California Black Media

Biden Drops Out of 2024 Race and Endorses Harris; California Reacts

On June 21, President Joe Biden announced in a letter posted on social media that he is ending his candidacy for a second term and throwing his support behind Vice President Kamala Harris. “It has been the greatest honor of my life to serve as your President. And while it has been my intention to seek reelection, I believe it is in the best interest of my party and the country for me to stand down and to focus solely on fulfilling my duties as President for the remainder of my term,” Biden, 81, addressed the nation in a statement. Shortly after Biden’s announcement, political and civil leaders from across California reacted to the President’s decision.

Published

9 months ago

August 6, 2024

Oakland Post

(Shutterstock) President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris.

By Antonio Ray Harvey, California Black Media

On June 21, President Joe Biden announced in a letter posted on social media that he is ending his candidacy for a second term and throwing his support behind Vice President Kamala Harris.

“It has been the greatest honor of my life to serve as your President. And while it has been my intention to seek reelection, I believe it is in the best interest of my party and the country for me to stand down and to focus solely on fulfilling my duties as President for the remainder of my term,” Biden, 81, addressed the nation in a statement.

Shortly after Biden’s announcement, political and civil leaders from across California reacted to the President’s decision.

Gov. Gavin Newsom hailed Biden’s leadership as President.

“President Biden has been an extraordinary, history-making president — a leader who has fought hard for working people and delivered astonishing results for all Americans,” Newsom said. “He will go down in history as one of the most impactful and selfless presidents.”

Lori Wilson, the chairperson for the California Legislative Black Caucus (CLBC), released a statement wishing Biden well and endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris as Biden’s Democratic nominee successor.

“As Chair of the California Legislative Black Caucus, I would like to express our gratitude to President Biden and thank him for his many years of service and support of policies uplifting Black Californians,” Wilson stated. “As a Caucus, we are proud to stand with President Biden and offer our wholehearted and unconditional endorsement to Vice President Kamala D. Harris. We look forward to working hard to ensure she is elected President in November.”

Biden’s campaign released a statement from Harris.

“I am honored to have the president’s endorsement, and my intention is to earn and win this nomination,” Harris stated. “Over the past year, I have traveled across the country, talking with Americans about the clear choice in this momentous election. And that is what I will continue to do in the days and weeks ahead.”

U.S. Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA-12) released a statement commending Biden for his many accomplishments.

“From appointing the first Black woman to serve on the Supreme Court to historic investments in addressing climate change and improving infrastructure, to saving lives and reviving our economy after the COVID-19 pandemic, President Biden’s legacy as president will live on forever,” Lee stated. This day is about honoring him.”

LaNiece Jones, Executive Director of Black Women Organized for Political Action (BWOPA), thanked Biden for his service and praised him for his endorsement of Harris.

“We are profoundly thankful for your steadfast commitment to ensuring equity and equality for Black women and all Americans. Your efforts to create a more just and inclusive society do not go unnoticed, and we stand firmly with you as you pass the torch to the next U.S. President.” said Jones. “We are immensely proud of and commend your historic endorsement of Vice President Kamala Harris, a longtime and esteemed member of BWOPA, to lead this nation.”

@PaulCobbOakland @NNPA_BlackPress @BlackPressUSA @PostNewsGroup @CaliforniaBlac2 @POTUS @VP @GavinNewsom @AsmLoriDWilson @CABlackCaucus

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Gov. Newsom Approves $170 Million to Fast Track Wildfire Resilience

AB 100 approves major investments in regional conservancies across the state, including over $30 million each for the Sierra Nevada, Santa Monica Mountains, State Coastal, and San Gabriel/Lower LA Rivers and Mountains conservancies. An additional $10 million will support wildfire response and resilience efforts.

Published

2 weeks ago

April 28, 2025

Oakland Post

Courtesy of California Governor Gavin Newsom’s Facebook page.

By Bo Tefu
California Black Media

With wildfire season approaching, last week Gov. Gavin Newsom signed Assembly Bill (AB) 100, unlocking $170 million to fast-track wildfire prevention and forest management projects — many of which directly protect communities of color, who are often hardest hit by climate-driven disasters.

“With this latest round of funding, we’re continuing to increase the speed and size of forest and vegetation management essential to protecting communities,” said Newsom when he announced the funding on April 14.

“We are leaving no stone unturned — including cutting red tape — in our mission to ensure our neighborhoods are protected from destructive wildfires,” he said.

Newsom also signed an executive order suspending certain regulations to allow urgent work to move forward faster.

This funding builds on California’s broader Wildfire and Forest Resilience Action Plan, a $2.7 billion effort to reduce fuel loads, increase prescribed burning, and harden communities. The state has also launched new dashboards to keep the public informed and hold agencies accountable.

California has also committed to continue investing $200 million annually through 2028 to expand this effort, ensuring long-term resilience, particularly in vulnerable communities.