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SAN BERNARDINO, CA- California students heading to institutions of higher learning this fall are receiving much needed financial support thanks to BLU Educational Foundation (BLU).  On Thursday, June 9, BLU held its annual scholarship and awards reception at San Bernardino Valley College where more than $150,000 in educational scholarships was awarded to more than 40 students preparing to start their freshman year at colleges and universities around the country. The students are participants in BLU’s College Exodus Project (CEP), which assists students in obtaining undergraduate and graduate degrees from accredited colleges and universities.  The scholarships are made possible by a new partnership with the Masons of California, a grant from the College Futures Foundation, and private donations. The Masons awarded 12 students with 4-year scholarships totaling more than $80,000. The scholarships cover tuition, fees, and other educational expenses for students.

“We’re extremely proud of our students and very thankful to our funders and donors who make this scholarship opportunity possible,” said Dina Walker, President and CEO of BLU. “The scholarships provide some financial relief for students with limited income and pursuing higher education.”

This is the seventh consecutive year that BLU has awarded more than $100,000 in scholarships to students participating in the CEP, which provides comprehensive college information, assistance and support to help students with admissions, financial aid, retention, and graduation from public and private institutions throughout the country. In exchange, students are expected to contribute to the local economy through employment, internships and/or volunteer service while participating in the program.

“Our mission is to ensure that students in our program come full circle and exit as a college graduate. We stay in close contact with every student throughout their undergraduate experience. We’re dedicated to preparing students to enter college and successfully complete their education,” added Walker.

The CEP was created out of a need to increase the number of Inland Empire students graduating from college. BLU congratulates the following scholarship recipients:

Summit High School

• Tiffany Abodoh
• Tiarra Blanche
• D’Ante Booker
• Alesha Bowen
• Amber Clay
• Davina Clay
• Jade Gayles
• Taelor Gray-Arnold
• Samantha Ndege
• Ryan Rogers
• Marcus Shields
• Makayla Thompson
• Jabari Watson
• Angel Williams
• Desmond Young

Vista Del Lago High School

• Mario Hernandez
• Alfonso Madrigal
• Pearlene Phem

Wilmer Amina Carter High School

• Jazmine Gray

Eisenhower High School

• Taja Sinclair

Rialto High School

• Breanna Earvin
• Natalie Jews

Arroyo Valley High School

• Ashly Brown
• Cynthia Hernandez-Rendon
• Austin Montoya
• Maria Tamayo
• Alejandra Tapia

Middle College High School

• Jordan Brown

San Bernardino High School

• Adam El-Sheriff

Rancho Verde high School

• Ayzia Clowney

Pacific High School

• Sharece Adams
• Brahier Anthony
• Janaye Browne
• Darnell Collins
• Kiana Flenor
• Jasmine Garcia
• Mister Gibson
• Aryana Hernandez
• June James
• Korion Mabin
• Casey Ortega
• Allen Smith
• Breana Smith
• Tatyana Taylor
• Sarah Tilo
• Emily Turcotte
• Dominique Whitfield

Val Verde High School

• Markell Parker

SAN BERNARDINO, CA- Black Scholars Matter, Dreamers (Undocumented – AB540), and representatives from a cross-section of our diverse student body here at California State University, San Bernardino (CSUSB) have combined forces to address an unsettling matter that has been perpetuated on our campus in recent years.

It is a matter of great pride that CSUSB serves as a beacon of tolerance, advocacy, and community partnership and for the past several years we have been aggressively promoting unity, inclusivity, empowerment, and shared governance. However, our rich tradition of San Bernardino Strength is in jeopardy as a result of what can only be defined as the self-serving interests of specific CSUSB entities at the exclusion of what is best for our students. That said, this open letter is to share our frustration and disappointment with The Faculty Senate at CSUSB.

It is our position that The Faculty Senate has waged a concerted effort to alienate – undermine – and dismiss students’ voices on campus. Furthermore, the Faculty Senate continues to promote academic segregation and has strategically worked to devalue students’ input. As students at CSUSB we find the recent climate survey to be divisive, misleading, conveniently inaccurate, and deliberately designed to attack President Morales and his administration.

