Local

By Joe W. Bowers Jr. and Edward Henderson | California Black Media

This past weekend, on July 1, Assembly Bill (AB) 1655, which declares Juneteenth an official California state holiday took effect.

AB 1655, introduced by Assemblymember Reggie Jones-Sawyer (D-Los Angeles), a member of the California Legislative Black Caucus, was signed into law by Gov. Newsom last September.

On June 19 of next year, California state employees can elect to take the day off work to commemorate the holiday celebrating the emancipation of formerly enslaved Black Americans.

Uniting the Community in Support of Human Rights and the LGBTQIA2S+ Community

FONTANA, CA— On Saturday, July 1, 2023, a Pride decorated vehicle caravan led by Fontana Residents was started in both the north and south of Fontana, California. The two caravans moved throughout the city raising awareness and merged into a Fontana’s first Pride Rally in the center of the city at Fontana City Hall. The purpose of the event was to unite the entirety of the city behind Human Rights and bring together people from different walks of life to celebrate and support the LGBTQIA2S+ community.

The event provided an opportunity for residents and visitors to share their stories, their struggles, and paint a future where “love conquers all and belonging is unconditional.” Participants pledged to go beyond support: the attendees vowed be accomplices to the LGBTQIA2S+ community in the fight to maintain their civil rights. The spontaneous chant by the crowd, “Pride is Every Day!” was a reminder in a time where civil rights are being threatened, and intolerance is rearing its ugly head, standing by or giving passive support is no longer enough, and Pride should not be a single month of visibility —but a shared mission, every day.

The event was a joint effort by several community organizations, including the Fontana Dems Club, Ontario Democratic Club, the San Bernardino County Young Democrats (SBCYD), GROW Fontana, the Fontana Good Neighbor Coalition, and the Progressive Alliance of the Inland Empire, as well as Assembly Majority Leader Eloise Gomez Reyes’ (AD-50), whose district includes Fontana and surrounding cities.

Assemblymember Eloise Gomez Reyes spoke at the event and later tweeted, “Today, I joined up with the @fontanadems to celebrate our LGBTQ+ family at the Inaugural Pride Care-A-Van and Rally! I want to thank the individuals who shared their story and I want you to know we are here standing with you -as accomplices!”

Organizers of the event were thrilled with the turnout and the positive response from the community. They believe that the success of the event will encourage more people to support the LGBTQIA2S+ community, not just during Pride Month, but throughout the year.

“It was an amazing experience to see so many people come together to support the LGBTQIA2S+ community and to feel the love and support from so many as we drove through the city,” said Bobbi Jo Chavarria, President of the Fontana Dems and one of the event’s organizers. “We hope that this event has helped to raise awareness and show people that Fontana is filled with a community of support and solidarity with our LGBTQIA2S+ brothers and sisters, cousins and friends.”

Organizers felt hosting the caravan and pride rally in Fontana was crucial and has proven that a community can come together to support and celebrate diversity. It is a reminder that everyone can play their part in creating a more inclusive society regardless of their gender identity or sexual orientation, and organizers are already planning next year’s event!

The High Desert Open Arts Exhibition is an annual exhibition organized and curated in partnership with Arts Connection, the Arts Council of San Bernardino County that features traditional and contemporary art celebrating the landscapes, wildlife, people, cultures, and history of the High Desert—a region that stretches as far west as Lancaster, as far northwest as Palmdale, and north to the Barstow desert. The juried exhibit will run from from July 8 to Oct. 8 and features work by twenty-four local High Desert artists.

A reception open to the general public is scheduled for July 8 from 2 to 4 p.m. Light refreshments will be provided by the Arts Connection, the Arts Council of San Bernardino.  Regular museum admission applies.

The Victor Valley Museum is located at 11873 Apple Valley Road in Apple Valley. General admission is $10 (adult), $8 (military/senior), $7 (student), and $5 (children ages 6 to 12). Children 5 & under and Museum members are free. Parking is free and the museum is accessible to persons with disabilities. For more information, visit the San Bernardino County Museum website.

By Antonio Ray Harvey | California Black Media

The California Task Force to Study and Develop Reparation Proposals for African Americans delivered its final report to the California Legislature two days before the July 1 deadline.

The nine-member committee submitted a 1075-page, brown-and-gold hardcover book with a comprehensive reparations plan that includes more than 115 recommendations and a survey. Published by the California Department of Justice, the report documents the harms enslaved ancestors of Black Californians experienced during chattel slavery and due to the Jim Crow laws that followed. It also details the history of discriminatory state policies in California.

