Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Homicide investigators responded to a shooting death investigation. The incident was reported, August 3, about 7 p.m., on E. Artesia Blvd., in the City of Carson.
Upon arrival, deputies located a male in a vehicle suffering from gunshot wounds. Deputies immediately rendered aid to the male. Fire Department personnel responded and pronounced the male deceased.
Homicide Investigators learned the victim was driving on Central Avenue when an occupant from a passing vehicle shot the victim. The suspect(s) fled the location after the shooting. There’s no additional information available at this time.
Anyone with information about this incident is encouraged to contact the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department’s Homicide Bureau at 323-890-5500, or anonymously at 800-222– 8477, http://lacrimestoppers.org
WASHINGTON— Attending the United Negro College Fund’s UNITE 2024 Summit, July 31, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Michael S. Regan unveiled the latest actions under the agency’s comprehensive engagement plan with Historically Black Colleges and Universities or HBCUs. Later this year, EPA will launch a $2.5 million competitive grant opportunity to support HBCUs and partners. EPA will also appoint a permanent HBCU outreach and engagement liaison within the administrator’s office, as well as the founding members of EPA’s first-ever HBCU-MSI federal advisory council. These actions deliver on the Biden-Harris Administration’s whole-of-government investment efforts in HBCUs and reflect EPA’s commitment to achieving real results that empower students and support the communities that HBCUs serve.
“HBCUs produce some of the best and brightest minds our country has to offer,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. “At every level of this Administration, including Vice President Kamala Harris, HBCU graduates are delivering real results, and we’re more committed than ever to partnering and empowering HBCU students and leaders across the country. At EPA, HBCUs have a permanent seat at our table, so that these institutions remain at the forefront of the environmental movement.”
$2.5 Million Competitive Grant Opportunity
EPA is establishing a $2.5 million competitive grant opportunity to support collaboration among students and faculty from HBCUs. This program will focus on funding projects that advance workforce development, environmental education, and capacity building. It will also support community projects addressing environmental justice, climate change, water quality, and land health on campuses and in surrounding communities. A Notice of Funding Opportunity for this grant is expected to be issued in early October.
Permanent HBCU Outreach and Engagement Liaison
EPA’s appointed permanent HBCU outreach and engagement liaison will advise on initiatives related to HBCUs, ensuring these institutions are fully informed about EPA resources, funding opportunities, and engagement activities. The liaison will also facilitate coordination within EPA, maintaining a resource repository for both internal and external stakeholders. This appointment is a result of EPA’s commitment to turning promises into results.
HBCU-MSI Federal Advisory Council
EPA will announce the inaugural members of its first-ever HBCU-MSI federal advisory council. The council will offer strategic advice on leveraging the expertise within HBCU-MSIs to advance EPA’s mission and support these institutions. The council will deliver independent recommendations on enhancing the participation of HBCU-MSIs in federal programs and diversifying EPA’s workforce. Selections for the council will be announced by fall 2024, featuring representatives from academia, industry, community organizations, and local governments nationwide.
HBCUs and Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs) are pivotal in producing Black and minority graduates, particularly in STEM fields. Despite their significant contributions, these institutions face systemic barriers to accessing federal programs and resources. HBCUs often serve underserved communities, providing essential opportunities for economic mobility and academic advancement.
Soon after the Gaza war began 10 months ago, a prominent newspaper columnist denounced Congresswoman Cori Bush under a headline declaring that “anti-Israel comments make her unfit for reelection.” The piece appeared in the newspaper with the second-largest readership in Missouri, the Kansas City Star. Multimillion-dollar attacks on Bush followed.
Bush’s opponent, county prosecutor Wesley Bell, “is now the number-one recipient of AIPAC cash this election cycle,” according to Justice Democrats. “Almost two-thirds of all his donations came from the anti-Palestinian, far-right mega donor-funded lobby group.” The Intercept reports that “AIPAC’s super PAC, United Democracy Project, has gone on to spend a total of $7 million so far to oust Bush” in the Aug. 6 Democratic primary in her St. Louis area district.
“The $2.1 million in ads spent for her campaign is up against $12.2 million spent to attack her or support Bell,” The American Prospect points out. AIPAC “is trying to pull voters away from her without ever saying the words ‘Israel’ or ‘Palestine.’ Instead, their advertising against Bush centers around her record on infrastructure legislation, in a manner that lacks context.”
