Photo Caption: (From left) Accepted for Linda D. Wright; Arlington Rodgers Jr., President of the Black Culture Foundation; Rose Mayes, Humanitarian of the Year honoree; Gloria Macias Harrison, Black Rose awardee; Jim King, Foundation co-founder; Rialto Mayor Deborah Robertson, Black Rose awardee; Accepting for San Bernardino Community Hospital Dr. Ruby Skinner, Medical Director, and Roz Nolan, Chief Nurse Executive Officer, and Genevieve Echols.
SAN BERNARDINO, CALIF. The 30th annual Black Rose Awards Gala held on Saturday, February 4, at Cal State San Bernardino’s Santos Manuel Student Union North Hall drew more than 250 attendees to recognize the 2023 recipients.
The Black Culture Foundation sponsors the annual event and its mission is “to bridge the cultural differences through nurturing, educating and encouraging the building of lasting, respectable communities.”
Robert Nava, Cal State’s Vice President for Advancement and Executive Director for the CSUSB Philanthropic Foundation, welcomed the guests and honorees to the celebration.
Pastor Raymond W. Turner Sr., D.Min., of Temple Missionary Baptist Church gave the Invocation, followed by the presentation of the American and California colors and the Pledge of Allegiance led by San Bernardino Mayor Helen Tran and the City of San Bernardino Police Department Honor Guard.
JhuMaani Chess then sang a stirring National Anthem. Makeda Fransico then led the attendees in the singing of the Black National Anthem. With opening agenda items done, honorees and guests enjoyed an Italian-themed dinner.
World-famous Black artist Charles A. Bibbs donated limited edition prints of his work to the Black Rose awardees, along with his signed original work to Foundation co-founder Jim King.
“This year’s Award Gala is held in honor of Rosa Parks’ birthday,” said Black Rose Committee Co-Chair Jim King.
The Foundation paid tribute posthumously to four stalwarts of community contributions that had passed away since the last in-person Gala before the pandemic: Dr. Margaret Hill and Senior Black Rose Kings Don Griggs, Jimmy Jews, and Jess Nichols.
Black Rose Committee members Erika Johnson and Terrance Stone then presented the newly renamed Dr. Margaret Hill Black Rose Young Adult Inspiration Awards and scholarships to Liyah Belvins, a student at California Baptist University majoring in psychology, and Prince Ogidikpe, a recent graduate with a bachelor’s degree from Cal State San Bernardino, now working with Assemblymember Eloise Reyes.
“The Black Cultural Foundation prides itself on having presented more than 125 scholarships to students over the years,” said Black Rose Committee Co-Chair Kristine Scott.
The Foundation recognized its 2023 Black Rose Awards honorees: Gloria Macias Harrison, co-founder of the El Chicano newspaper and Board of Trustees member for the San Bernardino Valley Community College District; Deborah Robertson, Mayor of the City of Rialto with 22 years of service to the City of Rialto; and Linda D. Wright, veteran nonprofit organization leader.
Black Culture Foundation co-founder and past president Jim King then presented the Jim King Black Rose Corporate Award to Dignity Health Community Hospital of San Bernardino. Roz Nolan, the hospital’s Chief Nursing Officer, and Dr. Ruby Skinner, Chief Medical Officer, accepted the award.
Christie “Mirraje” Malone treated the audience to another musical interlude, singing an original composition that had the crowd moving with her rhythms.
Mirraje’s experience singing with the likes of Stevie Wonder and Salt and Pepper shone brightly as she brought people to their feet in appreciation.
Rose Mayes received the 2023 Juanita H. Scott Humanitarian of the Year award. Mayes is the Executive Director of the Fair Housing Council of Riverside County and her passion and commitment to promoting fair opportunities for all, regardless of race, national origin, religion, sex, familial status, or disability have born noteworthy results.
Mayes’s contributions include being co-founder of the Eleanor Jean Grier Leadership Academy, co-founder and past president of the Riverside Black Historical Society, and co-founder and co-chair of The Group, a grassroots public policy advocacy forum addressing community issues affecting Riverside’s people.
Black Culture Foundation President Arlington Rodgers Jr. delivered the epilogue to the event, noting the Foundation’s achievements and continuing aspirations, a fitting summary, and a conclusion to an entertaining and successful event.
The Black Rose Awards are a complement to Black History Month. The awards are sponsored by the San Bernardino Black Culture Foundation, a nonprofit founded in 1968 by a small group of people who were concerned that, “…nationwide, our school systems have not yet incorporated Black history studies into regular school curriculums. Thus, all students miss the opportunity to learn more about a vital part of this country’s history.”
The Foundation’s purpose “…is to foster an interest and a greater understanding of Black culture, to heighten community awareness of the accomplishments of Black people, past and present, and to plan, coordinate and direct an annual Black History Month parade and related cultural activities…[and] bridge the gaps that exist across cultural lines by bringing the local community together to celebrate this event in the spirit of unity and brotherhood.”
