Vol. 63 No. 12 | Thursday, March 23, 2023

The California Black Media Political Playback: Five Must-Know Stories

One Resident’s Nightmare with City of San Diego Hiring

By Katrina Hamilton

Nearly two weeks ago, a representative from the City of San Diego announced on ABC 10 news that the city was hiring.

Throughout my career I’ve never really been interested in working for the city as an official government employee. However, after watching how ABC 10 news has diversified its staff to include phenomenal talents like Wale Aliya, Nia Watson and Moses Small, I figured that if a large media conglomerate like ABC could practice DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion), then I am sure applying to the City of San Diego would be a step in the right direction.

After all, in 2021, the City created the Office of Race and Equity. With one of its intended goals “to end racial disparities within City government by advancing fairness in hiring and promotions,” little did I realize that my application process would rapidly turn into an absolute nightmare.

Five California Cities

Sign First Partner’s Equal Pay Pledg e

Last week, California First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom announced five cities — Oakland, San Francisco, Los Angeles, San Diego, Long Beach, and Fresno — have signed the California Equal Pay Pledge.

“The California Equal Pay pledge is a partnership between the Office of the First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom, the California Commission on the Status of Women and Girls, and the California Labor and Workforce Development Agency to turn the strongest equal pay laws in the nation into the smallest pay gap in the nation,” according to the governor’s office.

Kimberly Ellis, Director of the San Francisco Department on the Status of Women, said closing the gender gap is something California “must do.”

“From building credit to building wealth, we know that the wage gap has greatly hindered progress toward actualizing women’s equality,” says Ellis. “The City and County of San Francisco is proud to support the First Partner’s initiative and look forward to doing our part to making pay equity a reality for all women in the Golden State.”

Siebel Newsom said public and private partnerships are essential to closing the gender gap.

“Pay inequity stems from a patriarchal system that was not built with gender equity in mind, but instead built to keep money and power in the hands of few men in control,” she said.

California Black Media is following up with a report on gender and employment that focuses on data specific to Black women.

See PLAYBACK page 6

First off, the city had an opening for a Literacy Coordinator’s position. I decided to enthusiastically apply since the possession of a Masters Degree in Education or Social Sciences would substitute for the job required experience.

I’ve had my Master of Arts in Education for years. As a matter of fact, with my additional two years experience for this particular position, it appeared that this was a perfect match.

However, to my surprise, I received an email one day after the position closed stating that my application was ineligible to move forward based on me not meeting the minimum requirements. Baffled, I made certain to call ASAP since the correspondence stated I only had five days to respond with any questions.

See NIGHTMARE page 6

Silicon Valley Bank Collapse Concerns Founders of Color

By Kat Stafford and Claire Savage ASSOCIATED PRESS

a bank to open an account, because they’re visiting parents overseas.

One clear theme emerged: a deep concern about the broader impact on startups led by people of color.

While Wall Street struggles to contain the banking crisis after the swift demise of SVB — the nation’s 16th largest bank and the biggest to fail since the 2008 financial meltdown — industry experts predict it could become even harder for people of color to secure funding or a financial home supporting their startups.

preneurs face while attempting to navigate industries historically rife with racism.

“All these folks that have very special circumstances based on their identity, it’s not something that they can just change about themselves and that makes them unbankable by the top four (large banks),” said Asya Bradley, a board member of numerous startups who has watched the WhatsApp group grapple with SVB’s demise.

In the hours after some of Silicon Valley Bank’s biggest customers started pulling out their money, a WhatsApp group of startup founders who are immigrants of color ballooned to more than 1,000 members.

Questions flowed as the bank’s financial status worsened. Some desperately sought advice: Could they open an account at a larger bank without a Social Security Number? Others questioned whether they had to physically be at

SVB had opened its doors to such entrepreneurs, offering opportunities to form crucial relationships in the technology and financial communities that had been out of reach within larger financial institutions. But smaller players have fewer means of surviving a collapse, reflecting the perilous journey minority entre-

Banking expert Aaron Klein, a senior fellow in Economic Studies at the Brookings Institution, said SVB’s collapse could exacerbate racial disparities.

See BANK page 6

PHOTO: Wikimedia Commons

Your weekly California Black Media news roundup

Silicon Valley Bank headquarters. PHOTO: Wikimedia Commons

All the late nights, homework till two. Challenging yourself at every turn. Believing in your abilities, your uniqueness, your strength. Inspiring those around you with your determination, faith and hope. Following your heart, and leading the way with passion and perseverance. Offering support, and accepting it, too, from your family, friends and community. Striving to make the world better. And knowing that your dreams will soon be within reach at UCLA .

Congratulations on being accepted to the #1 public university in the nation. Out of nearly 170,000 applicants, the most in the country, you stood out. And did San Diego proud. You’re a Bruin through and through. You belong here. And we can’t wait to welcome you.

On The Matter of A City of San Diego Employee ‘Changing’ a Hiring Announcement

By Dr. John E. Warren Publisher, The San Diego Voice & Viewpoint

The City of San Diego Personnel Department is now making serious changes to its policy of announcing job vacancies and new hiring opportunities. This is a good thing in terms of efforts at “inclusion”. But it appears that major harm can be done to this effort by placing inexperienced “trainee” personnel in the position of speaking with the public or job applicants during the application process without the proper training.

Such was the case outlined on the front page of this newspaper by Ms. Katrina Hamilton, an applicant

for an announced job vacancy. As Ms. Hamilton points out in her statement to the newspaper, the person at the City of San Diego Personnel Department handling her inquiry took it upon herself to change the stated job requirements while talking to Ms. Hamilton, resulting in Ms. Hamilton being disqualified from the position she was seeking as a result of the “trainee” in the Personnel Department changing the qualifications for the announcement vacancy to the exclusion of Ms. Hamilton while she was on the telephone with that person.

Upon the changes in the job description, it was not reposted or re-advertised to show the new job requirements. This story would never reach a supervisor if it were not “posted” here. In the interest of fairness to Ms. Hamilton, and for the sake of the integrity of the City’s Personnel Department, it is hoped that this matter is investigated and that Ms. Hamilton has not been “blacklisted” with the City.

A Historic Vote and the Tools It Gave Us

By Ben Jealous

Vice President Kamala Harris is sure to be remembered every March in Women’s History Month as the first woman and the first person of color to serve our nation in that position. As notable as those two facts are, she may grow to be known just as much for a single vote in the Senate that helped save the planet.

Last August, she broke the 50-50 deadlock between Democrats and Republicans in the Senate to pass the Inflation Reduction Act. That historic package, along with the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act that Harris had crisscrossed the country in 2021 to build support for, give us a once-in-a-generation chance to protect the climate and build a cleaner, fairer economy.

Both laws bear Harris’ mark. For example, the two packages provide billions to replace diesel school buses with electric ones and an additional tax credit for purchases that counties and cities make on their own. As a senator, Harris repeatedly sponsored bills to electrify the nation’s school buses. Similarly, she championed proposals to help recovery in low-income communities that bear a disproportionate burden of pollution and climate; the IRA includes $60 billion directed to help those places.

Harris’ role inside and outside Washington on environmental issues isn’t surprising. When she was elected San Francisco’s district attorney 20 years ago, she started one of the first environmental justice units in a prosecutor’s office. When she moved on to be California’s attorney general, she fought to protect the state from fossil fuel interests, winning tens of millions in civil settlements and a criminal indictment against the pipeline company responsible for an oil spill off Santa Barbara, as well as suing the federal government to block fracking off the coast. It’s a path others have been

What Asian American Oscar Victories Mean for All of Us

By Emil Guillermo

able to follow in the years since (Columbia University keeps a database of attorneys general’s environmental actions now).

It’s a concern that runs deep. Like I did, Harris grew up in environmentally conscious northern California in a household deeply involved in the civil rights movement. She learned early that conservation was a good thing, so much so that she has joked she couldn’t understand as a youngster why people she knew said conservatives were bad.

The Biden-Harris administration has provided leadership. With Congress, they’ve given us the tools to clean up pollution, to boost communities’ resilience to climate related natural disasters like wildfires, and to create good jobs in clean manufacturing across the country in unprecedented ways. Through the infrastructure and inflation reduction packages, the United States can spend more than double protecting Earth than we spent putting astronauts on the moon.

“I think we all understand we have to be solutions driven. And the solutions are at hand,” Harris said at a climate summit earlier this month. “We need to make up for some lost time, no doubt. This is going to have an exponential impact on where we need to go.”

It’s time for the rest of us to pick up those tools and build. There are powerful interests that would be more than happy to let the inertia that allows people and places to be treated as disposable continue indefinitely. Our planet can’t afford that, and we have to marshal a movement to prevent it.

Ben Jealous is executive director of the Sierra Club. This article originally appeared in Post News Group.

After the Oscars, when Asian Americans were everywhere on the winners list, from actors, writers, directors, but also makeup artists, and not just in “Everything Everywhere All at Once,” but also in movies like “The Whale,” I turn to the Oakland playwright Ishmael Reed who must be wondering, will Asian Americans now go for the Whiteness Prize?

(I consider Asian American to be a generic term, indicating people of Asian descent either living or working, not necessarily indicative of their citizenship status.)

I’m in New York as an actor in “The Conductor,” the latest Reed production now off-Broadway. I play a brown-skinned Tucker Carlsontype on a faux Fox, and very conservative, news network. As an Asian American sometime-actor, I’m gratified to see Asian American creatives take their historic star turn at the Oscars. Asians have won the Academy Award for best supporting actor before, but never has there been a best actor/actress winner until the Malaysia-born, Hollywoodbased Michelle Yeoh a few weekends ago.

There’s something about being a “first.” A “never before.” But what’s next?

And that’s where Reed’s play got me thinking. In Reed’s “The Conductor,” Blacks start a new underground railroad to help Indian Americans — not American Indians, but those from the continent of India — escape a wave of xenophobia that is forcing them to flee to Canada.

The main character, columnist Warren Chipp, is Reed’s alter ego. When a conservative Indian seeks refuge and asks Chipp why the liberal Chipp is being so nice to him, Chipp reveals his grasp of irony.

