May 2 2024

New Ruling Requires Airlines to Issue Automatic Cash Refunds

The Biden-Harris Administration announced last week, final rules that require airlines to provide automatic cash refunds to passengers whose flights are canceled or significantly delayed. Additional consumer protections will save consumers over half a billion dollars every year in hidden and surprise “junk fees.”

“Today’s announcements will require airlines to both provide passengers better information about costs before ticket purchase, and promptly provide cash refunds to passengers when they are owed — not only saving passengers time and money, but also preventing headaches,” said Department of Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg.

New Study Highlights Safety Challenges Faced By Black School Girls

On Tuesday, the National Women’s Law Center (NWLC) and Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) released a report that examines the experiences Black girls have with school safety and school policing.

The report, Keep Her Safe: Centering Black Girls in School Safety, includes a group of Black girls and young women, ages 14 to 24, who shared their experiences within Miami-Dade County Public Schools (M-DCPS) through surveys and focus groups. The report highlights that Black girls in M-DCPS encounter:

• Harsher treatment from school-based police and security guards.

• Sexual harassment from security guards, often in the form of inappropriate comments about their looks.

and profiling through dress code enforcement, particularly from security guards.

• Public humiliation and shame during in-class searches by police officers and K-9s.

• Lack of autonomy and privacy due to strict bathroom regulations.

• Discipline settings, such as detention, with prison-like conditions.

• Minimal education and support for students at risk or who have survived sexual harassment and assault.

“Black girls everywhere deserve to feel safe in schools. The Black girls we spoke to in M-DCPS frequently experience harassment, humiliation, surveillance, physical harm and invasion of privacy,” said Bayliss Fiddiman, Director of Education Equity at the National Women’s Law Center.

“In discussions about school safety, the experiences of Black girls are overlooked, resulting in ineffective school safety measures that do not take into account the specific barriers,

Inglewood Today News

Publisher’s Message

The ‘Real’ on Cinco de Mayo

By Willie Brown

Sunday is May 5th, the date of a Mexican holiday known as Cinco De Mayo. It is an historic day celebrating the small Mexican army defeating a much larger French Army in the Battle of Puebla.

The real-life David and Goliath story is etched in Mexican history as the day of victory in 1862. While it is not the largest Mexican holiday, it has grown in popularity, especially in the U.S. Actually, it has become more celebrated in the U.S. than in Mexico.

Cinco de Mayo, like many Americanized holidays, has become watered-down and commercialized in some respects. It is often mistaken as Mexico’s Independence Day, and depicted by folks guzzling margaritas, and eating Mexican food.

Prior to his presidency, Donald Trump posted a photo of himself eating a taco, hoping to garner support from Latinos.

In honor of our Latino community, I feel it’s important to teach others about why we celebrate the holiday.

According to History.com:

“In 1862, French Emperor Napoleon III wanted to claim Mexican territory for himself, so he sent his troops to force Mexico’s

the overwhelming odds, by that night Mexico has claimed victory.

According to a 2020 survey on You.Gov, only 40% of Americans knew May 5 wasn’t commemorating the country’s independence.

Mexican Independence Day is on September 16. It commemorates the end of the 300-year Spanish rule over Mexico.

The Mexican War of Independence began Sept. 16, 1810, and lasted over a decade. Spain officially recognized Mexico as an independent country on Aug. 24, 1821.

While some bemoan the Americanization” of Cinco de Mayo,” others see nothing wrong with it. It is the American way. We, as a country, commercialize everything from Christmas to Halloween. That will never change.

But I hope at least now you will know why you’re celebrating May 5, if you choose to do so. Have fun, drink, and be merry. But also be ready to explain to someone what the holiday is all about.

Inglewood Today and CBCF Announce Spring and 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.

The Congressional Black Caucus Foundation (CBCF) 2024 Summer Internship program is accepting applications from aspiring young leaders. The deadline to apply is Friday, April 5.

Successful candidates will gain hands-on experience in the public policy field, and make important connections, which can lead to job opportunities. This internship is based in Washington, DC. Free housing will be provided. For more information, apply online at https://www.cbcfinc.org/ programs/internships/.

President Benito Juárez and his government out of Veracruz.

