By Bo Tefu, California Black Media
“The American Story Will Be Written By US: Kamala Harris Speaks at the NAACP Image Awards
In a speech at the 56th annual NAACP Image Awards — held Feb. 22 at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium — former Vice President Kamala Harris delivered an upbeat speech, reminding the audience that the future of America “is bright and that they hold the power to determine the course of the country’s future.
In her first major public appearance since she left office, Harris was honored with the NAACP’s prestigious Chairman’s Award.
The NAACP Chairman’s Award honors individuals who “excel in public service and leverage their unique platforms to ignite and drive meaningful change.”
“Eternal vigilance is the price of Liberty,” said Harris, who received a standing ovation when she walked on stage. “To stay alert, to seek the truth, and to actively participate in the fight for America’s future.
Harris said the NAACP came into being at a time America struggled with greed, bitterness and hatred.
“Those who forged the NAACP, those who carried its legacy forward, had no illusions about the forces they were up against — no illusions about how stony the road would be,” Harris continued.
“Some look at this moment and rightly feel the weight of history. Some see the flames on our horizons, the rising waters in our cities, the shadows gathering over our democracy, and ask, ‘What do we do now?’ But we know exactly what to do, because we have done it before, and we will do it again.”
Ending on an optimistic note, Harris said she has no illusions about the challenges ahead.
“This chapter of our American story, this chapter will be written not simply by whoever occupies the Oval Office — nor by the wealthiest among us,” she said. “The American story will be written by you, written by us — by we the people. Thank you, God bless you, and God bless the United States.”
U.S. Rep. Lateefah Simon Introduces First Bill in Congress
U.S. Rep. Lateefah Simon (D-CA-12) introduced her first bill in Congress last week. “The Assisting Small Businesses Not Fraudsters Act,” aims to reduce fraud in government aid programs for small businesses. The bipartisan legislation, co-sponsored by Small Business Committee Chair Roger Williams (R-TX-25), seeks to ensure that only eligible small businesses benefit from federal financial support.
The bill amends the Small Business Act to bar individuals and entities convicted of financial fraud — or making false statements related to grants — from receiving non-disaster-related financial assistance from the Small Business Administration (SBA). This includes grants and contracts intended to support small businesses, particularly in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Simon addressed growing concern over fraud in the SBA’s pandemic relief programs such as the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) as she emphasized the bill’s importance.
“While small businesses faced unprecedented challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic, some exploited vital resources meant for struggling businesses,” said Simon.
“My bill ensures that those who have exploited the system will not be able to take advantage of future opportunities,” she added.
The bill is part of Simon’s broader effort to provide long-term support to small businesses across her district, which includes Oakland and other parts of Alameda County.
Community Town Hall with Congressman Pete Aguilar Addresses Urgent Issues Impacting Inland Empire Residents
Local residents gathered at the San Bernardino Community Center for a town hall hosted by members of the Black American Political Action Committee (BAPAC), National Council of Negro Women (NCNW), and the San Bernardino NAACP. The forum provided opportunities to engage directly with Congressman Pete Aguilar, who represents California’s 33rd Congressional District, and discuss key issues affecting the region.
Rep. Pete Aguilar(D-CA-33) spoke candidly about the challenges posed by the Trump administration’s proposed budget cuts, particularly the potential impact on healthcare programs like Medi-Cal, which q serves underserved communities in San Bernardino and Riverside counties. He expressed concerns about the $4 trillion budget cuts over the next decade, highlighting the risks to healthcare and education, especially for vulnerable populations. “This is a budget that could slash $880 billion from healthcare, which would make it more difficult for our residents, our neighbors, and our kids to access the care they need,” Aguilar said. “We need to fight these cuts with everything we’ve got. It’s about protecting our communities.”
During the discussion, Aguilar also stressed the importance of local governments and public education funding, noting how
cuts to Title 1 schools and support for students with disabilities could harm the community. “This isn’t just a budget fight. It’s about the future of our children, o
ur healthcare, and our families. We need to stay vigilant,” he added.
The event also gave attendees the chance to ask questions about immigration, social security, and the future of national policies, reinforcing the need for continued grassroots activism.
Former Assemblymember Cheryl Brown (D-San Bernardino) emphasized the importance of speaking directly with elected officials. “We need to ensure that the community understands that our elected officials should be in touch with the people they represent. We must show up, especially in districts represented by Republicans, to ensure they hear the concerns of their constituents,” Brown said. “It’s crucial that we all stand together, because these issues affect us all.” Many attendees expressed being unsettled with the direction the country is heading and urged action to advocate for their communities’ needs. “We need to take action now,” Brown concluded, “Our voices must be heard.”
Assemblymember Lori Wilson Introduces Patient Protection Bill
Assemblymember Lori D. Wilson (D-Suisun City) has introduced Assembly Bill (AB) 577, legislation designed to protect patients with serious illnesses, such as cancer and rheumatoid arthritis. The bill aims to ensure that patients can receive essential infusions and prescription drugs directly from their own doctors if deemed necessary for their well-being.
According to Wilson, the bill was written to address hardships experienced by patients who currently have to travel to distant infusion centers or other healthcare facilities for treatments. AB 577 seeks to give physicians the ability to manage and administer these treatments in their own offices.
“It is vital that physicians have the ability to manage and administer treatments within their own offices, especially for those who are medically frail or have a history of allergic reactions,” said Wilson regarding the bill.
