WSSN Stories

(EMPIRE NEWS NETWORK—ENN)— SACRAMENTO, CA— Assemblymember Marc Levine (D – Marin County) today named non-profit leader Socorro Romo as the California State Assembly’s Woman of the Year for Marin and southern Sonoma counties.

Romo was born in Jalisco, Mexico and moved to the United States in 1980, where she began her family in West Marin. Romo’s children attended West Marin School in Point Reyes Station and went on to attend local universities in the North Bay.

In 1990, Romo began a volunteer job at West Marin School after noticing a lack of Latino leaders in the community and the need to build bridges between immigrant and non-immigrant residents in Marin County. Motivated by her work, Romo went back to school to complete her higher education.

In 1993, Romo began working as a social worker and in 2009, joined West Marin Community Services (WMCS) where she has had the opportunity to work with some of the most marginalized in society. In 2014, Romo co-developed Abriendo Caminos, a project to increase Latino civic engagement, build leadership and find pathways to promote mutual respect, embrace diversity and promote equality for all people. In the summer of 2018, Romo became the Executive Director of WMCS and is the first Latina to lead the organization.

“Socorro Romo is a bright light in Marin County, giving inspiration and hope to people in our community and throughout the North Bay,” said Assemblymember Levine.  “I am pleased to honor Ms. Romo for her commitment and dedication to help residents maximize their potential, to build a strong and diverse workforce and to improve the lives of residents throughout the region.”

The Woman of the Year event was created in 1987 to recognize March as Women’s History Month and to individually celebrate the contributions and unique accomplishments of women in each of the Assembly’s 80 districts.

The 2019 Woman of the Year event took place in the Assembly Chambers of the State Capitol on Monday, March 4, 2019.

Assemblymember Marc Levine represents California’s 10^th Assembly District, which includes Marin and southern Sonoma Counties. Connect with Assemblymember Levine on social media: @AsmMarcLevine.

By Lou Yeboah

(EMPIRE NEWS NETWORK—ENN)— Talking ‘bout you chasing that paper…. Fool, don’t you know that Jesus warned, “A man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” [Luke 12:15]. If you going to chase anything….. You best chase God…. For He alone can only satisfy. Everything here on earth is vain. If you don’t believe me believe the wisest man endowed by God: King Solomon. Not only was he given wisdom, but wealth beyond measure. The combination along with the experiments of life, lead to his conclusion; All is vanity [Ecclesiastes 1:1-2; 13-17]. He tells us, “I tried everything. I sought ever pleasure. I gained great knowledge. I possessed unsurpassed wealth and power. I had the power and resources to do anything I wanted to do.” Yet, in spite of all that, he declares, “Yet when I surveyed all that my hands had done and what I had toiled to achieve, everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind; nothing was gained under the sun.

Vanity of vanities, says the Preacher [King Solomon] all is vanity! What does man gain by all the toil at which he toils under the sun? A generation goes, and a generation comes, but the earth remains forever. The sun rises and the sun goes down and hastens to the place where it rises. The wind blows to the south and goes around to the north; around and around goes the wind, and on its circuits, the wind returns. All streams run to the sea, but the sea is not full; to the place where the streams flow, there they flow again. All things are full of weariness; a man cannot utter it; the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing. What has been is what will be and what has been done is what will be done, and there is nothing new under the sun.  

King Solomon was fabulously wealthy. And yet, he says in Ecclesiastes 5: 10-12…. All his riches and all his possessions nothing withstanding. It’s a chasing after the wind. A life lived under the sun, seeking satisfaction when this is all there is, is such an empty thing.”

Paul puts it similarly in 1 Timothy 6:10… the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. “But those who chase riches are constantly falling into temptation and snares. They are regularly caught by their own stupid and harmful desires, dragged down and pulled under into ruin and destruction. For the love of money – and what it can buy – is the root of all sorts of evil. Some already have wandered away from the true faith because they craved what it had to offer; but when reaching the prize, they found their hands and hearts pierced with many sorrows. Don’t let this happen to you – run away from these things! Let your quest be for justice, godliness, faithfulness, love, perseverance, and gentleness…. [1 Timothy 6:9-11]

The Take Away – Don’t put money before God. God is your Father, and He will always provide for you. Money is just a tool. Chasing after money will only result in disappointment. Chasing after God will result in blessing and increase.

Chasing God, Not Money!

Why God had me to go this route, I don’t know…. but as the spirit gives utterance so shall it be!

