PASADENA, CA— The Pasadena Sports Hall of Fame (PASHOF) inducted Former NFL San Francisco 49er Ed Blount into the 2018-2019 Induction Class, “The Champions Heart” for his work as a Quarterback at Blair High School class of 1982 and Washington State University class of 1986, before going free agent with the 49ers.

The ceremony took place on Friday, February 25, 2022 at the prestigious 1922 Locker Room – Rose Bowl Stadium in Pasadena. Additional inductees included Chris Kinard (PHS/Badminton), Kenny Edwards (Community), Chris McAlister (PHS/Football), Stacy L. Harvey (PHS/Football), Tom Hamilton (PHS/Coaching), Arthur Large (PHS/Coaching), Mel Clipper (MUIR/TNF), Reed Olmstead (BLAIR/Baseball), George Tucker (PHS/Basketball), Toi McCoy (Community), and Vaughn Simmons (PHS/Football).

Blount is a Washington State University Sports Management graduate. He is Founder & CEO of FAST5 USA Inc. a sports-tech, media and entertainment crowdfund platform designed to aggregate fans, investors and influencers for the purpose of investing in pro football franchise teams. FAST5 USA will soon premier their 5v5 Pro Football League Tryout Auditions. For more details about the organization visit www.fast5.us.

By Lue Dowdy | LUE Productions

It was a great day in the City of Redlands this past Sunday as nonprofit, “Stronger Together Now”, held its 1st SoulFood Fest in celebration of Black History Month. The day was beautiful and filled with a spirit of unity and togetherness.

Several community organizations participated by providing free promotional materials, resource information, along with fun games and activities for the entire family to enjoy. There were live performances from local artists, along with a cook-off featuring ten soul food vendors. I had the opportunity to contribute my tasting skills as a judge, and let’s just say I left on Cloud 9. The food was delicious. I had a blast helping as a judge and networking.

It was nice to see so many African American community members dressed up proudly in African

garments. I am totally looking forward to next year’s celebration.

Congratulations to the SoulFood Fest Cook-off winners. They are: Still Standing BBQ for the Meat entrée (ribs); Ruby’s Ribs for the side dish (pineapple baked beans); and Brooklyn’s Bakery Bites for the dessert (peach and French toast cobbler).

The mission of Stronger Together Now is to help underserved communities in the Inland Empire by providing access to programs, organizations, resources, and events.

“Since 1987, the U.S. Congress has designated March as Women’s History Month, a time to commemorate and recognize the key role of women in American history — and to encourage the study, observance, and celebration of that history.

During Women’s History Month and beyond, USC experts highlight the continuing struggle for women’s equal rights and the legacy of the trailblazing women who have transcended gender barriers to contribute to a more perfect — and equal — union.

Women’s history offers a lesson in what progress looks like

“What being a professor of gender and sexuality studies has taught me, and our students, is that progress isn’t measured as a straight line. Things don’t consistently get better. In fact, every time progress is made, reactions to that progress push us steps backward.

“Part of what we learn is how to move through these different cycles of change and transformation and how to keep the momentum going, even when sometimes the task can feel Sisyphean. For example, many gains women made in the 1970s around reproductive health are meeting challenges now.

“We need to celebrate achievements and ‘firsts’ because there’s always going to be more work to do. Women’s History Month shows us the different sacrifices our forbearers have made. They’ve managed to transform worlds and cultures that were often hostile to them. We can use that example to fortify our efforts to change and transform our roles and to make things better; to make what seemed impossible, achievable.”

Karen Tongson is a professor of English, gender and sexuality studies, and American studies and ethnicity, and chair of the Department of Gender and Sexuality Studies at the USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences.

Contact: tongson@usc.edu

The next frontier of the women’s movement: Valuing care work

“Reflecting on Women’s History Month, it is clear the women’s movement has been successful in terms of freeing women to move from the domestic sphere into public life. Compared to 50 years ago, there has been a staggering shift in terms of women’s participation in the workforce.

“One unintended consequence is the risk of neglecting what was traditionally the women’s sphere, including the work of caring for others. Our individualistic society has always undervalued care labor. The monumental amount of unpaid care labor that women have done historically has been undercompensated and overlooked.

