Community
Supporters, Opponents Clash Over Bill That Would Decriminalize Loitering for Prostitution
Vanessa Russell, founder of the Bay Area’s Love Never Fails, a non-profit dedicated to the restoration, education, and protection of those involved or at risk of becoming involved in domestic human trafficking, said SB 357, the Safer Streets for All Act, is “deeply disturbing.”

Stephany Powell, an advocate for sex crime victims and survivors, hopes Gov. Gavin Newsom will veto Senate Bill (SB) 357.
The legislation proposes ending punishment for people “loitering in a public place with the intent to commit prostitution.”
Powell, who is director of Law Enforcement Training and Survivor Services for the National Center on Sexual Exploitation (NCOSE), and other advocates say, if the bill is signed into law, it would provide increased “open-air” activities in disadvantaged communities.
“I’m just thinking about the people living in the communities that would have to deal with (prostitution),” said Powell, a former city of Los Angeles law enforcement officer. “They (the lawmakers) need to come up with something else because it’s a Band-Aid approach to the issue. People who don’t have a full understanding of how this can be problematic. I hope it’s vetoed.”
NCOSE, based in Wash., D.C., is dedicated to creating an environment free from sexual abuse and exploitation, through policy, legal, corporate advocacy, education, and public mobilization. Powell joined the organization in 2020.
The author of SB 357, Sen. Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco) presents a counterargument. Wiener says the bill protects sex-trafficked women from the police who use loitering laws to discriminate against minorities, including Black, Latino, trans, lesbian, gay, and bisexual people.
Existing law prohibits soliciting or engaging in an act of prostitution. It also prohibits loitering in a public place “with the intent to commit prostitution, as defined, or directing, supervising, recruiting, or aiding a person who is loitering with the intent to commit prostitution.”
Under the existing law, a violation of any of these provisions is a misdemeanor. SB 357 would decriminalize them.
California Penal Code 653.22 allows police to arrest someone for intending to solicit or engage in prostitution even if the person never actually engages in the act. The offense is commonly referred to as “loitering to commit prostitution” or “loitering for prostitution.”
Powell said this law is effective. Police officers do not actually have to catch someone engaged in prostitution before apprehending them she says, adding that the police “can arrest the sex buyer and the person selling the service.”
Although Powell says it is easy for innocent people to find themselves under suspicion because of the latitude police officers have under current law, she insists, based on knowledge from prosecutors and D.A. offices’ investigations of sex trafficking and underage prostitution, it would not be a significant problem.
“Say if I am the vice cop out there. I see a girl but don’t know if she’s 16 or 19. But remember: if she is under the age of 18, she is automatically considered to be a victim of human trafficking,” Powell said. “The only reason why I would be able to stop her is because of P.C. 653.22. So, let’s say SB 357 becomes legal. Well then, what am I stopping her for? Because, God help me, if she’s 21. I’m going to have some legal problems.”
The governor is getting increased pressure from individuals for and against SB 357, including sex worker advocates across California.
Sex-trafficking survivors and anti-trafficking advocates held a news conference at the California State Capitol to protest SB 357.
Vanessa Russell, founder of the Bay Area’s Love Never Fails, a non-profit dedicated to the restoration, education, and protection of those involved or at risk of becoming involved in domestic human trafficking, said SB 357, the Safer Streets for All Act, is “deeply disturbing.”
“As a direct service provider, I think it’s important to call out a few things, unfortunately. The false narrative that is present and embodied in SB 357,” said Russell. “This is a bill that is preying on the current anti-sentiment of communities of color. This is not a partisan issue. This is a humanitarian issue. It is an issue that all of us need to engage on to show (sex trafficking) survivors they can be safe.”
Four survivors of sex trafficking spoke outside the state capitol to express their displeasure with the bill. They said police officers use loitering laws to nab solicitors and traffickers — as well as to save trafficked women and men from their brutal traffickers.
The survivors believe that without a loitering law, exploitation of these vulnerable women is only going to increase.
“This piece of legislation only protects the buyer and the trafficker,” said survivor Marjorie Saylor, who also runs a nonprofit for former sex-trafficked women exiting prostitution. “And these are traffickers that send his girls into your high schools to recruit your sons and daughters.”
Saylor, a Black woman, said that it was a police officer that helped her escape a sex trafficker.
“I was rescued by law enforcement, and I feel that it is necessary that we work and partner with law enforcement to engage these men, women, boys, and girls on the streets. They need a reason to go in and say someone is being exploited.”
The bill authorizes a person convicted of a violation of loitering with the intent to commit prostitution to petition the court for the dismissal and sealing of their case, and resentencing.
