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SAN BERNARDINO, CA— The Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG) has named City of San Bernardino Council Members Kimberly Calvin and Damon L. Alexander to their 2022 Housing Policy Leadership Academy.

With State legislation focusing on regional housing needs and market forces accelerating housing production, the SCAG Housing Policy Leadership Academy will expose emerging and established leaders to best practices to increase the availability of affordable housing in their communities. The program will focus on five specific issues: producing housing for all; preserving vulnerable housing, promoting equity and inclusion, protecting tenants and small landlords, and preventing displacement.

“Affordable and inclusionary housing is a critical issue for both the residents of San Bernardino and our region,” said Calvin. This is a tremendous opportunity for Councilmember Alexander and I to take what we learn during this program and apply it locally.”

During the Academy, program participants and issue experts from across the state and region will examine housing issues from diverse perspectives and apply their learning to current policy challenges. Discussions will examine solutions that consider both the physical and social aspects of a healthy housing ecosystem for all.

“With more developers looking at opportunities in San Bernardino, we are poised for growth. We need to be sure that inclusionary and affordable housing is part of that growth,” said Alexander, who represents San Bernardino’s seventh ward. “The timing of this Academy could not be better, and we look forward to being a part of it.”

The Housing Policy Leadership Academy consists of ten monthly sessions and runs through November. SCAG is the nation’s largest metropolitan planning organization, representing six southern California counties, 191 cities and more than 19 million residents.

Mrs. Moses moved to Perris Valley in 1957 and hit the ground running—taking on leadership roles in a variety of organizations that initiated infrastructure improvements, including installing roads, water and natural gas; and construction of an elementary school, community center, and fire station in the rural area of Good Hope, where she resides.

Mrs. Moses’s leadership in Perris Valley’s first Human Relations Commission facilitated dialogue and training for community leaders that helped move race relations forward in the community and schools.  Mrs. Moses’ vision, and her respect for the diverse needs of her community and fair-minded leadership style have earned her the respect of residents and community leaders alike.  Willie Lee has served the community well and her wisdom and stalwart example will no doubt have lasting impacts in Perris Valley, and beyond. Mrs. Moses is deeply cherished in her beloved community, where she is often dubbed “The Mayor of Good Hope.”  Although Willie has slowed a bit in in the past few years, the fruits of her good work and shining example are ever present.

Willie’s daughter Eleanor stated, “My mom’s optimism, and commitment to shape the world around her and make it a better place, are constants. She really embodies that adage “be the change you want to see. Hard to find a more stalwart and hopeful public servant. She’s such an inspiring role model in these fractious times.”

A celebration in her honor of Willie Moses and her purpose filled life will be held at the Riverside County Moses Schaffer Community Center on her 100th Birthday on Friday, February 18, 2022, from 1 p.m. to 4 PM.  The event will be held both virtually and in person.  For additional information or to RSVP, please contact Eleanor Moses at willieleemoses@gmail.com, or 510 290-4563.

