Happily Divorced And After

What it do with the LUE! Our city is what it Do. The Dark Clouds! Just as a thunderstorm brings forth clouds filled with precipitation which brings forth rain, hail, sleet, and snow, our city is covered with clouds bringing forth HATE, PAIN, VIOLENCE, and MURDER. In the words of legendary R&B singer and song writer Marvin Gaye, “What’s Going On and Mercy Mercy Me”?    “What’s going on in the Inland Empire, what’s going on in San Bernardino, what’s going on in the homes and the schools?”

Was Marvin Gaye a modern day prophet during his time or Nah? Our city has suffered the loss of several lives due to violence. There used to be a time when a good old fashioned one-on-one fist fight would do. Those days are long gone. We’re living in an era where the use of weapons and firearms seem to be the answer. We’re living in an era where it’s nothing to take a person’s life and not blink twice. So much blood is being splattered on the very streets our children walk up and down every day. The young are dying right before our very eyes.

Is this Biblical? Is this the handwriting on the wall? Our ancestors endured much so we can have more. When I say more, I mean more opportunities to a bright future. Please don’t tell me their struggle was in vain. What will it take for us to unite and fight for our future generation to come. I know I’m not alone when I say, “Peace Be still”. Just as Dr. Martin Luther King had a dream, so do I.

I dream that someday, and someday soon, we can see ourselves in each other. That we can walk hand in hand with our own. We need the leaders and when I say leaders, I’m not speaking to those sitting in a suit behind a desk. I’m referring to those street leaders. The ones that really have the influence on the streets, the ones our sons and daughters emulate. We need those individuals to come to the table and HELP HEAL THE LAND.

This Saturday a community forum is being held to understand what’s happening. This forum is a platform for the community to cry out. Please come out to S.O.S., State of San Bernardino. The event is hosted by “United Nations of Consciousness” and sponsored by several other community entities. Let your voice be known! This is ya’ girl LUE and our town is what it do!

REDLANDS, CA- On  Friday, April 10, Music Changing Lives will host their “Changing Lives Dinner Celebration,” a festive dinner that will help raise funds to benefit music and art enrichment programs for at-risk youth in our community. The event will take place at Mu Restaurant located at 309 W. State Street in Redlands at 6 p.m.

The event will be filled with delicious food, music, silent auctions, and entertainment. When members RSVP for the dinner, they will receive a personalized invitation with a puzzle piece.  The puzzle piece carries a symbolic meaning, as each piece signifies a person and their contribution to keep music and art alive and accessible to the children and youth in our community.  At the end of the night, all attendees will put their pieces together to form the Music Changing Lives puzzle. This will be a symbolic moment and represents how important each contribution truly is to the MCL program.

Individuals interested in attending the Changing Lives Dinner Celebration can purchase early bird tickets for only $40 per person by April 5th.  After that date, tickets will be sold at $60 per person. To RSVP or for general event information contact Vanessa Vizard at (951) 533-6180 or email Vanessa@vizardpr.com.

SAN BERNARDINO, CA- We are still in the first quarter of the year, and the chaos and violence in the City of San Bernardino have been in an uptime high. Instead of running away from the problem, we are seeing more people who are stepping out on Faith and getting the courage to make things right for their city, which includes the next generation. The United Nation of Consciousness will be hosting a day “Peace, Unity, and Progress” on Saturday, March 28 at 2 p.m. at the 777 Community Warehouse located at 777 South Allen Street in San Bernardino.

They need YOUR support. You say you want to see change in the city, so here’s a chance to BE the CHANGE that you want to see and be sure to bring a friend. If you would like to volunteer in making the event a success, please call (909) 575-8862 or email uconsciousness@gmail.com.

LOS ANGELES, CA- The California African American Museum (CAAM) presents FlashTag, a creative engagement project and exhibition designed to give visitors the opportunity to experience the creative process of “graffiti” artists, and to breakdown the misperceptions about street artists and the aerosol culture. FlashTag features four art crews who will “tag” a gallery at CAAM from March 26 through March 29, during museum hours for public viewing. Their completed artworks will be on view at CAAM from March 29 through August 2, 2015. On Saturday, March 28 from noon until 3 p.m., DJ A Ski will provide music while the artists work.

