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Biden Administration Pursues New Loan Forgiveness Program Following Supreme Court Setback

Maria

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Nov 2, 2023

Biden Administration Pursues New Loan Forgiveness Program Following Supreme Court Setback

By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent

Beginning Nov. 1, federal student loan borrowers will have to resume making payments on their loans for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. And, after the Supreme Court smacked down President Joe Biden’s original loan forgiveness program, the administration is targeting another avenue to relieve the stress of millions of borrowers.

The Biden-Harris administration has formed a committee that will meet on Nov. 6 and Nov. 7 to discuss a policy draft for a new loan forgiveness program. The 16-member committee includes individuals from civil rights organizations, student borrower advocacy groups, higher education officials, and government officials.

The Department of Education said in a statement that the Biden-Harris Administration has continued important work to get student debt relief to as many borrowers as possible through negotiated rulemaking under the Higher Education Act. In releasing a draft regulatory text for specific borrowers, the administration outlined the next steps to investigate relief options for borrowers having a hard time. Forgiveness delivered to borrowers through negotiated rulemaking will build on the historic actions the Biden-Harris Administration has already taken to provide student debt relief to millions of Americans, officials said. To date, the Biden-Harris Administration has approved $127 billion in debt relief for nearly 3.6 million borrowers and launched the most affordable student loan repayment plan in history, the SAVE plan.

“President Biden and I are committed to helping borrowers who’ve been failed by our country’s broken and unaffordable student loan system,” said U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona. “These draft proposals would build on the historic $127 billion in loan forgiveness the Biden-Harris Administration has already approved for nearly 3.6 million borrowers. We are fighting to ensure that student debt does not stand in the way of opportunity or prevent borrowers from realizing the benefits of their higher education.”

The draft regulatory text provides negotiators and the public with more details as the Department of Education works toward reaching a consensus on proposals. The text includes language that would help four types of borrowers in debt: those with current outstanding federal student loan balances that exceed what they originally borrowed; individuals with loans that first entered repayment 25 or more years ago; those who took out loans to attend career-training programs that created unreasonable debt loads or provided insufficient earnings for graduates, as well as borrowers who attended institutions with unacceptably high student loan default rates; and where the Secretary determines those eligible for forgiveness under repayment plans like income-driven repayment or targeted relief programs like Public Service Loan Forgiveness or closed school loan discharges except they have not applied for such relief.

The Department also released an issue paper outlining additional questions and information to guide discussion about a fifth group of borrowers—those who are experiencing financial hardship that the current student loan system does not currently adequately address. The issue paper lists ideas brought up in the first round of negotiations that need developing and discussing to come up with possible regulatory proposals for the third round of talks or future policymaking efforts.

Questions in the paper include which types of borrowers may be experiencing hardship, whether standards used to make improvements to the bankruptcy process could be applied to student debt relief, and what data would be needed to determine whether a borrower is facing hardship. In addition to discussing the draft regulatory text, negotiators will spend the afternoon of the second day of the session discussing hardship.

The Department said it would continue to refine regulatory text in advance of the third session, Dec. 11 and 12. The public will have an opportunity to submit written comments on the draft rules when they are published next year.

Bullying in California: In Some School Districts, Black Students Are Being Targeted by Their Latino Peer

Maria

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Nov 2, 2023

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Bullying in California: In Some School Districts, Black Students Are Being Targeted by Their Latino Peer

By Edward Henderson, California Black Media

On Feb. 16, 2022, a Black student in the Santa Barbara Unified School District was assaulted by Latino students. His attackers called him the n-word and kneeled on his neck while repeatedly, chanting the name “George Floyd.” A district-wide acknowledgment of the hate crime was not sent out until Feb. 22, of that year.

Despite the psychological trauma this student experienced, the school did little to provide him with mental health support. This is in spite of Assembly Bill (AB) 1145, the Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act, a state law that provides specific instructions for schools to follow in such incidents.

Connie Alexander-Boaitey, President of the Santa Barbara branch of the NAACP, says against African Americans are often minimized in her city due to their representation as the smallest demographic group.

“Oh, there’s “not that many,’” Alexander-Boaitey says, referring to a common response when hate crimes are reported or when people complain about racism. “But ‘not that many’ are still being harmed.

Alexander-Boaitey was speaking during a news briefing hosted by Ethnic Media Services on Oct. 27 on school bullying. She was joined on the panel by Becky L. Monroe, the Deputy Director of Strategic Initiatives and External Affairs at the California Civil Rights Department (CRD); Dashka Slater, an award-winning journalist and author who has written books about children who are victims of bullying; Mina Fedor, a young AAPI activist who was honored by President Biden for her efforts to address racism, Xenophobia, and hate in her community; and Barbra Risling, another young activist and member of the Hoopa Valley Tribe as well as a Descendant of the Karuk and Yurok Tribes.