Facts about Willie Moses

• It did not take long for Willie Lee and Henry Moses to discover Perris Valley was conservative and resistant to change when they relocated to Good Hope from Compton in 1957.
• The Moses’s were active in the community from the beginning taking a leadership role in community development, quality education, working as an activist during the civil rights era. They were involved with many Democratic political campaigns, and public education efforts.
• The couple worked with other leaders to build strategies for improving race relations in Perris Valley and help the community evolve in positive directions.  Every race, nationality, and religion could be found in the Moses home which was a hub for many community, political and family events. They were a constant resource and support for family, neighbors, and community leaders over the years.
• Willie Lee Moses Nee Wanza was born February 18, 1922, in a small Louisiana town. Despite encountering many difficulties living in the racially charged South Willie developed a strong belief early on that you can accomplish anything you set your mind to.  She has maintained that self-assuredness and spirit of resilience throughout her life and speaks lovingly of family and community members who believed in her and guided her early development.
• Willie migrated West in 1944 after graduating valedictorian of her high school class, attending several years of teacher training at Grambling College and teaching school for a short period.
• Looking for better opportunities, Willie joined her future husband Henry in Washington state, where they both worked in the war effort. Willie worked in an armory processing ammunition before moving on to monitor ammunition inventory coming on and off ships. The couple relocated to Southern CA in 1946 where they purchased a large home and business enterprise, hosting many friends and relatives migrating from Louisiana.
• Just three generations from slavery, Willie broke many barriers in Perris Valley as the first African American to take assertive leadership roles in a variety of community organizations. Her legacy of deeply principled activism, service, and community building are still evident throughout Perris Valley.
• Willie was instrumental in helping bring water, natural gas, roads, and other critical infrastructure to her rural community, and successfully advocated for development of an elementary school, community center and fire station in Good Hope. She was tireless in her work to provide resources for the elderly and needy, coordinating a free food program for low-income seniors nearly 35 years.  Concerned about the quality of her children’s education Willie stepped up without hesitation to serve as president of the Perris Elementary, Middle and High School PTAs.  Sometimes serving as president of multiple PTA at the same time.
• Instrumental in developing a new elementary school in the neighborhood, Willie also served as first PTA president of the new Good Hope Elementary School where she helped raise funds for free lunches, the purchase of clothing and shoes for underprivileged children and distribution of food baskets to seniors in addition to school oversight duties.
• Willie had a leadership role in Perris Valley’s first Human Relations Commission, which was successful in opening dialogue and improving race relations among community leaders in Perris Valley, and students in the Perris Unified School District.
• A Perris Elementary School District food service manager for nearly 25 years, Willie also served as a job steward for classified employees in the region. All of this and more while keeping up a large turn of the century home and raising five girls on a five-acre property filled with fruit trees, pigs, chickens, rabbits, and the occasional cow.  While her husband worked, Willie was often left single handedly keeping five girls in either Brownies, Girl Scouts, band, drill team, cheerleading, school plays, speech contests, sports teams, Sunday School and church.
• The Moses home was the nucleus of a large extended family, and the broader community. Often the hub of large gatherings, meetings and political events.
• A stalwart public servant, Willie has an open heart, and endless energy for family and community. The most notable testament to her years of advocacy is when she is lovingly referred to as “Mayor of Good Hope”.  Riverside County renamed their community building in Good Hope, Moses Schaffer Community Center.  In honor of Willie and another super volunteer and former co-worker.  In 2018 she received an honorary theology PHD for a lifetime of community service. She has many formal acknowledgements for her work over the years..
• Willie was a member of Bethel AME Church nearly 60 years, where she served as a missionary and exhorter.
• The pandemic has prevented Willie from participating in-person with clubs and organizations, but she continues to be involved and give council. Approaching 100, she still has an extraordinary ability to mix her faith and love of life, family, community and friends into a living storybook that deserves celebrating.  She’s defiantly an inspiration in these fractious times.
• When asked advice she has for leading a good life. Moses responded: “Just, treat others the way you want to be treated;” “give the best you have, and the best will come back to you.” “I draw a lot of strength from the 23^rd  It’s my favorite scripture.” “When our ancestor had to pray in the bushes and arbors, for a better future for themselves and their children.  They may not have known what it looked like, but they were good folks, and they believed, and just kept pushing forward.  I never forget, or let my children forget that we stand on the shoulders of those elders and their toil, and we need to keep carrying the torch forward.”
• “Almost eighty-five years ago as a fifteen-year-old girl I was fortunate to win a regional speech contest competing with many older students.  Thanks to good schooling, and the confidence that was instilled in me at an early age, I went on to become valedictorian of my high school in Farmersville LA. The poem I recited in that competition The House by the Side of the Road https://allpoetry.com/The-House-By-The-Side-Of-The-Road has been a guiding light for me throughout my life.  Its a constant reminder to be tolerant and compassionate.”

