KING MIDDLE SCHOOL IS DISTRICT’S NEWEST SCHOOL TO WATCH

(EMPIRE NEWS NETWORK—ENN)— SAN BERNARDINO, CA— King Middle School is the District’s fourth and newest School to Watch.

King Principal Maria Jauregui

King joins just 15 other schools across California to earn the prestigious honor this year from the California Department of Education and the California League of Schools.  CurtisGolden Valley, and Serrano Middle Schools earned the Schools to Watch designation in previous years.

Becoming a state and national model of school excellence is the result of years of hard work on the part of teachers, staff, students, and parents, said Principal Maria Jauregui.  And, the focus of that work was not solely on improving academic achievement.

Cultivating caring connections with students has been a major emphasis for every King Middle School staff member, from teachers to custodians.

“We’re focusing on social-emotional learning along with academics,” said Jauregui, who has lead King for the past nine years. “If we don’t have a relationship with our students, we have nothing.  That’s why every interaction is an opportunity to connect with our students and all stakeholders.”

Teachers have undergone training in social and emotional learning, which emphasizes the approach of learning to be empathic and compassionate of others as a means to establishing relationships. Studies show that children who have been exposed to traumatic experiences cannot focus on learning. But when educators are given the tools to be aware of students’ emotional, social and behavioral needs they can help them address those issues so that learning is not interrupted, Jauregui said.

Teachers are not the only ones who benefitted from training.

King students also learn about positive ways to resolve conflict.  The school’s new Wellness Center is a quiet place where students can meet with a counselor or student support specialist to receive extra support or to just self-soothe by engaging in individual mindfulness activities.

The emphasis on the whole child has resulted in students making academic gains, Jauregui stated. More than half of King’s 700 students have a grade-point average of 3.0 or above for the first semester reporting grades this academic school year. Halfway through the school year, only four King Middle School students have faced suspension.

“Campus is calm, students are learning, we are a school on the move,” Jauregui said.

Ontario Native Serves Aboard Guided-Missile Cruiser in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii

By Chief Mass Communication Specialist Erica R. Gardner, Navy Office of Community Outreach
U.S. Navy

(EMPIRE NEWS NETWORK—ENN)— PEARL HARBOR – An Ontario, California, native and 2011 A.B. Miller High School graduate is serving in the U.S. Navy aboard the guided-missile cruiser, USS Port Royal.

Petty Officer 3rd Class Jonathan Tovar has served in the Navy for one-and-a-half years and is a U.S. Navy quartermaster aboard guided-missile cruiser operating out of Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.

A Navy quartermaster, Tovar is responsible for navigating the ship.

Tovar credits success in the Navy to many of the lessons learned in Ontario.

“I was taught to be patient, disciplined and make the best out of every opportunity,” said Tovar

Approximately 300 men and women serve aboard the ship. According to Navy officials, their jobs are highly specialized and keep each part of the cruiser running smoothly. They do everything from maintaining gas turbine engines and operating the highly sophisticated Aegis weapons system to driving the ship and operating small boats.

Though there are many ways for sailors to earn distinction in their command, community, and career, Tovar is most proud of earning a letter of commendation from the commanding officer of the USS Chung-Hoon.

“I was rewarded for working hard during my underway with them,” said Tovar

A Navy cruiser is a multi-mission ship that can operate independently or as part of a larger group of ships at sea Navy officials explained. The ship is equipped with a vertical launching system, tomahawk missiles, torpedoes, guns and a phalanx close-in weapons systems.

Being stationed in Pearl Harbor, often referred to as the gateway to the Pacific in defense circles, means Tovar is serving in a part of the world taking on a new importance in America’s focus on rebuilding military readiness, strengthening alliances, and reforming business practices in support of the National Defense Strategy.

“Our priorities center on people, capabilities and processes, and will be achieved by our focus on speed, value, results and partnerships,” said Secretary of the Navy Richard V. Spencer. “Readiness, lethality and modernization are the requirements driving these priorities.”

The Navy has been pivotal in helping maintain peace and stability in the Pacific region for decades. The Pacific is home to more than 50 percent of the world’s population, many of the world’s largest and smallest economies, several of the world’s largest militaries, and many U.S. allies.

As a member of one of the U.S. Navy’s most relied upon assets, Tovar and other sailors know they are part of a legacy that will last beyond their lifetimes, one that will provide a critical component of the Navy the nation needs.

“It’s an honor to serve and since no one in my family has served, it feels great to be the first,” added Tovar. “Being able to be a part of the best military in the world is amazing.”

