WSSN Stories

By Lou Yeboah

You hear me… Because, “they’re trying to bamboozle you!” Don’t be took, and don’t buy into the lies! You see, there are some Pastors preaching prosperity and blessing sermons that are not Scriptural. Scriptures are very clear about the subject of financial prosperity in the New Covenant. You have simply to look at what the Word of God teaches, not the way that man says it will happen. I tell you, if your pastor is always preaching prosperity, you best run and don’t you stop, because prosperity gospel makes a mockery of Christianity.

Woe to you, false pastors, prophets and teachers. Luring people to Christ to get rich. Don’t you know that it is both deceitful and deadly. (Luke 14:33). (1 Timothy 6:9). Why would you develop a philosophy of ministry that makes it harder for people to get into heaven? Why would you develop a philosophy of ministry that promotes less faith in the promises of God to be for us what money can’t be?  Confess your sin, repent, and get cleansed by the blood of Jesus from all covetousness, or you will surely be swallowed up by damnation from the pit from whence your false doctrines come!  For thus saith the Lord, “I am about to attend to you for the evil of your deeds,” [Jeremiah 23:1]. This is God’s verdict! It is a woe pronounced on you by the God you say you serve! Your words will fall like a sword of judgment upon your own necks. You have prophesied lies to the people.  You have taught them after the imaginations of your own hearts and you have not heard from God.  Why do you insist on taking Scripture out of context to make it appear as if your lies are God’s truth, [2 Tim 2:15] and expositing Scripture in context, [Nehemiah 8:8]?

God is not fooled, and He does not want His people to be fooled either. What God unfolds for us is the right way to judge hidden things!  Do not be quick to embrace every teaching that comes from the pulpit. Learn to sift the teachings that have been given to you through the filter of the Scriptures. The Word of God will expose that which is error and that which is truth. You must pay attention to what God’s Word is saying. If what you are hearing is not lining up with the Word of God, you would save yourself from deception and heartache if you would just learn how to spit out the bones [Hebrews 13:9.] I tell you, there are few things more important to hear than the warning Jesus gives us in [Matthew 7:15-20]. He begins with the word “Beware . . .” and we should always take it very seriously whenever Jesus tells us to “beware” of something. If your pastor is always preaching prosperity, you best run and don’t stop!

So what are we to do? Preach the gospel “whether they hear or refuse to hear” [Ezekiel 2:4], and trust the power of the Word of God to do again and again what it has always done: convert the soul, enlighten the mind, break the yoke of sin and bring joy to the entire person. Run Forrest run!

Interview by Naomi K. Bonman

(EMPIRE NEWS NETWORK—ENN)— Economic empowerment and wealth building is a major necessity in the African-American Community. According to the founder of Cooperative Economic Empowerment Movement (CEEM) Reggie Webb, in the Inland Empire, as in Greater Los Angeles area, African Americans are 7 percent of the population but own less than 1 percent of revenue from business ownership.

CEEM is bringing awareness to this issue in a fun and engaging way during the weekend of September 13 to September 15 at the Los Angeles County Fair in Pomona, California. This will be the second year that CEEM is “taking over” the fairgrounds.

The 2nd Annual CEEM Weekend at the LA County Fair will feature a “Tribute to Black Influence on Popular Culture!” The lineup includes musical acts and special celebrity appearances including:

• Live Entertainment
• Inspiring panel discussions led by African-American entrepreneurs and business owners
• A student-led pop culture art exhibit
• A fun and interactive Kids Zone
• Delicious soul food and fare from a variety of Black-owned businesses and vendors
• Inspirational Gospel Sunday

Listen to the interview click here.

The LA County Fair is located at the Pomona Fairplex at 101 W. McKinley Avenue in Pomona. Use promo code CEEM2019 to receive $8 tickets at lacf.com/buy-tickets.

For a detailed schedule and more information, visit www.CEEM.coop/LACF, or follow CEEM on Instagram and Facebook @CEEMCoop and Twitter @ceem_ie.

