Happily Divorced And After

By Lou Yeboah

Even though the journey may not necessarily have been an easy one, God has been good to you. God has blessed you. Don’t make the mistake of forgetting that truth. God’s grace and mercy brought you through. [Psalm 91:7] says, “Though a thousand fall at your side, though ten thousand are dying around you, these evils will not touch you.” May you never forget where He brought you from!

Like God through Moses told His people before their entrance into the promised land at least six times in [Deuteronomy 8:1-20]: Be careful not to forget the Lord your God! The children of Israel were being blessed with the Lord with the ability to enter the Promised Land, but they did not listen. May we not be like the children of Israel who didn’t listen. Not only did they forget the works of God, but they also forgot that it was God, who was leading them; guiding them; that had promised them a land flowing with milk and honey. I say and I say again, if God allows you to see another day, yet along another year, may you never forget where He brought you from.

We must remind ourselves, on a DAILY basis, where the Lord has brought us from, and where we could have been. We must keep a humble and a pure heart before the Lord because the danger of forgetfulness according to [Psalms 50] tells us that God will tear us in pieces, and there be none to deliver!”

Therefore, “Beware, that you do not forget the Lord your God by not keeping His commandments, His precepts, and His statutes, lest when you have eaten and are full, and have built goodly houses and live in them, and when your herds and flocks multiply and your silver and gold is multiplied and all you have is multiplied, then your [mind and] heart be lifted up and you will forget the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage, who led you through the great and terrible wilderness, with its fiery serpents and scorpions and thirsty ground where there was no water, but who brought you forth water out of the flinty rock, who fed you in the wilderness with manna, which your fathers did not know, that He might humble you and test you, to do you good in the end.  And beware lest you say in your mind and heart, my power and the might of my hand have gotten me this wealth. But you shall [earnestly] remember the Lord your God, for it is He who gives you power to get wealth, that He may establish His covenant which He swore to your fathers, as it is this day. And if you forget the Lord your God and walk after other gods, serve them, and worship them, I testify against you this day that you shall surely perish. Like the nations which the Lord makes to perish before you, so shall you perish, because you would not obey the voice of the Lord your God.” [Deuteronomy 8:10-20].

Thank God for His Grace and Mercy and thank Him for the provision made for you, so that you can have life in abundance.

Oh, Heavenly Father, I thank You Lord for Your Grace and Mercy. I reverence Your Holy and magnificent name. I give You praise, thanks, honor and glory for Your extended grace and mercy towards me. I thank You for paying the penalty for my sins and for never turning Your back on me. For there are many times that I have come short of Your Glory, BUT You still love and care for me. I’ve failed You and walked away from You BUT, You still came after me. Even when I take Your mercy and grace for granted, You still give me more grace and more mercy. I thank You Lord, for allowing me to awake this morning, when so many have passed unto eternity. You have favored me with life yet another day, whereof I am grateful. Thank You Lord for Your GRACE and MERCY. In Jesus name. Amen

May the New Year be one of great spiritual growth for you. May it be one where you learn the name of Jesus, and never fail to see Him for who He is, and what He is doing. And may it be one where you resolve to live with hope, and with love for God. Christ’s blessing be upon you in 2022, and always. Amen.

By Charlene Muhammad | California Black Media

The COVID-19 pandemic is taking a heavy toll on the health, finances, and mobility of people around the world, affecting almost everyone on the planet.

Youth, in particular, have been experiencing an uptick in mental health cases, including depression, in a trend U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy is calling an emerging crisis.

On Dec. 7, Murthy released a 42-page health advisory drawing the country’s attention to the “urgent” need to help youth facing mental health problems. He said one in three students in the U.S.  say they experience sustained periods of sadness and hopelessness. That number represents a 40 % increase from 2009 to 2019.

The pandemic has made those conditions worse.

“The future wellbeing of our country depends on how we support and invest in the next generation,” said Murthy. “Especially in this moment, as we work to protect the health of Americans in the face of a new variant, we also need to focus on how we can emerge stronger on the other side. This advisory shows us how we can all work together to step up for our children during this dual crisis.”

Recently, a panel of experts tackled the issue during a news briefing organized by Ethnic Media Services titled “The Pandemic’s Heavy Toll on Teen Mental Health.”

