SECRETARY PLEASE CALL THE ROLL.
ALLEN. ALVARADO GULL.
ARCHULETTA. ASHBY. ATKINS.
BECKER. BLAKESPEAR BRADFORD.
CABALLERO. FORTES. GALLY. GOD.
RAO. EGM. BLAZER. GONZALEZ.
GROVE. HURTADO. JONES. THEY
LEMON. MCGUIRE MENJIVAR. IN
NEWMAN. WHEN NILO. OCTOBER. A
DEAL. FOR LATINO ROTH. RUBIO.
THEY ARE TO SKINNER. SMALL
CUEVAS STERN. UMBERG. WELL.
WEINER. WILK. MEMBERS OF QUORUM
IS PRESIDENT. WITH THE MEMBERS
AND OUR GUESTS BEYOND THE RAIL
AND IN THE GALLERY, PLEASE RISE.
WILL BE LED IN PRAYER THIS
AFTERNOON BY OUR CHAP CHAPLAIN,
SISTER MICHELLE GORMAN, AFTER
WHICH WE'RE GONNA ASK YOU TO
REMAIN STANDING FOR THE PLEDGE
OF ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG. TODAY
WE BRING OURSELVES INTO YOUR
PRESENCE AGAIN. GOD OF MARTIN
AND ROSA. A FANNY LOU AND
HARRIET. GOD OF MALCOLM X,
BAYARD DRESDEN AND LORRAINE
HANSBERRY. OF JAMES BALDWIN,
CORNELL WEST AND MICHELLE
ALEXANDER. GOT A VAN BRADSTREET
AND ISABEL WILKERSON. AND FOR
ALL WHO HAVE BELIEVED IN A
FUTURE FULL OF HOPE. WE DO NOT
ASK TO SEE THE ROAD AHEAD. WE DO
NOT ASK FOR POWER OR BRILLIANCE.
GIVE US PASSION. GIVE US
GRATITUDE FOR OUR COMPANIONS ON
THE JOURNEY. OPEN OUR HEARTS TO
THE BLESSINGS OF OUR ONENESS.
THAT WE MAY WORK FOR JUSTICE AND
HEALING. NOT BECAUSE WE OUGHT.
TO BUT BECAUSE WE KNOW IT IS
RIGHT AND GOOD FOR ALL OF US.
GOD OF ALL WHO HAVE SUFFERED ALL
WHO HAVE STRUGGLED. ALL WHO HAVE
YEARNED FOR LOVE. WE ARE
MILLIONS AND WE ARE ONE GIVE US
THIS DAY. THIS WE MAY GIVE BACK
TO YOU RADIANT WITH HOPE. AMEN.
MEMBERS JOIN ME IN THE PLEDGE. I
PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE.
WE'RE GONNA PASS SOME PRIVILEGES
TO FLORIDA FOR NOW, MEMBERS NOW
MOVING ON TO ITEM FOUR MESSAGE
FROM THE GOVERNOR. WERE BEING
DEEMED RED. MESSAGE FROM THE
ASSEMBLY WILL BE DEEMED RED.
REPORTS OF COMMITTEES WILL BE
DEEMED RED AND AMENDMENTS
ADOPTED. MOSES AND RESOLUTIONS
AND NOTICES. WITHOUT OBJECTION.
THE SENATE JOURNALS FOR FEBRUARY
19TH 2024 THROUGH FEBRUARY 22
2024 WILL BE APPROVED AS
CORRECTED BY THE MINUTE CLERK.
ALL RIGHT, MEMBERS, YOU'RE GONNA
MOVE BACK TO PRIVILEGES OF THE
FLOOR. SENATOR SMALLWOOD CUEVAS.
ARE YOU PREPARED?
MEMBERS ARE NOW MOVING INTO
CONSIDERATION OF DAILY FILE
WITHOUT OBJECTION. WE'RE GOING
TO MOVE TO FILE ITEM 10 SENATOR
SMALLWOOD CUEVAS. THANK YOU, MR
PRESIDENT. I RISE TO PRESENT A
RESOLUTION IN RECOGNITION.
SECRETARY. PLEASE READ FIRST.
NICK AND CURRENT RESOLUTION 107
BY SENATOR SMALL CUEVAS RELATIVE
TO BLACK HISTORY MONTH. SENATOR
CUEVAS. THANK YOU, MR PRESIDENT.
RISE TO PRESENT A RESOLUTION IN
RECOGNITION OF AN OUTSTANDING
SOCIAL JUSTICE CHAMPION AND
ADVOCATE FOR WOMEN'S HEALTH.
WITH DECADES OF EFFORTS TO
CHANGE POLICIES AND PRACTICES TO
REDUCE HEALTH DISPARITIES AND
IMPROVE BOTH FORMAL AND INFORMAL
SYSTEMS OF CARE IN LOS ANGELES.
MISS FRAN JAMAL. FROM HER EARLY
WORK AS A COMMUNITY ORGANIZER,
WORKING WITH MIGRANT FAMILIES
AND HEAD START PARENTS IN NEW
YORK TO HER MORE RECENT ROLES
SINCE 1989 IN CALIFORNIA, FRAN
HAS WORN MANY HATS. AS A
COMMUNITY ORGANIZER, A GRANT
MAKER BOARD MEMBER EXECUTIVE
DIRECTOR, POLICY ADVISOR, DONOR
AND MENTOR TO GENERATIONS OF
COMMUNITY LEADERS. HER WORK IS
ROOTED IN A BELIEF THAT LIVED
EXPERIENCE INCREASES THE KIND OF
CARE THAT BENEFITS INDIVIDUALS
AND FAMILIES BEYOND THE WALLS OF
HOSPITALS, MENTAL HEALTH
FACILITIES AND FORMAL CARE
SYSTEMS. SHE IS A PIONEER IN THE
MOVEMENT TO VALIDATE AND EXPAND
SELF HELP AND MUTUAL SUPPORT
GROUPS. FRAN HAS LED IN OF
PROGRAMS IN THE PUBLIC ARENA
THROUGH HER WORK WITH HEAD START
IN THE U S¼ OFFICE OF EDUCATION,
THE U S¼ DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH
AND HUMAN SERVICES, THE OFFICE
OF THE U S¼ SURGEON GENERAL AND
HEALTH FOUNDATION, INITIATIVES
WITH BLUE SHIELD OF CALIFORNIA
FOUNDATION AND THE CALIFORNIA
ENDOWMENT, AMONG OTHERS. AND
THAT'S WHERE I GOT TO MEET MR
MOTT. IN FACT, IT WAS HER WORK
WITH THE SURGEON GENERAL COUPS
WORKSHOP ON SELF HELP AND PUBLIC
HEALTH THAT LED U èC L A AND
THE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF
MENTAL HEALTH TO RECRUIT HER TO
LEAD THEIR EFFORTS TO ESTABLISH
SELF HELP CENTERS IN CALIFORNIA
TO OVERSEE THE 800 INFORMATION
LINE THAT CONNECTED THOUSANDS OF
RESIDENTS TO RESOURCES AND IN
COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE STATE. IN
1994. FRAN FOUNDED THE
CALIFORNIA BLACK WOMEN'S HEALTH
PROJECT, WHICH WE KNOW VERY WELL
BECAUSE THEY ARE UP HERE,
EDUCATING US EVERY DAY ON THE
HEALTH IMPACTS FACING BLACK
WOMEN IN OUR COMMUNITIES. THE
PURPOSE OF THAT ORGANIZATION WAS
TO INCREASE SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL
SUPPORT FOR WOMEN AT RISK OF
STRESS RELATED IMPAIRMENT AND TO
RAISE AWARENESS ABOUT HEALTH
DISPARITIES THAT LIMIT OPTIMAL
HEALTH OUTCOMES. AS A
PHILANTHROPIST, FRAN HAS SERVED
AS THE PROGRAM DIRECTOR. FOR
COMMUNITY AND WOMEN'S HEALTH FOR
THE CALIFORNIA WELLNESS
FOUNDATION HELPED US GET A GRANT
BACK IN THE DAY FOR A NUMBER OF
SOUTH L, A COMMUNITY BASED
ORGANIZATIONS. SHE IS A TRUSTEE
FOR THE LIBERTY HILL FOUNDATION
AND A CONSULTANT TO GRANT MAKERS
WHICH EXPONENTIALLY INCREASES
THE RESOURCES AVAILABLE TO
NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS SERVING
MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES. SINCE
22,002 FRAN HAS HEADED THE JAMON
ROLLINS GROUP, WHICH WORKS WITH
PHILANTHROPISTS AND FOUNDATIONS
THAT SEEK THE UH, OF
COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS
PROVIDING IMPORTANT RESOURCES TO
COMMUNITIES OF COLOR. RETIREMENT
HAS NEVER BEEN PART OF FRAN'S
AGENDA. I DON'T THINK SHE'S
RETIRED, ALTHOUGH I HEAR SHE IS
I SEE HER EVERYWHERE. SHE
CONTINUES TO OFFER THOUGHTFUL
LEADERSHIP TO UPLIFT
MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES OF
COLOR IN LOS ANGELES AND BEYOND.
AND TO SUPPORT WOMEN LIKE ME
FROM BEING COMMUNITY ACTIVISTS
TO BEING LEADERS OF OUR STATE. F
IS JUST A TREASURE. SHE'S A
TREASURE AND SHE'S MY NEIGHBOR.
WE LIVE AROUND THE CORNER FROM
EACH OTHER. PLEASE JOIN ME IN
CONGRATULATING MISS FRAN JAMA
FOR THIS WELL DESERVED
RESOLUTION AS OUR 2024 UNSUNG
HERO. CONGRATULATIONS.
MR PRESIDENT BEFORE WE BEGIN. I
ALSO WANT TO JUST TAKE A MOMENT
AND I THINK THE REST OF THE
UNSUNG HEROES ARE NOW IN THE
GALLERY. THEY WERE RUNNING LATE
FROM THE ASSEMBLY. I WANT TO
RECOGNIZE THE OTHERS WHO ARE IN
THE GALLERY WITH US BEING
HONORED BY THE, UH, LEGISLATIVE
BLACK CAUCUS TODAY. KATHY ADAMS,
MERVYN BROOKINS DOCTOR AYANA E
DAVIS, DOMINIQUE DE PRIMA
CAROLYN FOWLER, CHRIS JOHNS
JUSTICE LEO DORA KRUGER,
KIMBERLY TAYLOR, MILE TREATS AND
PRO. WALKER. SO LET'S GIVE THEM
A ROUND OF APPLAUSE. WELCOME.
WELCOME TO THE CALIFORNIA STATE
SENATE. A SINGLE PICTURE. WE'RE
GONNA TAKE AN INDIVIDUAL PICTURE
NOW AND THEN WE'RE GONNA GO
THROUGH THE OTHERS, AND THEN
WE'LL TAKE A GROUP PICTURE OF
THOSE WHO WOULD LIKE TO
PARTICIPATE.
WE NEXT LIKE TO INVITE SENATOR
BRADFORD AT THE MAJORITY
LEADER'S DESK.
THANK YOU, MR PRESIDENT. I AM
NOW HONORED TO RECOGNIZE MY
UNSUNG HERO. UH INDIVIDUAL BY
THE NAME OF DOCTOR THOMAS A.
PARHAM. HE'S A FAMILY MAN WHO
LIVES IN LOS ANGELES AND A
PHENOMENAL EDUCATOR HERE IN
CALIFORNIA. DOCTOR PARHAM IS THE
11TH PRESIDENT. UH, THE
CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY.
DOMINGUEZ HILLS, MY ALMA MATER,
A HIGHLY DIVERSE UNIVERSITY IN
THE METROPOLITAN AREA. THAT
PRIMARY SERVES LOS ANGELES AND
SOUTH BAY AREAS OF, UH, LOS
ANGELES COUNTY DOCTOR PARHAM
PREVIOUSLY SERVED AS VICE
CHANCELLOR FOR STUDENT AFFAIRS
AND ADJUNCT FACULTY MEMBER. AT
THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA,
IRVINE, WHERE HE HAD BEEN SINCE
1985. HE IS AFFECTIONATELY
CALLED DR P. AND AS A LICENSED
PSYCHOLOGIST WITH MORE THAN 40
YEARS AS A SCHOLAR AND A
PRACTITIONER. IN ADDITION TO
RIDING WELL OVER 45 JOURNAL
ARTICLES AND OR BOOK CHAPTERS,
HE'S THE AUTHOR OF PSYCHOLOGICAL
STORMS, THE AFRICAN AMERICAN
STRUGGLE FOR IDENTITY. IN
COUNSELING PERSONS OF AFRICAN
DESCENT. RAISING THE BAR OF A
PRACTITIONER'S COMPETENCE.
