It’s a story of struggle, perseverance, and achievement with a legacy that includes art, music, literature, architecture and lasting contributions to the world. Discover the energy and richness of the African American experience throughout the year and join the Black Chamber as we present the Black History Super Expo Celebration Rewind because everyday is black history.
This event is free to the public and will take place May 18th 12:00 pm – 7:00 pm at the Greek Theater inside San Bernardino Valley College. Enjoy live entertainment, shop local vendors, enjoy food, a kid zone and youth workshops, a fashion show presented by local designers, artist exhibit and so much more.
Come out with the family and enjoy: Live Entertainment( Bands, Singers, Dancers) Kids Zone Youth Workshops Artist Exhibit Sculptures Murals and Painting Fashion Show Jewelry Food and Vendors
San Bernardino Valley College Inside The Greek Theater 701 South Mount Vernon Ave. San Bernardino, CA. 92470
(EMPIRE NEWS NETWORK—ENN)— SAN BERNARDINO, CA— Akoma Unity Center has been selected at the beneficiary of Macy’s 2019 Your Extra Change Can Help Your Community Round Up Campaign from May 1 – May 15, 2019. Each year, Macy’s chooses a local based charity to support. With Akoma Unity Center serving over 2,500 youth and parents in San Bernardino since its inception in 2017, the choice was made clear.
During the Macy’s Round Up Your Change Campaign customers are encouraged at the register to round up change to .99 cents that will be donated to Akoma.
“The best way to contribute is to purchase each of your items separately and round up with each purchase,” Akoma’s Executive Director, Kimberly Calvin stated. “On Saturday, May 4, 2019 Girl Scouts Troop #1419 will be present to meet with customers and are excited for their first outreach event.”
For an extra 30% off, stop by Akoma to pick up a Friends and Family coupon just in time for your Mother’s Day shopping. Macy’s is also sponsoring the School Cents Program, where customers can shop at any store in the Inland Center Mall and earn points for every dollar spent. Points are then accumulated to a dollar amount that will be donated to Akoma. There are three ways to turn in receipts: turn in receipts into management office, log receipts online at shopandlog.com/inland or drop them off at Akoma. Either way, your receipts will go a long way!
Akoma Unity Center is a 501 C(3) Non-Profit organization committed to providing children with high quality, no-cost after school structured recreation, and development programs in a safe and supervised environment.
If you would like to more information about Akoma Unity Center, please visit www.akomaunitycenter.org or call (909) 217-7956.
(EMPIRE NEWS NETWORK—ENN)— African-American children are California’s lowest performing group of students, only above students with special needs. Only 2 percent of Black kids in the state attend schools that are considered “high performing.” And only 10 majority African-American schools, located mostly in hard-to-count, high-poverty census tracts around the Bay Area and Los Angeles, score, on average, above the state math and language arts requirements.
On top of that, nearly 68 percent of all African-American students in California perform below their grade level in English and language arts. In math, about 80 percent of Black students fail to meet the state’s proficiency mark.
Black children are also three times more likely than Whites to be suspended for similar behaviors, according to a report by San Diego State University’s Community College Equity Lab and UCLA’s Black Male Institute.
When it comes to getting admitted to a California State University or University of California school, only 22 percent of Black high school seniors graduate from schools where a majority of their racial group passes the required courses.
“The critical question is not being asked: ‘what is best for our children?,’” said Assemblymember Shirley Weber (D-San Diego), a member of the Assembly Education committee. She was speaking at a hearing held earlier this month on three charter school bills – AB 1505, AB 1506 and AB 1507 – before her colleagues voted to move them out of committee. The package of legislation would place significant restrictions on charter schools, if the full legislature passes them and Gov. Gavin Newsom signs them.
Then, last week, the Senate Education Committee voted in favor of another charter school bill. This one, SB 756, would place a five-year ban on certifying any new charters. The language in the bill, introduced by Sen. María Elena Durazo (D-Los Angeles), states that it is designed to ensure public charter schools do not “replace or undermine” the state’s public school system.
Photo By: Khiry Malik, Roland Martin takes questions from a town hall attendee directed to the panelist.