“Minorities make alliances with us (Blacks) until their admission to the white club is accepted. This happened to the Jews, the Japanese, the Irish, the Italians and now you guys (Asian Indians).”

It’s just one of the provocative asides in the play, but the historical examples are there.

Says Chipp/Reed: “These groups come running to us when the white man decides to sic mobs on them because of some geopolitical conflict or culture war. Begging us to hide them and save them. And then, when they get an ‘all-clear’ sign, they return to auditioning for whiteness again. Lining up and trampling over each other, asking white people to ‘choose me!’. Some of them even change their names to go Anglo.”

Reed says it’s the root of “Afro-Pessimism.”

What’s that?

It’s a term by Frank Wilderson, as Reed explains, that means Blacks can’t depend upon Blacks’ “junior allies.” Wilderson calls B.S. on intersectionality and says that Blacks “must go it alone.”

After rehearsals and the first four performances, the passages from the play haunt me. Especially [on that] Sunday. When the Asian Americans were preparing for their Oscar turn, I was off-Broadway living Reed’s play.

Is the Model Minority now back to auditioning for whiteness again? I hope not. I get what Reed’s saying in his play. But I see the Oscar victory as a win for not just Asian Americans but all BIPOC communities in all their unique narratives.

AAPI stories have a kind of heat now. An independent film about a family with a laundromat dealing with the IRS and the multiverse where people have hotdogs as fingers puts us in a whole new ballgame. We aren’t so weird after all. We’re of immigrant descent, sure. We’re different, yes. But we’re of the modern world and our stories deal in universal truths.

People flocked to “Everything Everywhere All at Once,” which gave it some cache as an indie project that was making money. Not like “Top Gun” money, but enough to satisfy Hollywood accountants. Once it caught the attention of the Academy looking for diversity, the film was simply recognized for its off-beat ingenuity and its creative weirdness.

See OSCARS page 14

Ebenezer

Eagles

OBITUARIES

Ardroy Fay Gregory Charles Derrick

Anderson

SUNRISE 11/27/1927

SUNSET 02/05/2023

ARRANGEMENTS BY ANDERSON-RAGSDALE

MORTUARY

Funeral services were held on 03/03/2023 at Mt. Erie Baptist Church, with a burial following at Miramar National Cemetery. Final arrangements were entrusted to Anderson Ragsdale Mortuary.

The sun rose for Ardroy in Lufkin, Texas on November 27, 1927. She was the youngest child born to Alonso and Mary Bell Henderson. Her older siblings were Annie Ree, Emmitt, Mary Lee, Argincie and Jessie. She graduated from Dunbar High School and was an active member of Goodwill Missionary Baptist Church. She moved to San Diego in 1949, and after working several minor jobs began working in the laundry industry.

Ardroy began attending Community Baptist Church in the early sixties. While attending Community she was active in the choir where she was a soloist. She also served on various other committees, the New Member Committee, Secretary of the First Aid Society and worked in the Health Unit on Sundays. During that time, she was also very active in The Rainbow Choir, where she was also a soloist. The choir played in many programs throughout the city. In 2012, she became a member of Mt. Erie Baptist Church. While attending there she was active in the Naomi Circle, an avid attendee of Sunday School and greatly enjoyed bible study.

Ardroy enjoyed traveling and taking a lot of pictures of the many places she visited. One of her favorite trips was always to visit family in Texas. Many of the other things she enjoyed were gardening, dining out, fishing, watching old westerns on television, and going to the gym where she always enjoyed the jacuzzi after working out. She also enjoyed volunteering and worked for many years at the Neighborhood House and George Stevens Senior Center. She was a longtime resident of the George D. McKinney Retirement Center being one of the oldest in time and age of the residents there.

Ardroy passed on February 5, 2023. She was preceded in death by her parents and siblings. She leaves to cherish her living memory three daughters Delois Dollarhide, Marilyn Hershey, Linda Anderson and one son Steven Smith all of San Diego. She also leaves a rich legacy of 13 grandchildren, 22 great grandchildren and 13 great great grandchildren as well as nieces and nephews and a host of other relatives and friends.

Anthony Langston

SUNRISE SUNSET 09/25/1958 02/22/2023

ARRANGEMENTS BY PREFERRED CREMATION & BURIAL MORTUARY

Funeral Services were held at Greater Fellowship on March 16, 2023.

Christian

ARRANGEMENTS BY ANDERSON-RAGSDALE MORTUARY

Funeral services were held on 03/02/2023 at Immanuel Chapel, with a burial following at Mt. Hope Cemetery. Final arrangements were entrusted to Anderson Ragsdale Mortuary.

Gregory Charles Christian (Greg) was born on July 7, 1970 in North Little Rock, Arkansas and joined the family of Paul A. Christian, Sr. and Clarice Lester Christian.

Being part of a Navy family, Greg grew up in Ft. Smith, AR, Virginia Beach, VA; Pensacola, Fl. Longview, TX and San Diego, CA school systems. He played basketball at Morris High School, San Diego, CA and graduated in 1988. He briefly attended Grossmont College.

Greg was baptized and participated in church and youth activities in each state, mostly St. Mark CME Church in Texas, St. John CME Church, and Immanuel Chapel Christian Church in San Diego. He remained a supporter of his mother’s church into adulthood, helping with the feeding ministry and table/tent set ups.

Greg loved cars, had vision and an entrepreneurial spirit. He created gadgets and technologies that are still in use today. He also owned and operated several small businesses.

Greg traveled extensively but for the past 7 years lived and worked in Des Moines, Iowa as a manager at Menard Corporation, after working at the family bookstore in San Diego.

After suffering a stroke on December 31, 2022, Greg was called home to be with the Lord on February 1, 2023. Greg was a man of faith and believed in the power of prayer. His favorite song during the last days of life on earth was “Fix Me Jesus, Fix Me.”

Greg was preceded in death by his grandparents CJ and Rosie Christian and Clarence Lewis and Odessa Lester; and two uncles, Charles Christian and James Christian.

Gregory’s memory lives on through his parents, Paul Sr. and Pastor Clarice Christian, Brothers Paul Christian Jr. and Marcus Christian; his most beloved daughter Chassity Christian (Deshon), his step children, Melanie Carter, Deviyon Carter (Emiliana), Dominique Jones (Patrick), Ashley Amey (Quinton) their mom Sandra Jones and their children; Uncle Wendell Christian and Aunt Mary E. Moore; Uncle William Lester (Mary) a host of cousins and other family and friends, including classmates, friends/co-workers at Menards and the Laughing Crab in Des Moines, Iowa, and his Immanuel Chapel Church family.

Lamont

Grays

SUNRISE 08/30/1972

SUNSET 02/11/2023

ARRANGEMENTS BY ANDERSON-RAGSDALE MORTUARY

Funeral services were held on February 28,2023 at Memory Chapel of Anderson Ragsdale. Final arrangements were entrusted to Anderson Ragsdale Mortuary. Derrick Lamont Grays passed away on February 11, 2023, in San Diego, California. Derrick was born August 30, 1972, in Jacksonville, AR to Gwendolyn Hatchett and the late Melvin Grays. He was educated in Pulaski County School District where he played various musical instruments, saxophone being his favorite. Derrick attended Philander a career with the US Navy. He worked at the Pentagon before relocating to San Diego for Navy Seal training. His first Navy ship was the Lake Champlain, followed by the USS Bonhomme Richard, until his departure from the Navy in 2010.

He leaves to cherish his memory, his loving wife of 25 years, Loraine Grays; Mother Gwendolyn Hatchett; sister Tia Williams; loyal pet Buddha; and a host of many loving family and friends.

James Knoxall

Hubbard

SUNRISE 07/19/1939

SUNSET 02/11/2023

ARRANGEMENTS BY ANDERSON-RAGSDALE MORTUARY

Funeral services were held on 03/03/2023 at Memory Chapel of Anderson Ragsdale Mortuary, with a burial following at Mt. Hope Cemetery. Final arrangements were entrusted to Anderson Ragsdale Mortuary.

James K. Hubbard,83, of National City, passed away peacefully on Saturday, February 11, 2023. James was born July 19, 1939 in Lima, Oklahoma and was one of twelve children born to Warren and Beatrice Hubbard. He moved to California in his early 20’s where he attended classes at San Diego State University. He retired from the Greyhound bus company. James was preceded in death by his parents, two brothers and two sisters. He is survived by his wife, three children, three grandchildren, one brother and six sisters as well as a host of nieces, nephews, and cousins.

Evelyn Shaw

SUNRISE SUNSET 06/21/1929 02/24/2023

ARRANGEMENTS BY PREFERRED CREMATION & BURIAL MORTUARY

Anthony Bernard Langston was born on Thursday, September 25, 1958 to Naomi and James Langston in San Diego, California.

Anthony received his formal education from the San Diego Unified School District. As a youth, Anthony enjoyed sports and played Pop Warner football for Valencia Park, Little League and Phony League baseball for Southeastern.

Anthony was raised through the Calvary Baptist Church Sunday School Department, where he matriculated through the nursery department and all through the young adult department.

In 1967, at the age of nine, Anthony was baptized at Calvary Baptist Church by the late Dr. S. M. Lockridge, pastor.

On February 22, 2023, Anthony Bernard Langston departed this life on earth. Preceding him in death was son Geno Langston and parents James and Naomi Langston.

Anthony leaves to cherish his memories; four siblings Jacqueline A. Langston, Melvin D. Langston, Calvin D. (Gayle) Langston, all of San Diego, and Jeffery S. Langston of Spring Valley, CA; children Antonia, Anthony, Jr., Ciara, and Chloe; grandchildren Dmajee, Breajanae, Londyn, Armani, Anthony, and Antonia; great-grandchildren Kalahn and Kaiell Shabazz.

