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SAN BERNARDINO, CA—- The San Bernardino Valley College (SBVC) Foundation will receive more than $200,000 in new grants that will be used to support first-year students, provide scholarships and cover the cost of Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) exams.

The San Manuel Band of Mission Indians awarded a $100,000 grant for Valley-Bound Commitment, a program that aims to reduce economic barriers that may deter academic success. Since 2008, this program has covered enrollment fees and textbooks costs for hundreds of low-income students from local high schools during their first year at SBVC.

“San Manuel Band of Mission Indians is a transformative partner for San Bernardino Valley College and Valley-Bound Commitment students, providing almost $2 million to support the program over the past 13 years,” SBVC Foundation Director Mike Layne said.

Edison International has granted the SBVC Foundation two awards: $50,000 for the Clean Energy Hybrid and Electric Vehicle (EV) Technician program and $25,000 for STEM (Science Technology Engineering Mathematics) scholarships. Students in the EV Tech program learn the skills necessary to enter the electric vehicle and clean energy field, where technicians who know the latest technology are in demand.

This is Edison’s 11th year working with SBVC to provide scholarships to students pursuing careers in STEM fields like computer science, bioengineering and mechanical engineering.

“For students who begin their studies at SBVC with an economic disadvantage, these grants help to improve training and create scholarship opportunities that represent a lifeline to higher-wage jobs and career advancement opportunities,” Layne said.

An additional $25,000 grant from SoCalGas will make more scholarships possible. This award will provide 20 $1,000 scholarships for economically disadvantaged students enrolled in alternative fuels classes or taking alternative fuels certification exams, and $5,000 to promote these courses and sponsor the SBVC 95th Anniversary Gala.

A $15,000 Careers in Aviation Project grant from Wells Fargo will help aeronautics students soar. SBVC’s Aviation Maintenance Technician Certificate is designed to prepare students to qualify for the Airframe and Powerplant Certificate, which is issued by the Federal Aviation Administration and allows recipients to perform 100 hours and annual inspections on aircraft. The Wells Fargo grant will cover the cost of the Airframe and Powerplant Certificate for low-income students.

To learn more about the SBVC Foundation and how you can help, visit sbvcfoundation.org.

Howard University is pleased to announce Kimberly Holmes-Iverson will serve as director of public relations in the Office of University Communications. Holmes-Iverson will lead the University’s media relations and communications strategy to increase Howard’s visibility and enhance its reputation as an internationally recognized research institution and preeminent Historically Black College and University (HBCU).

“I’m excited to work for such an esteemed institution,” said Holmes-Iverson. “Howard University is a true gift to our community. I feel my professional and life experiences have prepared me for this opportunity to share the stories that are living at Howard, which in turn, give life to us all. My vision along with a collaborative team effort will expound upon the brand, history and legacy of HU.”

Holmes-Iverson is an accomplished journalist who has a wealth of award-winning experience as a storyteller, bringing nearly two decades of communications and journalism experience to Howard University. She previously served as a morning anchor at the CBS affiliate on the Eastern Shore of Maryland. Prior to that position, she covered countless stories while reporting, anchoring and producing investigative reports and specials at stations in Orlando, Florida and Cincinnati, Ohio. Her work has been recognized by the Emmy ® Awards, Associated Press, Religion Newswriters Association, and the National Association of Black Journalists.

“I am excited to bring Ms. Holmes-Iverson to Howard University,” said Frank Tramble, vice president and chief communications officer for Howard University. “Her experience with storytelling and leadership in newsrooms across the country will be crucial to helping us share stories of Howard’s community with the world. Her ability to bring new relationships and forge stronger relationships with the media is critical.”

Holmes-Iverson began her career behind the scenes as an associate producer in Miami, Florida and as an intern at Bloomberg Television’s Washington, D.C. bureau. Her passion for encouraging young people led her to teach journalism, media ethics & communication courses as an adjunct instructor at Salisbury University and the University of Maryland Eastern Shore. She often draws upon her experience working in public relations at an education nonprofit in Washington, D.C. and communicating at a grassroots level while working on a gubernatorial campaign early in her career. Throughout the years, she has served as a mentor, volunteered with Big Brothers, Big Sisters, and been the leader of a Girl Scout Troop. She is also a proud member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.

