Happily Divorced And After

SAN BERNARDINO, CA— Omnitrans and the city of Fontana will host an Art @ Transit event on Saturday, April 27, combining a community clean-up day at a popular transit center while recognizing local artists who have been beautifying our community by painting agency bus benches.

“Art @ Transit is a great opportunity to enhance our community by sprucing up one of our busiest Transit Centers and celebrating the artists who have done amazing work to beautify our bus benches,” said agency CEO/General Manager Erin Rogers.

The project represents the culmination of the agency’s popular Beautiful Benches Project, a grant-funded effort (Creative Corps Inland Socal, California Arts Council) in which local artists are selected to paint bus benches utilizing local cultural and historical themes. To date, 32 benches have been painted throughout the 15 cities Omnitrans serves.

All are invited to join the agency at the Fontana Transit Center at 11:00 a.m. on the 27th to participate in a community clean-up effort, followed by a bench artwork display, artist meet & greet, live musical performances, refreshments, and connection with local art organizations from 1:00 – 3:00 p.m. For further information, visit Omnitrans.org/art-transit-2024.

It’s National Volunteer Month and not only is the San Bernardino County Museum (SBCM) celebrating and recognizing the contributions of its current volunteers, but the museum is also looking to expand its dedicated volunteer team!

Are you interested in history, art, science, or culture? Do you want to give back to your community? SBCM is currently seeking new volunteers to assist with visitor services, special events, educational tours and conducting research in the archives.

This support is essential to the museum’s ongoing operation. But it’s more than that – the knowledge and expertise of our volunteers enriches and deepens the impact of the museum’s programs, educational field trips and school tours, and events. Volunteers help create memorable experiences for our community and inspire the next generation of San Bernardino County history.

A volunteer can be anyone 15 years of age or older that can commit to a minimum of six hours per month.  Many volunteers are high school, college, and graduate students, retirees, or curious individuals looking to learn and serve their community.

Volunteer opportunities are available at both the San Bernardino County Museum in Redlands and the Victor Valley Museum in Apple Valley in the following areas:

• Educational Tours
• Visitor Services
• Special Events
• Collections
• Research Library
• Marketing

If you are interested in becoming a volunteer or intern at the San Bernardino County Museum in Redlands or the Victor Valley Museum in Apple Valley, you can attend our Volunteer Open House on Tuesday, April 21 at 3:30 p.m. in Redlands. For more information about volunteering, please visit our website at museum.sbcounty.gov/volunteer.

The San Bernardino County Museum is located at 2024 Orange Tree Lane, at the California Street exit from Interstate 10 in Redlands. The museum is open Tuesdays through Sundays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. General admission is $10 (adult), $8 (military or senior), $7 (student), and $5 (child ages 6 to 12). Children five and under and Museum Foundation members are admitted free. Parking is free and the museum is accessible to people with disabilities.

The San Bernardino County Museum’s exhibits of regional, cultural and natural history and the museum’s other exciting events and programs reflect the effort by the Board of Supervisors to achieve the Countywide Vision by celebrating arts, culture and education in the county, creating quality of life for residents and visitors.

By Antonio? ?Ray? ?Harvey? ?|? ?California? ?Black? ?Media?

Although California will have to make significant budget cuts to balance its budget as required by state law, Assemblymember and California Legislative Black Caucus (CLBC) member Isaac Bryan (D-Ladera Heights) said there are still ways to achieve reparations for Black Californians.

Currently, the budget deficit for the 2024-25 fiscal year has been projected to be as high as $73 billion.

Bryan said it will be “absolutely difficult,” but the state is still investing in other priority programs, various essential industries, oil companies, and prisons. The 32-year-old lawmaker made these observations at the California Budget and Policy Center (Budget Center) annual Policy Insights conference held April 16 at the SAFE Credit Union Convention Center in Sacramento.

“(California) has the 4th or 5th largest economy in the world. There will be $300 billion coming out of California State government,” Bryan said. “So, you can’t tell me that we don’t have the resources to foundationally begin reparations conversations or to start to make amends to start to do the repair work when we can invest in these institutions.”

The Budget Center is a nonpartisan, research and analysis nonprofit dedicated to advancing meaningful public policies that enhance the lives of Californians. It is also committed to exposing inequities in the state, budget priorities, and public policies that affect low and middle-income households, women, immigrants, American Indians, Asians, Black, Latinx, and Pacific Islander Californians.

The Budget Center’s Policy Insights 2024 conference brought together diverse stakeholders, including community advocates, government officials, nonprofits, and members of the media. The conference featured 11 workshops and plenary sessions covering topics in tax and budget policy, poverty, racial equity, housing and homelessness, child development, and more.