Alexander-Boaitey says the hate crimes and hate incidents, including bullying and cyberbullying, affecting children are all connected to “generational pain” for Black Americans.

Among schoolchildren, “It’s the pervasive calling of the n-word to Black, African American students by young Latino students,” she said. “It’s every day. Its weekly.”

Another Black family in Santa Barbara now walks their child to school to protect her from bullying classmates. And one has pulled their daughter out of the school system completely, opting for home schooling.

To address the problem, the Santa Barbara Unified School District commissioned a survey titled “2023 Anti-Blackness and Racial Climate Assessment and Analysis” that proposed a set of recommendations for addressing the problem.

The hate incidents targeting African American children are not confined to Santa Barbara but are increasing across California, according to the NAACP. These incidents, often involving physical violence and verbal abuse, are more frequent as Black families relocate to predominantly Latino neighborhoods.

In Santa Barbara, African Americans make up only 2% of the population but they account for the most victims of bullying and hate crimes in the area. At 47.5%, Latinos make up the majority of Santa Barbara’s population followed by Whites at 43.5%. According to the local NAACP branch, most of the perpetrators of the bullying and hate crimes are Latino children.

Alexander-Boaitey says she believes the hate incidents are rooted in historic racism and connected to a general desire to make Black people invisible.

“That somehow or another in an effort to move towards more White-facing or White upstanding, one group has said this group doesn’t need to be here so we can be more approximate to what is White. That’s what’s really happening in our schools,” says Alexander-Boaitey.

According to Dashka Slater, author of ‘Accountable: The True Story of a Racist Social Media Account and the Teenagers Whose Lives It Changed’, three in four American young people ages 15 to 25 have run into extremist content online. One in four students between the ages of four and 18 have seen hate or words or symbols written in their schools. About 1.3 million students were bullied because of some aspect of their identity during the 2018-2019 school year, according to a US Government Accountability Office report on schools. Half of those children were targeted because of their race.

“Some forms of bullying are in fact acts of hate,” said Monroe. “Some acts of hate are crimes, while others are violations of civil rights laws. Some may be lawful but incredibly harmful, nonetheless. We must recognize the civil rights issues at the heart of this discussion around bullying.”

Monroe also spoke about the state law requiring schools to provide all students with a safe environment free of harassment.

“Schools have a legal obligation to ensure that students are not denied opportunities, treated differently, discriminated against, or harassed because of their race, color, national origin, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, or disability,” she said.

“Students who are doing the bullying are following the lead of a biased peer and imitating things that they see on social media,” said Slater. “We also see kids of color who are harassed for their identity and harassing

somebody else for their identity. Studies show that kids who are the bully and bullied are the ones who have the longest lasting effects afterward.”

Studies have also shown that students who perpetuate racially motivated bullying onto their fellow classmates don’t necessarily ascribe to racist ideologies but have simply fallen into the trap of influence from outside sources online or mirroring behavior from their parents or guardians at home.

Alexander-Boaitey says Black and Latino leaders and residents from the area have not formally met yet to resolve tensions brewing between their communities.

“I know this is where the struggle really is,” she added. “How do we have leaders from the Black, Latino, and Hispanic communities sit down and have our own conversations? What makes it not happen is erasure culture that says we don’t need to talk about it, or it was a single incident.”

Some parents of California students are pushing back against ethnic studies requirements brought to schools to combat hate and ignorance.

“Parents are trying to take their kids out of the classes,” Alexander-Boaitey continued. “The bill (Assembly Bill (AB)101) does not go deep enough to fight against it. We need to start this at TK. We are way too late by the time we get to high school for this.”

Monroe says the state provides various resources and care coordination for victims of hate crimes or hate incidents.

To report hate incidents or crimes in California, victims or witnesses can file them online here. They can also call 833-8-NO-HATE; (833) 866-4283 Monday – Friday from 9:00 am – 6:00 pm. If outside of those hours, they can leave a voicemail, or you can call 211 to report hate and seek support.

This California Black Media report was supported in whole or in part by funding provided by the State of California, administered by the California State Library.

Why The Obligation to Give More Than Internet Public Notice

Digital Editor

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Nov 2, 2023

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By Dr. John E. Warren, Publisher, San Diego Voice & Viewpoint Newspaper

It appears that with the growth of Social Media, a number of government agencies and organizations have decided that if they put notice of an event, rulemaking, bid or official notice on social media, that such action is sufficient notice to the public.

Nothing is further from the truth for the following reasons: First, less than 50 percent of the public is on the internet. This was made clear during the pandemic when school children had to go to libraries, or restaurants; wherever they could find WiFi in order to do school assignments because of a lack of internet access at home. In San Diego County less than 50 percent of households are on the internet. Second, and even more important, is the “Due Process” requirement of “Notice” and “Opportunity”. Simply put, this means that all public dollars spent, at any level of government, whether local, state or national, are dollars that come from the collection of taxes and as such, the public, which is “we” the people, have a right to know how those dollars are being spent.

