Overview: As 2025 comes to an end, Black Voice News reflects on the year’s most impactful stories, from federal attacks on social safety nets to wildfires and statewide warehousing regulations. Despite facing a politically tumultuous and socially destabilizing year, the community found ways to find joy and celebrate, making progress on key local concerns. The year’s stories set the stage for what may lie ahead in 2026.
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As 2025 comes to a close, there is a lot to reflect on. Whether we consider actions that were triggered at the federal, state or local level, there were stories that inspired and moved us, stories that angered and moved us to action. Much of what we experienced in 2025, also helped set the stage for what may lie ahead in 2026. In spite of all we faced as a nation, state, community and individuals this year, we also made progress on key local concerns while also finding ways to find joy, celebrate and experience an empowering sense of community. From federal attacks on historical social safety nets to non profit resilience; from wildfires to statewide warehousing regulations, and from breast feeding to Black graduation ceremonies, Black Voice News covered a spectrum of stories that impacted our lives. Here are some of the editor’s picks of stories from a year that will certainly be recorded as one of the most politically tumultuous and socially destabilizing years in recent American history.
With the swearing in of Donald J. Trump as U.S. president for the second time in January 2025, Americans were jolted to awareness of this nation’s changing reality when one of his first acts as president was lurch full force toward implementation of Project 2025. Project 2025 is a sweeping policy blueprint written and driven by the Heritage Foundation. It sparked alarm among civil rights and advocacy groups for its potential to erode hard-won protections in education, health care, housing, voting rights, and economic opportunity, with especially dire consequences for Black Americans. With the support of a fellowship by the Lilly Endowment and administered by the Chronicle of Philanthropy, Black Voice News explored the impacts of Project 2025 on local, Black-led nonprofits focused on issues of importance to the well being of Blacks in the Inland Empire in a series titled BlackLash 2025.
In early January 2025, the Eaton Fire tore through Altadena, a historic Black community in Los Angeles County, fueled by unusually dry conditions and fierce Santa Ana winds, the blaze spread rapidly. The fire devastated neighborhoods and displaced thousands. The aftermath forced a hard truth: even urban neighborhoods, long considered low-risk, are now vulnerable. Also in 2025, CalFIRE updated fire hazard severity maps for the first time since 2008. This marked a significant shift in how risk is measured. The 2025 Black Voice News series titled, The Fire Next Time was funded by the Inland Empire Community Foundation via the Inland Empire Journalism Innovation Hub+Fund and presented in partnership with Mapping Black California and Building Resilient Communities. This series sought to raise awareness about the expanding wildfire risks in the inland region and to help educate the community about how to prepare for a wildfire emergency.
Good Black Jobs: Advancing Meaningful Work and Wealth in the Inland
EmpireRecognizing that small businesses are the economic engine of most communities, in 2025 Black Voice News presented a series titled Good Black Jobs: Advancing Meaningful Work and Wealth in the Inland Empire. This series focuses on Black entrepreneurs across the inland region who are making an impact in a variety of fields. By sharing their back stories and successes Black Voice News seeks to encourage inland empire residents to recycle their dollars within the community by supporting local Black businesses while also inspiring those with an entrepreneurial spirit by presenting Black entrepreneurial role models succeeding in their local communities. This reporting initiative was funded through a grant provided by the Thrive Inland SoCal Catalyst Fund in partnership with the Inland Empire Community Foundation.
Southern California Sees Severe Weather Patterns, Wildfires, and Power Outages in January
In the first month of 2025, Southern California witnessed a handful of severe weather patterns. From wildfires to windstorms, hundreds of thousands of Californians were impacted.
Petition Demands Accountability Within Riverside County Sheriff’s Department
A coalition of organizations and advocates in Riverside County, has launched a petition demanding accountability within the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department. The petition calls for the creation of an independent community oversight committee, the appointment of an inspector general, and the separation of the coroner’s office from the sheriff’s department. The coalition includes the American Civil Liberties Union, League of United Latin American Citizens, and community members, and demands transparency and accountability measures, including an independent Inspector General’s Office and stronger accountability measures for sheriff-involved shootings and in-custody deaths.
Mapping Deportations: Tracing the Racist Origins of US Immigration Policy
Mapping Deportations, created by three scholars from UCLA’s Center for Immigration Law and Policy and the Million Dollar Hoods Project, traces the racist origins of immigration laws and policies in the United States since 1895. The website shows that over 96% of deportation orders have been issued to people from predominantly non-white countries, and that Mexico and Central America have been in the lead with the highest number of deportation orders continuously since 1915. The researchers argue that racism has been baked into the immigration system since the antebellum period and has been reinvented since 1965.
Federal judge orders Trump administration to fully fund SNAP benefits in November
A federal judge ordered the Trump administration to pay the full amount of SNAP benefits by November 7, after the administration said it would only partially fund the benefits. Amid a government shutdown, many of the 45 million SNAP recipients who rely on benefits, with many turned to food banks during the delay. The court ordered the administration to pay the benefits using Section 32 of the Agricultural Adjustment Act of 193 funds in combination with the contingency funds authorized by Congress.
California Voters Approve Proposition 50, Redrawing Congressional Map
In an unprecedented move, President Donald J. Trump pressured leaders in states led by Republican governors to redraw congressional maps in their states and carve out more Republican seats. This was largely viewed as a desperate and dangerous effort to retain control of the House of Representatives in the 2026 Midterm election. In response, CA Governor Gavin Newsom, spearheaded Prop 50 to offset the Republican redistricting effort in Texas. In a special election, on November 4, 2025, voters approved an unprecedented redistricting effort in CA to carve out more Congressional seats for Democrats in 2026. In the process, CA created a model for other states led by Democrats to follow.
California to Offer Low-cost Insulin at $11 per Pen Starting in 2026
California’s Governor Gavin Newsom announced that low-cost insulin will be available in pharmacies across the state beginning January 1, 2026. The CalRx Insulin Glargine in pen form of the medication will be available for $11 per pen ($55 per five-pack of 3 mL pens). The move is part of Newsom’s CalRx Initiative, which aims to lower the cost of prescription drugs in the state. The American Diabetes Association has welcomed the move, citing a 2024 KFF opinion poll that found about three in ten adults reported not taking their medicines as prescribed at some point in the past year because of the cost.
Black Freedom Fund Doubles Down on Support for Black Organizations
The California Black Freedom Fund (CBFF) evolved into the Black Freedom Fund, California’s first Black Community Foundation. It supports and invests in the growth, capacity-building, and sustainability of Black organizations. Since 2020, CBFF has granted $45 million to Black-serving organizations and plans to double down on its support and investments into Black organizations. The fund aims to address the funding gap between Black-led organizations and white-led ones and encourages long-term commitments to these nonprofits.
Report: California’s Economy Benefits from Black-led Nonprofits Despite Being Underfunded
Black-led and Black-empowering nonprofit organizations in California contribute significantly to the state’s economy, employing 4,000 people and generating $335M in salaries in 2024. However, these organizations face funding inequities and understaffing, with 74% citing insufficient revenue as the reason for inadequate staffing. The Black Equity Collective (BEC) commissioned a report highlighting the economic contributions of these organizations and recommending that funders increase their support and visibility of their efforts.
Archiving the Black Web Trains the Next Generation to Safeguard Digital Heritage
The Trump administration has issued 152 executive orders to dismantle federal programs, policies, and laws, including diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives. The Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture has removed some artifacts, while the National Parks Service has removed references to Harriet Tubman and the Fugitive Slave Act. To combat the erasure of Black history, Archiving the Black Web (ATBW) is working to preserve Black experiences online through web archiving training, with a focus on preserving Black content on the internet.
California Court Rules Against Temecula School District’s Anti-CRT Ban
A California appellate court ruled that the Temecula Valley Unified School District (TVUSD) cannot enforce its ban on critical race theory (CRT) while pending legal action takes place. The ban, which was passed in 2022 and extended to teachings about the history of racism and slavery in the U.S., was deemed “unconstitutionally vague on its face” and “so ambiguous” by the court. The court’s decision is a victory for educators and students who fear being terminated for teaching about discrimination and real history.
Black Women in California Face Racism and Discrimination at Work, New Report Reveals
A survey conducted by the California Black Women’s Collective Empowerment Institute found that more than half of Black women in California have experienced racism and/or discrimination at work. The study surveyed 452 Black women in California and explored job satisfaction, experiences of racism and discrimination in the workplace, and important aspects of a job among Black women. The survey found that nearly half of Black women in California feel marginalized, excluded from, or passed over for opportunities at work due to their intersectional identities as both Black and female. The report also offers legislative and non-legislative policies and recommendations that can be implemented to advance workplace equity for Black women.
The Greater Inland Empire Black Nurses Association (BNA) is a group of Black nurses with decades of experience and expertise in a variety of medical departments. The organization aims to serve Black nurses and diverse populations to ensure equal access to professional development, while promoting education opportunities and improving health. The BNA has plans to increase outreach and presence in the community, while also educating the public on different health topics and erasing the misconception about Black nurses.
Sankofa Elders Project: The Urgent Need to Care for Older Black People Today and Tomorrow
Carlene Davis, co-founder of Sistahs Aging with Grace & Elegance (SAGE), has launched the Sankofa Elders Project, an Equity Community Organizing (ECO) group that aims to reduce health inequities for older adults. The project, in partnership with the California Black Women’s Health Project’s (CABWHP), aims to address the equity issues faced by older Black adults in Los Angeles County through community-based solutions and education. The project includes the Black Eldering Bill of Rights, a set of principles that will guide future advocacy around issues impacting Black elders and their caregivers.
The United Domestic Workers (UDW) of America’s Riverside sponsored and hosted a Black Voice News Care in the Inland Empire Celebration, kicking off the month of March by honoring the caregiver community. This event was the culmination of the Black Voice News series Care in the IE, that explores a myriad of topics related to caregiving, including how to navigate the system for support, in addition to the costs of care for those seeking outside assistance as well as resources available to support in-home care.
