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Black women meet with state Democratic Party leaders

WAVE NEWSPAPERS — Saying they felt taken for granted, a group of black women met with the leaders of the California Democratic Party Aug. 24 during the party’s summer executive board meeting. More than 200 people, including newly elected party Chair Rusty Hicks, attended the forum in San Jose, where a panel of California black women discussed their continued disappointment in the party.

Published

6 years ago

August 8, 2019

Oakland Post

By Kate Croxton

LOS ANGELES — Saying they felt taken for granted, a group of black women met with the leaders of the California Democratic Party Aug. 24 during the party’s summer executive board meeting.

More than 200 people, including newly elected party Chair Rusty Hicks, attended the forum in San Jose, where a panel of California black women discussed their continued disappointment in the party.

“Black women have been the most loyal and effective Democrats across the country for decades,” said Progressive Caucus Chair Amar Shegrill. “However, if we are honest with ourselves, the party has been taking that support for granted.

“The Progressive Caucus of the California Democratic Party decided to host this panel and invite our party leaders to listen because it is imperative that we renew our commitment to supporting and electing black women.”

Panelists included Democratic activist and two-term Richmond City Councilwoman Jovanka Beckles, San Diego resident and African-American Caucus Chair Taisha Brown and Los Angeles City Council candidate and Democratic activist Dallas Fowler, along with Democratic activist and political commentator Jasmyne Cannick, who served as moderator.

The forum started with Cannick admitting that, like many other black women, she had one foot inside the party and one foot out because of the party’s response to the fatal overdoses of two black gay men in the West Hollywood home of one of the party’s major donors.

“At the time of Gemmel Moore’s death, our chair was good friends with Ed Buck and because of that, this party said and did nothing,” she said. “I decided I didn’t want to belong to a party that doesn’t value our lives. But rather than leave, I decided to stay and get involved because the Democratic Party gets the majority of [black women] votes, and it’s time we discuss our return on our investment with our votes to this party.”

Another topic included the lack of support by the party for black women candidates with panelists agreeing that there is little support for black women when they run for office.

Cannick, who is running for Los Angeles County Democratic Party’s Central Committee in the 53rd Assembly District, which includes Boyle Heights; downtown Los Angeles; East Los Angeles; and Koreatown, talked about the lack of black women elected as party delegates if they are not coming from traditional black areas, as well as the lack of support from elected leaders who represent those areas.

“It’s racism,” said Beckles, who recently ran as a Democrat to represent California’s 15th Assembly District and received 46% of the vote. “It’s unconscious racism. I ran for Assembly District 15, and I found it so fascinating that there were literally signs in yard that said ‘Black Lives Matter,’ and yet they also had signs for my opponent — a white woman.

“We’re talking about the unconsciousness of racism. You can’t say ‘Black Lives Matter’ and not support a black woman who has been doing this work for a long time within your own community. You can’t say ‘Black Lives Matter’ and you don’t support those black women who are running for office.”

Brown then explained that black women can lead and represent areas that are not traditionally black.

“With gentrification, I don’t even think there are any black communities in California anymore — at least not in San Diego,” she said. “It’s very mixed. I happen to believe that black women can serve all-white communities, all-Latino communities, all-Asian communities. We’ve always been inclusive in everything we do. That’s just part of our nature to be inclusive.

“I feel that when Kimberly Ellis ran [for California Democratic Party chair] the first time, she was qualified,” Brown added. “She was way more qualified than Eric Bauman, in my opinion. But she’s a black woman, and that’s the one thing that people looked at and they judged her because she is a black woman.”

Ellis, an African-American progressive Democrat and Bay Area grassroots activist, lost her second bid for chair earlier this year to Hicks after first running and losing by 62 votes to Bauman, who ended up resigning amid sexual harassment allegations in November. If she had been elected, Ellis would have been the first black woman to serve in the state party’s executive role in more than 30 years.

Another issue discussed was the lack of black women employed in leadership executive positions by the party or as consultants.

“Black executive leaders and decision makers, that’s who we want to see in the party,” Fowler said. “I also want to see executive leadership in the party that looks like me. Executive leadership, decision makers — that’s who we want to see.

“When we talk about the contracts, the party spends over $100 million when it comes down to our mid-term and general elections. And when we look at the contracting to African-American … consultants, you’re only talking about $50,000, if that, of that money. So we have to really work on the supplier diversity of this party.