(EMPIRE NEWS NETWORK—ENN)— Compton NAACP President Paulette Simpson Gipson continues to make black history, as well as history as a woman. Gipson was sworn in to another term as president on February 16 at the Compton Airport.

A decade ago Gipson made history as the first woman elected to lead the Compton NAACP and has done an excellent job while in office. The reality is when you hear the NAACP name mentioned locally it’s often because of Gipson, who continues to be a consistent civil rights leader in our community. 

Her leadership in the NAACP is especially critical at a time when the LA NAACP has been dormant and useless to our community for the past two years. This wasn’t always the case. 

For news tips, email Brothernajeeali@gmail.com or follow me on Twitter@Najeeali.

(EMPIRE NEWS NETWORK—ENN)— Over a century after her death, a Harriet Tubman biopic is finally scheduled for release in the fall of 2019.

The biographical movie, Harriet, will focus on the freedom fighter’s escape from slavery in 1849 and her heroic efforts to free hundreds of slaves as a conductor on the underground railroad.

While many remember Harriet Tubman as an influential abolitionist speaker and a Union Army scout during the Civil War, these aspects of her life will not appear in detail throughout the film. According to the film’s director, Kasi Lemmons, they made the choice to document the earlier portion of Tubman’s life to provide people with a new perspective on the popular historic figure.

“The images that we see of Harriet Tubman and the way we’re used to thinking of her is of a much older person, but to think what she did when she was a young woman is quite extraordinary,” she told Refinery 29. “That period of her life [is what] we often refer to, [but] we don’t really have a lot of [visuals] from that period, when she was really doing her superwoman thing.”

Cynthia Erivo, a British actress known for her Tony and Grammy award-winning role as Celie in the 2015 Broadway revival of The Color Purple, will be playing the role of Harriet.

According to Lemmons, Cynthia perfectly fit the image she had in her head of how she wants to portray Harriet.

“When I met Cynthia, I already had this picture of who this young woman was: very petite, very powerful and very spiritual, who could sing and who was an incredible mimic, and who had to be an incredible actress,” Lemmons said. “All of a sudden, I’m looking at this woman that is all of these things.”

While other actresses have played tribute to the historic figure in productions such as WGN’S Underground and NBC’s Timeless, Cynthia will be the first actress to represent Harriet Tubman in a biopic about her life.

(EMPIRE NEWS NETWORK—ENN)— On Sunday, February 24, 2019, from 8 p.m. to 1 am. the 2nd annual Griot Gala Toast to Diversity & Inclusion After Party took place at The District by Hannah An, Crustacean restaurant group’s latest concept. Six hundred guests gathered to honor and celebrate the extraordinary accomplishments of today’s top entertainers, influencers and industry greats who represent today’s diversity, inclusion and the world becoming ONE. Los Angeles-based AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF), a global nonprofit organization providing cutting-edge medicine, advocacy to over 1 million people in 43 countries and largest provider of HIV/AIDS medical care in the U.S, served as the charity partner onboard.

Famous faces to grace the event and it’s purple carpet included Tiffany Haddish (Girls Trip), Craig DiFranca + Brian Distance (Green Book), Sheryl Lee Ralph (Dreamgirls), Loretta Devine (Grey’s Anatomy), Shervin Roovenpur (Bravo’s Shahs of Sunset), Chaz Dean (celebrity hair stylist), Vanessa Williams (Soul Food), Jayk Gavagher (VEEP), Billie Lee (Bravo’s Vanderpump Rules), Angie Everhart (Supermodel), Brock O’Hurn (Boo! A Madea Halloween), Al B Sure (R&B Artist), Rolanda Watts (Rolanda), David Dobrovik (YouTuber), Miyavi (Unbroken), Cisco Reyes (All Eyez on Me), Camille James + Chantelle Albers (VICE), Kris D. Lofton (HBO Ballers), Mirai Nagasu (US Olympic Figure Skater Medalist), Renee Lawles (The Haves & Have Nots), The cast of Skin, Antonique Smith (Notorious), Porscha Coleman (TV personality), Dr. Chris Donaghue (Love Line), Steve Longi (Oscar-winning director), Kimberley Elise (Diary of a Mad Black Woman), Lunelle Campbell (comedian), Andre K. Jefferson (Actor), and Mitchell Marchand (2019 Oscars writer).

Highlights from the evening incorporated Griot Gala co-founders Dionne Miller and Reid Johnson honoring Tony Award-winning and acclaimed veteran of film and television, Sheryl Lee Ralph with The Trailblazer Award. “Sheryl Lee Ralph is a trailblazer in the worlds of entertainment and activism. She represents the foundation of what the Griot Gala stands for and to honor her was a dream come true for her organization,” stated Miller.

