By Bo Tefu, California Black Media

Gov. Gavin Newsom announced eight appointments Aug. 19, including a new state chief technology officer and the reappointment of a Sacramento State outreach coordinator who works with formerly incarcerated students.

Ayushi Roy, of San Francisco, was appointed state chief technology officer at the California Department of Technology. Roy has taught at Harvard Kennedy School since 2022 and previously held technology and policy roles with New America, the U.S. General Services Administration, and the U.S. Office of Management and Budget 

Roy’s policy work has focused on the gap between government programs and the people they are intended to serve. In a Harvard course inspired by Beyoncé’s “Cowboy Carter,” she teaches students to examine how administrative and implementation barriers can undermine social safety-net programs.

“I do know as a practitioner, having served in the government for over a dozen years, that the building of technology is the easy part; managing the political feasibility and the implementation is the hard part,” Roy said.

Roy’s appointment requires Senate confirmation and carries compensation of $214,692.

Newsom also reappointed Michael Love, of Sacramento, to the State Rehabilitation Council, where he has served since 2025. Love has been an outreach coordinator at California State University, Sacramento since 2024 and previously held several roles at the university, including administrative services coordinator for Project Rebound and teacher’s associate.

Project Rebound supports formerly incarcerated students as they pursue higher education, making Love’s appointment relevant to the council’s work involving vocational rehabilitation services.

Love earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in communication studies from Sacramento State. He is a Democrat.

Newsom also appointed Eric De La Cruz of Sacramento as executive director of the Racial Equity Commission. De La Cruz has served as chief of the Office of Civil Rights at the Department of Toxic Substances Control since 2022. The position pays $146,220 and does not require Senate confirmation.

The governor additionally appointed Christine Aurigemma to the State Rehabilitation Council and reappointed Lisa Weiler, Michelle Bello and Matthew Asner. The council positions are unpaid and do not require Senate confirmation.

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By Tamara Shiloh

George Cook was a Black American inventor from Louisville, Kentucky. He was born in 1863, during a time when Black Americans faced unfair laws, limited opportunities, and many barriers to education, jobs, and recognition. Even with these challenges, he became known for his intelligence, honesty, and ability to think in practical ways. Some records say he worked as a cook for Buffalo Bill Cody and later as a chef on a private dining car for the Louisville and Nashville Railroad. He was even known by the nickname “Honest Mister Cook.”

As with many Black American inventors and scientists of that era, there is little biographical information about Mr. Cook.

Cook’s most famous invention was the Automatic Fishing Device. He received U.S. Patent No. 625,829 for it on May 30, 1899. His patent shows that he was not just someone with an idea, but someone who made it happen.

So, what did the Automatic Fishing Device do? Imagine fishing with a line in the water. Usually, you have to watch carefully and pull the line at just the right moment when a fish bites. Cook wanted to make that process easier. His device was designed to react when a fish pulled on the line. The tension from the fish would trigger a lever. That lever would release a spring-loaded part of the device, causing it to move quickly and help pull in the line. The device also had an alarm gong that would ring to let the fisher know something was happening.

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This invention was important because it used simple mechanical ideas in a clever way. Springs, levers, rails, and alarms were not new by themselves, but Cook combined them to solve a real problem. His device showed how inventors often take familiar parts and arrange them in a new way to make life easier. 

Cook looked at fishing and asked, “How can this be improved?” Then, he created a device that could respond automatically when a fish tugged on the line. His invention let fishermen relax instead of watching the line for hours, trusting the alarm to alert them.

Cook may not be as famous as some inventors, but his Automatic Fishing Device shows that creativity and innovation can be applied anywhere. His legacy lives on as part of the larger story of Black innovation in America.

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By Antonio Ray Harvey, California Black Media

On July 21, Gov. Gavin Newsom held a presentation in Sacramento, alongside state emergency officials, to showcase California’s major investments in cutting-edge firefighting technology and wildfire prevention.

The media event took place at McClellan Airport in Sacramento County, a primary hub for state aerial firefighting operations. Newsom used the presentation to highlight the state’s modern, tech-driven strategy to combat increasingly severe wildfires.

“California leads with science, innovation, and grit. We are meeting this moment with urgency and building 21st-century solutions for a 21st-century crisis,” Newsom stated. “And through it all, our extraordinary firefighters continue to step up, stand in harm’s way, and protect our communities.”

California Natural Resources Agency Secretary Wade Crowfoot, CAL FIRE Chief Joe Tyler, and California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services Director Caroline Thomas Jacobs appeared with Newsom and provided updates about their respective agencies.

Under the Newsom administration, California’s fire protection budget has nearly doubled since 2019 — from $2 billion to $3.8 billion, including more than $2.5 billion in wildfire resilience and forest health projects.

Newsom detailed the expansion of artificial intelligence (AI) programs, predictive analytics, and sophisticated software used to detect fires at their earliest stages. He also highlighted the launch of FireSat satellites, a dedicated space network designed to dramatically improve early wildfire detection and tracking.

“Every innovation we adopt supports our people on the front lines who work tirelessly to protect our communities when wildfire strikes,” Tyler stated. “Technology and innovation help us do our jobs more quickly and safely; however, we still need all Californians to stay vigilant, support our firefighters, and work together to build a safer, more resilient California.”

In addition, CAL Fire showcased a fleet of more than 100 AI-guided firefighting drones positioned strategically across California to provide real-time mapping and aerial monitoring. 

The presentation stated that California operates the nation’s largest state-owned aerial firefighting fleet, including the impending addition of two more C-130 aircraft by the end of the year, alongside a workforce of over 11,000 personnel.

“Technology is transforming how California prepares for wildfire, giving us the power to see threats sooner, position resources before fires start and move mutual aid faster when every second counts,” Thomas Jacobs said. “Governor Newsom’s investments are helping us turn real-time intelligence into action, so firefighters and local communities have the people, equipment and information needed to save lives and keep fires from becoming major disasters.”

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