This matter is so important that the California Government Code provides specific provisions for presenting public notice in “newspapers of general circulation”. Such notice, as with “rulemaking” for governmental agencies that have the authority to make policy, must give the taxpayers the opportunity to be aware of proposed expenditures. There is no requirement that said agency or governmental entity has to track the response, they only must give notice and such notice must be in a generally acceptable manner, i.e., newsprint first. All others can be added.

In the case of Federal agencies, Departments, Boards or Commissions, proposed rules must be published in the Federal Register, which is now online but still printed as a document. These rules at the federal level, are found in the Administrative Procedures Act under Title 5 of the United States Code at sessions 553,554, and 555. Each State, like the Federal Government, has an Administrative Procedures Act. In the case of California, it’s found under the California Government Code.

This means that when CalTrans’s Office of Civil Rights decided recently that they would no longer provide public notice to California’s legally adjudicated Black newspapers because they (CalTrans) did not get the desired response from the Black communities, an embarrassing mistake was made in that the very Office responsible for ensuring that the laws of the State of California, including “Due Process” requirements of “Notice and Opportunity” to either respond or ignore, were being violated by the very people responsible for ensuring the informing of all the community as taxpayers. At no point does the legal concept of “due process” require a response. It only guarantees the right to respond if one chooses to do so.

Caltrans is not the only one violating this requirement of giving notice as prescribed by law. Cities such as the City of San Diego are equally as guilty. Consider the City of San Diego is about to engage in a campaign to recruit and hire a new police chief. The notice for this recruitment, just as other jobs the city has issued, is being sent to recruitment firms known as “headhunters”. No local notice or publicizing of the job or the requirements among the very people who pay the taxes to fund the jobs offered and retained by the city itself.

There will be an effort to hire a new Personnel Director for the City of San Diego, a new Fire Chief as well. The notice for these positions are only being put online. Remember, less than 50 percent of the community is on the internet.

There is no rule precluding the advertising of either positions, public notices or proposed policies on the internet, but laws have not changed allowing the internet to replace the prescribed publication of notices without a requirement of a specific response. Likewise, agencies can not rewrite their own public notice process to exclude print media because they find it cheaper to place such information on the internet. The internet can be a supplement to public notice but not a replacement in lieu of State or Federal Due Process requirements.

It should be remembered that much of the complaint that the public is apathetic is due to a lack of notice and information, not a lack of interest.

We expect to see the Office of Civil Rights within Caltrans reverse its wrongfully arrived at decision to treat the giving of public notice involving the expenditure of government funds as some quantity-based marketing of information, rather than the actual public notice all communications from that Department should represent in spending the public’s dollars.

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Deborah Anita Terrell

Digital Editor

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Nov 2, 2023

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Missionary Deborah Anita Terrell was the first of four children born to the union of the late Earmy Ruth Hills and Acie Terrell, Jr. on January 7, 1957.

Deborah’s love for music was apparent from a very young age, and she was afforded the opportunity to flourish her talents through the welcoming arms of the church. Guided by her loving aunts Henrietta Washington and Margaret Terrell, she attended services where her love for God grew under the anointed praises from the choir. The music awakened a longing for God inside of her.

Soon, Deborah discovered her five octave range, melodic voice and knew it was a gift that would allow her to share God through her music ministry. As part of her calling as a missionary, she often traveled with a choir and sang for different community groups.

Deborah was also working to complete her dissertation for a Doctorate in Educational Leadership from the University of the Rockies. She wanted to utilize her education to aid in the plight of the socially and economically disadvantaged youth.

Deborah often said “The world will know us by our love. We can talk Christ and salvation all day, but if we do not love one another or display that love, we are not truly displaying the commandments of God.”

With her family by her side, Deborah entered her eternal rest on October 18, 2023.

She was predeceased by parents; Acie Terrell, Jr. and Earmy Ruth Hills, and two sisters; Doris Jean Terrell and Terri Ann Terrell.

To continue her legacy of faith, love, and supporting those in need, Missionary Deborah Anita Terrell is survived by three daughters; Carmelita Moore, Andreala Tijani (Semiu), and Monique White, five grandchildren, who were her pride and joy; Ameenah White, Kabhir Mosi Marks, Jahsee White, Luke Moore, and Kamili Moore, four siblings; Michael Terrell, Sr., Brenda Johnson (Clint), Darryl Terrell (Zandra), and Deborah Frye (Rashid), a special cousin who was like a sister; Gloria Dean Dearing, and a host of nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles, and cousins.

Beloved by many, she touched many lives, and will be sorely missed by her family, friends, and church family.

Dr. Jimmie Floyd Hubbard, Jr.