During the conference’s luncheon plenary session, titled “Policy Pathways to Reparations,” discussions were centered around the topic of reparations.

The session explored courses of action for securing reparations, guided by a 2023 task force report that examined the damages endured by African Americans as a result of slavery, Jim Crow laws, and legal and illegal discriminatory practices that were a part of the country’s culture for centuries.

Bryan was joined by Felicia Jones, the Director of Programs and Operations for Social Good Solutions and The Black Equity Collective; James Woodson, from the California Black Power Network and African Americans and the Alliance for Reparations, Reconciliation, and Truth (ARRT); and Don Tamaki, a former member of the California Reparations Task Force and Senior Counsel, Minami Tamaki LLP.  The moderator was John Kim, a member of the Budget Center Board of Directors and President and CEO of Catalyst California.

Woodson acknowledged that it would take more than members of the CLBC to pave the way toward reparations in the state. He said it would take a collective effort from people of all backgrounds to get the public and other lawmakers on board.

Both Woodson and Tamaki are members of AART. The organization’s mission is to raise public awareness about reparations and to build a base of multi-racial and multi-sector supporters in the state.

CLBC members Assemblymember Reggie Jones-Sawyer (D-Los Angeles) and Sen. Steven Bradford (D-Inglewood) are also associated with ARRT. Both lawmakers were members of the California Reparations Task Force.

“There are hearts and minds we’ve got to change outside the Legislature,” Woodson said. “From a moral standpoint but also a practical standpoint that it just can’t be about Black communities and Black people. We have to have other communities standing with us.”

Several reparation bills presented by the CLBC as a whole or by separate members are working their way through the State Legislature.

Assemblymember Lori D. Wilson (D-Suisun City), Chair of the CLBC, stated in January, “While many only associate direct cash payments with reparations, the true meaning of the word, to repair, involves much more.”

Before discussions about financial payouts can take place, considering budget concerns, Wilson said that “a comprehensive approach to dismantling the legacy of slavery and systemic racism” is necessary.

Gov. Gavin Newsom presented a $291 billion spending plan to the California Legislature on Jan. 10. None of CLBC’s package of bills is tied to direct cash payments but Bryan did ask supporters at the conference to keep the conversation going about reparations.

“Don’t let the legislature or the governor off the hook,” Bryan said.

Tamaki, who is Japanese American, was the only non-Black member of the nine-person reparations task force. He told the Policy Insights attendees that “moving the needle” in the direction of public opinion, raising awareness, and passing the CLBC bills are the next steps in the push for reparations.

“Out of 115 (reparations) proposals for repair, only a few of them deal with individual compensation. The rest have to do with policies,” said Tamaki.  “For example, Black infant mortality over 10 years in San Francisco is literally five times the rate for White babies. So, these are the systematic outcomes we are familiar with that need to be addressed.”

SAN BERNARDINO, CA – San Bernardino County First District Supervisor Paul Cook today applauded the San Bernardino County Transportation Authority (SBCTA) General Policy Committee’s approval of a $762,899 contract with WSP USA, Inc. for the State Route 247/62 Emergency Bypass Study. The Committee voted on the measure on April 10.

“For years, I’ve been raising concerns about the lack of a viable emergency plan for the Cajon Pass,” said Supervisor Cook. “Whether it’s a major earthquake, wildfire, or another disaster, a shutdown of I-15 could isolate our First District communities. I’ve been a strong advocate for a backup plan, and this study is a critical step forward.”

The approval comes after former Assemblymember Thurston “Smitty” Smith secured $1 million in the 2022 state budget for a Cajon Pass I-15 Bypass Study. The focus of this project is to assess the feasibility of utilizing State Routes 247 and 62 as an alternative route during emergencies that force the closure of the Cajon Pass.

“The State Route 247/62 Emergency Bypass Study will explore how to best utilize these existing roadways as a more viable alternative to I-15 during emergencies,” Supervisor Cook continued. “The project’s goal is to minimize the negative impacts of an extended I-15 closure. This includes examining operational strategies to maintain traffic flow for essential services like freight transport, personal travel, and emergency response teams.”

The study will also factor in existing traffic management plans developed by law enforcement, transportation agencies, and emergency service providers for situations involving I-15 closures and major incidents.

The contract, upon approval by the full SBCTA Board in May, will officially greenlight the project.

By Antonio Ray Harvey, Maxim Elramsisy, Lila Brown and Joe W. Bowers Jr.| California Black Media

The 2024 State of Black California Conference, held at UCLA on April 13, brought together about 200 policymakers, advocates, and community members to discuss the challenges and opportunities facing Black Californians.

