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Publisher’s Commentary by Wallace J. Allen

Another Black man killed by police. At the time of this writing, the dead Black man I am talking about has possibly or probably been joined by another. At first thought I felt that I should honor the dead by naming them; however, my long-term thought is that by naming them I am trivializing the overriding long-term issue that Black men are a police target in America regardless of their name rank or serial number.  The only group that kills more Black men than police is, of course, Black men.

The obvious question is, why Black people get mad enough to riot in the streets when police kill a Black man, yet, though angered by Black-on-Black killing, there is not the display of anger and frustration that occurs with a police shooting.

For those who really are possessed by that question, let me give you the obvious answer.  Police shootings reflect the final attitude of a society that displays its fear and distain for Black males at first social sight. From Pre-school, Black males are disproportionately identified as troublemakers and treated that way regardless of name, rank and serial number. That is documented in the number of school detentions and discipline referrals handed to Black boys. The disproportionate unemployment and incarceration rates for Black males reflect the penalty for the Black male that refuses to “play ball” in the “change the rules anytime” game that marginal Black Males are restricted to.

We Blacks know that many of our young gangsters are a result of customs and laws that push Black families apart. Laws that remove the parental power of discipline that ultimately marginalize and compromise the value of young black lives. So, we understand and are thoroughly pained by Black on Black crime, and in general attribute it to self-hate generated by America’s long-term love-affair with racism. Thus, the shootings done by the police are the “final straw” acts that activate the “time to raise hell button” in Black Communities.

I, like many of you, look forward to when we who promote good over evil are able to provide enough protection and access to resources, opportunity and guidance for our children to truly empower them to excellence despite racism.

Misee Harris (left) calls out OUR GENERATION Dolls and TARGET for racism and discrimination

Media personality, Misee Harris, is calling out OUR GENERATION Doll Maker on the representation of their sole African American doll, Abrianna, and TARGET for selling the brand in its stores.

“A doll company that prides itself on representing who we are as a community and a generation has gotten it wrong’” insists Misee Harris.

OUR GENERATION Dolls offers four categories: The “Regular Doll” is simply a doll with no added accessories; the “Deluxe Doll” which comes with clothing, grooming and activity-related accessories; the “Retro Doll;” and the “Hair Play Doll” with its long, straight locks. At TARGET, which has a whole aisle dedicated to the company, The Deluxe Doll retails for $31.99 and includes a full suite of accessories. The Regular Doll retails for $29.99, and her accessories must be purchased separately. “Abrianna,” the company’s only African American doll, is sold in select TARGET stores and comes with no accessories.

“For $2.00, there is a huge difference with what you receive,” points out Harris.

There is no option in the OUR GENERATION Doll Collection for a Deluxe African American doll that includes accessories and retails for $31.99.

“After searching several TARGET stores for an African American Deluxe OUR GENERATION Doll to showcase and giveaway on my YouTube Channel,” states Harris, “I finally found “Abrianna” at a TARGET in a neighborhood with a large African American population. In order to buy all of the extras for Abrianna, which come included with each Caucasian Deluxe Doll, I had to spend an additional $60.00.”

Misee Harris has created a YouTube channel at YouTube.com/MiseeHarris, where she gives away her favorite beauty, style and collectible items to her subscribers, which her and her team curate. On her most current video, Misee used her platform to bring awareness to this issue regarding the OUR GENERATION Dolls, stating, “We are a generation of all ethnicities. As an African American woman who is a doctor, business owner, professor and outspoken advocate for the positive and accurate depiction of African American women, I can assure OUR GENERATION Dolls and TARGET that this is not a good representation of minorities.”

If OUR GENERATION is really just that, our generation, shouldn’t it reflect that? “We are a country made up of little girls and women who are Caucasian, Asian, African American, Indian, Latino and Multiracial backgrounds. That is our generation,” states Misee.

“I challenge OUR GENERATION Dolls to re-think their product and how they are represented on retail shelves, and I challenge TARGET to exhibit greater social responsibility and sensitivity with the products it carries in its stores,” concludes Misee Harris.

