Tag Archives: slider

A Passion-Driven Life: Remembering Educator Brenda Harris (Dec. 1951 – March 2022)

By Tanu Henry | California Black Media

Like her devotion to her Catholic faith, Brenda Harris’ willingness to help others, especially disadvantaged people, was consistent and rare, authentic in a way that drew everyone to her, friends and loved ones say.

On March 5, Harris, an outspoken advocate and civil servant who influenced state education policy, died after a brief illness. She was 71.

“I had the honor of knowing Brenda for over 35 years, dating back to when she was a senior advisor at the California Department of Education. She was an extraordinary individual, an expert policymaker in the field of education and a fearless civil rights advocate,” said Dotson Wilson, former Chief Clerk and Parliamentarian of the California Assembly.

“Whether she was speaking to aspiring young students, academicians or elected officials, Brenda remained steadfast in her goal to implement sound education policy,” Wilson continued. “I consider it an honor to have known her as a colleague and friend.”

Wilson, who was the longest serving African American in the State Assembly, retired in 2019 after 26 years.

Before becoming an Education Program Consultant at the California Department of Education, an advisor to the California State Board of Education and a Professor at Sacramento State University, Harris was an elementary, middle and high school teacher in San Francisco.

Harris, who was a resident of Sacramento when she passed, tutored students and taught classes at several after-school programs and community learning centers in Sacramento and the Bay Area.

When Harris was a teenager, her family moved to Marysville, California, a Yuba County town about 50 miles north of San Francisco. After graduating from high school in 1969, she attended Gonzaga University in Washington. Later, she transferred to the University of San Francisco (USF) in 1971, where she majored in Communications and Sociology.

“She looked up to her parents as role models, both of whom were active participants in the civil rights movement and had participated in the Montgomery Bus Boycott in the mid-1950s,” said Jack Weinrieb and Meghan Grant, two San Francisco educators who wrote a biography of Harris.

“Harris would listen to her parents discuss the inhumanity of racism, injustice, and discrimination and quickly learned about the importance of doing her part in social movements,” Weinreib and Grant continued. “Harris recalls that her mother instilled an understanding that underprivileged populations have similar struggles, no matter their race.”

While she was a student at USF, Harris became close to other Black students and participated in several social and political activities on campus and in nearby neighborhoods.

She worked in USF’s financial aid office and with the school’s Drama department. And she volunteered, lending her time to community organizations serving several disadvantaged city districts with large Black populations, including the Western Addition, Bayview–Hunters Point, Haight-Ashbury and the Fillmore.

Daniel Hahn, Sacramento’s first Black Chief of Police – who served from 2017 until the end of last year – said he was always impressed by how many people Harris knew and how committed she was to helping others.

“She was extremely engaged in making tomorrow better for all people,” he said. “She was constantly introducing me to people in the city and she was always encouraging me to carry out the things I believed in. She wasn’t just talk. She always followed through with her actions.”

Harris attended St. Ignatius Loyola church in Sacramento and taught classes at the church’s Center for Ignatian Spirituality.

“Gratitude is at the core of my existence. Ignatian Spirituality made me a global citizen. Living at this moment in world history, I am to share Ignatian Spirituality with a diverse ecumenical group globally,” Harris said in a statement on the center’s website.

Regina Wilson, Executive Director of California Black Media, said Harris loved the Black press.

“She always wanted to know what was happening in Black communities,” Wilson said. “She was a faithful supporter of Black-owned news outlets across the state.”

“For her, it was more than just representation. It was about informing people, educating people and improving lives,” Wilson said.

A memorial mass for Harris will be held at St. Ignatius Catholic Church in Sacramento at 10 a.m. on April l8.

Supervisor Joe Baca, Jr. Announces 2022 SheRoes Recipients of the Fifth District

SAN BERNARDINO, CA— San Bernardino County Fifth District Supervisor Joe Baca, Jr. is happy to announce the 2022 SheRoes recipients in honor of Women’s History Month. The women selected are members of our Fifth District community, in their respective fields who have dedicated countless hours to improving the lives of others. The women who have been chosen to be the recipients of the 2022 SheRoes of the Fifth are:

  • Ronecia Miller of San Bernardino, Founder of Sistas Making a Difference.
  • Alicia Truelove works in Colton, Nurse Educator at Arrowhead Regional Medical Center.
  • Dianne Mendez of Bloomington, Municipal Advisory Council volunteer, School Board member for Public Charter School System in San Bernardino County, Staff Analyst at San Bernardino County Fire Protection District.
  • Karen Suarez of San Bernardino, Director of Uplift San Bernardino.
  • Irma Herrera of Rialto, Instructor for Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) and volunteer at LISTOS, a disaster preparedness organization.