DOCTOR. PARHAM IS A PROUD
ALUMNUS OF THE AMERICAN
PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION
MINORITY FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM AND
STRIVES TO ALIGN HIS PERSONAL
ENDEAVORS WITH THE LEGACIES LED
BY THE MFP FOUNDERS AND FORMER
DIRECTORS, DOCTORS JAMES JONES
AND DOCTOR DELMAS TAYLOR. HE
HOLDS A FELLOW STATUS AND
DIVISION, 17 AND 45 OF A P A AND
WITH THE AMERICAN COUNSELING
ASSOCIATION AND THE TITLE OF
DISTINGUISHED PSYCHOLOGIST AND
THE ASSOCIATION OF BLACK
PSYCHOLOGISTS. DOCTOR PARHAM IS
A PAST PRESIDENT. UH, THE
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF BLACK
PSYCHOLOGISTS AND THE
ASSOCIATION OF MULTICULTURAL
COUNSELING AND DEVELOPMENT. DR
PARHAM CONTRIBUTES HIS TALENTS
IN THE AREAS OF SOCIAL ADVOCACY,
COMMUNITY UPLIFT AND YOUTH
EMPOWERMENT TO COMMUNITIES IN
BOTH LOS ANGELES AND ORANGE
COUNTIES. HE'S CæA CATEGORIZING
AND CATEGORIZING HIM. I SHOULD
SAY SOME HAVE WRITTEN DOCTOR
PARHAM IS A GIFTED AND
CHARISMATIC SPEAKER IN THE
TRADITION OF MARTIN LUTHER KING
AND MALCOLM X. INDEED FOR MANY,
HIS PRESENCE AS A PUBLIC FIGURE
IS TRANSFORMATIVE. THE POWER OF
HIS INNATE HUMANITY AND MANIFEST
LOVE, CONVEYING AN OVERWHELMING
SENSE OF ACCEPTANCE AND
UNDERSTANDING. YOU FEEL A GREAT
MANY THINGS IN THE PRESENCE OF
DOCTOR P. MOSTLY YOU FEEL BETTER
YOU FEEL RECOGNIZED. YOU FEEL
APPRECIATED. DOCTOR PARHAM GREW
UP IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA AND
RECEIVED HIS BACHELOR'S DEGREE
IN SOCIAL ECOLOGY FROM THE
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA,
IRVINE, HIS MASTER'S DEGREE IN
COUNSELING. ECOLOGY AT
WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY, ST LOUIS
AND RECEIVED HIS P HÌ Dð IN
COUNSELING PSYCHOLOGY FROM
SOUTHERN ILLINOIS UNIVERSITY AT
CARBONDALE. HE IS A TREMENDOUS
TRANSFORMATIVE LEADER. AS I
STATED, IF YOU'VE BEEN ON THE
CAMPUS OF CAL STATE DOMINGUEZ
HILLS, YOU'VE SEEN THE GROWTH.
YOU'VE SEEN THE STUDENT
ACCEPTANCE AND APPRECIATION OF
THIS MAN. HE TOUCHES HIS
STUDENTS. HE'S A VERY VISIBLE
INDIVIDUAL ON THE CAMPUS. MOST
PRESIDENTS YOU VERY RARELY SEE
WALKING TO CAMPUS. HE'S THERE
EVERY DAY, WALKING TO CAMPUS
INTERACTING WITH STUDENTS,
MAKING SURE THEY GET TO KNOW HIM
AND HE GETS TO KNOW THEM AND
PROVIDING ALL THE NEEDS THAT
THEY THAT THEY POSSIBLY WANT.
HE'S ALSO HELPED SPEARHEAD
SPEARHEAD THE DIMLY INSTITUTE.
MERV DAIMLER INSTITUTE AT CAL
STATE DOMINGUEZ HILL THAT HAS
GROWN BY LEAPS AND BOUNDS SINCE
HE'S BEEN THERE. UNFORTUNATELY
DOCTOR PARHAM COULD NOT BE HERE
TODAY. HE'S IN WASHINGTON, Dð
èC DOING WORK ON BEHALF OF THE
UNIVERSITY. BUT HE'S HERE TODAY.
REPRESENTED BY HIS AMAZING WIFE,
UH DAVITA PARHAM AND HIS
DAUGHTER, KENYA, PARHAM, SO ON
BEHALF OF THE LEGISLATIVE BLACK
CAUCUS, AND ON BLACK BLACK
HISTORY MONTH, MY UNSUNG HERO
DOCTOR THOMAS A. PHAM,
CONGRATULATIONS. HE'S IN GUAM.
MEMBERS WE'RE GONNA TAKE AN JUST
AN INDIVIDUAL PHOTOGRAPH. NOW
JUST AN INDIVIDUAL PHOTOGRAPH.
WE'RE GOING TO HAVE ONE MORE,
UH, COMMENT TO, UH, BE HEARD ON
THE FLOOR AND THEN WE'LL DO A
GROUP PHOTOGRAPH AFTER THAT.
ALL RIGHT. SO, UM, CLOSING THE
CEREMONY TODAY WE'RE GOING TO
RECOGNIZE THE MINORITY LEADER,
SENATOR JONES. THANK YOU, MR
PRESIDENT MEMBERS. I JUST WANNA
STAND UP REAL QUICK AND IN
CLOSING OUT THE CEREMONY AND
THANK SENATOR SMALLWOOD CUEVAS,
SENATOR BRADFORD AND THE ENTIRE
CALIFORNIA LEGISLATIVE BLACK
CAUCUS FOR LEADING THIS GREAT
RECOGNITION TODAY AND ALL THE
HONOREES THAT HAVE JOINED US, UH
, IN THE CHAMBERS AND ON THE
FLOOR. IT IS AN HONOR TO BE IN
THE PRESENCE OF SUCH A GREAT
PEOPLE THAT ARE HELPING MAKE
CALIFORNIA THE BEST STATE IN THE
COUNTRY. TODAY WE RECOGNIZE JUST
A FEW EXAMPLES OF THE GREAT
CONTRIBUTIONS AFRICAN AMERICANS
HAVE MADE TO OUR DISTRICTS AND
IN CALIFORNIA AS A WHOLE DURING
BLACK HISTORY MONTH AND
THROUGHOUT THE REST OF THE YEAR.
I ENCOURAGE ALL OF US TO
CONTINUE TO EDUCATE OURSELVES ON
THE HISTORY OF AFRICAN AMERICANS
AND THE IMPORTANT CONTRIBUTIONS
THEY HAVE MADE TO OUR SOCIETY,
ESPECIALLY HERE IN CALIFORNIA,
THERE WILL BE A RECEPTION FOR
THE HONOREES IN THE EUREKA ROOM
IN THE BASEMENT OF THE CAPITOL
BUILDING. PLEASE JOIN IN THE
CELEBRATION AND GET A CHANCE TO
MEET THESE COMMUNITY LEADERS AND
I ALSO JUST WANT TO POINT OUT
THE GREAT EDUCATIONAL MATERIAL
THAT WE RECEIVED ON OUR DESKS
AND SAY, THANK YOU VERY MUCH, UH
, FOR THAT, AND, UH, AND THANK
YOU AGAIN FOR THE GREAT
RECOGNITION FROM OUR SENATORS.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU, SENATOR
JONES. SENATOR BRADFORD SENATOR
SMALLWOOD CUEVAS. THANK YOU VERY
MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION
MEMBERS. YOU'RE INVITED TO JOIN
A GROUP PHOTOGRAPH NOW IN THE
BACK OF THE CHAMBERS. MEMBERS
WOULD LIKE TO PARTICIPATE IN A
GROUP PHOTOGRAPH.
ALL RIGHT, MEMBERS. THANKS FOR
YOUR ATTENTION THIS AFTERNOON.
WE'RE GOING TO MOVE NOW TO FILE
ITEM NUMBER, 10. WE'RE GONNA
HAVE ANOTHER READING OF IT. SO
JUST STAY TUNED. UH, CAN I GET
EVERYBODY'S ATTENTION, PLEASE?
FILE ITEM NUMBER. 10 SECRETARY.
PLEASE READ. CYNIC CONCURRENT
RESOLUTION 107 BY SENATOR SMALL
CUEVAS RELATIVE TO BLACK HISTORY
MONTH SENATOR SMALLWOOD CUEVAS
AT THE MAJORITY LEADER'S DESK.
THANK YOU, MISTER PRESIDENT
AGAIN. GOOD AFTERNOON COLLEAGUES
. I RISE TO PRESENT RESOLUTION
S¼ èC R 107 THAT RECOGNIZES
FEBRUARY 2024 AS BLACK HISTORY
MONTH AND THE MONUMENTAL IMPACT
THAT BLACK AMERICANS HAVE MADE
AND CONTINUE TO MAKE IN THIS
COUNTRY AND IN THIS GREAT STATE
BLACK HISTORY MONTH IS A
CELEBRATION OF THE RICH HERITAGE
AND INDOMITABLE SPIRIT OF BLACK
AMERICANS AND A RECOGNITION OF
OUR PROFOUND CONTRIBUTIONS TO
BUILDING THIS COUNTRY AS LEADERS
AMONG NATIONS AND THE LARGEST
ECONOMY IN THE WORLD. BEGINNING
IN 1619 WHEN 55 MILLION AFRICAN
MEN, WOMEN AND CHILDREN WERE
FIRST BROUGHT TO AMERICA, NOT AS
IMMIGRANTS BUT AS SLAVES.
AGAINST THEIR WILL. WITH THE
MAJORITY, LOSING THEIR LIVES
ACROSS THE GRUESOME MIDDLE
PASSAGE. THE FREE LABOR OF
ENSLAVED BLACK AMERICANS WAS F
FUNDAMENTAL TO THIS COUNTRY,
CONTRIBUTING TO WHAT SCHOLARS
ESTIMATE TO BE VALUED AT MORE
THAN $20 TRILLION, BUT THERE IS
NÓ PRICE TAG. FOR THE
GENERATIONAL FREEDOM MOVEMENT.
CONTRIBUTIONS THAT HAVE BEEN LED
BY BLACK PEOPLE TO THIS COUNTRY
THROUGHOUT CENTURIES, OUR BLOOD,
SWEAT AND TEARS FROM MOVEMENTS
OF EMANCIPATION. BY GREAT
LEADERS AS FREDERICK DOUGLASS.
TO THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT OF
A PHILIP RANDOLPH. DR KING. THE
BLACK POWER MOVEMENT OF MALCOLM
X AND ANGELA DAVIS TO THE
ELECTION OF PRESIDENT BARACK
OBAMA AND THE RESURGENCE OF
BLACK MASS MOVEMENTS OF BLACK
LIVES MATTER. BLACK COMMUNITIES
CONTINUE TO REMIND CALIFORNIA
AND AMERICA OF OUR
CONSTITUTIONAL IDEALS. THE TRUE
MEANING OF LIFE, LIBERTY AND
JUSTICE FOR ALL. I WOULDN'T WANT
TO IMAGINE AMERICA WITHOUT THESE
MORAL VANGUARDS. WITHOUT GOOD
AMERICAN ALLIES STANDING WITH
BLACK AMERICANS WORKING TO
DISRUPT BIGOTRY, HATRED AND
GREED. WE CAN ONLY IMAGINE WHAT
OUR COUNTRY COULD HAVE BEEN HAD
ALL BLACK PEOPLE. BEEN FREE.