The Black Rose Awards are the Foundation’s showcase cultural event.
The Honorable Connie Leyva a former California State Senator and current executive director of KVCR TV/FM
The Claremont Links will present its Community Service Award to the Honorable Connie Leyva a former California State Senator and current executive director of KVCR TV/FM at the annual Red Dress Luncheon.
Claremont, Calif. Amaryllis Watkins, president of the Claremont Area (CA) Chapter of The Links, Incorporated, announces the return of the Red Dress Luncheon at the Sheraton-Fairplex Hotel in Pomona since the pandemic restrictions were lifted. “This exciting event will be held on February 18, 2023. Reception at 10 am followed by Luncheon and Program at 11:30 am.,” said Watkins.
Amaryllis Watkins, president of the Claremont Area (CA) Chapter of The Links, Incorporated
Community Service Award will be presented to the Honorable Connie Leyva a former California State Senator and current executive director of KVCR TV/FM- the Inland Empire’s only public media station.
Mistress of Ceremony for the day is Dr. Soraya M. Coley the sixth president of the California State Polytechnic University, Pomona. The Keynote Speaker is Dr. Gloria Morrow, the CEO of GM Psychological Services and Director of Behavioral Health for Unicare Community Health Center, who is one of the nation’s leading clinical psychologists.
Heart disease is the leading killer for both men and women according to 2021 statistics with Blacks two to three times more likely to die of the deadly disease. The event will focus on heart health, especially that of women.
“Our goal is to raise awareness about the prevention of heart disease because, according to 2021 statistics, heart disease is the leading killer for both men and women.,” said Watkins.
“We encourage prevention that is gained by knowing your “cholesterol and glucose numbers”. Experts also encourage us all to exercise regularly, manage stress, and maintain a healthy diet and weight. We will have health professionals at the Red Dress luncheon to answer questions and share information on prevention,” said Watkins.
This event is also a fundraiser that delivers funds for The Links, Incorporated to provide college scholarships and other services to graduating high school students, continuing college students, and medical and law students.
The Claremont Area (CA) Chapter of The Links provides transformational community service which includes families transitioning from homelessness and the mentoring of students to ensure their college graduation.
“Please consider supporting our event by attending the luncheon or by donating on our website www.claremontarealinks.com. “Those who are happiest are those who do the most for others”. ~Booker T. Washington,” said Watkins.
Biographies
Dr. Soraya M. Coley ~ Mistress of Ceremony
Dr. Soraya M. Coley is the sixth president of the California State Polytechnic University, Pomona (Cal Poly Pomona).
Dr. Soraya M. Coley is the sixth president of the California State Polytechnic University, Pomona (Cal Poly Pomona). An accomplished educator and administrator with four decades of experience in higher education, Dr. Coley is the first woman and the first African American scholar to be named president of Cal Poly Pomona. She has ushered in a new era of strategic leadership for the campus, establishing a vision for Cal Poly Pomona as a model for an inclusive polytechnic university that inspires creativity, discovery, and innovation embraces local and global challenges, and transforms lives. In 2019, California Governor Gavin Newsom appointed Dr. Coley to the California Future of Work Commission, which is charged with making recommendations to the Governor and Legislature regarding the kinds of jobs Californians could have in the decades to come. Additionally, Dr. Coley is a member of the American Council on Education Women’s Network, the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce, the Pasadena Bioscience Collaborative, and the Los Angeles Coalition for the Economy and Jobs. She is a former member of the board of directors for Children and Family Futures as well as the Kern County Schools’ “Ready to Start” program. In 2000, she was recognized as “One of Ten Women Making a Difference” by Orange County Metro Magazine.
Connie Leyva ~ Community Service Award Winner
Community Service Award will be presented to the Honorable Connie Leyva a former California State Senator and current executive director of KVCR TV/FM
The Honorable Connie Leyva is a former California State Senator and current executive director of KVCR TV/FM- the Inland Empire’s only public media station. San Bernardino Community College District Chancellor Diana Z. Rodrigues said, “Connie Leyva has spent her entire career centering Inland Empire families, and she’ll bring her passion for our region’s success to advance KVCR’s success.” At KVCR, she oversees their long-range plan which includes expanding student training opportunities for careers in media and journalism, broadcasting the country’s only twenty-four-hour national Native American and World Indigenous television channel, growing content relevant to Riverside and San Bernardino counties, and strengthening community partnerships and raising funds.
Dr. Gloria Morrow~ Keynote Speaker
Dr. Gloria Morrow, the CEO of GM Psychological Services and Director of Behavioral Health for Unicare Community Health Center, is one of the nation’s leading clinical psychologists.
