February 24, 2022
By Chief John Keene
Special to California Black Media Partners
Happy Black History Month.
It seems media coverage of Black History Month this year is getting lost in the merry-go-round of breaking news stories-- from shifting COVID guidelines and skyrocketing food and gas prices to shocking crime stories and growing concerns about our military getting involved in Ukraine.
Add to that the constant distractions of TikTok, Facebook Reels and other social media platforms all competing for our attention.
But whether or not the media gives Black History Month the attention it deserves, most African Americans realize how important it is to commemorate our history – and its important contribution to American history. So, we pause to honor our past, celebrate our forebears and pat ourselves on the back for the many contributions we have made to this country.
And we invite all Americans to celebrate Black History Month, too. It is all around us. There’s Black history to learn about in your neighborhoods, at your jobs, in your city and in your churches.
Knowing about the struggles and contributions of Black Americans can enrich our understanding of each other and the hard-won freedoms Americans of all backgrounds often take for granted.
As the chief probation officer for San Mateo County, and as the current president of the Chief Probation Officers of California, I have a very important responsibility in the positions that I hold to sustain a legacy built by many before me who have paved the way.
In probation, as in society, it is vital that all cultures are recognized, and Black history is no different. It is important for our deputies and staff to know that the path to get here was paved by the trials and tribulations of the people before us.
Most African Americans in the 1940s and 1950s were limited to opportunities within correctional facilities, and did not have the opportunities to start off as deputy probation officers or elevate to that rank. Shockingly, the first Black deputy probation officers and staff were not widely known to be employed around the country until the 1970s and 1980s.
Today, over 20% of deputy probation officers in California are African American. That diversity extends to gender (51% are women), and other races as well (72% of deputy probation officers are non-white).
Probation today is even further diversified by educational backgrounds (the majority of officers have four-year degrees), and many probation departments employ former justice system-involved individuals. Importantly, Probation's diversity also extends to our leadership with just over 10% of probation chiefs in California being African American.
On the shoulders of African American pathbreakers, we take our seats as leaders of our profession with honor and humility. For me, the weight of leading the association of the leaders of our profession is a reflection of the important role of Black history in probation that has led to the diversity and inclusion we see now. The weight and responsibility of this history, I carry proudly.
With that diversity comes cultural competency and lived experiences. That understanding and sensibility equips probation to be an indispensable aspect of the criminal justice system.
It is the connection between punishment and rehabilitation, breaking down barriers to help justice-involved people turn their lives around and leave the system permanently - creating long-term, sustainable safety in our communities. It is also what attracts even greater diversity to our ranks: this desire to help people succeed.
As a former police officer, attorney, deputy probation officer and now chief, my experience has helped me tremendously in feeling a sense of empathy for the life experiences of the people we serve. It has helped me understand the challenges of young people I talk to with who have had tough upbringings. As African Americans, working through barriers is something that we know first-hand and reducing barriers is a central component to rehabilitation.
Often, we must even go beyond that to see the difference between rehabilitation and habilitation, or helping someone who has only known a difficult life to gain the tools to create a new one that sets them on a healthier path. To help them succeed, we as probation officers often become much more – serving as teachers, mentors and role models.
Sometimes the people we serve think the challenges they face are unique to them, but we can often relate because we too have lived many of those experiences or we have encountered them within our own backgrounds. It breaks the ice, builds points of connection, reduces barriers, and opens a moment for them to pause and listen and let their guard down to learn and grow.
Now, in my new role as president of the Chief Probation Officers of California, I do this work on a broader scale, often working through policy conversations and larger fiscal decisions and assessing their implications.
My work in these positions continues to be informed by my own unique background, experiences, and cultural understandings. Black History Month gives us the space and time to reflect on how we got here, but also where we would like to go. It is my privilege to be in a position now to help shape that future for my own children and their children.
Chief John Keene was appointed chief probation officer of San Mateo County in June of 2013. Chief Keene brings more than 20 years of law enforcement experience to his role. Prior to his appointment as chief, he served as deputy chief probation officer in Alameda County.
February 17, 2022
By Michael Lawson and Laura McGowan-Robinson
This week, the Los Angeles Unified School District board will consider the Black Student Excellence through Educator Diversity, Preparation, and Retention Resolution. This resolution aims to hire, train, and retain more Black educators in LAUSD schools.
On behalf of the Los Angeles Urban League and the Diversity in Leadership Institute (DLI), we urge the LAUSD board to unanimously adopt and immediately implement this resolution.
LAUSD has taken several recent steps to address the unmet needs of Black students in Los Angeles. This resolution is a critical next step, as it lays out a comprehensive plan for building and strengthening a pipeline of Black educators.
