WSSN Stories

By Naomi K. Bonman

Talk about an afternoon of empowerment! On Saturday, March 25, Adrienne Braxton, host of “Braxton’s Back” radio show that broadcasts on StudioW Buzz, hosted the 2017 Queens of Radio brunch at her private residence in San Bernardino. The brunch was well attended with women that flew in from the Midwest and East Coast to support the cause. There are plans in the works to make this an annual event due to the overwhelming response of ladies that wanted to attend but couldn’t. 

“I am personally so overwhelmed with joy of the support to those who came out and to those who wanted to attend the 2017 Queens Brunch,” Andrinne Braxton stated. “What was supposed to be at my dining room table, grew into my heart exploding.”

The purpose of the Queens of Radio Brunch, as well as the radios shows “Ladies Night” and “Braxtons Back”, is to bring encouragement, enlightenment, and recognition to Inland Empire Legends, Queens, and Princesses that have a testimony and a story that has shaped them to getting them to the place where they are today. 

The Queens of Radio are simply dynamic women who have received the opportunity to share their gifts and testimonies on a platform provided to them by William A. Brown. William is the CEO and Founder of StudioW Buzz.

The afternoon started off with queens coming in with their summer hats that matched their summer dresses and heels as they networked with one another and introduced themselves to someone new with an selfie/usie ice breaker challenge. Brunch and mimosas were then served followed by motivational speaker, singer, and monologue presentation by The Diamond Girls. 

To listen to the shows, download the app from the Apple or Google App Store under ‘IMG 2 StudioW’. You can also visit the official website at www.studiow.buzz. 

By McKenzie Jackson/California Black Media

With March being Women’s History Month, California Black Media and Los Angeles Focus collaborated to feature the work of Los Angeles based first ladies that focus on health outreach ministries and their communities.

During a gathering, 13 preachers’ wives from predominately African-American

Los Angeles-area churches discussed fashion, what it means to be a church leader, and other topics pertaining to being the first lady. Many said it was important for them to have a leadership role in tackling health challenges that exist in their congregations because they want church goers to be free of ailments like cancer, diabetes, and mental health calamities.

Southern St. Paul Church First Lady Rinnata Thompson said church folks lift themselves spiritually, but sometimes forget to take care of their bodies

“The Bible says that our bodies are the temple of the God,” she said, “and that doesn’t mean just spiritually. That means if we are walking around tired, sick, may fall out with a stroke that we can’t give God our best because our body is not at its best.”

Regina Taylor, a first lady of Park Windsor Baptist Church, said helping congregation members lead healthier lifestyles begins with food choices. She said her church members are always eager to let her know about their dining decisions.

“They say, ‘First Lady, I have a salad’ or ‘First Lady I’m eating healthier,’” said Taylor, who established a health ministry at Park Windsor three years ago. “When different groups within the church have events, we try to serve healthy food.”

Unhealthy eating habits are one of the many wellness issues that plague the African-American community. CDC numbers reveal that Black Americans have a high propensity for obesity, high blood pressure, and diabetes, and the American Heart Association says African-Americans are more at risk of being afflicted by heart disease or stroke than any other race.

In California, 6.9 percent of African-Americans do not have health insurance, per 2015 numbers from Covered California, the state’s health insurance exchange. Also, as of last June, Blacks have the lowest enrollment numbers of any race in Medi-Cal or health plan coverage through the Affordable Care Act.

The leading church ladies at the L.A. Focus event said they combat health problems and the low amount of health coverage plaguing their pews with health ministry work.

Holman United Methodist Church First Lady Judi Wortham-Sauls said her church’s health ministry has a diabetes awareness group, exercise classes and organizes blood pressure and other screenings. A sodium awareness program began at the church on Monday. Wortham-Sauls also said she and her husband, Rev. Kelvin Sauls, try to lead by example.

“My husband and I are very serious about our own health,” she said. “We are both on weight reduction programs. Our own personal health awareness makes us want to bring it to the congregation.”

