17 minute read
From The Editor “ If Not For The Video”
From the Editor
“If Not For The Video ”
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LISA COLLINS Publisher
Last month, there was a collective sigh of relief among Blacks across the nation when eleven whites and one black juror returned 23 out of 27 guilty verdicts against the three men (not worthy of having their names mentioned) guilty of hunting down and murdering Ahmaud Arbery, guaranteeing that they will spend the rest of their lives in jail.
And that is right where the trio I have dubbed as “the wannabe Dukes of Hazzard” complete with their Confederate flag belong with those other relics of the old South who believe in their righteous authority over Blacks. The very idea that a Black man wouldn’t yield to their requests to stop and explain to them why he was in their community was unthinkable.
“If he’d just stopped, he would have been alive today,” one of them said. It is sad that someone has to die in order to bring about the kind of change that brings to an end a 1863 statute originally enacted to give whites the legal right to hunt down runaway slaves for a bounty that was still on the books up until recently; and that it was the law they believed would serve as the grounds for the Citizen’s arrest the men were attempting to make on Ahmaud Arbery.
With Arbery’s death, that law has been repealed.But what is most troubling to me is that many of felt that there was a chance eleven whites wouldn’t do the right thing. That justice would be elusive. That Black lives didn’t matter. I was not alone in that fear and for good reason.
The first two prosecutors refused to charge the men. Think of it. No evidence of anything stolen. No evidence that Arbery had done anything wrong. Just jogging through a majority white neighborhood was what cost him his life.
The investigating officers even indicated that they were ready to make an arrest and were told not to. (See our story on page 14).
The irony is that the video was released to a local radio station by an attorney representing one of defendants thinking it would help his clients and without that video, there more than likely wouldn’t have been justice for the family of Ahmaud Arbery.
So, does the system work? Well, surely if you have a video. The question is: does our justice system work without one?
But perhaps it was the video viewed in another courtroom last month that told a more accurate story of how our justice system worked, when in the middle of a riot in the middle of the night, a seventeen year old white boy who’d just shot three people could walk down the street with an assault rifle and be waved on by police.
We all know what would have happened had Kyle Rittenhouse been black that night, with or without a video.
A little closer to home, I was among the many shocked, saddened and dismayed by the tragic and fatal shooting of Jacqueline Avant is what was believed to be a home invasion. I had the privilege of meeting Jackie on a few occasions and she was one of the kindest and most graceful women I have had the pleasure of being in the company of.
In the words of Tyler Perry, “What kind of subhuman could shoot an 81 year old woman?”
But this brazen rash of follow home, smash and grab robberies and home invasions by mostly Black perpetrators should give us all pause for concern. What kind of people are these who have so little regard for life?
In the wake of Avant’s death, community activists called on the County Board of Supervisors to offer a reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the murderer of Jacqueline Avant, and as a community we should all be engaged in doing what we can to bring to an end the kind of escalating violence we are witnessing on the streets of L.A.
The late Myles Munroe often said, “People generally fall into one of three groups: the few who make things happen, the many who watch things happen, and the overwhelming majority who have no notion of what happens.”
Finally, in the spirit of this Christmas season, an annual tradition for L.A. Focus is to provide a listing of agencies that provide help over the holiday season in hopes that you will reach out to those in need. It is included on page 9. With that, the staff of L.A. Focus wishes you a safe and blessed holiday, urging you to remember the reason for the season–and the spirit of one who was born in a manger some 2,000 years ago. Keep the faith.
New California “Strike Force” Gives Teeth to State Housing Laws
ANTONIO RAY HARVEY \ California Black Media
To advance housing access, affordability, and equity, California Attorney General Rob Bonta announced earlier this month the creation of a Housing Strike Force. The team, housed within the California Department of Justice (Cal DOJ) has been tasked with enforcing California housing laws that cities across the state have been evading or ignoring.
The strike force will conduct a series of roundtables across the state to educate and involve tenants and homeowners as the state puts pressure on municipalities failing to follow housing rules and falling short of housing production goals set by state.
