RIVERSIDE, CA—On Thursday, November 12, business executives and community leaders were all decked out in their best attire at the 2nd Annual Chamber of Commerce Multi-Cultural Gala. The gala was held in downtown Riverside at The Riverside Convention Center. If you missed out this year, you missed out on a phenomenal event. Here are a few photos that were captured from the night.
RIVERSIDE, CA— The Riverside County Black Chamber of Commerce (RCBCC) attended the 5th Annual “Healthy Bodies, Healthy Minds Community Health Fair and 100 Mile Club Walk” at Agate Park in Jurupa Valley on Saturday, November 14. The RCBCC represents Covered California in the effort to enroll people in a health insurance program. As a designated “Navigator”, the RCBCC is committed to informing people about Covered California, as well as enrolling them in the program. Among those pictured above is Pepi Jackson (Cap and sunglasses), the president of RCBCC. Pepi states, “If you want to know more about Covered California, please call our office at (951) 823-0175 or go to www.youqualify.org.” The RCBCC meets every third Thursday at its Riverside office located at 2060 Chicago Avenue.
Steinorth, Harmsen
SAN BERNARDINO, CA— San Bernardino County Workforce Investment Board co-hosted a job fair with Assemblyman Marc Steinorth (R-Rancho Cucamonga) on Monday, October 26 at California State University, San Bernardino. The attendance rate was high during the three-hour event. More than 350 job seekers had the opportunity to meet with 30 employers offering more than 300 jobs in industries including manufacturing, transportation, military, retail and public sectors.
According to Workforce Development Department Deputy Director Miguel McQueen, the job fairs are primarily designed to forge pathways to careers and to connect skilled workers with middle class jobs in the County.
“In our region we have the food service industry on one end and the technological sector at the higher end,” McQueen explained. “Here at the job fair there are multiple paths in between for our county residents to build a career.”
Representatives from the Workforce Investment Board were on-hand to assist job seekers with applications and resumes.
“I’m always looking for better ways to represent the Inland Empire, and my main focus is to bring as much attention to the community as possible. This is a great way to bring resources that help the local community thrive,” explained Steinorth. “If I can’t help the middle class families and businesses as a region, then I’m not doing my job.”
Many attendees gained interview opportunities, submitted applications, and had in-person conversations with potential employers, a rare opportunity in a process that is usually handled online.
“These fairs offer job seekers the opportunity to make connections face to face with numerous employers under one roof. The employers represent a range of industries and that is why we will continue to provide this resource for both employers and job seekers,” said San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors Chairman James Ramos. “This is just one example of our commitment to offer resources and services to develop our workforce in order to help attain countywide prosperity.”
Dana Stirling of Loma Linda, graduated from Cal State San Bernardino with a bachelor’s degree in history in 2014. By the time of her departure, she had scheduled an interview with an insurance company the following week.
“We realized through the last few job fairs that there was an increase in the number of positions offered by employers,” said Sandy Harmsen, Executive Director of the Workforce Investment Board. “Twenty-five percent of job seekers scheduled an interview within the next week, a good indicator that the economy is continuing to improve and there is a proliferation of jobs on the market.”
SAN BERNARDINO, CA. — Arroyo Valley High School in San Bernardino has been named a 2015 Gaston Caperton Opportunity Award school by the College Board for providing underrepresented students with the support they need to succeed academically. Arroyo Valley is one of four high schools nationwide to receive the award in 2015 and will receive a $25,000 award to apply toward programs that encourage more students to attend college.
“All students deserve the opportunity to succeed. The Gaston Caperton Opportunity Award honors schools like Arroyo Valley that are making good on their commitment to deliver that opportunity every day,” said David Coleman, president and CEO of the College Board. “Today we celebrate Arroyo Valley High School for showing how great classroom instruction, challenging courses, and daily hard work and practice make all the difference in the lives of students.”
College Board representatives announced the award for Arroyo Valley High School at a celebratory event on November 6, at the annual College Board Forum in Washington, D.C.