By John Coleman, Community Photographer

Every 10 years the US Census Bureau HIRES people to help complete it’s  vitally important ‘POPULATION RESEARCH STUDY.

THE U S CENSUS: HIRING HAS STARTED.   STILL TIME TO APPLY & GET HIRED.   

Openings for FULL time and/or  PART time JOBS.     

No special education or experience required.

Get PAID while training.  

Competitive WAGES.   

Be  Paid for WORK-RELATED Expenses

FLEXIBLE HOURS:   DAY,  EVENING,  NIGHT   WEEKEND,   Can WORK CLOSE to HOME.

WORK SCHEDULES  DEPEND  ON YOUR POSITION.     

POSITIONS ARE STILL OPEN.

BE A CENSUS TAKER. 

VARIOUS JOBS.    ONE  APPLICATION      EASY TO APPLY

APPLY ON LINE:  2020census.gov/jobs   or call:1-855-562-2020  or 1-800-877-8339 forTTY/ASCII

Endowment Fund has distributed $1.6 Million to 32 HBCUs

CHICAGO, IL—- Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated^® seeks to raise $1 million in 24 hours for a second consecutive year during HBCU Impact Day on September 16, 2019.  As part of a four-year $10 million fundraising goal, AKA International President Dr. Glenda Glover is leading the challenge for contributions that can help to secure fiscal sustainability and success across all Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs).

“This year, we are simultaneously launching a ten-month campaign to secure larger corporate giving matches, corporate pledges and donations to our AKA-HBCU Endowment Fund, while continuing our efforts to support these all-important educational institutions,” said Dr. Glover, who is also president of Tennessee State University, and an HBCU graduate.

On September 16, as part of the sorority’s recognition of HBCU week, chapters of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority will host fundraising events around the globe. Donors can make contributions by texting AKAHBCU to 44321, giving by mail or online at http://aka1908.com/hbcus/donate-hbcu during the 24-hour campaign. Money raised through HBCU Impact Day will assist in providing financial support to these schools over the next three years. 

“Last year, our members and supporters surpassed our million dollar goal in one day, and we began distributing funds almost immediately to support HBCUs around the country,” added Dr. Glover.

“This was a historic moment for Alpha Kappa Alpha, but it was also just as historic and meaningful for our HBCU families.”

In February, AKA gifted $1.6 million from their AKA-HBCU Endowment Fund to 32 HBCUs. Presidents from these institutions joined Dr. Glover and sorority leadership at a special Black History Month program at the Ivy Center International Headquarters in Chicago, Illinois. 

Organizations that provided the largest corporate matches to the AKA-HBCU Endowment Fund in 2018 were Caterpillar, General Electric, Hilton, Houston ISD, IBM, SAP America, State Farm Companies Foundation, UnitedHealth Group, and Wells Fargo Bank.  

These endowment funds can help schools reduce student debt through scholarships, fund industry-specific research, recruit and retain top faculty, and much more.According to The Network Journal, roughly a quarter of all African Americans with bachelor degrees graduated from an HBCU (22%). HBCUs have historically served all people regardless of race or economic standing and continue to do so. These schools are often the largest employer in rural areas, and educate students from pre-K through college via teacher education programs, charter schools and early college high schools housed on their campuses.  AKA believes the importance of these environments of higher learning and the need to support them has never diminished.  

For a complete list of institutions funded in the first cycle from the AKA-HBCU Endowment Fund, and more information on the sorority’s commitment to HBCUs, visit our online pressroom at www.AKA1908.com/news-events/.

By Regina Brown Wilson | California Black Media

This is a direct appeal to Governor Newsom, Assemblymember Lorena Gonzalez and our entire state legislature. I’m writing this on behalf of the more than 20 African American-owned newspapers that operate in cities and towns across California.

As the leaders we’ve elected to represent and protect the interests of all Californians, we are asking each of you to search your hearts, look beyond blind spots, step in, and do the one thing that will prevent Assembly Bill 5 from putting the Black press in California out of business.

