Local

PHILADELPHIA, PA- (EMPIRE NEWS NETWORK (ENN)- Starbucks Coffee Company recently announced it will be closing its more than 8,000 company-owned stores in the United States on the afternoon of May 29 to conduct racial-bias education geared toward preventing discrimination in their stores. The training will be provided to nearly 175,000 partners (employees) across the country and will become part of the on boarding process for new partners.

“I’ve spent the last few days in Philadelphia with my leadership team listening to the community, learning what we did wrong and the steps we need to take to fix it,” said Starbucks CEO Kevin Johnson. “While this is not limited to Starbucks, we’re committed to be a part of the solution. Closing our stores for racial-bias training is just one step in a journey that requires dedication from every level of our company and partnerships in our local communities.”

All Starbucks company-owned retail stores and corporate offices will be closed in the afternoon of Tuesday, May 29. During that time, partners will go through a training program designed to address implicit bias, promote conscious inclusion, prevent discrimination and ensure everyone inside a Starbucks store feels safe and welcome.

“The company’s founding values are based on humanity and inclusion,” said executive chairman Howard Schultz, who joined Johnson and other senior Starbucks leaders in Philadelphia to meet with community leaders and Starbucks partners. “We will learn from our mistakes and reaffirm our commitment to creating a safe and welcoming environment for every customer.”

The curriculum will be developed with guidance from several national and local experts confronting racial bias, including Bryan Stevenson, founder and executive director of the Equal Justice Initiative; Sherrilyn Ifill, president and director-counsel of the NAACP Legal Defense and Education Fund; Heather McGhee, president of Demos; former U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder; and Jonathan Greenblatt, CEO of the Anti-Defamation League. Starbucks will involve these experts in monitoring and reviewing the effectiveness of the measures we undertake.

Earlier this week, Starbucks began a review of its training and practices to make important reforms where necessary to ensure our stores always represent our Mission and Values, by providing a safe and inclusive environment for our customers and partners.

Once completed, the company will make the education materials available to other companies, including our licensee partners, for use with their employees and leadership.

By Lue Dowdy

(EMPIRE NEWS NETWORK (ENN)- The 3^rdUltimate Lowrider Photoshoot and Models is What It Do! We are calling all models, slim or thick!

Diva Outlaw is providing an opportunity for you to expand your professional portfolio with some fresh and edgy photos. You can sign up with Diva Outlaw and have these phenomenal photographers, ‘Trademenz Loung’, ‘The LBC Photographer’, and guest photographer ‘FGO Fantasy’ take your photos on Sunday, May 19. Come out, have fun and network with other models. For more details email Riisha Shelby, owner of Diva Outlaw at divaoutlawapparel@gmail.com.

Until next week L’s.

Publisher’s Commentary by Wallace J. Allen

(EMPIRE NEWS NETWORK (ENN)- It appears that police take complaints about Black men as orders to arrest! I expect that the police should validate the accuracy of the call and the level of threat prior to arresting or shooting!

Did the police in Sacramento check the validity of the phone call about someone breaking car windows prior to responding and chasing someone to the area of Stephon Clark’s Grandmother’s backyard, where upon seeing Stephon with his cell phone in his hand? They screamed “gun” and shot him 8 times, killing him. Six shots of which were in the back! Were the police sure that the person they had been chasing was the person standing in the yard? Were they sure that the person they were chasing had broken any car windows?

When the police responded to a call from the Starbucks store about trespassers that had not yet made a purchase, did they investigate the validity of the call? Did they question and determine if there was a threat that required or justified the arrest of the two Black men?  How many people have the police removed, in handcuffs, from a Starbucks because of their slow order or for waiting to meet someone that completes their party?

Starbucks, you and I have the ability to call the police for any reason; however, it is up to the police to validate the reason prior to taking action!

We will discuss this subject further and “What happens when we choose to not vote” during this Sunday’s edition of “Empire Talks Back” at 10 a.m.  on KCAA1050 AM, 102.3 and 106.5 FM. There is also a live video stream via www.kcaaradio.com and you can listen on your phone by dialing (701) 801-4444.

San Bernardino Valley College holds first-ever CyberTech Girls Workshop getting girls more involved with technology on Saturday, April 21

SAN BERNARDINO, CA- (EMPIRE NEWS NETWORK (ENN)- Sixty middle and high school girls from San Bernardino and Riverside counties are scheduled to participate in the first CyberTech Girls workshop on Saturday, April 21 at San Bernardino Valley College.

The students represent more than 25 schools and 14 districts in the two-county region. At the conference, they will learn about crime scene investigations, how to build a computer and work on constructing a website.

