The Time is
Now
Black San Diegans, change is knocking at your door! Take a step-in a DIFFERENT direction… We are dancing through the year 2020 with five months between us and a step into the new decade. How are we preparing for this new energy? Thinking about all the ways you expected this year to go was fun but let us shift our focus there to doing something different! Many of us are stuck at home and it can feel like we are stuck in the same patterns and routines that keep us stagnant on our path. There are small steps that we can take towards the goals we set for ourselves. You can switch it up and still stay in your lane, check it out! Switching up the routine When it is time to do something different in our lives there is always a sign or a multitude of signs to direct us to where the change needs to be made. No one who can tell you what you need better than you can, and as you adjust it is safe to let go of what no longer serves you. Wanting to take a different direction in your life does not make your current circumstance wrong or misguided. Looking at our lives through the binary of right and wrong places limitations on what we allow ourselves to learn from our experiences. When we remove these limitations, we open ourselves to thinking and living “outside the box”.
Starting NOW! Putting off the things we want to do for ourselves is probably another thing that we have allowed during our stay at home, but that ends now. To create that shift you must be willing to get to work now, at your own pace. The new direction that you take does not have to be super radical and against the norm. It is best to take things one day at a time, try out what feels comfortable and keep doing it to create a habit. Set short term and long-term goals to motivate you towards making a healthy shift that works for your capacity. Most of all have fun exploring new ways to help yourself adjust and find comfort in change.
The San Diego Monitor
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RE-BRANDING
BLACK AMERICA
Legacy meets future - Is Black media leading the way? Legacy publisher Cheryl Morrow of the San Diego Monitor News and Chris Williams, publisher of the firebrand cannabis newspaper, Candid Chronicle, announce a media partnership. “Together, we will have an enhanced ability to empower our journalists, publishers, and the communities we cover. Frankly, Chris and I have worked together before, I served as the mentor of the Candid Chronicle team a few years ago, Chris was so determined, and Candid Chronicle was going to happen regardless, so I saw his vision, and he wanted to be a part of whatever he was creating, and that was the magic.” Cheryl shares with SDMNews editor. Disrupting the underserved industry of black and brown media is the mission. “We would talk on the phone periodically, and we would always come back to this vision, Chris says.” The goal behind this collaboration is to deliver pride in Black culture, in Black lives, the way we see things, the way we live; reporting on these aspects will be the foundation of the partnership. “We will package it in a fresh and innovative format with shape-shifting effects and energy, Cheryl says.” The real conversations and true engagements that are transforming our environments will be captured in ways that make it real to the community themselves.
Actual news curated through music, cinematic, video, podcasts, and virtual reality. Cheryl says, “We’re excited, by stepping up our game here in San Diego, we hope to inspire all Black media mavens and future Black journalists, to explore what we’re doing and follow or better blazing their own trails of Black media in their communities as well.”
Black media’s vision for Black futures When Black business owners connect with other Black leaders and influencers it creates a network of resources and opportunities for everyone to succeed. There are already so many amazing platforms available for the Black community to access these platforms and all that they have to offer. The Black Business Lists is a directory of over 700 Black- owned businesses, BlackBuyBlack.com a new list that has emerged during the #Blackout movement to address racial and economic injustice in the black community and BuyBlackSD a platform local to San Diego that highlights and uplifts Black entrepreneurs in all fields. Fighting for representation in the media that is healthy and true to the realities of Black lives has brought us to this moment today, and still the work is not finished. The current political climate in America has created an increase in opportunities for Black businesses to take on new consumers. Continued pg. 8
Talk the Talk AND Walk the Walk To executives at Uber, Lyft, DoorDash, Instacart, Postmates, and other gig companies: The workers who power the core of your businesses write in response to your recent comments on the Black Lives Matter movement. We are not fooled. Your lip service in support of Black Lives is hollow, created by well-paid public relations teams, and absent of any promise of real change. Justice for Black Lives A survey by the University of California Santa Cruz suggests 70% of rideshare Lyft drivers are African Americans and other People of Color, 50% are immigrants, and, because of company greed, only 31% say they could find $400 in an emergency. Racial justice is economic justice. The conditions that make police killings of Black people possible and inevitable are the same conditions that make the exploitation of Black and Brown workers possible and inevitable. We reject your attempts to separate racial justice from economic justice. This fight is not only about police killings and terror — it is about every institution that exploits and abuses Black and Brown people in this country. When it comes to exploiting Black and brown people, you and your companies are experts. At the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, gig workers were faced with a devil’s choice: Continue working despite a deadly virus or risk losing the roof over their heads.
