Dr. Martin Luther King’s birthday
January 15, 2025
By Gregg Reese
OW Contributor
In 2025 Martin Luther King Jr. Day was specifically poignant for some, as it fell on inauguration day (47th and 45th) of President-elect Donald J. Trump. Trump has appropriated elements of King’s legacy to further his own MAGA agenda while undermining the core principles of equality and humanity that King sought to embed within American society.
“I just never understood. How a man who died for good could not have a day that would be set aside for his recognition” —from “Happy Birthday,” a song released in June 1981 by Stevie Wonder.
The song became a rallying point in the campaign to approve the national holiday and by 1983 President Ronald Reagan signed it into existence. President Jimmy Carter died on Dec. 29, 2024. The American flags were displayed at half-staff for 30 days. This formality, an honor bestowed on all former presidents, raised the ire of the incoming president. “The Democrats are all ‘giddy’ about our magnificent American flag potentially being at ‘half-mast’ during my inauguration. Nobody wants to see this, and no American can be happy about it,” Trump said.
Meanwhile, a former Army staff sergeant, Shamsud-Din Jabbar, plowed his truck into a crowd, killing 14 people in New Orleans on New Year’s Day. He died in a shoot-out with police. On the same day, an active-duty Army master sergeant, Matthew Alan Livelsberger, a decorated army careerist and Trump supporter, parked a Tesla Cybertruck at the Trump International Hotel Las Vegas and shot himself just before pre-set explosives in the truck detonated causing seven casualties. Trump seized upon Fox News reporting that Jabbar was a foreign national. “When I said that the criminals coming in are far worse than the criminals we have in our country, that statement was constantly refuted by Democrats and the fake news media, but it turned out to be true,” he said. However, he was an American from Beaumont, Texas.
Political flip-flopping
“Those at the lowest economic level, the poor white and Negro, the aged and chronically ill, are traditionally unorganized and therefore have little ability to force the necessary growth in their income.
More than a half century later, the same conditions exist and likely are a reason behind the embrace of Trump by marginalized Whites.
In 2017 Trump presented a first-edition set of writings from Martin Luther King Jr. to an audience at the Vatican. After, Martin Luther King lll stated, “What I would implore the president to do is to get those books for himself and to read them, and then he can begin to understand who Martin Luther King Jr. was.” “They stagnate or become even poorer in relations to the larger society,” King wrote in his final book, “where do we go from here: chaos or community.” Another excerpt from his book noted” …there are twice as many white poor as Negro poor in the United States.”
Eaton fire destroys prospering Black community
January 29, 2025
By Caleb Pugh
Staff Writer
Wildfires ravaged communities in Los Angeles and burned 14,000 acres of land. Many were left homeless, in shock, distraught, and desperate to get their lives back on track. One of the communities destroyed by the wildfire is Altadena.
Altadena’s history can be viewed as progressive for Black homeowners over time, as redlining played a major part in the evolving racial change of the city. In 1960, Altadena was overwhelmingly (95 percent) White, and the majority of the city had (currently defunct) racial covenants. In 1968, the Fair Housing Act was passed and shifted the racial identity of the community’s residents, with 42,000 African Americans moving in by the 1970s and swelling their just under 4 percent count to 27 percent. By 1980 African American residents were 49 percent. White residents in 1970, 95 percent; 1980, 43 percent; 1990, 39 percent; and 31 percent in 2000.
“It’s a lot of green life, and that was the main beauty of Altadena on top of the prospering Black community,” said Jess Willard, a previous resident of Altadena and a victim of the wildfires. “My family has been living there since the ‘60s, and that same home was occupied by my kids and grandkids until the wildfire burned it.”
“I was at work in LA and my friend called and told me about the Altadena fire; it caught me off guard.” Willard called his kids. “They already knew and were skeptical about how far the fire would spread, but I told them to start preparing anyway.”
Over 10,000 homes were lost to the LA wildfires; a staggering 7,000 were in Altadena. Willard was worried about how his insurance would handle the damages, as most insurance companies in California canceled their fire cover policy. “Yeah, I was worried, but after a few days, my insurance called me and set me and my family up in a hotel and told me everything is covered, so now we are just finishing up paperwork and waiting for the insurance to let us know how much we have before we start rebuilding our home,” he said.
The Waters family, related to the Willards, were also affected by the Eaton Canyon fire. A sibling singing group, the Waters are composed of Luther, Julia, Oren, and Lorna Waters. They have recorded and toured as background vocalists with many top artists from the “1970’s-“1990’s.
Including: Bobby Womack, Pharaoh Sanders, Herbie Hancock, Alphonse Mouzon, Neil Diamond, Patti La Belle, Paul Simon, John Fogerty, Janet and Michael Jackson, and others.
Dogon Astronomy: African people’s connection to the stars
February 19, 2025
By William Covington
OW Contributor
The astronomical achievements of the Dogon people of Mali, West Africa have often been dismissed. Scholars such as PBS astronomer Carl Sagan, speculated that the Dogons’ knowledge of celestial bodies, such as the Sirius star system, must have come from European or extraterrestrial influence, rather than recognizing their independent intellectual achievements.
British South African astronomer Brian Warner, in his 1996 book “Traditional Astronomical Knowledge in Africa,” sheds light on the vast astronomical understanding held by African cultures. The chapter “Astronomy Before the Telescope” explores how various African societies tracked seasons, navigated using the stars, and developed their own constellations. Warner noted that despite Africa being the birthplace of humanity, its rich astronomical traditions have been largely neglected by historians of astronomy.
The San people of South Africa were among the first mathematicians. These two scientific disciplines—astronomy and mathematics—are fundamental to understanding the universe. The third essential field is physics, the study of matter, motion, and energy. Ancient Egyptians, applied principles of motion and energy to construct the pyramids. Thus, the three sciences necessary to comprehend the cosmos have deep roots in Africa.
Historical evidence suggests that the earliest forms of mathematics, including basic counting and measuring, originated in South Africa. One of the oldest mathematical artifacts, the Lebombo Bone, dates back over 35,000 years. This tally stick, made from a baboon fibula, contains twenty-nine distinct notches, indicating early mathematical practices.
The Dogon possess extensive knowledge of the Sirius star system, particularly Sirius B, a white dwarf star invisible to the naked eye. Remarkably, their oral traditions also describe Jupiter’s moons and Saturn’s rings, long before Western astronomers documented them. They described Sirius B’s orbital period with surprising accuracy and attributed their knowledge to celestial beings known as the “Nommo.” These mythological figures are said to have imparted wisdom about the stars to the Dogon people. Their oral traditions also refer to the rings of Saturn and the moons of Jupiter.
Renowned astrophysicist, Neil deGrasse Tyson, addressed biases regarding reluctance of acknowledging Africa’s role in human evolution. He notes that when discussing Africa, many envision a monolithic group rather than recognizing the continent’s vast diversity. Africa is home to the tallest people (the Watusi), the shortest (the Pygmies), the fastest sprinters, and some of the greatest athletes in the world.