“We saw that in the pandemic because suddenly, the institutions and structures that help support families — everything from daycares to public schools to nursing homes — closed. Women were the ones who disproportionately left the workforce or scaled back their work hours to care for children and elders.

“The next frontier for the women’s movement is to reconsider how we value traditionally feminine pursuits like care labor. We can focus on better pay for caring professions and on policies like parental leave. In a progressive society where care work and domestic labor are just as valued and just as respected as business careers or STEM careers, we could celebrate when women — and men — contribute to building a more nurturing society.”

Darby Saxbe is an associate professor of psychology who studies how family relationships “get under the skin” by exploring both biological and social processes that take place within the context of the family. She directs the USC Dornsife Center for the Changing Family.

Contact: dsaxbe@usc.edu

Reacting to the historic Supreme Court nomination of a Black woman

“Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson, if confirmed to the Supreme Court, will help diversify an institution in which Black women have, through law, custom, and practice, been excluded for over two centuries.

“Her credentials are top notch: Double Harvard graduate, former Supreme Court clerk, former district court judge and current circuit court judge.

“She also brings a credential to the court that is lacking among the current personnel: She is a former public defender. It is clear that Judge Jackson is a highly qualified nominee who will bring a diverse set of experiences to the Supreme Court.”

Franita Tolson is a professor of law and vice dean for faculty and academic affairs at the USC Gould School of Law. Her scholarship and teaching focus on the areas of election law, constitutional law, legal history, and employment discrimination.

Contact: ftolson@law.usc.edu

Who sits in the director’s chair?

“Inclusion in the Director’s Chair” is a new report from the USC Annenberg Inclusion Initiative examining directors of the 100 top U.S. films each year from 2007 to 2021. The analysis of 1,500 movies looked at the prevalence of directors by gender, race and ethnicity — as well as the intersection of these two identities.

“Although the results of this study point to increases for women and underrepresented directors, an intersectional examination of the data reveals that not everyone has reason to celebrate,” the authors explained. “White women and men of color have seen increased opportunities, but this did not extend to women of color. Only five women of color directed a top-grossing film between 2020 and 2021, and fewer than 2% of all directors across 15 years were women of color.

“Yet, women of color earned the highest average and median Metacritic scores (scores that assess the critical reception of movies) for their work, suggesting that the quality that women of color bring to filmmaking is not an explanation for their lack of participation in top-grossing films.”

Stacy L. Smith, Katherine Pieper and Al-Baab Khan are with the Annenberg Inclusion Initiative at the USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism. “Inclusion in the Director’s Chair” is their latest report studying diversity and inclusion in entertainment.

Contact: kpieper@usc.edu

Women in the military and as advocates for peace

“Women’s History Month shines a light on how women continue to break barriers in previously male-dominated professions, including in the military. In 1973, when military conscription ended, women constituted 2% of the active-duty military. Women now represent 16% of the active-duty military.

“In my recent research on U.S. military veterans’ peace organizations, I witnessed a younger cohort of women—many of them women of color, some queer-identified—emerging as leaders. These veterans had absorbed trauma from sexual and gender harassment, sexual assault, racist and homophobic abuse during their military service, some of it in combat zones.

“Now, they are using this collective knowledge to transform the veterans’ peace movement, linking anti-militarist work with movements for racial justice, stopping gender and sexual violence, addressing climate change, and building anti-colonial coalitions. Through this work, they bend the arc of history toward peace and social justice.”

Michael Messner is a professor of sociology and gender studies at the USC Dornsife College. His new book is “Unconventional Combat: Intersectional Action in the Veterans’ Peace Movement.”

Contact: messner@usc.edu

 By Kenny Williams Jr. | Blavity

Black excellence got a whole lot more stylish thanks to the many celebrities who showed up and out. The 53rd annual NAACP Image Awards took place in Los Angeles, and it was filled to the brim with a multitude of our favorite public figures who spared no expense as they luxuriously swarmed the Hollywood Roosevelt for the event’s red carpet. From Shoniqua Shandai channeling the iconic Diana Ross to social media personality La’Ron Hines dripped in 50 shades of slay, the fashions were one for the books.