SAN BERNARDINO, CA – Assemblyman Marc Steinorth (R-Rancho Cucamonga) held a Veterans Resource Fair last week that brought more than 500 military veterans who were seeking assistance with issues such as healthcare, education, housing services, and other benefits available to them to this event.
“We have many men and women here in our local communities that have given so much to our country, and I am honored to host events like this resource fair that help improve their quality of life,” said Assemblyman Steinorth. “I plan to do all that I can as their state representative to assure they receive the services they deserve.”
The San Bernardino County Department of Veterans Affairs issued 275 veteran ID cards at the 4 hour event, more than they normally issue in a month. These ID cards will provide local veterans with benefits such as discounts on products and services. Numerous other government and private agencies were also on-hand to answer questions, solve concerns and offer benefit information.
“I want to thank Assemblyman Steinorth for hosting this event and for all of his efforts to make sure our local veterans are cared for,” said Rhoda Rhoades, Service Supervisor for the San Bernardino County Department of Veterans Affairs. “This event saw the biggest turnout we have ever had for such an event in our region. Many local veterans and their families will greatly benefit from what they learned at this event.”
Dr. Margaret B. Hill
RIVERSIDE, CA– Extraordinary leaders and youth programs will be recognized and awarded at the Theta Pi Sigma Inland Empire alumnae chapter observance
Tori Weiston, Ph.D
of the 93rd Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority Inc. Founders’ Day on Saturday, November 14, 11 a.m., at the Mountain Meadows Golf Club in Pomona.
The honorees are: Dr. Margaret B. Hill, a 40+ years educator, administrator, author, columnist and founder of Maggie’s Kids Foundation; Tori Weiston, Ph.D., scholar, mentor and practitioner as well as founder and executive director of the Youth Mentoring Action Network; and Shannon O’Brien, co-founder and executive director of Children Resources Inc., as well as a member of the San Bernardino City Unified School District’s Task Force for African American Student Achievement. Also being honored is the Evelyn E. Perkins Scholarship Foundation, co-founded in their mother’s name by sisters Danessa Jackson, Michelle Heard and Trudi Perkins, which in just six years has awarded more than $20,000 in scholarships to high school students from single-parent homes. Each of this year’s honorees has established impactful local community movements geared toward equipping and inspiring youth to dream more, learn more, do more and become more.
“The endeavors of these trailblazing leaders and organizations strongly align with our sorority’s focus,” says Deborah Moore, president of the Theta Pi Sigma Chapter of Sigma Gamma Rho. “And it makes this a most fitting tribute marking our 93rd Founders’ Day observance.”
Tickets are $45 each for the Founders’ Day observance and can be purchased through Eventbrite.com by entering “Theta Pi Sigma Gospel Brunch”; by contacting the chapter at
Shannon O’Brien
thetapisigma1922@yahoo.com or 951.777.4148; or by contacting any of the chapter members directly. Proceeds will help fund scholarships for Inland Empire youth. Donations are also accepted via Eventbrite.With the theme “This Means WAR!”, the November 14 event will also feature gospel music
Danessa Jackson Co-Founder for EEPSF
from soloist Lillian Crawford, a performance by the Victory Praise Dancers and songs of praise by the Loveland Church Praise Team Leads (Allegra Parks, Valerie Singleton and Brian Bradley, featuring Grammy nominated arranger Marco Basci).
Moore explains, “We’re praying that attendees will leave fully armored to join us in going to war against low self-esteem, bullying, police brutality, poverty, teen pregnancy and anything else that prevents our youth from becoming all that they can be.”
REDLANDS, CA- Senior Pastors Anthony and Jackie Green have led the historic Second Baptist Church for 28 years and have been a pastoral team that has preserved the Church History for future generations. 2015 marks l23 years that the first historic African American Church in the Inland Empire is still “alive and well.”