Dr. Gloria Morrow, the CEO of GM Psychological Services and Director of BehavioralHealth for Unicare Community Health Center, is one of the nation’s leading clinical psychologists. She serves as a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Consultant and a Lead Trainer for the CBMCS (California Brief Multicultural Competency Scale) Training Program. Dr.Gloria also facilitates a wide range of training relevant to cultural humility and cultural competency. She has served as a consultant for The King Center in Atlanta, Georgia, where. Bernice King serves as the CEO. Dr. Gloria’s work surrounding the role of Spirituality in recovery has gained notoriety with the development of a three-day training and handbook entitled S.A.F.E. (Spirituality and Faith Empowers) to equip the faith community and mental health professionals to help hurting people. She is also known for her extensive leadership and team-building training. Dr. Gloria is a sought-after keynote speaker and workshop facilitator for conferences and retreats, who discusses mental health and life skills topics for women and men. Dr. Gloria has authored several books and has appeared as a frequent guest on various news networks and a variety of radio shows, including Stevie Wonder’s KJLH.
About The Claremont Area Chapter of the Links, Incorporated
The Claremont Area Chapter in the tradition of the Links, Incorporated is committed to linking our friendship and resources to form a chain of strength, pride, and trust which works to improve the quality of life in our joint communities. Our voluntary efforts, energies, talents, and thrusts are dedicated to stimulating and supporting the positive goals and aspirations of minorities, through our commitment to our national programmatic thrust. In our 35-year history, the Claremont Area Links has made great strides in developing and implementing exemplary programs in the Inland Empire of Southern California.
“I’m looking forward to letting Black women know what life is like in Paris.”
SAN BERNARDINO CALIF. Katherine Dameron, a multi-certified leadership and motivational coach whose client roster has included the likes of 3M, Pfizer, and Herman Miller, is coming to San Bernardino for Black History Month to give a series of talks about living as an expatriate in Paris.
“I’m looking forward to letting Black women know what life is like in Paris,” said. Dameron, “and I am happy to repeat what Richard Wright once said, ‘There is more freedom in one block of Paris than all of the United States for a Black man.'”
Dameron was born in St. Louis, Missouri, and moved to Paris when she was young to study the French language and culture and was welcomed by the locals. She found that racism does exist there, but it is a very different kind. In Paris, “American Blacks are at the top of the racial hierarchy,” said Dameron.
The French have demonstrated over and over again their love for American Blacks. The wild success of Miles Davis on tour there is one famous example. “And my own experiences there is another,” said Dameron.
The history of American Blacks finding respect and admiration in Paris goes back to Thomas Jefferson’s consort Sally Hemmings. Josephine Baker became Europe’s first superstar in the 1920s there. In modern times, Richard Wright, James Baldwin, and Beauford Delaney all found a receptive audience in France.
The Dameron family 1965 in E. St. Louis, IL. Barbara, Carl T., Crystal (baby), Denise, Carl, and Kathleen. “We we integrators,” said Katheleen Dameron.
“American Blacks have come to Paris to feel safe, feel recognized, develop their talents, eat, work and love as they desire…to thrive!” said Dameron. “I have two loves: Paris and the country of my birth.”
“I want to share my experiences with Black women and let them know how they, too, can experience the kind of welcoming that I have had and perhaps inspire them to go for a visit themselves. That’s why I have prepared a 45-minute presentation that I will be happy to deliver to any group that would care to hear what I have to say,” said Dameron.
Bookings can be made by calling Carl Dameron at (909) 534-9500.
About Kathleen Dameron
Kathleen’s strong facilitation skills and her highly flexible approach enable her to facilitate large groups or provide one-on-one coaching, as the client’s needs dictate. In addition to her specialty in multicultural and multilingual situations, she is also experienced in designing and delivering experiential-based, professionally targeted interventions, e.g., leadership development, organizational development, and increasing multicultural skills.
Representative clients include 3M, AGF, Alcan, Axe, Rio-Tinto, Aerospatiale, BNP Paribas, Faurecia, CDA (No.1 in ski resorts), Delphi, Essilor, Herman Miller, Lima grain, LVMH (Louis Vuitton) MBDA, Pfizer, PSA (makers of Peugeot & Citroen automobiles), Thales, Thomson Multimedia, Tyco Electronics, and Veolia. Kathleen teaches at ESSEC (leading French business school) in the Executive MBA program, MG, and the Maître en Stratégieat des Affaires Internationales (MS SIAI), as well as programs specifically designed for individual companies.
Kathleen, born and raised in America, has dual American and French nationality. She was trained at American and French universities in both Cross-Cultural Studies & Communications and Social and Economic Administration. She trains, facilitates, and coaches in English, French, and Spanish.
