Category: Local

African Americans
Stefi Mar

How Resilient Black Women Turn Job Loss into New Ventures

In the aftermath of mass layoffs in 2025, many Black women are turning uncertainty into opportunity by launching businesses, strengthening professional networks and being innovative. Through resilience, creativity and community support, they are carving paths to stability and success in a shifting economy.

African Americans
Stefi Mar

Bakersfield Links Inc. Hosts Fourth Annual Black Family Wellness Expo

Free health screenings and vendor exhibits draw a broad cross-section of residents; Assemblymember Jasmeet Bains, Rep. 35th District, warns Kern County has been a designated health care shortage area “for decades” with no remedy in sight.

Arts & Culture
Stefi Mar

Spring Has Sprung in the “City of Good Neighbors

It’s that time of the year again! Days are longer, and the weather is cooler. Don’t try to explain this to Mother Nature. No one could ever imagine ushering in spring with sizzling weather.

African Americans
Stefi Mar

Curran High Students Celebrate 100 Years of Black History Through Music, Dance, and Spoken Word

The morning of Feb. 24 felt more like a festival than a school day. Curran Middle School threw open its doors to celebrate Black History Month with a program that was part showcase, part history lesson, and entirely community-built. Under the theme “Celebrating 100 Years of Black History,” students, teachers, and local organizations filled the campus with performances, cultural activities, and a shared sense of purpose that extended well beyond the classroom.

Local
Stefi Mar

“Check Your Vehicle for Recalls. Protect Your Family.” 

Every day, we depend on our cars to get us places: to and from work, taking our kids to school, and more. But what many don’t realize is that millions of cars on U.S. roads have open safety recalls. These risks increase in the Black community because of higher rates of commonly held myths about open vehicle safety recalls among Black vehicle owners. 

Bakersfield
James Luckey

Clinica Sierra Vista- A Safety Net For The Uninsured

When California froze new Medi-Cal enrollment for undocumented adults, thousands of Kern County families were left in limbo. At Clinica Sierra Vista, staff members are racing to keep patients covered — and fighting fear with trust.

African Americans
James Luckey

California Offers Black Families Up To 20% Down Payment For First Home; Dream For All Program Applications Open February 24

Kern County is often described as more affordable than coastal California, and in some ways, that’s true. Home prices are lower than in Los Angeles or the Bay Area. But the affordability gap for Black households remains one of the largest in the state. This means that they are less likely to have the income needed to buy a home.

Bakersfield
Stefi Mar

Can You Afford a Mortgage but Not the Down Payment? Dream For All Offers Up to $150K

Tiffany Duvernay-Smith went from knowing the harsh realities of homelessness to owning her first home – made possible by the California Housing Finance Agency’s (CalHFA) Dream For All program, which is reopening applications this month with up to $150,000 in down payment assistance for first-generation buyers.