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The Chino Fire Foundation will be receiving a Black Rose Award this year. (Photo courtesy of Chino Fire Foundation)

SAN BERNARDINO, CA- The San Bernardino Black Culture Foundation is happy to announce the winners of the 26th Annual Humanitarian of the Year, Commitment to Community Service and Black Rose Awards.

The Humanitarian of the Year award will be given to Kim Evette Anthony. Kim gives tirelessly of herself, using her skills and abilities to help others.  Much of her work is on a pro bono basis because of her unrelenting commitment to serving her community.  She provides countless number of volunteer hours servicing nonprofit and community based organizations including Stop the Violence Foundation and the establishment of the Regional Violence Prevention Coalition.

Kim volunteered with the Red Cross in Houston, TX serving and supporting displaced Hurricane Katrina survivors. A product of the foster care system, Kim spent fourteen months during her reign as Ms. California delivering motivational speaking and raising funds and awareness for the plight of foster children and at-risk youth.

Davis Clark will be receiving the Commitment to Community Service award. David, a retired military person, volunteers his time at March Air Force Base assisting retirees with their retirement and other benefits.  He also assists the families of the deceased, making sure they get the paperwork needed for proper burial.  In addition, he mentors students at San Gorgonio High School as well as the youth and young adults at his church.  He transports church members and neighbors to doctor appointments and the grocery stores and is involved in the food and toy outreach for the citizens on the west side of the city.  He ministers to the residences of Highland Palms Residential Living and when the senior citizens ask for special food and clothing, he purchases them with his own funds.

The Black Rose Charles Burris 1^st Responders’ Award will be given to Chief Joseph Paulino. Chief Joseph Paulino makes sure that over 50,000 students are safe each day; and has implemented an explorer program for the middle and high school students in the district.  He still finds time to provide service to his community.  He is a member of 100 Black Men of the Inland Empire and recently, he hosted a Searching of Mentors Summit at California State University San Bernardino.  He volunteers his time with the annual Christmas toy giveaway, safety fairs, and positive tickets program.

The Chino Fire Foundation and Officer Marcus Pesquera will both be receiving the Black Rose Award. The Chino Fire Foundation is a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting the safety and welfare of the public through educational programs, direct assistance, and financial support of charitable organizations, victims of tragic events and injured firefighters. Officer Pesquera was in training when early one morning, he and his fellow officer approach a few individuals who appeared to have suspicious behavior.  Officer Pesquera’s quick thinking saved the lives of both men.  Unfortunately, his fellow officer was critically wounded but Officer Pesquera was able to save both lives.  He volunteers in his community at the firing range and his skills enabled him to protect the citizens of San Bernardino.-

By McKenzie Jackson and Tanu Henry/California Black Media

For the past couple of weeks, America has been celebrating the 50^th anniversary of the Voting Rights act with events all around the country.

Last Thursday evening, many statewide and local organizations joined the commemoration with an event on the steps of the State Capitol in Sacramento. Legislative Black Caucus members partnered with the Sacramento branch of the NAACP and Urban league, civil groups, other elected officials from around the state and Californians from all walks of life to mark the historic legislation many regard the most important achievement of the Civil Rights Movement.

“As we see attempts to roll back voting rights in a number of states, it’s a good time to reflect on the widespread disenfranchisement of minorities and the struggle that led to passage of the Voting Rights Act,” said

Assemblymember Cheryl Weber (D-San Diego) who was an official host of the event about 100 people attended. “We need to revisit the history and heroes of that struggle and recommit ourselves to honor their sacrifice by exercising our right to decide who makes the decisions that affect our lives.”

For many voting rights advocates, California’s decision last week to restore voting rights to tens of thousands of felons serving sentences under community supervision makes marking the golden jubilee of the historic legislation even more special. California’s new policy comes at a time when there is growing support across the country among liberals, conservatives and moderates for extending voting rights to ex-felons.

California Secretary of State Alex Padilla made the announcement last week after the state settled a lawsuit filed by the ACLU and a number of Civil rights groups on behalf of 60,000 felons.

