WSSN Stories

Lou Coleman

By Lou Coleman

To whom can we say we owe all that we are, all that we will ever be, all that we have and all that we will ever have? Nobody but Jesus!

We live our lives moment by moment. Those moments turn into days, weeks, months and years. We are blessed 1000 times over each and every moment of each and every day. The blessings of God surround us continuously. Underserving but God is merciful! One More Handful of Meal [1 Kings 17:8-16]. One More Blessing [Genesis 32:24] One More Chance at Canaan’s Land [Joshua 14:6-13] One More Chance at Salvation [Luke 23:39-43] One More Chance! One More Chance! I tell you “It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord…” [Psalm 92:1]

Let us be thankful for all the things God give us. Let us praise Him for our health, our families, and so on. Let us not take them for granted. For when all the physical blessings have faded and we can find no reason for praise in them, let us thank the Lord that there are some things that will never change! Understanding that it is in these things that we have an unchanging reason for eternal thanksgiving!

I encourage you to take time this week to give Thanksgiving to God for the multitude of blessings He has given you. Take time every day to be thankful. And no matter where you are in life, you have something that you can thank God for each and every day of your life. I tell you, “A Christian Thanksgiving is not just a day, but a way of life.”

Let us Pray: Father God, maker of the heavens and the earth, giver and sustainer of life, to you we offer praise and adoration. With hearts full of Thanksgiving we honor you. Lord, let us not take the life you’ve given us for granted. We thank you for the blessing of family and friends and for the loving care which surrounds us on every side. We are truly thankful that you have given us your Son Jesus, who died on the cross for our sins that we might have eternal life. Through Jesus Christ our King, we continually offer a sacrifice of praise — the fruit of our lips giving thanks. Amen.

From all of us here at Westside Story Newspaper, may God continue to bestow His blessings upon you and your family.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Sheryl Lee Ralph

By Angela M. Coggs

Most people do not know that December 1, 2016 will mark the 31st annual World Aids Day. Over thirty years ago, a mysterious illness invaded the country. Doctors could not find anything to prescribe for the mystery illness because nobody knew exactly what it was. The world soon discovered the silent assassin was called HIV/AIDS. Once given a name, people who had contracted the disease were ostracized by many. The disrespect and lack of compassion for those HIV/AIDS patients inspired some people to help find a cure. One of those people was veteran actress of stage and screen, Sheryl Lee Ralph.

Just as AIDS commenced to devastate the United States in 1981, Sheryl Lee Ralph starred in the original production of the Broadway smash hit musical, “Dreamgirls.” That time in her life would be formative, and it would turn Ralph into one of the world’s preeminent AIDS activists.

An HIV/AIDS activist for over 25 years, Ralph has been in the forefront of why it is important to know ones status. Her activism began while she was performing on Broadway. “I witnessed so many people who were sick be treated horribly and with distain. People were hurtful to those who needed help,” said Ralph. She has memories of the friends she lost during that time. People talk about the success of “Dreamgirls” but you never hear how “we lost one third of our company to AIDS. It was devastating.”

Although HIV/AIDS has not been a current topic in the news anymore, the recent status report last year about actor Charlie Sheen recently diagnosed with HIV has brought HIV/Aids back to the forefront of a national conversation. Though Sheen’s recent status may be the reason why people are talking about HIV/AIDS again, Ralph doesn’t mind at all.

“As long as information regarding HIV/AIDS is being talked about openly means that people are once again aware and engaged.”

The loss of friends and witnessing the mistreatment of those afflicted inspired Ralph to get involved and be a voice for those who could not fight for themselves. That experience is what was to become the beginning of the DIVA (Driving Infectious Viruses Away) Foundation. With the success of the foundation, the Broadway actress took her activism to the next level by starting the DIVA’s Simply Singing Fundraiser Event.

DIVA’s Simply Singing Fundraiser is the longest consecutively running musical AIDS benefit fundraiser in the county to date. Last year the event was kicked off on August 27, 2015 in Philadelphia at the Del. Over 5,000 people attended the event. “It was wonderful to see all the people come out and be receptive to the message we delivered,” said Ralph. They were open the information and it is needed out there. “The South is a hotspot and no one realizes it.”