A key focus of the conference convened by The Black Policy Project, an initiative of the UCLA Ralph J. Bunche Center for African American Studies, along with the California Legislative Black Caucus (CLBC) was the launch of the 2024 State of Black California report – Assessing 20 Years of Black Progress in the Golden State written by the Center for the CLBC.

The attendees were welcomed by UCLA Chancellor Dr. Gene D. Block, Dr. Lorrie Frasure, Director, UCLA Ralph J. Bunche Center for African American Studies, and CLBC Chair Assemblymember Lori Wilson (D-Suisun City).

The report, presented by Dr. Michael Stoll, Professor & Faculty Director of the Black Policy Project, paints a complex picture: While Black Californians have seen modest socioeconomic gains over the past two decades, a significant racial gap compared to White residents persists. The 2024 report builds on the original State of Black California report published in 2007.

Report Details Mixed Progress

The report utilizes an “Equality Index” to show a 21.7% improvement in Black Californians’ outcomes. However, this progress is overshadowed by the fact that Black Californians still have the lowest index score among all racial groups, lagging 30% behind White Californians.

There were some bright spots. Education showed the most significant improvement, likely due to policies that expanded access to universities. Criminal justice reforms also had a positive impact.

Challenges Remain, Particularly Housing

A concerning trend highlighted in the report is the shrinking Black population in California, down from 2.2 million to 2.1 million. High housing costs are pushing Black residents out of urban centers, with only the Inland Empire and Sacramento showing growth. Homeownership among Black Californians has also declined, while rents have risen significantly.

Conference Tackles Pressing Issues

The conference addressed these challenges through a series of panel discussions. Participants in the panels included members of the CLBC, local and state officials, community leaders, and academics. Topics included:

• Community solutions to Los Angeles’ challenges, featuring local leaders.
• A conversation with Los Angeles City Mayor Karen Bass on her efforts to promote equity.
• The intersection of artificial intelligence and its impact on Black Californians.
• Legislative solutions with members of the California Legislative Black Caucus (CLBC).
• California’s leadership in reparations and its potential for national reconciliation. Secretary of State, Shirley Weber, author of California Assembly Bill 3121 that established the Task Force to Study and Develop Reparation Proposals for African Americans was a participant.

The conference also provided opportunities for attendees to engage in meaningful dialogue and brainstorm solutions through breakout sessions on topics like civic engagement, criminal justice, and education.

More about the conference can be found at the event website – (https://sobc2024.com/#homepage)

A new model for urban greening could be the cure.

By Alfredo Gonzalez and Jon Christensen | Ethnic Media Services

Parks and tree canopy are literally a matter of life and death in Los Angeles. This is especially true in the middle of an extreme summer heat wave. A recent UCLA study quantified the benefit.

Researchers found that if the areas of Los Angeles County that currently have below average tree canopy cover and park acreage were just brought up to the average, Angelenos alive today would enjoy close to 1 million years of additional life expectancy. And that’s controlling for all other factors, such as household income and access to healthcare.

Think about that for a minute. The benefit is especially poignant for young children growing up in L.A.’s low-income, park-poor, communities of color. A child born in Southeast Los Angeles is likely to die 10 years before a child born on the Westside. Not all of that is due to the lack of park space and tree canopy. But we can do something about parks and trees.

Los Angeles is making important strides to rectify the great disparities in green space, just not fast enough. There are two stumbling blocks. They are related. And both can be solved.

The first is funding. The second is the capacity of municipal governments to absorb funding and implement projects.

In the city of Los Angeles, Mayor Karen Bass increased the Department of Recreation and Parks budget from $318 million this fiscal year to $337 million next year. That’s a modest 6% increase and not nearly enough to make a dent in the city’s needs.

Los Angeles has a $2.1 billion deferred maintenance backlog in parks and recreation facilities. Many facilities have become unusable. When you factor in the cost of labor expenses and ongoing maintenance costs, it would take 60 years for the Department of Recreation and Parks to catch up on past-due work, much less think about anything new. And the city is about to lose about $4 million a year from park funds provided by our current park bond, Proposition K, which expires in 2026.

Adding insult to injury, last year voters roundly rejected Proposition SP, a hastily conceived ballot measure designed to replace Prop K and generate $227 million a year from a parcel tax for parks.

In Los Angeles County, the Regional Parks and Open Space District is getting nearly $90 million a year out the door from Measure A, a parcel tax approved by voters in 2016. It has allocated millions of dollars to support high-need communities in preparing proposals for park projects. But many smaller, understaffed cities don’t have the capacity to take advantage of the funding.  As a result, millions of dollars are being left on the table.