In California, roughly 52,800 Black students attend charter schools. Although the independent taxpayer-funded schools only account for about 10 percent of public schools, they enroll 3 percent more Black students than the traditional district schools.
Because such a high percentage of African Americans attend charters, opponents of the bills see the package of proposals as a direct attack on Black students.
“Charter schools have been a way within the public school system for African-American and all families to have choice,” says Margaret Fortune, an African-American educator who founded and runs Fortune School, a network of seven charter schools in Sacramento and San Bernardino that focuses on closing the African-American achievement gap and preparing students for college beginning in Kindergarten.
She says, under current California law, the number one consideration for a charter school to be approved is the academic performance of students. Under the new proposals, one of the criteria would be money – if the applying charter impacts the finances of the local school district.
The legislators who authored the bills and their supporters say they introduced them to bring about more accountability and that charter school reform is long overdue.
“School board members have a fiduciary duty to ensure the fiscal health of their district. They know the needs of their schools the best and should be able to consider the fiscal impact on their students and district when considering whether to approve a new charter school,” said Assemblymember Rob Bonta (D-Oakland).
Critics of the legislation have said nowhere in the language of the new bills or public statements about them, have the bills’ legislative sponsors taken a critical look at why Black students are underperforming across the state.
Last week, nationally recognized television journalist and commentator Roland Martin moderated a town hall in Sacramento focused on school choice.
Martin said charter schools are the only option for African-American families who don’t have the means to move to a better performing school district.
During the town hall, Martin stated reasons he supports charter schools and has launched a national initiative to explore the issue called, “Is School Choice the Black Choice?”
“You control the resources,” he told the audience. “You control who gets the janitorial contracts, textbook contracts, IT contracts. So you do not only control the education of our children, you control the economics of our neighborhoods.”
Assemblymember Shirley Weber (D-San Diego)| recently proposed making Black students a high-risk group under the Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF) because of low scores on statewide exams. Assemblymember Patrick O’Donnell (D-Los Angeles), the Chair of the Assembly Education committee, has pulled the bill.
The education chair’s staff said that this was not the only bill O’Donnell has withdrawn and that he is waiting for a state auditors report before hearing legislation that would tinker with LCFF funding.
During the town hall, several of the panelists called out Assemblymember Kevin McCarty (D-Sacramento), who is African American and in whose district has three high performing charter schools that are performing above traditional district schools, two of those are Fortune schools.
“To see Black state legislators, Black city council members, Black county commissioners – who are some of the most ardent opponents of charter schools. Yet, they are representing constituents who have some of the worst academic records,” Martin said. “That to me is an abomination.”
In McCarty’s legislative area, which covers two school districts, Natomas Unified and Sacramento City Unified, Black students are performing below the state’s African-American averages in both math and English. About 87 percent of students are scoring below their grade level in math and about 78 percent are not meeting the English requirement.
This article is the first in a series of stories on African-American students and public education in California.
(EMPIRE NEWS NETWORK—ENN)— SAN BERNARDINO, CA— On Wednesday, the last day before San Bernardino High School graduate Alexander Mattison headed for the Minnesota Vikings’ rookie camp, he returned to his alma mater one more time.
Walking into the school’s weight room on May 1, Mattison reflected on the remarkable journey from his native San Bernardino to the NFL.
“It feels good to be back in San Bernardino because I feel the love and the energy of my community,” Mattison said. “This is a new beginning for me and for my city. I want to be an ambassador. I want to help rewrite the narrative because it tends to be negative. But we have so much talent right here, so many intelligent individuals.”
Mattison is one of them.
He graduated from San Bernardino High in 2016 with a 4.6 GPA and earned the state’s prestigious Seal of Biliteracy, validating his fluency in English and Spanish. Mattison is a product of the San Bernardino City Unified School District‘s award-winning Dual Immersion Program. Mattison started in the program at Hillside Elementary, later transferring to LincolnElementary and then continuing at Arrowview Middle School.
As far back as elementary school, Mattison knew he was destined to succeed.
“Whether it be through academics or athletics, I knew I would reach my dreams,” Mattison said. “To everyone here in San Bernardino, I would say don’t let your dreams die. Every day you wake up is a new opportunity to chase your dreams, so chase them with 110 % energy and passion. Don’t let your opportunities go to waste.”