It is no secret that as our first Latino President at California State University, San Bernardino (a federally recognized Hispanic Serving Institution), President Morales has been the recipient of open hostility – particularly from faculty members who have undeniably expressed their unequivocal prejudices towards our president and by extension towards our students. Moreover, as students of color from diverse backgrounds ourselves, we have experienced firsthand discrimination and alienation in our own classrooms from some faculty members. The inability and/or unwillingness of our Faculty Senate to listen to and address our concerns has caused us to pursue a variety of avenues of recourse – both within and without the university – in order to ensure an accessible and quality education for ALL students – not just SOME students. This is particularly important when 80% of our students are First Generation enrollees who lack the institutional knowledge to navigate “The System” by themselves.

Black Scholars Matter, Dreamers (Undocumented – AB540) and representatives from a cross-section of our diverse student body on campus have worked with President Morales and his administration (in addition to College Deans, Department Chairs, Student Affairs Officers, and willing faculty members) to promote unity, autonomy, professionalism, academic efficacy, and a climate that encourages inclusivity. Students have publically supported President Morales because, unlike The Faculty Senate, President Morales values and encourages our participation in the shared governance process. President Morales’ contributions to our success include, but are not limited to: increased jobs for students on campus, increased student scholarships, and expanded student resources and access to said resources – just to name a few. Thus, it is no surprise that The Faculty Senate intentionally excluded student participation in the climate survey.

As student representatives, we have attended The Faculty Senate meetings and find their presentations offensive, destructive, and unproductive. The Faculty Senate does not represent many of the amazing faculty members we have on campus. The Faculty Senate is comprised of entrenched faculty members who neglect our students so as to utilize their taxpayer funded tenure time to wage war against President Morales.

Fortunately, CSUSB is also home to faculty members who do not attack our students, but work with our students to improve our professional and academic careers. These faculty members get very little credit and many times no recognition. The corruption in which the climate survey was conducted does not in any way reflect on our real allies who actually work to improve our academic and professional climate here at CSUSB. In many cases, these faculty members are also silenced by the entrenched faculty of The Faculty Senate.

At a time when the City of San Bernardino is garnering international notoriety for our very real problems with crime, poverty, and economic instability our sole focus at CSUSB should be to serve as the intellectual and cultural hub for our shared communities. With the eyes of the world on us, we should be the model of shared governance, tolerance, and inclusivity. That is why it is critical that we here at CSUSB accept our charter and work together to improve not only the climate of our campus but of our entire City of San Bernardino. As students at CSUSB in order to support a city we love, we are committed to finding ways to stay in San Bernardino after we graduate in order to help address some of the social and economic disparities we have both witnessed and experienced firsthand. We shouldn’t have to battle our own faculty to accomplish this goal. We look forward to the day when The Faculty Senate (and some of their faculty supporting allies) can get over their prejudices and narcissism so that we can all work together towards the renaissance of San Bernardino as one of the best cities in which to live, work, and learn.

SAN BERNARDINO, CA- St. Paul African Methodist Episcopal Church will celebrate its 112^th Anniversary of serving the San Bernardino Community at the 10 a.m.  worship service on Sunday, June 26. The guest Preacher will be Rev. Dr. Cecil (Chip) Murray followed by a luncheon and concert featuring The Starlights at 12:30 p.m.

St Paul African Methodist Episcopal Church was founded and organized on Easter Sunday in the year of our Lord, 1904, by Presiding Elder Reverend James H. Wilson, in a Holiness Church Tent. A Caucasian minister and his wife were conducting revival services in the 700 block of Fifth Street. Mr. Inghram was granted permission by the Holiness Minister to allow Reverend Wilson to come down and organize the church. He not only permitted it but also asked Reverend Wilson to come and deliver the Easter Sunday message to his congregation. The type of town San Bernardino was in 1904 made it quite difficult to establish a Negro Church. There were 300 Negroes in San Bernardino County, the largest county by area in the United States. As we write this history in 1970, we have a Negro population of 17,000 in the city of San Bernardino.”  Today, the African-American population of San Bernardino City is 30,161.

The actual beginning of the church membership is very humble.  The required 12 members to establish a church were: Henry D. Inghram, his wife Mary Ella Inghram, their children Henry, Ben, Howard, and infant daughter Ruth Rebecca; Mrs. Martha Bush and her son Earnest.  From that required twelve, the church has moved from 6^th and Harris Street to their current location at 1355 West 21^st Street in San Bernardino.

