Facing The Future With Confidence

the homepage of jw.org for local addresses and meeting times.

“The challenges we face may seem overwhelming, but the Bible holds out a powerful hope for the future that can help us right now,” said Robert Hendriks, U.S. spokesman for Jehovah’s Witnesses. “This global program is designed to give all those who attend tangible reasons to face the future with confidence.”

In April, millions worldwide will attend a special Bible-based program titled “You Can Face the Future With Confidence!” and gather to commemorate the Memorial of Jesus’ death.

In the face of widespread economic strain, national conflicts and social unrest, surveys indicate that confidence in the future is at an all-time low in many countries, including the United States.

According to the 2023 Edelman Trust Barometer, 24 of the 28 countries surveyed are seeing

“all-time lows in the number of people who think their families will be better off in five years.”

Against this backdrop of pessimism, a special global program featuring the theme, “You Can Face the Future With Confidence!” will be held on the weekend of April

1-2, 2023. The free 30-minute presentation will be hosted locally at Kingdom Halls of Jehovah’s Witnesses throughout San Bernardino County, with a videoconferencing option available. Please check the “Attend a Meeting” section on

The special talk is the first of two free programs that will be held in all 118,000 congregations of Jehovah’s Witnesses during the first week of April. The public is also invited to join nearly 20 million other global attenders for the annual observance of the Memorial of Jesus Christ’s death, to be held on the evening of Tuesday, April 4, 2023.

Admission to both programs is free, and no registration is required. Details on when and where these events will be held locally are available on jw.org, the official website of Jehovah’s Witnesses.

AKA Pink and Green Heartbeats team of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated, Eta Nu Omega Chapter of San Bernardino-Riverside raised over $10K for the American Heart Association – Inland Empire Heart and Stroke Walk held on Saturday, March 25, 2023, at Rancho Jurupa Regional Park. “We Walk to Save Lives!” According to research, heart disease continues to be the number one killer and stroke continue to rank fifth in the nation.

Coach, Dr. Tamara Frazier for AKA Pink, and Green Heartbeats team inspired all to work together in raising funds in support of goal in creating a world free from heart disease and stroke. For more information, visit: https:// www2.heart.org/site/TR/?team_ id=764250&pg=team&fr_ id=7923

Equity Report Reveals Statistics on Black Women Compared to Other Races

McKenzie Jackson | California Black Media

State Superintendent Tony Thurmond Visits Flood Zones, Provides Support and Donations to Pajaro Students and Families

Community /Education News

Remembering Kenneth Brown, Educator, Engineer, CSU Prof., and El Camino College Trustee Pres....continued

Public Policy and Advocacy Committee.

Brown also served on the Da Vinci Schools Board of Trustees from 2019-20 in the Wiseburn Unified School District, El Segundo and on the Da Vinci Schools Fund Board.

A true renaissance man, Brown’s accomplishments extended beyond his professional life. He was an accomplished athlete, twice named AllAmerican in Track & Field at Morehouse College and he played in the NCAA Div. II Basketball

Black women in the Golden State trail behind their counterparts from other ethnic groups in median wealth and a lower percentage of them have obtained higher education degrees. Black mothers and their babies have mortality rates that surpass women from other racial and ethnic backgrounds.

California Black Women’s Collective Empowerment Institute (CBWCEI) President and CEO Kellie Todd Griffin said the state of Black women in California is troubling.

“There is so much work to do,” she explained. “There is a gap with Black women. Without immediate interventions from a policy and practice transformation standpoint, we’re not going to be able to change the trajectory.” continued in last 2 columns

Griffin’s remarks came a day after the Center for the Advancement of Women at Mount Saint Mary’s University released its 12th annual “The Report on the Status of Women and Girls in California” on March 22.

Nashville school shooting: Seven fatally shot at Covenant School, including 28-yearold female suspect...continued from page 1

Pike to find it crawling with police.

"Aren’t you tired of this," she said taking over the microphones after a news conference with Metro Nashville Police. "How is this still happening?"

Beasley continued at the microphones, passionately decrying gun laws.

More:Nashville musicians react to Covenant School shooting, call for action

"How are our children still dying and why are we failing them," she asked. “These shootings, and these mass shootings, will continue to happen until our lawmakers step up and pass safer gun legislation."

What we know about Covenant School and Covenant Presbyterian Church

The Covenant School was founded in 2001 as a ministry of Covenant Presbyterian Church and has students in prekindergarten through sixth grade. Enrollment fluctuates between 195 and 210 with 33 teaching faculty members.

The Covenant School typically feeds area private schools that include Battle Ground Academy, Brentwood Academy, Christ Presbyterian Academy, Ensworth, Davidson Academy and others.