Given Africa’s evolutionary diversity and long history of intellectual achievement, it is illogical to dismiss African contributions to astronomy. When Africans predict unseen stars, describe the rings of Saturn, or reveal that certain celestial bodies are composed of heavy metals, some claimed that European influence was the basis of their information.
This dismissal is not only absurd but also diminishes the rich scientific heritage of African civilizations even though it was a hub of scientific discovery long before Western colonization. It is time to recognize and celebrate Africa’s role in the advancement of astronomy, mathematics, and physics. By doing so, we honor the intellectual legacy of the continent and ensure that future generations appreciate the scientific contributions of African civilizations.
Dr. Allissa Richardson’s answer to media reparations
February 26, 2025
By Caleb Pugh
Staff Writer
Some high-powered media executives use the news to sway and influence the public to adopt certain ideologies that have led to massacres, genocide, slavery, the creation of false stereotypes, and validation for people to be racist and prejudiced against certain groups of people. Dr. Allissa Richardson, a world-renowned author and journalist wants media reparations for the Black community for the biased coverage of victims of American propaganda.
“They took the George Floyd murder and played it online like it was sports highlights, and I couldn’t stand it anymore,” Richardson said as she explained what led her to take a more prominent role in being an activist. “I went on MSNBC and wrote articles in the Atlantic telling my peers to stop supporting this nonsense. All I thought about was how his family and daughter were taking everything in, and I knew that an apology wasn’t enough.”
Richardson is an Associate Professor of Journalism at the University of Southern California’s Annenberg School. She is the author of “Bearing Witness While Black: African Americans, Smartphones, and the New Protest #Journalism”.
Richardson started the Charlotta Bass Justice and Journalism Lab, simply known as Charlotta Bass Lab in 2022. “I wanted to create a curriculum to teach students not to make the same mistakes I’m seeing other journalists make,” Richardson said.
Charlotta Spears Bass, editor of the African American newspaper, The California Eagle (formally known as The Eagle), was a journalist, activist, and politician who fought for the civil rights of African Americans. The first Black woman to run for vice president of the U.S. (1952), she worked to combat what she called ‘the two-headed monster,’ segregation and discrimination. Bass became the first African American woman to run a newspaper in the U.S. (1912.)
The Charlotta Bass Lab, a partnership between USC, Richardson, and Media 2070 is dedicated to preserving the rich legacy of Black media makers while empowering the next generation of imaginative storytellers. The lab covers nearly 175 years of Black history.
Two understudy classes, The Second Draft Project’ and ‘Reporting on Race and Justice,’ where Black history can be remembered and rewritten are offered. “Journalism is described as the first draft of history, and we know for marginalized communities and people that their first draft is at best incomplete and at worst inaccurate,” “The Black community deserves a second draft; we deserve our humanity, and these students are the beginning towards our final copy,” she said.
Reporting on Race and Justice is a graduate-level course to guide students through the intersections of race, justice, and media. The course enables students to “correct the record” for those misrepresented by the press.
How Black beauty brands have evolved
April 2, 2025
By Tatiana Dublin
OW Contributor
For decades, mainstream beauty brands largely ignored the needs of Black consumers. Lancôme, Revlon, and Neutrogena dominate major retail shelves, yet they rarely catered to Black women. Black women found creative ways to make mainstream products work, but these workarounds were never as effective as products designed specifically for their needs.
Over the past three decades dozens of Black-owned beauty brands have reshaped the industry. This shift represents cultural recognition, economic empowerment, and the fight for inclusiveness in a billion-dollar industry.
Black Americans wield $1.7 trillion to $2 trillion in purchasing power annually, according to the NAACP and Black beauty brands are capitalizing on its purchasing power. Black culture is a driving force behind trends in fashion, music, and beauty. Brands that embrace digital marketing strategies infused with hip-hop culture, celebrity endorsements, and viral challenges have seen massive success. Celebrities like Rihanna (Fenty Beauty), Beyoncé (Cécred), Tracee Ellis Ross (Pattern Beauty), and Issa Rae (Sienna Naturals) have leveraged their influence to create and promote Black-owned brands.
The increased interest in diverse beauty products has led to a more inclusive retail landscape. Unfortunately, it often takes tragedies, such as the murder of George Floyd, to push major corporations into supporting Black-owned businesses and brands. Some retailers have made sincere commitments to Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion (DEI), others engage in performative activism, supporting Black brands only when convenient.
While Black women represent the fastest-growing group of entrepreneurs in the U.S., they receive disproportionately low venture capital funding. In 2023, Black-founded startups received less than 0.5 percent of the $140.4 billion in venture funding. The average Black female founder secures just $42,000 in total, compared to an industry average of $1.1 million for all startups. In 2021, only 43 percent of Black-owned firms received the full amount of PPP funding they applied for, compared to 79 percent of White-owned firms.
The Federal Reserve reports that 80.2 percent of White business owners receive at least partial bank funding, compared to just 66.4 percent of BIPOC entrepreneurs.
Black-owned brands that revolutionized the industry:
• Madam C.J. Walker and Annie Turnbo pioneered Black haircare in the early 20th century.
• Fashion Fair, launched in 1973 by the Johnson family was the first national makeup brand for women of color.
• Fenty Beauty, launched by Rihanna in 2017, introduced an unprecedented range of foundation shades.
• Pat McGrath Labs, launched in 2015, quickly gained prominence for its innovative and high-quality products.
• Danessa Myricks Beauty, founded in 2015, offers high-performance products.
The above brands represent only a fraction of the Black entrepreneurs transforming the beauty industry. Political anti-DEI initiatives threaten the progress made.
African American sleep crisis: Unpacking the silent health threat
April 9, 2025
By William Covington
OW Contributor
John Cresfield typically gets around six hours of sleep each night. Most mornings, he’s up by 3 a.m., tossing and turning before drifting off again. His fragmented sleep may be a direct contributor to his heart disease.
Research from the National Sleep Foundation (NSF) highlights a sobering reality: African Americans consistently get less sleep than any other ethnic group in the U.S. While some causes of sleep deprivation can be managed through lifestyle changes—what experts call “sleep hygiene”—others, like poverty, racism, and chronic stress, are harder to control. “The only way to understand sleep is to study animals,” says Dr. Jerome Siegel, professor of psychiatry at UCLA’s Center for Sleep Research.
According to the NSF’s “2025 Sleep in America” poll, African Americans reported the shortest sleep duration on weeknights—just 6 hours and 14 minutes, on average. The NSF recommends 7–9 hours of sleep per night for adults aged 18–64. The poll also revealed that African Americans are more likely to engage in stimulating activities before bed. Nearly 75 percent watch TV in bed, 71 percent pray or participate in religious rituals, and 17 percent perform job-related work. These pre-bedtime routines interfere with the body’s natural circadian rhythm and delay the onset of sleep.