Obituaries

Digital Editor

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Nov 2, 2023

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The Celebration of Life Service for Dr. Jimmie Floyd Hubbard, Jr., who was born on November 4, 1930, and passed on August 21, 2023, and Pastor Emeritus of the East Village Community Church, will be at the Bethel Baptist Church, 1962 Euclid Ave., San Diego, CA, on November 4, 2023 at 12:00 noon. You can also view the Celebration of Life on YouTube at: Bethel Baptist TV.

Rutha Mae Shipley-Sanchez

Digital Editor

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Nov 2, 2023

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Rutha Mae Shipley-Sanchez, a woman of adventurous spirit, thoughtful heart, and invigorating energy, passed away on October 13, 2023. Born on April 6, 1931, Rutha’s life was a testament to her vibrant character and her unwavering commitment to those she loved and the community she served.

Rutha was a proud graduate of Morse High School. Her love for education and nurturing young minds led her to a fulfilling career at Freese Elementary School. She dedicated her life to the service of others, influencing countless lives with her wisdom, patience, and guidance. Rutha’s commitment to her work extended beyond the classroom, as she actively participated in various associations that aimed to improve the educational environment for children.

Beyond her professional pursuits, Rutha was a woman of many interests. She was an exceptional cook, often delighting her family and friends with delicious meals prepared from the heart. Rutha was also a passionate gardener, cultivating not just plants but also relationships with those around her. Shopping was another of her favorite pastimes, whether she was hunting for a bargain or just enjoying the hustle and bustle of the marketplace. Dancing was where Rutha’s spirited nature truly shone. She moved with a grace and joy that was infectious.

Music was a significant part of Rutha’s life. The soulful tunes of “Down Home Blues” by ZZ Hill, “Love and Happiness” by Al Green, and “I’m Going Down” by Mary J. Blige often filled her home. Her musical taste was a reflection of her personality – full of depth, passion, and a zest for life.

A woman of strong opinions and loyalties, Rutha was an ardent fan of the Green Bay Packers. Her love for the team was as fiery as her favorite flower, the red rose, symbolizing her passion and determination. Just like her favorite team, Rutha was a fighter, always pushing forward with unwavering resolve.

Rutha Mae Shipley-Sanchez was a beacon of light in the lives of all who knew her. Her adventurous spirit drove her to embrace every moment, her thoughtful nature made her a cherished friend and mentor, and her spirited energy left an indelible mark on everyone she met. Rutha’s life was a song of love, happiness, and resilience, a song that will continue to echo in the hearts of those who loved her. She will be deeply missed, but her legacy will live on.

Rynell Marion Baker II

Digital Editor

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Nov 2, 2023

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Rynell Marion Baker II, affectionately known as “Chuk” (Chuka), was born on December 30, 1988, to Carmen Dukes and Rynell Marion Baker. This world was graced with his loving, courageous, and spirited presence for 34 beautiful years. Rynell’s early education took place at Washington Elementary School, and he later graduated from Sam and Rose Stein Education Center.

Despite being diagnosed with Epileptic Aphasia at the age of five and becoming nonverbal due to this diagnosis, Rynell never allowed his condition to define him. Instead, he lived life with a spirit of adventure, often finding joy in the outdoors and
exploring San Diego via bus rides alongside his doting great-grandmother, “Granny.”

Rynell’s faith was a significant part of his life, a testament to his church visits with Granny. His favorite phrase, “Praise the Lord,” reflected his unwavering belief and gratitude for life’s blessings. The caregivers at DSC, Luis and Arturo, who also resided with him, held a special place in their hearts for him. They accompanied him on field trips, long walks and rides, ensuring all his needs were met, and that Rynell enjoyed every minute of it. His mother, Carmen, kept him well-groomed and handsome, reinforcing the warm, loving environment that Rynell called home.

On October 4, 2023, Rynell passed away peacefully.

Rynell was preceded in death by his grandmother Oxivaner McClure “Candye”, and great-grandmother, Hazel McClure “Granny”.

Left to celebrate and cherish his memory are his parents; Carmen Dukes and Rynell Baker, Sr., his bonus father Sherman Dukes, who provided additional love and support, all of San Diego, his beloved grandmother Lurenette Griffin, grandfather Bonaparte
Baker “Bonay”, his four sisters and four brothers; Isis Williams, Tajjahnee Williams, Sher’cari Dukes, De’Azhae Baker, John Williams III, Ricky Cotton II, and Jaquan Baker of San Diego, CA, and John’ae Williams of San Antonio, TX, his God Mothers; Natarshia Barnes and Utopia Penn, and a host of aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends.

Rynell’s life was a testament to courage, resilience, and love. He faced his challenges head-on, and his spirited personality brought joy to everyone around him. His memory will forever live on in the hearts of those who loved him. The years we were blessed to have Rynell in our lives may not have been long enough, but we are grateful for every moment we shared with him.

Rest in peace, dear Rynell, until we meet again.

Dr. William Tayari Howard

Digital Editor

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Nov 2, 2023

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Dr. William Tayari Howard was born February 1, 1950, in Louisville, Kentucky, to the parents of William John Howard and Dorothy Howard, who preceded him in death.

