(from left to right): Tai Beauchamp, TV Personality & Lifestyle Expert; Alicia Alston, Vice-President, Global Communications at Prudential Financial; Michelle Ebanks, ESSENCE President; Dani Arps, Interior Designer; Marvet Britto, President and CEO of the Britto Agency; Tiffany “The Budgetnista” Aliche; Dorinda Walker, Director of Consumer Strategy & Key Initiatives Multicultural Marketing, Prudential’s U.S. Businesses; ESSENCE Features Editor Lauren Williams. (Photo, Matthew C. Anderson)

ESSENCE, the preeminent brand for African-American women, partnered with Prudential Financial, Inc. to help its audience tackle college debt with the most recent installment of its EmpowerU e-learning series, College Debt: Money Lessons Everyone Should Know. Over 40 million Americans have college debt, but student loans are only one piece of your financial puzzle. Through this course, students not only learned how to gain control over their student loans, but also how to master the rest of their money and lay the foundation for a fiscally sound post-college life.

Each installment of ESSENCE’s EmpowerU e-learning series is led by expert instructors. Last month’s course was led by Tiffany “The Budgetnista” Aliche—an award-winning teacher of financial empowerment, who is quickly becoming America’s favorite financial educator. Aliche addressed important financial-related topics such as debt management and reduction, student loan savviness, credit-building tips and more. This month’s installment, You Can Be Frugal and Fabulous!, will be a personal finance course led by Aisha Taylor. Taylor is a financial consultant, best-selling author, entrepreneur, empowerment coach and founder of FNPhenomenal (Frugal n Phenomenal). This course will teach participants to be smart with their money and stay out of crushing debt while they live and build toward the lifestyle that they really want.

In addition, on Friday, November 6^th, ESSENCE and Prudential hosted a panel discussion entitled, “Money + Power: Must-haves for Prosperous Business Women” held at Apella in New York City.  Moderated by ESSENCE Features Editor Lauren Williams, the panel featured leading industry mavens and tastemakers who shared timeless insights with the audience, including: Marvet Britto, President and CEO of the Britto Agency; Tai Beauchamp, TV Personality & Lifestyle Expert; Dani Arps, Interior Designer; and Tiffany “The Budgetnista” Aliche.For more information on the Empower U e-learning series, visit ESSENCEEmpowerU.com.

SAN BERNARDINO, CA- The San Bernardino City Unified School District Board of Education has joined the growing number of governing boards and agencies that live stream public meetings.

Starting with the November 17 session, the Board of Education will now broadcast its meetings live twice a month, offering stakeholders an opportunity to watch from any device with Internet access. In addition, meetings will be recorded and archived online.

Superintendent Dr. Dale Marsden championed the live broadcasts as a way to improve civic participation.

“This makes our meetings accessible to a larger audience, improving transparency and accountability to our community,” Marsden said. “So much of our work is focused on engaging the public and making sure they’re a part of important decisions and conversations that will shape the future of our community.”

Board of Education meetings will be aired live on the District’s YouTube channel, SanBdoCitySchools. Regularly scheduled school board meetings begin at 5:30 p.m. on the first and third Tuesday of the month.

Many African Americans can receive financial assistance to help them pay for health insurance, Covered California Chief Deputy Executive Director Yolanda Richardson said. Thousands of eligible Californians received an average $5,200 in federal assistance to pay for premiums in 2014.

By Yolanda Richards

Trying to make a 90-day supply of medication helping to control your diabetes last over two years wouldn’t add up for most people. But if you were uninsured, as Kimberly Lenoir-Sanderson once was, you’d learn a new kind of math.

“I’d cut them into threes to make them stretch,” said Lenoir-Sanderson, who resides in Loma Linda. “Some days I wouldn’t take a pill if my blood sugar was normal, but it caused a lot of worry. I didn’t know when my bad days would be, and that was a problem.”

After several false starts that included struggling to enroll online, missing an enrollment deadline and being generally confused about the new health care law, Lenoir-Sanderson finally gained coverage this past August through special enrollment with Covered California, the state agency that administers the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. She now has a Silver plan from Health Net and pays a $364 monthly premium.

“It was a quick process — and easy,” Lenoir-Sanderson said of the person-to-person help she received from a Covered California enrollment counselor. “I paid my premium, and I can start seeing a doctor. I’m a little afraid of seeing a doctor because I haven’t seen one in so long, but knowledge is power.”

Covered California is in the third year of helping millions of Californians gain health insurance through the Affordable Care Act. Open enrollment began Nov. 1, 2015, and continues through Jan. 31, 2016. More than 2 million consumers have been enrolled at one time or another since coverage began in January 2014. Millions more have received care through low-cost or no-cost Medi-Cal.