The fundraising event continued on October 25, 2015 in Los Angeles. The show will feature performances by some of the most talented DIVAS in entertainment, including Loretta Devine, Jennifer Lewis, A’ngela Winbush, Meli’sa Morgan, Shanice, CeCe Peniston, Jordin Sparks, the Supreme Mary Wilson, and more. The audience of donors packed the Montalban and supported the worthy cause. Not only were they donating to a worthy cause, but they were also treated to a magical night of entertainment and song. The DIVA’s Foundation in conjunction with World AIDS Day utilizes star power to help raise money, awareness and erase stigma associated with patients who have contracted the disease.

Unfortunately, the DIVA’s Simply Singing Fundraiser has been canceled. The star of Broadway’s original Dreamgirls made her debut in this season’s run of Wicked, one of Broadway’s longest running and praised productions, as Madame Morrible on Tuesday. Most notably, Ralph is the first African-American actress to take on the classic role. Regarding her groundbreaking return to Broadway, Ralph stated, “It’s so nice to be in a show that’s living forever.”

Proceeds from past benefit concerts have benefited organizations like Project Angel Food, Caring for Babies with AIDS and the Black AIDS Institute among others.

One hundred percent of the proceeds from “DIVAS Simply Singing!” support The DIVA Foundation’s awareness and prevention programs. The DIVA Foundation is a 501c 3 not for profit organization.

In addition to the DIVA outreach in the United States, Ralph recently visited South Africa and met a group of young women who are the definition of D.I.V.A. However, the dialogue of AIDS is as prevalent as we may think. “I was surprised that although South Africa is a hotspot for AIDS, it is still not talked about. It’s still a quiet secret.” Plans are currently in the works to expand the foundations outreach internationally.

The message that the DIVA Foundation wants to get out on World’s AIDS Day was for everyone to know their HIV status, be aware, and to put themselves first. In conjunction with providing important resources, DIVAS took a step closer to raising awareness by partnering with OraQuick, the 1^st in-home rapid HIV test. It is a quick in-home that is easy to use. Understandably, some people do not get tested because they are afraid of needles and having their blood drawn. The OraQuick kit does not use needles but it uses a swab. The person swabs the inside of their cheek, places it in the receptacle, and twenty minutes later the person see the results. For those who may need to talk to someone regarding the results they received, OraQuick has a 24 hour technical/phone support counselors are available to answer question and address any concerns.

The counselors available via phone are only the first step. OraQuick and the DIVA Foundation maintain the importance contacting your regular doctor for any follow up as needed. Partnering with the DIVA’s Foundation, OraQuick goal is to provide 10,000 HIV test kits to people in underserved communities.

In 2015, Ralph was announced as the Event Ambassador for the Atlanta AIDS Walk. The invitation was a very welcomed surprise. “I was elated,” exclaimed Ralph. “The committee was aware of my years as a HIV/AIDS activist and they called me. I was honored to be chosen.” The 25th annual AIDS Walk Atlanta & 5K Run took place on Sunday; October 18th, 2015 raised more than $950,000.

Sheryl Lee Ralph is a force to be reckon with on the stage, film, television, and, most importantly, in the community. She is passionate about her work and she dedicated to spreading awareness to this, still, devastating virus. She pledges to work toward prevention until a cure can be found. Congratulations are surely in order for Sheryl Lee Ralph!

Kenton Clarke

By Kenton Clarke, founder CCA, DiversityBusiness, National Supplier Registration, Omnikal and Together We Are.

Our country, the greatest country on the planet, was created, nourished and developed from a spirit of freedom to build and maintain businesses. Professions, developed during the birth of America such as the farmer, miller, blacksmith and trader created the foundation of the economy across America. The deeply rooted belief of ‘opportunity’ in our country for men/women to develop and sustain businesses created the framework for business people to flourish from the onset of our republic. Capitalism and entrepreneurship are what makes America great and continues to create the opportunity to allow anything (from a one-person business to a global conglomerate) to operate and enjoy the benefits and rewards of risk taking.

While the distribution of significant wealth in the United States continues to hover (around 1% of the population possessing 40% of the wealth), the only way for anyone to get a bigger piece of the pie is to create their own recipe and bake their own pie.

Now before I talk about the journey of getting to the pie, I want to clear up some misconceptions about the 1%. Often, the 1% are generally ridiculed as being “unfair” for possessing that large proportion of wealth. No one will ever give credit to the millions of jobs and opportunities created by the 1% nor understand the real distribution of income and wealth.