Holmes-Iverson received her bachelor’s degree in public policy from Duke University and her master’s degree in journalism from Columbia University’s Graduate School of Journalism. As the director of public relations, Holmes-Iverson will report to the vice president and chief communications officer. She will oversee the University’s public relations and communications strategy to expand Howard’s visibility and will work to strengthen relationships with the media.

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About Howard University

Founded in 1867, Howard University is a private, research university that is comprised of 14 schools and colleges. Students pursue more than 140 programs of study leading to undergraduate, graduate and professional degrees. The University operates with a commitment to Excellence in Truth and Service and has produced one Schwarzman Scholar, three Marshall Scholars, four Rhodes Scholars, 12 Truman Scholars, 25 Pickering Fellows and more than 165 Fulbright recipients. Howard also produces more on-campus African American Ph.D. recipients than any other university in the United States. For more information on Howard University, visit www.howard.edu.

YUCAIPA, CA— In October, Crafton Hills College (CHC) student leaders attended the annual summit conference of the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU). Attendees met and shared ideas about promising practices in the education of Hispanic and Latinx students and opportunities in furthering their education and finding rewarding employment.

The conference invites HACU member institutions to collaborate, form alliances and partnerships and share strategies for promoting greater educational equity and achievement for Hispanic/Latinx students.

CHC is a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI), with 50 percent of its students identifying as Hispanic or Latinx. The college was recently recognized as a 2021 Equity Champion for Excellence in Transfer for Latinx students, an award given to California community colleges that confer high rates to associate degrees for transfer to Hispanic/Latinx students.

The college sent a handful of its students to attend the conference, including English major and Executive Assistant to the Student Government Sean Ceballos. He said he was excited to participate in the forum and learn about his options as a Latinx student in higher education. Ceballos started college a decade ago but soon dropped out. He returned recently to complete his education after becoming “flooded with ambition and an urge to make a change somewhere in the world.”

“Attending the conference allowed me to rub elbows with business professionals and learn what opportunities are present for someone in my situation,” he said. “I was able to get a lot of tips and advice, as well as make connections with people who could help me in my journey. I want to break so many generational curses and stigmas that follow someone like me with my background. I’m a disabled, queer minority with a troubled past, but a bright future.”

Students were given the opportunity to network and learn about internships, scholarships and job opportunities. The conference offered many workshops and panels with practical and soft skills, including tips for overcoming imposter syndrome and building confidence in others.

Ceballos said the conference “emboldened” him and created new relationships that he hopes to someday develop into mentorships.

“With the knowledge, connections, and experience gained from the HACU conference, I know I can move forward with my professional goals at full steam and know that the opportunities are endless and that the professional world is becoming so much more inclusive,” said Ceballos. “There’s a place for me out there, and the conference has made me understand that.”

Ceballos said that all Hispanic/Latinx students should consider attending the HACU conference, especially if their goal is to create better opportunities for future generations.

Jessica Watkins, a 33-year-old female astronaut from Lafayette, Colorado, will make history in April 2022 when she becomes the first Black woman to live and work on the International Space Station.

Watkins will serve as a mission specialist on the ISS as part of the SpaceX Crew-4, which is the fourth batch of astronauts on a flight of a Crew Dragon spacecraft. She is one of the four members of the crew who will live on the ISS for six months.

Since 2017, Watkins has been an astronaut in NASA where she worked in its research centers, particularly on the Mars rover Curiosity. Her mission next year will be her first mission in space.

As a child, Watkins had always been inspired by iconic astronauts like Mae Jemison, the first Black woman in space, and Sally Ride, the first American woman in space. Now, she hopes to be the one to inspire more children of color to pursue space travel.

