Black lawmakers continue push to assist descendants of slaves in California
The California Legislative Black Caucus on Thursday proposed a package of reparations for the descendants of African Americans who were enslaved in the United States, proposals that include preferences for public university admissions and financial assistance for first-time home buyers.
The package contains 15 bills in what caucus members said will be a multiyear effort to repair the generational harms and discrimination suffered by the descendants of slaves in California.
In 2020, Gov. Gavin Newsom and California lawmakers formed a 'first in the nation' state task force to study and propose remedies for the legacy of slavery. During the end of the legislative session last year, reform advocates were frustrated that the legislature, which was limited by a tight state budget and a high-stakes election year, passed only 10 of the 14 bills prioritized by the Legislative Black Caucus.
'We are picking up where we left off last year,' said Assemblymember Lori Wilson (D-Suisun City) at a press conference Thursday morning. 'We are challenging not only members of the Legislature but all of Californians to operate in a repair mindset.'
Wilson reintroduced a proposed constitutional amendment that would change the language in the state Constitution by banning forced labor in any form. California voters last year rejected a ballot measure that would have banned forced prison labor. Wilson's renewed effort proposes a constitutional change that, if passed by the Legislature, could appear before voters on the 2026 ballot.
The state Constitution currently bans slavery and involuntary servitude, except as punishment for crime.
But Wilson said this time around they are 'more prepared' and 'more informed.'
Read more: Nevada just banned 'slavery and involuntary servitude' in prisons. Why didn't California?
Wilson also introduced a bill to implement a voluntary work program for prisoners, intending to allow inmates to request work assignments, which, in turn, would make time for classes and other rehabilitative activities.
Assemblymember Isaac Bryan (D-Los Angeles), vice chair of the Legislative Black Caucus, authored Assembly Bill 7 which would allow all California universities to consider preferential admissions for descendants of slaves.
'We talk about legacy all the time and legacies of privilege have been rewarded … if you're the relative of a donor or someone previously admitted to one of these universities you often have an admissions advantage,' Bryan said. 'But we never talk about legacies of harm, the legacy of slavery, the legacy of exclusion.'
Other bills in the package include one from Assemblymember Tina McKinnor (D-Hawthorne) who seeks to allocate a portion of the Home Purchase Assistance Program funds to first-time home buyers who are descendants of slavery; and AB 785, authored by Assemblymember LaShae Sharp-Collins (D-San Diego), which would create a grant program and fund community-driven solutions to decrease violence in neighborhoods and schools.
Sen. Akilah Weber Pierson (D-La Mesa) seeks to regulate the use of artificial intelligence in healthcare facilities through Senate Bill 503, which would limit racial biases and encourage "non-discriminatory decisions" made by healthcare providers.
"It is critical," Weber said, "that the biases and stereotypes that Black Americans have faced are not perpetuated in future innovations."
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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
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Newsweek
26 minutes ago
- Newsweek
Map Shows US Military Presence in Middle East as Iran Weighs Retaliation
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Following U.S. airstrikes on three nuclear facilities in Iran on Saturday night, the Islamic Republic is weighing its response, which, among other options, could include targeting American assets in the region. Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi on Sunday condemned the strikes, warning they would have "everlasting consequences," and said Iran reserves "all options to defend its sovereignty, interests and people." Why It Matters Tehran's reaction to the U.S. bombing and joining Israel in its war against Iran, will be critical for determining whether it leads to a major regional or international conflict. 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Multiple destroyers are positioned in the nearby seas. The Pentagon declined to provide any comment to Newsweek. In this Sunday, Jan. 24, 2016 file photo, Iraqi soldiers participate in a training exercise with American and Spanish trainers, which includes live ammunition, at Basmaya base, 40 kilometers southeast of Baghdad, Iraq. In this Sunday, Jan. 24, 2016 file photo, Iraqi soldiers participate in a training exercise with American and Spanish trainers, which includes live ammunition, at Basmaya base, 40 kilometers southeast of Baghdad, Iraq. AP Photo/Karim Kadim What People Are Saying President Donald Trump: "Iran's key nuclear enrichment facilities have been completely and totally obliterated. Iran, the bully of the Middle East, must now make peace." He added: "Remember, there are many targets left. Tonight was the most difficult of them all, by far, and perhaps the most lethal." Iranian Foreign Ministry on Sunday: "The war-mongering and lawless regime of the United States of America is held fully responsible for the dangerous consequences and far-reaching implications of this egregious act of aggression and heinous crime." The Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI): "It is unfortunate that this action—clearly against international law—has taken place with the indifference and, in some cases, complicity of the International Atomic Energy Agency. The Atomic Energy Organization of Iran assures the noble Iranian nation that, despite the enemies' evil conspiracies, it will not allow the peaceful development of this national industry—born from the blood of nuclear martyrs—to be derailed." What Happens Next? Iran, led by Supreme Leader Ali Ayatollah Khamenei, must decide on the country's response, ranging from possible retaliation to negotiations. The Iranian Parliament has voted to in support of closing the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world's most critical oil transit chokepoints, according to media reports. Any final decision on retaliation, however, is up to Khamenei.