Redlands, Calif. Dr. Daniel Benveniste is a renowned psychologist and author of major books on the classic works of Sigmund Freud and Carl Jung, will deliver the 36th Annual Rabbi Norman F. Feldheym Memorial Lecture on Thursday, February 9th at 7:30 pm at Congregation Emanu El in Redlands.
The topic of the illustrated lecture is The Evolution of the Spiritual Impulse.” It will certainly be of interest to people of all faiths as well as students of psychology,” said Rabbi Hillel Cohen.
Dr. Benveniste grew up in San Bernardino and currently lives in the Pacific Northwest where he teaches and is a clinical psychologist. He is the author of two major works in the field of psychology – The Interwoven Lives of Sigmund, Anna, and W. Ernest Freud: Three Generations of Psychoanalysis and the most recently published –Libido, Culture, and Consciousness – Revisiting Freud’s Totem and Taboo.
“In the lecture, he will share some of the most significant insights of Freud and Jung. Benveniste has been acclaimed for weaving together the fields of archeology, anthropology, philosophy, psychology, psychoanalytic theory, sociology, and religion to get a full picture of human development,” said Rabbi Cohen.
The annual Rabbi Norman F. Feldheym Lecture was established in 1985 at the time of Feldheym’s death by members of Congregation Emanu El as well as many friends in the wider community.
Rabbi Feldheym served as rabbi of Congregation Emanu El from 1937 to 1971 and as Rabbi Emeritus of the historic congregation from 1971 until his death in 1985. In addition to being a leader of religious life in the Inland Empire and a highly respected community leader, he was a devoted student of Freudian and Jungian psychology and in his retirement taught at the Jung institute in Switzerland.
Congregation Emanu El is located at 1495 Ford Street in Redlands. The lecture is open to the public and there is no charge for attendance. For more information call (909) 307-0400.
Girl Scouts are now selling new berry-blasted Raspberry Rally™ cookies exclusively online, with all the iconic cookies, powering amazing experiences outdoors, STEM, and beyond.
REDLANDS, CA—Today, January 29th, The Girl Scouts of San Gorgonio kicked off the 2023 Girl Scout Cookie Season in San Bernardino and Riverside counties. For the next seven weeks, Girl Scouts and their troops will rally their communities to support the world’s largest entrepreneurial program for girls.
“New to the 2023 cookie season, the highly anticipated, online-exclusive Raspberry Rally™ cookie joins the iconic lineup, alongside classic family favorites like Thin Mints®, Caramel deLites®, Peanut Butter Patties®, and more,” said Girl Scouts of San Gorgonio’s President & CEO, Cynthia H. Breunig.
“I love selling Girl Scout Cookies,” said Girl Scout Zaira B 6 from Highland, Girl Scout Troop 1751 “This program has helped me build confidence and I love doing booths with my Girl Scout friends”. Analyse H. 15 from Rialto is carrying her.
“I love selling Girl Scout Cookies,” said Girl Scout Zaira B from Highland, Girl Scout Troop 1751 “This program has helped me build confidence and I love doing booths with my Girl Scout friends”.
“Please support our local Girl Scout troops by purchasing your favorite varieties and trying the new, Raspberry Rally™ available exclusively online. The new thin, crispy cookie is infused with raspberry flavor and dipped in the same delicious chocolaty coating as the beloved Thin Mints® cookies,” said Breunig.
The new Raspberry cookie is the first in the Girl Scout Cookie lineup to be exclusively offered for online sale and direct shipment only.
“This enhances our girls’ e-commerce sales and entrepreneurial skills. This latest approach will help to guide the evolution of the cookie program for the digital future,” said Breunig.
This season, Girl Scouts will run outdoor cookie booths and sell online.
“If you know a Girl Scout, ask how she’s selling cookies via the Digital Cookie online platform for direct shipment or local delivery,” said Breunig.
The Girl Scout Cookie Program is the world’s largest entrepreneurial program for girls. Girl Scouts’ newly updated Financial Literacy badges offer entrepreneurial playbooks for every age level.
From the Cookie Goal Setter badge earned as a Daisy to the Entrepreneur Accelerator for girls in high school, the Girl Scout Cookie Program teaches girls financial literacy, planning, budgeting, teamwork, innovative thinking, and confident decision-making.
How to Purchase Girl Scout Cookies This Year
If you know a registered Girl Scout, reach out to her to find out how she’s selling cookies.
Text COOKIES to 59618 to be among the first to receive information about Girl Scout Cookies and to find out about other exciting Girl Scout news.
Visit the Girl Scout Cookie Finder to find a booth near you, purchase cookies for direct shipment to your home, or donate cookies to local causes.
“The Girl Scouts of San Gorgonio’s Cookie season is from January 29th – March 19th. Girl Scouts in grades K–12 can start their journey to fun, friendship, and new experiences by joining the world’s largest entrepreneurial organization for girls at any point in the year,” said Breunig.