The U.S. Department of State has estimated that 14,500 to 17,500 victims are trafficked into the country each year. The figure does not include victims who are trafficked within the United States each year.
New York City is currently dealing with an open-air sex market that vice authorities are turning a blind eye to due to the Brooklyn District Attorney shifting from prosecuting prostitution cases. Brooklyn’s D.A. has moved to vacate 262 warrants related to the sex trade.
Powell said actions such as these empower pimps and sex traffickers.
“This is what it looks like if prostitution is legal,” Powell said of New York City’s approach to the world’s oldest profession.
California – a populous border state with a significant immigrant population, the State’s Department of Justice stated – is one of the nation’s top destination states for trafficking human beings.
After SB 357 passed the Senate Public Safety Committee in March by a vote of 4-1, Fatima Shabazz of Fatima Speaks, and co-lead of the Policy Committee for the DecrimSexWorkCA Coalition stated, “this is the first step in repealing a Jim Crow law that criminalizes Black and trans people in public spaces.”
“Sex workers are workers like anyone else, and they deserve to be treated with dignity and respect,” said Wiener, presenting his case for repealing what he views as a discriminatory law.
“Our criminal justice system criminalizes people – particularly Black, Brown and LGTBQ people – for simply existing and going about their lives. Laws like this one do nothing to make people safer or stop sex trafficking. Instead, they criminalize members of our community who are simply going about their lives. We need to support sex workers instead of criminalizing them.”
Bay Area
Gov. Newsom Looks Back at 2024 Milestones; Presents Vision for 2025
Newsom opened by recounting his announcement atop the Golden Gate Bridge of $150.4 billion in record-breaking visitor spending. He reflected on signing a bill with singer Demi Lovato to protect young content creators from financial exploitation. He celebrated the Olympic flag transfer ceremony, signifying California’s preparation for the 2028 Games in Los Angeles.

By Joe W. Bowers, California Black Media
In a recent video address, Gov. Gavin Newsom shared key moments that shaped California in 2024. He emphasized achievements in tourism, technology, public safety, and environmental resilience while underscoring the state’s ability to tackle challenges head-on.
Newsom opened by recounting his announcement atop the Golden Gate Bridge of $150.4 billion in record-breaking visitor spending. He reflected on signing a bill with singer Demi Lovato to protect young content creators from financial exploitation. He celebrated the Olympic flag transfer ceremony, signifying California’s preparation for the 2028 Games in Los Angeles.
Focusing on innovation, Newsom praised NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang for his leadership in advancing generative AI. He showcased the transformation of an abandoned mall into a quantum computing center in L.A. that addresses global challenges.
He also highlighted the ARCHES coalition’s work on green hydrogen, aiming to decarbonize California’s industries.
Newsom emphasized California’s leadership on clean transportation with over 2 million electric vehicles sold and a statewide network of 150,000 public chargers. He spoke about joining Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi to celebrate the long-awaited electrification of Caltrain, linking San Francisco to San Jose.
In climate resilience, Newsom spotlighted removing the Klamath Dam, the largest project in U.S. history, restoring salmon migration and tribal lands. He discussed agreements with Italy and Pope Francis to address greenhouse gas emissions and praised the legislature’s action to increase transparency and hold oil companies accountable for gas price spikes.
Turning to health, housing, and education, Newsom outlined progress on Proposition 1 to improve mental health care, legislative efforts to increase housing construction, and the expansion of universal free school meals for all public school students.
Public safety highlights included combating fentanyl trafficking, expanding the California Highway Patrol, and addressing organized retail theft through new legislation.
Newsom also celebrated the state’s balanced budget for the current and upcoming fiscal years. He joked about his detailed budget presentations as his “yearly Super Bowl,” highlighting the importance he places on fiscal responsibility.
The Governor closed by reflecting on 2024 as a year defined by resilience and optimism, crediting California’s ability to navigate polarization and overcome challenges. He emphasized the importance of preserving California’s values of innovation and inclusiveness while continuing to invest in communities, infrastructure, and equity as the state looks ahead to 2025.
Activism
Oakland Post: Week of February 12 – 18, 2025
The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of February 12 – 18, 2025

To enlarge your view of this issue, use the slider, magnifying glass icon or full page icon in the lower right corner of the browser window.
#NNPA BlackPress
NAACP Sues Trump Administration Over Dismantling of Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
NNPA NEWSWIRE — The lawsuit comes after a series of drastic actions following the ouster of CFPB Director Rohit Chopra. President Trump replaced Chopra with Russell Vought, who immediately instructed staff not to perform any work tasks and ordered the closure of the agency’s headquarters, taking steps to cancel its lease.