The evidence is clear: representation matters. When exposed to Black teachers and administrators, Black students are less likely to be punished with suspension or expulsion, experiences that can impact their lives far beyond their educational experience.
An increase in Black educators will benefit more than just Black students. A racially diverse and culturally responsive teaching community leads to better outcomes for all students.
Having more Black educators and administrators will not eliminate the systemic racism in our society, but it is a critically important step.
Unfortunately, there’s a dire shortage of Black teachers across the state of California.
A study by EdTrust found that the state’s teaching force is still overwhelmingly white, and more than half of all California schools have no Black teachers at all.
If LAUSD is genuinely committed to the success and achievement of Black students (and, indeed, all students), increasing the number of Black educators in our schools is non-negotiable.
We already have a solid foundation on which we can build.
There are highly skilled Black educators in LAUSD who could be tapped for leadership roles, increasing senior-level diversity while creating opportunities for fellow educators of color.
LAUSD has also prioritized retaining qualified teachers, with a 94% teacher retention rate over the past three years.
LAUSD has already passed policies to address Black student achievement through the Black Student Achievement Plan, the Humanizing Education for Equitable Transformation (HEET) Plan, and the Validated Plan.
The resolution currently before LAUSD builds on this existing work while addressing a critical missing component by focusing explicitly on Black educators.
We need a strong pipeline of Black teachers into classrooms and ensure that veteran Black educators in LAUSD have access to opportunities, support, development, and connections for more senior roles.
A unanimous vote in favor of this resolution would show LAUSD’s genuine commitment to Black student success and clear the way for these measures to be put into action as soon as possible.
Michael Lawson is the CEO of the Los Angeles Urban League. Laura McGowan-Robinson is the CEO of the Diversity in Leadership Institute.
February 10, 2022
City News Service
Saying that Angelenos “don’t feel safe,” Rep. Karen Bass called for an increase in Los Angeles Police Department patrol personnel to reach already-authorized levels as part of her campaign for mayor.
Bass’ public safety plan, which she revealed on Feb. 8, calls for the hiring of civilian personnel to move desk officers to patrol, bringing the department to its authorized force of 9,700. She added that she would also focus on recruitment of officers who are invested in reform and increase the police chief's and police commission's accountability around a “shared community safety vision.”
The department’s personnel number stands at 9,521 sworn members, 185 less than the department's authorized deployment for the fiscal year of 9,706, Los Angeles Police Department Assistant Chief Beatrice Girmala said.
The LAPD is already seeking additional funding in the next fiscal year that would restore staffing levels to 9,800 sworn officers.
Two other candidates for mayor, Councilman Joe Buscaino and City Attorney Mike Feuer, have also called for an increase in police personnel as part of their campaigns. Buscaino called for the department to increase its deployment to 11,000 officers, while Feuer called for the LAPD to expand to at least 10,000 officers.
Such moves would fly in the face of many vocal community activists who have called for a vast scaling back of law enforcement nationally in response to much-publicized incidents of police brutality, most notably the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis. Many Los Angeles activists calling for a reimagining of public safety have noted the Los Angeles Police Department’s budget of $1.761 billion, higher than any other city department.
Bass, D-Los Angeles, said her public safety plan is driven by keeping Angelenos safe, saying it is “the mayor’s most important responsibility.”
“But people don’t feel safe today. Whether you've had your car broken into, your backpack stolen, your property damaged – or you’ve seen news coverage of home robberies, or violent assaults – more and more Angelenos I speak with tell me crime has touched them personally, and they feel scared. That’s not right,” Bass said.
“All Angelenos deserve to feel safe in their neighborhoods. I know that can only happen by throwing out the old, failed approach of the status quo – which is why my community safety plan starts with a focus on effective and responsive policing, preventing homicides, and getting guns off our streets.”
Bass’ plan also calls for a crackdown on illegal firearm possession, an investment in specialized detectives and investigators tasked with solving shootings and murders, citing that only 55% of 2020’s murders were solved, and improving officers’ training in de-escalation tactics, accountability and transparency.
She also said she would expand the city’s Community Safety Partnership program, in which officers work with intervention workers, who have relationships with the community members they serve, in order to build trust with residents.
Bass, who has been an advocate for police reform, also said she would work to end “harmful policing practices” at the LAPD.
“Use of excessive force, including deadly shootings of unarmed civilians, undermine the integrity of, and public trust in, the police. Violence and brutality of any kind, particularly at the hands of the police meant to protect and serve our communities, must not be tolerated,” her plan states.
The plan also seeks to prevent crime from occurring by addressing its root causes, including through addiction recovery, mental health services, resources to low-income areas and programs that keep kids off the streets.
