By Manny Otiko | California Black Media 

(EMPIRE NEWS NETWORK (ENN)— The California Senate has approved an almost $200 billion budget which set asides money for several issues that progressive groups deem important such as education, homelessness and transportation. The budget also approves $300 million for schools to boost the academic performance of underachieving students.

This was an issue that black voters and legislators had lobbied for. However, it is a compromise with Assemblywoman Shirley Weber (D-San Diego) who had requested ongoing funding for this project. The $300 million is a one-time funding allocation.

“We cannot look the other way anymore. African-American kids in California persistently fall behind academically,” said Weber when she was lobbying for the funding.  “And this problem is not limited to low-income students either. Parents have been patiently waiting for something to change, but it has not. Providing additional resources for the lowest-performing students is now no longer an option, but a necessity.” Other takeaways from the budget include:

• K-14 education received $78.4 billion in Proposition 56 funding.
• Higher education also received a share of the budget. The University of California system received an additional $210 million, while the California State University System received an additional $260 million. 
• $15.9 billion was set aside to protect against an economic downturn.
• $500 million has been allocated for emergency aid to deal with the homelessness crisis
• The budget allocated $5 billion in Proposition 1 transportation funds to repair and maintain highways.

State Sen. Holly Mitchell (D-Los Angeles) was pleased with the areas the budget addressed. “With this budget, we continue our efforts to strengthen the state’s commitment to human infrastructure, with much needed additional resources for childcare, targeted resources for higher education and financial aid, additional funds for the courts and diversion and rehabilitative services, and significant ongoing increases to K-14 education,” she said.  In a Facebook post-Mitchell wrote,

“Happiness is: (1) when the budget bill has your name on it (2) includes major investments for California’s children and (3) it’s done!”

Assembly Budget Committee Member Melissa Melendez (R-Lake Elsinore) criticized the budget, which was passed by a Democratic majority. Shequestioned if taxpayers were getting their money’s worth. 

“California has the highest poverty rate in the nation, is ranked lowest for quality of life out of all 50 states and has become so unaffordable that one million more residents have left the state than have moved here in the last decade,” said Melendez. “At some point, you have to wonder what taxpayers have gotten for the money they send to government. It doesn’t appear to be much.” 

She added the budget didn’t address pressing issues such as rental costs and rising utility bills.  

(EMPIRE NEWS NETWORK (ENN)- RIVERSIDE, CA- A four-year cancer survivor who works to help reduce the mortality rate among African-American breast cancer patients in Inland Southern California was named one of the nation’s top “40 Under 40 in Cancer” this month.

Kamesha Miles, 34, of Riverside, was honored at a cocktail reception on Saturday, June 2 in Chicago designed to celebrate the contributions of 40 people under the age of 40 who are working to improve the lives of those affected by cancer. She started as a volunteer for Susan G. Komen Inland Empire, which serves all of Riverside and San Bernardino counties, and was hired three years ago.

Miles serves as Mission Program Coordinator for the affiliate and has been instrumental in leading an initiative called Circle of Promise that focuses on cultural breast health disparities among African-American women and helps women overcome those disparities through education, awareness and preventative care in pursuit of health equity. 

“It’s such an honor to be nominated and selected for this award,” Miles said. “Empowering people and advocating on behalf of breast health in San Bernardino and Riverside counties has been both rewarding and eye-opening as a mission coordinator and survivor.”

Nominations for the 40 Under 40 in Cancer award came from across the country and represented the following categories: clinical and patient care; biopharma, diagnostics and devices; research, science and technology; government, regulatory and payer; and patient, advocacy and policy. Members of the 2018 inaugural class were selected by a panel of judges. 

Miles holds the Oncology Patient Navigator–Certified Generalist Certification” (OPN-CG), working with an oncology nurse navigator to help women access community resources. Miles was nominated by fellow breast cancer survivor Deborah Lefkowitz, a doctoral student at UC Irvine; Michelle Melancon, the oncology nurse navigator at Dignity Health St. Bernardine in San Bernardino; and Gwendolyn Limon, the physician relations liaison for City of Hope.