FROM THE BEGINNING. BEEN TREATED
AS FULL HUMAN BEINGS WITH FULL
CITIZENSHIP. IN THIS STATE AND
IN THIS COUNTRY. BUT INSTEAD WE
CONTINUE TO MANAGE THE CRISIS OF
DISCRIMINATION AND OPPRESSION
SYSTEM SOAKED IN THE BLOODS OF
SLAVES THAT CONTINUES TO PRODUCE
DISPARATE OUTCOMES FOR BLACK
FAMILIES IN THE AREAS OF INCOME,
HOUSING, HOMELESSNESS, MATERNAL
HEALTH, FOOD, ACCESS, EDUCATION
AND LIFE EXPECTANCY. THE
ULTIMATE WEALTH GAP. THESE ARE
ALL RESULTS OF 250. YEARS OF
SLAVERY. 90 YEARS OF JIM CROW 60
YEARS OF SEPARATE BUT EQUAL 35
YEARS OF RACIST HOUSING POLICIES
AND AN ENDURING STATE VIOLENCE
AT THE HANDS OF POLICE. STILL,
BLACK PEOPLE HAVE CONTINUED TO
PERSEVERE IN THIS COUNTRY. BUT
THE ROBUSTNESS OF BLACK
RESILIENCE EMBODIED IN THE
BRILLIANCE. A BLACK MUSIC AND
FOOD AND ART AND LANGUAGE AND
DRESS AND DANCE AND LAUGHTER,
THE BLACK JOY IT'S BEEN OPENLY
EMBRACED BY ALL AMERICANS AND
EXPORTED AROUND THE WORLD, BUT
THAT CELEBRATION OF BLACK
CULTURE DOES NOT REPAIR THE HARM
AND CAN NEVER BE MISTAKEN FOR
THE RESTITUTION. AND FOR
EQUALITY. RICH CULTURE IS A
BY-PRODUCT OF COLLECTIVE PAIN.
PRODUCE FROM GENERATIONS OF
BLACK PEOPLE WHO WERE ENSLAVED
LONGER THAN WE HAVE BEEN FREE IN
THIS COUNTRY. BLACK HISTORY
MONTH IS ALSO A TIME TO
ACKNOWLEDGE THE SCORES OF BLACK
AMERICAN PIONEERS. OF COURSE,
WHO'S BUILDING BRILLIANT
INVENTIONS AND INNOVATIONS
DESIGNED EVERYTHING FROM THE
TRAFFIC SIGNAL TO THE CELL PHONE
TO THE BLOOD PLASMA BAGS, AND
THE GRATITUDE OF HENRIETTA LACKS
THE MOTHER OF FIVE WHOSE
CERVICAL CANCER CELLS WERE
HARVESTED AS THE SOURCE OF
NUMEROUS MEDICAL BREAKTHROUGHS,
SAVING COUNTLESS LIVES
WORLDWIDE. DURING BLACK HISTORY
MONTH. WE MUST ACKNOWLEDGE AND
LEARN FROM OUR PAST IN ORDER TO
WORK TOWARDS SHAPING A MORE
EQUITABLE AND INCLUSIVE
CALIFORNIA FOR ALL IN 2024
COLLEAGUES, MARCH CALIFORNIA'S
NEWEST CHAPTER WE WILL MAKE
BLACK HISTORY. WITH THE
COMPLETION OF OUR REPARATION
TASK FORCE, 1100 PAGE REPORT.
WHICH I KNOW YOU ALL HAVE
RECEIVED AND I HOPE THAT YOU ALL
ARE WORKING YOUR WAY THROUGH.
AND I KNOW MY COLLEAGUES ARE
GOING TO BE WORKING WITH ALL OF
YOU TO ENSURE THAT THERE ARE
OPPORTUNITIES FOR EDUCATION AND
UNDERSTANDING AND HANDS ON
LEARNING ABOUT THE HISTORY OF
SLAVERY AND ITS IMPACT ON
CALIFORNIA. IN FACT, THE
ASSEMBLY ACKNOWLEDGED THE
REPORT. TODAY UM AND WE DID TWO
AND JUDICIARY IN THE FORM OF AN
ACKNOWLEDGMENT AND IT DID PASS.
UH, THE ASSEMBLY FLOOR TODAY AND
WE WILL HEAR THAT
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT ON THURSDAY. I
WANT TO CLOSE BY SAYING THAT TA
NEHISI COATS A GREAT WRITER.
WROTE UNTIL WE RECONCILE WITH
OUR COMPOUNDING MORAL DEBTS,
AMERICA WILL NEVER BE WHOLE. AND
MOST CALIFORNIANS AGREE THAT THE
IMPACT OF SLAVERY CONTINUES TO
BE FELT TODAY AND THAT SOMETHING
MUST BE DONE. AND THAT'S WHERE
WE COME IN. CREATING SMART
POLICIES TO INCREASE HOME
OWNERSHIP. REDUCE POVERTY,
IMPROVE HEALTH, OPTIMIZE
EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES AND
SUPPORT BLACK BUSINESSES AS KEY
PARTS OF CREATING A BETTER
FUTURE, NOT JUST FOR BLACK
PEOPLE, BUT FOR ALL OF US. ONLY
THEN WILL CALIFORNIA LEAD THE
WAY TO FINALLY HEALING THE SOUL
OF THIS NATION. REPARATIONS IS
AN ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF THE SOCIAL
AND ECONOMIC DISPARITIES THAT
PERSIST DUE TO CENTURIES OF
SLAVERY AND SEGREGATION IS
SYSTEMIC RACISM. THESE SYSTEMS
HAVE CREATED THIS WEALTH GAP,
WHICH WE SPOKE ABOUT EARLIER AND
JUST LIKE ANY UNCHECKED DISEASE.
THIS FESTERING INEQUALITY. HAS
NOW BEGUN TO MOVE BEYOND THE RED
LINE BLACK NEIGHBORHOODS. IT'S
BEGINNING TO WEAKEN ALL OF OUR
COMMUNITIES BECAUSE WE HAVE
ALLOWED IT TO PERSIST FOR SO
LONG AS IT STANDS NOW. FAR TOO
MANY BLACK FAMILIES ARE
DROWNING. IN CRISIS LEVEL
DISPARITIES. WE MUST DEAL WITH
THE SOURCE OF THIS INEQUALITY
AND DISPARITY TO BEGIN CLOSING.
THESE GAPS. THE WEALTH GAP. AND
WHAT WEALTH IS. IT'S NOT ASSETS
AND DEBTS. IT'S A WHOLE
CUMULATION OF EXPERIENCE OF LIFE
THAT SO MANY BLACK FAMILIES
NEVER GOT TO EXPERIENCE. FAIR
ACCESS TO FAMILY SUSTAINING
EMPLOYMENT, HEALTH CARE FOOD.
WATER AND HOUSING AND EDUCATION
WHEN FAMILIES ARE DENIED
OPPORTUNITIES. AND ESSENTIAL
NEEDS FOR 400 YEARS, EQUALING
DOZENS OF GENERATIONS WE MUST
ACT, AND THAT'S WHY TODAY'S
RESOLUTION IS SO POIGNANT AND
SIGNIFIC. BECAUSE THROUGH OUR
COLLECTIVE WORK AND REPARATIONS,
WE WILL FACE THE TRUTH ABOUT THE
RACIAL WEALTH GAP AND BUILD A
STRONGER FUTURE FOR CALIFORNIA,
AND I'LL CLOSE WITH JAMES
BALDWIN, ONE OF MY FAVORITE
WRITERS, WE CANNOT FIX WHAT WE
WILL NOT FACE. AS WE COMMEMORATE
BLACK HISTORY MONTH LET US BE
CALLED TO ACTION TO ENSURE THAT
ENORMOUS CONTRIBUTIONS OF BLACK
AMERICANS AND THE UGLY
INSTITUTIONAL INJUSTICES. OF
SLAVERY THAT STILL PERSISTS, BE
OUR INSPIRATION AND MOTIVATION
TO STRENGTHEN OUR BACKS. TO DO
THE COURAGEOUS WORKS IT TAKES TO
BRING CALIFORNIA TO HIGHER
GROUND THIS YEAR AND FOR MANY
YEARS TO THE FUTURE, AND THANK
YOU. I RESPECTFULLY CALL FOR
YOUR I VOTE. THANK YOU, SENATOR
SMALLWOOD CUEVAS. WE'RE GOING TO
MOVE NEXT TO DISCUSSION ON THE
RESOLUTION. I SEE MICROPHONES UP
FROM SENATOR BECKER, SENATOR
HURTADO, SENATOR BECKER. I THANK
YOU, MR PRESIDENT. I RISE TODAY
ON BEHALF OF THE CALIFORNIA
LEGISLATIVE JEWISH CAUCUS AS
VICE CHAIR IN SUPPORT OF S¼ èC
R 107. I WANNA THANK, UH, FIRST
THANK MY COLLEAGUE FROM LOS
ANGELES FOR HER POWERFUL WORDS
AND HER WORDS ABOUT, UM, THE
TRAUMA OF THAT HISTORY AND ABOUT
THE WEALTH GAP AND ABOUT THE
COMPREHENSIVE SOLUTIONS THAT ARE
IN FRONT OF US. SO THANK YOU.
UH, I WANTED TO TOUCH ON TWO
THINGS. BUT FIRST ACKNOWLEDGE
BLACK HISTORY MONTH IS A
CELEBRATION OF BLACK HISTORY AND
A REMINDER THAT BLACK HISTORY IS
AMERICAN HISTORY. AND DURING
THIS MONTH WE A REMINDER WE MUST
RECOMMIT OURSELVES. NOT ONLY
JUST FOR THIS MONTH, BUT ALL
TIMES TO LEARNING ABOUT AND
HONORING THE BLACK EXPERIENCE IN
THE U S¼ AND IN CALIFORNIA. AND
PART OF THAT IS TO ACKNOWLEDGE
THAT WE NEED INSTITUTIONS TO
PRESERVE AND TEACH SOCIETY ABOUT
THE RICH CONTRIBUTIONS OF BLACK
HISTORY. IN MY DISTRICT. WE'VE
HAD THIS INCREDIBLE COLLECTION.
UH, THE DOMINIQUE HOSKINS BLACK
HISTORY MUSEUM AND LEARNING
CENTER. AND THIS WAS A WOMAN
WHO, OVER 25 YEARS HAD MASSED
THIS INCREDIBLE COLLECTION ABOUT
THE BROAD SWATH OF BLACK HISTORY
, SOME OF WHICH MY COLLEAGUE
SPOKE ABOUT. BUT FOR 25 YEARS,
IT WAS A POP UP, WHICH MEANS
THAT EVERY YEAR IT WOULD COME
OUT FOR BLACK HISTORY MONTH AND
THEN SOMEHOW, AMAZINGLY, SHE
WOULD IT WOULD SHE PACK IT UP,
AND IT WOULD SIT IN A WAREHOUSE
FOR 11 MONTHS, AND THEN SHE'D
BRING IT BACK OUT. UM, AND NOW
THANK TO THE FINANCIAL SUPPORT
FROM THE STATE LAST YEAR. THE
DEDICATION OF ITS EXECUTIVE
DIRECTOR, THE MUSEUM IS NOW ON
TRACK FOR A PERMANENT HOME. AND
UH, WE HAD AN EVENT LAST FRIDAY
22,000 SQUARE FEET IN ALL ITS
GLORY OF BLACK HISTORY AND AGAIN
, PARTS THAT YOU MET WITH IN
CUBA. COME IN. THEY LEARN. I
LEARN AS A HISTORY MAJOR ABOUT
THE INVENTORS ABOUT THE HISTORY
ABOUT THE CULTURE ABOUT THE
ACTIVISTS, AND IT'S JUST A
PHENOMENAL, UH, INSTITUTION AND
THE KIND OF THING WE NEED MORE
OF UM I JUST WANT TO COMMENT
THAT BLACK. HIS BLACK
COMMUNITIES ALWAYS LED THE WAY
ON CIVIL RIGHTS AND CONTINUES TO
AND THERE'S ALWAYS BEEN A LONG
STANDING HISTORY AND PARTNERSHIP
BETWEEN THE BLACK COMMUNITY AND
THE JEWISH COMMUNITY, AND
PERHAPS THE MOST RECENT AND
VISIBLE EXAMPLE OCCURRED WHEN DR
CLARENCE JONES, MARTIN LUTHER
KING, JUNIOR'S FORMER LAWYER AND
ADVISOR, WAS FEATURED IN A SUPER
BOWL COMMERCIAL ABOUT ANTI
SEMITISM. AND WHEN ASKED WHY, HE
WROTE IN THE SAN FRANCISCO
CHRONICLE ON FEBRUARY 15TH. HE
SAID. EVERY TIME WE HELD A
DEMONSTRATION IN THE CIVIL
RIGHTS MOVEMENT. I SPEAK TO THE
WHITE FOLKS WHO JOINED US. THEY
WERE ALWAYS SOME I'D ASK. WHY
ARE YOU HERE WITH US? I GOT THE
SAME RESPONSE. WELL, ATTORNEY
JONES. I'M OUT HERE WITH YOU AND
DR KING BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT MY
GRANDMA AND GRANDPA WOULD WANT
ME TO DO. I DIDN'T UNDERSTAND.
