Local

(First row) Dr. Deborah Winn, founder of WWAM; Allen Harris, Father of Watts; Sweet Alice Harris (Mother of Watts); and Aubrey Winn. (second row): Terry Boykins (white tee, second left) and Mama’s Boys (M.O.M.).

SAN BERNARDINO, CA- On Saturday, April 11, Sweet Alice Harris, mother of Watts, came to visit and meet with Dr. Deborah, founder of Willing Winn Association and Mission (WWAM Inc.). Men on a Mission and Terry Boykins, Executive Director of Street Positive, was also in attendance at Saturday’s meeting. M.O.M. have been volunteers with W.W.A.M. for about 2 and half years and most of them live on Wall Street in San Bernardino.

During the meeting and lunch discussions and plans were formulated on how start making the streets of San Bernardino safer and to stop some of the violence and prostitution that has been going on in the city for far too long.

The first plan of action will be an I.S.A.H. (It Starts At Home) Juneteenth Block Party, which will be held on the Wall Street, where the home of WWAM sits. Wall Street is one of the most scare streets in the City of San Bernardino. The celebration will start from Baseline and Wall to 16^th and Wall. During the event there will be voter registration booths, a local college fair, and much more to assist in getting the lives of San Bernardino’s people back on track to success. In addition, Wall Street of New York will also be making an appearance to Wall Street in San Bernardino. There will also be scholarships available for youth in the neighborhood.

The “I.S.A.H. Juneteenth Celebration” will be a joint effort between WWAM, Street Positive (Terry Boykins), and Sweet Alice. Sweet Alice Harris and her husband Allen Harris are both the parents of Watts.  For more information or to be a vendor, please email Deborah Winn at wwaminc92@yahoo.com.

Picture reflects those who attended the “Welcome to South Africa” trip including coordinator of the trip Ms. Shalimar Horsely, front row, and 9th person in black top.

Following a presentation to chapter members and two years of prayer and planning, members of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated, Eta Nu Omega San Bernardino/Riverside Chapter, completed its pilgrimage to the Motherland during the month of March 2015 with an itinerary started in London, England, and continued to Cape Town, South Africa, Chobe Safari Lodge, Botswana, Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe, and Johannesburg, South Africa, along with thirty-nine member group included eighteen Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority members, representing chapters from California, Maryland, Illinois, and North Carolina.

The development of the trip began as a vision of local chapter members, Annette Weathington, Immediate Past President, and Shalimar Horsley, Global Poverty Chairman, both of Eta Nu Omega Chapter who had visited South Africa in 2011 and 2013, respectively, with tour group, Mahogany Vacations, an African American owned travel company. While touring in Africa, the ladies easily noted the beauty and rich culture of the people, but the deprivation in countries where the economies boast some of the world’s highest levels of unemployment, poverty, and medical challenges had a much greater impact. The deplorable conditions were a reminder of Alpha Kappa Alpha’s commitment to address the issues of global poverty; Eta Nu Omega Chapter members eagerly embraced the challenge that Shalimar proposed with the cooperation of Mahogany Vacations owner, Perez Melhado a life changing “vacation with a purpose” was organized by the pair.

Visits to Baphumelele children’s home, founded by Rosalie “Mama Rosa” Mashale in 1989, for orphaned children ages 0-18, and the Iliso Care Society, a soup kitchen founded by activist Vivian Zilo in 2005, provide services to underserved children. Both organizations are located in the Khaylitsha Township where they provide services to underserved children.   The Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority members, the members of the Mahogany Vacation staff, and the other tour guests collectively donated food, clothing, diapers, personal hygiene items, toys and other supplies, as well as monetary donations.

Other highlights of the trip included a visit to Robben Island where President Mandela and other political activists were imprisoned, participation in several African safaris, a tour of Cape Town vineyards, a walking tour through the glorious Victoria Falls, and a visit to District Six, a former inner-city residential area in Cape Town, South Africa, where over 60,000 inhabitants were forcibly removed during the 1970’s by the apartheid regime.  Tours of Nelson Mandela’s presidential home, as well as his Soweto home, the Apartheid Museum, and the Iziko Museums Slave Lodge was additional highlights that contributed to the experiences of the group.

Local presiding Eta Nu Omega Chapter president, Tiena Johnson-Hall stated, “Our objective was to do more than tour different African countries, we wanted to witness and better understand the history of the countries we visited and to provide support for two grass-roots projects that were actively making a difference in the lives of the people in those communities.  Service to mankind is a key component of Alpha Kappa Alpha’s principle goals, so participating in a cultural tour that included a giving back element is quite rewarding on many levels.”

