T’ana Phelice (left) at her event Lunch With T’ana and her childhood friend NaKendra (right)

By Naomi K. Bonman

LOS ANGELES, CA – Need a new book to read? Want to read a book that will not only hold your attention, but that is inspiring and powerful at the same time? Then come on down on Saturday, March 19 to Zahra’s Books & Things from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. to pick up T’ana Phelice’s books, get them signed, and engage in an insightful conversation with the author herself. Pigs & Pearls is $18, Bratty Tatty (for the kids) is $9, and JADED Diamonds is $16. So mark your calendars and let’s continue to support our Black entrepreneurs and keep Black literature alive! Zahra’s Books & Things is located a 900 N. La Brea Avenue in Inglewood

RIALTO, CA – NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) welcomed 21 Rialto students who toured the facility for President Obama’s My Brother’s Keeper (MBK) Initiative. Students had visited the Spacecraft Assembly Facility, Space Flight Operations Facility, and the “Mars Yard” to see the twin of the Curiosity Mars Rover.
“I was so excited,” said Rialto Frisbie Middle School eighth grader and year one Summer Bridge graduate Cassandra Alvarez, “I’m looking forward to learning more about the Mars Rover.”
The initiative, launched in February 2014, addresses persistent opportunity gaps faced by boys and young men of color and their sisters in reaching their full potential. A goal of the My Brother’s Keeper initiative is to instill a passion for Computer Science, Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM.)
“This is an awesome day for the youth of Rialto, we are one of only four organizations visiting JPL today, and the only group selected from San Bernardino County,” said Rialto Mayor Deborah Robertson, who went with the students to JPL.  ”It was so exciting to see the joy in the children’s faces as they learned about space and space technology.“

The City of Compton, Long Beach Neighborhood Services Bureau, and LA County Supervisor Solis’ students also attended. Each group brought youth who do not traditionally have the opportunity to visit local NASA Labs and Centers to JPL.
The Rialto Police Department’s Officer Javier Pulido and several other community-based organizations were instrumental in identifying youth from last year’s e3p3 GIP’s Summer Bridge program that showed promise and interest in STEM.
Ten of the students selected to go on the trip are distinguished graduates from year one of the Rialto’s e3p3 Gang Intervention and Prevention (GIP) program.
“The Rialto’s GIP project targets twelve-hundred Rialto Unified School District elementary and middle school students to receive classroom instruction and become Resilient, Empowered, and Directed. This field trip advances our efforts of helping youth become directed, immensely!” said Nate Van Cleve, project manager from M.H.M. & Associates.
The Rialto e3p3 GIP program receives grant funding from the Board of State of Community Corrections and is currently in its second year.   A select group of approximately 100 youth take part in a rigorous and highly interactive 12-week e3p3 Summer Bridge program, each summer.
For more information, contact City of Rialto, Office Javier Pulido, at (909) 421-4944

Patricia L Nickols-Butler, President, & CEO, CAPSBC, (center) & Members , Community Action Partnership Board of Directors, (not in the order named): Dr Margaret Hill, Joanne Gilbert, Nancy R White, John ‘Fred’ Sagoe Dr Joshua Beckley, William Anthony Ruh, Eladio ‘Eddie’ U Garcia, Deborah Robertson, Daniel Enz, Thomas Rice, Socorro Enriquez, Bob Lemley, & Tyneia Merritt.

SAN BERNARDINO, CA- Almost everywhere we in the Inland Empire, whether via media outlets, social media, television, or through the windows of our cars as we go about our busy I.E. lives we see spreading signs of poverty,   social disruption and in some, a fading sense of confidence.   Who among us feels economically ‘secure’?
The Symposium identified excellent leaders and provided opportunities for their interaction, sharing, and support.   They dug deeply enough to expose not only the surface signs, but also the destructive interconnection of poverty’s ‘magnifier’, effects across modern lifestyles.   In today’s world, we depend on many and diverse kinds of knowledge, skills, and resources to advance common wellbeing. Join them !!!