On May 5, in Puebla de Los Angeles

- located in central Mexico . The 6,000 French troops faced 2,000 Mexican soldiers at daybreak. Despite

County Proclaims May as Mental Health Month

The Board of Supervisors last week unanimously approved a motion proclaiming May 2024 as Mental Health Awareness Month in Los Angeles County. The motion was introduced by Supervisor Kathryn Barger and coauthored by Board Chair Lindsey P. Horvath.

“So many of the issues negatively impacting our communities–including violent attacks on our streets—are the products of unidentified or untreated

mental illness that has festered,” Supervisor Barger said. “We must do a better job of recognizing mental health trauma and addressing it as early as possible. This proclamation is one more step towards generating community awareness so that mental health services are accessed and used to heal.”

Throughout May, Los Angeles County’s Department of Mental Health (DMH) will collaborate with over 70 community-based organizations to host

more than 180 events, made possible with support from the California Mental Health Services Authority (CalMHSA).

The events are organized as part of DMH’s Take Action Los Angeles County multicultural campaign for the County’s diverse residents. DMH will also cohost a Mental Health Awareness Night with the Los Angeles Dodgers during the team’s home game on Saturday, May 4, 2024.

For a complete list of all Take Action

Los Angeles County events, visit TakeActionLA.com/events. The site also offers life-saving resources and referrals to those in need. You can find 24/7 support for Mental Health Services within Los Angeles County by calling (800) 854-7771. To reach the suicide prevention hotline, call or text 988.

Working Group: More Entry-Level Homes Could Help Solve Housing Crisis

The Community Housing Working Group hosted a briefing on April 23 at Cafeteria 15L in Sacramento. Discussions focused on how the housing crisis in California affects Black and Brown communities and explored ways to provide low-income families and individuals with affordable housing.

Tia Boatman Patterson, CEO and President of the California Communities Reinvestment Corporation, said “entrylevel housing” is not available as it was in the past, adding that affordable units were a major point of entry into homeownership for many families in the Black community.

“My mother bought her first house when I was in junior high. It was an 850-square foot, two-bedroom and onebathroom house in 1978. That house cost $30,000,” Boatman-Patterson said.

“A woman working part-time at JCPenney was able to afford that house. We don’t build these types of housing now. We do not build entry-level homeownership,” she added.

The Community Housing Working Group is a collection of diverse community organizations from across California working together to address housing challenges in their communities. The organization believes that solving the affordable housing crisis will require creating enough smaller, lower-cost, multifamily homes located near jobs, transit, and good schools.

The briefing included a panel discussion titled, “Exclusionary Zoning: A Look Back and a Path Forward.” Boatman-Patterson participated in that session along with Henry “Hank” Levy, Treasurer-Tax Collector for Alameda County, and Noerena Limón, consultant, Unidos U.S., and Board Member of California Housing Finance Agency.

Boatman-Patterson, a former Associate Director for Housing, Treasury and Commerce in the Office of Management and Budget for the Biden Administration, started her presentation by highlighting how

exclusionary single-family zoning is contributing to continued segregation of California communities.

She said that single-family zoning originated in the Bay Area city of Berkeley in 1916.

“By creating single-family zoning and having fenced-off communities, you were able to exclude the ‘others,’” Boatman-Patterson said. “It really was a method to exclude -- what they called ‘economic segregation’ -- but that was a guise for racial segregation. Singlefamily zoning, along with redlining, became a systemic approach to exclude based on affordability.”

Title VIII of the federal Civil Rights Act of 1968 -- commonly known as the Fair Housing Act of 1968 –is the U.S. federal legislation that protects individuals and families from discrimination in the sale, rental, and financing of housing. It was passed to open the doors to affordable housing.

In an effort to increase housing the housing inventory in California to help address the state’s ongoing housing crisis, lawmakers in 2021 passed Senate Bill (SB) 9. That law allowed Californians to build up to four residential units -- including triplexes, duplexes and residential dwelling units (RDUs) -- on their properties in areas that were previously zoned for singlefamily homes only.

Last week, a Los Angeles Superior Court Judge declared SB 9 unconstitutional. That ruling affects 121

charter cities that have their own local constitutions and want to maintain the independence and authority to make their own land use decisions.

In 1968, 65.9% of White families were homeowners, a rate that was 25% higher than the 41.1% of Black families that owned their homes, according to National Low-Income Housing Coalition. Today, those figures have hardly changed in the Black community, although White homeownership has increased five percentage points to 71.1%.