Still, hundreds of thousands of Californians don’t have insurance — many of whom are African-Americans like Lenoir-Sanderson. With that in mind, Covered California has launched a new marketing and outreach effort to boost African-American enrollment.

The African-American enrollment initiative will emphasize financial assistance available to help consumers pay for insurance coverage. Covered California is targeting specific ZIP codes across the state where higher numbers of uninsured and subsidy-eligible African-Americans live, work, play and pray.

“Changing our state from a culture of coping to a culture of coverage is a long-term proposition,” Covered California Chief Deputy Executive Director Yolanda Richardson said. “We’ve made great progress in helping African-Americans gain the coverage they need and deserve, but we recognize there is much more to be done in proving to the remaining uninsured the value in having health coverage.”

Of 2.7 million Californians eligible to receive financial assistance under the Affordable Care Act, about 5 percent, or 130,000, are African-American, according to a joint study by the University of California, Los Angeles, and the University of California, Berkeley.

Covered California will push enrollment at storefronts in African-American communities where Certified Insurance Agents and Certified Enrollment Counselors will be on hand to assist consumers. With support from Covered California community partners, the agency will sponsor education, outreach and enrollment events at churches on Sundays, at barbershops and hair salons on Saturdays, and at “enrollment block parties” going door-to-door in high-priority African-American neighborhoods.

In addition, enhanced social media and marketing campaigns will be launched to reach African-Americans, and partnerships with local schools, businesses and community-based organizations that serve African-American communities will be expanded.

Nearly 90 percent of Covered California enrollees receive some level of financial assistance to help pay for their premiums, with the average being $5,200 in aid annually.

“We want to stress to African-American consumers that their health and well-being is worth insuring,” Richardson said. “Many Californians are receiving thousands of dollars each year to help with the cost of health insurance premiums — money African-American consumers should not walk away from and leave on the table.”

From left- Anderson Cooper and the 2015 Top 10 CNN Heroes

Submitted by the Time for Change Foundation

Kim Carter and actress Taylor Schilling

On November 17, 2015 at the American Museum of Natural History in Manhattan, New York, Inland Empire’s own Kim Carter of the Time for Change Foundation was being honored as one of CNN’s Top 10 Heroes in the world. The event was filled with the ambiance of excitement and joy as each honoree was given the celebrity treatment for the day.

According to Kim Carter, Founder and Executive Director, of Time for Change Foundation, “This experience was so surreal! Walking the Red Carpet and riding in luxury with hair and make-up glam squads at my disposal was definitely overwhelming, and all I could think about was I wish the women from my shelters could be here.”

Many celebrities were on hand such as Sharon Stone, Kelly Rippa and her husband, Neil Patrick Harris, and Andra Day, to name a few. The highlight of the evening came when Actress Taylor Schilling from the show Orange is the New Black, presented Kim Carter with the Top 10 Hero Award. Kim reminded everyone that her motivation to help women reclaim their children is directly attributed to the pain that she carries from being absent in her daughter Missy’s early years of life.

As anticipation mounted during the night, Anderson Cooper received the honor of opening the envelope and

Kim Carter with daughter Missy Tate

announcing the CNN Hero of the Year. While all of the top 10 heroes are doing amazing work, the world was asked to go online and vote for one to become CNN Hero of the Year. Maggie Doyne, who traveled the world at 16-years-old after graduating high school, found herself compelled to help the war torn country of Nepal and started an orphanage and later co-founded a school was selected as the winner.

Each honoree will be awarded $10,000 and the Hero of the Year receives an additional $100,000. Like Kim Carter stated, “We are grateful that we made it this far,” she likened this experience as going to the non-profit Olympics and bringing home the silver. “My life will be forever changed because of this experience and I’m so elated that Subaru has pledged $500,000 in matching funds to all 10 of our organizations.” This means that if people want to donate to Time for Change through the CNN online portal, their money will be matched 100% with no processing fees for them or the organization. It’s doubling whatever someone wants to donate up to $50,000 per agency through December 31, 2015. The website to donate is www.cnn.com/donations/kim-carter.html. To watch the CNN Heroes Tribute Show tune in to CNN on December 6 at 5 p.m. PST.

Time for Change Foundation is a non-profit organization based in Southern California that provides housing and supportive services to homeless women and children. Since its inception, they have helped over 850 homeless families make the transition from homelessness to self-sufficiency. For more information visit their website at www.timeforchangefoundation.org or call (909) 886-2994.

