Spelman College recently launched a cosmetic science program, a first-of-its-kind offering at an HBCU. (Image by DC Studio on Freepik) By Ariyana Griffin Special to the AFRO Spelman College has found a way to bridge the gap between the growing beauty industry and the creators of the products. According to the institution, research shows that Black women spent more than $7.4 billion on cosmetics and personal care products in 2022. However, Black beauty brands comprise a mere 2.5 percent of the market. Spelman College recently launched a cosmetic science program, a first-of-its-kind offering at ..read more

[San Bernardino, CA]  — On Saturday, April 27, 2024, BLU Educational Foundation is hosting its 3rd Annual Inland Empire Black Education Congress.  Marked as “A gathering to create the educational goals for the Inland Empire’s Black Education Agenda and Black student success,” this convening is designed to bring the decision-makers, educators,  local elected officials, state representatives, and community members, into one space to focus on identifying goals, strategies, and partnerships. The IE Black Educational Agenda has identified five priority areas to improve Black student ..read more

California Asm. Issac Bryan (D-Ladera Heights), right, shares his thoughts about pathways to reparations at an event hosted by the California Budget and Policy Center in Sacramento, California, on April 16, 2024. Oakland-based attorney Don Tamaki, left, who served on the California Reparations Task Force, was also one of the panelists for the Policy Pathways to Reparations segment. CBM Photo by Antonio Ray Harvey. Shown from left to right are Policy Pathways to Reparations moderator John Kim, left, a member of the Budget Center Board of Directors and President and CEO of Catalyst California ..read more

President Joe Biden, pictured with California Climate Action Corps Fellow Chiena Ty, visited Baylands Nature Preserve in Palo Alto, California, on June 19, 2023. From left, Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, alongside California Climate Action Corps Fellows, Senator Bernie Sanders and Senator Edward Markey join President Biden for his Earth Day address and the unveiling of the American Climate Corps in Triangle, Virginia. United States Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland, right, with Fellows from the California Climate Action Corps, discuss Earth Day and the impacts of President Biden ..read more

Shayla Happi Amenra, Ms. Happi, is our new Second grade teacher at Courtyard in Sacramento Manny Otiko | California Black Media   California is admired for its beautiful weather. But the Golden State is also susceptible to natural disasters because of the frequency of earthquakes, landslides, forest fires, super storms, flooding, and intense heat, particularly in its desert regions. According to Gov. Gavin Newsom, severe flooding resulted in more than 200,000 California homes and businesses being left without power in 2023. To help families prepare for disasters, the California Office of Emerg ..read more

McKenzie Jackson | California Black Media Medi-Cal members have access to a variety of services that address their social, physical, and mental health needs beyond hospitals and doctors’ offices. Thanks to a two-year-old initiative launched by the California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS). DHCS Deputy Director of Health Care Programs Sarah Brooks stated that the department’s California Advancing and Innovating Medi-Cal (CalAIM) initiative is a program aimed at improving the lives and health of the 15 million Golden State residents who are enrolled in the state’s health insurance ex ..read more

Professor Nikole Hannah-Jones (upper left corner) poses with students involved in producing “1619: The College Edition” podcast on Spotify. (Image courtesy Instagtram/ nikolehannahjones) By Ariyana Griffin  Special to the AFRO The course that Hannah-Jones teaches at Howard University, where she is the Knight Chair in Race and Journalism, is titled after her award-winning book, “The 1619 Project.” Students who take the course and study the material are required to write an essay taking a deep dive into history on a topic they pitch and get approved. Those essays then were developed into th ..read more

Despite some progress on the gender wage gap, women still make less than men, with women of color suffering the most. Photo:Nappy.co/WOCInTech By Bria Overs Word In Black On this year’s Equal Pay Day, observed March 12, there was little to celebrate. Although women now earn more than ever have, the gender wage gap persists. And they’re feeling the pain in this current economy and political climate. In 2023, women earned, on average, 21.8 percent less than men, according to the Economic Policy Institute. While that’s better than 2022, where women made 22.9 percent less, it’s not necessarily bec ..read more

SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom today announced that the cities of Berkeley, Brea, Crescent City, Fairfield, Pinole, Rancho Cucamonga, Richmond, South Lake Tahoe and West Hollywood, as well as the County of Los Angeles, have earned the state’s Prohousing Designation for their efforts to encourage development of housing at all income levels. This designation comes with funding incentives and additional resources to help speed housing production. Today’s announcement brings the total number of California communities designated as prohousing to 47. WHY IT MATTERS: To meet the housing needs of ..read more

A presidential campaign centered around Integrity, Innovation, and Inclusion for All. Inglewood, CA – On Thursday, April 18th, Johnny Hatten Buss, Co-Owner of the Los Angeles Lakers will reveal elements of his campaign platform that prioritizes education, equity, and environmental conservation, among several other pivotal issues. This announcement underscores his commitment to creating a brighter future for our society. Thursday, April 18, 2024 11am on Kareem Court in Inglewood, Ca adjacent to the Forum, Buss, an accomplished entrepreneur, philanthropist, and advocate for community ..read more