That is: Exempt the contract couriers who deliver our newspapers from being reclassified as employees under AB 5.

The bill Assemblymember Gonzalez is proposing intends to bring definition to our Supreme Court’s Dynamex decision and defend the rights of working Californians.

But in our push to create a more equitable California for all, we must not lose sight of the specific needs and priorities of our most vulnerable communities. Our best intentions may sometimes harm some Californians while uplifting others. We must always be as cautious and fair as we are forceful and deliberate in approaching our most challenging problems.

Shouldn’t AB 5 be helping to narrow the immense wealth gap that exists in the richest state of the nation? The disparity between the ultra-rich and the almost 20 million people in California who live below the poverty line – or who fight to hover just above it –  is growing. In Los Angeles and Orange counties, for example, the average household wealth for U.S. born Whites was $355,000 in 2014. For U.S. born Black families that same year it was only $4,000, according to the California Budget and Policy Center.

For African-American newspaper owners surviving in an industry the emergence of the internet has almost put on life support, Assembly Bill 5 would do the exact opposite of what Gonzalez wants it to achieve. She might as well just pull the plug on our businesses.

Although our publications reach almost 2 million Californians of all races, most of our operations are still family-owned businesses. We are small shops with multi-tasking staff members who struggle to attract advertising, grind to meet deadlines and tighten belts to remain profitable. None of our papers can afford to offer full-time jobs with benefits to the part-time delivery people who work, on average, about four hours on the days our newspapers are published. Many of our papers are weeklies.

My dad, Hardy Brown, former publisher of Black Voice News in Riverside, remembers a time when he had to gather the news stories, type them, take the copy to the printer and then deliver the published papers by himself throughout the Inland Empire at night. He would drop them off at churches on Sunday morning, too, because he could not afford to pay a courier. AB 5 would take Black newspapers back to those difficult days. 

Although some of our publications in California have websites, more than 60 percent of them still publish only print editions.

We’ve done the math. Having to hire couriers as full-time employees would force us to limit our circulation areas or raise the prices of our papers. Either option would hurt our revenue so bad, it would no longer make sense to stay in business.

We all know the backbone of our democracy is a free and independent press providing truthful, objective and balanced information critical to the lives, health and overall wellbeing of all our citizens. 

Since Freedom’s Journal, the first African-American newspaper, was published in 1827, the Black press in the United States has played a central role in the lives of Black Americans as an advocate, trusted source of information and rallying point for issues (often life-and-death ones) directly affecting our communities. From the years of legal slavery to the Emancipation Proclamation, through the Civil War and the eras of Jim Crow and lynching – on to the fight for civil rights  and economic improvement – we have always depended on the Black Press for news crucial to keeping our families safe, informing our decisions and shaping our opinions.

Today, Black newspapers across the country have a combined circulation of about 15 million.

Americans read Black publications even though mainstream newspapers exist. Those national or citywide papers often overlook or under-report very important issues vital to the lives of African Americans. Our papers bring unique perspectives to the news, pointing out how news stories may affect Black Americans differently. We expand the base of knowledge on every topic we cover and bring untold stories to the historical record.  Most of us also write in familiar and relatable voices, and from points of view, that resonate with our readers.   

In California, the cost to live in our coastal cities has become unaffordable for the majority of African Americans. More and more, we see our families migrating to distant suburbs or inland cities and towns east of Los Angeles, the Bay Area, the Central Coast and San Diego. While many of our papers are still located in historic Black neighborhoods near or our around those major metropolitan areas, our drop-off points have become more far-flung and the radius of our circulation areas have dramatically increased. Now, more so than ever before, the role of our contract delivery drivers is an essential aspect of our businesses.  

We understand the importance of passing AB 5 to introduce guidelines for implementing the Dynamex decision. But we also need your intervention to protect the legacy and livelihood of our publications as we live up to the responsibility upon us that we never take lightly: That is to strengthen and maintain freedom and democracy in our state and across our country.