To join the Girls Scouts or to volunteer go to: www.girlscouts.org/join, or call (909) 307-6555.
About Girl Scouts of San Gorgonio
We serve more than 10,000 girls in Riverside and San Bernardino counties with the dedicated support of 3,000 adult volunteers. We believe that in order to be a leader within your community, you have to truly become a part of that community.
Girl Scouts offers girls the unique opportunity to identify and support issues that are important to them, form partnerships with other people, businesses, and organizations, and create sustainable projects that change the world around them.
To volunteer, reconnect, donate, or join, visit gssgc.org, or call (909) 307-6555.
“I love selling Girl Scout Cookies,” said Girl Scout Zaira B 6 from Highland, Girl Scout Troop 1751 “This program has helped me build confidence and I love doing booths with my Girl Scout friends”. Analyse H. 15 from Rialto is carrying her.
theBlack Rose Awards honors of the unsung heroes who have worked diligently to improve the lives of others throughout the Inland Empire, in 2011 The Black Cultural Foundation awarded Black Rose Awards to the following award community advocates: (back row left to right) Juanita Dawson, James Butts, Jimmie Brown, Herb English Jr., John Futch, Mark Campbell, Vicki Lee, Carl Dameron, Timothy Evans from The Unforgettables Foundation, Dr. Queen Hamilton, (left to right front row) Geraldine Reaves, Jennifer Vaughn-Blakely and Dr. Harold Cebrun. Photo by Chris Sloan.
San Bernardino, Calif. In 1926 Carter G. Woodson founded the first Black History Week, selecting the second week of February to commemorate the birthdays of Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass, whose birthdays were the 12th and 14th, respectively. In the 1940s, efforts began to expand the week to a month, with West Virginia Blacks inaugurating the change.
Black History Month
Known then as Negro History Month, the expanded commemoration began to spread and by the mid-1960s had taken root in Chicago, where cultural activist Frederick H. Hammaurabi, who founded the Association for the Study of African American Life and History, made the change. Later in that decade, young Black college students all over the country (starting with Kent State in Ohio in February of 1969), who were becoming more politically conscious and active, began changing the name to Black History Month.
In 1974 then-President Gerald Ford met with civil rights leaders Vernon Jordan, Bayard Rustin, Dorothy Height, and Jesse Jackson and two years later made the celebration of Black History Month official. As he said at the time, “…we can seize the opportunity to honor the too-often neglected accomplishments of Black Americans in every area of endeavor throughout our history.”
As the Association for the Study of African American Life and History notes on its website about the adoption of Black History Month, “Since the mid-1970s, every American president, Democrat, and Republican, has issued proclamations endorsing the Association’s annual theme.”
Black Rose Awards
The Black Rose Awards are a complement to Black History Month. The awards are sponsored by the San Bernardino Black Culture Foundation, a nonprofit founded in 1968 by a small group of people who were concerned that, “…nationwide, our school systems have not yet incorporated Black history studies into regular school curriculums. Thus, all students miss the opportunity to learn more about a vital part of this country’s history.”
The Foundation’s purpose “…is to foster an interest and a greater understanding of African-American culture, to heighten community awareness of the accomplishments of Black people, past and present, and to plan, coordinate and direct an annual Black History Month parade and related cultural activities…[and] bridge the gaps that exist across cultural lines by bringing the local community together to celebrate this event in the spirit of unity and brotherhood.”
The Black Rose Awards are the Foundation’s showcase cultural event. The San Bernardino Black Culture Foundation’s 30th Black Rose Award Winners will be recognized at the annual banquet on Saturday, February 4, 2023, from 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm at the California State University, San Bernardino, Santos Manuel Student Union 5500 University Parkway.
Arlington Rodgers, President of the Foundation, said, “We are enthusiastically looking forward to this year’s Black History Month activities as we extend the hand of friendship and understanding to all ethnic groups throughout the Inland Empire.”
The Black Rose Awardees for 2023 are: Dr. Juanita H. Scott Humanitarian of the Year, Humanitarian of the Year to Rose Mayes, Executive Director Fair Housing Council of Riverside County; Black Rose Recipients are: Linda Wright, Moreno Valley Black Chamber of Commerce; Gloria Macias Harrison, President Emeritus, Crafton Hills College, San Bernardino Community College Board of Trustees; Deborah Robertson, Mayor of Rialto, Founder of The Women’s Conference; and the Jim King’s Black Rose Corporate Founder’s Award from Dignity Health—Community Hospital of San Bernardino: Administrators June Collison, President, Roz Nolan, Chief Nurse Executive Officer and Staff Dr. Ruby Skinner.