When someone points to a lady driving her Lexus and says, “Gee, the cost of that car could have fed a lot of people”; they have no idea of the circular economic impact that has resulted from that purchase. From the jobs created as a result of building that car (from the materials used, the production, marketing, to the distribution and sales channels). The taxes paid (support the functioning of both local and federal government) and so forth. It’s huge and the supply chain impacts are wide and deep (circular economy) and most importantly…sustainable.

As you can see, there are many opportunities from the “piece of the pie” that are generated from the 1%. It is up to the the 99% to capitalize on these opportunities by “baking their own pies.”

With more “pies,” we will see the distribution of wealth continue to flow succinctly. In a land of opportunity and freedom, it is up to us as individuals to hone in on our gifts and passions and pursue them. So how can we encourage the message of entrepreneurship and wealth creation to the 99% throughout our communities and nation?

It is our strong belief that building communities and creating wealth are highly possible and should be encouraged by government, education and other business people. Through community programs, support systems, promotions and mentorship, each of these aspects can play a tremendous role in drawing out the talents that are at the very heart and foundation of entrepreneurship. “Together We Are” the strongest force to create economic opportunity for all people by encouraging entrepreneurship.

We see landscaping companies are launched by a love of the outdoors, and a cleaning business is created allowing a mom flexibility and income. It is these examples of homegrown entrepreneurship that need our support. Each and every job in America provides the opportunity to learn a skill, a business model and to understand a market. The purchase of a paint brush and ladder combined with a little sweat equity can create a foundation of wealth for a hardworking early entrepreneur. No one said it’s going to be easy.

It is our belief that everyone, no matter what your profession, can create his or her own chance to move the needle of wealth distribution. You can’t legislate wealth or tax someone into becoming poor. It’s time we celebrate success in America and encourage our business leaders to keep moving forward. As the simple model of revenue illustrates, the top 1% of our wealth population would have more if everyone else had more.

Access to capital and the never ending excuse of the lack there of is a long standing tired excuse and can be misleading. Success in business is not something that should be handicapped by receiving startup or operational funding. A true entrepreneur will bootstrap him or herself into financial success by growing as revenues and profits allow. Too many ‘would-be’ business owners have been influenced by the venture capitalists and all the hype. The facts are that capital funding has always been an insignificant driver to business startups and growth. You have to build your business one step at a time and be willing to invest your own money the old fashioned way.

Risk remains the dominant reason so few people execute their dreams. Many great ideas never materialize for the simple reason of not marching forward. You have to get off the line and enter the field to perform your dream. Having a kick ass fanfare always sets the stage and creates expectations for what’s to come. If your product or service can resonate with your audience and eventual marketplace, you simply need to execute with skills, planning and passion. With those three components of skill, a plan and your own passion, you will know when it’s time to move forward and step onto the field.

 Just as a musician knows, it’s not how high a note you can hit but rather your ability to sustain the note with clarity, pitch and power. In the same vein, a successful business owner must be in tune with their product, employees and customers. Entrepreneurship is an art that takes one on a journey. It should never be confused with making a quick fortune on a great idea or product. It has everything to do with creating something for a marketplace that may or may not exist, having a clear vision of your “why” and the ability to remain relevant and profitable.

Entrepreneurship is not for everyone and that’s okay. The resilience and ability to sustain your business through tough periods is no joke and not for the light hearted. Being responsible for all the pieces, moving parts and most importantly many people’s livelihood requires superhero characteristics most of the time. So my hat is off to Ford, Gates, Jobs, Zuckerberg, Steward, Castillo, Reddy and an endless list of kick ass entrepreneurs.

Fundamentally at Omnikal, our entire program is designed to win the show. Each and every aspect of our philosophy on entrepreneurship is included and crafted into our digital process. Omnikal technology solutions allow a business owner to connect, research, source, and network to develop the connections to take your company to the next level.

Never loose sight of the fact that a company like Amazon was only able to build an amazing business because of the platforms and infrastructure that others built. With a transportation system, credit card processing and many other processes in place they were able to create their solutions on top of these systems. Omnikal provides a system to entrepreneurs to build their businesses on in the 21st century.