By Naomi K. Bonman

Throughout life, we are faced with many challenges…some more severe than others, some harder to overcome, and some which we ignore for the moment. When we choose not to face our challenges, it can negatively impact our true being. Therapy allows you to heal from past and/or current hurt and pain and provides you with the tools to grow into the purposeful soul you are meant to be.

Dr. Keisha Downey is a Licensed Marriage and Family Psychotherapist. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology with an emphasis in Community Service, a Master of Arts in Marriage & Family Therapy, and a Doctorate in Counseling Psychology. Her office is based in Beverly Hills. As a therapist, she has helped her clients properly cope with depression, anxiety, relationship issues, trauma, substance abuse, parent-child relationships, and crisis intervention, just to name a few. As you can see, Dr. Downey’s clients come from diverse cultures, socio-economic backgrounds, lifestyles, and ethnicities.

 “I have learned that in order to truly meet my client’s needs, I have to meet him or her where they are, listen empathetically, and view their world as they see it,” Dr. Downey explains. “More importantly, I provide an accepting and non-judgmental environment so that my clients can express their inner thoughts regardless of what those inner thoughts may be.”

I recently had the opportunity to sit down and chat with Dr. Downey where she dug in deeper of her inspirations in becoming a therapist, how the show VH1’s Couples’ Therapy with Dr. Jenn Mann came about, and her goals for the upcoming year.

RIVERSIDE, CA—On Thursday, November 12, business executives and community leaders were all decked out in their best attire at the 2^nd Annual Chamber of Commerce Multi-Cultural Gala. The gala was held in downtown Riverside at The Riverside Convention Center. If you missed out this year, you missed out on a phenomenal event. Here are a few photos that were captured from the night.

Lou Coleman

By Lou Coleman

Michael Jackson sang, “You and I must make a pact. We must bring salvation back… Where there is love, I’ll be there. I’ll reach out my hand to you, I’ll have faith in all you do, Just call my name and I’ll be there. I’ll be there to comfort you, Build my world of dreams around you. I’ll be there with a love that’s strong, I’ll be your strength, I’ll keep holding on. Yes I will! I’ll be there! Let me fill your heart with joy and Laughter, Togetherness, well that’s all I’m after. Whenever you need me, I’ll be there. I’ll be there to protect you…. Just look over your shoulders, Ooh I’ll be there… Whenever you need me, Just Call My Name, I’ll be there…”

I want you to know that Michael Jackson WAS NOT the first one to sing, “I’ll Be There!” Jesus has always song, “You and I must make a pact… We must bring salvation back….” In [Jeremiah 33:3] He said, “Call unto me, and I will answer thee and shew thee great and mighty things… In [Hebrews 13:5] He told you, “He will never leave you, nor forsake you.” He will always be there for you. He will never slumber or sleep. I want you to know that there will never be a time when you call upon Jesus and He’s not available for you. The Bible confirms that He’s there even before you call upon His name [Isaiah 65:24]. I want you to know that there aren’t too many things in this world that we can actually count on… But when it comes to Jesus… we can always count on Him. What a comfort in knowing Jesus. A comfort zone that is indescribable and satisfying, fulfilling and complete. David said the Heavens declare the glory of Him and the firmament showeth His handiwork. No means of measure can define His limitless love. Oh how I wish I could describe Him to you, but He’s indescribable. He’s incomprehensible. He’s invincible. He’s irresistible. I’m trying to tell you the heaven of heavens cannot contain Him, let alone a man, explain Him. You can’t get Him out of your mind. You can’t out live Him and you can’t live without Him. The Pharisees couldn’t stand Him, but they found out they couldn’t stop Him. Pilate couldn’t find any fault in Him. The witnesses couldn’t get their testimonies to agree, and Herod couldn’t kill Him. Death couldn’t handle Him, and the grave couldn’t hold Him… Jesus… You can always count on Him!

John 1:1; 14 says, “In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.   And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us.” Echoing [I’ll always be there]. In the New Testament Jesus was with His people. In the present, Jesus is with you. You can always count on Him being there in your life even when it doesn’t seem as if He is. He doesn’t change. He is the same yesterday, today, tomorrow and forever more.  It means that you can always depend on His commitment to you in all things, at all times, in all ways. Though the world changes, circumstances change, people change, and you change, Jesus never does. I want you to know that when I sought real love for my life, I discovered “Can’t Nobody Do Me like Jesus.” For when my sin was introduced to His salvation, I met and embraced Him as “Love on a Cross!” For “Greater love has no man than this that He lay down His life for His friends. I want you to know that God promises are true.  His Word is above all!  There is none like Him. He will not allow His Word to return to Him void!  Call Him Up!