 “If we are serious about slowing the revolving door at our jails and prisons, and serious about reducing recidivism, we need to engage – not shun – former offenders,” Padilla said. “Voting is a key part of that engagement; it is part of a process of becoming vested and having a stake in the community.”

All across the state there were Voting Rights celebrations honoring  the efforts of civil rights activists half a century ago whose actions led to former U.S. President Lyndon Johnson signing the Voting Rights Act into law on Aug. 6, 1965.

At the largest commemoration in Los Angeles, Peggy Trotter Dammond Preacely, a civil rights activist since she was a teenager in the 1960s, was the keynote speaker. Organizers held the event titled “ The 1965 Voting Rights Act 50th Anniversary Tribute Call-To-Action Mass Meeting” at Holman United Methodist Church Thursday evening.

Preacely, who was a member of the Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee, urged blacks to continue to fight for equal voting rights.

“I speak to all of us, all of you, about how critical it is that we each find our voice and stand for something,” she said. “This is the time; this is the place to work for equal rights.”

The landmark legislation outlawed the discriminatory voting practices taking place in the Deep South after the Civil War. The act was designed to enforce the voting rights cemented by the U.S Constitution, but voting advocates say more work needs to be done after U.S. Supreme Court’s 2013 decision in the Shelby v. Holder case.

The case’s verdict  nullified the Section 5 protections in the Act. The section required certain states and jurisdictions to get approval in advance from the Department of Justice when it made electoral changes, such as changing voting requirements.

Empowered by the Supreme Court’s ruling, over the last two years several states have enacted laws requiring certain types of identification to vote, cut back on early voting days and limited who can register voters.

Over a dozen speakers took to the pulpit at the historic Black church on the west side of Los Angeles and spoke of the importance of making sure everyone, particularly African Americans, have a right to step into the ballot box.

The speakers at Holman UMC included U.S. Congresswoman Karen Bass; Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti; Los Angeles City Council members Marqueece Harris-Dawson and David Ryu; SCLC-Southern California President Pastor William D. Smart Jr.; Holman UMC Pastor Kelvin Sauls; CORE California Chair Adrian Dove; and Bend the Arc National Chair Stephen Rohde.

Other speakers were Los Angeles City Controller Ron Galperin, Los Angeles Urban League President and CEO Nolan Rollins and SCLC-Southern California Board Chairman Alice Golf.

The event was organized by a number of voting and civil rights groups and hosted by award-winning actor and singer Keith David. SCLC Freedom Singers and the Own Your Voice|Own Your Vote Ensemble performed during the two-hour tribute.

Congresswoman Bass, the Democrat whose district is in the greater Los Angeles area, called the Supreme Court’s judgement two years ago a mistake.  She is supporting the Voting Rights Advancement Act of 2015. The bill aims to amend the Voting Rights Act of 1965 with a key provision that would limit the power states have to amend federal voting laws. This bill is making its way through the United States House of Representatives.

Roxanne Williams

SAN BERNARDINO, CA- On Tuesday, August 11, Roxanne Williams, educator and candidate for the ward six seat on the San Bernardino City Council announced her plan for her first 100 days in office.

The plan is geared toward ensuring communities in San Bernardino feel safe, get vital services and that San Bernardino has a revitalized economic environment. Williams will be a voice for working families. As a member of the city council, she will fight to create jobs in San Bernardino, and restore fiscally sound management to the city –including improved basic services, stopping the threats of the closure of our community centers, libraries and parks, and fixing the potholes and street lights. Her detailed 100 day plan is the first and only among contenders for Ward 6 and is designed to address these critical problems.

“Obviously, we can’t solve everything in the first 100 days, but we can certainly have real conversation and create plans in order to put San Bernardino back on track,” said Roxanne Williams. “We have so much potential in San Bernardino, but we can’t lift our people up if we don’t protect our families, fix our finances and balance our budget, which I hope to bring my experience balancing budgets to this office.”

Williams was a Teacher of the Year in 2001, was a Top 10 Teacher in 2011, nominated for the Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching (PAEMST), and continues to work as a Program Specialist in San Bernardino City Unified School District. As a single mother with five children, ages 13 to 24 years old, she knows how hard San Bernardino families work and what it’s like to struggle. She also knows how to succeed in a tough moment.

