LaTanya Richardson and Samuel L. Jackson (Photo by Jesse Grant/Getty Images for Disney)

By Ronda Racha Penrice, Urban News Service

(EMPIRE NEWS NETWORK (ENN)—LOS ANGELES, CA– Samuel L. Jackson is, without a doubt, the hardest working man in Hollywood. To date, he’s appeared in well over 100 films with a box office take of $7 billion and counting. That’s a Guinness World Record that Jackson, who appears in about four films each year, isn’t relinquishing anytime soon. In his latest, he reprises his role as Lucius Best, close friend to the Parr family who also doubles as the superhero Frozone, for Disney’s long-awaited animated sequel “Incredibles 2.” The 2004 original, “The Incredibles,” grossed over $631 million worldwide.

Playing an animated character who can “shoot ice out of his hands” is very apt for Jackson who is generally considered the coolest cat in Hollywood. But it’s a long way from his childhood in Chattanooga, Tenn. His Raised during Jim Crow, Jackson, who turns 70 later this year, was very familiar with the color line, spending much of his early life in almost exclusively black environments. His father was very absent while his mother was a sporadic presence for many years. So Jackson’s maternal grandparents and aunt had a huge impact on his early life. From his grandfather, who worked as a janitor, Jackson learned the value of hard work and that still shows in his work ethic today. His Aunt Edna, a performing arts teacher, actually set him on the path to becoming an actor. 

“I was in the house with her and she was generally in charge of the pageant shows or whatever the happenings. She never had enough boys. Boys never volunteered. I lived in the house with her so she made me,” he said, reclining comfortably at the other end of a sofa. “She takes all the credit for this,” he laughed, outstretching his hands to highlight the luxuriousness of his The London West Hollywood room.

As a student at the iconic men’s college Morehouse in Atlanta that also counts Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Spike Lee among its alumni, Jackson became ferocious about acting. There he even met his wife of nearly 40 years, LaTanya Richardson, a serious actress attending Spelman. He also appeared in his very first film, the long-forgotten 1972 Blaxploitation era film about interracial romance titled “Together for Days,” later renamed “Black Cream.” In 1976, Jackson and Richardson moved to New York.

“I never had a time when acting wasn’t going well,” said Jackson of those days. “I had times when acting didn’t pay as much as something else could have. But I’ve only had like one real job other than actor. I was a security guard . . . But other than that I’ve supported myself acting since 1978.”

Jackson’s strategy was to keep everything he did in the theater. “I did things I’d learned to do in college that wouldn’t take me out of the theater situation,” he said. “It was easier for me to say I have an audition to people who are in the theater and they go ‘good luck’ than if I had to go to my auditions and be like ‘who’s going to wait my tables?’

“I just didn’t put myself in that situation so I built sets, I hung lights. I did whatever was necessary to make money in the business I wanted to be in. I knew how to do it. It kept me close to the theater. I could watch people rehearse, read lines with them or do whatever. So I was always ready to go.”

Jackson, who came through the theater ranks with Denzel Washington, Laurence Fishburne, Morgan Freeman and Wesley Snipes, was so good at being on stage that it seemed that not even drugs and alcohol could knock him off. But that was not true. When Richardson found her husband passed out, she sent him to rehab. As Jackson left rehab, Hollywood finally did call in the form of Spike Lee. Playing drug-addicted Gator Purify in Lee’s 1991 film, “Jungle Fever,” starring Wesley Snipes, got Jackson recognized. His role as Jules Winnfield, the Jheri curled hitman with a penchant for quoting Bible verses and a flair for dropping a profane word or two in Quentin Tarantino’s 1994 film “Pulp Fiction,” made him a star. And he hasn’t stopped working since.

Over the years, Jackson’s appeal has broadened to point that he has literally gone from last year’s “The Hitman’s Bodyguard” to an appearance as Nick Fury in Marvel’s recent superhero mash-up “Avengers: Infinity War.” But “The Incredibles” franchise, which counts Jackson’s daughter Zoe among its many fans, is one of the few Jackson has done suitable for all ages.

