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LA Mayor, City Council Celebrate Africa Day

By Tanu Henry and Edward Henderson | California Black Media

On May 30, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass joined city council leaders to observe Africa Day. The celebration commemorates the establishment of the African Union (called the Organization of African Unity at the time).

Founded in 1963, the union was established to promote solidarity among African countries, defending their sovereignty, eliminating colonialism, encouraging international cooperation, and coordinating and harmonizing member states’ policies.

Councilman Curren Price led the event’s main presentation, where the history of the union was shared along with the acknowledgment of LA-based entrepreneurs who promote African culture and influence and make it part of their mission to give back to Africa and the city.

“As we know, Africans have been displaced throughout the globe, and many of us are descendants who may or may not be able to trace our heritage, but that does not hinder us from honoring the continent and the African diaspora,” Price said.

Bass highlighted that at the time the union was formed, only 30 African countries were independent. Today, 54 countries have that distinction.

“There was a large movement in the United States, celebrating the independence of nations, but also some fighting to change U.S. policy,” Bass said. “I think, it’s most famously known as the anti-apartheid movement.”

Bass said the City Council played an important role during that time to divest from doing any business related to South Africa. Councilman Robert Farrell, and Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA 43) who was then an Assemblymember in 1976, played key roles in this effort.

“This movement caught fire around the country and around the world,” Bass said. “It actually led to one of the many reasons why the U.S. changed its policy and decided to divest and impose sanctions on South Africa.”

Family Fish & Wildlife Festival offers hands-on fishing workshops, wildlife exhibits at Prado Regional Park

CHINO, CA — The San Bernardino County Fish & Game Commission, in collaboration with Regional Parks, the County Museum, and sponsorships by Fourth District Supervisor Curt Hagman and the Hesperia Recreation & Park District joins forces to bring its second annual Family Fish & Wildlife Festival to Prado Regional Park on Saturday, June 10 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The festival is a family-friendly event that provides hands-on fishing workshops with fishing supplies provided, live demonstrations, animal exhibits, food booths, live music and more.

For more information, visit parks.sbcounty.gov and follow us on Facebook and Instagram for event updates.

Park admission is $10 per vehicle. Prado Regional Park is located at 16700 S. Euclid Ave., Chino.

For more information, contact Tammy Gann, Regional Parks Communications Officer at 909.387.2211 or email tammy.gann@parks.abcounty.gov.

Black Caucus Members’ Bills Protecting Black Children, Union Workers Advance

By Antonio Ray Harvey| California Black Media

Pro-public service legislation introduced by Assemblymember Tina McKinnor’s (D-Inglewood), Assembly Bill (AB) 1, moved closer to becoming law when it was passed by the Assembly with a 66-3 vote in late last Month.

It is now under consideration in the Senate.

If passed by the Legislature and signed by Gov. Newsom, the bill will permit California legislative staff to unionize and collectively bargain for wages, benefits and working conditions, regardless of their political affiliation.

“Legislative staff aren’t looking for special treatment. They are looking for the same dignity and respect afforded to all represented workers,” said McKinnor in a statement after her colleagues voted to advance the legislation.

“To the staff in our district offices and Capitol offices – including our dedicated committee staff – that honorably serve the people of the State of California every day, know this: We see you and we respect you,” McKinnor continued. “With AB 1, we are taking action to make sure that current and future legislative staff, regardless of their member’s political affiliation, are afforded a safe, equitable and fair opportunity to build a noble career in public service.”

McKinnor, a former legislative employee herself, said at the Women in California Legislature” speakers series on March 8 that she was an original signer of the “We Said Enough” letter in 2017. The correspondence led to the “Me Too” movement to address workplace sexual harassment, retaliation, and intimidation within the California Legislature.

Mary Virginia Watson, chief of staff for Assemblymember Liz Ortega (D-Hayward), supports AB 1. Watson has been a campaign director, campaign, director, and political organizer.