Funeral Services were held at Pilgrim Progressive Baptist Church on March 15, 2023. Evelyn Lorene King born June 21, 1929 to Edna Lee Jackson and Charlie King. Evelyn did not come into this world alone. She came with her twin sister Ethel, and a brother who was stillborn. Evelyn was born six minutes after her sister Ethel in San Antonio, Texas, Bexar County. Evelyn was affectionately called “Twin” by classmates, “Butch” by close friends, and “Annie” by her nieces and nephews.

Evelyn was educated at Booker T. Washington Elementary school, Douglas Jr. High School, and graduated from Phillis Wheatley High School in May 1947. She was on the pep squad and was a star basketball player; playing the position of guard.

Evelyn also attended Huston-Tillotson University, majoring in business. She and her sister, Ethel, were both skilled and professionally trained beauticians for over fifty years before retiring.

In January 1948, Evelyn married Howard Walker. Born to this union were two children, Evelyn Lorraine and Howard Charles. Evelyn became a Christian and was baptized at the age of twelve. Evelyn later met and married Reverend Frank Shaw, and to that union came Edna Lee. After the passing of her husband in January 2009, she remained First Lady Emeritus of New Shiloh Missionary Baptist Church.

Evelyn worked at California Curl for over six years for Dr. Willie Morrow. Later she went to work for Scripps Institution of Oceanography to work alongside the world’s renowned marine biologist. She retired twenty-eight years later. Evelyn continued to seek her passions after retirement by becoming a foster grandparent, working for the Catholic Charities and the St. Stephens Daycare and Nursery for seventeen years.

In her spare time, Evelyn enjoyed cooking and being a First Lady. Traveling with her sister, especially on cruises, was fulfilling too.

On Friday, February 24, 2023, Evelyn Lorene King Shaw was called to her heavenly home.

Evelyn was preceded in death by her parents; siblings Ethel King Pollard, Dorris Neal, Charles Etta Hudspeth; husband Reverend Frank S. Shaw; son Howard Walker; and grandson Dana Walker.

Left behind to cherish Evelyn Shaw’s memory are her daughters Evelyn Walker Grant; Edna Shaw (Frank), both of San Diego; grandchildren ShuJen Askew (Kevin), Frank Shaw, Sydney London, Christine Walker (Korir), Cullenda Bass, all of San Diego, Cullen Bass (Andrea) of Baltimore, MD; twelve great-grandchildren; one great-great-grandchild; a niece and two nephews of San Diego; a special extended granddaughter, Tarren Philips; and a host of other relatives and friends.

ARTICLE CONTINUATION

message states messages are checked every hour…

The Personnel analyst assigned to my application — who also happens to be a Management trainee — answered the phone and after attempting to explain the reason for my disqualification was based on not meeting the “education” requirements, she requested that I respond to her email and then she’d send me an update once she reviews the job description.

By the way, when I informed the analyst the job was no longer available she concurred that yes, once the position closed the job description would no longer be available, but that she would check into it on her end.

In the meantime, I contacted Personnel & Human Resources to no avail; couldn’t understand the Personnel Director’s message that appeared muffled, then hung up and called Human Resources around noon to leave a message. The HR

playback:

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State Invests $1 Billion in New Homelessness Funding

All praises due to the Most High, as I awaited the analyst’s updates or to receive a callback from HR, I was truly blessed to find the position’s job description posted on another credible source.

The analyst emailed me back and stated that she used my MA for education requirements since I did not specify my Bachelors degree.This was becoming more concerning. Nonetheless, I requested her supervisor’s name and email and did not receive a response.

On the next day, I called Human Resources and Personnel again; still, no response. So I decided to send a diplomatic email thanking the assigned analyst to my application while at the same time expressing both my concern about my application’s ineligibility and seeking clarity on whether or not I was able to move forward. I made certain to resend my transcripts.

Last week, Gov. Newsom announced $1 billion in new funding for local communities to address homelessness and take emergency action to construct new homes to move unhoused Californians off the street.

Homelessness remains one of the state’s most stubborn problems as California’s homeless population keeps mushrooming, growing to approximately 160,000 people (about half the population of homeless people in the United States). Per every 100k people, California’s homeless population ranks third after New

York and Hawaii.

The analyst responded a few hours later by thanking me for my interest in the position and informing me that my bachelor’s degree met the education requirements. Interestingly, she said my masters degree replaced the 1 year experience requirement and that an additional 1 year of volunteer or work experience was now needed.

Highly puzzled at this point, I emailed her for what seemed like the 100th time requesting that she advise on when were the changes made and posted in regards to the Masters in Education or Social Science degree only substituting for one year versus the entire experience as per the notes in the original posted job description.

For the record, here’s the original job description’s requirements for education and experience:

EDUCATION: Bachelor’s Degree in Education, Social Sciences, or closely related field.

“In California, we are using every tool in our toolbox — including the largest-ever deployment of small homes in the state — to move people out of encampments and into housing,” said Newsom. “The crisis of homelessness will never be solved without first solving the crisis of housing – the two issues are inextricably linked. We are tackling this issue at the root of the problem by addressing the need to create more housing, faster in California.”

Under his new plan, Newsom has deployed the California National Guard to assist in the preparation and delivery of approximately 1,200 small houses free of charge to four local communities: Los Angeles (500 units); San Diego County (150 units); San Jose (200 units) and Sacramento (350 units).

MUSIC AND CONTEMPORARY CLASSICS, PERFORMED IN PERFECT HARMONY.

DINUR, MONTGOMERY AND THE “CLASSICAL” SYMPHONY

APRIL 13 & 14

7:30PM

THE CONRAD PREBYS PERFORMING ARTS CENTER

APRIL 15

7:30PM

THE VILLAGE CHURCH

YANIV DINUR, CONDUCTOR AWADAGIN PRATT, PIANO

COLERIDGE-TAYLOR PERKINSON: SINFONIETTA NO. 1 FOR STRINGS

PROKOFIEV: SYMPHONY NO. 1 IN D MAJOR, “CLASSICAL”

JESSIE MONTGOMERY: ROUNDS FOR PIANO AND STRING ORCHESTRA

HAYDN: SYMPHONY NO. 104 IN D MAJOR, “LONDON”

EXPERIENCE : Four years of experience in program development and management or volunteer coordination and supervision, preferably in an adult literacy or specialty reading program.

NOTES:

A Master’s Degree in Education, S ocial Sciences, or a closely related field may be substituted for the required experience.

Hours later, the Personnel analyst/ management trainee’s last email stated that she apologized and had revised the bulletin to include the maximum of one year.

Her response left me flustered with even more questions. How is it legal to revise the requirements for a job once the position closes?

Remember, it closed on March 13th and her updated revisions were sent directly to me in the form of an email correspondence on March 15th. Furthermore, how is an analyst/ management trainee in

Former Black Caucus Member

Jim Cooper Appointed to State Commission

Last week, Gov. Gavin Newsom appointed former Assemblymember and current Sacramento County Sherriff Jim Cooper, a Democrat, to the Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST).

The California Legislature created POST in 1959 to “set minimum selection and training standards for all law enforcement in the state,” according to the office’s website.

Cooper was elected to the Assembly in 2014 and served until last year representing the 9th Assembly District in Sacramento County.

Uber and Lyft Drivers Can Be Contractors, State Court of Appeals Rules

Last week, the California Court of Appeals ruled that Uber and Lyft drivers and other freelancers can be classified as independent contractors. The court’s decision came after a long fight dating back to 2019 when AB 5, the law that first reclassified contractors as employers, passed. The next year, AB 5 was challenged and overturned when voters approved Prop 22 — a ballot measure that gave rideshare companies the greenlight to hire freelancers.

San Diego Based Civil Rights Activist

Shane Harris Appears on the Dr. Phil Sho w

The Rev. Shane Harris, a national Civil rights activist who is based in San Diego, appeared on the Dr. Phil show last week titled “How Safe Are Our Streets?”

The episode focused on victims of random violent crimes who were attacked by repeat offenders.

“The news and the media are running a lot of stories about these reoffenders and these folks

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“That’s going to be more challenging for people who don’t fit the traditional credit box, including minorities,” Klein said. ‘’A financial system that prefers the existing holders of wealth will perpetuate the legacy of past discrimination.”

Tiffany Dufu was gutted when she couldn’t access her SVB account and, in turn, could not pay her employees.

Dufu raised $5 million as CEO of The Cru, a New York-based career coaching platform and community for women. It was a rare feat for businesses founded by Black women, which get less than 1% of the billions of dollars in venture capital funding doled out yearly to startups. She banked with SVB because it was

Personnel even allowed to update the position after the fact; who in Personnel or HR authorized this action and again, how can this revision possibly be legal?

After checking the City’s hiring site for the reposting of the revised requirements for the position, I can safely report that as of today, there are no repostings of the job that includes updated requirements for experience that the analyst sent directly to me. Which leads me to another question. How many other applicants received an updated/revised email for the job requirement experience besides myself?

Lastly, I am sure Mayor Todd Gloria would not be pleased to hear about inequitable practices of this nature still occurring under his leadership. Wonder how many other residents experienced this problem; especially those who checked off Black, African/African American?

who have committed violent offenses consistently, but they are not telling you about the youth who turn their lives around, people who went through diversion programs that actually work,” said Harris, who is President of the Peoples Association of Justice Advocates, speaking up for criminal justice reforms that rehabilitate criminals.

Harris was on the panel making his argument against the positions of law enforcement advocacy groups calling for a tougher penalty for crimes.

“Tough on crime didn’t works for us,” says Harris. “There is a balance we need to strike in the middle of this.”

California Turns San Quentin Prison Into “Rehabilitation and Education” Center

Last week, Gov. Newsom announced that the state is transforming California’s most notorious maximum-security prison San Quentin, — known for having the largest Death Row in the United States — into the country’s largest rehabilitation and education center.

The prison renamed “San Quentin Rehabilitation Center,” will operate under the direction of an advisory group comprised of public safety and rehabilitation experts.

“California is transforming San Quentin into the nation’s most innovative rehabilitation facility focused on building a brighter and safer future,” said Newsom, standing with legislators, civil rights leaders and victim advocates. “Today, we take the next step in our pursuit of true rehabilitation, justice, and safer communities through this evidence-backed investment, creating a new model for safety and justice — the California Mode — that will lead the nation.”

known for its close ties to the tech community and investors.