The event is organized by San Bernardino County Superintendent of Schools’ (SBCSS) CyberSB and San Bernardino Valley College. Participating schools and districts include: Alta Loma: Vineyard Junior High; Central: Ruth Musser Middle; Chaffey: Alta Loma High; Colony High; Etiwanda High; Ontario High; Rancho Cucamonga High; Colton Joint Unified: Joe Baca Middle; Etiwanda: Day Creek Intermediate, Lightfoot Elementary; Summit Intermediate; Hesperia Unified: Sultana High; Ontario-Montclair; Redlands Unified: Beattie Middle; Clement Middle; Cope Middle; Moore Middle; Redlands High; Redlands East Valley High; Rialto Unified: Kolb Middle; SBCSS; Upland Unified: Foothill Knolls Elementary; Upland High; Yucaipa-Calimesa Joint Unified: Dunlap Elementary, Inland Leaders Charter; Park View Middle.

L/R: Mr. Gilbert D. Brown, Western Province Polemarch; Ms. Joyce Smith, President, Social Lites, Inc.; Dr. Samuel Gibbs, Chairman

SAN BERNARDINO, CA- (EMPIRE NEWS NETWORK (ENN)- Congratulations to Social Lites, Inc. for being awarded the “Johnnie L. Cochran Award” and a $500 donation from Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. at the fraternity’s Public Meeting on Friday, April 13 at the Ontario Airport Hotel and Conference Center. 

Social Lites, Inc. have been in the Inland Empire for sixty-one years and has given to many worthwhile community need and presented over a million dollars scholarships and awards to deserving young men who have participated in the annual Beautillion Scholarship Program.

The 52nd Beautillion Program will start in Fall 2018. For more information visit www.sociallitesinc.net.

By Naomi K. Bonman

With tax season wrapping up on Sunday, April 15 (Tax Day), businesses and individuals are scurrying to get that last-minute tax refund in. But how many of you are investing that refund wisely?

When it comes to healing our communities, economics plays a vital role in building up and expanding our communities. All it takes is to have leaders that are savvy in economic growth to teach and show others how to assist in helping our communities grow. One of our community leaders that is a prime example of that is Reginald Young.

Reginald Young is the founder of MDISNET and an administrative pastor for Pastors United. He is also one of the core founders that are in the process of launching a credit union in San Bernardino, which would cater to the minority community.

I recently sat down and chatted with Rev. Young where he explained in detail the community and business endeavors that he has planned for this year and the coming years. To watch the interview, please hit play below:

Lou Coleman-Yeboah

By Lou Coleman-Yeboah

You hypocrite! The Bible teaches us that it is vital to our witness of the Gospel to live what we preach, or we will bring reproach on the Word of God! You ought to know that God takes seriously the call to practice what we preach! Instead of just talking the talk, why won’t you walk the walk! Pretending to be something that you are not! Saying one thing and then doing the opposite. Acting one way in a certain setting and then acting another way in a different setting! I tell you, before you practice preaching, you had better practice what you preach.  

We are the body of Christ for the world and our integrity of faith is on the line. Therefore, it is very important that as Christians, we follow the example of Jesus Christ. It doesn’t matter where we are or who we are with. The words we speak and the things we do should always reflect our faith.  But naw, you are good at telling other people what they should do and how they should live, but you fail to follow your own instructions. No wonder Jesus told the crowds and his disciples to do what the Pharisees and the scribes teach them to do, “but do not do as they do, for they do not practice what they teach” [Matthew 23:3]. I want you to know that nothing kills credibility faster than not practicing what is preached.

But this is nothing new. A long time ago, in the nation of Israel, the priests of the old covenant were under the same obligation, to practice what they preached. When they failed to live up to the message they were teaching, God sent the prophet Malachi to “remind” them. “You have turned aside from the way and have caused many to falter by your instruction” [Malachi 2:8]. They were not practicing what they preached, and God was watching. He warned them to return to their faith, lest He should turn their blessing into a curse! It is a very strong message. Not only to priest, preachers, deacons, teachers and their families; it applies to every Christian alike.

Listen, Christ as the master teacher taught his disciples not only by Word but by example [John 13:15]. He demonstrated by His living how we should live before our heavenly Father. To understand the importance of learning to practice what you preach, British-born American writer Edgar A. Guest wrote: “I’d rather see a sermon than hear one any day, I’d rather one should walk with me than merely show the way. The eye’s a better pupil and more willing that the ear; Fine counsel is confusing, but example’s always clear; and the best of all preachers are the men who live their creeds, for to see the good in action is what everybody needs. I can soon learn how to do it if you’ll let me see it done. I can watch your hands in action, but your tongue too fast may run. And the lectures you deliver may be very wise and true; but I’d rather get my lesson by observing what you do. For I may misunderstand you and the high advice you give, but there’s no misunderstanding how you act and how you live.” Practice what you preach! “We are the light of the world. A city built on a hill cannot be hid.” [Matthew 5:14]. “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says! [James 1:22]

Lynette Davis

SAN BERNARDINO, CA- On Saturday, April 21, Lynette Davis will present, ‘It’s Time to Tell Your Story’, a FREE 90-minute interactive workshop to help individuals who desire to tell their (nonfiction) stories. 