As a child growing up, Tayari was exposed to radio broadcasting. His parents were radio broadcast pioneers in the 1940’s and 1950’s. Tayari joined the United States Coast Guard in 1971 and moved to San Diego, CA, where he started his radio career in 1972 at Kuumba Time!

Over the years he worked for a variety of radio stations, to include; XHRM-FM 92.5, XHITZ-FM 90.3 Z90, and KIFM Jazz 98.1, where during his tenure, Dr. Howard was the only African American employed.

In 1974, he joined Bethel Baptist Church. In 1975, he married Pamela J. Knox. From this union, two children were born and later, three grandchildren. One of Tayari’s proudest moments was watching both of his daughters continue the family legacy of radio broadcasting. Tayari took pride in, and told everyone he knew, that his daughters worked in the broadcasting industry. His daughter, Summer Howard Johnson, worked for San Diego’s Z90 and Smooth Jazz 98.1. His other daughter, Mercedes Howard, started her broadcasting career as an Airwatch Traffic Reporter for all iHeart Media brands. Mercedes also worked as an “on-air” radio personality for Channel 933, and she currently works for PBS in Colorado at the Drop 104.7. In total, Mercedes has 17 years in broadcast radio!

Tayari had many accomplishments throughout his career, including over 50 years of radio broadcasting in the county of San Diego, the production of over 6,000 radio, television, and public service announcements, and serving 39 consecutive years as the Official Parade Announcer for the San Diego Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Parade. He was the host of more than 7,000 events since 1981, and he served as the host of Lights Out
Lounge and the production of Coffee and Jazz with Tayari, heard over Jazz 98.1 KIFM for sixteen years.

He was a proud graduate of Columbia School of Broadcasting in San Francisco and a Radio, Television, and Film major at San Diego City College. Following his retirement from SDG&E, where he was employed for 25 years, Dr. Howard established the Tayari
Media Group, and later, Dr. Howard received an Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters Degree.

Tayari also had a passion for giving back to his community, especially to his beloved 4th district of San Diego, teaching broadcast media arts and the effects of social media to high school students, and starting his own internet radio website, www.kkssdjazz.com.

As a Christian, Dr. Howard put his faith and trust in the redemptive work of Jesus Christ. Dr. Howard was a member of Eagle’s Nest Christian Center for over 20 years, and served as a Deacon for Eagle’s Nest for over 15 years under the leadership of Dr. Rev. John E. Warren. One of his favorite scriptures was Jeremiah 29:11.

Tayari will be remembered for his love of God and family, hard work and dedication to his community, and the broadcasting industry. He will be sorely missed by all who knew and loved him.

On Friday, October 13, 2023, God called Dr. William Tayari Howard from labor to reward.

He leaves to cherish his loving memory, his former wife and lifelong friend Pamela J. Howard, two daughters; Summer Howard and Mercedes Howard, three living brothers, four living sisters, three grandchildren, and a host of nieces, nephews, and special friends.

Local SDABSW Empowers Black Moms with Mother’s T.E.A.

Maria

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Nov 1, 2023

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Local SDABSW Empowers Black Moms with Mother’s T.E.A.

By VOICE & VIEWPOINT STAFF

In our October 12 issue, we published an article entitled The Neighborhood House Association’s August Infant Care Event, along with photos originally reported to have been taken at an August Neighborhood House Association breastfeeding event.

It has come to our attention that the published photos were actually taken during a San Diego Association of Black Social Workers (SDABSW) event held August 12, 2023, entitled Mother’s T.E.A. (Teach, Empower and Advocate) just prior to Black Breastfeeding Week (August 25th to 31st).

For full article, news, photos and community events pick up our print only issue, published weekly or subscribe online to get full news access.

‘We all should be worried’: Black Entrepreneurs, Business Leaders Say Conservative Legal Challenges Could Hinder Progress

Maria

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Nov 1, 2023

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‘We all should be worried’: Black Entrepreneurs, Business Leaders Say Conservative Legal Challenges Could Hinder Progress

By Nicquel Terry Ellis CNN, CNN

(CNN) — As a news anchor in New York, Cathleen Trigg-Jones said she experienced firsthand the discrimination women of color face in the male-dominated entertainment industry.

So, in 2019, she made a career pivot and launched iWoman TV — a media company led by women, featuring shows with female leads.

The only problem was she needed money to sustain the business. Trigg-Jones said she applied for funding from grant groups, venture capital funds and investors, but most of them denied her. She said she was told her company wasn’t making enough money and it was too new.

But the Fearless Fund – a Black women-owned venture capitalist firm that invests in women of color – took a chance on Trigg-Jones and her company. In 2022, the group awarded iWoman TV a $20,000 grant, Trigg-Jones said.

The grant allowed her to scale operations and increase funding for female content creators to start or finish films projects.

