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Vol. 64 No. 18 | Thursday, May 2, 2024
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Serving San Diego County’s African & African American Communities 64 Years
AFL-CIO Report Exposes Deepening Racial Disparities in Workplace Safety
INSIDE
THIS WEEK'S ISSUE:
Black and Latino workers’ job fatality rates have surged to the highest levels in nearly 15 years By Stacy M. Brown NNPA NEWSWIRE SENIOR NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT
According to the report, Black workers’ job fatality rates have surged to the highest levels seen in nearly 15 years. Meanwhile, Latino workers continue to endure the most significant risk of death on the job compared to any other demographic group. IMAGE: NNPA
The AFL-CIO, a coalition representing 12.5 million workers across various unions, has released its 33rd annual report, “Death on the Job: The Toll of Neglect,” uncovering troubling racial disparities in workplace safety. The report’s findings, based on the most recent data available, underscore the urgent need for policymakers, regulatory bodies, and employers to confront the disproportionate rates of fatalities, injuries, and illnesses faced by workers of color.
According to the report, Black workers’ job fatality rates have surged to the highest levels seen in nearly 15 years. Meanwhile, Latino workers continue to endure the most significant risk of death on the job compared to any other demographic group. In 2022, 734 Black workers lost their lives while on the job, a significant increase from the 543 deaths recorded in 2003. Similarly alarming trends were observed among Latino workers, with the number of deaths rising from 794 in 2003 to 1,248 in 2022. Shockingly, 60% of those killed were immigrants.
LAMPLIGHTERS FASHION SHOW SEE PAGE 9
See SAFETY page 2
How Did DEI Become 40th ANNUAL CHILDREN’S So Political? BOOK PARTY Diversity, Equity & Inclusion workplace programs saw a meteoric rise in 2021, but now, some positions are in hot water as companies debate their efficacy and face political pressure.
Working Group Says More Entry-Level Homes Could Help Solve Housing Crisis
CINCO DE MAYO: 5 INTERESTING FACTS
The Community Housing Working Group held a panel discussion about the housing crisis in California. Shown left to right are Henry “Hank” Levy, Treasurer-Tax Collector for Alameda County; Noerena Limón, consultant, Unidos U.S., and Board Member of California Housing Finance Agency; Tia Boatman-Patterson, CEO and President of California Communities Reinvestment Corporation; and Konstantin Hatcher from California Yes, In My Back Yard (YIMBY), on April 23, 2024. PHOTO: Antonio Ray Harvey/CBM
By Antonio Ray Harvey CALIFORNIA BLACK MEDIA The Community Housing Working Group hosted a briefing on April 23 at Cafeteria 15L in Sacramento. Discussions focused on how the housing crisis in California affects Black and Brown communities and explored ways to provide low-income families and individuals with affordable housing.
Tia Boatman Patterson, CEO and President of the California Communities Reinvestment Corporation, said “entrylevel housing” is not available as it was in the past, adding that affordable units were a major point of entry into homeownership for many families in the Black community. See HOUSING page 2
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PHOTO: Fauxels/Pexels
By Emily Kim Jenkins CONTRIBUTING WRITER His purple hoodie read “From Baltimore, With Love” in bold, white lettering. It adorned Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott as he appeared on the Joy Reid Show the day after the collapse
of the Francis Scott Key Bridge, but specifically, he was there to address a particular comment made. A post on X (formerly Twitter) quickly spread in which Scott’s response was criticized, labeling him the “DEI mayor” and warned of things getting “so, so much worse.”
The term “DEI,” which stands for diversity, equity and inclusion, has become a highly politicized, quickly recognized acronym— almost instantaneously, Americans can recognize a user’s intended purpose behind the denoted meaning. See DEI page 2
#BLACK STUDENT SUCCESS WEEK: President Biden Signs SDCCD celebrates and honors the pursuit of Black student equity By Macy Meinhardt VOICE & VIEWPOINT STAFF WRITER Last week students, practitioners, and community partners associated with San Diego Community College District joined together for Black Student Success week, an annual event that celebrates the institutional commitment towards Black successes in higher education.
Black Student Success watch party for webinars. PHOTO: SDCCE
The theme of this year’s Black Student Success Week is Building a Better Future Together: The Urgency is Now. See BSSW page 4
Legislation Banning TikTok By Stacy M. Brown NNPA NEWSWIRE SENIOR NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT
IMAGE: NNPA
TikTok, the clock is ticking on the popular social media app’s existence in the United States. President Joe Biden signed a bill on Wednesday approving the ban of TikTok, adding significant pressure on the platform to find a new owner. See TIKTOK page 2
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