Our 2022 SheRoes WonderWoman is Teresa Escoto of Bloomington, Informational Officer of Bloomington Little League, Bloomington Municipal Advisory Council Volunteer, mother, wife, and friend to all.

“The women that were selected for this recognition are selfless community members who advocate their time and efforts in improving our community and the lives of those who reside here and afar. It is an honor to recognize these strong women for their commitment and leadership. Our district stands strong due to their constant support and efforts.”– Supervisor Joe Baca, Jr.

Curtains Rise to Showcase San Bernardino County Students

SAN BERNARDINO, CA—- More than 160 middle and high school students showcased their acting, dancing, singing talents at the Performing Arts Showcase on March 8.

“This event is a wonderful opportunity for students in arts programs throughout the county to come together for an outstanding performance,” said County Superintendent Ted Alejandre. “We have so much talent among our students and to see them in the spotlight in a professional, historical setting was truly incredible.”

The event was held at the historic California Theatre of the Performing Arts in San Bernardino. The student performers represented eight districts in San Bernardino County.

“I’m excited to be with all my friends, especially after COVID, and it’s just a blessing to be able to perform [in person] again,” said Mercedes, a Senior at A.B. Miller High School and a member of the dance ensemble. “It just brings peace of mind that hard times don’t last forever and being able to dance and share this art with other people is a great opportunity.”

The first Performing Arts Showcase took place in 2016 and has been held annually at the California Theatre, except for a two-year break from 2020 to 2021 due to COVID-19 protocols. This year, students, teachers and attendees celebrated a return to in person performances.

San Bernardino Superintendent of Schools hosts the event in collaboration with The California Arts Project.

For more news and information, visit the SBCSS Newsroom and follow us @SBCountySchools on FacebookTwitterInstagram and YouTube.#transforminglives.

Los Angeles Jazz and Blues Legend Barbara Morrison Dies

Both her soul touching music and joyous spirit will truly be missed

The Los Angeles jazz and blues legend, Barbara Morrison died Wednesday at 72. Morrison grew up in the Detroit suburbs. Her father was a doo-wop singer, and she sang too through her young years. Her albums included “I Know How to Do It” (1996) and “Visit Me” (1999). The Los Angeles legend spent more than a decade performing a Pip’s on La Brea Avenue, a jazz club in Mid-City as well as Leimert Park Village, where she opened the Barbara Morrison Performing Arts Center. She will be missed and always loved.

BOTTOMLINE: Save The Dorjils! For Subsidized Housing! For the Legacy!

Publisher’s Commentary by Wallace J. Allen IV

Dorjil Apartments is in foreclosure… The San Bernardino west side apartment complex consisting of 34 units was built forty years ago to provide subsidized low-income housing. The foreclosure is based on administrative and financial defaults causing a sales auction to be scheduled for Monday March 21.  It is possible that a thirty-day delay of the sale date may occur. It is possible that the original developer, John Dukes will maintain control of the property.

The dilemma of ownership is a story that must include chapters on property management, property maintenance and customer service… The Dorjils were developed by Vivian Nash and John Duke creating great pride and national accolades for the project and for the Black couple. Dorjil is a great story that deserves to be told, I hope John is writing the book!

The dilemma of homelessness is immanent when one’s housing is in foreclosure.  Where will the people who now occupy the Dorjil apartments, live if the foreclosure sale takes place? Where will they live if present ownership prevails? Those questions both are rooted in the maintenance/condition of the property. The condition of the property is of immediate concern to the residents, and ultimately the responsibility of the owner regardless of who that may be.

Some residents have been withholding rents, they say, because of the property conditions… If new ownership occurs, will the condition of the property be an excuse/reason for tenant displacements during improvements?   If ownership remains the same, will residents pay rents before repairs are made? Will management handle repairs prior to collecting withheld rents? Will residents get evicted? Does the forty-year-old development continue to provide subsidized housing, or will it become the reason for housing trauma that may lead to homelessness?