At the state level, the legislature significantly reduced funding for an exemplary, successful program that funds neighborhood parks in high-need communities out of this year’s budget. If that program were funded at the same level that it has been funded over the past 10 years for another decade, it could cut in half the number of Californians who don’t have a neighborhood park within walking distance of their homes.

The legislature will likely include some funding in a climate and natural resources bond measure that is expected to be put on a statewide ballot next year. That’s good. But the local parks program should not have to stop and start erratically as it has in the past, waiting for new slugs of funding.

At the federal level, an infusion of billions of dollars in infrastructure funding for urban greening is going out so fast, many disadvantaged communities simply can’t gear up fast enough to even track the potential for projects, let alone submit proposals in time.

The problem is that many of the 88 cities in Los Angeles County don’t have the staff to pursue local, state, and federal funding that exists for parks and other urban greening projects. Even some of the bigger cities, like Los Angeles and Long Beach, urgently need help to plan projects and pursue funding.

But there is a way forward.

Los Angeles is pioneering a new model for creating green spaces in low-income neighborhoods that don’t have parks, good tree canopy, or adequate government capacity to build new parks. We call it the Link model because it involves linking a community-based organization rooted in the neighborhood, an experienced nonprofit park-building organization, residents, and local government.

Supported by a philanthropic partnership, we’ve been testing and studying this model with partners in six disadvantaged communities in Los Angeles County: Cudahy, El Monte, Long Beach, Maywood, Panorama City, and South L.A.

It works. A trusted, local community-based organization can do the robust community engagement necessary to identify needs and priorities. An experienced nonprofit can provide the technical assistance to design projects, write grant proposals, and manage construction contracts. Working with willing municipal agencies they can get the job done.

Partners in these communities are successfully drawing on local, state, and federal funds to build new parks and renovate badly deteriorated existing parks.

When we first started working on Link, we thought that municipal agencies might gain the experience and capacity to do this work on their own in the future. But as one administrator in a small city told us, “This is the model.” The city will continue to need the essential services of the Link partners. It literally takes a village.

We’re excited to see this success. But six communities are not enough. We need help from every level of government to fund and scale this approach to more high-need communities sooner rather than later. This is about more than equity, as important as that is. This is about life-and-death for many Los Angeles communities.

Alfredo Gonzalez is Southern California Director of the Resources Legacy Fund. Jon Christensen, a researcher in the Luskin Center for Innovation at UCLA, recently completed a study of the Link initiative. (Feature image via Wikimedia Commons)

By Lou K. Coleman | WSS News Contributor

Ain’t nobody preparing for Christ Return. That’s a darn shame!  Jesus Christ is coming back and according to [1 Corinthians 7:29] the appointed time has grown very short. That stands as both a warning and a promise. Why are you not preparing for Christ return? Christ’s return is imminent, and his timeline makes it urgent. And given the urgency of the time, how then shall we live? I tell you, everybody prepared for the Solar Eclipse, but ain’t nobody preparing for Christ Return. That’s a darn shame!

Jesus calls us to watch for his return. Why? “For we know neither the day nor the hour” [Matthew 25:13]. I admonish you to beware of the warning “As A Thief in the Night” [1 Thessalonians 5:2] because unlike man who gives us a date when they have things planned… the Lord’s return will be surprising to us [2 Peter 3:7-12] so prepare now! Make your election sure because if you are caught unprepared when Christ returns, you are going to live with regret for the rest of your life and you will have no one but yourself to blame, because God’s Word has already given you such ample warning that His coming will take place unexpectedly. Please do not let that warning go unheeded. Act upon it now!

For the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything done in it will be laid bare. [Matthews 24:35; 2 Pet. 3:10; Rev. 20:11].

Please be ready for His return! For the great day of the Lord is near, it is near, and hasteth greatly, [Zephaniah 1:14].

By Antonio Ray Harvey, Maxim Elramsisy, Lila Brown and Joe W. Bowers Jr.| California Black Media

On April 9, the California Senate Judiciary Committee voted 8-1 to advance Sen. Steven Bradford’s reparation legislation, Senate Bill (SB) 1403, or the “California American Freedman Affairs Agency” bill.

The bill, formerly entitled SB 490, moves on to the Committee on Governmental Organization.  SB 1403 would create a new state agency responsible for the administration and oversight of reparations as determined by the Legislature and Governor.

Creation of the agency is one of more than 115  recommendations the nine-member California reparations task force included in its final report. The bill would require the agency to determine how an individual’s status as a descendant of an enslaved person in the United States would be confirmed.