Dr. Thomas J. Balkin, past chairman of the NSF recommends, “Establishing consistent bed and wake times, avoiding caffeine and electronics before bed, and using the bedroom only for sleep and sex.”
Chronic psychosocial stressors—unemployment, systemic racism, financial strain—negatively affect sleep.
Though not mentioned in the NSF poll, sleep paralysis (SP) is a temporary inability to move or speak while falling asleep or waking up, often accompanied by vivid hallucinations and a sensation of pressure on the chest. African Americans suffer disproportionately from sleep-related health conditions like obstructive sleep apnea, hypertension, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease.
Howard University opened its Sleep Center in 2007, one of the first facilities in the U.S. focused on sleep disorders in the Black community.
NSF’s 2025 poll findings:
• Sleep Duration: African Americans sleep 34–38 minutes less than Whites and Asians
on average.
• Pre-Bed Routines: 75 percent of Black respondents watch TV before bed, and
71 percent engage in prayer.
• Sexual Activity: 10 percent of African Americans report having sex nightly—more than double the rate of Whites (4 percent) and ten times higher than Asians (1 percent).
• Financial and Job Stress: 12 percent lose sleep nightly over financial worries, and
10 percent over job concerns.
• Sleep Disorders: African Americans have the highest rate of diagnosed sleep apnea
(14 percent), while Whites report the highest rate of diagnosed insomnia (10 percent).
African-American population shifts in the city of Los Angeles
April 23, 2025
By Gregg Reese
OW Contributor
As the 31st of 50 states in the union, California has cast a shadow of uniqueness, notable since the dawn of the 20th century with advancements in politics, social mobility, and technology. For Los Angeles (LA) this is even more true, as its reputation for glitz and glamour has been buttressed by lucrative possibilities in agriculture, entertainment, tourism, and others.
During and following the Great Depression hordes of indigent white people from the Dust Belt migrated to the coast with African-Americans following shortly thereafter. There was a booming defense industry initiated by the war’s military buildup that echoed an earlier, prewar migration of six million Blacks from 1890 to 1910 to escape the inhuman bigotry of the post-Civil War south.
The unglamourous but decent paying blue-collar jobs that attracted them deserted the southland. Their disappearance was replaced by jobs in the food and hospitality industry, a staple of the millennium.
Upon their arrival these transplants found that the path to the good life was hampered by an oppressive civic infrastructure manifested by abusive law enforcement, and insidious real estate restrictions meant to exclude them from specific areas.
Over the span of a half century, Compton has morphed from an integration resistant white suburb to a comfortable middle class Black enclave. As the barriers of segregation came down in the “Hub City, inner city strife brought with it a curious spin on White flight, this time by the Black middle class. They left behind a crime-ridden metropolis that has become a cultural touchstone for the thug life. How much of this is real or exaggerated hype by the media is up for grabs. The Latino community is now a majority, as the US Census shows Latino people represented 71.3 percent of Compton’s 90,986 inhabitants in 2020.
Inglewood experienced its own racial metamorphosis from 1960, when less than 50 residents lived within its borders. Fast forward a few decades and the city has darkened to the point where it became known as “IngleWatts.” Like Compton, it endured an influx of crack cocaine and warring street gangs, along with immigrants fleeing from political instability in Mexico and Central America.
Inglewood in some respects remains the center of Black LA, a legacy inherited from Watts and Compton.
Perhaps no other neighborhood epitomized the sepia version of the American Dream than the upscale trifecta of Baldwin Hills, Ladera Heights, and View Park, collectively known as the “Black Beverly Hills.”
Mushrooming housing prices along the coast and the west side have influenced White professionals to move into these upper-class Black neighborhoods.
The Asian population in LA was 364,850 in 2000 and as of 2020, 504,261. This demographic often benefits from migrating into the State with substantial education or technical skills, compared to their counterparts of other ethnicities.
The Latino percentage of LA’s population grew from 40 percent in 2000, to 47 percent of the city’s populace in 2020. In 2020 360,000 Blacks lived in the city (or 8.27 percent), opposed to just over 400,000 in 2000.
LA’ total population in 2000 was 3,694,820, by 2020 it swelled to 3,900,000. However, the numbers likely don’t include: the undocumented, multiple ethnicities, or those giving false information or not participating in the count.
LA and California ceased to be a White majority, and such is likely in the future for the US in its entirety.
SoLA Food Co-op seeks food justice
April 30, 2025
By Lisa Olivia Fitch
OW Contributor
According to Harvard Medical School’s health blog, a growing body of scientific evidence supports that doctors who teach patients how to cook meals at home are giving their patients effective medical intervention for improving diet quality, weight loss, and diabetes prevention. Michelle Obama acknowledged the need for the nation to eat healthy food when she created a vegetable garden at the White House. “Most of what we knew about food had come through food-industry advertising of everything boxed, frozen, or otherwise processed for convenience,” Obama wrote in “Becoming.”
Food desert areas are characterized by poor access to healthy and affordable food in South LA and they contribute to disparities in diet-related health issues, such as diabetes, obesity and digestive disorders.
Grocery store development in food-insecure areas can work toward the elimination of food deserts. That’s Where The South Los Angeles (SoLA) Food Co-op comes in.
South LA resident Bahni Turpin, founder of SoLA and members of SoLA are in the midst of securing a site to create a cooperative grocery store venture owned by and operated for the benefit of South LA residents who want to find fresh produce and special dietary locally. Food co-ops focus on their community and are totally independent and owned by the community members who shop there.
A number of locals visit the Saturday Farmer’s Market events near Slauson Avenue and Crenshaw Boulevard to patronize local fresh produce growers. SoLA co-op has a booth at the site every first and third Saturday. SoLA needs support for the proposed store: volunteer, financial, and political support. “Membership entails a voting share. A co-op is a democratically- run organization. We elected a board of directors, and we promote it as a store model where shoppers can have more of a say in what the store does.”
“Once the store opens and is profitable, the owners share in the profits,” Turpin said. SoLA received a small grant from the collective courage fund, which gets its name from the 2014 book “Collective Courage: A History of African American Cooperative Economic Thought and Practice.”
The National Black Food & Justice Alliance (NBFJA), based in Atlanta, works on food systems & food justice across the country. A large group of black co-ops is forming across the nation and they hold a yearly conference. SoLA is affiliated with the Alliance.
Since 2015, NBFJA has worked to convene partners with expertise in Black food security and land work in addition to legal, financial, organizing, and community-building expertise. They have collectively strategized interventions around the urgency to protect and recover Black land and build a strong, sustainable food system. Visit www.solafoodcoop.com.
