Front Page - Page 1032 of 1034 - The San Diego Voice & Viewpoint

SBA Announces New Initiative with Top Lenders To Help Veterans Become Entrepreneurs

Business

voice

-

May 22, 2013

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) announces the SBA Veteran Pledge Initiative, a commitment by its top national, regional and community lenders to collectively increase their lending activity to veterans by five percent per year for the next five years.

Oftentimes, veterans face challenges in raising capital or have trouble receiving a conventional loan. With the support of SBA’s top 20 national lending partners, and approximately 100 additional regional and community lending partners across the United States, SBA expects to assist an additional 2,000 veterans obtain loans to start or expand small businesses by increasing lending by $475 million over the next five years. This equals a five percent increase above historic veteran lending activity by the SBA.

The initiative also complements SBA’s existing partnership with the National Association of Development Companies (NADCO) VetLoan Advantage strategic initiative that offers small business financing discounts and training to veterans who own businesses or are interested in small business ownership.

“Our service men and women have made incalculable contributions and sacrifices for our country, and supporting them as they pursue their dreams to start or grow their own business is one of SBA’s highest priorities,” SBA Administrator Karen Mills said. “Through this partnership with national lending partners and regional and community lenders across the U.S., we stand ready to serve veteran entrepreneurs with loan-guarantees, entrepreneurial training, and resources that are critical tools to help them start businesses, drive the local economy and create jobs for themselves and their communities.”

Veterans make up a large number of successful small business owners. Nine percent of small businesses are veteran-owned. These 2.45 million veteran-owned businesses employ more than 5 million individuals. In the private sector workforce, veterans are more likely than those with no active-duty military experience to be self-employed.

Administrator Mills is announcing the Initiative today at Ft. Bragg, NC, together with representatives of the SBA lending community from across the country, the U.S. Army and transitioning service members who have chosen to participate in SBA’s Operation Boots to Business (B2B) Program, an initiative to train veterans and transitioning service members in business entrepreneurship.

SBA currently engages veterans through its 68 local SBA district offices, 15 Veterans Business Outreach Centers nationwide, and its partnership with 1,000 Small Business Development Centers and some 12,000 SCORE – Counselors to America’s Small Businesses volunteers. Each year SBA helps more than 200,000 veterans, service-disabled veterans and reservists. To learn more about additional opportunities for veterans available through the SBA, please visit the website at www.sba.gov/veterans .

NAACP Legal Defense Fund, Brown vs. Board of Education Anniversary

voice

-

May 22, 2013

0

NAACP Legal Defense Fund, Brown vs. Board of Education Anniversary

On May 17, 1954, the United State Supreme Court decided a case that changed the course of American history. In Brown v. Board of Education, which was litigated by the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, a unanimous Court declared segregated education systems unconstitutional, marking the beginning of the end of America’s racial caste system.

As we mark the fifty-ninth anniversary of that landmark decision, it is appropriate to reflect on the progress of civil rights efforts since Brown was decided. But some are now questioning whether American institutions should still use race-conscious tools to promote diversity and inclusion in education and beyond. That issue is being played out in Fisher v. University of Texas at Austin, the latest challenge to higher education affirmative action programs.

But what we have learned since Brown suggests that we should be asking an entirely different question: In light of significant progress through mighty struggles, and with American society becoming increasingly diverse, can we afford at this point to allow our institutions to go in the opposite direction?

The closing doors of opportunity in states that have banned affirmative action programs have made the stakes clear. After Proposition 209 in California banned race-conscious admissions, the selective institutions with the University of California system became more segregated. And Texas’ own history provides another reminder. During the most recent years when UT-Austin did not consider race in admissions and instead used only race-neutral efforts, the percentage of African-American students never comprised more than 4.5% of enrollment, despite making up 12-13% of high school graduates in Texas and over 10% of the state’s workforce.

The stakes are high not just for those who seek admission to college; all Americans stand to lose. For example, colleges and universities realize that declining enrollment of African-American students limits their ability to realize the educational benefits of diversity and is not conducive to training the leaders of tomorrow who must be able to navigate diverse workplaces and environments. The issues in play in the Fisher case could also impact K-12 education, where waning political will has led in part to a significant re-segregation of America’s public schools. These trends exacerbate ongoing problems such as gaps in fiscal and human resources, access to college-preparatory curriculum and student achievement, as well as racial disparities in school discipline—what we have come to refer to as the School to Prison Pipeline.

