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Category: Features

Bakersfield
Stefi Mar

Congress Honors Shirley Chisholm with Congressional Gold Medal for Trailblazing Legacy

U.S. Senator Laphonza Butler (D-Calif.) and Representative Barbara Lee (D-Calif.-12) announced the passage of bipartisan legislation awarding the Congressional Gold Medal to the late Shirley Chisholm, a pioneer in American politics and the first Black woman elected to Congress in 1968. The Shirley Chisholm Congressional Gold Medal Act will now head to President Joe Biden for his signature.

Stefi Mar December 10, 2024
Bakersfield
Stefi Mar

How One Community is Trying to Break the ‘Vicious Cycle’ of Child Care and Housing Crises

“If you don’t have the child care in order for people to go to work, they don’t have the income to pay for housing; it’s this vicious cycle,” said Melanie Shaver, superintendent of Hyde County Schools in North Carolina. “So how can we break that cycle at the root cause?” Shaver is leading her district’s attempt to answer that question.

Stefi Mar December 3, 2024
Features
Stefi Mar

Rams Give During The Holidays

The Los Angeles Rams have teamed up with community partners to kick off their annual ‘Season of Giving’ campaign on Tuesday, November 19.

Stefi Mar November 26, 2024
Bakersfield
Stefi Mar

Momentum Builds for Shirley Chisholm Congressional Gold Medal Ahead of Centennial

As the 100th anniversary of Shirley Chisholm’s birth approaches on November 30, a growing effort to honor her legacy is taking shape. Chisholm, the first African American woman elected to Congress in 1968 and a trailblazer for equality and justice, remains a powerful symbol of courage and leadership. The Shirley Chisholm Congressional Gold Medal Act, spearheaded by Democratic Sen. Laphonza Butler, is moving closer to passage with bipartisan support.

Stefi Mar November 25, 2024
Bakersfield
Stefi Mar

How Babies’ Brains Develop

When babies are born, their brains contain billions of neurons. But how those neurons interact — and what they can do as babies grow through childhood into adulthood — is largely shaped by their experiences in the first 1,000 days of life. The architecture of the brain is built in those first three years, creating a foundation that enables thinking, learning, and adapting over time. More than 85% of adult brain volume is built during this critical period. Luckily, we know exactly what infants and toddlers need to develop healthy brains that will set them up for a lifetime of well-being.

Stefi Mar November 25, 2024
Bakersfield
Stefi Mar

Medicaid Faces Uncertain Future as Republicans Target Program Under Trump Administration

Medicaid, a critical lifeline for millions of Americans, faces an uncertain future as Republicans prepare to take control of Washington. The program, along with the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), provides health and long-term care coverage to 80 million low-income children, pregnant women, adults, seniors, and people with disabilities, is under scrutiny with proposed funding cuts and new eligibility requirements.

Stefi Mar November 25, 2024
Bakersfield
Stefi Mar

Black Friday Approaches with Fewer Bargain-Hunting Options Nationwide

As Black Friday approaches, shoppers across the United States prepare for the holiday shopping rush against widespread retail closures. More than 2,000 stores are set to shut their doors by the end of 2024, with 13 major retail chains accounting for a total of 2,055 closures. The shakeup reflects a retail landscape grappling with changing consumer habits, financial pressures, and shifting strategies.

Stefi Mar November 19, 2024
Bakersfield
Stefi Mar

Affordable Care Act’s Lifeline in Jeopardy as Enhanced Subsidies Face Expiration in 2025

As Congress prepares to finalize its leadership in both chambers, the fate of health insurance subsidies for millions of Americans hangs in the balance. Essentially, if Republicans wrest control of the House along with their victories at the White House, Senate, and Supreme Court, the Affordable Care Act (ACA) likely will end. In 2024, enrollment in ACA marketplaces reached historic highs, with over 45 million nationwide now enrolled in ACA-related coverage—a 46% increase since 2021 and more than three times the enrollment since the ACA’s early years in 2014.

Stefi Mar November 19, 2024
African Americans
Stefi Mar

2024 SHIBA Report Urges Action as Black Homeownership Faces Critical Challenges

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.

Stefi Mar November 19, 2024
African Americans
Stefi Mar

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

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.

Stefi Mar November 19, 2024
African Americans
Stefi Mar

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

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.

Stefi Mar November 19, 2024
Bakersfield
Stefi Mar

“Magic Meets Culture: Tiana’s Bayou Adventure Brings Joy to Disneyland!”

Disneyland welcomed guests and the press to attend a grand opening ceremony where attendees visited New Orleans Square and Tiana’s Bayou Adventure. Celebrating the culture and spirit of this music-loving land, guests enjoyed classic attractions, authentic dining, entertainment, shopping, and more. The land features fresh additions inspired by Tiana’s story from Walt Disney Animation Studios’ “The Princess and the Frog,” including Eudora’s Chic Boutique featuring Tiana’s Gourmet Secrets retail shop and her restaurant, Tiana’s Palace.

Stefi Mar November 19, 2024