Richmond High Student Earns Full Scholarship to Columbia University
BY JOE PORRELLO
Moving from El Salvador to the U.S. at age 13 in 2020, Cesia Mejia went from struggling to learn English to earning a full-ride academic scholarship at one of the most prestigious colleges in the country.
Now 17 years old and a senior at Richmond High, she will attend Columbia University in New York City next school year.
Meija’s 4.0 GPA and extracurricular activities helped her win the QuestBridge Scholarship, a program that links exemplary high school seniors from lowincome backgrounds with full four-year scholarships to 52 of the top U.S. colleges. She volunteers at events like cleanups and toy, food and clothing drives with Richmond High’s Kiwins Club as well as Rosie’s Leadership Group with the Rosie the Riveter Trust.
“I’m really excited. I never imagined myself going to Columbia,” Mejia said.
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“But I am a little scared because I’m going to be far away, and I’ve never been there before.”
The last time she had to adjust to an unfamiliar environment was when she arrived in the U.S. and had to learn a foreign language during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Mejia says sitting in front of a computer screen unable to understand much of what her eighth grade teachers were saying pushed her to learn English even faster.
“At first, it was really complicated and frustrating,” she said. “Everybody else was speaking the language, and I couldn’t.”
Shortly after, Mejia decided to dedicate her time to succeeding academically.
“Since pretty much my freshman year, I’ve really focused on school more than other things like going out with my friends,” she said.
But Mejia said she has since found balance, allowing her to have more free time and be part of a folklórico dance
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group.
Her motivation and inspiration to excel in school partly comes from her high school instructors.
“I’ve met some really incredible teachers that have played a big role,” said Mejia. “They not only help me with college things like applications but also help me implement things into my daily life.”
She credits her mother and father with making her aware — as far back as she can remember — of how important a sound education is. Now, Mejia is the first in her family to attend college and is on her way to a university with roughly a 4% acceptance rate.
“My parents are really over the moon, but I’m also their youngest child and only girl, so they protect me a lot and worry about me being far from them,” she said.
Mejia’s older brother and parents, she noted, never got the opportunity to experience college.
“In a way, I’m doing this not only for
me but also for them,” she said. “I have younger cousins too, and I’m really happy to be an example for them.”
For high school students feeling like the odds are against them, Mejia serves as an illustration of hope.
“I know a lot of people feel like college isn’t for them, but I would tell them to still try,” she said. “Everyone can go — there’s always a school that will want someone like them.”
With lots of resources at Richmond High for kids wanting to attend college, Mejia says students should not be shy about asking for guidance.
“Maybe their parents can’t support them financially, but there’s solutions to get around that,” she said. “Without the scholarship… it would have been really hard for my parents or me to pay the tuition.”
When she gets to Columbia, Mejia plans to major in public health because she is passionate about improving the lives of children in marginalized communities
See Scholarship, pg. 6
Cesia Mejia, a Richmond High senior, will attend the Ivy League Columbia University in the fall. Before 2020, she didn’t live in the U.S. or speak English. (Photo courtesy of Cesia Mejia)
Antioch Council Wants to Move Forward; Public Says It Can’t Forget the Past
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BY SAMANATHA KENNEDY
One of Antioch’s newest council members hopes future talks about how to move the city forward won’t just be “complaints, complaints, complaints” from the past, many of which criticize the newly elected mayor and council members.
City Council member Don Freitas’ comments came after numerous residents told the newly elected members at the Jan. 14 meeting they wanted to see a “dramatic difference” when it came to police accountability and racism.
“We can continue to come and have people talk about the past, and the past is very important for us to move forward, but we need to look at solutions moving forward,” said Freitas. “Sometimes people demand things, and sometimes the answer is no. Unfortunately, people don’t want to hear the word ‘no,’ so continue to criticize and rake the mayor, the council, the staff over the coals.”
“You want to move forward without healing,” resident Ashley Mahan told Freitas. “The Quinto family is sitting here and you can see their pain.”
Cassandra Quinto-Collins, mother of Angelo Quinto who died days after Antioch police officers restrained him in 2020; Kathryn Wade, mother to Malad Baldwin who was beaten by police; and Frank Sterling Jr., a KPFA journalist who said APD’s excessive force left him hospitalized, were in the audience at the meeting. The three settled lawsuits with the city last year for millions of dollars.
Under former Mayor Lamar Hernandez-Thorpe, Quinto-Collins said there was “a courageous beginning” to police reforms and hoped they’d continue.
“I want people to know I understand
there is a lot of hurt in the community,”
Mayor Ron Bernal said. “There is a need for a lot of healing in the community. It starts with a discussion.”
Bernal’s win in the November election, in which he beat Hernandez-Thorpe by over 30%, worried some Black and Brown residents. That was in part due to Bernal’s failure to publicly condemn racist rhetoric by his supporters while he was campaigning.
Bernal called for an end to racist comments in his first comments as mayor, but some residents say that won’t stop them.
