By Dianne Anderson Ever since George Floyd sparked an awakening of national structural racism, money has been rolling down from on high, from the federal, state, counties and cities to tackle inequality, particularly in areas of health. Since 2019 when the American Public Health Association drew attention to the health impact of being Black in ...

By Dianne Anderson Chicken – it’s what’s for dinner this Thanksgiving for thousands of low-income families across the Southland as COVID-19 and Avian flu have big birds in short order at food banks and food pantries everywhere. Traditional turkey dinner will be served as usual at Southwest Community Center in Santa Ana, but they are ...

By Dianne Anderson Moving to Orange County was a culture shock on several fronts for Justice Crudup, coming from New York where organizations support and motivate each other, in contrast with the high level of local student apathy. But by 2020, something happened. Youth everywhere were invigorated and ready for change, but he didn’t see ...

By Dianne Anderson It was a long week for Edward Clarke, who started at 5 a.m. to take his busload of kids campus hopping up north to San Luis Obispo and then off to UC Santa Barbara and CSU Northridge, swinging back around to UCLA, and finally ending with Universal Studios. The kids had energy ...

By Dianne Anderson Smart smiling smokers plastered across billboards and television ads in those extra cool vintage days of old have now given way to a new generation of young, hip and specifically Black people going up in smoke. The “Same Game, Different Smokers” exhibit opened July 7 at the Muzeo Museum and Cultural Center, ...

By Dianne Anderson Hundreds ventured out and packed the house for a rich collaboration of creative energy this month to understand what Juneteenth is all about, and how faith made it happen. At the center, the church proved a fitting backdrop as it was the only place where Blacks were historically allowed to gather, create, ...

By Dianne Anderson Health checks usually fall last on the list for many Black patients who are trying to steer clear of doctors who are culturally ignorant, or just don’t care. Either way, avoiding annual vital health checks, like diabetes, mammograms and prostate exams, colorectal tests, or other lifesaving blood work can be potentially dangerous. ...

By Dianne Anderson Tough-minded and resilient is how the Orange County community remembers Warren Bussey, so dedicated that he would give the shirt off his back and his last dime to anyone that asked, if needed. He had enough personality to light up the room, and his smile would make others smile. This is the ...

By Dianne Anderson Juneteenth events are buzzing everywhere this year, almost one on every corner, but Trudy Coleman remembers when her Pomona Valley event was the only option for miles and miles around. Until about the mid-1990s, for the most part it was a little-known celebration, except for its Texas roots. She and her colleague ...

By Dianne Anderson Less than a month away from the primary election and many voters aren’t paying attention to what’s in their mailbox, or maybe they don’t care – until it’s time for law and order. Somehow voters miss the connection between who’s running down ballot, like Superior Court Judge, and the real life implications ...