If you told me that Thanksgiving was just TEN days away, I wouldn’t believe you. For many of us, we’re preparing to visit our families by packing our cute late Fall ‘fits and writing down our grocery store lists all while singing Shirley Caesar’s famous holiday classic…

For others, we’re just trying to find a reason to be THANKFUL.

Personally, various kinds of grief and loss this year has been gnawing on my back. And with all of the continuous, scary breaking news, it feels like this year has been a decade-long.

Will we ever get precedented times back?

Maybe not.

But as I continue to reflect on the year, I realize that as a Black journalist, I actually have a lot to be thankful for.

I’m thankful for all of the Black folks I’ve talked to these past few weeks who have told me what they desire to see out of me and other journalists in this consequential time in our nation.

I’m thankful for the Black women journalists like Ida B. Wells, Marvel Cooke, and Ethel Payne who reported on the civil rights injustices of their time and paved the way for my career as a reporter with two marginalized identities.

And lastly, I’m thankful for YOU for giving me the opportunity to interview people who have long felt erased by mainstream media, write the stories that matter and make an impact wherever I can.

This is what keeps me motivated.

Now…let’s eat!

FEATURED STORY

Your guide to L.A.’s growing Afro Latine food scene, and the families behind it.

by Marina Peña 

While we’re on the topic of food, we have a special guide for you. Hint: it includes tender, firm chicken tamales, Panamanian arroz con pollo and Love Muff Chili (you have to read the guide to find out what this is).

Reporter Marina Peña recently visited four family-owned Afro Latine restaurants to talk to their owners about their unique cuisines.

If you haven’t explored these special Afro Latine eateries, now’s your chance.

📍 Tamales Elena y Antojitos on Wilmington Avenue between 110th & 111th St.

📍 Caribbean Soul Kitchen LA //5354 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90036

📍 Tacos El Morenazo // 12328 Braddock Dr., Culver City, CA 90230

📍 Mestico Afro Latin Cuisine // 242 N Avenue 25 Los Angeles, CA 90031

WHAT’S NEW, WHAT’S NEXT?

Strategies for Black Americans to nurture mental health after the election

By Adam Mahoney (Capital B)

Are you in need of some post-election woosah? Many fellow Black people, immigrants and working class folks in America feel a variety of emotions as they prepare for a second Trump administration full of deregulation of the federal government department they rely on for protection. Reporter Adam Mahoney spoke with Raquel Martin, an assistant professor in the Department of Psychological Sciences and Counseling at Tennessee State University about how Black Americans can take care of their mental health and create a sense of control over their lives for the next four years.

A 13-year-old with autism got arrested after his backpack sparked fear. Only his stuffed bunny was inside. 

by Aliyya Swaby (ProPublica) and Paige Pfleger (WPLN/Nashville Public Radio)

As a former teacher and education reporter well-versed in what causes the school-to-prison pipeline, this was a story that immediately caught my attention. Ty, a middle school student with autism, was arrested in school after making a comment about his backpack that sparked fear in the school officials. His arrest was an outcome to a new Tennessee law that makes threats of mass violence at school a felony charge. While lawmakers did make an exception for people with intellectual disabilities, ProPublica and WPLN/Nashville Public Radio reports that the family lawyers said there was no proof that law enforcement considered Ty’s documented intellectual disability before he was restrained and arrested.

Gender reversal: Black men are taking over the kitchen on Thanksgiving Day 

By Trinity Alicia (The TRiiBE)

Okay…we just read some pretty heavy stories so I want to leave you with a palate cleanser. Come to any of my family’s cookouts, celebrations or holiday parties and you’ll likely see my uncles on the grill. It’s their territory and it’s where they shine. They don’t move from that grill.

But Reporter Trinity Alicia has noticed a trend: the Thanksgiving preparation gender gaps are closing.

Black men are actually moving to the kitchen, historically “a woman’s place”. She spoke with some Black men who bring their ingenuity, family knowledge and authenticity in the kitchen. Her interviewees were creating vegan meals, making sweet potato pies, grilling turkeys using cast iron pots. Read more here.

MORE STORIES

200 survivors of sexual assault, gender-based violence sign letter condemning a second Trump term 

By Elizabeth Moss 

More than 200 survivors and advocates of sexual and gender-based violence signed a letter condemning a second Donald Trump presidency. Why? In May, a jury found Trump liable for sexually abusing longtime advice columnist E. Jean Carroll. The letter appeared as a full-page ad in the New York Times two weeks ago. Some of the signees include Viola Davis, Gloria Steinem and Tarana Burke. Read Elizabeth Moss's latest story for more.

“I think that the sources of black news are drying up. I was really happy to hear that there are news sources of Black news, community-centric news opening up. It was really good to meet Dana and hear that there are news sources that are coming into the market to tell stories from a Black perspective.

“What was appealing to me was the fact that AfroLA wanted to get the full gamut of a story, meaning that they wanted it to be intergenerational, which is always nice, and we were able to provide that because we have an intergenerational perspective as a part of our core values here.”

- Marsha Mitchell

Marsha Mitchell is the senior director of communications for Community Coalition. She worked at the L.A. Sentinel newspaper from 1990 to 2001. 

She met AfroLA founder Dana Amihere at a cohort event for Bridging Histories, a program created to explore how L.A.’s Black and Jewish communities can come together. AfroLA reporters interviewed some  Community Coalition members about what Angelenos need from the news media in this consequential time in our democracy.

On election night, AfroLA spoke to a few community members at the Community Coalition about what they want to see from the news media in this consequential time in the nation.

* * *

“I love the fact that you showed up and just kind of listened to people, gave people an opportunity to just say what's important to them as it relates to what's at stake in the community and on the ballot but also what you were asking about, what people felt was needed from news organizations like AfroLA. I thought that was really good.”

- Jay Stallworth

Jay Stallworth is a business change manager at Elevance Health, formerly known as Anthem Insurance Company. . He is the chairman of a politics and voting education initiative, A Voteless People is a Hopeless People, for his Beta Psi Lambda chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. 

AfroLA partnered with the Los Angeles chapters of the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. and their sorors of the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. for two town hall voting education meetings. AfroLA has also interviewed members of both Divine Nine organizations during an election night watch party about what they need from the news media during this time in our democracy.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT

We made a commitment to you for Election 2024. Here’s how we did.

Read about how we covered the election and what we aim to continue to do as a news organization.

SUPPORT AFROLA

Our Newsmatch end-of-year campaign is underway. What’s that, you may ask? Through Dec. 31, every dollar you give to AfroLA, up to $1,000, will be matched. This makes a huge difference for us. 

As you probably know, AfroLA is in the first couple years of its existence. We have a great team, excellent community relationships and a mission focused on solutions journalism. But, pulling all this together has a cost! Individual donations, especially recurring donations, are crucial because they help us produce quality reporting for Black and other historically-marginalized communities. (And, money we can count on each month helps us better plan for the future.)

Individual gifts to AfroLA are also an important sign to the foundations who grant us money, showing them that we are growing and diversifying our revenue streams. Please consider giving to AfroLA in any amount today. Your donation will be doubled! And share us with someone in your life who could be interested in supporting us. We deeply appreciate each and every one of you.

What do you think about The Breakdown?

🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥 I'm obsessed!!! I stare at my inbox until the edition arrives.

🔥🔥🔥 It's cool—I read it when it comes.

🔥 Ehhh...it's fine. Maybe I'll skim through it.

If you received this email from a friend, sign up for The Breakdown newsletter. Your inbox will thank you. 😄