Mattison, a running back, is not the only SBCUSD graduate to take the first big step toward an NFL career this year.
San Gorgonio High School graduate Nate Meadors was signed by the Minnesota Vikings as an undrafted free agent. Meadors attended Thompson Elementary, Serrano Middle School, and graduated from San Gorgonio High in 2015.
Meadors and Mattison are representative of the high caliber of students in San Bernardino, said Superintendent Dr. Dale Marsden.
“These young men are proof that if you dream big, hold on to hope, and work hard, anything’s possible,” Marsden said. “Alexander and Nate are key players in our collective efforts to change the narrative about San Bernardino.”
(EMPIRE NEWS NETWORK—ENN)— SAN BERNARDINO, CA— PAL Charter Academy is a small High school located in San Bernadino, California. PCA had a standout player in last weekends HBCU Combine. Donavon Becker received a second-day invite, at the 2nd Annual HBCU event held at Lynnwood High School in Los Angeles.
He was one of the hundreds of football players who came out to compete in a rigorous two-day Combine. All players that met the first-day evaluation received a callback to compete in the second day of the Combine.
Donovan Becker is a 6’6, 220 lb junior player at PCA High school that caught the eyes of HBCU’s and Junior College recruiters, and received a second-day invite.
Coaches came from all over to evaluate players from all over California to showcase their talent and to compete for a football scholarship. It was a robust combine that gave local players a huge opportunity to compete for a scholarship. PCA’s Head Coach Julian Patrick said. Donovan held his own against Juco and High school players, and that earned him a second-day invite.
The HBCU combine has been an excellent platform for players to receive a football scholarship, quality education and the opportunity to experience college life outside of California.
(EMPIRE NEWS NETWORK—ENN)— African-American churches, mosques and other religious organizations are among vulnerable non-profits in California eligible to apply for security grants after Gov. Gavin Newsom approved $15 million in emergency funds this week to help religious and community based groups protect themselves against hate crimes.
The governor made the announcement two days after a violent mass shooting at a synagogue just north of San Diego shocked Californians and people around the world.
On Saturday, John Earnest, 19, a White supremacist allegedly entered the Chabad of Poway Synagogue carrying an assault-style rifle and opened fire. Police said he killed one woman, Lori Kaye, 60, and injured three others, including a Rabbi and an 8-year-old girl. Authorities are investigating the case as a hate crime and possibly a federal civil rights violation.
“We all must call out hate – against any and all communities – and act to defend those targeted for their religious beliefs, who they love or how they identify,” said Governor Newsom. “An attack against any community is an attack against our entire state – who we are and what we stand for.”
Earnest, the accused gunman and a nursing student at California State University San Marcos, has been arrested and charged with one count of murder and three counts of attempted murder.
“Just weeks ago, African-American churches were burned in the South and these were confirmed as hate crimes,” said Shane Harris, an African-American pastor and President of the People’s Alliance of Justice, a national civil rights organization based in San Diego.
“I have worked closely with the Jewish community for many years on interfaith efforts to take on social justice issues surrounding hate in our country against any faith. It hurts my heart to hear that one person has been killed in this shooting and our prayers go out to the others who have been injured.”
For the African-American religious community in California, the synagogue shooting brings with it echoes of a painful past familiar with centuries of fire bombings, arson, shootings and other acts of domestic terrorism perpetrated against predominantly Black church congregations and places of worship. This year, in a 10-day span between late March and early April, arsonists burned down three historic African-American churches in Louisiana. And between 1995 and 1996 alone, more than 30 African-American churches were burned in the United. States, spurring Congress to pass the Church Arson Prevention Act. Since the 1950s, there have been close to 100 hate crimes committed at African-American places of worship.
The most heinous attack in recent history against a Black church was a hate-fueled mass murder that happened on June 17, 2015 in Charleston, South Carolina. Dylan Roof, a then-20-year-old White supremacist and Neo-Nazi,stormed into the historic Emmanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church during a Bible study in the sanctuary and killed nine African-American parishioners, including a South Carolina state senator, Clementa Pinckney.
