Tag Archives: slider

SAN BERNARDINO, CA—- Homecoming season is approaching, which means it is time for SBCUSD Alumni and friends to get up and show their school spirit! Join our virtual marathon to help bring hope to our community! One price and five distance choices to keep you moving at your own pace. Simply register and pick your Alma mater’s team!

We are raising money to support SBCUSD high schools and our Foundation’s mission. Schools will get to keep 25% of adult entry fees that their team earns. The school with the greatest number of adult runners registered will receive $1,000 for their ASB. Also, for every 500 runners a school team has registered in their team, they will get a $5,000 scholarship for one of their 2021 graduates!

Register or Donate now by October 15th at: bit.ly/HomecomingHustle

By Willie Ellison

Now more than ever, California’s Black community and other communities of color need accurate news to make certain that our families are educated about their health and their rights during COVID-19 and the current uprisings. Black media and other ethnic media outlets play a key role — and right now, they need support to continue their vital work.

While our organizations, the Southern California Black Chamber of Commerce and The Greenlining Institute, advocate for a broad array of small business issues for all people of color through the Greenlining Coalition, we want to call special attention to the role of Black-owned media in the current moment. We can’t overstate the role that Black media play in not only providing people of color with high-quality news produced by our own communities, but also in taking ownership of our own stories and narratives.

Today the Black community makes up about a little less than six percent of California’s population but is vastly overrepresented in everything from COVID-19’s impact, to over-policing, to homelessness in a state which prides itself on progressive values and governance. To be blunt, the mainstream media often get to these stories late, and too often get them wrong. We need media sources owned by and serving the Black community and other underserved groups to ensure that communities of color have the real facts and real stories needed to make change everywhere from the state capitol to their own local city halls.

BLACK MEDIA AND OTHER ETHNIC OUTLETS PLAY A CRITICAL ROLE

Media companies owned by people of color, or “minority media,” as they were called until people of color became California’s majority population, have gained enormous ground. However, decision-makers in many board rooms and elsewhere too often perceive ethnic media as an “alternative” source rather than as a mainstream conduit of information. Today, this perception is incredibly outdated and simply inaccurate.

As the Chairs of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, the Congressional Black Caucus and the Congressional Hispanic Caucus wrote to Congressional leadership in April, “Local ethnic media outlets… are providing critical updates to communities across America but are struggling to stay afloat during COVID-19 due to major losses in the advertising revenue so critical to their business models. However, the reality is that African American, Latino, Asian Pacific American, and Native American communities need more news and information to stay healthy and safe in the ever-changing COVID-19 environment, not less.”

To be clear, we are talking about investment and not charity. As Neilsen found in 2019, the Black community spends approximately $1.3  trillion annually. For comparison, that is more buying power than The Netherlands, Switzerland, and Indonesia combined. If major corporations and banks want the Black community’s business, they should in turn do business with the Black community and Black-owned businesses, including Black media. Newspapers thrive on advertising dollars and, based purely on the math, the private sector should be heavily invested in the outlets that do the best job of reaching the Black community.

Many rightly argue that mainstream media outlets can do a better job of reporting on the Black community. But these larger organizations have their own struggles and simply cannot fill the vital role that the Black media play. 

According to Pew Research Center, “more than three-quarters (77%) of newsroom employees,” are White and newsroom employees are more likely than other industries to be male. This leads to an overdependence on White sources and a general prevalence of White perspectives in news reporting. 

Larger outlets can and should address these deficits, but even in the best-case scenario it won’t happen overnight. Because of the propensity of the so-called “mainstream” media to overlook diverse voices, ethnic media offer context and perspectives that the mass media regularly miss.

Some may assume that people of color can simply rely on social media for more targeted news. This assumption is both wrong and could have severe negative consequences for the Black community and others. Sadly, the social media universe is a hotbed of misinformation and conspiracy theories. For example, Wall Street Journal noted in April that sites followed by millions of people on social media have “touted high doses of vitamin C and silver particles as able to cure the [corona]virus,” which is blatantly false, while CNBC reported that a study in the UK found that “58 percent of those who had gone outside with COVID-19 symptoms use YouTube as their main information source.” Things have gotten so bad that On September 16, the NAACP and Color of Change organized a daylong boycott of Instagram (which is owned by Facebook) through the Stop Hate for Profit Campaign.  