A February Crunchbase News analysis determined funding for Black-founded startups slowed by more than 50% last year after they received a record $5.1 billion in venture capital in 2021. Overall venture funding dropped from about $337 billion to roughly $214 billion, while Black founders were hit disproportionately hard, dropping to just $2.3 billion, or 1.1% of the total.

Entrepreneur Amy Hilliard, a professor at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, knows how difficult it is to secure financing. It took three years to secure a loan for her cake manufacturing company, and she had to sell her home to get it started.

See BANK page 14

The San Diego Symphony does not appear as part of this program.

IMAGE: Courtesy of CBM

(Screenshot courtesy of CBM) Shane Harris CEO of S Harris Communications and founder of the People’s Association of Justice Advocates.

On Thursday March 17th, The United Negro College Fund (UNCF) San Diego celebrated the completion of its portfolio project pilot program by recognizing and awarding scholarships to four local seniors. Detour Fancy Teen Girls Leadership Academy provided students as participants in this year’s inaugural year of the program in San Diego. The scholars are Mikaela Briseis Buensuceso, Samira Hassan, MaKayla Otis and KaiJah Peterson. Special guest UNCF Regional Vice President Monica Sudduth from San Francisco along with Council President Pro Tem Monica Montgomery Steppe who has been a longtime supporter of UNCF and is a proud HBCU graduate, earning a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science from Spelman College, provided welcoming and inspiring remarks.

The event was held at the UCSD Park and Market Street in the lobby and Guggenheim theater, at 1000 Market Street. UNCF is grateful to its sponsors the UPS Store, San Diego Gas and Electric, GEICO Philanthropic Foundation and the Office of Racial Equity and Social Justice.

UNCF San Diego Provides to Four Local Seniors Roland Street Fair

By Rochelle Smith

CONTRIBUTING WRITER

What an amazing event honoring St. Patrick’s Day at the Rolando Street Fair! A day full of splendid fun for children and adults. The vendors were absolutely spectacular and provided a variety of outstanding food, beverages and beautiful merchandise. Clay Elementary represented their colorful booth with raffles and prizes. Thanks and appreciation to all participants for making this a wonderfully successful opportunity for the Rolando community to come together and enjoy neighborhood fun!

PHOTOS: Mike Norris

PHOTOS: Rochelle Smith

PHOTOS: Darrel Wheeler

Provides Scholarships

Local Youth Shine At City Wide Youth Basketball Championships

By Darrel Wheeler CONTRIBUTING WRITER

The best of the best young hoopsters that play Recreational Center basketball met last Saturday at two gymnasiums: Balboa Park’s Muni and City College’s Gymnasiums. MLK, Skyline, Encanto, Mid-City, Kearny, Clairmont Penn, Colina Del Sol and many more were in hot pursuit of a Big City Wide Championship.

The competition was fierce and impressive. It was obvious at times that more than a few football players also play basketball when they are away from the football field.

There was blood, sweat, tears and plenty of cheers on the multiple courts at the legendary municipal gymnasium.

Penn Elementary ballers Dreshawn Cooper, Treshawn Mc Nair and TJ Anderson put on a basketball clinic dominating Kearny Mesa on their way to a Champi onship challenge against their arch rivals Skyline.

“Today was a lot of fun. We got our friend a bucket who doesn’t get to score that much. He felt good. That was great. It’s about having fun with friends. Now it’s time to get the City-wide championship,” 12 year old TJ Anderson of Penn Elementary shared.

Penn had to challenge the Mighty Tigers of Skyline to see, once and for all, who is the ab-

solute best 12-and-under team in San Diego. Penn proved they are, with a 43-41 victory. A big congratulations to all of this year’s Champions and participants and the friends and families that supported them.

PHOTOS: Mike Norris

SILICON VALLEY BANK’S CLOSURE THREATENS AFRICAN STARTUPS

By Lisa Vives Global Information Network

Silicon Valley Bank, the bank of choice for most startups and venture capitalists, is no more.

It was closed after the bank announced it had lost $1.8 billion in the sale of treasuries and securities.

Millions of dollars banked by startups and venture capital funds were at stake until the U.S. Federal Reserve acted to save the day.

So what does this have to do with Africa?

The closure of SVB triggered panic on the African continent, and that fear is not without reason, according to the head of American technology startup accelerator Y-Combinator (YC) which has 80 African startups in its portfolio.

“30% of our companies exposed through SVB can’t make payroll in the next 30 days,” said YC president, Garry Tan. “All the startup founders groups I’m in are in full-on panic mode. Everyone is moving money around. Nobody knows which banks are safe.”

SVB was the bank that lent to startups and asked that startups have deposits in the bank as collateral.

The bank offered loans against shares for founders and cashflow loans. Since 2019, SVB has been the preferred bank for startups.

In the wake of the bank’s collapse, founders in Africa are reviewing their banking options to cushion their startups from such eventualities, according to Techcrunch. com. Nala, a U.K.-based and Africafocused mobile money transfer startup that managed to pull its funds out of SVB before it collapsed, told the online newspaper that it’s exploring partnerships with new large corporate banks. The pan-African fund Future Africa, which suffered “minimal exposure” also hinted that it was keen on opening an account with a global banking institution.

Jumba, a Kenyan construction tech startup, is looking to diver-

sify its deposit holdings, with co-founder Kagure Wamunyu telling TechCrunch the startup is opening an additional account with a “bigger bank” in the U.S.

African fintech unicorn Chipper Cash was among several startups that could not access a portion of their funds, it was reported. They reported one million USD deposits in SVB but CEO Ham Serunjogi downplayed the company’s exposure. “Most of our funds are in various other banks in US & around the world,” he tweeted. SVB was a great supporter & partner of Chipper. Sad to see them go down.”

Also affected was a Dutch wealth manager offering investment banking and corporate services, including opening SVB accounts, to mainly Egyptian startups. Most were likely part of the nearly 50

INDIA IN THE SPOTLIGHT OVER COUGH MEDICINES FATAL TO AFRICAN CHILDREN

By Lisa Vives Global Information Network

“For us it was psychological torture,” said Muoneke. “If tests for toxins had been done in late July or early

DEG is used in car brake fluid and radiators. Cats and dogs attracted by the sweetness often die after licking it off the ground, said Leo Schep, a New Zealand toxicologist who published a peer-reviewed paper on DEG poisoning.

“It is like putting cyanide in a bottle of paracetamol (acetaminophen in the U.S.),” Schep said. Pharmaceutical experts have complained for years about lax oversight of drugs made in India whose industry supplies nearly half of all generic medicines used in Africa.

startups from the North African country exposed to SVB’s closure.

Employees at another fintech startup that spoke to TechCabal on the condition of anonymity said that their company had $1.5 million in SVB and are confused about how the company would move forward.

According to Business Insider Africa, there were 100 most funded startups in Africa at the end of 2022 - among them Nigeria with 27 and Kenya with 23. The other two members of the big 4, South Africa and Egypt, are represented by 34 startups, which means the big 4 represent 84% of the 100 startups. Together the group raised $10 billion across 436 deals at an average of $23 million per deal.

Some 50 Egyptian companies are said to be affected by the SVB collapse. A list is circulating among local players that includes the names of 46 startups and two VC firms (one of them global) that were banked with SVB.

In light of the increasing difficulty to obtain funds, the government of Nigeria has announced a $672 million tech fund to support young entrepreneurs in creative and tech sectors who struggle to raise capital in Africa’s largest economy.

The African Development Bank will contribute $170 million US to the fund, while the other $116 million US would come from Agence Francaise de Development and $70 million US from the Islamic Development Bank.

Adedeji Olowe, founder and CEO of Lendsqr, a fintech company, offered some assurance saying that while some startups may have funds trapped in the bank, the funds have not disappeared.

But for a lot of non-US-based startups, they don’t really have a lot of banking alternatives, said Sylndr co-founder and CEO Omar El Defrawy. “From an Egyptian perspective, people (bank) offshore b ecause the local banking system does not provide enough support for SMEs and startups.”

“In the short-to-medium term, there’s a lot of uncertainty and fear, but it’s not a doomsday scenario,” Managing Partner of Acasia Ventures Ali El Shalakany said. “Our main concern is to work with our portfolio companies as we have always done in times of crisis and to say: Look, it’s going to be okay.” Basil Moftah of Nclude agreed. “It’s a temporary blow — one more thing in a year that’s been pretty challenging overall.”

U.S. MILLIONS OFFERED TO ETHIOPIA TO HELP COUNTRY HEAL FROM WAR

By Lisa Vives Global Information Network

An epidemic of kidney disease among children in Africa has been linked to deadly toxins in cough medicine imported from India.

Doctors say they are seeing dozens of children under the age of five with kidney failure - a condition they only saw once or twice a year – while mothers are demanding justice.

Global health officials have connected the recent deaths of more than 70 children from The Gambia to cough medicine made in India. But before the item could be yanked from the shelves, time had to be spent in testing or screening for bottles wrongly labelled “World Health Organization.”

Four medicines manufactured by Maiden Pharmaceuticals’ manufactured in Kundli-Haryana have been identified as containing toxins by the World Health Organization (WHO) which issued a global alert. But the company got a clean bill of health from India’s drugs controller general who said the samples tested were not contaminated with the dangerous compounds.

Regulatory documents reviewed by Reuters showed that Maiden’s manufacturing practices had fallen short at least three times. In one, the company was blacklisted for five years for selling substandard and “spurious” (adulterated) medicine. In another, two drugs manufactured by Maiden were found to miss quality standards. A third incident involved quality violations in drugs sold to Vietnam.

Gambian pediatrician Vivian Muoneke, a graduate of the University of Nigeria, was sure she was seeing an epidemic of child poisoning due to Acute Kidney Injury. It was determined that the cough syrups were contaminated with ethylene glycol (ET) and diethylene glycol (DEG).

