Michelle Obama Electrifies Audience at the DNC
By Veronica Mackey
Michelle Obama electrified the crowd Tuesday night at the Democratic National Convention, making her case to vote for the Harris-Walz ticket. From the time she stepped onto the stage at the Chicago’s United Center, until she introduced her husband former President Barack Obama, the crowd held onto every word. Her speech was often met with thunderous applause, laughter and spontaneous chants.
Like a well-tuned conductor, she knew when to turn up the volume and turn it down. She began on a personal note, talking about the recent passing of her mother. It was a tender moment that drew compassion from the crowd. She then talked about mothers as role models, and how both her mom and presidential nominee Kamala Harris’ mom encouraged them to actively serve their communities. Harris’ mother, Shyamala Gopalan Harris, was a community activist who took young Kamala to political rallies. Michelle’s mother, Marian Robinson, instilled in her daughter the importance of always doing her best, that no one was above or beneath her.
Having served two terms as the wife of the nation’s first Black president, Michelle knows all too well the racist backlash that will come if Kamala
becomes the first Black and female president:
“We know folks are going do everything they can to distort her truth,” she said. “My husband and I
sadly know a little something about this. For years, Donald Trump did everything in his power to try to
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Harris Proposes $25,000 Assistance for First Time Homebuyers
By Press Rundown
Vice President Kamala Harris has proposed a plan to address the affordable housing crisis in the United States if she were to win the presidency. Her plan involves expanding President Biden’s proposal to provide $25,000 in down payment assistance to firsttime homebuyers.
While Biden’s plan targeted 400,000 first-generation homebuyers, Harris aims to offer an average of $25,000 in assistance to all first-time homebuyers
in the country. This would potentially benefit more than four million people over four years if Harris were to become President.
However, the details of how this assistance would work are unclear, leading to both support and criticism of the proposal. Architect Alexander Gorlin praised the idea but expressed the need for more information, highlighting that $25,000 may not go
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Publisher’s Message
By Willie Brown
If you’ve attended a game or concert at SoFi, then you know the entire stadium is cashless. Your paper money is no good there. This week’s article by Veronica Mackey talks about nextlevel technology at the Intuit Dome, which has done away with credit card terminals altogether. Facial recognition technology and overhead cameras follow fans around, capturing everything they pick up and take out.
Technology at Intuit allows you into the concession stand, where you can choose as many items as you want, and then walk out. When you use credit and debit cards, you don’t feel the same sting as you do with cash. But using just your face to make a purchase can make you feel invincible, even magical.
Veronica’s -piece got me thinking
The Price of Privacy
about how far technology has advanced relative to how we shop. A website called Grabango (www. grabango,com) explains that the system used and installed in retail stores is “unobtrusively located above the shopping area. The system monitors the location of all products whether on the shelf, in someone’s basket or with a shopper leaving the store. Shoppers enter the store, select the items they want and exit without waiting in line.” Customers just scan the code on the app and payment is automatic. The system tracks what you spend and creates your receipt right in the app.
Shopping with apps like Grabango is pretty painless, right?
But I can’t stop wondering how all this convenience is impacting my personal freedom. On one hand, you are free to shop and go without standing in long lines. On the other hand, you cannot have this freedom without compromising your privacy.
Today convenience is king, and folks are more than willing hand over their personal data— even their face—to have it. If you can control what happens from your cell phone, if you can get what you want at the touch of a button, anywhere in the world, why wouldn’t you?
For years, the “Powers That Be” have been training us to hand over our identity and financial credentials without hesitation. They’ve conditioned us to shop without cash in brick-and-mortar stores and online.
There was a time when folks would only use a credit card for emergencies
or large purchases. Now, with the introduction of perks like bonus travel miles and discounts on hotels, people are more willing to sign on the electronically-generated dotted line. They make it so easy, so attractive, we sometimes forget that every time we tap or swipe our cards, we are essentially telling police, advertisers, the government, and who knows who else, where we are, what we bought and how much we paid. There are no secrets and anyone who thinks they can get away with anything is just plain delusional.
I remember 6 years ago, having dinner with a friend. I did not pay
for dinner. I did not use my phone to post anything on social media. Two days later, Google sent me a text asking how I enjoyed the service at the Cheesecake Factory.
According to Grabango, adults spend 32.89 hours of their lives waiting in lines at grocery stores. Reading this makes me want to be smarter about how I spend my time. Time is life, and herein lies the obvious appeal of timesaving technology. Have fun, enjoy your life, and save time whenever you can. Use cash whenever and wherever it is still allowed. And, remember, there’s always a price to pay for convenience.
Inglewood Today Announces Summer Internships
Inglewood Today (https://inglewoodtoday.com) has announced immediate internship opportunities for aspiring journalists and data/research assistants. The 31-year old media company is considering college and high school students for 3-6 month internships working hybrid 4-8 hours per week.