In a recent CapRadio/Valley Vision poll of the greater Sacramento region, almost seven in 10 Black respondents said they trusted social media to provide them with information, while only three in 10 White respondents answered similarly. In the same story, Capital Public Radio quotes Flojaune Cofer, an epidemiologist at Public Health Advocates, noting that “the messenger does matter, especially in a community where there’s been historical trauma, and where the authority figures don’t always have a lot of trust. But there’s still an appeal to authority that happens even in the Black community, it’s just they want to hear from authority figures and experts who look like them.”

In California, where the Black community has suffered disproportionately from the pandemic and mounting recession, it is more important now than ever that Black media tell stories about the Black community based on reporting from Black journalists. The same is also true for other diverse communities, especially those with large immigrant populations.

HOW TO SUPPORT BLACK MEDIA

While the problems facing Black-owned media and other ethnic media are systemic and include everything from a difficult economic landscape for even the largest newspapers to a consolidation of media in general, they are not overly complicated. As Denise Rolark Barnes, chairwoman of the National Newspaper Publishers Association which represents 211 Black-owned publications nationwide noted in the Columbia Journalism Review, “the issue boils down to money.” There are straightforward, concrete steps that elected officials, private sector leaders, and normal Californians can take to address this issue.

First, here in California, voters can approve Proposition 16 on the November ballot, ending an embarrassing, wrongheaded policy that has cost businesses owned by women, Black Californians, and other diverse groups more than $1 billion in public contracting. Prop. 16 could be a game-changer for Black-owned media in California and hopefully open more opportunities to compete for billions of dollars of state procurement. 

If and when a second federal economic recovery package comes out — and it should — it must include funds targeted directly at Black media and all media owned by and serving diverse readers. As the North Dallas Gazette, a 30-year-old Black-owned newspaper put it, “Black Press — and community-based publishing in general — has been largely left out of the $350 billion stimulus and Paycheck Protection Program packages.” That cannot continue for future recovery packages.

Also, large financial institutions, including both traditional banks and non-bank lenders, have an obligation to invest and contract with the diverse businesses in the communities that drive their profits. This investment must include small- and medium-sized Black media outlets. This is not charity or a handout, but an opportunity for banks and other lenders to directly reach potential customers that are often passed over by firms that have no connection to the community they are attempting to reach.  

Finally, as journalist Chida Rebecca noted in an article earlier this year, when The Freedom Journal, the U.S.’s first Black newspaper, was founded in 1827 in New York it’s founders put forth that, “Too long have others spoken for us. We wish to plead our own case.” It is simply not enough to have stories written about communities of color. Now more than ever the Black community, along with AAPIs, Latinx, and other underserved communities must receive the public and private support needed to tell our stories, with our voices and our truths. 

---

Willie Ellison is a Board Member and Director of Media and Corporate Partnerships at the Southern California Black Chamber of Commerce. He has been a business owner and advocate in the media/marketing industry for over 30 years of experience.  Adam Briones is Greenlining’s Economic Equity Director. Follow him on Twitter. 

By Quinci LeGardye | California Black Media 

In the wake of recent calls to shift responsibility for non-violent intervention away from police departments, lawmakers and community advocates around California are calling on Gov. Gavin Newsom to sign AB 2054, also known as the CRISES Act. 

CRISES is an acronym for Community Response Initiative to Strengthen Emergency Systems. 

AB 2054 calls for the authorization of a pilot grant program that would allow community-based organizations instead of the police to respond in emergency situations, including incidents requiring mental health intervention, which often involve people experiencing homelessness. 

Assemblymember Sydney Kamlager (D-Los Angeles), the author of AB 2054 and a member of the California Legislative Black Caucus, hosted a press conference Sept. 22, featuring community advocates and family members of individuals who were killed by police officers while experiencing mental health crises. 

When police officers are sent to de-escalate mental health crises, these encounters sometimes turn violent. A 2015 Treatment Advocacy Center survey found that at least one in four people killed by law enforcement were suffering from acute mental illness at the time of their death. Also, a 2015 Police Executive Research Forum study revealed that police officers only receive an average of eight hours of mental health intervention training compared to nearly 60 hours of gun training that they undergo. 

“Interactions with police can induce terror in many people who historically have been traumatized by law enforcement. Too often, these interactions are deadly. Too often, people just want solutions to their problems. They just want an emergency or a crisis solved, but they are afraid to call the police because of the potential consequences,” said Kamlager. 