The Salvation Army has served San Bernardino since 1887. They support those in need without discrimination. The Salvation Army serves the cities of Big Bear, Blue Jay, Crestline, Lake Arrowhead, other mountain communities, Bloomington, Colton, Grand Terrace, Highland, Rialto, Loma Linda, Yucaipa, Mentone, Redlands, and San Bernardino.
Liyah Bevins – 18, is a psychology major at California Baptist University in Riverside
Prince Ogidikpe District Representative for Eloise Gomez Reyes, the California Assembly’s Majority Leader, representing the 47th Assembly District
SAN BERNARDINO, CALIF. The San Bernardino Black Culture Foundation has announced the winners for its 30th Annual Black Rose Awards in the Margaret Hills Black Rose Inspiration Young Adults category. They are Liyah Bevins and Prince Ogidikpe.
They will be honored at the Foundation’s annual banquet on February 4, 2023, from 6:00 to 9:00 pm at the California State University, San Bernardino, Santos Manuel Student Union, 5500 University Parkway.
“The San Bernardino Black Culture Foundation is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, founded in 1986 to honor and share the richness of our Black heritage, to recognize world diversity and inspire our youth/adults toward leadership, providing scholarships and career opportunities,” said Foundation President Arlington Rodgers.
The Black Culture Foundation’s mission is to bridge cultural differences across generations through nurturing, educating, and building lasting, respectable, and encouraging communities.
Bios:
Liyah Bevins
Ms. Bevins, 18, is a psychology major at California Baptist University in Riverside. She hopes to combine her passions for teaching and psychology by being a teacher to parents of children with mental health issues. She aims to help them understand what their child is going through and how to help. “I aspire to be someone’s light when they are in a dark place.” She is a member of the Unspeakable Praise Dance Ministry, working to create family bonds in her community ad church. She returned to her high school alma mater to help create a positive environment for students struggling mentally as a member of the school’s Wellness Team.
Prince Ogidikpe
Prince earned a bachelor’s degree in biological psychology with a minor in communications at Cal State San Bernardino. A native of Bayelsa State in Nigeria, he moved to the United States in 2010. At CSUSB he was elected to serve terms as the Associated Students’ Executive Vice President and President. He currently works as a District Representative for Eloise Gomez Reyes, the California Assembly’s Majority Leader, representing the 47th Assembly District.
These two outstanding young people will join 10 other awardees at the Foundation’s February 4th dinner. The other honorees are: Dr. Juanita H. Scott Humanitarian of the Year, Humanitarian of the Year to Rose Mayes, Executive Director Fair Housing Council of Riverside County; Black Rose Recipients are: Linda Wright, Moreno Valley Black Chamber of Commerce; Gloria Macias Harrison, President Emeritus, Crafton Hills College, San Bernardino Community College Board of Trustees; Deborah Robertson, Mayor of Rialto, Founder of The Women’s Conference; and the Jim King’s Black Rose Corporate Founder’s Award from Dignity Health—Community Hospital of San Bernardino: Administrators June Collison, President, Roz Nolan, Chief Nurse Executive Officer and Staff Dr. Ruby Skinner.
This is the Foundation’s first event since Covid, and “our coffers are bare and in need of replenishment to continue providing scholarships,” said Committee Co-Chair Kristine Scott. Individual tickets are $75 each. For more information or to purchase tickets go to EventBright: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/30th-black-rose-awards-banquet-tickets-491089169927.
For more information please contact the event’s Co-Chairs: Kristine Scott at (909) 809-0317 or kscott@socalgas.com or Jim King at (760) 239-8200 or jimking5000@yahoo.com.
SAN BERNARDINO, CALIF. The 30th Black Rose Award Winners are Dr. Juanita H. Scott, San Bernardino Valley College Foundation, Humanitarian of the Year Rose Mayes -– Executive Director Fair Housing Council of Riverside County; Black Rose Winners; Linda Wright, Moreno Valley Black Chamber of Commerce; Gloria Macias Harrison, President Emeritus, Crafton Hills College, San Bernardino Community College Board of Trustees; Deborah Robertson, Mayor of Rialto, Founder of The Women’s Conference; and three honorees for the Black Rose Founder’s Award from San Bernardino Community Hospital: June Collison President, Roz Nolan, Chief Nurse Executive Officer, and Dr. Ruby Skinner.
The awards ceremony will also make three posthumous tributes to Black Rose Senior Kings Don Griggs, Jimmy Jews, and Jesse Nichols.
The San Bernardino Black Culture Foundation’s 30th Black Rose Award Winners will be recognized at the annual banquet on Saturday, February 4, 2023, from 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm at the California State University, San Bernardino, Santos Manuel Student Union 5500 University Parkway.
In remembrance of Dr. Margaret Hill, the Black Culture Foundation has renamed its Margaret Hill Community Support Award to the Dr. Margaret Hill Black Rose Young Adults Inspiration Award. This award will present scholarships to two inspirational and outstanding San Bernardino Black young adults graduating grade 12 or in college, said Black Rose Committee Co-Chair Kristine Scott.