“Every little bit helps when you’re a Black female trying to start from scratch to build a business in a world that is not designed to see you succeed,” Trigg-Jones said. “The barriers are expansive.”

But the Fearless Fund’s grant program for businesses owned by women of color has recently faced a legal challenge from the American Alliance for Equal Rights (AAER), a conservative group that claims the venture capitalist firm’s grants amount to racial discrimination under the Civil Rights Act of 1866.

Late last month, a federal appeals court granted the Alliance’s motion to temporarily block the Fearless Fund from awarding grants exclusively to Black women entrepreneurs.

CNN has reached out to the Fearless Fund for comment on the ongoing lawsuit.

The Alliance is led by conservative legal strategist Edward Blum, the same attorney behind the Supreme Court case that dismantled affirmative action in college admissions. In August, Blum also sued two international law firms over their diversity fellowships but dropped one of the lawsuits after the firm decided to open its fellowship to all associates.

In an email, Blum told CNN he believes his legal campaign against affirmative action and grant programs like those offered by the Fearless Fund is ultimately a question of fairness.

“Our nation’s civil rights laws do not permit racial distinctions because some racial groups are overrepresented in various endeavors, while others are under-represented,” Blum said in the email.

The AAER’s legal challenges have left civil rights activists and Black business leaders anticipating the conservative group’s next lawsuit and whether Blum will continue to target programs that exclusively serve people of color.

Black business leaders told CNN the lawsuits, if successful, could stand to undo decades of progress toward leveling the playing field for Black and brown people in the workplace and small business sector.

“It definitely opens up a Pandora’s box,” Trigg-Jones said. “We all should be worried.”

Trigg-Jones said programs such as the Fearless Fund wouldn’t be necessary if there were equal opportunities for Black business owners to obtain funding.

According to a 2019 report from American Express, Black women are the fastest growing demographic of entrepreneurs in the country.

But the intersectionality of being Black and a woman puts the odds against them when it comes to securing finances for those businesses.

Black business owners are turned down for loans at a rate three times higher than White business owners, according to a 2020 analysis of small businesses by Goldman Sachs.

And in 2020, US businesses founded only by women received about 2% of venture capital funding, according to an analysis of female founders and investors in venture capital by PitchBook, an organization that compiles data and research on global capital markets.

“Women of color are the least funded but the most founded,” Fearless Fund co-founder and CEO Arian Simone told CNN last month.

Though he acknowledged the disparities exist, Blum told CNN “venture capital funding gaps between the races is never a legal or moral justification to exclude certain men and women from public programs by race or ethnicity.”

He said AAER “believes it is legally permissible to provide benefits to businesses and individuals who are under-resourced but those benefits must be made available to all races and ethnicities.”

But some Black entrepreneurs insist they need dedicated funding resources to gain equal footing with their White counterparts.

Rashae Barnes, founder of Evals Equity, said she decided to create an investment fund for businesses owned by women of color last year after facing her own roadblocks to entrepreneurship.

Barnes, who owns a public relations firm and a spice company, said she struggled to gain access to capital because the interest rates for business loans were too high.

With Evals Equity, Barnes said she has been able to raise more than $100,000 and has helped fund more than 40 women of color entrepreneurs. Their businesses have ranged from hair salons and tech companies to tutoring programs.

Barnes also created National Black Funding Day, celebrated on Sept. 30, to raise awareness of the struggles Black entrepreneurs face with funding.

“We just want an equal playing field,” Barnes said. “If we were incorporated in the allocation of funds to begin with … we wouldn’t have to create programs or funds to help people who look like us.”

‘A pin in the progress’

Kaycea Campbell, chair of the economics department at Pierce College Los Angeles, said she expects there will be more legal challenges to diversity initiatives moving forward.

She said the nation’s political and legal landscape is shifting with more Republican lawmakers vilifying diversity, equity and inclusion programs and a conservative majority on the Supreme Court gutting affirmative action.

“There are huge implications for a lot of diversity, equity, inclusion initiatives,” Campbell said. “There is a sense of caution. Companies are worried about being sued or spending money on programs that could later be reversed. So, it has kind of put a pin in the progress.”

The net worth of the typical Black household in 2022 was $44,900, according to the Federal Reserve’s latest Survey of Consumer Finances, a triennial report that provides a comprehensive look at Americans’ financial circumstances.

That’s up more than 61% for Black households since the Fed’s last survey in 2019.

Even with these gains, their net worth remains only a fraction of that of White households, whose median wealth was $285,000 last year, up 31% from 2019, according to the Fed’s survey.

Lenwood Long, president and CEO of the African American Alliance of Community Development Financial Institution CEOs — a national coalition of CEOs of venture capital funds, credit unions and loan funds — said centuries of discrimination and systemic racism has meant Black Americans have long had to fight an uphill battle for economic parity and justice.

