VOICE Issue May 5, 2016

Inland Southern California’s News Weekly

May 5, 2016 Volume 43 | Issue 42 theievoice.com

Celebrating America's Grandmother-in-Chief For Mother’s Day

theievoice.com | APRIL 21, 2016 | VOICE

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inthisissue

publisher’snote feature

Celebrating America’s Grandmother-in-Chief

On Mother's Day: Protecting Our Children From Racist Idiocy

On Mother’s Day

Cover Chris Allen, Creative Director

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inthenews

New Study Shows Overhaul of County Hospital a Benefit to Local Economy; Salton Sea and the New Normal; SB District Attorney Targets Underground Economy; San Bernardino County Working to Reduce Welfare Fraud

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2016politicalnews New Bill Will Provide Additional Election Funding; Candidates Vie to Become Mayor of the City of Riverside; Parental Notification Initiative Fails to Qualify

newsinbrief

guesteditorial Dr. Reginald “Reggie” Woods Sworn in as Leader of IECAAC

Playground Concussions; Coachella School District Provides Free Wi-Fi

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Michelle and Malia Obama (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

his year I won’t be celebrating Mother’s Day with my only child. He just left for the University of Honduras where he will be working as an Artist in Residence, joining his father who is representing our country as a Fulbright Scholar. My son’s absence - and my constant worry about him whether he’s at home or abroad - has me thinking about how difficult it is to shed the role of protective mother.

And then I read several articles on the unbelievably racist comments that appeared on conservative news websites after President and First Lady Obama announced their daughter Malia’s decision to take a “gap year” before entering Harvard University in 2017. According to the ridiculous comments posted by readers, Malia couldn’t have been smart enough to actually earn a place at the prestigious university. Many of the comments harken back to some of the most negative and insidious stereotypes of Black intellect. I have chosen not to publish any of them here.

The news of Malia’s “gap year” decision was of particular interest to me because my niece Kennedy was accepted to Pepperdine University for spring admission and I tried to convince her to take at least “half a gap year” something I wish I had done at her age. She has already traveled abroad and spent time in a variety of countries. Kennedy is just one of my four amazing nieces who are graduating from high school this year. Jordan, who just accepted a Presidential Scholarship, was accepted to over twenty colleges and her unusual “March Madness” styled college selection process was reported on in the local newspaper. Kayla, much like Kennedy, is a popular well-rounded student, who did mission work in Brazil with her boarding school classmates. She plans to return to Alabama for her undergraduate education and then return to California for medical school. And Jaelyn, one of the highest nationally ranked basketball players in the country, received offers from dozens of top women’s college basketball programs. She decided to attend UC Berkeley in the fall. Like Malia Obama, these young women are exceptional, and much like her mother and grandmother, fiercely protective mothers raised them all. continued on page 7

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inthenews

New Study Shows Overhaul of County Hospital a Benefit to Local Economy Riverside

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study released last week by the UCR School of Business Administration, Center for Economic Forecasting and Development appeared to justify the millions spent by county officials on a consulting firm to cut hospital costs and generate revenue was well worth the investment.

Not too many years ago, the Riverside County Regional Medical Center was losing money at a concerning rate—more than one million dollars a week according to most reports. It also faced a projected revenue shortfall of nearly $50 million.

The risk of needing to divert funding to keep the facility afloat was rapidly beginning to threaten funds allocated to other public services.

In an effort to stop the fiscal hemorrhaging, county officials placed the facility under new management; hired an interim CEO; and despite some controversy, contracted with a private consulting firm, Huron Healthcare, at a cost of $26 million. The consultants were charged with

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developing a strategy to cut costs while at the same time increase revenue.

County officials are buoyed by the UCR report.

The revamped and renamed Riverside University Health System – Medical Center, a countywide network of 10 medical clinics and the Departments of Public and Behavioral Health, once a source of economic dismay is now touted as a fiscal success.