Saints, signs, and South Central: Catholicism among the forgotten
May 7, 2025
By William Covington
OW Contributor
In the 1960s in predominantly Black, Baptist, working-class South Central LA, a curious ritual began appearing. Black boys playing outside would suddenly stop what they were doing when a funeral procession passed. They’d face the cars solemnly and perform the Sign of the Cross—what Catholics call the “Trinity Formula” and say, “In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.”
According to Marvin Clay, a resident, during that time some kids learned the Trinity Formula at home from relatives during mealtime prayers. Others attended Catholic schools and intermingled with public school kids, ultimately merging sacred gestures with street style.
Pearl Jemerson, an Xavier University graduate and former administrator for a Catholic nonprofit, recalls how the expression became a kind of performance. “It was fashionable,” she said. “You’d do the Trinity Formula and just wait for someone to ask, ‘Why’d you do that?’ Another ritual began occurring, pouring out a few drops of liquor “for the dead homies,” often accompanied by a short, silent pause. According to Jemerson, “The impulse was the same—honoring the dead, reaching for something greater.”
“Catholic rituals became spiritual armor,” she said. “They offered Black people a way to assert dignity in a world built on their dehumanization.” Still, she admits that African American Catholics often stood out, even among other Black Christians. “Within the Black community, Catholicism has been associated with elitism, classism and colorism.”
Dr. Paul Murray, a retired professor of sociology, believes that prior to the 1950s, the American Catholic Church was deeply segregated. “Black Catholics were a tiny minority,” he explained. “In the North, they weren’t formally excluded, but they often felt unwelcome. In the South, segregation was strictly enforced—even in the Church.” That began to change in the late 1970s.
Interesting facts regarding the Conclave and process:
• First conclave held January 1276 at the Sistine Chapel.
• Cardinals take an oath of secrecy.
• The Sistine Chapel is swept to clear listening devices.
• Windows are tainted black and have electronic window jammers.
• The longest conclave was held for three years.
• Outside communication is not allowed.
• Food that could hide messages is banned.
• Ballots are burned following each vote.
• 2/3 Majority vote means there is a new Pope.
• Black smoke from burned ballots means 2/3 vote not met.
• White smoke means there is a new Pope.
• Cardinals over 80 can’t vote.
Pope Leo XIV’s influence
May 14, 2025
By William Covington
OW Contributor
It has been 1500 years since the Catholic church has been under the leadership of a Pope of African descent. Robert Francis Prevost, now known as Pope Leo XIV, will direct the Catholic church and the microstate in Rome known as Vatican City. According to Catholic records the last Pope of African descent was Gelasius I (492-496 AD) the 49th Pontiff, his papacy was preceded by only two other Popes,They were Victor I (189-198 AD) and Miltiades (311-314 AD).
Clifford A. Grammich, Religious Analyst, RAND Corp. believes the pope has geopolitical influence, though “soft power” rather than military or legal authority. During Germany’s rise toward becoming a national socialist country, the pope was the spiritual leader of over 266 million Catholics, and his interventions in international politics were increasingly recognized.
During World War II, Pope Pius XII wielded considerable moral and political influence. The Vatican represented millions of Catholics, including those in Nazi-occupied Europe, which made direct confrontations with the Church politically complicated.
According to Grammich, Pope John Paul II has been widely credited with significantly contributing to the collapse of communism, particularly in Central and Eastern Europe, due to his strong anti-communist stance and his influence on the Solidarity movement in Poland.
Grammich describes how a pope of African heritage seated in the Vatican could certainly influence Catholics on the African continent and potentially enhance stabilization. He further states that the selection of a pope with African heritage could foster a sense of pride and belonging within the Catholic community in Africa, potentially leading to increased religious devotion and engagement.
Nevertheless, the extent to which this would translate into increased stability on the continent is complex and dependent on numerous other factors—particularly given the growing influence of China, Iran, and Russia in Africa. Grammich is clear: most of this is strictly speculative.
Reese agrees, regarding the newly selected pope’s African heritage that it may have sent a symbolic message to the world, especially after Donald Trump’s public recommendation of Cardinal Timothy Dolan. The election of a mixed-race pope could imply that this individual may be seen as less likely to be biased or beholden to the interests of the elite, and his presence could be perceived as a sign of the Church’s commitment to addressing global inequalities.
There have been three African popes: Pope Victor I, Pope Miltiades, and Pope Gelasius I. All are believed to have been of North African descent. Ancient North Africa was considered something of a Bible Belt. Many also believe that race was not a significant issue in ancient Rome, determined more by loyalty and civic virtue than by skin color.
Rites of Passage: Vietnam 50 years ago
May 28, 2025
By Gregg Reese
OW Contributor
It’s the summer of 1967, in the Vietnam’s Central Highlands near the Cambodian/Laotian border, and a U.S. cavalry troop exited their armored vehicles to ferret out elements of the North Vietnamese Army from the surrounding grasslands.
SP-4 Benjamin Caldwell was to carry the 25-pound PRC-25 radio, essential for communicating. They were hit with a “baptism of fire” as pinpricks of gunfire erupted. Caldwell was told by his lieutenant to radio for artillery/air support to tap down the flurry of bullets engulfing them.
An adrenaline rush helped Caldwell’s fear to diminish as he moved directly at the muzzle flashes in the distance. Through the chaos, a contingent of snipers behind the shelter of a buried armored vehicle were spotted.
Border town upbrining
The Chihuahuan Desert of the southwestern United States was the site of several airfields sprouting up with the onset of the Second World War, especially in New Mexico, where Ben Caldwell grew up in the military town of Deming.
Young “Benny” was immersed in historical culture and military lore. His family was among the 150 Blacks in a town of perhaps 4,000, which swelled to about 5,500 by the end of the decade as it mobilized for war. Simultaneously, his artistic sensibilities were nurtured early through his grandfather’s occupation as the town’s projectionist in the local movie theater.
Adding to this was the mythos of the southwest Mexican revolutionaries (Emiliano) Zapata and Poncho Villa, the conquest of the Apaches by the Buffalo Soldiers, and the legacy of Geronimo.
Evacuation
Caldwell suffered a non-combat-related injury when he stepped into a deep hole on the Central Highlands battlefield that stalled his tour in Indochina. He was evacuated to the Philippines and on to Japan for treatment to his knee and eventually returned to duty in Vietnam.
He credits the three-month break for rehabilitation for helping him emerge from Southeast Asia intact, emotionally and psychologically. Returning to the country and to his unit by January, he arrived in time for the Tet Offensive, as communist forces launched a coordinated attack across South Vietnam against the American interlopers in 1968. By every quantitative metric, this campaign was a setback for the communists, but the end result was a psychological collapse from which the Americans never recovered.
He left Asia in the fall of 1968 and enrolled in UCLA’s film school. In 2017 Ben Caldwell and a contingent of Americans visited Vietnam and were amazed at the reception they received, in light of the devastation suffered at the hands of the U.S. military.