Michelle Cabrera, Executive Director of the County Behavioral Health Directors Association (CBHDA), spotlighted the health needs of minority youth.  She explained that all over the nation — and in California — youth are suffering from a mental health crisis, leading to increasing numbers of suicide and high levels of anxiety in schools.

“The numbers of children and youth in acute mental health crises shot up two and sometimes three-fold. We have had children as young as eight-years-old who have been hospitalized due to suicidal ideation,” stated Cabrera.

Behavioral health experts say transitioning students back to in-person learning results in higher rates of children and youth experiencing mental health crises, she said.

According to Cabrera, existing programs lack support for youth in Black and Native populations, and records show that major disparities are also present among professionals within the behavioral health field.

“For example, the access to services and programs that may be used in White communities to combat mental health problems are not made available in Black communities,” she said.

Cabrera mentioned that there is also a career crisis in behavioral health, and that by 2022, these benefits will be put in place to help abate the employment crisis in California and all over the nation.

“The pandemic has also changed the statistics about drug and substance abuse in America,” Cabrera continued. “Data has shown an increase in alcohol and opioid consumption in young people, who are also experiencing a lot more overdoses because of their consumption of fentanyl in the drugs that are used,” she said.

Youth also struggle with returning to school physically, bullying, and a lack of programs to address their mental health issues.

Dr. Latonya Wood is the director of clinical training at Pepperdine University in Malibu. She delved specifically into the data about Black children who are suffering from mental health-related issues. She explained that depression is being expressed and understood differently among Blacks.

For example, young, Black males interprete their emotions and mental conditions differently. They may not act in ways that are typically associated with depression, such as sadness or melancholy. Black youth typically translate those emotions into aggression and more physical reactions.

In addition, the pandemic has amplified some of the disconnections in the Black community, said Dr. Wood.  She explained that there has not been consistent help in public health organizations that serve Black communities.

“Seldomly, there is relatability to the Black community. So African American are going to be lacking resources because they don’t know how to reach them,” she said.

Wood said historically Black people have not had a reason to fully trust mental health providers. A recent survey asked a group of Black youth about mental health care during COVID.  It found that Black youth do not feel like mental healthcare providers care for them, that they only want money, and they do not understand the lived experiences, according to Dr. Wood.

“I think that really reflects the lack of culturally informed and trauma-informed care and really understanding the experiences of Black youth in some ways were traumatic during COVID,” said Dr. Wood.”

More Black people are seeking Black providers, but they number just short of about 4% of the psychologists in America, according to a 2020 Workforce Study, completed by the American Psychological Association, she continued.

As a result, Black people suffer usually long wait times to even be seen by a therapist or to receive care. Wood stressed that finding the right care for people dealing with mental disorders in the Black community is very important.

Solutions for these issues were suggested at the level of community-based care provided at places where people congregate like school, church, and the barbershop, among others. Those spaces can serve as supportive places venues where mental health care or interventions can be accessible.

“The youth need support systems in place in order to help guard against the extreme negatives that come with poor mental health,” said Wood.

The San Bernardino Board of Supervisors unanimously approved ordinances allowing Code Enforcement to immediately issue citations related to illegal cannabis grows and make it easier to abate or clean up those sites.

Over the past several months the County has taken an aggressive approach in fighting against illegal cannabis grows with Operation Hammer Strike. Illegal grows negatively impact the wellbeing and safety of area residents and have devastating impacts on the environment.

When the sites are abandoned or shut down, they leave behind a blight on the community.

The vote taken by the Board Tuesday will do several things to help mitigate the impacts of illegal cannabis sites in unincorporated San Bernardino County. The new ordinance creates streamlined and expedited procedures for abatement and passes the cost of clean-up on to the property owners, not the taxpayers. It will also authorize issuance of immediate administrative citations where there are proven violations related to the illegal cultivation of cannabis. Moreover, it allows for the items used in the cultivation of illegal cannabis to be declared a public nuisance and therefore subject to abatement and discarding.  Items include things such as trailers, hoop houses, electrical equipment, fencing, greenhouses, sheds, and irrigation systems.

“This vote is a big step forward in our fight against illegal cannabis and the dangers associated with it,” said Dawn Rowe, Vice Chair of the Board of Supervisors. “While we continue to make significant progress in shutting down these sites, we need to do more to ensure that we clean up the mess that these criminals leave behind. All of our residents deserve to live in safe and clean environment.”