According to the study, the area’s newly structured healthcare system now generates $1.6

VOICE | APRIL 21, 2016 | theievoice.com

billion annually for the local economy which includes $615.1 million in labor income; $107.3 million in local and state tax revenue; and supports 13,200 jobs either directly or indirectly, including more than 6,000 in the health care system. Despite the rosy assessment however one of the area’s best known economist, John Husing, has reportedly questioned the study’s assessment and the health care systems overall economic impact on the local economy.

In the meantime, county officials are moving forward with plans to build on its success in regards to the local healthcare system. It will spend $25 million for new medical equipment including a cardiac catheterization lab, new CT and MRI scanners, and a surgical robot. There are additional plans to spend over $50 million on an electronic medical records system; and to ultimately develop 32 acres of land adjacent to the hospital into a medical campus to include doctors’ offices, a nursing facility, and an outpatient surgical center.

inthenews San Bernardino District Attorney Targets Underground Economy San Bernardino

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Salton Sea and the New Normal Riverside

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n Tuesday, the UCR School of Public Policy presented “The Salton Sea and the New Normal: ‘A managed environment in the context of prolonged drought’.”

The seminar was presented by Michael Cohen, senior associate at the Pacific Institute in Oakland, California. The discussion brought needed attention to the plight of this ecologically vulnerable site.

Cohen has been a major Salton Sea advocate for more than 18 years. He is the lead author of three Pacific Institute reports on the Salton Sea, served on the Natural Resources Agency’s Salton Sea Advisory Committee from 2004 to 2007, and is a member of the Salton Sea Task Force’s Agency Stakeholder Committee.

The Salton Sea, a crucial habitat for birds and wildlife, is approaching a tipping point. Once the playground of the rich and famous it now a murky, stinky wasteland where rotting fish wash ashore; and what was once a thriving beachfront is largely deserted.

The Salton Sea holds a unique place in California history. Sitting about 230 feet below sea level it was formed in 1905 when the Colorado

River flooded through a diversion canal and refilled a former lakebed in the desert. Since then, irrigation water that flows through agricultural fields of the Imperial, Coachella, and Mexicali valleys drain into the lake. This is what sustains it and offsets loss from evaporation. Without the irrigation flows experts believe the lake would eventually shrink and ultimately disappear. This process however, results in a concentration of salts and other contaminants carried by the river and from the fields themselves to the lake. Not surprisingly, the Salton Sea is 50 percent saltier than the ocean and yet it supports more than 420 different species of resident and migratory birds.

Despite the lake’s current grim condition there is renewed hope for a brighter future. In 2014, California voters approved a significant water bond measure with some money that may be directed toward mitigation measures for the lake. In 2015 a position was created to oversee policy for the lake; and late last year it was reported that decision makers are gradually moving toward consensus over short-term and future projects aimed a mitigating ecological challenges at the site.

ast week, District Attorney Mike Ramos released a public service announcement targeting Workers’ Compensation Insurance Fraud in San Bernardino County.

The county’s Workers’ Compensation Insurance Fraud unit conducts on average 200 investigations a year and generally has 60-70 cases pending in court.

“We acquire convictions in over ninety percent of our cases,” said Chief Deputy District Attorney Gary Fagan, who oversees the unit. “In the past three years we have secured restitution orders in excess of $2.45 million. We have also provided outreach training on workers’ compensation insurance fraud issues to over 2000 people in the last three years.”

District Attorney Mike Ramos stated, “We will not tolerate employers who break the law in order to gain an unfair advantage over their competitors. “ He added, “Our office will continue to ensure that all workers are protected and that the playing field is level for law-abiding businesses who wish to conduct business in San Bernardino County.”

Ramos also stressed how when contractors violate the law and feed the underground economy—everybody suffers.