When they attempted to secure masks, hand sanitizer, paid sick time off, unemployment wages, and other protective measures they found obstacles, and opaque processes. They had to turn to outside organizations — and each other — for safety during the pandemic. Where were you then? Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, Black gig workers already faced discrimination and abuse on the job. Black gig workers already had no protection from racist consumers who file false complaints and do not tip. Black gig workers already found less support and more discrimination from staff meant to “support” us. Black gig workers already were subject to more policing and harassment from law enforcement on the job every day. Where were you then? Change for Black Lives Then, as now, you were stealing from your workers. You pay them starvation wages while you and your executives return to million-dollar homes that you built off our backs. You deny them workers’ compensation and disability insurance if they are injured and you refuse to provide protection from discrimination and retaliation. We believe from the very depth of our beings that there will be no peace until there is justice. If you respect Black lives, as your corporate statements so proudly declare, you will respect Black voices and listen to your workers when they say that enough is enough. All labor has dignity. All labor has worth. We demand that you respect theirs.
The San Diego Monitor
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Difficult conversations in the black community Are Black youth inheriting poverty? – Creating generational wealth in Black communities
We must believe that wealth is possible and obtainable for our families. Now that we are certain in the ways that all the cards have been stacked against us, its time for a new game. Principles of establishing wealth
Many Black babies are born into families that experience economic disparities far before their conception. It is not the fault of these youth that they were born into poverty, and the parents cannot take full responsibility for their economic disadvantages. This is the reality of far too many Black families and its time we break the cycle.
When I was 13 years old my single mother looked to me and my two young Black brothers with a smile. “This is the last generation of welfare in our family”. It was a very simple and powerful statement. I knew that in the smile that stretched across her face hid all the tears and pain of trying to find a new way, of trying to provide a different life for her babies.
First, we need to explore the systemic barriers that have kept Black people, as a collective, at the bottom of the social ladder since their emancipation from slavery. There has been legislation and structures created to immobilize Black people, to keep us poor and disadvantaged. Keeping us in this position creates the illusion that we deserve to be dehumanized further.
My mother is now on her way to being a first-time home-owner before she even stepped into her 40’s. She was never taught by her parents how to manage money, how to buy a home or finance a family. She had to learn and then practice. Trial and error so that she could ensure that whatever she taught her children they would be prepared to build something to last.
Second, it is important to not generalize the position of Black people in America because not all Black people experience poverty in the same way, and to some Black people this is simply not their reality. Either way we still must create space to discuss the circumstances of an overwhelmingly large amount of our community. They deserve better and Black people must stop looking down on those in our community who have not had the same opportunities and access as the rest of us. Third, we must change our focus. We are no longer trying to prove to White America that we are oppressed. We are trying to build systems that serve our current needs and concerns. We are organizing and mobilizing to ask questions that our ancestors lacked the resources to challenge.