“I agree that people that are online are making statements that are hurtful and racist is bad,” he said. “I can’t necessarily change that or stop doing things like that, but what I can do is, as the mayor, I can start a discussion with folks and bring us together to try to talk about our challenges and our differences and our hurts and our needs.”
That racism, speakers said, is largely from online news sites, their social media pages and some online forums. Some of those sites were the source of racist comments directed at City Manager Bessie Scott ahead of her hire.
Black leaders, including the NAACP, previously spoke out against one of those websites in 2021, saying it promoted racism.
Council member Tamisha TorresWalker, who was absent with council member Monica Wilson, for example, has been the target of racist comments during her time on the council.
“I saw a post on social media yesterday of a sign hanging over a highway near Concord and it said ‘Not White Not Welcomed’ and I thought to myself this can’t be the opinion of the majority,” Torres-Walker wrote in August, “and then I started reflecting on my time here in
Antioch.”
Nichole Gardner, an advocate for homeless residents and founder of Facing Homelessness in Antioch, told the council she was tired of the “keyboard warriors.”
“You say you’re against racism, but you’re forever on these blogs being racist as f—,” Gardner said. “The racists are dividing this city.”
Support for interim police chief
Throughout criticisms and doubts of Bernal and the new council members, support for Antioch’s interim police chief Joe Vigil was widespread and made some residents “optimistic.”
Vigil, who succeeded William “Brian” Addington and served in the role from August 2023 to February 2024, will serve in the position while a search for a permanent police chief is underway. Addington, who was accused of withholding records during his time as chief of police in Pittsburg, will remain involved with APD as a consultant.
“He is certainly the best pick for the job,” said Devin Williams, vice chair of the Antioch Police Oversight Commission. “I know he will keep bringing the transparency and work ethic that Chief Addington has provided in the last year.”
Vigil has 25 years of experience in law enforcement, including time in Richmond.
Similar to the praise Vigil received surrounding his transparency efforts, Bernal and council members prioritized a new police chief who will be visible in the community and actively engage with residents.
All three were hopeful of what a search for a new permanent chief could bring.
The new chief has “the opportunity to build one of the best police departments
Antioch Honors MLK’s Legacy With Day of Service
BY GABBIE MUNOZ
To commemorate Martin Luther
King Jr. Day, the city of Antioch hosted a series of events Jan. 20, inviting community members to engage in a “Day of Service.”
From 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., residents were encouraged to visit the Senior Center, Antioch Community Park or Fremont Elementary School to participate in volunteer activities that supported local initiatives and honored MLK’s legacy of service.
The Senior Center hosted a special day of service designed to foster interaction between seniors and the wider community. The event featured two hands-on activities: balloon painting and tie-dyeing T-shirts. The Oakland Zoo collaborated on the event to incorporate animal-themed designs into the balloon art, while Antioch Youth Services helped facilitate youth involvement. According to the city’s recreation services manager, Shahad Wright, more than 40 people volunteered. Among them was college student Kimberly Figueroa, who shared why the event is important to her.
“I really enjoy working with the elders. I had a grandpa at home, and these events bring back a lot of nostalgia for me,” Figueroa said.
Event organizer Maelvy Saucedo-Hinke, the Youth Services program coordinator, explained that the goal was to create activities where youth could collaborate with seniors and engage in meaningful service.
“We wanted to offer opportunities for young people to help, while also giving seniors a chance to participate in something creative,” she said.
Wright said it was the second year the city hosted the Day of Service in this format, stressing the importance of bringing young people and their elders together.
“They lived during the MLK and the civil rights movement and they have firsthand experience that can be shared with the young people,” he said. “Instead of playing MLK speeches or some thing like that it was more about individual relationship building between the different generations.”
He wants to see more of the same in years to come.
“Working with the school district is important and It’s something that we
want to keep doing in the future,” Wright said. “This was a group effort, and I think the recipe is there where we can do this for every MLK Day.”
Izzy Jaime, president of the Interact Club at Antioch High School, also volunteered at the event. “We love giving back and helping out with events like this,” Jaime said, noting that the club members assisted seniors with crafts and served lunch.
For seniors like Verinta Matthews, the event offered a chance to connect with family and the community while enjoying the activities.
“I came to participate in the crafts and spend time with my family,” Matthews said.
The event also featured a live performance by the Antioch High School orchestra, which was enjoyed by attendees, including Stella Black, who was there to support her granddaughter’s cello performance.
“I loved the performance, and it’s wonderful to see so many volunteers here today,” Black said.
To stay updated on future volunteer opportunities and events in Antioch, residents can follow the Antioch Recreation Department on Instagram. • See Antioch, pg. 6
‘America as We Knew it’—Ethnic Media on Trump’s First Week in Office
BY ANTHONY ADVINCULA ETHNIC MEDIA SERVICES
Hours into his second presidential term, Donald Trump issued dozens of executive orders related to immigration, including declaring a national emergency at the southern border and suspending the refugee and asylum admissions program.
Over the following days, Trump issued orders on a wide range of issues from birthright citizenship to DEI in federal hiring and withdrawing the U.S. from international participation on climate and global health, just to name a few.
