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“A Man In Debt is So Far A Slave” -Emerson

NEWSPAPER A Community Newspaper Serving San Bernardino, Riverside & Los Angeles Counties Volume 51 No. 43

February 11, 2021- February 17, 2021

Mailing: P.O. Box 837, Victorville, CA 92393

Office: (909) 889-7677

Email: Mary @Sb-American.com

Website: www.SB-American.com

Power concedes nothing without a demand. It never did and it never will. Find out just what people will submit to and you have found out the exact amount of injustice and wrong which will be imposed upon them and these will continue till they have resisted either with words or blows or with both. The limits of tyrants are prescribed by the endurance those of whom they suppress. —Fredrick Douglass (1849)

C E L E B R AT I N G BLACK HISTORY: The St. Augustine Four is a Vital Part of Black History

EDITORIAL:

The President's Covid Relief Package

By Dr. John E. Warren Publisher, The San Diego Voice & Viewpoint

NNPA NEWSWIRE — It was while in St. Augustine that Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., urged President Lyndon B. Johnson to send federal troops to protect peaceful protestors, and to restore order. The Ku Klux Klan had staged violent nighttime rides, including severely burning Robert Hayling, a Black dentist, and civil rights leader, during one of their infamous rallies. The homes of Black families were torched, their cars firebombed by white supremacists.

Police used dogs, hot sticks, and Billy clubs to attack peaceful Black protestors.

By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent

Dr. John E. Warren

St. Augustine, Florida, the country’s oldest city, has always been a contradiction.

Today, the city along the northeast coast of Florida is recognized for its breathtaking Spanish colonial architecture and the tranquil beaches that sit off the Atlantic Ocean.

A Spanish settler founded it, and many believe it was home to the first Black Americans in the late 1500s.

Some of the oldest written records list the first birth of a Black child in St. Augustine in 1606.

Two hundred-plus years later, in 1812, a Black militia rescued the city from foreign invasion.

Despite the rich African A m e r ic a n h i s t o r y, St .

Augustine remained one of the hottest beds of white supremacy and white privilege.

It was while in St. Augustine that Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., urged President Lyndon B. Johnson to send federal troops to protect peaceful protestors, and to restore order.

The Ku Klux Klan had staged violent nighttime rides, including severely burning Robert Hayling, a Black dentist, and civil rights leader, during one of their infamous rallies.

The homes of Black families were torched, their cars firebombed by white supremacists. Police used dogs, hot sticks, and Billy clubs to attack peaceful Black protestors.

“All semblance of law and order has broken down in St. Augustine,” Dr. King declared in January 1964.

T he decla rat ion came shortly after the St. Augustine

Four’s release from prison.

In July 1963, JoeAnn Anderson Ulmer, Samuel White, Audrey Nell Edwards, and Willie Carl Singleton started a sitin protest at a Woolworth’s lunch counter in St. Augustine.

The group, along with several other teenagers, were arrested and taken to jail.

Prosecutors offered each plea deals in which they would only be released if they agreed to not participate in any more demonstrations.

They were also pressured to say that movement organizer, Dr. Hayling, was guilty of contributing to minors’ delinquency.

The St. Augustine Four were the only individuals to reject the plea deal. The four were sent to reform school and remained incarcerated until they were ordered released about six months later by Gov. Cecil Farris Bryant.

Edwards Hamilton got the attention of Dr. King and baseball superstar Jackie Robinson.

They f lew Hamilton and

Anderson to Connecticut to honor them for their heroic stand for freedom, justice, and equality.

Robinson and his wife, Rachel, took the two young ladies on a tour of New York’s Empire State Building and the World’s Fair in Queens.

In a 2011 interview with the Southern Oral History Program under contract to the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of African American History & Culture and the Library of Congress, Hamilton and Anderson recalled their part in the civil rights struggle.

They also recalled the day Deputy Everett H a ney a r r e s t e d t he m .

“You know what? If we kill these two n—–s and say they tried to escape … nothing would be said,” Anderson recalled the deputy saying.

Later, at reform school, Anderson noted the anguish they experienced. “We saw our mothers’ pain when they came up to that school [for a weekend

visit] and seen our bloody knees.

We had to scrub floors on our knees. We had to wax floors on our knees … until you see your face in them,” Anderson recalled.

In the 2011 interview, Anderson again set the record straight about Dr. Hayling, who later died in 2015 at 86.

“He was our advisor, youth advisor, and he just motivated us to want to go and make a difference in St. Augustine,” Anderson stated.

She also reminisced about her motivation to fight for civil rights.

“I didn’t too much care about my mom having to come and buy my school supplies at Woolworth’s because at that time, there was no Wal- Marts and it was just a downtown area with Woolworth’s and McCrory’s [dime store],” A nderson uttered in the 2011 interview.

“And they would buy our school supplies there, and there was a lunch counter over there and, uh, she would go in, come out, from walking through the park. Had to pass the fountain in the park because, it, uh, had ‘white only’ on it and, uh, she would go over there and buy my sup, school supplies, and she would also buy, you know, the accessories that you needed, you know, for school.

“But she couldn’t go over and get a drink of water. I had a problem with that, and I said to myself, ‘You know, there’s something wrong with this picture.’“ The St. Augustine Four joined a group of teens who continued on page 2

President Biden has announced bold goals for the much needed Covid relief package that America so desperately needs. But sometimes good intentions can fall upon bad roadblocks. In this case, it’s the President’s desire to try and work with the Republicans who have demonstrated that they have no real concern about the pain and suffering of Americans outside of their own interest as a political party.

T h e U. S. Ho u s e of Representatives has enough votes to pass the 1.9 trillion dollar relief package and as of February 2nd has begun the process of moving the legislation toward enactment.

In the U.S. Senate, we encourage the Democratic leadership and majority to treat the Republicans as they have treated America for the past four years. That is, vote according to having the numbers with no concern for the other side.

The Democrats have the numbers for a “simple majority” to pass the relief package with Vice President Harris standing by as the tie breaker if one occurs. The Republican package, presented to the President this week in their meeting with him at the White House, should be considered “dead on arrival” and viewed as no more than another effort to delay getting relief to the American people. There is still time to talk about unity after we get relief to the American people.

Mr. President, U.S. House of Representatives and the United States Senate, let's get this legislation passed and on the President's desk with all deliberate speed. The Republicans can catch up later, if they are still interested in democracy, their oath of office and the constitution they swore to serve.

“Black History Month” & “Juneteenth”...What if???

By: Phillip .A. Brown, Editor, Urban Futurist Publication...updated 5-5-11 When I think of the celebrating

by Black people during Black History Month, my spirit fills empty and a little sad. Our ancestors sacrificed so much for each proceeding generation, with the hope that one day there would be a prosperous nation of Black people free from the shackles of slavery, the bondage of sharecropping and the unjust laws of Jim Crow...And yes, from that man made disease, “racism”.

How they must have imagined!

That Black people one day would pool their intelligence, talent, land and money to build communities that support our culture, children and families. I believe our ancestors thought of a time in the future when businesses and institutions owned by Black people would blanket the landscape of our communities creating jobs, knowledge institutes, inventions, housing, hotels, hospitals, banks, restaurants, stores etc...The evolution of “Black Wall Street” Tulsa, Oklahoma, 1921 prosperity spreading across America, before the bombings and total destruction by angry white mobs.

What then, would they see today that would be

cause for Celebration?

After the “I have a dream” speech and the subsequent murder of Dr. Martin Luther King in 1968, what have Black people accomplished; no, not individually, but as a nation of people that give rise to the next generation of Black children? We have more freedom, education, money and talent then any preceding generation.

Yet Mother Nature, through hurricane Katrina unveiled the precarious living conditions of urban Black America.

I too have a dream for Black America!

Imagine; that Black History Month (February) was a time for planting seeds (investing in businesses), and Juneteenth was a time to celebrate the new harvest of these businesses, jobs and institutions cooperatively funded and collectively owned by the community.. Wealth creation, a legacy for the next generation to build upon...

How, you ma y a s k , could we do t hi s?

First, we would re-educate the Black Church community to continued on page 3

February 11, 2021

Page 2 COMMUNITY/EDUCATION/ADVERTISING

CELEBRATING BLACK HISTORY: Making ‘More Black History’ in Classical Music

Publisher’s Corner

NNPA NEWSWIRE — “[2020’s] tragedies – both COVID and the instances of violence against people of color by police and others – was a real call to action for The National Philharmonic Orchestra. We completely revamped our season of music as a first step in meeting this moment in history – and we recognize that the work has just begun, and we have a lot more work to do as an organization. Understanding the histories of our BIPOC communities is an essential and important first step,” said Jim Kelly, the president and CEO of the National Philharmonic Orchestra.

By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent

A recent New York Times article noted another place where Black history can – and should – be made.

The newspaper noted that orchestras are among the least racially diverse cultural institutions in the U.S., and Black musicians accounted for 1.8 percent of the country's orchestra players in 2014.

In observing Black History Month, National Newspaper Publishers Association President and CEO Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis, Jr., has always maintained a poetic theory: “The best way to observe Black History Month is to make more Black history,” Dr. Chavis, one of America’s prominent civil rights icons, stated.

A recent New York Times article noted another place where Black history can – and should – be made.

The newspaper noted that orchestras are among the least racially diverse cultural institutions in the U.S., and

Black musicians accounted for 1.8 percent of the country’s orchestra players in 2014.

There is not much data since then.

Jim Kelly, the president and CEO of the National Philharmonic told NNPA Newswire that while the orchestra has always strived to embrace racial and gender diversity, this year’s call from the Black Lives Matter movement has led the organization to take further steps, including a full season of music largely influenced by both composers of color and women composers.

“In early 2020, the National

Philharmonic committed to an equity transformation to center racial justice as the foundation of their vision, mission and work. This work began with learning cohorts led by the Arts and Humanities Council of Montgomery County and Maryland States Arts Council’s efforts to advance racial equity,” Kelly noted. “[2020’s] tragedies – both COVID and the instances of violence against people of color by police and others – was a real call to action for NatPhil. We completely revamped our season of music as a first step in meeting

this moment in history – and we recognize that the work has just begun, and we have a lot more work to do as an organization.

Understanding the histories of our BIPOC communities is an essential and important first step.”

With a sustained effort of changing the orchestra culture with respect to diversity, equity, and inclusion, the National Philharmonic is proud to join organizations that promote inclusion, offered Piotr Gajewski, the music conductor and director of the National Philharmonic.

“Indeed, by way of example, the last concert that the Philharmonic performed before discontinuing live concerts due to the pandemic (February 2020) consisted of works exclusively composed by African American composers William Grant Still, Florence Price and George Walker, and featured the award winning African American violinist Melissa White,” Gajewski reminded.

The National Philharmonic has articulated specific goals with respect to the diversity of its soloists and the diversity of living composers performed, committing to 40 percent of these to be people of color. “And presently NatPhil continued on page 7

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CELEBRATING BLACK HISTORY: The St. Augustine Four is a Vital Part of Black History...continued from page 1 gathered at St. Paul’s church ne a r Ha m i lt on’s home.