WHAT DO THEIR GRANDPARENTS HAVE
TO DO WITH IT? MY GRANDPARENTS
DIED IN THE HOLOCAUST. THEY'D
SAY SO. THEY CAN'T BE HERE. BUT
WE KNOW THEY'D WANT US TO BE SO
IN THAT SUPER BOWL AD DOCTOR,
JONES SAID. WHEN WE STAND UP TO
SILENCE, WE STAND UP TO ALL
HATE. I'M PROUD OF THE
PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN OUR
COMMUNITIES CONTINUES TODAY. AND
THAT WE MUST ANSWER THE NEED TO
CONTINUE AND NURTURE THIS
RELATIONSHIP. THIS MONTH, AND
EVERY MONTH WE CELEBRATE THE
CONTRIBUTIONS OF OUR BLACK
BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN
CALIFORNIA AND TO THE LARGER
WORLD AND HONOR THEIR STORIES,
STRUGGLES AND TRIUMPHS. ASK FOR
YOUR SUPPORT OF S¼ èC R ONE Ó
SEVEN. THANK YOU, SENATOR BECKER
. NEXT UP IS SENATOR HURTADO,
FOLLOWED BY SENATOR ASHBY AND
SENATOR WAHAB SENATOR HURT ON
THE FLOOR IS YOURS. THANK YOU,
MR PRESIDENT. ON BEHALF OF THE
LATINO CAUCUS. IT IS MY HONOR TO
RISE TODAY. IN STRONG SUPPORT OF
FC R 107 BLACK HISTORY MONTH IS
AN IMPORTANT TIME FOR US TO
CELEBRATE BLACK EXCELLENCE AND
TO REFLECT ON THE EXTRAORDINARY
TALENTS, ACHIEVEMENTS AND
CONTRIBUTIONS OF AFRICAN
AMERICANS TO OUR COUNTRY. INDEED
GENERATIONS OF AFRICAN AMERICANS
THROUGH WORDS, SACRIFICE AND
ACTIONS HAVE MADE IMMEASURABLE
CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE SUCCESS AND
PROSPERITY OF OUR STATE AND OUR
NATION. THE STRUGGLES OF MANY
BLACK AMERICANS HAS ALSO
BENEFITED AND INFLUENCED MEMBERS
OF THE LATINO COMMUNITY. FOR
INSTANCE, THE VITAL WORK
PERFORMED BY DOCTOR MARTIN
LUTHER KING JR AND HIS
COMMITMENT TO NONVIOLENCE
INSPIRED MANY FUTURE POLITICAL
ACTIVISTS TO SEEK SOCIAL SOCIAL
CHANGE. AMONG THOSE INFLUENCED
BY DR KING WAS A YOUNG CESAR
CHÁVEZ, WHO WOULD ALSO ACHIEVE
POLITICAL SUCCESS FOR FARM
WORKERS THROUGH NONVIOLENT
MEANS. AND I WANT TO GIVE
ANOTHER PERSONAL EXAMPLE AND
THAT'S OF MY FATHER. MANY OF YOU
KNOW, HE IMMIGRATED TO THIS
COUNTRY FROM MEXICO AND GROWING
UP AS A AS A YOUNG GIRL. ONE OF
THE THINGS THAT HE WOULD OFTEN
TELL ME WAS I HAVE A DREAM. OVER
AND OVER. HE KEPT REPEATING THIS
OVER AND OVER TO ME. GROWING UP,
AND FOR A LONG TIME, I DIDN'T
KNOW. BUT OF COURSE, WHEN I
STARTED SCHOOL, WE STARTED
LEARNING A LITTLE BIT MORE.
ABOUT THIS. FAMOUS SPEECH THE
IMPORTANCE OF IT. AND THE SPEECH
REALLY SERVED AS AN INSPIRATION
FOR MY FATHER AS AN IMMIGRANT TO
THIS COUNTRY AS SOMEONE THAT
WORKED IN THE AGRICULTURE
INDUSTRY AND FOR A VERY LONG
TIME. AND STILL TO THIS DAY, UM,
SERVES AS INSPIRATION AND HOPE
NOT JUST FOR ME, NOT JUST FOR MY
FATHER. BUT FOR MANY LATINOS
ACROSS THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA
AND BEYOND. MEMBERS I PLEASE
JOIN ME IN SUPPORTING THIS
IMPORTANT RESOLUTION AND BY
EXTENSION, HONORING ALL THOSE
WHO HELPED WEAVE THIS
EXTRAORDINARY HISTORICAL
TAPESTRY WE CALL AMERICA. THE
LATINO COMMUNITY IS GRATEFUL FOR
SUCH LEADERSHIP, INSPIRATION AND
SUPPORT ON BEHALF OF LATINO
CAUCUS. I EXTEND OUR THANKS TO
THE AUTHOR AND THE LEGISLATIVE
BLACK CAUCUS FOR ITS LEADERSHIP
AND WORK ON THIS IMPORTANT
RESOLUTION. THANK YOU, SENATOR
HURTADO. NEXT UP SENATOR ASHBY,
FOLLOWED BY SENATOR WAHAB,
SENATOR ASHBY. THANK YOU, MR
PRESIDENT. TODAY I RISE ON
BEHALF OF THE CALIFORNIA
LEGISLATIVE WOMEN'S CAUCUS IN
SUPPORT OF S¼ èC R 107 WHEN THE
WOMEN'S CAUCUS REACHED OUT ABOUT
SPEAKING IN SUPPORT OF THIS
RESOLUTION, THEY SHARED AN
INTERESTING STATISTIC. THAT
BRINGS ME TREMENDOUS PRIDE NOT
ONLY AS THE SENATOR FOR
SACRAMENTO BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY,
AS A PERSON WHO CHOSE TO MAKE
THIS CITY MY HOME. THERE ARE 18
FEMALE SENATORS IN THE
LEGISLATIVE WOMEN'S CAUCUS. OF
THOSE 18 DISTRICTS REPRESENTED
BY WOMEN IN THIS CHAMBER, ONLY
TWO HAVE A HIGHER POPULATION OF
BLACK CONSTITUENTS THAN
SACRAMENTO. THE SENATOR FROM LOS
ANGELES WHO IS ALSO NOTABLY
PRESENTING TODAY'S RESOLUTION.
AND THE SENATOR FROM BERKELEY
WHO CHAIRS THE WOMEN'S CAUCUS.
LET ME START BY SAYING WHAT AN
HONOR. IT IS TO BE INCLUDED WITH
THOSE TWO AMAZING COLLEAGUES IN
SUCH AN IMPORTANT AND PROFOUND
WAY. èC R 107 RECOGNIZES
FEBRUARY AS BLACK HISTORY MONTH
AND URGES US ALL TO CELEBRATE
THE MANY ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND
CONTRIBUTIONS THAT AFRICAN
AMERICANS HAVE HAD IN OUR
COMMUNITIES. THERE ARE MANY
BLACK WOMEN IN CALIFORNIA WHO
ARE TRAILBLAZERS. I'D LIKE TO
TAKE A MOMENT TO TALK ABOUT TWO
FROM SENATE-DISTRICT EIGHT IN
1974, FLOSSIE CRUMP AND FELICIA
ALLEN BECAME NOT ONLY THE FIRST
TWO BLACK WOMEN, BUT THE FIRST
TWO WOMEN OF ANY RACE TO BE BORN
IN AS PATROL OFFICERS IN THE
GREATER SACRAMENTO REGION.
FELICIA ALLEN SERVED 16 YEARS
WITH THE SACRAMENTO POLICE
DEPARTMENT. SHE DIDN'T INTEND ON
BEING A POLICE OFFICER, BUT SHE
NEEDED A PART TIME JOB AND
LEARNED THE DEPARTMENT WAS
HIRING. SHE WAS TOLD THEY WOULD
NOT HIRE A WOMAN SO SHE SHOULD
MARK EVERY BOX ON THE
APPLICATION. IMAGINE HER
SURPRISE WHEN THEY ACTUALLY
HIRED HER TO BE A POLICE
OFFICER. FLOSSY CRUMPS JOURNEY
STARTED MUCH DIFFERENTLY. WHEN
FLOSSIE WAS A CHILD WHILE
WALKING BEHIND HER MOTHER AND
SISTERS IN HER COMMUNITY. SHE
WAS KIDNAPPED. SHE RECOUNTS
FIGHTING HER CAPTOR NONSTOP,
EVENTUALLY BITING HIS LEG AND
ESCAPING WITH HER LIFE. WHEN SHE
REUNITED WITH HER FAMILY. SHE
REMEMBERS HER MOM DECIDING IT
MIGHT BE BEST NOT TO INVOLVE THE
POLICE. BECAUSE SHE FEARED
PUTTING HER YOUNG DAUGHTER
THROUGH ADDITIONAL TRAUMA WHEN
NÓ ONE WOULD BELIEVE THAT A
WHITE MAN KIDNAPPED A LITTLE
BLACK GIRL ANYWAY. A FEW WEEKS
LATER, FLOSSIE AND HER MOTHER
SAW ON THE NEWS THAT THE SAME
MAN HAD KIDNAPPED, BEATEN AND
RAPED ANOTHER YOUNG GIRL. THOSE
CHILDHOOD EXPERIENCES LED FOSSE
TO BECOME A SACRAMENTO POLICE
OFFICER AND EVENTUALLY A
HOMICIDE DETECTIVE. FLOSSIE
SERVED 25 YEARS WITH THE
DEPARTMENT AND HELD THE HIGHEST
STANDARD OF INTEGRITY,
COMPASSION, SOMETHING SHE'S
KNOWN FOR TO THIS DAY. BOTH
FLOSSIE AND FELICIA FACED
EXTRAORDINARY DISCRIMINATION
THROUGHOUT THEIR CAREERS. BUT
BOTH WERE DRIVEN BY A DESIRE TO
BREAK GENDER AND RACIAL BARRIERS
AND TO BE PRESENT FOR A
COMMUNITY PREVIOUSLY
UNREPRESENTED IN THAT SPACE.
NOTABLY THEIR STORY WAS LARGELY
UNTOLD. UNTIL JUST A FEW YEARS
AGO WHEN SACRAMENTO'S FIRST
BLACK POLICE CHIEF DANIEL HAHN,
MADE IT HIS PERSONAL MISSION TO
SHARE THE AMAZING
ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF THESE TWO
WOMEN. IN FACT, SACRAMENTO'S
POLICE HEADQUARTERS IS NOW NAMED
IN THEIR HONOR. JOINING US TODAY
IN CELEBRATION OF BLACK HISTORY
MONTH IN OUR GALLERY IS RETIRED
SACRAMENTO HOMICIDE DETECTIVE
FLOSSY CRUMP. I'D LIKE TO THANK
THE SENATOR FROM LOS ANGELES FOR
BRINGING THIS RESOLUTION FORWARD
TODAY AND FOR ALLOWING ME TO
SHARE THE STORY OF TWO AMAZING
BLACK WOMEN. I KNOW WHO BROKE
GLASS CEILINGS AND ON BEHALF OF
THE LEGISLATIVE WOMEN'S CAUCUS,
I URGE AND I VOTE ON S¼ èC R
ONE Ó SEVEN. THANK YOU, SENATOR
ASHBY. AND WELCOME TO YOUR
GUEST. TO TURN NEXT TO SENATOR
WAHAB. THANK YOU, PRESIDENT AND
MEMBERS ON BEHALF OF THE ASIAN
AMERICAN AND PACIFIC ISLANDER
LEGISLATIVE CAUCUS. I RISE IN
SUPPORT OF S¼ èC R 107 TO
RECOGNIZE FEBRUARY 2024 AS BLACK
HISTORY MONTH BLACK HISTORY
MONTH PAYS TRIBUTE TO THE
TRIUMPHS AND STRUGGLES OF THE
AFRICAN AMERICAN COMMUNITY SINCE
1976. EVERY U S¼ PRESIDENT HAS
OFFICIALLY RECOGNIZED THE MONTH
OF FEBRUARY AS BLACK HISTORY
MONTH AND ENDORSED A YEARLY
THEME. THIS YEAR'S THEME.