It’s easy to see why AIPAC and allied forces are so eager to defeat Bush. She courageously introduced a ceasefire resolution in the House nine days after the bloodshed began on Oct. 7, calling for “an immediate de-escalation and ceasefire in Israel and occupied Palestine.”
The Kansas City Star article, published shortly after Bush introduced the resolution, was written by former New York Times reporter Melinda Henneberger, now a member of the Star’s editorial board. “A military attack in response to the massacre of civilians by a group committed in writing to ‘carnage, displacement and terror’ for Jews is not my idea of ‘ethnic cleansing,’” she wrote in early November. “But it is Missouri Rep. Cori Bush’s, which is why she deserves to lose her congressional race next year.”
Bush supposedly became unfit to keep her seat in Congress because, after three weeks of methodical killing in Gaza, she tweeted: “We can’t be silent about Israel’s ethnic cleansing campaign. Babies, dead. Pregnant women, dead. Elderly, dead. Generations of families, dead. Millions of people in Gaza with nowhere to go being slaughtered. The U.S. must stop funding these atrocities against Palestinians.”
Henneberger’s response was hit-and-run. She wrote a hit piece. And then she ran.
Ever since late April, I’ve been asking Henneberger just one question, over and over. Every few weeks, I have sent another email directly to her. I also wrote to her care of an editor at the newspaper. And I even mailed a certified letter, which the post office delivered to her office in June.
No reply.
Henneberger’s column had flatly declared that Bush’s tweet was a “projectile spewing of antisemitic comments and disinformation” because it said that Israel was engaged in ethnic cleansing.
So, my question, which Henneberger has been refusing to answer for more than three months, is a logical one: “Do you contend that the Israeli government has not engaged in ethnic cleansing?”
If Henneberger were to answer no, the entire premise of her column smearing Bush would collapse.
If Henneberger were to answer yes, her reply would be untenable.
No wonder she has chosen not to answer at all.
What Israel has been doing in Gaza clearly qualifies as “ethnic cleansing” — which a UN Commission of Experts defined as “a purposeful policy designed by one ethnic or religious group to remove by violent and terror-inspiring means the civilian population of another ethnic or religious group from certain geographic areas.”
But denial about Israel’s massive and ongoing crimes against Palestinian people is pervasive — and often used to attack principled progressives in election campaigns. And so, two months ago, in the St. Louis area, 35 rabbis supporting Bell against Bush issued a statement that alleged the congresswoman “continually fanned the flames with the most outrageous smears of Israel, accusing the Jewish state of ‘ethnic cleansing’ and ‘genocide’ as it has fought to defeat the terrorists.”
The electoral forces against human rights for Palestinians have been armed with huge amounts of cash. AIPAC dumped $15 million into successfully defeating progressive New York Congressman Jamaal Bowman early this summer. While the spending amount set a record, the approach was far from unprecedented.
In 2022, AIPAC beat Michigan Congressman Andy Levin, who had expressed support for Palestinian rights. “I’m really Jewish,” Levin said in an interview days before losing the Democratic primary, “but AIPAC can’t stand the idea that I am the clearest, strongest Jewish voice in Congress standing for a simple proposition: that there is no way to have a secure, democratic homeland for the Jewish people unless we achieve the political and human rights of the Palestinian people.”
AIPAC excels at strategic lobbying on Capitol Hill, relentlessly prodding or threatening lawmakers and their staffs to stay on the right side of a Zionist hardline, always brandishing the proven capacity to launch fierce attacks — while conflating even understated criticism of Israel with antisemitism. The basic formulas are simple: Israel = Judaism. Opposition to Israel’s lethal violence = antisemitism.
Such formulaic manipulation has long been fundamental to claims that the Israeli government represents “the Jewish people” and criticisms of its actions are “antisemitic.
That’s what the heroic Congresswoman Cori Bush is up against.
__________________________
Norman Solomon is the national director of RootsAction.org and executive director of the Institute for Public Accuracy. He is the author of many books including War Made Easy. His latest book, War Made Invisible: How America Hides the Human Toll of Its Military Machine, was published in 2023 by The New Press.
