Activism

California’s Black Women Leaders Talk Politics, Health, Economics and More

“The journey to college is mythical for most Black girls in California. Our nation has a long history of racial trauma and discriminatory behavior toward Black students. The urgency of closing the pay and wealth gap makes Black girls’ path to college particularly alarming due to the role Black women often play in being the primary breadwinner in Black households,” wrote Dr. Colette Harris Mathews, founder/principal DEIB Consultant at Harris Mathews Consulting.

Published

3 years ago

February 16, 2022

Oakland Post

“For Black women, this balancing act has gone way past the breaking point. With nearly 80% of Black mothers with children under six participating in the work force, the highest workforce participation of any racial/ethnic group, the challenges facing their ability to remain in the work force remain,” wrote Jonie Ricks-Oddie, director of the UCI Center for Statistical Consulting.

By Charlene Muhammad | California Black Media

Hundreds of African American women, professionals from different backgrounds and all corners of the Golden State, came together January 31 to discuss a range of issues important to Black women in California.

California Black Women’s Collective, California Black Media and Black Women Organized for Political Action (BWOPA) organized the event to release and discuss the findings of a report titled “The State of Black Women in California 2022 and Beyond: Essays from Black Women Thought Leaders.”

“Our speakers are …. experts on the issues that are important to Black Women and the Black community,” Kellie Todd Griffin, convener of the California Black Women’s Collective told the virtual audience. More than 700 people registered for the event.

There are nearly 1.1 million Black women in California. However, according to the report, more than 75% of Black households in the state are headed by single Black mothers and 80% of Black households have Black women breadwinners.

The report’s authors say the data in their study is significant for shining a light on the needs of Black women, which is critical to uplifting the Black community. The goal of the State of Black Women in California report is to focus on strategic and collaborative ways on the needs and concerns of Black women and girls in California, they explain.

The forum had four panel discussions, each one centered on the major themes of the report, which were: Political Participation; Work and Family; Health and Wellness; Employment and Earning; Poverty and Opportunity; Organizational Spotlight; Education; Violence and Safety; and Black Women and Aging. Authors who contributed to the study each spent time diving into the details of their essays.

The discussion was co-moderated by Regina Wilson, executive director of California Black Media and Shakari Byerly of Evitarus.

Kristin McGuire, executive director of the Young Invincibles, wrote “The Power of Next.” Her essay highlighted the need to focus on young women leaders.

“To move forward we must be intentional about developing the power of the next generation, she wrote.

Her essay, McGuire said, was motivated by the need to look at who was best qualified to lead.

“Who better to lead than people directly impacted,” she said.“Black women are disproportionately impacted.”

Jonie Ricks-Oddie, director of the UCI Center for Statistical Consulting, addressed management between work and home life in her essay titled, “The Balancing Act and the Support Needed.”

She told the audience, “There are a lot of things employers can do to improve our quality of life (allow telecommuting and hybrid work options).”

She recommends the following, “Employers can build workplace policies, benefits and programs that provide coaching, wellness, and support services to support caregiver well-being. Additionally, employers can review their current leave policies to ensure that they are meeting the current and future needs of their staff.”

Dr. Colette Harris Mathews, founder/principal DEIB Consultant at Harris Mathews Consulting wrote about the challenges Black women face becoming the most educated group in America. Her essay is entitled, “Education’s Part in the Disruption of Success for Black Women.”

Black girls are further challenged with disproportionate punishments while in school.

“For Black girls, the highest suspension disparity was also in early childhood education where they are 3.56 times more likely to be suspended than the statewide average for this age demographic,” she explained.

Carlene Davis spoke about the needs of aging Black women. Her essay written with Kiara Pruitt is titled, “Enhancing the Experience of Growing Older for Black Women in the Golden State.” They brought their lived experiences to the creation of Sistahs Aging with Grace & Elegance (SageSistahs).

“From a health perspective … it is important to note that Black women are … disproportionately impacted by the intersectional issues of Alzheimer’s/other dementias and family caregiving,” they wrote.

In California, according to the report, the population aged 60 years and over is growing at three times the rate of the population overall and, by 2026, the number of Californians over the age of 65 is expected to increase by 2.1 million (as compared to an increase of approximately 500,000 for those 25-64 years old).

“We may find ourselves not only having to make room in our hearts but also in our empty spare rooms for our sister friends in crisis,” she told the audience.“We must plan and prepare for full lives that can turn frail at a moment’s notice.”

The report can be found at www.cablackwomenscollective.com.

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Griot Theater Company Presents August Wilson’s Work at Annual Oratorical Featuring Black Authors

The performance explores the legacy of Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright August Wilson whose 10-play Century Cycle chronicles the African American experience across the 20th century, with each play set in a different decade. “Half a Century” journeys through the final five plays of this monumental cycle, bringing Wilson’s richly woven stories to life in a way that celebrates history, resilience, and the human spirit.

Published

16 hours ago

February 17, 2025

Oakland Post

Late playwright August Wilson. Wikipedia photo.

By Godfrey Lee

Griot Theater Company will present their Fifth Annual Oratorical with August Wilson’s “Half a Century,” at the Belrose on 1415 Fifth Ave., in San Rafael near the San Rafael Public Library.