Addie Kitchen is the grandmother of Steven Taylor, a Black man who was killed in April 2020 by San Leandro Police while going through a mental crisis and experiencing homelessness. 

“It took them 40 seconds to kill Stephen, 40 seconds. When that officer walked in and saw he was Black and homeless, he already had in his mind, what he needed to do. He didn’t think about, you know, maybe let me step back,” said Kitchen. 

Kitchen also spoke about how Taylor’s death devastated her family, including his two sons. 

“Nobody in the world should have to go through losing someone — by the police. If he had died because he got hit by a car, that wouldn’t have been so hard. But when the police — they’re supposed to protect us — are murdering us because we’re Black, because we’re poor, because we’re homeless, because we’re going through a mental crisis, we need help. We need help and we are praying that the governor will understand what we’re going through,” said Kitchen. 

Hali McKelvie spoke about her mother, Myra Micalizio, who was killed by a Butte County Sheriff’s deputy in April 2018 while she was going through a mental health crisis. The interaction between Micalizio and the police was only 11 seconds long before she was shot 11 times. 

“That law enforcement agency didn’t show up to serve and protect that day. That law enforcement agency showed up and murdered my mother, who was in a mental health crisis. They took one look at her, put up a bias, and said this woman is a threat to society and it’s my call to kill her,” McKelvie said. 

Advocates also spoke about the community groups that have already been providing human crisis response in the state, such as Mental Health First in Sacramento, and their need for more funding. 

“This is community response to community crisis, and we are already doing this. We are on the ground. There are grassroots organizations like my own, but we are running these programs on shoestring budgets, out of the generous hearts of volunteers, because we’re clear that we’re tired of our community members dying,” said Cat Brooks, co-founder of the Anti-Police TEAR Project. 

Lateefah Simon, Bay Area Rapid Transportation (BART) Board Director echoed that the community groups already doing the work need more funding. 

“AB 2054 is truly a love letter to possibility, an idea that communities can keep one another safe. That local community-based organizations and trained professionals in selected communities, if given the resources and the opportunity, can become an additional force to create safety,” she said. 

Gov. Newsom has until Sept. 30 to sign AB 2054, and other bills the State Legislature has passed this year. If not, they automatically become law.

RANCHO CUCAMONGA, CA— With the support and recognition of, Fighting 4 the Tatas Breast Inc., California Senator Connie Leyva and Assemblymember Eloise Gomez Reyes recently approved the Resolutions SCR-97 and ACH-94 declaring October 3 as Inflammatory Breast Cancer Awareness Day in the State of California. The day encourages all Californians to learn about this rare and aggressive type of breast cancer and to support all people who are impacted.

Fighting 4 the Tatas Breast Cancer Inc. is an organization educating and advocating on behalf of Inflammatory Breast Cancer (IBC), Triple negative (IBC) and Metastatic patients. It was founded in 2011 by IBC fighter Joshlyn Earls.

The impact of the Resolutions passing is monumental for this quick spreading disease, which affects both women and men. It is often diagnosed in women of younger ages and is often dismissed by doctors because they are too young to have breast cancer, not IBC.

As of October 2020, Fighting 4 the Tatas Breast Cancer Inc., remains the only 501C3 in the state educating, advocating, and promoting on behalf of this lethal form of sub-breast cancer.

This fast growing, incredibly aggressive breast cancer gives the breast a swollen, inflamed appearance, (hence the name inflammatory) and appears as an infection. If you are diagnosed with it, you’re automatically at stage 3b or higher. This breast cancer, unlike other breast cancers, does not feel like a lump. It is hard to detect on mammograms, so many doctors don’t catch it until it’s too late.

According to Dr. Massiom Cristofanilli of Northwestern University, there are an estimated 15,000 to 20,000 new cases of IBC diagnosed annually. This is the very reason why Fighting 4 the Tatas Breast Cancer Inc., has chosen to be a symbol of strength for not only Black women and men in the Inland Empire, but for everyone fighting this deadly disease that often leads to a lonely journey while undergoing treatment.

Aside from Fighting 4 the Tatas essential services to patients, its advocacy and fundraising, the Black-led organization is monumental not only to the greater community, but to Black women and women of color as a whole; especially due to the implicit bias’ Blacks face in healthcare.

