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By Joe McKendrick | Senior Contributor, Forbes

Mira Murati, chief technology officer of OpenAI, stirred up quite a bit of controversy last week in a discussion when she proclaimed that with generative AI, “some creative jobs maybe will go away, but maybe they shouldn’t have been there in the first place.”

While’s Murati’s remarks were framed within a context that AI is helping to boost creative pursuits, that’s not how many read it. The pushback was fast and furious. “OpenAI’s mission is to create AGI that can replace people in every viable economic activity. Killing jobs is the end goal,” wrote Dare Obasanjo in an X post.

“Aside from this despicable soundbite, Murati keeps stressing that generative AI will make people ‘more creative.’ But how?” asked Giovanni Colantonio in another X post. “You literally aren’t creating. A machine creates the thing for you. It kneecaps creativity, not fosters it.”

AI advocates “talk about democratizing creativity, but that’s not what the tech does,’ Colantonio adds. “It discourages people from actually doing the real creative act of bringing an idea to life and instead encourages ‘creativity’ to be a thing that can be assembled and served like a Big Mac.

Is AI, particularly generative AI, on a path to usurp the jobs of creatives, as well as the very essence of creativity? Whether its graphic illustrations, written content, photos, films, games, or other creative pursuits, could AI produce new things at the touch of a button?

It’s early, but so far, the evidence seems to point away from that.

“There’s no easing up in the race for creative talent in 2024,” a talent report published in the first quarter of this year by Robert Half suggests. A majority of creative and marketing managers covered by the placement service, 55%, “are hiring for new roles, from graphic designer to UX designers, while 43% need to recruit for vacant positions.”

At least 200,000 creative jobs were added to corporate payrolls in 2023, Robert Half estimates. The unemployment rate for graphic designers and web designers was at a relatively low 2.6% and 2.9%, respectively, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Still, underneath what appears to be a solid creative job market lurks uneasiness about its long-term prospects. Close to seven in ten of 4,000 global marketing and creative leaders, 69%, expressed concern over potential job loss across industries due to AI. a survey by Canva attests.

The surveyed leaders also welcomed the addition of AI tools to their activities. At least 69% believe generative AI is enhancing the creativity of their teams. And almost all, 97%, are comfortable with the rise of generative AI — with 72% stating they are “very” comfortable and 25% “somewhat” comfortable.

“We’re in a golden age of creativity and design right now,” said Deepa Subramaniam, vice president at Adobe, which now supports more than seven billion AI-generated images available through its Firefly models. At Adobe Summit in March, I put the question of creative job-killing to Subramaniam, who disagrees with such an assessment, and actually foresees expansion of creative roles.

AI provides the capability to customize and produce art and content on an increasingly wide scale that today’s organizations need, she said. “The hungry consumption for personalized content is not going to be satiated any time soon,” she pointed out. It’s only going to increase. But it’s really hard to create that volume of content manually, and manage it at scale, especially in a world where you’re marketing at a global level. There are many languages and cultures that need to be reached.”

Generative AI “is taking the tedium out of content distribution, she said. “You still have to create creative concepts for marketing campaigns. But when you have that concept, you need to create it, localize it, and personalize it at scale.”

To meet these demands, there are “more people doing creative work across all sorts of industries across all sorts of job roles more so than ever before,” Subramaniam added.

For an example of technology’s impact on design-oriented professions, look to engineering, she illustrated. “Engineering has been growing as a really critical domain and group of people with the explosion of technology over the last few decades,” she said. “You’re not seeing a shrinking of engineering.”

The takeaway is that technology took on many of the mundane, lower-level tasks of engineering. “Technology and software and coding has taken rote calculations away, but engineering has only been growing, because that unlocks the craft of engineering to figure out higher and higher complex problems.”

Likewise, in creative fields, “there’s something like that happening right now,” Subramaniam continued. “Tedious time-consuming tasks can be obviated if not wholly accelerated by AI, opening creatives up to do that higher level thinking.”

As AI and technology open up more creative avenues, “it’s actually going to invite more people in to take on more creative roles,” she continued. “Whether it’s as a creative professional, as a marketer, in any of the creative roles that digital content is powering our entire world.”