An underground economy is one that includes activities where businesses fail to comply with business and consumer licensing requirements; fail to pay or underpay payroll tax and income tax; engage in unfair labor practices such as wage theft, paying under the table, denying insurance benefits; and/or fail to acquire workers’ compensation insurance or make fraudulent misrepresentations to insurers in order to gain a competitive advantage over competitors who comply with all legal requirements.

A newly released public service announcement titled, “Underground Economy” Is currently available at https://www.youtube. com/watch?v=gnaJhSdHFSo. The video focuses on the work of the San Bernardino County continued on page 7

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inthenews

San Bernardino County Working to Reduce Welfare Fraud San Bernardino

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his week the San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors reviewed progress on a collaborative effort between the County Administrative Office, Human Services and the District Attorney to develop and improve protocols and procedures to increase the referral and prosecution rate of welfare fraud cases as a way to reduce welfare fraud in the county.

Historically, welfare fraud investigations are conducted by a unit within the county’s Human Services Department. This unit either refers cases to the District Attorney for criminal prosecution or handles them through administrative hearings. In recent years, there has been a decline in the number of cases referred to the District Attorney and an increase in cases handled through administrative hearings.

Since March 1, 2016, Human Services and the District Attorney staff have met and discussed several changes that, when fully implemented, will increase the referral and prosecution rate of county welfare fraud cases.

As a result of these meetings, nine protocols have been addressed: five are being implemented and the remaining four will be implemented upon completion of underlying administrative

procedures.

The protocols pending implementation include an increase in the number of law enforcement sweeps of individuals with outstanding warrants to at least twice a year. These warrant sweeps will be made in coordination with Human Services, the District Attorney, Sheriff, and the Probation Department. In addition, Human Services and the District Attorney will create a process to review active warrants to determine if and when they can be cleared.

Also, Human Services will regularly review cases with the District Attorney so that Fraud Investigators will gain a clearer understanding of specific elements needed for successful prosecution.

Human Services, with input from the District Attorney, will create a system to ensure that serious offender referrals are prioritized for passed to the District Attorney for prosecution.

County officials are confident the successful implementation of these welfare fraud protocols and procedures will increase referrals to the District Attorney and ultimately result in an increase in successful prosecutions of welfare fraud in the County.

Shooting Deaths Continue to Rise San Bernardino

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uring 2015 the San Bernardino Police Department investigated 44 homicides.

This included the 14 victims of the December 2nd terrorist attack.

So far this year, gun violence has exploded in the city and citizens are dying at a record pace.

To date, San Bernardino has experienced at least two dozen homicides.

According to police officials, the majority of this year’s homicide deaths have involved some sort of street gang activity; however, even with this awareness some authorities still cite other factors as major contributors to the increase in homicides. Included among them, the changing of some felonies to misdemeanors in addition

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to the way some nonviolent offenders are now assigned to county jails versus the state prison system—and yet there is limited data to support this assertion. The one fact that is certain is San Bernardino is experiencing an uptick in gun violence and people are dying in the process.

The police department is doing what it can to stem the tide including stepping up patrols in problem areas; to date however, it just has not been enough to make a difference.

One impediment to the department’s efforts to wrap its arms around the increased violence is the tough reality that the police department remains sorely understaffed. According to officials, the department has been under-staffed

continued on page 7

healthyliving

with Dr. Ernest Levister F.A.C.P., F.A.C.P.M.

Staying Active is Good for the Body, Heart and Brain Dear Dr. Levister: I am a retired teacher.

How can I relax into earned retirement and still keep my brain sharp? L.E.

Dear L.E.: It makes sense: staying active mentally and physically as we age keeps our minds sharper.

Now research backs it up. A new study finds a combination of mental and physical activity may help improve brain function in older adults.

No matter what activity you do, staying active physically and stimulated mentally keeps your brain working better.

Researchers studied 126 inactive older adults with memory problems for 12 weeks. They were split into four groups and assigned four different combinations of mental and physical activities.