How the strike down of DEI affects small businesses
June 4, 2025
By Caleb Pugh
Staff Writer
The overarching goal of the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) program was to assist marginalized groups by providing them with resources for their businesses and creating an equal playing field in the employment industry. When Trump took office, he signed an executive order “Ending Radical and Wasteful Government DEI Programs and Preferencing” laid off federal DEI staff and no longer required federal contractors to use affirmative action and diversity programs. The order “Ending Illegal Discrimination and Restoring Merit-Based Opportunity” rescinded several past executive orders meant to curb discrimination and encouraged private sector employers to “end illegal DEI discrimination and preferences.”
Businesses, community organizations, and non-profits were completely altered. Government and corporate jobs, and federal funding substantially decreased.
Target, Meta Platforms, Lowe’s and others, dismantled their DEI programs. 20 Republican attorney generals demanded Costco Wholesale to abandon its DEI policies.
According to the Harvard Business Review, three percent of Black women can sustain their business beyond five years, compared to seven percent of white women.
According to the National Women’s Business Council, Black women-owned businesses face higher loan rejection rates, and lower funding compared to their white counterparts. Black women receive just 0.2 percent of venture capital funding despite owning 17 percent of businesses in the U.S.
DEI efforts in the 60s were a by-product of the Civil Rights Movement. Affirmative action policies addressed the historical underrepresentation of certain ethnic groups. In the 70’s DEI encompassed gender equality through the rise of the Feminist Movement and the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA). In the 80s, DEI efforts recognized and addressed the needs of various identity groups (ethnic, religious, and LGBTQ+ communities.)
The U.S. has 33.2 million small businesses, which constitute 99.9 percent of all businesses.
Over 40 percent of small business owners are women, 24 percent are immigrants, and nearly one in five are racial minorities.
At the height of DEI in 2020-2023, disadvantaged businesses received approximately 12 percent of contract dollars while Black-owned only received 1.61 percent and Black-owned firms only received 1.54 percent of $637 billion in small business-eligible federal contracting.
LA is combatting this equity problem by creating the Get in the Game initiative accompanied by the Get in the Game LA Supplier Resource Hub, an online digital platform to equip regional small businesses with the tools, connections, and insights they need to compete for procurement opportunities tied to the upcoming global sporting events the city is hosting, including the 2026 FIFA World Cup and the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
The Get in the Game initiative aims to provide tailored support to more than 1,000 small business suppliers, deploy more than $10 million in financing, and facilitate connection to more than $100 million in contracts for small and diverse businesses by 2030.
Peaceful protests in Los Angeles following ICE raids
June 11, 2025
By Kaleef Starks
Editor In Chief
In June, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids launched in the greater Los Angeles area. “ICE is basically kidnapping hardworking people by going to their jobs. It’s our duty to stand up for them and fight back,” said Janet Vasquez, a protestor.
The federal government sent 1,000 National Guard troops to LA, overriding Gov. Newsom and Mayor Bass’ objections.
Over 2,000 CA National Guard troops, 700 Marines, and LAPD were sent to protest sites. Mayor Bass implemented a temporary 8:00pm curfew for downtown LA. The following day, at least 400 people were arrested. A report, according to ABC7, showed online videos of ICE agents chasing farm workers through fields in Oxnard, Calif. According to President Trump, “It can only go right by having the military; it deescalates. These people are agitators and troublemakers. I believe many of them are being paid… These are insurrectionists…”. On his Truth Social account, he also said, “The great people of Los Angeles are very lucky I made the decision to go in and help!!!”
Mayor Karen Bass, at a press conferences said, “Trump didn’t inherit a crisis—he created one. To those stoking alongside him—LA will hold you accountable.”
Janet Vasquez said, “The real violence is families being torn apart by this regime, by Trump, and all of the others who support this.”
Donald Morgan, a South L.A. native fully supports the mass deportation efforts. Currently unemployed and attempting to complete his CDL license in truck driving school, Morgan stands with Donald Trump as he believes migrants have taken resources from people like him, making it even harder for American citizens. “If they are here illegally, that is considered a crime.”
Civil Rights attorney, Areva Martin shared that law enforcement officers cannot enter a person’s home without a judge-signed search warrant, and that an administrative warrant signed by the Department of Homeland Security is not a sufficient form of documentation to enter a person’s home.
A statement from Newsom’s office read: “Donald Trump is creating fear and terror by failing to adhere to the U.S. Constitution and overstepping his authority. This is a manufactured crisis to allow him to take over a state militia, damaging the very foundation of our republic. Every governor, red or blue, should reject this outrageous overreach. This is beyond incompetence—this is him intentionally causing chaos, terrorizing communities, and endangering the principles of our great democracy. It is an unmistakable step toward authoritarianism. We will not let this stand.”
Juneteenth: Evolving freedom or evolving strategy?
June 18, 2025
By William Covington
OW Contributor
Known as Emancipation Day, Freedom Day, or the country’s Second Independence Day, Juneteenth stands as one of the most important anniversaries in our nation’s history. It commemorates the delayed announcement of emancipation to enslaved African Americans. According to Javon Johnson PHD., professor and director of African American and African Diaspora Studies University of Nevada Las Vegas, “There were several written instruments drafted regarding freedom, but none directly gave us our freedom. The Civil War was fought first and foremost to save the Union—not to free the slaves,” Johnson states.
When Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation, it only applied to the states in rebellion—the Confederacy. Maryland, Delaware, Kentucky, and Missouri, were loyal to the Union.
The Proclamation functioned more as a strategic war measure than a humanitarian declaration. “It was a conditional freedom and a geopolitical maneuver as it promised freedom only if the Union won the war,” according to Johnson.
Donald H. Boyle, McCausland Professor of History Emeritus at the University of South Carolina, explains in his book, Cause of All Nations that Lincoln’s Proclamation was designed to discourage Britain and France, which had already abolished slavery from aiding the Confederacy. By reframing the Civil War as a moral crusade against slavery, Lincoln ensured European sentiments. Both Britain and France were heavily dependent on cotton imports from the Confederate South. “British and French citizens saw the Union as fighting for freedom,” Boyle writes.
Russia supported the Union and docked fleets at ports in New York and San Francisco. Austria and Prussia, while neutral, took interest in the conflict—Prussia sent military observers.
Although the Emancipation Proclamation had been issued in 1863, Union General Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston, Texas, to issue General Order No. 3, in June 1865 which declared all enslaved people free.
Some Texas slaveholders waited until after the harvest to announce the change. “According to Johnson, “Many freedmen were told to remain on plantations and work for extremely low wages.” Historian Angie Debo estimated that nearly 10,000 African slaves remained in bondage north of Texas, in what was then known as Indian Territory—modern-day Oklahoma. The Creek Tribe became the final tribe to abolish slavery on June 14, 1866.