“This year’s Award Gala is held to commemorate Rosa Parks’ birthday,” said Black Rose Committee Co-Chair Jim King.
Black Culture Foundation President Arlington Rodgers said the foundation’s mission is to bridge cultural differences across generations through nurturing, educating, and building lasting, respectable, and encouraging communities.
“The San Bernardino Black Culture Foundation is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, founded in 1986 to honor and share the richness of our Black heritage, to recognize world diversity and inspire our youth/adults toward leadership, providing scholarships and career opportunities,” said Rodgers.
“The Foundation has prided itself on giving more than 125 scholarships to community students over the years. This is our first event since Covid, and our coffers are bare and in need of replenishment to continue providing scholarships,” said Committee Co-Chair Kristine Scott.
Bios:
Dr. Juanita H. Scott Humanitarian of the Year Award:
Rose Mayes
Rose Mayes
Executive Director of the Fair Housing Council of Riverside County, Inc. since 1993. Under Rose’s leadership, the Fair Housing Council created Mission Heritage Plaza, a mixed-used project that includes the Fair Housing office, the Civil Rights Institute of Inland Southern California, and 72 units of affordable housing.
Black Rose Awards:
Linda D. Wright
Linda Wright
As an organization design specialist, Wright has successfully helped over 70 nonprofit organizations to attain their 501(c) 3 or (c) 6 nonprofit status, 80 for-profit corporations, 15 LLCs, and 10 partnerships.
The Moreno Valley Black Chamber of Commerce that Wright directed received several awards, including Chamber of the Year three times. Wright also wrote and created several community educational programs for the Foundation that including prisoner and group home re-entry training.
Deborah Robertson, Mayor of Rialto
Mayor Deborah Robertson
On November 3, 2020, the voters of the City of Rialto reaffirmed their confidence in the leadership of Mayor Deborah Robertson, reelecting her to a third four-year term as mayor. Her public service career includes over 20 years on the Rialto Council and over 45 years of public and governmental career public service.
Mayor Robertson’s visionary leadership has thrust the City of Rialto into the national spotlight as a recognized leader in the areas of public-private partnerships, industrial environmental sustainability endeavors, first-in-the-nation grant-supported partnerships of environmental efficiency projects, as well as a partnership with alternative fuel generation return to the natural gas grid, generating local revenue outcomes, more significant business development, and a skilled job creation platform.
GLORIA HARRISON
Gloria Macias Harrison
Gloria Macias Harrison has balanced two careers plus family and community activism since the early sixties. She is one of the founders of El Chicano (1969), a community weekly that provides a Chicano voice in the Inland Empire.
Her activist history includes work with the San Bernardino City Unified School District, the War on Poverty, United Farm Workers, Operation Second Chance, and Planned Parenthood.
Harrison served as President of Crafton Hills College from 2000 until her retirement in 2012. Before that, she was Vice President of Instruction at Crafton Hills College for six years and Dean of Humanities at San Bernardino Valley College for three years and taught community college students for over 20 years.
Since 2012 she has served on the San Bernardino Community College Board of Trustees, currently as Chair of the Board and sits on the Budget and Legislative Committees. She serves on the Crafton Hills College Foundation and the California Housing Foundation.
Jim King Corporate (Founders) Award:
Don Griggs
Don Griggs
Griggs, who passed away in July 2020, pioneered the first Boy Scouts Camporee program for over 100 Black and Latino boys who experienced outdoor camping, learned first aid, and mastered scouting skills. The BSA awarded him its Whitney Young Award in 2015. As a Nordstrom manager, he ensured that people of color were hired and employees of all races were treated equitably and was a volunteer at Priscilla’s Helping Hands HUGS (Home Unity Growth Groups) program.
Jimmy Jews
Jimmy Jews
Jews broke the color barrier as San Bernardino’s first Black firefighter in 1971 and retired 25 years later, having risen through the ranks to hold the positions of a fire investigator, spokesperson, and finally, Captain in 1989. Jimmy passed away in November 2022, at the age of 79.
Jesse & Vicki Nichols
Jesse Nichols
Nichols was a business owner who founded Nichols Private Security and was a community activist who made time to help with Home and Neighborly Services’ weekly food distributions and serve as volunteer coordinator for the San Bernardino City Unified School District’s foster and homeless program and their Thanksgiving food distribution program. He passed in August 2021.
San Bernadino Community Hospital
San Bernardino Community Hospital Administration and Staff
Community Hospital has been serving Inland Empire residents for more than 100 years. As a not-for-profit, non-denominational hospital, its mission is building a healthier community and serving the needs of a diverse population.
