Politics

At-Large Candidates Get Questioned on Topics

THE TENNESSEE TRIBUNE — Six candidates for at large council answered questions Monday night before a crowd of at least 1,000 at Plaza Mariachi on Nolensville Rd. A coalition of 21 pro-immigrant organizations hosted the forum to hear the candidates answer questions about immigration enforcement, criminal justice, small business and the economy, affordable housing, education, and workers’ rights.

Published

7 years ago

June 25, 2019

Peter White

By Peter White

NASHVILLE, TN — Six candidates for at large council answered questions Monday night before a crowd of at least 1,000 at Plaza Mariachi on Nolensville Rd. A coalition of 21 pro-immigrant organizations hosted the forum to hear the candidates answer questions about immigration enforcement, criminal justice, small business and the economy, affordable housing, education, and workers’ rights.

District 18 Councilperson Burkley Allen got a question about Affordable Housing. In 2014, Allen managed to get a small source of recurring funding dedicated to low income housing.

“What would you do to address the affordable housing crisis?” asked Katherine Ledezma, a board member of Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition (TIRRC). Allen, who helped create the Barnes Fund, said Nashville’s attempt to establish inclusionary zoning for working families was preempted by the state legislature.

“I’m working on providing funding that would be geared toward lower-cost housing without requiring such a high return on the investment,” she said. “There are more tools and we’ve got to bring those to Nashville and I will continue to work to make those happen,” said Allen.

One by one, the at large candidates fielded questions asked by a member of one of Metro’s immigrant communities, most of whom now live in South Nashville and Antioch but who speak at least two languages and whose families came from all over the globe.

District 31 Councilman Fabian Bedne got a question about access to services for immigrant and refugee families, a subject close to his heart. Bedne told the crowd he was the first immigrant ever elected to the City Council.

“Usually an immigrant is not interested in services. They just want to be left alone. They come to know about problems with the city when the city comes to them and tells them to mow their grass or you gotta take care of the dog,” he said. Bedne said immigrants make up 20% of the city population and they deserve to be treated equally.

“I’m frustrated when people get a notice from Codes and it’s in English. Even if you’re an Anglo

you cannot understand those code notices,” he said. “Imagine if English is your second language and you’re trying to figure out what you did to get this scary notice from the city telling you that you’re going to have to go to a judge,” he said. His remarks drew laughter as well as applause.

Gicola Lane is a community activist who helped create the Community Oversight Board.

“For many immigrants even minor encounters with law enforcement can result in their detention or deportation. If you were elected what would you do to address inequality in our justice system,” asked Evelin Salgado, a teacher at Cane Ridge High School.

“I’ve bailed out immigrants,” said Lane. “It’s a rush against the clock before we’re seeing a hold placed on someone. So I think one thing we can do immediately is to stop working with ICE,” she said. Lane was roundly applauded.

Incumbent Bob Mendes was asked about cooperation between local police and federal immigration officers. He’s against it.

“Local government doesn’t work if people are afraid to interact with it,” Mendez said.

He said nothing works right if people are worried that the first thing that comes up is their citizenship status.

“During this last term we did file a couple of pieces of legislation to try to keep our jails from being used by ICE and to keep city government from paying for federal immigration enforcement,” Mendez said. He wrote those bills but the TN state legislature overruled them.

“I’m still interested in that legislation and hope we get a chance to pursue it again in the next term,” Mendez said. He said it would take 21 members of the city council to challenge the state law in court.

Gary Moore was asked about wage theft and job safety: immigrant workers get plenty of the first and not enough of the second. Moore comes from the ranks of organized labor. He is a former firefighter and served in the Tennessee House of Representatives for seven years.

“What will you do to address the experiences and conditions of immigrant workers in Nashville?” asked Abey Lissane, member of the Nashville Ethiopian Community Association.

“This is something I have fought for my whole career,” said Moore. “I have fought to protect the rights of immigrants and all working men and women…. I will continue to do that,” he said.

Workers’ safety is supposed to be enforced by the Tennessee Occupational Safety and Health Administration, a state agency, but Moore said issues like wage theft can be addressed at the local level.