Boatman Patterson said the rate has not changed in Black and Brown communities because financing for affordable entry-level homes is almost nonexistent. The homeownership disparities contribute to the disturbing racial wealth gap in the nation, according to the National Low-Income Housing Coalition’s October 2018 report.

“We really must align the financing with the actual building of units, which we haven’t necessarily done. Because of this misalignment, I think we continue to see problems,” Boatman-Patterson said. “All these laws were supposed to address the ability to buy and purchase and to now have opportunities, but we don’t align financing with what we do.”

The other key aspects of the briefing and panel discussion included the impacts of exclusionary single-family zoning on communities of color, policies to prioritize to create more

equitable housing choices, and the importance of creating more housing options to drive economic mobility and increase local revenue and investment in communities.

The panelists not only brought their expertise to the conversation. They shared their backgrounds and personal experiences as well.

Limón said her father, a tree trimmer, bought an entry-level house for about $46,000. Based on that, she understood that “homeownership is foundational for wealth creation, property tax collection for the state, and to ensure that people can take out loans to send their kids to college,” she said.

“The fact that the entry-level homeownership supply is the most under-supplied units really exacerbates the prices we are seeing today,” Limón said.

The moderator for the briefing and panel was Konstantin Hatcher from California Yes, In My Back Yard (YIMBY), a statewide advocacy organization working to pass legislation to end the state’s housing shortage and affordable communities.

In closing, Hatcher said he hopes that the housing crisis in California subsides soon.

“Hopefully a decade from now we’re not having this same conversation and we have seen the needle move and that opportunities have moved evenly across California,” Hatcher said.

Antonio Ray Harvey | California Black Media

Area Communities

Serving Ladera, Hawthorne, Westchester, Lawndale, Gardena, Carson

Avila Brothers Inspire Next Generation of Music Prodigies at Morningside High School

INGLEWOOD, CA - May, 1 2024

- Renowned music producers and Grammy Award winners, Bobby and IZ Avila, ignited a spark of inspiration among students at Morningside High School on April 17, 2024. Partnering with the Inglewood Unified School District’s Career Technical Education department, Accelerated Radio, Musicians at Play, No Easy Props dance, and digital music production class, the Avila Brothers provided a firsthand glimpse into their illustrious career, offering invaluable insights and guidance to budding musicians.

The event, hosted at Morningside High School in Inglewood, California, served as a platform for students to learn from the Avila Brothers’ journey in the music industry. From their humble beginnings to their meteoric rise to fame, Bobby and IZ shared anecdotes, lessons learned, and invaluable advice for aspiring artists.

Students had the unique opportunity to showcase their artistic talents, with performances that captivated the audience and demonstrated the depth of talent within the community.

The Avila Brothers, known for their collaborative spirit, also engaged

in panel conversations, addressing questions from students and providing mentorship on navigating the music industry landscape.

Bobby and IZ Avila are iconic figures in the music industry, with a legacy spanning over three decades. Their unparalleled expertise as songwriters, producers, and musical directors has

resulted in the sale of over 40 million records worldwide. The Avila Brothers’ impact extends far beyond their numerous accolades, including four Grammy Awards, and collaborations with industry titans such as Usher, Chaka Khan, Janet Jackson, and Mariah Carey.

Notably, the Avila Brothers made

history as the visionary musical directors behind Usher’s unforgettable Super Bowl Halftime Show, which remains the most-viewed halftime performance of all time. Their collaboration with Usher has resulted in chart-topping hits and Grammy Award-winning albums, solidifying their status as musical innovators.

The Avila Brothers’ commitment to nurturing the next generation of talent was evident throughout the event at Morningside High School. By sharing their experiences and wisdom, Bobby and IZ inspired students to pursue their passions and strive for excellence in their craft.

As the Avila Brothers continue to push the boundaries of creativity and innovation, their legacy as industry pioneers remains unmatched. Their impact on the music industry and dedication to empowering future generations serve as a testament to their enduring influence.

For media inquiries or further information, please contact Jessica Ochoa, Executive Director of Communications and Community Relations at jessica.ochoa@ inglewoodusd.com.

Inglewood Today News

Sports & Entertainment

April Showers us with More Music: Rap, Pop and R&B

By Maya Mackey

Last month, I wrote about March Music Madness. Essentiall,y everybody and their mama released an album. And this month, the musical buffet continued. Here’s your April Music News and reviews!

