Super Bowl, replacing it with the neutral “Choose Love.” The move comes as Donald Trump and his allies escalate attacks on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, and major corporations—including the NFL—bend to right-wing pressure. NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy defended the decision, claiming the change was tied to recent national tragedies, including wildfires in California, the terrorist attack in New Orleans, and fatal plane crashes in Washington, D.C., and Philadelphia. “‘Choose Love’ is appropriate to use as our country has endured in recent weeks wildfires in Southern California, the terrorist attack here in New Orleans, the plane and helicopter crash near our nation’s capital, and the plane crash in Philadelphia,” McCarthy said.

Bakersfield
Stefi Mar

Little Tracking, Wide Variability Permeate the Teams Tasked With Stopping School Shootings

President Donald Trump has nominated Robert F. Kennedy Jr., an environmental lawyer with no formal medical or public health expertise, as secretary of Health and Human Services. Two Senate committees will question Kennedy this week on how his disproven views of science and medicine qualify him to run the $1.7 trillion, 80,000-employee federal health system.

Bakersfield
Stefi Mar

In Fire’s Wake, a Community Comes Together to Prevent Future Disasters

“As we address the aftermath of the wildfires, let us resolve not just to build back better but also smarter, with a commitment to the environment and future generations. As a pastor, I am guided by the principle that caring for creation is an integral part of our faith. Let us take inspiration from the teachings of love and stewardship, embracing the role of being good caretakers of God’s earth. Without a shadow of a doubt, community solidarity is crucial in the fight against climate change.”