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Black Panther Casts Headline Grand Opening Ceremony for Avengers Campus at Disney California Adventure Park

The Falcon and The Winter Soldier actor Anthony Mackie poses, June 2, 2021, in Avengers Campus at Disney California Adventure Park in Anaheim, California. At Avengers Campus, opening June 4, 2021, guests can join the action with the Avengers and their allies, like Iron Man, Black Panther, Black Widow and more; sling webs on the first Disney ride-through attraction to feature Spider-Man; taste-test inventive food and drinks and become part of a bigger universe. Photo produced during a controlled production, in alignment with current California COVID-19 guidance. (Richard Harbaugh/Disneyland Resort)

ANAHEIM, Calif. (June 2, 2021) – Iconic Superheroes Captain America, Black Panther and his guards Okoye and the Dora Milaje, plus many more assembled alongside actors Anthony Mackie and Paul Rudd with Disney CEO Bob Chapek to celebrate the momentous dedication of Avengers Campus Wednesday night in an epic ceremony at Disney California Adventure Park. The new land opens to the public at the Disneyland Resort on June 4, 2021, featuring Earth’s Mightiest Heroes and their allies.

Avengers Campus is an entirely new land dedicated to discovering, recruiting and training the next generation of Superheroes at the Disneyland Resort inside Disney California Adventure Park. This new land brings together Earth’s Mightiest Heroes for the common good and allows guests to team up with the Avengers and their allies, sling webs with Spider-Man, taste-test inventive food and drinks and become part of a bigger universe. Kids and guests of all ages will find their powers as they unite with family and friends to take an active role alongside some of their favorite Superheroes, with a chance to live out their own heroic story.

In Avengers Campus, Spider-Man soars high above the rooftops with incredible acrobatic feats, a first for a Disney Park. Guests may also notice that their friendly neighborhood Spider-Man is  wearing a Disney Parks exclusive WEB Slinger suit. Recruits will discover many more surprises, from day to night.

While guests have connected with the Super Heroes of Wakanda on screen, Avengers Campus gives visitors the chance to not only see the icons come to life, but also learn from them directly through interactive encounters. New recruits can train with Black Panther’s loyal bodyguards, the Dora Milaje, to learn wisdom from Wakanda and what it’s like to be a member of this elite royal guard. Okoye, the leader of the Dora Milaje, makes her global debut at Avengers Campus as she leads this training encounter. When trouble ensues, out of nowhere Earth’s Mightiest Heroes arrive to save the day. Guests may see Black Panther, along with other Heroes, spring into action as they head off the threat from their foes at Avengers Headquarters – located in the heart of this new land.

“On behalf of our Cast of Super Heroes, I couldn’t be more excited to welcome our guests to this epic new land,” said Ken Potrock, president of the Disneyland Resort. “Just as Avengers come together for the common good, the Disneyland Resort is ready to power up with Anaheim and Southern California to drive tourism, rebuild businesses and strengthen our communities.”

Guests discover their own powers in Avengers Campus.

WEB SLINGERS: A Spider-Man Adventure is a new, action-packed escapade that invites guests to put their web-slinging skills to the test, a feat accomplished with innovative technology adapted specifically for this attraction. The mission: team up with Spidey and help capture the out-of-control Spider-Bots before they wreak havoc on the Campus. This family- friendly attraction blends physical sets and virtual environments to take new recruits on an interactive adventure. There is no height requirement for this attraction, allowing aspiring young heroes to join the fun.

Looming high above the land is the towering citadel of Guardians of the Galaxy – Mission: BREAKOUT!, a fan-favorite that opened in Disney California Adventure in 2017. Guests are the protagonists of this rockin’ adventure as they help rescue a cosmic gang of misfits. Taneleer Tivan, a.k.a. the Collector, has brought his unique collection of fantastical fauna, relics and species from across the cosmos to Earth. To their misfortune, Star-Lord, Gamora, Rocket, Drax and Groot were recently made a part of Tivan’s “collection” and are being held captive within his Fortress. It takes some raucous mayhem, music inspired by the soundtracks from the movies and thrilling free-fall drop sequences for this adventure to break out the Guardians.

When it is time to take a break from the heroics, new dining spots will offer sustenance.