Faithful Central Bible Church First Lady Togetta Ulmer said she puts an emphasis on physical activity. She tells members to exercise at least 20 minutes a day and eat in moderation.  Ulmer said on May 20 she and Faithful Central members are going to bring workout mats to the church and instructors will teach them meditation, exercise, and healthy eating.

“Just because you are skinny doesn’t mean you are healthy,” Ulmer said.

Thompson, a co-chair of a first ladies health initiative in Los Angeles, organized a project on March 26, that focused on health professionals from various wellness groups on over 30 church campuses across Los Angeles. The vendors conducted vision screenings, HIV/AIDS screenings, dental checks and other health evaluations for church and community members.

“We just want to tie the spiritual and physical together,” she said. “These screening are free for those in the community.”

“The Historical” Weller Street Baptist Church First Lady Kera Tullos said one Sunday a special offering was held at her church to raise funds for breast cancer patient that needed to pay for a mammogram.

“I’m just trying to provide beneficial things to people,” the first lady said. “It means a lot because people’s lives matter.”

Since the Medicaid program (called “Medi-Cal” in California) expanded its eligibility criteria for enrollment under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) in 2014, more than 13 million low-income Californians have gained access to healthcare according to the California Budget & Policy Center.

Wortham-Sauls said access to healthcare is needed now more than ever in the Black community because African Americans historically not done what is needed to take care of themselves health-wise.

“So, now we need to get it correct,” she said. “Our struggle with diabetes and hypertension. We see people dropping dead on a regular basis. There is no reason to lose anybody if there is help out there.”

By Lou Coleman

Now you may be wondering just who am I talking to? Well I’m talking to you if you are defying God by being disobedient to His laws and commands. You uncircumcised Philistine! Child of Satan! Going around boasting, “It’s my prerogative … I don’t need permission… Make my own decisions. I can do what I wanna do…” [Lyrics – Bobby Brown]. You fool! Your life is in God’s hands and hangs by a thread of sovereign grace. Don’t get it twisted! Your life; a vapor that appears for a little time, and then vanishes away.” [James 4:14]. It is a sad day and clear evidence of the apostasy. Defying God!  What a shame!  God gave His only begotten Son to die for us miserable wretches… “Yet, we spit in His face by rejecting Him. “The God in whose hand thy breath is, and whose are all thy ways, hast thou not glorified.”[Daniel 5:23] You arrogant, vain, ungrateful and selfish Philistine. [Romans 1:21].

Why do you disobey God? Why do you openly defy God? Why do you show contempt in the face of His warnings? The short answer is sin and human weakness. Yet, you feel compelled to dig deeper. What are you thinking? Let me remind you that when God told Adam not to eat from the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and bad He also spelled out a penalty should they choose to disobey: death to the offender. You got that? Death to the offender! Think of what the creation of this simple rule must have meant for all of God’s heavenly sons. For it showed for the first time what God’s sentence would be for those who willingly chose to rebel against Him… returning to nonexistence. When Lucifer, your daddy, had so much as the thought of, “I will not serve,” he was immediately cast out of Heaven and into Hell. God is all-powerful and formed the universe with a thought [Jeremiah 32:17, 27; Genesis 1]. He is perfectly good and cannot sin nor lie [Psalm 32:19; Psalm 145:9; Titus 1:2]. Moreover, he can bring terrible destruction upon man with a word [Psalm 18:7-15; Lamentations 1:8, 9]. I tell you God cannot tolerate disobedience, and he has made this abundantly clear. God’s people suffered at the hands of the Edomites and God completely destroyed them [Obadiah]. God said that Egypt and their allies would suffer, and it happened [Ezekiel 30]. God said that Ammon would cease to exist as a nation and it came true [Ezekiel 25:1-7]. The Philistines suffered the wrath of God and ceased to exist [Ezekiel 15:15-17]. God promised, on more than one occasion, the destruction of Jerusalem as a result of Israel’s disobedience, and it always happened exactly as prophesied. I tell you we may not always clearly understand God’s laws, but out of humility, we should accept and follow them.  He is GOD! 