GLAACCC Chair Angela Gibson and UB Todd Hollander photo

Union Bank was recently honored by the Greater Los Angeles African American Chamber of Commerce (GLAAACC) with the Banking and Financial Institution of the Year award.  The award was presented to Union Bank Managing Director Todd Hollander, who heads the bank’s Business Banking Group, during GLAAACC’s 22^nd Annual Economic Awards Dinner.  The award recognizes the banking institution that has shown the highest level of responsiveness to the African American and small business community.

The GLAAACC’s 22^nd Annual Economic Awards Dinner, held at the JW Marriott at L.A. Live, honored the accomplishments of individuals, small businesses and corporations who are working for the greater good of African American businesses.  U.S. Small Business Administrator Maria Contreras-Sweet delivered the keynote address

“Union Bank is humbled to be the recipient of such a prestigious award,” said Hollander.  “We are committed to the success of diverse business communities throughout our geographies, including in and around Los Angeles, and we are committed to the needs of business owners who are helping drive California’s economy.”

L/R Back Row Debutantes: Jordan Brown, Diamond Tabron, Rachel Harris, Sabrina Cook, Alexis Hoxie, Lakaya Hodge, Klarke Scott Cierra Gilmore,, Sydni McKinley-Parson, Makayla Marshall. L/R Front Row Escorts: Andrew Daniels, Kyron Frazier, Erin Owens, Nathaniel Byron, Donjae Owens, Antonio Crosby, Cody Tucker, Jordan Underwood, Jhaen Haynes, and Terrance Robinson.

ONTARIO, CA- The 2015 AKA Debutantes Nubian Pearls of Distinction of Eta Nu Omega Chapter in partnership with the Inland Ivy Foundation were presented to society in a formal presentation on Saturday, April 4, at the Double Tree Hotel, Ontario California.  The Debutantes under the training of Ms. Nancy Ross, Chairman and Mrs. Elizabeth Macon, Co-Chairman of the Debutante program and committee experienced nine (9) months of various activities, workshops and programs to prepare them for social grace, community service, high scholastic achievement, foster cultural awareness and training to dance formally.  The Debutante Ball is a culmination of the debutante program.  Congratulations to the 2014/2015 AKA Eta Nu Omega Chapter Debutantes!

MORENO VALLEY, CA- Holidays are all about giving rather than receiving. The greatest fift that you can give is to show the ones in need that you recognize them and you want to help them. On Easter Sunday, the Navy’s Master Chef Andre L. Harris; Le Cordon Alumni and Executive Chief Basil; and the Chef Nancy from Salvation Army came together to feed over 3,600 Moreno Valley residents.

(L to R) General Manager Butch Araiza, West Valley Water District; General Manager Stacey Aldstadt, San Bernardino City Municipal Water Depart.; Deputy General Manager Robin Ohama, San Bernardino City Municipal Water Dept.; Principal Management Analyst Bob Page, San Bernardino County Administrative Office; Government Relations Director Josh Candelaria, San Bernardino County Administrative Office; Assemblymember Brown; Amanda Saechao, staff to Assemblymember Brown; Division Chief Kenneth Eke, San Bernardino County Department of Public Works; Principal Management Analyst Eric Grubb, Cucamonga Valley Water District; General Manager Robert Young, Fontana Water Company; and Asst. General Manager Josh Swift, Fontana Water Company.

SAN BERNARDINO, CA – Key water district leaders assembled for a meeting hosted by Assemblymember Cheryl R. Brown (D-San Bernardino) on Thursday, April 2, to discuss top priorities and funding opportunities following the passage of AB 91 and AB 92, the emergency drought relief package signed by Governor Brown on Friday, March 27.

These new laws were drafted and expedited because of the increasing severity of drought conditions.  The law will allocate over $1 billion, which will fund various water projects in the most impacted areas.

“As a region, we need to work together to secure the dedicated funding to protect our water supply,” said Assemblymember Brown. “If we don’t start looking at how we’re going to maximize that funding across the state, we’re going to be left behind.”

Currently, the legislation will add $72 million to the General Fund, $272 million to Prop 1, $660 million to Prop 1E, and $57 million to various other projects.

“Although this funding is just a fraction of what’s needed, it should help stabilize our existing supplies,” said Assemblymember Brown.

The meeting, attended by county administrative and district leaders from San Bernardino Water Dept., Fontana Water Company, West Valley Water District, Colton Public Utilities, San Bernardino Valley Municipal Water District, and San Bernardino County Public Works, also discussed water storage, groundwater replenishment, water efficiency campaigns, water quality for fish and wildlife, and the Bay Delta Conservation Plan.