The bill has garnered support from various medical organizations, including the California Rheumatology Alliance and oncology associations. Dr. Millie Das, president of the Association of Northern California Oncologists, and Dr. Ashkan Lashkari, president of the Medical Oncology Association of Southern California, expressed strong support for the legislation. They emphasized that the bill would help protect oncology care from unnecessary interference by pharmaceutical benefit managers (PBMs) and insurance companies.
“Protecting the doctor-patient relationship in oncology is crucial to saving lives,” the association wrote in a statement supporting the new law.
Samy Metyas, President of the California Rheumatology Alliance, echoed this sentiment, stressing that treatment decisions should be made solely between a patient and their healthcare provider, free from the influence of insurance or profit-driven interests.
If passed, AB 577 will prevent health plans, PBMs, and insurers from imposing restrictive policies that limit a physician’s ability to administer treatments within their own practice, thereby improving access and care for vulnerable patients across the state.
Newsom Appoints Three Black Superior Court Judges; One Black Appellate Judge Confirmed
Last week, Gov. Gavin Newsom appointed three Black judges to Superior Courts across California. The Commission on Judicial Appointments also confirmed a Black Judge, Charles Smiley, that Newsom appointed in November to the state’s Courts of Appeal.
Chief Justice Patricia Guerrero, chair of the commission, announced the unanimous confirmation of Judge Charles Smiley to the First Appellate District, Division One, in San Francisco. Smiley, an Alameda County Superior Court judge since 2012, fills the vacancy left by the retirement of Justice Sandra L. Margulies.
Newsom’s judicial appointments last week included seven judges in Los Angeles County and others in Modoc, Riverside, San Diego, San Mateo, Tulare, and Ventura counties. Among them are three Black judges appointed to Superior Courts:
● James Montgomery Jr. (Los Angeles County Superior Court), a former court commissioner and attorney.
● Chandra Reid (San Diego County Superior Court), a former Deputy District Attorney with nearly two decades of prosecutorial experience.
● Mark McCannon (San Mateo County Superior Court), previously an Alameda County judge and prosecutor.
Trump Admin Blocks $384 Million in EV Funding Set for California
California’s U.S. Senators, Alex Padilla and Adam Schiff, along with Democratic members of the Senate Committee on the Environment and Public Works (EPW), are demanding answers from the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) following the sudden freeze of funding for the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) Formula Program.
This program, authorized under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, is designed to accelerate the construction of zero-emission vehicle charging stations across the U.S. It granted California
$384 million over five years to expand its electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure.
California’s plan was approved in September 2023 by the Biden administration, but earlier this month the Trump Administration froze $3 billion allocated to the NEVI program, halting planned construction.
In a letter to DOT Secretary Sean Duffy, Padilla and Schiff expressed concern that the decision undermines years of planning and effort by state transportation departments. They argued that the freeze disregards Congress’s constitutional authority over federal spending and threatens the environmental and economic benefits the program was set to deliver.
“Your abrupt cutoff of NEVI funding disregards these efforts and subjects states and their partners to delay, uncertainty, and bureaucratic red tape. It also threatens the jobs, innovation, and environmental benefits that this program was ready and authorized to deliver through implementation,” the senators wrote in a letter to the president.
The NEVI program aims to make electric vehicles more accessible by installing charging stations every 50 miles along major travel corridors, promoting clean energy and reducing dependence on fossil fuels. The Senators requested that the funding freeze be immediately reversed and demanded answers on the legal grounds for the decision. They also called for the
release of documents related to discussions involving the White House, the Office of Management and Budget, and other key figures.
The freeze could delay critical infrastructure projects and disrupt the transition to zero-emission vehicles, particularly in rural areas, where access to charging stations is limited. The Senators’ letter was signed by several other lawmakers, including Senators Sheldon (D-RI) Whitehouse, Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE), and Bernie Sanders (D-VT).
“Hispanic Legislative Caucus”: Conservative Latino Lawmakers Form Separate Group From Dem Counterparts
Nine Latino Republican lawmakers in California have created their own legislative group, the California Hispanic Legislative Caucus, after being excluded from the Democratic-led Latino Legislative Caucus.
The new GOP caucus aims to focus on issues such as education, public safety, and affordability, which they believe have been overlooked by their Democratic counterparts who they say focus primarily on issues like immigration and healthcare.
Sen. Suzette Martinez Valladares (R-Acton), who helped form the caucus, stated that the experiences of Latino Republ icans differ from those of the Latino Legislative Caucus. immigrant grandmother,” said Martinez Valladares.
“The issues the Latino community want to focus on have been ignored by Sacramento,” she said.
Martinez Valladares highlighted the shift in Latino political perspectives, noting that issues like economic challenges and cost of living resonate across party lines. Valladares and other members, such as Assemblymember Kate A. Sanchez (R-Trabuco Canyon), believe the new caucus will better represent a diverse range of priorities within the Latino community, particularly in working-class, blue-collar communities.
Latino demographics expert and Republican political consultant Mike Madrid supports the formation of the new caucus.
“I view this as a very healthy development for the Latino community,” said Madrid.
“I don’t think either party has ever had a monopoly on the hearts and minds of the Latino community,” he said.
This development comes as California’s Latino population grows and becomes more politically diverse, with increasing numbers of Latino Republicans. According to experts, many Latino voters, especially Latino men, shifted toward the Republican Party in the 2024 elections, signaling a shift in political priorities. While the Democratic Latino Caucus has long focused on issues like immigration reform and farmworker rights, the Republican caucus aims to address concerns like affordability and economic mobility.
