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SAN BERNARDINO, CA—- Hundreds of students throughout San Bernardino County showcased their incredible talents at several visual and performing arts events.

San Bernardino County Superintendent of Schools (SBCSS) is proud to support arts education programs that cultivate and encourage students’ passions and talents.

“These students are some of our county’s most exceptional young musicians and artists,” said County Superintendent Ted Alejandre. “With the dedication and talents of our partners, educators and guest conductors, these incredible opportunities are possible.”

Hundreds of elementary, middle, and high school students performed at the University of Redlands Memorial Chapel during the Basin Honor Bands and Honor Orchestras events held in February.

Over two hundred students from K-12 schools in the high desert region took the stage at Barstow Community College’s Performing Arts Center for the High Desert Honor Bands event.

Since 1986, SBCSS has collaborated with the San Bernardino County Music Educators Association to host these concerts for students involved in music education programs throughout the county.

Performances extended into new territory for SBCSS with the introduction of the Poetry Out Loud competitions thanks to a partnership with Arts Connection, whose goal is to elevate arts and culture in San Bernardino County.

Several high school students from different regions in the county competed for a spot in the state championship. Faith Bakhos, a student from Big Bear High School, placed first in this year’s county finals. She then represented San Bernardino County in the California State Finals, where she competed against 49 poets from across the state and placed in the top ten.

Through collaboration with the Riverside, Inyo, Mono, and San Bernardino California Arts Project (RIMS CAP), which also supports Kern County, and the Arts Council for San Bernardino County, SBCSS created and supported The San Bernardino County Arts Education Network.

This initiative promotes quality arts education and events throughout the county, including The Young Artists’ Gallery.

The annual competition saw close to 400 works of art submitted by student artists, with nearly 150 entries selected for a month-long exhibition at California State University, San Bernardino (CSUSB).

The event provided students an opportunity to showcase their photography, ceramic sculptures, paintings and video productions for public viewing.

A culminating arts showcase sponsored by SBCSS will take place on April 4, from 6:30 – 8:00 p.m. at the California Theatre. The Performing Arts Showcase will feature student musicians, vocalists, thespians and dancers from across San Bernardino County. Admission to attend is free.

SBCSS is grateful not only for the arts partners, teachers, parents and volunteers who help support and encourage students’ exploration of arts education, but also the voters who supported Proposition 28, which will help to expand music and arts education for every student in San Bernardino County and the state of California.

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

LOS ANGELES, CA— Octavia Carey (Inglewood) and Madison Henderson (Los Angeles) were among 100 students honored today in a moving culminating ceremony for Disney Dreamers Academy, a four-day, transformational mentoring program at Walt Disney World, for which they were selected from thousands of nationwide applicants.

Grammy-nominated singer Halle Bailey, who will play the lead role of Ariel in the upcoming live-action remake of Disney’s “The Little Mermaid,” served as the program’s ambassador and event speaker. Bailey surprised Henderson with an invitation to join her on the red carpet at the upcoming world premiere of Disney’s “Little Mermaid” in Hollywood.

Grammy-award winning artist, H.E.R., surprised Carey during a music learning session and gifted her an autographed guitar.

SAN BERNARDINO, CA— The Inland Empire Center for Entrepreneurship (IECE) at California State University, San Bernardino is holding an event to release the findings of the second annual Inland Empire State of Entrepreneurship Report. The event will take place on March 30 at TopGolf in Ontario and an array of refreshments will be provided along with an overview of the report.

IECE’s goal in producing the State of Entrepreneurship report is to continue to provide current data on the trends in startup activity for the region and bring the voice of local entrepreneurs to those who need to hear it most – local and state policymakers, community organizations, lenders, and other resource providers. The Voice of the Entrepreneur survey sends powerful feedback on the challenges that entrepreneurs and business owners of the Inland Southern California region face. The survey is drawn from more than 10,000 entrepreneurs and business owners representing diverse industries.