About Misee Harris

A pediatric dentist and professor of dentistry at Meharry School of Pediatric Dentistry by trade, Misee made waves in the media throughout the past year with her public campaign to become television’s first black Bachelorette. Appearing on HLN’s Showbiz Tonight, The Hallmark Channel’s Home & Family, MSNBC’s TheGrio.com and HuffPost Liveamong other outlets, Misee has stated her case for the equality and positive depiction of African American women in the media. Misee’s platform has been dissected and written about in The New York Times and on countless blogs, including SheKnows.com. Misee is also a regular contributor to The Huffington Post.

Michael Brown

On Saturday, August 9, 18-year-old Michael Brown, an unarmed teenager was killed by a police officer in the St. Louis suburb of Ferguson, MO. Eyewitnesses to the shooting reported that Brown was killed while attempting to surrender, but police say that the teen assaulted the officer before the shooting.

Immediately following the shooting, riots and looting broke out within the community where several businesses were destroyed, including a QuikTrip convenience store that was burned down due to the frustration in the community involving the killing.

There are several articles circulating the internet and other various news sites that all depict something slightly different of what happened. Some are on Brown’s side, other’s are on the police’s side, and the vast majority are stuck in the middle. However, there are a few facts that we know for sure about Michael Brown and the shooting.

What we know about Michael Brown:

• He was an 18-year-old student
• He grated from Normandy High School in St. Louis in the spring of 2014. He was scheduled to start classes at Vatterott College, a Missouri trade college, on Monday, August 11.
• On the day of his death, Brown as visiting his grandmother, Desuirea Harris, who lives in Ferguson, a working-class suburb of St. Louis.

What we know about the shooting:

• Brown was shot multiple times and killed by a Ferguson police officer in the early afternoon of Saturday, August 9, outside of an apartment complex.
• Brown was unarmed. All shell castings found at the scene were from the police officer’s gun.
• At least one shot was fired from the police car. Brown was killed while he was standing about 35 feet away from the car.
• The name of the police officer has not been released. St. Louis County police chief Jon Belmar told reporters on Sunday morning that the officer had been in the Ferguson police department for six years, and that Belmar was not aware of any problems the officer had during that time.

Source: Vox News

Other interesting and debatable articles:

• The Guardian
• The New York Times  
• International Business Times

SAN BERNARDINO, CA- WSS News intern, Noelle Lilley, recently interviewed Rancho Cucamonga native Joshua Robinson, 32, who is competing for $10,000 on CMT’s ‘Steve Austin’s The Broken Skull’. Robinson is a youth athletic trainer with plans of buying top of the line equipment for his youth training program if he wins.

“Slow feet, don’t eat, that’s why we compete, and I’ll be damned if I fall victim to defeat”, is the motto that Mr. Robinson lives by for the show.

During the interview, Robinson discussed how he got into sports, his future endeavors and what inspired him to get apply to be on the show. For those that are interested in watching an episode or two, Broken Skull Challenge comes on each Sunday at 8 p.m. on CMT.

To view the interview, click here.

UCLA Bruins football players Aaron Sharp (left) and Jordan Lasley (right) play with patients Kaiden Cressy, 2, (left) and Jhordan Moncrief, 2 on Thursday, July 31.

LOMA LINDA, CA – Members of the UCLA Bruins football team visited patients at Loma Linda University Children’s Hospital on Thursday, July 31. Four freshman players played video games, puzzles and chatted up with kids on the hematology/oncology unit at the hospital.

“The kids were eager and excited to have the Bruins visit,” said Dorothy Brooks from LLUCH’s child life services. “Spending just a couple of hours with the players was a treat that will be treasured for a long time by our patients. It was so good to hear the laughter in the playroom during this visit.”

Players who came out were Jordan Lasley, wide receiver; Aaron Sharp, quarterback; Dwight Williams, linebacker; and Kenny Young, linebacker. They were in preparation to begin open training camp, which started on Monday, Aug. 4 at California State University, San Bernardino. This is the third year CSUSB has hosted Bruins football for training, with support from Stater Bros. Markets.

