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The annual event will resume as a virtual conference throughout the month of March 2021

“Her Story” is the theme for the 20^th Annual Empowering Young Women’s Conference, a collaborative effort of the Adrian Dell and Carmen Roberts Foundation and Howmet Aerospace. In previous years, the conference was held at Riverside Community College where over 200 girls would consistently attend.  

This year, due to the pandemic, things have changed, but the conference is still continuing—-virtually. The FREE conference will be held EVERY Saturday in March from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Girls have until March 3 to register, but they must register by February 20 to receive a mailed STEM Kit. 

The conference consists of activities for the girls and special guests that speak inspiration into them. This year’s keynote speaker is LeShuana Evans. Evans supports the U.S. Department of Defense in STEM education, outreach and workforce development as a contractor in Alexandria, VA.

Video guests of the conference include Sydney Barber, Midshipman 1^st Class-US Naval Brigade Commander; Valorie Burton, President and CEO of CaPP Institute; Dr. Yolanda Harold, Anesthesiologist; Alesia Martin, Sr. Project Engineer, King’s Hawaiian, Western Region; Dr. Lauren Mathews, General Dentist and Owner of Mathews Dental Group; Lee Rodriguez, Actress and Model; and Monica Stockhausen, Founder and CEO of Nerdy Girls and the Proven Method. 

The conference is catered to girls 12 and 21. To register for the conference, please visit http://bit.ly/EYW2021. If you want to donate to support the Adrian Dell & Carmen Roberts Foundation a 501 (C) 3; Non-profit Organization, visit www.adcrfoundation.org. 

SAN BERNARDINO, CA—- Supervisor Joe Baca, Jr. has invited community stakeholders to join a virtual town hall called “Community Conversations on COVID-19”. The town hall will focus on the current state of COVID-19, provide facts regarding vaccination and give specific resources to local communities. Over a dozen organizations representing faith-based leaders, essential workers, and nonprofits who work in Latino and African American communities will participate in the Community Conversation. This town hall will serve as a bridge to mitigate vaccine hesitancy and ensure equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines.ThetownhallwillbeheldonWednesday,February24th at7pmandbroadcastonFacebooklive and YouTube live.

“The County is making significant progress in combating the spread of Covid-19,” Supervisor Baca said. The next step is to expand equitable access to the vaccine among populations disproportionality impacted by the disease. We must roll our sleeves up and get to work by ensuring all communities have the resources necessary to defeat the scourge of COVID-19. It will take all of us to safely reopen schools and restore our economy and a return to normalcy.”

The Community Conversation on COVID-19 will feature industry professionals Dr. Sharon Wang, an infectious disease specialist from Arrowhead Regional Medical Center (ARMC), County Public Health Director Corwin Porter, and County Assistant Executive Officer Diana Alexander — all of whom will provide expert, up-to-date information.

Supervisor Baca will moderate the conversation covering the following topics:

• Vaccine myth busting
• Expert medical advice regarding the benefits and potential side effects of the vaccine
• Resources available to learn more about vaccines
• How and when to schedule an appointment for the vaccine
• How we’re helping hard-to-reach and diverse populations

There are three ways to participate in the Community Conversation on COVID-19 town hall:

• Via Facebook Live: @SupervisorBacaJr
• Via YouTube Live: https://tinyurl.com/bacajr
• Via telephone in English: 669-900-9128; Meeting ID – 824 5205 1039
• Via telephone in Spanish: 609-663-4744

By Antonio? ?Ray? ?Harvey? ?|? ?California? ?Black? ?Media?

The California-Hawaii Conference of the NAACP is applauding outgoing California Attorney General Xavier Becerra’s decision to conduct a probe of the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department (LASD).

Last week, Becerra announced that he has opened a civil rights investigation to determine whether there is a pattern of unconstitutional policing practices involving the country’s largest sheriff’s department.

“I applaud Attorney General Becerra for his commitment to looking at public institutions and to ensure that our civil rights are not being violated,” NAACP president Rick L. Callender told California Black Media.

The California Department of Justice (DOJ) launched the investigation responding to allegations of excessive force, retaliation, and other misconduct, including a number of reported incidents involving LASD management and personnel.

“We’ve done a number of these,” Becerra said, referring to the multiple investigations his office has opened. He was speaking during in a virtual news conference Jan. 21.