“I watched cartoons my whole life so being a voice of a cartoon character is kind of great,” he said. “And he’s a superhero. He’s got a superpower.”

“Incredibles 2” is in theaters nationwide June 15.

By Rose McGowan

(EMPIRE NEWS NETWORK (ENN)- Sitting across from me is the remarkable human and brave survivor, Asia Argento, who has been through more than most could stand, and yet stand she does. She stood up to her monster rapist and now she has to stand up to yet another monster, suicide. The suicide of her beloved lover and ally, Anthony Bourdain. I write these truths because I have been asked to. I know so many around the world thought of Anthony Bourdain as a friend and when a friend dies, it hurts. Many of these people who lost their ‘friend’ are wanting to lash out and blame. You must not sink to that level. Suicide is a horrible choice, but it is that person’s choice.

When Anthony met Asia, it was instant chemistry. They laughed, they loved and he was her rock during the hardships of this last year. Anthony was open with his demons, he even wrote a book about them. In the beginning of their relationship, Anthony told a mutual friend, “He’s never met anyone who wanted to die more than him.” And through a lot of this last year, Asia did want the pain to stop. But here’s the thing, over their time together, thankfully, she did the work to get help, so she could stay alive and live another day for her and her children. Anthony’s depression didn’t let him, he put down his armor, and that was very much his choice. His decision, not hers. His depression won. Anthony and Asia had a free relationship, they loved without borders of traditional relationships, and they established the parameters of their relationship early on. Asia is a free bird, and so was Anthony. Was. Such a terrible word to write. I’ve heard from many that the past two years they were together were some of his happiest and that should give us all solace.
 
Anthony was 61, the same age my father was when he died. My father also suffered from intermittent deep depression, and like Anthony, was part of a “pull up your bootstraps and march on” generation. The a “strong man doesn’t ask for help” generation. I know before Anthony died he reached out for help, and yet he did not take the doctor’s advice. And that has led us here, to this tragedy, to this loss, to this world of hurt. Do NOT do the sexist thing and burn a woman on the pyre of misplaced blame. Anthony’s internal war was his war, but now she’s been left on the battlefield to take the bullets. It is in no way fair or acceptable to blame her or anyone else, not even Anthony. We are asking you to be better, to look deeper, to read and learn about mental illness, suicide and depression before you make it worse for survivors by judging that which we do not understand, that which can never fully be understood. Sometimes we are stuck in the unknowable, and that is where we are now, a massive wave of darkness that threatens to swallow everyone in its wake.

As I watch Asia do her job on set today, I see a pillar of strength who continues to work to put food on her children’s table. I see Elizabeth Taylor carrying on filming Cat on a Hot Tin Roof despite her love, her husband, dying in a plane crash. I see all of us who have carried on. Please join me in sending healing energy to Anthony on his journey, and to all who’ve been left behind to journey on without him. There is no one to blame but the stigma of loneliness, the stigma of asking for help, the stigma of mental illness, the stigma of being famous and hurting.
 
We must do more and be better. Anthony, our friend, would want it that way.
 
To the media and to the random commenter, Anthony would never have wanted Asia to be hurt, I’d like to think he would want us to have the collective conversation that needs to be had about depression. Blame is NOT a conversation, it is the shutting down of our collective growth. Which is where we are now. We have a choice as humans, shrink to our smaller, uglier selves, or be better and grow as only true Phoenixes can. I urge you to be that Phoenix.

With great sadness and even greater hope, I remain,
 
Suicide Prevention Hotlines:

Argentina: +5402234930430

Australia: 131114

Austria: 017133374

Belgium: 106

Bosnia & Herzegovina: 080 05 03 05

Botswana: 3911270

Brazil: 212339191

Canada: 5147234000 (Montreal); 18662773553 (outside Montreal)

Croatia: 014833888

Denmark: +4570201201

Egypt: 7621602

Finland: 010 195 202

France: 0145394000

Germany: 08001810771

Holland: 09000767

Hong Kong: +852 2382 0000

Hungary: 116123

India: 8888817666

Ireland: +4408457909090

Israel: 1201 or 972-889-1333 from abroad

Italy: 800860022

Japan: +810352869090

Mexico: 5255102550

New Zealand: 045861048

Norway: +4781533300

Pakistan: 15 / 115 (Emergency)

Philippines: 028969191

Poland: 5270000

Russia: 0078202577577

Spain: 914590050

South Africa: 0514445691

Sweden: 46317112400

Switzerland: 143

United Kingdom: 08457909090

USA: 18002738255

For a USA Crisis Text Line, please text CONNECT to 741741 from anywhere in the USA, anytime, about any type of crisis.