“As a Black woman undergoing treatment for IBC, it was a little degrading due to the lack of information and lack of my Doctors willingness to answer my questions,” Earls said.

She continues, “My experience consisted of not being given the same healthcare opportunities of my white counterparts. When it came to certain tests that my counterparts received, such as the MUGA Test (multi-gated blood-pool imaging), it was not given to me, but was given to them! I found out after my chemo.”

Earls found out from an associate that she should have been provided the MUGA test, which is given to determine whether or not a patient’s body can tolerate the chemo. After the fact, when she went to the doctors, she asked, “Well, do you want a MUGA test?” Joshlyn agreed and found out that she had an enlarged heart. Luckily, she lived.

Although COVID-19 has presented unprecedented times, Fighting 4 the Tatas Breast Cancer, Inc. remains resilient ahead of its Bling for the Tatas fundraising event on its Facebook Live which will be on Saturday, October 3 from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. You can follow them on Facebook here.

During the event, community members can assist the organization in raising funds to continue offering IBC, TTN and Metastatic patients counseling services, advocacy on behalf of the patients, educational classes, health and beauty items, emergency utility funding and more.

“When I was diagnosed in 2011 with Inflammatory Breast Cancer, I was given two and a half years to live…it’s such a lonely journey because no one understands,” Earl explains.

She continues, “I remember at one point placing an ad in a number of newspapers just to connect to another person who has undergone treatment for IBC. It’s so important for our organization to raise funds for this disease because our support services provide a space for patients to connect, understand, and receive accurate information regarding this deadly disease.”

For more information or to donate, visit www.fighting4thetatas.org.

---

About Fighting 4 the Tatas, INC.

Fighting 4 The Tatas is a grassroots, nonprofit 501C3 organization. The organization consists of cancer survivors, family members and supporters; it understands and address the difficulties that newly diagnosed patients encounter as they struggle with their treatment. Fighting 4 the Tatas Breast Cancer Inc., was founded in 2011 during the personal journey of founder Joshlyn Earls. Her journey began with a visit to a chiropractor as a new patient. A digital scan was performed where its image caused concern to the chiropractor. He called Earls to inform her that she needed to see an internist immediately. After two different mammograms, ultrasound, and a needle biopsy, she was diagnosed with High Grade Infiltrating Ductal Carcinoma (Clinical diagnosis inflammatory breast cancer).

SAN BERNARDINO, CA— Starting in the month of October, First 5 San Bernardino will hold its annual literacy campaign tour bringing awareness to the importance of reading with and to your child. Every year, these events are held for preschoolers throughout the County of San Bernardino. In partnership with CHAN Community Health Action Network, CCRC Child Care Resource Center, El Sol Neighborhood Educational Center, LISTOS California For All, San Bernardino County Library, and Victory Outreach Church, First 5 San Bernardino will conduct four literacy drive-thru events taking place in the cities of Barstow, Fontana, San Bernardino, and Victorville.  Due to the pandemic, First 5 San Bernardino redesigned the format of events for safety.

Preschoolers will receive a bag containing three different book titles, and a healthy snack, along with other resources. One of the goals of First 5 San Bernardino is to help build home-based libraries and to ensure that all children have library books available to them.

The events are free and open to the public but registration is strongly suggested as only 500 bags will be handed out at each site. For more information please visit the First 5 San Bernardino website at www,first5sanbernardino.org or call 909.386.7706.

5 FIRST 5 TIPS on building home-based libraries:

• 1.    Choose the right spot. Create a special space where books are kept and read. Make sure the lighting is good and seating is comfortable.
• 2.    Put books within reach. Use low, sturdy shelves so your child can safely select the books on her own.
• 3.    Be Thrifty – look for deals. Books can be expensive. Checkout your local library as they may have a free book day.
• 4.   Let them guide you! Pay attention to what types of books your child is interested in. Take turns on selecting.
• 5.    Collect! Stack up on books from your local yard sales, dollar store, book swapping with others, or asking for books as an alternative gift idea.

Sacramento-The California Legislative Black Caucus (CLBC) is dismayed by the decision of the Kentucky grand jury’s decision to limit indictments in the Breonna Taylor case to former officer Brett Hankison on three counts of first-degree wanton endangerment.  Two other officers involved in Taylor’s death escaped prosecution. As Hankinson’s charges stem from his firing into neighboring apartments, this indictment neither acknowledges nor vindicates Breonna Taylor’s death and reflects a legal system that shields officers from real accountability.

