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SAN BERNARDINO, CA— The City of San Bernardino Parks, Recreation and Community Services Department is bringing back its popular “Sizzlin’ Summer Nights” Concert Series at Perris Hill Park’s Historic Roosevelt Bowl for eight Thursday nights starting June 6 and running through August 1. Now in its third year, the free series will feature music, food, artesian vendors, and activities.
Perris Hill Park’s Roosevelt Bowl is located at 1003 East Highland Avenue in San Bernardino.

Musical styles during the series will include Funk and Soul, Motown, Country, Big Band Swing, Latin Soul, Top 40, as well as performances by two popular Southern California tribute bands.

“Evenings at the Roosevelt Bowl are amazing, and the Summer Concerts turn it into one big dance party,” said San Bernardino Parks, Recreation, and Community Services Director Lydie Gutfeld.
Kicking off the series on Thursday, June 6, will be Nojac, a San Bernardino based funk and soul group. Nojac has opened for bands such as Tierra and Malo, and their set includes favorites from artists such as James Brown, Stevie Wonder, and Tower of Power.

Other performers during the series are:
June 6: Nojac (Funk and Soul)
June 13: Blue Breeze Band (Motown)
June 20: Nubes – Pride Night (Caifanes Tribute)
June 27: Pulp Vixen Band (Classic Rock)
July 11: Country Nation (Country)

July 18: Wise Guys Big Band (Big Band Vegas Swing)
July 25: Latin Soul Band (Cumbias, Salsa, Reggaetón)
August 1: No Duh (No Doubt Tribute Band)

Gates will open at 5:30 pm with each concert starting at 7:30 pm. Seating will be on a first come, first served basis. Activities, booths, food, and vendors will be available at 5:30 pm.
One of the new activities this year will be an “Art in the Park Sip and Paint Experience,” in which attendees will have the opportunity to try out their painting skills under the guidance of an instructor while enjoying a beverage.

There will be no performance on Thursday, July 4, in observance of Independence Day.

The 1,800-seat Roosevelt Bowl at Perris Hill Park was built and dedicated in 1934 as part of the depression era Federal Work Progress Administration. Since then, the outdoor amphitheater has been a featured gathering place in San Bernardino for musical, artistic,
and cultural performances, civic events, and graduations.

By Lila Brown | California Black Media

Before becoming a nationally recognized social justice leader and a member of California’s Mandated Reporting Taskforce, Shane Harris spent 13 years as a foster care youth after he lost both of his parents. As President of the national civil rights organization, People’s Association of Justice Advocates (PAJA), he’s aiming to solve some of the toughest challenges Black and Brown children in the foster care system face.

During National Foster Care Month in May, Harris visited the Sanctuary of Hope in Los Angeles to host a roundtable meeting with current and former foster youth, many of whom, like Harris, have beat the odds and become successful professionals — government officials, social workers and community activists leading their own organizations.

Sanctuary of Hope is a non-profit organization that works to empower youth through education, stabilization initiatives and the dismantling of social and economic barriers that may impede their progress.

According to the federal government’s Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System, there are nearly 370,000 American children and youth in foster care. Approximately 18,500 youth are emancipated from foster care without a permanent family annually and in 2021, 77% of eligible youth in foster care, ages 14–21 years old, left care without receiving the federally funded services necessary to prepare them for adulthood and independent living.

Nationally, Black children are overrepresented in foster care. According to datacenter.kidscount.org, Black children represented 14% of the total child population in the United States. However, they represented 23% of all children in foster care. Harris pointed out that one out of every four foster youth go homeless upon exiting foster care in California. Across the state, there are nearly 65,000 children in foster care, he added. Of the 65,000 children in foster care across California, 14,000 of them are Black American.

Harris also announced a new effort already underway to push for the removal of the term “case” in L.A. County when referring to foster youth during the roundtable which featured Hafsa Kaka, Senior Advisor to Gov. Gavin Newsom and Janet Kelly, the Founder and Director of Sanctuary of Hope. The session focused on solving problems foster youth face.