The mental activities included computer work and training DVDs. The physical activities included classes in aerobics and toning.

Regardless of which group people were part of, mental abilities improved over time, across the board. The takeaway from the study is simple — keep your body active to keep your mind sharp.

If you don’t use it, you lose it, that’s the SB District Attorney, continued from page 5

District Attorney’s Workers’ Compensation Insurance Fraud Unit, in conjunction with the Contractors’ State License Board, Employment Development Department, and the Department of Industrial Relations.

If you suspect Workers’ Compensation Insurance Fraud or believe you are a victim of workers’ compensation insurance fraud in San Publisher’s Note, continued from page 3

We need to protect our children from racist idiots in the same manner we protect them from sex traffickers, drug dealers, and violent gangs.

The vitriolic racist and inexcusable hate speech comments reminded me just how much ugliness and hate there still is in our country and how much we need to protect our children from racist idiots in the same manner we protect them from sex traffickers, drug dealers, and violent gangs. That type of parenting is something I learned from my mother. We have to shield our children from malign influence, one expert says, and “healthy parenting involves the dual role of nurturer, on one hand,

bottom line. I always tell my patients whatever saves your heart, saves your brain. Physical exercise doesn’t just help our well-being and make us feel better emotionally. We now know it helps us cognitively.”

Like everyone, older adults have a wide range of mental activities to choose from. A few ways to stay mentally engaged and your mind working: • Keep in contact with friends and family connections • Learn new skills like painting, woodworking or collecting • Do crossword puzzles and play board games • Read a range of books, magazines and online articles on different subjects • Learn a new language Physical activities can include low-impact exercises like walking, swimming and dancing. Do some strengthening exercises (after clearing with your doctor),

like working out on weight machines or with elastic bands. Work on balance with tai chi or yoga. Remember when starting on an exercise program: • Choose activities that you like; you’ll be more likely to stick with it • Make physical activity a part of everyday • Don’t overdo it, start slow and go slow • Exercise with a friend or a group — chatting as you work out makes it go faster and easier • Have fun!

Bernardino County contact the District Attorney at DAWorkersComp@sbcda.org or call (909) 891-3523.

however, todate, not many candidates have applied.

San Bernardino City Councilwoman Bessine Richard who represents the city’s 6th Ward, has called for the city to come together to identify and implement a meaningful solution. “We need to put together a strategic plan on safety,” she said. “We have to increase safety.”

Shooting, continued from page 6

nearly 100 officers since austerity measures were taken during the great recession. The San Bernardino Police Department has received authorization to hire additional officers; and protector on the other.” And my mother did an amazing job of protecting us from things that could harm our self-esteem or negatively influence the way we saw ourselves in the world.

It wasn’t so much that we weren’t exposed to racism. We knew it existed. We were told stories about all the racism our dad experienced growing up in North Carolina. We knew the history of Blacks in this country. We weren’t naïve. But, as children we never experienced feelings of inferiority in our home. We never heard that Blackness was bad or something we had to “overcome”. There was just a standard of excellence that was expected. We were taught to be confident in our abilities. When we fell

short - and all four of us did - our reprimands were not framed within the context of race or gender.

That was never an excuse.

Our mother knew her job was to protect us from anything that could cause harm, including the faintest hints of racism, a belief she passed on to all of us. And something, I hope, we all think about doing for the children in our lives - whether they are our kids or someone else’s.

Paulette Brown-Hinds, PhD

Photo by benoitmalphettes.com To subscribe to my weekly blog Rants & Raves visit theievoice. com or email me @ paulette@bpcmediaworks.com.

theievoice.com | APRIL 21, 2016 | VOICE

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inmyopinion

Dr. Reginald “Reggie” Woods Sworn in as Leader of IECAAC

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few weeks ago, I decided to accompany my wife, Assembly Member Cheryl Brown to the installation ceremony of Dr. Reggie Woods as the new leader of Inland Empire Concerned Hardy L. Brown African-American Photo by benoitmalphettes.com Churches.