Journalist interns will have an opportunity to build their writing portfolios while interviewing celebrities, elected officials and other community leaders. They will also cover issues related to Inglewood and surrounding areas. Data/research assistants will work behind the scenes maintaining databases and helping to organize and launch a new blog.
Interested candidates may apply by submitting resumes to veronica@ inglewoodtoday.com. If applying for the journalist internship, candidates must also submit their best 2-3 writing samples.
Intuit Offers Free Shuttle Service
By Veronica Mackey
If you’re eager to attend a game or concert at the new Intuit Dome, but dread traffic and the high cost of parking, you’re in luck. Last week, Intuit announced it will offer free shuttle rides to and from the venue for ticket holders. It’s another perk that billionaire owner Steve Ballmer has put in place to enhance the fan experience.
In addition to the free shuttle, fans will find it easier to move around once inside the arena. Ballmer, former Microsoft CEO, literally breathes technology, so it’s no surprise that the L.A. Clippers’ home arena uses artificial intelligence (AiFi) to keep indoor traffic moving. Take the check-out free concession stands for instance. If you’re looking
for a cash register, you won’t find any there. Payment is made with facial recognition software, which allows you to enter the restaurant, get something to eat, and leave without swiping your credit card. It can take some getting used to, for some fans.
It’s a ground-breaking advancement which Ballmer hopes will translate into more time in the seats and less time waiting in line to make purchases. Intuit also has one of the highest numbers of restrooms anywhere—1,160 toilets and urinals to be exact—again to help visitors spend less time waiting in long lines and more time enjoying the entertainment.
But with all this technology, there are bound to be glitches. In fact, things went terribly wrong on opening night last week. The sold-out
concert by Bruno Mars was delayed almost 2 hours because of problems with facial recognition technology. Also, according to fans, there was no signage for lines, and elevators and escalators did not work.
Currently, there are five park-andride locations set for shuttle pickup and dropoff:
• Woodland Hills — Pierce College
• Culver City — Expo/ Sepulveda LA Metro Station
• South Bay/Gardena — Harbor Gateway Transit Center
• El Monte — LA Metro Station
• Downtown LA — Union Station
All tickets include a return trip. When you add up the cost to park— which could be as high as $40 or
more at some venues (up to $100 for a single NFL game at SoFi), you could literally save hundreds of dollars a year depending on how often you visit Intuit.
So far, there is no word on whether a park-and-ride lot will be available within the city of Inglewood. For now, people are using public transportation, shared ride apps or parking at privately-owned lots around the city. Others are using parking apps such as www.spothero. com or www.parkmobile.com to reserve spaces.
Getting bogged down in traffic and parking is a major hurdle, and the biggest reason fans are late to games and concerts. The free ride offered by Ballmer is definitely a game changer.
The Intuit Dome will offer a free park-and-ride shuttle from several locations around L.A. County starting opening night on Aug. 15. In this 2024 file photo, the Intuit Dome will officially open its doors on Aug. 15 in Inglewood. (Photo courtesy of Intuit Dome)
Area Communities
Serving Ladera, Hawthorne, Westchester, Lawndale, Gardena, Carson
California Has Added Doula Services to Medi-Cal Coverage
By Edward Henderson | California Black Media
Medi-Cal, California’s version of the federal medical assistance program Medicaid, has announced that it is expanding access to maternal health, including doula services.
The expansion is expected to have a critical impact on the health of Black mothers and expectant moms.
Nearly half of Black Californians are enrolled in Medi-Cal.
Black mothers are approximately
spoke during an online news briefing in June organized by Ethnic Media Services (EMS) to provide more details about Medi-Cal’s expansion into the doula space.
“The department has issued a standing recommendation for doula services. Medi-Cal members don’t have to get a separate written referral for services. All they need to do is find a doula who accepts Medi-Cal to start receiving care. The department also has a doula directory where
attendees about the value of doulas and the services they provide.
“A lot of people don’t know what doulas do. I would liken it to a personal trainer, but for childbirth. Our job is to get to know you, what your goals are for your body and baby, to help you come up with a plan and remember your plan,” she said. Doulas are trained professionals who provide physical, emotional and informational support to patients before, during and after childbirth.
deliveries and prevent post-natal problems like low birth weight, anxiety, and labor length.
Chiaji spoke about the value a doula of color brings to the birthing process. The disparities in care and service women of color experience in medical care are well documented. Chiaji says her practice prioritizes Black and indigenous women.
