The Executive Committee, Westside Action Group met recently to consider the list of candidates for various elected offices across California.

Following is the slate which was adopted at their last meeting.

US SENATE (Partial Term)
Alex Padilla

US SENATE (Full Term)
Alex Padilla

US REPRESENTATIVE – DISTRICT 33
Pete Aguilar

US REPRESENTATIVE – DISTRICT 35

CALIFORNIA STATE SUPERINTENDENT OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION
Tony Thurmond

STATE ASSEMBLY DISTRICT 45
James Ramos

SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS
Ted Alejandre

SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY SUPERVISOR – DISTRICT 2
DeJonae Shaw

SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY SUPERVISOR – DISTRICT 4
Connie Leyva

SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY ASSESSOR/RECORDER
Bob Dutton

SB COUNTY AUDITOR-CONTROLLER/GTREASURER/TAX COLLECTOR
Ensen Mason

SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY
Jason Anderson

SAN BERNARDINO SHERIFF-CORONER-PUBLIC ADMINISTRATOR
Clifton Harris

MAYOR CITY OF SAN BERNARDINO
Helen Tran

COUNCILMEMBER, CITY OF SAN BERNARDINO – WARD 1
Theodore Sanchez

COUNCILMEMBER, CITY OF SAN BERNARDINO – WARD 2
Sandra Ibarra

COUNCILMEMBER, CITY OF SAN BERNARDINO – WARD 4
Fred Shorett

The Westside Action Group, a community organization that has been serving the Inland Empire community for 50 years regarding political and social justice issues concerning the African American community. WAG meets every Monday at noon in an open forum where citizens bring up issues that are important to them.

By Eric Patterson

The Tuskegee Experiment is often cited by some African Americans, as a reason to be hesitant about the COVID-19 vaccine. But the record needs to be set straight.

My grandfather’s name was Doll Brown – an unusual handle for sure, but that wasn’t his given birth name. Granddaddy was born in 1904 to a family with four girls. Everybody said he was so pretty “he looked like a doll the girls could play with.” So that’s what folks started calling him, Doll. The name and his good looks stuck with him well into adulthood. That’s when he made “Doll Brown” his legal government name, the name on his driver’s license as well as his death certificate.

By the 1930s, when Granddaddy was in his prime, approximately one out of every 10 Americans was suffering from syphilis, according to an article by John H. Stokes. The illness was called “The 3rd Great Plague” due to its significant effect on the worldwide population. That ratio was even higher in the rural south, where Granddaddy was reared. Then, in 1932, the U.S. Public Health Service, Syphilis Study was initiated in Tuskegee, Alabama (misleadingly remembered as “The Tuskegee Experiment”). The government came to town to study (experiment on) Negroes who had contracted this fast-spreading disease. Good looking, ladies’ man, Doll Brown, was one of them. The men were promised prime treatment and healthcare to further study and help eradicate this plague they called “Bad Blood.” The study included men with and without syphilis. None were treated. All were given placebos.

Doll Brown, 1904 -1976

Elsewhere in the world, Stokes’ article states that “the effective use of penicillin was discovered and in 1943 the first patient was treated.” Within 12 months, over 10,000 early syphilis patients had been treated. The widespread use of penicillin was a major force behind historic decreases in reported syphilis cases. There was a 95 percent reduction in new UK syphilis cases between 1946 and 1955. Physicians ascribed this decrease to the direct effect of penicillin’s curative powers. Swift proactive implementation of this new medical treatment made all the difference. Meanwhile, Negroes involved in the government study in Tuskegee would go untreated for another thirty years. Additionally, their names were placed on a national “Do not treat” list, and they were denied military service and job opportunities. Families were devastated. Granddaddy ultimately died from gangrene.Granddaddy’s story is why I got involved in California’s “Vaccinate All 58” initiative. I recognize the global importance of setting the record straight concerning the so-called, “Tuskegee Experiment.” When African Americans today cite that study as justification for not receiving the potentially lifesaving COVID-19 vaccine, I’m baffled and perturbed. The quote “my people perish for lack of knowledge” still rings true today. My family, friends and their families have lived with the specter of that shocking study for over 90 years. We only wish that granddaddy and other victims would have, could have “taken the shot.” Unfortunately, they were denied that opportunity. Not making treatment available to those Negro men was the core of the government’s racist conspiracy. These men weren’t injected with anything.

And here we are today, the ill-fated “Tuskegee Experiment” still victimizing African Americans, ironically, for an entirely different reason. This time, we are our own worst enemies.

Amid the COVID-19 pandemic that has disproportionally impacted Black lives, loud speaking, ill-informed individuals have emerged, claiming that the government is attempting to perpetrate another “Tuskegee Experiment” on our community. The scariest thing about that argument is that many of these people are highly intelligent, educated professionals who sound like they know what they’re talking about. It’s said that “everybody’s ignorant, just on different subjects.” Sadly, this group’s unhealthy, aggressive ignorance is killing our people due to the blinding influence they wield over the naive.

Historically, vaccinations and new medicines have been proven safe and effective. This explains why Negroes in Tuskegee’s Jim Crow South, weren’t offered the effective, healing benefits of penicillin, the newly discovered medical remedy at the time.