Must-See Exhibition Showcases Feminist Strength & Resistance at Angels Gate Cultural Center
Angels Gate Cultural Center presents UPEND Female Experience and Activism. Curated by Cecelia Koger, the exhibition closes Aug. 17 with a reception from 1 to 3 p.m. and artist talk for UPEND at 3 p.m. in the gallery.
Providing a counter to the increased societal distress of a return to toxic hyper-masculinity, UPEND depicts strength and resistance in a decidedly female-identifying voice — upending expectations for what can and cannot be said, and how women should act.
UPEND is both a highly relevant and noteworthy exhibition. It arose from gathering women artists together in a discussion on women’s and feminist issues. At one point curator Cecelia Koger understood that these artists had much to discuss.
Koger, via email, explained that her criteria for framing the exhibit centered on the question: do women’s issues, like reproductive rights and bodily autonomy, need more awareness now because government forces are reversing women’s rights, or because many of those issues are largely ignored and only talked about in whispers?
Koger considered both the loud and more overt topics of reproductive rights, the #MeToo Movement, and political activism led by women. These were contrasted with the more silent battles and minimized injustices such as the invisibility of women as they age and the objectifying male gaze, disproportionate rates of Black maternal mortality and postpartum depression, medical reproductive trauma and mother-child separation, pressures of conforming to stereotypes of femininity and the fact that women are under impossible standards and often self-sacrifice.
UPEND is an exhibition you will not soon forget. It opens space for contemplation of female experiences, empathy, and even consciousness.
“Coin Cunts” and blurred, “Laissez Faire” by Suzanna Scott. Photo by Jordan Rodriguez, courtesy of AGCC
Loud and Overt
Suzanna Scott highlights bodily form through her sculpture, which often transposes benign objects. Coin Cunts stand as a visual symbol of empowerment and equality for all people with a vulva, as distinct as every human is a unique individual. On display are the insides of the tiny purses. These folded, shaped, and sewn specimens cover many topics: reproductive rights, vulvas and female genital mutilation, all with visible stitches. Once discovered, the sculptures of delicate form elicited much attention and contemplation. Scott’s works aim to raise awareness for many causes around the globe such as reproductive rights, sexual exploitation, bodily autonomy, FGM (female genital mutilation) and racial disparities in reproductive health.
Across the Line by Nonny de la Peña and Emblematic focuses on the first-person experience of a woman trying to access services at a Planned Parenthood. The viewer is the patient, encompassed by 360-degree experience, using both audio and visuals informed by actual transcriptions taken from real-life protestors embedded within a virtual-reality scene of crossing a picket line. In one scene, a protester tries to talk the patient out of going to Planned Parenthood and to instead go with him to a crisis pregnancy center or CPC (run by anti-abortion activists who try to coerce vulnerable people into remaining pregnant by misleading them about abortion procedures and contraception) while simultaneously passing judgment on the patient.
A poignant work is even more so now, with the overturning of Roe v. Wade.
Elyse Pignolet “No Gods, No Masters” 2023. Photo by Jordan Rodriguez, courtesy of AGCC.
Elyse Pignolet fiercelycritiques systems of power that oppress women. The artist takes inspiration from global tradition and china painting, an art form that women spearheaded to derive income from home-based industries in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. NoGods, No Masters lures viewers with ornate decorative aesthetics to create an “un-ladylike” encounter with privately discussed icons of female experience – a tampon, speculum, rape, and slurs aimed a degradation. Every woman will recognize the statements and images on the ceramics. They are important to document: like the ridiculous contrast of “What were you wearing?” and “Prude.” Some are lighthearted, like an image of a butterfly and gold hoop earrings. Unapologetic in her messaging, Pignolet’s work capitalizes on confrontation to highlight social and political injustices, thereby empowering women’s experiences.
She Loves Collectiveis an alliance of female artists united by a shared vision of harnessing the transformative power of art for social change. The Rifles Our Ancestors Didn’t Have raises awareness of the unprovoked aggression and destruction waged by Azerbaijan and Turkey against the Armenian enclave of Artsakh, also known as Nagorno-Karabakh. By occupying space with their united voices, She Loves Collective aims to engage the global community, which has largely remained silent. This performance acknowledges the strength of the Armenian people who survived the 1915 genocide carried out by the Ottoman Turks in addition to the recent devastation of Nagorno-Karabakh.
