By Dianne Anderson Searching for equity in Orange County can feel like a needle in a haystack, but this month the spotlight on diversity is shining on harder to reach places. Trina Greene Brown, a leader in gender and racial equity movements, applauded the county’s recent initiative to reinstate an Office on the Status of ...

By Dianne Anderson Now that so much COVID money has dried up along with many program supports for the low income community, anti-poverty activist Connie Jones sees the fallout as more people seek help with food and resources as they try to hang on to their housing. It all boils down to voting potential, knowing ...

By Dianne Anderson If a robot calls sounding like President Joe Biden or some other social media AI-generated image of him saying not to vote on March 5 – don’t believe it. The last time it happened two months ago in New Hampshire, thousands of Democrats missed out. Yet, for all the tricks in the ...

By Dianne Anderson Live entertainment with plenty of fun, yet not forgetting the higher academic pursuits of social justice, business acumen and job advancement, are a few of the Black History Month offerings at Orange County campuses. Elaina Sidney said their Soulful Soiree kicks off events with an invitation for students to get to know ...

By Dianne Anderson Pulling together what it takes to serve 8-10,000 who roll through the OC Black History Parade and Cultural Fair seeking a taste of soul, top entertainment and trending diaspora, is not always easy. But it is the best thing going in the county since the legacy of parade founder Helen Shipp got ...

By Dianne Anderson A new infusion of funding is helping in the fight for justice against targeted hate crime attacks, which typically runs double or more for Blacks over all other groups in Orange County. The quest to address racist violence is starting to shape up for local activists. The state of California has issued ...

By Dianne Anderson Black moms dying three to four times more than white moms during the birthing process, and Black babies dying over twice as much as white babies before their first birthday, is not a medical mystery for nurse Shamiesha Ebhotemen. Black health professionals, although distressed, are not surprised. “The thing is, as a ...

By Dianne Anderson All the backs of buildings and hidden places of Santa Ana became familiar territory for Pennie Mack, which was just like home for ten years until she got sick and tired of being sick and tired. She slept around the flags of the Civic Center for years, living on the walkway where ...

By Dianne Anderson Isolated solo seniors will have a little something to smile about this Christmas, thanks to the cheerful givers of the Orange County chapters of the National Action Network, the Delta Sigma Theta, and NCNW. Darlene Futrel, the president of the local NAN, said she started the event three years ago to help ...

By Dianne Anderson Growing up in Orange County, Msessie Hollis is well familiar with all the supposed upscale areas that house all the hidden homeless. Her family was among them. For that reason, she finds inner healing in helping others, especially this time of year. Her mother, now passed away, had issues with money mismanagement, ...