The award was created by McGivney Global Advisors, an expert consulting firm for biopharma companies, and The Lynx Group, a global strategic alliance of medical communications and education companies.

“Early-career leaders in oncology — clinicians, researchers, business people, advocates — are making an enormous impact on patients and the cancer community, but many of these individuals have not had the opportunity to be widely recognized,” says McGivney Global Advisors partner and cancer survivor Jennifer Hinkel. “’40 under 40 in Cancer’ is an effort to highlight the contributions of these rising stars.”

“These individuals are tomorrow’s driving force in innovation,” said Brian Tyburski, president and chief executive officer of The Lynx Group. “Their achievements are crucial, well deserved, and should be applauded by all.” 

More information about the award, nomination process and the “40 Under 40 in Cancer” awards ceremony and recipients can be found at 40under40incancer.com. 

Follow the Susan G. Komen Inland Empire affiliate on Facebook Susan G. Komen Inland Empire and or Twitter. 

(EMPIRE NEWS NETWORK (ENN)—SAN BERNARDINO, CA—On Saturday, June 16, women of the Social Lites, Inc., were in the community at the San Bernardino Juneteenth Annual Festival held at Anne Shirrells Park to promote and educate the community on Healthy Living.  The weather was beautiful, and it was a pleasure to see the community come together for a wonderful event.  There was music, dancing, food and several other vendors. 

The Social Lites Scholarship Foundation is a 501© 3 non-profit organization that has provided services to the local community for the Inland Empire since 1956. Efforts are to perform community service and encourage and support college bound youths as they succeed in college, with the hopes of paying it forward in their communities as professionals and entrepreneurs. 

Tina Darling, Chair of the Healthy Living Social Lites, Inc. sub-committee stated, “The Social Lites Scholarship Foundation is promoting healthy living because our bodies are the temple that God has granted us. Our bodies need nutrients by eating a variety of nutrient-packed foods such as whole grains, lean protein, fruits and vegetables for the soul.”  

We look forward to next year!

Lou Coleman-Yeboah

By Lou Coleman-Yeboah

(EMPIRE NEWS NETWORK (ENN)- “…These things says the Amen, the Faithful and True Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God: I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth.” [Revelation 3:14-17]. Imagine that!

And you call yourself a “Christian” but you play with “Sin” like a cat plays with a mouse. You go through life “Claiming” Christianity but living like the Devil. You “Toy” with God, not considering that your life is even a vapor that appears for a little time, and then vanishes away. Where you should have prayed you played; when you should have worshiped you transgressed – sinned with your eyes wide open.  Your actions make Jesus sick! So much so that He wants to vomit you out of His mouth.

I tell you living a lukewarm life is a very dangerous situation.  Playing games with God is a very dangerous situation. Living in and out of Sin is a very dangerous situation. Toying with other people’s salvation to justify your own rotten filthiness is a very dangerous situation. If I were you I wouldn’t play games with the God of my Salvation! I wouldn’t play games with Sin! Because God’s Law of Harvest cannot be broken,and one cannot neglect God’s law without consequences [Hebrew. 2: 2-3]. You cannot serve both God and riches.” [Matthew 6:24].  You cannot live a double life and have a fulfilling spiritual life.  Period!

The consequence of suppressing the truth is that God gives the sinner over to “The Sinful Desires of Their Hearts,” “Shameful Lusts” and “A Depraved Mind” [Romans 1:24, 26, 28]. And I tell you, it is a fearful thing to be “Given Over” to your own destructive ways. God has made it clear that “The Soul Who Sins Will Die” [Ezekiel 18:4].  What shall you do?’” The answer, simple yet profound: “Repent you Hypocrite!

“He, who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the Churches.”

By Manny Otiko | California Black Media 

(EMPIRE NEWS NETWORK (ENN)— State Sen. Steven Bradford (D-Gardena) had harsh words for law enforcement officials during a California State Senate’s Committee on Public Safety hearing. Bradford lashed out at law enforcement officials during a discussion on Senate Bill 1421 authored by Nancy Skinner, a bay area representative, requires police agencies to open their records during officer misconduct cases.