The performance explores the legacy of Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright August Wilson whose 10-play Century Cycle chronicles the African American experience across the 20^th century, with each play set in a different decade. “Half a Century” journeys through the final five plays of this monumental cycle, bringing Wilson’s richly woven stories to life in a way that celebrates history, resilience, and the human spirit.

Previous performance highlighting essential Black American authors included Maya Angelou, James Baldwin, and Lorraine Hansberry with Langston Hughes.

The play will be performed at 3:00. p.m. on Feb. 20, 21, 22, 27, and 28 at 7:00 p.m., and on Feb. 23 at 3:00 p.m.

For more information, go to griottheatercompany.squarespace.com/productions-v2

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Two New California Bills Are Aiming to Lower Your Prescription Drug Costs

“When basic life necessities like medication become unaffordable in Blue States, working people pay the price. As Democrats, we should be leading on making people’s lives better and more affordable,” continued Weiner. It is past time California caught up with other states and put basic protections in place to contain the astronomical cost of basic medications.”

Published

16 hours ago

February 17, 2025

Oakland Post

iStock.

By Edward Henderson, California Black Media

Sen. Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco) has introduced two bills in the State Senate that could lower prescription drug prices for California residents.

Senate Bill (SB) 40, or the Insulin Affordability Act — and accompanying legislation, SB 41, or Pharmacy Benefit Manager (PBM) Reform — comprise Wiener’s Prescription Drug Affordability (PDA) Package.

Together, the bills would cap monthly co-pays for insulin at $35 (SB 40) and create regulations for pharmacy benefit managers (PBM) whose negotiation practices, critics say, have resulted in steep price increases for prescription drugs (SB 41).

“It makes no sense that people with diabetes in states like West Virginia can access affordable insulin while Californians are stuck with higher prices,” said Wiener in a statement.

SB 40’s proposed $35 monthly co-pay was written, in part, in response to the price of insulin tripling over the past decade, Wiener’s office says. As a result of the increase, one in four people using insulin has reported insulin underuse because they can’t afford the full dose.

About 4,037,000 adult Californians have diabetes, with an additional 263,000 cases of Type 1 diabetes diagnosed each year. This rate in new cases disproportionately affects the elderly, men, and low-income patients, Wiener’s office reports.

According to Wiener, SB 41 is his follow-up to similar legislation he introduced last year, SB 966, which was vetoed by Gov. Newsom.

Middlemen in the pharmaceutical industry, PBMs buy prescription drugs from manufacturers and then sell them to pharmacies and health plans. Their position as intermediaries allows them to charge high administrative fees and significantly higher prices for drugs to pharmacies than they paid originally. This practice results in higher costs for patients seeking the prescriptions they need.

“On behalf of the Californians we serve who live with chronic and rare diseases, we are grateful to Sen. Wiener for his commitment and attempt to hold pharmacy middlemen accountable for their anti-patient and anti-pharmacy practices,” stated Liz Helms, California Chronic Care Coalition President & CEO. “Health care costs continue to rise when patients cannot afford medically necessary medications.”

SB 41 proposes that all PBMs be licensed and that they disclose basic information regarding their business practices to the licensing entity. It also calls for a number of other requirements and prohibitions, including limiting how fees may be charged and requiring transparency related to all fees assessed.

“This bill addresses some of the worst abuses by pharmacy benefit managers: lack of transparency, unfair business practices, steering, and price gouging,” said Jamie Court, President of Consumer Watchdog.

In 2022, drug spending in California grew by 12%, while total health premiums rose by just 4%. Last year, more than half of Californians either skipped or postponed mental and physical healthcare due to cost, putting their safety and well-being at risk. One in three reported holding medical debt, including half of low-income Californians.

So far, there is no organized opposition to the Prescription Drug Affordability package.

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Tony Thurmond Urges Educators to Stay Focused Amid Federal Funding Battle

In a statement and a letter to California’s local educational agencies (LEAs), Thurmond praised efforts to reduce chronic absenteeism and close achievement gaps, particularly for socioeconomically disadvantaged students. “Now is not the time to be distracted by external efforts to demean and divide,” Thurmond wrote. “Please continue to stay the course with local programs that are producing results. Our students need consistency, support, and community more than ever.”

Published

16 hours ago

February 17, 2025

Oakland Post

Tony Thurmond. Courtesy of Tony Thurmond’s Facebook page.

By Bo Tefu, California Black Media

California Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond has urged educators to remain focused on student achievement following a court ruling that temporarily blocks the Trump administration from freezing federal funding for schools, health care, law enforcement, and disaster relief.

A U.S. District Court judge in Rhode Island issued a Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) on Jan. 31, halting federal efforts to pause funding while a lawsuit led by California Attorney General Rob Bonta and 22 other state attorneys general moves forward. Thurmond, a declarant in the case, welcomed the decision and reassured educators that funding for critical school programs remains in place.

“Now is not the time to be distracted by external efforts to demean and divide,” Thurmond wrote. “Please continue to stay the course with local programs that are producing results. Our students need consistency, support, and community more than ever.”

Thurmond emphasized that state officials will continue advocating for stable funding to ensure schools can maintain and expand programs that help students succeed.