  Sponsorship contract is What It Do with the LUE! Congratulations to hometown artist’s Gwaap Fam on their new sponsorship deal with Chef Music Studios.
This is a major, major move for the group as they embark on a new journey. Currently putting together their new project is clearly the group’s number one priority. Providing Quality Service, Chef Music is one of the hottest recording studios in Southern California with three locations to select from. Our company is excited about working directly with the team of Chef Music. We hope ya’ll ready for what’s COOKING in the studio with GWAAP FAM. They’re ready to make magic! Until next week L’z Up!
More on Chef Music:
Chef is an acronym for “Creativity is Heard and Emotion is Felt” with creativity and emotion being what they believe to be the ingredients for making good music. They are a multifaceted entertainment company specializing in quality vocal recordings, useful resources, and superior customer service since 2009.
Their main office is located in Burbank, California. Book your session with their recording engineer at your studio or choose from a list of Southern California locations that are sure to be creative, professional, and productive. Call them toll-free at 1-844-484-CHEF (2433)
Other Studio Locations include Victorville and North Hollywood. For more information, please visit chefmusic.com/musicservices.

Lou Coleman

By Lou Coleman

Those two words may not mean anything to you, but if you happen to be in a hospital and hear those words, the whole atmosphere changes. Nurses and Doctors go on high alert, and their pace quickens, because somebody has an emergency, somebody’s life or lives are hanging in the balance and what those doctors and nurses do in the next few minutes will make the difference between life and death.  Code Blue: Because of sin, your life is hanging in the balance. Something has to be done quickly! Choose this day Whom you will serve [Joshua 24:14-15]. The wages of sin is death [Romans 6:33].

Face to face with death [2Kings 20:1-7]. How would you handle this situation if you received a word from God to “Set your house in order, for you shall die?” Set your house in order – beginning with your own soul, your family, business affairs.  How would you handle this? I tell you, facing death has a way of putting things into perspective. Not everyone gets a warning – for many, it comes by surprise.  Can you hear the voice of Christ showing you the way of deliverance, “I Am the Way…?” [John 14:6] “I have set before you life and death, blessing and curses… Choose life…” [Deuteronomy 30:19]  “… “If you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him for the dead, you shall be saved” [Romans 10:9]. The indicator here is about repentance.

Every day the Lord calls us to admit and renounce our sins and to turn to him. Don’t wait until it’s too late! The alarm is sounding, “Code Blue” signified by the sounding of a trumpet. Do not ignore the warning! Take heart, confess, and repent. For God is gracious, and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. If you choose to do nothing, it will be like playing Russian roulette? Do you know what Russian roulette is? Russian roulette is a potentially lethal game of chance in which participants place a single bullet in a revolver, spin the cylinder, place the muzzle against their head and pull the trigger.  If you are lucky, the cylinder will come to rest on an empty chamber and nothing happens when the trigger is pulled.  If you are unlucky, you will be dead!

Sinner man, observe — the day of execution is really set. God will not pass over it. When it arrives it will be too late. Now, Jesus stands at the door and knock [Revelation 3:20] He came to set you free.  If your spiritual ears are opened, you would hear the chariot wheels rolling — the great judge coming in His car of thunder; you would see the sword of death gleaming in the air and ready to smite down the hardened sinner.  Lift up your cries while yet mercy lingers and pardon can be found; for the wages of sin is death — Think a moment; “What is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away” [James 4:14]. You are being offered mercy. What will you say?  What will you do? And what shall I say to God when it comes to report the matter; must I bear my testimony that you would not hear? You have a decision to make…. What will it be? NOW is the day of salvation!

Bill Norwood (left) and Tony Marshall (right)

By Cynthia Frazier

RIALTO, CA- Tony Marshall is on a mission to expose minority youth to opportunities available in the aviation industry, and there is no shortage of opportunities for the foreseeable future. According to a Boeing forecast, worldwide, there is a need for more than half a million new commercial airline pilots over the next couple of decades. In the U.S. the need is more than 95,000 new commercial pilots. Plus, airline pilots can command a salary between $100,000 and $200,000.