Miami Herald
37 minutes ago
- Miami Herald
Full List of Congress Members Backing War Powers Resolution Against Trump
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The strikes have sparked concerns from some Democrats and some Republicans about a wider war breaking out—with some lawmakers accusing the president of violating the U.S. Constitution with the strikes. Massie and Khanna introduced their War Powers Resolution in an effort to prohibit U.S. military involvement in Iran last Tuesday, amid the backdrop of escalating tensions with Iran. "The Constitution does not permit the executive branch to unilaterally commit an act of war against a sovereign nation that hasn't attacked the United States," Massie said in a press release announcing the resolution. "Congress has the sole power to declare war against Iran. The ongoing war between Israel and Iran is not our war. Even if it were, Congress must decide such matters according to our Constitution." Khanna shared similar concerns in a statement emailed to Newsweek on Sunday after the strikes on Iran moved forward. "Stopping Iran from having a nuclear bomb is a top priority, but dragging the U.S. into another Middle East war is not the solution. Trump's strikes are unconstitutional and put Americans, especially our troops, at risk," the congressman said. "Congress needs to come back to DC immediately to vote on Rep. Thomas Massie and my bipartisan War Powers Resolution to ensure there is no further conflict and escalation." Senator Tim Kaine, a Virginia Democrat, introduced companion legislation to the House resolution the day before his House colleagues. "It is not in our national security interest to get into a war with Iran unless that war is absolutely necessary to defend the United States. I am deeply concerned that the recent escalation of hostilities between Israel and Iran could quickly pull the United States into another endless conflict," the senator said in a press release. 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Miami Herald
37 minutes ago
- Miami Herald
Video of Bernie Sanders Reacting to Trump's Iran Strike Live Goes Viral
A video of progressive Senator Bernie Sanders, a Vermont independent, reacting live at a rally to the news that President Donald Trump had carried out strikes on Iranian nuclear sites has gone viral on social media. Sanders posted the clip from his "Fight Oligarchy" tour on X, formerly Twitter, late on Saturday. "I learned about Trump's unconstitutional attack on Iran at a large rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Here is the response," the senator, who caucuses with Democrats, wrote. As of the time of writing on Sunday afternoon, the video has been viewed more than 5 million times. It has been reposted by 20,000 X users and liked by 101,000. The progressive lawmaker's response came after the U.S. carried out attacks targeting three nuclear sites across Iran—at Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan. Trump described the operation as a "very successful attack" and has now called for "peace," while Iran has said it will retaliate. Trump's decision came after Israel and Iran have exchanged consistent strikes since June 13. Israel had urged the U.S. to target Iran's nuclear facilities, saying that Tehran was moving close to creating a nuclear weapon. Iran maintains that its nuclear program is for civilian, not military, purposes. The strikes have sparked concerns from some Democrats and some Republicans about a wider war breaking out—with some lawmakers accusing the president of violating the U.S. Constitution with the strikes. In the 1-minute and 13-second clip, Sanders reads Trump's statement on the Iran strikes to the crowd of rally attendees. Immediately, a loud chorus of boos can be heard from the crowd, demonstrating the attendees' displeasure with the news. The crowd then begins to chant "no more war," with Sanders nodding in agreement. The camera pans out, showing the animated audience raising their fists in the air as they chant, with an American flag visible and being waved by at least one rally goer. "I agree," the senator eventually responds, after allowing the chorus of chants to continue for several seconds. "And I want to tell you something, not only is this news, that I've just is so grossly unconstitutional," he said. "All of you know that the only entity that can take this country to war is the U.S. Congress. The president does not have the right," Sanders said. His remarks drew a large cheer from the crowd. Last week, in anticipation of a strike on Iran, Representative Thomas Massie, a Kentucky Republican, and Representative Ro Khanna, a