Silent Battles, Minimized Injustices
Artist Andrea Patrie’swork is autobiographical. In her artist statement, Patrie explains this work encompasses the insecurity she feels financially, emotionally, and physically as she ages and how those feelings intensify with age. Her work is a direct commentary on how it feels to navigate those roles.
Patrie’s painting, Time to Prepare for What’s Coming Your Way, depicts a seemingly middle-aged woman in a reclined posture, like Venus. She has no identifiable qualities as her face is almost mask-like, with gray orbs and red pupils for eyes and a paste-like complexion. She looks melancholy. The painting’s colors — with dream-like gestures of blending lines, and slight blurriness — are soft, yet, the pigments are deep. Wearing only a mismatched bra and underwear, exposing signs of menstruation, Patrie’s piece presents many contrasts in the life of this woman.
A Jezebelle Wrapped In Yarn, Left Barefoot and Pregnant; Hidden Mother 2
Kennedi Carter’s beautiful photographic pieces immediately draw you in. Her “Jezebelle” depicts Carter lying on a couch in a dimly lit room. She’s on her side nearly prone, her belly rests on the cushion, her arms on the couch arm. Dressed in a backless crochet dress, her serious eyes look to the distance. InHidden Mother 2, Carter appears in silhouette as the warmth of soft light behind her vibrantly illuminates a wooden paneled wall.
Carter draws from her ancestral canon of Black and Southern experience through skin, texture, intimacy, home and community. Following the artist’s emergency cesarean-section of her premature son, Carter was left with physical and emotional trauma. Her son lived in the NICU for 82 days. When not at his bedside, Carter used her practice to help digest her trauma. The artist photographed herself in a prosthetic belly, embodying the act of fabrication, envisioning a timeline in which she had the chance to carry her son to term. Childbirth and postpartum depression traumas are rarely considered in public consciousness, indicative of a patriarchal tradition minimizing women’s pain and experiences. This issue is compounded by systemic racism experienced by Black women in healthcare, where the maternal mortality rate for Black women is 2.6 times higher than for white women (CDC, National Center for HealthStatistics, 2021).
KaylaTange’s sculpture Intergenerational Toxins, manifests grief, cancer, endometriosis surgeries, the mourning for loss of time, ancestors, her mother’s early death, and viewing her own body as a monster. Tange dealt with medical issues including endometriosis and its effects on fertility. All in black, two framed teardrop-shaped, pillow-like pieces made of entangled fabrics represent endometrial tissue. The piece is adorned lightly with glitter, and pasties from Tange’s costume during her days as a stripper, amid interwoven forms. Tassels of bulbous fabric hang from the entanglements. They are beautiful monsters.
The work is placed in conversation with A Chance to Be Seen (and not disappear when feelings appear), a work exploring the artist’s own displacement with a sculpture of translated letters between the artist and her biological mother alongside transactive adoption documents. International adoption in Korea, a highly profitable export since the Korean War, has displaced over 150,000 children. In Tange’s autobiographical work, she etched these letters and documents in colored inks onto each side of glass panes in both English and Korean. The viewer may read family medical histories and personal anecdotes and between Tange’s birth mother and herself. The artist has since met her mother.
Ibuki Kuramochi
Kuramochi’s multimedia and performance work delves into the phenomenal body, the womb, and the female form, intertwining them with posthuman feminist concepts and technology. The video installation Talk to Her is a fusion of sexuality, self-dissociation, and hyper-feminine digital context, aimed at exploring the intricate interplay between the female body and feminist politics. The artist’s body is depicted along with lace, pearls, metal and mirror. It’s intimate and voyeuristic, yet gentle and inviting with the digital play of forms and colors in pink, black, white silver and flesh tone.
Watercolor artist Sheli Silverio creates human-scale portraits. Her works in UPEND, represented as paper dolls, explore understanding personal identity within the confines of society’s idea of womanhood, symbols of sexuality, vulnerability, confidence, intelligence and physicality. Each piece is a self-portrait.
Partial view of “Daddy Sekhmet” by Sheli Silverio, courtesy of the artist through AGCC.