Attorney Kamilah V. Moore, the task force chairperson, provided a summary of the group’s activities over the last two years leading up to the compilation of the first-in-the nation report addressing the effects of slavery.

“As you all know, this illustrious nine-member California reparations task Force has been working diligently over a course of two years, not only to study the enumerable atrocities against the African American community with special considerations for those who are descendants of persons in slavery in the United States,” Moore said.

“Obviously, we’ve been working diligently to develop on numerous policy prescriptions to end what we consider to be lingering badges of slavery in California as well,” Moore added.

Ironically, the Task Force’s last meeting happened the day the U.S. Supreme Court prohibited the use of race-based affirmative action in college admissions. A couple of task force members addressed the decision before the meeting but stayed focused on the release of the report.

Each page of the report offers an explanation of reparations, evidence of past aggressions and systemic racism, and recommendations for restitution and atonement.

The report is 40 chapters, beginning with an Introduction; followed by evidence of Enslavement; Racial Terror; Political Disenfranchisement; Housing Segregation; Separate and Unequal Education; Racism in the Environment and Infrastructure; Pathologizing the African American Family; Control Over Creative, Cultural, and Intellectual Life; Stolen Labor; and Hindered Opportunity.

“I would like to commend Governor Gavin Newsom for making this Task Force a reality, Secretary of State Shirley Weber for authoring the legislation creating this Task Force, and each and every Member of the Reparations Task Force who have worked tirelessly over the past two years,” said Assemblywoman Lori D. Wilson, Chair of the California Legislative Black Caucus in a statement.

“The findings are clear. Lawmakers must take direct and determinative action to address the vast racial inequality which exists in California today. The California Legislative Black Caucus looks forward to partnering with the Newsom administration and our colleagues in the Legislature as we look towards the coming Legislative Session.”

Additionally, recommendations made by the task force include a request for a formal apology from the state and acknowledgment of discrimination against the descendants of enslaved Blacks.

“This work has been relentless, has been meticulous (and) it is unsaleable,” Oakland-based civil rights attorney and task force member Lisa Holder said. “It has been a work of a collective. We partnered with the Department of Justice, we partnered with hundreds of scholars, and we partnered with the community. Public commenters and participants in listening sessions who poured out their hearts and souls told us some of the most devastating stories of racial discrimination. They shared their pain and made themselves vulnerable during this process.”

The task force decided on March 30, 2022, that lineage will determine who will be eligible for compensation, specifically, individuals who are Black descendants of enslaved people in the United States. If reparations become law, a proposed California American Freedmen Affairs Agency would be responsible for identifying past harms and preventing future occurrences.

The specialized office, with additional branches across the state, would facilitate claims for restitution, process claims with the state, and assist claimants in proving eligibility through a “genealogy” department.

Marcus Champion, a board member of the National Assembly of American Slavery Descendants Los Angeles (NAASDLA) and the Coalition for a Just and Equitable California (CJEC), is a longtime reparations supporter and one of the activists who worked with Secretary of State Shirley N. Weber when she was an Assemblymember to make Assembly Bill (AB) 3121, the law that established the task force, a reality.

Speaking at a CJEC gathering in North Sacramento after the final task force meeting, Champion said now is the time to persuade the legislature to make reparations law.

“For us, on the ground as grassroots (organizations), we are about to start putting the pressure on the legislators to make sure that the words are right,” Champion told California Black Media. “We’re about to make sure the community’s eligibility is right, make sure that there are cash payments, and make sure that this is not watered down and that this is real reparations.”

The 16^th and final Task Force meeting was held in the First Floor Auditorium of the March Fong Eu Secretary of State Building in Sacramento on June 29. The facility was filled with an overflow of people waiting in the lobby and outside of the building.

All nine members of the task force were present as well as some of the speakers who testified before the panel over the last two years. California Attorney General Rob Bonta, members of the California Legislative Black Caucus, and Weber also spoke during the three-hour event.

“The policies and laws of this nation have affected every state and many instances beyond the state. It’s important to let people know that reparation is due whether you’re in Mississippi or you’re in California,” Weber said. “Reparation is due because the harm has been done. And we need to begin to repair the harm and stop patching it up as we’ve done for many years.”