A business plan will never make anyone an entrepreneur. Creativity and innovative ideas will not either. Resiliency and a deep passion to win are the key ingredients …………….. Blood, Sweat and Tears are a given!

At Omnikal our plan is simple: We believe in America and building wealth for all people and communities through business ownership. We solve the problem of making business connections. We’ve built a platform that makes this simple, easy and affordable for all size of businesses. 

Roxanne Williams has lived in San Bernardino for several years. In that time, she has made many friends and allies who have become advocates for the struggling city that four decades ago was bestowed with the All-America City award.

One of the most vocal and visible supporters of San Bernardino was John Henry Griffin.

“He loved his city and especially his neighborhood, Delmann Heights,” said Williams, a Parks, Recreation and Community Services commissioner, of Griffin and his friend and fellow San Bernardino supporter, Tyrone Jones.

Griffin’s passion for his city and neighborhood prompted San Bernardino City Councilwoman Bessine L. Richard to appoint the 69-year-old as a parks commissioner overlooking the city’s Sixth Ward, his beloved Delmann Heights and the Westside.

Griffin had a lot of plans for the area, especially Delmann Park, but on Nov. 9, Griffin was killed in his home in the 1800 block of Darby Street. Reports indicate he was shot in the back of the head.

“I read about the death in The San Bernardino Sun, about the murder and death of my friend, and I yelled, ‘Oh my God, they killed John Griffin!’?” said Williams, pausing when her voiced cracked over the pain of losing not only a fellow commissioner but a friend.

“All these murders in San Bernardino, we have to stop this,” Williams said. “It’s outrageous and discouraging to me that someone so respected in the community who had a relationship with the police, with the community, with everyone, could die in this way.”

Griffin, a father and grandfather, was so committed to the city, he would reach into his own pocket to keep the Delmann Heights Community Center open if there were not enough city funds.

“He was instrumental in keeping that community center open because he wanted a safe place for the children,” Richard said. “Everything he did was for the young people. So the young people could be safe. This was a great, great loss to the community. Especially the Westside. He was someone who protected it.”

A former Black Panther Party associate and someone who was interested in civil rights issues through the 1960s, Griffin rallied residents of the Westside to stand up for their communities and to work with the police to create better lives for themselves and especially the next generation, Williams said.

“I knew John and interacted with him frequently,” said San Bernardino Police Chief Jarrod Burguan. “He was well-known in the community and had a passion for his neighborhood. I know a lot of people are hurting because of his death. My thoughts and prayers are with them.”

Although San Bernardino police investigators made an arrest in his slaying, many questions linger, especially why.

“Did they know who he was to this community?” asked Richard. “This is a devastating loss.”

GRIFFIN AND JONES AS WESTSIDE PROTECTORS

For decades, the Westside had two staunch defenders in longtime friends Jones and Griffin.

The men, who had known each other since the late 1960s — and at one point had been affiliated with the Black Panther Party in the early 1970s — founded the Westside Nubians, a grassroots kind of neighborhood watch that helped steer children away from a life of gangs and drugs. The group attempted to calm violence as well as tension between residents and law enforcement.

“They were on the front lines of our community,” said former Councilman Rikke Van Johnson. “They were trying to do all they could to keep harm away from the community. (Griffin) and his friend, Tyrone, were caretakers of the community.”

Johnson remembers Griffin at various city meetings asking for funding for the community center and park. He also recalled how Griffin and Jones both rallied residents to participate in cleanups and neighborhood improvements.

Griffin, carrying on the legacy and wishes of his friend, continued with the Westside Nubians, attending City Council meetings and fighting for his Westside neighbors.

His candor and passion caught the eye of Richard, who earlier this year appointed Griffin to the Parks, Recreation and Community Services Department.

“He said, ‘Girl, I’m ready,’?” recalled Richard. “He knew the residents, they needed the park, they needed a place to go and a safe haven. Being on the board was a way he could see that the Delmann Heights Community Center stayed open and remained a safe haven for the kids in his neighborhood.”

The loss of Griffin has left a vacuum in the community that Williams feels will be hard to fill.

“But we need to keep their vision going,” she said. “We can’t go back.”

The funeral for Griffin is scheduled for 11 a.m. Nov. 29 at Temple Missionary Baptist Church, 1583 W. Union St.