To avoid problems such as over-spray and poor air quality the artists were quick to adjust and made the decision to flaunt their artistic abilities with brushes.  A minimum of 15 artists will participate in this live and creative endeavor.

“This was not about curating a typical art exhibition, it was about collaborating, engaging others and providing unique experiences.  FlashTag gave me the opportunity to collaborate with some amazing, creative minds who will give the public a chance to experience this form of art from a different perspective,” says CAAM’s Visual Arts Curator Vida L. Brown.  “More importantly, I wanted to give the artists and the public the opportunity to share a visual and verbal dialogue, which I hope will help dispel the common misconceptions about graffiti art being gang related.”

Crew leader of Rockin’ the Nation, Cre8, who considers himself a street writer will fill CAAM’s walls with epic lettering.  Cre8 spends most of his days working on various projects and teaching young street artists how to take their art forms and make something positive such as a commissioned street art design or mural. Cre8’s work can be found on the walls of Venice Beach or in the McDonald’s “Spread Lovin’” commercial that aired during African American Heritage Month 2015.

Crew leader Rufus, has entitled his team’s project for CAAM, Broken Wings.  The mural will feature fallen rappers including 2Pac, from whom the title was inspired by.

Additionally, multi-disciplinary aerosol expressionist Sano will take part in the exhibition.  Sano is responsible for creating plutonium paint, described as an ultra supreme professional grade of aerosol spray paint. Prolific in Los Angeles, Sano worked on MOCA’s Art in the Streets exhibition in 2011, and was part of the 2014 SCRATCH exhibition curated by Getty at the El Segundo Museum of Art.

Exhibitions and events at CAAM are free and open to the public. Parking is $10 in the lot adjacent to CAAM, at 39^th and Figueroa Streets.  CAAM is located at 600 State Drive, Exposition Park, 90037. For more information on CAAM visit www.caamuseum.org. Related Hashtags –  #FlashTag #CAAMinLA #Aerosol #AeroSoul Follow CAAM on Instagram @CAAMinLosAngeles and on Twitter/Facebook @CAAMinLA.

Exhibitions in the CAAM Galleries

CAAM Courtyard Series: From Women’s Hands ongoing through May 3, 2015

Light Catchers opens March 20 – June 7, 2015

Lookin’ Back in Front of Me: Selected Works of Mark Steven Greenfield, 1974-2014 ongoing through July 5, 2015

The African American Journey West – Permanent Collection, ongoing

WASHINGTON- On Saturday, March 21, 2015, Reverend Willie T. Barrow will be laid to rest, but not without a great celebration of who she was, and certainly not without reflecting on the incredible legacy that she leaves behind.

Reverend Barrow, or “Little Warrior” as she is affectionately referred to for her small stature and great might, is most commonly known for her leadership as a civil rights icon through Operation PUSH, which later became the Rainbow PUSH Coalition. Her scope of influence, however, spanned the globe and her activism resonated through numerous social causes. “It’s not that we are divided, we’re just disconnected,” she would always say.

In my eyes, though, Reverend Barrow stood with the giants. I came to know her as a young man growing up on Chicago’s South Side during my years spent as a mentee to Rev. Jesse Jackson, Sr. She was a matriarch of the civil rights movement, and true to the old adage, “It takes a village to raise a child,” she invested in the potential that she saw in youth. When I was a student struggling at Morehouse College to finish and pay on time, she made sure corporations gave me scholarship money to cover my tuition. I am honored to be one of her children.

What can we learn from Reverend Barrow? We can see, feel, and love as she did, which was not of her own might.  She embraced the One from whom she drew strength from, and the motives of her heart flowed naturally from who she was internally. Just as Jesus never had to struggle to try to be the Son of God, Rev. Barrow’s deeds were an extension of who she was at her core – she simply was a daughter of God, and with confidence and grace, she lived out who she was ordained to be.