Long said Black entrepreneurs often lack the generational wealth that enables people to start businesses without loans. Many also lack the collateral needed to get approved for loans at major financial institutions, he said.

But groups like the Fearless Fund, he said, are helping Black people gain access to capital so they can build that wealth.

Long said the conservative challenges feel like a setback for Black Americans.

“It’s sad and disgraceful and shameful,” he said.

“They are saying you can’t be intentional in directing funds to groups that have been historically denied access to capital and access to education. Those are two areas that will address the racial wealth gap.”

CNN’s Jaide Timm-Garcia, Isabel Rosales and Tami Luhby contributed to this report

Reports Cast Shadows on the Economic Picture for Black Californians

Maria

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Nov 1, 2023

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Reports Cast Shadows on the Economic Picture for Black Californians

By Lila Brown, California Black Media

Recent studies suggest that the economic picture for Black Californians is not looking rosy.

Increasingly, the state is becoming more unaffordable for African Americans, leading many families to relocate to less expensive places both within and outside of the borders of the Golden state.

“After pandemic-era declines, California’s poverty rate is on the rise. Expansions to safety net programs during the pandemic reduced poverty substantially, but these expansions had mostly expired by the end of 2022,” reads a report published by the Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC) on Oct. 24.

For Black Californians, the poverty rate at 13.6% is more than double the percentage of African Americans living in California, which currently stands at about 5.8% of the state’s population of nearly 40 million.

“While economic growth throughout 2022 countered some of these program losses — by boosting family resources from work — the state’s overall poverty rate increased from 11.7% in fall 2021 to 13.2% in early 2023,” the PPIC report continued.

The unemployment numbers for Black Californians also remain high – and continue to climb.

According to the Economic Policy Institute, the unemployment rate for Black Californians stands at 7.4%, which is higher than the 4.5% unemployment rate for all racial groups in the state for Q2 2023. This is also higher than the national rate of 5.8%.

In California, the Black-White unemployment rate ratio is at 1.9 to 1. The national Black-White unemployment ratio remained at 2-to-1 in the second quarter of 2023, maintaining the historic trend of Black workers being twice as likely to be unemployed as White workers. There’s nowhere in the country where the unemployment numbers for Black and White workers are equal.

For September, the California Employment Development Department (EDD) reported that unemployment is on the rise. The state’s unemployment rate crept up to 4.7%, an increase of 144,000 people. It is the second highest unemployment rate of any state. The labor force – Californians working or looking for work – also shrank.

Between 2021 to 2022, the overall poverty rate in California rose from 11.0% to 16.4%. This increase can be linked to the high costs of living, inflation, and the end of pandemic-era supports, such as the expanded federal Child Tax Credit and other welfare benefits. While financial assistance cut the poverty rate for Black Californians by three-quarters to 9.5% in 2021, it lessened poverty for Black Californians by well under half the following year, contributing to a near doubling of their poverty rate to 18.6%.

The California Budget Center checking the pulse of households from US Census data showed that more than half (54%) of Black Californians reported facing difficulty paying for essential needs like food and housing.

Los Angeles County (15.5%) and San Diego County (15.0%) had the highest poverty rates. The Central Valley and Sierra region had the lowest (10.7%), largely due to lower housing costs.

In China last week, Gov. Gavin Newsom highlighted the strength of California’s economy, the fifth largest in the world, and President Joe Biden released his Bidenomics report in June highlighting the achievements of his Invest in America plan.

The White House reports that under the Biden-Harris Administration, Black Americans have experienced their lowest unemployment rate on record and the highest employment rate since November 2000. The participation of Black workers in the labor force has also reached its highest level since August 2008. There has been reduction in the Black child poverty rate by greater than 12%, impacting over 200,000 children, through the Thrifty Food Plan.

Most reports point to signs that the nation is currently at pre-pandemic levels and California has recovered its pandemic-induced job losses in June 2022, according to the latest California Labor Market Review released in August. However, those numbers indicating the state economy is strong and stabilizing contrast with the harsh realities confronting many Black Californians struggling every day to make ends meet. A study by the Urban Institute released in September shines light on the complex challenges Black Californians face as more of them make the decision to relocate to less expensive areas in the state, mostly driven by a combination of economic factors like housing unaffordability, rolling layoffs, rising inflation, an increase in renter evictions and stagnant salaries.

The report indicates that, “Over the last decade, several factors have contributed to many Black residents relocating from urban epicenters to the suburbs of metropolitan areas and to smaller, less dense, less populous cities.”

“This has been the reality of many Black Californians: as the Black populations of San Francisco and Alameda counties drop, those of Contra Costa and Sacramento rise. As Los Angeles sees its share of Black residents decline, neighboring Riverside and San Bernardino shares increase,” that report further highlights.

Lisa D. Cook, Governor of the Federal Reserve Board, says unemployment lies at the root of all America’s social problems and pushing for maximum employment for all Americans is the solution to minimizing poverty. Cook made the point while accepting the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies’ Louis E. Martin Award on Oct. 18 in Washington, D.C.