June Collison
June Collison has served as the President of the Community Hospital of San Bernardino since 2012. As the leader of this 343-bed acute care hospital, she is working to meet the demands of health care reform and the challenges of the local economy.
Roz Nolan is the hospital’s Chief Nursing Officer and Dr. Ruby Skinner is the Chief Medical Officer. With Ms. Collison, both serve on the hospital’s leadership team.
For additional information please contact our Co-Chairs: Kristine Scott at (909) 809-0317, kscott@socalgas.com, or Jim King at p:(760) 239-8200, / jimking5000@yahoo.com.
“This is a diverse event that honors Black, Latino, Asian, white and all ethnicities,” said LuCretia Dowdy, president of LUE productions, the event’s organizer. “All races and creeds are welcome to this celebration of unity.”
SAN BERNARDINO, CALIF. On January 14th from 5:00 to 9:00 pm, the annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Gala Awards is hosting a Red-Carpet Event at the San Bernardino International Airport. This year’s honorees are Wallace Allen, Wilmer Amina Carter, Danny Tillman, Hardy and Cheryl Brown, Jimmy Jews, Damon and Felicia Alexander and Darren Goodman.
“We are so happy to be honoring this year’s awardees,” said LuCretia Dowdy, president of LUE productions, the event’s organizer. “These people all have demonstrated diligent service to the communities they serve, helping to fulfill Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s dream of equality for all.”
The black-tie event will open at 5:00 pm with a cocktail hour and live entertainment that will regale attendees during the dinner, followed by the awards presentation. The airport is located at 275 North Leland Way, San Bernardino.
Felicia Alexander
Damon Alexander
Damon Alexander serves on the San Bernardino City Council, representing the 7th Ward since November 2020. He has also been the Chairman of the City of San Bernardino’s Public Safety and Human Relations Commission, the Citizens Advisory Committee on Marijuana, as well as the President of the North End Neighborhood Association (NENA). His wife, Felicia, serves as Member at Large on the San Bernardino County Human Resources Equal Opportunity Commission.
Wallace Allen
Wallace Allen hosts a radio talk-interview show, Empire Talks Back, on NBC affiliate KCAA and is the founder and publisher of the West Side Story online newspaper that covers news and events happening in the west end of San Bernardino County.
Hardy and Cheryl Brown, Cheryl is a former California Assemblymember and current San Bernardino City Library Foundation Board member. Hardy and Cheryl and Founded the Black Voice News and the Black Voice Foundation. Hardy was the first Black named to the San Bernardino City and Cunty School Boards. Hardy Brown College Prep, a tuition-free public charter K-12 school in San Bernardino, is named after her husband Hardy.
Wilmer Amina Carter
Wilmer Amina Carter served as California Assemblymember for the 62nd District and today is Director of Rialto-based Creative Business Services, Inc., She was the first Black elected to the Rialto Unified School District and served as district Director for the late Congressman George Brown for 21 years. Carter is the only living African American woman to have had a high school named after her, in her hometown of Rialto, Wilmer Amina Carter High School.
Danny Tillman
Danny Tillman is an information systems administrator for the County of San Bernardino Human Services Dept. and sits on the San Bernardino City Unified School District Board of Education, where he serves as the longest serving member and Board Vice President. He advocates for the success of district students.
San Bernardino Chief of Police Darren J. Goodman is one of the four Grand Marshalls for the 2023 San Bernardino MLK Parade and Extravaganza on Saturday January 16 on the WestSide of San Bernardino from Mt. Vernon to California Street on Baseline Ave.
The last two honorees both broke color barriers by becoming the first Blacks to be hired by their respective agencies. On June 16, 2022, Darren Goodman became the first Black chief of police in San Bernardino. He also served as the City of Upland’s first Black chief of police. His 31 years of law enforcement experience included 27 with the San Bernardino Sheriff’s Dept.
Jimmy Jews
Jimmy Jews broke the color barrier as San Bernardino’s first Black firefighter in 1971 and retired 25 years later, having risen through the ranks to hold the positions of fire investigator and then as spokesperson, achieving the rank of Captain in 1989. Jimmy passed away on November 17, 2022, at the age of 79. He will be honored posthumously.
Event sponsors include the Southern California Black Chamber of Commerce and Youthbuild Inland Empire Charter School.
“This is a diverse event that celebrates Black, Latino, Asian, white and all ethnicities,” said Ms. Dowdy, “All races and creeds are welcome to this celebration of unity.”
For tickets and to RSVP for the event, call 888-466-7408 or go to the Black Chamber of Commerce website, info@blackchamberofcommerce.org.
Redlands, Calif. Dr. Daniel Benveniste is a renowned psychologist and author of major books on the classic works of Sigmund Freud and Carl Jung, will deliver the 36th Annual Rabbi Norman F. Feldheym Memorial Lecture on Thursday, February 9th at 7:30 pm at 