Two Union-loyal states—Delaware and Kentucky—continued to permit slavery until the 13th Amendment was ratified on December 6, 1865.
Black Americans faced new systems of subjugation—sharecropping, Black Codes, convict leasing, and later, Jim Crow laws—that perpetuated dependency and inequality.
Juneteenth challenges us to reflect not just on what was declared, but what was truly delivered.
Culture, Change, and Sly Stone
June 25, 2025
By Gregg Reese
OW Contributor
Greek mythology holds that Icarus achieved the ability to fly with a pair of wings fashioned by his father from a concoction of feathers and beeswax. Icarus became so caught up in the joy of flight that he ignored his father’s admonishment not to fly near the sun, and plummeted to his death as the wax melted from the solar heat.
This tale has passed down over the centuries as a metaphor for the dangers of brash arrogance, pride, and the seductive side effect of success thee iconic Sly Stone experienced. Sylvester Stewart, in his stage incarnation as Sly Stone, enjoyed stratospheric success before he was 30 years old. His most productive era between 1968-1975. He lived to reach a respectable 82, even if he never regained the pinnacle of his prime.
Community, Non-conformity, and the Possibility of Change
The Stewart family moved to California from east Texas with the Great Migration of the 1940s, bringing with them the gospel drenched styling of the Church of God in Christ. Sly honed his multi-instrumentalist skills in the multi-racial, liberal environs of the Bay Area. He brought his eclectic sensibilities into his disc jockey gig and as a musician on the club circuit where he befriended saxophonist Jerry Martini. Martini remembers Sly as a “…visionary man who could see beyond the limitations that were present in those days.”
Martini opened the possibility of a musical union cutting across gender and racial boundaries. The then novel approach of a multi-colored, bi-gender, septet sharing instrumental and vocal duties yielded hit singles and live shows, attracting both Black and white audiences. By the time of the landmark Woodstock Music & Art Fair at summer’s end, 1969, the Family Stone evolved into a coherent collective.
The Ebb and Flow of Funk
“…the shows were sometimes as short as the candle I was burning at both ends.” —Sly Stone on the uneven performances of his decline.
Advances in pharmacology and an increase in recreational substance use arrived and Sly and the Family Stone were poster-children for this period of excess.
“When Sly moved to LA from the Bay Area, the dynamics of the band changed.”
The recording process occurred in stages as the rhythmic “core” of a song might be established, then other parts would be added later. For the horn section of Martini and trumpeter Cynthia Robinson (who would later bear Sly a daughter), providing a cushion upon which they could improvise.
Disappearance and Rebirth
“…I just do not want to return to a fixed home. I cannot stand being in one place. I must keep moving.” Essence Magazine interview.
Sly became a recluse, operating out of a home studio in a LA mansion and eventually lived in a mobile home on a side street in the LA Crenshaw District.
Split verdict reached in Diddy Trial
July 2, 2025
By Marcellus Cole
OW contributor
The federal trial of Sean “Diddy” Combs reached its climax as a Manhattan jury delivered a split verdict in a case that gripped the nation for months. After nearly eight weeks of testimony and three days of deliberation, the jury found Combs guilty on two counts of transporting individuals for prostitution, while acquitting him on the more severe charges of racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion.
A federal investigation began in late 2023, catalyzed by a civil lawsuit filed by Combs’s former partner, singer and model Cassie Ventura. Her complaint, which detailed years of alleged abuse and coercion, sparked a broader probe into Combs’s personal and professional life. In May 2024, federal agents raided Combs’s properties in Los Angeles and Miami, seizing electronics, surveillance equipment, narcotics, and what prosecutors later described as “materials consistent with organized sex trafficking.”
The case went to trial on May 12, 2025, where prosecutors presented evidence, they claimed pointed to a long running criminal enterprise. Central to their narrative were the alleged “freak offs”, drug fueled group sex parties allegedly orchestrated by Combs. Prosecutors alleged these encounters were not consensual, but rather the product of psychological coercion, substance use, and financial manipulation.
34 witnesses testified for the government. Among them was Ventura, who spent four days on the stand detailing what she described as a pattern of manipulation, violence, and sexual exploitation. Another key witness, known by pseudonym, “Jane,” described being pressured into sex acts while intoxicated. Other testimonies came from former employees, including Brendan Paul, Combs’s personal assistant. Paul admitted to procuring cocaine, LSD, MDMA, ketamine, and marijuana as directed by Combs.
Homeland Security Investigations Agent Joseph Cerciello, presented hotel reservations, wire transfers, and surveillance videos, meant to tie Combs to the broader structure of trafficking and coercion. Prosecutors argued that Combs used his power, wealth, and reputation to control women’s movements and exploit them sexually, often across state lines.
The defense rested after just 23 minutes, calling no witnesses and relying solely on submitted text messages between Combs and Ventura, which they argued showed warmth and mutual affection.
The jury’s verdict was not guilty on racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking, but guilty on two counts of transportation for prostitution. Each conviction carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison sparring Combs a life sentence under federal racketeering statutes.
“Racketeering and sex trafficking require very specific legal thresholds,” said former federal prosecutor Reema Patel.”
Beyond criminal penalties, Combs faces a mounting wave of civil litigation. Almost 80 civil suits have been filed against him across multiple jurisdictions, alleging misconduct. Plaintiffs allege physical assault, sexual violence, and labor violations.
The TSA and the dismantling of democracy
July 16, 2025
By Cynthia Gibson
OW contributor
As government jobs are eliminated, the influence of unions diluted, federal agencies unraveled, and democratic checks and balances are evaporating, power is coalescing under one branch of government – the executive branch. Lawyer and former Georgia State Representative Stacy Abrams gave an overview of a ten-step system to create an autocracy as original developed by Kim Scheppele, a foremost expert on how legal and constitutional instruments can be used to destroy democracies.
Dismantling Democracy
Abram contends that after exceeding the boundaries of power, neutralizing or eliminating checks and balances on power, such as the Supreme Court and Congress, and demonizing the media, democracy is being diminished.
“You fire the Center for Disease Control so that vaccine rates drop and the disease rises. You fire FEMA so that when there’s a natural disaster, the only way you get what you need is by begging for it. You gut the civil service so that no one can do the work the democracy is supposed to protect.”
She continued, “Other steps include firing anyone that disagrees with you and hire only those who pledge loyalty; suing anyone expressing independent thought; deflecting blame for society’s ills onto groups you deem have less power – women; children, people of color, immigrants; and incentivizing violence by kidnapping people off the street.” Lastly, she said. “You make sure no one ever votes again.”
The Evaporating American Dream
American workers whose goal is to land a ‘good government and unionized job, will be disappointed as democracy diminishes.
Trump issued an executive order (EO) to establish the Department of Government Efficiency. Thus far, it is estimated that DOGE has eliminated over 280,000 jobs.