“The action we’re taking is the result of having received credible information, reports, from a number of sources over a period of time,” Becerra said. “(It) led us to a point where we now believe it is important to move forward with the investigation. We are undertaking this investigation to determine if LASD has violated the law or the rights of the people of Los Angeles County.”

Becerra said that the LASD probe is “not a criminal investigation,” and his office has not made any determination about “specific” complaints. The DOJ’s action is also prompted in part by the absence of sustained and comprehensive oversight of LASD’s operations.

Callender said he believes the investigation will force other law enforcement officers in the state to think twice before from breaking the law or violating established codes of conduct.

“It’s efforts like this which allow us to not only fight individual acts of bigotry and racism; but this puts on notice other statewide institutions and systems that perpetuate racism and inequity that they will not go unchallenged,” he said.

LASD isn’t the only law enforcement agency in the state under the DOJ’s microscope for allegedly engaging in activities that went against their departments’ policies. The cities of Stockton, Vallejo, Bakersfield, San Francisco, Sacramento, and the county of Kern have kept the DOJ busy since Becerra became AG in 2017, replacing Vice President Kamala Harris. 

Last month, President Joe Biden nominated Becerra to join his Cabinet as Secretary of Health and Human Services. He is expected to be replaced by Assemblymember Shirley Weber (D-San Diego), who Gov. Newsom has selected for the role, once she is confirmed by the legislature.

Awaiting confirmation by the U.S. Senate, Becerra has been making an effort to improve public safety and the criminal justice system up and down the state.

Last month, following an extensive investigation, the AG secured an agreement to reform a wide range of practices at the Kern County Sheriff’s Office. Earlier last year, following several reports of misuse – including falsification of records — the DOJ rescinded LAPD’s access to CalGang, a statewide database that tracks individuals who may be connected to gangs.  

In Northern California, Becerra also launched a review of the Vallejo Police Department after officers allegedly destroyed evidence related to the June 2020 officer-involved shooting of Sean Monterrosa, a 22-year-old unarmed Latino man.

The year before, the DOJ secured an agreement with the Stockton Unified School District and its police department to address system-wide violations of the civil and constitutional rights of African American and Latino students, as well as children with disabilities. 

Then in 2018, Becerra stepped in at the request of the City of San Francisco and the San Francisco Police Department to provide independent oversight of reform initiatives in that city.

Last summer, the DOJ introduced a broad statewide agenda for police reform aimed at improving use-of-force procedures, addressing issues around bias in policing, and increasing accountability and transparency. Many of the proposed reforms stem from a set of policing best practices and recommendations made to the Sacramento Police Department (SPD) by the Attorney General in January of 2019. The AG issued 66 policy recommendations to SPD following the shooting death of Stephon Clark, a 22-year-old unarmed African American man in Sacramento, by two officers in 2018.

Regarding the LASD, Becerra says he has made no determinations at this time about specific complaints or allegations.

However, one violation stands out. In March 2020, LASD announced that eight of its deputies were responsible for sharing images taken at the site where retired NBA star Kobe Bryant and his daughter Gianna “Gii” Bryant died in a helicopter crash. The action of the deputies and other first responders at the scene prompted Assemblymember Mike A. Gipson (D-Carson) to author AB 2655, the “Invasion of Privacy: First Responders” Act.

L.A. Sheriff Alex Villanueva said he welcomes the probe.

“I look forward to this non-criminal pattern and practice’ investigation,” Villanueva said in a statement. “Our department may finally have an impartial, objective assessment of our operations.”

The Center for Juvenile Law and Policy (CJLP) at Loyola-Marymount’ Loyola Law School released a comprehensive report documenting how “deputy gangs” have negatively impacted public safety in Los Angeles.

“The concern is that these subgroups foster a culture that resists police reforms, such as community policing and constitutional policing, by encouraging and even celebrating aggressive tactics and excessive use of force against minority communities,” the report stated.

Starting this year, State prosecutors in California must investigate all police shootings that result in the death of an unarmed civilian, under a new law, Assembly Bill (AB) 1506. It took effect Jan. 1.

Assemblymember Kevin McCarty (D-Sacramento), a member of the California Legislative Black Caucus (CLBC), introduced the legislation which will override local prosecutors’ authority in investigations of fatal shootings by police. That responsibility now falls under the AG’s office. It also requires that a detailed report is created and publicly released on each investigation.