The residents are organized to withhold rent because of not only maintenance concerns, but also recently about what they consider to be questionable if not illegal rent collection procedures. The management and many of the residents are at odds. I have not heard all the residents but of the dozen or so that I have heard, all of them are upset, saying they don’t trust management!

Distrust is not a good foundation for negotiation. There is a solution… I hope we find it!

Women’s History Month: California Org Honors Leaders, Discusses Priorities

By Charlene Muhammad | California Black Media

To mark Women’s History Month, The California Black Women’s Collective (CBWC) honored more than 100 Black women leaders from across the state from different professional backgrounds, including media executives, public health professionals, activists, politicians and more.

The organization also held a series of panel discussions leading up to the celebration and highlighted several policy priorities, including aging and elder care.

The Hon. Cheryl Brown, a retired California Assemblymember and a Commissioner on the California Commission on Aging said 23% of Black women live in poverty, which is the second highest percentage in the U.S. — only behind Native American women.

Brown pointed out that Gov. Gavin Newsom set aside $2 billion for the Master Plan on Aging, a 10-year project, but she questioned, how would the people the money is intended to help access the money. Brown said currently there are not effective systems in place to inform people about the help they need.

The funds, she said, will funnel down through the California Department of Aging down to county agencies.

“That’s why it’s critical to get involved on those levels,” Brown emphasized.

Ahead of Women’s History Month, a group of influential California Black women brought their perspectives together last month in a virtual “fireside chat” to take a broader look at aging and elder care in the Black community.

Whether they were expressing the joys of caring for a loved one or exposing the range of challenges Black women face as they age, the panelists shared useful insights that could shape public health policy or improve ways African American caregivers attend to the needs of aging family members.

“This is our third event as part of the California Black women Empowerment series,” said Yvonne Wheeler, a member of the strategy team of the CBWC. The event was organized in partnership with Black Women Organized for Political Action (BWOPA).

“Our goal is to talk about the issues that are important to Black women in California and today the topic is ‘Black Women Aging With Dignity and Respect.’”

During their remarks, panelists outlined resources Black women need to make sure that their needs are met while elevating some concerning statistics.

“Black women in California have many barriers in their everyday life. As we get older, the issues don’t change. The issues just get more complicated,” said Regina Brown Wilson, moderator of the event and Executive Director of California Black Media.”

“Before COVID-19, we were already experiencing financial hardship, poor health outcomes, and when the pandemic hit, older Black women were among the most vulnerable because of their circumstances, Wilson stated. “Approximately 80% of Black women are breadwinners who earn 40% of the household income. Seventy-four percent of Black women breadwinners are single mothers.”

The panelists were Brown; Sylvia Drew Ivie, Special Advisor to the President, Charles R. Drew University; Delane Sims, Founder and CEO, Senior Moments; and Shavonda Webber-Christmas, Community Benefits Program Manager at LA Care Health Plans. The women helped shed light on issues that Black women experience as they age in their older years.

Webber-Christmas said it is critical to ensure that there are culturally competent providers helping Black women navigate resources available to them and to make sure that they are practicing the self-care they need to maintain long, healthy lives.

“If you’re missing food, your likelihood of being healthy is low. So, we do try to look at the whole person and not just medical needs when we talk about the services that we contract for, or services that we provide grants for. We want those to be holistic,” she said, highlighting some of the wraparound social services LA Care provides to the people it serves.

“I think that when we talk about older women, we’re not talking about someone who just became that person,” Webber-Christmas added.  We’re talking about someone, if you look over the life course of the individual, it’s incremental. What we are doing today determines what we experience in later life.”

Sims spoke about the experiences of Black women who live longer and the various challenges they face as caregivers.  Her own father lived to be 115 years old, she shared. Sims said taking care of him became a challenge as his other caregivers aged.

“It was daunting to say the least, to be sort of thrust into caregiving and not being prepared, but just feeling like it was something I absolutely needed to do to honor my mother and certainly my stepfather. But that is also one of the challenges,” said Sims.

She encouraged Black women caregivers to seek emotional support, avoid missing meals, talk to someone and even join a support group.