Experts say the orders on immigration, in particular, are part of a broader “shock and awe” campaign intended to frighten migrant communities as the administration works to thoroughly revamp—or completely undo—America’s immigration system.
The orders leave tens of thousands in limbo outside the U.S. and have stoked fear in immigrant communities across the country. EMS asked ethnic media reporters and editors to weigh in on how the communities they serve are responding to Trump’s actions.
‘Go to work or stay home’
The Pakistani American community— particularly those without legal documentation—is worried about the Trump administration’s immigration agenda, says Mohsin Zaheer, publisher and editor of Urdu News.
That concern extends even to those without any criminal record, he says, who fear they may be detained during the anticipated raids by Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Countless families are now asking themselves, “Should we go to work or stay home.”
Zaheer adds there is also concern around legal immigration processes, including possible delays in cases related to sponsorship of parents, spouses, children, etc. Trump has repeatedly expressed his desire to limit legal immigration pathways.
The administration’s proposal to end birthright citizenship has added to the litany of questions and concerns across the Pakistani community, notes Zaheer. Twenty-two states, including California, are suing the administration over its effort to end birthright citizenship, which experts say is blatantly unconstitutional.
We are very scared
That’s the overriding sentiment among Latino residents in Trenton, New Jersey,
says Carlos Avila, publisher and editor of El Latino News. “We know that at any moment they (ICE) could detain us and deport us,” said Avila, quoting a local community member.
As in the Pakistani community, Latinos in Trenton and other parts of the country are limiting activities outside the home, avoiding streets, shopping malls, as well as schools and churches—which the Trump administration ordered are no longer off limits to immigration enforcement—and other public places where they run the risk of encountering immigration agents.
“When that happens, we must stay quiet and seek legal representation,”
Avila continued, acknowledging that some Latinos continue to hold out hope that Trump will deliver on his promise to improve the economy while tightening immigration.
That may prove tricky. Trump’s proposed mass deportation targeting some or all of the nation’s estimated 11 million unauthorized immigrants could cost upwards of $88 billion annually, according to the American Immigration Council, or $967 billion over the course of a decade, which is the minimum time likely needed to complete the program.
Beyond these direct costs for things like detention centers and beefed-up ICE and CBP personnel, such a program is estimated to reduce U.S. GDP by between 4.2% and 6.8% and lead to billions in lost tax revenue. Unauthorized immigrants paid $46.8 billion in federal taxes and $29.3 billion in state and local taxes in 2022 alone.
Making life impossible
“As we saw in the last election, many Latinos in New Jersey voted for Trump despite his anti-immigrant rhetoric,” says Kleibeel Marcano, editor in chief with Reporte Hispano. “Several people I interviewed before the election who supported Trump claimed that the promise of large raids and deportations was just campaign rhetoric.”
It’s a view shared among many, notes Marcano, despite Trump’s actions beginning on day one of his presidency indicating his intention to “deport as many immigrants as possible, with or without criminal records, and to make life impossible for undocumented immigrants.”
Marcano says concerns are growing, and that advocacy groups and community organizations in his area are organizing in response to educate the community and resist the anticipated
attack.
Ending humanitarian parole
“The early days of the second Trump administration have brought to life what many of us feared,” says Carlos Roa of Telecuento News in Kansas City, Missouri. “The demonization of the Latino immigrant community to put on a show for his voter base.”
According to Roa, the elimination of humanitarian parole programs for Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans, and Venezuelans “proves that this is not just about undocumented immigrants, as some argued, but about the entire community.”
Roa also points to the removal of Spanish-language resources from the White House website, which he says “carries significant weight regarding how this administration views Latinos.”
‘Some support for mass deportation’ Rong Xiaoqing, senior reporter with the Chinese-language Sing Tao Daily in New York, says there is support for Trump within the immigrant Chinese community despite the president’s past harsh—even racist, by some accounts— rhetoric targeting China and by extension Chinese.
“Asylum seekers are in fear,” says Rong, given Trump’s order ending asylum claims at the U.S. southern border.
But she notes, there is some support for his mass deportation campaign.
“I did a story yesterday about a group of Chinese who went to Washington, D.C. to see the inauguration ceremony,” says Rong. “These are Trump supporters. They worked in Pennsylvania to do canvassing for him. They got tickets… stood in the queue before the sun was up, waited for four hours, and still didn’t get in because the seats were quickly filled.”
That did not dampen their enthusiasm for Trump, continued Rong. “They expect him to bring this country back on track,” she said, adding these are “die hard” Trump supporters.
Whether their views are reflective of the broader Chinese American community is less clear, though there does appear to be growing disillusionment with Democrats, with influential groups including in San Francisco throwing off the Democratic brand they had long identified with.
The ‘people have spoken’
Mark Tyler is founder and publisher of Atlantic City Focus, which serves African American communities in New York,
See Trump, pg. 6
Pittsburg Planning Commission Chair Appointed to City Council
BY SAMANTHA KENNEDY
The Pittsburg City Council voted Jan. 13 to appoint Arlene Kobata, the current chair of the city’s Planning Commission, to the vacant council member seat and serve the rest of the nearly two-year term.