AFRICAN AMERICANS IN THE ARTS
SEEKS TO CELEBRATE THE VIBRANT
ACHIEVEMENTS OF BLACK AMERICANS
AND OTHERS OF AFRICAN DESCENT.
WITHIN FIELDS OF VISUAL AND
PERFORMING ARTS, LITERATURE,
FASHION LANGUAGE, FILM, MUSIC,
ARCHITECTURE AND CUISINE.
ARTISTIC MOVEMENTS SUCH AS BLACK
RENAISSANCE HIP HOP AND
AFROFUTURISM HAVE EXPRESSED THE
RESILIENCE AND CREATIVITY OF THE
BLACK COMMUNITY IN WAYS THAT
ENRICH AMERICAN CULTURE AS WE
KNOW IT. WE SAY TODAY? BLACK
HISTORY IS AMERICAN HISTORY. I
ALSO WANT TO ADD THAT EVERY
SINGLE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT IN
THE UNITED STATES IS BASED ON
THE BLACK CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT.
IT IS OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO
LEARN ABOUT BLACK HISTORY AND TO
JOIN THE COMMUNITY IN PROMOTING
EQUITY FOR ALL CALIFORNIANS, AND
I ASK THAT YOU JOIN ME IN
SUPPORTING S¼ R ONE Ó SEVEN.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU, SENATOR.
NEXT UP ON THIS RESOLUTION,
SENATOR BRADFORD. THANK YOU, MR
PRESIDENT AND AS VICE CHAIR OF
THE LEGISLATIVE BLACK CAUCUS, I
STAND IN STRONG SUPPORT. OF S¼
ER ONE Ó, SEVEN, WHICH
RECOGNIZES BLACK HISTORY MONTH.
BUT AS A FEW OF MY COLLEAGUES
HAVE STATED, WE'RE REALLY
RECOGNIZING AMERICAN HISTORY
MONTH. WE'RE RECOGNIZING WORLD
HISTORY BECAUSE WE WOULDN'T BE
WHO WE ARE TODAY IF IT WASN'T
FOR THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF THE
AFRICAN AMERICAN DOCTOR WEB DU
BOIS. CIVIL RIGHTS LEADER
EDUCATOR THE FIRST BLACK TO
GRADUATE FROM HARVARD AND THE
FOUNDER OF THE N, A. A èC P
OFTEN POSED THE QUESTION. WHAT
AMERICA BE AMERICA. BE IT NOT
FOR THE. AND IF WE'RE HONEST
WITH OURSELVES, IT WOULD BE A
RESOUNDING NÓ. OUR GREAT COUNTRY
WOULD NOT BE WHAT WE ARE TODAY
WITHOUT THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF
AFRICAN AMERICANS. CONTRIBUTIONS
IN ALL FIELDS, NOT JUST
ENTERTAINMENT AND SPORTS. BUT IN
BUSINESS IN SCIENCE, EDUCATION
AND MEDICINE, MANY ARE PROBABLY
UNAWARE. DOCTOR DANIEL HALE
WILLIAMS, THE FIRST AFRICAN
AMERICAN TO EVER PERFORM OPEN
HEART SURGERY IN THIS COUNTRY.
UH, THE FIRST ENVIRONMENTALIST
WEREN'T RICH FOLKS IN THE
SUBURBS. IT WAS A SLAVE. IT WAS
GEORGE WASHINGTON CARVER, WHO
EDUCATED FARMERS AND THE BENEFIT
OF CROP ROTATION TO PUT
NUTRIENTS BACK IN THE FIELD. AND
CLOTHING. PIECE OF CLOTHING. WE
ALL HAVE WORN JEANS. IT'S SOME
MEMBERS WHO SHOULD WEAR JEANS ON
THE FLOOR. AND EVERYBODY GETS
ATTRIBUTES THAT TO LEVI STRAUSS
BUT IF WE KNEW THE HISTORY THE
DENIM FABRIC CAME FROM AFRICA.
AND IT WASN'T BLUE. IT WAS GREEN
WHEN IT WAS BROUGHT HERE, AND
THEY INCORPORATED THAT. BUT
BLACK CULTURE DID AND I'M IN
SPORTS ANYWAY, BUT AND, UM.
BLACK CULTURE STORIES AND
TRIUMPHS ARE THE CORE OF WHO WE
ARE AS A NATION. PLEASE KNOW
THAT AMERICA HAS STOLEN AN IMPRO
MISAPPROPRIATED MORE THAN
AFRICAN AMERICANS HAVE EVER
BURNED AND LOOTED IN THIS
COUNTRY. THIS YEAR. BLACK
HISTORY FOCUSES ON AFRICAN
AMERICANS AND ART. LOOKING AT
THE IMPACT THAT BLACK ARTISTS,
POETS, WRITERS, MUSICIANS AND
DANCERS HAVE MADE THROUGH THEIR
CRAFTS. MANY OF THESE ARTISTS
HAVE USED THEIR TALENTS TO SERVE
AS A CATALYST FOR JUSTICE AND
SPEAK THE TRUTH TO POWER AND TO
INSPIRE NATION PEOPLE LIKE PAUL
ROBESON. A CLASSICALLY TRAINED.
ARTISTS, ACTOR ATHLETE. HARRY
BELAFONTE. SIDNEY POITIER. SAMMY
DAVIS JUNIOR. LENA HORNE. ADDIE
MCDANIELS, THE FIRST AFRICAN
AMERICAN WOMAN. TO WIN AN OSCAR,
DESPITE THE FACT THAT SHE HAD TO
SIT IN THE KITCHEN AND NOT IN
THE ROOM WHEN HER NAME WAS
CALLED. OR MAGGIE HATHAWAY, A
NAME THAT MANY PEOPLE PROBABLY
DO NOT KNOW. WAS AN ACTRESS, A
MODEL A SINGER. AND SHE REFUSED
TO PLAY A DEGRADING ROLE IN A
MOVIE SITTING ON A HAY A BELL OF
HAY. I WAS A SLAVE WITH A RAG ON
HER HEAD, AND SHE WAS BOYCOTTED
IN HOLLYWOOD IN THE LATE
FIFTIES. ONLY TO GO ON TO FOUND
THE BEVERLY HILLS HOLLYWOOD N
AA èC P, ONLY TO CREATE THE
IMAGE AWARDS THAT WE HAVE
CELEBRATED ON AN ANNUAL BASIS
AND ALSO WAS A AVID GOLFER WHO
HELPED INTEGRATE L A COUNTY GOLF
IN THE LATE FIFTIES AND EARLY
SIXTIES. AND WE NOW HAVE A GOLF
COURSE IN MY DISTRICT, NAMED
AFTER BAGGY HAVE TO WAIT FOR HER
AMAZING CONTRIBUTIONS, BUT MANY
PEOPLE ARE UNAWARE OF HER STORY.
BUT BLACK ARTISTS HAVE OFTEN
STRUGGLED TO HAVE THEIR WORK
PROPERLY RECOGNIZED. SOME OF THE
ARTISTIC CONTRIBUTIONS HAVE BEEN
MISAPPROPRIATED BY OTHERS, SUCH
AS ROCK AND ROLL. PLEASE NÓ
ELVIS DID NOT INVENT ROCK AND
ROLL. HE ADMIRED LITTLE RICHARD.
AND CHUCK BERRY AND EMULATED
THEIR STYLE AND THEIR SINGING.
SO LET'S GET GIVE CREDIT WHERE
CREDIT IS DUE. BLUES. AGAIN JAZZ
AND THE SAD THING ABOUT MANY OF
THESE JAZZ ARTISTS THEY HAD TO
GO TO EUROPE. IN ASIA. FOR THEIR
MUSIC TO BE APPRECIATED ONLY FOR
IT TO BE APPROPRIATED BACK HERE
IN AMERICA BY ARTISTS THAT
DIDN'T LOOK LIKE THEM. THE
CALIFORNIA IS BEHAVING FOR ARTS
AND THE HOME OF COUNTLESS
VISIONARY BLACK ARTISTS AND
MOVEMENTS. ANOTHER PROMINENT
BLACK ARTIST ARE THE NICHOLAS
BROTHERS. MANY PEOPLE KNOW FRED
ASTAIRE. BUT HOW MANY KNOW FERT
AND HAROLD NICHOLAS, CONSIDERED
PROBABLY THE BEST TAP DANCERS
THAT EVER WALKED THIS EARTH
PLAYED IN SCORES OF MOVIES, THE
MOST TALENTED DUAL, PROBABLY TO
EVER DANCE IN FILM ON STAGE, BUT
MANY FOLKS DON'T KNOW THEIR
STORY. THEY LIVED HERE IN L A
FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS. UM THE
35TH SENATE-DISTRICT, WHICH I
REPRESENT HAS BEEN THE FOREFRONT
OF A LOT OF THOSE CONTRIBUTIONS
IN THE SUMMER OF 1966 JUST ONE
YEAR AFTER THE WATTS CIVIL
UNREST, WHICH HAPPENED IN LOS
ANGELES, LOS ANGELES BLACK
COMMUNITY WA WAS LEFT ON THE
EDGE OF SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC RUIN
, RESONANCE AND ACTIVISTS CAME
TOGETHER TO HOST THE INAUGURAL
INAUGURAL WATTS SUMMER FESTIVAL.
THE FESTIVAL SHINED A LIGHT ON
THIS COMMUNITY AND GAVE A SPACE
FOR BLACK ARTISTS. WRITERS,
MUSICIANS TOGETHER, SHARE THEIR
AND CREATE AND HE. MANY ARE
COLLECTIVES AND ORGANIZATIONS
AROSE IN RESPONSE, INCLUDING THE
WATCH TOWER ART CENTER, THE
COMPTON ARTS ACADEMY. THE WATCH
WRITERS WORKSHOP, THE PAN
AFRICAN FILM FESTIVAL, THE PAN
AFRICAN PEOPLES ORCHESTRA, JUST
TO NAME A FEW A FEW. I'M ALSO
PROUD THAT THE ENTIRE MUSIC
GENRE THAT HAS BECOME KNOWN AS
WEST COAST HIP HOP STARTED IN
THE COMMUNITIES OF COMPTON,
INGLEWOOD, SOUTH L, A LONG BEACH
, THE BAY AREA, OAKLAND AND SAN
FRANCISCO JUST TO NAME YOU. AND
AS MANY KNOW, ART HAS ALWAYS
BEEN A PILLAR OF MY LIFE, SO I'M
EXCITED THAT WE'RE RECOGNIZING
MANY OF THE CONTRIBUTIONS THAT
MANY OF THESE AMAZING ARTISTS,
REC, UH, CREATED THE ARTS HAS
BEEN THE FOUNDATION FOR BLACK
HISTORY AND TO SO MANY OTHER OF
OUR COMMUNITIES, SO I WANNA
THANK MY COLLEAGUE FROM LOS
ANGELES FOR INTRODUCING THIS
RESOLUTION AND BRINGING IT
FORWARD AND I RESPECTFULLY ASK
FOR YOUR I VOTE. THANK YOU,
SENATOR BRADFORD, SENATOR LAIRD.