Andre Herndon talks about his journey to his new role, some of his most proud achievements, and his relationship with his family in an exclusive interview with Westside Story Newspaper.

By Savannah Thomas

Working in politics takes a special kind of drive and personality: thankfully, Andre Herndon is the man for the job.

On January 26, 2022, Herndon was promoted to Mayor Garcetti’s Chief of Staff. Herndon has been a part of Garcetti’s team since 2015 and has spent his entire career in politics working his way through multiple roles to get to where he is today. Now, it seems as though years of hard work are finally paying off.

Herndon has always had an interest in public service, but it would be many years before he would work directly in politics. He started his career as a journalist in the mid-1990s, working for the Westside Story newspaper before moving to the LA Wave in 2000. He worked as an editor at the paper for nearly a decade before shifting gears to becoming communications director for the city council, then into Parks and Rec, and finally accepting a job offer working for Mayor Garcetti. Now, Herndon has graduated from reporting on the city budget to helping write it.

And Garcetti couldn’t be happier to have him.

“Andre’s thoughtful leadership and dedication have been essential to everything we’ve done to make Los Angeles a safer, more prosperous, and well-run city,” wrote Garcetti in an email to Westside Story. “In my years of working with him, I have seen that he isn’t just a strong leader—he inspires people to work harder and embrace new ways of solving our most pressing challenges. That’s the kind of leadership Los Angeles needs, and it’s why I know he will make an excellent Chief of Staff.”

In 2021, Mayor Garcetti and his team unveiled their Justice Budget, an ambitious project aimed at targeting underserved communities in Los Angeles. According to Herndon, the process to create and launch this project was time-intensive but resulted in being one of his most impressive projects to date.

“That was my baby for over a year,” Herndon admits, referring to Basic Income Guaranteed: KA Economic Assistance Pilot (BIG: LEAP), a pilot program that will provide 3,000 Angelenos with $1,000 a month for 12 months. It’s a big step towards trying to assist low-income individuals by setting an income floor for them in this time of need.

Given his dedication to making the city of Los Angeles a more equitable place for everyone, it should come as no surprise that Herndon also had a hand in creating Los Angeles Reforms for Equity and Public Acknowledgement of Institutional Racism (LA REPAIR): a program designed to provide $8.5 million in funds to low-income communities of color that were struck the hardest by the COVID-19 pandemic.

It should come as no surprise that this field of work requires a lot of time and dedication. In fact, Herndon admitted that he often “spends more time with his [coworkers] on a weekly basis than his family”. But that doesn’t stop him from finding time to be present in his son’s lives when he clocks out at the end of the day.

Herndon, who had thus far come across as a somewhat closed-off public figure, finally cracked a smile when talking about his family. He recalled taking one of his sons to the Kanye West and Drake benefit concert late last year, and the fond memories that came from it.

“It was very cold, but I braved it,” Herndon said, laughing. “Because I want [my children] to have those experiences.” According to Herndon, his family is something he holds very dear, and he wanted to make an attempt at being a present figure in the lives of his children since being in public service is often-times demanding.

It takes a very special kind of person to do well in politics, but thankfully, Andre Herndon is more than qualified.

By Antonio Ray Harvey | California Black Media

In keeping with its commitment to ending health inequities, the California Health Care Foundation (CHCF) released the first phase of a three-part study documenting how race and racism shape the health care experiences of Black Californians.

The report, “In Their Own Words: Black Californians on Racism and Health Care,” was written by health services researcher Dr. Linda Cummings. The study synthesizes hour-long interviews with 100 Black Californians conducted from June to August 2021.

According to Katherine Haynes, a senior program officer serving on CHCF’s People-Centered Care team, “The project is to understand the interactions between racism, health and healthcare. (The first phase) is in-depth interviews that are really designed to gain a deep understanding of Black Californians’ perception of racism in this state’s healthcare system and its impact on them.”

CHCF’s main objective is to advance meaningful, measurable improvements in the way the health care delivery system provides care to the people of California, specifically individuals who are financially challenged and whose needs are not well served in the healthcare system.