In the words of educator and journalist Ida B. Wells, “The people must know before they can act and there is no educator like the press.”

Dear Community,

I don’t normally send emails to share my feelings so please hear my heart as you read this note.

Probably like you, I have been watching the devastation that hurricane Dorian has wreaked on the Bahamas and now on the east coast.  In spite of our natural and human caused disasters, I believe we have been truly blessed in southern California. 

Every time something occurs in another part of this country or globally I do at least three things:

• I pray for everyone who is impacted and all who are risking their lives to help.
• I give to help those affected.
• I thank God that we have not seen the wide spread devastation like other areas including northern California.

The next thing I do is ask these questions:  What will we do when that type of devastation does occur in southern California?Are we ready?  After eight years of helping faith and community based organizations prepare to respond and recover, I still do not believe we are ready for what we are seeing in the Bahamas or what happened during hurricane Harvey or Irma or the fire in Paradise, CA or any of the others.  No, we probably won’t see a hurricane but one day San Andreas or another fault will shake and we will see similar devastation.

Please prepare your homes, houses of worship, community centers, businesses and schools for all types of disasters!  Every mass shooting that has occurred has left people saying, “I never thought it would happen here.”

Please get ready to help your local community!  I am asking everyone to make a renewed commitment to identify how you can help.  If you have not done so, please:

1.  Connect with the local emergency management for your city, town or county.  Develop a relationship with them and work together to identify how your organization can help.  Let me know if you are not sure who to contact for your area.

2.  Get connected with an organization that is approved to help with response and recovery such as your local Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (VOAD).  Here’s the contact information for Riverside County VOAD (Michelle Kelly, michelle,kelly@rivco.org, 951-955-5665) and San Bernardino County VOAD (Yomar Cleary, sbcountyvoad@gmail.com, https://www.sbcovoad.org/, 909-492-0185) or a VOAD member agency such as Building Resilient Communities.

3. Complete the proper training to help with the services that will be most needed like emotional and spiritual care, donations management and volunteer coordination.  The state level donations and volunteer management class is being held in Rancho Cucamonga on September 18 & 19th.  This is a critical class for any house of worship or community based organization that wants to help with these services. Please see the flyer for further details.  Register at  https://ruasi.org/EBForms.aspx?EBID=112&EBType=WLR&RefID   Please plan to attend the 7th Annual Ark of Safety Forum on Thursday, October 10th.  Join other faith, community, government, education and business leaders to discuss preparedness, response and recovery for the Inland Empire.  This is an opportunity to talk about how we can work together for the good of our communities.  It’s an opportunity to strengthen partnerships and relationships with one another before the next disaster strikes!

There will be several agencies providing information on how you can get involved, including Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) groups from some of the cities, towns and counties. Now is the time for us to plan, train and exercise our plans.  Let’s not wait until the devastation happens.  It will be too late! Register at https://7tharkofsafetyforum.eventbrite.com Thank you for listening!  Thank you for taking action!  We can all make a difference when we work together. I pray peace and safety over you and your household. Debra Williams, CEO Phone: (909) 283-6872 info@buildingresilientcommunities.org www.buildingresilientcommunities.org

By John Coleman, Community Photographer

A large gathering of family, friends, students, supporters, & others met, August 22, 2019, at the Ontario Beverly Banquet Center, to remember, honor, share stories & memories about, mourn, & celebrate the life of Cynthia Renee Frazier, widely recognized as: ‘the Tech Diva’.

For all of her working career Cynthia had been immersed in education & technology,  She developed  her own teaching styles  & areas of competence   which formed her field of practice  in working with entrepreneurs, organizations, & communities;   and  developed skill in teaching different populations, including young children, even pre-schoolers.