McCarty says he was motivated to push the law after he learned that more than 800 people had been shot and killed by police in California since 2015. Only one independent investigation had been carried out.

“Now more than ever there needs to be a uniform standard for local law enforcement officials and district attorneys to call for independent investigations into police killings,” McCarty said. “Police shouldn’t police themselves, and the current system is fraught with conflicts of interest.”

They say what would the world be like without the sound of music. In my opinion the same goes for the art of dance. Just imagine the world without it. I mean even in the Bible King David danced. In 2 Samuel 6:14, it says, “And David danced before the LORD with all [his] might; and David [was] girded with a linen ephod”. Dancing is another way to communicate feelings through movement. I had the pleasure of meeting Stephen and Asia online due to a LUE Productions virtual talent competition, ‘GONGED ME’. The moment they began dancing, I was blown away. 

Stephen and Aisha are a freestyle/improvisation duet collective that has been exploring/, performing, training, and collaborating together since 2016. As a duet, they want to express the importance of creativity and individuality through dance.  Stephen and Aisha work well together because they love what they do and want to express how powerful dance is to as many people as they can as a duo, as well as solo artists. Representation Matters! As Black artists, we hope to inspire others to be bold and have the confidence to share their sunshine too.

The Riverside based duo has performed in much of the Inland Empire area and have sprinkled out into areas of Los Angeles, California performing at the Shut Up and Dance Festival 2018 (Licia Perea) and Under the Spotlight Showcase (2018) at multiple occasions (Maxine Silfvergen), San Diego, California, performing at the Pop-Up Showcase (2017-18)  on multiple occasions (Omeed Simantob), and Phoenix, Arizona where the pair was invited out to perform at the Blaktinx Festival PHX 2018 (Licia Perea and Liliana Gomez).

Aisha is a recent graduate from Cal State Long Beach receiving her BFA in Dance. She is currently working as a guest teaching artist for an elementary school and involved with other online dance projects. Stephen is currently performing for company parties via Zoom and learning the art of DJing.

As a duo, Stephen and Aisha are currently training and exploring together and cultivating new work. They also host a bi-weekly dance session in Riverside CA to provide space for ALL dancers to express themselves and learn from each other. The sessions are currently taking a break and will be back April 2021. To keep up with Stephen and Aisha, you can follow them on Instagram:  @aishabuttersctoch and @stanner300.

Make sure to following the talented duo and book them for your next gig. If you’re a dancer or a part of a dance group, make sure to check out LUE Productions upcoming event ‘JUST DANCing’ in September honoring the world of dance along with their $500.00 Dance competition. Details can be located on the LUE Productions website at www.lueproductions.org. Now with that being said, don’t be afraid to BUST A MOVE of your own. Until next time L’s!

We’ve been spending way more time than we prefer stuck inside lately, and unfortunately it doesn’t seem like that’s going to change any time soon. That doesn’t have to stop us from creating meaningful moments with the loved ones we live with.

Here are 5 Black-owned and operated game companies you and your family can shop with this holiday season. Once you play them, you won’t mind staying in! Let’s have FUN while circulating your dollars within our community. 

Did you know there’s hundreds of games made by black creatives? You can learn more and demo some of them FREE when you register to attend the Black Game Makers Association Expo.

Brilliant or BS?

Brilliant or BS? is the hilarious trivia party game for people who love to call folks out. Get ready to flex your brilliance and your bluffing skills. This family friendly game will test your knowledge and your ability to tell when your fam’s lying to you. The crew will be entertained for hours with 80+ trivia questions in fun categories like Sports, Entertainment and Food & Drink. Be sure to check out the new Brilliant and Black expansion pack that celebrates everything we love about Black culture. 

Financial IQ

Financial IQ has designed a fun and engaging financial flashcard game to help break the generational cycle that hinders us from building generational wealth which is discussing money. When is the last time you had a conversation with your family and friends about finances on income, savings, credit, debt, investing, or expenses? The FiQuestions financial flashcard game comes with 69 questions to help normalize the discussion of finances. Break the cycle! Tradition stops with you! 