“Entrepreneurship is vital for the economic success of the Inland Empire,” said Mike Stull, Director of the Inland Empire Center for Entrepreneurship. “The area is lacking in professional career opportunities in the higher income ranges seen more prevalently in our neighbors to the South and West in San Diego, Orange and Los Angeles Counties.”

Stull continued “Opening one’s own business is a way that residents of this region can reach the higher-income levels and autonomy that upper-level professional careers offer.  Achieving an overall higher average income in the region would have positive affects in job creation and economic opportunity.”

Register online for the second annual State of Entrepreneurship Address – to learn more about entrepreneurship in the region.

By Tanu Henry | California Black Media

Last week, California First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom announced five cities — Oakland, San Francisco, Los Angeles, San Diego, Long Beach, and Fresno — have signed the California Equal Pay Pledge.

“The pledge is a The California Equal Pay Pledge is a partnership between the Office of the First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom, the California Commission on the Status of Women and Girls, and the California Labor and Workforce Development Agency to turn the strongest equal pay laws in the nation into the smallest pay gap in the nation,” according to the governor’s office.

Kimberly Ellis, Director of the San Francisco Department on the Status of Women, said closing the gender gap is something California “must do.”

“From building credit to building wealth, we know that the wage gap has greatly hindered progress toward actualizing women’s equality,” says Ellis. “The City and County of San Francisco is proud to support the First Partner’s initiative and look forward to doing our part to making pay equity a reality for all women in the Golden State.”

Siebel Newsom said public and private partnerships are essential to closing the gender gap.

“Pay inequity stems from a patriarchal system that was not built with gender equity in mind, but instead built to keep money and power in the hands of few men in control,” she said.

California Black Media is following up with a report on gender and employment that focuses on data specific to Black women.

State Invests $1 Billion in New Homelessness Funding 

Last week, Gov. Newsom announced $1 billion in new funding for local communities to address homelessness and take emergency action to construct new homes to move unhoused Californians off the street.

Homelessness remains one of the state’s most stubborn problems as California’s homeless population keeps mushrooming, growing to approximately 160,000 people (about half the population of homeless people in the United States). Per every 100k people, California’s homeless population ranks third after New York and Hawaii.

“In California, we are using every tool in our toolbox – including the largest-ever deployment of small homes in the state – to move people out of encampments and into housing,” said Newsom. “The crisis of homelessness will never be solved without first solving the crisis of housing – the two issues are inextricably linked. We are tackling this issue at the root of the problem by addressing the need to create more housing, faster in California.”

Under his new plan, Newsom has deployed the California National Guard to assist in the preparation and delivery of approximately 1,200 small houses free of charge to four local communities:  Los Angeles (500 units); San Diego County (150 units); San Jose (200 units) and Sacramento (350 units).

Former Black Caucus Member Jim Cooper Appointed to State Commission

Last week, Gov. Gavin Newsom appointed former Assemblymember and current Sacramento County Sherriff Jim Cooper, a Democrat, to the Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST).

The California Legislature created POST in 1959 to “set minimum selection and training standards for all law enforcement in the state,” according to the office’s website.

Cooper was elected to the Assembly in 2014 and served until last year representing the 9^th Assembly District in Sacramento County.

Uber and Lyft Drivers Can Be Contractors, State Court of Appeals Rules

Last week, the California Court of Appeals ruled that Uber and Lyft drivers and other freelancers can be classified as independent contractors. The court’s decision came after a long fight dating back to 2019 when AB 5, the law that first reclassified contractors as employers, passed. The next year, AB 5 was challenged and overturned when voters approved Prop 22 – a ballot measure that gave rideshare companies the greenlight to hire freelancers.

San Diego Based Civil Rights Activist Shane Harris Appears on the Dr. Phil Show

The Rev. Shane Harris, a national Civil rights activist who is based in San Diego, appeared on the Dr. Phil show last week titled “How Safe Are Our Streets?”

The episode focused on victims of random violent crimes who were attacked by repeat offenders.