ABOUT LAMELL MCMORRIS:

Lamell McMorris is the founder and CEO of the Washington, DC-based group of companies bearing the Perennial name: Perennial Strategy Group and Perennial Sports and Entertainment. As a lifelong advocate for those less fortunate than himself, Mr. McMorris serves on the boards of numerous civil rights organizations and volunteers his time with several youth service and mentoring organizations. For his service, charisma, and dedication, Mr. McMorris is frequently honored by advocacy and nonprofit organizations and invited to speak at a wide range of conferences and events. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Religion and Society from Morehouse College and a Master of Divinity in Social Ethics and Public Policy from Princeton Theological Seminary. For more information, please visit: www.perennialsg.com/lamell.html.

Lou Coleman

By Lou  Coleman

Do not be deceived! The fact is you cannot have God and the world too! But Satan will tell you that you can. The Devil is a liar! You cannot have it both ways! {Matt. 6:24}. You will either embrace Jesus or you will embrace the world. Besides, if you are really living for Jesus then your commitment to Jesus will be offensive to the world. On the other hand, if you are committed to the world then your lifestyle is offensive to Jesus.  What am I saying?  If you are saved you need to get as far away from the world as you can! {Isa. 52:11}. I tell you if Israel had believed the Devil’s lies they would have never made it to the Promised Land. If you believe the Devil’s lies then you can forget victory, power and the glory of God in your life. Paul warns us: “Do not give the devil a foothold; don’t make it any easier for him!” This statement teaches us that we must give no ground to the devil. The smallest ground, the tiniest foothold, the briefest opportunity is to be zealously guarded against falling into his hand. We will struggle enough with the devil without willingly placing ourselves within his grasp. And make no mistake about – toeing the line of sin to see how close you can get gives ground to the devil and dramatically increases the chances that you will fall into sin. And if you have the feeling that “It can’t happen to me!” you are in danger of falling today! I tell you we are engaged in a fierce, life-defining battle with Satan. He is our “adversary and he has crafted elaborate “wiles” and “devices” to gain ground and win us to his side. Don’t give the devil even a foothold!

According to Jesus if we have ears it is important for us to hear what the Spirit of God is saying. Jesus told the Sardis to do five things to overcome. Slap yourself awake – “Be Watchful! Strengthen Yourself! Remember! Hold Fast! Repent!” {Revelation 3} Listen; if you are to survive you must get out today. Tomorrow may be too late. Wake up and do it now! Satan is determined to destroy your life. Jesus told Peter that Satan had made a request to have “all” the disciples to test the reality of their faith. Satan wanted to tear the heart of God by proving that there was no reality to the faith of the disciples. Satan believed that he could crush them, sift them and that nothing would be left but a lost heart. He had already done this with Judas, and he believed that he could do it to the rest. I tell you we battle a determined enemy. He wants nothing more than to cut the heart of God by sifting your life and mine. He wants to prove that we are phonies. He wants to show God and the world that there is nothing to our professions of faith. He wants to ruin your testimony. He wants to destroy your home. He wants to wreck your influence. He wants to take away everything of value in your life and leave you with nothing but a devastated shell of what you had {1 Pet. 5:8}.  I tell you, if he can get you to believe a false profession, he will. If he can get your eyes off Jesus, he will. If he can drive a wedge between you and the members of your family, he will. If he can drive a wedge between you and the members of your church, he will. He will do everything he can to cut the heart of God and ruin your life. He will use whatever tactic he deems necessary to get you to fall. Remember Satan came to steal, kill and destroy and he will never stop until you fall or you die! The sad thing about it though is that we are living in a day when radical sold out believers are hard to find.  I tell you if the devil gets his way in your life and you succumb to his attacks remember this: No one sins in a vacuum! Your sin doesn’t just affect you, it affects everyone around you! Adam’s fall touched us all – Rom 5:12! David’s sin with Bathsheba, 2 Sam 11 affected him, Bathsheba, their baby, Bathsheba’s husband, and the house of David for years to come!