“I said, ‘I’m going to go down there and see what they’re doing.’ But all they were doing was gathering. Then Mr. Clyde Jenkins, Dr. Hayling, Ms. Lucille Plummer, and Ms. Fannie Wood started bringing us supplies to make picket signs.

“So, we made our little picket signs, and we would go downtown every day [until we were arrested at the Woolworth counter].”

A recent report noted how unkind the years had been to

the four civil rights heroes.

Willie Carl Singleton, who died at 41, and Samuel White, who died at 58, never spoke about their experiences.

JoeAnn Anderson Ulmer occasionally participated in remembrances of the movement with Audrey Nell Edwards Hamilton, but she moved out of St. Augustine to raise her family in Jacksonville, where she thought the racism would be less severe. She died in June at 73.

Edwards Hamilton still resides in Florida. She’s 73.

Opinion: Biden’s Dep. Sec. of Education Pick Draws Both Praise and Protests Joe W. Bowers Jr. | California Black Media Ci ndy Ma r ten is t he superintendent of San Diego Unified School District and has been nominated by President Joe Biden to be Deputy Secretary, the number two position in the Department of Education. In her current role as the leader of the second largest school district in California she is responsible for educating about 100,000 K-12 students, including 7 % that are African American.

Marten will serve under Dr. Miguel Cardona, Biden’s choice for Secretary of Education.

In choosing Cardona who is Connecticut’s Commissioner of Education, Biden is keeping his campaign promise to appoint a public school educator to this Cabinet position. Only seven years ago both nominees were elementary school principals and if they are approved by the U.S. Senate, they will become the country’s top education officials.

In Biden’s press release announcing Marten’s nomination, she was credited with San Diego Unified achieving the highest graduation rate among big-city districts in California and the fastest reading growth of large urban districts nationwide in 2019.

It pointed out that in her 32-year career as an educator she had been a superintendent, principal, vice principal and literary specialist.

Biden’s choice of Cardona to lead the Education Department has been greeted positively across a spectrum of groups with different ideological perspectives about education. Conversely, Marten’s nomination has also garnered severe criticism.

Secretary of State Shirley Weber tweeted upon learning of Marten’s nomination, “Cindy Marten will be a great voice for our students and educators.”

State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond said, “A great day for California and our nation, and I am proud to call you [Marten] a colleague and friend.”

Others praising the nomination were Dr. Linda Darling Hammond, president of the State Board of Education and head of Biden’s education transition team, the San Diego teachers union, and Derrick Johnson, national President and CEO of the NAACP. Johnson tweeted, “Cindy is a great pick by @POTUS. The @NAACP is looking forward to working with her on the behalf of all students ….”

While support for Marten has been enthusiastic among fellow educators and politicians, the concerns raised by her critics who have been affected by her actions cannot be overlooked or discounted as her nomination is being considered by the Senate.

There are members of the San Diego Unified community that have long had complaints about Marten’s inattention to racial equity issues confronting Black students and parents.

In a statement issued shortly after Marten’s nomination was announced, Katrina Hasan Hamilton, Education Chair of the NAACP San Diego branch said, “President-Elect Biden, with all of the qualified educators we have in our nation, this is not a good choice for healing Black students, families and educators, nor is it a step in the right direction for repairing harm in our schools.”

Following up on that statement, Francis Maxwell, President NAACP San Diego branch wrote, “During her [Marten’s] administration, African-American students and families have not only been systematically deprioritized, but key programs and resources to support AfricanAmerican student success have been stripped and “abolished.”

Under Marten, the district suspends and expels Black students at a disproportionately high rate according to a report titled “When They Teach Us: The Education of Black Children in San Diego” issued by researchers at San Diego State University (SDSU) Black continued on page 3

February 11, 2021

Page 3 STATE/GOVERNMENT/BUSINESS

Some Calif. Black Churches Will Ignore U.S. Supreme Court; Continue to Abide by CDC Advice Tanu Henry | California Black Media

On Friday, Feb. 5, the United States Supreme Court voted 6-3 in favor of allowing California churches to reopen their doors to worshippers. The ruling, which lifted the state’s ban on indoor, in-person church services, went into effect this weekend.

But some California Black Churches say they will keep their doors closed for now. They will, instead, continue to hold virtual services online, which makes it easier for them to adhere to Centers of Disease Control and Prevention social distancing guidelines.

“For the sake of our members, we will continue to abide by CDC guidelines. We know that COVID-19 is real. Our community has been devastated by this virus.

We value our members physical

and spiritual health,” said the Rev. K.W. Tuloss, president of the National Action Network Los Angeles and pastor of Weller Street Missionary Baptist Church, which is in downtown L.A. Tuloss says he can’t speak for every African American congregation in California, but he can safely say a large number of Black ministers in his network up and down the state will take a wait-and-see approach to reopening. They will prioritize the safety of their church members, he says, over all the benefits of fellowshipping in-person.

Associate Justices Elena Kagan, Stephen G. Breyer and Sonia Sotomayor, the high court’s three liberal-leaning members, voted against the request to lift the

ban submitted by two California churches -- Chula Vista’s South Bay United Pentecostal Church and Pasadena’s Harvest Rock Church.

“Justices of this court are not scientists,” wrote Justice Kagan in her opinion regarding the case. “Nor do we know much about public health policy. Yet today the court displaces the judgments of experts about how to respond to a raging pandemic.”

The court’s more conservative leaning members, Chief Justice John G. Roberts and Associate Justices Clarence Thomas, Samuel A. Alito, Neil M. Gorsuch, Brett M. Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett voted to overturn previous decisions upholding Gov. Newsom’s ban issued by federal judges in San

Diego and San Bernardino, and the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeal in San Francisco.

“Since the arrival of COVID–19, California has openly imposed more stringent regulations on religious institutions than on many businesses,” wrote Justice Neil M. Gorsuch in his opinion against California’s order. “California worries that worship brings people together for too much time.

Yet, California does not limit its citizens to running in and out of other establishments; no one is barred from lingering in shopping malls, salons, or bus terminals.”

Responding to the Supreme Court’s decision, the governor’s office said it is revising the ban, now allowing churches across the state to hold indoor services at 25 % capacity.

"We will continue to enforce the restrictions the Supreme Court left in place and, after reviewing the decision, we will issue revised guidelines for worship services to continue to protect the lives of Californians,” said Gov. Newsom’s press secretary Daniel Lopez, said in a statement.

So far in California, there have been 3.41 million conf irmed C OV I D -19 cases and 43,987 deaths.

Among African Americans in the state, there have been 101,004 confirmed cases and 2,601 deaths – about 6 % of all mortalities in the state.

California Foundations Drop $100 Million San Bernardino County to become first in “Black Freedom Fund” SoCal Topgolf location Antonio Ray Harvey | California Black Media State/Government News

Last week, philanthropic organizations and other funders joined hands to launch the California Black Freedom Fund (CBFF), a new $100 million initiative that will provide resources to Black-led organizations in the state of California over the next five years.

Co-created with Black leaders and organizers, the first-of-its-kind fund will ensure that California’s growing ecosystem of local grassroots, Black-led organizing

groups have sustained investments that equip them with the resources they need to push back against entrenched forces of systemic and institutionalized racism.

“Over the past year, we’ve seen Black communities across the country step up boldly as the conscience of our nation to challenge the status quo,” said Cathy Cha, president and chief executive officer of the Evelyn continued on page 8

“Black History Month” & “Juneteenth”...What if???...continued from page 1 an understanding that the tithes and gifts given on Sunday are on loan, and are to be used in a manner that is consistence with the parable of the “five talents”.

That is, the offerings raised would be leveraged and multiplied by investing back into the community in the form of cooperative ownership in land, institutions and businesses owned and operated by the members to support the needs of the giving congregants, (The Church) and community.

Second, the congregants would assess their talents and experiences and collaborate them in support of these newly established businesses and institutions...After all, the congregants will own them collectively with the entrepreneur and receive dividends based on their patronage...This vision would give new meaning to the celebration of Kwanzaa’s “cooperative economics”,

through a cooperative plan of community building by investing our shared resources through a new support service system.

As you can see, my dream has generational roots that bring forth rivers of truth, knowledge, hope and faith from past lives planted in Gods frozen, yet fertile soil, waiting for future generations to unlock their promise. If we listen closely we can hear their heart beat within us, guiding us through our patch in the road we call life’s journey...If only more recipients of our ancestors sacrifice would stop and listen to the heart beat, then act accordingly, our journey and the next generations would be viewed from a much higher place on the mountain call prosperity... Heaven, here on earth...So what then shall we celebrate...their sacrifice, or our planting of seed in the journey?

Relax, it’s only a dream...or is it

The Board of Supervisors has placed San Bernardino County at the top of the leaderboard toward becoming the first Southern California home of Topgolf, an internationally renowned technology-enabled enter tainment experience.

"Topgolf will be an outstanding entertainment asset that will attract people from all over Southern California to San Bernardino County," said Board of Supervisors Chairman Curt Hagman, whose Fourth District includes the future Topgolf site on county-owned land in Ontario. "The Topgolf concept appeals to all ages, and everyone will benefit from the revenue that will be directed toward the betterment of the county's Regional Parks system."

The county and Topgolf (https://topgolf.com/us/), a hugely popular sports and entertainment attraction with locations around the globe, entered into a 20-year lease agreement in 2019. Delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic, the deal is now set to go forward with construction activities beginning this month and completion anticipated for early 2022. The development is on 13.7 acres of undeveloped county-owned land adjacent to Cucamonga-Guasti Regional Park at the corner of Archibald Avenue and Fourth Street in the City of Ontario.

The agreement will bring in more than $625,000 a year to support the county's system of regional parks (https://parks.sbcounty.gov/).

Topgolf plans to build a nearly 600,000-square foot facility at the county site, which will be similar in size and scope to other multi-level Topgolf venues. The new location will feature 102

hitting bays on three floors, plus a full-service restaurant and bar and event space for corporate and social events. The venue also plans to incorporate a mini-golf component at a later date for all to enjoy.

In addition to the jobs that will be created during construction, Topgolf will hire more than 400 employees once the venue is completed and operational.

Chairman Hagman came up with the idea of using the land for a golf-related attraction and shared that with the County Real Estate Services Department, which approached Topgolf.

"The County Real Estate Services Department deserves a lot of praise and credit for reaching out to Topgolf with the idea of making countyowned land the company's first Southern California location," Chair man Hagman said.

"Topgolf chose the County of San Bernardino due to its convenient regional location to the Inland Empire, strong retail performance, and large and growing population base," said Chris Callaway, Chief Development Officer with Topgolf. "Being positioned just north of I-10 and west of I-15 enables our Topgolf venue to connect with and entertain many com mu nities and businesses throughout the region."

"San Bernardino County has been great to work with and has been very business-friendly.

Throughout the deal process, they solved issues as we progressed in finalizing the transaction, and we look forward to continued in next 2 columns

San Bernardino County to become first SoCal Topgolf location...continued continuing our strong partnership together," Callaway added.

