
Black Candidates Maintain Strong Showing as California Counts Primary Ballots
Joe W. Bowers Jr. | California Black Media As California continues counting ballots from the June 2 primary election, Black candidates across the state

Joe W. Bowers Jr. | California Black Media As California continues counting ballots from the June 2 primary election, Black candidates across the state

As a former mayor of Stockton and a nationally recognized advocate for economic equity, Michael Tubbs has built his political career on challenging the status quo and advancing bold, people-centered policy solutions.

When Aurelle Garner stepped out of her car one summer evening and saw a group of youths marching down her street, her stomach dropped.

The Black Press which we know as our Black newspapers, are the institutions we recognize and trust. How then can a candidate say he or she respects and wants the Black vote when they refuse to advertise their candidacy with Black newspapers, i.e., the Black Press.

For Rita McArn, moving to Bakersfield from Kansas City was an act of faith. She came to be close to her family and for the weather. Today, she is one of the first residents of the newly opened 610 4th Street Apartments, a 16‑unit senior affordable housing development quietly transforming a corner of southeast Bakersfield.

Every election cycle, the conversation starts the same way. Campaigns announce their outreach. Candidates say our name. They show up at our churches, our sorority events, our community gatherings.

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California’s public health programs could lose billions of dollars due to recent federal budget cuts, state health officials told lawmakers during a joint committee hearing on March 10.

Between 2020 and 2024, Long Beach experienced a minimal but incremental decrease in chronic homelessness that was interrupted by the Los Angeles County wildfires in early January 2025, according to a point-in-time count conducted by the city’s government.

With California’s gubernatorial contest still taking shape, Democratic Congressman Eric Swalwell — a former prosecutor and longtime member of Congress who gained national visibility during the Trump-era investigations and impeachments — is presenting himself as a candidate with both a prominent national profile and a focus on the affordability pressures facing Californians.

The Fresno City Council is weighing whether to approve or challenge a $15.4 million jury award stemming from a racial discrimination lawsuit filed by former city employee La-Kebbia “Kiki” Wilson.

Nana Gyamfi, Sen. Lola Smallwood Cuevas, Kevin Cosney courtesy photo.

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California has always been seen as the land of vitality — sunshine, beaches, and wellness culture. But beneath that image is a growing public health crisis we cannot afford to ignore.

Senate Bill (SB) 1067, introduced in February by Sen. Akilah Weber-Pierson (D-San Diego), seeks to close California’s racial achievement gap in education by requiring universal screening and early identification of math difficulties for students in kindergarten through second grade.

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The California Association of Black Lawyers (CABL) held its annual Legislative Days at the State Capitol to engage in direct advocacy with state policymakers and elevate issues that specifically impact Black communities in California.

As he campaigns for the 2026 governor’s race, Tony Thurmond says California is at a crossroads and needs leadership grounded in lived experience, accountability and practical problem-solving.

Several influential, Black-focused organizations from across California convened in Sacramento to engage with elected officials and lobby for specific policies that would affect Black communities around the state.

Assemblymember Isaac Bryan (D-Ladera Heights) wants to amend the state’s penal code to increase the salaries incarcerated firefighters earn while they are actively fighting fires.
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