HM? THANK YOU, MR PRESIDENT, AND
I RISE TO SPEAK, UH, ON BEHALF
OF THE L GB Tð CAUCUS, BUT I
BELIEVE THAT WHEN WE WERE
TALKING ABOUT MARTIN LUTHER KING
, AND THAT DAY WE MADE WHAT I
THINK IS A POINT, UH, THAT
OTHERWISE I WOULD HAVE MADE
TODAY IS THE ROLE OF BAIRD
RUSTIN AND HOW HE WAS INVOLVED
IN THE MONTGOMERY BOYCOTT BUT
COULDN'T BE OUT FRONT OR
COULDN'T BE OUT FRONT. UH, WHEN
HE WAS, UM, ONE OF THE
ORGANIZERS OF THE MARCH ON
WASHINGTON. BUT I THINK THAT
WHAT I'D LIKE TO TALK ABOUT
TODAY A LITTLE BIT IS THAT WE
HAD A RESOLUTION BY THE SAME
AUTHOR EARLIER TODAY IN THE
JUDICIARY COMMITTEE. AND IT HAD
TO DO WITH REDRESS. AND WE HAD A
VERY ANIMATED DISCUSSION AMONG
THE MEMBERS, AND IT REALLY
REFLECTS ON BLACK HISTORY
BECAUSE MANY OF US TALKED ABOUT
OUR HISTORY AND HOW IT
INTERTWINES WITH BLACK HISTORY.
AND IN SUPPORT OF THE RESOLUTION
. UM I MENTIONED THAT I HAD THE
EXPERIENCE OF BEING IN HIGH
SCHOOL. AND IT WAS STILL NOT
ILLEGAL TO DISCRIMINATE IN
CERTAIN PUBLIC ACCOMMODATION. SO
THERE WERE TWO ELKS LODGES IN MY
HOMETOWN. ONE THE DISCRIMINATED
AND ONE THAT DIDN'T THE ELKS
LODGE THAT DISCRIMINATED WAS
100% WHITE. IN NEW YORK'S LODGED
IT DIDN'T DISCRIMINATE WAS ABOUT
98% BLACK. I WON THEIR SPEECH
CONTEST YEARS AFTER YEAR, AND IT
WAS SUCH, UH, A STRANGE THING TO
ME TO UNDERSTAND WHY THAT COULD
EXIST. WHY THERE WOULDN'T BE ONE
WHY EVERYBODY COULDN'T BE OPEN
TO IT. AND THE OTHER THING THAT
I MENTIONED IS THAT WHEN I WAS
IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL YOU COULD
SEE FROM THE PLAY GROUND, A
BLACK NEIGHBORHOOD THAT WAS 45
HOUSES AWAY. AND YET THE
BOUNDARY FOR THE SCHOOLS PASSED
IN THAT SPACE. SO ALL THOSE KIDS
IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD WENT TO
ANOTHER SCHOOL. AND I DIDN'T
FINISH TELLING THE STORY. BUT
THERE WAS ONE KID. THAT CAME TO
MY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL WHO WAS
AFRICAN AMERICAN AND I
BEFRIENDED HIM. WE WENT TO
SUMMER CAMP TOGETHER. YEAH I
THINK I DIDN'T APPRECIATE FULLY
THE BARRIER HE WAS BREAKING. AND
IT WASN'T THE FIRST BARRIER HE
BROKE. UH, BECAUSE HIS A MEMBER
OF THE AWARD-WINNING BAND CAN
FUNCTION AND HE CAME OUT OF
VALEO OF VÀ OF WHICH IS A GREAT
SOURCE OF PRIDE TO US THERE, AND
IT'S JUST IMPORTANT TO NOTE.
THAT WHEN WE TALK ABOUT BLACK
HISTORY, IN MANY WAYS, IT'S OUR
HISTORY. IT'S HOW WE WERE PART
OF IT OR NOT PART OF IT AT THE
RIGHT TIME, AND I THINK IF WE
ARE GOING TO GET TO THE REDRESS
THAT WAS ASKED FOR IN THE
COMMITTEE TODAY, IT IS ONLY
GOING TO BE WHEN WE HAVE THE
FULL RECOGNITION OF THE PART
THAT WE HAVE HAD IN IT, AND
THAT'S WHAT I THINK IS SO
IMPORTANT ABOUT THE DEBATE WE'RE
HAVING FOR THIS RESOLUTION, AND
IT WHY? I AM VERY PLEASED TO
SUPPORT IT. THANK YOU, SENATOR
LAIRD. LIKE TO NOW GIVE THE
FLOOR TO SENATOR MCGUIRE. SO
MUCH, MR PRESIDENT AND MEMBERS
TODAY I JOIN OUR COLLEAGUES IN
SUPPORT OF S¼ R 107. I WANT TO
SAY THANK YOU TO OUR COLLEAGUES
IN THE LEGISLATIVE BLACK CAUCUS
AND RECOGNIZING BLACK HISTORY
MONTH, WHICH IS THE TIME TO
HONOR CONTRIBUTIONS AND
RESILIENCE AND TRIUMPHS OF THE
BLACK COMMUNITY THROUGHOUT OUR
NATION. IT'S ALSO A TIME TO BE
ABLE TO CELEBRATE, CELEBRATE THE
PIVOTAL ROLE IN SHAPING OUR
SOCIETY, OUR CULTURE AND OUR
SUCCESS. AND HERE'S WHAT WE
KNOW. TODAY WE KNOW WHAT THE
WORK OF THE REPARATIONS TASK
FORCE OUR ON EQUITIES IS JUST
BEGINNING. WE KNOW THAT THERE IS
MUCH MORE WORK AHEAD THIS YEAR
IN THE YEARS TO COME. FROM THE
COURAGEOUS ACTIVISTS AND THE
CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT TO THE
TRAILBLAZING LEADERS WHO HAVE
SHATTERED BARRIERS IN EVERY
FIELD IMAGINABLE. THE IMPACT OF
BLACK CALIFORNIANS IS
IMMEASURABLE. I WANNA SAY THANK
YOU, SENATOR SMALL CUEVAS INTO
CENTER BRADFORD FOR THE HARD
WORK AND THEIR DEDICATION. WE
RESPECTFULLY ASK FOR AN I VOTE
ON S¼ èC R ONE Ó SEVEN. THANK
YOU, SENATOR MCGUIRE. LATE
MICROPHONE UP, SENATOR GROVE.
THANK YOU, MR PRESIDENT. I
APOLOGIZE. I UH, SHOULD HAVE
SPOKE BEFORE THE SENATE PRO TEM.
I DO WANT TO, UM, SUPPORT S¼
èC, R ONE AND SEVEN. BUT I WANT
TO FOCUS ON A LOT OF THE
POSITIVE THINGS, ESPECIALLY
THOSE THINGS THAT ARE GOING ON
IN MY DISTRICT WHEN I LOOK AT
MICHAEL BOWERS AS A COMMUNITY
ORGANIZER WHO ACTUALLY HAS ONE
OF THE HIGHEST POSITIONS. UM AS,
UH, AN OFFICER, AN ADVOCATE FOR
ONE OF THE LARGEST MEDICAL
PROVIDERS, AND THEN ALSO, UM,
THE LEADERSHIP ROLE THAT HE
PLAYS IN MAKING SURE THE
COMMUNITY THAT IS IN OUR AREA IS
SPECIFICALLY THE BLACK COMMUNITY
HAS UPWARD MOBILITY IN EVERY
CHANCE POSSIBLE FOR SUCCESS. UM
HIS STORY IS FROM COTTONWOOD.
AND IF YOU KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT
COTTON WOOD IN BAKERSFIELD,
THAT'S ONE OF THE WE USED TO BE
ONE OF THE VERY WORST AREAS THAT
YOU COULD POSSIBLY LIVE, AND HIS
STORY IS FROM COTTONWOOD TO
CONGRESS. AND IT'S AN INCREDIBLE
STORY, AND NOW HE SITS ON THE
BOARD OF LIKE, UH, SOME MAJOR
COUNTRY CLUBS IN OUR AREA, AND
WHEN HE BRINGS THESE OUT RISK
YOU IN THERE, AND HIS PHOTO IS
ON THE BOARD MEMBERS OF THE, UM
èC èC AND OTHER, UH, OTHER
COUNTRY CLUBS. UH, IT IS REALLY
IMPACTFUL TO ME FOR HIM TO BE
ABLE TO DO THAT. UH, TCO
MATTHEWS, UH, APPOINTED BY THE
GOVERNOR FOR THE HEALTH EQUITY
OFFICER, UM, TO MAKE SURE THAT
THERE'S AAA REALLY SUPER GOOD
VOICE ON HEALTH, EQUITY AND
MAKING SURE THAT UM, THAT YOU
KNOW, SOLID VOICES ARE HEARD, UH
JESSICA GRIMES, THE FIRST LADY
OF GOD'S COVENANT CHURCH, UM, ON
OSWELL AND, UM HER WHAT SHE DOES
, AND HER INCREDIBLE STORY IS,
UH, JUST ABSOLUTELY AMAZING, AND
, UM, SHE HAS SO MANY THINGS.
SHE'S ONE OF THE ONES UNDER 40
TO WATCH. SHE'S A CONGA REGIONAL
CASE THROUGH 16 EDUCATIONAL
COLLABORATIVE. SHE WORKS ON STEM
PROGRAMS TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR
STEM AND SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
PROGRAMS GO TO THE NEIGHBORHOODS
SO THAT EVERYBODY HAS THE
OPPORTUNITY FOR SUCCESS. JOVO
DANGERFIELD. SOMEBODY USED TO BE
ASSOCIATED WITH THE N A èC P,
AND NOW HE STARTED A NEW COMPANY
WHERE HE CAN BRING KIDS IN TO
DO. UM UH, UH, MEDIA, SOCIAL
MEDIA AND MEDIA ACTIVITIES AND
STUFF AND THEM ENGAGED IN THE
THINGS THAT THEY'RE REALLY GOOD
AT, BECAUSE YOU KNOW MY
GRANDKIDS OPERATE MY SOCIAL
MEDIA BETTER THAN I DO. AND SO
THIS YOUNGER GENERATION JUST HAS
A HEART FOR THAT, UH, MIKE
JENKINS, A BISHOP IN OUR
COMMUNITY WHO WHO PUTS TOGETHER
CITYWIDE PRAYER MOVEMENTS SO
THAT WE CAN PRAY OVER AREAS, UM,
ACROSS DENOMINATIONAL LINES IN
CHURCH LINES. SO THAT, UM, THAT
ARE HAVING STRUGGLES. YOU KNOW
THOSE THAT ARE IN GANG VIOLENCE.
THOSE THAT ARE HAVING HIGHER
RATES OF CRIME, AND YOU CAN
REALLY SEE THE POWER OF PRAYER
THROUGH BISHOP JENKINS AND HOW
THAT'S CHANGING IN OUR PASTOR
JORDAN, A CHAPLAIN WITH THE
BAKERSVILLE POLICE DEPARTMENT,
AND SOMEBODY WHO WORKS VERY HARD
TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU KNOW,
EVERY KID HAS A BICYCLE AND
EVERYBODY ALWAYS HAS FOOD AND
SENIORS HAVE THIS AND THEY'RE
WORKING VERY, VERY HARD TO MAKE
SURE THAT THAT EQUALITY IS OUT
THERE. BUT IN SUCH A LOVING AND
POSITIVE WAY, I HAVE TO, UH TO,
UM NAISHA KINDRED JOHNSON FROM
UPSIDE PRODUCTIONS AND UPSIDE
ACADEMY SHE INVESTS IN THE NEXT
GENERATION OF YOUTH BLACK YOUTH
SPECIFICALLY, AND SHE DOES SUCH
AN OUTSTANDING JOB THAT PEOPLE
OUR COMMUNITY JUST GIVE HER
MONEY TO BE ABLE TO DISTRIBUTE
TO OTHER NONPROFITS AND THOSE
THAT MAY NOT HAVE ACCESS TO IT
BECAUSE THEY TRUST HER BECAUSE
OF THE RELATIONSHIPS THAT SHE'S
BUILT HER DAUGHTER, KATIE, MARK
MY WORDS, THIS YOUNG LADY WILL
BE SERVING IN THIS LEGISLATIVE
BODY WITHIN THE NEXT 10 YEARS.
