WSSN Stories

Cal State Los Angeles Masters’ Program Student Graduates with Honors, Pursues Career in Information Systems

LOS ANGELES, CA- (EMPIRE NEWS NETWORK (ENN)- From promoting childhood education to improving company strategy and customer service, Ruchi Singh sees the vast potential of using data to improve lives.

“I have a vision to use my knowledge and passion to solve real-life problems using data science,” Singh says. “I believe that by analyzing the data being collected will help make better business decisions, equip children to learn and elders to live comfortably.”

The West Los Angeles resident will graduate with honors in May with a Master of Science in Information Systems from California State University, Los Angeles.

Born and raised in India, Singh traces her interest in computers to when she was a little girl. She remembers playing “Snake,” an early mobile phone game. Intrigued by the technology behind it, she eagerly took an introduction to computer science class in school and created her own computer game.

Singh’s fascination with computer programming continued. She went on to earn a bachelor’s degree in computer engineering from the Mody Institute of Technology and Science, and then secured a full-time job as a system engineer for an information technology company.

During the four years she worked in IT, she developed a keen interest in data analytics, systems and software used by businesses for workflow, accounting, procurement, project management and manufacturing.

When her husband was offered a job opportunity in Los Angeles three years ago, Singh decided to pursue a master’s degree in information systems at Cal State LA.

Singh chose Cal State LA because of its accredited state program and because of “it’s perfect blend of courses in computer science, project management and enterprise resource planning systems.”

In her time at the university, she has focused much of her studies on using data science to explore ideas and create solutions that improve existing business models.

Singh excelled in her graduate program, presenting research papers at international and state conferences, such as the 19th International Conference on Electronic Commerce in South Korea, the 2017 Women in Data Science Conference, and the 26th Annual Cal State LA Student Symposium on Research, Scholarship and Creative Activities. She was also a member of the High-Performance Information Computing Center at Cal State LA.

Singh coauthored a paper, “Applications of Machine Learning Models for Yelp Local Business Data,” that has been submitted for publication in the International Journal of Business Analytics.

For two quarters, Singh was a global information security analyst intern with the Walt Disney Company. She also implemented a training tutorial for cloud-based big data company Databricks.

She was awarded a scholarship to participate in the 2017 Teradata PARTNERS Conference in Anaheim, CA, last fall. Teradata is a leading data and analytics company. The conference was the premiere customer-led global data and analytics event for visionaries, change agents, industry leaders, and practitioners.

Singh also found time to develop her own projects. A skills app she created aims to help children become more inquisitive and productive. The program is currently being considered for Amazon’s Alexa, the voice-controlled virtual assistant.

Singh credits mentoring and support from knowledgeable faculty members, such as Professor Jongwook Woo and Professor Arun Aryal, with successfully guiding her and other students through the graduate program. She was recently recognized for her academic accomplishments during the 2017-18 Graduate Student and Faculty Mentor Recognition Reception at Cal State LA.

After graduation, Singh plans to enter the workforce to apply her skills and experience in new and innovative ways.

“I Tell You Falling In Love With Jesus…!”

Lou Coleman-Yeboah

By Lou Coleman-Yeboah

(EMPIRE NEWS NETWORK (ENN)- … Was the best thing I’ve ever done!  You see, I used to think that love was just a fairy tale until I experienced God’s love; and then suddenly life had new meaning to me. When you fall in love with Jesus, everything changes. You come to know what it is to treasure Him, delight in Him, and be satisfied in Him. When you fall in love with Jesus, it’s a groaning of the Holy Spirit deep inside of your heart. It is an emotion that is so profound there are no words to express it. When you fall in love with Jesus, it is a yearning that says I long for more of You. It’s a love that expresses that Jesus is the only happiness there is in this world. It’s the kind of love that says, I want all of You and I want You to have all of me. Walk with me – take control of my life. Empty me of all selfishness and fill me with Yourself. For You are all I need and there’s no place I’d rather be.