By Stacy M. Brown
NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent
@StacyBrownMedia
The NAACP has filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia challenging the legality of the Trump administration’s decision to dismantle the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB). The civil rights organization argues that the move undermines protections for Black, elderly, and vulnerable consumers, leaving them exposed to financial exploitation. NAACP President and CEO Derrick Johnson condemned the administration’s actions, calling them a reckless assault on consumer protections. “Once again, we are witnessing the dangerous impacts of an overreaching executive office. The Trump Administration’s decision to dismantle the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau opens the floodgates for unethical and predatory practices to run rampant,” Johnson stated. “We refuse to stand idly by as our most vulnerable communities are left unprotected due to irresponsible leaders. From seniors and retirees, disabled people, and victims of disaster to so many more, our nation stands to face immense financial hardship and adversity as a result of the elimination of the CFPB. If our President refuses to put people over profit, the NAACP will use every tool possible to put Americans first.”
The lawsuit comes after a series of drastic actions following the ouster of CFPB Director Rohit Chopra. President Trump replaced Chopra with Russell Vought, who immediately instructed staff not to perform any work tasks and ordered the closure of the agency’s headquarters, taking steps to cancel its lease. Vought also suspended all investigations, rulemaking, public communications, and enforcement actions. Keisha D. Bross, NAACP Director of Opportunity, Race, and Justice, said the organization maintains its commitment to restoring the bureau’s critical role in protecting consumers. “The CFPB is an agency of the people. From the protection from junk fees to fighting excessive overdraft fees, providing assistance to impacted victims of natural disasters, and holding predatory practices accountable, the NAACP stands firm in bringing back the CFPB,” Bross said. “The NAACP will fight to hold financial entities responsible for the years of inequitable practices from big banks and lenders.”
The lawsuit, filed alongside the National Treasury Employees Union (NTEU), the National Consumer Law Center, the Virginia Poverty Law Center, and the CFPB Employee Association, argues that the administration’s actions violate the Constitution and the Administrative Procedure Act. According to the complaint, the Trump administration has taken deliberate steps to dismantle the CFPB, including firing 70 employees via form email, canceling over $100 million in vendor contracts, and shutting down the agency’s consumer complaint system, which processes hundreds of thousands of cases monthly. The plaintiffs warn that these actions will leave millions of Americans defenseless against financial fraud and predatory lending practices. The lawsuit details the harm already inflicted by the agency’s closure. Among those affected is Rev. Eva Steege, an 83-year-old pastor with a terminal illness who was seeking student loan forgiveness through a CFPB-facilitated program. Her meeting with CFPB staff was abruptly canceled, leaving her without recourse to resolve her debt before passing.
The NAACP and other plaintiffs seek an immediate injunction to halt the administration’s actions and restore the CFPB’s operations. The legal challenge argues that the President has no unilateral authority to dismantle an agency created by Congress and that Vought’s appointment as acting director is unlawful. President Trump has made no secret of his desire to eliminate the CFPB, confirming last week that his administration was working to “totally eliminate” the agency. Tech billionaire Elon Musk, a key player in Trump’s “Department of Government Efficiency,” celebrated the move with a social media post reading “CFPB RIP.”
If successful, the lawsuit could force the administration to reinstate the agency and resume its enforcement actions against financial institutions accused of predatory practices. “Neither the President nor the head of the CFPB has the power to dismantle an agency that Congress established,” the plaintiffs argue. “With each day the agency remains shut down, financial institutions that seek to prey on consumers are emboldened—harming their law-abiding competitors and the consumers who fall victim to them.”
-
Activism3 weeks ago
Oakland Post: Week of January 22 – 28, 2025
-
Activism3 weeks ago
Oakland Poll: Tell Us What You Think About the Cost of Groceries in Oakland
-
#NNPA BlackPress2 weeks ago
PRESS ROOM: Top Climate Organizations React to Trump’s Executive Orders Attacking Health, Environment, Climate and Clean Energy Jobs
-
#NNPA BlackPress2 weeks ago
Trump Exploits Tragedy to Push Racist and Partisan Attacks
-
#NNPA BlackPress2 weeks ago
Black Reaction to Trump DEI Blame on The Plane Crash
-
#NNPA BlackPress2 weeks ago
BLACK HISTORY MONTH 2025 We Proclaim It
-
Activism2 weeks ago
Oakland Post: Week of January 29 – February 4, 2025
-
#NNPA BlackPress2 weeks ago
W A T C H Cleveland Mayor Justin Bibb Joins MIP