By Nyah Marshall | Howard University News Service

Americans around the country, including legal scholars and Black women, are praising President Joe Biden’s announcement last week nominating Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to replace Associate Justice Stephen Breyer on the U.S. Supreme Court. If confirmed, Jackson would make history as the first Black woman and the first former federal public defender to serve as a Supreme Court justice.

“For too long, our government, our courts haven’t looked like America,” Biden said at the White House, flanked by Vice President Kamala Harris and Judge Jackson.

“I believe that we should have a court that reflects the full talents and greatness of our nation with a nominee of extraordinary qualifications and that will inspire all young people to believe that they can one day serve our country at the highest level,” Biden said.

Jackson, 51, currently sits on the District of Columbia (D.C.) Court of Appeals and has broad judicial, academic and practical legal experience.  She was three times confirmed by the Senate, twice unanimously, when picked to serve on the U.S. Sentencing Commission and when appointed by President Barack Obama to be on the D.C. Federal District Court.

In her acceptance speech, Jackson revealed that she shares a birthday with Constance Baker Motley, the first Black woman appointed to serve as a federal judge.

“Today, I proudly stand on Judge Motley’s shoulders, sharing not only her birthday, but also her steadfast and courageous commitment to equal justice under law,” Jackson said.

“Judge Motley – her life and career — has been a true inspiration to me, as I have pursued this professional path,” she explained. “And if I’m fortunate enough to be confirmed as the next Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States, I can only hope that my life and career, my love of this country and the Constitution, and my commitment to upholding the rule of law, and the sacred principles upon which this great nation was founded, will inspire future generations of Americans.”

“Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson is an outstanding nominee,” said Danielle Holley-Walker, dean and professor at the Howard University School of Law, whose alumni include Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall.

Holley-Walker said a noteworthy aspect of Jackson’s background is that she has devoted most of her career to serving the public. As a federal public defender, Jackson represented defendants on appeal who did not have the means to pay for a lawyer and worked to identify errors that occurred during their trials.

“I think one of the most important things for those of us who are interested in issues of justice and equality is that she served as a public defender, and she would not only be the first Black woman on the Supreme Court. She would also be the first public defender to ever serve on the Supreme Court,” she added.

Jackson was born in Washington, D.C., in 1970 and grew up in Florida with her parents who are both graduates of HBCUs. After graduating from Harvard, Jackson clerked for three federal jurists, including retiring Justice Stephen Breyer.

Later, she began representing clients in criminal and civil appellate matters at Goodwin Procter LLP, appearing before the Supreme Court in the case McGuire v. Reilly. In this case, she represented Massachusetts reproductive rights groups, arguing that the state law prohibiting anti-abortion protesters from harassing people seeking reproductive health care should be upheld.

During her seven years as a district judge, Jackson issued several rulings on topics like federal environmental law, employment discrimination and the Americans with Disabilities Act. The most notable one included Committee on the Judiciary v. McGahn, in which she ruled that Don McGahn, the former White House counsel to President Donald Trump, was required to testify before the House Judiciary Committee as part of its investigation into Russia’s interference in the 2016 election.

Jackson was involved in the case against Trump’s efforts to block the release of documents related to the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol. A federal district judge in Washington rejected Trump’s request to block the disclosure of the documents, and the D.C. Circuit, in an opinion by Judge Patricia Millett that Jackson joined, upheld that ruling.

Biden’s announcement came nearly a month after Justice Stephen Breyer announced his retirement and two years to the day Biden pledged to appoint a Black woman as the next Supreme Court justice.

“I’m looking forward to making sure there’s a Black woman on the Supreme Court to make sure we in fact get everyone represented,” Biden said during the South Carolina primary in February 2020.

Biden’s selection of Jackson gives him a chance to deliver on this campaign promise to Black voters, who were crucial to his election win. In fact, 86% of Black women voters supported prioritizing such a nomination, according to a poll by Change Research and Higher Heights for America, an organization that describes itself aa a “political home” for Black women and allies to organize.

Biden met with at least three potential Supreme Court nominees, all of whom are Black women, before choosing Jackson. They included Leondra Kruger who sits on the California Supreme Court, and J. Michelle Childs, who sits on the U.S. District Court for the District of South Carolina.