INLAND EMPIRE, CA— The Inland Empire Immigrant Youth Collective (IEIYC) is thrilled to announce the highly anticipated Undocumented Mentorship Academy Photovoice Art Exhibit, a transformative event that aims to amplify the narratives of BIPOC, first generation immigrant youth residing in the Inland Empire. This remarkable exhibition will take place at the San Bernardino County Museum on Friday, July 28, 2023, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Recognizing the power of artistic expression, IEIYC has curated an exceptional art exhibition that provides immigrant and undocumented youth with the creative freedom to delve into their identities, foster a sense of community, and employ photography as a means of personal and political expression. The event promises to be a truly cultural experience, shedding light on the unique stories and experiences of BIPOC, first generation immigrant youth, while making art accessible and inclusive for those interested in the arts.

The exhibit will serve as a celebratory space, offering attendees an opportunity to rejuvenate, connect with loved ones and friends, and cultivate moments of learning and connection within the larger community. It will be a platform for immigrant youth living in the Inland Empire to share their experiences and perspectives.

To attend the event and support the ongoing efforts of IEIYC, tickets can be purchased at https://givebutter.com/UMAExhibit. While general admission is free, donations are being accepted for an upgraded experience which includes unlimited appetizers and beverages, with contributions ranging from $15-$25 per person. Donations of any amount are also being accepted to support the organization’s programming, stipends for youth, wellness materials, and emergency mutual aid.

“We are honored to curate the UMA Photovoice Exhibit, providing a profound platform immigrant youth in the I.E. to share their powerful stories through the art of photography,” says Angel Fajardo, IEIYC Executive Director. “This event embodies the spirit of resilience, cultural expression, and community connection. We invite the community to witness the transformative narratives of these talented youth and stand alongside them in support.”

For more information about the Inland Empire Immigrant Youth Collective and its initiatives, please visit www.theieiyc.org or call (951) 800-3006.

By Pilar Marrero

Many are vowing to continue the fight to protect diversity in higher education and warn policy makers and educators not to overreach in interpreting the controversial ruling.

Civil rights leaders joined together to denounce last week’s Supreme Court decision ending Affirmative Action. Many are warning of the negative effects the ruling will have on students of color.

“Race is still relevant, racial discrimination is still relevant,” said Thomas A. Saenz, President and General Counsel of the Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund (MALDEF).

Saenz pointed to the majority opinion written by Chief Justice John Roberts, which states that college admission programs can consider how race has affected an applicant’s character specifically, but that race cannot be a general consideration in admissions.

“That is a clear indication that this is not a mandate or even an invitation to ignore race in the context of higher education,” explained Saenz in an interview with Ethnic Media Services.

The June 29 decision overturned 45 years of precedent by ruling that Affirmative Action policies violate the Equal Protection Clause of the Constitution.

Saenz and others warned policymakers and higher education leaders not to overreach in their interpretation of the ruling. They also urged students of color not to “adjust their ambitions in any way” because of this decision.

“That is a clear indication that this is not a mandate or even an invitation to ignore race in the context of higher education,” explained Saenz in an interview with Ethnic Media Services.

The June 29 decision overturned 45 years of precedent by ruling that Affirmative Action policies violate the Equal Protection Clause of the Constitution.

Saenz and others warned policymakers and higher education leaders not to overreach in their interpretation of the ruling. They also urged students of color not to “adjust their ambitions in any way” because of this decision.

“Policymakers cannot use this decision as some excuse to ignore racial disparity or to ignore the imperative to address it,” said Saenz. “This doesn’t change regulations under the Federal Civil Rights Act of 1964.”

Thomas A. Saenz, President and General Counsel of the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund (MALDEF), notes that race can still be taken into account for college admissions, as it relates to an applicant’s life experience.

Racial gaslighting

Colleges and universities across the country – particularly those states where, before this decision, race was still used as part of the criteria in college and university admissions – should evaluate their practices for equity, said leaders in the higher education access arena.

“We know that Affirmative Action was one of the best tools to ensure there was a diverse student body,” said Michelle Siqueiros, President of the Campaign for College Opportunity. “SCOTUS should have also banned legacy (admissions), which makes up more than a quarter to a third of the class at some selective institutions, including Harvard.”

She added the practice of granting admission to the sons and daughters of alumni, along with early decision admissions and the extensive use of standardized tests, “do not expand opportunities to low-income Black, Latino and Asian American Students.”