“The news and the media are running a lot of stories about these reoffenders and these folks who have committed violent offenses consistently, but they are not telling you about the youth who turn their lives around, people who went through diversion programs that actually work,” said Harris, who is President of the Peoples Association of Justice Advocates, speaking up for criminal justice reforms that rehabilitate criminals.

Harris was on the panel making his argument against the positions of law enforcement advocacy groups calling for a tougher penalty for crimes.

“Tough on crime didn’t works for us,” says Harris. “There is a balance we need to strike in the middle of this.”

California Turns San Quentin Prison Into “Rehabilitation and Education” Center

Last week, Gov. Newsom announced that the state is transforming California’s most notorious maximum-security prison San Quentin, — known for having the largest Death Row in the United States — into the country’s largest rehabilitation and education center.

The prison renamed “San Quentin Rehabilitation Center,” will operate under the direction of an advisory group comprised of public safety and rehabilitation experts.

“California is transforming San Quentin into the nation’s most innovative rehabilitation facility focused on building a brighter and safer future,” said Newsom, standing with legislators, civil rights leaders and victim advocates.  “Today, we take the next step in our pursuit of true rehabilitation, justice, and safer communities through this evidence-backed investment, creating a new model for safety and justice — the California Mode — that will lead the nation.”

SAN BERNARDINO, CA— The San Bernardino County Department of Behavioral Health (DBH) is seeking proposals from interested and qualified organizations and agencies to provide a proposed plan for an initiative to serve African American/Black children and youth.

Funded through the Mental Health Services Act (MHSA), the Resilience Promotion in African American Children program will provide services in culturally appropriate settings, incorporating African American/Black philosophies and traditions as a platform to offer mental health education programs with the intention of promoting resiliency in African American/Black children.

The program focuses on the strengths of the African American/Black community and assists the community in feeling comfortable seeking services from staff that are knowledgeable and capable of identifying needs and solutions for African American/Black families and individuals.

San Bernardino County will release a request for proposals (RFP) on March 17 seeking Prevention and Early Intervention (PEI) services for African American/Black Children within San Bernardino County.

A bidders conference will be held on Thursday, March 23 and the deadline for the submission of proposals is Monday, April 24. Questions regarding this RFP can be answered by visiting https://epro.sbcounty.gov/bso/ or emailing procurement@dbh.sbcounty.gov.

RIVERSIDE, CA— Fresh off a landmark victory for Western Municipal Water District, Division 2, Gracie Torres has announced she will enter the race for Riverside County Supervisor, District 1, which includes Jurupa Valley, Highgrove, Riverside, Mead Valley, Good Hope, Perris, and Meadowbrook.

“It has been my absolute honor to serve and to now be re-elected to Western Municipal Water District, Division 2,” stated Torres. “Following this last election, voters clearly indicated they want bold action and a representative willing to work. My community encouraged me to take this next step to be their voice and stand for county employees, address homelessness, keep our communities and families safe, invest vigorously in our infrastructure, support small businesses, and create good paying jobs.”

Torres, a rising star in Riverside politics, enters this race as the only declared woman. Torres’s announcement comes on the heels of securing over 50 endorsements and raising more than fifty thousand dollars in the span of two weeks.

Torres was first elected in 2018 and won with a 25% margin and secured her re-election in 2022 in a highly competitive race, receiving nearly 60% of the vote among five candidates. Through redistricting, Torres’s Division 2 now has significant overlap with the first supervisorial district.

“Gracie Torres has dedicated her work towards understanding and delivering for Riverside County residents. As a working professional and elected official, she has a unique lens into families and their needs which is why she is the most qualified to address them”, stated Assemblymember Corey Jackson, “I look forward to working alongside her as a Riverside County Supervisor who’s ready to work for our community”.

Torres also co-founded IEWorks and was instrumental in bringing over $1.5 million for water/wastewater workforce development within the region. She also serves on the board of directors of the Inland SoCal United Way, Operation New Hope, Hispanic Coalition for Small Businesses, and the Center for Community Action and Environmental Justice. Torres is the benefactor of Beca Angelita, a scholarship named after her abuelita aimed to help students interested in STEM.