Verified The Game

Verified takes social media & flips it into a hilarious & entertaining party card game. The game is simple, be the first player to collect 50K LIKES and 50K FOLLOWERS to win, & become Verified! Time to get your game nights LIT. Answer questions based off Viral Sensations, Hashtags to doing those off the wall & entertaining Challenges we all have come to love on social media.

Trap Wars

Trap Wars® is what your game nights are missing. Unlike most games you play, Trap Wars celebrates black culture. Get your team to guess the word on your card the quickest without using trap words…or your card might get snatched! Trap Wars is a family friendly, travel-size game that is non-stop fun. Pick up The Original Edition or The Black History Edition today! 

Black Wall Street The Board Game

Black Wall Street The Board Game helps your family increase your Financial Literacy and Black History Knowledge at the same time. This game was inspired by the real businesses and events from early 1900’s Tulsa, Oklahoma Black Wall Street— one of the most economically successful communities in American History.

 

 

The West Coast Premiere of an ambitious filmed song cycle dedicated to the celebration of Black artistic voices, Breathing Free. One man’s experience with being Black in America, and the fight for racial justice…Still. Blake Hill-Saya talks about her biography of her great, great grandfather, Dr. Aaron McDuffie Moore, co-founder of Durham, North Carolina’s famed Black Wall Street.

The Broad Stage Presents The West Coast Premiere of
Heartbeat Opera’s Breathing Free

An ambitious filmed song cycle dedicated to the celebration of Black artistic voices.

Wednesday, February 10 at 7pm PT
Saturday, February 13 at 7pm PT

Featuring 9 interconnected music videos with music from
Beethoven’s Fidelio, Negro spirituals and works by Harry T. Burleigh, Florence Price, Langston Hughes, Anthony Davis and Thulani Davis.

Each screening will be followed by a live panel discussion with artists and advocates highlighting themes surfaced in Breathing Free relating to incarcerated populations.

Tickets and info at thebroadstage.org/breathingfree.

Heartbeat Opera, the radical indie opera company “leading the charge in online opera” (Parterre) with “groundbreaking” virtual content (Operawire) that is “hacking the corporate contours of Zoom into a postmodern proscenium” (Washington Post)—announces the West Coast Premiere of Breathing Free, an ambitious filmed song cycle dedicated to the celebration of Black artistic voices.

Breathing Free builds on Heartbeat’s 2018 collaboration with 100 incarcerated singers in six prison choirs, part of a contemporary Fidelio told through the lens of Black Lives Matter—a production that left Alex Ross of The New Yorker “blindsided by its impact.” Created in a time of George Floyd’s murder, a pandemic which is ravaging our prison population, and the 250th anniversary of Beethoven’s birth—Heartbeat has curated a song cycle brought to life in vivid music videos, mingling excerpts from Fidelio with songs by Black composers and lyricists, which together manifest a dream of justice and equity.

This 45-minute “visual album” features three singers, three dancers, eight instrumentalists and a robust creative production team. Rehearsed remotely on Zoom, the cast has recorded their individual audio tracks at home, with the music team then layering the tracks together. Heartbeat’s filmmaker Anaiis Cisco collaborates with cinematographers to film the performers in New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles.

The presentation will be livestreamed along with live opening remarks and post-screening panel discussions with artists and activists highlighting the timely themes surfaced in Breathing Free. Audience Q&A will follow the panels. Participants for each panel are TBD. The Broad Stage provided additional support for the creation of this work.

CREATIVE TEAM
Director: Ethan Heard
Filmmaker: Anaiis Cisco
Creative producer: Ras Dia
Co-Music Director and Arranger (Fidelio): Daniel Schlosberg
Co-Music Director: Jacob Ashworth
Movement Director: Emma Jaster

Director of Photography: Kathryn Boyd Batstone (Los Angeles)
1st AC/Gaffer: Celine Layous (Los Angeles)
Director of Photography: Jacob Mallin (New York & Chicago)
1st AC/Gaffer: Matt Iacono (New York & Chicago)
Associate Movement Director: Tamrin Goldberg
Arranger (Malcolm X, Balm in Gilead) & Associate Music Director: Sean Mayes
Stage Manager: Jessica Emmanus
Assistant Director: Mar Cox
Sound Editor: Gleb Kanasevich
Sound Mixer: Sam Torres
Music Assistant, Orchestra Manager & Copyist: Mona Seyed-Bolorforosh