Eliminating Safety Public Nets
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is part of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), established after 911. DHS ended the collective bargaining agreement with thousands of frontline TSA employees. Collective bargaining rights were stripped from roughly 47,000 transportation security officers (TSOs) responsible for staffing airports and blocking weapons or explosives from airplanes.
Project 2025 (P25):
A Blueprint for Centralized Power
Both de-unionizing and privatizing TSA come directly out of P25, a political initiative to reshape the federal government and consolidate EO. P25 was published by The Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank. The 900 page document contains four major pillars: restore the family, dismantle the administrative state, defend national sovereignty and secure individual rights as defined by conservative Christian values.
— Restoring the family by eliminating the Department of Education and banning abortions nationwide.
— Dismantle the administrative state giving the president full control of all departments under the executive branch i.e., the Justice Department should report to the president or be eliminated.
— Defend the nation’s sovereignty by closing the borders and reducing legal and illegal immigration.
Secure individual rights by not separating church and state and government should operate using Christian principles.
Black women’s unemployment is rising dangerously high
July 30, 2025
By Caleb Pugh
Staff Writer
Since the pandemic, the job market has yet to recover from the massive closure of small businesses and corporate jobs. While many pivot to become entrepreneurs, start new careers, or go back to school, the majority continue to be unemployed.
Approximately 300,000 Black women have left the U.S. labor force. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor data, 106,000 Black women working for federal agencies were fired. And more than 518,000 are unemployed. According to the Bureau’s website, unemployment skyrocketed to 15 percent in 2020. The rollback of DEI policies has affected Black women the hardest.
Dante DeAntonio, labor economist for Moody’s Analytics, told FOX Business, “We estimate that about 100,000 federal workers have already been laid off or have accepted the deferred buyout offered by the Trump administration. “The approximately 75,000 workers who agreed to the deferred buyout were paid through September, so we will begin to see more impact to the labor market. More layoffs are likely to follow” DeAntonio explained.
“Total employment in the United States is 160 million with 7 million unemployed. “However, studies show that for every federal employee, there are two contractors. As a result, layoffs could potentially be closer to 1 million.” Torsten Slok, a partner and chief economist at Apollo Global Management, explained.
According to a New York Times tracker of federal job cuts, the U.S. Departments of Education jobs reduced by 46 percent (40% from minority communities) and Health and Human Services (HHS) by 24 percent.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has long been criticized for its lack of diversity. According to the most recent federal data, the agency was composed of 57 percent white men compared with 4.4 percent Black women.
Scott Michelman, an ACLU of DC attorney stated, “I think a good question is who is making the decisions in terms of terminations, and how are those decisions being made, and what is the criteria for those decisions?” Brian Thompson, clinical professor of economics at DePaul University said “If those decisions are made based on objective information, performance data, and so forth, I think it becomes much easier to kind of digest the information.”
Issues like unemployment contribute to disproportionate wealth and economic mobility for Black and Latino households. Data from the Federal Reserve System shows that between 2019 and 2022, the median wealth for White households was $285,000. It was $62,000 for Latino households and $44,890 for Black households—an increase from $27,970.
The beheading of ‘Bojangles’
August 6, 2025
By William Covington
OW contributor
According to the medical journal Forensic Science International, many art historians are familiar with ancient sculptures and paintings that depict beheadings—whether of real people or characters from mythological or biblical narratives. Artists across centuries have chosen to represent these images on canvas, exploring themes of power, violence, morality, and human condition.
The majority of professionals interviewed for this story, including detectives, psychologists, and coroner investigators agree that most homicidal decapitations are fueled by deep anger projected at the victim.
On June 15, James “Bojangles” Hollis, 75, became one of those tragic victims. A decade later, his former neighbor, William J. Fowler of Youngstown Ohio was charged with the Inglewood murder.
A family statement read: “He was a kind and generous spirit who was a husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather. Robert lived his life as a sign artist and gospel singer. His voice touched many, and his spirit motivated more. His voice and spirit will be deeply missed.”
Bojangles the Artist, Urban Icon, and the Lamborghini Espada
According to car enthusiast Michael Evans, Hollis’s work included classic Chevrolets, vans, Kawasaki 900 and 1000 motorcycles and an unforgettable Lamborghini Espada. His signature was to place his Bojangles logo on the quarter panel of each car, motorcycle and other transportation in which he applied his art.
A Personality Beyond the Paint
View Park resident, Russell Miles described Hollis as “cantankerous, especially in his shop.” He could crack a joke, make you laugh, or set you straight.” His barber Frank, shared that Hollis loved to sing and was active at Faithful Central Bible Church.
An Anonymous Neighbor’s Perspective
I met Fowler when he brought some correspondence from the Veterans Administration (VA) addressed to me that had fallen near our apartment mailbox. We exchanged some pleasantries. Right off the bat, he rubbed me the wrong way—mostly because I wasn’t a Marine, just a “lowly” Army vet in his eyes.
At some point, he told me he’d been part of Force Recon—the Marine Corps’ elite unit known for high-risk missions. He claimed he’d suffered injuries while deployed in the Middle East and that the VA wasn’t helping him.
I referred him to First Sergeant Jack McDowell (retired). Jack is a member of the Montford Point Marines, the Black Marines who helped integrate the Corps in the 1940s.
McDowell confirmed that Fowler was a Force Recon member and agreed to help him.
The great shift in women’s sports
August 27, 2025
By Caleb Pugh
Staff Writer
College sports have been a gateway for culture-shifting moments not only in sports history but also in American history. Starting with USC’s football team traveling to play Alabama in 1970 and changing how Black athletes were viewed in the southern state, Trojan legend Cheryl Miller winning consecutive NCAA Championships in 1983 and 1984-becoming a three-time Naismith Award recipient, and recent retiree coach Nick Saban rivaling-if not besting, Bear Bryant as the greatest college coach of all time.
A shift impacting the landscape in college sports and the pros is the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA). Collegiate women’s basketball always drew attention, especially during March Madness, as the 2025 championship viewership peaked at 9.9 million views, while averaging 8 million views overall. The WNBA is still playing catch-up with its collegiate counterpart, as the Commissioner’s Cup brought in 2.7 million views for the Chicago Sky and Indiana Fever game, a 14 percent increase from last year’s.
WNBA is the professional women’s basketball league in the US, created in 1996 with the support of the NBA.
Today, the WNBA has become the global benchmark for women’s basketball. In 2024, the average attendance per game jumped 48 percent to 9,807 spectators, and over 54 million unique viewers followed the season across six national networks. This shift happened in 2021 when college sports granted athletes the ability to make money from their Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL).
The equation has changed, and not just for women’s basketball. The rise across all women’s sports has been steadily gaining momentum recently. From soccer to hockey to volleyball, women’s sports are experiencing a record-shattering surge like never before.