My friend, God wants to lead you into a life that is Spirit-filled and blessed. The Devil wants to get you to trade the blessings of God for the rubbish of this world. He will offer you every compromise at his disposal to attempt to lead you astray. Don’t do it! Don’t let Satan sift you like Wheat! The Devil is a liar! The Bible tells a story of two brothers named Jacob and Esau. Esau was the oldest and as such, he was entitled to a double portion of his Father’s estate and he was entitled to take over as the head of the family when his father passed away. One day Esau had been out in the field and when he returned home, he was hungry. His brother Jacob was cooking soup. When Esau asked for a bowl of soup, Jacob said, “Let’s make a deal. You give me your birthright and I will give you a bowl of soup.” Only a fool would have made that deal, but Esau did just that and traded away that which was priceless for a bowl of soup. He despised his birthright and paid a terrible price. I’m afraid that many of us are guilty of doing the very same thing! We have heard the Devil say, “Let’s make a deal.” And, we have traded something precious for something worthless. We have left a big part of ourselves in the world. We have traded our testimony for empty promises and wasted years. Well that can be changed today. If you have made a deal with the Devil and if things are not what they ought to be in your heart and life, you need to get that straightened out today. If you will call on the name of Jesus, He will forgive you and cleanse you. He will restore your life. If you have listened to the lies of Satan and have never been to Jesus for salvation, call Him up and tell Him what you want. Do not fall for Satan’s’ tricks and traps. Call on the name of Jesus and He will let you trade in that which the Devil has given you for something more precious than gold. Now is the most opportune time. Keep what you have received and know that there must be a point of turning – a point where you grab the steering wheel and turn it around – a point where you throw the lever that reverses the engine. Repentance is that point. Make up your mind that you’ll go no further on your present course and throw the lever. Repentance is the act – the determination – to change. Wake up! Strengthen what remains! Repent while there is still time to overcome. If you do not, Jesus says, “If therefore you will not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come upon you.” I tell you Satan has desired to sift you like Wheat…. Do not let him do it! It’s Just another Trick of the Devil!

What it Do Inland Empire? This week, young talented R&B/Pop male singers is what it do with LUE Productions. As some of you know LUE Production’s manages 8 talented acts based out of the Inland Empire. Our goal is to provide platforms for artists of all nationalities.

At this time, we’re looking to add to our entertainment family. We are currently putting together an all-male group as well as a dance team for events, competition, and more.

Our company is currently recruiting for the following:

• (1). Eight dancers (4 males, 4 females) who must be well rounded in multiple dance styles and over the age of 18; and
• (2) We are also looking for four male R&B/Pop singers between the ages of 17 and 19.

Only serious inquiries please! We will be holding auditions soon. Please send in a video with you performing no longer than 3 minutes to Lue.info@yahoo.com.  A LUE Productions REP will contact you with more information on audition date and time. Make sure to include contact number as well. Help us get the word out please.

Till next week, L’s up and always KEEP IT MOVIN! Follow LUE Productions on twitter, Instagram, and like us on Facebook.

By McKenzie Jackson/California Black Media

Over 500 educators, parents, and stakeholders attended the annual California Association of African-American Superintendents and Administrators (CAAASA) last week in San Diego. The conference aims to convene education experts and stakeholders to help better understand best strategies for African American and other underserved students.

African-American, Hispanic, and low-income or low-language students are assets that must be invested in, said Dr. Kent Paredes Scribner, a commissioner with the White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for Hispanics.

“They are not problems to be solved,” he said. “It is good for the California economy to invest in this beautiful human resource of young people. They grow up to be adults so we ought to invest in them today.”

Scribner opened the first session and told an audience of over 200 educators and education advocates that U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan believes the achievement gap between minority and non-minority students is the greatest civil rights issue of today.

“If we are going to have an economy that is vibrant and effective we must invest in the resources we have,” said Scribner, who is also a superintendent with the Phoenix Union School District in Arizona.

Scribner was one of four speakers to take the stage in San Diego as a part of the summit’s opening discussion, which centered on “Accelerating Academic Growth for African American and Other Students of Color.”

The other speakers were Dr. Randy Ward, a superintendent with the San Diego County Office of Education, Dr. Rita Kholi, an assistant professor at the University of California-Riverside, and Corey Jackson, the mentoring chair of the 100 Black Men Inland Empire.

The four are among the over 50 speakers and specialists that presented during the three-day conference, which is geared towards furthering CAAASA’s goal of identifying and addressing critical issues in education through public policy relative to the status and performance of African-American students in the classroom.