In Rap:

The Canadian responds and Kendrick doubles down.

On April 13th, Drake unleashed his fury on everyone who came for his legacy in March. He took shots at Future: “Your first number 1, I had to put it in your hand;”, Rick Ross: “Can’t believe he jumpin in, he turning 50.”; and Metro Boomin.

But most of his ire was saved for Kendrick Lamar, coming for his height: “How you big-steppi’n with a size 7 mens on?” and his discography: Your last [album] bricked, you really not s—.” He even questioned Kendrick’s pop collabs: “Maroon 5 need a verse, better make it witty/Then we need a verse for the Swifties:’ and stood on his claims that Kendrick is not the G.O.A.T. in his opinion: “You ain’t in no big three, Sza got you washed down, Travis got you wiped down, Savage got you wiped down.” All in all, it’s the best Drake has rapped in years.

WannaWanna Be - Glorilla feat. Megan Thee Stallion

“You can get your wig turned like effie, I don’t need insurance cause a [chick] can’t wreck me…you look like a discount me on Etsy.” Megan’s still scrappy! She still has something to say for the women and men who don’t like

for almost a year are given new life within the context of the album. This is Tori at her most confident, mentally, emotionally, and vocally. And while Kelly has always been a powerhouse vocalist, the vocal acrobatics on this album are on the level of Beyonce and beyond. With this music, Tori declares

On April 30th, Kendrick served up his response with Euphoria, a six and a half minute diss track with a tongue in cheek title (Drake is an executive producer on HBO’s Euphoria, a show about drugged out teenagers. Drake has also been known to text with minors). Kendrick, chaotically, threw a litany of insults back at Drake, inferring that he’s shallow, a pedophile, confused and wounded about his biracial identity, a deadbeat father, and lacking strong morals and spiritual foundation. Insults that don’t hit quite as hard since Pusha T and Rick Ross already threw these bricks in the past.

If you’ve been keeping score in this rap beef, it’s Kendrick -1, Drake - 1.

her. While Gorilla carries her gloves around her neck, Megan is the one getting in the ring and throwing jabs for real. Glorilla’s bravado is no match for Megan’s wit and seasoned delivery.

R&B

Tori Kelly Finds Her Groove! TORI by Tori Kelly marks her 4th (excluding her Christmas album: A Tori Kelly Christmas) and I’ll stand on the declaration that this is her at her best!. Inspired by the early 2000s pop and R&B, she grew up on, Tori released an EP under the same moniker last summer. An unfortunate health scare prevented her from promoting it the way she intended to but eight months later, we have the full version,with eight new songs and it’s a flawless body of music. Even the songs that have marinated

she knows who she is, whose she is, and how grateful she is to be in love: with herself, her husband and her God.

Rating:

Recommended for fans of: Tori Kelly, Lauryn Hill, Beyonce, Aaliyah, Jazmin Sullivan, Ariana Grande Stand Out Tracks: cut (featuring Timbaland), thing u do, oceans Bryson Tiller - Bryson Tiller More of the same. The early to mid2010s transformed R&B. For better or worse is up for debate but whining over autotune became the norm. When Bryson Tiller first hit airwaves, his sound fit the times and even under all the autotune, you could hear some soul. At the height of his fame, he took a hiatus to start a family. His comeback is somewhat of a shock, not only

because people have been begging him for new music but because this isn’t the “Trapsoul” that we grew to love. I’m all for innovation and artists experimenting with their sound, especially Black artists. But a strong vocal foundation is sorely missing with Bryson. He sounds like a Chris Brown clone for most of the album. It leaves you wanting more effort to distinguish himself as his own artist.

Stand Out Tracks:

AEON L U S T, Calypso, Prize

After HoursKehlani ★ Well, she tried. After Hours is a mid-tempo track that interpolates Nina Sky’s “Move Your Body”, Kehlani is yearning and begging for love, or more specifically, for her lover to stay. That’s the stuff that’s supposed to make R&B great but with oversimplified lyrics such as, “you came here on your own,own, own. Caught up in your zone, zone, zone,”, and a watered-down version of a dated beat, this hardly makes me excited for what’s coming next. I’m sure her loyal fans will love it though.

