BY MARISA KENDALL | CALMATTERS (CALMATTERS) – The U.S. Supreme Court is about to hear the biggest case about homelessness in decades, and it seems like everyone in California has an opinion. At issue: whether and under what conditions cities can fine or arrest people for camping in public spaces. The ruling will have nationwide implications for how local leaders manage homeless encampments. Where does Gov. Gavin Newsom stand on that issue? What about the leaders of California’s major cities? Our law enforcement agencies? Homelessness experts? How about President Joe Biden’s administration ..read more

(CBM) – On April 8, U.S. Congressmember Sydney Kamlager-Dove (D-CA-37) moderated a roundtable focused on Los Angeles Unified School District’s (LAUSD) strategies to improve Black student performance in classrooms. Kamlager-Dove, who represents a district that covers parts of Los Angeles County, hopes that ideas shared at the event can be incorporated into models that can impact other regions across California, where Black students continue to fall behind their peers of other races and ethnicities. Discussions at the event centered on LAUSD’s Black Student Achievement Plan (BSAP) and other edu ..read more

By Williamena Kwapo | OBSERVER Staff Writer In a ceremony at Sacramento State’s Julia Morgan House on April 4, Sacramento State presented Dean Emeritus Dr. Otis Scott with the university’s 2024 president’s medal for distinguished service. The president’s medal, a distinction not given annually, is reserved for individuals whose contributions have left a profoundly positive mark on Sacramento State. Dr. Scott’s decades of service, work, and impact at Sac State positioned him as the ideal candidate for the high honor. Sacramento State President Dr. Luke Wood, a former student of Dr. Scott, besto ..read more

By Gary Gerard Hamilton | The Associated Press NEW YORK (AP) — Dusty, worn boots. Horses lapping up water. Sweat dripping from the foreheads of every shade of Black skin as country classics blare through giant speakers. These moments are frequently recreated during Tayhlor Coleman’s family gatherings at their central Texas ranch. For her, Beyoncé’s country album, “Act II: Cowboy Carter,” was the granting of an unlikely wish. “There is something to be said about the biggest artist in the world coming home to the genre that… we all kind of love but never really felt welcome into — it’s ..read more

By Willy Blackmore | Word In Black (WIB) – A group of Swiss women who are disproportionately at risk to the effects of climate change won a landmark legal case today when a European court agreed that their human rights are being violated because their government has not done enough to reduce carbon emissions. The victory for KlimaSeniorinnen, or Senior Women for Climate Protection, is the kind of ruling any number of groups around the world and in the U.S., including a diverse group of California kids, are hoping to win as suing local and national governments becomes a growing form of cli ..read more

By Sophia Tareen | The Associated Press FILE – The Rev. Frederick D. Haynes III sits before speaking, Feb. 1, 2024, in Dallas. The Dallas pastor who took over leadership of the Rev. Jesse Jackson’s longtime civil rights organization resigned Tuesday, April 16, after less than three months on the job. (AP Photo/LM Otero, File) CHICAGO (AP) — A Dallas pastor who took over leadership of the Rev. Jesse Jackson’s longtime civil rights organization resigned Tuesday just months after he took the job. The Rev. Frederick Haynes III told The Associated Press that he submitted a letter with his ..read more

By Levi Perrin | Word In Black (WIB) – Bevelyn Afor Ukah is coming home to herself.  A space on a quiet street, surrounded by trees and greenery — where storytelling, community, and the earth come together to build a new future. With the ancestors and garden shears as her tools, Bevelyn’s resolve to use her hands to create a better world is unshakeable.  “At the end of the day, our future is a collective vision. There are millions of ways people can come together,” she said.  By day, the North Carolina-based activist serves on the Committee on Racial Equity in the Food System (C ..read more

By Mark Haynes | OBSERVER Correspondent The Sacramento Kings put on a show while eliminating the Golden State Warriors in the first round of the 2024 NBA Play-In tournament. The 118-94 victory set Golden 1 Center ablaze with the roars of the sold-out crowd, leaving the Warriors shocked and contemplating their future. Keegan Murray scored 32 points and grabbed nine rebounds. After struggling against the Warriors last postseason, Murray was determined not to let it happen again this year. “I just wanted to step up,” Murray said. “I just wanted to step up offensively and defensively.” Murray’s de ..read more

(US MEDIA GROUP) – Steph Curry, the six-time NBA All-Star and two-time MVP, has been named to his first Olympic team for the 2024 Summer Olympics. The 33-year-old point guard for the Golden State Warriors will join a star-studded roster filled with veteran players, including his longtime on-court rival LeBron James and two-time Olympic gold medalist Kevin Durant. The team, announced on Monday by USA Basketball, is a mix of Olympic veterans and first-time Olympians. Along with Durant and James, who have multiple Olympic appearances, the roster includes newcomers such as LaMelo Ball, Tyrese Ha ..read more

By Marisa Kendall | CALMATTERS (CALMATTERS) – For the second year in a row, Democrats today voted down a bill that sought to ban homeless encampments near schools, transit stops and other areas throughout California. Despite the fact that cities up and down the state are grappling with a proliferation of homeless camps, legislators said they oppose penalizing down-and-out residents who sleep on public property. “Just because individuals that are unhoused make people uncomfortable does not mean that it should be criminalized. And this bill does that,” said Sen. Aisha Wahab, a Democrat from Frem ..read more