The Topgolf concept is built on a foundation of community, inclusivity and fun, and is truly a game for everyone. The technology-driven experience is centered on guests hitting patented, microchipped golf balls into targets on the outfield while playing classic Topgolf games.

Guests can also enjoy a chef-driven food and beverage menu in their outdoor hitting bays while safely enjoying the outdoor fun. What started as a simple idea to enhance the game of golf has now evolved into a best-in-class hospitality entertainment venue centered on a game that is accessible and appealing to all, regardless of skill or ability. The dynamic atmosphere, engaging staff, and innovative games combine to provide a truly unique experience.

Over the course of the initial 20-year ground lease, once construction is completed and Topgolf is open for business, the county will receive more than $625,000 in annual revenue, benefiting the San Bernardino

County Regional Parks system, which includes nine regional parks throughout the county and several other recreational attractions.

The County Real Estate Services Department first approached Topgolf more than four years ago. Given the location of the land coupled with the socio-economic demographics of the area and recreational use restrictions, the county believed that Topgolf was an ideal fit for the site and developed a strategy to attract the company.

Part of the county's initial outreach strategy to Topgolf included the county retaining the services of JLL Retail Group in Ontario. On the county's behalf, JLL made contact with Topgolf's brokerage representatives from The Retail Connection out of Dallas, Texas. Those connections facilitated the county's introduction to Topgolf, which led to initial discussions and negotiations for Topgolf to lease the land from the county. This strategic initiative by the county resulted in the ground lease deal with Topgolf that was approved by the Board of Supervisors on April 30, 2019.

Opinion: Biden’s Dep. Sec. of Education Pick Draws Both Praise and Protests...continued from page 2 Minds Project. Mohamed Abdi, a report co-author said, “Black males in kindergarten through third grade (K-3) are suspended at a rate that is 280% higher than that of their peers and Black males are 3.1 times more likely to receive an out-of-school suspension and 2.8 times more likely to receive an in-school suspension.”

According to Abdi, these numbers are historic and Marten has done little to improve them.

When he and his colleagues made an offer to her to provide free ongoing district-wide training on implicit bias, she did not respond.

While standardized test scores register gains under Marten, the achievement gap between Black and White students has not appreciably narrowed.

About 62 % of Black students didn’t meet the state standards for English Language Arts in 2019 and 72 % didn’t meet standards for math in 2019.

Although Marten, outside of San Diego, has been viewed as an effective superintendent, the San Diego NAACP characterizing her as an “ineffective leader when it comes to academic advancement of African American children in San Diego public school” has credence when test data is closely examined.

In 2019, when the school board amended and extended her contract through 2023, Marten’s failure to resolve persistent academic problems at a predominately Black and Hispanic high school, left the only African American board member, Sharon Whitehurst-Payne, no option but to vote no on the contract.

Another complaint that the Black community has lodged against Marten has been a failure to assure a safe school environment for Black kids. In 2019, the San Diego NAACP filed a complaint against an elementary school in the district, asking administrators to improve its safety and special education department.

Local jour nalists have been frustrated by Marten’s stonewalling their efforts to shed light on alleged civil rights violations, alleged harassment and assault incidents, and alleged graduation rate manipulation.

As a result of San Diego Unified not valuing “openness and

transparency” the local chapter of the Society of Professional Journalist gave it its “Wall Award.”

Charter school advocates are concerned that Marten has adopted the California Teachers Association (CTA) hard line against charter school growth. She testified before the Legislature for Assembly Bill 1505 which was reportedly co-authored by CTA to give local school districts more control over charter schools operating within their boundaries.

Margaret Fortune, who is President and CEO of a network of charter schools serving predominantly Black students and who was a member of Gov. Newsom’s charter school task force with Marten, observed the nominee for Deputy Secretary of Education taking the side of the teachers union in their war against charter schools. She advocated for a temporary freeze of charter school expansions and limits on charter school operators’ ability to appeal charter denials by local school districts.

Marten’s stance on charter schools denies options to African American parents dissatisfied with their district public school.

Access to public charter schools has proven to be a viable choice for higher academic achievement and greater chances of high school graduation for Black students.

Given her poor track record supporting Black parents and students, Marten’s nomination to be Deputy Secretary of Education needs more evaluation by Biden’s team before her Senate hearing.

As noted by the NAACP San Diego branch, her recent effort to introduce anti-racist training to the district is “commendable”, however it is not enough of an achievement for her to be able to seriously contribute to Biden’s commitment to addressing the inequity that has long plagued our education system.

About the Author Joe W. Bowers Jr. is an advocate for education opportunities for all and the education writer for CBM. He is a former corporate engineer and business executive and is a graduate of Stanford University.

February 11, 2021

Page 4 RELIGION/LIFESTYLE

“Look Back─ Celebrate─ But Move Forward!” By: Lou Yeboah

Lou Yeboah “ I am doing a new thing, says the Lord. Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland. [Isaiah 43:19]. It is right before you. Can you not see it?" I am breaking down strongholds, transforming dark places into light places, so look back, celebrate, but move forward! You cannot be content to sit back and do business as usual. You cannot rest on past victories or be paralyzed by past defeats. You are to move forward in faith personally and corporately.

Forward from the past to the future. Forward from indulgence to commitment. Forward from me to we. Forward from brokenness to wholeness. Forward from comfortable to awakened. What’s your “Tell”? Your Song? Your Story? It’s the same one as Joshua and the Israelites – but with some additions. Prophets have been added, like Isaiah, Jeremiah and Ezekiel. Kings have joined the story, like David and Solomon.

And of course, there’s Me, Jesus, the very center of your identity.

So look back, celebrate, but move forward! Because you are people of story. And your stories give your lives context and purpose. Your stories connect you to something beyond the present moment.

Your stories bind you to the ancestors and give you glimpses of destinies still beyond the horizon.

I hear the story of the hunter – and Yes, there is good in that story. Yes, there is virtue in that story. Yes, there is hope and wonder and deep gospel truth in that story AND the lion still has a story to tell. Right here, right now, make your own declaration that you will strive to be a people of hunters no more. That you will never stop resisting and working to overthrow the systems that provide for the thriving of some through the oppression of others.

That you will never stop working to end the hunt forever. Commit to telling the stories and praying the prayers and singing the songs of the lion. To promise that they will

never be forgotten. And to work for the day when the hunt finally is over. Let this celebration be one of new normals, greater territory, higher heights and deeper depths for us by looking back, celebrating, but moving forward.

I tell you, we cannot underestimate the seriousness of these times right now. Our nation is being torn apart by political Armageddon, civil unrest, social violence, an international pandemic, and economic meltdown. I am not a prophetess, but I see patterns in God’s Word, adding: We cannot let the world shut us up, shut us down, shut us out, or shut us in. God created, called, and commissioned us to take our place in this divine intersection. All the days of our life “were written in [his] book before one of them came to be” [Psalm 139:16]. Yes, we have a rendezvous with destiny, and we are God’s people for the moment.

Like Esther of old, “We have come to [the kingdom] for such a time as this” [Esther 4:14]— before adding, “Like Israel in the wake of a national, political, and social crisis, we will need men and women like the sons of Issachar “who understood the times and knew what Israel should do” [1 Chronicles 12:32].”

Therefore, let as many as are mature, have this mind; and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal even this to you.

From Adam to Jesus, from Jesus to us, imagine the decisions that were made. Decisions that effected the entire human race, decisions of life and death, condemnation and reconciliation, the very fabric of life hung in the balance. And here we sit trying to make up our mind whether to move or not. We read and we study and we marvel at the old and new testament saints of what they did, but didn't Jesus declare that we could do the same as he and even greater works shall we do. Well, we aren't going to do anything sitting in Haran. All God is waiting on is us. Our blessings are just in reach, lets get out of Haran, lets get out of Cherith, lets look up, pack up cause we about to move up, to a brighter day a more secure future, in the land where God wants us to be. Look back, celebrate, but move forward!

Celebrating Black History Month!

Witness For Justice#1033

A Dispatch from DC Sandy Sorensen Director, DC Office Last week I made my first trip to the UCC’s Washington, D.C., office since the Inauguration and the implementation of strict security measures that prevented access to the office. The UCC DC office is housed in the United Methodist Building, directly across from the U.S. Capitol Building. We share that space with other faithbased advocacy organizations and nonprofits. While staff are largely working from home during the pandemic, I do find it helpful periodically to be in the office.

The Methodist Building falls within the perimeter of the Capitol complex, which extends much further than the Capitol Building and grounds itself. As I found last week, the entire Capitol complex, which includes all House and Senate office Buildings and the Library of Congress,

is surrounded by seven-foot “unscalable” fencing topped with razor wire, with members of the U.S. Capitol Police and National Guard monitoring and patrolling the line of fencing. After an hour of walking around the perimeter, through trial and error, I at last found an entry point for designated staff. It was a sobering sight and a sad reflection of the state of democracy in the United States.

I was near the office on January 6 during the attempted violent insurrection at the Capitol. I watched the events unfold before my eyes, and later through video footage. I certainly understand the unprecedented, heightened security measures around the Capitol complex. Sadly, these security measures are likely to remain in place through March, continued in next 2 columns

A Dispatch from DC...continued completely changing the landscape of the city impacting the lives of Washington, D.C., residents.

I have been reflecting on what safety and security really look like moving forward. What really keeps us safe? And who is included? I was struck by a recent article in The Washington Post Metro section describing the impact of heightened security on residents of the neighborhoods surrounding the Capitol. The article referenced the fact that not far from the thousands of troops keeping watch over the Capitol, a 15-year-old middle school student was shot and killed in Southeast Washington. As Ward Six Mutual Aid executive director Maurice Cook observed, “Who are they keeping safe?

Because it’s not people like me.”

Our safety and security will not ultimately be ensured by fencing and razor wire and jersey barriers. Our safety and security are inextricably connected to the state of the common good. And the common good is in grave peril

as we face the multiple pandemics of Covid-19, systemic racism, and a rapidly growing economic divide, to name but a few.

Amid such for midable challenges, we must navigate a treacherous political and social terrain, as some political leaders continue to sow division and lies, and the lure of partisanship and crass political gain disrupt the hard, slogging work of governance. But our silos and bubbles and internet echo chambers will not protect us either. Far more powerful than razor wire and fencing is an engaged electorate willing to call our elected leaders accountable to the common good—time and time again. Our safety and security rest in our willingness to engage this tumultuous, divided climate in whatever ways we can. We keep us safe through our unflagging advocacy for a common good that includes all people, for governance over politicking, for truth-telling no matter how hard it is to hear. We keep us safe by not letting despair have the last word.

African American Stars Discuss “The Culture & Journey of the Black Baseball Player”...continued fashion we like or the type of music we listen to … me personally, I just wasn’t raised like that.”

Dunn, whom the Mets dealt to the Mariners in a 2018 deal, was asked about reactions and conversations following the civil unrest in the aftermath of the George Floyd killing in Minneapolis.