Bradford made a pointed remark about the makeup of law enforcement organizations. During public testimony, supporters of the bill shared their support for the bill and their stories, including the uncle of Oscar Grant (who was shot in the back in the San Francisco area,). 

However, Bradford noticed that all the victims of police violence were black and brown and all the people representing police organizations where white.  He said, “Why doesn’t law enforcement fear for their lives when they’re approaching white men?” 

Bradford added that since he had been in the state legislature, he had never seen a person of color representing a law enforcement organization. 

“This speaks volumes to the mindset,” said Bradford. 

Law enforcement organizations have not been in full support of SB 1421,  although they gave public testimony, they said they are looking for common ground on the bill. 

According to a report by the California Secretary of State, the Los Angeles Police Protective League, a police union, has recently contracted with African American. 

Lobbyist Darryl Lucien. Lucien previously served as Chief of Staff to former Assemblymember Sebastian Ridley-Thomas (D-Los Angeles), and previously 

served as policy director to the current California Legislative Black Caucus Chair,  Assemblymember Chris Holden (D-Pasadena).  However, Los Angeles area legislator Sen. Holly Mitchell, said “You’re not going to be able to lobby your way out if it.”

The bill passed out of the Senate and will now be heard in the Assembly.

 (EMPIRE NEWS NETWORK (ENN)— LOS ANGELES, CA— When women bring their ideas together to the forefront, they are a force to be reckoned with.

Executive producer and director, Idalis DeLeon partnered with author, producer and playwright T’ana Phelice to re-adapt The Diamond Monologues into a stage-worthy play with careful reconstructing of the work, into a five-character, eighty-minute poetic play set to a hip-hop theme. After a year, Diamonds in the Waiting Room is finally completed and will showcase on Thursday, June 21 and June 28 at the ACME Theater in Hollywood, California. 

Award winning R&B producer Dre Knight serves as musical director along with Jasmine Jackson-Brown and T’ana Phelice as co-lyricists and vocal direction. 

“After putting on the show four times, I was excited to have Idalis come on as executive producer, director and an additional playwright,” Phelice stated.

The former MTV VJ, hopes that producing, directing and co-writing the work will highlight emerging playwright, Phelice’s, authentic voice into theatrical classic. Previous productions ran in small theaters in Arizona, Ontario and Los Angeles with sold out returns.

The Diamond Monologueswas launched from the 2012 release of Phelice’s first book Jaded Diamonds, as well as the release of her second book in 2015, Pigs and Pearls. Both books are from the author’s Jaded Diamond Collection.

The production has been revamped, restructured and renamed, “It’s a completely new play,” De Leon explains. “The characters are the same, but the play structure and content have been revamped for better access to the poetic plight of each character. I think people will be blown away by her work, and I am proud to be a big part of this rebirth.”

Actresses such as Pagion Walker (106 & Park), Ambyr McWilliams, Summer Keiona (Bodies in Ruins), and newcomer Janee Kristina exemplify the characters and bring an authentic, yet credible element to the piece.

“We were really lucky with this cast. As soon as they walked in we all knew before even discussing it,” De Leon revealed.

Phelice also composed the opening number which includes a Lauryn Hill inspired rap and R&B melody set to a hip-hop track. This also marks De Leon’s directorial debut and in a climate of the #MeToo movement, directing a play that displays women’s empowerment might just be the ticket for this actress, writer and director. We’ll see if the theater elites feel the same way later this month.

Attendees will be in for a treat as they experience a gritty, but stimulating tale of love, justice and redemption.

Tickets can be purchased at Eventbrite.com. The ACME Comedy Theater is located at 135 N La Brea Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90036. Doors open at 7:30 p.m.

(EMPIRE NEWS NETWORK (ENN)— If you don’t know the name Alberto Marzan, you will in the very near future.  A visionary and innovative entrepreneur, Marzan’s latest transformative venture, AfroLife.TV, the world’s first streaming service with content curated for people of color, launches on Thursday, June 14, 2018. 

The genesis for this revolutionary platform began innocuously.  When Marzan’s family immigrated to the US from the Dominican Republic, they settled in Davie, FL, where it was not uncommon to see KKK members riding horses down the street.  His refuge from the outside world was watching television shows, but he found it confusing when he didn’t see a lot of people who looked like him or others in his family.  However, there were a few shows that gave him a feeling of connection—shows like Diff’rent Strokes, The Jeffersons, and The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.  Heck, his father had a sweater just like the one that Uncle Phil wore, but what he saw on the screen was a stark contrast to the community in which he lived.  However, the theme of seeking connectivity would follow him throughout his professional career.

Marzan founded and led a few media and marketing agencies in Minneapolis-St. Paul, partnering with giants with multicultural desires such as Disney, General Mills, and Honeywell.  His tenacity and knack for bringing people together landed him the opportunity to become CEO of the International Children’s Heart Foundation, which not only led him back to the Dominican Republic, but also to directing an initiative to bring life-saving pediatric cardiology centers and physician training to the country.  He later founded the Grand Art Group and produced musical events globally featuring world-class performers.  These experiences opened his heart and inspired his vision to seek a more global way to bring people of color together – sharing culture, values, and the multiple representations of their lives.  He wanted to create a destination where these consumers could call home because people looked like them and the entertainment reflected their beliefs.  That destination manifested as AfroLife.TV. 

With the overwhelming success of films such as Black Panther, Hidden Figures, and Girls Trip, it’s clear that there is a huge group of consumers hungry to devour such content—and studios and other content providers realize it as well.  Sony signed on early to become one of AfroLife’s launch partners and Warner Bros. came with a slate of studio content and a subsidiary, Stage13, which has licensed AfroLife exclusive content.  As CEO and Founder of AfroLife.TV, Marzan emphasizes the scale of the platform, “Through the ecosystem, we’re building a destination for people to connect over content to share experiences globally.”  

Marzan sees the on-demand digital space as a blank canvas, with a plethora of opportunities to showcase the diaspora.  Concludes Marzan, “I get energized when I think about the impact our streaming service will have on the African American community and our viewing audience. Our goal is to empower, educate, and entertain our customers while providing another outlet to content creators and studios to sell and license content.”

AfroLife.TV’s launch will include digital streaming of original, classic, popular, emerging, and independent premium content.   The premiere screening of one of its original series, The Incredible Life of Darrell, will be debuted at the American Black Film Festival on June 15^th at 2pm at the Betsy Hotel.

For more information, visit www.afrolife.tv.  To register for the screening, visit www.afrolife.tv/abff-reg.

EMPIRE NEWS NETWORK (ENN)- SAN BERNARDINO, CA- More than 5,000 students, alumni and guests came out for Cal State San Bernardino’s annual end-of-the-year party, Coyote Fest, hosted by the university’s Santos Manual Student Union Program Board on Friday, June 8.

This year’s carnival-themed event took place at the university’s athletic fields, changing its location from the John M. Pfau Library lawn, and allowing for a new and bigger layout for attractions.

Among the featured attractions were three carnival rides, zipline, human foosball, interactive inflatables, caricatures and a student-only body marbling station, to go alongside performances from Mad Mask, DJ Ronnie G, DJ Sky High and DJ Wall-E.

Visit the SMSU Program Board website or follow it on Instagram and Twitter, at @SBProgramBoard for more information on future events.

LaTanya Richardson and Samuel L. Jackson (Photo by Jesse Grant/Getty Images for Disney)

By Ronda Racha Penrice, Urban News Service

(EMPIRE NEWS NETWORK (ENN)—LOS ANGELES, CA– Samuel L. Jackson is, without a doubt, the hardest working man in Hollywood. To date, he’s appeared in well over 100 films with a box office take of $7 billion and counting. That’s a Guinness World Record that Jackson, who appears in about four films each year, isn’t relinquishing anytime soon. In his latest, he reprises his role as Lucius Best, close friend to the Parr family who also doubles as the superhero Frozone, for Disney’s long-awaited animated sequel “Incredibles 2.” The 2004 original, “The Incredibles,” grossed over $631 million worldwide.