“I do hope that all young girls, especially young girls of color that are interested in STEM and interested in exploring space, feel empowered to do so,” Watkins said, according to NPR. “I just hope young girls across the country feel that way now.”

After the ISS, Watkins, who had a background in geology and the surface of Mars, said she is also interested in traveling to Mars soon.

Mrs. Lisa Blacksher Owens was called home to be with the Lord on November 18, 2021.  She was fondly known as Lady Lisa, First Lady of New Hope Missionary Baptist Church and spouse of Dr. Michael Andrew Owens, Senior Pastor.  Lisa was the former Chief of Staff for the Honorable Wilmer Amina Carter, Assembly Member of the 62nd District and Chief of Staff for the Honorable Cheryl Brown, Assembly Member of the 47^th District.  Also, she was an educator and principal for Temple Learning Center, former business owner, and worked in the banking industry as project director.  Community service and being a voice for the voiceless was taught at an early age.   Lisa grew up attending Temple Missionary Baptist Church where she served over the years on the usher board, youth choir, mentor, technology team, and performing missionary work. Over the years, Lisa advocated for causes in the community holding various positions with Alpha Kappa Alpha, Sorority, Inc. Eta Nu Omega Chapter, The Inland Ivy Foundation, San Bernardino NAACP, and former president for Social Lites, Inc.  She enjoyed fellowshipping with friends and family, traveling, shopping, reading, and helping those in need.

As an undergraduate, Lisa became a member of the oldest black Greek letter organization, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., Lambda Alpha Chapter on the campus of California State University, Long Beach where she majored in Business Administration with an emphasis in Finance followed by graduating with an MBA Degree from Arizona State University.  Also, Lisa graduated from San Bernardino High School where she met and married the late Pastor Anthony Blacksher.

Lady Lisa has been awarded a crown of life.  She will live in our hearts forever.  The family invites the community to a memorial service in her honor.

Viewing will be held from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. on December 2, 2021, at Temple Missionary Baptist Church. 1583 W. Union Street, San Bernardino, California 92411.  Dr. Raymond W. Turner, Sr. Pastor. Tributes, reflections, and remarks of Lisa’s kindness are welcomed at the viewing.

Celebration of Life will be held at 10:00 a.m. on December 3, 2021, at New Hope Missionary Baptist Church, 1575 W. 17^th Street, San Bernardino, CA  92411.  Dr. Michael Andrew Owens, Sr. Pastor.

Interment will be held at a later date at Riverside National Cemetery, 22495 Van Buren Boulevard, Riverside, CA  92518.

Donations can be made to any of the following scholarship funds:

• Wilmer Amina Carter Foundation
• The Social Lites, Inc. Scholarship Foundation
• New Hope Missionary Baptist Church
• Temple Missionary Baptist Church
• The Inland Ivy Foundation
• San Bernardino NAACP

By Aldon Thomas Stiles | California Black Media

Golden State Public health officials are recommending that Californians take COVID-19 booster shots to prevent a resurgence of the disease and to celebrate the holidays safely with their loved ones.

“It’s not too late to get it,” said Dr. Mark Ghaly, Secretary of the California Health and Human Services Department, referring to the COVID-19 booster shot. He was speaking at a vaccine clinic in Los Angeles County last week.

“Get that added protection for the Thanksgiving gatherings you may attend,” he said.

Last week, the Federal Drug Administration (FDA) authorized the Moderna and Pfizer vaccine boosters for all adults in the United States.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention CDC followed with an endorsement of the booster vaccine, recommending it for people over age 50, and anyone18 and older who is at higher risk.

The CDC loosened the language for all other adults, saying anyone over age 18 “may” take the shot.

California officials say the booster shots are plenty and available throughout the state.

“If you think you will benefit from getting a booster shot, I encourage you,” said Ghaly. “Supplies are available. There are many sites across the state – thousands in fact.”