“There were lots of exceptionally qualified capable women to choose from, but Biden’s selection of Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson demonstrates that there’s no need for America’s highest court to be off limits to Black women anymore,” said strategist and political commentator Donna Brazile, who is the Gwendolyn S. and Colbert I. King Endowed Chair in Public Policy at Howard University.

Jotaka Eaddy, founder of #WinWithBlackWomen (WWBW), shared similar sentiments. “With this nomination, President Biden and Vice President Harris will once again elevate a woman, and in this case, a Black woman, to a position that has long been covered by a cement ceiling,” Eaddy said in a statement. “Today that ceiling is shattered into a million pieces.”

Known for making a significant impact on the historic election of the nation’s first Black woman Vice President, #WinWithBlackWomen also stated that it will work to “ensure that Judge Jackson receives a fair and expeditious confirmation process.” WWBW is a collective of Black women leaders from public and private sectors committed to advancing and uplifting Black women, families and communities.

Though Jackson’s appointment would be historic, it will not change the ideological makeup of a Supreme Court that has a majority of conservative justices.

“We’ve only had seven justices in the entire history of the U.S. Supreme Court who have not been White men,” Holley-Walker explained. “So, I think it’s both an incredible day for our country, specifically for Black women, and also to have such a highly qualified nominee. We hope to see her confirmed in the way that is represented in terms of her credentials.”

Howard law professor Alice Martin Thomas also sees Jackson as a highly qualified nominee who will be a fair judge.

“I believe she’s a tenacious personality,” Thomas said. “I believe she will not shrink. And she’s going to have to stand up against a torrent of negativity and ugliness that we’ve all had to deal with. … She is more than capable and able of doing it graciously”

“She will advance her point of view. And she’ll be fair. That’s all we can ask of a judge. I’m also glad she’s young. She has her whole life in front of her,” Thomas concluded.

Nyah Marshall is a reporter and regional bureau chief for HUNewsService.com.

San Bernardino, CA. – San Bernardino County Fifth District Supervisor Joe Baca Jr. is encouraging members of our community to volunteer at the 2022 Point-in-Time Count (PITC) that will take place on February 24th, 2022, from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. The County of San Bernardino 2022 Point in Time Count of sheltered and unsheltered persons and families is a one-day street-based and service-based count and subpopulation survey of individuals to identify how many people in San Bernardino County are homeless and knowledge on their subpopulation characteristics on a given day.

“We must all come together and fight the problem of homelessness in our community head on. This is the first time since the pandemic occurred that this event has resumed, and the accuracy of the Point-in-Time count is crucial for district funding. Results of the Homeless Count and Subpopulation Survey will provide the County and local cities with benchmark numbers that will serve as the basis for developing local community and countywide strategies to help people exit life on the streets and by which the success of our efforts to provide effective programs serving homeless individuals and families can be measured. I will see you all bright and early on February 24th to take my part in the count!” -Supervisor Joe Baca, Jr.

To sign up please go online to:

https://wp.sbcounty.gov/dbh/sbchp/community-projects/point-in-time-count/pitc-registration/

BIRMINGHAM, AL— Orchestra Partners announces the appointment of Kim Hunter to the Independent Corporate Advisory Board, effective immediately. Hunter brings strategic integrated marketing communications expertise, deep prior experience in growing professional services firm, as well as an entrepreneurial mindset with proven experience with innovation. Following the appointment of Mr. Hunter, the Board will comprise five directors. He will be serving a three-year term, which is subject to shareholder approval.

Hunter has extensive corporate board experience as he currently serves on CalPrivate Bank’s Community Advisory Board, a wholly owned subsidiary of Private Bancorp of America, Inc. In addition, he served close to two decades as corporate director for SCAN Health Plan, a Medicare Advantage health plan with $2 billion in annual revenue. As corporate director, Hunter served on all five committees:  Audit & Compliance, Compensation, Finance, Quality & Customer Experience, and chaired Corporate Governance for seven years after serving on the committee for 14.