When the COVID-19 vaccine became available, it was initially administered to medical first responders. Once it was made widely available in our community, non-Black outsiders aggressively filled up appointment slots and steadily raised their community’s vaccination rates, while Black vaccination rates lagged behind. Something for naysayers to ponder.
During this current COVID-19 pandemic, if we fail to respond to the urgent call to help ourselves by getting vaccinated, instead relying on harmful misinformation, then the legacy of the dreaded “Tuskegee Experiment” will claim countless more Black lives – all of which should matter.

Dedicated to the memory of Granddaddy,
Doll Brown, 1904 -1976
Tuskegee, Alabama

Eric Patterson is a Free Mason who holds a BS Degree in Sociology and an MBA in Logistics and Supply Chain Management. A former Captain in the 82nd Airborne Division, he served eight years in the army with separate tours of duty in both Iraq and Afghanistan

By Aldon Thomas Stiles | California Black Media

Last week, the California Labor & Workforce Development Agency, San Bernardino County Workforce Development Board, and the Riverside County Workforce Development Board held a summit at the March Field Air Museum in Riverside to discuss persistent employment and labor challenges.

The main challenge, they say, is achieving equity.

“A vital component for the equitable economic and sustainable future of California will be determined on the vision and strategic investments in fast growing regions like the Inland Empire,” said Angelo Farooq, Chair of the California Workforce Development Board.

“We are proud of the multitude of High Road apprenticeship grants for employers/workers that our board has been making in the region and its continued impact to support quality jobs for the local economy,” Farooq added.

Equity has become a national buzzword. But what does it mean in when it comes to labor and employment? The state says it aims to make that definition clear and make it work for all Californians, particularly African Americans.

“Inclusive and equitable. Let’s talk about those two words because I love them and I hate them,” said the event’s keynote speaker Secretary Natalie Palugyai of the California Labor and Workforce Development Agency. “I hate them because they get watered-down and thrown around, and people really don’t even know what they’re talking about anymore and when people throw those words out, I want to know exactly what they mean because if they don’t mean something behind it, we’re actually not going to get to those lofty goals.”

Palugyai provided her own definition for what these goals should look like.

“Getting people in the door, that’s equity,” said Palugyai. “If I have an African American population and they aren’t participating in my program, but they represent 10% of my region, what am I doing?”

Palugyai said that the state, traditionally, has not invested in these efforts in an equitable way.

“Let’s just be really frank about this; economic development, state investments, infrastructure, [and] workforce training and development has been done the same way for a long time and what has really changed?” Palugyai asked the room full of workforce officials and sponsors.

The summit panel consisted of workforce representatives from the state and both Inland Empire counties, as well as community leaders throughout the region.

They all spoke about the importance of equity while acknowledging the systemic challenges they’ve faced in that pursuit.

The Economic Policy Institute, and other sources tracking job data, say Black unemployment in California remains higher than the statewide average.

At the state level, the California Labor & Workforce Development Agency wants regional offices to maintain some independence to help encourage participation from the Black community.

“We haven’t been great at outreach,” Palugyai admitted. “During COVID, we learned that the only proper way to do outreach is through community organizations that are connected to the people we’re trying to serve. The old ways of us doing it are just not cutting it anymore.”

She brought up an example of the state supporting regional equity efforts: the Community Economic Resilience Fund (CERF) which would provide aid to counties based on their needs following the COVID-19 pandemic.

“You want outreach from the people who look like you that are probably going to understand you more,” Palugyai said.

In Riverside County, these challenges are prevalent, according to Leslie Trainor, Deputy Director of the Riverside County Workforce Development Centers.

However, she reports that they have been working on said challenges.

“One of the things we did was look at the numbers of the customers that we’re serving because we wanted to make sure that we were at least serving the number of African Americans in proportion to the number of African Americans in the general population of Riverside County and we are in fact serving a slightly higher percentage,” said Trainor.

She admitted there are “systemic issues to tackle.”

Patrick Ellis, Chair of the Riverside County Workforce Development Board, emphasizes that just getting Black people jobs is not enough to solve the problem.

“I don’t think we can achieve equity if we don’t pay a lot of attention to job quality,” said Ellis. “We have a lot of poor people in California, and we have a lot of poor people in the Inland Empire. Most poor people work, often more than one job.”

Trainor said that the Riverside County Workforce Development Centers can offer help with upskilling, resume updating, mock interviews, and job searches but some people are not aware of these services.

Because of this, Riverside County Workforce Development Centers are looking to connect with the Black community through Black-led community-based organizations, as is the plan for the state’s workforce development programs.

The state and the two Inland Empire counties plan to make this summit an annual event.

By Joe W. Bowers Jr. | California Black Media

On June 7, California will conduct a primary election — the first opportunity for voters to elect candidates in newly drawn districts based on the 2020 US census. Registered voters will automatically receive a vote-by-mail ballot no later than May 9, with the option to return it to a secure drop box, or vote in-person up to 10 days before the election for those living in Voter’s Choice Act (VCA) counties.

For those not registered to vote, same day registration is possible up until 8 p.m. on Election Day.

