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Years
Vol. 65 No. 4 | Thursday, January 23, 2025
www.sdvoice.info
Serving San Diego County’s African & African American Communities 65 Years
ONE BLACK FAMILY'S LOSSES IN THE LA FIRES
INSIDE
THIS WEEK'S ISSUE:
The Turner Family, Altadena Fire Survivors By Emma Fox CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Darran Turner moved to Altadena when he was 12 years old. Up until that point, he had lived in an area of L.A. with a gang presence and he recalls, “It was a place where I was bullied at school everyday for who I am.” Around the sixth grade, Turner was getting into a lot of altercations and, he said, “My grandma put on her cape and Daughters of Darran Turner, Angelize and Aurora Turner. PHOTO: Courtesy of saved me.”
43rd ANNUAL MLK PARADE SEE PAGES 8-9
CELEBRATING DR. KING ABOARD THE USS MIDWAY
the Turner Family
His grandmother, Yolanda Bailey, bought a house in the unincorporated area of Los Angeles called Altadena in January 1999. “She bought her dream home. It was a real
big step for our family. I hate to say it but she got us out of the hood,” says Turner.
SEE PAGE 7
See FIRES page 2
JRYMCA HUMAN MAYOR GLORIA'S STATE DIGNITY AWARDS
OF THE CITY ADDRESS
BREAKFAST Publisher John E.
Warren Honored as Distinguished Human Dignity Award Recipient
Mayor Todd Gloria speaking to city staff and media at City Hall during his 2025 State of the City Address, Wednesday, Jan. 15. PHOTO: Macy Meinhardt/ Voice & Viewpoint
By Macy Meinhardt VV STAFF WRITER/ CA LOCAL NEWS FELLOW Grappling a $258 million budgetary deficit, Mayor Todd Gloria vowed in his fifth annual State of the City address to squeeze every penny in the next year in order to protect core services including homelessness, roads, housing development, and public safety. Maintaining core functions “with a quarter billion dollar budget deficit will be
an immense challenge,” the mayor said, demanding “responsible stewardship of every dollar and clear eyed decisions about our priorities.”
John E. Warren accepting the 2025 Human Dignity Award. PHOTO: Macy Meinhardt/ Voice & Viewpoint
By Macy Meinhardt VV STAFF WRITER/ CA LOCAL NEWS FELLOW
The backdrop of this year’s state of the city, held on Jan. 15, signified this approach. Gloria traded the flashy Balboa Theatre production he has used in previous years for a bare bones address held in city council chambers.
The 40th Annual Jackie Robinson YMCA Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Breakfast brought together over 1,500 residents and community leaders on Jan. 17, uniting to honor King’s legacy and rally morale amid looming challenges to civil rights.
See MAYOR page 2
See JRYMCA page 7
NEW COIN CELEBRATES
IDA. B WELLS VOICE & VIEWPOINT NEWSWIRE The American Women Quarters honor a diverse group of notable American women who made significant contributions in a variety of fields, including suffrage, civil rights, abolition, government, humanities, science, space, and the arts. The women honored are from ethnically, racially, and geographically diverse backgrounds. Ida B. Wells was a prolific educator, investigative journalist, suffragist, and civil rights activist. She fought for justice and equality throughout her life and used her powerful voice to expose violence against African Americans in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The back design features Ida B. Wells as she gazes
courageously and proudly toward the future. Inscriptions are “UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,” “E PLU R I BU S U N UM ,” “IDA B. WELLS,” “25 CENTS,” “JOURNALIST, SUFFRAGIST, CIVIL RIGHTS ACTIVIST.”
Ida B. Wells (back), George Washigton (front). PHOTO: usmint.gov
The front design depicts a portrait of George Washington. This design was originally composed and sculpted by Laura Gardin Fraser as a candidate entry for the 1932 quarter, which honored the bicentennial of George Washington’s birth. Inscriptions are “LIBERTY,” “IN GOD WE TRUST,” and “2025.”
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