By Lue Dowdy

(EMPIRE NEWS NETWORK (ENN)- If you live up the hill, especially in the City of Adelanto, please come out to a FREE Community event this Saturday from noon to 5 p.m. at ‘The City of The Lord Full Gospel Church’.

Special thanks to Loma Linda University Medical Center, SBCMore, African American Health Coalition for bringing medical services and resources to the High Desert. Be prepared for FUN, Free Food, Free Checkups, and Live Entertainment!

The Event host will be RnB Singer Yung Muusik Randall and Deeveatva Foy of LUEPRODUCTIONS.

“Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity!”-Psalm 133:1

(EMPIRE NEWS NETWORK (ENN)- SAN BERNARDINO, CA- Mary Texeira, Cal State San Bernardino sociology professor, brought attention to intersectionality and the overwhelming issues of sexual harassment at the Yotie Talks presentation “Exploring Race and Class in the #MeToo Movement” on Thursday, June 7.

Texeira wrote her doctoral dissertation about sexual harassment among women in law enforcement and “has been thinking of these issues for a number of years.” When the #MeToo movement started, she said she was impressed by the celebrities who were stepping forward and telling their stories.

“I’m really encouraged by the way people have been responding to this stuff,” she said, “and I think it’s because of the voices of those powerful women in Hollywood and in Silicon Valley and places like that who have insisted that this stop.”

However, she says there are still many groups whose stories we have yet to hear.

“As Oprah pointed out in her speech at the Oscars,” Texeira said, “there’s a whole group of women … who have been left out of this conversation, and so I want to do my part and call attention to their voices also.”

Texeira pointed out that the further away you are from being a heterosexual, white male, the more vulnerable you become in society.

“The marginalized are the most broken because of their, at least, triple jeopardy of race, class and gender,” she said and mentioned that sexual orientation, gender expression and other factors also come into play, making these people increasingly marginalized.

Texeira highlighted documentaries such as “Rape on the Night Shift,” about women janitors, and “Rape in the Fields,” about agricultural workers.

“These are the women who are voiceless, literally because they don’t speak English,” she said, “but also because they’re making life comfortable for us, stuck out in the fields or stuck in office buildings — somebody cleans this space at night, sometimes all alone here at night, which makes her very, very vulnerable.”

Texeira also shared a story about the sexual harassment occurring in public housing in Baltimore, and the victims, who are predominately underprivileged African-American women, are continually ignored.

According to Texeira, the most important part of the presentation was the topic of toxic masculinity. She quoted Niobe Ways, author of “Deep Secrets: Boys’ Friendships and the Crisis of Connection,” as saying: “We essentially raise boys in a culture that asks them to disconnect from … their desire for relationships and all sorts of things the boys articulate that they want.” Way says that this cycle leads to a culture that accepts lonely, aggressive boys, and puts them in positions of power to perpetuate such abuse against women and other men who are perceived as weaker.

Infamous men tied to sexual assault cases were also discussed, such as Harvey Weinstein, Bill Cosby and Brock Turner, the Stanford student who served only three months for sexually assaulting an unconscious woman, and whose judge, Aaron Persky, notoriously said that any sentence longer than six months would “profoundly affect this young man’s life.”

“Let’s have better consequences, let’s have stronger laws and rules that work,” Texeira said, “I don’t necessarily believe in the whole idea that stronger laws are going to take care of everything, but we have certainly been lax when it comes to domestic violence, rape … we have marginalized women victims and women survivors and we should … move them from the margins to the center.”