“We have an opportunity to do that, and it starts with these types of conversations. When we look at the contracts and the money that the party reports, we want to see diversity as opposed to some of these big shops that continue to get the contacts year after year after year and we don’t get the opportunities to lead,” Fowler added.

All the panelists thanked Hicks for attending the forum and listening to their concerns.

“Our party’s diversity is our strength,” Hicks said. “I’m proud of the progress we’ve made, including hiring experienced African-American women leaders in our executive team and more diversity in our standing committees, but there’s much more to do. We look forward to working with the progressive caucus to push for greater representation at all levels of our party.”

This article originally appeared in the Wave Newspapers.

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EXCLUSIVE OP-ED: President Joe Biden Commemorating Juneteenth

BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE — “I’ve always believed that we need to be honest about our history, especially in the face of ongoing efforts to erase it. Darkness can hide much, but it erases nothing. Only with truth can come healing, justice, and repair.”

Published

3 days ago

June 20, 2025

admin

By Joseph R. Biden, Jr.
46th President of the United States: 2021—2025

The people of Galveston, Texas, have been commemorating Juneteenth since the Civil War ended. Yesterday, in honor of the 160^th anniversary, I went there to join them.

You can read about the events of Juneteenth, but there’s nothing quite like going to Galveston and seeing where it all happened.

After General Robert E. Lee surrendered at Appomattox Court House on April 9, 1865, Union troops marched across the South for two months, freeing enslaved people along the way. Their final stop was Galveston, an island off the Gulf coast of Texas. There, on June 19, 1865, Union troops went to Reedy Chapel, a church founded in 1848 by enslaved people, and posted a document titled simply “General Order #3.”

“The people of Texas are informed,” it said, “that, in accordance with a Proclamation from the Executive of the United States, all slaves are free.”

We can only imagine the joy that spread through Galveston – and across the state and nation – on that day and those that followed.

Yesterday, there was once again joy in Galveston, with a parade, picnic, and fireworks. There was also great solemnity, because Juneteenth is a sacred day – a day of weight and power.

The Book of Psalms tells us: “Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.” Juneteenth marks both the long, hard night of slavery and subjugation, and the promise of that joyful morning to come.

As President, I had the great honor of signing the law declaring Juneteenth a federal holiday. It was our nation’s first new federal holiday since Martin Luther King, Jr. Day was created in 1983.

Our federal holidays say a lot about who we are as a nation. We have holidays celebrating our independence… the laborers who build this nation… the servicemembers who served and died in its defense.

And now, we also have a national holiday dedicated to the emancipation of enslaved Black Americans.

Signing that law was one of my proudest acts as President.

Yet for 156 years, Juneteenth was not written about in textbooks or taught in classrooms. Still today, there are those who say it does not deserve a holiday. They don’t want to remember the moral stain of slavery and the terrible harm it did to our country.

I’ve always believed that we need to be honest about our history, especially in the face of ongoing efforts to erase it. Darkness can hide much, but it erases nothing. Only with truth can come healing, justice, and repair.

I also believe that it’s not enough to commemorate the past. We must also embrace the obligation we have to the future. As Scripture says, “Faith without works is dead.” And right now, we Americans need to keep the faith and do the work.

In honor of Juneteenth, let’s help people register to vote.

For decades, we fought to expand voting rights in America. Now we’re living in an era when relentless obstacles are being thrown in the way of people trying to vote. We can’t let those tactics defeat us. In America, the power belongs with the people. And the way we show that power is by voting.

So let’s reach out to family, friends and neighbors – especially those who have never voted before. Remind them that with voting, anything is possible. And without it, nothing is possible.

Yesterday in Galveston, we gathered in Reedy Chapel to commemorate Juneteenth, just like people have done for 160 years and counting. We prayed, sang, and read General Order #3 again. The pews were full of families. How many people must have prayed for freedom inside those walls. How many must have sent fervent thanks to God when slavery finally ended.

I remembered the words of my late friend John Lewis. He said, “Freedom is not a state. It is an act.”

Juneteenth did not mark the end of America’s work to deliver on the promise of equality. It only marked the beginning. To honor the true meaning of Juneteenth, we must continue to work toward that promise. For our freedom. For our democracy. And for America itself.

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Cities Across the U.S. Shrink or Cancel Juneteenth Events as DEI Support Wanes

BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE — Across the country, Juneteenth celebrations are being scaled back or eliminated as public funding dries up and corporations withdraw sponsorship.