“But if it seems evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” [Joshua 24:15].

I remind you, “No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.” [Matthew 6:24].

“I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live.” [Deut. 30:19]

In recognition of Women’s History Month, Black PR Wire and Women Grow strong have teamed up to honor and recognize women who have made a profound impact in the lives of hundreds of people on a local, statewide, national and even global level. This special feature edition of Power Profiler takes a closer look into the lives of these incredible women and champions for change.  This week’s feature profiler is author, futurist, technology pioneer and speaker, Leesa Renee Hall.

Author of seven books, including the critically-acclaimed “Podcasting for Profit,” Leesa Renee Hall is a thought leader known for jump starting movements, such as an association for Blacks working in technology, an “unconference” for podcasters, and the very first multi-speaker virtual event focused on social media tactics. Leesa is also the owner of My Virtual Hive, a digital marketing agency.

Upon graduating with a liberal arts degree in history in 1997, there weren’t many job opportunities available. Leesa read that her options were teaching, law, or curation. Instead of pursuing those careers, Leesa pursued a Masters degree in history, while supplementing her income by freelancing for magazines. It was during that time her dream of publishing a magazine had been ignited. Two weeks after teaching herself HTML, Leesa launched her first website, an online magazine featuring Canadian female amateur athletes. She did not realize that teaching herself HTML would unlock a nearly two decade career in technology.

Leesa’s innate curiosity has afforded her the opportunity to gain success in her field. “I’m naturally curious,” she says. “This curiosity has helped me build a business by interviewing other experts. I ask questions, uncover their unique story, and then leverage these expert interviews into a variety of other formats, such as books, podcasts, and blog posts.”

Leesa also credits her success to “living on her tippy toes.” She makes decisions quickly and takes fast action. She admits in doing so, she has made a few mistakes and stepped on a few toes, but has since realized that it was in her nature to move quickly, make decisions fast, and implement rapidly. “My personal motto is, it’s better to have tried and failed, than not to have tried at all,” says Leesa.

What inspires Leesa to press on is how history records her actions. She wants to be an active participant in the stories told about her in the future. “One hundred years ago, a woman who looked like me was not allowed to read or write, says Leesa.” “Her voice is lost because history can only guess what she was thinking, feeling, or sensing. I owe it to my ancestors and to all who have gone before me to record my actions, my thoughts, and my feelings in as many different formats as possible.”

A native of Toronto, ON, Leesa Renee Hall is an author, futurist, technology pioneer, and speaker. She is known for her ability to spot tech trends, ignore fads, and galvanize people around an innovative idea to ignite growth and inspire change. Leesa’s tech tips have been featured in American Express OPEN, Globe & Mail, Choice, The Ottawa Citizen, Toronto Star, Profit, and Inc., along with television, radio and podcast appearances.

To connect with Leesa, and/or learn how to move fast on an innovative idea, visit leesareneehall.com/manifesto.

Jurupa Hills English teachers pose as venture capitalists as they listen to student groups pitch products they would like to have financed during the school’s inaugural “Sparta Tank” on March 14. Seventeen groups of Jurupa Hills sophomores created fictitious products to better understand the process real-life inventors go through when marketing a new product.

FONTANA, CA – Seventeen groups of Jurupa Hills High School sophomores recently pitched innovative products – from a Bluetooth-equipped backpack to jewelry that can detect if a drink has been spiked – during the school’s inaugural “Sparta Tank” competition, a classroom project modeled after the popular television program “Shark Tank.”

Facing a panel of Jurupa Hills English teachers posing as venture capitalists, students made formal presentations and answered questions, incorporating weeks of research and design that simulated the process real-life inventors go through when they are marketing a new product.