The candidates running to fill eight statewide constitutional offices (Governor, Lt. Governor, Secretary of State (SOS), Attorney General, Controller, State Superintendent of Public Instruction, Insurance Commissioner and Treasurer) and one California US Senate seat will be listed on all primary ballots. The primaries for the four positions on the Board of Equalization, the 52 US Congressional, 80 State Assembly, and 20 State Senate seats are listed based on district.

There are 40 State Senators. They serve staggered four-year terms. Twenty of them representing even-numbered districts are up for election this year.

Statewide, there are 145 elections being held to fill these state and federal offices.

California Black Media (CBM) reports that 55 Black candidates are running in 37 of the elections. That’s 25.5% of the races. Blacks make up 5.8% of California’s population.

In nine of the contests more than one Black candidate is competing. Party affiliations represented are: 36 Democrat, 11 Republican, 4 No Party Preference, 2 Nonpartisan, 1 Green and 1 Peace and Freedom.

In six statewide contests, 12 Black candidates are on the ballot. Two candidates are incumbents. One is Dr. Shirley Weber, who was appointed California’s first Black SOS by Gov. Gavin Newsom in 2021, replacing California’s current junior U.S. Sen Alex Padilla. This will be the first time Weber has run for office statewide. The other is Tony Thurmond, California’s second Black State Superintendent of Public Instruction. He was elected in 2018 in a close contest.

There are no Black candidates on the ballot running for Attorney General or Treasurer.

Governor

Running for re-election as the state’s chief executive officer, Newsom faces 25 other candidates on the ballot. Four of those candidates are Black. Shawn Collins is a Republican, an Attorney, and a Navy combat veteran. He says, “We can and will make California the best place to start a small business, give parents a real voice in their children’s educations, and bring compassion and law and order together to end the human tragedies on our streets.”

Serge Fiankan is an entrepreneur and has a No Party Preference designation. He says, “As your governor, I will change the status quo and address the real problems we are facing with measurable actions.”

Woodrow “Woody” Sanders III is an Entrepreneur/Director/Engineer and has a No Party Preference designation. Sander’s passion is for restoring California’s “crown as the best state in the union.”

Major Williams is a Republican Businessman. He ran as write-in candidate during Gov. Newsom’s recall election and received 8,965 votes. His campaign slogan is, “It’s time to think major.”

Lt. Governor

Incumbent Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis is running against field of seven candidates. Angela E. Underwood Jacobs is a Black Republican Businesswoman/Deputy Mayor running against her. Jacobs was the first African American woman elected to serve on the Lancaster City Council.

Secretary of State

Shirley Weber has six opponents for SOS. Before her appointment, Weber served four terms as an Assemblymember representing California’s 79th Assembly District. She is committed to making California the national leader in running inclusive, trustworthy, and transparent elections – expanding the franchise to more of our citizens, ensuring election security and empowering voters to make informed decisions. She is the only Black candidate running for SOS.

State Controller

State Controller Betty Yee is termed out this year. Among six candidates running to replace her is Malia Cohen the first African American woman to serve on the board of Equalization. Cohen wants to make sure the tax code is fair, that people understand tax incentives are out there to benefit the working class. “I am running because I am committed to equity, empowerment, hope and opportunity for all Californians,” Cohen told CBM.

Superintendent of Public Instruction

There are six candidates running to replace incumbent Tony Thurmond as State Superintendent of Public Instruction. As the chief of K-12 education in the state, Thurmond was instrumental in marshalling the efforts of the Department of Education to help school districts deal with systemic inequities that the pandemic put a spotlight light on. He is running to achieve his vision that by 2026 all California students will be literate by third grade. For Thurmond, Black student achievement and student achievement in general have been major priorities. Among his challengers is Black public and charter schoolteacher Ainye E. Long.

California Insurance Commissioner

Incumbent Ricardo Lara has eight challengers vying to be the next Insurance Commissioner. Three of his opponents are Black. Veronika Fimbres is a transgender nurse running as the Green Party candidate. Fimbres, a Black Navy veteran, has pledged to use the bully pulpit that would come from being insurance commissioner to push for universal health care in the state.

Jasper “Jay” Jackson is a paralegal running as a Democrat. His goal is to deliver transparent and speedy services to the people of California.

Vinson Eugene Allen is a medical doctor and businessman running as a Democrat. Allen says, “I will personally address consumer issues and work with insurance carriers for a fair solution to disputes.”

US Senator

The office of US Senate will have two separate contests on the June 7 ballot. One contest is the regular election for the full six-year term beginning January 3, 2023. The other contest is a special vacancy election, to complete the unexpired Senate term of Vice President Kamala Harris.

Sen. Alex Padilla who was chosen by Gov. Newsom to replace Harris will be competing in both contests. In the full-term contest, he faces 22 opponents. Five are Black. And in the special vacancy contest he has seven opponents. Two are Black.

Black candidates in the full-term US Senate race are: Akinyemi Agbede a mathematician and Democrat; Myron L. Hall Podiatric Physician and Republican; Daphne Bradford, an education consultant and No Party Preference candidate; Deon D. Jenkins also has No Ballot Designation and No Party Preference; and John Thompson Parker, a Social Justice Advocate representing the Peace and Freedom Party. Candidates Hall and Bradford are also running in the partial/unexpired term contest.