Several groups in Boston filed a complaint with the Education Department on Monday requesting that it review the practice of legacy admissions, arguing it discriminates against students of color by favoring the children of alumni at elite schools, most of whom are white.

Author and education scholar J. Luke Wood described the ruling as “racial gaslighting at its best.” Wood is the incoming president at Sacramento State University.

“If they are concerned about discrimination, they should move away from standardized testing, which is a better indication about a student’s resources” and not his or her capacities. “This will definitely have an impact on access to colleges and universities by students of color,” said Wood.

Sending a message to students of color

Marita Etcubañez, Vice President of Strategic Initiatives with Asian Americans Advancing Justice (AAJC), discusses the Asian American response to the ban on affirmative action and notes that Asian Americans did not initiate the lawsuit, nor were there any student plaintiffs in the case.

All of those interviewed said they worried about students getting the wrong message from the ruling and the impact this could have on students of color already in higher education institutions.

“We want to make sure that students of color know that they still belong, that we will be fighting for you, and we encourage you to apply to the school of your choice, don’t be scared off by this opinion,” said Marita Etcubañez, Vice President of Strategic Initiatives with Asian Americans Advancing Justice (AAJC).

Etcubañez, like other Asian American civil rights leaders, also expressed concerns about arguments that Affirmative Action policies unfairly discriminated against Asian students. “This is simply false,” she said.

“The District Court examined all the evidence and found no evidence to support the claim that there was discrimination against Asian Americans,” said Etcubañez. “I also want to make sure people know that Asian Americans were not behind this case.”

In fact, the case was brought forward by a group called Students for Fair Admissions led by conservative activist Ed Blum, who Etcubañez noted “has engaged in a campaign to systematically take down Affirmative Action for years. This was not an organic case to right a wrong.”

Blum is a Republican financier who was also behind the 2013 Shelby v. Holder decision, which gutted Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act, eliminating the requirement that states with a history of racial discrimination targeting voters of color seek federal preclearance for any changes to their election laws.

In a scathing dissent to the majority’s ruling, Justice Sonia Sotomayor wrote: “The three Justices of color on this Court graduated from elite universities and law schools with race-conscious admissions programs, and achieved successful legal careers, despite having different educational backgrounds than their peers.”

In her opinion, Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, who joined Sotomayor in her dissent, offered a fiery exchange with conservative justice Clarence Thomas, who is also African American and leads the ultra-conservative wing of the court.

‘We will be watching’

Michele Siqueiros, President of The Campaign for College Opportunity, says affirmative action advocates will continue to fight for fair admissions to colleges and to ensure that campuses remain diverse.

“Thomas went to Yale Law School, my alma mater, at a time when almost certainly the law school was using an Affirmative Action system that benefited him,” said Saenz from MALDEF. “This indicates how much of a limitation this could be for our future. Future justices, future leaders, elected leaders, and future professionals will be diminished in their ranks by the court’s wrongheaded decision.”

Michelle Siqueiros, President of the Campaign for College Opportunity, said that her organization and many others would fight to counteract the effects of this ruling as they have done in California and other states where local laws limited the use of race in admissions over the years.

“We won’t accept a return to the 1940s and 1950s when colleges blatantly discriminated against women, African Americans, Jewish Americans, Latinos, and Indigenous folks at their campuses,” said Siqueiros.

“We will be watching,” she added, noting that at a time when more than 50% of students in K-12 schools are students of color, “we are hopeful that college leaders know and support and value providing opportunity for all Americans.”

By Nekima Levy Armstrong, Esq

(BLACK ENTERTAINMENT TELEVISION (BET)—On this third anniversary of the Minneapolis police murder of George Floyd, one is left to ponder whether any real progress has been made regarding increased police accountability and improving the lives of Black folks in this country.

By Joe W. Bowers Jr. | California Black Media

Last week, the California Senate voted 39-0 to pass Senate Concurrent Resolution (SCR) 76. This measure recognizes June 19, 2023, as Juneteenth. During the session before the vote, Senators Steven Bradford (D-Inglewood) and Sen. Lola Smallwood-Cuevas (D-Ladera Heights) spoke about why the commemoration is important for all Americans.

Bradford highlighted the historical significance of the color red for formerly enslaved people.

“Many times, people stereotype African Americans as great lovers of watermelon, red soda pop, or other things of that nature. But if they knew our history, they would know the significance of ‘red’,” Bradford told his colleagues before they cast their votes in favor of California commemorating the 158th Anniversary of Juneteenth.