On Saturday, the Western States Scientific Safety Review Workgroup  completed a separate review of the federal government’s approval process for the booster shots and also recommended that “individuals 18 or older who have completed their primary vaccination series,” take the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna boosters.

California, Oregon, Nevada and Washington state came together last year and created the Western States Scientific Safety Review Workgroup. The group, made up of scientists, medical professionals and public health experts, is charged with reviewing COVID-19 vaccine safety.

Over the last two weeks, COVID-19 infections across the United States have increased at a rate of nearly 33 %, according to the CDC.

Officials are encouraging people who took both doses of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine at least six months ago to get their boosters now. People who took the one-shot Johnson & Johnson primary dose at least two months ago, should also schedule their booster shot.

“COVID-19 boosters are available to all Californians 18 [and over]! Walk-in clinics are open statewide with no appointment necessary – like this mobile clinic in Avenal. Find a clinic or pharmacy near you and get yours today,” the governor’s office chimed in on Twitter.

Newsom has pushed hard for the vaccine booster since he received his last month.

“Great news for the rest of the country. The holidays are here — make sure to keep your immunity up and protect yourself and your loved ones. Get your booster,” Newsom tweeted on Nov. 18

According to Moderna CEO Stéphane Bancel, the booster shots are being administered under an “emergency use authorization.”

California Black Media’s coverage of COVID-19 is supported by the California Health Care Foundation.

Master-at-Arms 2nd Class Matthew Jaco, from San Bernardino, Calif., musters personnel in the hangar bay aboard amphibious assault ship USS Tripoli (LHA 7), Nov. 17. Tripoli is an America-class amphibious assault ship homeported in San Diego.

SAN BERNARDINO, CA – Since students across the San Bernardino City Unified School District (SBCUSD) returned to in-person learning in August, it’s become evident that the extended COVID-related lockdowns and social distancing during the 2020–2021 school year had an impact on all aspects of youth development, including mental health.

The CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) reported that mental-health related emergency room visits among children increased in 2020 anywhere from 24 to 31 percent, depending on the specific age range. Published reports suggest that the pandemic has had a negative effect on children’s mental health.

SBCUSD is responding to these concerns with the Roadmap to Reopening and its four guiding principles. Among them is Mental & Physical Wellness, which has already manifested in a focus on social-emotional learning, offering youth mental health first aid training, and a robust school counseling program.

Social-emotional learning (SEL) helps guide students in developing self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, positive relationship, and responsible decision-making skills, which in turn help students cope with change and adversity, build and maintain positive relationships, and learn how to set and achieve goals. These core social skills can help students thrive personally, academically, and professionally throughout their lives.

“We’re teaching students how to be resilient, advocate for themselves and others, and be responsible community members,” said Colleen Williams. director of Student Wellness & Support Services. “When students know how to manage their emotions and be aware of others, we reduce instances of bullying and conflict, but we also help students who are in difficult situations learn to recognize how those situations impact them and when they need to reach out for help.”

Research shows that when schools incorporate SEL, students feel more connected to their peers and adults, do better academically, engage in fewer negative behaviors in the classroom, and have better ways to cope with anxiety and conflict.

While social-emotional learning is an important tool in helping students become more resilient so they are better able to handle life’s challenges, there will always be circumstances that can stress even the strongest person’s mental and emotional health.

The Making Hope Happen Foundation, a non-profit dedicated to supporting the District’s educational mission, is stepping in to make sure SBCUSD staff can recognize when that happens and lend a helping hand.

“Every 11 minutes someone dies by suicide, and 18 months of social distancing has been especially hard on our youth,” said Program Coordinator—Mental Health Gerzón Ceseña. “We want to make sure SBCUSD staff have the skills to recognize the signs of mental health and substance abuse issues and get our students the help they need as early as possible.”

The Foundation is offering free Youth Mental Health First Aid training to teachers, principals, and other school staff who work directly with students. Mental health first aid is similar to traditional first aid. People are taught how to evaluate if someone is in need of assistance and how to provide basic aid to keep them alive while waiting for a professional to arrive to do the real life-saving work.