“We were fortunate enough to have a clubhouse, top to bottom, that understood.

We’re a pretty tight family, and pretty close,” Dunn noted.

“Kyle and I were fortunate enough, along with all the other young African American players to have some older, veteran presence in [teammates] Dee Gordon and Taijuan Walker, who were able to speak up and have those conversations not only with our teammates, but with upper management and ownership. I know myself, and I’m sure Kyle is extremely grateful for everything the Mariners did and how open they were for having our back and giving us the ability to speak and getting our message be heard.”

Manuel added how grateful

he is that today’s young African American players can speak out.

He called his rookie season in the big leagues in 1972.

“We had to stay on the different sides of the tracks. It was three Black players,” Manuel exclaimed.

“We couldn’t stay where everybody else stayed. But you know what? We welcomed it.”

After his playing career ended, Manuel spent nine seasons managing the Chicago White Sox and the New York Mets.

He offered some regret for not doing more to help other Black potential managers get a shot.

“Sometimes I fault myself for not while managing, bringing someone else alongside me to take my spot. Rather than be comfortable, being the only … I think that’s a dangerous place to be as a Black man,” Manuel relayed.

“Trying to say, well, I’m the only announcer, I’m the only this, I’m the only that.

That means I have fallen into the apparatus trap. I haven’t become myself, and I haven’t brought my people with me.”

African American Stars Discuss “The ‘Always There’ – Dr. John Warren Culture & Journey of the Black Baseball Honored with 2021 NNPA Lifetime Player” Achievement Award

By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent

By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent

When asked what needs to happen to attract more Black players to the sport, Kyle Lewis of the Seattle Mariners tells Mariners play-byplay announcer Dave Sims that Baseball needs to embrace African American culture. (Photo: iStockphoto / NNPA) Kyle Lewis of the Seattle Mariners and Devin Williams of the Milwaukee Brewers earned American League and National League Rookie of the Year Awards, respectively, in 2020, marking the first time in 36 years two African Americans won the award in the same season.

Doc Gooden of the New York Mets and the Mariners Alvin Davis were the last African American duo to accomplish that feat in 1984.

“It’s super special, man, especially with the tone of the country and the tone of the world right now…this has been going on for a while, so we’re always fighting to make our mark…give something for the community to look up to,” stated Lewis, a stud outfielder who beat out White Sox outfielder Luis Robert and Astros right-hander Cristian Javier for the award in the American League.

“So, if I have the opportunity to expand my platform in that way, or just do something that people can look at and get on there and speak well. I just take a lot of pride in that. I know Devin does as well.”

Lewis, teammate Justin Dunn, New York Mets first baseman Dominic Smith and former manager and MLB Baseball Development Consultant Jerry Manuel participated in a discussion through “The Culture & Journey of the Black Baseball Player” powered by @MLBDevelops.

The special panel, moderated

by Seattle Mariners play-by-play announcer Dave Sims, featured conversations about the group’s challenges and triumphs as Black men in both baseball and America.

When asked what needs to happen to attract more Black

players to the sport, Lewis tells Sims that Baseball needs to embrace African American culture.

“Play, have fun with it, talk smack to each other,” he remarks.

“If we can embrace that a little bit in a way that just makes it more of a safe place again to where we can just enjoy one another. I think when a kid watches, the kid will see that ‘okay, they’re not disrespecting the game, they’re playing the game hard, they’re playing the game the right way, but they’re having a lot of fun with it, and they’re really being who they are.”

Smith, who earned MVP votes in 2020 and led his teammates in Black Lives Matter protests, said tough conversations on Blacks in baseball must continue.

“Keep pushing that conversation forward with our peers, with the Front Office,” Smith determined.

“I know we (the New York Mets) just got a new owner, and they already reached out and already commended me on my stance and how I feel. They let me know I have their full support, and they want to bring more diverse opportunities for the community of New York.”

During the interview, Smith tells Sims that his mother taught him to respect people in the same manner, Smith would like.

“I treat people with the utmost respect because that’s what I want them to do to me,” the slugging Mets first basement declared.

“So, to just see people to be treated as wrong or with disrespect just because of our skin color or where we come from or the type of continued in next 2 columns

It seemed only fitting that immediately after presenting the National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA) 2021 Lifetime Achievement Award to San Diego Voice & Viewpoint Publisher Dr. John Warren, legendary singer Miki. Howard performed her classic, “Always There.”

Dr. Warren, who accepted his prestigious award virtually while battling an illness, has remained a steady hand among the more than 230 African American publishers and media company owners who are members of the Black Press of America.

On Friday, Jan. 29, the NNPA saluted the dedicated publisher and community leader for his decadeslong hard and inspiring work.

“I am deeply humbled with this award and what it represents coming from those I have grown to love and respect over these decades,” Dr. Warren wrote in a statement accepting the honor.

“I see the Black Press as a sacred trust, and I am glad to be both a part of its 194-year history and future now being made.”

Dr. War ren’s f reedom fighting path began early, as many who know him expressed their admiration for the zeal he has always demonstrated when advocating for freedom, justice, and equality.

In 1979, Dr. Warren served as a delegate to the Democratic National Convention in Memphis, Tenn., where he met his wife, Gerri.

For five years, the couple lived in Washington, D.C. while Dr. Warren pursued and completed his law degree.

The two returned to San Diego in 1985 and, two years later, took over the San Diego Voice & Viewpoint.

The newspaper set standards in San Diego and around the country with its reporting and poig nant editor ials.

The Voice & Viewpoint has routinely earned journalism and innovation awards and has set standards in telling stories from the perspective of African Americans.

With Dr. and Mrs. Warren guiding the popular publication, the Voice & Viewpoint has

On Friday, Jan. 29, the NNPA saluted the community leader and dedicated publisher of the San Diego Voice and Viewpoint, Rev. Dr. John Warren, for his decades-long hard inspiring work.

grown as the city’s largest African American newspaper.

Its news features have highlighted people and events in the most comprehensive manner, while its editorial and opinion section is viewed among the most intriguing.

The newspaper, which can be found in all 89 San Diego zip codes, appears on more than 350 newsstands across the city.

Gerri Warren died in 2009, and Dr. Warren and his family have continued the mission of printing and speaking truth to power.

“Each year, a distinguished publisher is honored who has served decades to keep the Black Press of America alive,” NNPA President and CEO Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis, Jr., said during the presentation of the Lifetime Achievement Award.

The presentation occurred during the NNPA Midwinter Tr a i n i ng Conference on Friday, Jan. 29.

“It is indeed our pleasure to present Dr. John Warren, Publisher of the San Diego Voice and Viewpoint, with the 2021 NNPA Lifetime Achievement Award, for his contributions in leadership and a lifetime of outstanding service to the community,” NNPA Chair and Houston Forward Times Publisher Karen Carter Richards announced.

In tribute to Dr. Warren, Dr. Chavis concluded, “Tonight, we are pleased to give the award to Rev. Dr. John Warren. He has done an outstanding job as the distinguished publisher of the San Diego Voice & Viewpoint. We thank you for your leadership, and we recognize your contribution to the Black Press’s sustainability.

“You are always on the frontlines speaking truth to continued on page 6

February 11, 2021

Page 5 LEGALS/CLASSIFIEDS FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT 20210000952 Date Filed: 01/29/2021 Filing Expires On: 01/29/2026 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME (as shown in the Articles of Inc./Org./Reg.): LP BODY REPAIR County of Principal Place of Business: SAN BERNARDINO Street Address of Principal Place of Business:16666 FOOTHILL BLVD. FONTANA, CA 92336 Name of Individual Registrant: PATRICIA LOPEZ Name of corporation or limited liability company as shown in the Articles of Inc./Org./Reg.: State of Inc./Org./Reg.: Inc./Org./Reg. No.: Residence Street Address: 11317 HOMEWOOD DR. FONTANA, CA 92337 This business is/was conducted by: An Individual Registrant has commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on: May 01, 2020 Patricia Lopez, Owner, declares that all information in this statement true and correct.

NOTICE- IN ACCORDANCE WITH SUBDIVISION (a) OF SECTION 17920, A FICTITIOUS NAME STATEMENT GENERALLY EXPIRES AT THE END OF FIVE YEARS FROM THE DATE ON WHICH IT WAS FILED IN THE OFFICE OF THE COUNTY CLERK, EXCEPT, AS PROVIDED IN SUBDIVISION (b) OF SECTION 17920. WHERE IT EXPIRES 40 DAYS AFTER ANY CHANGE IN THE FACTS SET FORT IN THE STATEMENT PURSUANT TO SECTION 17913 OTHER THAN A CHANGE IN THE RESIDENCE ADDRESS OF A REGISTERED OWNER. A NEW FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT MUST BE FILED BEFORE THE EXPIRATION. THE FILING OF THIS STATEMENT DOES NOT OF ITSELF AUTHORIZE THE USE IN THIS STATE OF A FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME IN VIOLATION OF THE RIGHTS OF ANOTHER UNDER FEDERAL, STATE, OR COMMON LAW (SEE SECTION 14411 ET. SEQ., BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONS CODE.) Published in the San Bernardino American Newspaper February 11, 18, 25, March 4, 2021.

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT 20210001023 Date Filed: 02/01/2021 Filing Expires On: 02/01/2026 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME (as shown in the Articles of Inc./Org./Reg.): FLAGSHIP LOGISTICS County of Principal Place of Business: SAN BERNARDINO Street Address of Principal Place of Business: 1030 NORTH MOUNTAIN AVE. #337 ONTARIO, CA 91762 Mailing Address: 1030 NORTH MOUNTAIN AVE. #337 ONTARIO, CA 91762 Name of Individual Registrant: ARTHERLEY G. WILLIAMS JR. Name of corporation or limited liability company as shown in the Articles of Inc./Org./Reg.: State of Inc./Org./Reg.: Inc./Org./Reg. No.: Residence Street Address: 1030 NORTH MOUNTAIN AVE. #337 ONTARIO, CA 91762 This business is/was conducted by: An Individual Registrant has commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on: Jan 21, 2021 Artherley G. Williams Jr., Owner, declares that all information in this statement is true and correct.

NOTICE- IN ACCORDANCE WITH SUBDIVISION (a) OF SECTION 17920, A FICTITIOUS NAME STATEMENT GENERALLY EXPIRES AT THE END OF FIVE YEARS FROM THE DATE ON WHICH IT WAS FILED IN THE OFFICE OF THE COUNTY CLERK, EXCEPT, AS PROVIDED IN SUBDIVISION (b) OF SECTION 17920. WHERE IT EXPIRES 40 DAYS AFTER ANY CHANGE IN THE FACTS SET FORT IN THE STATEMENT PURSUANT TO SECTION 17913 OTHER THAN A CHANGE IN THE RESIDENCE ADDRESS OF A REGISTERED OWNER. A NEW FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT MUST BE FILED BEFORE THE EXPIRATION. THE FILING OF THIS STATEMENT DOES NOT OF ITSELF AUTHORIZE THE USE IN THIS STATE OF A FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME IN VIOLATION OF THE RIGHTS OF ANOTHER UNDER FEDERAL, STATE, OR COMMON LAW (SEE SECTION 14411 ET. SEQ., BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONS CODE.) Published in the San Bernardino American Newspaper February 11, 18, 25, March 4, 2021.

