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It’s Kwanzaa Time – WSSNEWSPAPER

LOS ANGELES, CA- The Kwanzaa Heritage Foundation will be hosting their 12th annual block party, Kwanzaa Heritage Festival and candle lighting ceremony from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday, December 28 at Leimert Park Village-Vision Lot, 4300 Deghan Boulevard in Los Angeles. This a free event for the whole family which will feature live music, traditional dancing, a drum circle, an international food court, the Kwanzaa Heritage Marketplace, a health pavilion and a children’s village that includes face painting. This is an event that you don’t want to miss out on, so come down and get educated and have fun while learning about the history of Kwanzaa. For more information, please call 323-789-0580, email Kwanzala7@yahoo.com or visit www.KwanzaaHeritage.org.

A young member of the Matibolo Cultural Troupe poses in front of a poster of Nelson Mandela during celebrations for the anti-apartheid leader’s birthday. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis)

NATIONAL- (By Naomi K. Bonman) Last Thursday we lost a legend; however, he may be gone in the physical, but his spirit and legacy will continue to live on decades and generations to come. Nelson Mandela taught us the value of freedom and accomplishing our dreams and goals. He taught us that no matter what obstacles may come our way, we can always overcome them.

My favorite quote by Mr. Mandela is, “There is no easy walk to freedom anywhere, and many of us will have to pass through the valley of the shadow of death again and again before we reach the mountaintop of our desires.” This quote reminds me that when we have greater goals and dreams than we can ever imagine, that we will have to work hard and remain patient and very consistent. There will always be road blocks on the way to success and sometimes some of us will face greater roadblocks than others, but we must always remember that God will never place more on us than we can bear. Some of us are stronger soldiers and can conquer more than other, and Mr. Mandela was one of those remarkable and strong soldiers.

He not only left a lasting impression on my life, but he also left an impression and inspired others throughout the world.

“His change was monumental. Legendary. Brave. Daring. He’s inspired me to make decisions that will make a difference. He’s inspired me to focus on what I can do today. He’s also inspired me to know this for sure: It’s not about you.” -Kareem Taylor, New York

“Today, the Young Democrats of America pause to remember a leader whose message of freedom and equality transcends race, age and national borders. We are greatly saddened by his passing, but he lived a tremendous life to the benefit of others and to the great sacrifice of himself. He continued to fight with the belief that a nation stands at its greatest height when it stands for equality, fairness, justice and opportunity for all.”- Atima Omara, president of the Young Democrats of America

“I would like to express my deepest condolences to the Mandela family for their loss. Nelson Mandela is one of the most highly regarded, highly respected individuals of all time. He was an effective leader that focused on relationship building and inclusiveness. His ability to maintain peace and love even through adversity speaks volumes about his character. Today, I respectfully stand with my colleagues in the California Legislative Black Caucus, as we remember his life, accomplishments and good deeds.” -Assemblymember Cheryl Brown

(Article written by Naomi K. Bonman)

Curtis Wright

RIVERSIDE, CA – On Sunday, December 15 the Multicultural Council of the Riverside Museum and the Human Relations Commission will be presenting a special program featuring Historian and Master Musician, Curtis Wright, as he and audiences explore the history of the Banjo. The event will be taking place from 1:30 p.m. to 4 p.m. at The Box at the Fox Entertainment Plaza, 3635 Market Street in Riverside. This is a free community event; however, seating is limited so an early arrival is suggested. This program will assist the community in exploring the origins of the banjo from its roots in Africa and its evolution as a handmade instrument used by African American slaves to its current position in the country, folk, bluegrass and traditional music. Wright has worked as a professional cowboy, educator, and is currently a circuit pastor as well as an in demand musician, having performed with Buck Page and the Riders of the Purple Sage, the Frank Wakefield Band and Jimmy Collier. In addition to the banjo, Wright plays violin, mandolin, harmonica, guitar and the Indian flute. For more information, please call the Riverside Metropolitan Museum at 951-826-5273.

Law Day March Mountain High School.

CORONA, CA- This past Saturday (December 7), the Riverside Alumni Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc., held a courthouse field trip day for its Kappa Law Day. The fraternity took a group of 30 youth from Moreno Valley’s March Mountain High School to the Corona courtroom of Judge Eric Isaac, member of the alumni fraternity group and a mentor in its Guide Right Program. The Chapter’s Guide Right Program focuses on getting the students to select a field trip that most closely matches their career goals. The Guide Right Program exposes students to mentoring and professional fields that the students will be considering in the next few years. Members of the Chapter are given the assignment to present information about their fields, which include  business, law, medicine, armed services, education, law enforcement and pharmacy.
The field trips allow the students to witness the day-to-day activities involved in the selected career. The Chapter thanks Brother Isaac, Brother Edward Moore, Jr., VADM USN (ret) and Julie Alexander and Jamie Bernard teachers at March Mountain High School. The National Education Association and Kappa Alpha Psi are nationally recognized partners to support Priority Schools.