Texeira, who has taught introductory sociology, critical thinking and classes on race and gender at CSUSB since 1994, has a doctorate in sociology from the University of California, Riverside. Texeira’s research focuses on social inequality with a focus on race and ethnicity, class, gender and sexuality.

The Yotie Talks series was launched in the 2015-16 academic year by CSUSB’s University Diversity Committee to discuss current issues that are critical to the university, with a goal of creating space for dialogue for the campus community.

Carnival Cruise Line’s newest ship, Carnival Horizon, was officially named by godmother Queen Latifah in a ceremony in New York recently that showcased the talented young artists from St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital whose artwork adorns the Dreamscape, a stunning three-deck-high LED sculpture in the ship’s atrium.

Following the ceremony, Latifah squared off against Philadelphia Eagles Super Bowl champion Jake Elliott in Lip Sync Battle: Horizon modeled after the hit Paramount Network TV series and rolling out across the Carnival fleet.

Latifah rocked the house with her incredible interpretation of the Weather Girls classic “It’s Raining Men,” while Elliott had a chance to live out his rock star fantasies performing Whitesnake’s arena anthem “Here I Go Again,” all performed with back-up dancers from Carnival Horizon’s Playlist Productions to a packed house in the Liquid Lounge.

But the big winner was St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital which received a $100,000 donation from Carnival representing monies raised from various fundraisers, both onboard and ashore.  The funds continue the line’s ongoing support of St. Jude with more than $16 million raised in the fight against childhood cancer since the partnership began in 2010.

“Carnival Horizon’s naming ceremony was one of our best yet, with Queen Latifah carrying out her duties as godmother then battling it out with Super Bowl champion Jake Elliott of my hometown Philadelphia Eagles in an entertaining Lip Sync Battle,” said Christine Duffy, president of Carnival Cruise Line.  “We were also delighted to showcase the wonderfully talented children from St. Jude whose artwork on the Dreamscape will be forever associated with this spectacular ship,” she added.

Added Latifah, “My time aboard Carnival Horizon was nothing short of incredible.  In addition to having the honor of serving as the ship’s godmother, meeting the amazing kids from St. Jude and their families and squaring off against Jake in an all-out Lip Sync Battle is certainly something I will always cherish.”

“This is an absolute thrill for our patients and their families to have their artwork featured as a permanent display on this magnificent ship,” said Richard Shadyac Jr., president and CEO of ALSAC, the fundraising and awareness organization for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. “The ongoing support of Carnival team members and their customers around the globe for our lifesaving mission plays a critical role in advancing research and treatment for pediatric cancer and other life-threatening diseases.”

As the newest ship in the fleet, Carnival Horizon introduces several innovations, including the first-ever Dr. Seuss water park, a new teppanyaki venue, and Smokehouse Brewhouse, a unique dining concept that combines real deal BBQ favorites created by Food Network star and longtime partner Guy Fieri, along with four craft beers brewed on board by brewmaster Colin Presby.   

The second in the line’s Vista-class series, Carnival Horizon also includes features like SkyRide, an IMAX Theatre, a Havana section with its own Cuban-themed bar and pool, and Family Harbor with extra-roomy staterooms and the Family Harbor Lounge.

Carnival Horizon kicks off a summer schedule from New York with a four-day cruise to Bermuda departing later today.  The ship will operate four-day Bermuda and eight-day Caribbean departures from New York through September then reposition to Miami for year-round six- and eight-day Caribbean cruises beginning later that month. 

To learn more about Carnival Cruise Line or to make a reservation, visit Carnival.com, call 1-800-CARNIVAL, or contact any travel agent.

Lou Coleman-Yeboah

By Lou Coleman-Yeboah

(EMPIRE NEWS NETWORK (ENN)- Listen, Jesus was not into the business of wasting time. Therefore, to all you pretense and treachery God’s chosen people; God says, “You have the brazen look of a prostitute… and because you refuse to be ashamed,” you too like Israel, the northern ten tribes, will be judged and destroyed for the sins of idolatry, immorality, greed, violence, and abuse of the poor [Jeremiah chapter 3]. You will be indicted of two evils:  Forsaking the fountain of living waters and hewing for yourself cisterns, broken cisterns that can hold no water. For you have deliberately forsaken the Lord and have chosen to worship false gods – God calls that spiritual adultery, fornication, and you have been caught in the act!