CAST
Derrell Acon, bass-baritone
Curtis Bannister, tenor
Kelly Griffin, soprano
Randy Castillo, Tamrin Goldberg, Brian HallowDreamz Henry, dancers

Also featuring the voices of more than 100 incarcerated singers and 70 volunteers 
from six prison choirs: Oakdale Community Choir, KUJI Men’s Chorus, UBUNTU Men’s Chorus, 
HOPE Thru Harmony Women’s Choir, East Hill Singers and Voices of Hope

BAND
Jacob Ashworth, violin 
Marika Hughes, cello 
Miki Sasaki, trumpets
Kyra Sims, horn 
Thomas Flippin, guitars 
Britton-René Collins, percussion 
Daniel Schlosberg, piano 
Jason Thomas, piano

Prisoners Chorus features: Laura Weiner (horn), Nicolee Kuester (horn), Clare Monfredo (cello), 
Daniel Hass (cello), Euntaek Kim (piano) and Ben Cornavaca (percussion)

More Information:

Tickets are “Pay What You Wish” starting at $10 and can be purchased at thebroadstage.org.

For further assistance, call Patron Services at 310.434.3200 or email patronservices@thebroadstage.org.

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One man’s experience with being Black in America,
and the fight for racial justice…Still.

In a time of civil unrest, political uncertainty and the inability to produce on stage, Pasadena Playhouse has launched PlayhouseLive with Still., a very personal performance sharing the experiences of a Black man at a pivotal time in our nation’s history, commissioned by the Pasadena Playhouse. Written and performed by spoken word artist Javon Johnson and directed by Donny Jackson, Still. blends powerful imagery witty prose and beautiful lyricism in this timely, powerful theatrical experience. 

“This is an unprecedented time for our nation,” stated Danny Feldman, producing artistic director of the Pasadena Playhouse. He continues, “At times of national reckoning, the arts have played a major catalyst in sparking conversation. After the tragic murder of George Floyd and all the other countless Black men and women who have come before and after, the arts have been challenged to find a way to bring people together in a safe, socially distant way to talk about these issues. In that spirit, we launched PlayhouseLive, a nonprofit streaming platform, to use our art to speak to the nation and give voice to those in our community when it is needed the most. Still. brings support for the Black Lives Matter movement front and center; it is a  condemnation of systemic racism in our nation through Javon’s powerful words.”

When asked about the title, Still., award-winning artist Javon Johnson stated, “What I love about the title of the show is the way in which is calls for the fact that Black folks, that Blackness that the Black liberations efforts are still ongoing. That we’re still dealing with racism, racial inequality and injustice.  That we’re still dealing with the things that we thought, at least some of us, thought we were past. That we are still fighting. That we are still marching in the street. That we are still demanding for fairness, for equality. But even more than that, that we are still joyous. That Black folks still love. That we still laugh. That we still persevere in spite of the fact that some of the ways in which the world exists has tried to announce us dead upon arrival. But that we are still here living and engaging one another. That we are still giving the system graciously the opportunity to prove itself to us.  And even more, I think of still in the very biblical sense of ‘be still and know.’ That’s not a be still and know and not do anything, that’s to stand righteousness in the position that you are and just know that tomorrow will come. That something better will come with the work that so many people are putting in…still.“

More Information:

Still. can be rented through PlayhouseLive for $19.99 and is available. After the initial purchase, Still. can be watched on any of the PlayhouseLive apps including Apple OS, Android OS, Roku, FireTV and more. Closed captioning will be available in both English and Spanish.

Additional information about PlayhouseLive and its programming, including new announcements and pricing specials, is available at www.playhouselive.org.

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For Black History Month
Caltech launches Behind the Book, their new author series

Blake Hill-Saya
talks about her biography of her great, great grandfather,
Dr. Aaron McDuffie Moore, co-founder of Durham, North Carolina’s famed Black Wall Street

Monday, February 1 at 5:00 p.m. PT

Registration required for this online event:
https://events.caltech.edu/btb_blake

CaltechLive! is excited to begin Black History Month with biracial author Blake Hill-Saya as she discusses her recent nonfiction book, Aaron McDuffie Moore: An African American Physician, Educator, and Founder of Durham’s Black Wall Street, live on Monday, February 1 at 5 p.m. PT.