The Gambian case appears to be the first documented example of DEG poisoning from imported rather than domestically produced medicines, experts from Gambia and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said. The tragedy shows the difficulties faced by a poorly resourced country in identifying and removing harmful products, the experts said.

Gambia is one of Africa’s smallest and poorest countries. It has no pharma industry, no means of testing imported drugs, and just over two dozen pharmacists registered for 2.5 million people.

The syrup, manufactured by Maiden Pharmaceuticals, should be held accountable for exporting contaminated medicine, said a Gambian medical committee.

Indian officials have rejected their findings, calling the world health body “presumptuous” in blaming the syrups in the deaths of some 300 children.

“The issue is not about proof of causation,” said WHO spokesperson Margaret Harris. The toxins found in the syrups “should never be ingested by human beings.”

“This is of the highest priority for us, to see no more child deaths from something that is so preventable,” Harris said.

There are growing calls for the resignation of Health Minister Dr Ahmadou Lamin Samateh, along with the prosecution of the importers of the drugs into the country.

“Sixty-six is a huge number. So we need justice, because the victims were innocent children,” Mariam Kuyateh, mother of infant Musa said. Four other countries where the same products are for sale are: Cambodia, the Philippines, East Timor and Senegal.

The United States has promised Ethiopia $331 million in humanitarian aid to help heal the war-torn Horn of Africa country. The funds were announced during a visit by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken to Ethiopia last week. The funding will provide life-saving support to those displaced and affected by conflict, drought, and food insecurity in Ethiopia,” he said. But the aid may not be enough to patch up the frayed relations between the two nations. A tweet posted by African Stream, put it succinctly: “Uncle Sam in the guise of Secretary of State Antony Blinken was in Ethiopia to heal ties after the US earlier accused Addis Ababa of war crimes in the Tigray conflict and cut trade ties.

“So what’s with the sudden change of tune? Could it have anything to do with the fact that arch-geopolitical rival China has been busy signing trade and development deals with Ethiopia and helping the country upgrade its infrastructure? Looks like someone’s worried they’re losing clout on the continent…”

When Mr. Blinken arrived in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa, he was the latest in a parade of Biden administration officials courting the continent amid rising competition for influence with Russia and China, noted the NY Times.

Just a year ago, the two countries were at odds and ends after the U.S. expelled Ethiopia from a regional trade group, citing “gross violations of internationally recognized human rights” by the government of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed. Such denunciations were not repeated during the meeting Wednesday, however, which focused on “progress in the agreement to cease hostilities.”

This time, Mr. Blinken’s goal was to reset America’s relationship

with Ethiopia, a nation of 120 million, headquarters of the African Union and until recently a pillar of American security policy in the region. But the war badly strained that relationship.

Under the new terms of friendship, Mr. Blinken said that Mr. Abiy, along with Tigrayan leaders with whom he also met here, “should be commended” for bringing a halt to the violence, though he cautioned that more work was needed to carry out the agreement.

He also suggested that the U.S. bore some historical responsibility for Ethiopia’s civil strife by remaining silent when abuses were carried out.

“For our part, the U.S. acknowledges (the) human rights violations and repression committed d uring the past few decades, actions which sowed the seeds of future conflict,” in an apparent reference to a period when Ethiopia was a major American counterterrorism partner and its government was run by a Tigrayan-dominated coalition. “We and others were insufficiently vocal about these abuses in the past.”

Mariam Kuyateh and her son, Musa. PHOTO: GIN

PHOTOS: GIN

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed.

PHOTO: GIN

DID YOU HEAR? }

The AB 3121 Task Force to Study and Develop Reparations Proposals for African Americans will meet March 29, 2022, at 8:30 a.m. and March 30, 2022, at 9:00 a.m. for those following the developments on reparations.

The Next CA Reparations Task Force Meeting

Here’s What You Need to Know:

• A ll Task Force meetings are open to the public

• The meeting will be live streamed at https://oag.ca. gov/ab3121.

• Documents that will be reviewed during the meeting will be available on the Task Force’s website at: https:// oag.ca.gov/ab3121/meetings in advance of the meeting.

• Recordings of the Task Force meetings will be available at: https://oag.ca.gov/ab3121/ meetings.

• A ll Task Force meetings are open to the public. This notice/agenda can be found on the AB 3121 Task Force website at https://oag.ca.gov/ ab3121/meetings.

• The in-person meeting will be held in at the California Environmental Protection

HEALTHY LIVING

COVID-19 Pill Paxlovid Moves Closer to Full FDA Approval

By Matthew Perrone AP Health Writer

Pfizer’s COVID-19 pill Paxlovid won another vote of confidence from U.S. health advisers Thursday, clearing the way for its full regulato ry approval by the Food and Drug Administration.

The medication has been used by millions of Americans since the FDA granted it emergency use authorization in late 2021. The agency has the final say on giving Pfizer’s drug full approval and is expected to decide by May.

A panel of outside experts voted 16-1 that Paxlovid remains a safe and effective treatment for high-risk adults with COVID-19 who are more likely to face hospitalization and death due to the virus.

“We still have many groups that stand to benefit from Paxlovid, including unvaccinated persons, under-vaccinated persons, the elderly and the immuno-compromised,” said Dr. Richard Murphy of the Department of Veterans Affairs.

The FDA said using Paxlovid in high-risk patients could prevent 1,500 COVID-19 deaths and 13,000 hospitalizations per week.

The panel’s positive vote was widely expected, given that Paxlovid has been the go-to treatment against COVID-19, especially since an entire group of antibody drugs has been sidelined as the virus mutated.

The U.S. continues reporting about 4,000 deaths and 35,000 hospitalizations weekly, the FDA noted.

The agency asked its panel of independent medical experts to address several lingering questions involving Paxlovid, including which people currently benefit from treatment and whether the drug plays a role in cases of COVID-19 rebound.

The panel agreed with assessments by both the FDA and Pfizer that found no clear link between the use of Paxlovid and returning symptoms, but said more information is needed from studies and medical records data. High-profile cases drew attention to the issue last year, including President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden.

Between 10% and 16% of patients across multiple Pfizer studies had symptoms return, regardless of whether they’d received Paxlovid or a dummy pill. Such cases “likely reflect natural COVID-19 progression,” the FDA concluded.

The federal government has purchased more than 20 million doses of Paxlovid and encouraged health professionals to prescribe it aggressively to help prevent severe COVID-19. But that’s led to concerns of overprescribing and questions of whether some patients are needlessly getting the drug.

adults with other health problems and no evidence of prior coronavirus infection. But that doesn’t reflect the U.S. population today, where an estimated 95% of people have protection from at least one vaccine dose, a prior infection or both.

The FDA reviewed Pfizer data showing Paxlovid made no meaningful difference in otherwise healthy adults, whether or not they’d been previously vaccinated.

But when FDA teased out data for high-risk adults - regardless of their vaccination or infection history - Paxlovid still showed a significant benefit, reducing the chance of hospitalization or death between 60% and 85%, depending on individual circumstances. Patients in that group included seniors and those with serious health problems, such as diabetes, obesity, lung disease and immune-system disorders.

With so many different factors, panelists said prescribing Paxlovid will remain a case-bycase decision.

Dr. Sankar Swaminathan of the University of Utah and other panelists stressed the importance of managing potentially dangerous drug interactions between Paxlovid and other commonly used medications.

Agency (CalEPA), Byron Sher Auditorium, 1001 I Street, Sacramento CA, 95814

• To provide public comment during the designated public comment period, dial the following phone number and enter the participant code.

• Toll-Free: 844-291-5495

• Participant Code: 3968101

What Does It Mean To Put Your Taxes on Extension?

By Rachel Presser Wealth of Geeks

Anyone, regardless of their income level, can file for an extension online for free using IRS FreeFile. You can also mail in your extension request. Filing an extension gives you until October 16, 2023, for the 2022 filing season. There are also exceptional circumstances when extensions and penalty relief are automatic, usually in presidentially-declared disaster areas, like the portions of Florida hit by Hurricane Ian.

But what does it actually mean when you request this six-month extension? There are a lot of misconceptions about what an extension does, and here’s how they can help your tax situation or end up not serving the purpose you had in mind.

Extensions Waive the Failure-to-File Penalty

Ultimately, requesting an extension gives you more time to FILE, not to pay.

Filing your tax returns on time, even if you can’t afford to pay what you owe, will prevent a vast majority of tax-induced headaches. The failure-to-file penalty starts at 5% of your unpaid taxes for each full or partial month that your tax return has not been filed, and it maxes out at 25% of the balance.

If you have a balance due of $1,000 and don’t file a tax return by April 18, this penalty is $50. If you still hav -

en’t filed several months later, it tops out at $250.

By filing an extension request, this penalty is waived. It would only kick in again if you filed your tax return after October 16, 2023, for the 2022 filing season.

If you don’t file an extension and your tax return is late, the IRS can waive this penalty if you have reasonable cause. Usually, this cause is extenuating circumstances like natural disasters, death in your immediate family, or needing records to complete your tax return that proved to be inaccessible.

Suppose you expect to need more time to get your records in order. In that case, you’re far less likely to qualify for penalty relief. You should file your extension request as soon as possible, before April 18.

Extensions Don’t Stop Interest Accrual

Just because an extension gives you extra time to file doesn’t mean it gives you more time to pay.

If you expect to owe taxes and anticipate that you won’t be able to pay the balance by April 18, filing for an extension differs from going on a payment plan. Even with a valid extension request, interest will still accrue on the unpaid balance.

Interest also accrues on penalties, not just unpaid taxes. This would include the failure-to-file penalty if you neglected to request an extension and the failure-topay penalty if you owe taxes and haven’t paid any before the deadline.

Waiting longer to file your taxes won’t change this and can, in fact, worsen the situation. If you can’t pay your taxes but can complete your tax return before the April deadline, it’s best to file the return and then explore your payment options. The IRS offers payment plans plus administrative remedies if you’re worried about collection actions.

You Could Still Owe Failure-to-Pay Penalties if You’re on Extension

If you owe taxes, not paying them by the April 18 deadline results in a failure-topay penalty. This penalty is based on how long your overdue taxes haven’t been paid, with a 25% maximum similar to the failure-to-file penalty.