California Democrat, introduced a War Powers Resolution in a bid to curb the president from escalating the conflict with Iran. After the attack was announced, Massie was quick to respond on X, writing on Saturday: "This is not constitutional." The U.S. struck Fordow, roughly 60 miles south of Tehran, as well as the Natanz complex to the southeast and Isfahan, southwest of Natanz, Trump said. The president hailed the attacks as a "spectacular military success," adding: "Iran's key nuclear enrichment facilities have been completely and totally obliterated." Experts said it was too early to tell exactly how much damage has been done to Iran's network of nuclear sites. U.S. Air Force General Dan Caine, the chairman of the U.S. joint chiefs of staff, said on Sunday morning that initial assessments of the operation dubbed "Midnight Hammer" indicated "all three sites sustained extremely severe damage and destruction," but analysis was ongoing. Israel continued attacking Iran into Sunday, and Tehran launched fresh strikes on several Israeli cities. Ash from airstrikes covers much of the area, and several of the entrances to Fordow's tunnel network appear to be blocked with dirt, Maxar, an American space technology company, said. Images separately published by Planet Labs on Sunday also showed ash covering the area around Fordow. Fordow is built under a mountain, a facility that was secret until 2009 and Israel has been unable to destroy it with its weapons. While Israel has carried out strikes on Iran's nuclear sites—including Natanz and Isfahan—since it started its campaign over a week ago, the U.S. is considered the only country able to reach the deeply buried sites like Fordow using B-2 bombers and "bunker buster" bombs. These huge bombs had never been used before in combat. Representative Ro Khanna, a California Democrat said in a statement emailed to Newsweek on Sunday: "Stopping Iran from having a nuclear bomb is a top priority, but dragging the U.S. into another Middle East war is not the solution. Trump's strikes are unconstitutional and put Americans, especially our troops, at risk. Congress needs to come back to DC immediately to vote on Rep. Thomas Massie and my bipartisan War Powers Resolution to ensure there is no further conflict and escalation." President Donald Trump on Truth Social on Saturday evening: "ANY RETALIATION BY IRAN AGAINST THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA WILL BE MET WITH FORCE FAR GREATER THAN WHAT WAS WITNESSED TONIGHT. THANK YOU!" Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi on X on Sunday: "The United States, a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, has committed a grave violation of the UN Charter, international law and the NPT by attacking Iran's peaceful nuclear installations. The events this morning are outrageous and will have everlasting consequences. Each and every member of the UN must be alarmed over this extremely dangerous, lawless and criminal behavior. In accordance with the UN Charter and its provisions allowing a legitimate response in self-defense, Iran reserves all options to defend its sovereignty, interest, and people." Vice President JD Vance to NBC News' Meet the Press on Sunday: "We're not at war with Iran. We're at war with Iran's nuclear operation was really extraordinary. These guys flew from Missouri. They didn't land a single time. They dropped 30,000-pound bombs on a target the size of a washing machine and then got back home safely without ever landing in the Middle East or ever stopping other than to briefly refuel." Representative Thomas Massie, a Kentucky Republican, on X on Sunday: "When two countries are bombing each other daily in a hot war, and a third country joins the bombing, that's an act of war. I'm amazed at the mental gymnastics being undertaken by neocons in DC (and their social media bots) to say we aren't at war... so they can make war." Iran's foreign minister said after the attack that his country reserves "all options to defend its sovereignty." The U.S. military is preemptively preparing for any attack from Tehran in response. It's unclear whether the War Powers Resolution sponsored by Khanna and Massie, which aims to curb Trump's ability to take military action against Iran, has the support to move forward in the House. However, with Republican control of both chambers, it is not widely expected to succeed. Related Articles The Strange Political Coalitions Forming Amid Iran-Israel WarBernie Sanders Introduces Bill Backing RFK Jr., Elon Musk PriorityCory Booker Says He Won't Take Money From Elon MuskBernie Sanders Agrees With Elon Musk 2025 NEWSWEEK DIGITAL LLC.