Tina Knowles-Lawson and Essence joined forces with Solange Knowles and Kelly Rowland, with support from Beyoncé and BeyGOOD, to host Love on Louisiana: An Essence Hometown Heroes Tribute celebrating the resilience of the Baton Rouge community on Sunday, November 20, and the Raising Cane’s River Center in Baton Rouge, LA.

The holiday dinner and awards ceremony honored five standout students and teachers for their commitment to serving and rebuilding their communities. Essence President Michelle Ebanks, Editor-in-Chief Vanessa De Luca, Knowles-Lawson, Knowles and Rowland gave remarks, along with Baton Rouge Mayor Kip Holden who declared November 20th ‘Love On Louisiana Day.’

In addition to the award recognition, NIKE Jordan footwear and holiday turkeys were distributed to 800 students, teachers and families who are still largely affected by the severe flooding, courtesy of NIKE’s Brand Jordan and GUCCI.

With support from the City of Baton Rouge and the State of Louisiana, the event also served as a call to action to raise $1 million to help families recover in the wake of this summer’s catastrophic flooding, which produced 7 trillion gallons of water—three times the rainfall total of Hurricane Katrina.

Other event sponsors and partners included Habitat for Humanity of Greater Baton Rouge, BeyGOOD, Sam’s Club, Project 70805 and AmeriGroup.

Gwen Ifill, The co-anchor of PBS NewsHour with Judy Woodruff has died at the age of 61. The award-winning veteran journalist, who moderated two vice presidential debates in 2004 and 2008, died of endometrial cancer and apparently did not tell others about her illness.

Sara Just, the executive producer of PBS NewsHour and WETA SVP, released a statement saying: “Gwen was a standard bearer for courage, fairness and integrity in an industry going through seismic change. She was a mentor to so many across the industry and her professionalism was respected across the political spectrum. She was a journalist’s journalist and set an example for all around her.”

She continued, “So many people in the audience felt that they knew and adored her. She had a tremendous combination of warmth and authority. She was stopped on the street routinely by people who just wanted to give her a hug and considered her a friend after years of seeing her on TV. We will forever miss her terribly.”

Gwen was a former reporter for both the New York Times and the Washington Post. She switched to television in the 1990’s and covered politics and Congress for NBC News. In 1999, she moved to PBS as host of Washington Week, which later led to her becoming the co-host ofNewHour.

In 2009, she also authored a book entitled, The Breakthrough: Politics and Race in the Age of Obama.

She will be remembered as a pioneer for women and for African Americans in journalism, becoming the first African American woman to host a major political talk show.

Watch one of her last interviews (with President Obama):

President-elect Donald Trump has already revealed his plan of action for his first 100 days in the White House. His plan, which he mentioned during a speech last month in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, outlines three main areas of focus: cleaning up Washington, including by imposing term limits on Congress; protecting American workers; and restoring rule of law.

He also revealed his plan for working with Congress to introduce 10 pieces of legislation that would repeal Obamacare, to fund the construction of a wall at the Mexican border, to encourage infrastructure investment, to rebuild military bases, and to promote school choice.

He calls his plan “Donald Trump’s Contract With The American Voter,” and here’s specifically what he said during his speech:

On the first day of my term of office, my administration will immediately pursue the following six measures to clean up the corruption and special interest collusion in Washington, DC:

* FIRST, propose a Constitutional Amendment to impose term limits on all members of Congress;

* SECOND, a hiring freeze on all federal employees to reduce federal workforce through attrition (exempting military, public safety, and public health);

* THIRD, a requirement that for every new federal regulation, two existing regulations must be eliminated;

* FOURTH, a 5 year-ban on White House and Congressional officials becoming lobbyists after they leave government service;

* FIFTH, a lifetime ban on White House officials lobbying on behalf of a foreign government;

* SIXTH, a complete ban on foreign lobbyists raising money for American elections.

On the same day, I will begin taking the following 7 actions to protect American workers:

* FIRST, I will announce my intention to renegotiate NAFTA or withdraw from the deal under Article 2205

* SECOND, I will announce our withdrawal from the Trans-Pacific Partnership

* THIRD, I will direct my Secretary of the Treasury to label China a currency manipulator

* FOURTH, I will direct the Secretary of Commerce and U.S. Trade Representative to identify all foreign trading abuses that unfairly impact American workers and direct them to use every tool under American and international law to end those abuses immediately

* FIFTH, I will lift the restrictions on the production of $50 trillion dollars’ worth of job-producing American energy reserves, including shale, oil, natural gas and clean coal.