In attendance at the event were school superintendents, administrators, teachers, parents, and business partners from across the Golden State.

During the summit attendees took part in workshops, discussion groups, and talks that focus on issues attached to educating black and other minority youths in California including President Barack Obama’s “My Brother’s Keeper” program, community and family health, school truancy, college readiness, and parent engagement.

In her opening remarks, CAAASA President Dr. Judy White said the 500-member CAAASA is declaring the mantra “Persevere until its here.”

“What? Equity. Where? Every educational institution? When? Now,” she said. “Persevering is not a long race. It is many short races, one after another. This summit is one of those short races.”

Dr. Randy Ward, a superintendent with the San Diego County Office of Education, said far too many African-American students are not achieving academic success like white or Asian students.

“We talk about the achievement gap, but what about the opportunity gap,” he said? “Many kids don’t have the opportunities others do.”

Ward said African-American students need access to the same tools as other students to excel such books with a rich vocabulary, high-quality teachers, technology for educational means, and high expectations from their family and teachers.

“The same thing you expect from one child, you expect from another,” he said. “Our children do not need pity, they need an education.”

During a question and answer session with the panelists, Jackson said African-American students will show respect when given respect.

“When they believe you care about them, when they know you are willing to sacrifice for them,” he said. “Then, they are going to accept your high expectations.”

Ward concluded that students need to have a plan to reach those expectations.

“You have to show them what the filters are to get to that plan,” he said. “Its individual responsibility for students to pick the path, but they have to be shown the path first. That is our responsibility as adults.”

Dwight Bonds, CAAASA’s executive director, said he hopes the summit’s attendees can take what they learn during at the event back to their schools and students.

“We are going to be that much more prepared to work and serve students of color.”

SAN BERNARDINO, CA- UNC members were guests on the March 15 broadcast of the “Empire Talks Back” radio program. ETB is broadcast on KCAA 1050-AM Radio every Sunday morning at ten. From left to right you have Natasha Hemming of UNC,La, Nae Norwood of UNC, Anthony Garcia ETB’s “Mood Master”, Wallace J. Allen, ETB Host, Daryl Pegram of UNC and Chelsea Davis, candidate for Miss California. If you missed the show you can listen to it at podcasts.kcaastreaming.com/empire.

By John Coleman

RIVERSIDE, CA- The Barn at the University of California Riverside was overflowing on Friday, March 13,  not with cows or corn, but with the crowd of proud parents, teachers and other supporters at the reception for the inaugural class, USA Riverside, the University Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Academy (STEM Academy) at UCR.

USA at UCR describes itself  as a campus-community collaborative that provides 6th to 9th grade scholars  a high quality, academically robust learning environment with the mission to increase STEM Academy graduates’ academic skills and performance in STEM curricula, and to maximize the numbers and percentage of Academy graduates who proceed on to college and higher education levels.

The UCR campus, obviously, is highly involved in this educational ‘enterprise’.   Beginning ‘a bit later’, (Spring 2014), the list of  ‘community collaborators’  is growing, and include:   California Black Faculty and Staff Association; The Council for the Advancement of Black Engineers; The Los Angeles Council of Black Professional Engineers; The J W Vines Medical Society, (Inland Empire); J W Vines Medical Foundation; Theta Pi Sigma Alumnae Chapter, Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc; Riverside NAACP; The Group; Riverside Alumni Chapter, Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc; the Universitystemacademy.org parentsassn; and the host of friends, supporters, and others who teach, supervise, raise funds, and provide the range of administrative, organizational maintenance, and other services that keep things working.

Attendees

In her opening remarks and welcome, Carolyn B Murray, PhD, UCR Professor in Psychology and Director, University STEM Academy stated that for years she had been pressing for the restoration of the Saturday Academy Program or the initiation of a new STEM Program at UCR. Many different administrations gave several reasons why it couldn’t be done, but when the concept, issues and needs were presented to Chancellor Kim A. Wilcox his response was positive, enthusiastic, activist…which led to the fact that UCR would be more than just a place where Academy classes and programs could ‘meet’, but the renowned academic institution in the collaboration to enhance to prospects for academic success of Academy participants.