The church has nurtured the first African-American Superintendent of Schools and the first African American physician for the City of San Bernardino. From those “first” they  have cultivated doctors, nurses, lawyers, educators, law enforcement officers, artists and singers.  These are the children of St. Paul AME Church, proud members of St. Paul AME Church.

Once again, they invite you to join them in celebration of 112 years of service to God our Father, Christ Our Redeemer, The Holy Spirit Our Comforter, Humankind Our Family.

By Naomi K. Bonman

On Saturday, June 11, Ronald McDonald House Charities of Southern California (RMHCSC) awarded 94 accomplished college-bound seniors scholarship funds totaling $288,000 during a celebratory event at the Skirball Cultural Center in Los Angeles. The scholarships and medals were awarded during a recognition ceremony where recipients were honored and commended by their families, school counselors, RMHCSC representatives, and Southern California McDonald’s owners and operators. Chris Pan, founder of myintent.org gave an inspiring keynote message before the celebrations ended with photos and well wishes.

“The scholarship luncheon is a great opportunity to recognize our scholarship recipients for their hard work in front of their friends, family and McDonald’s franchisees” said Vince Bryson, CEO, RMHCSC. “We are committed to providing opportunities and resources that strengthen families and are inspired by what these students have accomplished and are looking to achieve.”

Among those 94 students was Perris’ Citrus Hill High School senior, Lela Owens. Owens is involved in her school’s STEM program and will continue her education within the STEM field at Duke University where she will be majoring in Computer Science. After she graduates from college, Owens wants to dive into a career with a major technology company, such as Google or similar.

“The Ronald McDonald Scholarship has taken a lot of pressure off my shoulders,” Lela Owens stated on being awarded. “It will definitely help to pay my tuition.”

Owens emerged into the STEM field after enrolling an AP Physics class during her Junior year. Her teacher at the time inspired her to look into field after telling her about another young Black woman who took the AP Exam and passed it.    Owens wanted to pass it as well, and from there she found a passion for the industry.

In addition to receiving her degree, the rising scholar also wants to start a mentorship classroom at her high school. Her community service won’t start there though. Owens was the captain of her cheer team where she participated in hosting summer camps along with her team. She also tutored students at March Middle School in Mathematics.

Recipients of RMHCSC scholarships are selected through a rigorous application process and represent the highest caliber students in the five counties of Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino and Ventura. These scholarships give the recipients an opportunity to pursue their education goals and help ease some of the collegiate financial burden. Interested applicants can begin the process for 2016 scholarships in October, 2015. More information about RMHCSC and its programs can be found at www.rmhcsc.org or on www.Facebook.com/RMHCSoCal and via Twitter.com/RMHC_SoCal.

By Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical, Yahoo Sports

“It is with deep sadness and overwhelming grief that we mourn the sudden loss of my son, Sean,” his mother, Deborah Brown, said in a statement released by the 76ers on Tuesday night. “Our family asks that our privacy be respected as we grieve during this incredibly difficult time.”

LOS ANGELES, CA- OUR HOUSE Grief Support Center is hosting two weekends at Camp Erin-LA this summer (June 10-12 and August 19-21) at the scenic Camp Bloomfield in Malibu. Camp Erin-LA is a weekend-long camp experience for children and teens ages 6 to 17 who have experienced the death of a parent, sibling, or guardian in the past 3 years. Camp is free of charge for all children and combines traditional camp activities with grief support, education, and remembrance projects. Typical fun and engaging camp favorites such as rock climbing, swimming, arts and crafts, and campfires are interspersed with projects and experiences used to facilitate expression of feelings, memorialize their loved one who died, and promote healing.

When campers arrive on Friday, they are greeted with open arms by the dozens of grief specialists and trained volunteers who guide the campers through a series of bonding and grief-related exercises, as well as fun high-energy physical activities. They begin their camp journey with an intimate Friday evening ceremony where each camper shares their name, the name of their loved one who died, and places a photo of that person on a “memory board.”   Saturday evening’s Luminary Ceremony is equally powerful and another opportunity to come together to say goodbye to their loved one by writing a message or drawing on a lantern that’s lit and set adrift across the pool. OUR HOUSE Grief Support Center recognizes every person’s grief is unique in duration and intensity, and that commonalities of experience strengthen the value of a grief support group in helping the healing process. “By offering Camp Erin-LA, OUR HOUSE puts a support system into place, offering a safe space to talk and providing the tools to cope with their grief,” said Michele Prince, Executive Director of OUR HOUSE Grief Support Center. “Camp might be the only opportunity they have to work on their grief with other kids.”