This event is the first in the Behind the Book authors series, which facilitates conversations with authors who explore the intersections of the arts, science, and society through the lens of family histories. Hill-Saya will be interviewed by Monique Thomas, program coordinator at the Caltech Center for Inclusion & Diversity.

Moore, who was Hill-Saya’s great-great-grandfather, was a physician, businessman, humanitarian, and co-founder of Durham, North Carolina’s famed Black Wall Street. He was a primary figure in establishing the city as the capital of the African American middle class in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Aaron McDuffie Moore: An African American Physician, Educator, and Founder of Durham’s Black Wall Street is published by University of North Carolina Press (May 18, 2020). It was co-written by G. K. Butterfield, U.S. representative for the 1st District of North Carolina, and C. Eileen Watts Welch, president and CEO of Durham Colored Library, Inc.

More Information:

Free and open to the public. Information at events.caltech.edu

Advance Zoom webinar registration is required.
Register at: https://events.caltech.edu/btb_blake

San Bernardino City Unified School District (SBCUSD) knows that some students and families are still adjusting to distance learning. To help support students, SBCUSD has been offering a free, virtual CAPS Expanded Learning experience that includes homework assistance every school day.

Although different from in-person CAPS, the virtual program continues to offer educational support for students of all ages and academic levels. In addition to homework assistance, CAPS staff provide students with fun enrichment activities that can be especially beneficial for students’ emotional and mental health during the COVID lockdowns.

CAPS sessions begin at 2:30 p.m. for middle school students and select high school students and at 3:30 p.m. for elementary school students, with homework assistance offered from 5 to 6 p.m. After logging in, students directed toward Zoom breakout sessions to provide support geared toward their needs.

Every week, students should receive an invitation with a Zoom meeting link via Google Classroom sent to their District-provided email address. Each school provides its own CAPS Zoom link, so students need to check their own email address for the link and not just use a sibling’s meeting link. “Join CAPS” will be in the email subject line.

For more information, visit https://sbcusd.com/district_offices/student_services/caps.

April 28, 1934-January 20, 2021

Dr. Amos Isaac, a retired educator and lifelong community leader, passed away at the age of 86. Final arrangements are entrusted to the care of Tillman Riverside Mortuary. Visitation will be at Tillman Riverside Mortuary on Thursday, February 11, 2021 from 10 am to 11 am. Due to COVID gathering restrictions, no more than 25 individuals may attend. Private graveside services will be held on February 11, 2021, at Riverside National Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be sent to New Hope Missionary Baptist Church’s Scholarship Fund at 1575 West 17th St, San Bernardino, CA 92411. Tillman Riverside Mortuary 2874 Tenth St, Riverside, CA 92507. For more information, please call 951-682-6433.

Sacramento – AssemblyMajority Leader Eloise Gómez Reyes (D -San Bernardino) introduced AB 412 which establishes a new commission to oversee the status of human rights within the state of California. The California Commission on Human Rights would provide oversight and policy recommendations aimed to protect the human rights of all Californians.   

“California has been a long time leader in the advancement of social justice thus making the establishment of this commission consistent with the ideals that have made California home to people from all over the United States and across the world.   California has often led the nation in establishing legal protections that safeguard the dignity and human rights of the state’s population.”  Majority Leader Reyes continued “AB 412 will ensure that we hold ourselves accountable as a state to meet the ideals that are so important to all of us.”

“The Council on American Islamic Relations – California (CAIR-CA) is excited to co-sponsor, and are grateful for Majority Leader Reyes’s leadership, on this monumental legislation.  The creation of the California Commission on Human Rights will ensure that California is constantly prioritizing the human rights of Californians across the state.  The advisory body is one big step to ensuring California’s most vulnerable continue to be prioritized.” – Hussam Ayloush, CEO

“The Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights (CHIRLA) is proud to stand as a co-sponsor on AB 412 which will create the California Commission on Human Rights – a commission that will uplift the voices and needs of California’s diverse communities.  The advisory body will go a long way in ensuring that California can lead the way in promoting and protecting everyone’s human rights.” – Joseph Villela, Director of Policy & Advocacy

AB 412 would create the first statewide effort to review the status of human rights in the state of California on an ongoing basis.   The Commission would be tasked with creating regular reports, identifying human rights abuses and concerns, developing policy recommendations and advocate for them accordingly. This commission is crucial to protect and ensure human rights for all.

