WSSN Stories

By Lou Yeboah

For, Thus Saith the Lord: “Behold, the day is coming, burning like an oven, when all the arrogant and all evildoers will be stubble. The day that is coming shall set them ablaze, so that it will leave them neither root nor branch. But for you who fear my name, the sun of righteousness shall rise with healing in its wings. You shall go out leaping like calves from the stall. And you shall tread down the wicked, for they will be ashes under the soles of your feet, on the day when I act, says the Lord of hosts.

“I am sending you the prophet Elijah before the great and dreadful day of the Lord arrives. [Malachi 4:1-3, 5]. Listen and take heed. “And do this, understanding the present time. The hour has come for you to wake up from your slumber, because your salvation is nearer now than when you first believed. The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. Put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light.” [Romans 13:11-12] Because I tell you, soon and very soon change is coming!

Just imagine what it will be like when the hand of God will begin to plague the ungodly, when He will pour out all the vials of His wrath upon you and crush you with His power. What will happen to you when God says, “I will remove my adversaries and severely punish my enemies.” I will tear you to pieces, with none to rescue” [Psalm 50:22]. Do not trifle with it, repent while it is still daybreak. Because the longer God’s arm is uplifted, the more terrible will be the blow when He finally strikes.

I tell you, it is in great love that He restrains His wrath, for He is “slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness. But, just like a torrent that is dammed up for a while, gathers force and strength, and every hour in which it is kept back it gets to be more irresistible, so it is with “the coming wrath” when it finally comes upon you. Do not take God’s forbearance for granted, because even though the wrath is delayed for a while, it will surely come.

Consider this, you who forget God.

By Lue Dowdy | LUE Productions

This week I’d like to highlight Caramel Connections Foundation and The Seeds of Joy Community Garden a nonprofit based out of Ontario, California.

Friends of Distinction – Saturday, July 23rd, Founder and CEO ‘Elizabeth McSwain’, held a ‘Friends of Distinction Celebration’ to recognize and honor their community partners, volunteers, board members, and sponsors. The day was absolutely beautiful and filled with love. The celebration took place in Ontario at the Seeds of Joy Community Garden located at 1240 W. 4th Street, Ontario, CA. starting at 10:00 am ending at 2:00 pm.

The event theme was tropical. Upon arrival guests were greeted with Caribbean music provided by guitar player, ‘Ronnie B. Good’, which set the tone for the day. As the music played, they were able to tour the garden, ask questions, and take photos. ‘Pastor Brian E. Kennedy SR.’ of Mt. Zion Church opened the celebration with prayer and the Mayor of Ontario, ’Paul S. Leon’, spoke of the wonderful works taking place at the community garden and expressed how happy he was to be a part of it all. As the breeze flowed, guests were able to relax under a shady tree while participating in a mindfulness meditation exercise. Entertainment was comprised of three amazing poets, ‘Lyrically Aware’, ‘Truth’, and ‘Dion Jahmal’. A healthy lunch was provided for all to enjoy. The menu consisted of delicious meat patties, a garden salad with fresh veggies harvested out of their garden; along with fresh fruit and hibachi juice. Tote bags with resources and promotional materials was handed out towards the end.

Caramel Connections Foundation connects the community through culinary events. Their initiatives include introducing families to a healthy eating lifestyle. The Seeds of Joy Community Garden project serves systemically marginalized communities, which may include but are not limited to low-income, BIPOC, formerly incarnated students of colors, veterans, documented and undocumented youth.

Congratulations to founder and CEO, ‘Elizabeth McSwain’ for being honored as a 2022 Woman of Distinction.

List of Supporters: First 5 San Bernardino, Mount Zion, Ontario South UCCE, Master Gardeners of San Bernardino County, City of Ontario, California – Government KVCR, Lifestyles Spectrum News 1, SoCal SLJ PRO AUDIO SERVICES, LUE Productions, The Black Chamber of Commerce I.E., Southern California Black Chamber of Commerce, Kohl’s Cares, Rsbcihi Health Education Native American Resource Center, 100 Black Men of the Inland Empire, Niagara Cares Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield ,American Beverage, and  Connect IE

How to Connect:

caramelconnctions.org

community@caramelconnections.org

909.696.9017

By Edward Henderson | California Black Media

As much as Black people are defined by the contributions they’ve made to American culture, society also defines Black women and men by stereotypes that have evolved over time.