“Congrats to #CALeg staff! I was proud to speak in favor of #AB1 in (the) policy committee, and as a chief of staff, I 100% support Leg staff’s right to unionize. A union would improve recruitment and retention and help the legislature better serve Californians!,” Watson tweeted.

If AB 1 is approved, it will take effect on July 1, 2024.

Another bill, dubbed the “Ebony Alert” bill, would help locate missing Black youth and Black women in California also made it out of the Senate last week with a 39-0 vote.

Senate Bill (SB) 673, authored by Sen. Steven Bradford (D-Inglewood), establishes a notification system to address the issue of missing Black children and young Black women in California who do not receive enough attention.

“The Ebony Alert would ensure that resources and attention are given so we can bring home missing Black women and Black children in the same way we would search for any missing child and missing person,” Bradford, Vice Chair of the California Legislative Black Caucus (CLBC), stated in March.

The Black and Missing Foundation Inc. (BAMFI), reports that 38% of missing children in the U.S. are Black, despite Black people making up 14% of the population. Black children are disproportionately classified as “runaways” in comparison to their white counterparts who are classified as “missing.” Therefore, when Black children are reported missing, law enforcement does not always treat those cases with urgency or issue Amber Alerts.

The AMBER moniker – which stands for America’s Missing: Broadcast Emergency Response – was created as a legacy to nine-year-old Amber Hagerman, who was kidnapped and murdered while riding her bicycle in Arlington, Texas.

“When someone who is missing is incorrectly listed as a runaway, they basically vanish a second time. They vanish from the police detectives’ workload. They vanish from the headlines. In many ways, no one even knows they are missing. How can we find someone and bring them home safely when no one is really looking for them,” Bradford said.

Bradford’s Ebony Alert bill is inspired by a similar bill, the Feather Alert, introduced by Assemblymember James Ramos (D-San Bernardino), the only Native American serving in the California Assembly. The Feather Alert law, which took effect in January, assists law enforcement to quickly notify the public when Native American Californians are reported missing.

Black women and girls face a higher risk of being harmed and trafficked. According to a report by the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation on human trafficking incidents in the U.S., 40% of sex trafficking victims were identified as Black women.

 

Black Music Month: California Celebrates History and Heroes

By McKenzie Jackson | California Black Media

Kenny Vance has a talent for creating vivid musical imagery.

If you ask the 79-year-old about his musical upbringing in 1950s Brooklyn, New York, Vance will describe wandering through the borough as a young man and listening to other young people sing harmonious tunes with no instruments from the neighborhood’s stoops. He will mention how groups would string together melodic lines in competitions with each other.

Vance notes how these melodic groups in the ‘50s and ‘60s, composed of African Americans, sang their way from their neighborhood stoops and other local spots in cities such as Chicago, New York, and Los Angeles to small recording studios. These vocalists, whose Rhythm-and-Blues singing style is known as doo-wop, would release a song or two and sometimes never be heard from again.

With his documentary “Heart & Soul: A Love Story,” Vance, a musician, actor, and film director, puts the musical talents of “unsung doo-whop heroes” like Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers, the Dubs, Little Anthony and the Imperials, and the Chantels in the limelight again. The film will be screened at the GRAMMY Museum in Los Angles on June 8 at 7 p.m. The two-hour showing in the museum’s 200-seat theater is part of its celebration of Black Music Appreciation Month this June.

The screening of Heart & Soul: A Love Story,” is just one-way individuals, businesses and organizations are commemorating Black Music Month throughout the state.

In Alameda County, The Black Music Month Festival will take place on June 17 from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. at Love Center Ministries in Oakland.

Performers such as The Dynamic Miss Faye Carol & Her Trio, Bobi Cespedes, Stephanie Crawford, Netta Brielle, and the Glen Pearson Trio featuring Derick Hughes, Bernard Anderson, and Rico Pabon will take the stage.

Throughout June, Disneyland is also honoring the history of Black music by featuring three bands performing hits by Black artists from various decades on the Hollywood Backlot stage at the park.