Ironically, these are the very types of problems that the litigation effort behind Brown was designed to address. And many of these issues are evident in the nearly one hundred K-12 school desegregation cases that the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund continues to litigate.

The persistence of these issues nearly sixty years later reminds us of the work left to be done. And it points to the need for America to do more –not less—to promote equity, inclusion and opportunity. This is especially true in higher education and the continued need for affirmative action programs. With the changing landscape of higher education institutions, and the perverse impact of the “new economy” on college access and affordability for all, especially children of color, the nation finds itself at a critical juncture when it can ill afford to lose a vital tool to opening pathways to opportunity. Doing so now would not only mean a change in policy – it would mean turning our back on the unfulfilled promise of Brown.

San Diego takes on Project Write!

Business

voice

-

May 22, 2013

0

With No Child Left Behind, schools and educators are forced to teach students to a test. This may not be where a teacher’s heart is, but schools face penalties if they fail to meet certain criteria. Meanwhile, many youth suffer from the creative freedom their predecessors enjoyed in learning. One of the foundational basics, writing, is becoming a lost art in schools across the country. But the birth of a new program aims to find this art in the souls of our youth.
Project Write is an ambitious new collaborative that brings underrepresented students from across San Diego together and teaches them the art of writing. “Our generation and younger generations, men and women of color – they are losing their creativity in writing,” reflects Prince Sefa-Boakye, political correspondent and writer for the San Diego Monitor. Sefa-Boakye shared thoughts discussed between himself and Ms. Cheryl Morrow, Editor for the Monitor – two of the founders of Project Write. “She said ‘The greatest writers in the world are not the ones in newspapers, the greatest writers are the ones who have no access – with only a pencil and a paper, and they create masterpieces.’”
Project Write will provide youth with a medium through which to express themselves. Sefa-Boakye presses that through the foundational skill of writing, youth will have a voice and the ability to accomplish a myriad of things.
“I didn’t always have a passion for writing. And generations today are experiencing the same thing,” says Sefa-Boakye. A San Diego native, Sefa-Boakye attended Coronado High School and earned a degree in social sciences with an emphasis in political science from San Diego State. It was during this time that Sefa-Boakye found his voice.
“I did an essay in high school for a speech contest. And I thought I would be bold to send this essay to Dr. Cornel West to see what he thought.” After just one week, Dr. West phoned Sefa-Boakye and praised his work. “If it wasn’t for him to look at my writing and offer his encouragement, I probably wouldn’t be here talking to you. That’s what I want to do with the youth here. That is why I am so motivated.”
Sefa-Boakye cited statistics displaying 50 percent of blacks and Hispanics in San Diego are dropping out of high school. He studied one school where the majority of students could not pass the California writing exam. “You have almost a majority of the student population dropping out of high school because they don’t have the proper tools to write. That’s a problem.”
Project Write will incorporate afterschool programs and workshops to engage students in writing. Led by industry professionals and educators, students will discuss topics and current events important to them, and then be given five minutes to write a reaction to the topic discussed. The timed writings will aid in students’ organizational skills and allow them to practice writing under pressure. After writing, more discussion will ensue, sparking debates. From the writings and discussions, students will be advised to write 500-word essays as homework assignments to be judged by instructors. This in turn, will allow the instructors to teach students grammar and how to connect to the reader, as well as developing their creativity and ingenuity. The students’ essays will be published in the Monitor.
“I like to call it a “breakfast club,”” says Sefa-Boakye. “We’ll sit down and talk about an issue. We want to talk about issues that matter from gun control to immigration. I believe that the youth today have something to say. I had a chance to talk to some of these kids and they are very knowledgeable about some of these issues.”
In addition to the writing component, students will be taught the basics of photography, and the interrelation of photography and writing. “We’re teaching the kids that they can use photography to promote writing. We’re giving these kids a voice and a professional photography space,” says Sefa-Boakye.
The students will receive copies of their published works, and Sefa-Boakye hopes to build their confidence through this measure. “Writing enables them to have a voice and be able to accomplish things. It has opened so many doors for me and now I want to influence kids to write.”
Currently Project Write is working towards impacting high school students, and soon, middle school students. Still working on the exact target market, Project Write hopes to expand throughout San Diego and Boston, where Sefa-Boakye is currently based.
Project Write’s website is pending, but please stay tuned for more information.