POP

Boy Bye - Chloe Chloe sing-raps her blues in a sweet, campy melody.Even though the song is about a lover scorned, the beat is so high vibe and infectious, you’ll find yourself dancing instead of crying (or dancing while you cry. I won’t judge!) After a lackluster debut, this new sound is fresh and in the right pocket of Chloe’s vocal and production talents! If the next album sounds anything like Boy Bye, I see Billboard Awards with her name on it!

The Importance of Trusts for Small Business Owners

By Aden Ferguson

For entrepreneurs and small business owners, creating a trust can be one of the smartest moves to protect their company’s future and provide for loved ones. While often associated with wealthy individuals, trusts offer several key benefits worth considering for anyone who has built up a successful small business.

Asset Protection

One of the primary advantages of an ownership trust is that it can protect business assets from creditors, lawsuits, divorces, and other potential threats. By transferring ownership of a company into a trust, the assets are legally separated from the business owner’s estate. This ring-fencing can safeguard what an entrepreneur has worked so hard to build.

Probate Avoidance

When a small business owner passes away, their company assets could be subject to the lengthy and often expensive probate process before transferring to heirs. However, assets held in a trust avoid probate entirely since the terms of the trust dictate what happens after the owner’s death. This prevents court interference and keeps

the business running smoothly during succession.

Tax Efficiency Trusts can provide significant tax advantages depending on how they are structured. Certain types of trusts are exempt from estate and gift taxes above a set threshold. Other trusts can be used to split up business shares to minimize overall income taxes paid by the owner and beneficiaries.

Long-Term Planning

For small business owners who have built up considerable equity and assets within their company, a trust allows them to map out a longterm plan for how the business should be managed and transferred. The trust agreement can include specific guidance

and stipulations on the involvement of children, charities, or others as beneficiaries.

While creating a trust requires some upfront documentation and legal fees, the protections and control it provides

over a cherished business make it a wise move for entrepreneurs to consider. Working with an estate attorney, small business owners can put a trust in place that secures their company’s longevity and lasting legacy.

$20 Minium Hourly Wage Blamed for Fast Food Price Hikes

As if the high price of food couldn’t get any higher, FOX Business announced that prices at Chipotle, McDonald’s and other fast-food chains in California are rising after a minimum wage hike went into effect.

The new law mandates fast-food workers to make $20 an hour in California, and it went into effect on April 1

Chipotle said prices went up one percent during the first week of April, compared with last year, according to the Wall Street Journal. The fast-food giant has nearly 500 California restaurants.

The new law impacts restaurants with 60 or more locations nationwide, except for those who make and sell their own bread, and includes Chipotle, MacDonalds, Pizza Hut, Dominoes and Chick-Fil-A.

Chick-fil-A increased its prices more than 10 percent on average in California since Mid-February. A spicy chicken sandwich, for example, has gone up 13 percent, from $6.29 to $7.09.

Franchise owners blame the new California law for rising costs. Chipotle Chief Executive Brian Niccol said, “The state isn’t making it easy.”

Customers are feeling the squeeze, and like franchise owners, are not happy campers. “I feel ripped off a little,” one MacDonalds customer said.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed the legislation, AB 1228, into law

in September.

The overall minimum wage for other workers in California is $15.50 an hour, among the highest of any state. The federal minimum wage, which has remained unchanged since 2009, is

$7.25 an hour, or $15,080 a year for an employee working 40 hours a week.

Source: Fox Business News

Continued from page 3: Stakeholders...

stereotypes, and harms they face based on their race and gender.”

“Schools are somewhere we spend the majority of our time, so the environment needs to feel safe. You need to have some level of comfort being in your school. And, of course, there should be no risk of bodily harm,” said a 12th-grade student at Miami Northwestern Senior High School.

The report outlines recommendations for schools and lawmakers to promote “holistic school safety,” strategies for schools that address the psychological,

emotional and physical safety needs of all students. They include:

• Investing in student support services.

• Avoiding school policies that police, surveil, and harshly punish students, and instead use proven positive behavioral interventions as needed.

• Taking steps to ensure girls are safe from sexual harassment and assault, including harassment by school-based police officers and security guards.

• Expanding understanding of school safety by engaging students in the conversation.

“School hardening policies often rely on an increased police presence that creates risks for Black girls that are often overlooked, such as sexual harassment and assault by police at much higher rates than other girls,” said Bacardi Jackson, Deputy Legal Director of Democracy: Education and Youth at the SPLC. “This report is a clarion call to center their experiences in decisions about school safety.”

