You’re listening to 91-9 KVCR. This is In Focus with Black Voice News, where we highlight stories you may have missed. I’m Esther Gatica.
I would like to begin this week with an essay by Kellie Todd Griffin, President and CEO of the California Black Women’s Collective Empowerment Institute titled, The Hidden Toll, Federal Rollbacks Threaten Black Women’s Health in California. In the essay, Griffin stresses how proposed federal funding cuts to social programs, including Medicaid, SNAP/CalFresh, WIC, and federal housing and income supports, would disproportionately affect Black women in California, who already face significant health disparities. Griffin highlights how the cuts would result in reduced access to primary care, chronic disease management, reproductive care, mental health and substance-use treatment, cancer screenings, and prenatal/postnatal services. She projects it will also worsen food insecurity and housing instability. Black women in California rely heavily on these programs, and any reduction in benefits or coverage would exacerbate existing health inequities.
Our next article by Black Voice News reporters Breanna Reeves and Alyssah Hall titled California Gubernatorial Candidates Address Health Concerns at IE Health Matters Forum provides a summary of the Inland Empire Health Matters Forum, hosted at the University of California, Riverside, on University of California, Riverside on Friday, Nov. 7. During the forum, four of the six invited gubernatorial candidates discussed a range of pressing issues, including aging Californians, homelessness, mental health, environmental justice, and California’s relationship with the federal government. The candidates included former U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services, Xavier Becerra; former Speaker of the California State Assembly and 41st Mayor of Los Angeles, Antonio Villaraigosa; California State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond; and former California State Controller Betty Yee.
This week BVN also featured an article by California Black Media reporter, Charlene Muhammad, titled How Charles R. Drew University Navigated More Than $20 Million in Fed Cuts – Still Prioritizing Students and Community Health. Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science or CDU, is California's only historically Black medical school. The institution faced significant funding cuts earlier this year, losing over $20 million in grants. In response, the university quickly reallocated funds to protect its staff and students, while also expanding funding sources by targeting foundations and private donors. Despite the challenges, CDU remains committed to its mission of cultivating diverse health professional leaders dedicated to social justice and health equity for underserved populations. The university is exploring options to make education more affordable, including overlapping school years to reduce annual costs.
In a feel-good story this week Black Voice News was pleased to report on the Riverside Unified Foundation’s Launch of the Tom Hunt Memorial Scholarship. The Riverside Unified School District Foundation awarded $9,000 in scholarships to nine Career and Technical Education or CTE students, with each receiving $1,000 to offset tuition, tools, or certification fees. The Tom Hunt Memorial Scholarship Fund was established to honor Tom Hunt, a devoted advocate for vocational skills and hands-on learning. The scholarships were awarded to students who demonstrated academic excellence and exceptional commitment to their respective CTE fields, including automotive repair, health sciences, and Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning or HVAC. The RUSD Foundation aims to grow the scholarship endowment and expand the number of scholarships in the upcoming award cycles.
And, in this week’s Keeping it Real by BVN executive editor Stephanie Williams titled, Why “We Ain’t Buying It,” Williams shares her opinion about a call to action by Civil rights leader Latasha Brown for a boycott of Amazon, Target, and Home Depot during Thanksgiving weekend as part of the “We Ain’t Buying It” initiative. The aim is to encourage members of the Black community to leverage their economic power to drive change and support retailers who align with diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility initiatives. The boycott is a response to the federal government’s inaction on providing emergency food stamps and extending healthcare stipends, as well as the detrimental actions taken against diversity initiatives. The initiative is a reminder of the economic power that Black people possess and their historical role in driving change.
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 Esther Gatica with Black Voice News.