Just as Ant-Man and The Wasp used “Pym Particles” to grow and shrink just about anything, Pym Test Kitchen featuring Impossible™ Foods applies this innovative science to the food creation. This unbound potential allows Pym Test Kitchen to showcase normal foods at unusual scales, including shareable bites, inventive-sized entrees and tiny treats. As guests watch the Pym food scientists at work in the kitchen lab, they will see a regular-sized pretzel transform after going through a quantum tunnel – it comes out big or small. Guests will also enjoy shawarma at the Shawarma Palace near the heart of the land; or indulge in a weird and wonderful menu of intergalactic eats at Terran Treats – a cart near Guardians of the Galaxy – Mission: BREAKOUT!

Disneyland Resort theme parks reopening

Disneyland Park and Disney California Adventure reopened to the public on April 30, 2021, with limited capacity. To visit a theme park, guests (ages 3 and older) must purchase a valid ticket and make a theme park reservation for the same day and same park they want to visit. Other important details are at Disneyland.com/update. Guests are encouraged to check the site for the latest updates as they become available.

The health and well-being of guests and cast members remain a top priority. Enhanced health and safety measures and operational changes will be in place at the theme parks based on guidance from health authorities and learnings from Disney parks around the world. Cast members throughout the resort will assist with questions, and guests may check Disneyland.com/update for current health and safety measures, including required face coverings for guests ages 2 and older.

Guests may learn more about Avengers Campus at Disneyland.com/AvengersCampus.

Chahn JhuManni Chess Named Social Lites Beautillion Sir Knight 2021

SAN BERNARDINO, CA—- The Social Lites, Inc. celebrated its 54th Beautillion, “Footsteps Toward the Future” virtual program on Saturday, May 22, 2021, under the leadership of Mrs. Lisa Blacksher-Owens, President and Mrs. Tina Darling, Beautillion Chair.  

Congratulations to Sir Knight 2021 Mr. Chahn JhuMaani Chess who was awarded approximately $7,700.00 in scholarships and gifts.  Awards included a $3,000.00 academic scholarship and $3,000.00 for the fifth annual “Evan T. Carthen Emerging Leader” essay scholarship. 

Various community supporters, friends, and family members witnessed this virtual event moderated by Beautillion Alumni Knight, Mr. Russell Ward.   The late Mr. Jesses James Nichols former King of San Bernardino Black Culture Foundation was presented the Social Lites, Inc. Community Service Award for his contributions to the community and the Social Lites, Inc. Beautillion program. Inspiring messages delivered by various Beautillion Alumni and keynote speaker Sir Knight 2004, Mr. Raafi Bell.

The Social Lites, Inc. is underway in planning for the 55th Beautillion season.  High school students interested in participating in the Beautillion program may contact knight.beautillion@gmail.com      

LA Activist Set to Become the Next Member of the CA Black Caucus

By Antonio Ray Harvey | California Black Media

Gov. Gavin Newsom called Los Angeles community organizer Isaac Bryan on Saturday morning to congratulate him for winning the 54th Assembly District special election.

The Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk’s office reported that, as of Friday, May 21, Bryan was leading with 50.7% of counted ballots (21,388 votes) over his closest opponent, fellow Democrat Heather Hutt.

Hutt was trailing Bryan with 24.9% (10,489 votes).

Hutt served as the former state director for Kamala Harris when the current Vice President of the United States was California’s junior United States Senator.

Bryan’s projected victory – pending final certification by authorities – would push the California Legislative Black Caucus’s (CLBC) membership back up to 10.

The CLBC – the body of African American elected officials serving in the State Legislature – recently lost two members. In December, Gov. Newsom appointed former Assemblymember Shirley Weber, who represented the 79th District in the San Diego area, California’s 33rd Secretary of State. And last year after the general election, former state Sen. Holly J. Mitchell resigned to serve on the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors.

The race Bryan won was announced after Sen. Sydney Kamlager (D-Los Angeles) won a special election to represent the 30th District in the upper house of the California Legislature, replacing Mitchell.

“The Governor called this morning. We really did this,” the 29-year-old Bryan posted on his Twitter account, expressing gratitude to Newsom for reaching out to him.

“My name is Isaac Bryan, but my friends call me Mr. Assemblymember- elect,” Bryan tweeted before that in a separate post on May 21.

Bryan’s commanding lead puts him comfortably above the 50-plus percentage mark required to avoid a runoff with Hutt.