I’m talking about when you fall in love with Jesus. A love that is immeasurable, unmistakable, and unending. A love that can’t be understood until you experience it! A love that can’t be understood until you actually possess it! A love that no one can fully describe the wonders of! I tell you, I woke up and suddenly I was in love. Because when you love God, He responds in a beautiful way. In [Psalms 91:14-16], the writer says that, “Because I have loved Him [Jesus], therefore He will deliver me; He will set me securely on high, because I have known His name. He says, I will call upon Him, and He will answer me; He says, that He will be with me in trouble and that He will rescue me, and honor me. With a long life He will satisfy me, and let me behold His salvation.” I tell you, falling in love with Jesus was the best thing I’ve ever done!

Now, if you understand the Old Testament, the great commandment was to love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, soul, mind and strength. This is the sum of all that God requires, and your neighbor as yourself. But it starts with loving God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength; loving God comprehensively, totally, completely. Now if that’s the sum of the law, then that has to be the sum of the relationship. That can’t be altered when it comes to loving Him. It is still the purpose of God that we would love the Lord, with all our heart, soul, mind and strength. Loving Him so much that you we would want to know him, exalt him, please him, serve him, be with him, and tell others about Him. I tell you, falling in love with Jesus was the best thing I’ve ever done!

Go back to that moment when you first met Jesus. Remember the love you felt, the stirring in your heart, the adoration you had for the Savior? Do you remember how grateful you were for the forgiveness of sins? Do you remember how at that moment nothing else mattered, only Jesus?

Today, God wants you to go back and remember that moment in time. And having that in your memory He wants you to return. He wants you to come back to Him; to come back to your first love, to the place and time in your life to where He was everything to you.

I ask you, “How much do [you] owe for all the things, [Christ] have done and for every victory, that [you] have won. How much do [you] owe the Lord, for the price He paid on the cross so that you wouldn’t be lost? How much do [you] owe, somebody tell me, how much do [you] owe….?  [You] owe Him [your] life.  [You] owe Him [your] praise. [You] owe Him your service for the rest of [your] days. [You] owe Him all, for waking [you] up, early this morning. [You] owe, Him for letting [you] see, a brand new dawning. [You] owe Him for holding [you], in the heart of [His] hand.  [You] owe, Him all, and all…” [Georgia Mass Choir – How Much Do I Owe lyrics – emphasis mine].

Yes, we all need a greater revelation of God’s unconditional love for us! A revelation of God’s unconditional love for me is what turned my life around years ago and it’s still impacting me today. These teachings reveal the things God showed me about His love. I believe that if you open up your heart, the Lord will grant you at least as much revelation on this as He has granted me, and it will change your life. I tell you, falling in love with Jesus was the best thing I’ve ever done!

 

 

 

Susan G. Komen Affiliate Hosts Grand Opening of New Office

Breast Cancer Organization Now Centrally Located in Two-County Region

RIVERSIDE, CA- (EMPIRE NEWS NETWORK (ENN)- Susan G. Komen Inland Empire, the region’s leading funding source for breast cancer detection, support and education awareness, is hosting a grand opening of its new Riverside office Thursday, May 17.

The event will kick off at 2 p.m. with a ribbon cutting and speeches by survivors and local dignitaries, followed by a reception until 7 p.m. in the courtyard outside the office suite. Parking is free at the location, 7177 Brockton Avenue, Suite 108 in Riverside.

“Komen Inland Empire serves breast cancer patients and their families throughout our entire region, and we’re proud to welcome the community to our new office,” said Komen President Dr. Sandra Finestone, a survivor and representative of the Association of Cancer Patient Educators. “We hope supporters will join us in celebrating this important step in our efforts to meet the needs of this rapidly growing region.”

The local affiliate of the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, a national non-profit organization, recently moved its headquarters from Temecula to Riverside in an effort to be more centrally located in its territory. Komen Inland Empire covers all of Riverside and San Bernardino counties.