SHE IS ONE OF THE MOST
INCREDIBLE YOUNG WOMEN I'VE EVER
MET. SHE'S BARELY GRADUATING
HIGH SCHOOL. YOU GUYS WILL LOVE
HER. SHE'S AN OUT OF THE BOX
THINKER. SHE'S GETTING AWARDS
AFTER AWARDS AFTER AWARDS, AND
SHE CONTINUES TO CLIMB THE
LADDER AND HER GOAL IS TO
REPRESENT THE PEOPLE. THE STATE
OF CALIFORNIA, SO I JUST WANT TO
TOUT THE INDIVIDUALS IN MY
COMMUNITY CELEBRATING BLACK
HISTORY MONTH THAT ARE ACTUALLY
MAKING A DIFFERENCE IN MY
COMMUNITY AND THANK THEM VERY
MUCH FOR THEIR SERVICE TO THE
AREA THAT I REPRESENT. THANK
YOU, SENATOR GROVE. I'LL DEBATE
HAVING CEASED. SENATOR SMALLWOOD
CUEVAS. YOU MAY CLOSE. THANK YOU
, MR PRESIDENT. AND THANK YOU
COLLEAGUES FOR THOSE THOUGHTFUL
AND HEARTFELT UM COMMENTS ABOUT
THIS RESOLUTION, BOTH FROM OUR
COLLEAGUES ACROSS THE ISLAND AND
FELLOW DEMOCRATS AND WITH THAT I
RESPECTFULLY CALL FOR YOUR I
VOTE. SECRETARY. PLEASE CALL THE
ROLL. ALAN AYE, I BROUGHT YOU
ARLO. HØI ASHBY. HØI ATKINS. I
BECKER. AYE, BLAKESPEAR. I,
BRADFORD. I CABALLERO. HØI
CORTEZ. AYE, DALLY. AYE. AYE,
AYE. EGM. AYE, GLASER. HØI
GONZALEZ. I GROWTH. I HURTADO.
AYE, JONES. HØI LAIRD. AYE. THE
MOMENT. I MCGUIRE AYE, MENJIVAR.
AYE MIN. NEWMAN. AYE. WIN. AYE,
NEO. AYE, OCHO. AYE, BUT YOU
PINO. AYE. I RUBIO. I SAY ARE TO
SKINNER. AYE. SMALL. CUEVAS. I
STERN. HIY UMBERG. AYE WILL HAVE
AYE, WIENER. I WILL. PLEASE CALL
THE ABSENT MEMBERS. MEN. THEY
ARE TO WELL. AYE. A VOTE OF 37
TO 0. THE RESOLUTIONS ADOPTED.
ALL RIGHT NOW MEMBERS. WE'RE
MOVING ON NOW TO GOVERNOR'S
APPOINTMENT. WE HAVE TWO ITEMS.
ITEMS ONE AND TWO, SENATOR
GROVE. SHE'S PREPARED THANK YOU.
MR PRESIDENT. COLLEAGUES FILE
ITEM NUMBER ONE IS A
CONFIRMATION OF FORMER ASSEMBLY
MEMBER ADRIN NAZARIAN. UM I
BELIEVE ONE OF THE FOUNDERS OF
THE ARMENIAN CAUCUS AND, UH, HE
USED TO SERVE WITH US IN THE
CALIFORNIA STATE ASSEMBLY PRIOR
TO SERVING IN THE LEGISLATURE.
HE WAS THE CHIEF OF STAFF FOR
AN, UH, IN THE ASSEMBLY AND IN
THE UH, LOS ANGELES CITY COUNCIL
. HE WAS APPROVED BY THE RULES
COMMITTEE ON FEBRUARY 21ST ON A
50 VOTE. I ACTUALLY TOLD HIM
THIS MORNING THERE WOULD BE MUCH
OPPOSITION ON THIS FLOOR. UM AND
THAT HE SHOULD BE PREPARED FOR
THAT. BUT I RESPECTFULLY ASK FOR
AN I VOTE. ANY FURTHER
DISCUSSION OR DEBATE ON THE
APPOINTMENT. ANY DISCUSSION OR
DEBATE HEARING SEEN NONE.
SECRETARY, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL.
ALAN HØI I RATHER G. ARCHULETA.
AYE, ASHBY. AYE, ATKINS. AYE,
BECKER. AYE, BLAKESPEAR. BY
BRADFORD. I CABALLERO. I,
CORTEZ. I DALLY. HØI DODD. I?
THERE ARE HØI EGM. I GLASER. I
GONZALEZ. I GROWTH. IY HURTADO.
I. JONES. AYE, LAIRD. I LEMON, I
MAGUIRE I MENJIVAR I MIN NEWMAN.
I WIN. I NILO I, A CBO. IP HØI
PINO. IW I RUBIO. I SAY ART TO
SKINNER. AYE, SMALL CUEVAS.
STERN. HØI UMBERG. AYE. WELL,
AYE, WIENER. I WILL. HØI. PLEASE
CALL THE ABSENT MEMBERS. ROAD TO
GO. M. THE ARTO. SMALL QUIVERS.
AYE. RIGHT? I 37 KNOWS ZERO. THE
APPOINTMENT IS CONFIRMED.
MEMBERS NOW ARE MOVING BACK TO
PRIVILEGES OF THE FLOOR AND WE
HAVE SOME VERY, VERY SPECIAL
GUEST WHO HAVE JOINED US TODAY.
MANY HAVE SERVED IN THIS
LEGISLATIVE BODY. I WOULD LIKE
TO WELCOME THE L A DELEGATION
LED BY NONE OTHER THAN OUR
FORMER SPEAKER AND MAYOR. NOW
MAYOR AND FORMER CONGRESSWOMAN,
KAREN BASS. COUNCIL PRESIDENT
PAUL KRIKORIAN. COUNCIL MEMBER
HERNANDEZ. COUNCIL MEMBER
RODRIGUEZ. COUNCIL MEMBER, SOTO
MARTINEZ. AND FORMER ASSEMBLYMAN
AND COUNCILMAN BOB BLUMENTHAL.
WELCOME TO THE CALIFORNIA STATE
SENATE. NOW MEMBERS WILL TAKE A
BRIEF PAUSE FOR A GROUP PHOTO.
THOSE WHO WISHING TO TAKE A
PICTURE WITH L A DELEGATION
PLEASE GO BACK NOW.
WILL RECONVENE IN 30 SECONDS.
ALL MEMBERS WERE MOVING THIS
MHM. WE'RE MOVING. TO FILE ITEM
NUMBER TWO ON APPOINTMENTS.
SENATOR GROVE ARE YOU PREPARED?
YES, MR PRESIDENT. THANK YOU,
UH, COLLEAGUES. THIS IS A VERY,
UM IMPORTANT APPOINTMENT. NOT
THAT THEY ALL AREN'T BUT KAREN,
UH, SHINE IS A GENERAL COUNSEL
FOR THE EMPLOYMENT DEVELOPMENT
DEPARTMENT. AND WE ALL HAD
ISSUES WITH E, Dð Dð AND SOME
PROBLEMS, ESPECIALLY IN
SPECIFICALLY DURING THE TIME OF
COVID, WHERE WE HAD SOME OF OUR
CONSTITUENTS THAT WEREN'T
ALLOWED TO GET BENEFITS OR WERE
DENIED BENEFITS OR WERE DELAYED
IN BENEFITS. UM ALTHOUGH SHE
DOESN'T HAVE A JURISDICTIONAL
TYPE AUTHORITY OVER THAT SHE IS
A GENERAL COUNSEL. SHE'S A VERY
QUALIFIED ATTORNEY. SHE CAME,
UM, FROM DIFFERENT DEPARTMENT.
AS AN ATTORNEY, UM IN HER
PREVIOUS LIFE IN, UM SHE, UH
WILL DO VERY, VERY WELL TO MAKE
SURE THAT THE E Dð Dð STAYS IN
LINE AND COMPLIES WITH THE LEGAL
PORTIONS OF WHAT THEY'RE
REQUIRED TO DO. RESPECTFULLY ASK
FOR AN I VOTE. SHE APPEARED
BEFORE THE RULES COMMITTEE ON
FEBRUARY 21ST AND WAS APPROVED
BY 50 VOTE. RESPECTFULLY ASK FOR
YOUR I VOTE. THANK YOU ANY
FURTHER DISCUSSION OR DEBATE ON
THIS APPOINTMENT? HERE IN INS
SECRETARY. PLEASE CALL THE ROLL.
ALAN HØI I GO. ARCHULETTA. I
ASHBY. AY, ATKINS I BECKER. AYE,
BLAKESPEAR I BRADFORD. I
CABALLERO. UH, CORTEZ. UH,
DALLY. ID. AYE, TERRAZZO. HØI
EGM. GLASER. HØI GONZALEZ. I
DROVE HØI HURTADO. I. JONES. HØI
LAIRD. I LEMON? AYE, MCGUIRE.
HØI BINGE BAR. AYE MIN. NEWMAN.
HØI WHEN HØI NILO. AYE. AYE. I
ARGENTINO. HØI ROTH. IY RUBIO. I
SAY ARTO. DINNER. I SMALL,
CUEVAS. I STERN I UMBERG. AYE.
WELL, HOW WIENER. HØI WILL I
PLEASE CALL THE ABSENT MEMBERS.
HOW MEN. THEY ARE TO WE HAVE
AYE. AYS 37 KNOWS ZERO. THE
APPOINTMENT IS CONFIRMED. NOW
MEMBERS WERE MOVING ON TO
SPECIAL CONSENT CALENDAR. IS
THERE ANY MEMBER WISHING TO
REMOVE AN ITEM FROM THE SPECIAL
CONSENT CALENDAR? HEARINGS NONE.
SECRETARY PLEASE READ. WE HAVE
ITEMS 18 TO 27. AS SOMEBODY
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION. 1081 10 1
14 1 15 1 16 1 22 1 23 1 25 1 31
ASSEMBLY CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
134. SECRETARY. PLEASE CALL THE
ROLL ON SPECIAL CONSENT
CALENDAR. èC AYE. OF G.
ARCHULETA. I ASHBY. HØI ATKINS.
I BECKER AYE, BLAKESPEAR. BY
BRADFORD I. CABALLERO. I,
CORTEZ. I DALLY. I. DODD. AYO I,
EDMUND. GLASER. AYE, GONZALEZ. I
GROVE AYE, HURTADO. I. JONES.
HØI LAYERED I AYE, MCGUIRE. AYE,
MENJIVAR. I MEAN, NEWMAN. I WIN.
HØI NILO. I Ó I HØI PINO.
FORTINO AYE, ROD. I RUBIO. THE
RTO. SKINNER. HØI SMALL CUEVAS.
I STERN I UMBERG. AYE, WAHAB.
AYE, WIENER. I WILL. AYE. PLEASE
CALL THE ABSENT MEMBERS OF ROGI.
EM HØI MEN. RUBIO. HØI èC R Ó.
AYS 37 NOSE ZERO. THE
APPOINTMENT, UH, CONSENT
CALENDAR IS APPROVED. NOW
MEMBERS. IT'S TIME FOR A
COMMITTEE ANNOUNCEMENTS. ARE
THERE ANY COMMITTEE
ANNOUNCEMENTS? SENATOR SMALLWOOD
CUEVAS LABOR COMMITTEE WILL
CONVENE IN ROOM 1215 MINUTES
AFTER ADJOURNMENT. THANK YOU.
LABOR WILL ROOM IN ROOM 1215
MINUTES AFTER ADJOURNMENT,
SENATOR WAHAB. THANK YOU. LABOR
PUBLIC EMPLOYMENT AND RETIREMENT
AND BUDGET AND FISCAL REVIEW.
SUB-COMMITTEE NUMBER FIVE WILL
MEET 15 MINUTES AFTER
ADJOURNMENT. THANK YOU. BUDGET
SURVIVE, WILL MEET 15 MINUTES
AFTER ADJOURNMENT. IN THE SAME
COMMITTEE ROOM. BUT 1 200. SAME
ROOM. ALL RIGHT, MEMBERS. NOW
WE'RE RETURNING TO MOTIONS AND
RESOLUTIONS. NOW IS THE TIME FOR
ADJOURN AND MEMORIES. SENATOR
BLAKES SPEAR. THANK YOU. I RISE
TODAY TO HONOR THE ENCINITAS
POET LAUREATE PATRICIA TRISH
DUGGAR. WHO PASSED AWAY IN
JANUARY AT AGE 94. I'LL BEGIN
WITH WORDS FROM WELL KNOWN
FELLOW AUTHOR STEVE COW, THE
CAPTURE HER SPIRIT AND ESSENCE.
