Commentary- Buddy Sampson of The Scoop LA

Commentary — By Buddy Sampson on June 9, 2024 at 4:00 pm

Cover photo: Buddy Sampson. Inside photo" Buddy Sampson receives his mock degree at the University of Southern California. He received at M.S. in Digitial Media Management at the University of Southern California's Annenberg School of Communication and Journalism.

Cover photo: Buddy Sampson. Inside photo: Buddy Sampson receives his mock degree at the University of Southern California on May 10. 2024. He received an M.S. in Digital Media Management at the University of Southern California’s Annenberg School of Communication and Journalism.

Education is Key!

Hello Readers!

Yes, it’s been a long time since I’ve written a commentary.

But that’s because….I’ve been working on getting my education. I just received my Master’s Degree, a Master of Science from USC’s Annenberg School of Communications and Journalism, which enabled me to also learn nuances of AI. I recently received a certificate in Generative AI from Microsoft. I’m trying to take The Scoop LA further and come to the 21^st century.

Myself (Buddy Sampson) (L) with classmates Lilibeth Orozco (C) and Crystal Quirino (R).

Congratulations to my classmates, including Lilibeth Orozco, Crystal Quirino and the many other classmates whose names I can’t remember…hey stop laughing- you guys will get old someday, hopefully!!

It’s hard to believe that time has flown by so fast since I decided to go back to school, attending LA Valley College in 2015.

Aliyah Carter (C). See her story in Kim’s Kronicles.

Before I go any further, I want to congratulate Aliyah Carter, of Niagara, NY and all graduates across the U.S. for graduating. Read about her in Kim Webster’s column. I know what it took, and when you’ve gotten that degree, take time to celebrate your accomplishment. It’s a really big deal and once you have your degree, no one can take that education from you.

Those of you that know me well, know that my big cause is for Black men to get their education. I started with the community colleges and you can start there, too. The health fee is under $30 and community colleges are virtually free. Black men, or anyone that wants to make your life better, enroll in a community college. You can get loans and grants and a career that will get you to the next level. I did it at an old age, so there are no excuses for you. It’s never, never, never too late to get an education and seniors- colleges love seniors because you not only learn from professors, you learn from your younger classmates how they are navigating life and guess what? You can teach them and mentor them from your personal life experiences, giving them a history about how times used to be- before social media and before the internet.

Jesse’s Automative Service. Call him at (818) 347-5600 and tell him you read about him in The Scoop LA.

But new and great things will be happening soon. I’m excited to bring in a new advertiser- Jesse Damas of Jesse’s Automative Service. We will be publishing an article on him in a few days, and I can’t wait to tell you about him. The Scoop LA FULLY recommends him for your automotive repairs. Why? He’s the most honest mechanic I’ve ever met. There’s not a rip off bone in his body and that’s rare for a mechanic. He’s not only honest and inexpensive, but he’s just a great guy. I don’t want to give too much away, read the article this week and tell Jesse when you call him that you read about him in The Scoop LA.

Cover and Inside photo. Joe McGill of Topline Management.

Joe McGill of Topline Business Management LLC.

I also wrote about a business manager, Joe McGill. He has some tips on Financial Management, enjoy what he has to say.

Finally, and most importantly- GET OUT AND VOTE.

Don’t buy into a lot of propaganda that may be sent to you. There are Russian operatives that try to influence you to vote against democracy because of hidden agendas. Always read opposing viewpoints and get a full picture of politics, rather than a narrowminded view.

Keep your eyes open.

Do you really want a felon to be your next president?

Know that democracy is one of the most important things we take for granted. Some in our politics are trying to reverse many of the human rights that have been gained over the last 100 years- civil rights, the right to choose whatever mate you like, and reproductive rights, which should be a woman’s decision only. Note, lately of how some in our politics are trying to reverse the clock, banning Black books from our schools, and not persecuting hate crimes. By the way, we are publishing an article on hate, and I can’t believe all the hateful comments we’ve received. Hate is at an all time high and we can’t let hate, bigotry and the dissolution of democracy to happen.

Cover and Inside photo- Hate is on the rise in California as well as in most of the nation. A victim of a hate crime? Call 833-8-NO-HATE.

So, we are endorsing Joe Biden.

Sure, he hasn’t been a perfect president, but we must elect leaders with high moral fiber. And by the way, being Christian means that you love, not hate others. Despite what some in our politics say, I’m not ashamed to say that I put God first in my life. Most Democrats believe in God, despite what they say about us. I’m a proud Democrat, proud Black man and proud American.

Democracy must stand!

Once again, congratulations to all of the graduates across the country.

Education is key!