“California is facing a housing shortage and affordability crisis of epic proportion,” Bonta said. “Every day, millions of Californians worry about keeping a roof over their heads, and there are too many across this state who lack housing altogether. This is a top priority and a fight we won’t back down from. As Attorney General, I am committed to using all the tools my office has available to advance Californians’ fundamental right to housing.”
The Housing Strike Force will take “an innovative and intersectional approach” to addressing the housing crisis, focusing on tenant protections, housing availability and environmental sustainability, housing affordability, and equitable and fair housing opportunity for tenants and owners.
Bonta also launched a Housing Portal on the Cal DOJ's website with resources and information for California homeowners and tenants. The strike force will enlist the expertise of attorneys from the Cal DOJ’s Land Use and Conservation Section, the Consumer Protection Section, the Civil Rights Enforcement Section, and the Environment Section’s Bureau of Environmental Justice in its enforcement efforts.
“California has a once-in-a-generation opportunity to address its housing crisis. Thanks to the historic $22 billion housing and homelessness investments in this year’s budget. But it’ll only work if local governments do their part to zone and permit new housing,” Gov. Gavin Newsom said. “The Attorney General’s emphasis on holding cities and counties accountable for fair housing, equity, and housing production is an important component to the state’s efforts to tackle the affordability crisis and create greater opportunities for all Californians to have an affordable place to call home.”
According to the National Association of Real Estate Brokers (NAREB), the level of Black ownership nationally has decreased below levels achieved during the decades when housing discrimination was legal. The 2020 census reports that there was a 29.6 % gap between homeownership rates for African Americans and Whites. Homeowners accounted for 44.6% of the Black population as compared to 74.2% for Whites. “Blacks have made little, if any, strides at closing the homeownership gap. Systemic discriminatory regulations and policies continue to thwart any meaningful effort at increasing Black homeownership,” said Lydia Pope, NAREB’s president.
In California, the DOJ reports that, over the last four decades, housing needs have outpaced housing production. It has caused a crisis that stretches from homelessness to unaffordable homes. Despite significant effort, the DOJ stated that California continues to host a disproportionate share of people experiencing homelessness in the United States, with an estimated 150,000 Californians sleeping in shelters, in their cars, or on the street.
Bonta said that California’s 17 million renters spend a significant portion of their paychecks on rent, with an estimated 700,000 Californians at risk of eviction. High home purchase costs – the median price of a single-family home in California is more than $800,000 – have led to the lowest homeownership rates since the 1940s. Due to decades of systemic racism, these challenges have continuously and disproportionately impacted communities of color. For example, Bonta said, almost half of Black households in California spend more than 30% of their income on housing, compared with only a third of White families. In addition, less than one in five
Housing continued to page 20
ANTONIO RAY HARVEY \ Contributor
In response to the new Omicron variant case detected in San Francisco on Dec. 1, the state’s health departments and African American faithbased communities are doubling down on why they encourage testing and vaccination that would prevent the spread of COVID-19.
The State of California and the San Francisco Department of Public Health have confirmed a case of the Omicron variant, identified through their sequencing capabilities, and are continuing to monitor the variant’s presence and progress. “We recognize that everyone is exhausted, and the news of a new variant can be overwhelming,” the California and San Francisco Departments of Public Health said in a joint Statement.
“It is important that we collectively focus on the things we know prevent the spread of COVID-19, and its variants. Individuals should get vaccinated and boosted, wear your mask in indoor settings, get tested if you have symptoms; and stay home if you are sick.” First discovered by South African scientists, the Omicron variant of SARS- CoV-2 is the latest strain of the coronavirus to be designated a “variant of concern,” according to the World Health Organization (WHO). “While the Delta variant remains the dominant variant detected among LA County residents and continues to account for 100% of cases sequenced, the Omicron variant identified by the World Health Organization in South Africa as a “variant of concern” is being closely monitored as we work with others across the globe to prepare to mitigate the challenges a new variant of concern may pose for residents and workers across the county,” the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health (LACD Public Health), said in a written statement. “As we continue to learn more about Omicron, there is no reason to panic but we should remain vigilant,” Gov. Gavin Newsom’s administration posted through its Twitter account.