“In the procurement process we can make sure there is language in there that protects the rights of the workers… to make sure we have no more wage theft,” Moore said.

He said on big jobs general contractors tend to “push things down to the subcontractors.”

Moore said tougher language in city contracts would make general contractors police subcontractors better so they don’t steal from workers. “We can do that in the procurement process. I would fight to make sure that happens,” Moore said.

Moderator Judith Clerjeune, asked all the candidates what they would do to represent the experiences and perspectives of immigrant and refugee communities on the council. Zulfat Suara would be the first Muslim on the city council.

She is a longtime advocate for refugee and immigrant families and a Certified Public Accountant (CPA). She was Assistant Comptroller at Meharry Medical School and in her CPA practice, she had four counties and two city governments as clients. Suara wants to make sure Metro budgets reflect the issues important to her community.

“We talk about Nashville being welcoming…it’s about time our government actually reflects the population that it serves. I think we need to have more voices on the council and as a Muslim woman, immigrant, African American, I bring all those diverse voices to the table. But I want people to also remember that I am that Muslim women who is also a CPA ..and I’m an immigrant who is an MNPS parent and a woman that has actually worked with Tennessee women and children,” she said.

This article originally appeared in The Tennessee Tribune.

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Newsom Signs Addictive Social Media Law to Protect Kids

Newsom said California’s approach focuses on the features that can encourage excessive social media use rather than taking the broader step of banning teenagers from the platforms altogether. He contrasted the measure with restrictions adopted in Australia and Malaysia that prevent teenagers from accessing social media or creating accounts.

Published

4 days ago

September 22, 2026

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By Bo Tefu, California Black Media

Word Count: 391

Gov. Gavin Newsom has signed a new California law targeting addictive social media features that can keep children scrolling, giving the state new authority to restrict how platforms engage young users.

AB 1709, authored by Assemblymember Josh Lowenthal (D-Long Beach) prohibits social media companies from giving children under 16 access to personalized feeds, including “For You” pages, as well as other features designed to maximize screen time, such as infinite scrolling and video autoplay.

The law does not prevent children under 16 from using social media. Instead, platforms must deactivate the covered features for those users.

“This is about actually addressing the problem, the scrolling, the algorithms,” Newsom said Sept. 10 during a bill-signing event in the San Francisco Bay Area.

The law comes amid growing concerns about the impact of social media on children’s mental health and well-being. California lawmakers have increasingly focused on the design and business practices of technology platforms as part of efforts to protect young users.

AB 1709 is one of 13 youth online safety and privacy laws Newsom signed Sept.10. The package also includes measures regulating AI chatbots, increasing potential penalties for technology companies and establishing additional protections for children using digital services.

Lowenthal said the new rules represent a shift toward greater accountability for technology companies.

“We want oversight. We want accountability. We’re done asking nicely, and we’re demanding that there is a duty of care across these platforms — a duty that puts the wellness of our children ahead of profits,” Lowenthal said.

The law builds on California’s broader effort to regulate children’s online experiences. A separate law, AB 1043, will require users to provide their birth dates when setting up new phones or laptops beginning in January, with device manufacturers required to share users’ ages with apps.

Some youth online safety advocates have supported AB 1709 as a more targeted alternative to outright social media bans. Others have warned that the restrictions could make it harder for some LGBTQ+ young people to find support online and questioned how effectively age requirements can be enforced.

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On Your November Ballot: Prop 38 Would Allocate $8.4 Billion to Immunology and Immunotherapy Funding

“Yes on 38”, with the tagline “Californians for Life-Saving Immunology Research and Cures,” is leading the campaign for the support side of the proposition.

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4 days ago

September 22, 2026

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By Austin Gage, California Black Media

California voters will decide in November whether Proposition (Prop) 38 should authorize substantial state funding for immunology and immunotherapy research.

The initiative would fund immunology and immunotherapy research aimed at harnessing the body’s immune system to develop new treatments, medical procedures and potential cures for diseases such as cancer, Alzheimer’s disease and heart disease.

More specifically, Prop 38, titled the Immunology and Immunotherapy Research Funding Initiative, is split into three main components that would go into effect if passed.