Photo Courtesy of The San Bernardino Sun

So this week What It Do With the LUE is Chords Enrichment Youth Program “Stop the violence 2 Hope for the City Conference”. On Saturday, November 14, I attended an awesome community event addressing the violence within the Inland Empire and our youth. Edwin Johnson, Founder and CEO of Chords Enrichment Youth Program, partnered with several community entities and community pillars to make this event meaningful and a success; and it was. The conference took place in the City of San Bernardino at Indian Springs High School. The day consisted of a Q&A session along with live performances, vendors, and good food. Parents and the youth had a chance to speak out about their personal experiences on the violence plaguing our community. It was good to see many in attendance.

Actor Darrin Dewitt Henson (Photo Courtesy of The San Bernardino Sun)

Major shot out to Actor Darrin Dewitt Henson star from “Stop the Yard”; Terrance Stone of Young Visionaries; Gwen Rogers, newly appointed School Board Member for San Bernardino County Margret Hill, community activist; and Commissioner for First 5 San Bernardino. So many heavy hittas from the community were in attendance. I can’t name them all! Major shot out to some of my fellow entertainment buddies for their participation, Comedian Anthony Stone, Rapper Fitz Taylor, and Rapper Carl Fontaine. Also, they had the man himself, Chris Loos, radio personality for KQIE 104.7 FM. I can’t wait for the next one. I think if we keep it in the forefront, folks will have nothing else to do but get on board. More peace and love is needed. Let’s all do our part and take back our City. Until next week, L’z!

(Photo Courtesy of The San Bernardino Sun)

The event was sponsored by – Young Woman Empowerment/ WEGo Show/San Bernardino Unified School District C. H. O. R. D. S. is a safe and fun after school program for young people (ages 12-18) founded back in 2012. Their mission is to provide programs to help youth cultivate their talents by giving them the opportunity to explore music and creative arts. C.H.O.R.D.S. is a nonprofit organization that operates on donations and scholarships for kids.

(Photo Courtesy of The San Bernardino Sun)

Publisher’s Commentary by Wallace J. Allen

Most of our Armed Services personnel are probably used to hearing the “Thank you for your service” part of this headline, especially during the days just before Veterans Day.  As we consider the poor condition of the country’s infrastructure, our streets, bridges, highways and dams, we can be sure that every natural disaster has the potential to turn tragic. We also know that the structure of family and community is constantly challenged and evolving under the influence of low and no wage, corruption and if not lawlessness. We can certainly agree that we have biased law enforcement.

All of the above are reasons to add the “We still need you” phrase of this article’s headline when we encounter a veteran.  Their training and love for America has been proven by their initial service.  They have put their lives on the line for an ideal… freedom and fairness is what they fight for.  Many come home from the fight, wounded either physically or emotionally, which translates to, ’unfinished business’.  They need to be included and valued for the rest of their lives.  Their knowledge and proven commitment make them very valuable assets as emergency responders, youth counselors, and public safety coordinators.

Combat veterans should not be allowed to become police officers, because the gun on their hip is the military problem solver. Our police need to depend on the gun as a last resort.  Our combat veterans should never have to worry about healthcare, income, housing or educational opportunity for the rest of their lives.  Yes, I think they become ‘entitled’ to these things as a result of risking their lives for our country, and you and me!

Requesting that they serve as responder volunteers, community organizers, and public safety coordinators as the continuum of their service is reasonable and a great public benefit! However, if they choose not to make themselves available for additional service, they should still receive their entitlement!

There are many veterans providing public service in the form discussed… They are doing their job! There are still many veterans who are jobless, homeless and or alone… Veterans who are waiting for medical care, or a friend to step up! That true statement suggests that we, the ones that the veterans risked their lives for, are not doing our job.

RIVERSIDE, CA— The Riverside County Black Chamber of Commerce (RCBCC) attended the 5th Annual “Healthy Bodies, Healthy Minds Community Health Fair and 100 Mile Club Walk” at Agate Park in Jurupa Valley on Saturday, November 14.  The RCBCC represents Covered California in the effort to enroll people in a health insurance program. As a designated “Navigator”, the RCBCC is committed to informing people about Covered California, as well as enrolling them in the program.  Among those pictured above is Pepi Jackson (Cap and sunglasses), the president of RCBCC. Pepi states, “If you want to know more about Covered California, please call our office at (951) 823-0175 or go to www.youqualify.org.”  The RCBCC meets every third Thursday at its Riverside office located at 2060 Chicago Avenue.