“How to Write Grants that Get Funded”

CD

-

May 22, 2013

0

According to the National Council of Nonprofits, as of 2009, the IRS reported more than 1.1 million nonprofits registered under Section 501(c)(3) and more than 400,000 other types of 501(c) organizations. California has around 40,000. But as prevalent as they are, some nonprofits are struggling to qualify for funding. The County of San Diego, HHSA, along with Central Region HHSA Live Well, San Diego! partnered with UNITY in the Community and Nonprofit Management Solutions to assist nonprofits in Southeastern San Diego in meeting the requirements to gain funding needed to keep their organizations going.
The “How to Write Grants that Get Funded,” workshop had all in attendance eager to gain more information about how to become more sustainable. Sally Cox, workshop facilitator, led workshop participants through an extensive journey on the ins and outs of granting writing, and also shared the process from the funder’s perspective, from start to finish. After attending, participants were expected to have learned how to 1.) determine the advantages and disadvantages of grant funding, 2.) identify funders that align with their organization’s needs, and 3.) understand how to tackle each component of a grant proposal.
Workshop attendee, Noel Donahue of GRID Alternatives, a nonprofit solar company for low income communities shared “The workshop was an amazing step by step process. It’s important for us as program staff to have knowledge to assist those who write grants. We can now support the process and understand what they need from us.”
With over 50 people comfortably seated in the Malcolm X Library’s community room, Cox was able to create an intimate environment where participants spoke candidly about their nonprofit needs and what they were looking to further understand. “What I liked most about the workshop was where to find resources, how to structure a grant, the Do’s and Don’ts, and networking opportunities to help with our program. I am very excited about the ongoing grant support that will be provided to us, to support our efforts, and to give us the chance to work together,” shared Curtis Price of ZSL Foundation.
Ms. Zoniece Jones, Unity in the Community member, and president of Pazzaz, Inc., saw the event as a success, sharing “The turnout was excellent. It was kind of surprising, but it exceeded our expectations. It proved that those in our community really want to know how they can put their best foot forward when writing a grant application and highlighting their organization’s successes.” When commenting on the need for these types of workshops in the Southeastern Region, Jones went on to say “The main thing is that often times, we are the last to know about funding opportunities, and rarely, ever, do we have an opportunity to interact with funders. This workshop provided some invaluable information about financial intuitions and foundations about their nonprofit requirements. The goal of UNITY in the Community Southeastern is for our non-profits to have all the tools they need to be successful and sustainable. The first workshop brought together collaborative partners to learn the ‘nuts and bolts’ of the grant process. The second workshop will help build upon that foundation using real grants, so that they are prepared to submit grants that are competitive!”
Ms. Lenore Lowe, executive director of Nonprofit Management Solutions is grateful for the relationship that her organization has established with Unity in the Community. As a 30 year old organization, Nonprofit Management Solutions is a management support organization that focuses on helping nonprofits manage their organizations. Lowe explained how Unity in the Community helps to bring the organizations together through their own collaborative efforts, and that Nonprofit Management Solutions provides the infrastructure, access and lots of trainers. “Our idea was to try and continue to bring resources to Southeast San Diego and continue to promote collaborations.” Lowe shared that while the African American numbers are declining in Southeast San Diego, a core group of individuals and organizations that represent the African American community still exists. “The region is known for its deep relationships,” including its churches and organizations. “We have to be mindful and respectful of this role that the churches and organizations play,” she said, though at times challenging.
For more information on Nonprofit Management Solutions and their workshops, visit them online at www.npsolutions.org

San Diego Jazz Festival Premiere’s THIS WEEKEND!!

voice

-

May 22, 2013

0

San Diego Jazz Festival Premiere’s THIS WEEKEND!!