Komen Inland Empire funds breast cancer detection, support and educational awareness through grants raised at the annual Race for the Cure and other fundraising efforts. Since its first race in 1999, Komen Inland Empire has invested more than $6.5 million in local breast health agencies and organizations and $2.5 million toward groundbreaking research.

Thousands of runners and walkers, including 250 breast cancer survivors, turned out in October for the 19th annual Susan G. Komen IE Race for the Cure, the affiliate’s signature fundraising event. This year the race will be Sunday, October 14 at Town Square Park in Murrieta.

Registration is available at www.komenie.org or by calling 951-676-7465.

The Susan G. Komen Inland Empire affiliate keeps 75 percent of its net income in the community to help serve people in Riverside and San Bernardino counties; 25 percent goes toward the national Komen Grants Program, which funds breast cancer research, meritorious awards and educational and scientific programs around the world.

Follow them on Facebook Susan G. Komen Inland Empire and or Twitter.

The Secret to a Barber’s Success? Finding a Unique Niche, Antique Barber Chairs

By Curtis Bunn, Urban News Service

(EMPIRE NEWS NETWORK (ENN)- Not many were on board when Jon McDaniel decided to honor his late father-in-law by…. having his 1950s barber chair restored. Who does that? was the common refrain.

And, then, they saw the finished product. 

“Amazing,” Jon McDaniel, said with a hint of satisfaction. His friends quickly agreed.

McDaniel admired his wife’s father, Dan Stringer—a World War II Navy veteran, who enlisted the day after the Pearl Harbor attacks. A patriot at heart, he joined when the navy had few African-Americans, on shore or at sea. He just knew he would be needed. Stringer learned to be a barber while serving overseas. When he returned to his native Cherokee County, some 40 miles north of Atlanta, he bought a Kohler Presidential barber chair and started cutting hair in his basement. (His day job? County Sheriff.)

With a life story like that, McDaniel knew his father-in-law, who passed away 29 years ago, needed a unique memorial. He weighed many different ideas. Eventually, he thought of discarded, dusty hunk of metal in the basement—Stringer’s old barber chair.

To McDaniel’s surprise, there is a mini-industry devoted to restoring barber chairs. He found Custom Barber Chairs, a three-man company that specialized in resurrecting barber chairs that are older than Sidney Poitier.

A few weeks later after CBC picked up his rusting relic, McDaniel visited their Atlanta-area shop. “The chair was laid out in a million pieces,” he said. “I thought, ‘Oh, my god.’”

By the time Sid Tutani, one of CBC’s owners, had worked his magic, McDaniel uttered the same expression, only in a different context.

The restored throne boasted McDaniel’s beloved Georgia Tech logo in the center of the back, chrome and porcelain details, and hydraulics that worked like new. “It was the best thing I could have done,” McDaniel said. “He [his father in law] meant so much to me and did so much for the country. His chair is probably better now than it ever was. When people come to my ‘man cave’ downstairs, it is a showstopper.”

McDaniel paid $5,200 to restore his father-in-law’s legacy. “Worth every penny,” he said.

“When (Stringer’s son), who didn’t want the chair, saw it, he almost had a fit. It’s beautiful.”

McDaniel’s is just one of many, as Custom Barber Chairs has flourished in its unique business niche.

The business began eight years ago, when Kwame Innis noticed a photo of an antique chair in an obscure magazine. Impulsively, he bought a 1930s model for his home, but found it difficult to find someone to refurbish it.

Exasperated, he called friends Tutani in Atlanta and Rohan Balgobin in Houston, fellow photographers and website designers. He hoped they would see his vision and be willing to learn how to teach themselves—through trial and error—to restore vintage barber chairs. “Friends I could really trust because I knew this could take off,” Innis said.

Tutani and Balgobin quickly came onboard.

“I was open to the idea because at the time, I had moved from New York to Texas and things had slowed down,” Balgobin said. “And I was always good with my hands, fixing things and working with my Dad at his mechanics shop. And I liked the idea of us black men doing something with antiques. We carved a space.”