The SB 1403 would require proof of an “individual’s descendant status” to be a qualifying criterion for benefits authorized by the state for descendants, as stated in the bill’s language. To reach these goals, SB 1403 would mandate the agency to be comprised of a Genealogy Office and an Office of Legal Affairs.

In 2020, California established the first-in-the-nation task force to study reparations for African Americans.

Los Angeles-based attorney Kamilah Moore, the chairperson of the task force during its two-year study, was at the State Capitol to address the members of the Judiciary Committee as an expert witness. The attorney and scholar said the bill aims to serve individuals based on lineage rather than race.

“Today, I advocate with a sense of urgency and purpose for the passage of SB 1403, a groundbreaking bill poised to establish the California American Freedmen’s Agency,” Moore told the panel. “This agency symbolizes a crucial stride towards reparative justice, particularly for those whose lineages trace back to enslaved ancestors.”

By Antonio Ray Harvey, Maxim Elramsisy, Lila Brown and Joe W. Bowers Jr.| California Black Media

A member of a White supremacist group wrote a racist letter addressed to members of the California Legislature and Attorney General Rob Bonta claiming deaths of Black mothers and children during childbirth are God’s will.

Earlier this month, the Assembly Committee on Health voted 12 to 2 to advance Assembly Bill (AB) 2319, the California Dignity in Pregnancy and Childbirth Act, legislation crafted to address the high infant mortality among Black women.

Opposing that decision last week, a person claiming to be a member of two racist, White Supremacist organizations sent a letter to the office of Assemblymember Lori D. Wilson (D-Suisun City).

Wilson, Chair of the California Legislative Black Caucus (CLBC), is the author of AB 2319.

“I submit this letter in strong and vehement opposition of AB 2319,” the letter obtained by California Black Media stated. “We believe that every non-White birth in this state is a drain on the taxpayers and that any miscarriage or complication that results in death or defect of the mother, or the child, is God’s way of ensuring population control among Blacks and other minorities.”

Wilson said she and her staff were shocked by the raw hatred expressed in the letter.

“The recent racist opposition to our efforts to secure equitable health care for every Californian is not only offensive but deeply concerning,” stated Wilson.

“As the Chair of the California Legislative Black Caucus, I unequivocally condemn these views, which are steeped in hate and ignorance. The language used in this letter is not only disgraceful but dangerous and has no place in our society or legislative discourse. I want to make it unequivocally clear: there is no place for hate in California.”

Wilson said she and other colleagues opposed to bigotry — including Republican members, who have also condemned the letter — “are committed to moving forward together, ensuring that our legislative efforts embody our unwavering commitment to justice, equality, and the safeguarding of human rights for everyone.”

SAN BERNARDINO, CA— On April 12, a significant collaboration between the San Bernardino Community College District (SBCCD), California State University, San Bernardino (CSUSB), and the County of San Bernardino was formalized to combat student hunger. This collaboration is designed to expedite the qualification process for CalFresh, a critical federal aid program that provides monthly assistance for low-income individuals to purchase nutritious food.

The agreement will allow San Bernardino Valley College, Crafton Hills College, and CSUSB to share specific financial information from student’s FAFSA applications with the San Bernardino County Transitional Assistance Department which manage CalFresh, with the consent of the students.

The urgency of this initiative is highlighted by findings from the California Student Aid Commission, which estimates that nearly 181,000 college students in Riverside and San Bernardino counties are at risk of facing hunger without CalFresh support. San Bernardino County Supervisor Joe Baca, Jr. reflected on his connection to the cause, stating, “As someone who has studied at both Valley College and CSUSB, I know the impact of food insecurity first-hand. With today’s economic pressures and high costs, addressing student hunger is more crucial than ever. This partnership is about removing barriers to education by ensuring no student goes hungry.”

SBCCD Chancellor Diana Z. Rodriguez emphasized the broader impact, noting, “Investing in student nutrition is investing in our local economy. Ensuring that students have consistent access to food not only boosts their academic performance but also prepares a stronger, more capable workforce for the future.”

CSUSB President Tomás D. Morales highlighted the critical link between nutrition and learning, saying, “Hungry students cannot effectively pursue their educational goals. CSUSB is proud to participate in the CalFresh Program as it directly supports our students’ well-being and academic success. This data-sharing initiative will help us reach more eligible students and maintain our support throughout their educational journey.”

The MOU is officially effective and will expire on Dec. 18, 2028. CalFresh’s website describes the program as “for people with low income who meet federal income eligibility rules and want to add to their budget to put healthy and nutritious food on the table.”