This weekend, San Diego will host one of the largest gatherings of music – The San Diego Jazz Festival. The three-day, star-studded event will feature marquee names and musicians from contemporary jazz and R&B performing classics and hits from today. This is the first 3-day jazz festival that San Diego will host and boasts a stellar line up as well as many activities and parties throughout the weekend.
Payne Pest Management, a minority-owned business and husband and wife team, has invested a great amount of time and money to put on this monumental 3-day event. There have been several Jazz festivals held in San Diego in the past, including the Cool Jazz Festival held in the 1980s that took place in the Downtown San Diego, Gaslamp area. Radio station Smooth Jazz 98.1 also held Jazz festivals in the past, but none on the scale of the one slated for this weekend.
This festival will include Charlie Wilson, Kem and Dominic Amato headlining on Friday night, May 24; Brian Culbertson, Ledisi, Jonathan Butler, Sheila E. and Elan Trotman, Eric Darius and Larry Braggs, Kim Waters and Phil Perry and DW3 on Saturday, May 25; Brian McKnight, Will Downing, Norman Brown, Kirk Whalum and Rick Braun, Jessy J, Jonathan Fritzen and Michael Lington and Nick Colionne on Sunday, May 26.
The 2013 San Diego Jazz Festival features a sit-down venue which can accommodate up to 5,000 attendees, also the first of this magnitude. Internet radio station KKSDJazz.com plays almost exclusively Jazz and has featured 2-hour spotlights of each performer who will be performing in this year’s Festival in conjunction with their respective bios. KKSDJazz.com’s own Tayari Howard will be one of the on-stage hosts for this weekend’s Jazz Festival.
Additional sponsors of the San Diego Jazz Festival include La Costa Resort & Spa, San Diego Reader, 94.7 The Wave, RadioFree 102.3F KJLM, Lites-Out with Kelly Cole, Visit Carlsbad, The San Diego Voice & Viewpoint, produced by BTWconcerts.com, Organic Go Bean Green Energy Coffee, SmoothJazz.com Global Radio, Jadar Entertainment and kr@pr media.
The San Diego Jazz Festival aims to become an annual event and will bring additional opportunities for businesses of color to invest in their community.

Visit http://sandiegojazzfest.com/

Assata Shakur: FBI’s Most Wanted After Thirty Four Years!

Front Page

voice

-

May 22, 2013

0

Assata Shakur: FBI’s Most Wanted After Thirty Four Years!

WASHINGTON (NNPA) – When officials from the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the New Jersey State Police called a press conference to name Assata Shakur, a 65-year-old-Black women and political refugee living in Cuba, to the FBI’s Most Wanted Terrorist List, the move left many political activists puzzled.

Shakur is the first woman named to the list that also includes leaders of jihadist groups that have been linked to global terror plots. And she was added to the list 40 years after the crime.

Also known as Joanne Chesimard, Shakur was a member of the Black Panther Party and later the Black Liberation Army, an organization that called for the revolutionary change in race relations in the United States and believed that armed conflict was the appropriate tool for that change.

Shakur was charged and convicted in the 1973 “execution-style” murder of New Jersey State Trooper Werner Foerster on the New Jersey State Turnpike during a traffic stop. Medical and forensic evidence disproved the prosecution’s assertions that Shakur fired the fatal shots that killed Foerster or any shots at all.

Another trooper at the scene later admitted fabricating the story he told of seeing Shakur, fire shots from the passenger side of the vehicle, but she was still found guilty of murder. In New Jersey, being an accomplice to a murder is equivalent to actually pulling the trigger and carries the same life sentence.

During that period of turmoil, Shakur was cleared or judges dismissed the case against her in a half dozen trials and indictments against her ranging from armed robbery and kidnapping to murder. An all-White jury found her guilty of murder and assault during the trial for the murder of the New Jersey State trooper.

In a bold action, three-armed men helped Shakur escape Clinton Correctional Facility for Women in New Jersey in November 1979. Although the group took prison guards as hostages, none were injured. Five years later, Shakur reappeared in Cuba where she has lived since her escape.