Tutani, however, did not see it that way. Not at first. “I was like, “What? Restore barber chairs? What? But pretty quickly, I got it. It was a unique niche.”

Their story is more fascinating because the men had no training and could not find classes on how to renovate the chairs. So, they taught themselves, learning as they went, and a couple of YouTube videos that gave pointers on a few elements of the unique chairs.

Over time, they perfected the craft.

“There were no formal classes anywhere,” Balgobin, 46, said. “The companies that made the chairs had all closed. We found some schematics on Google Patent, but nothing on how to fix them. We just learned over time.”

Innis, 51, said: “It took us about eight months to restore that first chair. It was trial and error. I probably spent $7,000 on that chair. Knowing what I know now, it probably should have cost about $2,000. But I love the chair.”

Innis explained his motivation. “It took me back to my childhood when my grandfather would take me to the barbershop.”

Now, they have customers from across the globe. They have restored and shipped chairs to Africa, Australia, Canada, Europe and South America as well as many of these United States.

CBC’s restored chairs have been featured in HBO’s Boardwalk Empire, the film Barbershop III, and countless photo sessions.

They said, ironically, most of their clients are collectors who desire to have an antique chair in their home or “man cave” instead of the traditional recliner.

It can take up to six months to complete a thorough job and cost up to $12,000 to restore a chair, Innis said, making it a luxury item, not a need.

“We take the chair apart, fix the upholstery, sand blast the porcelain, polish the metal and rebuild the hydraulics,” he explained. “It’s almost like (the TV show) Pimp My Ride. The work we do depends on what the customer wants.”

They have produced chairs with the Sistine Chapel emblazoned on it, company logos, “just about anything you could want,” Tutani said. “With the right budget, we can do anything imaginable.”

Seventy percent of their clients, Innis said, are individuals, including athletes and artists, who simply want a chair because it is unique. A conversation piece. A nostalgic memento. A comfortable place to the game. It was startling at first to learn there was a demand for antique barber chairs for home use. But then Innis remembered that was how he ultimately was attracted to the business.

“The people who can afford it and who appreciate the work put into it get them,” Innis said. “It’s not a bargain item. It’s a luxury item, a want, not a need. So, we find ourselves doing less work for barber-shop owners and more for collectors.”

 The team find chairs to restore at estate sales, barns, old lots, people’s attics while clients find them through Internet searches.

“There are not many out there doing what we do,” Innis said. “But there are a lot of men with disposable income who appreciate the craftsmanship and want our chairs.”

What It Do with the LUE: Welcome to the West Music Fest

By Lue Dowdy

(EMPIRE NEWS NETWORK (ENN)- What It Do is Nipsey Hussle, Dogg Pound, Mack 10, Mozzy, King Lil G, The Outlawz and several other artist’s.

I’m calling all my Inland Empire rap fans. Don’t miss out! Cabana Life Concerts and Streetwise Clothing presents “Welcome to The West 1st Annual Music Festival” on Saturday, May 26 in Ontario at the Citizens Bank Arena.

This concert is going to be lit’ especially with the lineup hittin’ the stage. Tickets can be purchased online. You can catch me in the building conducting interviews on behalf of LUE Productions and the Westside Story Newspaper. Until next week L’s!

Your story or event should be in my column ‘WHAT IT DO WITH LUE’ in the Westside Story Newspaper! Inbox me on Facebook for details. Make sure to pick up your copy. #WSSP #LUEPRODUCTIONS

Exclusive Interview: Granddughter of the Late Bob Marley, Donisha Prendergast, Chats on Family Legacy, Film and Activism Work

By Naomi K. Bonman

(EMPIRE NEWS NETWORK (ENN)- “Life itself is an active abstract interpretation of one’s reality. I won’t be defined.” Those words were spoken by filmmaker and activist, Donisha Predergast, who is also the granddaughter of late Reggae legend, Bob Marley.

