President Barack Obama signs an executive order for the White House Initiative on Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Friday, Feb. 26, 2010, in the East Room of the White House in Washington. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)

By Gina Chirichigno and Philip Tegeler
America’s Wire Writers Group

Addressing a crowded room of magnet school educators and supporters last week, Acting U.S. Secretary of Education John King explained his personal commitment to school diversity and the importance of reducing racial isolation in schools.

“I was a kid who benefited from intentional school diversity, and I’m a parent who prioritizes that in how I think about the education of my children,” he said, describing his experiences at two intentionally diverse schools in New York City (P.S. 276 in Canarsie and Mark Twain Junior High in Coney Island). “Teachers at those two schools saved my life,” he declared. “They are the reason I am standing here today.”

King’s children both attend diverse public schools in Montgomery County, MD, which, as he noted, has been working to implement intentional strategies to integrate both housing and education for decades. Now, he wants to encourage other communities to adopt that approach.

Thanks in large part to Secretary King, the Obama administration has now made a meaningful commitment to reducing racial and socioeconomic isolation in our nation’s schools, by proposing a $120 million request in the 2017 budget to fund the “Stronger Together” initiative. The new competitive funding program would offer planning and implementation grants for voluntary, community-developed socioeconomic integration plans. The proposed 2017 budget also includes an increase in funding for the Magnet Schools Assistance program, another school integration program.

The Stronger Together program would supply four implementation grants (averaging $25 million each) for up to five years to support communities currently implementing strategies to improve racial and socioeconomic diversity. Stronger Together would also award 10 one-year planning grants (averaging $2 million each) to help support activities such as: fostering family and community engagement; assessing economic stratification; evaluating the adequacy of transportation infrastructure; increasing capacity for data collection, etc.

As members of the National Coalition on School Diversity (www.school-diversity.org), we have been advocating for a clear, courageous investment in integration from the beginning of President Obama’s administration. Our country is long overdue for government-supported innovation in school integration. And, while Congress is unlikely to pass the 2017 budget in its current form, we are confident that the commitment to school diversity will remain in some form in the final budget.

Studies consistently show that school integration by race and socioeconomic status is strongly associated with a range of short and long term benefits for all racial groups. As a whole, however, our nation’s schools remain overwhelmingly isolated by race and class, even as our country becomes increasingly diverse. Such isolation is not benign; rather, it fuels a vicious cycle of structural educational inequity and, too, strips us of opportunities to build community across lines of difference.

Justice Thurgood Marshall’s observation that, “Unless our children begin to learn together, there is little hope that our people will ever learn to live together,” is now supported by a strong research base demonstrating the benefits of racial integration—not just for student achievement, but also for reducing interracial prejudice and strengthening relations between racial groups. This research should encourage us all to take integration strategies more seriously.

We are particularly pleased to see such a strong emphasis on community engagement and involvement in the Stronger Together program—voluntary school integration efforts are most effective when communities come together to develop the political will to co-create and implement strategies that respond to their unique context. We can readily point to examples of remarkable community-led integration efforts in progress, in cities such as Hartford, CT; Richmond, VA; and New York, NY. But the lack of federal, state, local, and foundation support for this work makes it extremely challenging to initiate and sustain, even when there is strong interest. Programs like Stronger Together would help change that.

Stronger Together would afford communities across the country the opportunity to come together and co-create learning environments where, truly, every student can succeed. It is now up to people on the ground—educators, parents, students, and community leaders—to ensure that the administration’s newly-ignited commitment to school integration receives the funding we believe it deserves.

Gina Chirichigno is outreach coordinator for the National Coalition on School Diversity, www.school-diversity.org. You can reach her at gchirichigno@prrac.org.

Philip Tegeler is executive director of the Poverty and Race Research Action Council, www.prrac.org. You can reach him at ptegeler@prrac.org.

America’s Wire is an independent, nonprofit news service run by the Maynard Institute for Journalism Education. Our stories can be republished free of charge by newspapers, websites and other media sources. For more information, visit www.americaswire.org or contact Michael K. Frisby at mike@frisbyassociates.com.