“In collaboration with the Foundation, the Student Wellness & Support Services Department developed the training model for Youth Mental Health First Aid during the COVID-19 lockdowns,” said Foundation Director of Programs & Development Erin Brinker. “They were critical to making this available for teachers and staff, and when Student Wellness had to move on to other projects, the Foundation was proud to step in and offer both the financial support and staff time to keep the program running.”

In addition to making the training available for free to SBCUSD staff, the Foundation is helping schools to coordinate training sessions so that both individuals and entire groups of teachers can be trained, depending on the needs of the school community.

“We feel this is so important that we’re willing to cover the cost of a substitute teacher so our regular classroom teachers have the time to attend the training,” Brinker said. “We know it’s important that our teachers be present in the classroom for the best instruction, but we also know that it’s worth missing a few hours to get this vital training because it may mean all the difference for students suffering from mental health issues, now more than ever.”

Even before SBCUSD switched from distance learning back to in-person instruction, SBCUSD schools considered the importance of mental and emotional health to student learning and overall success in life. Sierra High School earning a RAMP designation was just one piece of evidence for that.

RAMP stands for Recognized ASCA Model Program. ASCA (American School Counselor Association) bestows the title on schools that align their counseling program and services with the ASCA National Model; deliver a data-informed, comprehensive school counseling program; and make a commitment to their school counseling program.

Only 22 schools in California and 130 across the nation received the designation at the 2021 ASCA Annual Conference, held both in person and virtually in July. Since RAMP’s inception, only about 1,100 schools have been honored. The RAMP designation is valid for five years, meaning Sierra High will retain the honor through 2026.

“These are services and supports that SBCUSD can offer students and families that other smaller school districts or charter schools may not be able to provide,” Superintendent Doc Ervin said. “Partly it’s due to the resources we have, but more so it’s because our staff, from the top down, truly care about the whole child.”

SAN BERNARDINO, CA— Prof. Anthony Castro does everything he can to make learning math as easy as pi.

Castro finds that a lot of students enter his classroom believing that math is difficult, and they are learning things they won’t ever need to use, saying and it “in large part due to the examples that textbooks we use,” he said.

Castro wants his students to discover “the joy of mathematics,” and does so by “teaching the content in a manner that engages them.”

“Want to know how to beat a car dealership? Want to know how to buy a house? Want to be a millionaire?” he said. “This can all be done through the math content we are required to teach in our courses.”

These real-world examples motivate Castro’s students to learn, and there’s no better reward than when he sees them overcome “the obstacle of math,” he said.

“Many students ‘feel’ they are not good at math,” he said. “Being ‘good’ at math is just a misconception, I tell them. We just have to find a way to attack the material that works for you.”

His lectures are anything but boring — Castro jokes that he is fueled by Mountain Dew, and he brings that energy and sense of humor into the classroom. By making the subject fun, it opens up a new perspective for his students, and they no longer see math as “a challenge that they struggle to beat.”

“I’ve had so many students tell me that they understand math because of the way I presented it to them,” he said. “I tell them, ‘I didn’t take your test. I didn’t study for you. I didn’t do your homework for you. This was all you. And now that you know how to take down a challenge, don’t ever let one stop you again from being successful.”

Castro is an SBVC alumnus and graduated from Middle College High School in 2008.

“When I first came to Valley College, I didn’t know of my abilities to succeed in college, or how far I wanted to push my education,” he said. “The faculty and staff here at the campus poured their passion for student success into me. This care changed my own personal perception and instilled a confidence in me that I had what it takes to succeed in college.”

Armed with his associate degree at 18, he was able to earn his bachelor’s degree in mathematics from California State University, San Bernardino (CSUSB) at 20. His love of math and drive to help others led him to become a math professor, and he started working full-time at SBVC in the spring of 2016.

“This is an opportunity for me to have an impact on thousands of students’ lives by the time I retire,” Castro said. “I take this responsibility very seriously and I give my heart to show all my students their potential.”