Sunday, November 8 will be celebrated with an l0 a.m. morning service and 4 p.m. evening service. The morning speaker will be Reverend Michael Smith, Jr. of Reno, Nevada, a spiritual son who grew up and was licensed and ordained by Second Baptist Church. The afternoon speaker will be Pastor Joshua Beckley, Senior Pastor of the Ecclesia Christian Fellowship of San Bernardino. Deacon Terry and Melissa Richey are the Anniversary Chairpersons.
Second Baptist has a unique history and was incorporated in 1892. It has been at three locations in Redlands, founded on Orange Street in 1891, then moved to State Street and now resides at the corner of 9th and Stuart Street in Redlands since 1924. In its early years it was well known for Gospel quartet singers, founding of the Citrus Valley District Ushers and great cooks of African American cuisine.
Second Baptist Church has brought a unique flavor of high spirited worship and Gospel preaching. It is known for its work with the University of Redlands Martin Luther King Jr. Events, and Redlands Police Department in chaplaincy and a twenty year collaboration of Pastor Anthony Green through “Midnight Basketball Hoopz” to minister to At-Risks teens monthly on the third Friday of the month from 9 p.m. to 2 a.m. at the Redlands Community Center. Second Baptist has led several city and statewide prayer gatherings and movements under the leadership of Bishop Dr. Jackie L. Green.
The community is invited to the grand celebration and afro-centric decorations especially for this historic occasion. The Church is located at 420 East Stuart Avenue in Redlands. For further information on worship and events, please visit www.secondbaptistredlands.com or call (909) 793-1074.
Tomas Morales, President, California State University, San Bernardino, (center), & several community members who joined the ‘MOB’ to greet & encourage the invited students, & to connect them to an academic future with CSUSB, & beyond.
By John Coleman
On October 23, buses from the Colton Joint Unified School District, Fontana Unified School District, Rialto Unified School District, San Bernardino City Unified School district and Victor Valley Joint Unified School District, brought more than 300 African American and Latino eighth-grade boys to the Inaugural Black & Brown Conference for Young Males at California State University, San Bernardino.
As the students arrived, they were surprised but excited to be greeted by a “MOB” of campus and community leaders, including CSUSB President, Dr Tomas Morales; City of San Bernardino Mayor, R. Carey Davis; a handful of others.
The FELLAS, a group of African American men who took time from their businesses and jobs to show their support for the growth, education and advancement of our Black & Brown youth, especially the males; that they, too, could take and learn required courses, that the work they do in high school will prepare them for success in college and careers, and that they still will have time for fun and a good life.
They entered the CSUSB Inaugural Black & Brown Conference as ‘champions’ through a path of well-wishers giving ‘high fives’ to each visiting student. Campus and Conference officials reported that student high energy and good behavior persisted throughout the Conference Program and events.
SAN BERNARDINO, CA- In appreciation for the contributions of the men and women who have served in our nation’s armed forces, Omnitrans is offering free bus rides to US military veterans on Veterans Day, Wednesday, November 11.
Veterans may simply show retired military ID when boarding any Omnitrans bus including the sbX rapid line, freeway express and local bus routes, or OmniGo community shuttles. Accepted IDs include those issued by US Departments of Defense or Veterans Affairs, and San Bernardino County Veterans Affairs.
“It’s our way of saluting those who served to protect our freedom,” said Omnitrans CEO/General Manager P. Scott Graham, himself a veteran of the US Marine Corps. Approximately 79,000 veterans reside in the Omnitrans service area of the San Bernardino Valley, stretching from Yucaipa in the east to the Los Angeles County line in the west.
In January 2015, Omnitrans introduced a reduced fare category for veterans. “Since then, we have tallied over 100,000 rides taken by local veterans,” said Omnitrans spokesperson Wendy Williams. Osvaldo Maysonet, 211 Access & Mobility Coordinator for VetLink was instrumental in advocating for the discounted veteran fare.