You can view Roxanne’s 100 day plan at www.roxannecanwin.com/issues. For more information, visit RoxanneCanWin.com and hear what she’s up to at Facebook.com/roxannewilliamsforcouncil.

Publisher’s Commentary by Wallace J. Allen

Due to last minute complications at the 777 Allen Street venue, the WssNews presentation of “World Class Jazz at 777” scheduled for this Saturday, August 15, featuring the legendary Barbara Morrison has been cancelled.  The venue, the 777 Community Warehouse, recently held a “Save the Warehouse” fundraiser. Apparently under financial pressure, the site manager, Willie Walker, demanded a last minute upfront fee from WssNews in addition to the original income sharing agreement. The fee demand was a deal breaker because paying it would have guaranteed a financial loss for WssNews. We have supported and continue to support 777, and we hope that they can continue operating. We are disappointed that our desire to present a world class show is sidetracked. We are sorry to disappoint the jazz lovers who were looking forward to a world class show.

WssNews will continue the quest to bring “World Class Jazz” to the IE! We thank and apologize to those of you who have purchased advanced tickets to the Barbara Morrison show. We appreciate your support; however, we are in the act of returning your money to you!  If you have not received your refund by the time this is published please call WssNews at (909) 384-8131. If you have any suggestions about bringing “World Class Jazz” to the IE, write me at walleniv@yahoo.com.

Meanwhile you can still hear Mr. Anthony Garcia play spontaneous jazz every Sunday morning on my “Empire Talks Back” radio show. Anthony, while performing the duty of “Mood Master”, plays his bass guitar throughout the talk show. ETB airs at 10 a.m. on Sunday mornings on KCAA 1050-AM radio and streams live video via www.kcaaradio.com.

Ann Clark and Michael

Ann Clark of Rialto doesn’t consider herself a foster care parent as much as a parent to many teens in need over the years. The high school vocational education coordinator and her husband, Michael, a logistics worker, are currently parenting four adolescent girls in their home through Knotts Family Agency.

“It’s very challenging but at the same time it’s very rewarding,” Clark says. “You are able to instill the qualities and values that you would on your own children. What you expect of your own children, you expect of them also.”

Knotts, a foster care and adoption services agency in San Bernardino, will honor the Clarks and other parents at a jazz and wine tasting fundraiser from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Saturday, August 15 at Edwards Mansion in Redlands. The other honoree foster care parents are Deborah Martelly of Highland, Belita Foster of Rialto and Jeannette and Charles Howard of San Bernardino.

Proceeds from the annual fundraiser will help support the Knotts Family Agency Educational and Cultural Enrichment Initiative. The program exposes over 75 foster care youths in the Inland region to fun and educational activities, from Magic Mountain to math and science camps.

More than 2,500 individuals and families are served each year by Knotts Family Agency, which was founded in 1992. They receive critical support for resilience, mental health, care coordination, parenting, youth mentoring and leadership development, financial and environmental literacy and job training.

CEO Gwen Knotts says that education positively changes the direction of a young person’s life. “We really emphasize that with education and tutoring, we’re hoping to change the outcomes when the youth are emancipated or transition back to their biological family.”

Knotts provides social services to foster care families and stay in constant contact during the child’s stay. “They really go the distance to make sure these kids have what they need,” Clark says.

For tickets to the Knotts Family Agency jazz and wine tasting fundraiser, contact Sandy Oquin at (909) 880-0600. Tickets are $50/$65 at the door. Table sponsorships are also available.

SAN BERNARDINO, CA- Last week, Assemblymember Cheryl R. Brown (D-San Bernardino) and other local officials took the “Ice Bucket Challenge” to raise awareness about Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) disease. ALS is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that renders patients unable to use their voluntary muscles. Those afflicted with ALS, including 300,000 people in the United States, lose their ability to walk, talk, move, and breathe. Assemblymember Brown took the challenge in honor of her husband, Dr. Hardy Brown, who was diagnosed with ALS in 2002. The ALS Ice Bucket Challenge is held annually in August until a cure is found.