“We know how to protect ourselves from COVID - get vaccinated, get your booster & wear a mask.” Black people account for 25% of those who have tested positive and 39% of the COVID-related deaths, while making up just 15 percent of the general population. In California, African Americans are about 6% of the population but 10.6 percent of deaths, according to California Department Public Health (CDPH). As part of its commitment to reduce health inequities, the state has pertinent information about statistics in the state listed on its Health Equity Dashboard. As of Nov. 23, a total of 196,001 cases and 4,917 deaths occured in the Black community. The African American Community Empowerment Council (AACEC) is still implementing testing and vaccination in church parking lots, campuses, and facilities across the state.
The AACEC of California is a nonpolitical collective dedicated to the inclusive and comprehensive contribution and progression of African Americans throughout the state. “We are proud that the state has continued to work with our network of churches. With the new strands our underserved communities must continue to have access to free COVID testing,” Rev. Judi Wortham, Southern California Director for the Black church COVID testing project, said. The testing and vaccination of at-risk, underrepresented, under-resourced African Americans, and all community members are executed in Los Angeles,
Stacey Abrams Makes It Official: She’s Running for Governor
With an announcement on Twitter, Stacy Abrams has made it official: she is running for governor of the state of Georgia. “I’m running for Governor,” Abrams tweeted. “Regardless of the pandemic or the storms, the obstacles in our way or the forces determined to divide us, my job has been to just put my head down and keep working toward one Georgia, because opportunity in our state shouldn’t be determined by zip code, background or access to power.
“If our Georgia is going to move to its next and greatest chapter, we are going to need leadership. Leadership that knows how to do the job. Leadership that doesn’t take credit, without also taking responsibility. Leadership that understands the true pain folks are feeling and has real plans. That's the job of governor -- to fight for one Georgia. Our Georgia," Abrams said. "And now, it is time to get the job done."
This would be Abrams’ second bite at the apple, and she will once again go up against Republican incumbent Governor Brian Kemp who defeated her by just under 1.4 percentage points in 2018. Since that time, however, Abrams popularity and political base has skyrocketed. Not to mention her fundraising capabilities with reports that she has raised a reported $100 million, which surpasses any other candidate for office in 2022. A democratic powerhouse, Abrams, was on the list of Vice Presidential considerations for now President Joe Biden. Within hours of making the announcement, 1.8 million had viewed the video.
Jackie Avant Killed in Home Invasion
The entertainment and music world was stunned by the recent shooting death of Jackie Avant, in what was first reported as a home invasion burglary. Avant, 81, was the wife of record industry icon Clarence Avant, dubbed “the Black godfather”, who was recently inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the mother of Nicole Avant, who is married to Netflix co-CEO Ted Serandos.
According to police reports, intruders smashed a sliding glass door to gain entrance onto the Beverly Hills estate in the early morning hours of December 1. Avant was shot and rushed to the hospital where she died. Heartfelt tributes posted on social media have come from celebrities and politicians alike, including Magic Johnson, Viola Davis, former President Bill Clinton, Quincy Jones, Congresswoman Karen Bass and Tyler Perry, who pledged every resource available to find the killers. Beverly Hills Police Chief Mark Stainbrook indicated that the attack might not have been random and gave no motive for the crime before reading the following statement from her family: “The Entire Avant and Sarandos families wish to thank everyone for their outpouring of love, support and heartfelt condolences for Jacqueline Avant. Jacqueline was an amazing woman, wife, mother and philanthropist and a 55-year resident of Beverly Hills who has made an immeasurable positive impact on the arts community. She will be missed by her family, friends and all of the people she has helped throughout her amazing life.”
Voting Rights Is the Civil Rights Issue of Our Time
MARK HEDIN \ Ethnic Media Services
It’s the “civil rights issue of our time,” voting rights advocates say, but three different proposals to strengthen and create nationwide standards on voting are all stalled in Congress. “Democracy is facing challenges unlike any we have seen in modern time,” said Wade Henderson, CEO of the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, at a press briefing hosted by Ethnic Media Services and LCCR on Nov. 5.