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT 20210000568 Date Filed: 01/20/2021 Filing Expires On: 01/20/2026 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME (as shown in the Articles of Inc./Org./Reg.): RUSTIC LOVE

BY TAMARA County of Principal Place of Business: SAN BERNARDINO Street Address of Principal Place of Business: 12804 EASY ST. CHINO, CA 91710 Name of Individual Registrant: TAMARA J. SPEAR Name of corporation or limited liability company as shown in the Articles of Inc./Org./Reg.: State of Inc./Org./Reg.: Inc./Org./Reg. No.: Residence Street Address: 12804 EASY ST. CHINO, CA 91710 This business is/was conducted by: An Individual Registrant has commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on: Not Applicable Tamara Spear, declares that all information in this statement is true and correct.

NOTICE- IN ACCORDANCE WITH SUBDIVISION (a) OF SECTION 17920, A FICTITIOUS NAME STATEMENT GENERALLY EXPIRES AT THE END OF FIVE YEARS FROM THE DATE ON WHICH IT WAS FILED IN THE OFFICE OF THE COUNTY CLERK, EXCEPT, AS PROVIDED IN SUBDIVISION (b) OF SECTION 17920. WHERE IT EXPIRES 40 DAYS AFTER ANY CHANGE IN THE FACTS SET FORT IN THE STATEMENT PURSUANT TO SECTION 17913 OTHER THAN A CHANGE IN THE RESIDENCE ADDRESS OF A REGISTERED OWNER. A NEW FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT MUST BE FILED BEFORE THE EXPIRATION. THE FILING OF THIS STATEMENT DOES NOT OF ITSELF AUTHORIZE THE USE IN THIS STATE OF A FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME IN VIOLATION OF THE RIGHTS OF ANOTHER UNDER FEDERAL, STATE, OR COMMON LAW (SEE SECTION 14411 ET. SEQ., BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONS CODE.) Published in the San Bernardino American Newspaper January 28, February 4, 11, 18, 2021

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT 20210000802 Date Filed: 01/27/2021 Filing Expires On: 01/27/2026 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME (as shown in the Articles of Inc./Org./Reg.): 1. EMPIRE AUTO SALES 2. SULLIVAN BROS. AUTO GROUP County of Principal Place of Business: SAN BERNARDINO Street Address of Principal Place of Business: 1428 RANDY ST., A UPLAND, CA 91786 Name of Individual Registrant Name of corporation or limited liability company as shown in the Articles of Inc./Org./Reg.: SULLIVAN BROS. LLC State of Inc./Org./ Reg.: NV Inc./Org./Reg. No.: 202035310015 Residence Street Address: 2925 COVATTA CT. LAS VEGAS, NV 89086 This business is/was conducted by: A Limited Liability Company Registrant has commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on: Feb 20, 2020 Andre Lathon, Managing Member, declares that all information in this statement is true and correct.

NOTICE- IN ACCORDANCE WITH SUBDIVISION (a) OF SECTION 17920, A FICTITIOUS NAME STATEMENT GENERALLY EXPIRES AT THE END OF FIVE YEARS FROM THE DATE ON WHICH IT WAS FILED IN THE OFFICE OF THE COUNTY CLERK, EXCEPT, AS PROVIDED IN SUBDIVISION (b) OF SECTION 17920. WHERE IT EXPIRES 40 DAYS AFTER ANY CHANGE IN THE FACTS SET FORT IN THE STATEMENT PURSUANT TO SECTION 17913 OTHER THAN A CHANGE IN THE RESIDENCE ADDRESS OF A REGISTERED OWNER. A NEW FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT MUST BE FILED BEFORE THE EXPIRATION. THE FILING OF THIS STATEMENT DOES NOT OF ITSELF AUTHORIZE THE USE IN THIS STATE OF A FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME IN VIOLATION OF THE RIGHTS OF ANOTHER UNDER FEDERAL, STATE, OR COMMON LAW (SEE SECTION 14411 ET. SEQ., BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONS CODE.) Published in the San Bernardino American Newspaper February 4, 11, 18, 25, 2021.

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT 20210000200 Date Filed: 01/07/2021 Filing Expires On: 01/07/2026 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME (as shown in the Articles of Inc./Org./Reg.): ACT SERVICES County of Principal Place of Business: SAN BERNARDINO Street Address of Principal Place of Business: 13231 9TH ST. CHINO, CA 91710 Name of Individual Registrant: ANEDIA S. ARROYO Name of corporation or limited liability company as shown in the Articles of Inc./Org./Reg.: State of Inc./Org./Reg.: CA Inc./Org./Reg. No.: Residence Street Address: 13231 9TH ST. CHINO, CA 91710 This business is/was conducted by: An Individual Registrant has commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on: January 06, 2021 Anedia S. Arroyo, declares that all information in this statement is true and correct.

NOTICE- IN ACCORDANCE WITH SUBDIVISION (a) OF SECTION 17920, A FICTITIOUS NAME STATEMENT GENERALLY EXPIRES AT THE END OF FIVE YEARS FROM THE DATE ON WHICH IT WAS FILED IN THE OFFICE OF THE COUNTY CLERK, EXCEPT, AS PROVIDED IN SUBDIVISION (b) OF SECTION 17920. WHERE IT EXPIRES 40 DAYS AFTER ANY CHANGE IN THE FACTS SET FORT IN THE STATEMENT PURSUANT TO SECTION 17913 OTHER THAN A CHANGE IN THE RESIDENCE ADDRESS OF A REGISTERED OWNER. A NEW FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT MUST BE FILED BEFORE THE EXPIRATION. THE FILING OF THIS STATEMENT DOES NOT OF ITSELF AUTHORIZE THE USE IN THIS STATE OF A FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME IN VIOLATION OF THE RIGHTS OF ANOTHER UNDER FEDERAL, STATE, OR COMMON LAW (SEE SECTION 14411 ET. SEQ., BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONS CODE.) Published in the San Bernardino American Newspaper February 4, 11, 18, 25, 2021.

Submission Deadline For All Legals & Classifieds is 5pm Mondays

NOTICE INVITING BIDS NOTICE INVITING BIDS SR-60/Moreno Beach Drive Interchange Improvements (Phase 2) City Project No. 801 0021 Caltrans Contract 08-323034 Project ID 0812000059 The City of Moreno Valley is accepting bids until 5:00 p.m., March 12, 2021 only through the City’s Bid Portal on PlanetBids for the SR-60/Moreno Beach Drive Interchange Improvements (Phase 2) Project, City Project No. 801 0021, Caltrans Contract 08-323034, and Project ID 0812000059. The link for registering to become a prospective bidder in order to download bidding documents and submit electronically bid can be found at the following address: h t t p : / / w w w. p l a n e t b i d s . c o m / p o r t a l / p o r t a l . cfm?CompanyID=24660 The cost for downloading is $75.00. The bid results will be available on the above website immediately following the time of bid deadline.

The work shall be done in accordance with the project’s plans and contract documents, Caltrans’ Standard Plans and Specifications (latest edition), and the City’s standard plans, including any or all supplements or addenda thereto issued prior to bid opening date.

The project consists of the following: (1) reconstruction and realignment of westbound ramps; (2) addition of westbound direct on-ramp; (3) construction of new westbound auxiliary lane, (4) installation of signal at the intersection of the westbound ramp and Moreno Beach; (5) addition of ramp metering, (6) demolition of existing SR-60/Moreno Beach overcrossing structure; (7) replacement of SR-60/Moreno Beach overcrossing structure including raising roadway profile and adjusting eastbound ramps, traffic signals, and Moreno Beach to grade, (8) utility relocations and installations in the bridge, (9) provision for highway planting, irrigation, hardscape, and erosion control; (10) off-site drainage pipeline called Line K-1 (along Ironwood Avenue 1/2 mile north); (11) addition of bike lanes and sidewalks; (12) electrical facilities construction; and (13) related work. Utility coordination with Moreno Valley Utility (MVU), Frontier Communications, Southern California Edison (SCE), and Eastern Municipal Water District (EMWD) is required.

Base Bid No. 1 consists of the roadway and structures work at the SR-60/Moreno Beach Drive interchange. Additive Alternate Bid No. 1 consists of the planting and irrigation work. Base Bid No. 2 consists of the storm drain Line K-1 work located along Ironwood Avenue. Base Bid No. 3 consists of the EMWD water line relocation on Ironwood Ave. Base Bid No. 4 consists of Moreno Valley Utility work at the SR-60/Moreno Beach. Additive Alternate Bid No. 2 is a Rock Mulch/Erosion Control alternative in place of the planting and irrigation. Base Bid Nos. 1 through 4 and Additive Alternate Bid No. 1 are shown on the plans.

Additive Alternate Bid No. 2 is shown in the Bid Documents Appendix A. Low bidder will be determined based upon lowest total of Base Bid Nos. 1, 2, 3, and 4 plus Additive Alternate Bid No. 1 plus Additive Alternate Bid No. 2.

DBEs and other small businesses are strongly encouraged to participate in the bidding process for this project. The City has determined that DBEs could reasonably be expected to compete for subcontracting opportunities on this Project, and their likely availability for work on this Project is 17.0%.

For technical information relating to the details of this project and bidding requirements, please submit all Requests for Information (RFI) via the “Questions and Answer” tab within PlanetBids. All RFI’s shall be submitted no later than February 24, 2021 by 5:00 p.m. Any RFI received after the date and time specified herein will not be considered.

The bidder is solely responsible for on time submission of their electronic bid. The City will only consider bids that have been transmitted successfully and have been issued an ebid confirmation number with a time stamp from the Bid Management System indicating that bid was submitted successfully. Transmission of bids by any other means will not be accepted. Failure of the bidder to successfully submit an electronic bid shall be at the bidder's sole risk and no relief will be given for late and/or improperly submitted bids. Bidders experiencing any technical difficulties with the bid submission process may contact PlanetBids at (818) 992-1771. Neither the City, nor PlanetBids, makes any guarantee as to the timely availability of assistance, or assurance that any given problem will be resolved by the bid submission deadline.

Dated: February 1, 2021 Published in The San Bernardino American Newspaper February 11, 2021.

HomeLight and the National Association of Real Estate Brokers Launch the Black Real Estate Agent Program to Support Aspiring Black Agents Program is the first of its kind, providing financial, educational, and career support for aspiring Black real estate agents to help them achieve high-production success

SAN FRANCISCO, CA – FEBRUARY 9, 2021 – HomeLight, the real estate technology platform that empowers people to achieve better outcomes when buying or selling their home, announced today the launch of the Black Real Estate Agent Program in partnership with the National Association of Real Estate Brokers (NAREB), the largest and oldest minority professional real estate trade association in the United States. The HomeLight-NAREB Black Real Estate Agent Program — the first program of its kind in the United States — will provide financial, educational, and career support for aspiring Black real estate agents across the country, helping them achieve high-production success.

