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OP-ED: Separate and Unequal – The Ferguson Report

Published

11 years ago

September 15, 2015

This week, the independent commission convened by Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon in the wake of the Michael Brown Jr. killing in Ferguson, Mo., released its report: “Forward through Ferguson: A Path toward Racial Equality.”

The commission’s 16 volunteers were tasked with doing a “thorough, wide-ranging and unflinching study of the social and economic conditions” that impede progress in the St. Louis region.

They have provided a compelling document, detailing concrete reforms that would begin to address the entrenched reality that lies behind the Ferguson troubles: a society that is still divided by race, still too separate and unequal. Nearly 50 years after the Kerner Commission Report in the wake of the urban riots of the 1960s, America remains divided.

The commission does not hide from the truth: “We know that talking about race makes a lot of people uncomfortable. But make no mistake: this is about race.” “(R)ace remains at the root of the violence, as … every riot studied” is the “result of white law enforcement harming a black civilian.” “We have not moved beyond race.”

The report arrays the statistics that prove this reality. St. Louis is the 5th most racially segregated of 50 large metro areas in the United States. Between 2000 and 2013, the number of residents living below the federal poverty line in St. Louis’ suburbs grew by 53 percent. In 2012, 17.8 percent of all children in St. Louis County and 41.7 percent of all children in St. Louis city lived below the poverty line.

Failure to address the economic mobility of poor children is projected to decrease the United States GDP (gross domestic product) by about 4 percent per year over the lifetime of these children, costing the entire country about $7 trillion (Putnam, 2015). “These divides we’ve created,” the commission reports, “between Black and White, between rich and poor and middle class — are bad for all of us, not just some of us.

The commission allows that there are no easy answers but that inaction is not an option anymore. They understand that the citizens they address may live in very different realities.

“If you live in a safe suburb, and you’ve got a good job, and you’ve got health insurance, and you never worry about your kids’ schools, and you don’t wonder if you might get pulled over because of the color of your skin, then maybe the status quo is working just fine for you.

“But for thousands of St. Louisans, the status quo is killing them. The status quo means living in a food desert, with no grocery stores for miles around. The status quo means sending your children to underperforming schools that get fewer resources but dole out more punishments.

The status quo means driving in fear of a court system that will put you in jail for failure to pay a traffic ticket. Are we as a region really willing to live with that status quo?”

The commission details commonsense reforms to redress the structural inequalities and injustices that are increasingly unsustainable. They begin with reforms in police practices on the use of force and with sentencing reforms.

They expose and condemn the process by which poor towns use traffic tickets as a central source of municipal revenue and then jail the impoverished who can’t afford to pay their tickets, stripping them of jobs and hope in the process.

But the commission understands that the problem goes far beyond police and judicial procedures. It details the inequities in education, and calls for reforms that will begin to give poor children a fairer start. It challenges inequities in school discipline practices.

It addresses economic inequality, calling for ending hunger, extending early childhood health and education, raising the minimum wage, ending predatory lending, increasing affordable housing, developing better and affordable mass transit, and of course for more jobs — all vital to giving the working poor a chance to survive. And it bravely calls for direct efforts to address racial equality, to discuss particularly implicit bias and well as institutional or structural bias that too often stacks the deck against people of color.

The commission members are well aware of the fate of most such reports, which are released, get 15 minutes of press attention and then are lost in the shelves. They know that the state legislature isn’t about to pass costly reforms.

They know that Ferguson can’t solve the problems by itself. But the citizen commissioners argue that it is essential to start trying: “In trying, new coalitions will be built, and a new sense of community will be developed. As the region tries together, people will learn new things from each other, and generate new ideas….”

“The idea of ‘a culture of trying’ is not new to the St. Louis region,” the report asserts. “Our opportunity in this moment is to apply that culture to the uncomfortable realities we’ve set aside for too long.”

Ferguson is not unique. There is a Ferguson in every state. Entrenched poverty, institutionalized racism, unjust police and prosecutorial practices, unequal education and opportunity are a blight in every state.

We have come a long way since the days of segregation, but as the Commission realizes, “we have not moved beyond race.” Police killings of unarmed African Americans have now sparked national demonstrations asserting that “Black Lives Matter.”

The Ferguson Commission has produced a compelling report with clear priorities and sensible steps forward. We know the way forward.

The only question is whether Americans will decide that itis time to move.

Oakland Post

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New Protections for Ticket Buyers: Gov. Newsom Signs Assemblymember Isaac Bryan’s Bill

OAKLAND POST — Assembly Bill 1349 expands state regulation of original ticket sellers, resellers and online resale marketplaces. The law targets deceptive sales practices, ticket-buying software and speculative listings — tickets advertised for sale by sellers who do not possess them or have authorization to sell them.

Published

6 days ago

October 4, 2026

Post News Group

Assemblymember Isaac Bryan (D-Ladera Heights). File photo.

By California Black Media Staff

Gov. Gavin Newsom signed legislation on Sept. 27 authored by Assemblymember Isaac Bryan (D-Ladera Heights) that strengthens consumer protections for Californians purchasing tickets to concerts, sporting events and other live entertainment.

Assembly Bill 1349 expands state regulation of original ticket sellers, resellers and online resale marketplaces. The law targets deceptive sales practices, ticket-buying software and speculative listings — tickets advertised for sale by sellers who do not possess them or have authorization to sell them.