WATSONVILLE—State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond visited Monterey and Santa Cruz counties on Friday, March 24 to join first responders, school district administrators, and local leaders at Pajaro Middle School. Thurmond distributed gift cards, clothing, and muchneeded school supplies to affected students and families after a levee break flooded the community on March 10.

“We know that many families, students, and educators living in those areas were forced to leave their homes. We are coordinating with local, state, and federal governments to get the help we need for these families and to get students back in the classroom as soon as possible,” said Thurmond. “My staff and I are working hard to provide both immediate assistance and long-term recovery assistance to these communities. We know our students and teachers are resilient, and I am sure they will bounce back once again. But let’s make sure we provide them with the financial, academic, mental, and social–emotional support they need.”

During the visit in Watsonville, Thurmond assessed damage from the recent winter storms at both Pajaro and Lakeview middle schools and met with close to 500 students from Pajaro who have been relocated due to flooding. While Pajaro Middle School remains closed due to lingering flood damage, more than 90 percent of its students have returned to class at Lakeview Middle School. Thurmond also called the insurance adjuster who is handling the claims in order to get assistance to the Pajaro Valley Unified School District as soon as possible.

Following the school visits, Thurmond toured the Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds, where emergency shelters have been set up for families. The Californians Dedicated to Education Foundation donated Target gift cards for 1,000 families; Follett’s School Solutions provided 1,000 books; and staff from Capstone Publishing joined Thurmond on the visit and provided backpacks and activity bags. A GoFundMe page has been set up by a group of retired Pajaro Middle School educators; all funds collected will go toward providing clothing for affected students. Thurmond told families throughout the visit that he and the California Department of Education will continue to provide support.

President Joe Biden issued a Presidential Emergency Declaration on March 10 authorizing federal assistance to support state and local storm response efforts. Since then, 605 schools in 15 counties have been closed at some point and have been reported in the School Emergency Reporting System.

Governor Gavin Newsom has proclaimed a state of emergency in 43 counties, and more storms are expected to sweep through the state this month, so more counties could be added.

Remembering Kenneth Brown, Educator, Engineer, CSU Prof., and El Camino College Trustee Pres.

Joe W. Bowers Jr. | California Black Media

Modern Day Technology Leader Award in 2019.

Brown's passion for teaching led him to serve as an adjunct professor of Physics at Cal State University Dominguez Hills. For more than 20 years he taught undergraduate physics, physical science, and math courses. Because of his exceptional ability to connect with his students, his dedication to teaching, and his caring nature, he had a reputation for being a devoted and welladmired instructor.

Final Four. He qualified for the U.S. Olympic Trials and Pan AM Games in the high jump.

Brown, 54, lived in Inglewood with his wife of 25 years, Dr. Karla Harness Brown, a teacher, counselor, and child welfare and attendance advisor for 30 years at the Inglewood Unified School District. He is survived by two sons, Kenneth II, a Morehouse graduate who is now attending UCLA and Kaleb, a freshman at Howard University. He is also survived by his mother, Dr. Martha Brown, a retired professor of music and his mother-in-law, Gloria Armstrong, a retired Inglewood city employee. His father Keith Brown (deceased) was a Probation Officer. From the outpouring of condolence messages and personalized tributes Brown’s family is receiving from the Inglewood community and beyond, it is certain that he will be deeply missed by his family, colleagues, and the countless students whose lives he touched through his work in education

Equity Report Reveals Statistics on Black Women Compared to Other Races...continued

The 40-page report, with the tagline “Advancing Equity: Leading With Meaning and Purpose,” is the Los Angeles university’s assessment of the state of women in California based on a number of social and economic indicators.

It is “what women need in order to attain agency for themselves, add meaning to their lives, and contribute fully to their families, communities, and businesses,” wrote Mount Saint Mary’s University President Ann McElaney-Johnson in the document’s opening pages.

The report highlights issues affecting women and girls in California post-COVID-19 pandemic. The trends documented pertain to women’s education, economic security, health, household labor, and wage and wealth divisions.

There is a connection, Griffin stated, between Black women’s trailing in education and wealth figures.

“We’re the smallest population amongst the groups that were assessed, however we shouldn’t be 4% of the bachelor’s degree holders,” she noted. “It’s disheartening. How do you get into corporate leadership if a majority of good paying jobs require a degree? We can’t get in the door to be able to accelerate up.”

Black women are more than four times more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes then White women, and Black babies are more than twice as likely to die within one year than White babies.

The El Camino Community College District, California State University Dominguez Hills, and the aerospace industry have lost a great leader and advocate with the passing of Kenneth Brown on March 23, 2023.

Brown was a pioneer in his fields, and his work as an educator, scientist, engineer, and trustee impacted countless lives.