From the music we don’t listen to, the jobs we don’t take, to even the outdoor activities we don’t participate in, these stereotypes paint a picture that grossly underestimates the scope of the true Black Mosaic. Sometimes Black people buy into these depictions and the limitations associated with them and it takes people like Rue Mapp, founder of Outdoor Afro, to remind and educate Black people of their heritage, which includes a special connection to nature.

Outdoor Afro is a non-profit organization that celebrates and inspires Black participation and leadership in nature. It’s a national network with volunteer leaders reaching thousands of people. Outdoor Afro connects Black people with open spaces and parks, on-the-water experiences, and wildlife through outdoor education, recreation, and conservation. Examples of Outdoor Afro’s year-round activities include fishing, hiking, biking, kayaking, gardening, and skiing.

“I really set out to try and shift the visual representation of who we imagine recreates outside, is empowered outside and lives a full life connected to nature,” Mapp explains to people interested in learning about the organization.

“These last few years, it’s been so important for us to have ways to find our healing and find our connection and find our community. When we get out into places of nature, we can let that stress go,” she said, speaking in a conversation with the Weather Channel for a Black History Month feature.

Outdoor Afro achieves this vision by providing a yearly outdoor leadership training weekend. Over 100 volunteer leaders receive training from Outdoor Afro staff and experienced volunteers as they share the organization’s history, values, best practices, and industry knowledge. Volunteers learn trip planning basics, health impacts of nature, conservation ethics, risk management, and effective social media storytelling.

“I really set out to try and shift the visual representation of who we imagine recreates outside, is empowered outside and lives a full life connected to nature,” Mapp explains to people interested in learning about the organization.

“These last few years, it’s been so important for us to have ways to find our healing and find our connection and find our community. When we get out into places of nature, we can let that stress go,” she said, speaking in a conversation with the Weather Channel for a Black History Month feature.

Outdoor Afro achieves this vision by providing a yearly outdoor leadership training weekend. Over 100 volunteer leaders receive training from Outdoor Afro staff and experienced volunteers as they share the organization’s history, values, best practices, and industry knowledge. Volunteers learn trip planning basics, health impacts of nature, conservation ethics, risk management, and effective social media storytelling.

After training, volunteer leaders create and guide monthly trips that foster local program collaborations and help strengthen community relationships with the outdoors nationwide. Outdoor Afro’s additional programs include ‘Making Waves’, a national initiative to teach Black children how to swim and an annual Juneteenth celebration in Oakland, California.

Mapp’s journey with Outdoor Afro began as a kitchen table blog where she would often write about her experiences in nature growing up in Oakland. In 2009, Mapp converted the blog into Outdoor Afro.

“It’s pretty incredible how we’ve grown from a few volunteer leaders. We have over 100 Outdoor Afro volunteer leaders who are in 33 states in 56 cities. 60,000 people who are getting out with us hiking, biking, camping, you name it. In the outdoors, in community learning new things, overcoming fears and anxieties that transform into a love of both nature and community.”

Mapp is chairperson of the California State Park and Recreation Commission and vice-chair of the governing council of the Wilderness Society. She is a board member of the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership.

Next on Mapp’s agenda is publishing her first book “Nature Swagger” which will be released in November. It is a combination of photos featuring outdoor adventures and compelling stories of Black joy in nature.

“When I’m out in nature, the trees don’t know that I’m Black. The birds are going to sing no matter how much money is in my account. Flowers are going to bloom no matter who I voted for. I think we can learn a lot from nature about how to BE.”

See a list of cities where Outdoor Afro volunteer leaders are hosting adventures in nature near you.

By Aldon Thomas Stiles | Special to California Black Media  

Comic-Con was held in San Diego from Thursday July 21 through Sunday, July 24. Due to health concerns over the spread of COVID-19, there hasn’t been an in-person Comic-Con for two years.

This year, Black creators, publications and characters had a chance to shine on stage as they were the subject of a few tantalizing announcements.