LOS ANGELES, CA— When LA Carnival launched on Crenshaw Boulevard last year, the seeds were planted to grow an economic development vehicle using the carnival parade as the mechanism for community engagement. One hundred drums led an inaugural procession with an exuberant, multicultural starlight jamboree into Leimert Park Village. Produced by Marikel Productions in association with Mandrill World Music, and sponsored by International Eye LA, this year the festivities continue to explode with “LA Carnival on the Shaw,” June 30, 2024, starting at 4:00 p.m. As a historic expression of freedom, the carnival provides a fitting culmination of Juneteenth celebrations and a closing exclamation to Caribbean American Heritage Month. “LA Carnival on the Shaw” is designed to use arts and entertainment to “engage, activate and revitalize” businesses on the Crenshaw Strip. The Crenshaw Strip runs parallel to the Metro K-Line between Obama Boulevard and Leimert Park, creating a vibrant business and cultural oasis.

“LA Carnival on the Shaw” kicks off with exquisite masquerades, colorful revelers, jubilant drummers, boisterous music trucks and spectacularly lit vehicles and bicycles imbuing merriment at the official LA Carnival Assembly Hub on Obama Blvd., east and west of Crenshaw. The party then transforms into the carnival procession as participants begin traveling toward Leimert Park at 6:00 p.m. The procession will flow from Obama and Crenshaw Blvd. to Vernon and Leimert Blvd, bringing an exuberant display of lights, dancing, and celebration into Leimert Park Village to augment the finale of the Ancestor Mask Festival and Leimert Park Art Walk. Leimert Park Village is located at 4395 Leimert Blvd. Festivities will conclude at 10:00 p.m.

LA Carnival continues to be inclusive of the diversity of Angelenos across our great city. Immigrants from across the globe have made Los Angeles a culturally complex and creatively rich region. Artists, art consumers and practitioners have contributed to California’s designation as the creative capital of the nation and LA Carnival, held during Caribbean American Heritage Month, embodies this! The ingenuity, imagination and innovation that will be on display during the Carnival will be mind boggling and inspirational!” notes LA Carnival founder, Marie Kellier.

Migrating from its Hollywood beginning in 1998 to its Westchester home of over 17 years, founder Marie Kellier, of MARIKEL Productions, has nurtured LA Carnival as an innovator, trendsetter, and pioneer. At its root, LA Carnival is part of the worldwide chain of Caribbean carnivals imported into global communities by Caribbean immigrants. It is now the longest running Caribbean-based carnival in Southern California and served as a training

Having weathered many storms, LA Carnival now comes home to its true community, the iconic Crenshaw Boulevard, and historic Leimert Park Village.  Embracing a powerful multicultural theme, Kellier has evolved LA Carnival into an economic initiative that will establish ‘The Crenshaw Strip’ as a global tourism destination in anticipation of the 2028 Olympics.  Over the next few years of growing “LA Carnival on the Shaw,” artists, business owners and independent producers will be invited to host “Activity Hubs” and “Carnival Vibe Spots” along Crenshaw Blvd.  Kellier’s plan is to engage artists to work with business owners, extending the project into a monthly creativity-based series of activities with multidisciplinary arts and entertainment that invigorate the businesses in the area.

All Angelenos across the city and county of Los Angeles and beyond are invited to help build this vision by being part of “LA Carnival on the Shaw” and experience the diversity of cultures that is the fabric of Los Angeles and the basis for its designation as the creative capital of the nation. For sponsorship, special events and advertising information contact the LA Carnival corporate offices at (213) 761.4475 or (213) 656.3663 or lacarnivalarts@gmail.com.

For more details and information about attending the LA Carnival, go to losangelescarnival.com or email the Los Angeles Carnival’s production office at lacarnivalarts@gmail.com.

By Lou K. Coleman | WSS News Contributor

You see, in his second letter to the Thessalonians, Paul wrote of the time of the great apostasy that is to come in the last days. Paul wrote of the coming of the lawless one and that he would come to the world according to the working of Satan with power, signs, lying wonders, and with all unrighteous deception [2 Thessalonians 2:8-10]. And in [Matthews 24:24] Jesus said they will do this with the intent of deceiving people into following them. So, “Whatcha Gonna Do When They Come for You, Bad Boys, Bad Boys?”

Understand, our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” [Ephesians 6:12].

