MONDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2014 - DECEMBER 7, 2014
riversideindependent.com
Upset Protestors Rally Against Ferguson Verdict, Block Freeways by jennifer schlueter
Mike Brown, who was killed by a Officer Darren Wilson in August
With great suspense spectators all over the nation awaited the verdict of the grand jury in Ferguson last Monday whether to arraign police officer Darren Wilson or not. When the man
who shot unarmed black teenager Michael Brown was not indicted, people everywhere went into the streets to show their disapproval of the jury’s decision. Whereas some protests in
come to us and said ‘We want to help our kids, but we don’t know how.’ ‘We’re clueless,’ or ‘We don’t speak English.’” Please see page 4
Please see page 2
- Facebook Photo
Ferguson escalated and shops were lit on fire, demonstrations in LA and its surrounding counties remained mostly peaceful; Please see page 2
by Vickie Vértiz terprise, the center is expected to open at some point in January, said coordinator Gabriela Alonso. School board member Kathy Allavie also spoke to the Enterprise and said that many parents “have
SoCal Women Artists featured in Creative Expression: A Lifelong Pursuit at the Riverside Art Museum The Riverside Art Museum (RAM) proudly presents Creative Expression: A Lifelong Pursuit, running December 2, 2014 – February 14, 2015, with a free open-to-the-public Opening Reception on Friday, December 5, from 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. Creative Expression: A Lifelong Pursuit will feature women artists born in the 1920’s and early 1930’s who reside in southern California. These women bring a legacy of involvement with the arts in Riverside and the surrounding region. A complement to RAM’s 2013 Women of the Permanent Collection, this exhibit will feature a variety of styles and media from a select number of artists, including Veora Erwin, ada m. passaro, Joanna Mersereau, Helen L. Bell, and Pauline Geerlings. These artists prove that art is a lifelong pursuit and the exhibit celebrates their experience and contribution to the realm of creative expression. Additionally, RAM honors its legacy of strong women advocates and artists present in its own history by showcasing these female artists of a certain age. “These particular artists produce work which inspires on many levels,” says Danielle Trynoski, guest curator of the exhibit. “Each brings a unique
School District Program to Support Parents and Students
The Riverside Unified School District is opening a series of classes for parents to help their children succeed in school at a new parenting center. According to The Press En-
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Day Of Inclusion: Holiday Storytelling Event Why do we love stories? Join us for a program to celebrate the diversity of our community and learn about the universality of storytelling. The Fourth Annual Celebration of the Day of Inclusion Event Holiday Stories For The Multicultural Soul, will take place on December 6, at the Box in the Fox Entertainment Plaza from 1:00-4:00 pm. The event is free to the public. This program will commemorate Dec. 17, 1943, the Day the U.S. Congress repealed the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882, which was the nation’s first law to ban immigration by race or nationality. Introduced by then California Assemblyman Mike Eng, Dec.17th or ‘Day of Inclusion’ was established in 2009 by the California Concurrent Resolution (ACR) 76 to re-
member, learn from, and celebrate our diverse cultural heritage—to embrace our shared differences and goals. This family event will feature celebrated storytellers: Patricia Cano enacting ‘La Pastorela’, Sharon Clements sharing ‘Front Porch Stories’ and Kwanzaa, Juan Delgado with ‘El Rip’, and Josh Hathaway telling the classic ‘How Light/ Fire Came to the Cherokee.’ Our storytellers promise to entertain us and send us home with new insights. The event is sponsored by the Multicultural Council of the Riverside Museum Associates, the City of Riverside Human Relations Commission and the Inlandia Institute. Seating is limited, so don’t be late for this free event. For Information call the Museum at 951-826-5273.