Marvel announced that the “Blade” movie, starring two-time Oscar-winner Mahershala Ali – as the half-vampire daywalker who hunts down night creatures in the Marvel universe — will at last be released in November 2023.

DC Comic’s unveiled a brand-new trailer for “Black Adam” starring Dwayne Johnson as an antihero and supervillain who was a slave 5,000 years ago but awakens in modern times with God-like power. Also featured in the trailer is Aldis Hodge as Hawkman and Quintessa Swindell as Cyclone who, as members of the Justice Society, faceoff against Johnson’s character.

Also, Marvel showed footage of Jonathan Majors as the next big Marvel villain known as Kang the Conqueror, a man who sees himself as the rightful master of the world and Anthony Mackie’s Captain America movie received an official title: “Captain America: New World Order.” It is expected to hit theatres in May 2024.

But the news that generated the most excitement was the release of the first trailer for Marvel’s “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever,” a sequel to the cultural phenomenon helmed by the Oakland-born director Ryan Coogler.

The director, during the movie’s Comic-Con panel, said that Wakanda Forever “goes to new places in Wakanda that we haven’t seen before.” The emotional trailer mourns the loss of its king, T’Challa and foreshadows that Wakanda will be forced to fight off outside world powers. The movie opens in U.S. theaters Nov. 11, 2022.

Both Panther movies are heavily influenced by the AfroFuturism movement which places Black culture at the center of fantastical stories.

During the first two days of Comic-Con, about a mile away, another type of pop culture convention hosted its fifth Black-centered event dedicated to the AfroFuturism movement.

Called “Freedom Riders for the Future: AfroFuturism Lounge,” and led by Dr. LaWana Richmond cofounder and organizer of the AfroFuturism Lounge, the gathering in partnership with Comic Con featured Black comic book and web creatives in a space to celebrate and foster Black comic book culture and Black futurist thought and industry opportunities.

AfroFuturism Lounge began in 2018, the same year the first “Black Panther” movie was released.

Richmond expressed excitement for the sequel, celebrating its inclusion of a fictional Aztec society led by sometimes hero and antihero Namor played by Mexican actor Tenoch Huerta.

“Understanding AfroFuturism is inclusive futurism, I am inspired by the decision to add our Latinx brothers and sisters to the fun,” said Richmond who also presented at a panel at Comic-Con called the “Independent Creators Summit” hosted by Los Angeles based illustrator, comic artist & publisher Robert Roach that showcased Black comic book creatives and Black comic book culture

As a partnership with San Diego African American Museum of Fine Art, AfroFuturism Lounge brought in about 300 people.

“Attendees, many of whom are connecting for the first time since the pandemic, represent the emergence of a spectrum of Black-centered art, design, technology, thought leadership, science, writing, filmmaking, storytelling, music, health, and uncharted disciplines,” said Richmond.

Richmond reassured interested Black comic book enthusiasts that more events like this are on the way.

“As the leader of the San Diego Chapter of the Black Speculative Arts Movement, I assure you we will have much more up our sleeve before the year is over,” said Richmond.

One such event is coming up on Sept. 3 of this year by way of the second annual Afro Con, another two-day Black comic book convention.

Interested fans can find more information at AfroCon.net and BSAMSD.org.

By Cynthia Ellis

Basketball and civil rights legend Bill Russell has passed at 88 years old. He redefined how basketball is played and changed how sports are viewed in a racially divided country.

William Shelton Russell was born on February 12, 1934, in Monroe, Louisiana, where his father, Charles, worked in a paper bag factory.

His childhood and seared by racism. His mother, Katie, was nearly arrested and threatened by a police officer because her stylish white outfit “looked like something a white woman would wear.”
As a young boy, he witnessed his father growing weary of the Jim Crow-era laws that allowed White people to be served first at a gas station. When his father tried to leave to find another gas station, the owner put a shotgun to his face and told him to wait his turn.

When Bill was nine years old, the family moved to Oakland, CA, and his mother died when he was twelve. His father opened a trucking business and then worked in a foundry to raise Bill and his brother, Charles Jr.

Later in life, the man, the athlete, stood tall. He was dangerous. He was “woke,” daring anyone to challenge his consciousness, his boots-on-the-ground stripes, or his authenticity.