Cynthia’s home live reflected her love for family;  From early in his life she showered love & attention on her grandson, Isaiah. even as she maintained her community activities.  Remarkable in so many ways he not only participated in many of her community tech/education events,  Isaiah’s early learning’s in math, tech, & science enabled him to model &/or demonstrate what  she taught.  Kids who ‘attended’ (brought by parents to) her events became interested when they saw what Isaiah was able to do with tools & ‘toys’.   Her partner, Ed Williams, was there, providing support.

Cynthia’s work proceeded over a span of years;  covered a range of STEM subject fields;  were held in different Inland locations;  possibly met a lot of people’s expectations;  & likely contributed to some of the progress people of color are making & receiving in the world that Cynthia Renee Frazier envisioned.

But….Cynthia Renee (the Tech Diva) Frazier also was a woman,  calm   soft spoken,  respectful,  but also militant,  aware of the continuing gross under-representation of women in STEM careers.  We Celebrate the Life, Labors, & Contribution’s Her Life represented…..that: 

 “GIRLS GET GEEK” !!!

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By Lou Yeboah

(EMPIRE NEWS NETWORK—ENN)—- Oh, the limits of God’s patience! When God’s mercy ends, it’s all over [Amos 8-9]. Peter 3:9, says “The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with us, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.” God is certainly gracious. He is rich in kindness, forbearance, and patience, which is why He does not bring an immediate end to all sinners [Romans 2:4]. In fact, He often gives us many chances to repent. During the old covenant, He even sent prophets to warn Israel of its impending doom and the discipline that was coming if the people continued in their sin. These oracles of judgment were words of grace, for the Lord could have brought His wrath to bear on the Israelites without any advance notice. But He compelled prophets to speak His Word that the covenant people might turn from evil [Amos 3:1–8]. Don’t take God’s grace for granted! His patience will run out eventually [Romans 2:4–5; 2 Peter 3:8–10]. Going Once, Going Twice, Gone!

Let’s learn from the people of Nineveh not to try God’s patience but to repent while the invitation to come back to Him is still available. Understanding as [Amos 7:8] says, “…that there does come a time when the God of great mercy might say of His own people, “I will spare them no longer.”  Be very careful, then, how you live—not foolishly, but wisely, knowing how to make the most out of every opportunity, because what David said to his friend Jonathan in [1 Samuel 20:3] is true of all of us: “…as the Lord liveth, and as thy soul liveth, there is but a step between us and death. What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin so that grace may increase? May it never be! Take advantage of the opportunities God’s grace provides. “Today if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts.” [Hebrews 4:7].  For, “Behold, NOW is the accepted time; behold, NOW is the day of salvation.”  [2 Corinthians 6:].

Think a moment; “What is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away” [James 4:14]. You are being offered mercy. What will you say?  What will you do? And what shall I say to God when it comes to report the matter; must I bear my testimony that you would not hear? If you’ve never done so, I urge you to repent of your sins and by faith to receive Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior, and to do it NOW. If you’re a Christian, but have gotten off-track in your daily walk, I urge you to confess your waywardness and make a new start this very hour. If you need to go to someone and ask that person’s forgiveness and renew your fellowship with that individual, I encourage you to do it right now while you still have an opportunity. 

As [Ecclesiastes 3:1-8] says, “For there is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens: a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot, a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build, a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance, a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them, a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing, a time to search and a time to give up, a time to keep and a time to throw away, a time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to speak, a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace.”

“The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are not saved” [Jeremiah 8:20]. Listen, “It is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment” [Hebrews 9:27]. Take full advantage of the opportunities God gives. Remember, Jesus’ first recorded sermon was simple: “The time [kairos] has come. . . . The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!” [Mark 1:15]. The call is….REDEEM THE TIME – NOW!  Do not put it off until tomorrow. “Now is the acceptable time. Now is the day of salvation.” For, “Tomorrow is the fitting epitaph for many tombstones. Tomorrow is the barred and bolted door that has shut many people out of Heaven.” God has never promised us tomorrow. [Proverbs 27:1; 2 Corinthians 6:2]. So the best preparation for tomorrow is the right use of today. Don’t be like Governor Felix who was listening to Paul speak, and “as [Paul] reasoned about righteousness and self-control and the coming judgment, Felix was alarmed and said, ‘Go away for the present. When I get an opportunity [kairos] I will summon you’” [Acts 24:25]. Fexlix fatal mistake!