I mainly went because of the long relationship our family has had with Dr. John and Willa Mae Woods, Reggie’s parents. We used to babysit the Woods’ children back in the sixties, so it was like seeing one of our own children taking the leadership of an organization that I remember getting started during the height of the police shooting death of Tyisha Miller.

My memory was stirred after Pastor Raymond “Ray” Turner went over the history of IECAAC’s origins. I will not go into the long history of the shooting in Riverside that spilled over to San Bernardino after the sheriff hired one of the officer’s after he was fired from the Riverside Police Department. But, as he described, “on the rainy day of February 21, 2000 over 750 members of IECAAC braved the rain to demonstrate their objection to the decision to hire this officer after he killed this young African-American female in Riverside. I decide to go into the Black Voice News, the only paper other than the LA Times to cover that event.”

I want to congratulate Reggie for stepping up to lead the great organization and offer him my full support in whatever way I can.

The Founding of the IECAAC

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VOICE | APRIL 21, 2016 | theievoice.com

New Bill Will Provide Additional Election Funding Sacramento

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ast week Governor Jerry Brown signed legislation to provide the Secretary of State and county elections offices additional funding to administer the June 7, 2016 Presidential Primary Election.

The legislation, AB120, received broad bipartisan support in both the State Senate and the State Assembly. It provides an additional $16 million to all 58 California counties to help cover costs associated with conducting the June 7th Presidential Primary Election. The funding will also assist in the simultaneous completion of statewide initiative signature verifications.

$115,000 of the total funding will be provided to the Secretary of State’s office for elections costs— including the hiring of more phone interpreters for the voter hotline and conducting polling place observations in all 58 California counties.

Secretary of State Alex Padilla who lobbied for the additional funding advised, “Voter interest is climbing, and elections officials need to be prepared.”

Padilla has urged county elections officials to ensure

each polling place has a sufficient number of ballots on hand to manage the anticipated increase in turnout that has been observed in other states.

In his communications to county elections’ officials Padilla emphasized that while the state elections code only requires counties to provide ballots equal in number to at least 75 percent of registered voters in the precinct, he encouraged them to provide more than the minimum 75 percent in order to ensure each polling place has a sufficient number of ballots on hand.

“I thank Governor Brown and the Legislature for recognizing the unique nature of the 2016 election cycle and working so quickly to provide critical funding to county elections officials,” Padilla shared and continued. “County elections officials must not only prepare for a surge in voter turnout, they also have to verify a massive number of signatures for ballot measure initiative petitions. This funding will help ensure counties can conduct smooth and successful Presidential Primary Elections.”

Parental Notification Initiative Fails to Qualify Sacramento

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he Parental Notification initiative has failed to garner the required number of signatures necessary to qualify the initiative on the November ballot.

Officially referred to as the Parental Notification, Child and Teen Safety and Stop Sexual Predators and Sex Traffickers Act and in some circles simply called the “Secret Abortion Initiative”, would have made it illegal for physicians to perform abortions on un-emancipated minors without prior parental notification.

The measure mandated physicians provide written notice to parents either personally or by certified mail. Such notification would not have been required in situations where the involved minor was a victim of physical or sexual abuse committed by one or both parents.

The law would have restricted physicians from performing abortions until at least forty-eight hours after the written notification was delivered to the parent(s).

Had the measure qualified for the ballot and

received the majority of votes during the election, any person who performed an abortion on an unemancipated minor without a parent’s written authorization would have been liable for damages in a civil action brought by either the minor, her legal representative, or by a parent wrongfully denied notification.

The measure’s failure to qualify for the ballot was a certain disappointment for anti-abortion activists.

The initiative was authored and supported by the California Parental Rights organization.