Lou Coleman

By Lou Coleman

Nobody… gets away with Sin! [Romans 6:23; Ezekiel 18:4]. It is a warning… And it is a warning to the sinner! “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.” [Galatians 6:7]. You reap sin; you will reap the results of sin. Every sin has its price and payday is coming! Woe unto you… “For if [you] go on sinning willfully after receiving the knowledge of the truth, for there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a certain terrifying expectation of judgment…”[Hebrews 10:26-31]. I tell you, it is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God. God’s warning is clear. Repent of sin at once! Don’t wait until sin has battered, bruised, arrested, imprisoned, condemned, drove you to despair, and almost killed you before you get it. Sin is no joke! You play with fire, you will get burnt… Make no mistake about it! Living Sin means playing a game that you cannot win!

Listen, God did not save you to leave you defeated, beaten, and enslaved by the flesh. He saved you to set you free, to enable you to walk in the victory that He gives to all those who walk according to His Word and His Will. You don’t crucify the flesh by gratifying it. You cannot feed every lust that enters your mind and claim to be living a life that is pleasing to the Lord [Romans 13:14]. The flesh must be reckoned dead every day we live. For we are no longer slaves to sin, the flesh, nor the devil [Romans 6:14]! We have been made “new creatures” in Jesus Christ [2 Cor. 5:17]. We have been given the “divine nature” [2 Peter 2:4]. We are indwelled by the Holy Spirit, who teaches us about the dangers of sin and about the blessings of holiness [John 16:13]. Study to show yourself approved!

Listen; as the Spirit continues to give utterance; there are some of you reading this who have been imprisoned by your sins. You have allowed certain actions and ways of living dominate you so long that you have lost your will and ability to fight against them. You are a prisoner in your own life and you hide in fear from actions YOU THINK you cannot control. If you want to be free, you must deal with your sin. You must confess it [Proverbs 28:13; 1 John 1:9]. You must repent of it [Luke 13:5]. You must forsake it [Job 11:14]. If you don’t take control now, the devil will take over totally. He will continue to wreak havoc in your life, and everywhere he is allowed to. I want you to know that Jesus has delegated authority to use His Name to those who believe in Him. If you believe, then exercise that authority. Its authority, which if used, will insure that nothing shall by any means hurt you. It is a choice, and it is your choice!

With that being said, when you get tired of being tied; when you get tired of being battered and bruised; when you get tired of going in circles; doing it your way and getting nowhere; when you get tired of doing the wrong thing; I want you to know that Jesus is standing by. What a disaster it would be to come before Christ on Judgment Day and discover you are sentenced to Hell. It is a dangerous thing to be hardheaded. To know God and to choose to think, act, or behave outside of the Word, Will, and Way of God is very dangerous. Don’t do it! Look at the prodigal son – because of hardheadedness, he paid the fare – loss everything even his dignity. The children of Israel left Egypt and because of rebellion they wander 40 years- a whole generation died because they were hardheaded. Adam got kicked out of the Garden because he was hardheaded – he knew what God said, but he choose to listen to his wife. Don’t do it…. Detour off of the Road to Hell! Today I have set before you life and death… Choose life!

SAN BERNARDINIO, CA- Love meeting new people? Do you love to eat and read? Do you need some inspiration in your life? The come out on Saturday, March 5 to the Denny’s at 702 E. Highland in San Bernardino for a day of inspiration with author T’ana Phelice. Come purchase and get your book signed, take photos, engage in empowering topics, watch a monologue performance, and of course network and grub! The following day, Sunday, March 6, T’ana will be a guest on Empire Talks Back with Wallace Allen at 10 a.m. You can tune in by calling 800-982-3197 (#100766589), logging onto www.kcaaradio.com, or tuning your dial to 1050 AM.

LUE Productions in conjunction with DRAC Entertainment is at it again providing platforms for Indie Artists. This Saturday, March 5, come out and network at our bi-monthly mixer while enjoying an entertaining show from some of the most talented artists in the game. The event will be held in the City of San Bernardino at the American Legion located at 2181 West Highland Avenue.