Paulette Gipson Provides Compton NAACP With Solid Leadership

(EMPIRE NEWS NETWORK—ENN)— Compton NAACP President Paulette Simpson Gipson continues to make black history, as well as history as a woman. Gipson was sworn in to another term as president on February 16 at the Compton Airport.

A decade ago Gipson made history as the first woman elected to lead the Compton NAACP and has done an excellent job while in office. The reality is when you hear the NAACP name mentioned locally it’s often because of Gipson, who continues to be a consistent civil rights leader in our community. 

Her leadership in the NAACP is especially critical at a time when the LA NAACP has been dormant and useless to our community for the past two years. This wasn’t always the case. 

For news tips, email Brothernajeeali@gmail.com or follow me on Twitter@Najeeali.

“Images of Black Culture, Life, & History” at County Museum

Twenty-one African American artists featured in show recognizing Black History Month

(EMPIRE NEWS NETWORK—ENN)— The San Bernardino County Museum, in partnership with the Southern California Black Chamber of Commerce, Inland Cities, East, presented an exhibit featuring the fine art works of prominent African American artists from throughout Southern California to recognize Black History Month. “Images of Black Culture, Life, & History” was featured at the Museum on February 1through March 3.  The Chamber hosted an exhibit reception at the Museum on Thursday, February 7.

Guest curated by Charles Bibbs, who also had two works in the show, the artists who participated included  Adeola Davies-Ayeloja, Alva, Bernard Hoyes, Christopher J. Wesley, Derrick Dzine, Diana Shannon Young, Emmy Lu, Errol Cook, Keith Mikell, Kenneth Gatewood, Manuelita Brown, Michael Massenburg, Maurice Howard, Nathaniel Bustion, Rosalind McGary, Synthia Saint James, Shaz Taylor, Theresa Shellcroft, Viveca Mays, and Zeal Harris. The show included paintings, watercolors, collages, ceramics, and quilts.

Curator of visitor engagement and exhibits, David Myers said, “these images are reflective of an array of experiences expressing power, beauty, provocation, hopelessness and hope. Charles Bibbs, with his immense talent and profile in the arts, brought together both established and emerging artists to weave a complex story of the African American experience. We are truly grateful to Charles and the Southern California Black Chamber of Commerce for helping us ensure that our exhibits are representative and reflective of our community both during our Black History Month celebration and all year long.”

The San Bernardino County Museum’s exhibits of regional cultural and natural history and the Museum’s other exciting events and programs reflect the effort by the Board of Supervisors to achieve the Countywide Vision by celebrating arts, culture, and education in the county, creating quality of life for residents and visitors.

Photos by John Coleman

Apple Valley sailor serves on the USS John C. Stennis

(EMPIRE NEWS NETWORK—ENN)— U.S. Navy Culinary Specialist 3rd Class Atrian Voorhees, from Apple Valley, California, prepares lobsters in the wardroom galley aboard the aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74) in the South China Sea, March 1, 2019. The John C. Stennis is deployed in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of operations in support of security and stability in the Indo-Pacific region. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Ikenna Tanaka)

Harriet Tubman Biopic Scheduled for Release in 2019

(EMPIRE NEWS NETWORK—ENN)— Over a century after her death, a Harriet Tubman biopic is finally scheduled for release in the fall of 2019.

The biographical movie, Harriet, will focus on the freedom fighter’s escape from slavery in 1849 and her heroic efforts to free hundreds of slaves as a conductor on the underground railroad.

While many remember Harriet Tubman as an influential abolitionist speaker and a Union Army scout during the Civil War, these aspects of her life will not appear in detail throughout the film. According to the film’s director, Kasi Lemmons, they made the choice to document the earlier portion of Tubman’s life to provide people with a new perspective on the popular historic figure.

“The images that we see of Harriet Tubman and the way we’re used to thinking of her is of a much older person, but to think what she did when she was a young woman is quite extraordinary,” she told Refinery 29. “That period of her life [is what] we often refer to, [but] we don’t really have a lot of [visuals] from that period, when she was really doing her superwoman thing.”

Cynthia Erivo, a British actress known for her Tony and Grammy award-winning role as Celie in the 2015 Broadway revival of The Color Purple, will be playing the role of Harriet.

According to Lemmons, Cynthia perfectly fit the image she had in her head of how she wants to portray Harriet.

“When I met Cynthia, I already had this picture of who this young woman was: very petite, very powerful and very spiritual, who could sing and who was an incredible mimic, and who had to be an incredible actress,” Lemmons said. “All of a sudden, I’m looking at this woman that is all of these things.”

While other actresses have played tribute to the historic figure in productions such as WGN’S Underground and NBC’s Timeless, Cynthia will be the first actress to represent Harriet Tubman in a biopic about her life.

Another Successful Celebration for The Griot Gala and its Toast to Diversity & Inclusion Oscars After Party 2019

(EMPIRE NEWS NETWORK—ENN)— On Sunday, February 24, 2019, from 8 p.m. to 1 am. the 2nd annual Griot Gala Toast to Diversity & Inclusion After Party took place at The District by Hannah An, Crustacean restaurant group’s latest concept. Six hundred guests gathered to honor and celebrate the extraordinary accomplishments of today’s top entertainers, influencers and industry greats who represent today’s diversity, inclusion and the world becoming ONE. Los Angeles-based AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF), a global nonprofit organization providing cutting-edge medicine, advocacy to over 1 million people in 43 countries and largest provider of HIV/AIDS medical care in the U.S, served as the charity partner onboard.

Famous faces to grace the event and it’s purple carpet included Tiffany Haddish (Girls Trip), Craig DiFranca + Brian Distance (Green Book), Sheryl Lee Ralph (Dreamgirls), Loretta Devine (Grey’s Anatomy), Shervin Roovenpur (Bravo’s Shahs of Sunset), Chaz Dean (celebrity hair stylist), Vanessa Williams (Soul Food), Jayk Gavagher (VEEP), Billie Lee (Bravo’s Vanderpump Rules), Angie Everhart (Supermodel), Brock O’Hurn (Boo! A Madea Halloween), Al B Sure (R&B Artist), Rolanda Watts (Rolanda), David Dobrovik (YouTuber), Miyavi (Unbroken), Cisco Reyes (All Eyez on Me), Camille James + Chantelle Albers (VICE), Kris D. Lofton (HBO Ballers), Mirai Nagasu (US Olympic Figure Skater Medalist), Renee Lawles (The Haves & Have Nots), The cast of Skin, Antonique Smith (Notorious), Porscha Coleman (TV personality), Dr. Chris Donaghue (Love Line), Steve Longi (Oscar-winning director), Kimberley Elise (Diary of a Mad Black Woman), Lunelle Campbell (comedian), Andre K. Jefferson (Actor), and Mitchell Marchand (2019 Oscars writer).

Highlights from the evening incorporated Griot Gala co-founders Dionne Miller and Reid Johnson honoring Tony Award-winning and acclaimed veteran of film and television, Sheryl Lee Ralph with The Trailblazer Award. “Sheryl Lee Ralph is a trailblazer in the worlds of entertainment and activism. She represents the foundation of what the Griot Gala stands for and to honor her was a dream come true for her organization,” stated Miller.

The VIP Lounge featured “Opulence Revealed,” a multi-sensory and interactive tasting experience for exclusive celebrities and industry members. Guests sampled Rémy Martin’s XO sophisticated flavors paired with fragrant fruits such as grapes, pear, dried apricots, and figs; spices like cinnamon, dried saffron, and stem ginger; or earthy characters like walnuts, hazelnuts, cheese, and chocolates — where taste buds hung upon every note. Premium producer of non-toxic, essential oils, Young Living created an aromatherapy oasis of diffused oils that streamed throughout the air of the VIP lounge as well. Full body massage chairs further heightened the senses to promote relaxation for those trying to unwind from the excitement of the 91st Academy Awards. Opulence Lounge furnishings were provided by Vitality Furniture, committed to traditional and contemporary values that create quality relationships and classic environments.

Kush Boys, a leader in California’s cannabis footprint, spotlighted a Kush Boys Lifestyle Lounge with curated cannabis treats by Cal Farms, Lucid Mood, Try Chemistry, Papa & Barkley, Mellow, Foria Wellness, Apple Dabs, Neptune Sticks and Main Express. While DJ/Model MAAD kept the dance floor hot, signature Remy Martin cocktails, 1738, Botanist Gin, Cointreau, Mount Gay Rum and Moreno champagne glasses overflowed. The District tray-passed modern Vietnamese fare of crab, candy walnut prawns, lobster & crab wontons, tuna poke on rice crisps, spring rolls, noodle station, chocolate mousse cake, pineapple bread pudding, mango cheesecake and assorted macaroons for guests to devour. Annette BibbyOliver of Dream House MGB and Dwight Eubanks (Real Housewives of Atlanta) spearheaded event production and design. No Oscars event would be complete without gift bags. Griot Gala Remy XO VIPs received Bella Spirit and Wen bath, body and hair products by Chaz Dean, Young Living essential oil kits, AHF, Blings by Marium, Feather Lite Aesthetics/Mari Abdulian medical spa certificates, Paragon Cleaners, and Mixed Chicks multi-racial, non-sticky, lightweight curly hair products totaling three-thousand dollars.


