You’re listening to 91-9 KVCR. This is In Focus with Black Voice News, where we focus on stories you may have missed. I’m Nyla Glover.
I would like to begin this week with the third and final installment to our special series, The Fire Next Time titled, “Southern California Wildfires Take Physical and Mental Toll on Residents” The report highlights how in the last year, Southern California residents have endured dozens of wildfires that have devastated communities in more ways than one. From the San Bernardino County Line Fire that set more than 23,000 acres ablaze in October 2024, to the Palisades Fire that burned through an entire neighborhood in a matter of days and to the Eaton Fire that ravaged the historical Altadena neighborhood in January 2025 — Southern California residents have suffered from the physical and mental health impacts of these wildfires, with research showing that inhaling wildfire smoke can be particularly toxic. In addition, the mental health toll of enduring fires is also growing. Recent data shows that nearly three million California adults have experienced a wildfire in the past two years, and 10.9 million have experienced smoke from wildfires during that time. The Fire Next Time series was funded by the Inland Empire Community Foundation via the Inland Empire Journalism Innovation Hub+Fund. Black Voice News is solely responsible for its reporting.
In a separate report and, as follow-up to the Fire Next Time written series, Black Voice News hosted a community conversation on wildfire preparedness. The event was held on Friday, October 10th at the Civil Rights Institute of Inland Southern California in Riverside. The goal of the event was to educate inland area residents on emergency preparedness plans and warnings in response to the increasing frequency of wildfires in the state. The event was held in partnership with Building Resilient Communities, a nonprofit that educates communities on emergency preparedness, evacuation plans, safety protocols and more. The panel discussed underlying conditions in Black and Brown communities that are not being addressed, causing them to be less resilient when disasters happen. Attendees learned about emergency preparedness responses in the region, took part in a pricing game to understand the cost of essential items, and received free emergency go-bags.
In our next piece, Black Voice News publisher emeritus Hardy Brown Sr., shared information to voters about important dates in the 2025 voting cycle and also shared his thoughts on the importance of voting “Yes” on Proposition 50, a proposed law in California that aims to draw new lines for many of the state’s congressional districts, the goal is to negate the five Republican seats drawn by Texas as part of a Republican power grab orchestrated by President Trump. The proposition includes key provisions to ensure a level playing field in the 2026 mid-term elections and reaffirms California’s commitment to independent redistricting. If passed by voters this year, Democrats could gain up to five seats and possibly control of the U.S. House of Representatives, thus putting the power in the hands of California voters to fight back against Trump and Republicans’ agenda.
Also, this week, Black Voice News had the pleasure of introducing our readers to Hospice Chaplain and Counselor, Mary Pearce. Pearce has been providing spiritual support, kindness, and companionship to patients and their families in the counties of San Bernardino, Los Angeles, Orange County, and Ventura for the past 10 years. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she started a private practice called Sister-Insync, where she counsels mainly women on topics such as goal setting, life transitions, stress, miscarriage, and job loss. Pearce’s duties as a hospice chaplain include contacting families, introducing herself, and exploring their spiritual backgrounds, as well as offering bereavement support and youth counseling when a loved one passes away.
Next, in this week’s Keeping it Real, titled “The Undoing of Progress: Did California Turn Its Back on Justice?” Black Voice News executive editor Stephanie Williams shares her opinion regarding how Proposition 36, passed by California voters in 2024, reversed some of the progress made in criminal justice reform previously achieved by Proposition 47, especially as it relates to its impact on immigrants and Black and Brown communities. Proposition 36 raised the stakes for immigrants and added new criminal penalties and enhancements for sentencing. The lack of dedicated funding for rehabilitation programs promised by the initiative and the disparate treatment of Black individuals by racist district attorneys have also been criticized. Proposition 36 was supported by county sheriffs, district attorneys and police unions who blamed Proposition 47 for rising crime rates, despite evidence to the contrary.
To read these and other BVN stories in their entirety, please visit blackvoicenews.com. This segment and collaboration with KVCR is made possible with support from the Inland Empire Journalism Hub & Fund. Until next time, I’m Nyla Glover with Black Voice News.