In the June 7 primary election, the two candidates receiving the most votes advance to the general election. If a candidate receives a majority of the vote (at least 50 % plus 1), a general election must still be held.

SAN BERNARDINO, CA— More than 160 students competed in the 40th Annual San Bernardino, Inyo and Mono Counties Science and Engineering Fair (SIMSEF).

“This year’s virtual competition showcased incredible projects that required creativity, knowledge and commitment,” said County Superintendent Ted Alejandre. “I am extremely proud of the many engaging and complex projects our students have developed. It’s exciting to see our students cultivating an interest in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.”

This regional science fair features science projects designed, developed and displayed by elementary, middle and high school students from schools in each county. Individual and group projects were judged in 21 various science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) categories.

Students competed in three different divisions: Elementary (Grades 4-5), Junior (Grades 6-8) and Senior (Grades 9-12). Submissions from students within the three counties totaled 137 projects, with 115 individual entries and 22 group entries. The awards ceremony took place virtually on March 17, 2022.

Nearly 30 students from the Junior and Senior divisions advanced to the California Science & Engineering Fair, held virtually on April 12, 2022.

Four projects were named 2022 Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) Finalists. The five students will have the opportunity to travel to Atlanta, Georgia in May and compete with over 1800 students from across the world.

Regeneron ISEF Finalists:
• Makena Bailey & Kyra Phaychanpheng, Chino Hills High School, Chino Valley Unified School District, “The Effects of Varying Nitrogen:Phosphorus:Potassium (NPK) Ratios on Algal Growth in Wetland Water”
• Ellery McQuilkin, Lee Vining High School, Eastern Sierra Unified School District, “Eastern Sierra of the Dana Glacier Using Observed Melt Rate and 3D Modeling”
• Varun Srivastava, Redlands High School, Redlands Unified School District “Predicting the onset of Depressive Disorder using Machine Learning.”
• Snow Cameron, Upland High School, Upland Unified School District “Why can’t gamma see? It’s probably AMD.”

Students also earned various Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) Regional Awards:
• American Meteorological Society Award – Makena Bailey & Kyra Phaychanpheng, Chino Hills High School, Chino Valley Unified School District, “The Effects of Varying Nitrogen:Phosphorus:Potassium (NPK) Ratios on Algal Growth in Wetland Water”
• American Meteorological Society Award – Isabelle Pinto, Los Osos High School, Chaffey Joint Union High School District, “Need a Little Space?”
• American Psychological Association Award – Varun Srivastava, Redlands High School, Redlands Unified School District, “Predicting Onset of Depressive Disorder using Machine Learning”
• ASM Materials Education Foundation Award – Lidia Diego, Colton High School, Colton Joint Unified School District, “Can plastic be made differently?”
• Association for Women Geoscientists Award – Ellery McQuilkin, Lee Vining High School, Eastern Sierra Unified School District, “Projecting Disappearance of the Dana Glacier Using Observed Melt Rate and 3D Modeling”
• Mu Alpha Theta Award – Varun Srivastava, Redlands High School, Redlands Unified School District, “Predicting Onset of Depressive Disorder using Machine Learning”
• NASA Earth System Science Award – Ellery McQuilkin, Lee Vining High School, Eastern Sierra Unified School District, “Projecting Disappearance of the Dana Glacier Using Observed Melt Rate and 3D Modeling”
• National Geographic Society That’s Geography! Award – Ethan Chang & Kyle Huang, Upland High School, Upland Unified School District, “Breaking Wind”
• National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Award – Elina Kim, Silverado High School, Victor Valley Union High School District, “Microplastics in the Tissues of Farm-Raised Tilapia, Swai, and Salmon”
• Office Of Naval Research U.S. Navy/U.S. Marine Corps Award – Mason Young, Inland Leaders Charter School, “Which damper will tamper with the vibrations?”
• Office Of Naval Research U.S. Navy/U.S. Marine Corps Award – Michael Flynn, Moore Middle School, Redlands Unified School District, “How Does Viscosity Affect the Protection of a Fragile Object?”
• Office Of Naval Research U.S. Navy/U.S. Marine Corps Award – Elina Kim, Silverado High School, Victor Valley Union High School District, “Microplastics in the Tissues of Farm-Raised Tilapia, Swai, and Salmon”
• Office Of Naval Research U.S. Navy/U.S. Marine Corps Award – Ko Er (Carol) Rau, Chino Hills High School, Chino Valley Unified School District, “Fat Digestion with Digestive Supplements: Ox Bile and Pancreatin”
• Regeneron Biomedical Science Award – Varun Srivastava, Redlands High School, Redlands Unified School District, “Predicting Onset of Depressive Disorder using Machine Learning”
• Ricoh USA, Inc. Award – Srinivas Gollapudi, Upland High School, Upland Unified School District, “The Effects of Temperature and pH solutions on Microbial Fuel Cells”
• Society for In Vitro Biology Award – Ko Er (Carol) Rau, Chino Hills High School, Chino Valley Unified School District, “Fat Digestion with Digestive Supplements: Ox Bile and Pancreatin”
• The Lemelson Foundation Early Inventor Award – Daniel Chien & Arjun Wazir, Country Springs Elementary School, Chino Valley Unified School District, “Light Heating”
• U.S Agency for International Development Award – Mason Young, Inland Leaders Charter School, “Which damper will tamper with the vibrations?”
• U.S. Department of Defense STEM Leadership Award – Abigail Espinoza & Isabel Servin, Sacred Heart Academy, “C.S.I. Crime Scene Investigation”
• U.S. Metric Association Award – Sofia Vega, Paul J. Rogers Elementary School, Colton Joint Unified School District, “Alkaline Grass Water”
• U.S. Stockholm Junior Regional Water Prize Award – Elina Kim, Silverado High School, Victor Valley Union High School District, “Microplastics in the Tissues of Farm-Raised Tilapia, Swai, and Salmon”
• U.S. Stockholm Junior Regional Water Prize Award – Ellery McQuilkin, Lee Vining High School, Eastern Sierra Unified School District, “Projecting Disappearance of the Dana Glacier Using Observed Melt Rate and 3D Modeling”
• United States Air Force Award – Wyatt Browning & JC Cervantes, Cameron Elementary School, Barstow Unified School District, “Payload to Mars”
• Yale Science and Engineering Association Award – Arul Loomba, Rancho Cucamonga High School, Chaffey Joint Union High School District, “Characterization of pathogenic enhancer data using computational analysis”

