Building on a family legacy, Rose leads a growing national effort to fight systemic barriers and empower underserved communities through grassroots advocacy

By Austin R. Cooper, Jr.
Washington Informer

Gerald E. Rose is transforming a family legacy of civil rights advocacy into an expanding national movement through the New Order Human Rights Organization (NOHRO).

Rose has turned a family legacy of activism into a growing national movement for justice. As the founder of NOHRO, Rose is leading an expanding grassroots campaign to fight systemic barriers faced by Black Americans and underserved communities nationwide.

What started as a local effort has gradually expanded into a broader platform for advocacy, accountability, and community empowerment.

A Legacy That Inspired a Movement

Rose’s dedication to social justice is strongly influenced by his father, the Rev. Floyd Rose, a well-known civil rights advocate in Toledo, Ohio, recognized for his efforts to defend the dignity and rights of marginalized communities.

Growing up, he witnessed firsthand how advocacy can create change and why it’s crucial to stand up for those whose voices are frequently ignored.

“My father believed advocacy meant standing in the gap for people who didn’t always have someone fighting for them,” Rose said. “That principle guides everything I do.”

For Rose, founding the New Order Human Rights Organization was more than just creating an organization — it was carrying on a mission his father devoted his life to.

From Local Effort to National Vision

Under Rose’s leadership, NOHRO, established in 2000 and based in Atlanta, Georgia, has expanded to serve 17 cities nationwide, creating a network of activists, community leaders, and volunteers dedicated to addressing local family issues.

However, his vision extends well beyond the organization’s current scope. He plans to expand the foundation’s presence to 50 cities by the end of 2026, creating a nationwide network that can quickly respond to civil rights issues and community needs.

“We want to be where the need is greatest,” Rose said. “Real change happens when communities are organized and empowered to advocate for themselves.”

Confronting Barriers to Opportunity

The organization tackles issues that often overlap in the lives of marginalized communities. Its priorities include fighting racial profiling, helping individuals overcome employment barriers, supporting students and families facing challenges in the school system, and advocating for meaningful education reform.

Through advocacy, community outreach, and collaboration with local leaders, the organization seeks to highlight inequities and provide practical support to individuals facing these challenges.

Rose believes that tackling these issues together is essential to creating genuine, lasting change.

NOHRO has been involved in several cases that have garnered both national and international news coverage, including, but not limited to, the following:

• Leon Moss, Jr., a young man being held at the Fulton County Jail on contested charges. The New Order team works with legal experts and media to pursue justice.
• Ahmaud Arbery, a 25-year-old murdered in a hate crime, was among the first to rally outside the Glynn County Courthouse.
• Terrell Carter Jr., a 39-year-old man with a history of mental illness, was shot 24 times in East Toledo, Ohio.
• Sandra Bland, a 28-year-old woman, died while in police custody in Texas.

Rose is also familiar with controversy. He publicly supported Michael Vick during the dogfighting scandal, even writing him weekly letters while in prison. “Everybody said, ‘Gerald, why are you supporting him?’ But I also saw the bigger picture – a man, not just his mistakes.”

Empowering Communities Via Advocacy

Beyond raising awareness, the NOHRO aims to empower communities with resources and support systems designed to help individuals overcome institutional barriers.

Community workshops, partnerships with local organizations, and grassroots organizing are key components of the foundation’s strategy. By building strong local networks, Rose aims to improve communities’ capacity to advocate for themselves.

“Empowerment begins when people realize they are not alone,” Rose said. “Our duty is to help communities organize, speak out, and demand the opportunities they deserve.”

Creating a Legacy for Future Generations

For Rose, the work involves not just tackling today’s challenges but also building the foundation for future generations.

By expanding the organization’s reach and strengthening partnerships across communities nationwide, he aims to build a sustainable movement capable of influencing policies and increasing opportunities for those who have historically been marginalized.

“Our mission goes beyond today’s problems,” Rose said. “It’s about creating pathways for the next generation to succeed and making sure that justice and opportunity are rights, not privileges.”