In California, there are more hate groups than in any other state. Hate crimes are also on the rise in the state, increasing by 17.4 percent between 2016 and 2017, according to the California Attorney General’s office. The sharpest upturn in the state has been Anti-Jewish attacks which rose from 82 too 104 between 2016 and 2017.
Several lawmakers, community activists and religious leaders have already stepped forward to thank the governor for his timely decision and his willingness to address a pressing safety concern in the state.
“We appreciate Governor Newsom commitment to the faith community. These resources will be helpful to protect our residents and communities that rely on our churches. I look forward to assisting Black churches in taking advantage of these resources,” said K.W. Tulloss, president of The Baptist Ministers Conference of Los Angeles and Southern California.
The funding, which will be administered through the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services, will be awarded through a competitive grant process. The grants will help Non-profits that are targets for hate-motivated violence bolster security at their facilities. Criteria identifying those groups may include, religious affiliation, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, immigration status and more.
Since 2015, California has allocated $4.5 million for the State Nonprofit Security Grant Program. Because more non-profits than anticipated have applied for grants, the governor’s office said he made the decision to add an additional $15m to the fund in the wake of the Poway shootings. The governor will also work with the Commission on Peace Officer Standards to ensure training modules are up to date as new applicants become a part of the ongoing state program.
(EMPIRE NEWS NETWORK—ENN)— “I give you chance, after chance to come unto me, but you take my grace for granted. You best know that I will not strife with men always. Do not be like your fathers and your brethrens who trespassed against Me, causing me to give them up to desolation. Yield yourselves to Me, and enter My sanctuary, which I have sanctified forever, and serve Me. Do not provoke my anger! Turn from the evil road you are traveling and from the evil things you are doing. Only then will I let you live. Again, I say, turn, turn, turn!”
I tell you, we have just about reached the limit of God’s mercy and forbearance. Our pride and arrogance, our greed and selfishness, our violence and brutality have reached a level which is intolerable. God, of course, will not destroy us without first warning us of the impending doom. But, like those in Noah’s time, most of us will ignore the warnings. Noah preached to the people for 120 years, trying to warn them of what was going to happen, but none would listen. They mocked and ridiculed as he gave the warning that rain would fall to such an extent that the whole world would be flooded. They laughed and insulted as he constructed the ark which carried him and his family safely through the flood. Again and again the Lord has sent you his servants, the prophets, but you have not listened or even paid attention.
Listen, we cannot afford to see the warnings and not heed them. The Bible says in [2 Peter 3:9], that God wishes that no one perish, but that all should come to repentance.” “If you do not repent, God says, that He will come to you and remove your lamp stand from its place [Revelation 2:5]. “O that (you) were wise, that [you] understood this, that [you] would consider [your] latter end!” [Deuteronomy 32:29]. Rend your heart and turn unto the Lord your God [Joel 2:13]
John the Baptist said, “Repent”… Jesus says, “Repent”…. The Apostles said, “Repent”….. Paul said, “Repent”…… Peter said “Repent”…. Jeremiah said “Repent”…. Ezekiel said “Repent”… [Matthew 3:2; Matthew 4:17; Matthew 9:13; Mark 1:15; Luke 5:42; Mark 6:12; 2Corinthians 7:9; Acts 2:34; Acts 3:19; Acts17:30; Ezekiel 14:6]…..
Repent! Repent! Repent!
“I call heaven and earth as
witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and earth,
blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants
may live, that you may love the Lord your God, that you may obey His voice, and
that you may cling to him, for He is your life and the length of your days; and
that you may dwell in the land which the Lord swore to your fathers, to
Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give them.” [Deuteronomy 30:18-20]
(EMPIRE NEWS NETWORK—ENN)— SAN BERNARDINO, CA— The Association of California Symphony Orchestras (ACSO) announced today that the San Bernardino Symphony Orchestra is the recipient of the 2019 Kris Sinclair Leadership Award for its successful implementation of a new strategic direction, which has led to impressive growth in concert attendance and community engagement over the past three years.
This award is named in honor of Kris Sinclair, ACSO’s longtime former executive director, and is given to an ACSO Organizational Member that demonstrates recent and measurable leadership initiatives by its staff and/or board in one or more of the following areas: finance, governance, staff development, audience development, education, or community engagement.