Brown said Black families must take a collective look at caring for their aging loved ones.

“We have to look out for each other,” she said. “It has to be an inter-generational thing.”

Kellie Todd Griffin, convenor of the CBWC said there is an emerging trend of communal living among Black single mothers.

“They are buying homes together. Sharing in the costs of daycare and helping each other out. We have to be creative,” she said.

Griffin said it is also important for Black women to organize.

“We have got to raise our voices and knock on doors. When we show up at the Capitol and in those district offices, that’s when they start listening to us,” she pointed out. “It is important to show up to those town hall meetings that legislators have in their communities.”

Empire Talks Back (ETB) Chats with Yung Muusik

EMPIRE NEWS NETWORK (ENN)— The 3-13-22 ETB Broadcast features two segments: An interview with Yung Muusik, produced by WSS News columnist, Lue Dowdy. The second segment features a conversation with Don Smith, a 25-year IE Housing advocate with the Rent Relief program ending on March 31st, evictions and foreclosures are eminent.

High Desert Comes Alive with the Sound of Music

SAN BERNARDINO, CA — Approximately 80 students from the High Desert region showcased their talent and hard work during the 2022 San Bernardino County High Desert High School Honor Band Concert on Saturday, Feb. 26.

 

“I am proud of the collaboration that enables us to support the performing arts and music education in the High Desert region,” said County Superintendent Ted Alejandre. “The arts are proven to further successful academic outcomes, so promoting events like this one is vital to helping students reach their fullest potentials.”

Since 1986, San Bernardino County Superintendent of Schools has collaborated with the San Bernardino County Music Educators Association to host the honor band concerts for students involved in music education programs throughout the county.

 

This is one of several county student arts performances taking place in person for the first time in over two years due to COVID 19 restrictions. 

“It’s really nice to come together and create a meaningful experience in music and camaraderie and connection,” said Alec, a senior at Serrano High School and clarinet player in the county High Desert Honor Band.  “It’s a very great experience because this honor band is something I’ve been a part of since middle school and elementary school, and it just feels really good to be able to represent my school.” 

 

Brent Levine conducted students from 10 area high schools at the Barstow Community College Performing Arts Center. Levine, the newly appointed Interim Associate Director of Bands at Northern Arizona University, attended Serrano High School in the Snowline Joint Unified School District, the same region where the performing students are from.

 

The Basin region’s honor band concert is scheduled to be held on April 16 at the University of Redlands, COVID-19 protocols permitting.

 

For more news and information, visit the SBCSS Newsroom and follow us @SBCountySchools on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.#transforminglives.

Empire Talks Back (ETB) Welcomes Author, Activist, Real Estate Agent Mary Welch

EMPIRE NEWS NETWORK (ENN)— On Sunday, March 6, 2022, Real Estate Agent and author, Mary Welch was a special guest on Empire Talks Back (ETB). Host Wallace J. Allen, IV., chatted with her on how listeners can save their homes from probate. Welch recently released her manual entitled, “Save Your Home from Probate”.

Women’s History Month: USC researchers reflect on women’s achievements and challenges

“Since 1987, the U.S. Congress has designated March as Women’s History Month, a time to commemorate and recognize the key role of women in American history — and to encourage the study, observance, and celebration of that history.

During Women’s History Month and beyond, USC experts highlight the continuing struggle for women’s equal rights and the legacy of the trailblazing women who have transcended gender barriers to contribute to a more perfect — and equal — union.

Women’s history offers a lesson in what progress looks like

“What being a professor of gender and sexuality studies has taught me, and our students, is that progress isn’t measured as a straight line. Things don’t consistently get better. In fact, every time progress is made, reactions to that progress push us steps backward.

“Part of what we learn is how to move through these different cycles of change and transformation and how to keep the momentum going, even when sometimes the task can feel Sisyphean. For example, many gains women made in the 1970s around reproductive health are meeting challenges now.

“We need to celebrate achievements and ‘firsts’ because there’s always going to be more work to do. Women’s History Month shows us the different sacrifices our forbearers have made. They’ve managed to transform worlds and cultures that were often hostile to them. We can use that example to fortify our efforts to change and transform our roles and to make things better; to make what seemed impossible, achievable.”