According to the latest U.S. Census Bureau data, Black Americans represent less than 6 percent of all real estate professionals. The HomeLight-NAREB Black Real Estate Agent Program will seek to increase the number of top-producing Black agents in real estate, with the ultimate goal of helping improve the rate of homeownership for Black Americans across the country.

As part of the program, HomeLight and NAREB will help cover many of the onboarding costs for new agents up to $5,000, including pre-licensing classes, agent exams, and select marketing and technology needs. Each program participant will be paired with an experienced NAREB Realtist who will serve as a mentor and advisor. Participants will also receive ongoing training and education above and beyond that which brokers typically provide.

“Our goal is to drive sustainable, structural change by increasing access to job opportunities as well as education around how systematic racism has impacted the real estate industry,” said Sumant Sridharan, Chief Operating Officer at HomeLight. “We’re excited to partner with NAREB to offer this program to aspiring Black real estate professionals. Together, we believe we can fundamentally shift diversity and equality in our industry by increasing access to training, education, and support for Black real estate agents.”

“NAREB applauds and welcomes the partnership with HomeLight. Our association’s goal to achieve Democracy in Housing cannot be reached without the increase in the ranks of Black real estate professionals. Agents are the frontline and introduce homeownership to prospective clients. We are confident that this new program will not only equip Black American program participants with the knowledge and practical experience to become top producers in their communities, but also significantly expand Black homeownership in their communities,” said Lydia Pope, President-Elect at NAREB. Applications are open immediately. HomeLight and NAREB are actively seeking aspiring Black real estate professionals who are: ● Between the ages of 18 and 35 ● Interested in a career in real estate, but not currently established as an agent ● Willing to work with a NAREB broker during at least their first year in real estate ● Committed to spending five to ten hours per week working with mentors or on continuing education ● Located anywhere in the United States “In the aftermath of the racially stoked unrest in 2020, NAREB and HomeLight formed a working partnership to increase the number of Black Americans in the real estate profession. This initiative works to close the income and racial wealth gap in the industry. As important, our efforts are designed to increase Black homeownership. Together, we're holding open the door that would otherwise remain closed to Black professionals and consumers,” said Antoine Thompson, National Executive Director for NAREB. For more information and to sign up, visit https://www.homelight.com/black-agent-program.

You Can Publish Your FBN Statement with The San Bernardino American News For ONLY $45 go to sb-american.com to upload.

Payments are accepted by debit/credit card

February 11, 2021

Page 6 WORLD/ENTERTAINMENT NEWS

Race and Data Discrimination in America

By Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis Jr Today there is a welcomed breath of fresh political air in Washington, DC even amidst the unprecedented spread of the global COVID-19 pandemic throughout the United States. According to the Biden-Harris Administration the issues of racial justice and equity are now top priorities in a “whole of government” commitment to all Americans, and in particular to African Americans and other people of color communities.

Most recently the National Newspaper P ublishers Association (NNPA) had a special on-the-record briefing from the White House Office of Public Engagement directed

by The Honorable Cedric Richmond who is also Senior Advisor to President Joe Biden.

As we heard Richmond strongly reaffirm the Administration’s urgent push to have the U.S. Congress to enact the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan that promises to respond to the nation’s pandemic and economic crisis respecting the principles of equity, I thought reflectively about all the various racial disparities, discriminations, and inequities that daily have a negative impact on Black America.

Yet, in 2021 we live in the age of data where the aggregation, control, and ownership of data continues to have enormous social and economic consequences for those who are poor and marginalized. One preexisting condition that has not gotten enough public attention and debate is the issue of the intersection of race, data discrimination, and inequity in America.

Data discrimination is a covert form of racism that is having a devastating overt impact on the quality for life of African Americans and others who continue to face systemic inequity.

It is relevant to note that the largest credit reporting agency in the U.S. is Equifax. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Equifax actually has become more profitable at the expense of millions of Americans who are struggling to survive to make ends meet. As a consequence, we must begin to raise questions about the apparent linkage of the expanding credit reporting industry to the growing

“What verifiable safeguards are in place at Equifax Inc. that prevent racial and data discrimination with respect to African Americans and other people of color?"

financial inequities especially in African American communities.

As credit reporting booms while most Americans are experiencing financial hardship, Equifax’s “Work Number” workforce division is turning in record profits by raising costs on consumers.

The Work Number is a userpaid verification of employment database that was acquired and now owned by Equifax. This database allows credentialed verifiers to receive instantaneous electronic confirmation of an individual's employment data and income for verification purposes.

Today Equifax’s Work Number is charging $49.95 for the cost of an Income and Employment Report that is nearly three times what the cost of the report was six years ago at ($18).

The U.S. credit reporting industry generated over $12 billion in revenue last year, according to research from IBISWorld, and the market size is expected to grow another 3.7% next year.

The three largest agencies— Equifax ($EFX), Experian ($EXPGY) and TransUnion ($TRU) —accounted for more than 50% of the total revenue.

The industry’s growth is driven by a unique business model, which

provides a dual revenue stream from consumer data. Businesses pay credit bureaus to collect employee information and manage verification requests, like those generated when an individual seeks to obtain a loan from a bank.

Agencies t hen cha rge requesting parties for the personal information, generally on a perrequest basis, which is frequently passed onto the consumer.

Equifax, despite its 2017 data breach that impacted 147 million people, continues to be the largest player in the space. The company claims to have records on over 222 million U.S. consumers and receives weekly payroll data on a third of the U.S. population.

Equifax’s Work Number has benefited from the spike in unemployment caused by the Coronavirus pandemic. With millions of Americans out of work, demand for verification services has surged as creditors seek to determine employment status of loan holders and potential loan candidates.

We all know that African Americans have the largest increase in un unemployment before and even more since the beginning of the pandemic.

African American owned businesses have had the greatest financial losses amidst COVID-19.

The more unemployment in Black America, the more Equifax’s Work Number data is purchased by a wide range of financial status verifiers. But who is monitoring or challenging the accuracy of the Equifax Work Number data especially when it about African Americans?

According to Equifax’s quarterly financial reports, The Work Number generated nearly $377 million in revenue during the third quarter of last year, a 57% increase year-over-year and the second consecutive quarter of more than 50% growth. Between 2012 and 2020, The Work Numbers’ verification services revenue jumped nearly 400%.

Largely driving The Work Number’s growth is its dominance in the mortgage lending market, which accounted for 31% of the division’s revenue mix throughout last year.

The Work Number controls over 380 million current and historic consumer data records, including 100 million added between 2019 and 2020. That scale provides immense leverage over the mortgage lending industry.

“We have real scale in the business, which provides a competitive advantage,” Equifax CEO Mark Begor said on the company’s earnings call last October. “We're now having a billion companies deliver data to us on a period basis. That makes this data set very, very valuable and tough to replicate.

And if you're one company, then you're likely not going to give the data to two companies. You're going to give it to the company that's been in it for long time.”

I ask Mark Begor a simple but serious question: “What verifiable safeguards are in place at Equifax Inc. that prevent racial and data discrimination with respect to African Americans and other people of color?”

Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis Jr. is President and CEO of the National Newspaper Publishers Association ( N N PA) a nd Exe cut ive Producer/Host of The Chavis Chronicles, PBS TV Network

CELEBRATING BLACK HISTORY: Black History in Science: Remembering Dr. George Carruthers

By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent

Dr. Carruthers receives the National Medal of Technology and Innovation from U.S. President Barack Obama on Feb. 1, 2013. / Department of the Navy’s Information Technology Magazine He built his first telescope at the age of 10, and by age 25, George Carruthers earned a Ph.D. in aeronautical and astronautical engineering.

Upon graduating from the University of Illinois, Dr. Carruthers started work at the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory.

His telescope and image converter identified molecular hydrogen in space, and his

ultraviolet spectrograph was used by the Apollo 16 crew in their flight to the moon.

“In March 1610, Galileo Galilei reported the first use of a telescope to view mountains and maria on the moon,” Dr. Carruthers wrote in 1972. Many reported that his project collaborator, Thornton Page, a White man, acknowledged Carruthers’ brilliance and allowed him to lead on the project.

After all, just three years earlier, Dr. Carruthers was awarded a patent for his groundbreaking “Image Converter for Detecting Electromagnetic Radiation Especially in Short Wave Lengths.”

Following that, the scientist’s UV telescope and image converter provided the first proof of molecular hydrogen in interstellar space.

His invention was used on Apr. 21, 1972, during the first lunar walk of the Apollo 16 mission.

It marked the first-time scientists examined the Earth’s atmosphere for concentrations of pollutants and see UV images of more than 550 stars, nebulae, and galaxies.

Dr. Car r uthers ear ned NASA’s Exceptional Scientific Achievement Med al for his work on the project.

“On Apr. 21, 1972, the Apollo 16 commander positioned a somewhat more complex optical instrument at the Earth from the moon and obtained several

remarkable photographs showing atmospheric rather than surface features,” Dr. Carruthers wrote.

One of the first and few Black scientists of his time, Dr. Carruthers died on Dec. 26, 2020, in Washington. He was 81.

Born Oct. 1, 1939, in Cincinnati, Ohio, Dr. Carruthers had three siblings. His father, George Sr., was a civil engineer with the U.S. Army Air Corps. and reportedly encouraged his son’s interest in science.

According to his biography, the elder Carruthers died when Dr. Carruthers was just 12. After his death, the family moved to Chicago, where Dr. Carruthers’ mother, Sophia, went to work for the U.S. Postal Service.

But Dr. Carruthers continued pursuing his interest in science.

“As one of only a handful of African-Americans competing continued in next 2 columns

CELEBRATING BLACK HISTORY: Black History in Science: Remembering Dr. George Carruthers...continued in Chicago’s high school science fairs, he won three awards, including first prize for a telescope that he designed and built,” his biographers wrote.

In 1957, Carruthers graduated from Chicago’s Englewood High School and entered the engineering program at the University of Illinois’ Champaign-Urbana campus.

While an undergraduate, Carruthers focused on aerospace engineering and astronomy.

After earning a bachelor’s degree in physics in 1961, Carruthers remained at the University of Illinois, where he earned a master’s in nuclear engineering in 1962.

In 1964, he ear ned a Ph.D. in aeronautical and astronautical engineering.

In a 1992 interview with the American Institute of Physics, Dr. Carruthers was asked whether it takes anything different to get an African

American student interested in science instead of a White child.

“One of the things that most people agree on is just giving them lectures is not really very effective. In other words, if you say that you are going to give a lecture on space science, that is too much like what they already get in school, so it is not going to make a lasting impression on them or necessarily attract them to the field,” Dr. Carruthers stated.