“As people of color and community members, we also have shared experience with our clients. We have been those birthing people in the various environments,” she added. We have encountered the same language or culture barriers, we have had the same unanswered questions and understand the benefit of having someone who not only can explain it but really be a bridge between the community member and the birthing environment, especially in hospital settings.”
four times more likely than their White counterparts to die from pregnancyrelated complications, according to The California Department of Public Health (CDPH). The Black maternal mortality rate is three times higher than the rate of mothers of White, Hispanic and Asian moms. And Black babies are two times as likely to die before their first birthday than White babies.
Erica Holmes, Chief of Benefits Divisions for the California Department of Health Care Services
members can find doulas who accept Medi-Cal by county.”
According to Medi-Cal, the doula services are available to expectant moms as a birthing care pathway for members who elect to use it from conception through 12 months. It is also available to new moms with services such as postpartum care, parent-child dyadic care, and other benefits.
Kairis Chiaji, a Medi-Cal approved doula services provider with 25 Years of experience, spoke during the online news briefing, informing
In the past, their services were not covered by most medical insurance plans.
Now with Medi-Cal’s new expansion, they are.
Public health professionals in California largely agree that doulas are essential to closing racial and ethnic disparities in outcomes particularly for Black, American Indian, Latino, Asian American and Asian Pacific Islander parents and infants. They help improve birth outcomes and reduce the number of c-section births, epidurals, premature
Due to the Medi-Cal expansion, doulas will now be reimbursed at the same rate as other service care providers, which Chiaji says is a game changer for individuals in the field.
“We were able to move our state into a position of understanding that a large part of healthcare is leveraging relationships. And the group who have the ability to found and maintain those relationships are birth workers.”
As of June, 455 group and individual doula applications had been approved in California with 336 of those being approved as individual doulas.
“We know that our country and our state are in a maternal health crisis,” said Chiaji. “There are injuries and losses which, statistics say, are 80% preventable. As a birth worker and doula, we are able to fill in a lot of those gaps. We are able to amplify the voices of families, we are able to recognize when something is not ok earlier on. We’re able to help our clients navigate healthcare.”
Sports & Entertainment
Honoring a Town Hero
By Maya Mackey
On August 16th, Subrina Miller, CEO and founder of the local Heads Up Foundation, was crowned a 2024 Playmaker by the Los Angeles Rams. Yes, those SUPERBOWL champion rams! The award came about through collaboration of three power players - The Rams Foundation, Los Angeles County of Parks and Recreation and Heads Up.
The Los Angeles Rams spearheaded the pLAymakers program as a tribute to former Rams player, Kenny Washington. Washington, who spent his entire life in L.A., became the first Black person to sign a contract with the NFL after graduating from UCLA. He repped number 13 and due to his barrier breaking legacy, there are 13 pLAymakers that get selected every year and rewarded for their work the greater LA community.
Subrina Miller was specifically chosen for being a beacon of light in Inglewood. Motivated by her personal hardships, Miller looked around and saw that she and her family were not so different from the other families in the community. Heartbroken by seeing kids show up to school without the proper attire or the necessary books and supplies, Miller decided to serve other families in spite of her own troubling circumstances.
The LA Rams built a symbiotic relationship with Subrina Miller in 2016, just shy of their move back to the West Coast. Community outreach is at the core of the Rams organization and so once they caught word of the community service Heads Up carries out, they lent a helping hand. Subrina
Miller volunteered at a later event and they have continued to support one another since moving into their permanent home at SoFi Stadium.
“With the increase of gentrification, a lot of people have been left behind and I want to help them get back on course. I’m asking for donations that will support families in housing, clothing and shelter. But we don’t just service children, we service the whole family - parents who are looking for jobs or wondering how
Beyonce’s All-American Whiskey Venture
By Maya Mackey
Beyonce has been pushing the boundaries of the public perception of Black American Culture ever since she performed Formation at the 2016 Super Bowl Halftime Show. She showed up and showed out with a crew of dancers,
“un-American”, a tongue-in-cheek way of acknowledging, no matter what we do, Black descendants of formerly enslaved people are never considered American like them, even though we know no other land and no other way of life.
Well, Bey’s upping the ante by
More shocking than the fact that Bey has taken on another seemingly random venture (it’s only been six months since the release of Cecred— her line of salon quality hair care day staples) is the fact that the whiskey is already award-winning! Last year, Beyonce submitted Sir Davis under
Inglewood and at bars and concession stands at SoFi, Intuit Dome, Cosm and The Kia Forum. The official website for Sir Davis already has 9 recipes to start the party off. The whisky contains 44% pure alcohol and comes in a 750 ml bottle and is surprisingly being sold at an affordable price of 90 dollars plus tax.
adorned in bullets and black leather, an homage to the Black Panther party. Since then, she’s dropped an equally roaring video to Formation, created and performed her first country song, which garnered so much criticism that she spitefully went on to create a whole Americana album. In Renaissance, Bey dubbed her life, as
distributing her own, very American venture. Whiskey! Sir Davis, named after Beyonce’s great-great grandfather, a moonshine man (whom she references on American Requiem, the opener to her latest album, Cowboy Carter), will officially be available for purchase on Beyonce’s birthday, September 4th. Mrs. Carter is nothing if not strategic.
a pseudonym to remove as much bias and naysayers as possible. She wanted the quality of the whiskey to speak for itself. Sir Davis has been dubbed gold, excellent and best in class, receiving 93 and 95 points from the Ultimate Spirits Challenge and NY International Spirits Competition respectively.
