Posted inOpinion

COMMENTARY: Don’t allow Gov. DeSantis to define Western Civilization

Under the guise of promoting academic freedom and civil discourse, Ron DeSantis’ administration is suppressing drag shows, purging library books, and censoring content in AP African American Studies. Now, Florida’s self-styled “education governor” is promoting legislation to ensure “Florida’s public universities and colleges are grounded in the history and philosophy of Western Civilization” while banning critical race studies and courses dealing with gender and LGBTQ identities. Cuban Americans and Puerto Rican Floridians who handed Mr. DeSantis a landslide electoral victory for governor may want to think twice about whether their culture, their lives, and their experience counts as part of “Western Civilization.”

Posted inNews

Fill out this survey by KPCC/LAist and help hold Mayor Bass accountable

KPCC/LAist promised during the election that they would not stop paying attention to voters’ concerns once the ballots were counted. Now they’re asking Angelenos to fill out a 5-minute survey to let them know what feels most urgent as Bass takes office. The responses will help KPCC/LAist set the agenda for their reporting in the year ahead and help them hold the new mayor and city council accountable to top concerns. They’ll also share the survey results widely, including with everyone who responded and with organizations such as CALÓ NEWS.

Posted inGovernment

LA City Hall scandal aftermath, Latino academics talk about future

Having Bass as the new mayor of LA has sparked a conversation about whether she will hold the council members accountable for their actions and support honest and adequate representation in City Hall and the city’s districts. “It’s too easy of a political campaign,” said Alexandro Hernandez, associate professor of Chicanx Studies at California State University, Dominguez Hills (CSUDH). “I don’t think electing Bass as Mayor of LA is something [City Hall and voters] can use to sweep everything with the audio leak under the rug and act like everything is better now.”

Posted inRepresentation

JORGE NUÑO, political activist on what needs to be done about LA scandal

During the 1980s and 90s, Nuño grew up in a house nestled near Vernon and Main street in South Central Los Angeles with his sister and their two immigrant parents from Jalisco, Mexico. “I grew up adjacent to the [LA] Coliseum,” Nuño said. “When you grew up in the hood, you’re like, ‘Where you live?’ ‘Ah, I live by the Coliseum,’ so that you can give people some context of what part of LA you live in.” Nuño founded The Big House, a small business incubator housed in the 10-bedroom mansion that Nuño purchased in South Central, where nonprofits can have physical offices in their community.

Posted inGovernment

Kevin de León’s physical fight at holiday event reignites calls for his resignation

Ongoing efforts to push de León out of office in LA turned into a physical confrontation on Friday, December 9, at a toy giveaway and Christmas tree lighting event in Lincoln Heights. While de León says he was assaulted, others say he was the aggressor. As police launch an investigation, community leaders continue to call for his resignation.

Posted inGovernment

LA METRO revises fare hike proposal, Latinos call for free transportation

On Dec. 1, Henriquez and other community leaders and organizations such as  Strategic Actions for a Just Economy (SAJE), Alliance for Community Transit-LA (ACT-LA) and Community Power Collective (CPC) gathered outside of the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (LA Metro) headquarters, to demand universal fareless transit in LA. Oscar Zarate, director of Building Equity and Transit at SAJE, said fareless transit is something obtainable and feasible. “The next steps are pretty clear,” Zarate told CALÓ NEWS.

Posted inEquity

JOSE TRINIDAD CASTAÑEDA, first Latino on Buena Park Council

History has been made in Orange County this midterm election as Castañeda is the first Latino, Native American and LGBTQ person to be elected to the Buena Park City Council. Castañeda beat out his other opponents, winning 43.4% of the vote in a three-way race, according to the Orange County Registrar of Voters. He will fill one of the two open seats on the Buena Park City Council board representing District 2.

Posted inJustice

LA METRO fare hike will harm Latinos community activists warn

The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority introduced a new plan that would restructure LA Metro fares. The Latino community is the largest ethnic group, representing 58% of LA Metro riders, in comparison to Black/African Americans representing 14% of riders, followed by 12% who are white and Latino organizers say the increases will harm the community.