On the anniversary of Trooper Foerster’s death this year, Aaron Ford, special agent in charge of the Newark Division, called Shakur a “domestic terrorist. That same day, the reward for her capture and return to the U.S. was doubled, from $1 million to $2 million.

“Justice has no expiration date, and our resolve to capture Joanne Chesimard does not diminish with the passage of time. Instead, it grows ever stronger with the knowledge that this killer continues to live free,” said Attorney General Chiesa.

According to news accounts, FBI officials said that neither President Obama nor Attorney General Holder had anything to do with adding Shakur to the FBI’s Most Wanted Terrorist List, although they likely knew of the decision.

Recently, demonstrations were held in more than a half-dozen cities in support of Shakur. In addition, Change.org has launched a petition drive objecting to Shakur being added to the FBI’s Most Wanted Terrorist’s List.

The petition to President Obama states, “This new decree, announced some 40 years after initial her arrest, gives open license and motivation for Cuban residents or anyone else to abduct Ms. Shakur and deliver her to Federal authorities to answer for crimes she did not commit. In effect, Ms. Shakur committed no crimes. The crimes in fact were committed against her.”

During an interview with “Democracy Now,” shortly after the FBI’s announcement, Angela Davis, a political activist and professor at the University of California at Santa Cruz, said that it was a major shock to hear that Assata Shakur was named to the FBI’s Most Wanted Terrorists.

“Really, it seems to me that this act incorporates or reflects the very logic of terrorism. I can’t help but think that it’s designed to frighten people who are involved in struggles today,” Davis said.

Lennox Hinds, criminal justice professor at Rutgers University and a member of the team of lawyers representing Shakur during the New Jersey State Trooper murder trial, said that the move was politically motivated and that placing her on terrorists list was misguided.

“We have to look at it in the context of what has just happened in Boston. I think that with the massacre that occurred there, the FBI and the state police are attempting to inflame the public opinion to characterize her as a terrorist, because the acts that she was convicted of has nothing to do with terrorism,” said Hinds during an interview with Democracy Now. “The acts that she was convicted of, if you look at the evidence, she was convicted of aiding and abetting, and therefore was present during the shootout.”

Davis called the continued pursuit of Shakur a “vendetta.” Davis added: “To represent her as a person who continues to be a threat to the U.S. government in the way that is described is, it seems to me, an effort to strike fear in the hearts of young people who would be active in the struggles that are represented historically by Assata and struggles that continue today.”

Since Shakur’s escape, the United States government and the New Jersey State Police have made efforts to push Cuban officials to return Shakur, but the two countries don’t have an extradition treaty, requiring Cuban officials to do so. Congress passed a non-binding resolution in 1998 urging Cuban officials to return Shakur and about 90 other fugitives that were believed to be living in the island country. In 1997, the New Jersey State Police wrote to Pope John Paul II urging him to talk to Fidel Castro about returning Shakur to the United States during the pontiff’s visit to Cuba.

In 1998, Shakur penned her own letter to Pope John Paul II, saying: “I have advocated and I still advocate revolutionary changes in the structure and in the principles that govern the United States. I advocate self-determination for my people and for all oppressed inside the United States. I advocate an end to capitalist exploitation, the abolition of racist policies, the eradication of sexism, and the elimination of political repression. If that is a crime, then I am totally guilty.”

Health Centers to Help Uninsured Gain Access

Business

voice

-

May 15, 2013

0

Health Centers to Help Uninsured Gain Access

By Maya Rhodan – NNPA Washington Correspondent

WASHINGTON (NNPA) – Kathleen Sebelius, Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services announced plans to provide $150 million to community health centers to assist in getting uninsured Americans prepared for the Oct. 1 opening of the Health Care Marketplace.

The 1,2000 Community Health Centers across rural and urban centers in America provide medical services to over 21 million patients a year. These centers serve in many of the neighborhoods that are set to benefit the most from the coming availability of insurance options that will be provided in the new insurance marketplace.

“We’re supporting community health centers as they reach out to those in need,” Sebelius said on a press call last Wednesday, the day of the announcement.

“Many of the Americans we’re trying to reach have spent their whole lives outside of coverage,” Sebelius said. “This will be a huge undertaking, but it’s an undertaking that’s important to the American people.”