As the organization strived to gather signatures near the measures deadline its website read, “Planned Parenthood and other abortionists, including nonphysician midwives, physician assistants, and nurses, without even being required to notify a parent of a girl, will continue to be able to perform secret abortions on tens of thousands of minor girls, including those as young as 12 years old, each year.”

This was the second so-called “Secret Abortions” initiative that failed to qualify for the November ballot.

pol 2016 itic aln ews Candidates Vie to Become Mayor of the City of Riverside Riverside

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he race for mayor in the City of Riverside boasts a crowded field of aspiring candidates. In addition to the city’s current mayor Rusty Bailey who is fighting to remain in office for a second term, seven other individuals have tossed their hats into the political ring.

According to the California State Attorney General’s Office, Bailey’s challengers include City Councilman, Paul Davis; Sales Consultant, Sally Martinez; Assistant Director of Riverside Community College District Foundation, Nancy Melendez; Small Business Owner, Vivian Moreno; Outdoor Pot Grower, Patrick B. Small; and Licensed Sales Consultant, Sally Martinez. An eighth candidate, Anthony Mario Martinez entered the race as a write in candidate on April 25.

The job of Mayor in the City of Riverside is a full time position. Compensation is in the low $80,000 range before benefits. The mayor also has a full time administrative staff.

Many view the position as politically limited because the mayor has very restricted legislative authority. The Riverside mayor does however have the power of the pen and as a result, can veto legislation if he chooses. In addition, can also be called upon to break a tie in the city council.

Riverside operates under a council-manager system.

This form of city government consists of an elected city council including the mayor that serves as the city's primary legislative body. In turn, they collectively appoint a chief executive (city manager) to oversee the city’s day-to-day operations. The city manager is also charged with implementation of the council's policy and legislative initiatives.

This year’s vote by mail ballots will be mailed to voters beginning Monday, May 9. The primary election is scheduled for Tuesday, June 7.

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featurestory

Celebrating America's

Grandmother-in-Chief

for Mother's Day

S. E. Williams Contributor ibi, Big Momma, Grandma, Granny, MawMaw, Mother Dear, Grandmommie—all terms of endearment ascribed to grandmothers all over America.

For years, researchers have validated what members of the African-American community have known for generations—that African-American grandparents, particularly grandmothers, play vital roles in their grandchildren’s lives; many reside in the same households as their grandchildren. In addition, the number of grandchildren raised by grandparents is higher among African-Americans than any other racial or ethnic group.

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featurestory

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I know what it is like to be brought up with unconditional love. In my life that came from my grandmother.

Grandmother-in-Chief, continued from page 11

African-American grandchildren readily look to their grandparents for guidance.

Grandmothers often see themselves as teachers, particularly in relation to issues like manners, values, morals and religion.

The pivotal role many African-American grandmothers play in the lives of their grandchildren is monumental. This is partly due to the earlier mortality among black men; as a result, “grandchildren are more likely to have substantive relationships with their grandmothers.”

For these, among other reasons many Black Americans were not surprised when rumors began to surface in late 2008 that Presidentelect Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama were encouraging her mother, Marian Robinson, to move with them to the White House.

“I think it’s fair to say that Marian Robinson is one of the unsung heroes of this campaign,” President Obama told a reporter with the American Grandparents Association after his election. “’Cause she retired, looked after the girls, gave Michelle confidence that somebody was gonna be there when Michelle was on the road.”

The President’s bond with his mother-inlaw was most clearly displayed that night in 2008 when the nation held a collective breath along with the Obama family and waited for the election results to be tallied. “There’s no doubt that there was a sense of emotion that I could see in people’s faces and in my motherin-law’s face,” Obama told the reporter as he reflected on the events of that historic evening.

