Category: Local

African Americans
Stefi Mar

November Jobs Report Shows Rising Unemployment and Worsening Outlook for Black Workers

The U.S. labor market showed further signs of strain in November, with new federal data revealing rising unemployment, steep losses in government jobs, and worsening conditions for Black workers, particularly Black men, according to an analysis of the latest Bureau of Labor Statistics report and a review by the National Women’s Law Center.

Bakersfield
Stefi Mar

Support Your Child’s Mental Health: Medi-Cal Covers Therapy, Medication, and More

When children struggle emotionally, it can affect every part of their lives — at home, in school, with friends, and even their physical health. In many Black families, we’re taught to be strong and push through. But our kids don’t have to struggle alone. Medi-Cal provides mental health care for children and youth, with no referral or diagnosis required.

Local
Stefi Mar

Swingin’, Singin’ & Givin’: Winterfest ’25- A HOPE ACADEMY Winter Fundraiser

et ready to experience the magic of the season at “Swingin’, Singin’ & Givin’: Winterfest ’25”, a vibrant winter fundraiser hosted by HOPE ACADEMY for Scholarship and Innovation in partnership with the Center of Hope Community Development corporation. This joyful outdoor holiday festival brings together live music, art, food, and giving— all in support of building an innovative educational and learning community for HOPE ACADEMY Scholars.

Local
Stefi Mar

Santa’s Special Visit to the Baldwin Hills Crenshaw

The Baldwin Hills Crenshaw team-up once again with Project Pit for a special community event. The special occasion included a meet-and-greet with Santa, Photos with Santa, arts and crafts, and story time. The event was held on Saturday, November 29, 2025, from 1:00 to 3:30 pm.

Local
Stefi Mar

Sports Basement Grand Snowpening Presented by Palisades Tahoe

Popular outdoor retailer Sports Basement opened a new store in the South Bay in October 2025 and hosted a Grand Snowpening, Snow Fest, on Saturday, November 22, 2025. The South Bay store (located at 14351 Hindry Ave, right off the 405 freeway, in the “City of Good Neighbors”- Hawthorne, CA).

Bakersfield
Stefi Mar

Wicked: For Good

“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.

Bakersfield
Stefi Mar

Epstein Files Battle Explodes as Redactions Shield Trump and Other Powerful Figures

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.

African Americans
Stefi Mar

Medi-Cal Is Changing—What Black Californians Need to Know in 2025 and Beyond

Medi-Cal is undergoing major changes. For Black Californians, these shifts bring both opportunities and challenges. As California continues to reshape its health care system through initiatives like California Advancing and Innovating Medi-Cal (CalAIM), the state is working to close long-standing racial disparities in care, especially in areas like maternal health, mental health, and preventive services.

Bakersfield
Stefi Mar

More Than a Hair Salon: How Darwin Young Built a Community at Who’s Bad

If a man’s true wealth is measured by the community he builds, then Darwin Young is a king. After four decades perfecting the look and boosting the confidence of countless clients, Young recently received the ultimate tribute: a profound act of love organized by the very people whose lives he touched.

Local
Stefi Mar

12th Annual Día de los Muertos Cultural Festival held in Inglewood

The morning fog and chill gave way to a beautiful day in the City of Inglewood, aka, “City of Champions,” and “City Where Champions Are Made.”
     The Día de los Muertos event was hosted by Inglewood Park Cemetery and Inglewood Cemetery Mortuary on Sunday, November 2, 2025, from 12:00 to 4:00 pm. This solemn and celebratory day paid tribute to life, love, and the enduring bonds shared with loved ones who have transitioned.

Bakersfield
Stefi Mar

Judges: SNAP Payments Must Resume — But California Families Still Face Uncertainty

Two federal judges have ordered the Trump administration to release emergency funds to keep the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) afloat — but only temporarily. The rulings, issued Friday, October 31, require the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to tap into $5.3 billion in contingency reserves to partially cover food stamp benefits for tens of millions of Americans in November.

African Americans
Stefi Mar

New Social Security Rules Could Leave Black Retirees Further Behind

The country’s most dependable safety net is changing again, and this time, many fear it will fall hardest on the people who have always leaned on it the most. Across the nation, millions are bracing for the next wave of Social Security changes taking effect this fall and into 2026. What Washington calls modernization and reform, others see as a tightening noose around the necks of working people, especially Black Americans, who for generations have been shut out, shortchanged, and forced to survive on the margins of a promise that was never fully kept.

Bakersfield
Stefi Mar

California Teachers Association Rallies Behind Prop. 50: A Stand for Education and Democracy

In a bold move reflecting the urgency of the times, the California Teachers Association (CTA) has thrown its weight behind Proposition 50, an initiative spearheaded by Governor Gavin Newsom aimed at redistricting. CTA is reaching out to California’s Black voters by activating a campaign utilizing some of the state’s legacy Black newspapers.