“The introduction of a veterans fare by Omnitrans has meant the world to our veteran population of the San Bernardino Valley,” said Maysonet. “The thing I like the most is that Omnitrans sees this veteran fare not as a financial burden, but as just a small token of appreciation for their service to our country.
Dr. Spinner
LOS ANGELES, CA- Happening on Saturday, November 7, at the Chucos Youth Justice Center, in Inglewood, the Bully Awareness Network will launch its Move 2 Improve Tour, which consists of a series of events that seeks to empower the youth and encourage them to mirror and exemplify positive behavior. Dr. Spinner, the organization’s founder and president, believes that this is the first step to ending all forms of bullying is to change the behavior of individuals positively.
The Bully Awareness Network’s events have been called memorable and epic and have captured the city by storm as reported in CNN ireport, and the organization, a non-profit, has drawn rave reviews that have touted its president, Dr. Spinner, as the “Black Pope.” Dr. Spinner has gone into schools, churches and communities, to preach his mantra, “end all forms of bullying.” His passion stems from wanting to see all children, teenagers and young adults to be in environments that are free from bullying.
His noted book, A Systematic Approach to Ending Bullying caught the attention of Lou Gossett Jr. , who considers this book to be a must read and the methodologies discussed in the book essential to end bullying in our society. Bullying is not only one person’s problem; it is everyone’s problem to come together as a cohesive unit to resolve this travesty. The Bully Awareness Network’s supporters include: students, parents, community leaders, government executives, city officials, celebrities, professional athletes and others; noted individuals include: Senator Holly Mitchell, Ambassador Diane Watson, Lou Gossett Jr., John Amos, the legendary Supremes, Jewel Diamond Taylor, Lisa Nichols, and Reverent June Diamond Taylor.
The thing the separates the movement from others is what it represents. According to Dr. Spinner, “We strive to be a true network, like Gumbo, a lot of ingredients that forms a cohesive, savory taste. We welcome other organizations, share our resources, and bring a platform of unconditional love and unity.” The Bully Awareness Network’s mission is to end all forms of bullying by purposefully seeking to teach and spread the core building blocks of its anti-bullying program: unity, knowledge, entrepreneurship and leadership.
The organization’s November 7 event will allow the youth to showcase his/her unique and special talents in dance, rap and signing in front of the industry’s best to encourage the youth that being gifted, talented and uniqueness should never be the basis of being bullied but the basis of the evidence of one’s greatness, which is why our creator only could make only one of me. Some of the judges for the dance battle include Shane Sparks from America Can Dance Contest, one of the top Choreographers in the world; Ceasare Willis from the dance film Rize; and Kio from Dancing with the Stars; and Boogaloo Shrimp, one of the originators of the dance battle. The judges for the signing portion include Kevin McCall, a Grammy award winner songwriter/singer who has written hit songs for Chris Brown; Cheryl Cooley of the fabled group Klymaxx; Dorsey Fuller, the head director for the beat and manager for the Grammy nominee Angie Fisher; and Kurupt.
The Bully Awareness Network is pleased to have Jerome Ro Brooks, an actor in Tyler Perry’s the Haves and the Have Nots, and Victor Battle, a national casting director, as presenters to speak to the youth about acting and getting casted. In addition to the talent showcase and presentations, the youth will hear many positive messages in alignment with the organization’s mission from the best speakers, attorneys, city officials and school officials and more. There will be number of noteworthy celebrity speakers such as Gary Gary, director of the hit sensation movie Straight Out of Compton. The event will end with a comedy show, starring Wild ‘N Out very own funny woman, Aarona Lopez; Lester Barrie, a renown actor and comedian, and a host of others.
The Move 2 Improve tour will continue on December 22 with its toy give-a-way and Christmas Extravaganza at the Bradley Source Family Center. Selected contestants from the November 7 event will receive the opportunity to perform at the event in front of prominent city officials, celebrities, and elected guest. In January 2016, the Bully Awareness Network has been selected to be a part of the Martin Luther King Parade, as a recognized non-profit organization for its service to the community.
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