STREET POSITIVE

SAN BERNARDINO, CA- On Saturday, November 23, Street Positive Inc., along with several other community organizations, hosted a forum on mental awareness through a series of song, dance, theatrics and spoken word. The purpose of the event was to showcase the reasoning of why mental health is important to the Black community. The event was held at the Steelworkers Auditorium in Fontana. Some of the entertainment for the event included saxophonist Grover who opened the program and played during the intermission and comedian Etta Mae McPherson.

(Left to right) Debbie Moore, Silhouette, Ed Moore, Claude Ward, Bob Jenkins, Judge Eric Isaac, Sam Gibbs, PhD, Polemarch, all are Chapter members. Person in the front with basket is a recipient of food and clothes–unnamed. (photo provided by Anthony W. Thomas)

RIVERSIDE, CA- The Brothers of the Riverside Alumni Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. for the seventh year co-sponsored the 2013 Thanksgiving Giveaway of the Riverside Fair Housing Council. The Chapter’s Diamond Foundation was able to significantly increase its financial support this year at a time when the number of people served also increased. Rose Mayes, Fair Housing Executive Director, expressed her concern. “We thought we had received only enough funding to reach 100 people so the list of families was closed; however, with the increased funding from sponsors like Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, we reopened the list to serve some 300 people. Additionally, any leftover resources will go to the Community Settlement Association in support of their holiday gift baskets for families in need.”

Hawthorne’s Chris

HAWTHORNE, CA – Surrounded by family, community leaders and elected officials throughout Los Angeles County, Hawthorne Mayor-elect Chris Brown will hold a community swearing in ceremony and outline his goals for the city on Thursday, December 5 at Hawthorne’s Memorial Center, 39010 W. El Segundo Blvd., Hawthorne, CA, at 6 p.m.

Assemblymember Isadore Hall, III (D- Los Angeles) will preside over the ceremony and administer the oath of office to Brown. Upon taking the oath, Brown will become the city’s youngest and first African American mayor. Following the oath, Brown will outline his priorities for his first term in office. He will also highlight his goals to increase public safety and improve public access to parks while protecting Hawthorne’s fiscal health. Additionally, Brown will announce the creation of the ‘Mayor’s Business Roundtable’, which will meet regularly to engage leaders in Hawthorne’s business community to foster innovation, create jobs and increase business and investment opportunities throughout the city.

A native of Los Angeles County, Brown was raised in local public schools and began his professional career in the technology industry. As a successful small business owner, Brown most recently operated a business to help homeowners dealing with foreclosure. Brown and his wife Hedako, an educator, are the proud parents of a two-year-old son and are expecting their second child in early 2014.

Dr. Judy White

MORENO VALLEY, CA- Dr. Judy D. White began her tenure as Superintendent for Moreno Valley Unified School District in February 2011 and immediately began connecting with the community, ultimately moving her family to the city. With over 35 years of experience in education she came in with a wealth of ideas and has embedded her heart and soul to the students and families of Moreno Valley.
She has procured several outside grants for literacy, volunteerism and closing the achievement gap. She serves on the Board for National Center for Urban School Transformation (NCUST), Moreno Valley Cultural Arts Commission, ACCESS to the Future, and United Way of the Inland Valleys and serves on the UCR Citizen’s Advisory Committee for Teacher Education.
She was recently awarded the 2013 Woman of the Year for Moreno Valley by the 61st District Assemblyman, José Medina. Some of her other involvements include Optimists, Relay for Life, Music Changing Lives and Fighting for the Family Ministries. She developed a formal Adopt-a-School program to engage the business and faith communities into the school district to support the students.
Dr. White embraces a united effort of “Excellence on Purpose” and has become known as an inspirational advocate for all students. She has made a name for herself in the community for reaching out, embracing change for the better and holding the district accountable for student success.
The Chamber would like to acknowledge all those who were nominated and thank them for their significant contribution to the growth and development of the City of Moreno Valley.

Nelson Mandela

Next week we will be releasing a special tribute issue on #NelsonMandala and we want to include quotes, statements, etc from our readers and the community on the achievements and legacy of Mr. Mandala. How has he impacted your life? How has he inspired you to change?

SAN BERNARDINO, CA- For those who love to travel and have the time, then you should be at the San Bernardino Area Chamber of Commerce information meeting where they will be discussing the details for a trip to Russia, cruising Moscow to St. Petersburg. The meeting will be taking place on Tuesday, December 3 at the Chamber office, 546 W. 6th Street, San Bernardino. The trip is scheduled for September 22 to October 4, 2014 and includes round trip airfare from LAX, 13 days, tour guides, cruise ship and port charges and 27 meals. The trip itinerary includes Moscow, Red Square, Volga River, St. Basil’s Cathedral, Blini and Caviar and the Kremlin with Armory Museum. In addition, there will also be local school and family home visits, a Piroshki Tea Party, a visit to the St. Petersburg Hermitage Museum, Vodka tasting and a visit to Catherine Palace and Kizhi Island. Those who are interested should attend the meeting where they will be given an information packet. To RSVP call Lupe Castaneda at 909-885-7515 or email sba.chamber@verizon.net.