Born and raised in Carson, CA, Brown attended Morehouse College in Atlanta, where he earned his B.S. in Computer Science and B.S. in Physics. He later went on to earn his M.S. in Applied Physics from Clark Atlanta University.

“As a Morehouse alum, Ken upheld the tradition of striving to make a positive difference in the world, especially for the Black community. He had a keen analytical mind and he eagerly engaged in discussions in a variety of subjects, including politics and social issues that challenged you to think critically,” said Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Rupert Byrdsong, a friend and college classmate.

Brown’s career in aerospace spanned over three decades.

He worked for over 20 years at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, where, as a System Engineering Analyst for the Mars Science Laboratory, he worked on some of the most groundbreaking missions in the history of space exploration.

He was last employed as Operations Manager for Northrop Grumman Missions Systems Engineering & Sciences (E&S) Maritime Land Sensors and Systems/Field Engineering, at Space Park, Redondo Beach. where he was the lead for a major new enhancement to the program, driving technical integration to meet performance and functional requirements.

In recognition of his contributions, Brown received the Black Engineer of the Year

For the California Department of Education, Brown served as a Content Review Panel expert and helped author “Next Generation Science Standards,” which is being used in K-12 classrooms in over 40 states.

In addition to his work in aerospace and as an education practitioner, Brown was President of the Governing Board of Trustees at El Camino Community College in Torrance. He had been a Board member since 2010.

“He never stopped advocating for students’ needs to ensure they found success in higher education, their chosen career fields, and in their personal lives. He inspired us to become extraordinary,” Brenda Thames, Ph.D., El Camino College Superintendent/President reflected on her connection with Brown. “He led as an unapologetic advocate for equity and the expansion of educational opportunities for all students. The legacy of his work will impact millions of students for decades to come.”

Vice President of the Board of Trustees Trisha Murakawa told The Union, El Camino College’s student paper, that she and Brown “‘were making good trouble, to truly help’ with education and equity at the statewide level and at El Camino.”

“Brown was a champion for students in everything he did …. and his legacy and commitment will empower generations of leaders to come,” Daisy Gonzales, the interim chancellor of California’s community college system, said in a statement.

Brown was elected to the California Community College Trustees Board in 2016, and in 2020 was elected to serve as President of the CCCT Board. He served as President of CCCT's Board Financial Aid Implementation Committee as well as the Institutional Effectiveness Partnership Initiative Change Leadership Committee.

“I don’t think he had “no” in his vocabulary,” said Pam Haynes, President Emerita, California Community College Trustees Board and Los Rios Community College District Trustee. “He was unwavering in his steadfast advocacy for students of color, especially Black and Brown students within our community college system.”

On a national level, Brown served on the Association of Community College Trustees

The paper’s authors and staff at Mount Saint Mary’s Center for the Advancement of Women are advocates who push for changes in legislation to help women and girls in the state.

Robin L. Owens, Interim Director, Center for the Advancement of Women and Associate Professor of Religious Studies at Mount Saint Mary’s University, said all of study’s findings need to be addressed.

“My personal opinion, wealth impacts everything, so that is the one that struck me the most,” she emphasized. “The differences in the wealth gap between men and women, but also between African American women and other races. That was striking.”

The wealth gap among women is vast, according to the study. For every $100 owned by a White woman, Latinas own $10, and Black women own $9. Twentyfour percent of households led by single Black women and 25% of Latina households are more likely to live in poverty than single White (14%) and single Asian (15%) women households.

In corporate leadership, 5% of the women in management positions and CEO chairs are African American. In comparison, 46% of women in management positions are White and 86% of women CEOs are White.

Black women hold 4% of the bachelor’s degrees obtained by California women, while White women have 47%. Among women holding graduate and professional degrees, 52% are White women, whereas African American women make up only 5%.

The maternal death rates African American women and their babies have are still comparable to numbers from decades ago despite funds and efforts put into improving that rate for all women, Griffin said.

“That is not an improvement,” she deemed.

CBWCEI is focused on using the numbers from the report and other statistics they have gathered to shine a light on the challenges Black women in the state have and to uplift their voices.

The group advocated for and received state funds to create the California Black Women’s Think Tank at Cal State Dominguez Hills, which focuses solely on Black women and girls through research and leadership development. The nonprofit organization is also conducting other African American womengeared initiatives.

“We are focused on Black women, Black girls, Black joy, Black advancement,” Griffin stated. “We understand if we invest in Black women, then we invest in Black communities. We are investing in Black California.”

Owens hopes readers of the report take actions like the CBWCEI.

“I hope people read the report and really give some thoughtful consideration to how they can add to the advancement of women in general and African American women in particular,” she said. “Even if it is in a small way. Sometimes we tend to think we have to fix the whole problem. If we could just find out in our own corner of the world, how we could make a small increase in helping African American women and women in general that would make a difference.”