“Our students have big dreams and even bigger imaginations, but what they don’t realize is that there is a multitude of workplace documents that need to be attended to before you can ever approach an investor,” Jurupa Hills sophomore English teacher Wayland Peak said.

“’Sparta Tank’ is a fun way to make sense of the minutiae of business, while integrating technology, literacy and public speaking skills.”

In February, 500 10th-graders created fictitious products, researched and drafted business proposals – including a product description, budget, and brochure – to send to an existing company or individual. The proposals needed to identify consumer markets, distributors, the cost of manufacturing and the eventual selling price.

The finalists presented their projects on March 14, with winners announced the following day. The winning project was KC’s Closets, an app that helps arrange outfits for the day using the clothes already in a person’s closet. The fashion assistant app was created by students Kaitlyn Dodgen and Cheyenne Vargas.

Honorable mentions went to Ripe and Ready, a tool that helps indicate whether fruits and vegetables are ready to eat; Anxiety Ridden, an app to help deal with anxiety; Easy Peasy, a battery-operated portable vacuum, and Elotero Man, an app that helps you locate nearby food stands.

“The ideas were tremendous and wildly creative,” Jurupa Hills English teacher Galen Shotts said. “This started as an exercise to better engage our students in the techniques of writing professionally, but they really took it to a higher level.”

Joseph Morales and Vanessa Ramos, creators of Ripe and Ready, dressed in matching lavender and black outfits, promoting a tiny gauge with a brush that could be used to determine if supermarket produce is edible.

Morales and Ramos used a PowerPoint presentation to show a timeline of product growth over a year’s time, demonstrated how healthy fruits and vegetables can benefit an entire community, and how advantageous the company would be for the city where the manufacturing takes place.

“It was challenging to think of a product that is not already on the market,” Morales said. “Vanessa and I worked as a team and used our imaginations to come up with an idea that would promote healthy living. It was fun because we never back down from a challenge.”

Winning projects received gift cards from local businesses. Jurupa Hills math teachers have already indicated they would like to collaborate on the next “Sparta Tank” assignment.

“Jurupa Hills teachers are continually looking for exciting and effective ways to engage their students in standards-based curriculum, projects that employ critical thinking and collaborative learning,” Jurupa Hills Principal Lorraine Trollinger said. “We are committed to ensuring our students will be college and career ready upon graduation.”

By Lue Dowdy

Keeping your head in tack is WHAT IT DO! They say when you look GOOD, you feel GOOD! Checkout, Miss Bre the stylist!

Currently apart of the All-Star Barber and Beauty team located right here in the IE, my girl slays those baby hairs and edges. Just joking, but not really! Being in the hair businesses for over 15 years, she specializes in healthy hair care for all hair types’ men, women and children. She’s participated in hairs shows throughout Southern Californian showcasing her talent.

Ensuring that her skills stay sharp, Bre attends workshops and seminars that keep her in the loop on all the latest’s styles, colors, cuts, and products, but I can honestly say that Bre is more than a beautician or stylist. Sitting down in her chair is therapeutic. Not only is she concerned about your outer look, she’s also concerned about the inner you. Now with a stylist like that you’re winning.

So please, if you’re ever in need of hairdo contact my girl at (909) 495-0209. Mention this article and receive a 5 percent discount on your first visit.

Until next week catch me right back here ‘How bout that’. L’z!

All-Star Barber and Beauty Salon is located at 4096 N. Sierra Way in San Bernardino (92407).

LOS ANGELES, CA- On March 9, 2017, Style Week Los Angeles showcased Winter 2017 collections from fashion designer Malan Breton. The show took place at the Pacific Design Center in Los Angeles. 

(Photo credit: Kristina Dixon/11:One Visuals)

ONTARIO, CA- Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., Eta Nu Omega Chapter is proud to present its 2017 Debutante Candidates.  These eight “Nubian Pearls of Distinction” are all leaders in their schools and communities and represent the Inland Empire with grace, service and scholastic achievement.