For more information on NOHRO, please visit www.nohro.com or call (800) 346 -5138.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=12mbmvfn9ps

By S.E. Williams

Every day in America about 10,000 people turn 65 years of age and experts project that by the year 2035  those 65 and older will outnumber  those under the age of 18 for the first time in the nation’s history.

In California the number of residents  60 years and older is projected to triple  in the coming years–those numbers, however, vary widely by region with the Inland Empire outpacing much of the state.

According to the California Department of Aging between the years 2010 and 2060 the number of seniors in Riverside County is expected to increase by more than 248%, while San Bernardino’s population over the age of 60 years is projected to grow by more than 202%.

Anyone who has cared for an elderly loved one understands the challenges that lie ahead for these individuals, their families and community. The challenges are many and varied. They include everything from making ends meet on a fixed income while the cost of living continues to increase year over year, the healthcare frailties that come with aging especially for those minority and low income communities that suffer from comorbidities at higher rates than their white and more economically secure peers,  housing, the need for in home support, transportation, and suicide rates that increase with age.

As individuals and as a community the need for resources and support will continue to expand as the aging population grows. It is for these and a plethora of other reasons related to this issue that the inland region is fortunate to have a strong advocate working and advocating at the state level who understands this issue and is a strong voice for the region’s aging population.

Former Assemblymember Cheryl Brown was appointed to the California Commission on Aging(CCoA)  in 2017 and in November was reelected to a second term as the organization’s chair.

Brown leverages her experience and compassion as a family caregiver coupled with her leadership and legislative acumen to help guide the efforts of the  organization.

Her major accomplishments with CCoA include her role as a founding member of  the Stakeholder Advisory Committee for the California Master Plan on Aging (MPA).

This plan prioritizes the health and well-being of older Californians and people with disabilities. But it is more than a plan. It is a “blueprint” for state and local governments in addition to the private sector and philanthropic organizations to prepare the state and local communities for the growing demographic changes and to help ensure equity remains at the forefront.

With the inland region expected to be home to so many of the state’s aging population, having a fierce advocate in our midst will help ensure the concerns of this community on this issue has an important seat at the table.

Of course this is just my opinion. I’m keeping it real.

The post Keeping it Real: Former Assemblymember Cheryl Brown Advocates for Aging Population appeared first on Black Voice News.

By Ellen Perrault

On #GivingTuesday, November 28, the Nextdoor Kind Foundation awarded 20 U.S. small business owners of color microgrants from the Keep It Local Business Fund in partnership with the NAACP, and Hello Alice, the free platform helping over one million small businesses launch and grow.

Four of the 20 grantees are located in California including The Daisy Refillery located in San Francisco; FreeJac Nation in Oakland; I Know a Place located in Los Angeles; and Kindness and Mischief Coffee, also located in Los Angeles.

The Keep It Local Business Fund has awarded $200,000 in microgrants this year to community entrepreneurs across the country.

“These 20 entrepreneurs demonstrated not only a clear vision and plan for their businesses, but a drive to create solutions, opportunities and positive change for their communities,” said Shireen Santosham, Executive Director of the Nextdoor Kind Foundation in a press release. “It’s a privilege to introduce these innovative business owners as Keep It Local Business Fund grant recipients and connect them with financial resources and a network of cohorts to help fuel their ongoing growth.”

More than 11,000 applications were received from across the country during the  application period for this grant round,

Unified by a vision for growth and a commitment to their communities, this period’s grantees represent a diverse spectrum of proposals and industries spanning real estate and preservation, wellness and beauty, counseling and educational services, culinary and more.

“The NAACP extends a heartfelt congratulations to the recipients of this year’s Keep It Local Business Fund,” said NAACP President and CEO, Derrick Johnson.  “This grant initiative further underscores the transformative power of a thriving community through its small business owners. We celebrate not only the achievements of these 20 entrepreneurs but also the potential they hold to inspire and uplift their communities.”

In addition to the grant, recipients will receive resources and tools to grow their business including pro bono advertising on the Nextdoor (NYSE: KIND) platform and access to personalized training.

Follow this link to learn more about the 2023 grant recipients.