He still remembers his SBVC professors that “brought out my potential and always believed in me,” he said.

“It’s is an honor to work side-by-side with these amazing professors now. At each stage of my journey, they were there for me, and they still support me as their colleague now,” Castro said. “This is the main reason I am a professor. I have the opportunity to do what my professors did for me.”

Castro was named one of SBVC’s Outstanding Professors for 2021, and this is a testament to “the love I have for this campus,” he said.

“I pour my heart into each lecture and student I teach because I know what it means to have someone in your corner,” he said. “And my students know they have someone that has their best interest at heart with me as their professor.”

When he is not teaching, Castro enjoys working out, cars and finding the best burritos. He is a self-described “workaholic,” and said he wants to “make a change in the math world on how we teach math.” He is currently developing a YouTube channel, Instagram account and college course on mathematical finance, with the goal of starting “the conversations that we should re-evaluate what math we should be teaching students.”

Castro is constantly striving for more, and wants his students to know there’s nothing they can’t do, as long as they are willing to put in the time.

“You want to know the secret to success?” he said. “When no one is watching, you are working. And you are working to be the best version of yourself. I can only teach you so much in the classroom. I can only pass on so much of my skills. But you don’t want my skills, you want to bring your touch into this world.”

He suggests studying ahead of what is being taught in class and watching YouTube videos to learn more about a subject. This can continue beyond the classroom, he said

“Study to learn more skills to reach the top of your profession,” Castro said. “Be humble, reach out to people above you in your career to learn how to make it to the top. Learn from the best and then make that career your own.”

Castro doesn’t see failure as a setback, because “it awakens a beast in me to reach a new level,” he said. Struggles he had during college to understand some material made Castro realize that it is okay to fail, and pushed him to “study like I never had before.”

After countless hours of hard work, he earned a 4.0 in his upper-division math classes and graduated with departmental honors.

“I could have taken that defeat and said no, I’m not good at math, this is the best I can do,” Castro said. “If you are my student reading this or not my student, don’t you ever think that this is the best you can do. The only limits you have are the ones you put on yourself. And if you need anything, my student or not, I’m here to support you.”

Castro invites all SBVC students looking for advice or encouragement to email him at acastro@valleycollege.edu. “We can bring out your beast mode as well!” he said.

By Antonio? ?Ray? ?Harvey? ?|? ?California? ?Black? ?Media?

Last month, Lawrence Lucas, founder of the United States Department of Agriculture Coalition of Minority Employees (USDA-CME), testified before the California Task Force to Study and Develop Reparation Proposals for African Americans.

Lucas said racism is the prime reason there are just a little over 400 Black farmers in California.

“The income of Black Farmers has been drastically reduced and the amount of wealth that has been taken from Black farmers is tremendous,” Lucas said. “What you would call reparations, we call justice. It is why you must do what you have to do in California to right the wrongs suffered by Black people.”

Lucas is not the only one concerned about mounting evidence that documents a long history of race-based discrimination in American agriculture.

The United States Department of Agriculture recently created the Equity Commission (EC) to study racial discrimination and government policies that have disempowered Black farmers, depleted their wealth and nearly wiped out their presence for over 100 years.

EC will advise the Secretary of Agriculture by identifying USDA programs, policies, systems, structures, and practices that created barriers to inclusion or perpetuated racial, economic, health and social disparities.

USDA-CME was founded in 1994 to address discrimination within the USDA, which Lucas referred to as the “Last Plantation” during his testimony. The coalition also focuses its work on the historical loss of Black land and how government policies deprived African Americans of generational wealth.

The EC is expected to issue a preliminary report and provide “actionable recommendations” within the next 12 months, and a final report to be finished within two years.

“The Equity Commission is taking important steps to dismantle barriers historically underserved communities have faced in accessing USDA programs and services,” said U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack in a Sept. 24 statement.