—National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) Commissioner Jessica Berman.
“There aren’t too many players, but for those of us who have been in the NWSL since its inception, we’ve played through a lot. We’ve played through understaffed teams, inadequate facilities, and turf so hot it melted the bottom of my cleats,”
—Angel City forward Christen Press.
Women’s flag football is one of the fastest-growing sports in the US. In 2023, nearly 500,000 girls aged 6 to 17 played flag football, a 63 percent increase since 2019. At the high school level, participation doubled in one year, with 42,955 girls playing on school teams in 2023-24. “This reflects the growth of women’s football around the world; it’s one of the most popular, fastest-growing forms of sport around the world.”
—IOC Sports Director Kit McConnell.
The human touch at risk?
September 3, 2025
By Marcellus Cole
OW Contributor
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is not as a futuristic idea but a force already reshaping daily life. At the ports, the possibility of driverless trucks threatens to upend logistics. In Hollywood, studios are exploring AI to generate scripts and edit films. Gig workers see algorithms dictating their routes and paychecks, while clerical staff watch chatbots take over basic office duties.
Heron Ziegel, a software developer and consultant at Los Angeles AI Consulting, puts it bluntly: “I’d say around 70 percent of companies are using generated AI content right now.”
Globally, AI is projected to impact between 30 and 40 percent of jobs by 2030, according to a McKinsey study. The World Economic Forum estimates that 83 million roles could be automated by 2027, even as 69 million new ones emerge.
LA’s economic backbone rests on sectors directly in AI’s crosshairs:
• Gig work: 300,000 Angelenos earn income as drivers for delivery apps such as Uber, Lyft, and DoorDash.
• Trucking and logistics: The LA and Long Beach ports employ roughly 110,000 truck drivers and support staff, many of whom could be displaced by driverless freight rigs.
• Media and journalism: Writers, editors, and designer jobs are threatened as AI can generate articles, edit footage, and design marketing campaigns.
• Clerical and admin: AI is being used as receptionists, schedulers, and office assistants.
AI is not replacing everyone overnight. But it is creeping, reshaping, and rewriting the scripts of daily life.
Censorship, media repression, and the definition of free speech
September 24, 2025
By Gregg Reese
OW Contributor
President Trump’s made accused former president Joe Biden’s administration of colluding with university researchers and social media companies against conservative interests. Social media platforms “X” and Facebook were accused anti-conservative bias–covering up the scandal involving the laptop of President Biden’s son, Hunter which prompted the following:
According to executive order 14149, Restoring Freedom of Speech and Ending Federal Censorship: “The First Amendment to the United States Constitution, an amendment essential to the success of our Republic, enshrines the right of the American people to speak freely in the public square without Government interference. Over the last 4 years, the previous administration trampled free speech rights by censoring Americans’ speech on online platforms, often by exerting substantial coercive pressure on third parties, such as social media companies, to moderate, deplatform, or otherwise suppress speech that the Federal Government did not approve.”
Mutual charges of ideological bias
Civil rights attorney Areva Martin said, “Rather than championing the bedrock ideal upon which the country was founded, evidence indicates that MAGA loyalists are intent on persecuting anyone with alternative viewpoints on the political forum, a position held by California State University-Dominguez Hills academic and political scientist Dr. Anthony Asadullah Samad.
“The events of the day have evidenced that dissenters and others with differing world views are being targeted,” said Samad.
The ACLU accused Trump’s administration of using its power to undermine anyone whose opinions differ from those of the Republican mandate. Trump pressured the Federal Communications Commission to revoke the broadcasting licenses of TV networks whose programming selections run afoul of the dictates of the GOP.
Paying the price for past glory
“There was an ideological shift towards nationalism (driven by the Tea Party) that was anti-race and anti-gender (the period of the Angry White Male)…” said Samad.
“…the current political climate is clearly a backlash to the progress made by African Americans, women, and other marginalized groups. Gains in civil rights, representation, and equity have triggered resistance from those who feel threatened by this shift,” said Martin.
This majority resentment and efforts to reverse the progress of the marginalized were sown as far back as the 1980s, as a phrase called “reverse discrimination” emerged in the wake of affirmative action.
“Diversity and equity always drive public sentiment, that’s because others are finally getting access to rights denied in the past…,” Samad said.
“Rather than protecting First Amendment rights, the Trump administration has used the rhetoric of “free speech” to consolidate ideological control and target dissenting voices…” Martin said.
Washington’s stalemate hits South L.A.’s safety net
October 15, 2025
By William Covington
OW Contributor
The federal government shutdown began Oct. 1, 2025. The fallout has reached far beyond Washington. In South LA, many families already live on the financial edge, the impact of the shutdown is visible at food banks, health clinics, housing programs and storefronts.
“When Washington goes dark, South LA feels it first,” said Shelia Coe, an administrator at the LA Regional Food Bank. “For wealthier neighborhoods, it’s an inconvenience. For South L.A., it’s a full-scale emergency.”
A White House Council of Economic Advisers memo released Oct. 3 estimated the U.S. economy will lose roughly $15 billion in gross domestic product each week as hundreds of thousands of workers remain furloughed or unpaid.
Food and Nutrition Programs Under Strain
Coe said the Food Bank’s South L.A. partner sites are already seeing longer lines. “Families depend on WIC, SNAP and school meals,” according to Coe.”
To keep the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) running, the U.S. Department of Agriculture released $300 million in emergency “temporary” funds at the start of the shutdown. “These are stopgaps, not solutions,” Coe said.
Health Clinics on the Brink
Community health centers throughout South LA serve as lifelines for low-income residents, offering vaccinations, prenatal care and chronic disease management. Many rely on federal Health Resources and Services Administration grants and Medicaid which are now paused.
Thurston Reese, an administrator with the LA County Department of Health Services, said “About a third of California’s community clinics depend on federal funding. When those cycles stop, we risk layoffs, reduced hours and the closure of specialty programs like dental or mental health.”
At the Vernon-Florence Community Health Clinic, Director Maria Torres said her team is operating at the limits. “We don’t have a margin for error,” she said. “When federal funding freezes, clinics like ours feel it right away.”
Housing and Homelessness Programs
Section 8 housing and homelessness-prevention grants rely on steady federal dollars. Delays in processing or renewals create eviction risks.
“Federal slowdowns mean fewer vouchers, longer waits and more people sleeping in cars,” said Jackie Harrison, a housing advocate and counselor with the Homeless Outreach Program Integrated Care System.
The LA Homeless Services Authority reported 72,195 people experiencing homelessness countywide in 2025.
Ripple Effects for Small Businesses
Small businesses that rely on steady working-class traffic are feeling the pinch too.
“Our customers are bus drivers, janitors, city workers and other working class. “When they’re not getting paid, they’re not coming in,” said Kenneth Robinson, barber on Western Avenue.