“Stater Bros. truly believes in giving back to the communities that we serve,” stated Susan Atkinson, vice president, corporate affairs for Stater Bros. Markets. “As strong supporters of both the UCLA football training camp and Loma Linda University Children’s Hospital, we are especially proud to provide an opportunity to brighten a child’s day.”           

UCLA’s 2014 football season will kick off when the Bruins take on University of Virginia in Charlottesville, Va on Saturday, August 30.  

LOS ANGELES, CA-The Los Angeles office of UNCF (the United Negro College Fund) will step out for students at the 32^nd annual UNCF Walk for Education on Saturday, August 2 at Exposition Park (South Menlo and Coliseum) in Los Angeles. The event, which takes the theme “Building Better Futures: The Value of a UNCF Investment,” is a celebration of education that will bring together an estimated 900 community supporters to raise vitally needed funds to help students get to and through college.

Families, teachers and the community at large are invited to participate in the UNCF Walk for Education.  Participants can walk or run a 5k course. Members of the community are invited to support UNCF and its students by forming a Walk for Education team or registering as individuals. UNCF is encouraging everyone to register early.  

A $60 donation will qualify participants for a 2014 UNCF Walk for Education T-shirt and a $25 donation will qualify all students with I.D. for a 2014 UNCF Walk for Education T-shirt.Honorary Co-chair for the Los Angeles UNCF Walk for Education is Tarrance Frierson, Supplier Diversity and Development Program Manager, Southern California Edison.Event sponsors include Title Sponsors Southern California Edison, Superior Grocers, and Tesoro.  Start/Finish Sponsors include Union Bank of California, UPS, and Xerox.

UNCF Walk for Education participants will also enjoy food, music, a Kids Play Zone and more.For more information on the Los Angeles UNCF Walk for Education or for sponsorship packages, please contact UNCF at 213.639.3800, or visit UNCF.org/LAWalk.

From left to right: WSS intern Noelle Lilley; rising musician Philip Michael Jr.; WSS editor Naomi Bonman; WSS intern Mitchell Young; and WSS intern Ernest Carter

SAN BERNARDINO, CA – Philip Michael Thomas Jr., son of popular 80s TV series Miami Vice actor, was coddled at birth by the likes of legends Betty Wright and the Bob Marley Family. Entertainment runs through his veins.

After perfecting his craft and recording over 10 albums worth of material with some of music’s elite Grammy Award winners which include Akon, Tank, and Shakespeare; there is little mystery why this universal artist has such a diverse sound and fan base.

The Westside Story News team had the pleasure of interviewing the rising star where he shared his successful endeavors, what he is currently working on and what he has in store for his fans in the future. To view the interview, please click here.

Members of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated, and Eta Nu Omega Chapter were among the “Divine Nine (9)” being honored on Sunday, July 20 at Immanuel Praise Fellowship Church by Pastor La Quetta Simmons, Pastor Kelvin Simmons and Minister Jenise Bush.

The “Divine Nine (9)” includes Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Founded 1906, Cornell University; Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated, Founded 1908, Howard University; Kappa Alpha Psi, Fraternity, Founded 1911, Indiana University; Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Founded 1911, Howard University; Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Founded 1913, Howard University; Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Founded 1914, Howard University; Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Founded 1920, Howard University; Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Founded 1922, Butler University; and Iota Phi Theta Fraternity, Founded 1963, Morgan State University. Collectively, these organizations make up the National Pan-Hellenic Council.

These organizations may be found in many college-educated Black families with a strong spiritual faith with a connection to “Brotherhood, Sisterhood, Scholarship, and Service.”   The “Divine Nine (9)” history is known for having a long tradition of benevolent, forefront of civic action, community service and philanthropy, including such trail blazers as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Coretta Scott King, Thurgood Marshall, Maya Angelou, Bill Cosby, Toni Morrison, Arthur Ashe, Lena Horne, Rosa Parks, Hattie McDaniel, Johnnie Cochran, Tavis Smiley, Harry Belafonte and George Washington Carver to name a few.