“The water agencies have been meeting monthly to go over groundwater levels and talk about strategies for groundwater management,” said General Manager Stacey Aldstadt, San Bernardino City Municipal Water Dept. “We’re going to package together a regional request for phasing in a variety of different projects to supplement the water supply. For us in this region, the critical issue is getting water back into the ground and how we find that water to put in the ground. We’re moving forward with a grant proposal that we’re packaging as a regional approach.”

“Concerning the Bay Delta Conservation Plan, we’ve lost about 20 percent from the State Water Project because of the environmental restrictions in the Delta,” said Water Resources Manager Robert Tincher, San Bernardino Valley Municipal Water District. “Basically, the Bay Delta Conservation Plan just finishes the State Project and moves the intake north.”

“The Bay Delta Conservation Plan is a local benefit to us,” said Aldstadt. “Groundwater has to be replenished, otherwise we have to start lowering groundwater levels. Normally we would get snow melt from Big Bear and Lake Arrowhead, but we’re not getting that. We’re all connected to the Delta so if we can’t get water supplies and we don’t have natural recharge, we have to rely on artificial recharge, which is recycled water or the State Project.”

Water conservation efforts continue to be a critical component of water management. On Tuesday, Governor Brown issued an Executive Order mandating restrictive water use. In his document, he directed the State Water Resources Control Board to impose a mandatory 25 percent reduction in state water resources.

“For the past several years, our region has been an innovator in water conservation, turf replacement programs, water efficient products, and the use of recycled water. We need to continue to conserve as much water as possible and address our water needs,” said Assemblymember Brown. “Our future depends on the decisions we make today.”

For more information, contact Ashley Jones at (909) 381-3238.

More than 30 Inland Empire youth attended the annual Youth Symposium

RIALTO, CA- More than 30 area youth ages 13 to 17 were treated to a wealth of information by local leaders and a youth panel and received more than $1,200 worth of electronic door prizes at the Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority Inc. Youth Symposium, hosted by the Theta Pi Sigma Inland Empire alumnae chapter.

Using the national theme “Building Partnerships to Support Our Youth,” the event, held at Rialto Middle School, included engaging community partnership speakers. Cynthia “The Tech Diva” Frazier led an interactive segment on proper Internet and social media use, as well as practical tips to avoid becoming a victim of Internet predators. 100 Black Men, Inland Empire president, and senior law enforcement official Damon Alexander’s timely session presented “real talk” on the proper way to interact with law enforcement officers.

Terrance Stone, founder of the Young Visionaries Youth Leadership Academy, gave the young attendees vivid examples of how to secure “mountain climbing” life success. Nutritionists Art and Ikssa Giovanni displayed examples of the amount of sugar, salt and fat found in common snacks, fast foods and drinks and the health pitfalls that result from it.

The event also included a youth panel discussion led by local high school and college students. Panelist Manny Gray, a full-time student at Cal State – San Bernardino who also grew up through the foster care system, asked the youth to consider his motto: “I don’t live life to merely exist; I live life to make a great impact.”

Other panelists included Kidisti Daniel, a senior majoring in psychology at the University of California at Riverside and member of Sigma Gamma Rho and Jaire Bowen, a high school senior, most notably known for his lead role in the February 2015 documentary Searching for Mentors.

Every youth attendee was asked to complete questionnaires before and after the event to gauge the level of learning and to secure input that will be used to further improve the event for next year. While several lessons and nuggets of wisdom were made available to all of the attendees, each had their own special takeaways. Door prizes included a flat screen TV, a variety of headphones, Bose speakers, an electronic tablet, a Kindle and other electronics for educational use and pleasure.

Generous donations in support of the youth were provided by the Riverside Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Inc., Pi Rho Alumni Chapter of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity Inc., and the Riverside Kappa Alpha Psi Silhouettes.

Left to Right: Minister Joseph Hearn, Miles Jones, Sir Davis, Arlington Rodgers III, Pastor JJ Mack, Brandon Watts, Anthony Montgomery, DeVon Clay and Khari Bush

SAN BERNARDINO, CA-     The Social Lites Beautillion Knights helped bring cheer to children in the community and families to those in need on Saturday, March 28, at the Frazee Center in San Bernardino by helping serve hot meals to over 400 families, donating groceries and assisting in issuing Easter baskets to children in attendance as the children were greeted by the Easter Bunny, in addition to contributing and hiding Easter eggs for the Easter egg hunt.