“The San Bernardino Symphony Orchestra is a great example of how orchestras that have been in operation for decades can still continue to evolve and grow and provide relevant and meaningful art experiences for their diverse audiences,” said Sarah Weber, executive director of the Association of California Symphony Orchestras.
“In the last few years, the leadership of the orchestra has programmed innovative concerts, provided music education for thousands of at-risk youth, and increased community awareness and ticket sales through expanded media coverage. They did hard work to make a plan for improvement, and that plan is yielding amazing results.”
With the Sinclair Award comes a $5,000 prize, which the San Bernardino Symphony Orchestra will use to install new software for ticketing and to train staff to effectively utilize the system.
(EMPIRE NEWS NETWORK–ENN)— FONTANA, CA— The James Irvine Foundation awarded the Chaffey College Foundation a $1.3-million grant this month to support pre-apprenticeship and apprenticeship programs at the Industrial Technical Learning Center in Fontana.
The two-year grant will provide accelerated training programs and paid internships in advanced manufacturing for low-income Inland Empire residents.
Chaffey College Superintendent/President Dr. Henry Shannon said the grant will help InTech continue to close the gap between skilled workers and the needs of industry in the region.
“We are grateful to the James Irvine Foundation for its generosity,” Shannon said. “This support will change many lives by giving more students access to a quality education and lucrative careers.”
Sandra Sisco, director of Chaffey College economic development and the InTech Center, said the grant will help InTech strengthen the Inland Empire’s economic footprint by training its residents to take on in-demand careers.
“The James Irvine Foundation grant is critical to helping InTech continue building partnerships with employers, which allows us to offer training programs specifically designed by industry to meet their employment needs,” Sisco said.
Programs benefiting from the grant include welding, machining, additive manufacturing, as well as heating, ventilation air conditioning and refrigeration (HVAC-R). The grant will also support a new industrial electrical and mechanical pre-apprenticeship pathway. Students who successfully complete one of these programs will then be eligible to be placed at a company for a 240-hour paid internship at $17 an hour.
“The Chaffey College Foundation is pleased to be able to facilitate public-private partnerships such as The James Irvine Foundation’s Better Careers initiative,” said Foundation Executive Director Lisa Nashua. “This partnership benefits the community by helping Chaffey train Inland Empire residents for living-wage jobs.”
U.S. manufacturing is facing an unprecedented talent shortage as the economy continues to grow and the aging workforce looks to retire. In a 2018 study by The Manufacturing Institute, there will be an estimated 2.4 million jobs that will go unfilled by 2028 due to a lack of skilled workers available to take those positions.
For employers interested in selecting a paid intern, contact Rosalinda Rivas at (909) 652-8482 or rosalinda.rivas@chaffey.edu. For general information or to learn about qualifications to participate in one of InTech’s training programs, contact the InTech Center at (909) 652-8488.
The popular show in its 4th year hosted by Lashaun Turner (Lady I.M.PRE$S) is impacting radio audiences across multiple platforms giving exposure to artists & entrepreneurs across the country!
(EMPIRE NEWS NETWORK—ENN)— REDLANDS, CA— Cali’s Best Radio Show airs on CNBC/NBC affiliate radio station KCAA on 102.3FM and 106.5FM in the Inland Empire Wednesdays at 7 p.m. PST. The show is a unique platform which showcases the Who’s Who and What’s “BEST” in Music, Business, Entertainment, and Lifestyle. For indie music entrepreneurs it’s an opportunity to share the spotlight with established artists and to have their music played among mainstream music.
Cali’s Best has been picked up by numerous outlets including Crazy Genius TV network on Roku, KHUR, WCDR, Indie Central Radio, WHTL 95.2FM, 98.2TheBeatLA, 98.5FM Kmix and more. For the full lineup, times & listen links visit www.CalisBestRadioShow.com orwww.LashaunTurner.com.
LASHAUN WILL BE COVERING THE RED CARPET MAY 4 & 5- 320 N E St, San Bernardino, CA 92401-1510, United States LUE Productions 3rd Urban Fashion, & Music Event JOIN THE FACEBOOK EVENT HERE TICKETS STILL AVAILABLE.
Westside Story Newspaper – Online The News of The Empire – Sharing the Quest for Excellence