Black Music Appreciation Month celebrates African American musical influences that make up an essential portion of America’s cultural heritage. Established by President Jimmy Carter in 1979, it recognizes the history and rich musical traditions that gave rise to genres such as barbershop, blues, funk, gospel, hip-hop, jazz, and swing music.

Every president since Carter has continued the tradition, including President Joe Biden. Biden proclaimed June as Black Music Month in a May 31 statement.

“Today, the creative ways that Black music tells stories of trial and triumph in American life continue to move us all to understand the common struggles of humanity,” Biden’s proclamation reads. “This month, we celebrate the songs and artists that challenge us to think critically, stand up to injustice, and believe in ourselves. We recommit to expanding the promise of dignity and opportunity for all Americans. And we revel in the sounds, spirit, and soul of some of the very best music ever created.”

Back in Los Angeles, GRAMMY Museum Chief Curator & VP of Curatorial Affairs Jasen Emmons said “Heart & Soul” shows the musical innovation in the Black community.

“If you didn’t have access to instruments — this ability to get together and create vocal harmonies as a group — it doesn’t require access to certain things,” he stated. “You can do it anywhere — stoops, subways, street corners. I think of hip-hop having similar innovation — despite the resources — to create something original and enduring.”

The film is a collection of video recordings shot by Vance over a decade with artists he befriended and worked with. The oral histories’ documentary features first-hand accounts of what it was like for young Black and Latino musicians to go into an entertainment industry that was unsure of how to manage the new artists’ sound.

Vance, prone to breaking out in melody himself while discussing the musicians featured in “Heart & Soul,” said the doo-wop performers — whose 50s’ and 60s’ heyday influenced later genres like rock ‘n’ roll and soul — oftentimes get no credit for their impact on American music culture.

Brand architect and television personality Erika Pittman will emcee the Los Angeles screening. Hip-hop icon Christopher “Kid” Reid, one half of the duo Kid ‘n Play, will deliver an opening monologue. Entertainment journalist Brande Victorian will lead an after-screening conversation with Vance.

Emmons hopes viewers gain a deep understanding of doo-wop music.

“There is an audience that deeply loves doo-wop and when the songs come on the radio, they evoke a lot of emotion in people,” he noted.

Nonprofits of Distinction Honored at Annual Nonprofit of the Year Celebration

ONTARIO, CA— On Friday evening, Majority Leader Eloise Gómez Reyes (D-Colton) honored 24 Nonprofits of Distinction at her annual Nonprofit of the Year Celebration. These nonprofits were recognized as entities that are located in or serving the 50th State Assembly District, which she represents.

“My office received nearly 200 nominations for this year’s award,” said Reyes at the event. “Our distinguished finalists represent our region’s best! They have been recognized for showing their love for our communities and dedicating their lives to education, caring for the unhoused, protecting the rights of our veterans and workers, caring for vulnerable animals, taking in young mothers and more. We commend and thank them for their commitment and tenacity in providing these services.”

On Wednesday, June 7th, Angeles Especiales Parent Support Group will be recognized in Sacramento as the 2023 Nonprofit of the Year for Assembly District 50. This honor highlights Angeles Especiales’s work to bring psycho-educational professionals and experts to teach parents of children with disabilities about special education, SSI, Medicaid, regional centers, inclusion and more.

“Twelve years ago I started a group to help parents who have kids and adults with special needs,” said Helen Neri, Founder and Director of Angeles Especiales. “I never imagined this group could grow so much that we’d be recognized for doing what we are passionate about! Thanks to everyone who has helped us make Angeles Especiales the beautiful, united family it is today. Our families go through lots of challenges and we are always trying to make things better and brighter for them.”

The event was opened by Ontario Mayor Paul Leon, who offered opening remarks at Caramel Connections Foundation’s Seeds of Joy Community Garden, and featured Elizabeth McSwain, Founder of Caramel Connections Foundation, who addressed the honorees as the event’s guest speaker. Visit a50.asmdc.org/photo for pictures of the event, provided by the Majority Leader’s office. Full biographies for Angeles Especiales and all honorees are available on our website.