Doors open at 7 p.m. and the comedy part of the evening starts at 7:30 p.m. sharp and will be hosted by Comedian “Anthony Stone.” Directly after the comedy show prepare to get funktified with the funk master, “NoFace The Shadowmen.” For our Rap and Hip-Hop lovers we have rapper “Radio Base” and that Inland Empire group “Gwaap Fam” live with other dope artists. Show start at 9 p.m. sharp hosted by the legend, “The Real Dirty Birdy.” No gang attire and security will be enforced. We hope to see you there. For ticket information please visit our website at www.lueproductions.org. Until next week L’z!

Breathing Words/Actions of Life that has Empowered People to Excellency!”

Wallace Allen IV

By Lou Coleman

Of all the gifts that we could every give to another person, none holds more potential than giving life itself. The idea that every interaction we have with another human being offers us that grand opportunity… to brighten another’s existence by breathing life into theirs. You may not see it or even realize it, but you have impacted many lives. Just by existing at this time and place, you’re changing what’s around you.

Words cannot describe and actions cannot do justice to the gratitude we feel when we think of all you have done. You challenge people to think about life differently. You challenge the world to think about life differently. When you read about injustices in our country and throughout the world, you show a righteous anger that is so pure and raw that it reminds us of what really should matter. Your work is essential, not only for the people you care for, but also for the society as a whole. Every effort you make, small or big, adds to people’s improved quality of life, and that is something to admire.

It is truly a great experience to be a part of your team! Thank you for the contribution that you have made in our lives! From all of us here at Westside Story Newspaper to you… Happy Birthday to our mentor and true leader… Much love!

SAN BERNARDINO, CA- The Buffalo Soldiers made a visit to Newman Leadership Academy last week where students were able to experience the rich history of the soldiers.

DeVon Franklin and Megan Good (Photo by Naomi K. Bonman)

By Naomi K. Bonman

When it comes to relationships, everyone wants to have that successful relationship. Some get sick of the dating scene after they keep getting into dead end relationships with no avail of finding that successful love. They then wonder what they’re doing wrong. In the society that we live in, it is embedded in sex, sex, and more sex. The media–from television, film, and music often fills peoples judgement to make them think that they have to have ‘it’ in order to have a successful relationship which only leads to heartbreak and confusion because people are not getting to know each other during the dating and courtship phase before marriage.

These are just a few of the points that are in Hollywood’s power couple, Devon Franklin and Megan Good’s book The Wait: A Powerful Practice for Finding the Love of Your Life and the Life You Love.  ‘The Wait’ digs deep into how to have a fulfilling relationship while doing things God’s Way. In the book it teaches you how to have that real intimacy that comes from truly getting to know the person which untimely determines if the person that you are dating is worthy of being your future spouse; and I can attest to everything that Devon and Megan state through out the book because me and my boyfriend are also practicing the Wait and it definitely makes things that much easier–as far as truly getting to know each other as each other’s best friend.

I also had the pleasure of attending a book discussion last night at Church of Christian Fellowship in Los Angeles where Emerging Leaders of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC), in partnership with the City of Los Angeles Cultural Affairs, hosted Devon Franklin and Megan Good’s book discussion of ‘The Wait’. After the discussion, everyone had a chance to meet the couple as well as have their books signed.

Below is the some of the discussion that took place last night. Enjoy, and leave your comments below. Also, don’t forget to sign up for our ‘Relationships Newsletter’ to receive more news on dating, marriage, friendship, and more relationship topics.

Perennial Sports & Entertainment’s CEO Lamell McMorris and Tanqueray No. Ten joined together on Wednesday, Feb. 24 to sponsor Alfre Woodard’s Seventh Annual Oscars Sistahs Soiree at the Vivienne Westwood Penthouse, attended by several notable and influential women of color in the entertainment industry including Rosario Dawson, Jurnee Smollett-Bell, Aisha Tyler and Lorraine Toussaint.

The event provides an avenue for women of color in Hollywood to come together in celebration of their achievements and discussion of future opportunities in the industry. This year’s event is particularly poignant as the 2016 Oscars have come under immense scrutiny for lack of diversity in nominations. Woodard’s gathering aims to create a sense of sisterhood between invitees, acknowledging those who have been recognized by Hollywood’s most prestigious awards ceremony, and in her words, “in a perfect world, those who should have been.”