“It is the significance of the watermelon, the significance of hibiscus tea, or as my old man used to say, ‘red velvet cake’,” Bradford continued. “The red was reflective of the blood that we shed in this country. The blood that we shed for over 250 years of slavery. That’s why those items are so significant to a Juneteenth celebration if you’ve ever been to one.”

Smallwood-Cuevas reminded her colleagues that Black Americans were enslaved longer than they have been free.

“It is a celebration, historically, of how America became the “Land of the Free” for everyone in this country on Juneteenth,” said Smallowood-Cuevas. “An estimated $20 trillion was amassed on the backs of enslaved labor, making the U.S. the largest economic power in the world.”

Authored by California Black Legislative Caucus (CLBC) members Bradford and Smallwood-Cuevas, SCR 76 urges lawmakers and Californians to celebrate the anniversary of the day in 1865 when some of the last enslaved African Americans in America were told they were free through the Emancipation Proclamation signed by President Abraham Lincoln more than two years earlier in 1863.

By Maxim Elramsisy | California Black Media

Civil Rights and personal Injury attorneys Benjamin Crump and Carl Douglas announced a $100 million lawsuit against the City of Los Angeles last week for the death of Keenan Anderson, a high school English teacher visiting Los Angeles from Washington D.C.

The attorneys are representing Anderson’s son, Syncere Anderson, and Syncere’s mother Gabrielle Hansell.

The complaint alleges civil rights violations, assault and battery, false imprisonment, and negligence on the part of Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) officers in the death of Anderson.

“They are trying to George Floyd me,” Anderson said as he lay face down on the street in Venice, California on January 3. The 30-year-old died later at a hospital after body-camera footage shows him being tased at least six times by LAPD officers.

“[He is] calling out to the public when he’s on the ground being tased and squashed. He’s calling for help. He was anticipating his own injury,” Douglas, said to California Black Media (CBM).

“When you think about Black people, our fear is that every time police stop us, they might do us like George Floyd,” Crump said to CBM.

The LA County Medical Examiner-Coroner reported in early June that Anderson’s cause of death was an enlarged heart and cocaine use and reported manner of death as undetermined.

The attorneys argue the report is irrelevant.

“After they assassinated him, they tried to assassinate his character. That is the strategy, tried and true, in America when the police kill Black people,” Crump said. “Look at that video, your eyes are not deceiving you. What killed [Anderson] was an overdose of lethal force, it’s that simple. If he were not tased, he would be here today.”

They believe the video shows that the use of force by police was inappropriate in this situation.

“It matters not whether there was cocaine in his system, because the actions of the officers were wrong. It matters not why he was in distress, because it’s clear from the body camera footage that he was never a threat. He spoke to the officers politely. He was always compliant; he never balled his fist, he never kicked. He never did anything to give an officer the belief that he was a threat.

Instead, these officers acted like hammers. And when you send a hammer into a garden, they treat all the flowers like their nails,” Douglas said to CBM.

“They did not know that Keenan Anderson was a schoolteacher of high school students. They didn’t know he had a five-year-old boy who loved him and he was engaged in his young son’s life. They didn’t know he was a role model to dozens of other kids across the country.”

“It resonated with me because I was so close to George Floyds family,” said Crump, who represented the family in a lawsuit against the city of Minneapolis.

“The one thing that I think is similar is just the fact that Black people who have mental health crises, man, we get the death sentence,” Crump said. “When White people have mental health crises, everybody is trying to help them.”

This month the U.S. Department of Justice released a report outlining systemic problems in the Minneapolis Police Department. It said police officers used “unjustified deadly force” and other types of force, and that they “unlawfully discriminate” against Black and Native American people, violate the rights of people engaged in protected speech, and discriminate against people with behavioral health issues.

There were similar findings in Los Angeles Police Department after the Rampart Scandal uncovered corruption.

“20 years ago, there was a finding that there were systemic problems in the Los Angeles Police Department and there was a consent decree,” Douglas said. “The problem is there is a warrior mentality that envelops law enforcement: us versus them; military equipment against citizens instead of a guardian mentality to protect and serve, to help.”

L.A. Mayor Karen Bass discussed the incident with CBM in February.

“People have died at the hands of the LAPD. You had those three deaths in one week, which was really horrific from my point of view,” Bass said. “With my medical background, I looked at those tapes unedited, and I saw two people in serious crisis.”