Looking back a few decades, the number of African American commercial pilots across all airlines was too small to count. In fact, it wasn’t until a landmark Supreme Court Case in 1963 that the color barrier was smashed and Marion Green became the first black pilot hired by a major U.S. Passenger Airline (Continental). A few years later, Marshall experienced the lack of opportunity for black pilots first hand. Although he hadn’t thought about it much at first, as a young newly hired pilot, Marshall realized that none of his fellow coworkers shared his cultural experiences as a black man.

While on one of his early flights, Marshall, along with his coworkers, walked proudly through an airport in uniform. Much to his surprise, another black pilot in uniform tapped him on the shoulder. It turned out to be Bill Norwood, the first black pilot hired by United Airlines. Mr.

Norwood welcomed Marshall to the company and congratulated him on getting hired. What happened next left a lasting impact on Marshall and continues to influence how he conducts his life today.

Mr. Norwood pulled Marshall to the side and reminded Marshall that other black pilots paved the way to open doors for young black men to get hired. Norwood continued, “Without the sacrifices and determination of men like the Tuskegee Airmen and myself, who fought to cross the color line, you would not have been lucky enough to have this opportunity. So now, it is up to you to make it your mission to help others succeed in this industry.” Mr. Norwood told Marshall that whenever he was in uniform, he should make time to talk directly to young black kids at the airport.

Tony Marshall said, “I took this advice to heart.”

Today, Marshall runs the California Shades of Blue Aeronautics Academy. With the support of Rialto Mayor Deborah Robertson, Shades of Blue completed two successful classes of middle school students in 2015. Participants in the Academy attend a five week academic course, and they get to meet aeronautics professionals like local Cessna Airplane owners. The Fall 2015 class was introduced to Jet Fighter Pilot Lt. Malone from San Diego.

One very exciting part of the course includes an orientation flight at Flabob Airport where students actually get to take control of a Cessna plane while in the air. “At first, I didn’t think I would like the class because it was early in the morning on a Saturday,” said 6th grade student Izaiah Frazier. “It turned out to be a great experience. I will never forget it.” Frazier continued.

Frazier attended the Fall 2015 session. In spite of the low diversity numbers that continue to plague the aerospace industry – only 4 percent women pilots, less than 3 percent African-American pilots, 2.5 percent Asia pilots, and 5 percent Hispanic pilots — there is good news for young minority students like Frazier. Going forward, the airline industry as a whole is preparing for tremendous growth. In addition to the large number of commercial airline pilots needed over the next 20 years, there will also be a need for over 600,000 additional commercial airline maintenance technicians, aircraft manufacturers, equipment trainers, and training delivery organizations. Marshall believes that helping students to discover these opportunities at a young age could have a big payoff somewhere down the line. He is determined that minority youth are poised to take advantage of the abundance of aviation opportunities to come.

It couldn’t come soon enough for Marshall. Today, only 4 percent of airline transport pilots are women, just under 3 percent are African-American, 2.5 percent are Asian, and 5 percent are Hispanic.

The Spring 2016 Academy opened on Saturday, February 20, 2016 in Rialto with words of wisdom from Mayor Deborah Robertson and Rialto School District Superintendent Dr. Cuauhtemoc Avila. Both shared personal stories of their life experiences, challenges, and successes. Students were advised to take full advantage of every opportunity that crossed their path.

Evan and Eric Carthen

SAN BERNARDINIO, CA- Evan Carthen, known on Cal Lutheran University campus as “Mr. President,” will be graduating with a dual major, BA in English and a BS in Political Science on May 14, 2016 along with his twin brother Eric Carthen who will be graduating with a BS degree in Criminal Justice.

Evan will be attending law school in the Fall. He has been accepted to several major universities with scholarships, including Ohio State University and Pepperdine University.  His decision will be announced soon.

The Future Alumni of California Lutheran University, who both will be graduating with honors, have a bright future ahead of them.

RIVERSIDE, CA-  “Gurl…Ask Me Anything!” is an evening of storytelling and sharing, all part of a dynamic conference aimed at building authentic relationships to help women break free from the fears that hold them back from doing what God has purposed for their lives.