#OperationHammer Strike Completes 14 Weeks of Enforcement

The Sheriff’s Department completed a 14th week of #OperationHammerStrike in the areas of Lucerne Valley, Helendale, Johnson Valley, Hinkley, El Mirage, Rancho Cucamonga, El Monte, and San Gabriel.

From Nov. 29 to Dec. 5, the Sheriff’s Marijuana Enforcement Team along with deputies from several patrol stations served 22 search warrants after receiving numerous complaints about large outdoor and indoor marijuana cultivations in these areas.

Sheriff’s personnel located and arrested 21 suspects.  Investigators seized 19,117 marijuana plants, 10,844 pounds of processed marijuana, nine guns, and over $99,000. A total of 312 greenhouses were eradicated from these locations and four indoor grow locations.  Investigators mitigated one electrical bypass and one THC extraction lab.

Anyone with information regarding this investigation is urged to contact the Sheriff’s Gangs/Narcotics Division at (909) 387-8400 or NARC-MET@sbcsd.org. Callers wishing to remain anonymous may call the We-Tip Hotline at 1-800-78-CRIME (27463), or you may leave the information on the We-Tip website at www.wetip.com.

By Kassidy Henson | California Black Media

Grammy Award-winning Christian Hip-Hop hop artist Lecrae is on a mission to increase financial literacy among African Americans.

Growing up in a “marginalized” community in San Diego, Lecrae says he was exposed to incredible wealth and opportunity when he visited communities along the Pacific coastline or neighborhoods nestled in the hills overlooking the city.

But life was different in his predominantly Black neighborhood. Less possibility. Much more poverty.

“You begin to wonder ‘how do I acquire that?’ How do you change the narrative?” Lecrae told California Black Media.

“Returning to a community that faced marginalization, brutality and the effects of poverty was a reflection — excluded from the gleaming SoCal Hills.”

Recalling those childhood experiences, Lecrae — who now lives in Atlanta — said he decided to launch an effort to create opportunities for African Americans that would help to close the wealth gap between Blacks and Whites.

Using his own production company, 3 Strands Films, Lecrae developed a short-form financial education show called Protect the Bag.

The six-part web series provides viewers with a “blueprint” for financial wellness by delving into topics like saving, retirement, investment, budgeting, and identity protection, according to the rapper who released a new album with fellow artist 1K Phew titled “No Church in a While” on Dec. 3

Lecrae, who won a Grammy for Best Gospel Album in 2012, says he hopes the show helps to restore stability and hope in a new generation of young Black people.

The concept for Protect the Bag was developed during the COVID-19 lockdown last year. During that time, Lacrae says he partnered with the credit scoring company Experian to come to the aid of 21 families facing foreclosure due to financial hardship.

A series of short roundtable conversations comprises the Protect the Bag. During each one, Lecrae explains the basics of building a financial legacy. In discussions with financial professionals, community members and guests like Denver Nuggets forward Michal Porter Jr, the panelists address obstacles to building wealth that large numbers of African Americans face.

By the end of each episode, Lecrae says his goal is to equip viewers with the knowledge, exposure and confidence to create better financial habits.

Before knowing that his passion for financial education would grow into what he calls a “new-age Teen Summit” (referring to the early 1990s BET weekly show that dealt with issues facing young African Americans), Lecrae says he was working to expose those around him to the benefits of good money habits.

A self-described “doer,” Lecrae explained that at his label he met with artists and hosted financial literacy classes exploring buying power, disparities in the stock market, and the value of the Black dollar.

“Those are all important pillars of good financial stewardship,” says the artist who joined other lecturers to teach a six week “pop-out course” at Stanford University.

“One of the struggles that we had in academia is that academics often speak through a backwards megaphone. They speak through the wide end. To them, the information is easy to grasp when it comes out the smaller side,” he says. “How do we turn that megaphone around? How do we take these narrow concepts and make them more broad and applicable for everybody listening? How do we speak the language of the community and allow it to be less complicated than everyone makes it sound?”

Lecrae also talked about the many benefits that can be reaped when African Americans decide to invest in their communities.

“It creates a network. Like that old game, Barrel of Monkeys: when someone reaches down to give you a hand the next step is to reach your hand down to help the next person up,” he says. “This practice puts funds and resources back into the community, which is an essential part of a financially stable economy.”

Lecrae said young people should ditch the mindset that you only live once.