All 2023 50th Assembly District Nonprofits of Distinction honored were: 360 Human Services, American Association of University Women, Redlands Branch, American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life, American Red Cross of San Bernardino County, located in Rancho Cucamonga, Angeles Especiales Parent Support Group, located in Fontana, Autism Society Inland Empire, Big Hearts for Little Hearts Guild, located in Loma Linda, Buddhist Tzu Chi Foundation, Cats of San Bernardino, Fontana Resources at Work, Friends of the AK Smiley Public Library, Adult Literacy Program, located in Fontana, Legal Aid Society of San Bernardino, Inc., Loma Linda University Church Pathfinders Club, Mutts & Company Animal Rescue, Inc., located in Fontana, Off the Chain Alliance, PC4EJ (located in Bloomington),, Reaching New Heights Foundation, S.O.L. Center U.S.A., Smile America ABDI Foundation, located in Ontario, The Brightest Star, Inc., located in Rialto, The Eagle / Reaching the Unreachables, The Love Program, located in San Bernardino, The Unforgettables Foundation (located in Redland), and YouthHope Foundation (located in Redlands).

Gov. Newsom Grants Pardons to Four Veterans

By Tanu Henry and Edward Henderson | California Black Media

Last week, Gov. Newsom granted pardons to four people who served in the Armed Services. The California Constitution gives the Governor authority to grant executive clemency, recognizing an individual’s efforts towards self-rehabilitation and accountability.

Jamar Baines served in the U.S. Marine Corps, and was discharged under honorable conditions, with a National Defense Service medal and Humanitarian Service medal.

Andres De Leon is a Vietnam War veteran. In 1967, 19-year-old De Leon was convicted of burglary, then enlisted in the Army shortly after serving his sentence. He was honorably discharged.

Fabian Rebolledo is a U.S. Army veteran who served as a paratrooper and a peacekeeper during combat operations in Kosovo and received an honorable discharge in 2000.

Ernest Sari served in the U.S. Army National Guard and was honorably discharged. In 2001, he was convicted of possession of a controlled substance while armed with a firearm.

Gov. Newsom has granted a total of 144 pardons, 123 commutations, and 36 reprieves.

City of San Bernardino Terminates Agreement with Developer for Carousel Mall

The action by the City Council aims to resolve a dispute with a State Agency and not add additional delays to the downtown project.

SAN BERNARDINO, CA—- The San Bernardino City Council on Wednesday, May 3, voted to terminate the City’s exclusive negotiating agreement with the San Bernardino Development Company (SBDC) to redevelop the 43-acre Carousel Mall site. This action is anticipated to clear the way for the city to resume the development process in the near future.

In March, San Bernardino received a notice from the California Housing and Community Development Division (HCD), which alleged several violations of the Surplus Land Act, a California law that outlines the steps a public agency must take to sell property.

Based on City staff’s recent conversations with HCD, by terminating the agreement with SBDC, the outstanding issues associated with the March letter from the agency will have been resolved.
According to the 2019 version of the Surplus Land Act, a public agency must first make property it intends to sell available for developers of affordable housing. HCD claims the City of San Bernardino did not follow the proper steps, a claim the city disputes.

Rather than risk extensive delays and possible litigation with HCD, the San Bernardino’s intention is to work closely with HCD on the Surplus Land Act process when the City proceeds with the disposition of the mall property. The termination of the agreement with SBDC eliminates any possible conflict of interest when evaluating new proposals, a concern raised by HCD. As such, the March Notice of Violation will not apply to a future disposition.

It is not known at this time how quickly San Bernardino will once again seek development proposals that include affordable housing at the Carousel Mall site.

In the meantime, demolition of the mall, which began last month, will continue, and the city will evaluate additional nearby infrastructure improvements that may expedite the future development of the mall site.

SBDC was formerly known as RD-ICO, a joint venture between Renaissance Downtowns USA (“RD”) and ICO Real Estate Group (“ICO”).