Camp Erin is an initiative created and funded by The Moyer Foundation in Seattle, WA, a non-profit organization established by Major League All-Star pitcher Jamie Moyer and his wife, Karen.  Camp Erin is named in memory of Erin Metcalf, a friend of the Moyers who lost her battle to cancer at age 17.   Camp Erin-LA was featured in an Emmy award-winning HBO documentary “One Last Hug: Three Days at Grief Camp”, which was produced in association with The Moyer Foundation and OUR HOUSE Grief Support Center.

For more information about Camp Erin-LA, please visit www.ourhouse-grief.org/volunteer-opportunities/camp-erin-los-angeles.

Derman Redman

Sixteen-year veteran Omnitrans Coach Operator (CO) Derman Redman was taking break one recent day at the San Bernardino Transit Center, and stopped to catch up with fellow CO Urbanita Ramon. She mentioned a flyer that she’d seen, asking for help finding a missing local man with developmental disabilities. He’d been away from home for two weeks.

“It lay heavy on my heart,” said Urbanita. “My brother is physically and mentally disabled, and I feel a kinship to people who live with disabilities. That’s what made me share the information with my fellow drivers – I even posted it online to help get the word out.”

The story also captured Derman’s attention, and he asked what the man looked like so that he could keep an eye out for him. Urbanita’s description sounded familiar; when she showed Derman the photo from the missing person flier, he couldn’t believe it.

“I know that guy!” said Derman. He recognized Roger, a regular passenger from his days driving Route 10. “But two weeks, wow. That’s a long time. Who knows what could have happened by now?”

Derman went on his way, but the story stayed with him all day, through his shift, and that night at home. Roger rode Derman’s bus for almost 10 years, and they had developed a good rapport.

“He was always friendly and nice,” Derman remembered. “Very quiet, but he would give you the shirt off of his back if you asked him.”

At work on his route the next morning, Derman pulled up to a stop and opened the doors as usual. There was a man waiting who looked a bit the worse for wear – his socks were muddy, and his hair was long and unkempt. But Derman thought he recognized him. He did a double take. Yes, he was pretty sure – the man was Roger!

“To be honest, the thought crossed my mind, ‘Did I summon this guy?’” Derman said. “I couldn’t move at first. Then I went up to him and asked, ‘Roger, is that you?’”

Roger simply said, “Yes,” as if all was normal.

“Are you lost?”

“No.” Very firm.

“Are you sure you’re not lost?”

“Yes, I’m sure.”

“When was the last time you went home?”

“I don’t know.”

“Are you sure you’re not lost?”

“I’m trying to get home right now,” Roger said. But Derman realized that he was at the wrong bus stop.

At that point, Derman decided to take action. Asking his bus full of passengers to “please wait, I’ll be right back,” Derman told Roger to “sit tight, and don’t move.”  Trusting Derman, Roger stayed put. Derman ran as fast as he could into the transit center, to find Supervisor Ricky Williams. He burst into the break room, out of breath, shouting “Ricky, I found that guy! The missing guy!”

Running back out to his stop to check on Roger and his passengers, Derman saw the missing person flyer on Roger hanging from the fence.

“I kept looking at the flyer and at the man. Could it really be him? And it was,” said a relieved Derman.

Ricky contacted Roger’s caregiver, Brigette Flowers, who drove all the way from Riverside to pick him up. She and her husband had been out looking for Roger every night for 12 days. He now is reunited with his family and recovering well from his ordeal.

“We got lots of calls during that time from people who said they saw Roger, but we never could pin him down,” Brigette said. “It’s drivers like Derman who see people like Roger every day, and care about them.”

Brigette isn’t Derman’s only fan. When he arrived home that night, he told his family about what had happened during his eventful day. “Daddy, you’re like a hero!” his daughter said.

“No, we just do a lot of things out there,” said Derman, trying to play down his role. But she wasn’t having it. “No, Daddy, anything could have happened to that man. You did a good thing.”