However, it has a more complex calculation because this depends on whether the taxes were reported on your tax return or later assessed and not included on your tax return.

By not filing your tax returns, the failure-to-pay penalty can be assessed more steeply than if you filed your returns and correctly reported the taxes you owe.

Going back to our $1,000 tax bill example, let’s say it was correctly calculated and reported. The penalty is 0.5% of the unpaid taxes for each month, or partial month the balance remains unpaid, so it would begin at $5. If your taxes went unpaid for an entire year, the penalty would be $60, then it maxes out at $250 (25% of the unpaid balance).

You Should File Your Taxes as Soon as Possible Even if You Can’t Afford To Pay

Missing tax returns are usually the linchpin to major troubles with the IRS.

Just filing your tax returns on time, even if you can’t pay, will solve the root cause of many tax problems. If you anticipate that you won’t have the time or necessary documents to file your taxes by April 18, it is probably best to request that extension for peace of mind.

However, if your primary motivation for delayed filing is because you anticipate being unable to pay, you should still file on time anyway. If you file your tax return on time and arrange a payment plan, the failureto-pay penalty is reduced to 0.25% per month during your approved payment plan’s timeframe. This has greater cost savings than requesting an extension just because you anticipate being unable to afford your tax bill in April.

FICTITIOUS

registered by the following: Hayvert Williams Jr. #1174 4240 Kearny Mesa Rd. STE 120 San Diego, CA 92111

This statement was filed with the Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on March 20, 2023

This fictitious business name will expire on March 20, 2028 3/23, 3/30, 4/06, 4/13

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS

NAME STATEMENT 2023-9003972

Fictitious business name(s): Pirys Located at: 3929 Vista Grande Dr. San Diego, CA 92115 County of San Diego

This business is conducted

La Mesa, CA 91942

This statement was filed with the Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on February 17, 2023 This fictitious business name will expire on February 17, 2028 3/02, 3/09, 3/16, 3/23

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT 2023-9002517 Fictitious business name(s): Nerd Available Located at: 6074 El Cajon Blvd. Ste. C San Diego, CA 92115 County of San Diego

This business is conducted by: An Individual

The first day of business was: 2/02/2023

This business is hereby registered by the following: Denis Rocha Cardoso 6074 El Cajon Blvd. Ste. C San Diego, CA 92115

This statement was filed with the Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on February 2, 2023

This fictitious business name will expire on February 2, 2028 3/02, 3/09, 3/16, 3/23

SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA County of San Diego 330 W. Broadway San Diego, CA 92101 Hall of Justice 37-2023-00009437CU-PT-CTL Petitioner or Attorney: Alan W. Cheung, Esq. 185615 Goodrich and Cheung LLP

To All Interested Persons: Petitioner Warren Alfred Cranmer, Jr. filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows:

PRESENT NAME:

Warren Alfred Cranmer, Jr.

PROPOSED NAME: Warren Alfred Cranmer

THE COURT ORDERS that all persons interested in this matter appear before this court at the hearing indicated below to show cause, if any, why the petition for change of name should not be granted. Any person objecting to the name changes 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.

NOTICE OF HEARING

Date: April 20, 2023

Time: 8:30 A.M. Dept. C-61

The address of the court is 330 W. Broadway San Diego, CA 92101 (To appear remotely, check in advance of the hearing for information about how to do so on the court's website. To find your court's website go to www.courts.ca.gov/find-mycourt.htm)

NO HEARING WILL OCCUR ON THE DATE SPECIFIED IN THE ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE.

The court will review the documents filed as of the date specified on the Order to Show Cause for Change of Name (JC Form #NC-120).

If all requirements for a name change have been met as of the date specified, and no timely written objection has been received (required at least two court days before the date specified), the Petition for Change of Name (JC Form #NC-100) will be granted without a hearing. One copy of the Order Granting the

Petition will be mailed to the petitioner.

To change a name on a legal document, including a birth certificate, social security card, driver license, passport, and other identification, a certified copy of Decree

Changing Name (JC Form #NC-130) or Decree

Changing Name and Order

Recognizing Change of Gender and for Issuance of New Birth Certificate (JC Form #NC-230) may be required. Contact the agency(ies) who issue the legal document that needs to be changed, to determine if a certified copy is required.

A certified copy of Decree

Changing Name (JC Form #NC-130) or Decree

Changing Name and Order

Recognizing Change of Gender and for Issuance of New Birth Certificate (JC Form #NC-230) may be obtained from the Civil Business Office for a fee. Petitioners who are seeking a change of name under the Safe at Home program may contact the assigned department for the information on obtaining certified copies.

If all the requirements have not been met as of the date specified, the court will mail the petitioner a written order with further directions.

If a timely objection is filed, the court will set a hearing date and contact the parties by mail with further directions.

A RESPONDENT OBJECTING TO THE NAME CHANGE MUST FILE A WRITTEN OBJECTION AT LEAST TWO COURT DAYS (excluding weekends and holidays) BEFORE THE DATE SPECIFIED. Do not come to court on the specified date. The court will notify the parties by mail of a future hearing date

Any Petition for the name change of a minor that is signed by only one parent must have this Attachment served along with the Petition and Order to Show Cause, on the other nonsigning parent, and proof of service must be filed with the court.

The address of the court is:

330 W. Broadway San Diego, CA 92101

3/16, 3/23, 3/30, 4/06

SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA

County of San Diego

330 W. Broadway San Diego, CA 92101 Central Division

37-2023-00008813CU-PT-CTL

Petitioner or Attorney:

Siobhan Aileen Cameron

To All Interested Persons: Petitioner Siobhan Aileen Cameron filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows:

PRESENT NAME:

Siobhan Aileen Cameron

PROPOSED NAME:

Siobhan Roman-Nichols

THE COURT ORDERS that all persons interested in this matter appear before this court at the hearing indicated below to show cause, if any, why the petition for change of name should not be granted. Any person objecting to the name changes 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.

NOTICE OF HEARING

Date: April 18, 2023

Time: 8:30 A.M.

Dept. 61

The address of the court is 330 W. Broadway San Diego, CA 92101

(To appear remotely, check in advance of the hearing for information about how to do so on the court's website. To find your court's website go to www.courts.ca.gov/find-mycourt.htm)

The address of the court is 330 W. Broadway San Diego, CA 92101

(To appear remotely, check in advance of the hearing for information about how to do so on the court's website. To find your court's website go to www.courts.ca.gov/find-mycourt.htm)

NO HEARING WILL OCCUR ON THE DATE SPECIFIED IN THE ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE.

The court will review the documents filed as of the date specified on the Order to

Show Cause for Change of Name (JC Form #NC-120).

If all requirements for a name change have been met as of the date specified, and no timely written objection has been received (required at least two court days before the date specified), the Petition for Change of Name (JC Form #NC-100) will be granted without a hearing. One copy of the Order Granting the Petition will be mailed to the petitioner.

matter appear before this court at the hearing indicated below to show cause, if any, why the petition for change of name should not be granted.

Any person objecting to the name changes 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.

NOTICE OF HEARING

Date: April 12, 2023

Time: 8:30 A.M. Dept. 61

(To appear remotely, check in advance of the hearing for information about how to do so on the court's website. To find your court's website go to www.courts.ca.gov/find-mycourt.htm)

NO HEARING WILL OCCUR ON THE DATE SPECIFIED IN THE ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE.

The court will review the documents filed as of the date specified on the Order to Show Cause for Change of Name (JC Form #NC-120).

Petitioner

Mythanh Thi Nguyen filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows:

PRESENT NAME:

Mythanh Thi Nguyen

PROPOSED NAME: My Nguyen

THE COURT ORDERS that all persons interested in this matter appear before this court at the hearing indicated below to show cause, if any, why the petition for change of name should not be granted. Any person objecting to the name changes 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.

NOTICE OF HEARING

Date: April 5, 2023

Time: 8:30 A.M. Dept. C-61

The address of the court is 330 W. Broadway San Diego, CA 92101 Hall of Justice

why the petition for change of name should not be granted.

Any person objecting to the name changes 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.

NOTICE OF HEARING

Date: April 5, 2023

Time: 8:30 A.M.

Dept. 61

(To appear remotely, check in advance of the hearing for information about how to do so on the court's website. To find your court's website go to www.courts.ca.gov/find-mycourt.htm)

NO HEARING WILL OCCUR ON THE DATE SPECIFIED IN THE ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE. The court will review the documents filed as of the date specified on the Order to Show Cause for Change of Name (JC Form #NC-120).

of Doris

Jean Savage

A Petition for Probate has been filed by Christopher L. Savage in the Superior Court of California, County of San Diego

The Petition for Probate requests that Christopher L. Savage be appointed as personal representative to administer the estate of the decedent.

The petition requests authority to administer the estate under the Independent Administration of Estates Act.

(This authority will allow the personal representative to take many actions without obtaining court approval. Before taking certain very important actions, however, the personal representative will be required to give notice to interested persons unless they have waived notice or consented to the proposed action.) The independent administration authority will be granted unless an interested person files an objection to the petition and shows good cause why the court should not grant the authority.

(This authority will allow the personal representative to take many actions without obtaining court approval.

Before taking certain very important actions, however, the personal representative will be required to give notice to interested persons unless they have waived notice or consented to the proposed action.) The independent administration authority will be granted unless an interested person files an objection to the petition and shows good cause why the court should not grant the authority.

A hearing on the petition will be held in this court as follows:

on June 27, 2023 at 10:30 AM in Department 504 located at the Superior Court of California County of San Diego 1100 Union Street San Diego, CA 92101 Central - Probate Division

of New Birth Certificate (JC Form #NC-230) may be obtained from the Civil Business Office for a fee. Petitioners who are seeking a change of name under the Safe at Home program may contact the assigned department for the information on obtaining certified copies.

If all the requirements have not been met as of the date specified, the court will mail the petitioner a written order with further directions.

If a timely objection is filed, the court will set a hearing date and contact the parties by mail with further directions.