About the Griot Gala: The Griot Gala celebrates diversity and inclusion while recognizing outstanding achievement in the Arts and Entertainment Industry. The Griot honors women and people of color who exude a Spirit of Excellent and who are trailblazers in the Arts and Entertainment Industry. The Griot recognizes the need for diversity, inclusion, and equality for ALL people regardless of race, gender or sexual orientation. We are GRIOT.

Stay connected @TheGriotGateway

Photo Credit: Brittany Mobley of BMobley Media Relations




Gwendolyn Lorraine Dowdy-Rodgers Honored by State Legislature as 2019 Woman of the Year

(EMPIRE NEWS NETWORK-ENN)— SAN BERNARDINO, CA— Assemblymember Eloise Gómez Reyes honored Gwendolyn Lorraine Dowdy-Rodgers of San Bernardino as the 2019 Assembly District 47 Woman of the Year. Organized by the Legislative Women’s Caucus, the Woman of the Year award recognizes women from all over the state for accomplishments in their respective fields and for their dedication to improving the lives of others in conjunction with Women’s History Month.

Gwendolyn Lorraine Dowdy-Rodgers, a long-time noted speaker, assistant pastor, board of education member, and founder of the Young Women’s Empowerment Foundation was selected to receive this years’ Woman of the Year award based on her work with students and parents.  The Young Women’s Empowerment Foundation empowers young women to reach their highest aspirations via mentoring and scholarship opportunities that support participants from middle school through their first year of college. Gwen also established an annual spring “Girl Talk” conference for young girls along with an annual fall “Healthy Me” wellness conference for women to address chronic health issues.

“It is an honor to recognize Gwen for her commitment and dedication to the communities of the Inland Empire. Her leadership and sacrifice for others is a model we all should aspire to,” said Assemblymember Reyes. “Gwen is a champion for the region through her work to empower and uplift young women across the region.  Gwen made a decision to give back to her community with her time, efforts and knowledge and we should look to her as an example of what we can do to help others.”

In total, over 120 women were nominated from throughout the community for the Woman of the Year award which recognizes local women for accomplishments in their respective fields and for their dedication to improving the lives of others in conjunction with Women’s History Month.

Nominees came from a variety of different backgrounds ranging from educators and community advocates to county employees, students, business owners and heads of local non-profits.  After review, 30 finalist were selected before the final selection of Gwendolyn Lorrain Dowdy-Rodgers

2019 Woman of the Year Finalist for the 47th District:

Alexa Sigala – Fontana

Alice Chow Geske – Grand Terrace

Aurelia Renteria – Fontana

Carol Malone – Rialto

Demi Espinoza – Muscoy

Dr. Letitia Wright – Fontana

Elsie Valdivia Robles – Colton

Erika Flores – Bloomington

Francine Blacksher – San Bernardino

Gloria Amaya – San Bernardino

Gwendolyn Dowdy-Rodgers – San Bernardino

Isabel Hunt – Fontana

Jean Kayano – Grand Terrace

Jennifer L. Morris – Rialto

Joyce Chambers Hampton – Rialto

Judith Valles – San Bernardino

Karen Larson Coleman – Fontana

Kathy Williams-Braxton – Colton

Kimberly Calvin – San Bernardino

Kimberly Clark – Fontana

LaKeisha Jackson – San Bernardino

LuCretia Dowdy – Bloomington

Maribel Núñez – San Bernardino

Maricela Soliz-Ferguson – Rialto

Megan Moeskau – Grand Terrace

Pamela Langford – San Bernardino

Paula Beauchamp – San Bernardino

Rebecca Gallegos – Colton

Rev. Bronica Martindale-Taylor – San Bernardino

Rosa Loera – Muscoy

Ted Lange and Barbara Morrison Pay Tribute To Biddy Mason

A special reading of the Ted Lange’s play, “The Heart of Biddy Mason” took place in the heart of Downtown Los Angeles at The Pico House at El Pueblo Historical Monument. The reading was conducted by musicians who were part of the Barbara Morrison Trio.