Karen Tongson is a professor of English, gender and sexuality studies, and American studies and ethnicity, and chair of the Department of Gender and Sexuality Studies at the USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences.

Contact: tongson@usc.edu


The next frontier of the women’s movement: Valuing care work

“Reflecting on Women’s History Month, it is clear the women’s movement has been successful in terms of freeing women to move from the domestic sphere into public life. Compared to 50 years ago, there has been a staggering shift in terms of women’s participation in the workforce.

“One unintended consequence is the risk of neglecting what was traditionally the women’s sphere, including the work of caring for others. Our individualistic society has always undervalued care labor. The monumental amount of unpaid care labor that women have done historically has been undercompensated and overlooked.

“We saw that in the pandemic because suddenly, the institutions and structures that help support families — everything from daycares to public schools to nursing homes — closed. Women were the ones who disproportionately left the workforce or scaled back their work hours to care for children and elders.

“The next frontier for the women’s movement is to reconsider how we value traditionally feminine pursuits like care labor. We can focus on better pay for caring professions and on policies like parental leave. In a progressive society where care work and domestic labor are just as valued and just as respected as business careers or STEM careers, we could celebrate when women — and men — contribute to building a more nurturing society.”

Darby Saxbe is an associate professor of psychology who studies how family relationships “get under the skin” by exploring both biological and social processes that take place within the context of the family. She directs the USC Dornsife Center for the Changing Family.

Contact: dsaxbe@usc.edu


Reacting to the historic Supreme Court nomination of a Black woman

“Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson, if confirmed to the Supreme Court, will help diversify an institution in which Black women have, through law, custom, and practice, been excluded for over two centuries.

“Her credentials are top notch: Double Harvard graduate, former Supreme Court clerk, former district court judge and current circuit court judge.

“She also brings a credential to the court that is lacking among the current personnel: She is a former public defender. It is clear that Judge Jackson is a highly qualified nominee who will bring a diverse set of experiences to the Supreme Court.”

Franita Tolson is a professor of law and vice dean for faculty and academic affairs at the USC Gould School of Law. Her scholarship and teaching focus on the areas of election law, constitutional law, legal history, and employment discrimination.

Contact: ftolson@law.usc.edu


Who sits in the director’s chair?

“Inclusion in the Director’s Chair” is a new report from the USC Annenberg Inclusion Initiative examining directors of the 100 top U.S. films each year from 2007 to 2021. The analysis of 1,500 movies looked at the prevalence of directors by gender, race and ethnicity — as well as the intersection of these two identities.

“Although the results of this study point to increases for women and underrepresented directors, an intersectional examination of the data reveals that not everyone has reason to celebrate,” the authors explained. “White women and men of color have seen increased opportunities, but this did not extend to women of color. Only five women of color directed a top-grossing film between 2020 and 2021, and fewer than 2% of all directors across 15 years were women of color.

“Yet, women of color earned the highest average and median Metacritic scores (scores that assess the critical reception of movies) for their work, suggesting that the quality that women of color bring to filmmaking is not an explanation for their lack of participation in top-grossing films.”

Stacy L. SmithKatherine Pieper and Al-Baab Khan are with the Annenberg Inclusion Initiative at the USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism. “Inclusion in the Director’s Chair” is their latest report studying diversity and inclusion in entertainment.

Contact: kpieper@usc.edu


Women in the military and as advocates for peace

“Women’s History Month shines a light on how women continue to break barriers in previously male-dominated professions, including in the military. In 1973, when military conscription ended, women constituted 2% of the active-duty military. Women now represent 16% of the active-duty military.

“In my recent research on U.S. military veterans’ peace organizations, I witnessed a younger cohort of women—many of them women of color, some queer-identified—emerging as leaders. These veterans had absorbed trauma from sexual and gender harassment, sexual assault, racist and homophobic abuse during their military service, some of it in combat zones.

“Now, they are using this collective knowledge to transform the veterans’ peace movement, linking anti-militarist work with movements for racial justice, stopping gender and sexual violence, addressing climate change, and building anti-colonial coalitions. Through this work, they bend the arc of history toward peace and social justice.”

Michael Messner is a professor of sociology and gender studies at the USC Dornsife College. His new book is “Unconventional Combat: Intersectional Action in the Veterans’ Peace Movement.”

Contact: messner@usc.edu