FROM INGLEWOOD TODAY

The rules are part of the Biden-Harris Administration’s work to lower costs for consumers and take on corporate rip-offs. President Biden signed an Executive Order on Promoting Competition in 2021 that encouraged DOT to take steps to promote fairer, more transparent, and competitive markets.

Requiring Automatic Cash Airline Refunds

The first rule requires airlines to promptly provide passengers with automatic cash refunds when owed because their flights are cancelled or significantly changed, their checked bags are significantly delayed, or the ancillary services, like Wi-Fi, they purchased are not provided.

•Automatic: Airlines must automatically issue refunds without passengers having to explicitly request them or jump through hoops.

•Prompt: Airlines and ticket agents must promptly issue refunds within seven business days of refunds becoming due for credit card purchases and 20 calendar days for other payment methods.

•Cash or original form of payment: Airlines and ticket agents must provide refunds in cash or whatever original payment method the individual used to make the purchase, such as credit card or airline miles. Airlines may not substitute vouchers, travel credits, or other forms of compensation unless the passenger affirmatively chooses to accept alternative compensation.

•Full amount: Airlines and ticket

agents must provide full refunds of the ticket purchase price, minus the value of any portion of transportation already used. The refunds must include all government-imposed taxes and fees and airline-imposed fees.

Protecting Against Surprise Airline Junk Fees

Secondly, DOT is requiring airlines and ticket agents to tell consumers upfront what fees they charge for checked bags, a carry-on bag, for changing a reservation, or cancelling a reservation. This ensures that consumers can avoid surprise fees when they purchase tickets from airlines or ticket agents, including both brick-andmortar travel agencies or online travel agencies.

DOT’s rule ensures that consumers have the information they need to better understand the true costs of air travel. Under the final rule, airlines are required to:

•Disclose baggage, change, and cancellation fees upfront: Each fee must be disclosed the first time that fare and schedule information is provided on the airline’s online platform -- and cannot be displayed through a hyperlink.

•Explain fee policies before ticket purchase: For each type of baggage, airlines and ticket agents must spell out the weight and dimension limitations that they impose. They must also describe any prohibitions or restrictions on changing or cancelling a flight, along with policies related to differences in fare when switching to a more or less expensive flight.

•Share fee information with third parties: An airline must provide useable, current, and accurate information regarding its baggage, change, and cancellation fees and policies to any company that is required to disclose them to consumers and receives fare, schedule, and availability information from that airline.

•Inform consumers that seats are guaranteed: When offering an advance seat assignment for a fee, airlines and ticket agents must let consumers know that purchasing a seat is not necessary to travel, so consumers can avoid paying unwanted seat selection fees.

•Provide both standard and passengerspecific fee information: Consumers can choose to view passenger-specific fee information based on their participation in the airline’s rewards program, their military status, or the credit card that they use — or they can decide to stay anonymous and get the standard fee information.

•End discount bait-and-switch tactics: The final rule puts an end to the baitand-switch tactics some airlines use to disguise the true cost of discounted flights. It prohibits airlines from advertising a promotional discount off a low base fare that does not include all mandatory carrier-imposed fees.

Travelers can learn more about their protections when they fly at FlightRights.gov. Consumers may file an airline complaint with the Department here.

Name Statement must be filed before the expiration.

The filing of this statement does not of itself authorize the use in this state of a Fictitious Business Name in violation of the rights of another under Federal, State or common law (See Section 14411 et.seq., Business and Professions Code.)

Original April 25; May 2, 9, 16, 2024 IT00422301200203109

Inglewood Today

ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME Case# 24LBCP00115

ALL INTERESTED PERSONS

Kristin Michelle Fong, 1610 Park Ave., Apt D, Long Beach, CA 90815, has filed a petition with the Superior Court Of California, County Of Los Angeles, 275 Magnolia Ave., Long Beach, CA 90802, to change her name.

FROM: Kristin Michelle Fong -TO: Kristin Michelle Skovgard

THE COURT ORDERS that all persons interested in this matter appear before this court at the hearing on September 22, 2024, 8:30 AM, Dept 26, to show cause, if any, why the petition for change of name should not be granted. Any person objecting to the name change described above must file a written objection that includes the reasons for the objection at least two court days before the matter is scheduled to be heard and must appear at the hearing to show cause why the petition should not be granted. If no written objection is timely filed, the court may grant the petition without a hearing.