I encourage you to receive Christ as your Savior. For Christ is the only way of escape. Don’t wait until it’s too late! Remember, God invited Noah and his family aboard the ark with the words, “Enter the ark” [Genesis 7:1]. That’s His invitation to you today. God has not yet closed the door of salvation. At the end of the Bible, after warning of the judgment to come, God’s final appeal is, “The Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let him who hears say, “Come!” And let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely. [Revelation 22:17].

I do not know any language I can use to plead with you any more plainly. Turn to Christ before it’s too late! Do not be outwitted by Satan. Understand Satan seeks our ultimate destruction, which would be being thrown into the fiery pits of hell and then into the lake of fire [Revelation 20:10].

Be reconciled to God. [2 Corinthians 5:20]. The time is near!

ONTARIO, CA— Game after game, A.C. Green showed up, setting a National Basketball Association record for durability and helping the Los Angeles Lakers to three world championships.

On Sunday night (June 30), Green will join four other legends – University of Southern California All-American and 15-year National Football League quarterback Rodney Peete, San Diego State and NFL superstar Marshall Faulk, baseball super-agent Scott Boras and reknowned sports photographer Andrew D. Bernstein – as the newest members of the California Sports Hall of Fame.

Roy Firestone (Hall of Fame Class of 2022) will be the Master of Ceremonies for the Inductee Gala, to be held at the Ontario Convention Center.

“A.C. Green was a true basketball Iron Man, never missing a regular season game over the course of a decade and a half while playing championship basketball and serving as one of the great role models for our youth. It is a privilege to welcome him as a Hall of Famer, an honor he has earned through his performance and the example he set,” said Christian Okoye, a former NFL star who founded the California Sports Hall of Fame in 2006.

Green was born in Portland, OR, and was a standout in basketball at Oregon State University, where he finished second in school history in rebounding and fourth in scoring and would eventually earn a place the Pac-12 Basketball Hall of Honor.

He was a first-round draft pick of the Lakers in 1985 and helped the team capture back-to-back titles in 1987 and 1988. He led the Lakers in rebounding for six of the eight years he was with the team and in 1990, was voted a starter for the Western Conference All Star Team.

Green spent time with the Phoenix Suns and Dallas Mavericks before returning to the Lakers for the 1999-2000 season, which culminated in another championship. He finished his career the following year with the Miami Heat.

Green’s missed just eight games during his career, amassing a record-setting streak of 1,192 consecutive games played between November 1986 and April 2001.

A devout Christian, Green established the A.C. Green Youth Foundation, which operates youth camps to promote abstinence until marriage. In 2011, he was awarded the Bobby Jones Award by Athletes in Action for character, leadership and faith in the world of basketball, in the home and the community. Green’s humanitarian efforts earned him a spot in the World Sports Humanitarian Hall of Fame.

“Treat people the way you want to be treated. Character is doing the right thing even when no one is watching. Always be the best version of yourself,” Green said.

Tickets are still available for the California Sports Hall of Fame Gala at: https://californiasportshalloffame.org/induction-ceremony-golf-event/. The event starts with a reception at 4 p.m., followed by a dinner and induction ceremony beginning at 5 p.m.

In honor of Pride Month, Black Public Media (BPM) brings viewers a new short film that is an Afrofuturistic homage to Black Queer culture, as Artificial Intelligence meets Black Queer ASL (American Sign Language) meets vogue and flex dance styles to create a one-of-a-kind visual and sonic experience.

From the mastermind of acclaimed artist Rashaad Newsome, Hands Performance focuses on a performance by Being the Digital Griot, an AI in a non-binary robot body, who takes audiences on a unique exploration of movement and Black Queer ASL to Newsome’s original poetry. The Oakland-based creative premiered Being the Digital Griot during his exhibition Assembly at the Park Avenue Armory in 2022 and they were more recently seen as part of the 2024 Sundance Film Festival. Now audiences across the country have the opportunity to experience Being as part of the AfroPoP Digital Shorts series from BPM.

Taking place on a space station, Hands Performance transports viewers to outer space where a voiceover announces that the performance is “for the deaf and hard of hearing girls” while asking them to “listen with your eyes.” As Being twists, dips and slides with the skill and precision of top vogue and flex dancers against a backing pulsating score, they also translate Newsome’s poem, signing the words using Black Queer ASL.

An unique union of short film, AI and music video, Hands Performance takes its title from the well-known element of vogue fem, highlighting a dancer’s ability to tell a story with their hands while showcasing their musicality.