First, the initiative would authorize the state to issue $8.4 billion in general obligation bonds to support immunology and immunotherapy research. At least half of the bond proceeds, or $4.2 billion, would be dedicated exclusively to research.

Additionally, Prop 38 would make it mandatory for the state to enter into an agreement with a qualified nonprofit institute focused and dedicated to researching immunology and immunotherapy within 90 days of the initiative’s effective date. The research institute must be affiliated with the University of California.

The third component mandates that the remaining bond revenue must be directed to California-based public and nonprofit medical institutions through a peer-reviewed grant process.

“Yes on 38”, with the tagline “Californians for Life-Saving Immunology Research and Cures,” is leading the campaign for the support side of the proposition.

Along with the campaign, organizations that have publicly supported the ballot initiative include the California Democratic Party, The ALS Association, Alzheimer’s treatment and advocacy organizations, California Black Health Network, Parkinson Association of Northern California and Reform California among others.

“California has an opportunity to accelerate lifesaving medical breakthroughs. Immunotherapies work differently than traditional treatments. Instead of attacking cells directly, they empower the body’s own immune system to recognize and stop disease. Today, these therapies are already treating certain cancers and chronic conditions — and researchers continue to expand what’s possible. This initiative invests in proven science so cures can move from the lab to patients faster,” said the campaign.

No on Proposition 38 is leading the campaign against the measure, with support from the League of Women Voters of California. Opponents argue that California cannot afford to assume $8.4 billion in debt for medical research that may not produce definitive results. They also object to directing more than half of the bond proceeds — $4.2 billion — to a single qualifying nonprofit research institute, arguing that funding decisions of this magnitude should be made through the state’s regular budget process.

“Medical research can save lives, but Prop 38 is the wrong way to fund it. It would authorize $8.4 billion in borrowing for immunology and immunotherapy research and require the state to make $500 million to $600 million in annual debt payments for about 20 years. Those payments would come from the General Fund, which also pays for schools, health care, and other public services,” the League of Women Voters of California said.

A “yes” vote would authorize $8.4 billion in state bonds to fund immunology and immunotherapy medical research.

A “no” vote would reject the proposed bond funding.

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Community

Asm. Isaac Bryan’s Bill Banning California Police From ICE Side Jobs Reaches Newsom’s Desk

The legislation comes as ICE ramps up efforts to recruit law enforcement personnel under the Trump administration. Bryan said the federal agency is offering financial incentives to attract officers, raising concerns about the impact on local law enforcement agencies and the communities they serve.

Published

4 days ago

September 22, 2026

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By Bo Tefu, California Black Media

A bill by California Assemblymember Isaac Bryan (D-Ladera Heights) that would prevent state and local police officers from taking second jobs with federal immigration enforcement agencies is headed to Gov. Gavin Newsom after clearing the Legislature.

AB 1537 would bar California peace officers from accepting secondary employment related to immigration enforcement, including work with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The measure also would require officers to report offers for immigration enforcement-related outside employment to their employing agencies.

“They are trying to recruit our law enforcement personnel. They are offering these insane bonuses,” Bryan said.

Bryan said he is particularly concerned about efforts to recruit experienced law enforcement personnel while questions have been raised about ICE’s hiring standards.

“They want better skilled, better trained folks because their untrained and uneducated goons go through a very low threshold,” Bryan added.

The legislation would create consequences for California officers who violate its restrictions. Officers who fail to report offers of secondary employment related to immigration enforcement could face decertification as peace officers in California.

Bryan has framed the bill as a measure to establish boundaries between local law enforcement and federal immigration enforcement, particularly as immigration enforcement has become a major source of conflict between the Trump administration and California.

“This is a rogue agency that is harming the American people,” said Bryan. “It should be abolished, but in the meantime, we’ve got to do everything we can to put guardrails around our communities and protect our neighbors.”

AB 1537 previously received approval from the Assembly Public Safety Committee in March before advancing through the Legislature. The bill now awaits Newsom’s decision. The Governor can sign it into law, veto it or allow it to become law without his signature.