Black Legislative & Community Knowledge

Xavier Becerra, former Biden health secretary and California attorney general, has emerged as the leading candidate in California's gubernatorial primary election to replace term-limited Governor Gavin Newsom. The race to determine his November opponent remains undecided between Republican Steve Hilton, a British-American former Fox News host and David Cameron adviser, and Democratic billionaire Tom Steyer, with both candidates separated by approximately 300,000 votes. The contest, which featured over 60 candidates mostly from the Democratic party, became California's most expensive gubernatorial race after frontrunner Eric Swalwell withdrew following sexual misconduct allegations. Vote counting continues as California processes millions of mail-in ballots, a process that could extend for weeks under the state's system where each county has 30 days to finalize results and certification won't occur until July 10th.

France's National Assembly voted unanimously to repeal the Code Noir, a 1685 royal decree that governed slavery in French colonies and classified enslaved people as property, which had remarkably remained on the books for nearly two centuries after slavery's abolition. The vote, while symbolically significant, has sparked emotional debate about whether it represents genuine reckoning with France's colonial past or merely empty symbolism that avoids addressing ongoing systemic racism and inequality. Descendants of enslaved people in France's overseas departments—former slave colonies like Martinique and Guadeloupe that are now full parts of France—continue to face poverty rates and unemployment double that of mainland France, with leadership positions predominantly held by white officials. While President Macron has suggested exploring reparations, he has offered no concrete commitments, leading critics to argue that repealing an already-defunct law does little to address the persistent colonial legacy affecting nearly two million French citizens in overseas territories.

An outbreak in Congo that has killed over 200 people is caused by the Bundibugyo virus, a rare strain that causes Ebola disease but lacks specific approved treatments or vaccines. Unlike more common Ebola strains, Bundibugyo has only caused two previous outbreaks, all in the Congo River basin region, and appears to have a mortality rate around 30% or higher. Health officials have identified several potential vaccines and therapies for testing, including candidates from Moderna, the Serum Institute of India, and antibody treatments from pharmaceutical companies, but these require months of development before clinical trials can begin. Responders are relying on basic public health measures like contact tracing, isolation, proper protective equipment for healthcare workers, safe burial practices, and supportive medical care including IV fluids to combat the outbreak.

Detroit parents face a particularly challenging school selection process this year due to the closure of four Detroit Public Schools Community District schools and the potential shutdown of Barack Obama Leadership Academy. The city's complex educational landscape includes over 100 DPSCD schools and approximately 80 charter school districts, with no centralized information system covering all options. To assist families navigating this fragmented system, education reporters have compiled guidance from various experts and organizations, emphasizing the importance of identifying family priorities before beginning the search. The compiled resources include school locator tools, data dashboards, visit checklists, and enrollment requirement information to help parents make informed decisions throughout the year. # Key Takeaways

Detroit is launching an educational initiative to help nonprofit organizations and religious institutions understand how to obtain property tax exemptions and prevent foreclosure on their properties. City officials discovered that many nonprofits, particularly churches, mistakenly believed they were automatically exempt from property taxes and consequently ignored tax bills, putting them at risk of losing their buildings. The city's assessor's office is now conducting outreach to inform these organizations about the required application process and eligibility criteria they must meet to secure exemptions. To support this effort, Detroit is hosting a Non-Profit Community Summit in June where organizations can learn about tax exemption requirements and address other municipal compliance issues like blight violations and water bills. # Key Takeaways

Several Detroit schools face closure, creating uncertainty for families who must navigate the city's complex school selection process. The Barack Obama Leadership Academy, a charter school, may close without securing a new authorizer, while four Detroit Public Schools Community District schools are definitively closing after this school year, with a fifth scheduled for 2027. Although the district provided advance notice starting in 2022 and accelerated closure timelines in its budget last year, many parents remain undecided about their children's placements for next fall. These closures represent a shift from Detroit's past decade when emergency managers abruptly shuttered schools with little warning, though the district still faces significant enrollment challenges with only 50,000 of 72,000 available seats filled. Parents and students are grieving the loss of their school communities while trying to find new placements that offer similar programs and support services.