The film continues Newsome’s exploration of mapping Black cultural production as a form of movement research, data storage and collective wayfinding. Working with a team of Black Queer ASL interpreters, various vogue fem performers, flex dancers and motion capture technologists, Newsome translated his original poetry into a movement dataset exhibiting the uniquely Black and Queer aspects of sign language. Set against the backdrop of stunning visuals and a futuristic score filled with booming bass, synthetic snares, snaps, claps and glitchy computer sounds, Hands Performance is a must-see. Now viewers can stream it as part of BPM’s AfroPoP Digital Shorts by visiting the BPM YouTube page here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jPPyVyE-bMQ.

Black Public Media is a Harlem-based national nonprofit which has funded and distributed films about the Black experience since 1979. For more information on the AfroPoP Digital Shorts series and other programs and events from BPM, visit blackpublicmedia.org or follow them on YouTube, Instagram and Facebook at @blackpublicmedia and on X at @BLKPublicMedia.

RIALTO, CA— Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc., Eta Nu Omega Chapter of San Bernardino and Riverside Counties, hosted its Annual Graduate Recognition Scholarship Brunch at the Sierra Lakes Golf Course in Fontana, CA. One of our own, Daima Calhoun, Chief Deputy District Attorney of Riverside County, gave the keynote address titled “The Uphillers,” in which she inspired our graduates with three nuggets to carry with them on their educational journey. She stated, “Uphillers should Work hard, Dream big, and Don’t be afraid of failure.”

Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc., Eta Nu Omega Chapter awarded two outstanding community members the Community Service Award: The Honorable Judge Joshlyn Pulliman of Riverside County and Dr. Jamal Myrick, of University of Riverside (UCR), with the Educational Leadership Community Service Award.

Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc., Eta Nu Omega Chapter and The Inland Ivy Foundation awarded 22 students from San Bernardino and Riverside County School Districts $34,000 in scholarships to continue their educational journey. In addition to the Eta Nu Omega and the Inland Ivy Foundation scholarships, there were specialized scholarships awarded to the students: Memorial Scholarships personalized by members of Alpha Kappa Sorority Inc., Eta Nu Omega Chapter in memory of their loved ones. The six memorials honored were: Lisa Blacksher, Gracie Mae Poole, Harriette Moore, Keturah McEwen, Hazel Hawkins-Russell, and Irma L. Sutton. Specialized scholarships (Honey Do) in the name of the spouses of the women of Eta Nu Omega Chapter and four HBCU scholarships were also awarded.

April Outstanding Achievement Awards Recognize District Students, Parents and Staff

SAN BERNARDINO, CA—In April, the Board of Education presented the Outstanding Achievement Awards to students, parents and staff of Mt. Vernon and Muscoy Elementary Schools, M.L. King Jr. Middle School and San Andreas High School.

The Board recognizes Outstanding Student Award winners to honor excellence in academics, athletics, fine arts, citizenship and most improvement. The Board also presents the Outstanding Parent/Grandparent/Volunteer Award and Outstanding Employee Award to individuals who embody the District’s dedication to student achievement and well-being.

Mt. Vernon Elementary School, Principal Sylvette Del Llano:
Gabriel Rios is a fourth-grader and Outstanding Student. Rios shines as a beacon of academic excellence and outstanding citizenship. Beyond consistently achieving stellar grades, Rios is also kind, helpful, and he follows the rules. Rios wants to become a surgeon.

Dalilah Reyes Chiman is a sixth-grader and Outstanding Student. Dalilah stands out for her exceptional academic achievements and citizenship. She demonstrates commitment to her studies and she earns praise for her outstanding grades. Dalilah also has a kind and helpful nature. Dalilah is working towards her goal of becoming a veterinarian.

Outstanding Parent Award winner Rubi Barrios-Vallejo is a dedicated and proud mother of two children. She plays a pivotal role in her children’s academic journey while maintaining strong involvement as a parent committed to the betterment of the Mt. Vernon Elementary community.

Attendance Verifier Viviana Enciso epitomizes excellence in her role as an attendance verifier and as an out-of-class secretary. Her exceptional work performance is characterized by her tireless work ethic and remarkable attention to detail.