“Buying a ticket shouldn’t come with hidden risks or unfair practices,” Newsom wrote on social media after signing the measure.

Under AB 1349, ticket sellers are prohibited from listing tickets before they have been officially released unless they have authorization or a legally enforceable right to receive them. Online marketplaces must also take reasonable steps to prevent speculative ticket sales on their platforms.

The law prohibits sellers from using bots, multiple accounts, email addresses or internet protocol addresses to circumvent ticket limits, presale restrictions, electronic queues and other controls. It also bans websites and advertisements designed to mislead buyers into believing they are purchasing tickets from an authorized seller, venue or event organizer.

Sellers who violate certain provisions and fail to provide a promised ticket may be held liable for twice the ticket’s contracted price. Buyers may also recover nonrefundable expenses incurred while attempting to attend an event, along with reasonable attorney’s fees and court costs.

Pastor Tecoy Porter Sr., president of the National Action Network’s Sacramento chapter, said the law establishes needed accountability.

“Buying a ticket to a concert or show shouldn’t mean entering a marketplace where the rules are stacked against you. This year, we worked with a coalition of consumers, civil rights advocates, community groups, and businesses to make AB 1349 stronger. Consumers deserve enforceable rules that protect them. We thank Assemblymember Bryan for his leadership, and we will keep working to make ticketing fair for every Californian.”

Jose L. Barrera, national vice president for the Far West Region of the League of United Latin American Citizens, also praised the measure.

“Californian families deserve certain protections when they buy tickets. Assemblymember Bryan listened to communities across California and delivered a bill that puts fans first. We thank him and Governor Newsom for making it law.”

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Zakiya Jendayi Arrested, Locked Out of Home by Sheriff’s Deputies

OALAND POST — On Tuesday, deputies followed Jendayi as she left her residence of 13 years to file documents in her case at the Appellate Court. Deputies arrested her upon arrival and transported her to Santa Rita Jail.

Published

6 days ago

October 4, 2026

Post News Group

By Tanya Dennis

Yesterday, more than 10 Alameda County Sheriff’s deputies arrived to take possession of Zakiya Jendayi’s home on behalf of a court-appointed administrator. Jendayi was arrested at the courthouse and transported to Santa Rita Jail around the same time.

Jendayi, who has been embroiled in a probate court battle to retain the inheritance bestowed on her by a longtime friend and colleague who passed away in 2013, had received a notice of eviction last month.

With help from neighbors, friends and clergy, she was able to fend off the eviction from 3614 Randolph Ave. in Oakland and even obtained a reprieve when her bid to file bankruptcy was approved by a county court.

But Philip Campbell, the court-appointed administrator, had already placed Jendayi’s home in his name in October 2025.

On Tuesday, deputies followed Jendayi when she left her residence of 13 years to go to the Appellate Court to file documents in her case. Deputies arrested her upon arrival and transported her to Santa Rita jail.

Undersheriff April Luckett-Fahini said Jendayi was arrested for “safety reasons.” At this time, it is unknown what charges were used for the arrest.

In Jendayi’s absence, Campbell came to her residence accompanied by deputies, had the property taped off with yellow crime tape, and had the locks changed.

Afterward, Campbell requested a police escort to his car amid several angry neighbors who had been advocating that officials pause the eviction pending Jendayi’s appeal.

“Zakiya Jendayi is a respected Black elder in our community,” said Alameda County Supervisor Nikki Fortunato Bas, who has been working with Jendayi to prevent her eviction. “It’s outrageous that she was arrested. There needs to be more justice and equity in our probate system.”

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Ask California: Golden State Releases New AI Chatbot

Gov. Gavin Newsom introduced the prototype as part of the state’s broader effort to use artificial intelligence to make government services easier to access. The launch follows his March 2026 executive order directing state agencies to responsibly implement generative AI while protecting privacy, security and civil liberties.

Published

3 weeks ago

September 22, 2026

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By Bo Tefu, California Black Media

California has launched AskCA, a new artificial intelligence-powered chatbot designed to help residents find and navigate state and local government services through a single online platform.

Developed by the state’s Office of Data and Innovation, AskCA is designed around major life events rather than individual government agencies. Californians can use the tool to find information about finding a job, starting a business, accessing family services and recovering from disasters.

“When a Californian needs help, they shouldn’t have to become an expert in government to find it,” said Newsom. “We’re using the best technology California has to offer to make the government more efficient, effective, and more engaged.”

The state is now seeking Californians age 18 and older to participate in the pilot and help test and refine AskCA’s responses. Officials said subject matter experts across state governments are helping inform the chatbot’s answers, which are designed to draw from verified government sources and provide actionable information.

The prototype grew out of California’s response to the January 2025 Los Angeles wildfires. Early testing included more than 140 fire recovery leaders and Altadena wildfire survivors, a dozen job seekers and more than 100 general users.

Jeffery Marino, director of the Office of Data and Innovation, said the tool is intended to remove the need for residents to understand how government agencies are organized before they can get help.

“Californians should not have to understand how the government is organized just to get basic help,” Marino said.

AskCA’s technology will also be used in a new job-skills matching feature that the California Department of Human Resources plans to launch Sept. 30 on CalCareers. Job seekers will be able to upload a resume and receive potential matches to state job classifications.

The state said the CalCareers pilot will not store personal information or require users to have a CalCareers account. California plans to continue testing AskCA as officials evaluate its accuracy, performance and usefulness before expanding the system.