Published

4 days ago

June 19, 2025

Stacy M. Brown

By Stacy M. Brown
Black Press USA Senior National Correspondent

Across the country, Juneteenth celebrations are being scaled back or eliminated as public funding dries up and corporations withdraw sponsorship. In many communities, the once-growing recognition of the holiday is facing sharp resistance tied to the unraveling of diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts.

In Denver, Colorado, the annual Juneteenth Music Festival, one of the largest in the nation—was cut from two days to one. Organizers said more than a dozen corporate sponsors walked away from commitments, leaving them with a financial gap that almost canceled the event. Norman Harris, the festival’s executive director, said several companies “pulled back their investments or let us know they couldn’t or wouldn’t be in a position to support this year.” Harris credited grassroots donors and small businesses for stepping in when larger backers stepped aside.

In Colorado Springs, the local celebration was relocated to the Citadel Mall parking lot after support from previous sponsors disappeared. Organizers noted that where there were once dozens of corporate partners, only five remained. The downsized event was pieced together with limited resources, but community leaders said they refused to let the holiday go unacknowledged.

Scottsdale, Arizona, canceled its Juneteenth observance after the city council voted to dissolve its diversity, equity, and inclusion office in February. Without the office in place, the city offered no support for planning or funding, leaving residents without an official celebration.

In San Diego, the Cooper Family Foundation lost a $25,000 grant from the National Endowment for the Arts that had been earmarked for Juneteenth programming. Organizers said the decision forced them to personally finance key elements of the event, including cultural exhibits, performances, and youth engagement activities.

Bend, Oregon, called off its Juneteenth event entirely. Organizers cited political tensions and safety concerns, saying they could not secure the partnerships needed to proceed. A public statement from the planning committee described the current climate as “increasingly volatile,” making it difficult to host a safe and inclusive event.

West Virginia, which has recognized Juneteenth as a paid state holiday since 2017, will not sponsor any official events this year. State leaders pointed to budget constraints and recent decisions to eliminate DEI programming across agencies as the reasons for stepping away from public observance.

Austin, Texas, has also reduced its Juneteenth programming. While the city has not canceled events outright, organizers said diminished city support and fewer private contributions forced them to focus only on core activities.

“Thankfully, there was a wide range of support that came when we made the announcement that the celebration is in jeopardy,” said Harris. “But it shows how fragile that support has become.”

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Juneteenth and President Trump

BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE — Juneteenth is a day for African Americans in this nation to connect to their ancestry. It honors the end of slavery in the United States and is considered the longest-running African American holiday. The primary focus is freedom and the emancipation of enslaved people in the United States.

Published

4 days ago

June 19, 2025

Oakland Post

By April Ryan
BlackPressUSA.com Newswire Washington Bureau Chief and White House Correspondent

President Trump is set to proclaim the federal observance of Juneteenth as the White House is open for business on this holiday. The White House says the president will sign a “historic proclamation designating Juneteenth as a National Day of Observance, marking the 160th anniversary of General Order Number 3 in Galveston, Texas.” The declaration was that “all slaves are free.” This Trump proclamation, according to the White House, “will celebrate the Emancipation Proclamation, the Republican Party’s role in passing the 13th Amendment, and reaffirm the administration’s dedication to equal justice and prosperity for all.”

This proclamation comes as President Trump has denounced Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and anything Woke. Juneteenth is a celebration of freedom from the tyranny of 250 years of slavery after the Civil War.

The Juneteenth celebration started when Union troops reached Galveston, Texas, and told the slaves that they were free on June 19, 1865, two years after the Emancipation Proclamation was created.

The Emancipation Proclamation, which is on display in the Lincoln Bedroom of the White House, was issued by President Abraham Lincoln on January 1, 1863. It established that all enslaved people in Confederate states in rebellion against the Union “shall be then, thenceforward, and forever free.”

Juneteenth is a day for African Americans in this nation to connect to their ancestry. It honors the end of slavery in the United States and is considered the longest-running African American holiday. The primary focus is freedom and the emancipation of enslaved people in the United States.

The Juneteenth federal holiday was signed into law by then-President Joe Biden on June 19, 2021. This Trump White House is in full swing today, with a press briefing by Karoline Leavitt, not taking the federal holiday off. Also, President Trump will receive an intelligence briefing in the morning and participate in a swearing-in ceremony for the U.S. Ambassador to Ireland.