Silverio’s Daddy Sekhmetinvokes the female lion-headed goddess of destruction and healing, Sekhmet, in Egyptian mythology. The life-sized goddess stands within an ornately designed frame, her mouth agape as if roaring, she holds Silverio’s decapitated head. In this self-portrait, the artist considers the many ways in which women must accept their rage and even activate states of anger for self-protection and eventual healing to overcome the self-sacrificial projections of societal expectations. In consideration of the title, children of Sekhmet can tap into a primal rage that increases their strength, speed, agility and stamina.
Ultimately, with UPEND, Koger feels she scratched the surface on many nuanced topics
“All of these topics result from patriarchal systems that oppress women,” Koger wrote, “and it is my belief that there is a current resurgence of hypertoxic masculinity attempting to set women back, thus the need for this exhibition now. I had an overall goal of radical empathy, by sharing the lived experiences of women I hope that these stories and perspectives can motivate kinder and more equitable treatment of women.”
LOS ANGELES — In response to continued concerns about the Los Angeles Police Department’s disciplinary system, councilmembers introduced a motion July 31 calling for a comprehensive review of the current disciplinary system. The authors of the motion hope this review will guide the city council and mayor in presenting a ballot measure to the voters of Los Angeles that reflects the proposed reforms.
The initiative follows Mayor Karen Bass’ recent veto of a related item, where she highlighted police officers’ collective frustrations with the existing disciplinary system. In her veto message, the mayor said she looked forward to working with the council to do a “thorough and comprehensive review with officers, the department, and other stakeholders to ensure fairness for all.”
The motion calling for this comprehensive review was introduced by Councilmember Tim McOsker, Council President Paul Krekorian, Council President Pro Tempore Marqueece Harris-Dawson, Public Safety Committee Chair Monica Rodriguez, and Neighborhoods and Community Enrichment Committee Chair Eunisses Hernandez.
“Engaging with everyone, from police officers to community members, and doing a top-to-bottom review of our current system is essential to create the much-needed reforms in our police disciplinary system,” said Councilmember Tim McOsker. “This initiative represents a timely opportunity to work together to ensure fairness, transparency, and accountability in how we handle police misconduct.”
The motion invites the participation of the mayor’s office, LAPD, the board of police commissioners, city council offices, community stakeholders, and community safety advocates. It seeks to review all aspects of the disciplinary process, including:
Generation, filing, and receipt of complaints;
Investigation timelines and processes;
Rules and processes for hearings;
Selection of advocates and quasi-judicial officers;
Due process before, during, and after administrative hearings;
Burdens of proof;
Authority and responsibilities of the Chief of Police;
Range of disciplinary actions, including dismissal, suspension, and demotion;
Legal rights and remedies of parties post-process;
Reporting and transparency to public bodies and the public;
And, any other relevant aspects.
The motion also calls for regular community meetings throughout the city to discuss matters related to the disciplinary system and the pending review. These meetings would be held with the participation of the mayor’s office, LAPD, the board of police commissioners, city council offices, community stakeholders, and community safety advocates.
The motion has been referred to the rules, elections and intergovernmental relations committee and the public safety committee.
The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health has been notified of one case of measles in a non-Los Angeles County resident who traveled to Los Angeles International (LAX) airport while infectious on July 26, 2024.
This person arrived on Norse Atlantic Airways flight Z0711 at the Tom Bradley International Terminal or TBIT B, Gate 202 on July 26, at 2:18 p.m. and traveled to Orange County upon arrival. The Orange County Healthcare Agency is investigating additional exposure sites in Orange County.
Individuals who were at LAX TBIT and Terminal B from about 2:30 p.m. to 4 p.m. may be at risk of developing measles due to exposure to this traveler. Additional locations where possible exposures may have occurred are being investigated.
In collaboration with the Centers for Disease Control and the Orange County Healthcare Agency, passengers assigned to specific seats that may have been exposed on Norse Atlantic Airways flight Z0711 on July 26, will be notified of exposure by local Departments of Health. These agencies work together to investigate communicable disease exposures on international and domestic flights to the United States.