The special election was held May 18. By the end of the night, Bryan had locked in 49.62% of the votes. Hutt’s tally stood at a distant second with 24.61% of the vote. None of the other four candidates in the race — Cheryl Turner, Dallas Fowler, Bernard Senter and Samuel Robert Morales — won more than 10% of the vote.

“Can’t wait to have you up here on the green carpet @CABlackCaucus,” Kamlager tweeted, congratulating Bryan and welcoming him as a state lawmaker and new member of the CLBC. Kamlager is vice chair of the CLBC.

Before Bryan’s win, the CLBC welcomed another member, Dr. Akilah Weber (D-La Jolla), who won her mother Shirley Weber’s former Assembly seat in another special election in April.

Bryan is the founding director of the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA), Black Policy Project (BPP). The BPP is a research initiative housed within the Ralph J. Bunche Center for African American Studies.

The project says its primary focus is producing community-centered research that helps ignite policy change, serving as the bridge between Black scholarship generated at UCLA and the ideas that inform policymaking.

Bryan’s supporters praise him for leading efforts to pass Measure J in Los Angeles County. The ballot initiative now mandates LA County to dedicate no less than 10 % of its general fund to spending on racial equity programs, including investments in youth development, supportive housing, alternatives to incarceration, job training, small business development, and more.

U.S. Congresswoman Karen Bass (D-CA-37), Mitchell, and Kamlager all endorsed Bryan.

Why Malia Cohen Is Running for State Controller in 2022

By Antonio Ray Harvey | California Black Media

Nearly three years after her successful run for a seat on California’s Board of Equalization (BOE), Malia Cohen now has her sights set on a higher office: State Controller. The election for State Controller will be held in November 2022.

Cohen is one of two women — and the only African American — serving on the BOE, the state agency responsible for representing taxpayer interests and making county-by-county tax assessments and adjustments across the state.

She announced her candidacy for State Controller during the California Democratic Party (CDP) 2021 convention, held online from April 29 to May 2.

“I am running because I am committed to equity, empowerment, hope and opportunity for all Californians,” Cohen told California Black Media.

During the Democratic Party convention, current State Controller and BOE member Betty Yee gave her blessing. She endorsed Cohen to occupy the seat she was first elected to in November 2014. Yee was re-elected for a second term in 2018.

Yee, who is termed out from running for State Controller in 2022, was elected vice chair of the CDP at its recent convention.

Taisha Brown, chair of the California Democratic Party Black Caucus, said she’s ready to support Cohen and see more African American women, the most loyal voting bloc in the Democratic Party, in leadership roles.

“I’m happy to see more Black women moving in the direction to lead California as statewide officers. We have always been capable and have put in the work. I’m excited and ready to roll up my sleeves and get to work for Malia Cohen to be our next State Controller,” Brown said.

Cohen and Yee recently participated in a discussion the CDP’s Women’s Caucus, titled “Honoring Trailblazing Democratic Women on the Frontlines.” They discussed how they have both worked hard to find innovative solutions to longstanding problems, broken stereotypes and lead while facing various challenges in their respective careers.

If Californians vote Cohen the next State Controller, she will become chair of the Franchise Tax Board and serve on the boards of the California Public Employees’ Retirement System (CalPERS) and the California State Teachers’ Retirement System (CalSTRS) as well.

CalPERS and CalSTRS manage financial investments totaling more than $620 billion.

The controller’s office is the state’s independent fiscal watchdog, providing oversight and managing more than $100 billion in receipts and disbursements of public funds a year. The state department also offers fiscal guidance to local governments and uncovers fraud and abuse of taxpayer dollars. It is also charged with protecting the state’s coastline and helping to build hospitals.

As a member of the BOE, Cohen represents 23 counties and 9.5 million constituents in the Second District, an area that stretches along California’s coast from the top of the state down to Santa Barbara County.

Before that, Cohen represented the 10th District on San Francisco’s Board of Supervisors from January 2011 to January 2019. Cohen, born in the Richmond District of the “Golden Gate City,” was also president of the Board of Supervisors, succeeding London Breed, who was elected the San Francisco’s mayor in 2018.

Cohen, 43, earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in political science at Fisk University in Tennessee and a Master’s in public policy and management at Carnegie Mellon University in Pennsylvania.

For more than a decade now, Cohen has been an influential figure in California state politics, taking on a number of high-profile issues.