The appointment, which the council opted for over a special election, comes after former council member Shanelle Scales-Preston vacated the seat to serve on the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors. The move saved Pittsburg an estimated $700,000.
Kobata, a 36-year resident, was appointed unanimously and was most of the council’s first choice for the position. In the weeks-long process, she beat out 22 other candidates, three of whom she faced off against in a final public interview.
Ultimately, council members said Kobata came out on top for, among other things, having “the heart of a servant.”
“I just want to thank you for your belief in me, and I promise you that I will do my best to represent the city of Pittsburg and the residents,” Kobata said in her first remarks as a council member, “and doing the best for our future, for our community.”
Kobata was one of the top two votegetters among council members at the prior week's interviews alongside Wolfgang Croskey, the Chamber of Commerce’s CEO.
“I just can’t say enough. It’s important that a person is respected, they know where we’re going, they know our plans,” said Vice Mayor Dionne Adams. “She has, through the years, demonstrated it.”
Adams, who previously served alongside Kobata on the Planning Commission, said the newest council member once acted as a mentor to her.
“Her knowledge was just tremendous to me,” she said.
Adams and council members Juan Banales and Angelica Lopez named Kobata their top candidate for the position. Mayor Jelani Killings named Croskey his top choice.
In her interview the week before, Kobata said that environmental protections and city development were her “platform issues.” She also mentioned recreational programs for youth and opportunities for parents as areas of focus for her.
Youth development has been one of the Pittsburg City Council’s priorities, including increasing the amount of non-sports program offerings for youth. Pittsburg’s Dream Courts, a 45,000-square-foot sports complex, is also in development.
Kobata has also served on the Community Advisory Commission and, in her application, said she loves “to contribute to the growth of Pittsburg.”
When making their choice for the appointment, council members said some of their priorities included: understanding of the role’s expectations and policy priorities, learning agility, passion, commitment to public service and ability to listen to residents Lopez, who only recommended Kobata in last week’s interviews, said she wasn’t looking for someone who was
Urban Tilth Hosts Eighth MLK Day of Service in North Richmond to ‘Sow Some Seeds That Are Positive’
For Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service, people gathered Jan. 20 at Urban Tilth's North Richmond Farm, where they harvested, washed and chowed down on fresh produce.
STORY AND PHOTOS • JOE PORRELLO
Local community members of all ages and backgrounds gathered at the North Richmond Farm on Jan. 20 to celebrate its eighth annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. National Day of Service.
The event came courtesy of Urban Tilth, which has programs to build employment opportunities, a more sustainable food system, and a healthier community.
“Honoring Dr. King at this moment, especially today on Inauguration Day, is just so important because it reminds us that we’ve had really tough times before and people have rallied — they’ve been courageous when it wasn’t comfortable or safe,” said Doria Robinson, Urban Tilth executive director of 17 years, City Council member, and third-generation Richmond resident.
Cars nestled in across the street from the packed farm parking lot, as over 100 residents signed up to take part.
“There were way more people than we thought,” said Robinson. “I think a lot that are here today didn’t want to be home in front of the television thinking negative thoughts but rather wanted to come together and sow some seeds that are positive.”
Robinson says such constructiveness often requires some unselfish service, a la Dr. King, and choosing to use one’s time — in this case, a holiday off-day from work — to serve the greater good of their community.
“We made this a ‘day on,’ to remember that,” she said.
To start the festivities, staff members handed out gardening gloves to attendees before instructing them on proper planting techniques and helpful tips.
Residents then made conversation with new acquaintances or bonded with family as they transplanted their vegetation of choice from pots into garden beds on site.
Longtime activist Tutherukhonsuhotep Kingdom X, 38, enjoyed the event with his two sons, 8-yearold Kingdom Excellence Black-Ware and 2-year-old Wisdom Immaculate Black-Ware.
“We’re out here for Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.,” said Kingdom X. “We all know the sacrifices he made — he represented a movement for all humanity,”
He highlighted the importance of Urban Tilth's mission and success.
“I haven’t seen anything like this my whole life; folks just coming together to till and build, and heal the land and heal each other,” he said. “Living in the Bay Area, we’re so used to all the hustle and bustle and just focusing on surviving — we never really get a chance to just live and be.”
In about an hour, seemingly endless plants of different types had been given a new home in about 20 previously empty garden plots.
Many kids in attendance also took advantage of the opportunity to feed and pet chickens and roosters that live at North Richmond Farm.
Lathel Douglas III, 16, designed and made shirts for the event worn by many staff members and attendees.
“Man, it’s just great out here — there’s so many people doing a lot for their community that I’ve already talked to,” he said. “People willing to actually get their hands dirty and make a change is just a nice thing to see.”
After planting, residents replenished themselves with catered food like cornbread and collard greens provided by Urban Tilth.