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By Breanna Reeves | Black Voice News

Cases of syphilis in newborns in the U.S. continue to rise, according to a recent report issued by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The report emphasized a tenfold increase in cases in 10 years with a total of 3,761 cases of congenital syphilis in 2022 compared to about 335 cases in 2012.

“The congenital syphilis crisis in the United States has skyrocketed at a heartbreaking rate,” said CDC Chief Medical Officer DR. Debra Houry in a press release. “We’re calling on healthcare providers, public health systems, and communities to take additional steps to connect mothers and babies with the care they need.”

Syphilis is a sexually transmitted infection (STI) that is caused by bacteria and is spread through sexual contact. The infection evolves over four stages: primary, secondary, latent and tertiary, where symptoms and signs can progress.

Symptoms of syphilis in the primary stage include sores and can progress in the secondary stage to multiple sores and rashes. In the latent stage, there are no visible symptoms and without treatment, syphilis can exist in the body for years, according to the CDC.

“Syphilis is sometimes referred to as ‘the Great Pretender’ because symptoms can often appear like other diseases throughout the first stages,” according to a statement from San Bernardino County’s Department of Public Health. “However, syphilis should be included in testing for STDs, especially since symptoms can go away on their own but create other complications later.”

Congenital syphilis is a disease that is the result of a mother with syphilis passing the infection to the baby during pregnancy. Syphilis during pregnancy can result in miscarriages, stillbirth and infant death among other long-term medical issues.  In 2022, 231 stillbirths and 51 infant deaths were reported to the CDC.

The CDC’s report found that nearly nine in 10 cases of newborn syphilis in 2022 could have been prevented “with timely testing and treatment during pregnancy.” More than half of cases were among people who tested positive, but never received adequate or timely treatment.

Roughly 40% of cases occurred in mothers who were not in prenatal care. In an emailed statement, the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) noted that “maternal risk factors associated with congenital syphilis in California include a lack of or late prenatal care, substance use, experiencing homelessness, a previous history of syphilis, and incarceration in the previous twelve months.”

One important risk factor for contracting syphilis is where people live. Some counties have higher rates of syphilis among reproductive-age women than others. Other factors that contribute to the rising cases of syphilis include social and economic factors that have created barriers to high quality prenatal care and ongoing declines in prevention, infrastructure and resources, explained Bethan Swift, CDC Epidemic Intelligence Service Fellow.

Swift works with the Riverside County Department of Public Health. In July, the department issued a public health advisory regarding “concerning syphilis trends” and the national shortage of Bicillin-LA, an antibiotic used to treat syphilis and other bacterial infections. Riverside County reported 42 cases of congenital syphilis in 2021, which represented a 55.6% increase in cases since 2019.

In San Bernardino County, congenital syphilis has primarily impacted Hispanic/Latino infants, Non-Hispanic white infants, and Non-Hispanic Black or African American infants, according to the County Department of Public Health.

According to the CDC, California had the 11th highest congenital syphilis rate of all states in 2021. Thirty-seven of California’s 61 local health jurisdictions reported at least one case of congenital syphilis in 2021. The CDPH reported congenital syphilis cases increased from 33 cases in 2012 to 528 cases in 2021.

In 2022, there were 615 congenital syphilis cases reported to CDPH. The highest congenital syphilis rates were among those who identify as American Indian/Alaska native (941.3 cases per 100,000 live births) and African American (383.6/100,000), compared to Hispanic populations (173/100,000) and white populations (133.42/100,000).

In an effort to address congenital syphilis cases, the CDPH’s Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STD) Control Branch has expanded syphilis screening recommendations for the prevention of congenital syphilis. Additional recommendations include at least one screen for syphilis for all sexually active people who could become pregnant, with additional screening for those at increased risk.

“Ensuring syphilis screening among pregnant people (and timely treatment if positive) is a first step toward prevention of mother to child transmission of syphilis,” according to CDPH.

In order to address the increase in congenital syphilis, an expansion of adequate services must occur to ensure that more people are accessing prenatal care and are getting screened, as well as getting prenatal care earlier, before the third trimester. Expansion also includes implementing syphilis screenings for people who are or could become pregnant in other settings like jails and homeless encampments.

This article is published as part of the Commonwealth Health Equity Reporting Fellowship.

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