On Saturday, March 19, at the Mt. Rubidoux Seventh-day Adventist Church located at 5320 Victoria Avenue in Riverside, this amazing girls’ night out will feature soul-stirring praise and worship, spoken word, dance, a vendor expo, and inspiring stories by three women who will share how they moved from fear to freedom (#FromFearToFreedom).

Conference goers will hear from former professional soccer player, motivational speaker and author Jasmine Henderson. Her first book, A Broken Vow, was inspired by her life changing journey from virgin to single motherhood at age 25. Josie Aiello, a national recording artist, will share how she chose to leave a successful yet unfulfilling singing,songwriting career to answer “The Call” to sing for the Lord; and Dr. Sally D. Williams, an educational psychologist, author, and life coach, will speak on the importance of keeping your integrity when faced with fearful decisions.

“It’s time to have safe, open, relevant and needed conversations between women of all ages,” said Desiree Foster-Collins, president and co-founder of Excellence by Design.

“Gurl…Ask Me Anything” is open to women from ages 16 and up. Doors will open at 6:30 p.m. for general admission and 5:30 p.m. for VIP premium ticket holders. VIP guests will be treated to a Meet and Greet with the featured guest speakers, an “Hors d’oeuvres Hour” before the conference, reserved seating, a special VIP gift and more. The program begins at 7 p.m.

Ticket prices range from $10 for students (ages 16-22 years) to $40 for the VIP package. There is also a special pricing for groups of 10 or more and an early bird ticket price of $20 that is available through March 12. After March 12 general admission ticket prices will be $25 per person. Vendor opportunities are also available. Child care will not be provided, and nursing mothers are welcome. For more information, to register as a vendor, and to purchase your tickets online visit excellencebydesign.us.

If you have questions about the conference, or want to know more about Excellence by Design (EBD) call 951-888-0398 or send an email to info@excellencebydesign.us.

By Lue Dowdy

Sing! Dance! Rap! Act! Recite a poem! Play an instrument! Looking for talented youth to showcase is What It Do With LUE this week!

The PAL Center is hosting their 1st Annual Resource Fair and Youth Showcase and LUE Productions has the honor of coordinating it. We’re looking to feature 10 to 15 talented individuals or groups. All information on how to register for this FREE event is located below.

The event is Saturday, April 2 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 2450 Blake Street in San Bernardino. To participate, youth must be 19 and under. Check-in time is from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. Each act will be allocated a total of 10 minutes to perform. All performers must have a performance wavier form signed by their parent or guardian and music must be clean and edited.

To sign up, please visit www.lueproductions.org.

The Provisional Accelerated Learning Center (PAL Center) is a community-based organization established to compliment the activities of the structured educational system and provides education and employment services in a non-threatening environment that is easily assessable to residents.

Linda Jackson

SAN BERNARDINO, CA – In celebration of Women’s History Month, Linda Jackson, a senior certified housing counselor and branch manager of NID Housing Counseling Agency of the Inland Empire, is encouraging women to make personal financial matters a priority. Seasoned financial counselors like Jackson agree that one of the first steps towards financial freedom involves reviewing one’s credit report for items that need to be addressed such as errors or even unflattering information like late or missed payments. In response, Jackson offers a free credit education class that teaches consumers how to improve their credit score, avoid costly loan products, and enforce their consumer rights when dealing with debt collectors. The class also teaches consumers how to spot identity theft. One of the first places to discover identity theft is on one’s credit report. Research indicates that women are more likely to be victims of fraud than men.

“The importance of a good credit rating cannot be underestimated,” said Jackson. “As we celebrate the lives of extraordinary women this month, I believe this is the perfect time for all women to consider their financial legacy by becoming educated on how credit works. We teach valuable information that should be passed on to one’s children and grandchildren.”

Linda’s credit education classes are held in two Inland Empire locations. Pre-registration is encouraged by calling the NID office at (909) 887-8700 or by visiting Eventbrite and searching, Financial Fitness with NID. The classes are on Thursday, March 10 and Thursday, 17 from 5:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Realty One Group located at 325 W. Hospitality Lane, Suite 100 in San Bernardino. On Wednesday, March 16 from 5:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. the class will be held at Faith Church located at 9239 Utica Avenue in Rancho Cucamonga.