The CLBC stands with the family of Breonna Taylor and our brothers and sisters who are in pain now. We encourage transforming our anger and pain into electoral energy and intentional activism for genuine reform. Breonna’s sister, Juniyah Palmer, called on us to “Speak. Protest. But do not resort to violence. We demand change. We demand reform. But we do not need for our community to get hurt, we need for our community to get justice.”

The CLBC will continue its own work on police reform.  We had some success in recent years, but there is still work to do and it will not be easy. Let’s resolve together to make California safer for everyone.

Not only was justice not served, the desultory and insufficient result we received today was also unacceptably slow in manifesting. It has been over six months since Breonna Taylor’s innocent life was senselessly taken at the hands of careless, negligent, and indifferent law enforcement officials sworn to protect and serve her. 

As officers of the court that take our oaths and hold our bar licenses in high regard, we urge our families and friends of color around us to place faith in the justice system within which we work, pointing out that the system needs our participation if it is ever going to bring forth the results we deem to be just. However, when headline after headline consistently supports the theory we so desperately want to disprove, it’s beginning to become more and more difficult to make the case that black lives matter to anyone but us. 

Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron’s vow to “vigorously prosecute” Brett Hankison, the sole Louisville police officer criminally charged with three counts of wanton endangerment of the first degree as a result of Taylor’s death, falls on deaf and enraged ears. Breonna was a completely innocent woman, sleeping in her own home when she was killed by Louisville police attempting a no knock search warrant. How much clearer do the facts have to be for public officials on the ground to take appropriate and just action without public unrest and protest! While we will certainly continue to use our voices, admittedly it is frustrating that it is even necessary given how egregious and outrageous these facts are. 

NBA Vice President for Regions and Affiliates, Lonita Baker, is lead counsel representing Breonna Taylor’s family and was quoted today stating, “This is the most absurd legal maneuvering that I have ever seen.  If his [Ex-Officer Brett Hankison] behavior was wanton to those in neighboring apartments it was likewise wanton to Breonna and Kenny.  He should have been charged with wanton murder and another count of wanton endangerment.  To add insult to injury, an indictment for wanton endangerment was returned for Breonna’s white neighbors but none for her black neighbors that also had gunshots from the police entering their home.  This is another example of the devaluing of black lives.”

We stand in solidarity with Lonita, her co-counsel NBA Past President Ben Crump, their legal team, and Breonna’s family, and pledge the support of the National Bar Association in an effort to bring about honorable justice for Breonna and her family.  May our precious Angel Breonna continue to Rest in Peace.

By Pilar Marrero, Ethnic Media Services

All registered voters in California will soon receive a mail-in ballot even if they haven’t asked for one, and there will be plenty of options to register, re-register, vote by mail, vote in person or vote curbside up until Nov. 3^rd, said Secretary of State Alex Padilla at a briefing with ethnic media.

“We have to start thinking of November 3^rd as the last day of voting, not simply as ‘election day’,” Padilla noted. 

California has 21 million registered voters, more than the population of every other state except Florida and Texas, and the largest number of voters anywhere.

Voting by mail has been growing in popularity, Padilla said. In the last statewide election – the March primary—up to 70% of registered voters voted by mail.

“That’s a great start, but in California 30% of voters is still a large number.  We want to make sure those who are not familiar with this way of voting are comfortable with it, and know they can still vote in person if they need or want to,” Padilla said.

Voters should vote by mail and vote early, Padilla urged, and they should take advantage of tools that improve the transparency and security of voting such as ballot tracking (Where’s My Ballot?) which tells them when their ballot has been sent, when it was received by the county, and when it was counted.

Voters can sign up for ballot tracking and receive notices via text, email or voice call, he added.

“This will be great for transparency, accountability and confidence, which have come under attack in recent weeks,” Padilla noted.  He called the timing of the Presidential elections in the midst of the pandemic and heightened political polarization “an unprecedented situation.”

Padilla encouraged voters to register, re-register if they need to change their voter file information or check their registration status by going online at  VoterStatus.sos.ca.gov.  If any of their information has changed, including their address, they can register or re-register at https://registertovote.ca.gov/.

Mail-in ballots will go to voters the first week of October (and mid-September for overseas voters).  