Playing an animated character who can “shoot ice out of his hands” is very apt for Jackson who is generally considered the coolest cat in Hollywood. But it’s a long way from his childhood in Chattanooga, Tenn. His Raised during Jim Crow, Jackson, who turns 70 later this year, was very familiar with the color line, spending much of his early life in almost exclusively black environments. His father was very absent while his mother was a sporadic presence for many years. So Jackson’s maternal grandparents and aunt had a huge impact on his early life. From his grandfather, who worked as a janitor, Jackson learned the value of hard work and that still shows in his work ethic today. His Aunt Edna, a performing arts teacher, actually set him on the path to becoming an actor. 

“I was in the house with her and she was generally in charge of the pageant shows or whatever the happenings. She never had enough boys. Boys never volunteered. I lived in the house with her so she made me,” he said, reclining comfortably at the other end of a sofa. “She takes all the credit for this,” he laughed, outstretching his hands to highlight the luxuriousness of his The London West Hollywood room.

As a student at the iconic men’s college Morehouse in Atlanta that also counts Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Spike Lee among its alumni, Jackson became ferocious about acting. There he even met his wife of nearly 40 years, LaTanya Richardson, a serious actress attending Spelman. He also appeared in his very first film, the long-forgotten 1972 Blaxploitation era film about interracial romance titled “Together for Days,” later renamed “Black Cream.” In 1976, Jackson and Richardson moved to New York.

“I never had a time when acting wasn’t going well,” said Jackson of those days. “I had times when acting didn’t pay as much as something else could have. But I’ve only had like one real job other than actor. I was a security guard . . . But other than that I’ve supported myself acting since 1978.”

Jackson’s strategy was to keep everything he did in the theater. “I did things I’d learned to do in college that wouldn’t take me out of the theater situation,” he said. “It was easier for me to say I have an audition to people who are in the theater and they go ‘good luck’ than if I had to go to my auditions and be like ‘who’s going to wait my tables?’

“I just didn’t put myself in that situation so I built sets, I hung lights. I did whatever was necessary to make money in the business I wanted to be in. I knew how to do it. It kept me close to the theater. I could watch people rehearse, read lines with them or do whatever. So I was always ready to go.”

Jackson, who came through the theater ranks with Denzel Washington, Laurence Fishburne, Morgan Freeman and Wesley Snipes, was so good at being on stage that it seemed that not even drugs and alcohol could knock him off. But that was not true. When Richardson found her husband passed out, she sent him to rehab. As Jackson left rehab, Hollywood finally did call in the form of Spike Lee. Playing drug-addicted Gator Purify in Lee’s 1991 film, “Jungle Fever,” starring Wesley Snipes, got Jackson recognized. His role as Jules Winnfield, the Jheri curled hitman with a penchant for quoting Bible verses and a flair for dropping a profane word or two in Quentin Tarantino’s 1994 film “Pulp Fiction,” made him a star. And he hasn’t stopped working since.

Over the years, Jackson’s appeal has broadened to point that he has literally gone from last year’s “The Hitman’s Bodyguard” to an appearance as Nick Fury in Marvel’s recent superhero mash-up “Avengers: Infinity War.” But “The Incredibles” franchise, which counts Jackson’s daughter Zoe among its many fans, is one of the few Jackson has done suitable for all ages.

“I watched cartoons my whole life so being a voice of a cartoon character is kind of great,” he said. “And he’s a superhero. He’s got a superpower.”

“Incredibles 2” is in theaters nationwide June 15.

By Rose McGowan

(EMPIRE NEWS NETWORK (ENN)- Sitting across from me is the remarkable human and brave survivor, Asia Argento, who has been through more than most could stand, and yet stand she does. She stood up to her monster rapist and now she has to stand up to yet another monster, suicide. The suicide of her beloved lover and ally, Anthony Bourdain. I write these truths because I have been asked to. I know so many around the world thought of Anthony Bourdain as a friend and when a friend dies, it hurts. Many of these people who lost their ‘friend’ are wanting to lash out and blame. You must not sink to that level. Suicide is a horrible choice, but it is that person’s choice.