Professional Engineers of California Government (PECG), Inland Empire Sector Local Community Awards recipients are:
• Elementary Division – Andrew Lee, Gerald F. Litel Elementary School, Chino Valley Unified School District, “Earthquake Resilient Building”
• Junior Division – Hannah Chaix, Charlotte Mason Schools Co-op, “Testing Potassium Carbonate as a Fire Retardant in House Paint”
• Senior Division – Ko Er (Carol) Rau, Chino Hills High School, Chino Valley Unified School District, “Fat Digestion with Digestive Supplements: Ox Bile and Pancreatin”

Project Scientist is a non-profit that aims to increase diversity in STEM fields by empowering girls in pursuit of STEM careers. Three students were awarded the Project Scientist Ignite Award:
• Elementary Division – Ava Utterback, Edwin Rhodes Elementary School, Chino Valley Unified School District, “How Does Music Rock the Brain?”
• Junior Division – Hannah Chaix, Charlotte Mason Schools Co-op, “Testing Potassium Carbonate as a Fire Retardant in House Paint”
• Senior Division – Jessie Lin, Los Osos High School, Chaffey Joint Union High School District, “Padding Down Plastic?”

The Sweepstakes and Science and Technology Education Partnership (STEP) Award recognizes projects that are unique and outstanding in their respective divisions. The Sweepstakes and STEP Award winners are:
• Elementary Division – Elementary Division – Andrew Lee, Gerald F. Litel Elementary School, Chino Valley Unified School District, “Earthquake Resilient Building”
• Junior Division – Hannah Chaix, Charlotte Mason Schools Co-op, “Testing Potassium Carbonate as a Fire Retardant in House Paint”
• Senior Division – Varun Srivastava, Redlands High School, Redlands Unified School District “Predicting the onset of Depressive Disorder using Machine Learning.”

County SIMSEF 2022 Gold Medalists in Elementary, Junior and Senior Divisions, by District:

Barstow Unified
Rylan Dokie, Elementary Division
Wyatt Browning, Junior Division
JC Cervantes, Junior Division
Xavior Collado, Junior Division

Chaffey Joint Union High
Arul Loomba, Senior Division

Charlotte Mason Schools – Homeschool Co-op
Hannah Chaix, Junior Division

Chino Valley Unified
Andrew Lee, Elementary Division
Lavith Raj, Elementary Division
Ava Utterback, Elementary Division
Daniel Chien, Junior Division
Arjun Wazir, Junior Division
Makena Bailey, Senior Division
Kyra Phaychanpheng, Senior Division
Ko Er (Carol) Rau, Senior Division

Colton Joint Unified
Audrina Calderon, Elementary Division
Ava Firnkoess, Junior Division

Eastern Sierra Unified (Mono COE)
Ellery McQuilkin, Senior Division
Etiwanda
Ishaan Iyer, Elementary Division
Alexander (AJ) Pesetski, Elementary Division
Shaurya Varshnay, Elementary Division

Inland Leaders Charter School
Samantha Amick, Junior Division
Abigail Espinoza, Junior Division
Isabel Servin, Junior Division
Mason Young, Junior Division

Redlands Unified
Matthew Li, Elementary Division
Jayden Lui, Elementary Division
Amelia Rush, Elementary Division
Michael Flynn, Junior Division
Benjamin Jordan, Junior Division
Varun Srivastava, Senior Division

Upland Unified
Ethan Chang, Senior Division
Srinivas Gollapudi, Senior Division
Kyle Huang, Senior Division
Snow Cameron, Senior Division
Maria Watkins, Senior Division

Victor Valley Union High
Elina Kim, Senior Division

For more news and information, visit the SBCSS Newsroom and follow us @SBCountySchools on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube. #transforminglives.