AI’s Growing Footprint: Study Reveals Alarming Environmental Cost of California’s Data Centers
A new report from the nonpartisan research group Next 10 titled, An Assessment of California Data Centers’ Environmental and Public Health Impacts, places context and data at the forefront of that footprint. The report examines the electricity use of California data centers from 2019 to 2023, finding that it nearly doubled. It also found that water consumption almost doubled, and the public health costs tied to air pollution from data centers more than tripled. The study also projects what those trends could look like by 2028 as AI usage expands – especially in places with heavy data center build-out like Santa Clara County and the Los Angeles region.
Mapping Black California celebrates its 10 year Anniversary
Over the last six years, the small, but mighty team at Mapping Black California (MBC) has been composed of Project Director Candice Mays and Project Manager Alex Reed. Since Mays joined in 2019 and Reed in 2020, the team has undertaken several data projects and developed detailed maps for partners. Launched in 2015 as a project dedicated to empowering the greater Black Californian population by leveraging data that helps identify systemically induced racism and inequities, Mapping Black California (MBC) celebrated its tenth anniversary in 2025. Founded by second-generation publisher of Black Voice News and founder of Voice Media Ventures Dr. Paulette Brown-Hinds, MBC seeks to provide reliable data and contribute to social and economic change.
Juneteenth Jam Brings Black Joy and Remembrance to Ferguson Park
The Juneteenth Jam: It’s a Family Affair, a celebration of freedom, culture, and community, was held at Ferguson Park in Rialto. The event, hosted by Stronger Together Now, Black the Block, and Fentwood Hoops, honored the day when Union troops arrived in Galveston, Texas, in 1865, to inform the last enslaved Black Americans that they were finally free. The celebration included music, local vendors, and youth activities, and serves as a reminder of the ongoing fight for racial justice.
California Tightens Warehouse Regulations with New Design and Build Standards
The South Coast Air Quality Management District (AQMD) issued 475 violations since 2023 for noncompliance with its Indirect Source Rule, which targets warehouses over 100,000 square feet in Southern California. In 2025, the Air Quality Management Control District (AQMD) expanded its regulatory focus statewide with the introduction of Assembly Bill 98 (AB 98), which set new design and build standards. It further mandates updated truck routing plans to reduce the adverse air quality impacts of truck traffic near warehouses.
California Bans Law Enforcement From Wearing Face Coverings
California Governor Gavin Newsom signed the No Secret Police Act, prohibiting law enforcement officers from covering their faces with ski masks while performing their duties. The bill, which will take effect on January 1, 2026, includes exemptions for SWAT teams and other situations. The legislation is part of a package of bills aimed at establishing a standard of expectations to keep people safe against the Trump administration’s “immigration agenda.” The passage of these bills follows the Supreme Court’s recent ruling which lifted ICE restrictions in Los Angeles, allowing for the racial profiling of residents during immigration raids.
Black Breastfeeding Week Aims to Close the Breastfeeding Gap Among Black Mothers
Black Breastfeeding Week, founded in 2013, by Kimberly Seals Allers, Kiddada Green and Anayah Sangodele-Ayoka highlights the disparities in breastfeeding rates and is working to close those gaps among Black mothers compared to their racial/ethnic counterparts. Black Breastfeeding Week takes place from Aug. 25 through Aug. 3. The 2025 theme was “Boots on the Ground: Rooted in Breastfeeding Success, Grounded in Community Support.” Breastfeeding is the ideal source of nutrition for most infants, however, the lowest prevalence of breastfeeding initiation is among Black mothers, according to 2020-2021 disaggregated data published by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Riverside Art Museum Showcases Positive Visual Representation of Black Communities
The “ECLIPSE: What’s Your Perspective?”exhibition at the Riverside Art Museum highlighted the instinctual work of Malik Laing and Jonathan Freemantle Arthurs. Laing and Arthurs are photographers and orchestrators of their community darkroom and photography workspace known as Eclipse S paces in San Bernardino. The exhibit showcased the intersections of being Black artists and creators.
No Kings Protesters Push Back on Trump Admin Policies — With Costumes, Color and Community
On October 18, 2025, hundreds of thousands of protestors gathered in cities across the country in opposition to what protestors described as the growing authoritarianism of President Donald J. Trump and his administration.
The National Black Grads (NBG) organization, the largest African American high school recognition ceremony in Southern California, celebrated the 2025 class of scholarship recipients on Sunday, May 4, 2025 at the Inland Empire Black Graduate Recognition Ceremony. More than 750 high school graduates and college-bound students participated in the event at California State University, San Bernardino (CSUSB) in the Coussoulis Arena.
Congress Fails to Extend ACA Subsidies, Premiums to Soar for Millions
The enhanced premium tax subsidies under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) are set to expire on December 31, and Congress has failed to reach a consensus on a health care package to extend them. Millions of Americans rely on the ACA, and without the subsidies, an estimated four million people could lose coverage. The subsidies were introduced during the COVID-19 pandemic for lower-income families, and without them, premiums could rise by 86% for those enrolled in Covered California. Despite this, a Republican-supported health care package that passed the House does not extend the expiring ACA subsidies.