Some attendees were experiencing the gathering for the first time, while others had plants at North Richmond Farm that they put into the ground during its first MLK Day celebration in 2017.
Similarly, Robinson has seen the proverbial roots of Urban Tilth mature from the beginning.
“I’ve seen this organization grow from literally two or three volunteers back when we started in 2005,” she said, “to now having 72 staff members across seven sites and about 14 programs that do everything from watershed restoration to food distribution.”
Currently serving about 500 families produce per week from their several local farm sites, Urban Tilth reshaped a formerly vacant county-owned lot into what is now a
core benefit for community members.
“It’s good to be able to promise something eight years ago and now say, ‘Look, we’re doing it — we did it,’’’ said Robinson.
Using a staff made up of about 75% local residents, Urban Tilth's offerings include free fruit trees for those living in local housing project areas like Atchison Village and the Iron Triangle, along with free farm stands all over Richmond from Tuesday to Friday starting at 2 p.m. Recurring monthly volunteer events are held by Urban Tilth on first Sundays at Richmond High, second Saturdays on the Richmond Greenway, and third Saturdays at Unity Park. Free veggie and flower starting kits can be acquired with no charge on site at the North Richmond Farm nursery stand every Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Through CalAIM, Urban Tilth serves as a Medically Tailored Meal vendor with Contra Costa Health Services — fulfilling referrals for eligible patients to receive weekly bags of fresh produce via the VeggieRX program. Such nutrition, Robinson says, can help people with chronic diseases control their illnesses more effectively.
Even outside of its specific programs, Urban Tilth provides however it can.
“Anybody from North Richmond can harvest here any time they want to,” said Robinson.
With a expansion underway that will grow the North Richmond Farm to 10 acres, double employment, feature a community room for organizing, and a cooperative cafe with free Wi-Fi and community kitchen to support local food entrepreneurs — Robinson is still focused on the present.
“When times are hard, it’s moments like this that you want to remember to help you keep going; when people circle up and have bright days together,” she said. “I think we’re about to enter a pretty dark time, so it’s really important for people to not stay isolated.” •
Garden beds that had been empty less than an hour prior looked more lively than ever thanks to teams of community gardeners..
Urban Tilth hosts its Day of Service each Martin Luther King Jr. Day to honor his sacrifices and commitment to the greater good.
The Eighth MLK Day of Service at Urban Tilth's North Richmond Farm was partly a family bonding experience, with many attendees bringing their children along.
Attendees will be able to come back to North Richmond Farm years from now to see how their plants have matured.
Tutherukhonhusotep Kingdom X, 38, said he and his two sons, 8-year-old Kingdom Excellence Black-Ware and 2-year-old Wisdom Immaculate Black-Ware, will be back at the North Richmond Farm for MLK Day again next year.
Racial Inequities Persist for Black People in Retirement
BY ETHNIC MEDIA SERVICES
Black workers are often forced into early retirement, dampening their prospects for a stable economic life post-career, reports the Center for Retirement Research at Boston College.
Numerous studies resulting from this research agenda reveal deep differences in how older Black and white Americans experience work and retirement.
Financial experts advise that the best route to security in retirement is for older workers to delay signing up for Social Security for as long as possible to increase their monthly benefit checks. “Work longer” is the mantra for millions of Americans who haven’t saved enough to maintain their standard of living when they retire.
Poor Health
But three recent studies document the considerable issues forcing many Black workers into early retirement. The first is their relatively poor health. The typical 51-year-old Black woman has the health of a 69-year-old white woman according to one study. A Black man, at 51, has the body of a 64-year-old white man.
An inordinate strain is also put on Black workers by the hazardous or toxic environments many are exposed to throughout their careers. They are much more likely to hold this type of job than white workers, and the Black workers in these jobs often cite poor health as a reason they retire. They also resort to applying for federal disability benefits at more than twice the rate of older white workers. There is a financial cost in retirement to leaving the labor force early, causing a drop in income.
Social Security is the financial bedrock for most U.S. retirees. The program has particular value to Black workers because they tend to earn less. Social Security adjusts for this by providing lower-income workers with a larger percentage of their earnings when they retire than a well-paid worker will receive. Social Security
holds another, less obvious value to Black retirees because there is so much unpredictability in their life spans, one study showed. For the healthiest Black retirees who do live a long time, that reliable monthly income is crucial.
Income Inequality
But Social Security isn’t designed to provide enough income, by itself, to live comfortably. The U.S. retirement system also relies on workers to save money for old age. A longstanding problem is that Black workers’ financial wealth is a fraction of whites’ wealth. Recent research with new information about the wealth gap finds that wealth inequality actually widens as people retire and grow old.
In the years before retirement, older white households have six times more in their 401(k)s than older Black households. That grows to 10 times more after they retire. The smaller amount in savings causes an issue for Black retirees who own their homes. Although many retirees encounter difficulty paying the mortgage after their income declines, Black homeowners struggle more,
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the same as current council members, nor was she looking for “a buddy.” Instead, she was looking for someone to replace some of what Scales-Preston brought to the community.
