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Dorothy Leavell is NNPA’s New Chairwoman

Published

7 years ago

September 7, 2017

Dorothy Leavell is the newly elected chairwoman of the National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA). As a 50-year publisher of the Chicago Crusader, Leavell has served previous terms as president, treasurer and board member of the NNPA. At the helm of the NNPA’s 200-member network with Dr. Benjamen Chavis as president, Leavell is confident about change.

“We are energized, we are ready and my colleague Dr. Ben Chavis has an invaluable amount of resources due to his activism and experiences,” she said. “I have joined Dr. Chavis in the day-to-day endeavors of the NNPA.”

Leavell also appreciates the support of seasoned activists and allies such as Jesse Jackson and attorney Thomas Todd.

While work with the current administration and President Trump has been a challenge, Leavell says the NNPA will continue to push for parity, dialogue and change.

“We need to find a clear path to speak to the administration. We are locked out, but we are working toward dialoguing with those that are reasonable and understanding to ensure our voices are heard,” said Leavell.

NNPA recently hosted their annual retreat in Chicago and reignited coalitions in the fight to promote unity and overcome disparities in the light of racial tensions and violence.

“A young man was shot and died due to a lack of a trauma center here in the neighborhood. As a result, youth showed up to every University of Chicago meeting to protest and make their presence known, said Leavell. “Now there is a trauma center at the University of Chicago.”

But keeping print afloat in the digital age, and getting mainstream companies to advertise in the black press is yet another concern of Leavell’s.

“Major advertisers only want to use digital advertising due to costs and mainstream America doesn’t understand us. We are culturally different and have our own sets of values and making us a carbon copy of others is not the proper approach.”

Leavell says people still like to read a paper, pick it back up and read it again, clip it and post it.

“In the black press, our emphasis is print first and digital as an added value complementary to print,” she added.

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The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of April 24 – 30, 2024

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California Black Media

Yahushua’s Law: Senate Advances Bill to Protect Students from Extreme Weather

In a significant move towards student safety, the California Senate Education Committee passed Senate Bill (SB) 1248, also known as Yahushua’s Law, on April 3. The bill is named in memory of Yahushua Robinson, a 12-year-old student from Lake Elsinore, who tragically died due to a heat-related illness during a physical education class in 2023. It is a pioneering effort to prevent similar incidents in the future.

Published

2 weeks ago

April 18, 2024

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Yahushua Nyerere Robinson (Courtesy Photo)

By California Black Media

In a significant move towards student safety, the California Senate Education Committee passed Senate Bill (SB) 1248, also known as Yahushua’s Law, on April 3.

The bill is named in memory of Yahushua Robinson, a 12-year-old student from Lake Elsinore, who tragically died due to a heat-related illness during a physical education class in 2023. It is a pioneering effort to prevent similar incidents in the future.

Authored by Senator Melissa Hurtado (D-Bakersfield) and co-authored by Assemblymember Akilah Weber, M.D. (D-La Mesa), SB 1248 directs the California Department of Education to develop comprehensive guidelines for schools regarding student activity during all extreme weather conditions.

“No student should ever lose their life on campus to extreme weather when we can take steps to protect them by preparing statewide plans to minimize exposure to the most harmful elements of exposure,” Hurtado said after introducing SB 1248.

The bill stipulates that schools must implement safety measures which include monitoring weather forecasts, postponing or relocating outdoor activities during hazardous conditions, and ensuring students have proper hydration and access to shade. It also requires schools to establish clear communication plans to keep parents, teachers, and students informed about potential weather hazards.

Supporters of the bill include the Robinson family, advocate Christina Laster, Bold Enterprises LLC, California Black Women’s Collective Empowerment Institute, Familias Empoderadas del Valle Central National Action Network, The Black Student Advocate, and the Ventura County Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority.

Thanking Hurtado for introducing this crucial legislation, Weber said, “The story of Yahushua Robinson last year was heartbreaking. We have protections for farm workers and other industries in the case of extreme weather, now climate change is forcing us to also extend similar protections to students at school.”