Russell will always be remembered as one of the most impactful athletes in American history. His accolades include:

• 2X NCAA Champ
• 11X NBA Champ (2 as coach) of the Boston Celtics
• Olympic gold medalist
• The 1st Black head coach of any North American pro sports team
• *Received Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2011

From All American to the NBA…

At McClymonds High School in Oakland, Russell became a senior starter on the basketball team, already emphasizing defense and rebounding.

A former University of San Francisco basketball player, Hal DeJulio, who scouted for his alma mater, recognized his potential and recommended him to coach Phil Woolpert. Russell was given a scholarship and became an All-American, leading San Francisco to NCAA championships in his last two seasons. He was the NCAA Tournament Most Outstanding Player in 1955 and the U.P.I. Player of the Year in 1956.

“No one had ever played basketball the way I played it, or as well,” Russell told Sport magazine in 1963, recalling his college career. “They had never seen anyone block shots before. So now I’ll be conceited: I like to think I originated a whole new style of play.”

During the 1956 N.B.A. draft, the Harlem Globetrotters were reportedly willing to offer Russell a lucrative deal. However, he refused to sign with them and found the prospect of yearlong worldwide traveling unappealing.

“Their specialty is clowning, and I had no intention of being billed as the funny guy in a basketball uniform,” Russell was quoted to say.

Russell led the United States Olympic Team to a gold medal in the 1956 Melbourne Games and joined the Boston Celtics. Playing in 48 games as a rookie, he averaged 19.6 points and helped the team win its first N.B.A. title, defeating the St. Louis Hawks in the finals.

Player and Protester…

Bill Russell playing with the Boston Celtics and at the Cleveland Summit in 1967 with Muhammad Ali and Jim Brown

Russell joined the Boston Celtics in 1956, just two years after the Supreme Court’s Brown v. Board of Education decision declared the unconstitutional notion of “separate but equal” schooling. As one of the few Black players on the Celtics, Russell experienced a unique kind of trauma.

He endured the “city-hall-crony-racist, brick throwing racist, and send them back to Africa racist.But as he became one of the country’s most visible athletes in the civil rights realm, he charged the predominately White NBA in the late 1950s with purposely excluding Black players. In 1961, after two black Boston Celtics players were denied service at a Lexington, Kentucky, coffee shop before a preseason exposition game, Russell led a boycott in which he and other Black players refused to play in the state. In 1964, he led a faction of players at the All-Star Game who threatened not to play unless NBA owners formally recognized the players union and granted them a pension plan.

On court, Russell was subjected to racist taunts and slurs. During games, people yelled hateful, indecent things: “Go back to Africa,” “Baboon,” “Coon,” and “Nigger.” In the town of Reading outside Boston, where he resided, Russell and his family endured threats, break-ins, and vandalism.

But Russell was present time and time again at key moments of the Civil Rights Movement. He was at the March on Washington in 1963 when Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. gave his “I Have a Dream” speech. He visited Mississippi following the assassination of civil rights leader Medgar Evers. He also supported Muhammad Ali when he refused to be drafted into the Vietnam War.

The NBA’s First African American Head Coach…

Russell broke ground in 1966 when he became the NBA’s first Black head coach, all while still jumping center for Boston. He helped the Celtics become one of the most successful franchises in the league.

The team’s successes eventually helped win over the Boston fans, but the relationship was beyond repair. Russell said he “played for the Celtics” but “not the city of Boston,” according to his daughter Karen, who movingly wrote about the family’s encounters with racism in an essay for the New York Times.

Medal of Freedom…

In 2011, President Barack Obama awarded Russell the Medal of Freedom Award alongside Congressman John Lewis, billionaire investor Warren Buffett, then-German Chancellor Angela Merkel, and baseball great Stan Musial.

At the ceremony, Obama said: “Bill Russell, the man, is someone who stood up for the rights and dignity of all men. He marched with King and stood by Ali. he endured insults and vandalism but kept focusing on making the teammates he loved better players and made possible the success of so many who would follow.”

Celebrating Bill Russell’s Legacy…

Bill Russell was my hero and role model, not because of the 11 out of 13 years as an NBA champion. It was because of what he stood for in fighting for justice, equality, and civil rights. Bill Russell paved the way for me and others in making a difference in my life. I followed his journey; he was born in Louisiana, attended McClymonds High School in West Oakland, CA, and attended the University of San Francisco. Boston Celtics, you will be missed but not forgotten. Rest in Heaven — Sonny Parker (former NBA player, Golden State Warriors)

William Felton Russell, nicknamed Bill, was the first basketball player I watched play this great game in 1965. I was around 9 or 10 years old, and his speed and determination made me want to stop playing baseball outdoors every day and made us want to trade my baseball mitt in for a basketball. Bill, with his goatee, reminded me of the older intelligent brothers from my southside neighborhood.

Bill Russell was a winner in high school, college, and the pros. He was a team player, and it showed on and off the court. He marched in the civil rights movement and Dr. King.

I met Bill Russell at St. Sabina’s Church during the 1988 NBA All-Star weekend in Chicago. When I shook his hand, I told him how he had impacted me to play high school and college basketball and the goal of achieving my college degree. Bill laughed, he hugged me and gave me an autograph. I felt as though I had met “Mr. Black History” himself. – Alan Hunt (former player, SIU Edwardsville)

Bill Russell was a legendary player and coach, an even better person. He approached everything he did with determination, principle, and wisdom. I will always be grateful for the chance to call him my friend. – President Bill Clinton

Bill Russell, the icon, the idol, the champion. As a young black child growing up in Chicago in the 60s and playing sports, Bill Russell was always one of my idols because he constantly displayed a winning attitude. Although he spent his basketball career in Boston (one of the most prejudiced and racist cities in America at the time), his attitude and professionalism for being a constant champion never wavered as he led the franchise to 11 NBA championships in 13 years. I was amazed by his accomplishments, and it showed young black kids like me that success in basketball was possible and any limitations you faced were only the ones you put on yourself. Bill’s persona showed us that no matter what he faced, just be who you are and be the best at what you do, and you can make a difference in society using your sports platform.

Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, Connie Hawkins, and other individuals like them were my idols. They were men that I wanted to be like. They stood up for what they believed in. They were helping change the world and not just basketball, regardless of the consequences they faced.

I have memories of Bill Russell sitting next to Muhammad Ali at the Cleveland Summit which also included Jim Brown, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (formerly Lew Alcindor), and many other iconic sports figures from the black community who were standing with Ali against the war in Vietnam.

It wasn’t until 2003 that I met this man I revered as one of my idols while coaching at Marquette University. Our head coach, Tom Crean, had Bill Russell come on campus to address our players and coaching staff. He spent the day with us talking about his life experiences on and off the court. He shared with us how to use our sports platform to make a difference in life. I listened diligently as he spoke, and after he was done, it was clear to me the importance of helping our next generation of young people by sharing my life stories with them. This was a very memorable time in my life. It was clear that he had made an impact on me, and I knew it.

Bill Russell was truly an icon, he was a champion, he was my idol, who stood for more than just basketball. He was truly an amazing individual. – Bo Ellis (former Marquette Warriors Championship, former NBA Denver Nuggets)

Trailblazer. Icon. Greatest Champ in basketball. Made the world on and off the court a better place. Thank you, and rest easy! – Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors

The image, the voice, the dignity, the leadership, the values, the integrity, the intestinal fortitude, the credibility, and the winner. These are just a few characteristics that describe Bill Russell to me. As I absorbed this Black man on TV, he gave me a sense of pride. It created an insatiable desire to know more about him and where he came from. This was about the same time I was learning and falling in love with the game of basketball. My seventh-grade basketball coach loved the Boston Celtics and Bill Russell in particular. He told us the Boston Celtics won because their best player didn’t care who scored the most points, only that they played as a team.

I became even more curious about him when I learned that his life was marred by racism and bigotry and was the impetus for him taking a stance and not becoming an idle victim. His mom and dad were forced to move to the projects after facing this nefarious behavior. In college, he and his teammates were denied hotel rooms because of the color of their skin in North Carolina and Kentucky. His disdain for White people was expressed on several occasions when he said, “I dislike most White people because they are people, I like most Black people because I’m Black. This was after his house in Massachusetts was burglarized, with epithets written on the walls and feces placed in his bed.

Bill Russell was an unbelievable winner, with two high school championships, a collegiate Championship, an Olympic Gold Medal winner, and 11 NBA Championships in 13 years, two as the Head Coach. In my opinion, he’s the greatest winner of all time, period. With all that winning, he was a better man and an advocate for his Black people, i.e., Cleveland Summit, Black Power Movement, and Black Causes. Bill, you will be missed on every level. – Dr. Lloyd Walton (former NBA player Milwaukee Bucks)

By Edward Henderson | California Black Media

If you follow social media or if when you’re out in public and count the number of masks being worn, you might conclude that the COVID-19 pandemic is over. People have resumed posting pictures of their summer vacations and family gatherings. Fourth of July celebrations and fireworks shows entertained thousands of uncovered faces across the nation.

But, neither the Center for Disease Control (CDC) or World Health Organization have declared the pandemic has run its course and statistics and death tolls across California tell a distressing story about the indelible mark the pandemic has left on all of us.

A study by collegiate researchers, including representatives from UCLA, recently published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) found that during the pandemic Black Californians and other minorities experienced a disproportionate reduction in life expectancy occurred compared to White Californians.

The JAMA study also found that for Californians living in the highest income census tracts versus the lowest, the gap in life expectancies increased from a difference before the pandemic of about 11.5 years to 14.67 years in 2020 and 15.51 years in 2021.

Between 2019 and 2021 the research shows the life expectancy for Black Californians decreased by nearly 3.8 years from 74.8 years to 71. Latinx Californians’ life expectancy fell by nearly 5.7 years from 82.5 years to 76.8 and for Asian Californians the decrease was 3 years, from 86.6 years to 83.5. White Californians life expectancy only decreased 1.9 years from 80.5 to 78.6 years.

“This disparity, much like other racial and ethnic inequities, has roots in the social determinants of health as well as structural barriers resulting from systemic racism that have helped perpetuate disparities for generations,” researchers stated in the study.

The study found that economic factors including the likelihood of Black and Latinx Californians working frontline jobs increased their exposure to the COVID-19 virus coupled with the increased need for them to attend work in person to financially survive the pandemic were possible contributors to the life expectancy decrease.

“Families of lower socioeconomic status are more vulnerable to economic instability and were less likely to access income support programs during the pandemic, raising concerns that the stresses brought on by the pandemic might have widened health gaps related to income and race and ethnicity,” the study reported.

As of July 11, only 68 % of Black Californians have received both doses of the COVID-19 vaccine and only 25 % of Black children in California.

Government supported programs and additional funds allocated in budget for Medi-Cal coverage for undocumented immigrants are a few steps that have been taken to combat some of these disparities.

BlackandVaxxed.org is a California statewide public awareness campaign designed to give the Black community facts and insights necessary to make informed decisions about the COVID-19 vaccine. Created in partnership with the California Department of Health, the organization provides a compilation of workplace safety initiatives and vaccine related information on its website.

Information on how and where to receive Covid-19 vaccinations can be found here.

By Aldon Thomas Stiles | California Black Media

The Saint Paul African Methodist Episcopal Church’s Commission on Social Action held a community meeting on aging last Thursday in San Bernardino with representatives from the California Department of Aging (CDA) and the Bernardino County’s Department of Aging and Adult Services.

Held in the sanctuary, the discussion featured state representatives and Social Action commission members led by former Assemblymember and Commission Chair Cheryl Brown, who represented the 47th Assembly District in San Bernardino County from 2012 to 2016.

Brown spoke with community members and leaders from San Bernardino and Riverside counties about programs and resources available for elderly Californians and the caregivers who look after them.

“The state has set aside millions of dollars to help older Californians have a better quality of life through the master plan on aging. And caregiving is 4th of the 5 goals established in the state’s Master Plan for Aging,” Brown told California Black Media.

CDA Director Susan DeMarois also attended the meeting.

CDA administers programs that serve older adults, adults with disabilities, family caregivers, and residents in long-term care facilities throughout the State.  It has a $450 million dollar budget and according to its Strategic Plan, CDA’s first objective is to advance Gov. Gavin Newsom’s California’s Master Plan for Aging.

Newsom’s “Master Plan for Aging” was introduced as an executive order in the summer of 2019. Conceptualized as a five-point plan, its framework encompasses housing, health, equity, care giving “that works” and affording aging.

According to DeMarois each point of the governor’s master plan has its own budget and will be implemented over the next 8 years.

During the meeting — titled “Lunch, Listen and Learn” — community members expressed their concerns and suggestions specifically regarding to taking care of elderly Black people in the Inland Empire. A major theme of the discussion was ensuring familiar (traditional) modes and channels of communications were being employed to reach Black elders.

Sharon Nevins, director of San Bernardino County’s Department of Aging and Adult Services, spoke about ways in which the county has been involved in addressing those concerns.

“We have staff out there in the community, putting information in hands,” said Nevins.

Nevins emphasized the significance of Black churches and their unique influence on Black elders in California.

“We definitely reach out to the churches. We’ve always done that,” Sharon Nevins

DeMarois hailed San Bernardino as a model for the rest of the state because the city has been “meeting the needs of the whole person.”

According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), California was tied with Hawaii in 2019 for the states with the nation’s highest life expectancy at an average of about 81 years.

Riverside County has a life expectancy of 80.3 years and San Bernardino county has a lower expectancy at 78.8 years.

Part of the statewide plan for addressing the Black elder community is to partner with ethnic media organizations to spread the word about the resources that are available to Californians in the advanced phase of their aging process.

DeMarois, much like Nevins, acknowledged that a large portion of the state’s plan to reach Black elders is through local churches.

“It’s multi-pronged,” said DeMarois. “We know in the Black community faith is a proven path.”

One of the organizations mentioned during the community meeting – an organization that DeMarois claims she took note of – is the Inland Empire Pastor’s Association.

DeMarois expressed the need for the state and local agencies to implement “coordinated strategies” to approach challenges facing the state’s aging population.

By Lou Yeboah

The Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. The Lord was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart. So, the Lord said, “I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth, both man and beast, creeping thing and birds of the air, for I am sorry that I have made them. For the earth is filled with violence through them; and behold, I will destroy them with the earth.” [Genesis 6:5-13]. Then the angel thrust his sickle into the earth and gathered the vine of the earth and threw it into the great winepress of the wrath of God.  And the winepress was trampled outside the city, and blood came out of the winepress, up to the horses’ bridles, for one thousand six hundred furlongs. [Revelation 14:19].

The unbelievable horror of putting off Christ! The eternal sadness of waiting one day too long is like the terror of those who missed the Ark in the days of Noah, or those who failed to escape Sodom and Gomorrah when they had the opportunity. Think of the scoffing thief who died Christless within inches of the Savior—at the very moment Jesus sacrificed Himself on an adjacent cross. Think of the multitudes at the Great White Throne Judgment who will frantically insist their names “must surely” be written somewhere in the Lamb’s Book of Life. But they will have waited too long.

Listen, the Bible warns that every human being is subject to sudden death. No one has the promise of another second, minute, day, or hour. For the Bible teaches that our days are swifter than a weaver’s shuttle [Job 7:6], like flowers that quickly fade [Job 14:2], and like a mist that appears for a little time then vanishes [James 4:14]. Let today be your day of salvation! Turn now from your evil ways and deeds. For it is appointed to every man to die and then the judgment. Do not be unrepentant. Do not be stubborn.  Do not be like Felix. As Paul reasoned of righteousness, temperance, and judgment to come, Felix trembled, and answered, Go thy way for this time; when I have a convenient season, I will call for thee. He turned aside from the call of God and the message of the apostle. He stifled the voice of the Holy Spirit, and answered God’s invitation with the word, “Some other time, some other day; when I have a convenient season, I will” [Acts 24:25]. That day never came. That tomorrow never came. That convenient season never arrived.  He died, they say, a suicide.  He died without God, without Christ, and without hope in the world. One day too late! God’s wrath came early!

And I looked, and I heard an angel flying through the midst of heaven, saying with a loud voice, “Woe, woe, woe to the inhabitants of the earth, because of the remaining blasts of the trumpet of the three angels who are about to sound!” [Revelation 8:13]. Don’t wait until it’s too late! Repent for the kingdom of God is at hand!