“Instead of using this as an opportunity for more division, let us work together to actually be that anchor that I told you guys we need to be,” she said.
In her time on the Planning Commission, Kobata was one of the commissioners who voted not to recommend the Seeno Hillside Project, a 1,500-home development in the southwest part of the city.
Kobata will serve out the rest of the term until November 2026.
“It’s a sigh of relief because now we have a direction forward,” Adams said, “but more so than anything, I’m just grateful to be on this council and also have you all here as our constituents, staff included, to get through this process.” •
according to another study.
Black workers face many inequities in the workplace, from lower pay and employer discrimination to physically demanding work that puts undue strain on their bodies. These inequities carry into retirement.
The research studies reported herein were performed pursuant to a grant from the U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA) funded as part of the Retirement and Disability Research Consortium. The opinions and conclusions expressed are solely those of the authors and do not represent the opinions or policy of SSA or any agency of the Federal Government. Neither the United States Government nor any agency thereof, nor any of their employees, makes any warranty, express or implied, or assumes any legal liability or responsibility for the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of the contents of this report. Reference herein to any specific commercial product, process or service by trade name, trademark, manufacturer, or otherwise does not necessarily constitute or imply endorsement, recommendation or favoring by the United States Government or any agency thereof. •
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that lack access to healthcare.
In her youth, Mejia says she spent a lot of time in hospitals with poor conditions and a lack of resources, which made it difficult for her mother to take care of her while her father was working.
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New Jersey and Philadelphia. He says many are taking a “hands off” approach to Trump’s first days and weeks in office.
“Now, living in a new country, I see how
“They seem content to let the larger community see Trump for what he is,” said Tyler. “The people have spoken, now let them feel.”
On Jan. 23, Trump signed an executive order, “Ending Illegal Discrimination and Restoring MeritBased Opportunity,” which in essence repeals a series of executive orders going as far back as President Lyndon Johnson’s administration that call for prioritizing DEI in federal hiring and contracting programs.
The order has led to the shuttering of federal DEI offices, putting in jeopardy employment for thousands of federal workers.
Writing for Word in Black, author Keith Boykin notes African Americans are overrepresented in the federal workforce precisely because of these antidiscrimination efforts.
Boykin call’s Trump’s executive order on DEI an “attack on Black America.”
Making America Great Again, With a Marker
“Nothing Trump said Monday surprised me other than he finally spoke the truth about his intentions to make America great again with his magic marker,” says Alice Tisdale, publisher and founder of The Jackson Advocate in Jackson, Mississippi. “Poof! America as we knew it — gone!” •
(Photo by Arun Anoop on Unsplash))
How a 40-Year Black PG&E Employee Became a Safety Pioneer and Continues to Serve Diverse Communities
BY TONY KHING | SPONSORED CONTENT PACIFIC GAS AND ELECTRIC COMPANY
June 14, 2003. A day Clifton Smith Sr. will never forget. Clifton, then an electrical technician at the Helms Pumped Storage Plant east of Fresno, was an hour into his shift. He was deep inside the underground plant to replace a failed breaker for one of the water pumps.
Clifton and his coworker, Rick Cheney, were placing a rubber blanket over another existing energized breaker. But an exposed wire, combined with other factors, triggered an electrical explosion.
The explosion blew Clifton 15 feet backwards. If he hadn’t hit a guard rail, Clifton said he “would have gone over the railing and fallen 50 feet down to the basement onto a concrete floor.”
The accident burned more than 40% of Clifton’s body.
“From my belly button all the way up to the top part of my forehead,” he said. “I retain heat from the middle of my chest to my right arm all the way up to just past the elbow. I don’t sweat.”
A champion for safety
He didn’t work for more than two years. As a result of Clifton’s accident, all employees at Helms as well as those working on job sites and locations with gas transmission and distribution, substations and electric transmission are now required to wear flame resistant (FR) shirts and pants.
Clifton doesn’t consider himself a pioneer when it comes raising the safety bar at PG&E. But he was certainly a champion for mandatory FR clothing on the job. Clifton believes 90% of his injuries would’ve been prevented if he had worn FR clothing. He traveled to various PG&E locations to share his story of what happened and to convince coworkers of its importance.
“I have a bucket list of the things our department has done that was substantial in making a big difference in the things we do,” said Clifton. “The FR clothing requirement was one of them.”
Clifton appreciates PG&E’s approach to safety. “Over the last 10 years, we’ve tried to be more proactive than reactive,” he said. “Being reactive tells me you don’t really care about me. Being proactive tells me you genuinely
care about my well-being.”
‘I just enjoy teaching’
Clifton, who also received the 33rd John A. Britton Gold Medal Award for rescuing a family from a burning home, started his 40th year at PG&E last October. Over his four decades, the native San Franciscan has been in Electric Operations as an apprentice, journeyman electrician, subforeman, electrical technician, maintenance supervisor, construction supervisor, maintenance and construction engineering supervisor.
These days, he’s a senior technical instructor at the electric training facility in Livermore.