Fifth-Grade Teacher Donna Kosman constantly embodies the spirit of service and leadership. Donna fosters a dynamic learning environment where students can explore their interests and develop critical skills. Her tireless efforts and commitment exemplifies her outstanding professionalism and dedication to excellence.

Muscoy Elementary School, Principal Dr. Dana Jamison:
Eduardo Sandoval Soto is a third-grader and Outstanding Student. Eduardo is hardworking and dedicated to his academics. He is kind, friendly and has a loving heart. He loves to make people smile and laugh. And Eduardo loves school so much that his career goal is to be a teacher.

Daniel Vazquez is a fourth-grader and Outstanding Student. Daniel is being honored for academic excellence and citizenship. He is a shining example of a student who has grit and constantly strives for improvement. He is kind and goes out of his way to make others feel welcome. Daniel dreams about becoming a paleontologist.

Outstanding Grandparent Award winner Leticia Murrieta has displayed unwavering dedication to the education and well-being of Muscoy students. Her grandson, Daniel, was honored as an Outstanding Student Award winner. Leticia invests many hours to support Muscoy Elementary by attending meetings and family events, and she still offers to do more.

Bilingual Office Assistant/Health Aide Karen Cordova is an Outstanding Classified Employee. She excels at providing excellent health services to students, and she engages families so students can thrive. Just this school year, Karen has set up more than 400 Hazel Health telemedicine visits so Muscoy students receive the medical care they need.

Fifth-Grade Teacher Laura Cortez Cuevas is an Outstanding Certificated Employee. As Muscoy’s English Language Facilitator, Laura has assisted in the reclassification of over 34 students as English Proficient. She has helped to increase fifth-grade academic scores by analyzing student data and planning with her team how to increase student achievement.

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Middle School, Principal Ernesto Calles:
Seventh-grader Christopher Martinez is an Outstanding Student. He is a true representation of King scholars, showing exceptional character inside and outside the classroom. He is the ASB president, where he serves and leads the entire King Middle School student body. Martinez wants to attend university after high school.

Brittanny Melchor is an eighth-grader and Outstanding Student. Melchor excels in academics, citizenship and art. She is respectful, responsible and helps to provide a safe learning environment, all while maintaining a 4.0 GPA, which earned her recognition at the King Middle School academic award celebration in February. Melchor is focused on her goal of attending university after graduation.

Lydia Urrutia is an Outstanding Parent. She has been a positive partner with King Middle School. School staff appreciate Urrutia’s communication with administration and parents via the School Site Council, and she can always be depended upon to provide input to support the success of King scholars.

Custodian I Sam Arenivar is an Outstanding Classified Employee. Arenivar consistently demonstrates pride in his work. His enthusiasm and passion for upholding King’s values and fostering a positive learning environment serve as an inspiration to those around him.

History and Social Science Teacher Robert Almanza is an Outstanding Certificated Employee. Every Monday, he prepares and produces student-created videos to support the open communication and information that is vital to students and staff. Almanza’s leadership, including serving as department chair, exemplifies his commitment to students and staff.

San Andreas High School (SAHS), Principal Dorie Stratton:
Alaysha Nash is a senior and an Outstanding Student. Nash is involved in everything from the Student Leadership Advisory Council to dual enrollment in college and several extracurricular activities. She always has a smile on her face and is happy to help as needed. Nash plans to be a social worker because she loves helping people.

Senior David Renteria is an Outstanding Student. He is an outstanding scholar who excels in academics and citizenship and is a standout student in the Health Pathway Program. Renteria is a quiet leader, always ready to lend a helping hand, and actively engaged in extracurricular activities and leadership roles. He will be attending a certified nursing assistant program in June and hopes to become a Physical Therapist in the future.

Amber Ploehn is an Outstanding Parent, with two children attending Cajon High and one at San Andreas. Ploehn is active in the School Site Council and serves as the school’s District Advisory Council representative. She is always ready to help as needed, even bringing in lunch treats.

Bilingual Attendance Technician Cristina Topete Velazquez is an Outstanding Classified Employee. She is a very resourceful problem solver. Velazquez helps ensure that students are in class daily and connects families to important resources in the community. She has been an integral part of the San Andreas attendance team, helping to launch the Attendance Campaign.

San Andreas Teacher Rawan Fakhoury is an Outstanding Certificated Employee. Fakhoury’s tireless efforts have resulted in a rich and positive school culture where inclusivity and respect are paramount. She has transformed countless lives and empowered students to reach their full potential.