In 2017, she introduced legislation to end the sale of all flavored tobacco products, including, menthol cigarettes in San Francisco. The measure was approved. She celebrated last month when the Biden administration announced its intention to make that prohibition national.

“I knew if we had a victory, it could start something big. But I did not know just how far it would go,” Cohen said. “After our ordinance passed in San Francisco, 75 other cities in California passed similar bans.”

After she was re-elected to represent the 10th District in 2014, Cohen gained national attention when she defended San Francisco’s “sanctuary city” policy. The ordinance shields undocumented immigrants living in the city from deportation.

Bill O’Reilly, then a conservative commentator for FOX News, took issue with Cohen and her pro-immigrant stance. He said on his show, The O’Reilly Factor, that Cohen was a disgrace and should be apprehended.

“If I were the attorney general of the United States, I would place her immediately under arrest,” O’Reilly said at the time, “That woman is a disgrace.”

The former FOX News talking head made the comment while blaming the policy for the death of a 32-year-old woman who was killed by an undocumented immigrant from Mexico.

Cohen expressed horror at the woman’s death and called the incident a tragedy, but she did not shy away from O’Reilly’s attack.

“We cannot allow one event to dictate 25 years of our city’s policies towards undocumented immigrants in our city,” Cohen responded. “And more importantly, we cannot allow hateful conservative news stations to drive how we respond to incidents in our city. I’m not afraid of Fox News and they don’t influence how I make my policy decisions here in San Francisco.”

Paul Mooney, Comedian and Writer for Richard Pryor, Dies at 79

By Jordan Moreau | Yahoo! News

Paul Mooney, the comedian, actor and writer for Richard Pryor, died on Wednesday morning, his representative Cassandra Williams confirmed to Variety. He was 79.

He died at his home in Oakland, CA after suffering a heart attack.

Mooney’s Twitter account also shared the news on Wednesday morning, posting “Thank you all from the bottom of all of our hearts…To all in love with this great man.”

Mooney served as the head writer on “The Richard Pryor Show” and co-wrote some of Pryor’s material on several of his comedy albums and his “Saturday Night Live” sketches. Mooney also wrote for “Sanford and Son,” “Good Times,” “In Living Color,” “Pryor’s Place,” “The Larry Sanders Show,” “Chappelle’s Show” and BET’s reality TV parody show “Real Husbands of Hollywood.”

In addition to his stand-up comedy, Mooney appeared in movies like “The Buddy Holly Story,” where he played Sam Cooke; “Bustin’ Loose”; “Hollywood Shuffle”; Spike Lee’s “Bamboozled”; and most recently “Meet the Blacks” in 2016.

On Dave Chappelle’s Comedy Central show, Mooney played the recurring character Negrodamus, a Black version of the philosopher Nostradamus who specialized in answering questions like “Why do white people love Wayne Brady so much?” (Answer: “Because Wayne Brady makes Bryant Gumbel look like Malcolm X”).

Much of Mooney’s stand-up material focused on race. His sets at the 2005 BET Comedy Awards and the 2006 BET tribute to Black History Month skewered celebrities like Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston, Oprah Winfrey, Lil’ Kim, Diana Ross, Flavor Flav, Terrell Owens and more.

In 2007, he published a memoir titled “Black Is the New White,” in which he discussed his relationship with Pryor and some of his most iconic and controversial comedy sets.

The Lookout: Three California Cities Push Plans to Increase Police Spending

By Aldon Thomas Stiles | California Black Media

Watching your tax dollars, elected officials and legislation that affects you.

It has been over 13 months since cops in Kentucky killed Breonna Taylor, and just shy of a year since Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin murdered George Floyd.

These high-profile deaths of African Americans, along with many others sparked global protests and resulted in politicians and activists on the political Left calling on their cities to and counties to defund their police departments. More precisely, many of are pushing their elected officials to reallocate money in police budgets to more social service-oriented interventions in efforts to reduce the number of violent police encounters.

But some cities in California — Sacramento, San Diego and Los Angeles — are planning to do just the opposite.

From 2019 to 2020, Sacramento’s approved police budget saw an increase of over $7 million. This year, California’s capital city will spend a record $165.8 million on police, a $9.4 million increase.

However, Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg says, by mid 2022, at least $10 million will be directed away from the police department toward the Department of Community Response.

“I’m not for ‘defunding,’” Steinberg told the Sacramento Bee. “There are some things that are part of running a city, like collective bargaining and binding arbitration, and genuine needs for the police department.”

