Thursday May 28, 2026 | Vol 40 No. 11

THURSDAY, MAY 28, 2026

Congratulations to Former WSS News Intern Noëlle Lilley, Now Mrs. Noëlle Ashun

Westside Story Newspaper proudly congratu- lates former WSS News intern Noëlle Lilley, now Mrs. Noëlle Ashun, on her recent marriage and continued success as a journalist, story- teller, and shining example of the greatness that comes out of San Bernardino, California.

Noëlle's story is one that deserves to be cel- ebrated, not only because of what she has ac- complished professionally, but because of what her journey represents. She is proof that a young woman from San Bernardino can dream boldly, work faithfully, and step into rooms that once may have felt far away.

Years ago, WSS News had the honor of high- lighting Noëlle when she was beginning to make her mark in television news. Since then, she has continued to rise with grace, purpose, and excellence. Today, Noëlle covers Harlem for CBS News New York. Prior to CBS News New York, she served as a general assignment reporter with News 12 Bronx and Brooklyn. But before the cameras, the newsroom dead-

Written by Naomi K. Bonman lines, the live reports, and the New York spot- light, Noëlle's journey included roots right here in San Bernardino. As a former WSS News in- tern, she represents the kind of homegrown tal- ent that reminds our community that greatness is not something we have to look far to find. It is raised here. It is nurtured here. It begins here. Now, as Noëlle steps into a beautiful new chapter as Mrs. Noëlle Ashun, her story be- comes even more inspiring.

For generations, Black women have been told in different ways that they cannot have it all. They are often made to feel that they must choose between ambition and love, between building a powerful career and creating a mean- ingful personal life, between being excellent and being fully loved.

Noëlle's journey tells a different story.

To continue, visit www.westsidestorynewspaper.com

'An Onslaught on Black Political Power': The South's Redistricting Battle After Calais Within hours of the Supreme Court's ruling in Louisiana v. Calais, state legislators across the South were calling emergency redistricting sessions.

sessions.

VOTE

Within hours of the Supreme Court's ruling in Louisiana v. Calais, state legislators across the South were calling emergency redistricting

What has unfolded, voting rights advocates say, is one of the most concentrated assaults on Black political power since Reconstruction.

By Selen Ozturk

The April 29, six-three majority ruling by Justice Samuel Alito struck down Louisiana's congressional map containing two majority-Black districts, effectively gutting Section 2 of the 1965 Voting Rights Act (VRA) which prohibits voting procedures that dilute minority represen- tation.

The ruling's new standard requires plaintiffs to prove that a legislature actively practiced inten- tional racial discrimination - a nearly impos- sible burden compared to the previous standard of proving that a redistricting map gives Black voters less opportunity to elect candidates of their choice.

"You have to have smoking gun evidence, es- sentially, of a legislator or legislative body say- ing 'I drew this map to disenfranchise and to discriminate against Black, Brown, AAPI vot- ers," said Mitchell Brown, voting rights senior counsel at the Southern Coalition for Social Justice. "These legislators and legislative bod- ies are very cunning people, and they're not go- ing to say the quiet part out loud." "This has been the party line for a very long time," he continued. "When there are periods of increased participation for voters of color, there's this white retrenchment that seeks to take it away. It took us decades to get voting rights and other civil rights... and now partisanship is taking the day rather than racial justice." Just 10 years after the VRA passed, over one million Black people registered to vote in the Deep South, and the number of Black U.S.

House members grew from six in 1965 to 16 in 1975.

To continue, visit www.westsidestorynewspaper.com.