Developing generational wealth in the Black family is not about working multiple jobs and exhausting ourselves laboring for other people. The power lies in the principles and values that we hold when it comes to money. How is money managed in our home? What kind of conversations are we having about money with our children? What kind of relationship do our children have to money? It is also important to think about where we are currently and where were trying to build. Breaking the cycle of generational poverty is based on our practice with money and our mindset around how we can use it as a tool for liberating ourselves and our babies. Read more at www.sdmonitornews.com
The San Diego Monitor
SDMNEWS Must Read
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Campaign Filings and Responsibilities
2020 CA Census Guide
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Candidate Intention Statement
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Campaign Contribution Account
Table of Contents
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Exceptions
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Presidential Candidates
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United States Representative in Congress, and Member of the State Legislature Candidates
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Nomination Documents – Nomination Papers and Declaration of Candidacy
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In General
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Write-In Candidates for Voter-Nominated Offices
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The San Diego Monitor
The new trend is supporting Black people and even if much of the support is performative on behalf of our non-Black counterparts, Black people must take advantage of this spotlight.
Black media is everything from news outlets, magazine and newspapers to YouTube and social media influencers. Using every platform that we have access to promote and uplift the Black community is our next step to success in our own right.
Black businesses can and will thrive without the gaze of White America, but we cannot disregard the influence that White America has had on marginalizing and silencing the voices of Black business owners. We should not expect them to give us a platform to succeed, we must create our own.
When we take initiative to go beyond the limits of what we have been told we can and cannot do we open new doors for future generations to break down the barriers in their own paths. The work that we do today to put Black businesses on the map is the work that will create strong, resilient Black economies in our future.
Pushing the limits Going back to the collaboration being launched by Cheryl Moore and Chris Williams, this is a challenge to all Black innovators to go beyond the limits of what we believe is possible. Black media can provide the platform for Black businesses and influencers to gain the exposure and support that their work deserves.
The goal is to replace the capitalist practices that tokenize Black business owners, making business ownership seem like something that only a select few have access to. All Black people have the potential to be successful business owners. The Black media has a responsibility to create new opportunities and spaces for us to recognize the many ways that Black people are doing business and expanding our access in different realms.
One of the greatest challenges in the Black community is getting Black people to support Black people. Imagine if we established a trust in Black business owners that could also work to restore confidence in Black people as a collective. We must believe that we can create a world that does not make us victims of our circumstances. It is time to push back.
Our legacy rests in what we have already accomplished, there is no need to prove ourselves or what we are capable of. Our mission is to push ourselves into our greatest potential and transcend the conversations beyond the Black dollar to Black wealth.
#SaveYourBottles & Save our Planet Koils By Nature, a leading hair and skincare brand, is launching one of the first-ever refill programs in the beauty industry. Its #SaveYourBottles Campaign makes it easier for all to take a little extra care of their hair and the world at the same time. Once customers use their current supply of Koils by Nature shampoo or beard wash, they will be able to order their next batch in convenient refill bottles made from recyclable material. The mission behind the movement “When I saw the statistic that over one million plastic bottles are sold every minute, it really made it click for me. This is a simple way we can do our part to make a difference and help our customers do the same,” said Pamela Booker, CEO of Koils By Nature. “Our bathrooms are stocked full of beauty products in plastic bottles, most of which we only use once. Many people want to recycle, but they do not know how or do not think about the little things like their shampoo bottle. By providing a refill bottle made from recyclable material, we’re making sustainability simple.” There is a bottle crisis in America. The challenge is twofold – with COVID-19, business owners like Booker struggle to secure the essential packaging, and on average, customers toss out enough shampoo bottles to fill almost 1,200 football fields each year. Data provided by Euromonitor in 2017 showed that the beauty industry produced over 75 billion plastic packaging units. Known as plastic pollution, people discarding their containers places the environment at risk. Booker saw an opportunity to pivot her business during a time of supply chain uncertainty and solve a critical problem everyday Americans face.