TRISH DUGGAR IS A DELICIOUSLY
GOOD POET, SASSY AND CLEVER. I
WAS DEEPLY MOVED BY SEVERAL
POEMS THAT WERE BENEATH THE
CLEVER, CHATTINESS HEARTBREAKING
AND MEMORABLE, ESPECIALLY THOSE
MEMORIES OF HER HUSBAND AND HIS
ABSENCE. TRISH DUGGAR LIKELY
RELISHED THE SWATH OF EMOTIONS
FROM SASSY TO HEARTBREAKING THAT
DESCRIBED THE VIBRANCY OF HER
POETRY AND ALSO RECOGNIZE THE
PROFOUND LOSS THAT SHE FELT WHEN
HER HUSBAND AND A GRANT DUGGAR
PASSED AWAY IN 1998. SHE
CREDITED GRANT FOR INTRODUCING
HER TO THE LOCAL POETRY
COMMUNITY WHERE SHE THRIVED AND
SHARED HER PERSONAL PASSION FOR
POETRY. IT CAME AS NATURALLY TO
HER AS BREATHING THROUGH POETRY.
SHE ARTFULLY EXPRESSED HER EVERY
THOUGHT AND FEELING ABOUT
ABSOLUTELY EVERYTHING IN HER
LIFE. TRISH LEFT AN INDELIBLE
LEGACY WHEN SHE PASSED AWAY ON
JANUARY 22ND 2024. HER
INFECTIOUS SMILE GRACED THE
COVERS OF TWO RETROSPECTIVE
VOLUMES WITH OVER 700 OF HER
POEMS THAT GAVE HER SPECIAL JOY
BECAUSE THEY WERE A WORK OF LOVE
BY HER GRANDDAUGHTER, MIMI.
ANOTHER BOOK, ENTITLED SCRAMBLED
FEATURED LANDMARKS OF CARDIFF BY
THE SEA, A CO COMMUNITY SHE
CALLED HOME FOR 73 YEARS. BY
1998. SHE CO FOUNDED THE FULL
MOON POETS THAT HOSTED ANNUAL
POETRY SLAMS. THIS LED TO HER
BEING NAMED THE FIRST HONORARY
ENSIGNS POET LAUREATE IN 2005.
ON DECEMBER 13TH 2020 THREE, THE
MAYOR BESTOWED THE OFFICIAL
TITLE OF INCIDENTS. POET
LAUREATE ON TRISH DUGAR AT THE
AGE OF 94. THE MOVING CEREMONY
CEMENTED HER STATURE AS A
CULTURAL PIONEER WHOSE DECADES
OF CONTRIBUTIONS ENRICHED THE
CITY WHERE SHE FOUND MUCH OF HER
INSPIRATION. TRISH TRANSFIXED,
ALL WHO WITNESSED HER
TRANSFORMATION INTO DRAMATIC
PERSONAS WHENEVER SHE GAVE VOICE
TO HER WRITTEN WORDS. SHE KNEW
EVERY WORD TO EVERY POEM BY
HEART AND NEVER MISSED A CHANCE
TO SHARE THEM WITH HER HUSBAND,
FOUR CHILDREN, SIX GRANDCHILDREN
AND FOUR GREAT GRANDCHILDREN.
WHILE TRISH WAS KNOWN FOR HER
FUN LOVING ATTITUDE, HER LIFE
HADN'T ALWAYS BEEN EASY. SHE WAS
BORN IN 1929 IN CHICAGO AND
RAISED IN FOSTER HOMES IN OAK
PARK, ILLINOIS, WITH HER SISTER
GAIL AND BROTHER BILL, THEY KNEW
THAT THEIR MOTHER LOVED THEM
VERY MUCH, BUT THAT SHE
STRUGGLED WITH BEING ABANDONED
BY THEIR FATHER DURING THE
DEPTHS OF THE DEPRESSION.
FORTUNATELY HER MOTHER, OPEL
SANDERS, REMARRIED, REMAINED A
CLOSE PART OF HER CHILDREN'S
LIVES, EVEN WHEN THEY MOVED TO
CALIFORNIA. IN 1952. AFTER TWO
YEARS OF COLLEGE, TRISH MARRIED
THE TRUE LOVE OF HER LIFE. GRANT
DUGGAR, A YOUNG MARINE IN A
SHARP UNIFORM WHO UNDERSTOOD HER
BECAUSE HE, TOO, WAS RAISED IN
ORPHANAGES. LIKE SO MANY OTHERS,
THEY MOVED TO THE SANDY THE SAN
DIEGO AREA BY WAY OF CAMP CAMP
PENDLETON, WHERE GRANT WAS
STATIONED DURING THE KOREAN WAR.
THEY MADE THEIR HOME DOWN THE
COAST IN THE PICTURESQUE HAMLET
OF CARDIFF BY THE SEA, WHERE I
ALSO LIVE WITHIN WALKING
DISTANCE OF THAT HOME, AND THEY
RAISED CLAUDIA, DAVID, KEVIN AND
DEAN. THEY WELCOMED ALL WHO
CROSSED THE BRIDGE OVER THE
CREEK INTO THEIR HOME IN THE
LUSH LITTLE CANYON, JUST A
STONE'S THROW FROM THE PACIFIC
OCEAN. SHE LOVED DEEPLY, AND WE
KNOW THIS BY HER FAMOUS POEM,
SPARE PARTS, WHICH IS BRIEF. AND
IF YOU DON'T MIND, I WILL READ
IT BEFORE I CONCLUDE. WE BARGE
OUT OF THE WOMB WITH TWO OF THEM
EYES, EARS, ARMS HANDS, LEGS,
FEET. ONLY ONE HEART. NOT A GOOD
PLAN. GOD SHOULD KNOW WE NEED AT
LEAST A DOZEN A BAKER'S DOZEN OF
HEARTS THEY BREAK LIKE EASTER
EGGS HIDDEN IN THE GRASS,
STEPPED ON AND SMASHED MY OWN
HEART IS PATCHED, BANDAGED,
TAPED BARELY THE SAME SHAPE IT
ONCE WAS WHEN IT BEAT FAST FOR
YOU. WE ARE FOREVER GRATEFUL TO
TRISH DUGGAR, WHO WILL ALWAYS
HUMOR US COMFORT US AND INSPIRE
US THROUGH THE LASTING GIFT OF
THE POETRY OF HER LIFE. I ASKED
THE SENATE TO ADJOURN INTEREST.
DUGGAR'S MEMORIES TODAY. THANK
YOU. THANK YOU OUR DEEPEST
CONDOLENCES. WE ASK THAT YOU
BRING THE NAME FORWARD SO SHE
COULD BE PROPERLY MEMORIALIZED
BY THE CALIFORNIA STATE SENATE.
NEXT UP IS SENATOR WEINER. I
THANK YOU, MR PRESIDENT, UM
COLLEAGUES, UH, TO WITH GREAT
REP. IT'S WITH GREAT SADNESS
THAT I RISE TODAY AS CO CHAIR OF
THE LEGISLATIVE JEWISH CAUCUS TO
ASK THAT THE SENATE ADJOURN IN
MEMORY OF YAIR YAKOV, UH, ALSO
KNOWN AS YA, YA. UH, HE WAS 59
YEARS OLD. UH, HE WAS MURDERED.
UH, ON OCTOBER 7TH, UH, IN
ISRAEL BY HAMAS DURING ITS, UH.
MASSACRE MASS SEXUAL VIOLENCE.
AND KIDNAPPING OF A HUGE NUMBER
OF ISRAELIS AND OTHERS. YAIR WAS
A COUSIN TO RYAN PESACH, WHO IS
A FORMER CONSULTANT TO THE
LEGISLATIVE JEWISH CAUCUS. HE
WAS A STAFFER IN, UH, SENATOR
MARTY BLOCKS OFFICE. UH WHEN, UH
, OUR JEWISH CAUCUS WAS FOUNDED
ABOUT A DECADE AGO. UH, HE'S A
CURRENT MEMBER OF THE CAPITAL
COMMUNITY, AND HE'S JOINING US
HERE TODAY IN THE GALLERY. UM ON
OCTOBER 7TH, UH, YAIR AND HIS
GIRLFRIEND. UH UM MERAV TAL, UH,
WERE TAKEN CAPTIVE BY HAMAS FROM
THEIR SAFE ROOM IN YA'S HOME IN
KIBBUTZ NEAR OZ. UH, YEARS. UH
YEAH. YEAR'S TWO SONS OR 17 AND
13 WERE ALSO TAKEN HOSTAGE FROM
THEIR MOTHER'S HOME. UH IN THAT
SAME OCTOBER 7TH ATTACK BY
HAMAS. THANKFULLY UH MIROV OR
AND YAGI WERE EVENTUALLY ABLE TO
RETURN TO THEIR FAMILY IN LATE
NOVEMBER. UH, DURING A BRIEF
CEASEFIRE AND RETURN OF A
LIMITED NUMBER OF HOSTAGES. IN
DECEMBER, YI'S BAR MITZVAH WAS
SCHEDULED TO TAKE PLACE. UH BUT
YAEL DECIDED TO POSTPONE HIS BAR
MITZVAH UNTIL AFTER YAIR COULD
BE SAFELY RETURNED FROM GAZA. UM
EACH DAY HIS FAMILY REMAINED
HOPEFUL AND PRAYED FOR HIS SAFE
RETURN. ON FEBRUARY 15TH. THE
A'S FAMILY LEARNED THAT HE HAD
ACTUALLY, UH, NOT BEEN KIDNAPPED
AND HELD HOSTAGE ON OCTOBER 7TH
BUT RATHER HAD BEEN KILLED BY
HAMAS MURDERED ON OCTOBER 7 AND
HIS BODY, UM, WAS THEN TAKEN, UH
TO GAZA. UM HE HAD, UH,
PREVIOUSLY BEEN ASSUMED TO HAVE
BEEN AMONG THE SURVIVING
HOSTAGES. UH AND HIS BODY IS
STILL BELIEVED TO BE HELD IN
GAZA. UH YAIR HAD A ZEST FOR
LIFE AND WAS A LOVING FATHER OF
THREE. HE HAD A SPIRIT ABOUT HIM
THAT EMBODIED JOY. HE'S OFTEN
DESCRIBED AS BEING A HUMBLE
PERSON WHO ALWAYS HAD A SMILE ON
HIS FACE. UH, MUSIC WAS A BIG
PART OF HIS LIFE, AND HE WOULD
OFTEN BE SEEN DANCING AND
SINGING. Y IS SURVIVED BY HIS
MOTHER, SHOSHANA, HIS BROTHERS
YORAM AND YANIV. HIS SISTER
YARDEN, HIS GIRLFRIEND. UH MIROV
TAL, UM, AS NOTED HIS THREE
CHILDREN CHEER OR AND YAGI AND
HIS FAMILY, UH, INCLUDING RYAN,
WHO IS HERE? AS I NOTED TODAY.
AH YEAH YEAR WILL BE DEEPLY
MISSED. MAY HIS MEMORY BE A
BLESSING. AND PLEASE JOIN ME
TODAY IN A JOURNEY IN THE SENATE
IN HIS MEMORY. THANK YOU. OUR
DEEPEST CONDOLENCES. WE ASK THAT
YOU BRING HIS NAME FORWARD SO HE
CAN BE PROPERLY MEMORIALIZED.
THERE'S NÓ OTHER BUSINESS,
SENATOR MCGUIRE THE JUSTICE IS
CLEAR. THANK YOU SO MUCH, MR
PRESIDENT. THE NEXT FLOOR
SESSION IS SCHEDULED FOR
THURSDAY. FEBRUARY 29 2024 AT 9
A.M. THANK YOU. MEMBERS OF THE
SENATE WILL BE IN RECESS UNTIL
3:30 P.M. AT WHICH TIME AN
ADJOURNMENT MOTION WILL BE MADE.
WE RECONVENE ON THURSDAY AT 9
A.M.