Sir Davis will inevitably hit stores in
(There are aged bottles of Jack Daniels at a similar price point). Barreled in America, there is a distillery based in Beyonce’s hometown of Houston, which is slated to open up to the public in 2025. Welcome to the rodeo. Saddle up!
to start a business. A lot of those families who were struggling before work for us now.”
The weather was great and the vibes were high that sunny Friday afternoon. Not only did Rampage, the Rams mascot and the LA Rams street crew come up to bless Heads Up with a $5,000 check, LA’S #1 Hip-Hop station, Power 106 came through to amp up the kids. They even did a raffle to reward hard working parents.
In addition to Power 106 and The Rams, there were activations from Planet Fitness and information booths full of resources to help folks navigate the city including Metro, Anthem Blue Cross and the LA County departments of Mental Health Services and Social Services. Thanks to the LA County of Parks and Recreation, kids and teens were able to receive backpacks and school supplies, completely free
of costs. Free tacos were also available for families. The Heads Up Foundation balanced out the tasty tacos with nutritious veggies - offering bags and boxes of fresh vegetables, also free of charge.
Heads Up motto is “reach back and help somebody.” It’s safe to say they accomplished that mission last week.
If you would like to make a donation to support Subrina Miller’s work, you may give directly at headsupfoundationinc. org.
The Inglewood community would like to thank the Los Angeles Rams and the Heads Up Foundation for their dedication to improving the lives of Angelenos and the LA County Parks and Recreation department for hosting several back to school resource fairs in the greater LA area.. If you are in need of emergency resources like food or financial assistance to keep up with bills, please dial 211. They’re here to help.
Continued from page 1: Harris...
far in high-priced housing markets like San Francisco.
On the other hand, some experts, like Tony Fiorillo and billionaire Elon Musk, argue that Harris’s plan could lead to increased inflation and higher housing prices. Fiorillo believes that the government incentive would create higher demand for homes, further exacerbating the current shortage of available housing.
Despite the criticisms, Gorlin
defended Harris’s plan, emphasizing the importance of homeownership and building equity. He refuted the notion that the $25,000 assistance would trigger a housing rush, particularly since it is targeted towards starter homes.
In contrast, others, like wealth advisor Cody Moore, view Harris’s proposal as a political maneuver to attract votes. Moore criticized the plan, suggesting that it could inflate
the real estate market, increase the financial deficit, and potentially lead to higher taxes.
Overall, Harris’s affordable housing plan has sparked a mix of opinions, with supporters highlighting its potential benefits for first-time homebuyers and critics expressing concerns about its impact on the housing market and the economy.
Continued from page 1: Michelle.. make people fear us. See, his limited, narrow view of the world made him feel threatened by the existence of two hard-working, highly educated, successful people who happened to be Black.”
She followed up making fun of Trump’s attempt to create division by suggesting immigrants (mostly Hispanics) are taking jobs intended for African Americans. “I want to know,” she said, “who’s going to tell him, who’s going to tell him that the job he’s currently seeking might just
be one of those ‘Black jobs’?”
Throughout the speech, Michelle held out her verbal knife, ready to tear Trump to shreds, characterizing him as a self-serving fraud, racist and misogynist. She referred to him as a product of “the affirmative action of generational wealth” who has been given the “grace of failing forward.”
Referencing his incitement of violence on January 6, 2021, when he failed to get the votes needed for a second term, Michelle painted his behavior as a spoiled brat, in contrast
to most Americans who are mature enough to accept defeat:
“If we bankrupt a business or choke in a crisis, we don’t get a second, third or fourth chance,” she said. “If things don’t go our way, we don’t have the luxury of whining or cheating others to get further ahead. No. We don’t get to change the rules so we always win. If we see a mountain in front of us, we don’t expect there to be an escalator waiting to take us to the top.”
Michelle ended her speech with a call to action. She reminded the audience
that there are 77 days left to go in the race. Everyone must vote, volunteer and make sure everyone they know votes. She said that despite Trump’s record, this will be a close election and some states will be won by just a few hundred votes.
“We cannot indulge our anxieties about whether this country will elect someone like Kamala instead of doing everything we can to get someone like Kamala elected,” she said.