Latest news with #PeopleofColor
Business Journals
23-05-2025
- Business
- Business Journals
Minority-owned businesses in Sacramento area
Minority-owned businesses on this list have headquarters in Sacramento, El Dorado, Placer or Yolo counties. They are 51% or more BIPOC-owned (Black, Indigenous and People of Color). Information on the list was obtained through Sacramento Business Journal research or supplied by individual firms through questionnaires that SBJ could not independently verify.
Yahoo
23-04-2025
- Yahoo
Petition from Worcester resident calls on city to do more to clean up park
On a recent warm, sunny Monday at Oread Castle Park in Worcester's 4th District, a child plays with a soccer ball. Sitting on the grass near the playground, however, is an empty syringe. Another is located on the grass near the swing set, and includes a bent needle. Pieces of glass are scattered next to the pathway leading to the park, a red and black lighter lies under a nearby tree. Reports of needles and pieces of trash at Oread Castle Park have become prominent on social media, with residents of Worcester posting videos of the needles and syringes they collected while cleaning. This has drawn the concern of District 4 resident Nayari Veras, who is taking action by launching an online petition calling for a city-sponsored clean-up initiative at the park. Veras told MassLive that she and other residents of District 4 are concerned about how the trash could affect the safety of those using the park. She is particularly concerned about reports of needles being found at the park. 'The daycare center located inside St. Mary's nursing home refuses to take their children to this park due to high risk liability with the needles hidden under slides, between rocks, near basketball courts and our little hilltop,' Veras said. The petition, which has more than 100 signatures as of Wednesday, calls for organized clean-up days at the park, improving waste management and launching awareness programs about why it's important to keep the park clean. The petition also calls for a more visible police presence in the area during the day and night to deter littering and drug abuse in the park. The petition is directed toward Luis Ojeda, the city councilor representing District 4. The petition is set to be delivered to the council on April 29, according to a Facebook post from Veras. Ojeda did not immediately respond to a request for comment from MassLive on Wednesday. The petition is not meant to call out the city or any city councilor, Veras said. Instead, the petition amplifies a message saying that current clean-up efforts conducted by residents are not enough to keep the park clean. 'It is scientifically proven that the environment has a lot of influence of our outcome as human beings, so now is the time to take action,' Veras said. 'We residents within the Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) community do care and are taking action.' Residents such as Charles Luster and Victor Cruz are undertaking these clean-up efforts at the park, picking up needles and caps from syringes. 'We found over 100 orange caps that go on the needles,' Luster told MassLive. 'We found more caps than needles.' Luster, a candidate for city council and the executive director of 2GetherWeEat said that the kids he teaches who attend the Webster Square Day Care Center have to play inside to prevent them from being hurt by potential needles. 'Now there are mats on the floor for them to jump around on,' Luster said about the children's recess period. The city's Public Works & Parks is responsible for cleaning up Worcester's public parks. Thomas Matthews, a spokesperson for City Manager Eric D. Batista, said in an email to MassLive on Wednesday that crews from the department collect trash from all parks daily, with the grass mowed every seven to 10 days. The city's Quality of Life Team assists with trash and needle removal as well, he added. The team has made 59 visits to Castle Park from Jan. 1, 2024, to April 23, 2025. 'Police also have a consistent presence at the park with foot patrols and visits,' Matthews wrote. 'The municipality is ready and willing to partner with anyone looking to help keep our parks clean.' Aside from the city, ambassadors from the Main South Community Development Corporation go to the park Monday through Friday, two times a day, to make sure it is clean. David Jerry, one of the ambassadors for the corporation, supports the petition and said the city should play a larger role in keeping the park and Main South's streets clean. The city has been working to help keep the neighborhood clean, he said, but added that they could do more, such as providing more sidewalk sweeping services. 'If we can give them a street sweeping, that's less trash floating around,' Jerry said. 'You don't feel like you're living in trash.' Worcester Mayor Petty kicks off campaign, pledges to replace old school buildings 2 WPI students part of lawsuit against federal government over status terminations Korean fried chicken chain opening in Worcester this summer Read the original article on MassLive.