When Anthony met Asia, it was instant chemistry. They laughed, they loved and he was her rock during the hardships of this last year. Anthony was open with his demons, he even wrote a book about them. In the beginning of their relationship, Anthony told a mutual friend, “He’s never met anyone who wanted to die more than him.” And through a lot of this last year, Asia did want the pain to stop. But here’s the thing, over their time together, thankfully, she did the work to get help, so she could stay alive and live another day for her and her children. Anthony’s depression didn’t let him, he put down his armor, and that was very much his choice. His decision, not hers. His depression won. Anthony and Asia had a free relationship, they loved without borders of traditional relationships, and they established the parameters of their relationship early on. Asia is a free bird, and so was Anthony. Was. Such a terrible word to write. I’ve heard from many that the past two years they were together were some of his happiest and that should give us all solace.
 
Anthony was 61, the same age my father was when he died. My father also suffered from intermittent deep depression, and like Anthony, was part of a “pull up your bootstraps and march on” generation. The a “strong man doesn’t ask for help” generation. I know before Anthony died he reached out for help, and yet he did not take the doctor’s advice. And that has led us here, to this tragedy, to this loss, to this world of hurt. Do NOT do the sexist thing and burn a woman on the pyre of misplaced blame. Anthony’s internal war was his war, but now she’s been left on the battlefield to take the bullets. It is in no way fair or acceptable to blame her or anyone else, not even Anthony. We are asking you to be better, to look deeper, to read and learn about mental illness, suicide and depression before you make it worse for survivors by judging that which we do not understand, that which can never fully be understood. Sometimes we are stuck in the unknowable, and that is where we are now, a massive wave of darkness that threatens to swallow everyone in its wake.

As I watch Asia do her job on set today, I see a pillar of strength who continues to work to put food on her children’s table. I see Elizabeth Taylor carrying on filming Cat on a Hot Tin Roof despite her love, her husband, dying in a plane crash. I see all of us who have carried on. Please join me in sending healing energy to Anthony on his journey, and to all who’ve been left behind to journey on without him. There is no one to blame but the stigma of loneliness, the stigma of asking for help, the stigma of mental illness, the stigma of being famous and hurting.
 
We must do more and be better. Anthony, our friend, would want it that way.
 
To the media and to the random commenter, Anthony would never have wanted Asia to be hurt, I’d like to think he would want us to have the collective conversation that needs to be had about depression. Blame is NOT a conversation, it is the shutting down of our collective growth. Which is where we are now. We have a choice as humans, shrink to our smaller, uglier selves, or be better and grow as only true Phoenixes can. I urge you to be that Phoenix.

With great sadness and even greater hope, I remain,
 
Suicide Prevention Hotlines:

Argentina: +5402234930430

Australia: 131114

Austria: 017133374

Belgium: 106

Bosnia & Herzegovina: 080 05 03 05

Botswana: 3911270

Brazil: 212339191

Canada: 5147234000 (Montreal); 18662773553 (outside Montreal)

Croatia: 014833888

Denmark: +4570201201

Egypt: 7621602

Finland: 010 195 202

France: 0145394000

Germany: 08001810771

Holland: 09000767

Hong Kong: +852 2382 0000

Hungary: 116123

India: 8888817666

Ireland: +4408457909090

Israel: 1201 or 972-889-1333 from abroad

Italy: 800860022

Japan: +810352869090

Mexico: 5255102550

New Zealand: 045861048

Norway: +4781533300

Pakistan: 15 / 115 (Emergency)

Philippines: 028969191

Poland: 5270000

Russia: 0078202577577

Spain: 914590050

South Africa: 0514445691

Sweden: 46317112400

Switzerland: 143

United Kingdom: 08457909090

USA: 18002738255

For a USA Crisis Text Line, please text CONNECT to 741741 from anywhere in the USA, anytime, about any type of crisis.