“I’m not going to get pinned to the argument that the measure of whether or not we are investing in the community in an aggressive way is whether or not we’re taking the money directly from the police department,” he continued.

In San Diego, the city is planning to raise the police budget for the 11th year in a row.

San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria proposed a 3% increase for police spending next year, meaning that the police budget has ballooned by a total of 52% since 2008.

The city is introducing that increase with a decrease in library hours in an effort to offset those costs.

San Diego City Council President Georgette Gómez says that she planned to cut the police budget but former Mayor Kevin Faulconer would have vetoed that measure.

Gloria has expressed interest in reducing police spending over time also, but activists insist that more needs to be done.

In Los Angeles, after two reports from the Los Angeles City Council and the Los Angeles Board of Police Commissioners admonished the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) for their mishandling of several protests over the past year, the LAPD has announced that it wants a $67 million increase in its budget to contend with the costs of protest response reform.

During various protests in the summer of 2020, police made over 3,000 arrests with little to no accommodations for those arrested.

Police Chief Michel Moore admitted the protest response could have been handled better but asserted that most of his officers responded the way they did because of their training.

“While there were missteps and shortfalls in communication and command and control, especially from senior staff in the field, the vast majority of personnel performed admirably with their ongoing efforts to tirelessly serve the city, even in the face of antagonistic and violent crowds,” Moore wrote in a letter to the board of commissioners.

Training will be the primary focus of this proposed budget increase, according to Deputy Chief Dominic Choi.

Choi stated that much of the budget will be going towards salaries and overtime for extended training.

The Police Commission has not moved on the proposed budget and the LAPD needs the City Council’s approval before it can go into effect. However, Mayor Eric Garcetti has proposed a $50 million increase in the police budget, much to the dismay of members of the Los Angeles Black Lives Matter organization.

While a couple of these budget proposals are still being deliberated and wouldn’t fully go into effect until next year, they are far cries from defunding the police.

Despite a growing chorus of voices against it, more Golden State taxpayer money will likely go toward increased funding for “California’s finest.”

Young Visionaries Celebrates 20 Years of Service in the Inland Empire

RANCHO CUCAMONGA, CA—For two decades, Young Visionaries Youth Leadership Academy (YVYLA) has worked tirelessly to support at-risk youth, enhancing their potential for academic, economic, and social success, and striving to build safer, more equitable communities.

Partners for more than 15 years, Inland Empire Health Plan (IEHP) and YVYLA have collaborated on several projects, events, and initiatives. YVYLA is also an in-house partner at the health plan’s Community Resource Center (CRC) in Victorville, CA, providing mentoring services and support to local youth.

“Young Visionaries is blessed to be in partnership with IEHP,” said Terrance Stone, YVYLA chief executive officer. “Since COVID-19 hit, we were able to pivot in community outreach engagement activities and serve over 20,000 families. We will continue to work alongside our partners to serve our communities and remain open to partnering with all interested agencies to better support our neighbors.”

YVYLA has served more than 85,000 community youth through various events and activities focused on academic, employment, leadership, and life skills development and more. YVYLA continues to develop new programs that emphasize social innovation and transformation.

“Young Visionaries is extremely aligned with the community they serve we are very proud to host them as in-house partners in our Victorville CRC,” said Marci Coffey, IEHP community partnerships director. “Collaborations with trusted and well-respected organizations like Young Visionaries is a critical element to the work we do in our communities. In addition to filling in social gaps, these organizations often serve as a link or a bridge between a need and healthy lifestyle change. We congratulate YVYLA and we look forward to continuing our work to make the IE a better place, for all.”

To learn more about Young Visionaries and their upcoming 20 Year Anniversary Virtual Gala, visit http://yvyla-ie.org/.

Victor Valley College adds TimelyMD to support students’ medical and mental health

VICTOR VALLEY, CA—- As part of Victor Valley College’s ongoing response to COVID-19, students now have free, immediate, and unlimited access to medical and mental health counseling visits through TimelyMD, a telehealth company that specializes in higher education

TimelyCare, as the program is branded, offers students a complete care solution for campus health, with on-demand and appointment-based medical care and on-demand mental health counseling programs specifically designed for college students.

The program gives students free 24/7 access to licensed physicians and mental health professionals anywhere in the United States. 