Torres has received over 50 endorsements with notable support from:

• Assemblymember Dr. Corey Jackson
• San Bernardino County Supervisor Joe Baca Jr.
• Riverside County Board of Education Jaime Azpeitia-Sachs
• Perris Mayor Pro Tem Marisela Nava
• Perris Councilmember Malcolm Corona
• Perris Councilmember David Starr Rabb
• Riverside Unified School District Trustee Noemi Hernandez Alexander

About Gracie Torres
Gracie Torres currently serves as a member of Western Municipal Water District and works for Riverside County’s Flood Control and Conservation District. She earned her bachelor’s in chemistry and master’s in environmental science from California State University, San Bernardino. She is currently pursuing her doctorate in public administration from California Baptist University. Torres and her husband, Eric, are longtime residents of Riverside County and raising their three children in the community.

For more information you can visit https://gracietorres.com.

SAN BERNARDINO, CA—- The event on April 1 will celebrate the legacy of the late labor leader and activist, and will feature a keynote address from Ron Estrada, CEO of Washington, D.C.,-based Farmworker Justice, and a presentation by Flor Martinez, founder and president of The Celebration Nation Foundation.

César Chávez speaking in an undated photo from Wikimedia Commons.

The life and legacy of the late labor leader and activist César E. Chávez will be celebrated when the Chicano Latino Caucus of San Bernardino County and the Latino Education & Advocacy Days at Cal State San Bernardino present the 12th annual César E. Chávez Memorial Breakfast, 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday, April 1, at the university’s Santos Manuel Student Union South.

Tickets for the breakfast are sold out. Table sponsorships, ranging from $500 to $1,500, also are available. For information regarding sponsorships or other questions, contact Ana Gonzales at (909) 275-9812 or ChicanoLatinoCaucusSBC@gmail.com.

This will mark the first time since 2019 that the breakfast will take place. Traditionally scheduled to commemorate Chávez’s birthday (March 31) and held as part of LEAD Week – a week-long series of events including the LEAD Summit that focused on Latino educational issues – it was cancelled in 2020, 2021 and 2022 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Since then, the LEAD Summit has been rescheduled to take place in the fall.

Set to take place the day after the state holiday honoring the life and work of Chávez, the breakfast will be emceed by Eloise Gómez Reyes, a member of the California Assembly majority leader who represents southwest San Bernardino County.

Ron Estrada, CEO of Washington, D.C.,-based Farmworker Justice, will be the keynote speaker. Estrada, a longtime voice in support of underserved people and communities of color in the U.S., has invested decades in issues related to racial and social justice. Prior to joining Farmworker Justice in March 2022, he was the head of government relations at Univision Communications, and also led the company’s Corporate Social Responsibility and Community Empowerment initiatives.

Also scheduled to speak is Flor Martinez, founder and president of The Celebration Nation Foundation, a San Jose-based nonprofit organization focused on helping the indigenous and Latino community. A former farmworker with Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) status, Martinez is also now an entrepreneur and social media influencer.

In addition, the breakfast will feature the installation of Chicano Latino Caucus of San Bernardino County’s new officers, a video by artist Juan Solis, a performance by Ballet Folklorico de Gary Ferrer and presentation of the Muñoz Legacy and Lifetime Achievement Award.

Former California Gov. Gray Davis signed legislation in 2002 making Chávez’s birthday a state holiday to promote service to the communities of California in honor of the late labor leader’s life and work.

By Prince James | Black Voice News

It’s Prince James again, bringing you up to date on one of my key reporting assignments for this week.

On Thursday, March 15 I, along with my teammate Aryana Noroozi, covered the Greater Riverside Chamber of Commerce event where they honored community leader and civil rights icon, Dell Roberts, with the 2022 Citizen of the Year award.

