By Bo Tefu, California Black Media
A Strategic Alliance: Reparations Advocates, Republican Assemblymember Explain Proposed Freedmen Affairs Agency
In an unexpected alliance, Kamilah Moore, who served as the chair of California’s Reparations Task Force, joined forces with Republican Assemblyman Bill Essayli (R-Corona) to advance reparations efforts in the state.
Although Essayli has expressed his opposition to taxpayer-funded reparations, he has introduced a bill to establish the California American Freedmen Agency, which would provide genealogy services to identify Californians who are descendants of enslaved African Americans.
Moore, who chaired California’s historic reparations task force, has endorsed the bill, calling it a crucial step forward.
“I stand in strong support,” said Moore. “As former chairperson, I’m going to support any piece of legislation from any legislator that speaks to the task force’s report.”
The proposal closely mirrors a measure introduced last year by former Democratic State Senator Steven Bradford, Senate Bill(SB) 1403, which did not advance to the floor of the Assembly for a vote during the last legislative session.
Advocates outraged about the bill’s failure blamed Gov. Gavin Newsom and members of the California Legislative Black Caucus (CLBC) for the bill’s failure.
Essayli claims Democratic lawmakers told him Newsom wanted to avoid the issue due to national political concerns. Newsom’s office declined to comment on the claim.
The CLBC has recently proposed a separate initiative that would allocate $6 million for a two-year genealogy study before launching a Bureau for Descendants of American Slaves. However, Moore argues that the task force has already conducted sufficient research and that the focus should now be on implementation.
The state has allocated $12 million in the 2024-25 budget for reparations-related initiatives. Last year, the Legislature issued a formal apology to the descendants of people, which includes a $500,000 memorial plaque.
Essayli emphasized that his bill would not require new funding, as the existing budget could support the Freedmen Affairs Agency.
“I think a lot of people have a misconception that there is an effort to hand out checks to all Black Americans. That’s not true, it’s also not constitutional. So, this bill is very narrow,” said Essayli.
“We are the party that fought to abolish slavery, we were founded to abolish slavery, we fought a civil war. Our first President was Lincoln. This was a natural constituency group for the Republican party,” he said.
Newsom: Trump’s Tariffs Will Hurt California Businesses and Families
Gov. Gavin Newsom has condemned the Trump Administration’s decision to impose tariffs on goods from Canada, Mexico, and China, warning that the move will hurt American consumers and businesses.
“Tariffs are nothing more than a tax on hardworking American families — driving up the cost of groceries, cars, and essential goods,” Newsom said in a statement.
California, the world’s fifth-largest economy, is particularly vulnerable to trade disruptions. The state relies heavily on imports and exports, with Mexico, Canada, and China accounting for over 40% of its imports. In 2024 alone, California imported $203.3 billion worth of goods from these three nations, out of a total $491.5 billion in imports.
Beyond increasing consumer prices, Newsom warned that retaliatory tariffs from these countries would directly impact California businesses, farmers, and exporters. Mexico, Canada, and China are the state’s top three export destinations, and new trade restrictions could significantly affect key industries, including agriculture and manufacturing.
The Governor also highlighted the potential impact on the construction sector, noting that tariffs could raise costs for materials essential to rebuilding efforts following the devastating firestorms in Los Angeles County.
Black Firefighter Group Wrote Letter Urging LA City Council to Deny Ousted Fire Chief’s Appeal for Reinstatement
Last week, the Los Angeles City Council denied former Los Angeles Fire Chief Kristin Crowley’s appeal for reinstatement with a 13-2 vote.
On Feb. 12, Crowley made an 11-minute plea before the council to reverse the decision made by Mayor Karen Bass in the aftermath of the deadly January wildfires.
Prior to the hearing, members of the Stentorians, a Los Angeles-based association of African Americans in the fire service, sent a letter to the council urging councilmembers to uphold the dismissal.
The letter went on to detail instances along with dates to support these accusations.
“During Chief Crowley’s tenure, the (LAFD) experienced a rise in discriminatory hiring, a decrease in firefighter retention, and inequitable promotional practices that disproportionately impacted African American firefighters,” said the Stentorians in the letter. “The reports of discrimination, harassment, and retaliation have increased, creating hostile work environments across the department.”
During the hearing, Crowley defended her record.
“I will set the record straight on multiple false accusations made against me,” Crowley said. “I did not refuse an after-action report. This is a false accusation. During our discussions about an after-action report, I advised the fire commission about what was best.”