“We know that students lead busy, complicated lives. The pandemic has made life, and being a student, even more challenging,” said Vice President of Student Development Dr. Karen Engelsen. “Students, we hope that you’ll utilize TimelyMD and benefit from the 24/7 access to medical, emotional and mental health care providers. It’s free, confidential, and available to all registered VVC students. We care about you and your future. Stay well.”

TimelyMD enhances campus resources by helping limit the spread of illness, reduce the stigma of mental health counseling, and grant peace of mind to students and their families. In fact, a recent survey found the top three things that would boost parents’ confidence in the ability of campuses to support students this fall were 1) on-campus enforcement of social distancing, 2) regular COVID-19 testing and 3) access to 24/7 telehealth resources for physical and mental health – all of which Victor Valley College has implemented.

“The experiences we’ve all gone through during this pandemic have called attention to the need to invest in programs that support mental health and overall well-being,” said Associated Student Body President Bridge Lee. “I’m so appreciative of VVC for bringing care solutions to students at a time when we need it most. I hope that students will take full advantage of this exceptional opportunity and that it will be continued for years to come.”

Seeking care on-demand is as easy as making a video call through TimelyMD. From an app on their phone or other device, students can see the profiles, faces and basic identifying details of a diverse range of medical providers or mental health counselors available to them. They can choose to meet with a specific provider or select the first available. Typically, students are having a video consultation with someone within 5 to 10 minutes. 

“Virtual access to medical and mental health counseling has never been more important, especially for college students who may be learning remotely, need care after hours, and prefer to do so privately on their own devices,” said Luke Hejl, Chief Executive Officer of TimelyMD. “Resuming classes this fall includes anticipating and addressing the concerns, needs and demands of students and their families. TimelyMD is proud to partner with Victor Valley College to take quality medical and mental health care off everyone’s worry list.” 

County Moving Closer Toward the Yellow Tier

San Bernardino County continues to make great progress in the fight against COVID-19 and has now administered 1,209,066 doses to our residents.

On Tuesday, the County’s adjusted case rate was 2.9/100,000 with an overall positivity rate of 1.7 percent and an equity positivity rate of 1.8 percent. In order to move into the less restrictive yellow tier, the County’s overall positivity needs to be below 2 percent and equity positivity below 2.3% for at least two weeks. 

“We continue to make progress toward the yellow tier and want to thank our staff, entire community, network of trusted communicators and vaccine providers for that progress,” said County Chief Operating Officer Leonard X. Hernandez.

Hernandez said that Pfizer is currently working on approval with the FDA to administer vaccines to youth ages 12-16, and that the state may be releasing new guidance regarding a “green tier” shortly. As soon as that happens, we’ll be sure to share the information in our newsletter and social media sites.

COVID-19 Vaccines Now Available at Planned Parenthood Health Centers in San Bernardino and Victorville

New Vaccination Sites Will Provide Equitable Access to Latinx, Black and Other Communities Disproportionately Affected by Pandemic

Planned Parenthood of Orange & San Bernardino Counties (PPOSBC) has opened two new COVID-19 vaccination sites, in their San Bernardino and Victorville health centers, dedicated to eliminating barriers to vaccine access for Latinx and other diverse communities. PPOSBC’s patient population in San Bernardino — 81% of whom identify as Black, Latinx and people of color — have been disproportionately affected by both the virus and the pandemic’s economic fallout. PPOSBC has capacity to vaccinate up to 180 community members a week at the centers and offers both weekday and weekend appointments. The new vaccination sites are dedicated to making it as easy as possible to schedule an appointment, as well as providing accurate information and answering any questions a patient might have about the vaccine.

“At Planned Parenthood, we understand the only way to end this deadly pandemic is with COVID-19 vaccines, and we are proud to be part of the solution by offering these safe, effective vaccines to the communities we serve,” said Dr. Janet Jacobson, medical director of Planned Parenthood of Orange & San Bernardino Counties. “We are dedicated to being a trusted health care provider and that includes helping those facing inequitable access to comprehensive medical care and resources. We trust the vaccines to help make our future stronger and having them readily available at our health centers is key to increasing confidence that the best thing to do to keep you and the ones your loved ones safe is to get the COVID-19 vaccine as soon as possible.”