Exposed individuals should confirm if they have been vaccinated against measles. If they have not had measles in the past and have not yet obtained the measles vaccine, they are at risk of contracting measles if they have been exposed. Unimmunized persons or those with unknown immunization status who were at this location during the date and times listed above are at risk of developing measles from 7 to 21 days after being exposed. Exposed individuals who have been free of symptoms for more than 21 days (August 16th) are no longer at risk.
LOS ANGELES — Los Angeles County Supervisor Janice Hahn July 30 presented an official recognition to San Pedro resident, retired educator and veteran Jerry Gaines in honor of his 21 years of public service. Gaines recently retired from a seat on the Los Angeles County Commission for Older Adults and has previously served on other commissions for both the City and County of Los Angeles.
“Jerry served his country in uniform and educated our youth, and then turned right around and decided he wasn’t done serving. Older adults in LA County are better off today because of Jerry’s service on this Commission, putting their needs front and center,” said Hahn. “He is an extraordinary public servant, friend, and neighbor, and it was an honor to recognize him today.”
Gaines was first appointed to the Commission for Older Adults by Hahn’s predecessor, Supervisor Don Knabe, in 2015. Upon entering office in 2016, Hahn reappointed Gaines to the commission. Gaines was among the group of commissioners who championed the creation of a standalone Department of Aging and Disabilities in 2022. Gaines had also previously served on the Los Angeles City Charter Reform Commission, the Los Angeles City Redistricting Commission, and the Los Angeles City Harbor Planning Commission.
During the ceremony, Gaines thanked Hahn for the opportunity to serve on the Commission and recognized the staff and leadership of the Department of Aging and Disabilities. “I enjoy the time I got to work with them along the way. It was a special honor. Of all of the things you heard me do, this one has been top of them all,” said Gaines.
Prior to his volunteer service with the city and county, Gaines served in the U.S. Navy and retired from the Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified School District in the field of secondary education. During his time in education, he was recognized as the Los Angeles County Teacher of the Year and received the U.S. Congress Award for serving as chair of the Military Reuse Committee.
The Los Angeles County Commission for Older Adults is tasked with advocating and advising the Board of Supervisors and other county entities regarding the needs and welfare of Los Angeles County residents 60 and older.
Details: Footage of the ceremony is available here.
Barragán, Bonamici Introduce Legislation to Jumpstart Marine Energy as a Clean Energy Solution
WASHINGTON, DC – Representatives Nanette Barragán (CA-44) and Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01) introduced the Marine Energy Technologies Acceleration Act, legislation that would invest $1 billion to advance marine energy toward full scale commercialization. Marine energy harnesses the power from waves, tides, currents, and other water-based resources to generate a clean energy resource that can provide reliable 24/7 clean power to communities.
The Marine Energy Technologies Acceleration Act would provide funding to the Department of Energy’s water power technologies office for demonstration projects, research and development, detailed resource potential mapping, workforce development, and more efficient permitting processes.
“Nearly 40 percent of the U.S. population lives in coastal communities where marine energy resources are abundant and offer tremendous potential to power our communities with clean, renewable energy, including California,” said Rep. Barragán. “With the Marine Energy Technologies Acceleration Act, we can usher in an emerging clean energy resource to help our nation and our communities meet clean energy and decarbonization goals, reduce pollution, and create high-paying jobs.”
There is an upcoming marine energy demonstration project by Eco Wave Power at Altasea, a public-private ocean technology hub at the Port of Los Angeles dedicated to growing the blue economy. Eco Wave Power is set to install the first U.S. onshore wave energy pilot station in the coming months at the port.
“For too long, this useful source of power has had a back seat to investments in other renewable and non-renewable forms of energy,” said Terry Tamminen, CEO of AltaSea. “With this bill, Representative Barragán puts wave and tidal energy on the map — and does so in a very meaningful way.”
Details: The full text of the bill can be found here.
Rep. Barragán Introduces Bill to Create Tax Deductions for Businesses that Donate Equipment to Food Banks
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Rep. Nanette Barragán (CA-44) July 31 introduced the Feed the Community Act, a bill that would create tax deductions for businesses that donate food storage equipment and food transportation vehicles to non-profit organizations whose primary mission is to fight hunger in their communities.