A RESPONDENT OBJECTING TO THE NAME CHANGE MUST FILE A WRITTEN OBJECTION AT LEAST TWO COURT DAYS (excluding weekends and holidays) BEFORE THE DATE SPECIFIED. Do not come to court on the specified date. The court will notify the parties by mail of a future hearing date

Any Petition for the name change of a minor that is signed by only one parent must have this Attachment served along with the Petition and Order to Show Cause, on the other nonsigning parent, and proof of service must be filed with the court.

The address of the court is: 330 W. Broadway San Diego, CA 92101 3/09, 3/16, 3/23, 3/30 SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA County of San Diego 330 W. Broadway San Diego, CA 92101 Civil 37-2023-00008821CU-PT-CTL Petitioner or Attorney: Sakineh Aziz Tajik Khalid Ahmady

To All Interested Persons: Petitioner Sakineh Aziz Tajik Khalid Ahmady on behalf of minor child filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows:

PRESENT NAME: Farzad Ahmady

PROPOSED NAME: Ryan Ahmady

THE COURT ORDERS that all persons interested in this matter appear before this court at the hearing indicated below to show cause, if any, why the petition for change of name should not be granted. Any person objecting to the name changes 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.

OF

To change a name on a legal document, including a birth certificate, social security card, driver license, passport, and other identification, a certified copy of Decree Changing Name (JC Form #NC-130) or Decree

Changing Name and Order Recognizing Change of Gender and for Issuance of New Birth Certificate (JC Form #NC-230) may be required. Contact the agency(ies) who issue the legal document that needs to be changed, to determine if a certified copy is required.

A certified copy of Decree Changing Name (JC Form #NC-130) or Decree

Changing Name and Order

Recognizing Change of Gender and for Issuance of New Birth Certificate (JC Form #NC-230) may be obtained from the Civil Business Office for a fee. Petitioners who are seeking a change of name under the Safe at Home program may contact the assigned department for the information on obtaining certified copies.

If all the requirements have not been met as of the date specified, the court will mail the petitioner a written order with further directions.

If a timely objection is filed, the court will set a hearing date and contact the parties by mail with further directions.

A RESPONDENT OBJECTING TO THE NAME CHANGE MUST FILE A WRITTEN OBJECTION AT LEAST TWO COURT DAYS (excluding weekends and holidays) BEFORE THE DATE SPECIFIED. Do not come to court on the specified date. The court will notify the parties by mail of a future hearing date

Any Petition for the name change of a minor that is signed by only one parent must have this Attachment served along with the Petition and Order to Show Cause, on the other nonsigning parent, and proof of service must be filed with the court.

The address of the court is: 330 W. Broadway San Diego, CA 92101 3/09, 3/16, 3/23, 3/30

SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA County of San Diego 330 W. Broadway San Diego, CA 92101 37-2023-00008140CU-PT-CTL Petitioner or Attorney: Victoria Miskel To All Interested Persons: Petitioner

Miskel AKA

Carter AKA

Rogers filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows:

If all requirements for a name change have been met as of the date specified, and no timely written objection has been received (required at least two court days before the date specified), the Petition for Change of Name (JC Form #NC-100) will be granted without a hearing. One copy of the Order Granting the Petition will be mailed to the petitioner.

To change a name on a legal document, including a birth certificate, social security card, driver license, passport, and other identification, a certified copy of Decree Changing Name (JC Form #NC-130) or Decree Changing Name and Order Recognizing Change of Gender and for Issuance of New Birth Certificate (JC Form #NC-230) may be required. Contact the agency(ies) who issue the legal document that needs to be changed, to determine if a certified copy is required.

A certified copy of Decree Changing Name (JC Form #NC-130) or Decree Changing Name and Order Recognizing Change of Gender and for Issuance of New Birth Certificate (JC Form #NC-230) may be obtained from the Civil Business Office for a fee. Petitioners who are seeking a change of name under the Safe at Home program may contact the assigned department for the information on obtaining certified copies.

If all the requirements have not been met as of the date specified, the court will mail the petitioner a written order with further directions.

If a timely objection is filed, the court will set a hearing date and contact the parties by mail with further directions.

A RESPONDENT OBJECTING TO THE NAME CHANGE MUST FILE A WRITTEN OBJECTION AT LEAST TWO COURT DAYS (excluding weekends and holidays) BEFORE THE DATE SPECIFIED. Do not come to court on the specified date. The court will notify the parties by mail of a future hearing date

Any Petition for the name change of a minor that is signed by only one parent must have this Attachment served along with the Petition and Order to Show Cause, on the other nonsigning parent, and proof of service must be filed with the court.

The address of the court is: 330 W. Broadway San Diego, CA 92101 3/02,

(To appear remotely, check in advance of the hearing for information about how to do so on the court's website. To find your court's website go to www.courts.ca.gov/find-mycourt.htm)

NO HEARING WILL OCCUR ON THE DATE SPECIFIED IN THE ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE. The court will review the documents filed as of the date specified on the Order to Show Cause for Change of Name (JC Form #NC-120).

If all requirements for a name change have been met as of the date specified, and no timely written objection has been received (required at least two court days before the date specified), the Petition for Change of Name (JC Form #NC-100) will be granted without a hearing. One copy of the Order Granting the Petition will be mailed to the petitioner.

If all the requirements have not been met as of the date specified, the court will mail the petitioner a written order with further directions.

If a timely objection is filed, the court will set a hearing date and contact the parties by mail with further directions.

A RESPONDENT

OBJECTING TO THE NAME CHANGE MUST FILE A WRITTEN OBJECTION AT LEAST TWO COURT DAYS (excluding weekends and holidays) BEFORE THE DATE SPECIFIED. Do not come to court on the specified date. The court will notify the parties by mail of a future hearing date

Any Petition for the name change of a minor that is signed by only one parent must have this Attachment served along with the Petition and Order to Show Cause, on the other nonsigning parent, and proof of service must be filed with the court.

The address of the court is:

330 W. Broadway San Diego, CA 92101 3/02, 3/09, 3/16, 3/23

SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA County of San Diego 330 W. Broadway San Diego, CA 92101 Central Division Hall of Justice 37-2023-00007195CU-PT-CTL Petitioner or Attorney: Zahra Madar Aden

To All Interested Persons: Petitioner Zahra Madar Aden filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows:

PRESENT NAME: Zahra Madar Aden

PROPOSED NAME: Zahra Yosuf Abdi

If all requirements for a name change have been met as of the date specified, and no timely written objection has been received (required at least two court days before the date specified), the Petition for Change of Name (JC Form #NC-100) will be granted without a hearing. One copy of the Order Granting the Petition will be mailed to the petitioner.

To change a name on a legal document, including a birth certificate, social security card, driver license, passport, and other identification, a certified copy of Decree

Changing Name (JC Form #NC-130) or Decree

Changing Name and Order

Recognizing Change of Gender and for Issuance of New Birth Certificate (JC Form #NC-230) may be required. Contact the agency(ies) who issue the legal document that needs to be changed, to determine if a certified copy is required.

A certified copy of Decree Changing Name (JC Form #NC-130) or Decree

Changing Name and Order

Recognizing Change of Gender and for Issuance of New Birth Certificate (JC Form #NC-230) may be obtained from the Civil Business Office for a fee. Petitioners who are seeking a change of name under the Safe at Home program may contact the assigned department for the information on obtaining certified copies.

If all the requirements have not been met as of the date specified, the court will mail the petitioner a written order with further directions.

If a timely objection is filed, the court will set a hearing date and contact the parties by mail with further directions.

A RESPONDENT OBJECTING TO THE NAME CHANGE MUST FILE A WRITTEN OBJECTION AT LEAST TWO COURT DAYS (excluding weekends and holidays) BEFORE THE DATE SPECIFIED. Do not come to court on the specified date. The court will notify the parties by mail of a future hearing date

Any Petition for the name change of a minor that is signed by only one parent must have this Attachment served along with the Petition and Order to Show Cause, on the other nonsigning parent, and proof of service must be filed with the court.

The address of the court is: 330 W. Broadway San Diego, CA 92101 3/02, 3/09, 3/16, 3/23

A hearing on the petition will be held in this court as follows:

on April 4, 2023, at 1:30 PM in Dept. 504

Judge Daniel S. Belsky located at the Superior Court of California County of San Diego 1100 Union Street San Diego, CA 92101 Probate Division

If you object to the granting of the petition, you should appear at the hearing and state your objections or file written objections with the court before the hearing. Your appearance may be in person or by your attorney.

If you are a creditor or a contingent creditor of the decedent, you must file your claim with the court and mail a copy to the personal representative appointed by the court within the later of either (1) four months from the date of first issuance of letters to a general personal representative, as defined in section 58(b) of the California Probate Code, or (2) 60 days from the date of mailing or personal delivery to you of a notice under section 9052 of the California Probate Code. Other California statutes and legal authority may affect your rights as a creditor. You may want to consult with an attorney knowledgeable in California law.

You may examine the file kept by the court.

If you are a person interested in the estate, you may file with the court a REQUEST FOR SPECIAL NOTICE (form DE-154) of the filing of an inventory and appraisal of estate assets or of any petition or account as provided in Probate Code section 1250.

A REQUEST FOR SPECIAL NOTICE form is available from the court clerk.

Petitioner:

Christopher L. Savage 2363-2 Adirondack Row San Diego, CA 92139 (619) 731-1608 3/09, 3/16, 3/23

NOTICE OF PETITION TO ADMINISTER ESTATE OF William Joseph O'Brien, aka William J. O'Brien, William Joseph Obrien and William J. Obrien Case Number: 37-2023-00007377-PRLA-CTL

To all heirs, beneficiaries, creditors, contingent creditors, and persons who may otherwise be interested in the will or estate, or both, of William Joseph O'Brien, aka William J. O'Brien, William Joseph Obrien and William J. Obrien

A Petition for Probate has been filed by Susan Lynn Obrien in the Superior Court of California, County of San Diego

The Petition for Probate requests that Susan Lynn Obrien be appointed as personal representative to administer the estate of the decedent.