* SIXTH, lift the Obama-Clinton roadblocks and allow vital energy infrastructure projects, like the Keystone Pipeline, to move forward

* SEVENTH, cancel billions in payments to U.N. climate change programs and use the money to fix America’s water and environmental infrastructure

Additionally, on the first day, I will take the following five actions to restore security and the constitutional rule of law:

* FIRST, cancel every unconstitutional executive action, memorandum and order issued by President Obama

* SECOND, begin the process of selecting a replacement for Justice Scalia from one of the 20 judges on my list, who will uphold and defend the Constitution of the United States

* THIRD, cancel all federal funding to Sanctuary Cities

* FOURTH, begin removing the more than 2 million criminal illegal immigrants from the country and cancel visas to foreign countries that won’t take them back

* FIFTH, suspend immigration from terror-prone regions where vetting cannot safely occur. All vetting of people coming into our country will be considered extreme vetting.

To view the full transcript, visit www.npr.org/2016/11/09/501451368/here-is-what-donald-trump-wants-to-do-in-his-first-100-days

Or watch the video below:

Lexington, KY—University Press of Kentucky author Bernard LaFayette Jr., whose memoir In Peace and Freedom: My Journey in Selma was released in paperback earlier this year, has been awarded the 2016 Mahatma Gandhi International Award for Reconciliation and Peace. He is also co-editor of The Chicago Freedom Movement: Martin Luther King Jr. and Civil Rights Activism in the North. The award is presented by theGandhi Development Trust. The GDT was founded in 2002 by Ela Gandhi, the social activist granddaughter of Mahatma Gandhi. The Gandhi Development Trust’s mission is to promote a culture of peace, justice, non-violence, and ubuntu (human kindness); promoting Gandhian values of ahisma (non-violence), self-sufficiency, love, sarvodaya (good of all), compassion, and universality in order to reach their core vision of a peaceful, just, and non-violent world.

The Mahatma Gandhi International Award for Reconciliation and Peace was established in 2003 to honor people who have surmounted religious and ethnic obstacles to promote democracy, peace, and justice through non-violent measures. GDT believes that the award should not merely be seen as an annual event, but rather a catalyst for initiating non-violence, ubuntu, and nation building under the influence of non-violent leaders. LaFayette was chosen as this year’s winner in recognition of his outstanding work towards the promotion of peace, reconciliation, and justice both locally and internationally in his capacity as a civil rights activist.

LaFayette’s memoir, In Peace and Freedom, recounts that career as an activist. He was a cofounder of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC), a leader in the Nashville lunch counter sit-ins, a Freedom Rider, an associate of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC), and the national coordinator of the Poor People’s Campaign. At the age of twenty-two, he assumed the directorship of the Alabama Voter Registration Project in Selma—a city that had previously been removed from the organization’s list due to the dangers of operating there.

LaFayette was one of the primary organizers of the 1965 Selma voting rights movement and the Selma-to-Montgomery marches, and his memoir, written with Kathryn Lee Johnson, shares the inspiring story of his struggles there. When he arrived in 1963, Selma was a small, quiet, rural town. By 1965, it had made its mark in history and was nationally recognized as a battleground in the fight for racial equality and the site of one of the most important victories for social change in our nation.

The award was presented on November 7, 2016, in Durban, South Africa.

Dianna “Dee” Dela Cruz

By Lue Dowdy

The Queen of L.P. SEXY BBW Model – Dianna “Dee” Dela Cruz is WHAT IT DO! This Plus Size model has the coldest walk ever! She slay’s the audience and the runway every time.

She was born on December 27 in the Philippines as a little girl she always wanted to be a Nurse and a Fashion Model. Now doing both this DIVA is making a name for herself. Raised in Orange County, Dee recently moved to San Bernardino. Yep the IE! Graduating from Rancho Alamitos High school in Garden Grove, CA and receiving her AA degree in Nursing from Pacific College in 2006, she became a Licensed Vocational Nurse. Soon she will be taking classes to be a Physician Assistant Certified at Western University of Health Sciences. Can you say Brains & Beauty!