“So, what we have been trying to do is give them handson activities, use videos and demonstrations that get across information in a way that’s more like entertainment, because certainly students are interested in seeing science fiction movies on television, they like to see ‘Star Trek’ and ‘Star Wars’ and ‘Battlestar Galactica.’ So, what we’re trying to do is cast real science in a way that’s as attractive to them as science fiction is.”

‘Always There’ – Dr. John Warren Honored with 2021 NNPA Lifetime Achievement Award...contiued from page 4 power and publishing truth to power. On behalf of the NNPA, we are so honored to take this time to honor you for your decades of service, your decades of commitment and for opening the door and being a trailblazer for other publishes to follow. You represent the best of the NNPA.” T he awa rd cont ai ne d

the inscription: “For out st a nd i ng a nd meritorious lifetime contributions to the Black Press of America, with the highest standards of professional journalism, and the consistent voice of being a transformational freedom fighter, and NNPA publisher.”

Arthropolooza: The Ultimate Bugfest Returns (virtually)!

A Virtual Infestation via San Bernardino County Museum and Victor Valley Museum on Social Media Entertainment News

Talk about web crawling…

Arthropolooza: The Ultimate Bugfest will be going digital for 2021! Join us Saturday and Sunday, Feb. 13-14 on San Bernardino County Museum and Victor Valley Museum Facebook and Instagram pages to celebrate all things creepy, crawly, sticky, prickly, wiggly, yucky, and kinda cute for our annual celebration of arthropods. This will be a great opportunity for families to have a good time together and develop a love of nature!

Go ahead, get caught in our web! Best of all Arthropolooza: The Ultimate Bugfest is a no-cost online event. Buzz on in to watch exclusive pre-recorded educational videos and at-home activities highlighting the fascinating world of insects through outdoor exploration games and hands-on art activities. We have captured the following partners, the San Bernardino County Regional Parks, San Bernardino County Library Services, Kim CobbArtist, Malki Museum, Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla IndiansTribal Rangers, Bee Rooted, Mojave National Preserve, HiDesert Nature Museum, Inland Empire Resource Conservation District (IERCD), Oak Canyon Nature Center, Jurupa Mountain Discovery Center, UCCE Master Gardeners, UCR Entomology, San Diego Natural History Museum and more to make sure to keep you "busy as a bee" providing you with citizen science opportunities,

and other engaging videos to educate you about Earth's tiny and sometimes not so tiny creatures.

Arthropolooza: The Ultimate Bugfest activity bags will be available for curbside pickup and available on a first-come, firstserved basis while supplies last at each museum location. The bags will include three activities to spark your imagination and take you underground into the world of arthropods — insects, arachnids, and myriapods.

Activity bags can be picked up during these dates and times: San Bernardino County Museum 2024 Orange Tree Lane, Redlands Feb. 6-7, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Feb. 8-10, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Victor Valley Museum 118 73 A p p l e Va l l e y Road, Apple Va l l e y Feb. 6, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Feb. 10, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

To join us for Arthropolooza: The Ultimate Bugfest, visit h t t p s : / / w w w. f a c e b o o k . com /SBCMuseum / or h t t p s : / / w w w. f a c e b o o k . com /v ictor valley museu m.

The San Bernardino County Museum’s exhibits of regional, cultural and natural history and the Museum’s other exciting events and programs reflect the effort by the Board of Supervisors to achieve the Countywide Vision by celebrating arts, culture, and education in the county, creating quality of life for residents and visitors.

February 11, 2021

Page 7 NATIONAL/HEALTH NEWS

COMMENTARY: Did Publix Make Dispensing the Dr. Amos Isaac, Educator and Lifelong Community Leader, Has Covid-19 Vaccine Political?

NNPA NEWSWIRE — Why did Publix neglect the counties with the most COVID-19 cases and deaths in the entire state? What executive made the decision on which stores would dispense the vaccine? What data did they use? Who thinks it is logical to omit sending vaccines to a county with more than 350,000 cases and 4,000 deaths for one with less than 5,000 cases and 40 deaths?

Died

National/Health News

By Earnestine Thomas, The Westside Gazette

COVID-19 does not discriminate. It does not care if you are a Democrat, a Republican, or an Independent. (Photo: iStockphoto / NNPA At least once per week I shop at a Publix grocery store in my community. So, when I read online that they would be dispensing the COVID-19 vaccine to residents 65 and older, as announced by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, I got excited and shared the information. This is good news since everyone is looking forward to the time when we can feel more comfortable getting together with our family and friends again.

Listed on the Publix.com website is 18 of Florida’s 67 counties where appointments

for the vaccine could be made.

At the time of this writing all appointments are fully booked.

Much to my disappointment Broward, the county where I live, did not make the list. Miami-Dade County to the immediate south was not listed either. However, Palm Beach, the county to the immediate north was listed as was Monroe County to the immediate south of Miami-Dade.

Curiosity killed the cat, and this revelation was killing me, so I decided to do a little research.

According to Florida’s

COVID-19 Data and Surveillance Dashboard, on January 23, 2021, the number of resident COVID-19 cases in the state is 1,619,288 and 25,293 deaths. MiamiDade County has 354,477 cases and 4,730 deaths; Broward has 164,081 cases and 2,034 deaths; Palm Beach has 100,676 cases and 2,098 deaths; Monroe County has 4,894 cases and 39 deaths.

Miami-Dade and Broward Counties have the highest number of COVID-19 cases in Florida, and Miami-Dade has more deaths followed by Palm Beach and Broward.

Why did Publix neglect the counties with the most COVID-19 cases and deaths in the entire state?

What executive made the decision on which stores would dispense the vaccine? What data did they use? Who thinks it is logical to omit sending vaccines to a county with more than 350,000 cases and 4,000 deaths for one with less than 5,000 cases and 40 deaths?

The Florida Division of Elections website revealed even more disappointing information.

Of the 18 counties where Publix is dispensing the COVID-19 vaccine, only one, Palm Beach (where Mara-Lago is located), has a majority of Democratic registered voters.

Yes! Seventeen of the 18 counties have a majority of Republican registered voters. Pause for a moment and let that sink in.

We have all probably lost someone to COVID-19 or know someone who has. And sadly, because of this virus, we could not be with and comfort our loved ones as they made their transition.

C OV I D -19 d o e s n o t discriminate. It does not care if you are a Democrat, a Republican, or an Independent. Perhaps it is time for Publix to do the same!

My Sources: https://www.publix.com/covidvaccine/florida htt ps://dos.myf lorida.com / elections/data-statistics/voterregistration-statistics/voterregistration-reportsxlsx/voterregistration-by-county-and-party/ https://experience.arcgis.com/

IN MEMORIAM: Keeping the Legacy of Legendary Supremes Star Mary Wilson Alive By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent

Mary Wilson was a friend to the Black Press of America, a neighbor to the world, and the radiance she exuded never seem to fade. At 76, the Supremes legend is gone too soon.

Wilson died suddenly late Monday, Feb. 8, at her home just outside of Las Vegas.

“I was extremely shocked and saddened to hear of the passing of a major member of the Motown family, Mary Wilson of the Supremes,” Motown founder Berry Gordy wrote in a statement emailed to NNPA Newswire shortly after 2 a.m. Tuesday.”

Gordy emphasized, “The Supremes were always known as the ‘sweethearts of Motown.’

Mary, along with Diana Ross and Florence Ballard, came to Motown in the early 1960s. After an unprecedented string of number one hits, television and nightclub bookings, they opened doors for themselves, the other Motown acts, and many, many others.”

“I was always proud of Mary,” Berry Gordy concluded. “She was quite a star in her own right and continued to work hard to boost the legacy of the Supremes over the years. Mary Wilson was extremely special to me. She was a trailblazer, a diva, and will be deeply missed.”

Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis, Jr., National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA) President and CEO, affirmed, “On behalf of NNPA Chair Karen Cater Richards and all of the 230 African American NNPA member publishers across the United States and the Caribbean, we pause solemnly today to pay tribute and our profound respects to the

living memory, legacy and cultural genius of our beloved Mary Wilson. She loved and supported the Black Press of America, and we will always love and keep Mary Wilson’s transformative spirit in our hearts as the NNPA continues to publish truth to power in America and throughout the world.”

In a 2020 interview on the Black Press of America’s “Fiyah!” livestream program, Wilson talked about her life and career and her long pursuit of having Florence Ballard memorialized with a United States Postal Service stamp.

“People forget that Florence Ballard not only gave us our name, but she formed the group,” Wilson revealed on “Fiyah!”

“It was really Flo who formed us, and I want people to know that. I am putting together a program to get Florence Ballard a U.S. stamp, hopefully, so I want people to send their request and say something about Florence. All those hits were Florence, so when you listening to [The Supremes], it’s about Flo, so I want people who listen to those songs that bring back memories, think about Flo.” A si nger, best-selli ng author, motivational speaker, businesswoman, former U.S. Cultural Ambassador, mother, and grandmother, the legendary Mary Wilson made great strides on her inevitable journey to greatness.

As an original/founding member of The Supremes, she changed the face of popular music to become a trendsetter who broke down social, racial, and gender barriers, which all started with the wild success of their first number one song.

For med i n Det roit as

The Primettes in 1959, The Supremes were Motown’s most successful act of the 1960s, scoring 12 No. 1 singles.

They also continue to reign as America’s most successful vocal group to date. Their influence not only carries on in contemporary R&B, soul, and pop, but they also helped pave the way for Black artists’ mainstream success across all genres.

Mary achieved an unprecedented 12 No.1 hits, with 5 of them being consecutive from 1964-1965. Those songs are “Where Did Our Love Go,” “Baby Love”, “Come See About Me,” “Stop! In the Name of Love,” and “Back in My Arms Again,” according to Billboard Magazine.

In 2018, Billboard celebrated the 60th anniversary of Motown with a list of “The Hot 100’s Top Artists of All Time”, where The Supremes ranked at No. 16 and remain the No. 1 female recording group of all time.

Jan. 21, 2021, marked the 60th anniversary of the day The Supremes signed with Motown in 1961. This year, Mary kicked off the celebration of the 60th anniversary of The Supremes.

“With the same passion as she did singing with the original Supremes as well as with her solo career, the world-renowned performer was an advocate for social and economic challenges in the United States and abroad,” Wilson’s longtime publicist and friend, Jay Schwartz, said.

“Ms. Wilson used her fame and flair to promote a diversity of humanitarian efforts, including ending hunger, raising HIV/AIDS awareness, and encouraging world peace. Mary was working on getting a U.S. postage stamp of her fellow bandmate and original Supreme Florence Ballard who passed away in 1976,” Schwartz said.

In 2019, Wilson stretched her dancing muscles when she joined the cast of the 28th season of ABC’s “Dancing with

the Stars,” Schwartz recalled.

He noted that in 2019 she also published her fourth book, “Supreme Glamour.”

“The coffee-table book showcased the gowns The Supremes were known for over the decades and delved into more history of the most successful female recording group of all time,” Schwartz wrote in an email.

He provided the following extensive recent bio of Wilson: She was honored at the Paley Center for Media in Beverly Hills, celebrating her work in music and her influence on young African Americans and entertainment.