The VIP Lounge featured “Opulence Revealed,” a multi-sensory and interactive tasting experience for exclusive celebrities and industry members. Guests sampled Rémy Martin’s XO sophisticated flavors paired with fragrant fruits such as grapes, pear, dried apricots, and figs; spices like cinnamon, dried saffron, and stem ginger; or earthy characters like walnuts, hazelnuts, cheese, and chocolates — where taste buds hung upon every note. Premium producer of non-toxic, essential oils, Young Living created an aromatherapy oasis of diffused oils that streamed throughout the air of the VIP lounge as well. Full body massage chairs further heightened the senses to promote relaxation for those trying to unwind from the excitement of the 91st Academy Awards. Opulence Lounge furnishings were provided by Vitality Furniture, committed to traditional and contemporary values that create quality relationships and classic environments.

Kush Boys, a leader in California’s cannabis footprint, spotlighted a Kush Boys Lifestyle Lounge with curated cannabis treats by Cal Farms, Lucid Mood, Try Chemistry, Papa & Barkley, Mellow, Foria Wellness, Apple Dabs, Neptune Sticks and Main Express. While DJ/Model MAAD kept the dance floor hot, signature Remy Martin cocktails, 1738, Botanist Gin, Cointreau, Mount Gay Rum and Moreno champagne glasses overflowed. The District tray-passed modern Vietnamese fare of crab, candy walnut prawns, lobster & crab wontons, tuna poke on rice crisps, spring rolls, noodle station, chocolate mousse cake, pineapple bread pudding, mango cheesecake and assorted macaroons for guests to devour. Annette BibbyOliver of Dream House MGB and Dwight Eubanks (Real Housewives of Atlanta) spearheaded event production and design. No Oscars event would be complete without gift bags. Griot Gala Remy XO VIPs received Bella Spirit and Wen bath, body and hair products by Chaz Dean, Young Living essential oil kits, AHF, Blings by Marium, Feather Lite Aesthetics/Mari Abdulian medical spa certificates, Paragon Cleaners, and Mixed Chicks multi-racial, non-sticky, lightweight curly hair products totaling three-thousand dollars.

---

About the Griot Gala: The Griot Gala celebrates diversity and inclusion while recognizing outstanding achievement in the Arts and Entertainment Industry. The Griot honors women and people of color who exude a Spirit of Excellent and who are trailblazers in the Arts and Entertainment Industry. The Griot recognizes the need for diversity, inclusion, and equality for ALL people regardless of race, gender or sexual orientation. We are GRIOT.

Stay connected @TheGriotGateway

Photo Credit: Brittany Mobley of BMobley Media Relations

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

(EMPIRE NEWS NETWORK-ENN)— SAN BERNARDINO, CA— Assemblymember Eloise Gómez Reyes honored Gwendolyn Lorraine Dowdy-Rodgers of San Bernardino as the 2019 Assembly District 47 Woman of the Year. Organized by the Legislative Women’s Caucus, the Woman of the Year award recognizes women from all over the state for accomplishments in their respective fields and for their dedication to improving the lives of others in conjunction with Women’s History Month.

Gwendolyn Lorraine Dowdy-Rodgers, a long-time noted speaker, assistant pastor, board of education member, and founder of the Young Women’s Empowerment Foundation was selected to receive this years’ Woman of the Year award based on her work with students and parents.  The Young Women’s Empowerment Foundation empowers young women to reach their highest aspirations via mentoring and scholarship opportunities that support participants from middle school through their first year of college. Gwen also established an annual spring “Girl Talk” conference for young girls along with an annual fall “Healthy Me” wellness conference for women to address chronic health issues.

“It is an honor to recognize Gwen for her commitment and dedication to the communities of the Inland Empire. Her leadership and sacrifice for others is a model we all should aspire to,” said Assemblymember Reyes. “Gwen is a champion for the region through her work to empower and uplift young women across the region.  Gwen made a decision to give back to her community with her time, efforts and knowledge and we should look to her as an example of what we can do to help others.”

In total, over 120 women were nominated from throughout the community for the Woman of the Year award which recognizes local women for accomplishments in their respective fields and for their dedication to improving the lives of others in conjunction with Women’s History Month.