Crowley, who will remain with the LAFD in a reduced role, needed 10 council members to vote in her favor to be reinstated.
Former Chief Deputy Ronnie Villanueva, a 41-year LAFD veteran, will serve as fire chief.
U.S. Reps Simon and Kamlager-Dove Explain Decision to Walk Out of Trump’s Address to Nation
California’s U.S. Congressmembers Sydney Kamlager-Dove (CA-37) and Lateefah Simon (D-CA-12) joined other Democratic lawmakers who protested President Donald Trump’s policies by walking out on his address to a joint session of Congress on March 4.
Kamlager-Dove described Trump’s speech as deceptive and lacking real solutions. She said she attended to support Sylvia Joyner, an advocate for wrongfully terminated workers, but she ended up walking out in protest, vowing to keep fighting against the administration’s policies.
“I walked out of the Joint Address on behalf of the people of California’s 37th District — and because there is only so much bulls**t that a person can tolerate,” said Kamlager-Dove, in a statement.
She accused Trump of misleading the public about the impact of his policies, particularly his push to cut federal health care funding by up to $2.5 trillion.
Kamlager-Dove represents a district with the fourth-largest Medicaid enrollment in the nation, where 56% of constituents rely on the program for health care. She slammed Trump for claiming that benefits would remain intact while advancing policies that would reduce funding for critical services.
“How dare he tell the 56% of my constituents who rely on Medicaid that their benefits are safe when his top legislative priority is cutting federal health care funding?” Kamlager-Dove said.
Simon says she attended the joint session because she felt it was her duty to “uphold Congress’ power of checks and balances and be a witness to truth.”
However, Simon said, “There was no truth to be found.”
“After hearing President Trump’s lies about Social Security and his celebration of firing dedicated federal workers — I walked out of his joint address to Congress.
“Over 60 million Americans rely on Social Security. As someone who previously relied on Social Security Disability Income Benefits and waited for hours in a local Social Security office to file survivor benefits after my husband, Kevin, died of cancer–I know firsthand how devastating the Administration’s cuts to Social Security will be.”
U.S. Justice Dept. Investigating U.C. System for Anti-Semitism; Violating Civil Rights Act
The U.S. Department of Justice has launched an investigation into the University of California (UC) under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The investigation aims to determine if the UC system has allowed a pattern of discrimination based on race, religion, and national origin, particularly focusing on a potentially hostile work environment for Jewish professors, staff, and employees.
U.S. Attorney General Pamela Bondi emphasized the department’s commitment to defending Jewish Americans and addressing institutional anti-Semitism.
“This Department of Justice will always defend Jewish Americans, protect civil rights, and leverage our resources to eradicate institutional Anti-Semitism,” said Bondi.
The investigation follows a rise in anti-Semitic incidents at educational institutions across the nation, including UC campuses, particularly after the October 2023 Hamas attacks on Israel. Leo Terrell, Senior Counsel to the Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights, stressed that both students and faculty should have a work environment free from such hostility.
During Older Californians Nutrition Month, State Informs Aging Adults About Resources to Stay Healthy
March is Older Californians Nutrition Month.
It is a time, state authorities say, to recognize the importance of nutritious food and social connection in healthy aging The California Department of Aging (CDA) reminds older adults that a variety of state-supported programs are available to improve their health and well-being, including group and home-delivered meals, exercise classes, and grocery assistance.
“Californians aged 60 and older have access to free meals specifically designed to meet the nutrition needs of older individuals,” said CDA Director Susan DeMarois.
“For many older Californians, a meal represents more than nutrition — it’s about health, independence, and connection,” she said.
The state provides vital services, such as the Congregate Meals Program, which serves nutritious meals at senior centers and other venues, and the Home-Delivered Meals Program, which ensures that homebound seniors receive healthy meals. In 2024, CDA’s local partners delivered 15.7 million meals to isolated older adults. Additionally, the CalFresh program offers financial assistance to help eligible seniors purchase food, with participation growing significantly in recent years.
“Ensuring that older Californians have access to healthy meals and essential services is part of our broader commitment to equity and well-being,” said California Health & Human Services Agency Secretary Kim Johnson.
By 2030, older adults are projected to outnumber children in California, making access to these resources more critical than ever. The state also offers programs like the Senior Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program and the CalFresh Restaurant Meals Program, which help seniors buy fresh produce and meals at participating locations.
For more information on available services, seniors can contact their local Area Agency on Aging or visit CDA’s website.