EVITARUS, a Black-owned Los Angeles-based public opinion research firm, is conducting the three-phase

Study for CHCF. The firm has extensive experience polling California’s diverse constituencies and maintains long-standing relationships with Black-led community organizations and media.

“Dr. Linda Cummings wrote the report and we did the research. We designed the study, performed the data collection as well as the data analysis that supported Dr. Cummings and her findings,” according to Shakari Byerly, EVITARUS Managing Partner. “It was a thorough recruitment process and screening and screening of those that indicated an interest in participation. The participants also received an honorarium (of $125) for their participation.”

Findings from the first phase cautioned that just having a Black physician did not automatically result in better care. Negative experiences with Black physicians and other health providers of color can be an obstacle to health care, too.

“It is the subtle, the microaggressions that happen within

the health care field. So, I am resistant to get help unless I feel comfortable with the person who may or may not look like me,” a 33-year-old Black woman from the San Francisco Bay Area stated. “But I also have been discriminated against a lot from Black physicians as well.”

Cummings wrote that more than half of the respondents said that, at some time in their lives, they had been unhoused, without a stable place to live, or stayed with a family member or friend because they did not have a place of their own.

Notably, the study highlighted that the participants took their health care seriously.

“The respondents really spoke about how they were taking action to pursue health, advocating for themselves, in the health care system and taking steps to protect themselves from harm in the health care system,” said Haynes.

Nearly all the respondents (93%) had some form of health insurance. The majority were covered through employer-sponsored plans at 40% or Medi-Cal at 26%, the study reports.

The mix of participants also reflected the ethnic diversity of Black Californians. The majority of respondents identified as Black or African American (83%), Black and multiracial (6%), African (5%), Afro-Caribbean (4%), Afro-Latino (1%), and Black-Native American (1%), Byerly said.

“Everyone identified as Black, but we recognize that people come from different backgrounds,” Byerly said.  “It supports our research design to make sure that we show a full range of our community in California.”

Byerly also shared that 62% of the participants said they have experienced “some type of discrimination” based on their background while getting healthcare for themselves. About 59% said they were treated unfairly while getting healthcare for a family member, she added.

Phase II of the Listening to Black Californians study examines “structural issues” in the health care system gleaned from focus group discussions with Black Californians and key health care stakeholders,” Haynes said.

The third and final phase of the study will be a statewide survey of Black California residents. It will be crafted to evaluate the extent to which the Phase I and Phase II findings are represented in the general Black Californian population.

“The second phase with 18 focus groups, was completed right before the winter holidays. The third phase, we hope, will have over 3,000 Black-Californian participants,” Hayes said. “The final report is expected in the summer of 2022.”

Read the full report.

SAN BERNARDINO, CA—- Since August 1 of last year, Omnitrans has offered kindergarten to 12th graders in the San Bernardino Valley free rides to school through its Free Fares for School pilot program. To date, the program has provided more than 250,000 free rides for students. Last week, the agency’s Board of Directors approved an extension of the program through May 31.

“The success of the Free Fares for School pilot program has shown that this initiative is welcomed and needed in our region,” said CEO/General Manager Erin Rogers. “We are pleased to extend the program to promote equity and build the next generation of transit ridership.”

The Free Fares for School program allows community members 18 and under to get to school, work, and play with reliable and safe transportation on Omnitrans’ 29 routes. Omnitrans provides service to schools in San Bernardino County, work, shopping, extracurricular activities, and anywhere else students need to travel. Their student ID is their pass to freedom onboard!

In keeping with current CDC guidelines, Omnitrans continues to practice enhanced cleaning measures to keep everyone safe. Masks also are required onboard buses and at transit centers.

To learn more about Free Fares for School, visit omnitrans.org/buy-a-pass/free-fares-for- school/ and for more information on Omnitrans routes and services, please visit www.omnitrans.org.