The Social Lites, Incorporated 48^th Beautillion Scholarship Ball will be held on Saturday, April 18, 2015 at the Hampton Inn & Suites Resort Event Center located in Highland.  For more information, please contact Mrs. Twillea Evans-Carthen, Beautillion Chairman at (909) 234-4989 or tevanscarthen@yahoo.com or Mrs. Bettye Brewster, President, bettyebrewster@yahoo.com

By McKenzie Jackson/California Black Media

As far as Ronail “Stretch” Shelton knows, his health is great. Strong, athletic and fit, the Los Angeles?based personal trainer, is one of hundreds of thousands of Californians of all races who renewed or began Medi?Cal coverage this year.

Despite having a clean bill of health, Shelton, 31, who is African American, says he understands why he needs reliable health coverage.

“If something were to happen suddenly, I might not be able to afford to pay for it,” said Shelton, who is self?employed.

According to the most recent numbers, 779,000 Californians either enrolled or re?enrolled in Medi?Cal, the Golden State’s safety?net health insurance program, during its second open enrollment period. This statistic includes numbers from November 15, 2014, to January 31, 2015.

While Covered California, the state’s health exchange, has not yet released statistics concerning the number of African?American Californians who signed up for health coverage through the state program during this most recent enrollment period, Black Californians made up six percent, or 114,000, of the 1.9 million people who registered for Medi?Cal during the initial enrollment period of October 2013 to April 2014.

Medi?Cal provides low?cost health coverage for children and adults with low to no incomes and resources. The program is administered by the California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS). Under the Medi?Cal program, qualified persons receive free or low?cost health coverage. Eligibility for free Medi-?Cal is determined by household income and family size, among other requirements.

Every year the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services sets guidelines that determine whether or not families or individuals qualify for certain federal assistance programs based on their income. In 2015, according to that measure, a family of four has to earn less than $23,550 to fall below the poverty level. For an individual, that number is $11,490, and $15,510 for a family of two.

However, the State of California has its own index for determining who qualifies for Medi-Cal. According to DHCS, a family of four has to earn less than $32,913 to fall below the poverty level. For an individual, that number is $16,105, and $21,708 for a family of two.

Toni Newman, the Development and Administration Coordinator with To Help Everyone (T.H.E.) Health and Wellness Centers in Los Angeles, one of the Southside Coalition’s community health groups, said with Medi-Cal and other low-cost plans offered through the Affordable Care Act (ACA), African Americans can get affordable, even no-cost, health insurance.

“Health plans offered by Medi-Cal include benefits known as ‘essential health benefits,’” Newman told California Black Media in an e-mail.

Those health benefits include dental services, emergency services, hospitalization, outpatient services, prescription drugs, laboratory services, and children’s services such as oral and vision care. Maternity and newborn care, preventive and wellness services, chronic disease management, mental health services, substance use disorder services, and other rehabilitative devices and programs such as physical and occupational therapy are also covered by Medi-Cal insurance.

According to numbers from the Southside Coalition’s website, from 2008 to 2012 T.H.E.’s six centers and one mobile clinic in the south Los Angeles area had a patient base that is 61 percent African American. Seventy -two percent of the patients earned less than 100 percent of the federal poverty line and 43 percent were uninsured, the website also reports.

Newman said T.H.E.’s doctors and nurses are accustomed to dealing with health issues associated with the communities it serves. “Sixty percent of T.H.E. patients use Medi-Cal and most of that population are minorities,” she said. “A lot of African Americans suffer from high blood pressure and diabetes .”

At each of the centers, T.H.E. offers medical services for men, women, children, and teens, as well as public health and preventive education services.

Although enrollment for the program jumped dramatically during Covered California’s open enrollment period from November 15, 2014, to February 15, 2015, enrollment or renewal for Medi-Cal is available all year long to those who qualify, as opposed to the private health insurance plans offered through Covered California as part of the ACA – commonly known as “Obamacare”.

There are a number of ways individuals or families can apply for Medi-Cal coverage. They can sign up in person at their local county’s human services agency; visit a Covered California certified enrollment counselor; or apply by mail with a Medi-Cal Single Streamlined Application found on Covered California’s website at www.coveredca.org.

Newman said T.H.E. has 10 certified enrollment counselors who have been trained and certified by Covered California to assist uninsured patients in enrolling in Medi-Cal and Covered California plans.

For most, the renewal process is simple and straightforward. It entails requesting the Medi-Cal renewal documents from your local county human services agency. Upon receiving, the applicant must fill the forms out and send them back to the human services agency.

Shelton said getting through the renewal process was smooth even though he experienced a hiccup early on. “I didn’t get the paperwork,” he said. “So they assigned me someone that helped me get it done.”

For more information about Medi-Cal visit www.dhcs.ca.gov/services/medi-cal/pages/applyformedi-cal.aspx or call your local county human services agency, or visit Covered California’s website at www.coveredca.com or call 800-300-1506.