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In an exclusive interview with The Defender, Vietnam veteran and Purple Heart recipient Dr. Richard Watkins shares his “Soldiers Story,” from fighting racism in Army flight training to surviving being shot down over Vietnam.

Speaking at the Veterans Memorial Museum in Huntsville, Texas, Dr. Watkins, who retired as an Army captain, reflects on the courage, danger and racism Black Americans faced in Vietnam, and on the cold reception many veterans got when they came home. He also shares his views on the state of the U.S. military today and offers advice to young people considering military service.

In this video, you’ll hear about:
• A childhood dream to fly when “there are no Negro pilots”
• Racism and segregation during Army helicopter pilot training
• Being shot down on Dec. 30, 1967, just before the Tet Offensive
• Waiting for rescue as enemy forces closed in
• Coming home from an unpopular war
• His concerns about the U.S. military today

Chapters
0:00 Inspiration to serve and fly
2:20 Racism during training
4:24 Shot down
8:44 Rescued
9:57 After Vietnam: welcome home
12:51 The state of the U.S. military
16:07 A message for those considering service

Know a veteran with a story that needs to be told? Thank them for their service and share their story with us in the comments.

Subscribe to The Defender for more exclusive interviews, local news, and community coverage.

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#VietnamVeteran #BlackHistory #RichardWatkins #BlackVeterans #Houston #Texas #VeteransDay #TheDefender

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As usual, Dolores got there first. That’s Barack Obama, on the woman who was saying Sí, se puede decades before he said Yes, we can. Dolores Huerta died a week ago today, at her home in Bakersfield. She was ninety-six.

This week on News Observer Weekly, Marcus and Nia break down the five stories that mattered most to our readers — from Observer Group Newspapers, publishers of the Bakersfield News Observer, the Los Angeles News Observer and Valley’s News Observer, serving Kern County, Los Angeles, and the San Fernando and Antelope valleys.

ONE THING THIS WEEK
Voted by mail? Make sure it counts. Ballots postmarked by Nov. 3 count if they
arrive within seven days. Track yours at the California Secretary of State’s
website (sos.ca.gov). Kern County Elections: 661-868-3590.

PUBLISH A LEGAL NOTICE
Need to publish a fictitious business name, name change, probate or summons in
Kern or Los Angeles County? File online at https://legal.ognsc.com — upload your
paperwork, review the notice, see a flat price before you pay. Kern notices run
in the Bakersfield News Observer; L.A. County notices run in the Los Angeles News
Observer. Deadline: Friday 5 p.m. Pacific for the next week’s paper.

CHAPTERS
0:00 Cold open
0:55 Bakersfield: Dolores Huerta, Farmworker Champion, Dies at 96 in Bakersfield
2:54 Kern County: ‘Don’t Ghost Your Vote’: Young Kern County Residents Say Why Their Peers Skip the Polls
5:21 Long Beach: NAACP California-Hawaii Convention Concludes With Call to Action: ‘We Will Not Be Deterred’
6:52 From the Observer: publish a legal notice
7:48 California: California Big-City Mayors Want at Least $1 Billion in State Funding to Fight Homelessness
10:21 Family Budget: ‘Raising a Child Shouldn’t Break the Bank’: California Is Helping Families Save on Childcare Costs
12:03 What to do this week

THE FULL STORIES
Dolores Huerta, Farmworker Champion, Dies at 96 in Bakersfield

Dolores Huerta, farmworker champion, dies at 96 in Bakersfield

2. ‘Don’t Ghost Your Vote’: Young Kern County Residents Say Why Their Peers Skip the Polls

‘Don’t ghost your vote’: Young Kern County residents say why their peers skip the polls– and what they want from leaders.

3. NAACP California-Hawaii Convention Concludes With Call to Action: ‘We Will Not Be Deterred’

NAACP California-Hawaii Convention Concludes with Call to Action: ‘We Will Not Be Deterred’

4. California Big-City Mayors Want at Least $1 Billion in State Funding to Fight Homelessness

California Big-City Mayors Want At Least $1 Billion In State Funding to Fight Homelessness

5. ‘Raising a Child Shouldn’t Break the Bank’: California Is Helping Families Save on Childcare Costs

‘Raising a Child Shouldn’t Break the Bank’: California Is Helping Families Save on Childcare Costs

Read everything at ognsc.com
Subscribe for the top five, every week.

#BlackPress #Bakersfield #LosAngeles #SanFernandoValley #AntelopeValley #BlackNews

The 2026 midterm elections delivered historic victories across the country, including a major milestone for Black political leadership.

For the first time in U.S. history, multiple elected Black governors will serve simultaneously. Keisha Lance Bottoms makes history in Georgia as the nation’s first Black woman governor, while Republican Byron Donalds wins in Florida and Democrat Wes Moore secures reelection in Maryland.

Plus, two FAMU Rattlers, Bottoms and Donalds, make history on opposite sides of the political aisle.

In Texas, Democrats score major victories as Gina Hinojosa defeats Gov. Greg Abbott and James Talarico wins the U.S. Senate race against Ken Paxton.

We’re also covering Ashley Moody’s Senate victory over Angie Nixon in Florida, major election developments in California and New York, and the record-breaking cost of the 2026 midterms.

Join us on BlackPressUSA’s Morning Show as we break down the winners, the upsets, and what comes next.

#BlackPressUSA #Election2026 #BlackGovernors #KeishaLanceBottoms #ByronDonalds #WesMoore #DavidCrowley #StaceyPlaskett #MidtermElections #BlackPoliticalPower

The 2026 midterm elections delivered historic victories across the country, including a major milestone for Black political leadership.

For the first time in U.S. history, multiple elected Black governors will serve simultaneously. Keisha Lance Bottoms makes history in Georgia as the nation’s first Black woman governor, while Republican Byron Donalds wins in Florida and Democrat Wes Moore secures reelection in Maryland.

Plus, two FAMU Rattlers, Bottoms and Donalds, make history on opposite sides of the political aisle.

In Texas, Democrats score major victories as Gina Hinojosa defeats Gov. Greg Abbott and James Talarico wins the U.S. Senate race against Ken Paxton.

We’re also covering Ashley Moody’s Senate victory over Angie Nixon in Florida, major election developments in California and New York, and the record-breaking cost of the 2026 midterms.

Join us on BlackPressUSA’s Morning Show as we break down the winners, the upsets, and what comes next.

#BlackPressUSA #Election2026 #BlackGovernors #KeishaLanceBottoms #ByronDonalds #WesMoore #DavidCrowley #StaceyPlaskett #MidtermElections #BlackPoliticalPower

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