Her conversation with Janice Littlejohn left the audience laughing with her unmatched humor and standing with applause displaying her graceful composure throughout the night. Showing the same love she has always demonstrated to all her fans, Wilson gladly met and personally thanked every attendee that night for their support throughout her career.

W i l s o n’s inf luence r e a che d b eyond mu sic.

In 2018, Mary’s longtime fight for the passage of the Music Modernization Act (MMA) came to fruition when it was signed into law on Oct. 11.

The law modernized copyrightrelated issues for new music and audio recordings due to new forms of technology like digital streaming, which did not protect music recorded before Feb. 15, 1972, according to Schwartz.

Her tireless advocacy for this legislation included trips to Washington D.C. to personally meet with Congress members to advocate for legacy artists gaining fair compensation when their songs are played on digital radio stations, Schwartz continued.

“I think that The Supremes had a lot to do with the awakening of the world in terms of what blackness was,” Wilson said in her 2020 NNPA interview. “The whole world was watching Black people in a way they’d never seen.”

Dr. Amos Isaac 04/28/1934 - 01/20/2021 Dr. Isaac, a retired educator and lifelong community leader, passed away at the age of 86.

Final arrangements are entrusted to the care of Tillman Riverside Mortuary.

Visitation will be at Tillman Riverside Mortuary on Thursday, February 11, 2021, from 10 AM to 11 AM. (Due to Covid gathering restrictions, no more than 25 individuals may attend).

Private graveside services will be held on February 11, 2021, at Riverside National Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be sent to New Hope Missionary Baptist Church's Scholarship Fund at 1575 West 17th St, San Bernardino, CA 92411. Tillman Riverside Mortuary 2874 Tenth St, Riverside, CA 92507 951-6826433

CELEBRATING BLACK HISTORY: Making ‘More Black History’ in Classical Music...continued from page2 exceeds even these ambitious goals,” Gajewski announced.

Up north from NatPhil, the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra (BSO) also has worked to change the situation.

“The BSO has presented composers and performers of color over the years, and with her 2007 appointment as the first woman music director of a major American orchestra, Music Director Marin Alsop has been a leading advocate for equity in and through the arts, BSO President and CEO Peter Kjome wrote in an email to NNPA Newswire.

“In particular [for] women and BIPOC composers and conductors – including founding the BSO’s OrchKids program in Baltimore more than a decade ago.

“These commitments and programs serve as a good foundation upon which to build. However, vital work lies ahead, and we remain committed to listening, learning, and acting,” Kjome offered.

He added that the BSO is actively engaged in meaningful work to help build its capacity to foster increased diversity, e q u it y, a n d i n clu sio n , focusing on racial justice.

“We cannot do this alone and have begun to engage leaders who can help us pursue this critical work authentically and thoughtfully. We have held facilitated DEI-focused sessions for BSO stakeholders, including Board of Directors, musicians, and management, with more strategic facilitation to come,” Kjome continued.

“We have also begun to increase the percentage of people of color serving on the BSO Board of Directors, among other considerations of foster i ng d iver sit y.”

According to the New York Times, a crucial component is expanding the pool of musicians of color by nurturing young artists.

For example, in Detroit, the Sphinx Organization mentors emerging artists and runs networking programs, the newspaper repor ted.

Sphinx’s president recommends organizations dedicate 15 percent of their budget to diversity initiatives for at least ten years.

Another issue is diversifying the ranks of composers.

“If you don’t capture these things in real-time to promote

them, they will just happen and go away,” an executive at the Chicago Sinfonietta told the New York Times.

Then there is the audience – which has also skewed white.

“To attract new fans, events need to become more accessible,” Toyin Spellman-Diaz, a member of the wind quintet Imani Winds, told The Times.

“Is there easy transportation to the hall? Is there child care? Is there food that everyone can afford?” she said. “You have to design events as opposed to concerts.”

The BSO said it had taken the challenge to completely reprogram the 2020-21 season in response to the pandemic with greater intentionality regarding voice and representation.

“We have developed and released BSO Sessions, bringing the stories of musicians, conductors, and collaborators to life through a documentary-style narrative paired with robust and inclusive programming – including the music and stories of Black and women composers, Kjome stated.

Seventy-five percent of the first 12 Sessions episodes feature BIPOC or women composers’ representation, with two episodes devoted exclusively to BIPOC composers.

Each Sessions episode is available on-demand through June.

“Recognizing a need for greater diversity within our own orchestra complement, we will build on the new framework made possible in the five-year agreement with our musicians to provide greater access, positions, and increased participation of musicians of color in the orchestra,” Kjome continued.

“We have also renewed our collaboration with The Sphinx Organization and have joined the National Alliance for Audition Support – a national initiative to increase diversity in American orchestras with an emphasis on Black and Latinx musicians,” Kjome remarked.

“Important next steps include working with our musicians to evaluate orchestral hiring procedures and collaborating to establish a new fellowship program, grounded in cohorts and with hiring tracks, to help ensure that we fill critical vacancies outlined in our agreement but also be intentional in this recruitment.”

February 11, 2021

Page 8 COUNTY/LOCAL NEWS/ADVERTISING

California Foundations Drop $100 Million in “Black Freedom Fund”...continued from page 3 and Walter Haas, Jr. Fund, a Bay Area philanthropic organization that tackles a broad range of social issues. “The California Black Freedom Fund represents a great opportunity to build on that momentum and support Blackled organizations and a movement that can keep racial justice front and center and reimagine a better future for all of us.”

According to participating organizations, the fund intends to correct philanthropy’s history of underinvestment in Blackled organizations and “powerbuilding” in African American communities. For example, across the United States, only about 1% of community foundation support was specifically designated for Black communities in recent years, according to the National Committee for Responsive Philanthropy.

“To make racial justice and equity real in California, philanthropy needs to elevate its investments in Black organizers that are focused on advocacy, organizing and holding our institutions accountable -something that we call powerbuilding,” said Lateefah Simon, who is the president of Akonadi Foundation, an Oakland-based organization that fights against the criminalization of Black youth.

“The vision of the California Black Freedom Fund is to bring justice to our communities by making sure Black-led organizations are

sufficiently supported and strong, and their leaders are galvanized."

Simon says the fund’s focus on “power-building” prioritizes mobilizing Black Californians to become engaged in their communities and effect systemic change through “advocacy, direct action, voter organizing and mobilization.”

“It is commendable that the funders are focused on equity.

It has a positive ring to it. It’s encouraging,” says Paul Cobb, publisher of the Post News Group, a Black-owned newspaper publishing house based in Oakland. “But it is important that they follow these high-minded words with meaningful action – backed with a strategic plan of action to even the playing field.”

Robert K. Ross, president and CEO of The California Endowment, a statewide foundation headquartered in Los Angeles that is focused on improving the health of all Californians, says the initiative is a strong effort that addresses longstanding equity issues that the COVID-19 pandemic has exposed and amplified.

“But we know it will take bold moves such as this in order to reimagine institutions that are more inclusive and racially equitable for all Californians,” Ross stated. “The pandemic and the racial divide in this country have exposed the anti-Black systems that are in place. These

resources will make sure we build and sustain an ecosystem of Black-led organizations and networks that can move racial equity work forward, while leading California towards healing and structural change.”

With an initial investment of $32.4 million, CBFF will raise additional dollars over the next five years through a mix of foundation, corporate and individual donor support to reach its $100 million goal.

Regina Wilson, executive director of California Black Media, says she applauds California’s largest foundations making a significant initial investment in community-based organizations, adding that she is hopeful multi-year funding will be expanded to include Black media.

“I’m optimistic funders will consider supporting Black newspapers and other African American-owned media outlets in the future because of the vital public service role they play in our state. The Black press watches and breaks down government policy, while keeping our community informed, connected and engaged,” Wilson said.

The f u nders cu r rently participating in CBFF include Akonadi Foundation, Annenberg Foundation, Bishop Ranch, Blue Shield of California Foundation, The California Endowment, The California Wellness Foundation, Chan Zuckerberg Initiative,

Conrad N. Hilton Foundation, Crankstart, Emerson Collective, and Evelyn & Walter Haas, Jr. Fund.

In addition, the roster of funders extends to Farella Braun + Martel LLP, Friedman Family Foundation, Hellman Foundation, JPMorgan Chase, Liberty Hill Foundation, Libra Foundation, Rob McKay, Rosenberg Foundation, San Francisco Foundation, Sierra Health Foundation, Silicon Valley Community Foundation, Stuart Foundation, Tundra Glacier Fund and Weingart Foundation.

The Silicon Valley Community Foundation will provide f iscal and administrative management of the fund.

“The (CBFF) sets forth a model that can be replicated across the nation, potentially bringing significant resources to movement-building networks and organizations that are fighting racial injustice on behalf of marginalized groups,” said Nicole Taylor, president and CEO, Silicon Valley Community Foundation, a philanthropic organization based in Mountain View. “Silicon Valley Community Foundation is proud to support the California Black Freedom Fund, as it aligns with our aspirations of advancing equity and opportunity for all members of our communities.”

Over the next five years, the CBFF says it will strategically increase the resources available to Black-led organizations t h roug hout Califor n ia ,

prioritizing the courageous and visionar y grassroots advocates and organizers leading California as a whole toward systemic transformation.

In its first round of grantmaking, CBFF is investing over $6 million to support three established Black networks that have proven, longterm working relationships with more than 50 Black-led organizations across the state.

The first of the three networks is the Black Census and Redistricting Hub, a network of over 30 Black-led and Black-serving organizations that focuses on maximizing participation in the census and redistricting process among hardto-count Black communities.

Second is the Black Equity Collective, a community-publicprivate partnership dedicated to strengthening the long-term capacity and infrastructure of Black-led and Black-empowering social justice organizations in Southern California (Los Angeles County and the Inland Empire).

Third is PICO California: Live Free/ Bring the HEAT. This organization centers its work on intervention to protect the basic health, safety, and well-being of all people by demanding a series of immediate and sweeping changes to the current policing system in the United States.

“Black-led organizations have been leading the work to advance racial justice and dismantle antiBlack racism,” said Miguel A.

Santana, president and CEO of the Los Angeles-based Weingart Foundation. “We are proud to join our colleagues in investing at greater scale to support these movement leaders and stand shoulder to shoulder with them in the work to eradicate systemic racism.”

CBFF’s next round of grantmaking is anticipated i n late Febr uar y 2021.

In addition to grantmaking, the fund will also provide capacitybuilding support through technical assistance in communications, narrative change, and policy; research and data; and convening and learning opportunities.

“Building a better future for everyone starts with centering those who have been politically, socially, and economically marginalized,” said Priscilla Chan, Co-founder and Co-CEO of the Redwood City-based Chan Zuckerberg Initiative. Chan is Facebook co-founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s wife.

“We support the California Black Freedom Fund and its work to ensure that Black-led organizations and movements have the power, resources, and recognition to continue their missions and make racial equity a reality in California,” Chan emphasized.

To learn more about the California Black Freedom Fund visit CABlackFreedomFund.org.