“According to the law you need to postmark the ballot by Nov. 3, but we are extending the deadline for that ballot to arrive in county offices from three days to 17 days,” Padilla said.  “This is just in case there are delays by the postal service.”

The deadline to register to vote is Oct. 19, but in 15 counties that participate in conditional voter registration, including San Francisco, people can complete a Voter Registration Application at their local Department of Elections on the day of the election and receive a provisional ballot which will be counted after it has been verified. 

“There are several reasons why some people need to vote in person – such as accessibility, or to receive language assistance, or to replace a ballot that was lost, or if you made a mistake,” Padilla noted.

Voting in person will happen in bigger and safer locations than in the past,  such as the  Golden One Center in Sacramento, an NBA arena, the Dodger Stadium and the Staples Center in L.A., the Chase Center in San Francisco, and the Oakland Coliseum.

Counties are working to identify voting locations where authorities can guarantee that health precautions are followed, including social distancing, mandatory use of masks and availability of sanitizers.

As for the security of mail-in voting which President Trump has repeatedly questioned, Padilla pointed out that ballots are printed on paper that has specific watermarks, are printed by certified printers made in the USA only, use official envelopes   with barcodes that can be tracked, and require the voter’s signature on the outside of the envelope.

Referring to President Trump’s recent suggestion that voters in North Carolina vote by mail and then show up in person “to test if the first ballot was counted,” Padilla said that the state has a number of features to prevent any kind of “double voting.”

In California every ballot has a unique barcode and as a ballot comes in or the person votes, the record is “immediately updated.”  If someone sends a mail-in ballot and then presents themselves as the ballot box, they will be shown to have voted and be turned away, he said.

He also said any kind of “electioneering” or harassment at the polls is “illegal.” He encouraged anyone with questions, comments or complaints to call the SOS hotline at 1 800 345 VOTE or their local county registrar.

Padilla warned that for close races it will take weeks for counties to finish processing and auditing the results.  “If that’s the case, it’s not a time to panic but to be patient and confident,” Padilla said, adding that he is concerned that President Trump will claim victory “prematurely.”

“Results aren’t final until the work is done,” Padilla said.

By Quinci LeGardye | California Black Media  

Black Americans were already in the midst of two disasters this year – the disproportionate toll of the COVID-19 pandemic and a spate of horrifying incidents of police brutality — when fire season in California started early. Wildfires have burned over 3.1 million acres in California since the beginning of the year, breaking the record for the deadliest year of wildfires in the state, according to CalFire. 

Though Black communities are disproportionately vulnerable to and impacted by disasters, Black households are less likely to be prepared for disasters than White households, according to the NAACP. 

This September, which is Emergency Preparedness Month, some Black activists as well as community-based organizations have been partnering with Listos California, an emergency preparedness campaign anchored in the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (CalOES). These partnerships are aimed at getting the word out about emergency preparedness to diverse communities through more accessible and impactful means, such as artwork and person-to-person conversation.  

“Listos California awarded $50 million in local assistance grants to non-profit organizations throughout the state to build resiliency in vulnerable communities and connect residents to culturally and linguistically competent support — a whole community approach that fosters critical networks that can save lives. This month, I urge all Californians to learn about how they can help keep their loved ones and communities safe during an emergency,” said Gov. Gavin Newsom in his declaration for Emergency Preparedness Month. 

For Aliyah Sidqe, a Sacramento-based artist who depicts Black life in America, it’s important for the Black community to be prepared to fend for themselves, she says, in an emergency situation. 

“The Black community is already subject to a lot, and we’re not thought about all the time. It’s important for us to take matters into our own hands and really be prepared for what’s to come because sometimes we’re not considered in the game plan as far as what the world needs to do,” Sidqe said. 

According to a poll of California residents living in zip codes at risk of floods, wildfires or earthquakes, conducted by EMC Research, 88 % of vulnerable residents agree that preparing for a disaster is important. However, those respondents admitted to not taking action to prepare because they think doing so is scary (63%), expensive (61%) or time-consuming (54%). 

“I think a portion of people don’t take certain things seriously, or they’re not really thinking about all that is going on right now. It’s easier just to kind of push that to the back of your mind. But I think the fact that we’re already marginalized makes it super important for us to really be ready to take care of ourselves and be prepared for anything,” Sidqe said. 

Since partnering with Listos California, Sidqe has started conversations with family members and friends about what they would do during emergencies.  

