Community

Bettie Hodges Inducted into Marin Women’s Hall of Fame

Published

10 years ago

April 2, 2014

The 2014 Marin Women’s Hall of Fame was hosted last week at the Peacock Gap Golf Club, 333 Biscayne Dr. in San Rafael.

More than 350 women attended the induction ceremony to honor five women for their work and commitment to Marin community.

Bettie Ruth Hodges was honored for her social change efforts and her work with The Hannah Project Partnership. Growing up in the 1960’s, change has been a continuous metaphor in her life and always motivated her to give back to her community.

“These values has been departed to me all my days,” said Hodges. “It was what was talked about in the kitchen table, and preached at the pulpit. Helping others and the community has been the right thing to do.”

Other honorees included Claudia Asprer for her community service efforts. She is the founder of ‘Moving On Up’, an organization that provides services for emancipated foster youth. Joan Brown was honored for her volunteer leadership with the Civic Center Volunteers organization.

Patricia Hellman Gibbs, M.D. was honored for her work in the Health and Services field at the San Francisco Free Clinic and Elissa Giambastiani was posthumously recognized in the area of Business and Professions with the San Rafael Chamber of Commerce.

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California Black Media

Audit: California Is Poorly Monitoring Homelessness Spending

California has failed to monitor state spending and evaluate the outcomes of homelessness programs, according to a report issued last week by the California State Auditor’s Office. California State Auditor Grant Parks urged Governor Gavin Newsom to continue to hold local governments accountable in an open letter dated April 9. The audit highlighted that tracking programs and collecting accurate data could help the state save money.

Published

18 mins ago

May 3, 2024

Oakland Post

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By California Black Media

California has failed to monitor state spending and evaluate the outcomes of homelessness programs, according to a report issued last week by the California State Auditor’s Office.

California State Auditor Grant Parks urged Governor Gavin Newsom to continue to hold local governments accountable in an open letter dated April 9. The audit highlighted that tracking programs and collecting accurate data could help the state save money.

“The state must do more to assess the cost-effectiveness of its homelessness programs,” Parks said.

The report showed that California spent approximately $20 billion on programs and initiatives addressing homelessness in the past five years. Although state funds were allocated to fund shelters and subsidized rent, homelessness in the state increased by 65 during the last year.

In 2021, Gov. Newsom signed a law that required organizations that received state funds to collect data and evaluate the progress of programs they implement.

California auditors revealed that only two out of five action plans were cost-effective. One was Project Homekey, which converted hotels into housing during COVID-19, and CalWORKS, a housing support that offered financial assistance to low-income residents.

Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle expressed concern after the report was released.

“The biggest conclusion that the auditors came back with is there’s just inadequate transparency and data and information available,” said Sen. Dave Cortese (D-San Jose) in a statement.

Republican Sen. Roger Niello (R-Roseville) said, “These audit results are a wake-up call for a shift towards solutions that prioritize self-sufficiency and cost-effectiveness.”

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Activism

Obituary: Social Justice Leader, the Rev. Cecil Williams, Passes at 94

On April 22, community leader and social justice advocate Reverend Cecil Williams died at his home in San Francisco surrounded by his loved ones, according to his family. He was 94 years old.

Published

31 mins ago

May 3, 2024

Oakland Post

The Rev. Cecil Williams, civil rights activist and social justice leader was the head pastor of San Francisco’s non-denominational GLIDE Memorial United Methodist Church.

By California Black Media

On April 22, community leader and social justice advocate Reverend Cecil Williams died at his home in San Francisco surrounded by his loved ones, according to his family.

He was 94 years old.

The reverend was a civil rights leader who advocated for the equal rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer people in the Bay Area.

Williams was the head pastor of the non-denominational GLIDE Memorial United Methodist Church. The church welcomed individuals from the queer community and people struggling with homelessness, housing instability and substance use disorder (SUD).

Through his work, Rev. Williams attracted national attention. Prominent political and cultural leaders such as Maya Angelou, Bono, Oprah Winfrey, and Bill Clinton all attended church services at Glide.

Congressmember Barbara Lee (D-CA-12) said she is deeply saddened about the passing of her dear friend.

“The Reverend changed the lives of millions through radical love, support, inclusivity, and a commitment to service to the most marginalized,” Lee said.

Gov. Gavin Newsom said that the reverend inspired people across California to embody the values of generosity and acceptance.

Rev. Williams was, “a visionary leader whose legendary compassion and love for his community transformed the lives of people from all walks of life,” Newsom said.

Rev. Williams served as the chief executive officer of the Glide Foundation until his retirement in 2023.