Hunter is a member of the board of the chapter of the National Association of Corporate Directors (NACD) – Pacific Southwest chapter, where he serves as Chair of the Nominating & Governing committee. He is also a member of the Private Directors Association (PDA), the only national association dedicated to improving private companies’ growth and sustainability through governance that adds value.

“We are delighted to welcome Kim to the Orchestra Partners Board,” said Hunter Renfroe, principal of Orchestra Partners. “Kim’s strategic thinking, diverse industry expertise, and experience in sustaining growth over long periods of time is exactly we selected him for our board. His perspective and insights will be invaluable to us as we expand our business and continue to transform the urban experience. Lastly, Kim’s experience in commercial real estate and development as well as travel and tourism will undoubtedly bring value to our strategic vision.”

Hunter brings 40 years of corporate and agency experience in advertising, marketing, and public relations.  During his career, Hunter has founded three privately held enterprises:  LAGRANT COMMUNICATIONS, The LAGRANT Foundation, and KLH & Associates.

ALLBLK, the popular streaming service for Black TV and film from AMC Networks, announced the world premiere of Beyond Ed Buck, streaming Thursday, February 24. Co-executive produced by Jayce Baron and Pose star, Hailie Sahar, Beyond Ed Buck begins by examining and analyzing the tragic deaths of Gemmel Moore (2017) and Timothy Dean (2019), two gay Black men who died at the hands of democratic political donor, Ed Buck. Buck was found guilty of several charges, including supplying fatal doses of methamphetamine to both men in July of last year.

True to its title, the anti-crime documentary goes beyond the Ed Buck case to unpack internalized homophobia, the psychological root of predatory behaviors, and to provide a deeper exploration of challenges faced by the Black and Brown LGBTQ+ community – particularly how a variety of systemic social and economic issues have led gay and trans identified people to become victims of predators looking to satisfy sexual fetishes and indulge in illicit drug use.

Beyond Ed Buck, sponsored by Gilead Sciences, features interviews with several notable figures and industry professionals including co-executive producer, Hailie Sahar, Raniyah Copeland (former President and CEO of Black Aids Institute), Dr. Gregory Canillas (LGBTQ+ psychologist), George M. Johnson (award-winning author), Shar Jossell (journalist & media personality) and many more.

SAN BERNARDINO, CA—- Less than seven months after the County’s Community Revitalization effort got underway, solid progress is being made on several fronts toward addressing homelessness and creating additional affordable housing opportunities throughout the county.

“Making an impact on homelessness and ensuring the county has an adequate supply of affordable housing options is key to not only assisting those who need a helping hand but to growing our local economy and improving the quality life for all county residents,” said Board of Supervisors Chairman Curt Hagman. “That’s why my colleagues on the Board of Supervisors and I are committed to investing in, and ensuring the success of, the County’s Community Revitalization effort.”

In June, working at the direction of the Board of Supervisors, County Chief Executive Officer Leonard X. Hernandez assigned an executive-level position to focus full-time on strategic and continuous efforts addressing homelessness in communities across the county. The move was intended to place a concerted focus on the Homeless Strategic Plan and align the homeless population’s health and housing needs to the services provided by the county and its partners.

The effort includes the County Community Development and Housing Department and the County Office of Homeless Services in partnership with several other County departments and offices that have a role in addressing homelessness. The emphasis is on moving quickly and taking advantage of key services while implementing new solutions.

“The team is hard at work developing a strategic plan for homelessness that identifies key metrics and outcomes,” said Deputy Executive Officer Supriya Barrows, who is leading the Community Revitalization effort following the retirement of Assistant Executive Officer CaSonya Thomas after more than 30 years of county service in numerous health and human services roles.

Barrows formerly spearheaded and currently chairs the San Bernardino County Community Vital Signs Initiative Implementation Committee. The Community Vital Signs Initiative operationalizes the Wellness Element of the Countywide Vision.

“In partnership with several community organizations and county departments – including the Sheriff, Behavioral Health, Aging and Adult Services, Public Health, and Probation – we intend to build on the successes achieved by the pandemic-inspired Project Roomkey and Project Homekey and make serious progress toward addressing homelessness throughout San Bernardino County,” Barrows said.