SAN BERNARDINO, CA—- The San Bernardino Symphony Orchestra, under the baton of Maestro Anthony Parnther, will present their annual concert under the stars with fireworks on Saturday, June 6, 2024 at 7:30 p.m. on the football field of San Bernardino Valley College. Will you be there?

Explained Maestro Parnther, “Our annual July concert has quickly become a community staple as well as our largest crowd of the year. It’s great to see so many people from throughout the Inland Empire joined together as we celebrate America and put on this spectacular show!”

Los Angeles-based vocal group DC6 will join with the Symphony to perform the music of The Wizard of Oz, The Wiz, and Wicked as well as traditional Patriotic fare culminating in Tchaikovsky’s bombastic 1812 Overture performed to a fireworks display.

This concert will also see a world record breaking piccolo attempt as players from all over the state have been invited to participate in performing John Phillip Sousa’s “The Stars and Stripes Forever” at the concert. The record – 189 – previously set July 4, 2016 at the Meyerson Symphony Center in Dallas, Texas.

Symphony piccoloist Kathleen Dyer is leading the charge to break the record.

“It has been an absolute joy to receive the registrations – the enthusiasm is contagious – and more will be accepted all month long!” explained Dyer.

The Symphony is also seeking to welcome more Veterans than ever before to this annual event and hopes you will want to partner with them to make this happen.

The Symphony has been honored to welcome thousands of Service Members to their concerts through a longtime partnership with VetTix which coordinates donated tickets to vetted members of all branches of currently-serving Military and Veterans, as well as immediate family of troops KIA.

While the Symphony-VetTix partnership applies to all concerts, the annual concert under the stars is held at an especially relevant location for the requested support.

The San Bernardino Valley College Veteran’s Resource Center provides assistance through education, certification and guidance to active duty, reserve, and veterans and their dependents in achieving their educational objectives and promotes the retention, graduation, and transfer of military veteran students and their dependents. They offer tutoring, mentorship, VA benefits assistance, mental health counselling, free books and supplies, and much more.

Shared District Chancellor Diana Z. Rodriguez. “This event is a fantastic opportunity to bring our community together in celebration and unity. We look forward to welcoming our military veterans to join us. Their service and dedication inspire us, and we are honored to celebrate Independence Day alongside them. This evening will be an unforgettable blend of live music, connection, and community pride.”

The concert begins at 7:30 pm, but the public is invited to arrive by 5 p.m. to take part in the College’s annual SUMMERFEST which will include information on the Veteran’s Resource Center, as well as many other educational opportunities, kids activities, campus tours, and a number of food trucks. Concert attendees may also bring their own picnic baskets into the stadium for the concert.

Members of the public who wish to fund a $10 General Admission ticket for one or more of our local heroes, may visit the Symphony Sponsorship Page, click on “Click to Make a Gift,” and select “Seats for Service Personnel” from the drop down menu. Donations may also be mailed to the Symphony at PO Box 109, San Bernardino, CA 92402 (be sure to indicate your check is for Seats for Service Personnel) or made via credit card by phone to (909) 381-5388.

All donations will be recognized at the July 6th Concert and in concert program books for the following 12 months.

“Once again, Maestro Parnther has curated a concert that will exceed expectations! This annual evening under the stars has never failed to bring the entire community together to share in the uniting power of music,” declared Symphony Board of Directors President Donna Marie Minano.

Tickets, Location Details, and Piccolo Registration

Table seating tickets for “America, the Beautiful” are available at $30-$100 per seat and may be purchased online at www.sanbernardinosymphony.org or by phone at (909) 381-5388 Monday through Friday. General admission lawn seats are $10 per person with children under 12 free. General admission ticketholders are encouraged to bring low lawn chairs or blankets.

San Bernardino Valley College is located at 701 S. Mt. Vernon Avenue in San Bernardino. Free, lighted parking is available throughout the campus. General admission tickets will be on sale at the event.

Piccoloists who register, rehearse, and participate in the performance of “The Stars and Stripes Forever” will receive General Admission tickets for themselves and their families.

Assigned table seating tickets for “America, the Beautiful” are available at $30-$100 per seat and may be purchased online at www.sanbernardinosymphony.org or by phone at (909) 381-5388 Monday through Friday. General admission lawn seats are $10 per person with children under 12 free. General admission ticketholders are encouraged to bring low lawn chairs or blankets.