Bass also described assurances she received from Los Angeles Police Chief Michael Moore. She said, “Part of my agreement in supporting him was that we identified a group of objectives of what I want to see done. I am insisting that every officer be trained in mental health to spot crises.”

“The Commitment I made to the chief was to work to increase the funding for mental health, social workers, so that they can go out and be part of these assessments, because I believe if those officers had been accompanied by a mental health professional that it may not have escalated the way it did.”

A June 23 statement from Mayor Bass’ office to CBM stated, “The Mayor’s approved budget has money to continue funding the SMART teams. The primary challenge isn’t lack of funding for these positions but a shortage of licensed clinicians who work alongside the officers to respond to people experiencing mental health crises. The Mayor’s Office is working with our partners at LAPD and LA County Department of Mental Health to pursue strategies to hire additional licensed clinicians.”

The LA City Attorney declined to comment for this article, citing pending litigation.

District is Showcasing Commitment to Sustainability with June 20 Environmental Vehicle Trade Show

SAN BERNARDINO, CA—- The San Bernardino City Unified School District (SBCUSD) proudly announces its achievement as the top-ranking school district in California and fifth in the nation for energy efficiency, according to a recent assessment conducted by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). This remarkable recognition reflects the district’s commitment to sustainability and its diligent efforts to reduce energy consumption while providing a safe and conducive learning environment for its more than 47,000 students in San Bernardino and Highland.

The EPA’s evaluation examined the energy efficiency initiatives and practices of school districts across the country, acknowledging the exceptional performance of SBCUSD in optimizing energy usage and implementing environmentally friendly measures. In fact, 49 SBCUSD schools were awarded the coveted Energy Star Awards.

The district has installed and is in the development and construction phase of solar panel shade structures at 41 of its schools, including a future ground mount solar farm, in which cumulatively will generate as much as 81 percent of the district’s electricity consumption, said Samuel Precie, Administrator of Operations. Over the last several years, the district has implemented many energy efficiency improvements including variable frequency drives, turbocor and multistage compressors, weather-based irrigation, LED lighting, cool roofs, power factor correction, and many other initiatives. The district’s energy management program has saved close to $50 million in cumulative costs and reduced SBCUSD’s energy use by nearly 40 percent. All vital given that the Inland Empire region has some of the worst air quality in the United States.

“Our district’s commitment to sustainability not only contributes to environmental conservation but also yields significant cost savings, allowing resources to be allocated towards enhancing educational programs and student supports. That’s a testament to our dedicated Board of Education, which truly values putting students first.”

To celebrate this remarkable achievement and promote further environmental awareness, the SBCUSD will be hosting an Electric Vehicle event at its upcoming Board of Education meeting on Tuesday, June 20. Participating vehicle makers include Karma Automotive, with a production facility nearby in Moreno Valley, Zevx, and Phoenix Motorcars.

The District is purchasing its first electric utility truck, which will be on display at the show, from Phoenix Motorcars. And by this fall, SBCUSD will own five Ford Lightning electric trucks.

The event will showcase an impressive array of sustainable vehicles, including electric and conversion models, with participating automobile manufacturers offering insights into the latest advancements in eco-friendly transportation. The District is holding the show in preparation for a large purchase of electric vehicles for its fleet over the next 10 years and eventually transitioning its entire fleet of 330 vehicles to zero-emission vehicles. Board of Education members will have an opportunity to test drive the vehicles on June 20, ahead of the meeting’s start at 5:30 p.m.

This event, held at 4.30 p.m. in the Board of Education parking lot, 777 North F Street, will provide an opportunity for District staff, Board members, and community members to explore sustainable transportation options and learn about their benefits.

Beyond the purchase of electric vehicles, the accolades from the EPA reinforce the District’s ongoing commitment to environmental stewardship and energy conservation, said Precie, who oversees the District’s Operations Departments. By implementing energy-efficient technologies, optimizing building operations, and promoting sustainable practices throughout its expansive facilities across 110 square miles, SBCUSD continues to lead by example, inspiring other educational institutions and the broader community to embrace sustainability initiatives.

The San Bernardino City Unified School District invites media representatives to attend the Electric Vehicle event at 4:30 p.m. on June 20, 2023. This event promises to be an enlightening and engaging opportunity to witness the District’s dedication to environmental sustainability firsthand.