By Antonio Ray Harvey | California Black Media

With a 7-0 vote, the Assembly Education Committee approved legislation that would require California’s Superintendent of Public Instruction to identify — and provide targeted funding for — the lowest-performing pupil subgroup in the state.

That sub-group is Black students.

Assemblymembers Akilah Weber (D-San Diego) and Chris Holden (D-Los Angeles), both members of the California Black Legislative Caucus (CLBC), co-authored the legislation: Assembly Bill (AB) 2774.

AB 2774 also requires school districts, charter schools, and county offices of education (COE) to be held accountable to provide additional services and improve academic performance.

Weber and Holden say they wrote the bill to remedy existing racial equity gaps and ensure that all Black students regardless of socio-economic status have the resources they need to succeed.

“This is one of our priority bills,” Weber said of the effort to enhance educational resources for Black students. “We think it is time for California to invest and focus on closing the academic achievement gap. (This bill) will add a new sub-category for the sole purpose of achieving improved test scores.”

The bill is headed to the Assembly Committee on Appropriations, chaired by Holden.

Before the vote, educators, students, and faith leaders held a rally at the State Capitol in support of AB 2774.

If approved, the legislation would provide $400 million per year in additional funding for the lowest-performing subgroup.

In 2019, testing data showed that Black students are the lowest-performing subgroup on state standardized tests with 67% not passing English Language Arts (ELA) and 79% not meeting the Math standard.

The legislation, the authors say, is designed to address longstanding equity issues with the Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF), which was created to provide additional funding for the highest need students in California. The LCFF was enacted in 2013.

Supporters of AB 2774 say that over one-quarter of Black students are not receiving supplemental funding through LCFF.

“This is not the first time this bill has been introduced. It was previously introduced by my mother Dr. Shirley Weber who is now our Secretary of State,” Weber said. “Although we did not get everything that we wanted, our persistence will ensure this time we will get it passed. We fought hard to make sure we got this hearing.”

The language in AB 2774 states that the subgroup identified for the 2023-2024 fiscal year, based on the 2018-19 the California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP) scores “shall be included within the ‘unduplicated’ pupil count until its scores equal or exceeds the highest performing subgroup (Asians).”

Existing law provides school districts, charter schools, and County Offices of Education (COEs) with a base level of funding based on the enrollment of pupils who are either English learners, low income, or in foster care. But students that fall into more than one category are counted only once for LCFF purposes, hence the term “unduplicated pupil,” AB 2774 language explains.

Along with Weber, other advocates for Black students attending the rally included Dr. Margaret Fortune, Founder and CEO of Fortune School of Education, a network of seven charter schools in Sacramento and San Bernardino; Dr. Ramona Bishop, co-founder of Elite Public Schools, a charter school focused on technology based in Vallejo and former Superintendent for Vallejo Unified School District; the Rev. Tecoy Porter, Executive Director of National Action Network Sacramento; and the Rev. Jonathon Mosley, Director of National Action Network Western Region.

Other attendees were Joette Spencer Campbell, NAACP San Bernardino; Tak Allen, International Faith Coalition; Dondrell Swanson, Alpha Community Education Initiative; and Bina Lefkovitz, Trustee Sacramento County Board of Education; and Tracie Stafford Chair of the Sacramento Democratic Party.

Sen. Steven Bradford (D-Gardena), chairperson of the CLBC, and Assemblymember Jim Cooper (D-Sacramento) also attended the rally.

“This is going to be a collective effort to show that we all care, and all are accountable for the achievement of Black students,” Fortune said. “This is the third time we’ve gone after this bill, and the third time with Dr. Akilah Weber it is going to be the charm.”

REDLANDS, CA — The San Bernardino County Museum Association announces its seventh annual Bucky Ball taking place on Saturday, May 21, 2022, at 5:30 p.m. The in-person gala will feature a special viewing of Homecoming: Works by Cara Romero. The Association is the fundraising, 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that supports the San Bernardino County Museum in Redlands and its branches, including the Victor Valley Museum in Apple Valley. The fundraising event supports the Museum’s mission of developing appreciation and sparking curiosity in regional cultural arts, history, and natural and earth sciences through exhibits and educational programming.

This year, the lively event will be held in the outdoor courtyard of the San Bernardino County Museum where guests will be able to reconnect and engage in conversations celebrating the Museum’s service to county families and support for increasing the number of youth pursuing art and science education and careers. As in the past, the event will include a social and silent auction of unique items including jewelry, excursions, and more.

The 2022 Bucky Ball will also honor three regional partners with the Good Egg Award: The San Manuel Band of Mission Indians; Curt Hagman, Chairman of the San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors; and Beaver Medical Group. These awardees have been exceptional partners of the Association by supporting its efforts to assist the Museum in increasing their impact in our region.

As the largest cultural and natural history center in the region, the San Bernardino County Museum plays a vital role in our children’s education. Named in honor of the science innovation of Buckminster Fuller, an engineer, poet, and environmentalist, the Association’s Bucky Ball event highlights the mission of the museum, as well as the museum’s iconic architectural dome, inspired by Fuller’s geodesic domes, and visible from Interstate 10 since 1974.