“Maximum employment boosts long-run economic potential. It means that a vital resource is being used productively. A strong labor market increases labor force participation and the willingness of firms to recruit and upgrade the skills of workers,” cook stated. She explained that the Full Employment and Balanced Growth Act of 1978, also known as the Humphrey-Hawkins Act, set economic priorities for the federal government centered on promoting good-paying jobs for all Americans.

“Maximum employment also promotes business investment that boosts productivity and long-run economic potential. And the full participation of all segments of society should be expected to result in more ideas, including more diverse ideas, more invention, and more innovation,” Cook concluded

White Americans Have Far More Wealth than Black Americans. Here’s How Big the Gap Is

Maria

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Nov 1, 2023

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White Americans Have Far More Wealth than Black Americans. Here’s How Big the Gap Is

By Tami Luhby, CNN

(CNN) — Although Black and Hispanic Americans have accumulated more wealth in recent years, their median net worth still lags far behind that of White Americans.

The net worth of the typical Black and Hispanic household in 2022 was $44,900 and about $61,600, respectively, according to the Federal Reserve’s latest Survey on Consumer Finances, a triennial report released this month that provides a comprehensive look at Americans’ financial circumstances.

That’s up more than 61% for Black households and 47% for Hispanic households since the Fed’s last survey in 2019.

Even with these gains, their wealth remains only a fraction of that of White households, whose median wealth was $285,000 last year, up 31% from 2019.

Asian Americans had the highest median net worth at $536,000, the first year their wealth was broken out in the survey. Edward Wolff, a professor of economics at New York University, said Asian Americans have higher incomes and much lower poverty rates than White Americans, which drives up their median wealth.

The growth in wealth for typical Black and Hispanic households provides them more financial stability, Ana Hernández Kent, senior researcher at the Institute for Economic Equity at the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, said on October 20.

This means “these families are better able to weather a future downturn,” she said. “So, it’s extremely positive.”

Overall, however, Kent called the changes in wealth between 2019 and 2022 “a mixed bag” because of the “incredible amount of wealth inequality in the US.”

Record wealth levels

The median wealth of White and Black Americans has now surpassed their earlier peaks, which were prior to the Great Recession, Wolff said.

Hispanic households’ median net worth had already hit a record in 2019 and has since continued to rise.

The growth in housing wealth – a home’s market value minus any outstanding mortgages or loans secured by the home – has fueled the overall rise in net worth among Black and Hispanic Americans, in particular, according to the Fed survey.

Soaring home prices in recent years have boosted homeowners’ equity. Meanwhile, Wolff said, higher inflation also helped increase the net worth of Black and Hispanic households.

Net worth consists of assets minus debts, so if the value of someone’s debt declines, their net worth increases.

Black and Hispanic households typically have larger mortgages and because the value of their debt declined after adjusting for inflation between 2019 and 2022, their wealth increased, Wolff said.

“It’s really a combination of rising house prices and the high mortgage debt of Black and Hispanic families that has led to greater growth in their wealth than White families,” he said.

Meanwhile, Black Americans have made strides in home ownership since 2013, though their rate remains below where it was in 2007, before the Great Recession led to many people losing their property. The home ownership rate for Hispanic Americans grew between 2019 and 2022 and now exceeds what it was in 2007.

The share of White Americans owning homes remained essentially flat between 2019 and 2022 and has yet to surpass its 2007 rate.

In addition, larger shares of Black and Hispanic households owned stock and businesses in 2022, positioning them to keep better pace with White households when the value of these assets rise, according to the survey.

These increases in asset ownership helped modestly narrow the wealth gap ratio between White Americans and Black and Hispanic Americans between 2019 and 2022.

In 2022, the typical White household had about six times as much wealth as the typical Black household and five times as much as the typical Hispanic household.

That’s an improvement from 2016, when White Americans had 10 times the wealth of Black Americans and about eight times that of Hispanic Americans.

Still, these gains are tempered by the fact that the wealth gap widened by about $50,000 when comparing the net worth of White Americans in 2022 with that of Black and Hispanic Americans in dollars.

Income picture is gloomier

While Americans grew more wealthy in recent years, their income has essentially stagnated.

Median income rose by 1.3% for White households, while it slipped 1.6% and 1.1% for the Black and Hispanic households, respectively, between 2019 and 2022.

Looking ahead, Americans generally are more pessimistic about the future. The share of Black and Hispanic Americans who say they are uncertain about their income next year grew by 14.2 percentage points and 10.9 percentage points, respectively. Among White households, the increase in uncertainty about their income in the next year rose by 7 percentage points.

What’s more, the share of households that expect the economy to get worse over the next five years is at or near record highs across all groups.

“The recent improvements in wealth ratios across races is promising, but families’ increased financial uncertainty suggests continued improvements may not persist in the future,” the Fed concluded.