When Sidney and Essie Herndon welcomed their firstborn child in the spring before America entered World War II, they gave the glory to God and began pouring their love and attention into raising little Sidney in the small town they called home.

What the young couple may not have realized is that their son would usher in an extraordinary family legacy. That he would make history and distinguish himself as an outstanding leader and advocate, remarkable innovator, fount of soft-spoken wisdom, and exemplar of Black dignity and achievement before it was commonly recognized and celebrated.

Sidney Frederick Herndon was born March 30, 1941 in Broken Bow, Oklahoma. He was known as a precocious child who was always ready to accept the most adult responsibilities — a standing in life that was encapsulated in his parents’ decision to move west while Sidney was a student at Bing High School in Ada, Oklahoma: hardly old enough to possess a license, the teenager drove what had become a very large family most of the way to California.

The Herndons put down roots in San Bernardino, where Sidney — the eldest of 11 children — graduated from San Bernardino High School in 1957. He began studying to become a psychiatric technician immediately following high school, starting a lifelong career in mental health that began at Patton State Hospital and led to a decade at Camarillo State Hospital, where he became nursing coordinator; and then spent five years as program director, and then spent five years as program director for acute psychiatric patients at Metropolitan State Hospital in Norwalk. Along the way, he earned degrees from Antioch University and the University of the Pacific.

In the summer of 1980, at the age of 39, Sidney became the first African-American in California history named executive director of a state mental hospital — when he assumed the post on an acting basis at Metropolitan. On December 22 of that year, he was named executive director of Atascadero State Hospital, a 1,263-bed facility in San Luis Obispo County. Each hospital he led achieved accreditation.

After retiring from the State of California, Sidney moved to the Midwest and served as deputy director of hospital services in the State of Ohio.

Sidney’s approach to serving people with mental illness and supporting their caregivers was captured in remarks he gave to the San Bernardino Sun newspaper in 1980 — as he advocated for more community-based psychiatric clinics to treat mental illness at earlier stages and possibly prevent hospitalizations.

“State hospitals have a stigma about them,” he said, “and what I would like to do is take it (treatment) into the community and normalize it.”

Outside of his historic career and phenomenal record of professional and community leadership, Sidney never lost sight of what always meant most to him: family. While he was living in Oxnard, his parents entrusted him with caring for two teenage siblings — Willie and Ruben — eager to learn the ways of the world from their older brother.

Fatherhood came naturally to him, and his 1962 marriage to Gayle Cole was blessed with two children, Tina and Eric. He married Caroline Rotherman in [YEAR], a union that brought Timothy, Catherine and Elizabeth into their loving family.

Sidney enjoyed traveling with his family, especially trips to campgrounds with his children. He was a master of the motor home, and once took his parents on a memorable road trip to their Oklahoma hometown to visit relatives and reminisce.

After retiring from the State of Ohio, Sidney and his wife of 15 years, Hazel Simonette Herndon, lived in Trinidad before moving to Corona, California at the end of 2019.

Throughout his life, Sidney modeled a quiet strength and generous spirit that influenced, motivated, and sustained countless people and touched generations of lives.

After his father’s passing, Sidney took his role as family patriarch to heart: he was known to never miss a major function or moment in the lives of his loved ones. He took every occasion as an opportunity to exemplify the values he held dear: Put family at the center. Act with kindness. Be present for one another’s sake. Thoughtfully show what it really means to take care of each other. Lead quietly and confidently with intelligence and grace. Never lose sight of how valuable your mere presence can be for the people you love and who love you.

He was preceded in death by his beloved parents Sidney and Essie; and brothers Brent Astaire Herndon, Freddie Lee Herndon, Willie Cullen Herndon, Ruben Coleman Herndon, and Jerry Lyn Herndon.

Beyond his children and wife Hazel, Sidney is survived by his brothers Myles Edward Herndon and Byron Duryea Herndon (Regina); sisters Beverly Ann Martin, Evelyn Margie Tahiru, and Ida Ruth Martin (George). He will be remembered by a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends who looked to Sidney as a role model, mentor, and style icon — and his memory will be loved and treasured forever.