As the vaccine rollout accelerates across the country, and officials focus on ensuring the hardest-hit communities get access to shots, PPOSBC has launched an educational campaign including social media and digital ads to help build public confidence around the vaccines in these areas with a special emphasis on vaccinations in the Latinx community. Both health centers offering COVID-19 vaccines are located in zip codes that have been heavily impacted by the coronavirus. PPOSBC staff accurately reflect the populations in the communities they serve, and most of the support staff working at both sites are official translators and can provide care in multiple languages.

The organization will be offering the Moderna vaccine and will be a part of BlueShield’s “MyTurn” web appointment system. Anyone who is eligible (currently, any Californian aged 18 and up) can choose to get vaccinated at a PPOSBC location through the MyTurn scheduling system. The vaccine is free and available to all eligible people, regardless of citizenship status. Insurance is accepted, but not required.

Vaccination Sites

PPOSBC’s vaccination sites are located at:

  San Bernardino Health Center

1873 S. Commercenter Dr. W., San Bernardino, Calif. 92408

Vaccines offered on Thursday and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Please check the MyTurn website for most up-to-date information. Vaccination walk-ins are currently being accepted on the days and times above only, but advance appointments are encouraged.

Victorville Health Center

15403 Park Ave. E., Victorville, Calif. 92392

Vaccines offered on Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Please check the MyTurn website for most up-to-date information. Vaccination walk-ins are currently being accepted on the day and time above only, but advance appointments are encouraged.

To Make an Appointment

?      Visit www.MyTurn.CA.gov or call (833) 422-4255

?      Register and check your eligibility on the website

?      Enter your address or zip code after confirming eligibility

?      Scroll down to look for a Planned Parenthood location. In addition to the new locations in San Bernardino and Victorville, vaccines are also available in Orange County at Planned Parenthood’s Anaheim locationlocated at 801 E. Katella Ave., Anaheim, Calif. 92805

?      Appointment slots are limited, so if you don’t see one of the Planned Parenthood locations, it means the appointments are full for that day. But you can check back later. 

Helping Hesitant Family and Friends 

For those with family or friends who are hesitant or have questions about the vaccine, Dr. Jacobson offers three helpful tips for handling conversations about why they should get their shots: 

  1. Listen to their concerns with empathy. “These vaccines, while remarkably effective, are still very new. It’s natural for people to have questions about them. The sheer amount of information—and misinformation—about COVID-19 vaccines out there can be overwhelming for anyone. That’s why it’s so important to listen without judgement when a family member or friend expresses fear about getting vaccinated and identify the root of their apprehension.

“Acknowledge their emotions so they know they have been heard. For example, you can say something like, ‘It sounds like you’re stressed both at work and at home, and concerns about the vaccine are another source of stress. That’s really tough.'” 

  1. Ask open-ended questions to explore those concerns. “Open-ended questions are meant to get more than a “yes” or “no” response. Asking open-ended questions can help you understand what a person is worried about, where they learned any troubling information, and what they have done to get answers to their questions. For example, you can ask, “How did watching that news report make you feel? What did you do next?” 

“As difficult as it may be when you are passionate about making sure everyone is vaccinated, do not be judgmental. Respectfully ask open-ended questions that help you understand their fears, and avoid saying things like, ‘That’s silly to think that,’ or ‘why would you be worried about that?'”

  1. Once you understand their concern, ask their permission to share information with them. “Once you feel you understand where they are coming from, even if you do not agree, ask if you can provide some information. Tell them where you get information you trust and be careful not to push information on them. You can find answers to common questions they may have from reputable sources, including the CDCSan Bernardino County of Public Health, or other trusted sources such as the person’s doctor, nurse or pharmacist. 

“Sometimes, simply sharing quick, accurate answers to common concerns your friends or family members can go a long way toward moving someone from worry to confidence to empowerment. If you don’t know the answers to their questions, offer to help them look for information. Remember that the overwhelming data regarding the safety of the COVID-19 vaccines may not be enough to change someone’s mind about getting vaccinated right away. It may take a while for the idea to grow so be patient and kind.” 

“We are always here for every patient who walks through our doors, helping them make informed decisions about their health,” said Dr. Jacobson. “We will never let up on our commitment to giving everyone who uses our services high quality essential care, the most up-to-date information and the resources available to help them live the life they envision for themselves.” 

To book a COVID-19 vaccination appointment, please visit www.MyTurn.CA.gov or call (833) 422-4255. 

For more information about Planned Parenthood’s COVID-19 vaccination sites, and for answers to frequently asked questions, please visit: www.pposbc.org