Columbia University, founder of African American Policy Forum
Professor of Law at Columbia University and the University of California, Los Angeles, and the co-founding Executive Director of the African American Policy Forum, which is part of the Equal Rights Amendment Coalition
Is America on the Rise… or on the Decline? President Obama deployed his oratorical skills last night in his final State of the Union address to Congress. The speech was dramatically upbeat and scornful of Republican predictions of doom and gloom. He spoke to the unease among Democrats that's fueled the campaign of Bernie Sanders -- while the official response dramatized divisions within the GOP. The stage is set for the campaign to choose Obama's successor. President Barack Obama acknowledges applause from Cabinet members during a reception after his State of the Union address on January 12, 2016. Official White House Photo by Pete Souza
Black Girls Suspended More Often Around the country, students of color are suspended three times as often as white students, according to the Department of Education. We hear a lot about how these disparities affect boys. But girls get less attention, even though black girls are suspended six times more often than their white counterparts.
Keeping it fresh The intersection of Salinas, California and Yuma, Arizona is in your salad bowl.
Implicit bias training discriminates against white people, anonymous parents say Author Pico Iyer returns to Santa Barbara to preview his upcoming speaker series. Columnist Starshine Roshell brings us inside the surprisingly large world of local trivia nights. And more controversy at the Santa Barbara Unified School District, as a group of anonymous parents threatens to sue school leaders over an implicit bias training program it claims discriminates against white people.
Crossing borders, in mind and in the flesh The U.S. border with Mexico has become a linchpin in American politics under the administration of Donald Trump.
What you need to know about the Gas Tax Last year, California legislators increased California’s gas tax by 12 cents a gallon. The revenue raised from the increases, over $5 billion a year, is supposed to be spent on improving transportation in the state. But there’s been a backlash to the gas tax increase, resulting in Proposition 6 on the November ballot. If passed, it would roll back the tax and require all future fuel tax increases to get voter approval.