Councilmember Marqueece Harris-Dawson, channeling his instincts as an organizer, launched a community-based effort to get South Los Angeles residents that are 65 and older vaccinated as quickly as possible. Harris-Dawson and his staff personally called nearly 1,000 seniors who had participated in the Emergency Senior Meals program that provided over 50,000 meals to seniors during the pandemic’s onset. This time, the councilmember was calling to connect them to local vaccines rather than free meals prepared by local restaurants. Despite the different goal, the team had incredible success calling residents 65 and older. Over 2,000 seniors and healthcare workers received vaccines at local sites across South Los Angeles as a result.
Due to limited vaccine supplies, healthcare workers, long-term-care residents and people 65-plus make up the largest portion of those who've had a first dose.
BOE Member Malia Cohen Raises Red Flag on Bank-Breaking Prop 19 Tax Costs
By Antonio Ray Harvey, California Black Media
Published February 4, 2021
Malia Cohen (Courtesy photo)
Malia M. Cohen, the only African American member of the California Board of Equalization (BOE), has some critical concerns about the cost homeowners will have to bear because of Proposition 19, a constitutional amendment that took effect on Dec. 16, 2020.
Cohen, who represents 10 million Californians in 23 counties on the board, is concerned with how Prop 19 will affect Black and other minority homeowners across California. The BOE is the commission responsible for implementing the law.
“The challenge is that it was voted upon and the election has been certified. So, it’s the law,” Cohen said during a virtual media news briefing with reporters from across the state on Jan. 29 organized by California Black Media.