“Before I really hadn’t thought too much about it, but it did kind of spark that, for my partner and me — conversations like where would we go if we did have to evacuate. Actually, in our area, there was a fire really close to us and a few neighborhoods had to evacuate. So, we did put a plan in place of where we would go in case that would happen.” 

The Young Visionaries Youth Leadership Academy, a nonprofit serving youth in San Bernardino County, has been sharing information about emergency preparedness alongside their ongoing COVID-19 relief efforts. During their relief events, which include twice-a-month drive-thru distribution of essential items, CEO Terrance Stone and the Young Visionaries staff inform community members about the importance of being prepared.  

“I’ve been introducing the program like this: I always ask if somebody came and knocked at your door right now, and told you that you have five minutes to pack your necessities and go, are you going to be able to get what you need within those five minutes? It’s an eye opener for everybody, because then they’re like, wait, like what do I actually need,” said Jennifer Rosales, Administrative Assistant at Young Visionaries.  

“I tell everybody, it doesn’t have to be expensive. You don’t have to go out and spend $200, $300 to try to get a go-bag or a ready bag. I think the number one thing is this: Just look at your basic needs, something that you need every day, and then just start that way. It’s important to know that it doesn’t have to cost you a lot of money to keep your family and your friends safe,” said Rosales. 

El Sol Neighborhood Education Center is coordinating outreach activities with 11 community groups from different parts of San Bernardino County.  

“We have developed specific strategies to target specific communities. We have to bring cultural brokers or cultural speakers so that they understand the language, the culture and the lived experiences of each target community. We partner with agencies and churches — African American, Asian American, Latino and Native American partners. Each group knows how to best reach the people in their own communities”, says Alex Fajardo, El Sol’s executive director.  

The Listos California website has Disaster Ready Guides in multiple languages if readers want to know more about what to have prepared for an emergency. 

Over the weekend on September 19^th, local recording artist and community activist Justified Smith and his organization Fathers In Hip Hop brought a big blessing to the High Desert with their BLESSED IN THE MESS RELIEF EFFORT CAMPAIGN, by going to the Walmart Super Center/Victorville on 395 and Palmdale Rd. to bless the mess. Earlier in the week Justified and his team of supporters and contributors raised $2,000 and all of it went towards the purchase of Walmart gift cards in the amounts of $50 and $100.  

After the purchase of the gift cards, Justified along with his rap comrade Big2daboy and their teams walked through the store in search of fathers and families to bless randomly with the gift cards to go towards their purchases. Adelanto city council candidates Daniel Ramos and Roy Isaiah joined Fathers In Hip Hop on this day and helped with the distribution of the funds.  

Adelanto Mayor Gabriel Reyes & City Commissioner Daniel Ramos also joined in on the giving by making a donation of $500 to the campaign on behalf of the City Of Adelanto. They believe in what Justified and Fathers In Hip Hop are trying to accomplish with the fathers in their city.  

Justified believes that if you bless the fathers, the families will be blessed as well. Giving these gift cards to the fathers is their way of acknowledging and honoring ACTIVE FATHERS and saluting them for accepting the call of duty and being present in their children’s lives. He also believes that spending time is just as important as spending money when it comes to being a father. 

$1,200 in gift cards were distributed to fathers and their families inside of the Walmart. The following day Sunday September 20^th Justified, Daniel Ramos, and Mayor Gabriel Reyes took the remaining $800 in gift cards to the streets on the north end of Adelanto, and visited an apartment complex where they sought out and found more fathers to bless with the gift cards. The fathers that were fortunate enough to receive this unexpected blessing were overwhelmed with gratefulness and really appreciated the gift cards. While out distributing the cards they came across a team of first responders and decided to bless the Adelanto Fire Department with a Gift Card in the amount of $50 to honor of the fathers on their team, and advised them to take the blessing and use it for their Fire House.  

Justified and Fathers In Hip Hop are determined and committed to be a blessing to the fathers and families of the high desert. All the money is was raised by donations from local businesses and supporters who believe in the mission of Fathers In Hip Hop and what they’re doing with their Blessed In The Mess Relief Effort. If you want to participate in the giving, you can do so by making a donation to their cash app $fathersinhiphop. You can also connect with the Fathers In Hip Hop via email at fathersinhiphop@gmail.com or follow them on Instagram