Eta Nu Omega bi- annually sponsors a Debutante Cotillion program to provide opportunities to empower young women to be successful.  The process requires participation in workshops geared towards skill enhancement, confidence building and knowledge acquisition.

The Debutantes participate in service projects to develop their talents and skills by serving their communities and creating a real impact in the lives of others.  The Debutantes are also introduced to various enrichment activities by attending cultural events, college fairs, and by building lasting friendships with other young ladies.  The Debutante experience culminates with an elegant and memorable Debutante Cotillion Ball where the young ladies are introduced into society.

This year Eta Nu Omega is proud to present the following Nubian Pearls of Distinction: Miss Lauren Bennett is a junior at Vista Murrietta High School. Lauren is a student track athlete as well as a member of the student council.  Miss Kharizma Darden is a senior at Valley View High School where she plays basketball, and has received scholastic achievement and leadership awards.  Miss Celeste Gaynair is a senior at Sultana High School in Hesperia where she is on the Honor Roll and has been recognized by the National Honor Society for academic excellence.  Miss Ariella Houston of Redlands where she is a senior at Citrus Valley High School. Ariella is a Girl Scout Cadet and received the award of excellence from the Congress of Future Science and Technology Leaders.  Miss Kennedy Hutton is a senior at Oak Hills High School, in Oak Hills where she is a student leader and scholar.  Miss Genesis Jones is a senior at Victress Bower School in Norco where she has been student of the month and is a Kiwanis Award recipient.  Miss Amani Moxley is a junior at Valley View High School where she plays Varsity basketball and is in the AVID program.  Miss Jericka Roshell is a senior at Martin Luther King High School in Riverside where she has served as captain of the track, basketball, and cross country teams. 

Eta Nu Omega is the San Bernardino/Riverside Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., the first Greek Letter organization for college educated African American Women founded at Howard University in 1908.  For over 50 years, Eta Nu Omega has been engaged in service to the community through various programs geared to support families, foster academic success fir young people, and impact communities through service.  The Cotillion will be held on March 25, 2017 at the Doubletree Hotel in Ontario. 

By Lou Coleman

This message is a warning from God’s Word for everyone to repent of their sins and begin to live godly lives in the light of the scriptures and to begin to seek God with great intensity, honesty, sincerity and urgency.  We are living in the end times, facing war, world conflict and distress and are awaiting the second coming of Jesus in the Rapture. Jesus warned the final Church Age with these words, “And unto the angel of the church of the Laodicea’s write; These things saith the Amen, the Faithful and True Witness, the beginning of the creation of God; I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spew thee out of my mouth…..[Revelation 3:14-17].

Now you can deny the fact that Jesus is coming soon if you want too, but you can’t change the truth of it. Jesus is coming, and He is coming soon. And when He comes, it will be with “sudden destruction” [2Thessalonians]. He will come when people are saying “Peace and safety!”  I tell you this world is preparing itself for the fulfillment of God’s prophecies. The signs are everywhere…Only the spiritually blind will refuse to see what is as plain as day.  The Bible says, “If My people, which are called by My name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.” (2 Chronicles  7:14) I beg you, don’t take it lightly; your eternity is at stake. Jesus says, “Come now, and let us reason together: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool”. [Isaiah 1:18]. “Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteousness man his thoughts: and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon.” [Isaiah 55:7].

This is a call for you to believe the Bible. Jesus says that He is the only way of salvation, [John 14:6]. Jesus says that there is a Heaven to gain and a Hell to shun, [John 14:1-3; John 3:18]. Jesus coming again is a promise that is as sure as the sun coming up in the morning and setting in the evening. I don’t know where a message such as this finds you today. If you have never trusted Jesus as you Savior and you would like to be saved, I invite you to give your life to Him today and be saved. If you are saved, but the Lord has shown you that you are not ready for Him to return, there’s no better time than right now. If He has spoken to you on any level, don’t delay…. What will this “Day” mean for you, when the Lord comes “as a thief in the night”?  Will it be a day of destruction or a day of delight?  May God help you to understand—and to act.

“Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of the prophecy, and heed the things which are written in it; for the time is near,” [Revelation 1:3, see also 22:7].

“This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, that you and your descendants may live.” [Deuteronomy 30:19]

END TIME SIGNS … (Daniel 12:4) (Zechariah 12:3) (Matthew 13:25-30) (Matthew 24:6-14,24) (Luke 21:25-26). (1 Thessalonians 5:3) (1Timothy 4:3-4) (2 Timothy 3:1-5) (2 Timothy 4:4) (2 Peter 2:1-3) (2 Peter 3:3-6)

By Dr. Mildred Dalton Henry

Last week, while attending a Careers Day at Dr. Mildred Dalton Henry Elementary School in San Bernardino, I was asked by a young female probation officer, ”How did you get a school named after you?”  I replied, ”Good question because I, too, have wondered.”

Many individuals think I am too fervent  about Black History, however, I firmly believe that it was Black History that placed me in San Bernardino impacting hundreds of thousands of lives along my journey. Perhaps it is because those teachers in all-Black Merrill High School, Pine Bluff, Arkansas told me to learn the contents of ragged, used books brought to our school from across town and one day I would rise above the inequities and insults we had to endure in that segregated society. Henry Elementary School in San Bernardino has stacks of new books for the youthful scholars. They use brand new books to live up to their slogan, ”I am smart, I am intelligent, I am full of greatness.”

Perhaps it is because schools were closed for Black children four months of the school year in the rural areas, forcing parents to send their children to live ”in town” to get a nine months education. Great sacrifices had to be made and we learned how to survive.

Perhaps it is the work ethic ingrained in us as we toiled in the cotton fields realizing that one must work for everything one gets. Nothing was free.  Perhaps it is the realization that no man is an island, and we were taught to be our brother’s keeper. Perhaps it is because Booker T. Washington said “Put down your bucket where you are”, that I founded the PAL Center in San Bernardino to provide education and vocational training in the communities where the people reside. The PAL Center has operated continuously since 1985.

Perhaps it is because our predecessors toiled from sunup to sundown, and beyond, that Lawrence Hampton, Tammy Amis, and I worked numerous nights to rush a proposal to the dock of the post office to be postmarked just before the midnight deadline. Because of these efforts to obtain grants, thousands of individuals have benefited.

Perhaps it is because Sojourner Truth said, ”Ain’t I a woman?”, and demanded respect, that I was taught to sing James Weldon Johnson’s “Lift every voice and sing… Let us march on ‘til victory is won”.  We marched in Fontana when the Ku Klux Klan said we could not march and honor Dr. Martin Luther King.

Perhaps it is because we were taught to roll up our sleeves, get busy, and fulfill a need that exists. Hence, the PAL Center has not only provided high school diploma, GED, and English as a second language certificates, but also programs for youth training and employment, adult employment preparation, welfare reform training, homeless youth shelters, gang and drug intervention and prevention, childcare, college preparation programs, and numerous other community-based services. Roses to Alonzo Thompson, and numerous others who pioneered these community-based efforts.

As we celebrate women’s contributions to history, I salute Harriet Tubman, Ida B. Wells-Barnett, and other women who paved the way for me to contribute to history in San Bernardino.

As the first African-American to be Tenured, Full Professor, and Professor Emeritus in the College of Education, California State University San Bernardino, I stand on the shoulders of Dr. W.E. B. Du Bois, Dr. Mary MacLeod Bethune, my mother, Mrs. Alma  Dalton Gates, numerous other educators, and empowered individuals in various other fields of endeavor.

Roses to the Precinct Reporter, Black Voice, Westside Story, San Bernardino American News, San Bernardino SUN, and other newspapers and columnists who supported our efforts to harvest the Arkansas values from the California soil.

Why does a school carry my name?  I continue to ponder the blessing , and I am most grateful to those who had any part of giving me roses while I can smell them.