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SoCal Women Artists Exhibition Continued from page 1
approach to the creative process shaped by a veritable lifetime of experiences, many of which involve the shaping of this museum. RAM recognizes them as distinguished artists, community leaders, teachers, and more, and this exhibit strives to shine the spotlight on them.” Companion programming will encourage a dialogue about arts, aging, and embracing the arts late in life. There will also be a Curatorial Tour on Sunday, December 7, starting at 3:30 p.m., and an Artist Coffee Klatsch on Sunday, January 18, starting at 2:00 p.m. “The women in this exhibition have inspired me for decades,” states artist Sue Mitchell. “Having just recently started my artistic journey, they have convinced me that I still have another 20 to 30 years to create.” RAM relies on the generosity of members and donors
to support its exhibitions, education programs, and special events. A 60-plus-year-old, private, non-profit cultural arts institution housed in a National Historic 1929 building designed by Hearst Castle and AIA Gold Medal-winning architect Julia Morgan, the museum welcomes over 50,000 visitors a year. The museum is open Tuesday – Saturday, 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. and Sunday, 12:00 noon – 4:00 p.m. For information on exhibits, events, classes, memberships, or sponsorship opportunities, visit www.RiversideArtMuseum.org. Find us on Facebook (www.facebook.com/riversideartmuseum), Twitter (RAMRiverside), Instagram (@riversideartmuseum), and Pinterest (www.pinterest.com/ramarts). This exhibition is supported in part by: Barbara Haven and Katie Grigsby.
Ferguson Verdict Protests Continued from page 1
however, several freeways including the 5, 110 and 10 were blocked for hours. Sit-ins and rallies in Leimert Park, Beverly Hills, and other areas were reported, where people raised signs and their hands shouting “hands up, don’t shoot.” The Los Angeles Times quoted a statement of Los Angeles County Sheriff-elect Jim McDonnell, in which he urges angry protestors to “respect the outcome and processes of our legal system.” He adds: “The greatness of our nation comes from our ability to come together peacefully and lawfully, to speak up about what is on our minds, and to respect one another.” According to the LA Times, Darrin Johnson of Redlands signed the petition “We Call on U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder to file federal criminal civil rights charges against Ferguson Police Officer Darren Wilson in the Slaying of Michael Brown” on Change.org. He told
the paper: “I’m frustrated beyond belief. Signing this petition is at the moment the closest thing I have to taking action. I want to see people of color treated with the same dignity and humanity that whites are by those in power.” Since the killing of their child, Michael Brown’s family have advocated body-worn cameras for officers, and started a campaign. In a statement, they wrote: “We need to work together to fix the system that allowed this to happen. Join with us in our campaign to ensure that every police officer working the streets in this country wears a body camera.” In Riverside County, 165 body-worn cameras for sheriff’s deputies have already been approved since early November. People hope for a more comprehensive clarification of facts in police encounters and more safety for both officers and citizens.
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Rep. Schiff Renews Push for Body Cameras for Law Enforcement On Tuesday Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA), a former federal prosecutor who recently urged the Department of Justice to help fund local police departments’ purchase of small body-worn cameras in order to increase transparency, decrease tensions between police and community members, and create a record of events, released the following statement: "Last night, following the decision of a grand jury not to indict the policeman who shot and killed Michael Brown, several buildings were set ablaze and violence again plagued the streets of Ferguson. Brown's death and this new spate of violence has exposed anew the deep mistrust between many Americans, particularly those of color, and law enforcement. "I join the family of Michael Brown, the Attorney General, and the President in calling for an end to the violence, and for calm and restraint, both by protestors and police. As the President said late last night, we are a nation of laws and the grand jury's decision -- whether we agree with it or disagree -- was theirs to make. "We cannot undo the past -we cannot bring Michael back, but we can create a better future for our children and make our streets safer for citizens and police alike. That will not be an easy task, but a good start would be committing to further diversify our police forces so they are more representative of the communities they police, and equipping officers with body cameras -- cameras that may have put to rest the fevered speculation that has characterized this case, or better yet, avoided the deadly altercation altogether.” Schiff, along with other Members of Congress, recently sent a letter to U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder urging the Department of Justice to help fund local police departments’ purchase of small body-worn
cameras. From the letter: “Police departments around the country have begun adopting small body-worn cameras for police officers on patrol. These cameras provide a visual and audio record of interactions with the public, so that in the event of a confrontation or policeinvolved shooting, such as the one that occurred in Ferguson, there is an inalterable record of the events. There are also indications that the presence of body cameras has a civilizing effect on both police officers and the public, resulting in lower incidences of excessive force complaints and deescalat-
ing tense situations before they become violent. Perhaps most importantly, cameras can instill greater trust in police departments on the part of the public they are sworn to protect. In communities with frayed police-community relations, cameras demonstrate a commitment on the part of the local police department to transparency and accountability, while protecting officers from false or frivolous complaints. For all these reasons, the adoption of body cameras has been well received in the jurisdictions that have begun to use them, both by the public and the officers wearing the cameras.”
