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january 2026 ISSUE

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Former Black Panther Leader Elaine Brown Delivers Keynote at Black Caucus MLK Breakfast

      Former Black Panther leader Elaine Brown was the keynote speaker at the annual California Legislative Black Caucus (CLBC) Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Breakfast held at the Sacramento Masonic Temple on Jan. 15.        Introduced by CLBC Chair Sen. Akilah Weber Pierson (D-San Diego), Brown delivered a powerful message emphasizing responsibility, activism, the ongoing fight for justice, and the…

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Black Caucus Chair Akilah Weber Pierson Applauds California Ban on Police Officers Wearing Face Masks

      Sen. Akilah Weber Pierson (D-San Diego), chair of the California Legislative Black Caucus (CLBC) last week praised California’s new law limiting when law enforcement officers may wear face coverings, calling it a critical step toward accountability and public trust in policing.       The measure, SB 627 — also known as the No Secret Police Act — was signed by…

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A Champion of Faith and Justice: Rev. Dr. William Saxe Epps Dies at 80

      Rev. Dr. William Saxe Epps, the distinguished theologian, scholar, and longtime senior pastor of Second Baptist Church of Los Angeles, has died after a battle with cancer. He was 80. Born June 3, 1945, Epps passed away January 12, 2026, leaving behind a legacy that reshaped faith leadership in Los Angeles and influenced Black religious thought nationwide.       For…

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Out With the Old, In with the New: California Laws Taking Effect in 2026

      California is ringing in 2026 with nearly 800 new laws, many of them taking effect on January 1, 2026.  Californians will feel the impact of these laws in tangible ways—at work, at home, on the road, and in their wallets as the changes touch nearly every aspect of daily life—from wages and housing to health care, transportation, artificial intelligence,…

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Joy Atkinson, Champion for Black Women in Public Policy, Dies

      Joy Atkinson, a respected civic leader and tireless advocate for Black women in public policy and political leadership, has died. A founding member and longtime consulting executive director of the Los Angeles African American Women’s Public Policy Institute, Atkinson spent more than 30 years advancing leadership development, policy training, and civic engagement for women across Los Angeles. Her career…

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