Already this year, in 19 states, legislators have passed 33 laws that will make it harder to vote. In all, 425 new voting rules have been proposed in 49 states. Generally, where it’s been challenging to vote, the new laws have made it harder, Henderson noted. In Florida and Georgia, for example, giving water or snacks to people waiting in lines to vote is now a crime. This “torrent” of new rules (https://tinyurl.com/New2021VotingRules) on voting across the country is due to two recent Supreme Court decisions gutting the 1965 Voter Rights Act, combined with the “Big Lie” frenzy stoked by former president Trump, still trying to overturn the 2020 election.
“We still have tools available to us, but fewer than we once did,” said Sean Morales-Doyle, of Brennan Center’s Democracy Project. And even in those two recent rulings that gutted the Voting Rights Act — 2013’s Shelby v. Holder and July 2021’s Brnovich v. DNC -- the Supreme Court acknowledged Congress’ ultimate responsibility for setting federal voting standards, MoralesDoyle pointed out.
“We actually do have two pieces of legislation that would help us get us past this moment,” Morales-Doyle pointed out. “The Freedom to Vote Act and the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act.” On Nov. 3, Republican Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski, was the 51st “yes” vote for discussing the proposed John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act. Jacqueline DeLeon, of the Native American Rights Fund (NARF), noted that Murkowski was elected, in part, thanks to native Alaskan voters traveling long distances to get to polling places to vote in the pitch-black dark in the snow after learning how to spell her name to support her write-in election in 2012. But filibuster rules in the Senate meant that 51 of 100 possible votes was not enough. Because of the filibuster, it takes 60 votes to do most things.
There are currently 50 Republican senators, two Independents and 48 Democrats. But 51 votes would be enough to change that filibuster rule, for example, by making an exception for voting laws, similar to the exception made for Supreme Court nominations in 2017. “All eyes are on Congress and the Senate,” Morales-Doyle said. Meanwhile, in Indian Country, change is long overdue.DeLeon described how some reservations have no polling places at all, forcing impoverished voters to drive 100 miles on dirt roads into sometimes inhospitable, racist border towns to exercise their voting rights. Lousy mail service, too, can make registration and absentee voting difficult-toimpossible, she said. “Natives vote if they’re provided a fair opportunity, but they’re too often not given that fair chance.” “We need to get away from the framing that the voting rights is a Democratic ask,” she concluded.
“This is about protecting American citizens from racist abuse and denying them their right to participate in the American political process.” John C. Yang, of Asian Americans Advancing Justice-AAJC, also emphasized the nonpartisan importance of seeing that everyone’s voice is heard. “Then we have an argument on the values, on the issues. We try to persuade the voters that our policies make sense. That’s the beauty of democracy.” “Our community is quite diverse,” he said. Asian Americans have become the fastest-growing ethnic group in the country. “We have individuals of all different political stripes.”
“For us, it is about making sure that every citizen that has the right to vote has the opportunity to do so in a most efficient and effective manner.” He described how voter-ID laws sometimes run afoul of language barriers. And once a person has secured their right to vote, having multi-lingual voting materials and mail-in voting is also important. “It is about having communities not feeling that they are less of a citizen because of their immigrant status or because they have limited English proficiency, or because they have different socio-economic means that don’t allow them to vote during a 9-5 period.” Henderson pointed out how 13 of the same senators who stopped the Lewis Act last week, such as John Conryn of Texas, had all previously voted in favor of continuing the VRA.
“We have to take the fight to them,” he said. “This is a right and we should demand it and we should generate the political heat necessary to obtain it.” The Leadership Conference has prepared 14 reports documenting the state of voting rights in 13 states (tinyurl.com/Votingreports) across the country: Alabama (second Alabama report), Alaska, Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, New York, North Carolina, South Carolina, Texas, and Virginia. “The way forward is through Congress, and Congress needs to be told that over and over again,” Morales-Doyle said. In the meantime, he and other voting rights advocates are using what tools they still have to take the battle to the courts.
The Justice Department recently joined a suit by the Brennan Center, Mexican American Defense and Educational Fund and others against new rules in Texas. “None of the work stops while we’re waiting for Congress to act, but we still need Congress to act,” Morales-Doyle said. “Apart from suing, we need to keep up the work to change the public narrative on this. And people do want an expansive democracy!”