I want you to know that as the Lord sent Amos and Hosea to warn Israel of the coming judgment and he sent Isaiah and Micah to warn Judah, he has sent me to warn you that if you do not repent, and if you persist in your rebellion you will be taken into captivity for you are committing all the same sins Israel and Judah committed, with far less excuse. You are sinning against a far greater light.

“Woeunto you, saith the LORD, that take counsel, but not of Me.” [Isaiah 30:1]  “Woe unto you, scribes, Pharisees, and hypocrites…” [Matthew 23:14]. “Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how shall ye escape the damnation of Hell?” [Matthew 23:33]… Know that the end has come upon you, and I will send My anger against you saith the Lord; I will judge you according to your ways, and I will repay you for all your abominations.  My eye will not spare you, nor will I have pity; but I will repay your ways, and your abominations will be in your midst, then you shall know that I am the LORD [Ezekiel 7:3-8]. Therefore, consider how far you have fallen and repent. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lamp stand from its place [Revelation2:5].

God appealed to Judah, [Jermiah 3:22] and with all my heart, I appeal to you to return to the Lord and let him heal your faithlessness.

David said, “Yet as surely as the LORD lives and you live, there is about one step between you and death!” [1 Samuel 20:3]

“So why do you endanger yourself every hour?” Repent and be converted!” [1 Corinthians 15:30-31]

(EMPIRE NEWS NETWORK (ENN)- SAN BERNARDINO, CA-  Four local Rotary Clubs came together Tuesday, May 8 to honor educators with the Character Education Award, and Pacific High School teacher CJ Eastwood took home the trophy.

“There is a literal trophy,” Rotary President and SBCUSD director Chris Tickell said. “It’s a very large, perpetual trophy that the winner’s school gets to display until next year’s Character Education Awards luncheon.”

Local Rotary clubs established the Character Education Award in 1991 to honor educators whose teaching best exemplifies the virtues of character education in the classroom. The Rotary Club of San Bernardino awards the top finalist a $2,000 honorarium and recognition on the perpetual trophy.

Pacific High Principal Dr. Natalie Raymundo said Character Education winner CJ Eastwood “creates a safe and supportive learning community that encourages students to be involved in the community. Overall, (CJ’s) biggest contribution to character education is helping students understand the impact of their words, actions, and inactions on the school and broader community.”

The Character Education finalists were Benjamin Cervantes, Del Vallejo Middle School; Cara Nelson, Curtis Middle School; and Rebecca Robles, Muscoy Elementary School. Finalists each receive a plaque and a $250 honorarium.

The following San Bernardino City Unified School District (SBCUSD) educators were also nominated for a 2018 Character Education Award:Catherine Cowles, Kendall Elementary School; Eunice Gutierrez, Gomez Elementary School; and Paul Prado, Holcomb Elementary School.

The Character Education Award luncheon is sponsored by San Bernardino Rotary Club, San Bernardino Rotary Club Crossroads-Loma Linda, San Bernardino Rotary Club North, and San Bernardino Rotary Club Sunset.

By Jerome Horton, California Black Media

(EMPIRE NEWS NETWORK (ENN)- If Senate Bill 822 (Weiner) passes in its current form, your internet rates will increase. 

States around the country are rushing to restore the net neutrality rules developed under President Obama and rolled back by the Trump Administration.  However, as they say, “the devil is in the details.”   

Senator Weiner’s legislation, SB 822, would attempt to restore internet connection safeguards for Californians that the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) reversed, but would do so at your expense by shifting the cost from wealthy internet providers to consumers.  This is particularly concerning because it hurts those who can least afford an increase in their internet bills, expands the current wealth inequity, and impedes access to technology.  