It was a struggle starting off her modeling career. Her busy schedule from nursing and taking care of her mom and dad financially really took a toll on her. Being turned away and told that she was ugly, short, and fat by so many agencies did not stop this beauty. Her dedication and determination to make it as a plus size model made her STRONG. Discovered by Timmy T of Fashion Overdose as a print model in 2006 to 2009 her modeling career began to take flight.

“I will work on helping young women out there to love and accept themselves and love every curve they have,” she stated.

She continues, “And I have a big heart from young girls and women who are being or got bullied because I was bullied when I was a young girl and being a young woman because of my weight.”

LUE Productions is happy and honored to have her as our 1st B.B.W. Queen. Dee is available for booking. The next time you need a host, speaker, or a diva to rock your runway please hit us up at (909) 567-1000 or email Lue.info@yahoo.com. Love the skin that you’re in BIG or SMALL! Until next week L’zzz!

More about DEE DELA CRUZ:

• Model for Plush cat Club and Big on Batik 2008 to 2010 2013 Rock your curvy style model (1st Asian Plus size Runway Model)
• 2014 Model for Dede Allure ( 1st Asian Plus Size Runway Model)
• 2014 1st Asian Plus Size Runway Model to walk for LAstyle fasion Week ( 1st plus size models to walk that runaway ever) we made history!
• 2014 Walk for New York Fashion Week
• 2nd Runner for Miss Plus Top Model 2015 Competition.
• Ms. Anaheim Plus America 2015. She helped out with low income senior for free nurse wellness checkup, and assisted with Children’s Hospital of Orange County & Los Angeles Children’s Hospital.
• 2015 signed to Maverick Artist Agency for Fit Modeling!
• 3rd Runner up for Ms. California Plus America 2015!
• Miss Congeniality – Plus America 2015!
• Miss Rock your Curve 2016!
• 2016 Lue Productions 1st Big Beautiful Woman Queen!
• 2016 guest speaker for young women empowerment For Diabetes Awareness and got awarded by City of San Bernardino, Mayor, Congressman, State Assembly and Senate!

By Lou Coleman

He will ensnare you and destroy your soul [1Peter 5:8] Make no mistake about it! The Devil does not want you to sell out to God. He wants you to sell out to him. And he will give you every reason in the world to justify the things he wants you to do. Then when you have followed him and are out of God’s will and in trouble, he will discard you like a piece of trash and leave you to rot in your sins! He will chew you up and spit you out! You better know that you know! You see [2 Corinthians 2:11] tells us that Satan desires to gain an “advantage” over us and to do this he will use every trick in the book to get us to follow him into failure. Be careful! For [1 Peter 5:8] tells us that the devil wants us. He wants our family. He wants our testimony. He wants our church. If you have it and it’s from the Lord, he wants it, and to get it, he will do anything! “Don’t Compromise with the Devil!” If you do he will get you into such a shape that the Lord cannot bless and use you at all! If you don’t believe me just read about David, the sweet singer of Israel, the man after God’s own heart, what the devil can do to your life. You follow the devil and you, like David might find yourself in a place of prayer begging God just to restore the joy of your heart and life [Psalms. 51:12].

I tell you I wonder: Just what did the devil tell David to get him to sleep with Bathsheba? Just what did the devil tell Cain to get him to kill Abel? Just what did the devil tell Judas to get him to betray Jesus? I wonder: just what has the devil told you? Because sadly, there are many in the church today that live a compromised life. Being too friendly with the enemy! You cannot walk with God and hold hands with the Devil. You better read the story of Lot. Lot started out with Abram and like him enjoyed the blessings of God, but, he exchanged what Abram could offer for what the world could offer and in the end he lost out! You know Jesus said in [Matthew 6:24] 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. I wonder: Which direction is your tent pitched – toward Bethel [God’s house] or towards Sodom [The world]?

I tell you it is crucial that you take the steps that are necessary to defeat the devil and walk in victory. You do not have to roll over and play dead while the devil molds you to his will. You need to be like Jesus, who when He was tempted turned to the Word of God and confronted Satan with the truth of the Book and caused the devil to have to flee from His presence. General Rule: “Do Not Give the Devil a Foothold” [Ephesians 4:26-27] To Hell with Satan!