“This is our most important event of the year. The funding the Association raises extends the resources available to the Museum and ensures they are able to meet the educational needs of our region,” shared Zack Tucker, the Association’s Executive Director.

Museum Director, Melissa Russo, said, “We are deeply grateful to benefit from the fundraising efforts of the San Bernardino County Museum Association. This long-standing partnership is a key part of the Museum’s ability to develop excellent exhibits and programming. I look forward to a successful 2022 Bucky Ball and thank all the donors that appreciate the meaningful service the Museum provides the community.”

Tickets for the evening are on sale now and can be purchased online. Tickets are $150 per person, $125 for members. A non-member table for eight can be purchased for $1,200 or $1,000 for members. Guests who are unable to attend are encouraged to consider donating or becoming a sponsor. Sponsorship opportunities include a $10,000 Titanium Sponsor, $5,000 Platinum Sponsor, $2,500 Gold Sponsor, $1,000 Silver Sponsor, and $500 Copper Sponsor. For more information on donating or sponsoring, visit www.thesbcma.org, or call (909) 798-8626.

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.

Established in 1952, the San Bernardino County Museum Association solicits, manages, and distributes funds, engages in programs, and advocates for the benefit of the San Bernardino County Museum and its mission. The SBCM Association achieves its mission by conducting fund development efforts on behalf of the Museum, including individual, corporate, and foundation contributions. Further, the Association partners with the Museum to assist with developing deeper visitor engagement, enhancing stewardship and utilization of its collection, refreshing its facilities, diversifying sources of revenue, and building its organizational capacity.

The San Bernardino County Museum is 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. Parking is free. For more information, visit www.sbcounty.gov/museum. The Museum is accessible to persons with disabilities.

CDPH partnered with WhatsApp to launch Spanish- and English-language chatbots that will provide accurate information on COVID-19 and vaccines

SACRAMENTO, CA—- The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) today unveiled new Spanish- and English-language WhatsApp chatbot tools to offer reliable information about COVID-19 to Californians, especially those in the Latino community. Thanks to a partnership with Meta, California is the first state in the country to launch a tool of this kind.

When using this service, Spanish- and English-speakers will receive up-to-date information about the safety of vaccines, how to book vaccination appointments, and how to obtain digital records of vaccinations.

This new tool is a critical facet of how the state continues moving forward via the SMARTER Plan, which prioritizes communicating with Californians and combating misinformation.

This new tool reinforces CDPH’s commitment to ensuring access to vaccines through a data-driven and equity-centered approach. The tool also builds on other strategies to combat misinformation and disinformation, including the deployment of a robust network of trusted community messengers focused on proactively reaching Californians to ensure they are vaccinated and boosted. WhatsApp is a popular communication channel among Hispanics, both in California and abroad.

The chatbot is free to all and can be accessed by scanning a QR code (below) or texting “hola” to 833-422-1090. Once the chatbot is active, a menu of options appears onscreen, allowing users to select the COVID-19 information most pertinent to them. This includes local vaccination sites, transportation options for getting to the site, and other frequently asked questions about the COVID-19 vaccine.

“Our mission to keep California safe from the threat of COVID-19 is not over, and we must continue to keep our communities informed on how we can continue moving toward the new normal we all long for,” said CDPH Director and State Public Health Officer Dr. Tomás Aragón. “That is why we are meeting even more Californians where they are, and spend time every day, by presenting reliable, accurate information on a trusted platform and in the language they speak.”

California has been able to move towards this new normal by informing its residents about the safety and efficacy of the vaccine. Since the start of the pandemic, more than 72 million COVID-19 vaccine doses have been administered statewide: 6 million doses have been administered to the most vulnerable communities, with about 59.2% of Latinos in California fully vaccinated (finished their primary series).

“Since the start of the pandemic, WhatsApp has been a powerful tool for more than 150 health organizations around the world to share lifesaving information and tackle misinformation. We’re thrilled to add the state of California, as the first state in the U.S., to this effort as well, and in doing so will be offering even more tools to get Californians accurate and authoritative news, information, resources, and tips to stay healthy during COVID-19,” said Mona Pasquil Rogers, head of Meta State Policy in California. “Partnerships like this one are one of the many ways Meta is helping to fight Spanish-language misinformation.”

For additional information, visit MyTurn.ca.gov, the state’s vaccination website, where Californians can check their eligibility, register, and receive notifications to schedule an appointment.

People without internet access can call the COVID-19 hotline at 1-833-422-4255 (833-4CA-4ALL), which has support in multiple languages. All personal data provided is confidential and protected.

Information about the state’s COVID-19 initiatives can be found at covid19.ca.gov/es/.

By Aldon Thomas Stiles | California Black Media

Last week, people around the world celebrated Earth Week with commemorations and activities leading up to Earth Day, on Friday, April 22.

Activists and advocates in California marked the annual event by highlighting the urgency of climate change and why, more than ever, communities of color need to be engaged and informed.

“We’re already in a climate disaster,” said Simeon Gant, the African American Executive Director of Green Technical Education and Employment, an organization dedicated to getting young Black people more involved in environmental justice.”

“We’ve got fire disasters every year, more than we’ve ever had,” said Gant. “People are dying, whole cities are being burned down in California and other places.”