“You can really lose a movement over a moment. I think we chase pleasure over happiness. Think about what you want long-term because your decisions today can work to ensure that your 60-year-old self is living in a way that is liberated and free.”

New episodes of Protect the Bag are released each week on Lecrae’s YouTube channel.

RIALTO, CA—- California’s Governor Gavin Newsom appointed Natalie Palugyai as Secretary of California’s Labor and Workforce Development Agency (LWDA) in July 2021, making her the first Latina to ever serve in this post. Last Thursday, Secretary Pulagyai visited the Inland Empire with the California Workforce Development Agency leadership in tow to learn more about High Road Training Partnership grant recipient, IEWorks, a regional water/wastewater workforce collaborative delivering equitable water/wastewater career pathways.

 “I really want to recognize the hard work and partnerships that have come together to make this training program happen,” stated Secretary Palugyai in her opening remarks. “Let’s use these opportunities to break down barriers and do things differently and be ok with testing those new approaches.”

Secretary Pulagyi visited West Valley Water District to explore their operations at the Olivier P. Roemer Water Filtration Facility and to meet participants from IEWorks. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, roughly one-third of the water sector will be eligible to retire in the next ten years. In the Inland Empire, experts project a total of about 835 openings in critical water industry occupations due to workers retiring or transferring to new careers.

“We were thankful to host Secretary Pulagyai and the California Labor and Workforce Development Agency to share our progress within the region on building equitable pathways to water/wastewater careers,” shared IEWorks cofounder and West Valley Water District President Channing Hawkins. “Our goal with IEWorks is to create a unique model that involves collaboration amongst water/wastewater agencies, underrepresented communities, and harnessing our collective resources to ensure we create meaningful opportunities for Inland Empire families.”

IEWorks was created from an unprecedented partnership between seven local water agencies, works to address this expected shortage of skilled workers by creating a qualified pipeline of aspiring local water and wastewater professionals. IEWorks also partners with Jewish Vocational Service (JVS) and BAYWORK, a consortium of Bay Area water and wastewater utilities, to leverage their successes and best practices. Through a $1 million state grant, the High Road Training Partnership assists IEWorks in recruiting and training 100 jobseekers in underrepresented areas of Riverside and San Bernardino Counties. Today, 12 interns have participated in the program, with one being hired after their internship. Funding is utilized to provide wraparound services and alleviate burdens associated with job training and attending school, such as transportation vouchers, childcare, and providing livable wages to participants.

“The need to modernize and enhance our operations and infrastructure is fueled by the impact of the climate crisis,” stated IEWorks cofounder and Western Municipal Water District Vice President Gracie Torres. “With forthcoming retirements, droughts, and a need to meet our region’s water needs, we must address the upcoming gap by creating a qualified and prepared workforce that will be able to staff these facilities and lead us into the future of water/wastewater.”

Pictured (from left to right): 1 California Labor Secretary Natalie Palugyai is pictured with IEWorks cofounders, West Valley Water District President Channing Hawkins, and Western Municipal Water District Vice President Gracie Torres.

Representatives from San Bernardino Community College District, local water and utility districts, California Workforce Development Board President Dr. Angelo Farooq, and California State Senator Connie Leyva were amongst the guests in attendance and participated in a tour that highlighted the process which treats surface water from Lytle Creek and the State Water Project delivered through Lake Silverwood. The Olivier P. Roemer facility is scheduled to expand through a $25 million investment to increase capacity by 7.2 million gallons per day (MGD) to meet regional water demands, address water supply reliability, and support regional groundwater sustainability management efforts.

For participants interested and agencies looking to join, visit IEWorks.org to learn more or contact program manager Scott Goodell at scott@ieworks.org.

SAN BERNARDINO, CA—- At its December 15 Council meeting, City Manager Robert Field introduced two recently hired members of the city leadership team – Human Resources Director Rene Anderson and Director of Information Technology Rolland Kornblau.

“Both Rene and Rolland bring a tremendous amount of experience and knowledge to San Bernardino,” said City Manager Robert Field. “We are very pleased to have them both as part of the team serving our residents.”

In the role of Director of Human Resources, Rene Anderson oversees the recruitment, employment, classification, compensation, employee relations, training and development, performance evaluation, benefits, and workers’ compensation for San Bernardino.

When asked about her decision to come to San Bernadino, Anderson replied, “I am thrilled about the opportunity to connect with the resilient employees here at the city. It’s exciting to be a part of the revitalizing of the community while rebuilding its workforce.”