“Seek ye the Lord while he may be found call ye upon him while he is near.” [Isaiah 55:6]. Now is the time to be saved! Now is a time of mercy!

“We then, as workers together with Him also plead with you not to receive the grace of God in vain. For He says: ‘In an acceptable time I have heard you, and in the day of salvation I have helped you.’ Behold, NOW is the accepted time; behold, NOW is the day of salvation” [2 Corinthians 6:1, 2].

“I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death….” [Deuteronomy 30:19-20].

Staff remember first-ever female County Supervisor dedicated to the growth of Riverside County

(EMPIRE NEWS NETWORK—ENN)— RIVERSIDE COUNTY—- The passing of former Third District Supervisor Kay Ceniceros on Friday, July 26, is received with sadness among long-time county employees. Ceniceros was 81 years old.

Ceniceros served the Third District from 1981 to 1996 and was the first female elected to the Board of Supervisors. Prior to joining the board, Ceniceros was the first woman appointed to the county’s planning commission.

“Kay Ceniceros’ expertise in planning and land use helped shape the County of Riverside into the modern, developed region that we see today,” said Third District Supervisor Chuck Washington. “She is warmly remembered as a resolute leader and a compassionate advocate by the Third District communities that she served.”

During her 16 year tenure as supervisor, Ceniceros was dedicated to ensuring that Riverside County had a larger voice on regional matters. Ceniceros represented the board on numerous committees and commissions, including the California State Association of Counties, Southern California Association of Governments and the Western Riverside Council of Governments. She worked tirelessly to serve residents impacted by the booming growth of the county during numerousinfrastructure and transportation projects, including the passage of Measure A in 1988.

“It was a great pleasure to have worked with Supervisor Ceniceros,” said County Executive Officer George Johnson, who worked in the Transportation Department at the time of Ceniceros’ tenure on the board. “She was a thoughtful leader, who cared deeply about the growth and future of the county. She was well-respected among her peers, county staff and residents.”  

The former Board Hearing Room, located on the 14th floor of the County Administrative Center, is named in Ceniceros’ honor. The Board of Supervisors also named a service center the Kay Ceniceros Multi-purpose Senior Center in Menifee.

Kay Ceniceros is survived by her husband, three children, and six grandchildren.

(EMPIRE NEWS NETWORK—ENN)—- ONTARIO, CA – U.S. Representative Norma J. Torres (D-Pomona) recently launched a Veteran Identification Card (VIC) Assistance Program. The VIC allows veterans to access discounts at many restaurants, hotels, stores, and other businesses across the nation without having to carry sensitive documents to prove their veteran status. During the 30-minute appointments, Torres’ staff outline the required documents, eligibility requirements, and the application process.

“Veterans have made countless sacrifices for our nation’s safety and well-being. It’s a shame that red tape can sometimes make accessing their benefits confusing and daunting,” said Torres. “The Veteran ID Card Assistance Program seeks to simplify that process and make it easier for veterans to access the resources they’ve worked so hard to earn.”

Torres’ office helped Raul Arteaga, an Army veteran from Chino, to obtain his VIC. According to the Daily Bulletin, Arteaga had been trying to obtain his VIC for years before he finally reached out to Torres’ office. In less than two weeks, her staff secured Mr. Arteaga’s VIC. Since the launch of the VIC Assistance Program earlier this month, Torres’ office has served nearly 25 veterans.

Torres is the mother of an Air Force veteran and a member of the House Appropriations and Rules Committees. Her office will host the VIC Assistance Program on a monthly basis at her office located at 3200 Inland Empire Blvd. Suite 200B, Ontario, CA 91764. For upcoming dates and to reserve an appointment, please click here.