Lucas said despite the USDA’s efforts to address decades-old discrimination practices, he does not see it “getting any better” for Black farmers. Non-Black farm producers are fighting back in the courts, Lucas said.

“You have White farmers, who own most of the land and get all the benefits from the land; they are the ones now bringing court cases around the country. They are saying that it’s discriminatory to have debt-relief for Black farmers,” Lucas said.

The CME’s biggest accomplishment is its involvement in securing debt relief for Black farmers as part of the American Rescue Plan (ARP). The ARP package included a multi-billion-dollar fund for socially disadvantaged farmers throughout the United States.

The coalition has worked alongside U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and Cory Booker (D-NJ) to create the Justice for Black Farmers Act, which will provide even more aid to socially disadvantaged farmers.

Of the approximately 70,000 farms in California, more than 90% are White-owned or White-managed and fewer than 1% are Black-owned or Black-managed, according to the 2017 federal agriculture census.

The 2012 census reported that California had 722 Black farmers. By 2017, that number had decreased to 429. Nationally, there are 45,508 Black farmers or 1.3% of all farmers according to the 2017 agriculture census. Their properties account for 0.5% of the country’s farmlands.

In contrast, about 14% of all U.S. farmers in 1920 were Black, according to that year’s agriculture census. At the time, there were 925,708 Black farmers. Nearly all of them farmed in Deep South states. Lucas blames the USDA for the depletion of Black farmlands over the last century.

However, the USDA says it is in the process of reversing harmful policies and taking restorative action for programs that affected the progress, financial stability, and productive livelihood of Black farmers.

“We are serious about our efforts to end discrimination across all areas of the Department and to improve access to services for key stakeholders,” said USDA Deputy Secretary Jewel Bronaugh in a statement.

In March, the U.S. Congress passed a $4 billion debt relief program for farmers of color to address past discrimination in USDA programs.

The debt relief program was passed as part of the ARP. It includes funding to pay off USDA loans held by 16,000 Black, Native American, Alaskan Native, Asian American, Pacific Islander, and Hispanic and Latino farmers.

Claiming discrimination, a group of White farmers have filed a dozen lawsuits against the program including one class action suit. Preliminary injunctions by three courts have momentarily blocked the program from issuing funds from the program.

According to Khubaka Michael Harris of the California Black Farmers and Agriculturalists Association (CBFAA), “The debt relief was written in a way to help Black folks, but it is not just for Black folks. That’s why it’s in the courts. It was written where anybody who is a farmer can say, ‘Hey, I’ve been affected by COVID, too.’ Then, you are going to say that this money is just earmarked for Black folks? Now, the legislators have to go back to write in a language that targets underserved communities.”

Based in Sacramento, CBFAA advocates for socially disadvantaged California Black farmers, and agriculturalists of color nationwide.

Lucas said it is actions such as the lawsuits that “deny Black farmers their dignity,” “a right to farm,” and deny Black farmers the “right to the same programs and services that White farmers get in this country.”

In California, farming is classified under the term “agricultural activity.”

The state defines it as “the harvesting of any agricultural commodity, including timber, viticulture, apiculture, or horticulture, the raising of livestock, fur bearing animals, fish, or poultry, and any practices performed by a farmer or on a farm are also agricultural activities.”

“That goes for licensed cannabis farmers too,” Harris said. “If you cultivate cannabis you are a farmer in this state.”

Assembly Bill (AB) 3121, titled “The Task Force to Study and Develop Reparation Proposals for African Americans,” was a law created to investigate the history of slavery in the United States, the extent of California’s involvement in slavery, segregation, and the denial of Black citizens their constitutional rights.

The nine-member task force is expected to hear more testimonies from Black farmers in California, including producers from the Central Valley.

“I see what all of you in California are doing is what needs to be done across this country,” Lucas said during his testimony. “It is the courage of your governor and the courage of the people on this reparation committee to take on this daunting task of talking to other people about their pain and suffering. Black farmers are suffering.”

CABINDA/ANGOLA – 09JUN2010 – African farmer to watering plantation.