Sharing personal stories, insights, and various visions for policy changes, the participants discussed numerous solutions and addressed specific concerns about ongoing challenges with the foster care system.

One top priority was how to close the foster care to homelessness pipeline for the disproportionate number of Black and Brown children in LA County’s and the state’s foster care system.

Los Angeles County has the highest number of children in foster care of any county in California, with roughly 25,000 children.

“When you see the direct connection between the disproportionate rates of Black children in foster care and the disproportionate rates of Black people in the general homeless population, there is a very clear connection there in which our foster youth are coming out of care,” stated Harris during opening remarks. “Even though there are more programs, housing programs and transitional housing programs, we are still not nearly doing enough. The State’s budget cuts play a role into services being provided, and how that then could create a homelessness pipeline.”

Kaka said the governor has been intentional about making sure that foster children are homeless prioritized as the state addresses homelessness across different sectors.

“This is a critical moment for foster care,” said Kaka. “The systems that are working together are looking at leveraging federal, state and local funds. Prop 1 funds will create more dollars for youth, as well as the general population experiencing mental health, substance abuse and abuse at the intersection of homelessness.”

Harris said he has already begun efforts in San Diego County to drop the word “case” when referring to homeless youth.

“We are asking for a 90-day public input period, in which the county CEO and leadership can facilitate discussions with the community on replacement terminology. There’s plenty of ideas,” Harris elaborated. “It is a criminal justice related term. Foster care to prison pipeline is already large and vast.”

Kelly said a majority of the youth who go through the Sanctuary of Hope program are young people who have experienced some form of housing instability or housing crisis.

“The goal of the work that we do is really centered around helping young people leave here with leadership skills and other forms of what we call protective factors in order for them to continue on with their stabilization journey and become loving, caring and active citizens in this world,” Kelly said.

“It’s always great for me, especially during national foster care month, to see many of the young people that I’ve seen from the time that we founded almost 14 years ago, to see them grow or whether they are getting married or they’re graduating, becoming doctors, having children, because it really talks to the promise and the possibilities, because as individuals, we need to invest in their being, their social being, their emotional well-being, all of those things,” she added.

Last year, Newsom vetoed a bill that would have allowed foster youth to keep the money they accrue through Social Security benefits when they become adults.  The bill would have also required the state to pick up the tab for foster care costs.

A similar bill, Assembly Bill (AB) 2906, has since been introduced by Assemblymember Isaac Bryan to address the issue.

AB 2906 would require social service agencies to ensure that a foster child’s federal Social Security survivors’ benefits are not used to pay for, or to reimburse, the placing agency for any costs of the child’s care and supervision. Existing law requires every youth who is in foster care and nearing emancipation to be screened by the county for potential eligibility for SSI. The bill would also increase benefits and access to Social Security benefits for foster children.

If passed by the Legislature and signed by Newsom, AB 2906 would take effect on Jan. 1, 2025.

NORTH PACIFIC OCEAN— Operations Specialist 2nd Class Jazmin Rodriguez, from Ontario, California, performed duties as a phone-talker during a replenishment-at-sea aboard the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Ralph Johnson (DDG 114) in the North Pacific Ocean, May 25. Ralph Johnson is forward deployed and assigned to Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 15, the Navy’s largest DESRON and the U.S. 7th fleet’s principal surface force. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Trevor Hale)

COLTON, CA—- San Bernardino County proudly announces the grand reopening of the historic Agua Mansa Pio eer Cemetery, a vital landmark that preserves the memories of the Agua Mansa and La Placita communities, some of the earliest non-native settlements in the San Bernardino Valley. This reopening was spearheaded by San Bernardino County Fifth District Supervisor Joe Baca, Jr. whose Fifth District includes the historic Agua Mansa Pioneer Cemetery.

“As a former history teacher, it brings me great joy to join the families of those buried here in recognizing, honoring, and appreciating our rich history. This cemetery is a treasure, preserving the memories of our early settlers and reminding us of our community’s roots. said Supervisor Baca, Jr. “Honoring our past lays the foundation for a stronger, more informed future. Thank you to everyone who made this possible.”

The reopening event marks the culmination of a $1.1 million investment aimed at revitalizing the cemetery and ensuring its preservation for future generations. The improvements include new landscaping, a new entrance monument, driveway enhancements, and the repair of 14 endangered tombstones. Additionally, the site has been certified by the National Park Service as a historic stop on the Old Spanish National Historic Trail.

The Agua Mansa Pioneer Cemetery is the only remaining vestige of the once-thriving twin communities of Agua Mansa and La Placita, established in the early 1840s along the Santa Ana River. These communities were the first non-native settlements in the San Bernardino Valley and were significant agricultural hubs until they were devastated by a flood in 1862.

David Myers, Director of the San Bernardino County Museum, Added: “This project and its many improvements would not have been possible without the incredible support of the San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors, including Fifth District Supervisor Joe Baca, who has been a champion of this project from the very start.”

Nancy Melendez President of the Old Spanish Trail Association also shared: “Thank you, Supervisor Baca, for taking the lead and making this happen. This cemetery has been closed since the early 1960s and had suffered a lot of damage due to vandalism and other factors. We are so pleased to see that you have taken the lead in preserving this sacred and historic place.”

The San Bernardino County Museum continues to expand and improve its historic sites with support from the Board of Supervisors. All of the County’s museums and historic sites are accredited by the American Alliance of Museums, an honor achieved by only 3 percent of museums nationwide.

By Antonio? ?Ray? ?Harvey? ?|? ?California? ?Black? ?Media?

The 2024 State of Black Education: Report Card was recently published by the American Civil Liberties Union California Action (ACLU California Action).

It states that California is the third most segregated state for Black students.

Co-author of the report, policy counsel Amir Whittaker from ACLU Southern California explained the criteria the ACLU use to rank California during the commemoration of the 70th anniversary of the landmark 1954 U.S. Supreme Court decision Brown vs. Board of Education held at the State Capitol the day after the Memorial Day holiday.

“For every state in the Deep South, California (schools) are more segregated,” Whitaker said. “People often think that California is not segregated or unequal as Deep South states and others. The inequalities here (in California) are actually wider.”

New York and Illinois are ahead of California regarding the racial diversity of their student bodies. According to a report May 2022 report by Stanford Graduate School of Education, the Los Angeles, Philadelphia, and New York City school districts are in the top 10 most racially segregated districts for White-Black, White-Hispanic, and White-Asian segregation based on the average levels from 1991-2020.

In bigger school districts, segregation between low-income (students who are eligible for free lunch) and non-low-income students increased by 47% since 1991, according to the Stanford Graduate School’s report.

“That’s why it’s important to look at this data,” Whitaker said. “When you have millions of people living in places like Los Angeles, Chicago, and New York, the urban areas are a lot more segregated than the south. That’s a big part of it.

A number of factors contribute to the segregation of schools in California such as parents sending their children to private schools, others optioning for homeschooling, and other reasons, Whitaker said.

The Brown v. Board of Education case declared that separating children in public schools based on race was unconstitutional. However, Whitaker pointed to cases after the landmark decision that circumvented that federal law.

According to a 2014 report by the Civil Rights Project, in the 1990s, decisions by the U.S. Supreme Court decision ended federal desegregation orders in San Francisco and San Jose. In addition, court decisions in the state that ordered desegregation in the 1970s were overturned by the 1990s. Legally, California has no school integration policy to adhere to.

“This is why we did this report. There needs to be a report just on this issue (of school segregation),” Whitaker told California Black Media. “Right now, there’s no task force or anything addressing it. I have never seen the California Department of Education talk about it. This is a pandemic (and) a crisis.”

Linnea Nelson, ACLU Northern California Senior Staff Attorney in the Racial and Economic Justice Program co-authored the eight-page report.

The organization hosted an overview of the report and panel discussion at the State Capitol on May 29. California Black Legislative Caucus member Assemblymember Mia Bonta (D-Alameda) and Sen. Steven Bradford were the guest speakers. Parents, students, educators, and Black education advocates from all over the state attended the 90-minute presentation at the State Capitol.

School segregation is the No. 1 issue listed in among the report’s “24 areas of documented inequality,” along with problematic trends of racial harassment, a continuous decline of Black student enrollment, school closures, connection with school staff, chronic absenteeism, low Black teacher representation, and parent participation.

Educator John Hughes alluded to the Black exodus and the decreasing Black student population in California. Hughes, one of the panelists for ACLU’s event at the State Capitol, taught at Warren Lane Elementary School in the Inglewood Unified School District (IUSD)for 20 years.

According to IUSD’s 2021 Progress Report, the student population has fallen from approximately 18,000 in 2003-2004 to about 7,950 in 2020-2021. The report predicts that the decrease will continue, with the loss of approximately 400 to 500 students each year. The nearby Los Angeles Unified School District student enrollment has declined by 40% in the last 18 years.

“I believe fear comes into play because of the age-old discriminatory and racial practices that our students have been victims of,” Hughes said.

SAN BERNARDINO, CA— San Bernardino County, with the support of Fifth District Supervisor Joe Baca, Jr., proudly announces the grand opening of the new waterslides at Glen Helen Regional Park. This exciting addition underscores San Bernardino County’s commitment to providing affordable and accessible recreational options for families, especially in today’s challenging economic climate.

The celebration marks the completion of a $2.5 million project that features two thrilling waterslides, enhanced safety measures, and upgraded amenities to ensure a fantastic visitor experience.

Supervisor Joe Baca, Jr., a key advocate for this project, shared his enthusiasm, “We are thrilled to unveil these new waterslides at Glen Helen Regional Park. With the current economic challenges and inflation, we understand that not every family can afford costly amusement park trips. That’s why we’re bringing high-quality, affordable fun right here to our community.”
The waterslides are part of a broader initiative to upgrade Glen Helen Regional Park, including new picnic areas, updated playground equipment, and enhanced landscaping. These waterslides are part of a larger $15 million investment in Glen Helen Park aimed at enhancing recreational facilities and creating a more enjoyable and accessible environment for all visitors.

Supervisor Baca added, “Investing in our parks is investing in our community’s well-being. We want to ensure every family can enjoy safe, affordable recreational activities. These spaces provide a place where families can create lasting memories and enjoy the beauty of Glen Helen Regional Park”

In addition to the new waterslides, Glen Helen Regional Park offers a variety of activities such as fishing, hiking, and picnicking. The park remains a popular destination for both residents and visitors, offering a perfect escape for outdoor enthusiasts.

As the sun gets hotter and the days get longer, it’s time to celebrate summer in the First District. This year, there’s a fantastic lineup of free concerts happening throughout the region, offering a little something for everyone.

Get ready to groove under the stars with genres ranging from smooth jazz and soulful R&B to electrifying 80s rock and toe-tapping bluegrass.

From Town of Apple Valley’s “Sunset Concert Series” to Wrightwood’s “Music in the Pines,” there’s a concert series waiting to be your new Thursday night tradition. On Saturdays from now through September, don’t miss Mountain High Resorts’ free North Lodge concerts.

Be sure to mark your calendars for Victorville’s “Concerts in the Park” at Hook Park in June and Hesperia’s “Bobcat Summer Concert Series” kicking off in August.

Grab your picnic blanket and lawn chairs and get ready for a summer filled with great music and memories in the First District!

By Lou K. Coleman | WSS News Contributor

When Jesus comes at the Rapture, there will be NO WARNING. It will be INSTANTANEOUS. It will be as [1 Corinthians 15:52] says in the “Twinkling of an Eye”. There will be no time to get ready.  There will be no time to repent. It will be too late! What are you waiting for? For as [2 Corinthians 6:2] says – Behold, NOW is the accepted time; behold, NOW is the day of Salvation. Don’t wait until it’s too late! If you do, [Matthew 25:46] says, you will go away into eternal punishment. “You will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His might. [2 Thessalonians 1:8-9]. For God is not a man that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good? [Numbers 23:19].

Listen, there will be NO SECOND CHANCES to Repent and be Saved after Death [Hebrews 9:27; Jude 1:13; Matthew 25:46]. Prepare! Give your life to the Lord. Yes, there is an urgency to this message – Jesus is returning soon! Secure your eternal destiny today. Please! And understand that these words are not meant to scare you; they’re a warning about what the future holds if you reject the Lord’s offer of salvation. God has set before you a choice between eternal life and death. What will you choose? [1 John 5:11-13].

Throughout God’s word we see time and again where God warns people of the coming judgment, telling them to prepare. But for some, it’s out of sight, out of mind. For others, it’s business as usual and because of such [Isaiah 5:14-16; Isaiah 14:9] says, “Hell from beneath is excited about you, to meet you at your coming; it stirreth up the dead for thee, even all the chief ones of the earth; it hath raised up from their thrones all the kings of the nations.

Turn to the LORD before it’s too late. “Seek the Lord while he may be found; call upon him while he is near; let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the Lord, that he may have compassion on him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. [Isaiah 55:6-7]. Time is running out! [Romans 13:11].

By McKenzie Jackson | California Black Media

Californians who are Asian American or Pacific Islanders (AAPI) were the targets of an escalated number of hate crimes and hate incidents during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Many AAPI people, particularly the elderly, reported being too scared to leave their homes.  Others experienced firsthand hateful incidents stemming from deep-rooted prejudices and stereotypes — such as verbal or physical assaults in public. Yet, too many of them were hesitant to voice their emotions, according to Yu Wang, an associate marriage and family therapist at the Asian Pacific Counseling and Treatment Center in Los Angeles.

“A space for healing is critically needed,” Wang said, also noting that some Asian cultures don’t put a heavy emphasis on sharing feelings and vulnerabilities. “It makes it difficult to talk about experiences related to racism. Also, many of us lack to the language to express emotions, which exacerbates feelings of isolation and fear.”

The Asian/Pacific Islanders (AAPI) Equity Alliance in collaboration with other Asian American community groups recently launched the Healing Our People through Engagement (HOPE) pilot program in Los Angeles County geared at healing racial trauma experienced by Asian American community members by providing healing spaces and reducing isolation. Based on the successes of the initiative, supporters and organizers believe the “culturally centered” program could become a model for other cities around the state.

Ethnic Media Services hosted an hourlong Zoom press conference on the last day of May, which was AAPI Heritage Month, to allow HOPE program facilitators and allies the opportunity to provide details of the initiative to the media.

HOPE is a healing space for five distinct Asian American communities — Cambodian, Chinese, Filipino, Japanese, and Korean — created to make sense of their experiences with racism and recent surges in hate crimes. The psychology of the program is radical healing, a framework that has aided Black people in dealing with years of prejudice-caused trauma. HOPE is funded by a grant from the California Department of Social Services.

More than 11,000 stories of hate have been reported to the California-based online resource, Stop AAPI Hate, since 2020.

AAPI Managing Director of Programs Michelle Sewrathan Wong called HOPE vital and said Asian Americans endured episodes of brutality on a scale not seen in generations in the U.S. during the pandemic.

“They were scapegoated by politicians for transmission of COVID-19, targeted for violent physical attacks, made to feel unsafe and unwelcome in their own communities and bullied and ridiculed by neighbors and strangers alike,” she stated.

HOPE opened healing spaces in Los Angeles County that offer six two-hour sessions conducted in groups by facilitators, who are staff from partner community organizations. The initiative’s curriculum encourages self-reflection and dialogue, and it facilitates connections among participants.

DePaul University Associate Professor of Psychology Dr. Anne Saw said the radical healing framework promotes healing over merely coping with the traumatic impacts of racism. She said radical healing is about becoming whole despite racism.

“We believe the radical healing framework provides a powerful set of tools/approaches to help people of color heal from racism,” Saw explained. “Healing may be lifelong because racism is ongoing, yet a program like ours reminds people of the cultural, community, family, and individual strengths they have to resist racism. We believe that healing in a group can be more powerful than an individual engaging in healing on their own because of the support they receive.”

Wang, a HOPE facilitator, recalled a gathering of four Chinese and Chinese Americans people she met.

“The participants shared their feelings of helplessness and fear,” Wang said.

She noted how one of the participants, a woman who grew up in a predominantly White community, was initially reluctant to talk about her feelings because she didn’t grow up in a Chinese majority neighborhood.

“However, after seeing how others shared their stories openly, she felt encouraged and shared her own story,” Wang recalled. “I think because our community tends to internalize traumatic experiences rather than talking about them, this healing space was so powerful and allowed us to express and validate these feelings. The group let us learn how to support each other.”

HOPE facilitator Xueyou Wang, a social services program assistant at Little Tokyo Services Center in Los Angeles, said the center’s officials were uncertain if members of the community they served would benefit from HOPE.

“The participants talked a lot about microaggressions that would build up during the pandemic,” she said.

Wang said the group included new Japanese Americans and multi-generational Japanese Americans, who discussed and bonded over their concerns of loss of culture and history and how to combat gentrification in Little Tokyo.

“It was very interesting to see participants meet each other where they were and hold space for each other,” she said. “Newer Japanese immigrants fearing the loss of culture and Japanese Americans, who have been here for longer, fearing the loss of the history.”

HOPE is meant to empower people and to fight racism.

Next year, the program will focus on outreach to older adults.

“The concept of radical healing can be empowering,” Saw stated.

This resource is supported in whole or in part by funding provided by the State of California, administered by the California State Library in partnership with the California Department of Social Services and the California Commission on Asian and Pacific Islander American Affairs as part of the Stop the Hate program. To report a hate incident or hate crime and get support, go to CA vs Hate.

SACRAMENTO, CA—Assemblymember James C. Ramos (D-San Bernardino) today received the 2024 Legislator of the Year Award from the Spirit of Veterans Day nonprofit organization. The award cited the group’s “heartfelt appreciation for your support for California’s 1.6 million veterans and Gold Star Families.”

Ramos said, “This award is a tremendous honor. We owe our veterans so much and their sacrifices are too often overlooked and undervalued. California must do better by those who serve, who sacrifice and the many who have paid the ultimate price for their country.”

Candace Hamilton, Founder and Chair of the 12th Annual Spirit of Veterans Day nonprofit, said the criteria for recognition is based upon making a significant difference in the state legislature in the support of veterans’ issues. Recipients must also honor those who have given their lives during active duty – the loved ones of California’s Gold Star Families. Gold Star Families are those who have lost an immediate family member as the result of active-duty military service.

Hamilton noted Ramos’s legislation to honor Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Dylan Merola. The young man was killed in a suicide bombing on August 26, 2021, at the Kabul Hamid Karzai International Airport while assisting people during an evacuation. Ramos introduced successful legislation, ACR 139, in 2022 to name a San Bernardino freeway overpass in recognition of the fallen hero. He was also a joint author of AB 1452 that was signed last year. It would create a process to establish an Iraq Afghanistan Kuwait Veterans Memorial monument on State Capitol grounds.

Ramos has also introduced AB 46, a bill granting military retirees and dependents a state tax exemption on their pension revenue. That bill is in the State Senate.