C e l e b r a t i n g 2 6 Ye a r s o f Service in Inglewood, Airport area Communities
City of Champions Your Community Connection Since 1994
EYE ON THE CITY Rams
Chargers
Clippers
Forum
& Lakers
“No Buts About it,” See Page 3
August 27-September 02, 2020 VOL. 35, No. 35
Mayor Butts makes endorsements for local elections
To California’s Dionne Faulk to make history as second woman Councilmember Black Legislators: Do Not Usher in the Age of the Common Man By Kenneth Miller, Publisher
The concepts of “black” and “white” did not arrive with the first Europeans and Africans but grew on American soil. During Andrew Jackson’s administration, racist ideas took on new meaning. In Mississippi, Jackson, who may have owned as many as 300 slaves, ushered in the “Age of the Common Man.” But, according to PBS, “the only people who benefited were white men. Blacks, Indians, and women were not included.” This week the California Assembly approved a ban on the retail sale of flavored tobacco products statewide, including menthol cigarettes a product preferred by Blacks. However, Legislators have made it possible that again: Whites benefit. The tobacco products exempted under the ban (hookah products, premium cigars, and some pipe tobacco) are products preferred by Whites. Are these tobacco products exempted because white Californian influencers, celebrities, and those in the pop culture elite have glorified and upheld the trendiness of the premium cigars and hookah at clubs/bars, and so our state decision-makers agree that these tobacco options are allowed? The tobacco preferred by Whites? As a Black man, a father, a native Californian, and a publisher of a local Black newspaper deeply rooted in the fabric of our state’s Black communities, it concerns me that our legislators would pass legislation that, again, benefits Whites. Let’s be real for a minute because many advocates of the bill have made claims that need addressing. First, Black people are not a homogenous group - there are some who oppose SB793, and there are some who support it. Continued on page 2
Dionne Faulk
Herb Wesson
Holly Mitchell
Haidar Awad
Angie Reyes English
University Dominguez Hills, Faulk earned a bachelor’s degree in economics and a juris doctor from the University of West Los Angeles School of Law. Mayor Butts praised Faulk, whom he considers a longtime friend. “Dionne Faulk is a longtime Inglewood resident and mother of two boys. The residents of District 4 will be well represented by a proven and collaborative official. I look forward with the second elected City Councilwoman in the history of Inglewood,” Butts told Inglewood Today. The mayor endorsed both State Senator Holly Mitchell and former Los Angeles City Council President Herb Wesson for Los Angeles County Supervisor 2nd District which includes Inglewood. Additionally, Butts weighed in
on candidates in neighboring city Hawthorne in the City Council and Mayor race, respectively. Councilperson Haidar Awad earned Butts endorsement for Hawthorne Mayor. A University of California, Riverside graduate, Haidar is currently vice president of Finance Auto Sales in Hawthorne, one of the fastest growing auto dealerships in the South Bay region. Angie Reyes English won Mayor Butts endorsement for Hawthorne City Council. English was first elected to the Hawthorne’s City Council in 2009 after serving as City Clerk for four years. She is a former senior field deputy for Los Angeles Councilmember Curren D. Price, Jr.
By Kenneth Miller, Publisher
With both the Democratic and Republican National Conventions coming to a close during a most contentious political season, powerful Inglewood Mayor James T. Butts has made his choices for significant local elections that includes Inglewood, Hawthorne and Los Angeles County. In Inglewood Aisha Thompson, who has served as Deputy Clerk under retired Clerk Yvonne Horton, will run unopposed to replace Horton for that position in the general election on Nov.3. Longtime Inglewood City Council member Ralph L. Franklin will not run for District 4 and will be replaced by Inglewood Unified School District (IUSD) board member Dionne Faulk who will be running unopposed. Franklin, a labor leader, was elected in 2003 when he was overwhelmingly elected over former Councilwoman Lorraine M. Johnson. Faulk will vacate her Seat 1 on the IUSD board and the Los Angeles Count Administrator Erika Torres will select her replacement to serve out her term. On the IUSD board she represented Warren Lane, Woodworth/Monroe and Kelso. Faulk won a first term in the atlarge general election on April 4, 2017. Her experience includes serving as the supervisor of enforcement investigations and administrative operations and as a supervising special investigator for the California Department of Consumer Affairs, Bureau of Real Estate. A graduate of California State
Buppie is Back! See Page 6
JOIN US ON