Clifton teaches the basics to apprentice and journeyman electricians as well as the Engineers in Training program. He also instructs refresher courses in substation operations.
“I’m giving my all to see to it that when they come to work,” said Clifton, “they get to go back home to their families and enjoy the benefits of a hard day’s work.”
As a former journeyman electrician, Clifton also feels an obligation to pass his knowledge forward.
“It’s a code of ethics,” he said. “A journeyman has an obligation. You must train the people below you. You must take your knowledge and pass that on to improve your classification.
“I just enjoy teaching,” added Clifton, who wanted to be a teacher or a football coach before coming to PG&E.
Football is family
Clifton, whose football career was derailed by a knee injury at Fresno State, has lived the dream through his family.
His son, Clifton Jr., was the second undrafted rookie free agent named to the Pro Bowl. During that season, he returned a kickoff 97 yards and a punt for 70 yards for touchdowns. He accomplished those feats in 2008 with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Clifton Jr. also played for the Miami Dolphins and Cleveland Browns.
In addition, Clifton’s grandson, Brandon Smith, ran for 1,900 yards and scored 28 touchdowns in leading Fresno’s Central High School to the 2024 California Interscholastic Federation 1-A state championship game.
‘I’d rather look at the blessing side’
As for the future, Clifton wants to work for “as long as I’m healthy. I love what I do.”
What would Clifton like to be known for? “Probably for my honesty,” he said about his speak-up skills. “I’m not afraid to tell you something. It’s like, ‘If you don’t want to know, don’t ask Cliff because he’s going to tell you the truth, whether it hurts or not.’ It has carried me a long way with this company.”
No matter what happens in the future, Clifton will never forget that day more than 20 years ago.
“There was some divine intervention because I shouldn’t be here today,” he said. “I’d rather look at the blessing side of it than anything else.” •
PG&E worker Clifton Smith Sr. became an advocate for flame-retardant clothing after an accident burned more than 40% of his body. He also won an award for saving a family from a burning home. (Photo courtesy of PG&E)
Playing Solitaire: What I Learned in Five Months in Jail
E
ditor’s note: We have decided to protect the author’s identity to allow them to speak freely about their experiences surrounding jail.
“Keep on moving to higher ground” — Maya Angelou, “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings”
In the summer of 2024, I was arrested and carted off to a holding tank for several hours. I couldn’t afford my bail, or the 10% down required for a bail bond, so off to jail I went.
My first impressions of jail were bleak. I was surrounded by mostly unhappy inmates with a variety of charges. We were all locked up in a building that stood behind two 15-foot chain link fences with barbed wire on top, doubled up in cells with bunk beds, wearing the same style of clothes, eating the same meals off the same trays, using the same bathrooms and showers. It was dirty and unkept. There was constant gossip, politics, fights, drama. It was not a happy place.
The first week was horrendous, mentally. The first month was not much better. I was in a dark place for a long time. I stayed up half the night thinking about my life, my case, the possible outcomes — the uncertainty produced severe anxiety.
To get to my first court appearance, I was shackled in handcuffs connected to a chain around my waist, sardined together with a busload of other inmates and transported to the courthouse at 5 in the morning to sit in a cold cinder block room — the “bullpen” — with other inmates.
In court, the DA skewered me, made me out to be a madman. It felt like I was guilty until proven innocent, not the other way around. I pleaded not guilty. Back to jail I went to wait a month before the next court date. A routine I eventually repeated several times.
“The longer someone is here, the quicker it goes by.” By the beginning of the third month, I was, in a sense, hitting my stride. I was in tune with the structured schedule and knew all the times by heart. I played basketball, practiced Spanish, made frequent collect phone calls, and watched TV.
I devoured books, being transported to their various settings and becoming fully engrossed in their intricate stories. I had read books “on the outside,” mostly self-help or motivational ones, but never fiction. The first fiction book I read inside that I absolutely adored was “Singin’ and Swingin’ and Gettin’ Merry Like Christmas” by Maya Angelou. It described a boat
party involving a select group of like-minded weirdos, elements of an artist’s experience developing their style, and the exhilaration felt when connecting that art with audiences.
I would read in my cell often, at all times of day. Books were obtained by weekly visits to the library and traded among inmates who read. I finally got around to reading some classics like “On the Road” by Jack Kerouac and “The Sun Also Rises” by Ernest Hemingway. While worthwhile literature, my expectations exceeded their impact. Malcolm Gladwell’s “Outliers,” on the other hand, was so inspiring I read 160 pages in one day. While reading, I wrote down words I didn’t fully understand so that I could look them up and contemplate their meaning. I wrote down quotes that inspired me. I read travel guides and dreamt of being in distant lands, far away from my troubles.
Listening to the radio while playing solitaire also kept my spirits up, especially when certain music I loved was aired. Music was key in helping me remember who I am — that I was more than an inmate.
The weekly commissary delivery was a highlight. I was, and am still, in love with Doritos and Snickers. What a treat!