Food banks and food pantries across America are experiencing increased demand for service, yet they have limited capacity and resources to serve communities in need. In 2022, over 44 million Americans were food insecure, or lacked access to affordable and nutritious foods. Food insecurity disproportionately harms senior citizens on fixed incomes, low-income households, and communities of color.
Food banks have seen an increased need for food assistance from their communities, which means with their current resources, food banks cannot serve the individuals who rely on them for food and other basic necessities,” said Rep. Barragán. “Almost a million Angelenos would go hungry if it wasn’t for the important work of food banks. That is why I am proud to introduce the Feed the Community Act, which incentivizes businesses to donate food storage equipment and food transport to food banks, and they can provide hunger-relief in their communities.”
Details: Read Rep. Barragán’s one-pager on the bill here and view the full bill text here.
WASHINGTON — The Department of Labor July 31 announced the availability of $45 million in funding to support programs to provide skills training through work-based learning, employment services, educational support and mentorship to young adults, ages 15 to 24, in communities affected by violence, crime and poverty.
Violence and poverty can prevent individuals from realizing their potential and prevent access to equitable educational and employment opportunities. The Reentry Employment Opportunities program funding aligns with the Biden-Harris administration’s commitment to equity in the labor force and addresses structural barriers these young people encounter. Funds will support local organizations and community violence intervention partners that provide jobs, training and supportive services to prepare and equip young people to succeed.
This is the second of two “Growth Opportunities” competitions the department announced in 2024 with the intention of awarding approximately 16 grants with funding authorized by the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act.
Gov. Newsom Offers $76 Million in Grants to Bolster Safety and Security in Faith Communities and Nonprofits
SACRAMENTO — As of July 30, California is expediting the deployment of funds and is now accepting applications for $76 million in grant funding available to bolster safety and security for nonprofits — including synagogues, mosques, and Black and LGBTQ+ organizations — that are at higher risk of hate-based crimes.
“An attack against any community is an attack against our entire state and our values,” said Gov. Newsom. “Every Californian deserves the ability to worship, love, and gather safely, without fear of hate. This new round of funding is aimed at helping high-risk organizations protect themselves against violent attacks and hate crimes”
The California State nonprofit security grant program provides nonprofit organizations with funding for security enhancements including reinforced doors, gates, high-intensity lighting, access control systems, and inspection and screening systems.
Recent data points to an increase in hate crimes carried out against Jewish, Muslim, and LGBTQ+ communities in 2023. Anti-Black bias events remained the most prevalent, despite a decrease in total reported incidents from 2022 to 2023. After heightened fear of violence due to conflicts in the Middle East and hate-fueled attacks across the country, Governor Newsom increased funding for the grant program by over 35%, adding an additional $20 million available for nonprofits to improve safety and security.
Since the inception of the program in 2015, the state has awarded $152,750,000 in state funding to 924 community groups.
Steps to apply for funding
The new request for proposals can be found on the California Governor’s office of emergency services website, which administers the program. Eligible organizations include those exempt from taxation under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Interested applicants are encouraged to learn more by attending one of six upcoming informational webinars. Proposals must be received electronically by 11:59 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 23.
“We encourage nonprofit organizations to consider applying for these new grants, which can go a long way toward helping them enhance their security to prevent targeted acts of hate and violence,” said Nancy Ward, Director of Cal OES.
Amidst the ongoing conflict in the Middle East and recent hate-related incidents throughout the nation, earlier this year, Governor Newsom released the Golden State Plan to Counter Antisemitism to address increasing attacks on California’s Jewish communities, and wrote a letter to California’s Muslim, Palestinian American and Arab American communities denouncing hate-based attacks towards these residents and the loss of innocent lives.
Gov. Newsom Announces Appointments
SACRAMENTO – Gov. Gavin Newsom July 30 announced the following appointment.
Charmine Davis, of Los Angeles, has been appointed to the Domestic Violence Program advisory council. Davis has been founder of the Just Us Mobile App since 2017 and director of family wellness at the Jenesse Center Inc. since 2015. She was a delegate with the 66th Session of the United Nations commission on the status of women in 2022. Davis was director of social service and outreach at care Village Inc. from 2009 to 2015. She earned a Doctor of Psychology degree in Applied Clinical Psychology from the Chicago School of Professional Psychology and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from Argosy University. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Davis is a Democrat.