Photo credit: Brittany Mobley of BMobley Media Relations

ABOUT BIDDY MASON:
Biddy Mason was a former slave, nurse/ midwife, successful entrepreneur, humanitarian and founder of Los Angeles’s first African-American congregation. Bridget “Biddy” Mason was born a slave in Aug. of 1818 on a Georgia plantation owned by Robert Marion Smith and his wife Rebecca (Crosby) Smith. Mason had three daughters, Ellen, Ann and Harriet, whose father was reputedly Smith himself. In 1847, Smith became a Mormon convert and decided to move to the Utah Territory with his household and slaves. In the strenuous two-thousand miles cross-country, Mason was responsible for herding the cattle, preparing the meals and acting as mid-wife along with taking care of her own children. It is said that Mason walked behind her master’s 300-wagon caravan from Mississippi to Southern California. In 1851, Smith moved his household again, this time to San Bernardino, Ca. Smith sensed that Mason and her three daughters might seek their freedom in California, therefore he planned to take them back South. Luck came for Mason and her daughters after arriving in California, discovering that slaves were free in that state. She petioned a court in 1856 for her and her daughters freedom. A Sheriff asked Smith to appear in court to prove ownership of the family. He failed to appear in court and Mason won freedom for herself and her daughters. She and her daughters moved to Los Angeles where she found employment as a nurse and midwife. Hard work and her nursing skills allowed Mason to become economically independent. She later bought a site in what is now downtown Los Angeles on Spring St. for $250, becoming the first African-American woman to own land in Los Angeles. In 1884, Mason sold a parcel of her land for $1500 and built a commercial building with spaces for rental on the remaining land. She continued making wise decisions in her business and real estate transactions and her financial fortunes continued to increase until Mason had accumulated a fortune of almost $300,000. Mason gave generously to various charities and provided food and shelter for the poor of all races. She also remembered those in prison whom she visited often. In 1872, she and her son in-law, Charles Owens, founded and formed the Los Angeles branch of the First A.M.E. Church, Los Angeles’s first African-American congregation which began having services in Mason’s living room. Bridget “Biddy” Mason died in Los Angeles on Jan. 15, 1891 and was buried in an unmarked grave in Evergreen Cemetery. By the time Mason had died, the property, she owned had become the heart of Los Angeles’s financial district and was worth $250,000. On March 27, 1988, nearly a century after Mason’s death, a tombstone was unveiled at a ceremony which marked her grave for the first time. The ceremony was attended by Mayor Tom Bradley and about three thousand members of the First A.M.E. Church. On November 16, 1989, the citizens of Los Angeles declared a Biddy Mason Day and a memorial of her achievement was unveiled at the Broadway Spring Center located between Spring St. and Broadway at Third St. in Los Angeles.

“Don’t Tax the News”

(EMPIRE NEWS NETWORK—ENN)— SACRAMENTO, CA— Assemblymember Marc Levine (D-Marin County) has introduced legislation to repeal the sales and use tax imposed on daily distributed print newspapers.

AB 1776, would apply the same tax free status to daily distributed print newspapers that is enjoyed by paid digital media news services. This bill would ensure that all forms of journalism, print and digital are treated equally in the marketplace.

“The Washington Post was correct when they said that ‘democracy dies in darkness,'” stated Assemblymember Levine. “At a time when the fundamental and constitutional rights of an open and free press are under attack at the highest level, we must not allow the voice of journalism to be silenced. Just as other essential consumer items are exempt from sales tax, AB 1776 affirms the essential role that a free and open press plays in the lives of Californians and all people in our democracy.”

California Sales and Use Tax law imposes a tax on the gross receipts from the sale, storage, use, or other consumption of tangible personal property. Currently, there are some piecemeal exemptions for certain newspapers and periodicals, yet the tax continues to be levied on daily and certain weekly print products.

“California’s sales tax continues to be applied to daily newspapers while virtually all media competitors for Californians’ time and attention are untaxed, such as radio, TV, Cable and all web-based media, whether content creators or aggregators,” said Thomas Newton, executive director of the California News Publishers Association. “As such, the tax is unfair, discriminatory and harms both newspapers’ ability to inform the public and the public’s right to be informed; interests protected by both the U.S. and California Constitutions.  We applaud Assemblyman Marc Levine’s introduction of AB 1776 and look forward to working with him to advance his bill through the legislative process and to the governor’s desk.”

AB 1776 will be considered by the California State Assembly in the Spring of 2019.