I started taking daily self-enrichment classes. They helped me reflect on who I am as a person, what it means to have determination and how to focus on the goals I have in life. They were tremendously helpful and made a huge impact. I am forever grateful for them.
In many ways, jail is not like it is portrayed in the movies. There are definitely bad actors, but I found that
Assembly Bill 3121, from May 2021 to June 2023.
Moore told California Black Media, “This day speaks to the resiliency of descendants of American slaves. We are not taking no for an answer. We came right back once the doors opened to the Capitol. We came back, and we mean business.”
This time, the advocates say, they returned to Sacramento with a message and a mission to educate others that they will not be deterred in their efforts to reintroduce the reparations bills.
CJEC is California’s statewide leading grassroots of advocates, organizers and mobilizers for reparations and reparative justice. They have been meeting privately after two bills authored by former Sen. Steven Bradford, D-Inglewood, — Senate Bill 1403 and SB 1330 — stalled in the Assembly.
a large percentage of inmates hit a rough patch in their lives and made bad decisions that they got caught up in. I had lots of time to reflect on my life, especially during periods called “lockdown” where we were required to be inside our cell. Thoughts of all that I did wrong, all that I did right and all that I would do when I was eventually released. There is nothing but time inside locked walls.
Jail is absolutely a tough place to be, and, ultimately, I adapted. Nevertheless, losing my freedom was awful. After almost five months, I was released.
Being released was surreal. The sky was brighter than I remembered, restaurant food was sensational, a sense of gratitude was almost overwhelming. I’ve since lost some friendships while others are deeper than ever. I also share camaraderie with those who have been incarcerated.
I now deeply appreciate the freedom to do as I please. The “little” things matter most: hugging Mom, eating tacos, having free time and free will and free movement, petting dogs and hugging trees. It’s divine!
I’ve been sober now for over six months. For someone like me, who had been drinking and drugging steadily for over 20 years, this is huge. I’m so grateful to be clearheaded, have goals, and a strong desire to stay this way. Life is worth living. •
In hindsight, jail was absolutely good for me. It was the reality check I needed. It put things in perspective and, in the end, reawakened a spirit I let the world dampen. Life is worth living. I am grateful. •
Therefore, they voted against advancing the legislation.
The advocates say they expect to bring the bills back under a new leadership that includes CLBC chairperson Sen. Akilah Weber-Pierson, D-La Mesa, and vice chair Isaac Bryan, D-Ladera Heights.
“It was a good day to send a message to the folks inside that we are here for business,” said Champion. “As we have mentioned several times, Aug. 31 was unacceptable. We’re going to make sure that doesn’t happen again.”
Champion continued, “The legislators in there are supposed to represent us, and if they can’t get the job done, we will find folks who can.”
BY ANTONIO RAY HARVEY CALIFORNIA BLACK MEDIA
Reparations advocates from nearly 20 grassroots organizations across California gathered at the State Capitol on Jan. 7 for the first Reparations Education and Advocacy Day event.
Led by the Coalition for A Just and Equitable California, the event took place in the location where advocates protested after two reparations bills were denied a floor vote in the Assembly.
“The last time we were here was Aug. 31, and it was a shame (those bills did not get a floor vote),” said Los Angeles-based attorney Kamilah Moore, chairperson of the Task Force to Study and Develop Reparation Proposals for African Americans, established by
SB 1403 proposed the creation of a new state agency called the California American Freedmen Affairs Agency. It would’ve been accountable for determining eligibility for reparations and administering government processes related to compensation.
SB 1331 was designed to build an account in the state Treasury for the purpose of funding reparations policies approved by the Legislature and governor.
Chris Lodgson, leader of CJEC, and other advocates visited the offices of almost the entire body of 120 state senators and assemblymembers, urging them to introduce or support 2025 reparations bills.
Marcus Champion, a Los Angeles community activist, photojournalist and reparations advocate, made the trek from Southern California to Sacramento. He shared his impression of the roles of the lawmakers, particularly members of CLBC.
During the last legislative session, leaders of the CLBC cited “structural” concerns about the reparation bills.
Advocates say the bills they support propose a state agency to verify lineage-based reparations eligibility; a reparations fund in the state Treasury; and funding for reparations activities in the 2025 budget, including direct cash payments to qualifying Black Californians and restitution and compensation for stolen property.
Lodgson said that they are prepared to have discussions with the CLBC, Republicans and Democrats as a whole to form a consensus to support the bills.
Lodgson and others who support reparations for Black Californians based on lineage say that they are willing to discuss their goals with other factions of reparation supporters who advocate for compensation based on race.
If approved, lineage-based reparations would be limited to Black Californians who can trace their ancestry back to enslaved or free Black people in the United States before 1900.
Race-based reparations would open up the eligibility pool for reparations to include anyone in California who identifies as Black as opposed to Californians with a direct connection to a person who was enslaved in the United States. •
A sign for the library at Alcatraz Prison. Books transported the author when they were behind bars. (“Bibliothèque de prison / Prison library” by banlon1964 / Flickr / CC BY-NC-ND 2.0 license)