“We’re also giving each customer $3 off. So, in addition to contributing to making the world a better place, you get to save money on your essential personal care items,” added Booker. Koils By Nature’s #SaveYourBottles campaign is only one way the company is committed to the total wellbeing of its customers and community. Vegan-certified and animal cruelty-free, its mission has always been about providing hair and skincare products made with high-quality, plant-based ingredients. “Our moisture-rich cleansers, conditioners, and styling products are inspired by nature, so it only makes sense for us to have a strong desire to care for the earth,” said Booker. “With everything we do, we try to always strike out on a new path. We are always coming up with innovative solutions to serve and satisfy our customers. I believe that’s why we’ve been able to not only survive during tough times but thrive.” Read more about the #SaveYourBottles campaign and product refills are available at KoilsByNature.com
Nyeesha D. Williams, a dedicated consultant with years of experience in wellness consulting, business consulting, mental health cognitive behavioral therapy is proud to announce the launch of her new firm, Serenity Oasis.
Each and every day, our team works to provide wholistic care and support, so that Black women-owned businesses can achieve their goals and tap into the more than $120 billion available in venture capital funding.”
Serenity Oasis is a wellness consulting firm for Black women-led businesses specifically designed to equip today’s women professionals with the personalized strategies and tactics that they need to increase their revenue by over 200%. From inbound marketing to content strategy, Serenity Oasis works to help businesses achieve wholesome growth.
Serenity Oasis is strategically positioned to provide support across the areas of inbound marketing, social media monitoring, content strategy, engagement, business media policies, and so much more.
“For me, Serenity Oasis is the culmination of my life’s work. It incorporates everything that I have cared about for so long, and it allows me to follow my passions in a way that benefits Black women-led businesses. We provide wholesome growth, compassionate support and care, and personalized strategies and tactics that take each clients’ needs into account on an individual basis. We’re leading the way for tailored marketing strategies, increased revenue, and sustainable business success,” says Williams. According to the Amex’s 2019 State of Women-Owned Business Report, Black women represent 42% of net new women-owned business that were launched within the last year. However, in the past decade alone, Black women-led businesses have captured just .0006% of funds from available venture capitalists. A client- centered experience Williams shares, “We consider ourselves as a wellness firm – because we care about the wellness of our clients and their businesses, both mentally and financially.
Connect with Nyeesha D. Williams and Serenity Oasis today. https://www.serenityoasis.agency/
The San Diego Monitor
Putting Black Businesses First – Jay Z uses his platform to uplift Black voices Shawn “Jay-Z” Carter and his agency Roc Nation have taken out multiple full-page ads in newspapers across the country highlighting Black businesses. According to BET, dozens of Black businesses were highlighted by Carter in The New York Times, The Denver Post, The Chicago Tribune, The Los Angeles Times, The Philadelphia Inquirer, The Austin American Statement, The Orlando Sentinel, and The Atlanta JournalConstitution. The ads promoted everything from eateries, beauty shops, clothing stores, and book shops to gyms, flower shops, waste collection, plumbing, auto shops, electricians, and print shops owned and run by Black men and women. “This ad has been created to bring attention to Blackowned businesses. Historically, Black people have been murdered for owning, thriving, and being successful. To that, we say never again,” the spread stated. “Power is in Black voices. Power is in Black actions. Power is in Black wallets. Roc Nation is committed to supporting Black entrepreneurs, their dreams and companies, we challenge everyone to do the same.” According to a nationwide study released in April, 45% of Black businesses are in danger of closing within six months due to the coronavirus.
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Since the pandemic began in March, Carter and his team have been at the forefront of various philanthropic initiatives geared toward providing aid and support to various Black causes. The recording artist also lent his support to the families of George Floyd and Ahmaud Arbery amid their fight for justice for their loved ones. In June, the rapper and Team ROC (the philanthropic arm of Roc Nation) took out full-page ads in the same papers quoting a speech made by Martin Luther King Jr. in Selma, Alabama, in 1965. The ad, which Team ROC posted on its Instagram page, included the signatures of Carter, the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, the Reform Alliance, and the parents of Botham Jean, DJ Henry, and Antwon Rose II—three unarmed Black men killed by police officers. Read more at https://www.blackenterprise.com WWW.SDMONITORNEWS.COM