AGED Summit Brings Decision Making Africans to Los Angeles

LOS ANGELES, CA- President Obama visited Kenya to attend the Global Entrepreneurship Summit — a gathering of over 1,000 entrepreneurs from around the world, convening to discuss how small business, with an emphasis on technology, will drive Africa’s economy forward.

This was a meeting that attracted the senior leadership of companies like IBM, Google, Microsoft, General Electric, etc. Africa is home to five of the ten fastest growing economies in the world, and Nairobi is considered the Silicon Valley of Africa.

The African Global Economic Development Summit (AGED) will also focus on the African Nations who are the world’s fastest growing economies…  But you don’t need to go to Africa to participate. AGED takes place August 6, 7 & 8 in Los Angeles on the USC Campus.

The Third Annual African Global Economic & Development Summit (AGED) is focused on Africa’s fastest growing economies. It will highlight what is driving them, and how Americans can engage in trade and find prosperity on the mighty continent of Africa. The summit will explore Africa’s fastest growing economies from 2013 to 2015. Africa is home to eleven top GDP producing nations among the World’s Top Twenty Fastest Growing Economies.

The Summit will disclose and highlight the African Nations which have, or are undergoing regulatory reforms to provide an enabling environment and solid footing for foreign investment. The African Global Economic Development Summit assists Americans to uncover and access the hidden investment opportunities in Africa.

The AGED Summit, a comprehensive Africa-focused business event, annually brings business and government officials from African nations to California to showcase their trade-ready projects in need of technical and investment partners. Financial institutions and investors are prepared to offer funding support.  Government entities offer export assistance, and information on public initiatives to help Americans do business in Africa. During the Summit, immediate business matchmaking between U.S. and African businesses occur because the event provides businesses functional access to contracts and potential African partners. Opportunities exist for micro-enterprises, small businesses, multinational corporations and global conglomerates. Financing is available on site. Business representatives in the United States will have a rare opportunity to connect with Africa, right here in America. This event puts decision makers in the same room. Some deals will be made and many doors will be opened!. Follow-up activities include trade missions to Africa, logistical assistance and excursions to local project development sites.

For more information and registration, visit www.agedsummit.com.

LOS ANGELES, CA – Southern California McDonald’s restaurants are partnering with California State University (CSU) to provide local students with resources needed to make the goal of higher education a reality. For the third year, McDonald’s is sponsoring CSU Super Saturday, by providing free transportation from a McDonald’s restaurant in San Bernardino to the event at CSU Dominguez Hills in Carson on Saturday, August 8.

Students and their families from San Bernardino County will be transported from the local McDonald’s restaurant located at 1575 E. Highland Avenue in San Bernardino. The bus is scheduled to depart at 7 a.m. with a complimentary breakfast provided from 6 a.m. until 7 a.m. for those who are registered for transportation.

Super Saturday provides an opportunity for students to learn everything they need to know about attending college. Representatives from CSU’s 23 campuses, as well as other colleges and universities, will be on hand to provide information about admission requirements, obtaining financial aid, campus life, choosing a major, and showing the advantages of a college education. It is produced by the CSU African American Initiative – a program of the Chancellor’s Office’s External Relations department. Last year’s event attracted a multicultural audience of more than 2,000 students.

Super Saturday attendees will also be able to visit with McDonald’s representatives at the event to learn about Ronald McDonald House Charities of Southern California’s College Scholarship Program and employment opportunities that aid students in supplementing their college costs.

Transportation provided by Southern California McDonald’s increases exposure for students who would not normally have the opportunity to attend the event. Local owner/operators support the company’s belief that learning doesn’t take place only in the classroom. Community partnerships with institutions of higher-learning, like CSU, helps to further extend that message.

The college fair will be held from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, August 8. Students and their families can register for transportation at http://ow.ly/PQZr0, or by contacting L. CaCera Richmond at (310) 754-4808. For more information, visit www.mcdonaldssocal.com/ or Tweet to @McDonalds_SoCal on Twitter.

