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Years
Vol. 66 No. 13 | Thursday, March 26, 2026
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CA POLITICAL PLAYBACK:
NEWS YOU MIGHT HAVE MISSED
Serving San Diego County’s African & African American Communities 66 Years
INSIDE THIS WEEK'S ISSUE:
INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY EVENT SPOTLIGHTS WOMEN LEADERS SEE PAGE 12
CHERISH MOMENTS TURNS THE FIELD INTO A PLATFORM FOR AWARENESS
PHOTO: California Capitol Building, CBM
By Bo Tefu
ing specific identification documents.
CALIFORNIA BLACK MEDIA
Sen. Padilla Warns ‘SAVE America Act’ Could Strip Millions of Voting Rights U.S. Sen. Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) is intensifying Democratic opposition to the proposed SAVE America Act, warning the measure could disenfranchise millions of eligible voters and reverse decades of progress in expanding access to the ballot. Speaking on the U.S. Senate floor, Padilla, California’s former secretary of state, framed the legislation as a sweeping attempt to tighten voting rules in ways that could disproportionately affect married women, voters who rely on mail-in ballots and citizens lack-
“This bill is anything but a voter ID bill,” he said, arguing that commonly accepted forms of identification, including driver’s licenses, would no longer be sufficient under its provisions. Padilla also criticized requirements that would compel states to share unredacted voter rolls with the Department of Homeland Security. He warned that reliance on federal databases could produce errors leading to large-scale voter purges.
Cherish Moments Breast Cancer Organization blends sports and sisterhood at 3rd annual flag football game SEE PAGES 6-7
Citing analyses from states already participating in similar programs, Padilla noted that in some jurisdictions between one-quarter and one-half of voters flagged for removal were, in fact, eligible U.S. citizens. See PLAYBACK page 2
PHOTO: Voice & Viewpoint
NCNW SAN DIEGO HIGHLIGHTS NNPA FUND HOSTS BLACK Celebrating PRESS theDAY 2026 Past and LEADERSHIP AT HOWARD UNIVERSITY Looking Ahead to the Future WOMEN’S AND CIVIC ENGAGEMENT By D. Kevin McNeir
San Diego’s National Council of Negro Women gathers in honor of Women’s History Month. SEE PAGES 6-7
Nearly 100 members of the Black Press — some still honing their skills as journalists in college classrooms along with seasoned veterans representing Black publications from across the U.S.; and both friends of and corporate sponsors of the Black Press, gathered on the campus of Howard University (HU) on March, 18 for this year’s Black Press Week Reception. The program, hosted by the National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA) Fund, now in its 50th year and led by Executive Director Kelly Hodges, was held in the HU Blackburn Center. Highlights from the reception included a State of the Black Press address delivered by NNPA President and CEO Dr. Benjamin Chavis Jr., musical selections from the Howard University Community Choir, an AI-themed fireside chat, and remarks from various speakers who updated the audience on recent initiatives related to the survival and growth of the Black Press. As in years past, the most sacred part of the reception was the enshrinement presentation and plaque acceptance led by Karen Carter Richards, NNPA Fund chair, which celebrated the life of Bernal E. Smith II, who, prior to his death in 2017 at the age of 45, had been instrumental in restoring local ownership of
PHOTO: D Kevin McNeir, courtesy of NNPA
Leisha R. Monroe, NCNW San Diego Section President, March 21, 2026. PHOTO: CW, The Freelancer
FOOD PYRAMID BLIND SPOTS
The New Tri-State Defender in Memphis, Tenn., as its president and publisher.
What Supermarket Civil Rights Teaches Us
Hodges described Smith as a visionary, a dynamic leader, and one of the NNPA’s most widely regarded voices representing the next generation of Black Press publishers.
By Bobby J. Smith II
UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS—URBANA-CHAMPAIGN
“He was known for his commitment to community empowerment, social justice, and innovative media leadership,” Hodges said. “We chose to enshrine him into the NNPA Fund of Distinguished Black Publishers this year at Howard University where he will forever be recognized for his lasting contributions to African American journalism and the legacy of the Black Press.” See NNPA page 2
PHOTO: Courtesy of NNPA
The recent release of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2025–2030, by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services poses a challenge for communities and individuals struggling with food insecurity. The new guidelines flip the traditional food pyramid on its head, recommending increased intake of costly red meat, whole dairy products, healthy fats, and whole grains. See FOOD PYRAMID page 2
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