Yahoo
21-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
CBS Settles With White ‘SEAL Team' Staffer Who Claimed Discrimination
CBS has settled a discrimination lawsuit filed by Brian Beneker, a script coordinator who claimed he had been passed over for a writing job on 'SEAL Team' because he is a straight white man. Beneker alleged that CBS' diversity hiring goals — which, at the time, included reaching 50% representation for Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) writers by 2022-23 — amounted to an illegal quota. More from Variety Nate Bargatze to Host 2025 Emmys Trump Says He's 'Honored' to Be Suing '60 Minutes' and CBS in Latest Truth Social Rant, Urges FCC to 'Impose Maximum Fines and Punishment' Judge Backs Sony Over CBS in High-Stakes Battle Over 'Wheel of Fortune' and 'Jeopardy' Deals No terms of the settlement were disclosed. Paramount Global — the parent company of CBS — recently rolled back its diversity, equity and inclusion policies, saying in a memo that it would no longer 'set or use aspirational numerical goals related to the race, ethnicity, sex or gender of hires.' Beneker had the backing of America First Legal, the advocacy group led by White House adviser Stephen Miller. The group has sought to invalidate DEI policies in the private sector. The settlement with Beneker does not entail any further change to diversity policies, a source said. Paramount Global is currently seeking the Trump administration's approval of a merger with Skydance Media. The Federal Communications Commission is already investigating Paramount over a '60 Minutes' interview with Kamala Harris, which Trump and his supporters claim was misleadingly edited. That investigation could interfere with FCC approval of the merger. Trump has also sued the company for $20 billion over the Harris interview. The FCC has also launched probes of DEI polices at Comcast, the parent of NBCUniversal, and at Disney. Beneker's lawsuit survived CBS' motion to dismiss, as Judge John Walter concluded that the company's objections would be more appropriate for a summary judgment motion. Rather than go that route — which would have involved depositions and other discovery — the parties elected to settle, following a mediation with a retired judge in December. America First Legal also represents Jeff Vaughn, a former anchor on KCAL and KCBS who sued CBS Broadcasting on similar grounds last year. That case remains pending, and is scheduled for trial in March 2026. CBS declined to comment. In its motion to dismiss, the company had argued that the First Amendment gives it a broad right to hire whomever it wants for creative roles. The settlement leaves that legal question unresolved. But in another case, Disney has raised similar arguments to defend the firing of Gina Carano, the 'Mandalorian' actor who was accused of trivializing the Holocaust in a social media post. Carano filed a lawsuit alleging that she was illegally fired in retaliation for disfavored political activity. U.S. District Judge Sherilyn Peace Garnett denied Disney's motion to throw out Carano's lawsuit last year, finding that the First Amendment does not provide a blanket defense. That case, too, remains unresolved, with a trial scheduled for next February. Best of Variety New Movies Out Now in Theaters: What to See This Week What's Coming to Disney+ in April 2025 The Best Celebrity Memoirs to Read This Year: From Chelsea Handler to Anthony Hopkins
Forbes
11-04-2025
- Business
- Forbes
Driving Change With Diversity
For manufacturers, embracing diversity can unlock new levels of innovation, productivity, and profitability. Historically, manufacturing has lacked inclusivity, and even today, it lags behind other industries in adopting a more diverse workforce. This slow transition is not just a missed moral opportunity but also a missed business opportunity. The numbers tell a stark story. According to our recent benchmarking reports at Harbour Results, women, for example, make up just 10% of management roles in tooling and 22% in production. Their overall representation in the manufacturing workforce is similarly low, with only 8% in tooling and 21% in production. For Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) workers, the situation is equally concerning. BIPOC individuals are nearly absent from management positions in both tooling and production, and their representation in the workforce stands at just 5% in tooling and 28% in production. These statistics highlight the significant gap that manufacturers must close to build truly representative workplaces. The good news? Diverse workplaces offer substantial benefits—not just to employees but to the companies themselves. Diversity in the workplace is more than just a box to check; it's a strategic advantage. Here are three key reasons why workforce diversity is essential for manufacturers: Creating a diverse workforce doesn't happen overnight. It requires intentional effort and a commitment to change. Here are some steps manufacturers can take to foster diversity: Workforce diversity isn't just a moral imperative; it's a business necessity. For manufacturers, embracing diversity can unlock new levels of innovation, productivity, and profitability. By taking intentional steps to diversify their teams, manufacturers can not only strengthen their organizations but also contribute to a more equitable and inclusive industry. The journey may be challenging, but the rewards for businesses and society are well worth the effort.
Boston Globe
27-02-2025
- Politics
- Boston Globe
Mass. ‘is going to stay true to who we are': Healey, Campbell say schools should commit to DEI amid pressure from Trump
'We believe that bringing people of different backgrounds and perspectives to the table — including women, People of Color and the LGBTQ+ community — is a strength, especially in education. We are committed to working closely with our incredible schools, colleges and universities to support all of our students,' Healey said in the statement. State Attorney General Andrea Campbell said in the statement that schools can ensure diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility. Advertisement 'Despite the Trump Administration's continued attempts to create confusion and anxiety, the law has not changed, and schools must continue their work to make sure that every student, regardless of background, can access educational opportunities in the Commonwealth,' Campbell said. Since taking office, Trump has moved with shocking speed to reshape America's education system. Decrying 'Marxist' teaching in higher education, Trump also has threatened to withhold federal funding from K-12 schools that taught what Advertisement Massachusetts officials Thursday said 'Schools and higher education institutions should continue to take affirmative steps, within the law, to create and maintain a positive school climate where all students feel safe, supported, respected and ready to learn. This includes reviewing current practices to ensure they comply with all applicable anti-discrimination, anti-bullying and civil rights laws,' the statement said. The guidance said the Department of Education letter misconstrues Supreme Court precedent, wrongly implies it might be unlawful for schools to consider the impact of policies and practices on diversity, and creates a misimpression of the impact of diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility programming. 'To be clear, nothing in the letter changes existing law and well-established legal principles that encourage — and even require — schools to promote educational opportunity for students of all backgrounds,' according to the guidance document. Among the officials who signed the statement were Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll, Senate President Karen Spilka, House Speaker Ronald Mariano, and Education Secretary Patrick Tutwiler. 'This country has long fought for all students to have equal access to a public education. The federal government is attempting to take us back decades, exacerbating real inequities that still exist today,' Tutwiler said in the statement. ' Today's joint guidance reaffirms that Massachusetts will continue to acknowledge and address historical and persistent gaps in student access and achievement, including Black and Brown students, students with disabilities, low-income students, LGBTQ+ students and other marginalized student populations.' Advertisement Teacher union leaders also backed the statement, including Jessica Tang, president of the American Federation of Teachers Massachusetts and Max Page, the president of the Massachusetts Teachers Association. 'Our laws are clear and enable us to support all students and colleagues and to respect their views and dignity. Public schools, colleges and universities have a responsibility to ensure every student and staff member feels safe and supported,' Page said. John Hilliard can be reached at