SAN BERNARDINO, CA- Time for Change Foundation (TFCF) and community volunteers gathered to conduct a FREE PROP. 47 FELONY REDUCTION CLINIC, which was held on Saturday, July 25, at The Way World Outreach Downtown Mission in San Bernardino.  After almost 2 months of outreach efforts, those in need of assistance came out on droves to have their felonies reduced to misdemeanors at this one day event. Hundreds of Petitions were completed which will reduce barriers to employment and housing while strengthening families in the Inland Empire!

“We both got our felonies reduced today.  I can get a better job, make more money and buy our first house,” said one gentleman while waiting with his 2 children for his wife to finish with the attorneys.

Over 33 volunteers came together to help the community including teams from the San Bernardino and Rancho Cucamonga Public Defender’s offices, Attorney Allison Bracy (Ivie, McNeill & Wyatt), Attorney Claudia Lopez (IELLU), Renea Wickman (Political Activist and Community Organizer), Donna Ferracone (Board of Trustees SBCCD and TFCF Advisory Council Member), Roxanne Williams (6^th Ward Candidate for San Bernardino City Council), Dov Cohen, University of Redlands students Emma Wade and Jewel Patterson, all TFCF staff and clients.

The San Bernardino County Department of Public Health brought their 40’ van to provide health screenings and Budget Mobile was on hand with free phones. Lunch was provided by TFCF and prepared by The Way World Outreach volunteer food team.  Computers for the event were provided by Tracey Holcomb from SGDIG.

This event was a part of CHAMP47 (Creating Healthy Alternatives Mobilizing Prop. 47), an initiative of TFCF created to implement Proposition 47, The Safe Neighborhoods and Schools Act, which was approved by voters in last November’s election.  The CHAMP47 campaign will help to improve health and safety of our community which has been devastated by mass incarceration. It will also help rebuild families by removing underlying barriers to employment, access to health care, and education in San Bernardino.

LOS ANGELES, CA- The Pan African Film Festival (PAFF) is ready to take moviegoers on a cinematic journey with international film screenings from around the globe with the announcement of its Call for Submissions. The 24th annual PAFF, the nation’s largest and most prestigious Black film festival will be held on February 4^th to the 15^th, 2016 in Los Angeles. Over the years, it has showcased films from all parts of the world, representing such countries as Angola, Nigeria, Jamaica, New Zealand, Rwanda, Canada, Egypt, Ethiopia, Brazil, Kenya, Mexico, South Africa, England, Mexico, Japan, France and of course, the United States. With the pulse on the international film market, PAFF has opened the minds of its audiences, and transported them to faraway lands and back home again.

“Over the years, the filmmakers from around the world have become more sophisticated in telling their stories,” says Asantewa Olatunji, the director of programming for PAFF. “In our ever shrinking world, it is so important to understand the experiences and points of views of other peoples and cultures.”

Last year, more than 40,000 people attended the film festival, which has long been a highly anticipated event in Los Angeles attended by local, national and international guests. Currently, PAFF is accepting submissions of features and shorts; narrative and documentary films made by or about people of African descent. You can currently apply by going online to the PAFF website at www.paff.org and clicking onto “Submit Film”. Fill out the online application and either upload your film with your completed application or send in a DVD to PAFF at 6820 LaTijera Blvd. Ste. 200, Los Angeles, CA 90045.

PAFF is currently accepting applications for films and videos made by and/or about people of African descent. (Please note: the filmmaker need not be of African descent.) Preferably, films should depict positive and realistic images and can be of any genre – drama, comedy, horror, adventure, animation, romance, science fiction, experimental, etc. PAFF accepts features and shorts both narrative and documentary.

The PAFF competition categories are: Best Narrative Feature, Best Narrative Short, Best Documentary, Best Director – First Feature, plus a variety of Audience Favorite Awards. Films in competition must be copyrighted no earlier than 2014. With the exception of Audience Favorite Awards, films are judged by industry professionals. In addition to competition awards, other programming and festival special prizes will be awarded.

For information about the festival, submission procedures, fees and registration, click www.paff.org or email submissions@paff.org. Early submissions will be accepted beginning July 20 through August 7; regular submissions begin August 8 and run through October 2, 2015. Late submissions will be accepted from October 3 to October 31