 

“Sisters on The Frontline:” California Black Women Democrats Host Meet-Up at California Democratic Party Convention in Los Angeles

By Tanu Henry, Edward Henderson and Lila Brown | California Black Media

California State Controller, Malia Cohen hosted members of Black Women Organized for Political Action (BWOPA) during the California Democratic Party state convention in Los Angeles this past weekend.

Themed “Sisters on The Frontline,” the social gathering held at Fixin’s Soul Kitchen in Los Angeles, brought together Black women who are shifting the balance of power across the state such as U.S. Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA-12); Secretary of State Dr. Shirley Weber; California State Assemblymembers Mia Bonta (D-Oakland) and Tina McKinnor (D-Hawthorne); and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass.

Other allies who attended to show their support included Attorney General, Rob Bonta and Assemblymember Chris Holden (D-Pasadena).

During the event, Lee spoke about her candidacy for U.S. Senate and Weber shared some details about the proceedings of the state’s Reparations task force.

Weber said she expects the Legislature will approve the task force’s recommendations.

City of Rialto and Rialto Unified School District Partner to Keep Children Safe

RIALTO, CA—- On Tuesday, May 30, the City of Rialto, in partnership with the Rialto Unified School District announced the implementation of the Safe Routes to School (SRTS) program for children walking and biking to school. The event was held at Dunn Elementary School in Rialto.

The event included a demonstration on traffic safety with students showcasing their abilities to avoid traffic collisions on a miniature city course. In addition, students also dropped watermelons wearing bicycle helmets to emphasize the importance of bicycle helmet use.

Safe Routes to School is a nationally recognized program that aims to significantly improve safety for students who walk and bike to school. The Rialto SRTS program combines education and a safer streets component to slow down drivers and build new pedestrian and bicycle safety treatments such as new crosswalks, and bump-outs at an intersection and add stop or yield signs.

“The City of Rialto and the Rialto Unified School District understands the importance of our commitment to ensuring the safety of our students.  As part of our efforts, we will continue to invest in education, encouragement, engineering, enforcement, and evaluation for our schools,” said Tim Sullivan, Rialto’s Director of Maintenance & Facilities.

“We want to encourage our students who live close enough to be able to safely walk or bike to school by providing them with the necessary infrastructure and resources to keep them safe,” said Chief Gordon M. Leary, Rialto Unified School District Safety Services.

The educational activities teach students how to use new infrastructure and to understand traffic rules. It also encourages walking and bicycling by raising awareness of health and environmental benefits.

Programs offered by the Rialto Safe Routes to School Program include:

  • Walk to School Day: This event encourages all students who live near their school to walk to school. October 4, 2023, will be International Walk to School Day for Rialto.
  • School Bike & Pedestrian Rodeos: The in-person bike and pedestrian clinic includes hands-on safety instruction, a discussion about the rules of the road and bike and pedestrian safety tips including the importance of wearing a bike helmet.
  • Community Events: SRTS outreach efforts include participating in community events to educate children and families about pedestrian and bike safety.
  • Parent Workshops:  The workshops educate parents on bicycle and pedestrian safety as well as the benefits of walking and bicycling on their children’s health and the environment.

For more information on Rialto Safe Routes to School programs and services contact: Amy Crow, Administrative Analyst, Maintenance & Facilities, City of Rialto, acrow@rialtoca.gov (909) 421-7221.

Ambitious Students from Various Rialto High Schools Explore Careers in Medicine

RIALTO, CA— On Friday, May 26, 34 ambitious students from Carter, Eisenhower, & Rialto High Schools embarked on an eye-opening journey at the California University of Science and Medicine!

They dove deep into the world of healthcare, exploring career options and gaining a first-hand understanding of life as a medical student. From panel discussions with current students to learning about residency programs and the crucial role of community colleges in their educational journey, they gained valuable insights that will undoubtedly shape their future decisions.

The future of medicine is bright with these young minds ready to make their mark. Stay tuned for more opportunities like this!