Over the last couple of weeks, Donisha has been in countless newspapers, blog sites and news coverage regarding the recent race issue that she and her friends were faced with when checking out of an Air BNB in Rialto, California. Although that issue is of importance within the community, Miss Donisha and her family actually enjoyed bringing the Kaya Fest to the Inland Empire, which she mentioned in a recent interview with me.

I wanted to bring a little bit of positivity and take the light off of the Air BNB situation and focus more on what Prendergast is up to and what she is working on. Before we get into the interview, here’s a little information on who Donisha is for those who only know her as part of the Marley family.

Donisha Rita-Claire Prendergast is an actress, model, dancer and poet. She was born on December 29, 1984. Through the years while in the field, she increasingly developed a love for acting and the theatre. She landed several lead parts for “Jambiz” (Production Company in Jamaica). Her first role came as Karen in “Puppy Love”. Immediately she followed up by playing Cindy Relisha in “Cindy Relisha and the DJ Prince”.  She also has appeared in a number of major promotional ads including the new Ammars spread which appears in newspapers and billboards throughout the Caribbean and parts of the world including the U.S.A. many doors. Donisha aspires to become a Child Psychologist.

Click below to listen to the interview

“Amazing Woman – Mama!”

Lou Coleman-Yeboah

By Lou Coleman-Yeboah

(EMPIRE NEWS NETWORK (ENN)- Wonderful, tired, worn-out Mama… Sit down… Relax… Clear your mind of all thoughts… Forget the morning drama… Forget the battle cries… Let go of today’s worries and stresses…. Throw your cares on the Lord… and just rest… Mama…  Amazing Woman!

You are incredibly strong. You balance work, home, children, husband, cleaning, finances, cooking, shopping, planning, appointments… all these and many more. You work hard. You are relentless! Sit down and relax, mama! Yes, you can do it all!” is the message we hear and see. But underneath “doing it all” is a woman who I know sometimes feels like she’s crumbling under the weight of it all. Let yourself off the hook!  Breathe! Exhale!

“O if I had wings like a dove! I would surely fly away and be at rest; Truly, I would flee far away; I would lodge in the wilderness. I would hurry to find a shelter for myself from the raging wind and tempest …. [Psalms 55]. 

Oh mother, I thank God for the caring you’ve shown me through the years. I thank God for a mother who sacrificed many things, behind the scenes, unbeknownst to her children who never wanted for anything. I thank God for a mother who led by example and put others before herself. I thank God for a mother who forgave when others caused her pain. I thank God for a mother that persevered and handled set-backs with grace. I thank God for a mother that prayed for her children to find their way back, instead of pushing them further away. But most of all, I thank God for blessing me with a mother who introduced me to Him when I was old enough to talk. For without Him, I’d be lost and certainly wouldn’t appreciate the mother he gave me. Oh mother, I am forever grateful for all that you are and who you have taught me to be. The gratitude I have for you can hardly be expressed by words. Thank you for everything Mother!

 “All I am I owe to my mother. I attribute all of my success in life to the moral, intellectual, and physical education I received from her” [George Washington].

“All that I am or hope to be I owe to my angel mother. I remember my mother’s prayers and they have always followed me. They have clung to me all my life” [Abraham Lincoln].

I encourage you, if your mother is still a live; appreciate her because she is irreplaceable. If she is no longer here, may her soul rest in peace. I know God has made a perfect home for her in heaven.

Happy Mother’s Day to ALL Mothers!

 

 

 

Theater Review: ‘Feeding A Monster’ Shines the Light and Brings Awareness to Sexual Assault

By Naomi K. Bonman

(EMPIRE NEWS NETWORK (ENN)- On Sunday, May 6, I had the pleasure of attending the last Los Angeles showing of ‘Feeding A Monster’, the stage play. ‘Feeding A Monster’ is the real-life story of Veronica Loving and her daughter Jazzmine Jackson. The stage play was derived from the book written by Loving and Jackson, and just as the book was in depth of the issue of sexual assault, the actors did an exceptional job of bringing the issue that has been swept under the rug for years, to the forefront.