The state’s ongoing drought, now in its third year, is another major environmental concern.

“Here in California, we are already seeing the effects of the climate crisis in the form of drought, record heat waves, and wildfires that have devastated entire communities,” said Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA-13).

“As the United Nations and scientists around the world have made clear, we can still preserve a livable climate for future generations. But that window is closing fast,” Lee continued. “This year, we also must recognize that we are running out of time to save the planet for our children and grandchildren.”

Gant agrees with Lee.

“In the Central Valley, we’re having problems with water. Not just the fact that we’re in a drought but the little bit of water that even comes out of Central Valley is often contaminated,” Gant pointed out — before he invoked Flint, Michigan and the water crisis that city experienced from 2014 to 2019.

Gant says water contaminated by drilling for fossil fuels in California is preventable.

On Tuesday, Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office announced that the state will be contributing $22.5 million to mediating the effects of the drought.

“With the climate crisis threatening communities across the West, we must double down on our work to build water resilience in our communities for the long haul,” said Newsom. “All of us must do our part to tackle the intensifying drought conditions felt across the state. We’re investing critical resources to battle the drought’s impacts on our communities and ecosystems and finding innovative solutions to deal with these new realities.”

At the national level, Gina McCarthy, White House National Climate Advisor, told California Black Media that the Biden administration is committed to addressing issues of clean drinking water.

“The bipartisan infrastructure law is going to be a way of investing in climate change and it’s also going to be a way of investing in the communities that have been left behind,” said McCarthy. “That means getting the lead out of the paint in homes, that means getting the lead out of our drinking water systems, that means investing in communities that don’t have safe portable drinking water.”

But water is not the only environmental issue facing Californians, says Gant.

“In Los Angeles, they have oil pumps right in the hood,” Gant said. “It’s bad for the environment and bad for the air that we’re breathing.”

There are 5,000 known, active oil or gas pumps in Los Angeles County.

According to Gant, the oil industry’s impact on the environment is also being felt in the Bay Area.

“In the Bay Area, in the Richmond area, where we have a whole community sitting next to an oil refinery that often has problems whether it’s catching fire or pollution and fumes that go from the oil refinery into the Richmond area,” said Gant.

Gant also pointed to illegal dumping and freeways running through Black neighborhoods in California as causes for concern.

According to McCarthy, the White House is committed to tackling environmental equity “to ensure that the communities left behind end up being the focus of investments moving forward.”

McCarthy says equity is a part of President Biden’s “Justice40” initiative. The program commits 40% of the benefits from energy and climate investments to communities disproportionately affected by climate change.

So far, McCarthy says, that effort has been worthwhile.

“We have done everything we can, through guidance, through direction to states and local communities,” said McCarthy.

However, Gant feels more needs to be done to ensure the investments being made impact the people they are intended to help.

“They take that federal money, and they send it down to the local government and then they leave it up to local government to send it to the community-based organizations that are closer to the community,” said Gant. “Unfortunately, it doesn’t get from the local government to the community-based organizations in an effective way.”

But, according to McCarthy, that is not solely the responsibility of the executive branch of the US federal government.

“We’re also going to not give up on calling on Congress because we need them to act,” said McCarthy. “We need American families, particularly those in our environmental justice communities, to once again know that the government is working for them.”

As far as solutions go, Gant says education and awareness are central to environmental justice in Black communities.

The governor’s office said that the state will be spending $8.25 million to increase water conservation outreach and education.

Gant says weatherization of California homes in low-income communities would be beneficial, as well as investing in renewable energy and zero emission vehicles.

“If we increase the use of renewable energy, not only are there jobs but we’d be reducing the amount of greenhouse gasses that we’re putting into the atmosphere,” he explained.

SAN BERNARDINO, CA— – The City of San Bernardino Parks, Recreation, and Community Services Department along with the Arts and Historical Preservation Commission are looking for San Bernardino-based artists or artist teams for a collection of digital designs for outdoor murals for the new Fitness Court at Blair Park. The selected artist or artists will receive an award of $5,000 courtesy of the National Fitness Campaign.

The ideal artwork will enhance the park, represent San Bernardino’s vibrant arts culture, and promote awareness of the city’s social, cultural, and historical composition. The artwork must be appropriate for all ages and engage with the growing, diverse population in the City of San Bernardino.

A selection panel of arts professionals, City staff, City Commissioners, and community representatives will review and score the applications and make recommendations to select 8 artists/teams. These selections will be required to present their art proposal to the Arts and Historical Preservation Commission on May 16th. The selection panel will review and evaluate the design proposals based on criteria including, but not limited to: Artistic merit, artist availability, and if the artist/team is San Bernardino-based.

The deadline for to apply is Friday, May 6, 2022 at 11:59 pm by submitting an email application to Parks Director Lydie Gutfeld at Gutfeld_ly@sbcity.org.

The Fitness Court at Blair Park will be a 32’ x 35’ outdoor bodyweight circuit training system that supports 28 simultaneous users on 30 separate pieces of equipment. The 7 movement, 7-minute system, provides a full-body workout to people of all ability levels. The integrated system includes a sports floor to simulate the indoor gym exercise and the steel bodyweight training wall provides users with many exercise combinations.