Lorreen Pryor, president and chief executive officer of the Black Youth Leadership Project (BYLP), stands among supporters of the Stop the Hate program at the State Capitol. Holding the sign is Fxxi Irvin, mentor and counselor for BYLP. CBM photo by Antonio Ray Harvey. On April 28, Black-led organizations from across California that fight prejudice, hostility, or violence directed at individuals based on their race, ethnic origin, or skin color, joined with other anti-hate gr

If you’re on social media, you know posts from friends and family might not be the only ones on your newsfeed — scammers are there too. FTC data shows that losses to scams on social media have been increasing dramatically since 2020 — people reported losing $2.1 billion to these scams in 2025 alone. The FTC’s new data spotlight brings to light some of the insights about what scams people experience on social media. Keep reading to learn how to scroll past the scams. Here’s wh

A new survey of California voters by UC Berkeley's Institute of Governmental Studies also finds widespread bipartisan support for the state taking steps to protect democracy and expand voter access. Photo courtesy American Community Media SACRAMENTO — Eighty nine percent of California voters believe American democracy is under strain. Overwhelming majorities, including significant numbers of Republicans, also support state action to protect democracy and expand voter access.

This pictorial graphic shows how the East Palo Alto City Council voted on the proposal that would give the mayor of the city the final say over the creation of the city council agenda. Design by HJB A contentious proposal to give the mayor final authority over the setting of the East Palo Alto City Council’s agenda failed this week after a heated debate that exposed deep divisions among the city's council members and residents. The amendment, which was to be added to the cou

Presentation at ribbon cutting on April 7, 2026 for roundabout ribbon cutting at Pulgas and Runnymede in East Palo Alto. Photo - David Rages, II East Palo Alto is trying a new way to slow traffic near school locations - the installation of roundabouts on several city streets. Recently, the city installed a roundabout at Pulgas Avenue and Runnymede Street and another at Pulgas and Beech Street. A ribbon cutting for the Runnymede roundabout took place this April 7. The city’s r

Board of Supervisors President Noelia Corzo warned the shortfall could exceed $1 billion over the next decade if the issue is unresolved. Photo courtesy San Mateo County A coalition of more than 250 elected officials, public safety leaders, educators, health advocates and community members gathered on Tuesday of this week at Redwood City’s Fire Station 9 with a unified message: the State of California must restore funding San Mateo County says it is legally owed — or essent

Image published under CC License 1.0 Courtesy American Community Media Immigration arrests of Asian immigrants have surged since the launch of President Donald Trump’s second administration. That’s according to a new analysis by the advocacy group Stop AAPI Hate. The report released found that arrests of Asian immigrants by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in 2025 increased nearly fourfold compared with t

Farm Workers Day becomes law. Design AI-generated Last week, members of the California Legislative Black Caucus (CLBC), through their voices and votes, supported Assembly Bill (AB) 2156, which proposed renaming César Chávez Day to Farm Workers Day. Gov. Gavin Newsom signed the bill into law on March 26, allowing it to take effect immediately before the March 31 observance. Assemblymember Mike Gipson (D-Carson),

East Palo Alto seniors celebrate the holiday season at the the breakfast given in their honor by the East Palo Alto Police Department. Photo credits-David Rages The East Palo Alto Senior Center was full of laughter, music, and the smell of hot food at the annual holiday breakfast presented by the East Palo Alto Police Department, where more than 100 seniors and their families gathered to celebrate the season. City Manager Melvin Gaines opened the program by acknowledging the

Courtesy California Black Media On Nov. 20, the Office of Community Partnerships and Strategic Communications (OCPSC) hosted an online forum with ethnic media outlets across the state to highlight two statewide programs that benefit all Californians: the CalAssist Mortgage Fund, which provides disaster-related mortgage relief, and Check to Protect, a vehicle-safety campaign led by the National Safety Council and supported by the California New Motor Vehicle Board. While th

East Palo Alto city officials and regional leaders pose for photos before cutting the ribbon to the city's new pedestrian bridge East Palo Alto residents, civic leaders and regional partners celebrated the long-awaited opening of the University Avenue Pedestrian Bridge, a project many described as both practical and symbolic for the community. “This is a joyous celebration… celebrating safety and community and connectability,” City Manager Melvin Gaines said as he welcomed th

Community college student seeking assistance Image created by HJB using Gemini It might come as a surprise to some that California provides many resources for undocumented individuals and their family members. Many of these resources are funded by the California Department of Social Services(CDSS) Immigration Services Bureau (ISB) through a program called Higher Education Legal Services Project. Information about these programs can be found within a website call

On September 10th, the U.S Education Department announced the end of $350 million in discretionary funding for MSI grant programs. Feature image via Flickr . Published under CC License 2.0 David Lee spent the summer working on a grant application for the Asian Pacific American Student Success program (APASS) at Oakland’s Laney College, which he has directed for eight years. The program is sustained by federal funding that for decades has been committed to Minority Servin

Silenced by fear - AI generated At a time, when many in the U.S. are observing October as Domestic Violence Awareness Month, the...

The federal government formally entered a shutdown Oct. 1, with a vicious debate over the extension of enhanced Affordable Care Act premium tax credits fueling the bi-partisan stand-off.

Photo courtesy California Black Media The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced on Sept. 20 that it is ending the longstanding annual food insecurity survey, which informs funding levels for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), the federal food stamp program. The Trump administration said it canceled the survey because it is “redundant, politicized, and costly,” the USDA stated. The final report will be published in October 2025 using data co

The hard stop and the other images shown in the above graphic illustrate the concerns that some East Palo Alto residents have about the...

East Palo Alto City Councilmembers are shown at their September 2, 2025 council meeting The U.S. is polarized and it appears that the...

Participants in the City of East Palo Alto's Sept. 4, 2025 workshop, which was focused on the city's local economy, laid out their vision...

Maps of Texas and California showing Texas' efforts at redistricting and cleaner districting in CA with a scale of Justice in between -...