Members of these organizations take great pride in the sacrifices that the great men and women before them made through the grace of God that provided their current prominence as strong African American fraternities and sororities with a solid, achievement-based history and ongoing tradition of excellence in “servicing all mankind.”

As California faces its most severe drought in recent history, 15 water agencies and city governments from around the Inland Empire will launch iEfficient, a coordinated multimedia public outreach campaign to urge water conservation.

A dynamic advertising campaign including freeway billboards, social media engagement and a kickoff event at the Inland Empire 66ers game on July 22 will support this effort and ask thousands of local residents and businesses to do their part to end water waste in the Inland Empire.

“By collaborating we are able to reach more people with the message that they are a vital part of the solution,” said Bob Tincher, manager of water resources, San Bernardino Valley Municipal Water District. “We’re partnering with other agencies, but most importantly we’re partnering with the community to conserve. It is time for the IE to show the rest of the state that we take water
conservation seriously.”

iEfficient.com connects customers to existing tools and provides information on how to put those resources to work protecting local water resources. The site, and a mobile app under development, marries the knowledge and experience of 15 water agencies and local governments, making water efficiency convenient for residents and businesses alike.

iEfficient is one way local agencies are meeting the state mandate to cut water use 20 percent by 2020. Due to historic drought conditions, Governor Brown declared a state of emergency and asked all Californians to cut their water use by 20 percent. Real impacts are being felt across the state and the Inland Empire is no exception. These dry conditions mean that regions like ours are at increased risk for wildfires and must learn to live without imported water from Northern California.

“This drought is not going away any time soon,” said Amanda Kasten, water conservation coordinator for West Valley Water District. “By making conservation a way of life we can secure our water resources now and in the future.”

Together with the public’s support, the Inland Empire will serve as a model of regional cooperation and set an example for the rest of the state.

Participating agencies and governments include: City of Redlands, City of Loma Linda, City of Colton, City of Rialto, City of Riverside, City of Corona, Jurupa Community Services District, Yucaipa Valley Water District, San Bernardino Valley Municipal Water District, San Bernardino Municipal Water Department, Riverside Highland Water Company, San Bernardino Valley Water Conservation District, West Valley Water District, Western Municipal Water District, and East Valley Water District.

To learn more about iEfficient and to do your part to end water waste today, visit iEfficient.com.

Chief Moreno

SAN BERNARDINO, CA- After 24 years of dedicated service to the United States Navy and years of helping to preserve our freedom, Chief Victor Hugo Moreno, 42, will retire on Friday, July 18. Moreno dedicated his life to the service at the young age of 18, and due to being away for work he missed the birth of his four children, their first steps, their first day of school, and the birth of his first grandchild; however, he will not get to spend time with them, who are all now adults.

Prior to his military days, Moreno and his family moved to California from Mexico in 1976 and settled in San Bernardino in 1984. He then graduated from San Bernardino High School in 1990, and from there he joined the Navy. After his basic training he went home and married his wife the former Conna A. Turner.

During his years of service he served as a Logistics Specialist where he completed two Western Pacific Deployments (WESTPAC) “91-92” and “93”. In October of 1994, he transferred to his first Shore Duty at Naval Sub Base Pt. Loma, San Diego.  Picked up SK2 during this time, but more importantly his youngest son, Emmanuel A. Moreno, was born.

In July of 1997 he reported to PCD (Pre Com Detachment) Pearl Harbor and in January of 1998 he went to Avondale, New Orleans along with his crew to take the USS PEARL HARBOR (LSD-52), a Harpers Ferry class Amphibious Assault Ship, from the shipyard. It was there that he completed two more  WESTPAC’s, “00” and “01-02”. He also finished his Enlisted Surface Warfare Specialist qualification (ESWS) during this time, and was meritoriously promoted to SK1 under the Command Advancement Program (CAP) in Jun of 2001.

Moreno has received several awards for his service, which include the Navy Commendation Medal (three awards), Navy Achievement Medal (four awards), Good Conduct Medal (seven awards), and various unit and campaign awards.