Anderson joins the city after spending 19 years at the City of Los Angeles and fifteen years in the private sector. While at L.A., she worked for the Public Works, the Port of Los Angeles, Department of Water and Power, and Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA). As the Employee Relations Manager for LAWA, she handled a workforce of over 3,500 sworn and civilian employees. Anderson holds a master’s degree in Business Administration from University of Phoenix and bachelor’s degree in Interdisciplinary Studies from California State Dominguez Hills

As Director of Information Technology, Rolland. Kornblau is responsible for leading the City’s technology strategy and managing overall IT operations, including customer service.

For the past five years, Kornblau was the Director of Technology at the El Rancho Unified School District in Pico Rivera, where he was directly responsible for seventeen locations including fifteen school sites. Under his direction, the district replaced all network hardware, replaced wireless hardware and software, installed a voice over internet protocol phone system, and transitioned many applications to the cloud for security and redundancy.

Kornblau has 23 years of Technology experience working in all levels of Information Technology. Prior to his role at El Rancho, he served in several roles, including Director of Technology for the Whittier City School District. He holds a BA degree in Information Systems from American Sentinel University and a MPA from California State, Northridge.

INLAND EMPIRE, CA—- On December 20, 2021 the California Citizens Redistricting Commission (CCRC) adopted the final maps for California’s Congressional, State Assembly, State Senate, and Board of Equalization boundaries for the next ten years. IE United facilitated community-based organizations through the Inland Empire Redistricting Hub to ensure the needs of low-income communities of color and working families in San Bernardino and Riverside Counties were uplifted and considered throughout the 2021 redistricting process. “Though the maps are not perfect, we feel there is a lot of good accomplished with our new state and congressional districts. Communities of color across the region are kept together in key districts from San Bernardino and Rialto to Jurupa Valley and Riverside, to Moreno Valley and Perris,” said Sky Allen, program director for IE United.

The Inland Empire Redistricting Hub submitted over 100 communities of interest, delivered dozens of public comments, and submitted 5 region-wide draft maps since June of 2021. Participating partners facilitated numerous community education meetings and led a grassroots effort to ensure that the political boundaries used to elect public servants were truly reflective of communities in the region.

Sky Allen, who facilitated the Inland Empire Redistricting Hub on behalf of IE United, responded to the final state and congressional maps adopted by saying, “Though we are disappointed to see the High Desert Split at the Senate level and the Coachella Valley split at every level, overall, we are proud of all that our community partners were able to accomplish through their advocacy this past year. It has not been easy and of course we could not get every district to look the way we wanted them to, but there is not a doubt in my mind that we influenced the process and the districts for the better!”

Inland Empire United (IE United) is a collective impact table of community leaders and agents in Riverside and San Bernardino counties. IE United brings movements together around a progressive vision for the region and advocates for transformational change within the counties. IE United coordinated the efforts of the Inland Empire Redistricting Hub with external partners through the Integrative Vote Engagement (IVE) Redistricting Alliance.

To learn more about IE United and Program Director Sky Allen visit www.ieunited.org

By Aldon Thomas Stiles | California Black Media

The Rev. Dr. Lawrence E. Van Hook, pastor of Community Church in Oakland, says when COVID-19 vaccinations were first released late last year he did not want to get the shot.

“As African Americans, we have a healthy distrust of the government based on our history,” said Van Hook.

But after some soul searching, there was a shift in his spirit, says Van Hook. It led to a change of his heart.

“It came to me through God’s visitation of the holy spirit that not only do I need to get vaccinated, but I need to become an ambassador in the community where we live work and worship. So that’s how my journey began.”

A little over a year ago, Van Hook joined hands with 38 other Black pastors from around California and formed the African American Community Empowerment Council (AACEC). With help from the state, members began setting up testing and vaccination sites at their churches.

“It is an initiative led by African American pastors, realizing that we need to pay special attention to our community – an affirmative action plan, if you please — for Black Californians who are understandably skeptical and don’t want to get vaccinated,” Van Hook said.

“Our healing, our hope, come through vaccination,” he continued. “That is how we will push past this pandemic in a healthy way to get to our new normal.

Now, ahead of the holidays Van Hook and other pastors are encouraging Black Californians to get vaccinated and tested before traveling and getting together with relatives.