Nominees came from a variety of different backgrounds ranging from educators and community advocates to county employees, students, business owners and heads of local non-profits.  After review, 30 finalist were selected before the final selection of Gwendolyn Lorrain Dowdy-Rodgers

2019 Woman of the Year Finalist for the 47^th District:

Alexa Sigala – Fontana

Alice Chow Geske – Grand Terrace

Aurelia Renteria – Fontana

Carol Malone – Rialto

Demi Espinoza – Muscoy

Dr. Letitia Wright – Fontana

Elsie Valdivia Robles – Colton

Erika Flores – Bloomington

Francine Blacksher – San Bernardino

Gloria Amaya – San Bernardino

Gwendolyn Dowdy-Rodgers – San Bernardino

Isabel Hunt – Fontana

Jean Kayano – Grand Terrace

Jennifer L. Morris – Rialto

Joyce Chambers Hampton – Rialto

Judith Valles – San Bernardino

Karen Larson Coleman – Fontana

Kathy Williams-Braxton – Colton

Kimberly Calvin – San Bernardino

Kimberly Clark – Fontana

LaKeisha Jackson – San Bernardino

LuCretia Dowdy – Bloomington

Maribel Núñez – San Bernardino

Maricela Soliz-Ferguson – Rialto

Megan Moeskau – Grand Terrace

Pamela Langford – San Bernardino

Paula Beauchamp – San Bernardino

Rebecca Gallegos – Colton

Rev. Bronica Martindale-Taylor – San Bernardino

Rosa Loera – Muscoy

A special reading of the Ted Lange’s play, “The Heart of Biddy Mason” took place in the heart of Downtown Los Angeles at The Pico House at El Pueblo Historical Monument. The reading was conducted by musicians who were part of the Barbara Morrison Trio.

ABOUT BIDDY MASON:
Biddy Mason was a former slave, nurse/ midwife, successful entrepreneur, humanitarian and founder of Los Angeles’s first African-American congregation. Bridget “Biddy” Mason was born a slave in Aug. of 1818 on a Georgia plantation owned by Robert Marion Smith and his wife Rebecca (Crosby) Smith. Mason had three daughters, Ellen, Ann and Harriet, whose father was reputedly Smith himself. In 1847, Smith became a Mormon convert and decided to move to the Utah Territory with his household and slaves. In the strenuous two-thousand miles cross-country, Mason was responsible for herding the cattle, preparing the meals and acting as mid-wife along with taking care of her own children. It is said that Mason walked behind her master’s 300-wagon caravan from Mississippi to Southern California. In 1851, Smith moved his household again, this time to San Bernardino, Ca. Smith sensed that Mason and her three daughters might seek their freedom in California, therefore he planned to take them back South. Luck came for Mason and her daughters after arriving in California, discovering that slaves were free in that state. She petioned a court in 1856 for her and her daughters freedom. A Sheriff asked Smith to appear in court to prove ownership of the family. He failed to appear in court and Mason won freedom for herself and her daughters. She and her daughters moved to Los Angeles where she found employment as a nurse and midwife. Hard work and her nursing skills allowed Mason to become economically independent. She later bought a site in what is now downtown Los Angeles on Spring St. for $250, becoming the first African-American woman to own land in Los Angeles. In 1884, Mason sold a parcel of her land for $1500 and built a commercial building with spaces for rental on the remaining land. She continued making wise decisions in her business and real estate transactions and her financial fortunes continued to increase until Mason had accumulated a fortune of almost $300,000. Mason gave generously to various charities and provided food and shelter for the poor of all races. She also remembered those in prison whom she visited often. In 1872, she and her son in-law, Charles Owens, founded and formed the Los Angeles branch of the First A.M.E. Church, Los Angeles’s first African-American congregation which began having services in Mason’s living room. Bridget “Biddy” Mason died in Los Angeles on Jan. 15, 1891 and was buried in an unmarked grave in Evergreen Cemetery. By the time Mason had died, the property, she owned had become the heart of Los Angeles’s financial district and was worth $250,000. On March 27, 1988, nearly a century after Mason’s death, a tombstone was unveiled at a ceremony which marked her grave for the first time. The ceremony was attended by Mayor Tom Bradley and about three thousand members of the First A.M.E. Church. On November 16, 1989, the citizens of Los Angeles declared a Biddy Mason Day and a memorial of her achievement was unveiled at the Broadway Spring Center located between Spring St. and Broadway at Third St. in Los Angeles.

(EMPIRE NEWS NETWORK—ENN)— SACRAMENTO, CA— Assemblymember Marc Levine (D-Marin County) has introduced legislation to repeal the sales and use tax imposed on daily distributed print newspapers.