The petition requests authority to administer the estate under the Independent Administration of Estates Act.

If you object to the granting of the petition, you should appear at the hearing and state your objections or file written objections with the court before the hearing. Your appearance may be in person or by your attorney.

If you are a creditor or a contingent creditor of the decedent, you must file your claim with the court and mail a copy to the personal representative appointed by the court within the later of either (1) four months from the date of first issuance of letters to a general personal representative, as defined in section 58(b) of the California Probate Code, or (2) 60 days from the date of mailing or personal delivery to you of a notice under section 9052 of the California Probate Code. Other California statutes and legal authority may affect your rights as a creditor. You may want to consult with an attorney knowledgeable in California law.

You may examine the file kept by the court. If you are a person interested in the estate, you may file with the court a REQUEST FOR SPECIAL NOTICE (form DE-154) of the filing of an inventory and appraisal of estate assets or of any petition or account as provided in Probate Code section 1250. A REQUEST FOR SPECIAL NOTICE form is available from the court clerk.

Attorney for Petitioner: Antoinette Middleton, Esq. Law Offices of Antoinette Middleton 1761 Hotel Circle South, Suite 115 San Diego, CA 92108 (619) 235-9501 3/09, 3/16, 3/23

2013 RUTH ALICE LUCAS DIES

Ruth Alice Lucas, was the first African American woman to be promoted to the rank of full colonel in the United States Air Force. She was born in Stamford, Connecticut on November 28, 1920. By the time she retired from the Service in 1970, Lucas remained the highest-ranking Black woman in the Air Force. The Defense Meritorious Service Medal was among her military decorations.

Col. Ruth Alice Lucas died March 23, 2013 at the age of 92 at her home in Washington, D.C. She is buried at Arlington National Cemetery.After practicing medicine for o ver 50 years, Dr. Rebecca J. Cole died on August 14, 1922 in her hometown of Philadelphia.

1953 CHAKA KHAN BORN

Chaka Khan was born Yvette Marie Stevens in Chicago, Illinois on March 23, 1953. Khan was introduced to jazz by her maternal grandmother, Maude, at a young age. In 1972 at the age of 19, she was discovered by members of R&B band Rufus. The following year Rufus signed a recording contract with ABC Records. The band had modest success until their 1974 breakout hit, Tell Me Something Good, with Khan performing most of the vocals. Until Khan left to establish her solo career, Rufus released six platinum albums between 1974 and 1978 on which Khan was the lead singer.

In 1978 Khan released her first album as a solo artist, on the Warner Brothers label. The album entitled Chaka included I’m Every Woman, considered by many of her fans to be her signature song. Khan later hit platinum with the first single and title track of the 1984 album I Feel for You. Chaka Khan has won ten GRAMMYs and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on September 27, 2011. She continues to tour and produce music.Eli Cornish, born in Sussex County, Delaware, and a graduate of the Free African School in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, also founded Shiloh Presbyterian Church, the first Black Presbyterian Church in Manhattan, in 1822.

What to Know About the Future of Cancer Treatment

By StatePoint Media

For many patients, initial cancer treatments are not enough, and residual cancer cells that survive these treatments can cause relapse. But new research is seeking to harness the immune system to target residual disease, thereby helping patients avoid relapses and live longer

“Using a novel mechanism of action that directly targets the cancerous cells, we are hoping to enhance the ability of NK cells – that is natural killer cells – to eliminate residual disease,” says RJ Tesi, MD, CEO of INmune Bio Inc., (NASDAQ: INMB), a clinical stage immuno-oncology company. “NK cells are part of our innate immune system and are essential for survival. In addition to directly killing infected cells and cancer cells, NK cells facilitate crosstalk between the innate and adaptive immune system.

As Dr. Tesi goes on to explain, NK cells play a critical role in killing cancer cells that remain after such treatments as surgery,

ARTICLE CONTINUATION

OSCARS

continued from page 3

I was having lunch in New York’s Chinatown with a lawyer friend of mine, a Chinese American immigrant and also a triple Harvard (College, Law School, and MBA) graduate. My friend surprised me when he said he couldn’t understand the hype about “Everything, Everywhere…” He called it unwatchable. He liked the movie “Tar.”

I told him maybe it was generational. Just goes to show you that not everyone, not even Asian Americans, are on board with “Everything, Everywhere…” But the huge victory makes the film like a Golden Spike in Hollywood. The track is finally connected and open for AAPI creatives bound for glory.

“Everything, Everywhere…” has put everyone in the equation on notice. We have stories to tell that sell, and that people want to see. Stories that win Oscars.

I see the phenomenon as a rising Asian American film lifts all boats. And with AAPI at just over 6% of the population, I don’t buy the “Afro-Pessimism” idea in his play.

We can’t go it alone. We don’t have the numbers. We need each other. Like anything worthwhile, it’s going to have to be done together.

Emil Guillermo is a journalist and commentator.

BANK

continued from page 6 Banking is based on relationships and when a bank like SVB goes under, “those relationships go away, too,” said Hilliard, who is African American.

Some conservative critics asserted SVB’s commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion were to blame, but banking experts say those claims were false. The bank slid into insolvency because its larger customers pulled deposits rather than borrow at higher interest rates and the bank’s balance sheets were overexposed, forcing it to sell bonds at a loss to cover the withdrawals.

“If we’re focused on climate or communities of color or racial equity, that has nothing to do with what happened with Silicon Valley Bank,” said Valerie Red- Horse Mohl, co-founder of Known Holdings, a Black, Indigenous, Asian Americanfounded investment banking platform focused on the sustainable growth of minority-managed funds.

Red-Horse Mohl — who has raised, structured and managed over $3 billion in capital for tribal nations — said most larger banks are led by white men and majority-white boards, and “even when they do DEI programs, it’s not a really deep sort of shifting of capital.”

Smaller financial institutions, however, have worked to build relationships with people of color. “We cannot lose our

regional and community banks,’’ she said. ‘’It would be a travesty.”

Historically, smaller and minority-owned banks have addressed funding gaps that larger banks ignored or even created, following exclusionary laws and policies as they turned away customers because of the color of their skin.

But the ripple effects from SVB’s collapse are being felt among these banks as well, said Nicole Elam, president and CEO of the National Bankers Association, a 96-year-old trade association representing more than 175 minority-owned banks.

Some have seen customers withdraw funds and move to larger banks out of fear, even though most minority-owned banks have a more traditional customer base, with secured loans and minimal risky investments, she said.

Black-owned banks have been hit the hardest as the industry consolidates. Most don’t have as much capital to withstand economic downturns. At its peak, there were 134. Today, there are only 21.

But change is on the way. Within the last three years, the federal government, private sector and philanthropic community have invested heavily in minority-run depository institutions.

“In response to this national conversation around racial equity, people are really seeing minority banks are key to wealth creation and key to helping to close the wealth gap,’’ Elam said.

radiation, and chemotherapy. While modern cancer therapies can effectively eliminate most cancer in a patient, to eliminate all cancer cells, the patient’s immune system needs to do its part and kill the residual disease. When cancer cells evade NK cells by making themselves effectively invisible, the immune system can’t identify them and therefore can’t kill them. This failure of the immune system to eliminate residual disease is the cause of cancer relapse.

INKmune, INmune Bio Inc.’s lead product, activates resting NK cells into a primed state to kill cancer. Currently in clinical trials, this therapy is already showing promising results. INKmune-primed NK cells have demonstrated an ability to kill several types of cancer cells. “Chemotherapy and radiotherapy reduce the tumor burden, but are not always curative alone,” says Dr. Tesi. “To eradicate the disease and turn cancer relapsers into survivors, we also need an effective immune response to control residual cancer cells left behind after primary treatment.”

Bradley also is an angel investor, providing seed money for a number of entrepreneurs, and is seeing new opportunities as people network in the WhatsApp group to help each other remain afloat and grow.

“I’m really so hopeful,” Bradley said. “Even in the downfall of SVB, it has managed to form this incredible community of folks that are trying to help each other to succeed. They’re saying, ‘SVB was here for us, now we’re going to be here for each other.”

ETHIOPIA

continued from page 10

In a photo op before a private meeting, Ethiopia’s foreign minister, Demeke Mekonnen, noted that the two nations “have longstanding relations, and it is time to revitalize them and move forward.”

Former U.S. diplomat to Africa Elizabeth Shackelford, opined: “Mr. Blinken should be skeptical toward Mr. Abiy, whose heroic image as a 2019 Nobel Prize winner has been eclipsed by a ruinous civil war for which he bears much responsibility and during which his forces and allied troops from the neighboring country of Eritrea were accused of massacres, sexual assault and ethnic cleansing in Tigray. “My hope is that the war has changed our approach to the Ethiopian government and made us buy Abiy’s lines less readily.”

PHOTO: (c) Ridofranz / iStock via Getty Images Plus

Everyday dedication meets everyday appreciation

Everyday dedication meets everyday appreciation

We celebrate the commitment of our employees with initiatives like Sharing Success, which awarded 96% of colleagues additional compensation this year, nearly all in stock. This is the sixth time teammates received this award, totaling more than $4 billion.

We celebrate the commitment of our employees with initiatives like Sharing Success, which awarded 96% of colleagues additional compensation this year, nearly all in stock. This is the sixth time teammates received this award, totaling more than $4 billion. Go

We are committed to being a Great Place to Work for our teammates in San Diego and around the globe. This includes providing leading benefits, minimum wage at $22/hr on track to $25/hr by 2025 and opportunities to build a career with us. These are key reasons we’ve been named America’s Most JUST Company.

We are committed to being a Great Place to Work for our teammates in San Diego and around the globe. This includes providing leading benefits, minimum wage at $22/hr on track to $25/hr by 2025 and opportunities to build a career with us. These are key reasons we’ve been named America’s Most JUST Company.

Rick

Bregman

President, Bank of America San Diego

Rick Bregman President, Bank of America San Diego

Go to bankofamerica.com/sandiegoto learn more.

What would you like the power to do?®

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