SAN BERNARDINO, CA— San Bernardino County Superintendent of Schools Ted Alejandre appointed Claudia Lopez for a full term on the San Bernardino County Committee on School District Organization as a representative of the Fifth Supervisorial District.

The oath of office was administered to Lopez by County Superintendent Alejandre on Jan. 11. Her term is through 2025.

The 11-member committee addresses school district organizational issues including possible changes to the number of district trustees, trustee area boundaries, school district boundary changes and unifications.

The County Committee’s newest member, Lopez, is a resident of Colton who works within the hotel industry. She stated she has been working with young people for a good 20 years and thought this would be a great opportunity to grow more and contribute to education.

The Fifth Supervisorial District includes cities of Colton, Fontana, Rialto, and San Bernardino and the unincorporated communities of Bloomington, El Rancho Verde, Glen Helen, Arrowhead Farms, Muscoy, Little Third and Rosena Ranch.

The San Bernardino County Committee on School District Organization maintains a webpage athttps://www.sbcss.k12.ca.us/index.php/business-services/business-advisory-services/county-committee

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

SAN BERNARDINO, CA— City of San Bernardino Council Member Kimberly Calvin has been appointed to the League of California Cities Community Services Policy Committee by League President Cindy Silva, of Walnut Creek.

“I am honored to serve the people of San Bernardino on this policy committee,” said Calvin, who represents San Bernardino’s Sixth Ward. “We have worked very hard to have a greater voice in California crafting policies on issues that directly impact us.”

The League of California Cities, which represents California’s 476 cities, sponsors, drafts, and takes positions on legislative and regulatory matters impacting cities across state. The Community Services Policy Committee specifically focuses on childcare, parks and recreation, libraries, natural disaster preparation, cultural arts, and community and human services programs, including homelessness.

City Manager Rob Field was pleased to learn of Calvin’s appointment.

“We are the largest city in the county,” said Field. “We need to have a seat at the table when discussions take place in Sacramento that could affect our residents. Council Member Calvin will do an excellent job representing the city of San Bernardino.”

Calvin’s appointment was effective January 3rd and runs through Spring of 2023.

SAN BERNARDINO, CA—- The community is invited to celebrate the life, the love, and the memories of Dr. Margaret Hill with a glorious celebration honoring a true community icon. The memorial service will be held on Saturday, January 22, 2022, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at San Manuel Stadium located at 280 S E Street in San Bernardino.

For those that want to give or are unable to attend the service, but want to show support, in lieu of flower donations, monetary donations to Dr. Hill’s charity, “Maggie’s Kids Foundation, are welcomed. The link to donate is https://venmo.com/u/maggie4kids.

For those that do attend the service, it is asked that guests wear purple in Dr. Hill’s memory. For those that want to speak or volunteer, please click here. Speaking requests are open for dignitaries, community-based organizations, and community members.

Please be advised that due to the estimated attendance, of you would like to speak, it is highly encouraged for everyone to use the link to sign up. Those that want to volunteer can also visit the newspaper’s website for the sign-up link.

Due to COVID protocols, the venue is an outdoor space, there will be adequate seating for social distancing, and masks are required. If you forget your mask, masks will be provided for you.

28th Annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Walk-a-thon: Join us on January 17th as we pay tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.! This year our theme is ‘A Legacy of Strength, A Future of Action’. Our 5K walk will start at Stratton Center and end at the Riverside Main Library with a stop at the Martin Luther King Jr. statue on Main Street. Free shuttle services back to Stratton Center will be available every half hour beginning at 11 am. Registration will begin at 7:30 AM at Stratton Center. The Walk will begin promptly at 10 AM at the entrance of the Center. Free shuttle service back to Stratton Center will be available every half hour beginning at 11 AM. After the walk join us for a short program (honoring local honorees), booths, entertainment, performances and a contest for the organization with the greatest number of walkers. This year’s Honorees include: Councilmember Erin Edward, Dr. Judy White, Andy Melendrez, Leila Bensaid, and Chani Beeman. Proceeds from the Walk-A-Thon will benefit the Riverside African American Historical Society to support: The Civil Rights Institute, Clarke & Grier College Scholarships and for the maintenance and upkeep of the Martin Luther King Jr. statue.