Roberts has a long history of service in the inland region. In 1968, he co-founded the Black Students Union at local high schools. In 1979, he co-founded the Riverside Black History Month Committee, and in 1980, he co-created the Black History Parade, just to name a few of his contributions.
Over the years, Roberts has received multiple awards for his service to the community, including the Chuck Kane Award, the YWCA Achievement Award, the 2007 Bank of America Local Hero Award, and the Roy Hord Volunteer of the Year Award.

Last year, Roberts was awarded the Frank Miller Civic Achievement Award for 2022. The award is given to individuals, couples or groups who have made significant contributions to the city and community of Riverside.

Roberts retired from Riverside Union School District in 2003 after 38 years of service.

SAN BERNARDINO, CA—- Rep. Pete Aguilar announced $1,500,000 for the Clean Energy Hybrid and Electric Vehicle (EV) Technician Program in San Bernardino Valley College (SBVC). This funding will be used to purchase heavy-duty zero-emission trucks and charging stations for students to train and work on.

“The work being done in the clean vehicle technology program at Valley College is going to help improve our air quality and move our region, our state and our country towards a clean energy future, “said Rep. Pete Aguilar. “This funding is helping prepare our students for good-paying jobs right here in the Inland Empire. I will continue working closely with San Bernardino Valley College to create good-paying career opportunities for our residents.”

“Thanks to Congressman Aguilar’s support, San Bernardino Valley College is leading the way in preparing students for the green jobs of the future,” said San Bernardino Community College District Chancellor Diana Z. Rodriguez. “The Inland Empire is increasingly at the crossroads of the supply chain industry, and with this federal investment, our graduates will continue at the forefront, ensuring that we have clean vehicles on our roads to help protect the air we breathe.”

“As we move towards a cleaner, greener future, it is vital that we invest in our local workforce and provide them with the training necessary to succeed in this rapidly evolving field,” said San Bernardino Valley College Interim President Linda Fontanilla. “We appreciate Congressman Aguilar’s leadership in bringing back dollars to create more local opportunities for our students and their families.”

NATIONWIDE — Math with EEEs, Inc., a Black-owned non-pro?t dedicated to empowering African-American students through education and STEM scholarship opportunities, is sponsoring 10 students for the highly sought-after online coding course by Codewithsharen. All in all, the organization has already given away almost $20,000 in scholarships.

Led by Math with EEEs, the organization is working to bridge the gap in STEM education and provide equal opportunities for underrepresented communities to excel in the ?eld.

“It’s crucial for students to continue learning STEM and not just rely on OpenAI like ChatGPT,” said Sharen Eddings, a top computer programmer turned STEM education provider and founder of Codewithsharen. “Without a mastery of the language of code, proper instruction cannot be given to AI like ChatGPT to build a website. Moreover, without the knowledge of web hosting, troubleshooting, maintenance, or cybersecurity, the ?nal product can not be fully utilized. That’s why Math with EEEs, Inc and Codewithsharen have teamed up to impart this essential skill set.”

Designed for students in grades 6 and above, the course teaches coding in a fun, interactive, and easy-to-learn manner.

“Your child will learn the hottest skill in town: coding, also known as STEM in schools,” said Eddings. “We teach kids how to read and write code, then how to use that skill to build websites, and mobile games.”

Coding empowers students to change the world and achieve their dreams. As automation and arti?cial intelligence rise, coding is becoming increasingly important. It’s a skill that can improve students’ lives and make a difference in others.

“Learning to code can seem intimidating, but it’s fun, easy to learn, and rewarding,” added Eddings. “I’ve built amazing things using code, and I want to share that experience with others.”

Don’t miss this chance to obtain the skills needed for success in the 21st century and join Math with EEEs, Inc. and Codewithsharen in their mission to bridge the STEM education gap and provide equal opportunities. Math with EEEs Inc., is also looking forward to offering scholarships to students in Ghana in the near future. Sign up for the next coding and game development course today and become a coding superhero.

For more information, to enroll, or sponsor a child, visit the organization’s official web site at MathWithEEEsInc.com. The next session starts Monday, September 11th to October 7th.