Bass’ public safety plan comes amid an increase in violent crime experienced in Los Angeles and major cities across the U.S.
L.A. had a nearly 12% year-over-year climb in homicides in 2021, bringing it to levels not seen since 2006. Violent crime increased 3.9% and property crimes rose by 4.2%. The number of people shot rose by 9%.
January 27, 2022
By Betti Halsell
Staff Writer
The Parent Revolution focuses on the well-being of underrepresented families. Jay Artis-Wright leads the “parent-organized” nonprofit, a collective community unified under the mission for change.
They speak life into the best educational standards for all children in California. Their work holds a level of hope, to be a vision of success for anyone searching for the best for their children.
Guardianship exposes a deeper level of care and compassion for humanity. When one becomes responsible for another developing life, a new sense of awareness presents itself. The Parent Revolution recognizes the importance in exposing children to the best available educational opportunities, and its impact on their future.
The framework shared on their official website states, “Parent Revolution’s mission is to ensure that families, especially those from historically underserved communities, can use their power to secure an excellent education for their children, children in their community, and all children in California.”
On March 16, 2019, The Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) closed all the schools, due to the growth in severity of the COVID-19 pandemic. An elevated level of protection must be established.
Preexisting issues were exasperated during this time. The “digital divide” and the lack of support found on the wrong side of the poverty line had a meteoric effect on the world of many families.
Coronavirus left institutions vulnerable, it changed the course of daily life. The educational needs for children shifted, because of what their future might look like.
There is a long history of imbalances found in the education system in this country; the remnants of past prejudices and institutionalized racism pulsates in communities of color. There has been evidence concluding there is an educational gap among students, based on their race.
“The Educational Opportunity Monitoring Project” is a collection of research findings, conducted by Standford Center of Education Policy Analysis (Cepa). “One potential explanation for racial achievement gaps is that they are largely due to socioeconomic disparities between White, Black, and Hispanic families. Black and Hispanic children’s parents typically have lower incomes and lower levels of educational attainment than white children’s parents.”
The Parent Revolution recognized this truth and dedicated many waking moments to changing it, for their children, their surrounding community, and their future. This organization works with parents “to create individual, local, and systemic change with their choices and with their voices.” They played a major role in passing and implementing California’s historic Parent Empowerment Act,” helping families at nine different low-performing schools to make major changes through community organizing.”
At the helm of the Parent Revolution, Artis- Wright holds all institutions handling academic achievement accountable for their capability to teach and educate, in any condition.
As an advocate for the right to quality of education, Artis-Wright spent two decades standing firmly in her vision of the best education being provided to all students. She worked in public and private settings, taking on responsibilities that intersected advocacy with leadership.
Artis-Wright has dedicated her energy to developing a strong foundation between teachers and parents. In many instances, Artis-Wright created spaces for the practice of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI). Her work has been seen in many different forms; she was a director of Upward Bound programs, legislative consultant, and an advocate for child safety in the entertainment industry.
The former director of Upward Bound shared her feelings in a press release statement, stating, “I watched parents put pressure on a powerful media conglomerate- and they listened!”
Artis-Wright continued, “I realized the unique power that happened when an adult advocated for their child ...”
“I imagined how great it would be if I could get more parents to influence stakeholders in the same fashion that I witnessed and did a complete career shift,” Artis-Wright said.
Using her passion to guide her, Artis-Wright held senior-level positions in nonprofits that focused on education. Organizations like Leadership for Educational Equity (LEE), Teach for America’s Partner organization, and charter school trade associations all benefited from the talents of Artis-Wright.
While lending her skills at LEE, Artis-Wright played a significant role in recruiting former teachers and leaders of policy and created an opportunity for them to be involved in school board elections.
In Parent Revolution, Artis-Wright connects with members of the organization, and applies a “muti-pronged” strategy to support families with children in public schools throughout California. They provide multiple resources, to give families more choices and opportunities for their voices to be heard.
Through the Choice4LA program, parents are given an armor of information to protect their rights among bigger educational institutions. It allows working class families to find better opportunities for their children.
Current displays of advocacy include a lawsuit against LAUSD. Shaw v. LAUSD was filed in 2019; the case described the gaps in education due to the procedures exercised during the first viral spread of COVID-19. “The district is failing students by offering less instructional time to students compared with other large districts in California, and cutting the hours that teachers are required to work,” according to a report found in the L.A. Times.
The ruling for the case was carried out in October 2021. The court ruled in favor of LAUSD, by stating the issue around the challenges with distance learning were moot since educational practices have returned to the classroom. Parent revolution is looking to challenge the ruling and continue to speak out against inadequate educational practices that keep children from having the brightest future possible.