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Listen Carefully Contest Challenges Students to Create a PSA About Noise-Induced Hearing Loss To raise awareness about noise-induced hearing loss in teens, Listen Carefully, a Starkey Hearing Foundation program, launched a national video contest November 24 challenging middle school and high school students (ages 13-18) to create public service announcements (PSAs) about the importance of hearing protection. The winning student(s) and their school will win a private concert by Interscope recording artist Aloe Blacc in 2015. The “Listen Carefully Contest” was created in response to data showing that noise-induced hearing loss increased 30 percent in teens over the past decade. Today 1 in 6 American teens has permanent hearing loss due to high volume sounds. Listen
Carefully is a domestic program of Starkey Hearing Foundation, an international nonprofit that gives the gift of hearing to people in need around the world. “From the studio to the stage, my hearing is a critical part of my art,” said Interscope recording artist Aloe Blacc. “I am so honored to join Listen Carefully to help raise awareness about noise-induced hearing loss and look forward to performing at the school of the video contest winner,” he continued. Football games, concerts, portable listening devices, lawn mowers and even hairdryers can damage kids’ hearing in as little as 10 seconds. “At the core of creating a revolution in hearing health is the conscientiousness that teenagers
must develop regarding their own ears,” said Dr. Vanessa Rothholtz, a Board Certified Otolaryngologist in Los Angeles, California. “This begins with education and influences in their environment, such as the music industry, their parents and their friends. However, it is ultimately the young adult’s responsibility to actively participate in the protection of their hearing,” she continued. “Noise-induced hearing loss is permanent, but often preventable,” said Tani Austin, Co-Founder of Starkey Hearing Foundation. “We hope this contest will help provide a creative way for students to learn and educate their peers about the longterm health dangers associated with high-volume sounds.”
The Listen Carefully contest is accepting 30-second video submissions between November 24 and December 31, 2014 from teens ages 13-18 who are enrolled an accredited U.S. middle school or high school. Video should be submitted to Listen Carefully’s official contest page (http://www. listencarefully.org/video-contest/ ). Qualifying entries will be made public for general voting from January 13-31, 2015. The top three finalists will be notified on February 1, 2015 and the grand prize winner will win a private concert from Aloe Blacc at his or her school. Second and third place winners will each receive a GoPro© camera and a trip to attend the concert with a parent or legal guardian.
School District Program to Support Parents and Students Continued from page 1
Given the population in Riverside mostly comprised of families who are working class and/or of color, the need for an academic family support center is clear. While those families have many strengths like resilience and a strong work ethic, “I’m convinced the need is there,” Allavie added to her Enterprise statements. Deputy Superintendent Mike Fine told the paper that the purpose of the center is to help develop parenting skills as chil-
dren grow, from early childhood through high school and on to college. Fine also told the paper that the center also has an early childhood goal, like the First Five programs across the state, is to help parents understand their role in building literacy with infants. The program will follow children as they grow and go through school and support parents to understand how they work and to engage in their activities. Other help includes
teaching parents how to read report cards and what to ask at parent-teacher conferences, said the paper. Before students even get into high school, when they are in middle school, parents prepare will take classes to help their kids prepare for college. Fine also told the paper that the parent center will be a “hub for the various parent-involvement programs already in place, including the Parent Engagement Leadership Institute, the Parent Institute for Quality Education and PTA’s School Smarts Academy.” The classes offered will include digital and Internet literacy and savvy, connecting them to resources through Smart Riverside, a program that offers free or low-cost computers, said the Enterprise. Furthermore, Fine and Allavie said “they envision workshops to help parents find financial aid for their children to go to college, and to learn to fill out complicated applications.” The center will fill a need, Allavie told the paper, that the district has noticed for years.”
The paper added that the center will be located in a portable building on a corner of the parking lot of Riverside Adult School, which is considered a central location. A Riverside Transit Authority bus stop is conveniently located out in front of the center. “It will officially be called the Riverside Unified School District Family Resource Center,” Alonso told the paper. He added that “computers will be installed where parents can check their children’s grades and search for jobs or find family assistance.” Due to the Local Control Accountability Plan at the district level, the policy called for improving and increasing the involvement of parents in the education of their children, said Fine to the paper. The funding for the project and staff will come from the state Local Control Funding Formula, which also requires parent involvement in education. Other funding sources include some federal money to help low-income students, Fine said lastly.