The Word with Jackie Rae

June 7, 2023, marks a significant milestone for "The Word" podcast. It was on this day two years ago that the show made its debut, fulfilling a vision I had shared during my initial job interview with Long Beach Post. From its inception, the podcast aimed to shed light on the underrepresented voices and stories within the Black community, while also exploring topics that resonate with all listener...

According to the CDC, death rates for women giving birth in the United States jumped from 23.8 deaths to 32.9 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2021. The data also shows that mortality rates are the highest among Black women, who are two to six times more likely to die from a pregnancy-related cause than white women. While the data cannot pinpoint specific causes for the disparities between white...

Inequities in homeownership rates persist despite the many advantages it offers, including stability, cherished traditions and long-term financial benefits. According to data from the National Association of Realtors, homeownership in the United States rose to 65.5% in 2021, but a significant gap remains between Black and white Americans. While 72.7% of white Americans were homeowners in 2021, onl...

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, guns are the leading cause of death for children and teenagers in the United States. In Long Beach, gun violence has tragically claimed the lives of many children. Most recently, 12-year-old Eric Gregory Brown III , who was killed in a drive-by shooting that also wounded a 14-year-old girl. School shootings, mall shootings and even churc...

According to the National Association of Women in Construction , the construction industry has seen an increase in women working in the field over the past four years. In 2018, women made up just 9.9% of the construction workforce. As of 2022, that number has risen to 10.9%, but the highest concentration of women in the field is in the areas of sales and management. Robin Thorne, the founder of C....

Senay Kenfe is no stranger to advocating for change in Long Beach. As one of the leaders of "The Six," a group created to address the city's neglect of the 6th City Council District, Kenfe is committed to changing the landscape of the community where he grew up and still lives. By using his financial wisdom to purchase property, Kenfe is working to create housing security for Black people while al...

Hotel workers at the Hyatt Regency and Hyatt Centric have received a $4 per hour pay increase and free family health insurance thanks to negotiations led by their labor union Unite Here Local 11.  Lorraine Clark, a union member and mother, expressed her appreciation for the new benefits and pay raise, noting that the extra money could allow her and her partner to spend more time together with thei...

Earlier this month, the Long Beach Post was able to help Project Dignity member Ishqa Hillman locate an unhoused woman affectionately known as "Goddaughter, " who had gone missing. Helping people like Goddaughter feel compassion while living on the street is something Hillman takes pride in, and it is something she can relate to. Hillman says she experienced every abuse and trauma imaginable by th...

DreamKreator Studios founder Rhonda Love created the Celebrating Black Excellence awards in 2018 to recognize outstanding individuals in Long Beach who elevate the Black community.  After being paused because of the pandemic, the awards ceremony resumed in early March with in-person presentations. Atira Rodriguez of the Long Beach Post and Dr. Toyia Jackson from the legendary Jackson family were a...

Katherine Legge is a seasoned racing veteran, having begun racing go-karts at the age of 9 in England. She went on to compete in various races throughout Britain but did not participate in a full season until she came to the United States in 2005. Her first race in the States was the Long Beach Grand Prix, which was also her first victory. Sheena Monk is a true newcomer to the sport, having just b...

What should have been a fun guys' trip to Mexico in September has left one family searching for answers after the death of their son. Maurice Colburt had just received his passport and was traveling to Rosarito Beach during the Labor Day weekend to take in a concert and enjoy his time with friends. But according to Colburt’s friends, a shot at a popular tourist bar called Papas & Beer caused him t...

“No parent should have to outlive their child.” It is a saying most of us have heard before. For parents who have to continue on after losing a child, the question becomes, how do you cope? Sedona Wan de Guzman faced challenges from the moment she was born. She arrived three months early, suffered a brain injury, spent six months in intensive care, underwent brain surgery and was eventually diagno...

On Feb. 3, Long Beach city officials announced plans to open an emergency winter homeless shelter in Silverado Park's gym. Given the lack of shelter space, frigid temperatures and the local state of emergency in response to the homelessness crisis , few people questioned the move at first. But for the residents living near the site of the planned shelter in Silverado Park, the move was in direct o...