The original goal of “net neutrality” was that internet service providers and governments would treat all data on the internet equally and not discriminate or charge differently based on the user, services, website, application, or device – in other words, it would provide an open internet.

However, one of the bill’s provisions would ban popular free data offers, like streaming movies and music that do not count against data plans. These free data plans, also known as zero-rated plans, are discounts used by millions of consumers to stream popular online content like video or music.  Data shows that this act disproportionately hurts poor to middle-income earners who have a significantly higher reliance their smartphone as their only form of internet access. 

These consumers will get hit with higher monthly costs when they exceed their data caps, or they’ll have to throttle their own internet use. The problem is that consumers rely on their internet access to get jobs and healthcare information and whether consumers pay an extra $10, $15, or $20 per month, it’s not affordable for many low-income people. This amounts to a regressive tax, which wasn’t in the Obama net neutrality rules.

So, who does benefit?  If you scratch the surface of the net neutrality issue, you’ll see that it’s also a business-to-business issue. The bill appears to be written to favor very large “edge providers” – massive internet companies who generate so much traffic that infrastructure needs to be built around them, thus giving them a free ride (at our expense) when it comes to funding their equally massive infrastructure needs. That will shift all the costs onto ordinary consumers.

Although budding entrepreneurs and small businesses with limited financial resources would still be allowed to build an online presence for little to no additional cost, all public entities would be required to comply with procurement restrictions that would delay the deployment of critical new services. Yet with the right amendments, and political will, we can protect the little guys and the consumer. 

Net-neutrality is necessary, but not at the expense of poor to middle-income earners, as this goes beyond the Obama net neutrality policy and hurts California consumers in the process. Remember one of the greatest tricks the devil ever played was convincing the people he does not exist.  Believe in the devil or not, we need to amend this bill and protect consumers and small businesses before the cost of living goes to hell.  Individually our voice has meaning; collectively it has power. Consider calling your legislator today to get their perspective – because “silence grants consent.”

Re-elected in 2014, Member Jerome E. Horton is the Third District Member of the California State Board of Equalization, representing more than 9.5 million residents in Los Angeles, a portion of San Bernardino, and Ventura Counties. He was first elected to the Board of Equalization in 2010. Member Horton also serves as the Board of Equalization’s Property Tax Committee Chair. He is the first to serve on the Board of Equalization with more than 21 years of experience at the BOE. Horton previously served as an Assembly Member of the California State Assembly from 2000-2006.

The five-member California State Board of Equalization (BOE) is a publicly elected tax board that serves a significant role in the assessment and administration of property taxes.

(EMPIRE NEWS NETWORK (ENN)- SAN BERNARDINO, CA-This 4^thof July, come out and support Young Visionaries at their firework stand by purchasing or volunteering starting Sunday, July 1 to Wednesday, July 4.

 The stand will be located at 306 W Baseline Street in San Bernardino in the parking lot of 7-11 (on the corner of Baseline and Arrowhead).

To volunteer please call (909) 723-1695 or email info@yvyla-ie.org.

(EMPIRE NEWS NETWORK (ENN)- SAN BERNARDINO, CA- On Saturday, June 23 from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. at La Placita Park located at 685 N Mt Vernon Avenue in San Bernardino, the Pastors of San Bernardino are having a community block party.

The San Bernardino Pastors United (SBPU) is inviting the entire community to La Placita Park community block party.  There will be a life-saving message delivered by Dr. Michael Owens of New Hope Missionary Baptist Church.  The message is simple, “We are here for you; come unto us if you are heavy laden.”

 The Pastors are working together in unity and solidarity to bring the Gospel message into the streets, trying to save lives. They are taking a united stance against crime in our streets and violence in our schools and community. Come expecting a Holy Ghost party with powerful gospel music, prayer and testimonies about the power of God.

The mayor, city council, law enforcement and other agencies will be in attendance. Bring the children for a special program which will include face painting, gifts and much more!

There will be free food, free groceries, free shoes, free games, popcorn, a TV and prizes to be raffled off. SBPU is expecting the attendance to be in the thousands. Preregister or volunteer at (909) 353-7977 or visit www.sbpastorsunited.org.