McMorris’ involvement rests on his ongoing support of civil and human rights initiatives and his aim to see these efforts pervade throughout the entertainment industry, and beyond. In his work with professional athletes, McMorris has seen the impact that young African American men have on their communities and sees the same reach stemming from these women. His sponsorship was inspired by this alignment and his belief that Woodard’s event provides recognition and a voice to a group that deserves to be heard.

“By setting the stage to empower women of color, Alfre has fostered a key channel for changing the tone toward minorities in entertainment, and I couldn’t be more proud to support her and the women here tonight,” McMorris stated. “Now more than ever, African American women are given a unique platform to be positive role models both on and off the screen and I have no doubt that the conversations held tonight will reverberate far past Hollywood.”

The high-profile affair attracted significant press interest with coverage in The Hollywood Reporter, Variety and InStyle. These articles captured the sentiments and goals of attendees through words and images, before doors were closed and the women moved to share their experiences privately. The coverage isn’t limited to the written word; US Weekly and People Magazine both shared images from the event, and HipHollywood released a video that compiles guests’ reactions.

San Bernardino Chief of Police Jarrod Burguan

By Keith McCarter, McCarter University

On February 18, 2016 the San Bernardino Republican Women Federated presented an evening of Honor and Appreciation for San Bernardino Chief of Police Jarrod Burguan, County of San Bernardino Sheriff John McMahon and Assistant Director of the FBI David Bowdich.

This occasion was to honor these three men for their stellar service during the December 2, 2015 act of terrorism here in San Bernardino. Even though the evening was to honor these three men, they used much of their talk time to honor and praise everyone else and minimizing the attention being given to themselves.

Assistant Director David Bowdich used much of his speech time giving credit to a little girl who wrote a very unusually formal letter which thanked him for being so calm, cool, collected, and effective on the day of the incident. The little girl expressed that Mr. Bowdich’s demeanor while speaking on the news was so profound as to bring a bit of calm to the calamity. San Bernardino Sheriff John McMahon used much of his time explaining, thanking, and giving due credit to the several other government agencies which were involved in securing the December 2 scene and capturing the culprits.

San Bernardino Police Chief Jarrod Burguan used much of his time talking about the effectiveness of all the law enforcement, medical and emergency responders. He praised the training and preparation of every person acting under the color of title and he was sure to give the medical establishment and medical personnel due credit for their important role in the management of the crises.

Either these men made a mistake in thinking this night was for everyone except them or, in the alternative, maybe their innate selflessness is one of their many good characteristics which highlighted their competence and dedication to the community to which they serve. Of these two possibilities I believe the latter option rings truer than the former.

Also present was Senator Mike Morrell, San Bernardino County Assessor Bob Dutton, San Bernardino Major Carey Davis and newly appointed Police Commissioner Damon Alexander. It was a truly inspirational evening.

The cast of “Underground” gather for a photo outside of the White House. Pictured left to right: Alano Miller, Amirah Vann, Jurnee Smollett-Bell, Aldis Hodge, Jessica de Gouw, Christopher Meloni (PRNewsFoto/WGN America)

LOS ANGELES, CA- In celebration of Black History Month, the White House Office of Public Engagement hosted a panel and screening event for WGN America’s “Underground,” the upcoming original series, produced by Sony Pictures Television and Tribune Studios, set to premiere Wednesday, March 9 on WGN America. The February 22 White House event was attended by Senior Administration Officials including Valerie Jarrett, Senior Advisor to the President of the United States of America, who welcomed attendees with opening remarks about the powerful and gripping new series being a perfect fit for the Black History Month event entitled “These Hallowed Grounds and Underground Screening.”

Cast and creative team from WGN America’s “Underground” participated in two panel discussions that included executive producers John Legend and Akiva Goldsman, creators Misha Green and Joe Pokaski and director and executive producer Anthony Hemingway, and cast including Jurnee Smollett-Bell, Aldis Hodge, Christopher Meloni, Alano Miller, Jessica de Gouw and Amirah Vann, along with president and general manager, WGN America/ Tribune Studios, Matt Cherniss. The event was also attended by Peter Liguori, President and Chief Executive Officer, Tribune Media Company and Zack Van Amburg and Jamie Erlicht, Presidents, Programming & Production, Sony Pictures Television, as well as leadership from the Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH).