Happily Divorced And After

By Lou Coleman-Yeboah

Now that the celebration of Black History Month is coming to a close; how can we honor our history, respond to the present, and build a viable, vibrant future for our people? I’ll tell you how…. We can honor their memory by rediscovering the “Faith” that allowed them to survive. The Faith, that enabled our forefathers to endure trials and hardships that we can only imagine. The Faith, that inspired leaders to respond courageously to the problems of our people. We can build on the legacy they have left us by carefully following the One they followed – Jesus. It is not too late! We can still return to the God of our fathers. For we have an extraordinarily rich spiritual heritage and there is victory in our bloodline. We belong to the family of God, and being engrafted into His family means that we are over-comers through the Blood of Jesus; the Blood of the Lamb, the Conquering Weapon.

Therefore, let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus the pioneer and perfecta of our Faith. For it wasn’t by power nor by might, but by the Spirit of God—the wisdom, authority, power, and presence of the Most High God—that freedom, equality, and justice was and will continue to be.   Let us learn from the stories of the great cloud of witnesses.  “Though beaten, they were not beaten down by life because they looked to Christ. Though enslaved physically, they were not enslaved spiritually because they were free in Christ. For a people in bondage for 400 years— it is a sustaining and comforting reminder to know that God has not forgotten. “He has seen!” our afflictions, and heard our cries: every tear shed was preserved, and every groan uttered was being recorded, in order to testify at a future day, against the authors of the oppressors.”

Understand this truth…. God has chosen us for Greatness…. And there’s nobody, there’s nothing, and there is no circumstance, under the Sun that can keep God from doing exactly what He wants in us for His Glory! We have victory through Jesus Christ, the Risen Savior who lives and Reigns in our heart…. And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” So, if God be for us, who can defeat us? If God be for us, who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen?  If God be for us, is there anything that we can’t do? If God be for us, is there anything our families can’t overcome? If God be for us, is there anything that the world can do to stop us? I hear our slave ancestors answering, “No!” I hear the civil right marchers, answering, “No!” Because Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. The same Jesus who heard the songs of the slaves and the chants of the civil rights marchers will hear the prayers of those who now cry out for justice throughout our country. With God’s help, we shall overcome.

Oh, what an amazing future it is! Living moment by moment looking back with thankfulness on all that God has done for us, and looking forward at all God promises to do for us because of Christ. Let us rejoice in God’s great faithfulness consistently displayed through our great struggles and great strides. For empowered by God as they were, we can continue their work and likewise pass down legacies of strength, perseverance, faith, and victory to future generations. [Psalm145:41].

As it is written: “For our sake [they] were killed all day long; [they] were accounted as sheep for the slaughter.” Yet in ALL THESE THINGS [they] were MORE than CONQUERORS through Him who loved us. They were persuaded that neither death nor Life, nor Angels nor Principalities nor Powers, nor things Present nor things to come, nor Height nor Depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate them from the Love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. [Romans 8:35-39].

Thanksgiving toward the Past, Faith toward the Future!

By Alexandra Fenwick

Most people are familiar with the phrase, “If you are doing what you love, you’ll never work a day in your life.” Well, Tanya Wallace-Gobern is one of lucky ones doing just that. As the Executive Director of the National Black Worker Center Project, she is fulfilling her dream to serve and uplift the Black  community.

As a criminal justice and social work major in college, Tanya fell into an internship at the Organizing Institute of the AFL-CIO right before graduation that changed her career trajectory. Tanya climbed the ladder and continued to work in advocacy and organizing for more than 20 years, but as time went on, she felt she was getting farther and farther from her calling – making a difference in the Black community. That is until she joined the National Black Worker Center Project.

The National Black Worker Center Project focuses on supporting and incubating Black worker centers, providing education about the impacts of low-wage  work and unemployment in the Black community. The Center works to prevent racial discrimination in the work place. Through national convening’s, supporting their local affiliates and creating campaigns and initiatives to share the Black worker’s experience, Tanya and the National Black Worker Center Project are protecting the rights of unemployed and low-wage Black workers everywhere.

While working on the Project’s national “Working While Black” campaign, Tanya realized the scope of Black workers facing discrimination was much bigger  than the unemployed and low-wage workers she primarily focused on. While speaking to a man who worked in film in L.A. and earned a six-figure salary, he uttered words that would stick with her: “What about the rest of us?” Tanya thought, if you believe he shouldn’t be the kind of person the National Black Worker Center Project should also focus on, you’d be wrong.

Research shows the more educated or the higher the salary, the more opportunities there are for discrimination against Black workers. Tanya is working against the discrimination itself, as well as the fallacies that once Black workers reach a particular status or salary, they no longer encounter discrimination.

As a Black worker herself, Tanya knows this to be true. That’s why it’s so important to her that she, and people who look like her, are at the forefront of the movement. She understands the people she serves aren’t waiting for a savior. What they are looking for is leadership development so they can become the leaders in their own movement.

Although their focus is on Black workers, Tanya is clear that the work the National Black Worker Center Project does encompasses people of all races, economic status, religion and sexual orientation. “The work doesn’t end with us. It isn’t a poor person’s issue, or a Black person’s issue, or rich person’s issue, these are worker issues.” Tanya doesn’t think she can solve this problem any time soon, but that isn’t stopping her from trying. She believes the mere existence of her organization is a win for workers everywhere.

To learn more about the National Black Worker Center Project, or get involved with an affiliate, please visit: https://nationalblackworkercenters.org/.

LOS ANGELES, CA – It’s a wrap! The 26th Annual Pan African Film & Arts Festival (PAFF) has reached its end, and after 12 full days of showcasing an impressive slate of 173 films, PAFF has finally announced the winners of its 2018 season.

At the highly anticipated PAFF Filmmaker Awards Brunch, which was held yesterday on festival grounds at the Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza, PAFF Executive Director, Ayuko Babu, presented various awards to competing filmmakers who have proven to be the greatest up-and-coming storytellers of our time. The experience was an exciting celebration of both accomplishment and next level success.

CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE FULL LIST:  PAFF 2018 Award Winners

Best Narrative Feature

Borders (Frontières) (Burkina Faso)

Directed by: Woye Apolline Traoré

Best Director-First Feature Narrative

Kalushi (South Africa)

Directed by: Mandlakayise Dube

Best Documentary Feature

Sammy Davis, Jr.: I’ve Gotta Be Me (US)

Directed by: Samuel D. Pollard

Best Narrative Short

Kyenvu (Yellow) (Uganda)

Directed by: Kemiyondo Coutinho

Best Documentary Short

Mama (US)

Directed by: Nicholas Brennan

Programmers’ Award-Narrative or Documentary Short

Lalo’s House (Haiti/US)

Directed by: Kelley Kali

Programmers’ Award-Documentary

Barrow-Freedom Fighter (Barbados)

Directed by: Marcia Weekes

Programmers’ Award-Narrative Feature

Love Jacked (South Africa)

Directed by: Alfons Adetuyi

 

PAFF Directors’ Award-Feature Documentary (TIE)

King of Stage: The Woodie King Jr. Story (US)

Directed by: Juney Smith

Maynard (US)

Directed by: Samuel D. Pollard

PAFF Directors’ Award- Feature Narrative

The Train of Salt and Sugar (Mozambique/South Africa)

Directed by: Licínio Azevedo

Audience Award- Documentary Short

’63 Boycott (US)

Directed by: Gordon Quinn

Audience Award- Documentary Feature

Sammy Davis, Jr.: I’ve Gotta Be Me (US)

Directed by: Samuel D. Pollard

Audience Award- Narrative Short

For Evan’s Sake (US)

Directed by: Kirstin Lorin

Audience Award- Narrative Feature

Muslimah’s Guide to Marriage (US)

Directed by: Aminah Bakeer Abdul-Jabbaar

PAFF FESTIVAL DATES CONFIRMED FOR 2019

The 27th Annual Pan African Film & Arts Festival will take place Thursday, February 7 through Monday, February 18 in Los Angeles, California. Stay tuned to the festival’s official website, www.PAFF.org, and social media channels for exciting updates, festival news and information!

By John Coleman, Community Photographer

SAN BERNARDINO, CA- It began early on Saturday, February 17, a situation in which many might expect college students to be anywhere other than back on campus and committed to an intense, high expectation workday that focused on improving their knowledge, skills and effectiveness at CITIZENSHIP!

On a beautiful sunny Sunday morning, Beautillion Knights spent time worshipping on February 18, at one of the former Sir Knight’s church, Dr. Regional Woods, Senior Pastor of Life Changing Ministries (LCM) and President of the Inland Empire Concerned African American Churches (IECAAC). 

Social Lites, Inc. has been in the Inland Empire for 61 years and have been sponsoring the Beautillion Program for 51 years. Weekly meetings for Beautillion participants are held on Sundays from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. at the Boys and Girls Club of San Bernardino.  The 51st Beautillion program will commence on Saturday, March 24 at the National Orange Show.

For more information, please telephone Mrs. Donna Little-James, Chairperson at (909) 528-9793 or Mrs.  Bridgette Shaw at (909) 648-6165 or Mrs. Twillea Evans-Carthen, Publicity Chairperson at tevanscarthen@yahoo.com.

By Aldon Thomas Stiles

The story of Black people in the U.S. has always been one of triumph in the face of impossible odds. It is the heritage of an entire people that rose from bondage and overcame one of the greatest atrocities in human history. June 19, 1865 marked the end of legal slavery for Black people in the U.S. and ushered in a new age of progress. But with the reality of residual intolerance and an economy built on free labor, those who escaped the chains of subjugation often found themselves bound by those very chains once again under a new name: Prison.

According to the Institute for Criminal Policy Research, the U.S. represents under 5 percent of the world’s population and over 21 percent of its prisoners. Mass incarceration in the U.S. has a long and arduous history that can be directly traced back to the end of slavery. In regard to the prison system in the U.S., Criminal Justice Attorney Vonya Quarles, who spoke during the Inland Empire Women’s March, said, “We have an addiction to cheap labor. We have an addiction to slavery.” Slavery existed as an economic system and when it went, our economic security almost went with it. Thus, began a trend of criminalizing and incarcerating Black people for small infractions in order to exploit them for cheap labor.

In the late 60s, the rhetoric surrounding criminality became far more hostile in nature. The heavily criticized “War On Drugs” painted drug addiction as a criminal issue and not a health issue. John Ehrlichman, former advisor to President Richard Nixon, said about the “War On Drugs” that “the Nixon campaign in 1968, and the Nixon White House after that, had two enemies: the anti-war left and Black people… We knew we couldn’t make it illegal to be either against the war or Blacks.”

According to the NAACP, African Americans “constituted 2.3 million, or 34 percent, of the total 6.8 million correctional population.” African Americans make up about 13 percent of the world’s population but comprise over one-third of the country’s prison population. Regarding San Bernardino, CA, Dr. Annika Anderson, Assistant Professor in the Department of Sociology at California State University, San Bernardino and Project Director of Project Rebound, wrote in an email, “In 2014, in San Bernardino, African Americans had the highest jail incarceration rate (958.3 per 100,000), followed by Whites (420 per 100,000) and Latinos (354.2 per 100,000) with significantly lower rates.” Anderson went on to discuss how community context also plays a role in the high recidivism rate for African Americans in California, which was at 66.1 percent as of 2013 according to the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.

There are, however, programs in the Inland Empire area that aim to help this special population. Project Rebound, for example, is a program on CSUSB’s campus that helps formerly incarcerated students attend classes and work towards a degree. “The CSU Chancellor’s office supported the development of Project Rebound programs at all CSU campuses, and CSUSB is one of several pilot efforts,” Anderson wrote in an email. “We have established relationships with several community colleges, three reentry centers, and provided outreach efforts to potential students who are currently incarcerated at several prisons (e.g. Chino Institute for Women, Chino Institute for Men, CRC Norco, and Chuckawalla prison).”

Another resource for the formerly and currently incarcerated is the grassroots human rights group known as All of Us Or None based in Southern California. Their goal is to fight for the rights of these people and “strengthen the voices of people most affected by mass incarceration and the growth of the prison-industrial complex.” During their monthly meeting, the group discussed policies such as Assembly Bill 1008, the California Fair Chance Act, which prevents employers from performing a background check into the criminal record of potential employees until the former has officially offered them a position. Members in attendance also discussed the Voting Restoration and Democracy Act of 2018, a bill that proposes to restore the voting rights of those in state prisons and on parole. Riverside County Supervisor Candidate Penny Newman attended this meeting as well. She remarked, “The whole criminal justice system is screwed up. In fact, our society is screwed up.” This idea seemed to echo Vonya Quarles’ opening statement during her speech at the Inland Empire Women’s March. As thousands of people cheered, Quarles said, “We don’t have a justice system, we have an injustice system.”

By Lue Dowdy

LUE Productions 2018 PLUS SIZE CALENDAR featuring DIVA OUTLAW is WHAT IT DO!

Stop the press because they are finally here. Much love to all that helped and participated in making this a fun and successful project. It doesn’t matter how big you are. What matters is your confidence, self-esteem and the way you carry yourself. I had an amazing time working with Diva Outlaw, Freddie Washington of F.W. Photography and all the beautiful plus size models listed below. We have calendars for sell as a fundraiser. Please contact LUE Productions immediately for yours by texting (909) 567-1000 or inbox us on Facebook. We appreciate any support. Remember to love the skin you’re in. L’z!

The cover Photo Models include Brittnay Shearz, Chondra Smith, Lola Lestrange and Essence Johnson. Participating models include Porscha Dillard (February), Ronnie Thomas (March), Tanisha White (April), Brittnay Shearz (May), Tasha Renee (June), Jasmine Hall (July), Chondra Smith(August), Essence Johnson (September), Lola Lestrange (October), Lue Dowdy (November) and Riisha Shelby (December).

By Naomi K. Bonman

As an Editor or any training professional for that matter, you feel like a proud parent when you see one of your former interns out there doing amazing things within their chosen career path. Noelle Lilley, a senior and Journalism major at Arizona State University, interned for the Westside Story Newspaper in the summer of 2014 during her senior year of high school.

So, what is Miss Noelle up to now? She is an investigative reporter for Cronkite News in Arizona. She also completed an internship in the summer of 2017 with 12 News. In addition to paving the path for her journalism career, Lilley is also a part of the National Association Black Journalist (NABJ) ASU Chapter. She was afforded the opportunity in attending the NABJ Convention and Career Fair last year in New Orleans.

Noelle is on the move and is not playing any games when it comes to propelling her career for after college. We are so proud of this one, but I knew she was destined for greatness from the beginning because her work ethic as an intern was exceptional.

To view the video interviews from the beginning of Noelle’s career to now, watch below:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WgjUBc_LAdU

By Naomi K. Bonman

Talk about Black excellence! This year’s Black History Month has been lit and will definitely go down in history thanks to the premiere of Marvel’s Black Panther. Black Panther brought in $426 million at the worldwide box office after a slow rollout overseas and a record-shattering domestic bow over the holiday weekend.

If you have not seen it yet, please go out and see it. Our people (African-Americans/Blacks) showed up and showed out and surely dressed for the occasion in African print attire. This was a pivotal moment in history with this film displaying positive messages and allowing our youth to finally see superheroes on the big screen that look like them.

Not only did the Black Panther have a majority Black cast, but it was written and directed by Ryan Coogler and it was the first film filmed at the new stages of Tyler Perry Studios in Atlanta, Georgia. Once again, Black Excellence was displayed all throughout this film.

“The first day that I walked on set a lot of the crew were people of color,” Michael B. Jordan explained when asked what it was like working on the set of the movie. “The set was beautiful and I felt very proud.”

 Danai Gurira added, “You felt the power of this nation.”

Speaking of beautiful sets, the cast and crew all favored the warrior falls scenes as there most memorable and favorite set design.

“The warrior falls scenes were festive,” Chad Boseman stated.

In addition to the well-designed sets and realistic effects and scenes, this film also dealt with modern day issues. These issues were brought to light in various scenes and atmospheres, from the more serious to the comedic scenes.

Black Panther is a movie where you can take the whole family to. It also showcased unity of all people, but especially among Blacks.

“We were all jamming while they were trying to figure out things,” Lupita Nyong’o explains while illustrating a moment on set when the whole cast were in sync with one another. “I looked around and I realized this is Pan Africa. We have Black people from all over the Globe. It was Zimbabwe, Kenya, Ghana, Tobago, South Carolina, Los Angeles, Canada, the U.K., Senegal. Nigeria…We were just everywhere and we all came together to make this film happen. This is a film that is stretching across the Globe and bringing us all together.”

By Lou Coleman-Yeboah

I want to encourage you to NEVER lose hope.  Why? Because, hope is the anchor of the soul.  Our ancestors held on to hope when facts, circumstances, and actions of others said otherwise. They had no evidence and no reason to believe things would get better, so they held desperately to hope. Hope, that was based on the fact that: God will continue being what He has always been – faithful.  Hope that was based on the fact that:  God will successfully complete whatever He has begun.  Hope, that was based on the fact that: God would keep all His Promises. Hope, that was based on the fact that: There would be justice and equity. Hope, that was based on the fact that: All things would work together for good to them that love God.   What then shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?

According to the Bible, “Hope,” is about a promise. Hope is a confident expectation regarding the unseen and future [Hebrews 11:1-2; Colossians 1:27]. That’s why Paul said in [Romans 5:3-5], we can rejoice in our sufferings because we are a people of Hope. Not only that, but that our suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us” [Romans 5:3–5]. So as you hold on through the storms, know that there is a proven-ness in regard to your character.

Never lose hope. Hold on, for this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison. Because the God of all grace, who has called us to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish usu. [I Peter 5:10]. And this is the hope we have as an anchor for our soul, firm and secure, says the Scripture.

“All the promises in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us” [2 Corinthians 1:20].Never lose hope. The Anchor of the Soul!