Dr. Jean Peacock is pictured with a quilt from her grandmother Mrs. Ella Lee of Sulphur Springs, Texas. Her grandmother was 96 when she died in 1978. The Anthropology Museum at California State University, San Bernardino opened an exhibition this week called, “Re/Collect: Memories of Childhood.” Check out the museum at: “Re/Collect: Memories of Childhood, Curated by Dr. Arianna Huhn & student Assistant Curators,” anthro.csusb.edu/resources/anthropology_museum.htm.

PASADENA, CA – Over a hundred community members attended an informational briefing on California’s nearly one million Black youth, hosted by Assemblymember Chris Holden (AD – 41) and The Education Trust–West at Pasadena City College. The “Black Minds Matter” briefing examined the recently published Education Trust-West report, “Black Minds Matter: Supporting the Educational Success of Black Children in California.”

“Over the past 165 years, court cases and policy decisions have shaped the educational experiences of Black children,” said Assemblymember Chris Holden.  “Despite some progress, the unfortunate reality is that opportunity and achievement gaps continue to persist, leaving California’s nearly one million Black youth under age 25 facing an uphill battle to get the education they desire.”

“Black students are the least likely to graduate high school in four years and the most likely to be placed in remedial, non-credit bearing courses in college,” said Ryan J. Smith, Executive Director, and The Education Trust–West. “We can dismantle the obstacles placed in front of California’s Black students – if we collectively believe it’s possible.”

The panel of experts and guest speakers highlighted the findings and promising practices legislators and educators can consider in addressing disparities and inequities in access, opportunity and achievement.

“I agree with the report. We need to do more, and we need to do better,” said State Superintendent of Public Instruction, Tom Torlakson. “We are implementing several specific recommendations in the report, increasing funding, particularly for the neediest students, and increased local control. We are focused on equity, working with stakeholders to ensure high-quality education for all students.

Recommendations for school districts leaders in the report focus on expanding access, improving school climate and strengthening and supporting meaningful authentic family engagement efforts. Black Minds Matter stresses the need to use data to identify gaps in access to rigorous courses and target more resources and opportunities to students who are struggling academically. To further address closing these gaps, districts can build and strengthen formal partnerships between districts and community-based organizations representing African American communities.

“I applaud Assemblymember Holden and Assemblymember Weber for displaying the very type of leadership and firm commitment that we need to close opportunity and achievement gaps for all of California’s students,” said Smith.

Participants in the briefing included Chris Holden, Assemblymember for 41^st Assembly District; Ryan Smith, Executive Director for Education Trust – West; Tom Torlakson, State Superintendent of Public Instruction; Yvette Gullatt , Vice Provost and Chief Outreach Officer for the University of California Office of the President; Dr. Christopher D. Jimenez y West, Instructor, Social Science Division, Pasadena City College; John Pointer, Student Body President, John Muir High School; Felita Kealing, Pasadena Unified School District African-American Parent Council; Trudell Skinner, Principal, Blair High School; Dr. Mack Hines, Pasadena Unified School District African-American Student Success Initiative; and Darvin Jackson, Monrovia Unified School District, Assistant Superintendent, Human Resources.

LOS ANGELES, CA- It’s Spring time and we’re that much closer to summer, and the go-getters are already amping for the start of fall. In preparation for the next season, Afrowear founder Latanya Alexander will be launching the label’s first annual End of the Summer Fashion Show and Expo, which kicks off on September 3 from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. at The Reef LA located at 1933 S Broadway in Sunny Los Angeles.

Afrowear was established in 2011 as an urban apparel line that provides quality tees, hats, and accessories that empower the community to triumph through daily obstacles, become resilient, and inspired to reach new heights.

“I’m very excited to put on this wonderful fashion show. My goal is bring communities together to an event that celebrates small business, entertainment, and fashion as they brand their businesses.”

In addition to the message behind the brand, the ultimate purpose of the event is to serve as a platform in bringing together entrepreneurs of the community to celebrate fashion, culture, and music while building new connections in expansion of their own brands. For those that would love to be involved, vendor booths and sponsorship opportunities are available by contacting Latanya Alexander at (323) 842-0549 orafrowear.byladyt@gmail.com; or Shanelle Williams at Shanellebwilliams@gmail.com. For fashion show inquires contact Edna at (909) 586-0079 oreventswithedna@gmail.com. Additional information on Afrowear can be found by visiting www.afrowearapparel.com.