2022 MLK Day of Service-Exchange club of Fontana: Residents of all ages and backgrounds are invited to advance the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. during the 2022 MLK Day of Service on January 21. Join hundreds of volunteers in making it a “day on, not a day off” by completing service projects throughout the community. To volunteer, please register by contacting Brock Champion at bchampion@ofy.org or call (909) 315-9154. Participants will complete a variety of projects such as painting, beautifying schools, serving meals, and more. To make the event a success, local Fontana-area service projects are needed.  Non-profit organizations are invited to submit their (3) hour project requests to Brock Champion at bchampion@ofy.org or call (909) 315-9154.

21st Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Unity Breakfast: The MLK Breakfast Tribute will be Monday, January 17, 2022, from 8:30am to 11:00am. Workshops following from 11:30am to 1:00pm. at the Ontario Airport Doubletree Hotel. Sponsors welcome, advertise in our program book. Looking forward to seeing you there. Please RSVP to Trudy Coleman at (909) 418-8530. or Alice Anderson at (909) 717-9448.

City of Inglewood 39th Annual King Fest Celebration: The 39th Annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration is almost here! The event will be held on Monday, January 17, 2022, from 11 a.m. – 5 p.m. and include a commemorative parade and family festival at the Fabulous Forum. You don’t want to miss the 39th annual celebration of the life and legacy of Dr. King. Masks and proof of vaccination for persons 12 years and older are required by organizer for entry into the festival. For more information on sponsorship, vendor opportunities, and parade participation, contact the Parks, Recreation and Community Services Department: (310) 412-8750.

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Luncheon: Monday, January 17, 2022, from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. at Hilton Garden Inn Victorville located at 12603 Mariposa Road in Victorville. For tickets, go here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/dr-martin-luther-king-jr-luncheon-tickets-222073657287

Black Lives Matter Pasadena Martin Luther King Protest: Black Lives Matter Pasadena will be leading a protest beginning at the corner of Raymond Avenue and Holly Street. The protest will be on Monday, January 17, 2022, from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the Corner of Raymond Avenue and Holly Street at 85 E Holly Street in Pasadena.

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service (Virtual): The South Coast Air Quality Management District (South Coast AQMD), invites you to the 9th Annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service on Saturday, January 15, 2022, from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. This event will be held virtually via Zoom. This year’s celebration, “Living, Dreaming, believing in a Clean Air Future” focuses on partnering with communities to address air pollution and the inequalities of environmental justice. South Coast AQMD’s partnership with the communities are vital to improving air quality for all residents of Orange County and the urban portions of Los Angeles, Riverside and San Bernardino counties, including the Coachella Valley. Register here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/dr-martin-luther-king-jr-day-of-service-tickets-214304379167

Publisher’s Commentary by Wallace Allen

Testing The Test!

The test for COVID-19 is being suggested by some and required by some others. Various activities and events may require evidence of a negative test in order to participate or attend. Having a negative test days before the planned activity or event is often the recommended policy that represents the safe way to gather with others.

Does a negative result from a COVID-19 test truly indicate the COVID-19 status of the person who took the test?

Should we consider the recent exposure that occurred too recently for the test to detect or exposure any time after the test?

Thinking it through seems to suggest that the only thing that the test can really determine is if someone were negative at the time of the test, which is not an indication of their immediate, and certainly not their long-term status, such as one day later.

Taking the vaccine has become a social argument that is now documenting strong results for the vaccinated; however, the unvaccinated have among them some that take the efficiency gaps in bureaucratic policy, logic and procedures as reason to fight the shot.

If we were all tested daily, we would find people that test positive today who tested negative yesterday.

Insisting that taking the test is a truly relevant procedure feeds that skepticism. The energy and resources used on testing are probably better used elsewhere.