San Bernardino Valley College is located at 701 S. Mt. Vernon Avenue in San Bernardino. Free, lighted parking is available throughout the campus on concert day. General admission tickets will be on sale at the event.

Piccoloists who register, rehearse, and participate in the performance of “The Stars and Stripes Forever” will receive General Admission tickets for themselves and their families. For more information or to register, visit the Symphony webpage.

By Bo Tefu, Joe W. Bowers Jr., and Lila Brown | California Black Media  

Celebrating Juneteenth, multi-Grammy award winning musician and Compton native Kendrick Lamar will perform at a sold-out concert from the Kia Forum in Los Angeles on June 19.

Tickets sold out almost instantly when news of the performance by the rapper the California State Senate recognized as a Generational Icon in 2015 was announced.

Fans flocked to snag tickets, some reporting they were in line behind tens of thousands of others. Demand for tickets was so high that resale prices skyrocketed, climbing up to $1,500.

Those who can’t attend in person won’t have to miss out as the concert will be livestreamed on Amazon Music. Titled “The Pop Out – Ken & Friends,” presented by pgLang and Free Lunch, the livestream will start at 4 p.m. PT and air on the Amazon Music channel on Twitch and Prime Video.

The livestream coincides with “Forever the Influence,” Amazon Music’s way of honoring the contributions of Black artists, producers, and songwriters who have defined culture during Black Music Month. Amazon Music will announce additional Amazon Music Originals and video content from the most influential Black artists for “Forever the Influence” in the coming weeks.

The concert’s title is a reference to Lamar’s wildly popular Drake diss track, “Not Like Us,” which hip-hop fans have declared cemented his place as “winner” with the song becoming a huge radio success as a result from the feud. Since Lamar dropped his verse on Metro Boomin and Future’s track “Like That” back in March, the beef between him and Drake has finally come to an end.

pgLang, is a multidisciplinary creative communications company that specializes in music and visual media production. The company was founded in 2020 by rapper Kendrick Lamar and music executive Dave Free and is headquartered in Los Angeles. The name is an acronym for “program language”, which Free says is synonymous with text-based formal languages and aligns with Lamar’s art.

Last year, Amazon Music sponsored the Juneteenth celebration at Leimert Park but had to cancel several performances when a stampede broke out causing an abrupt ending.

Those interested in tuning in can learn more at www.amazonmusic.com.

By Bo Tefu, Joe W. Bowers Jr., and Lila Brown | California Black Media  

A recent survey by the Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies (IGS), commissioned by the Evelyn and Walter Haas, Jr. Fund, indicates that over three-quarters (78%) of California’s registered voters are highly likely to participate in the upcoming general election on November 5. However, the survey of 5,095 voters highlights significant disparities among different voter demographics.

White voters show the highest likelihood of voting at 89%, compared to 66% for Black voters, 70% for Latino voters, and 62% for Asian American voters. Age differences are also notable, with 89% of voters aged 65 or older likely to vote, compared to just 60% of those aged 18-29.

The primary motivation for voters is the Presidential election, with 70% citing it as their reason for voting. Other significant factors include supporting specific issues (66%), fulfilling civic duty (63%), and protecting democracy (60%).

For those less likely to vote, dissatisfaction with Presidential candidates is a major deterrent, cited by 40%. Additionally, 36% are discouraged by the influence of special interests and big money.

John Kim, President and CEO of Catalyst California, emphasizes the importance of understanding voter motivations to address these disparities. “Knowing what is motivating California voters to participate in elections, and to what degree, is key to understanding our democratic systems,” he said. “This state has made strides in recent years to make voting more accessible. Yet the racial disparities that persist are a call to action for advocates and state officials to work together to address continuing structural impediments.”

Christian Arana of the Latino Community Foundation points out that investments in voter education are essential for a well-informed electorate capable of influencing state policies.

Eric Schickler, IGS co-director, notes that while overall engagement is high, the significant gaps in voter interest across different demographics highlight the need for continued efforts to mobilize underrepresented groups. “The big gaps across racial and ethnic subgroups and age cohorts underscore that interest in this election is far from universal, and that dissatisfaction with the two major party candidates may be a substantial obstacle in mobilizing turnout to the level seen in 2020.”