AB 1776, would apply the same tax free status to daily distributed print newspapers that is enjoyed by paid digital media news services. This bill would ensure that all forms of journalism, print and digital are treated equally in the marketplace.

“The Washington Post was correct when they said that ‘democracy dies in darkness,'” stated Assemblymember Levine. “At a time when the fundamental and constitutional rights of an open and free press are under attack at the highest level, we must not allow the voice of journalism to be silenced. Just as other essential consumer items are exempt from sales tax, AB 1776 affirms the essential role that a free and open press plays in the lives of Californians and all people in our democracy.”

California Sales and Use Tax law imposes a tax on the gross receipts from the sale, storage, use, or other consumption of tangible personal property. Currently, there are some piecemeal exemptions for certain newspapers and periodicals, yet the tax continues to be levied on daily and certain weekly print products.

“California’s sales tax continues to be applied to daily newspapers while virtually all media competitors for Californians’ time and attention are untaxed, such as radio, TV, Cable and all web-based media, whether content creators or aggregators,” said Thomas Newton, executive director of the California News Publishers Association. “As such, the tax is unfair, discriminatory and harms both newspapers’ ability to inform the public and the public’s right to be informed; interests protected by both the U.S. and California Constitutions.  We applaud Assemblyman Marc Levine’s introduction of AB 1776 and look forward to working with him to advance his bill through the legislative process and to the governor’s desk.”

AB 1776 will be considered by the California State Assembly in the Spring of 2019.

(EMPIRE NEWS NETWORK—ENN)— U.S. Navy Sailors sing during a Black History Month celebration aboard the guided-missile destroyer USS Preble (DDG 88) in the South China Sea, Feb. 26, 2019. The Preble is deployed to the U.S 7th Fleet area of operations in support of security and stability in the Indo-Pacific region. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Bryan Niegel)

The Story Behind Why Black History Month Is In February

(EMPIRE NEWS NETWORK–ENN)— The month of February serves as Black History Month; it’s a point in the year where we observe the difficult circumstances that Black people have faced throughout history as well as celebrate all their accomplishments. But why exactly is Black History Month in February? Many people have recognized the lack of representation Black people have within textbooks and school curriculum across America. Below, we outline the interesting and important story of why Black History Month is in February.

Carter G. Woodson: The Pioneer

In the early 20^th century, historian Carter G. Woodson saw first-hand the underrepresentation of Black people in the various books and conversations that shaped the study of American history. To try and fix this, Dr. Woodson founded the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History—now called the Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH).

ASALH was and still is an organization that promotes the continuous study of Black history. Dr. Woodson believed this was essential because “if a race has no history, it has no worthwhile tradition, it becomes a negligible factor in the thought of the world, and it stands in danger of being exterminated.” Due to his determination to emphasize the importance of celebrating Black accomplishments, Dr. Woodson pioneered the field of African-American studies and set the foundation for Black History Month.

Douglass and Lincoln: The Abolitionists

In 1926, Dr. Woodson and the ASALH brought about “Negro History Week”—the purpose being to further their mission of getting Black history into more schooling systems. They chose the second week of February to honor Frederick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln since their birthdays are within that week. This initiative spread quickly, and soon people everywhere were celebrating this week.

As the years went on, even after Dr. Woodson passed, people continued to celebrate this week. It wasn’t until the 1960s that people started to expand the week to a month-long celebration. Part of the reason for this expansion was the fact that “by the mid-1960s, the most popular textbook for eighth-grade U.S. history classes mentioned only two black people in the entire century of history that had transpired since the Civil War.” People knew there was so much more than that; therefore, colleges and universities across the country transformed to celebrate Black History Month instead of Negro History Week.

President Gerald Ford: The Solidifier

As the Civil Rights Movement spread across the country, it helped to snowball the initiative even further. By 1976, President Gerald Ford decreed Black History Month a national observance: “In celebrating Black History Month,” Ford said in his message, “we can seize the opportunity to honor the too-often neglected accomplishments of black Americans in every area of endeavor throughout our history.”

Although the 20^th century was a tumultuous time, it resulted in massive steps forward for the Black community.

Black History Month: The Theme

Black History Month is a celebration of an underrepresented and abused people and their accomplishments. However, in 1976, the ASALH designated a theme to each year’s Black History Month. Every year since, there has been a theme. This year’s theme is Black Migrations, which emphasizes the movement of African people to new destinations and new social realities.