“You know, I mean, you think about Michelle’s mom, who grew up on the west and south sides of Chicago, who worked so hard to help Michelle get to where she is, [and] her brother to be successful. She was sitting next to me, actually, as we were watching returns. And she’s like my grandmother was, sort of a no-fuss type of person. And suddenly she just kind of reached out and she started holding my hand, you know, kind of squeezing it. And you had this sense of, ‘Well, what’s she thinking?’” The president continued. “For a Black woman who grew up in the ‘50s, you know, in a segregated Chicago, to watch her daughter become first lady of the United States ... I think there was that sense across the country.”

Grandmother-in-Chief Marian Shields Robinson is not only the maternal grandmother; she is the only living grandparent of Malia and

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”

- Andre Leon Talley

Sasha Obama. Normally, when a grandmother lives with or in close proximity to her children and grandchildren beyond the role of matriarch, she frequently assumes the role of mentor, caregiver, confidante, playmate, and role model.

According to reports, Robinson first resisted overtures from her daughter and the president to join them in Washington, D.C. Michelle reportedly begged her mother to come with the family to Washington. Apparently, unable to convince her, Mrs. Obama told New York Magazine, she then enlisted the help of two skillful and powerful manipulators—her young daughters, Sasha and Malia. “All they have to do is look at her with sad eyes and she’s done for.” Though she initially only agreed to try it out for three months—the rest, as they say, is history.

The Obama family made the same choice made by at least one million American families, when parents work. According to the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) Executive Vice President Elinor Ginzler, “Many of these arrangements aren’t because grandparents can’t live on their own anymore but because being there somehow makes life better.” What a privilege to have someone who lives in and

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featurestory Grandmother-in-Chief, continued from page 12

provides childcare that loves your children as much as you do.

As evidenced by her low public profile, since moving into the White House, Robinson has successfully managed to remain a very private person. She is defined by many who know her as, “a loving, tough-minded matriarch who rarely shies from speaking her mind and has always prized her independence.”

In speaking about her mother at a White House Mother’s Day event in 2014 the first lady commented, “There is no way I would be standing up straight on my feet if it weren’t for my mom, who is always there to look after our girls, to love them and to be mad at me when I’m disciplining them.” And, according to reports, Robinson easily exerts her grandmother prerogatives-- she lets the kids eat inorganic food and lets them stay up past bedtime—she truly is a typical grandma. It is widely reported Mrs. Robinson often teased her daughter and the president about some of their childrearing

rules. For example, she considered an 8:30 pm bedtime way too early. She also reportedly suggested they change their one-hour television rule for her grandchildren, among other things.

“If you’re going to have some fried chicken,” she declared. “Have fried chicken.”

Mrs. Obama further commented, “[She’s] been that shoulder for me to lean on. I can always go up to her room and cry, complain, argue and she just says, ‘Go on back down there and do what you’re supposed to do.’”

Robinson’s influence on her daughter is evident in a number of areas particularly as it relates to the first lady’s commitment to physical fitness and her Let’s Move Campaign. In the 1997 Illinois Senior Olympics, the Grandmother-inChief won gold medals in both the 50 and 100yard dash. At the time, she was already well into her sixties.

The White House is a far distance front the Southside of Chicago where the first grandmother and her late husband Fraser Robinson raised Michelle Obama and her brother, Craig

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Robinson; and yet, she has managed to balance the care of her grandchildren and the support of her daughter and son-in-law; while maintaining her privacy and dignity in the process.

Historically, grandmothers and grandfathers alike are respected for the wisdom and experience they offer not only to their families, but also to communities at-large.

Grandmothers have always played an important role in the lives of their grandchildren. The culture respects, even reveres, older people for this hallowed place they hold in society. Robinson is no exception to this rule. As the nation’s Grandmother-in-Chief, Marian Shields Robinson certainly lives up to this reverence—she has served her family well and in the process also served the nation.

Robinson is not the first in-law to live in the White House. Ulysses S. Grant was joined by his father-in-law; Harry S. Truman, his mother-inlaw; Dwight D. Eisenhower, his mother-in-law; and Benjamin Harrison was joined in the White House by his father-in-law.

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