This free workshop will take place from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. in Kellogg Room B of the Norman Feldheym Central Library, located at 555 West 6th Street in San Bernardino. There will be light refreshments, a drawing for Amazon and Starbuck gift cards, and Davis will give away two copies of her memoir, Even Rain Is Just Water.  

Many people have a desire to write a book—tell their story, but they don’t know how or where to start. The primary goal of the presentation is to help individuals, who want to tell their story, to begin writing.

“Memoir,” explains Davis “is autobiographical but it is not an autobiography. There’s a distinct difference between memoir and autobiography.”

The workshop will discuss the differences between memoir and autobiography, strategies for retrieving memories, the two most important elements of memoir, the actual process of writing, and includes a Q&A session. 

For more information on the workshop contact lynettedaviswrites@gmail.com or follow Davis on Twitter @wewalkbyfaith88 or Instagram @Lynettewrites. To contact the library call (909) 381-8235.

HIGH DESERT, CA- High Desert Charitable organization strives to assist homeless residents with providing warm crocheted and knitted hats, caps, scarves etc. for warmth during the cold nights.  Your assistance with providing a financial donation and/or yarn in an effort to complete the projects is very much appreciated and will serve many individuals and families in need. Kindly contact Bonita Merrill via email singerforlife777@gmail.com for more details on how you can help.

By Tiffany Loftin

Who would have thought that in less than 15 days, I would have to coordinate and manage 1,000 young, Black student leaders from over 24 cities on 17 buses in the name of gun reform and safety?

The reality is, sometimes the work chooses you.

I started my new job one day before the mass school shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. We’ve got over 650 active and registered NAACP chapters on high school and college campuses across the country. We are the only organization, period, that can reach that many Black, young, organized members.

Since February 14, 2018, the day of the Parkland shooting, I have followed these students who have built a national discussion on the safety of young people at school in less than a month. A movement that inspires, convicts and recruits people from across the country and now the world, to an issue that Black folks have been talking about for over a decade.

When gun violence happens in white communities, it’s always reported on as a mental issue or because they were racist. When gun violence happens in the Black community, it is because of poverty, underfunded schools, police brutality or gangs. This is necessary to understand because the solution we are fighting for can’t just be regulations against automatic military style weapons. It has to be a holistic solution to make all communities safe.

The March for Our Lives is only a march for OUR lives if people meet at the intersection of mass school shootings, community violence, poverty, the War on Drugs, police brutality and White supremacy. From Trayvon Martin to Stephon Clark, this is not the first time we’ve raised the issues of gun violence, but for many reasons, this moment is where we find ourselves with the most leverage of “people power.”

When the opportunity presented itself for us to be involved and bring our members, I spoke with my boss and told him I would only sign up to help build for the “March for Our Lives,” if we got to do two things:

• First, I wanted to make sure that we weren’t just being used as representation at the march, but that we challenged the mainstream media, march organizers and organizational partners to think about the intersection of gun violence, when it comes to the Black community.
• Second, it was important that this moment not turn into just another rally, but real opportunity for us to educate and engage future members about the organization. 

Because a rally won’t end gun violence, I want my peers and young adults to make the clear connection from this issue to who should be held accountable for systemic and legislative change at the ballot box. That way, we know we showed up in numbers not just for a great rally, but for the start of a great revolution.

It is my belief, that if all of the young folks from this march, the women’s march, the immigration movement and Black Lives Matter joined together for a strategic effort, we could change this country literally overnight.

We must use this as a moment to help young Black folks see that if we want real gun reform, if we want better public schools, if we want community policing then we MUST show up to the ballot box. This demonstration, for the NAACP Youth and College Division is not a free trip to a rally. It is the moment that we are using to build real power that will impact the political navigation of this country.

Black students have the solutions and the answers.

We’re going to stop asking to be included in national movements, and just take over.

I am grateful to all of the staff, the partners and our donors who have helped make this vision possible. We can only use this moment to create bigger and better local victories for our people.

Cheers to the strong and fearless students from every community, who have ever stood up to violence in their communities. This march is a celebration of your leadership, and a call to action for those looking to change the world.

Tiffany Dena Loftin is director of the NAACP Youth and College Division, which serves more than 700 youth councils, high school chapters and college chapters across the United States. You can follow Tiffany on Twitter.