Diane Marie Brown grew up in Northern California but, after meeting her husband in college and moving, she now calls Long Beach her home. Brown's life continued with college, family and a career in public health. Although a creative career was not something Brown envisioned for herself, she always had a love of writing—and after attending USC's professional writing program, she kept chipping away...

Valentine’s Day sparks different thoughts in different people.  There are two that are consistent: love and jewelry.  On this episode of “The Word” Podcast, we sit down with third-generation jeweler and owner of Blue Diamond Jeweler, Altaf Amlani, to learn how his store offers a diamond for every budget and has a unique way of helping each customer find the perfect piece of jewelry for any occasio...

Duke Givens is well known for his work with homeless residents in Long Beach through his nonprofit, Care Closet LBC, but before he became a prominent advocate, Givens was already a talented photographer.  Recently, he showcased his latest exhibit “Shades of Her” at the Expo Arts Center in celebration of Black History Month. The series highlights the diversity of Black women and their role in bette...

Amber M Aesthetics is a new Hydrafacial salon that recently opened in Downtown Long Beach. While the salon has always been a dream for owner Amber Miller, she said it was important to her to be more than a business operator. Miller said she wants to be an example to young women and prove they can do anything they want, and she is not waiting until her business is well established in the community...

In 1969, Civil Rights leaders created a community land trust as a way to secure access to land for African American families. Now, the city of Long Beach is hoping a similar model will provide some relief to the homeless and affordable housing crisis. Tenants advocacy group Long Beach Residents Empowered is hoping to create a Housing for All Long Beach Community Land Trust. The trust would tentati...

 Winter months can be a fraught time for mental health. Whether it's seasonal affective disorder triggering depression or it's simply a difficult time of year for people who have lost loved ones, acknowledging our feelings during the holidays is something educator and activist Nooshin Valizadeh, Ed. D., wants to normalize. On this episode of “The Word” podcast, Valizadeh, talks about how to recogn...

December 14, 2007, at 2 a.m., more than 25 Long Beach Firefighters responded to a house fire just northeast of downtown. A space heater inside a converted garage that did not have the required permits or smoke detectors caused the blaze. Within minutes, firefighters were on the scene administering life-saving assistance to three young girls inside the home. Six-year-old Stephanie Aviles and sister...

Over the last several months, the Long Beach Post has been investigating why our city and so many others across the state seem unable to solve the problem of homelessness despite a record influx of money. The goal of our ongoing series called “ Locked Out: Homeless in Long Beach ” is to understand how government funding is being spent to address the issue, what resources the unhoused have and how...

Christian Outreach in Action, located on the corner of Third Street and Linden Avenue, has the only public restroom accessible to the unhoused community in the area. That may seem like a small resource, but Executive Director Dixie Dohrmann says it is just one way the nonprofit is trying to be good neighbors to residents of the community while serving the unhoused and impoverished as well. COA has...

Meals on Wheels of Long Beach, founded in 1971, has made it their mission to make sure the chronically ill, seniors, veterans and disabled people can remain independent and safe in their own homes for as long as possible. In Long Beach, Meals on Wheels serves approximately 600 clients Monday through Friday and relies on the generosity of volunteers and donations. On this episode of “The Word” podc...

Voters and politicians alike have made addressing the expanding homeless population in Long Beach a top priority. Despite the city receiving $85 million in state and federal funding over the past two years, Long Beach has still seen a 62% increase in the homeless population since 2020. Even in the face of those bleak statistics, there are nonprofits trying to reduce homelessness and address the ro...

#longbeach #politics #citycouncil  Homelessness has been a top issue for voters nationwide. For Councilmember Rex Richardson, it is also a family issue. In an extensive interview on "The Word" podcast with Jackie Rae, Richardson spoke about his younger brother, who at 17, was shot in the back during a fight at a party. That event led to a battle with drugs, and ultimately a life on the street for...