Publication Dates: April 18, 25; May 2, 9, 2024.

Continued from page 1: Cosm set...

Cinco De Mayo: Five Interesting Facts You Should Know About the Popular Mexican American Holiday

To explore the historical significance of Cinco De Mayo, we step back to the origins of the commemoration, share how some Mexican American Californians regard it and trace how it has morphed into the celebrations we see today.

Celebrations in the United States began in 1862 in Columbia, California, a small town located in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada in Tolumne County, according to that town’s website.

Today, millions of Americans celebrate Cinco De Mayo annually with 120 official celebrations organized across the United States.

This day has become a cultural point of pride for Mexican Americans and other Latino communities in the United States. It serves as a time to affirm and celebrate their cultures with other Americans of all backgrounds as they highlight their contributions to American history and society.

Joseph Soltero, a Mexican American living in Escondido, shared his perspective on Cinco de Mayo with California Black Media. He learned about Cinco De Mayo from his grandfather and talked about the extent to which his family and San Diego County community celebrate the holiday.

“We knew September 16 was really Mexican Independence Day, but kids in my school would always mistake Cinco De Mayo as our Independence Day. [Cinco De Mayo] is not really even a Mexican holiday,” said Soltero. “It’s something people do to have an excuse to buy drinks, have fun and spend a little money at taco shops.”

Soltero’s Grandfather always made sure the family understood the historical importance of the day to Mexicans and Mexican American immigrants, but it was never a point of emphasis when it came to celebrating the holiday as a family. Other traditions were more important to them.

“It’s the Mexican version of Saint Patrick’s Day. Everybody is White and Irish on that day, and everyone is Mexican on Cinco De Mayo. It’s never been what Día De Los Muertos is to us. We celebrate the day of the dead. That is honored, that’s a tradition. Cinco De Mayo is just another day.”

Soltero believes that the best way for people to celebrate the ‘holiday’ is to educate themselves on what really happened on Cinco De Mayo.

“I would love for people to do actual homework on it. Go still support us. Go to our stores and visit our restaurants -- minus the ponchos and sombreros. Go spend money while you’re in that community, go learn while you’re in that community, engage when you’re in that community. Don’t just eat and forget about us on the 6th.”

Like Soltero, many Mexican Americans (and other Latino Californians) do not take the support and solidarity they receive from people of other races on Cinco De Mayo for granted. They also appreciate when people take the time to learn about the cultural significance of the day and avoid some of the cultural tropes that

can easily whisper undertones of racism.

To help raise your awareness about the origins and cultural significance of the day, here are 5 little known facts about Cinco De Mayo:

1.Cinco De Mayo is not Mexican Independence Day. It is the anniversary of the Battle of Puebla. This military victory on May 5, 1862, over the French forces of Napoleon III was hailed as a symbol for Mexican resistance to foreign influence.

2.The holiday was not given much historical significance outside of Puebla, and it has not been celebrated on a large scale in Mexico. However, during the Civil War, Mexican Americans in California, Oregon and Nevada who supported the Union drew inspiration from the victory over the French-backed Confederate forces.

3.The Chicano civil rights movement in the 1940s gave a new energy to celebration of the holiday in the United Sates as a symbol of national pride.

4.In the 1980s and 1990s, beer companies’ marketing strategies targeted Mexican Americans by encouraging them to celebrate their heritage – and Cinco De Mayo --with Coronas, Bud Light, and Dos Equis. This created the perceived connection between Cinco De Mayo, alcohol, and merrymaking.

5. Los Angeles hosts the largest Cinco De Mayo celebration in the country.

As we join Mexican American Californians to celebrate Cinco De Mayo next week, let’s deepen our cultural understanding.

With a greater knowledge of its history, we can approach our celebrations with more appreciation. Let’s use this occasion to commit to learning more about our neighbors, colleagues and friends of other

races and ethnicities.

This resource is supported in whole or in part by funding provided by the State of California, administered by the California State Library in partnership with the California Department of Social

Services and the California Commission on Asian and Pacific Islander American Affairs as part of the Stop the Hate program. To report a hate incident or hate crime and get support, go to CA vs Hate.

Edward Henderson | California Black Media