“A majority of the cases and deaths are among those who are unvaccinated,” said Van Hook. “For those of us who have been waiting to see what was in it, what it was all about, we now have over a year of vaccinations and nobody’s eyes have fallen out. No bug has been placed in us where we can be tracked. There are so many stories we have heard in social media.”

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that Black people in the United States are being hospitalized for COVID-19 2.6 times more than Whites. According to the agency’s website, Black people are also dying of COVID-19 at nearly twice the rate of White mortalities.

During the thick of the pandemic, the AACEC website says the pastors “stepped up” responding to a call to action by Gov. Gavin Newsom, who asked all Californians to deploy every resource available to them to confront and defeat the deadly virus.

“Through this effort, testing of at-risk, underrepresented, and under-resourced African Americans, and all community members appearing for a test, will be phased across the state beginning in Alameda County and extending in regular intervals to encompass San Francisco, Sacramento, Solano, Contra Costa, San Joaquin, Los Angeles, Riverside, San Gabriel, and San Diego counties,” the AACEC website reads.

There are now also testing sites in San Bernardino County. Vaccination sites are located in Oakland, Pasadena, Sacramento and San Francisco.

Across the country, another organization called Choose Healthy Life (CHL) has similarly united Black religious leaders to battle COVID-19, opting to focus on tackling misinformation and increasing vaccination rates.

Black clergy members and civil rights leaders such as the Rev. Al Sharpton and the Rev. Calvin O. Butts III, Pastor of Abyssinian Baptist Church in New York, are leading the charge for this program.

“Covid-19 has exposed health disparities, and more disturbingly, the impact of misinformation among our own people.  But I have looked beyond the horizon of today’s headlines. After 750,000 deaths in America and more than 5 million worldwide, the pendulum is beginning to swing —and Choose Healthy Life is at the vanguard of that change,” Sharpton said.

CHL spokesperson Judy Klym detailed the program’s scope.

“After launching CHL in 50 churches in five major cities in January 2021, the program’s expansion has led to more than 50,000 members of the public being educated and empowered,” she said. “Through this collaborative effort, more than 6 million people have been impacted. Choose Healthy Life now has 120 participating churches in 13 states.”

Klym cited the new omicron variant as part of the reason for the urgency of this program’s implementation.

“As the threat from COVID continues with the emergence of the Omicron variant, the ongoing nature of the pandemic seems inevitable. CHL is rising to meet the challenge by building a sustainable infrastructure to help Black communities throughout the pandemic and future health crises,” Klym stated.

Debra Fraser-Howze, founder of CHL, says the Black church’s involvement in the COVID-19 fight is critical.

 “The Black church and clergy have been a steadfast center of strength and leadership during so many of our crises and struggles in the past. Now, through the Choose Healthy Life Action Plan, they are once again leading the way by ensuring that Black communities are better informed and safer throughout the pandemic,” she said.

Van Hook says when vaccination began at his church earlier this year on Resurrection Sunday, he drew a parallel.

“Vaccinations equal resurrection. Both of them give life as opposed to the death that this invisible, deadly virus has ministered all over the world,” he said.

MORENO VALLEY, CA— Riverside County Board of Education Member and nonprofit leader is launching his campaign for the newly formed 60th Assembly district. The new 60th Assembly District includes the cities of Moreno Valley, Perris, Hemet, and San Jacinto and the unincorporated areas of Mead Valley, Good Hope, Nuevo, and East Hemet.

“I am running to make sure that we have a true fighter representing our district to ensure that we have the resources that we need and deserve. Our communities have been neglected for far too long,” said Corey Jackson.

Corey A. Jackson, MSW was elected to the Riverside County Board of Education in 2020 and represents portions of the cities of Riverside, Moreno Valley, Perris, and the unincorporated community of Mead Valley. Corey Jackson is a local nonprofit and civil rights leader who is one of the leading social justice advocates in the region. He currently serves as the founder and Chief Executive Officer of SBX Youth and Family Services whose mission is to break the cycle of poverty and violence through mentoring, education, and community organizing. Mr. Jackson continues to serve his community as the Political Action Chair of the Riverside NAACP and serves as Youth Minister at the Moreno Valley Church of Christ.

As a leader in the California Democratic Party, Corey serves as the Chair of the California Democratic Party Black Caucus which is the largest caucus in the party. He also serves as a state executive committee member and an elected member of the Riverside County Democratic Central Committee.