The talent of this awe-inspiring production consisted of Fayley Patrice (Veronica Loving); DeJuan Christopher (Kenneth Crockom King); Doyin Domingo (Jazzmine Jackson); Conisha Wade-Dorsey (Rhea); and Andre K. Jefferson (Eli). Each cast member did a phenomenal job of bringing their character to life. The passion that they exhibited on stage made the audience feel the situation. You were able to visually see a reenactment of how Veronica and Jazzmine felt during the time that this experience occurred.

The way that the script was written, which was written by Loving and La Darrion Williams, kept us on the edge of the seats. Some scenes were so intense that they gave you chills because it seemed like everything was actually taking place right before your eyes. It made you feel like you had traveled the journey with Loving and Jackson. I commend the director, Art Evans, for bringing his vision of that to the stage.

Each scene in the play was thought out to a ‘T’, and in between the scenes the production crew were on que when it came time to get the stage ready for the next scene, whether it caused for moving furniture around or adding additional props to stage, they were on it.

If you did not get the chance to see this production, Veronica stated that they do plan on bringing it to a bigger stage and to more cities, so be on the lookout for that. But in the meantime, you can purchase the book at Amazon.com.

 

What It Do with the LUE: Sgt. Major Janie B. McCoy

By Lue Dowdy

Sgt. Major Janie B. McCoy

(EMPIRE NEWS NETWORK (ENN)- My mama, retired Sgt. Major, Janie B. McCoy, is WHAT IT DO!

Beautiful, Black, strong, fearless, kind, loving, giving and unapologetic are just a few words to describe the lady that gave birth to me. When I think of the quote, “She get it from her mama,” I can totally agree because I do. My Queen is everything to me.

Born in New York but raised in these Cali streets, my mother was no joke. At a young age she enlisted in the military where she served in the army for over 30 years, faithfully. My mother is the type pf person that will give you the shirt directly off her back. I love listening to her tell stories about my grandmother and great-grandmother. I come from good stock!

Mommy thank you so much for always loving me, supporting me and believing in me. You’re my hero, the real J.I. Jane. Happy Mother’s Day!

 

Bottomline: Why Did You Really Call?

Publisher’s Commentary by Wallace J. Allen

You can read in other places the details about the Rialto Police response to the neighborhood watcher’s 9-1-1 call about “Three Black People Stealing Stuff.” My focus is on the caller’s assumption of theft and more importantly, why that assumption and description.

The caller is described as a member of Neighborhood Watch, an organization of which most people speak with pride. I expect that people who are organized to watch would also be trained to report accurately.

 I could readily agree that she saw four people, one White and three Black, that she did not recognize who were removing “stuff” from a neighboring house. However, she assumed theft and reported it as such.

Is it a crime to make a sincere, but false police report? Is it a crime if that report ends in a tragic death? Responsible Neighborhood Watch members, as well as the rest of us, should want to be accurate when calling police.

The Rialto police responded in force as they should to a call describing an active burglary; however, thank goodness they did not arrive with guns blazing. They arrived and began investigating, asking questions, seeking the reality of the situation. That investigation took about 22 minutes according to Rialto police.

Why did the caller describe the “strangers” racially, if her concern was that she did not recognize them?

Donisha Prendergast, Bob Marley’s Granddaughter, was the focal point of the press coverage because of who she is.  The Rialto police have been notified of a possible lawsuit because of the incident. 

I think the Rialto Police Department has no need to apologize or worry about a suit. I cannot say the same about the Neighborhood Watch caller.

Donisha was in the Inland Empire attending the KAYA Fest, a concert tribute featuring Bob Marley’s sons and grandson. The performance was in San Bernardino at the National Orange Show. The event was a success that will hopefully become an annual affair.