The money, which comes from Affordable Care Act funds set aside specifically for community health centers in the 2013 budget, is set to help the centers hire new staff and train staff to properly educate patients about their insurance options.

Sebelius hopes the funds will also help the community health centers reach uninsured people within communities who otherwise would not have known about the insurance marketplace, their new options in terms of coverage.

About 60 percent of the existing community health centers are in communities where racial and ethnic minorities are the majority. Currently, about 21 percent of African Americans are uninsured, along with about 30 percent of Hispanics.

Mary Wakefield, an administrator at the Health Resources and Services Administration, said on the call that community health centers are “really perfect partners in outreach and enrollment efforts.”

“Those of us who are in Obama administration have been working hard to make sure that Americans that aren’t in the health system can get in, Wakefield said. “ We can now double the outreach and education capacity of health centers nationwide.”

Each community health center is eligible to receive about $50,000 in funds, with an extra $5,000 available for additional resources like computers. The funds provided to community health centers are a mere portion of the efforts by the Obama administration, mostly being rolled out this summer, to get information out about the Insurance Marketplace.

The goal—to reach as many uninsured people as possible to ensure the success of Obama’s huge, and often begrudged, overhaul of the health care system.

Community health centers are positioned to reach a number of the uninsured, given their reputation as “trusted community partners” for people on the fringes of the health care system. According to the health care officials about one seventh of the uninsured population gets treatment from community health centers.

Wakefield said, ““It’s about making sure every American can access the support they need.”

Community Profiles: Vernita Gutierrez Serving the Community as a Planned Parenthood Leader

State and Local

voice

-

May 15, 2013

0

Community Profiles: Vernita Gutierrez Serving the Community as a Planned Parenthood Leader

By Jennifer Coburn – Planned Parenthood

When Vernita Gutierrez was a student at Drexel University she went to a Planned Parenthood health center in Philadelphia to get no-cost birth control pills. At the time, she had no idea she would soon launch a career at the San Diego affiliate of the reproductive health care organization.

Today, as Planned Parenthood of the Pacific Southwest (PPPSW) celebrates its 50^th anniversary in the region, Gutierrez begins her 25^th year with the agency. She is one of the longest serving members of the staff that provides low to no-cost contraception, STD testing and treatment, lifesaving cervical cancer screenings, breast health, male wellness checks, HIV testing, education, community outreach and more. “When I was a patient, I always felt like Planned Parenthood respected me as a person,” says the 52-year-old mother. “I knew these services were needed and wanted to be part of improving health outcomes in the community.”

Gutierrez sites alarming statistics about the rate of HIV, sexually transmitted infections, infant mortality and other reproductive health disparities in the African-American community as one of the reasons she feels so passionately about her work as the Director of Community Engagement for PPPSW. “We [African-Americans] represent 5% of San Diego County’s population and 13% of its new HIV infections,” she says. “Planned Parenthood is committed to addressing health disparities through testing at our centers, education in the community, and political advocacy.” Gutierrez says she is particularly proud of Planned Parenthood’s partnerships with groups like the Faith-Based Action Coalition (FBAC), a coalition of health care providers, faith and community-based organizations that take a collaborative approach to addressing HIV/AIDS in the African-American community. One of the ways FBAC works toward this goal is through education about HIV/AIDS. “There is a real acknowledgment that we all need to work together to turn the tide, and I have great admiration for the work the group does,” she says. “Planned Parenthood has offered testing, education, and condom giveaways at several FBAC and other community-based events. “Working to improve the health of our community should not be treated like a chess competition, but rather as a jigsaw puzzle. Instead of competing with each other we all have a role to play and a piece of the puzzle to contribute to the complete picture.

Gutierrez began her career at Planned Parenthood of the Pacific Southwest as the executive assistant to the President & CEO, and worked her way up. “Vernita’s tireless commitment and passion make her an outstanding leader,” says Nora Vargas, Vice President of Community Engagement. “Her work helps create a better world for today’s young people and future generations.” As Director of Community Engagement, Gutierrez oversees a staff of five people who provide outreach and education through schools, churches, and community groups. Her team provides innovative programs for teen mothers and another for residents of Juvenile Hall.

“Teen mothers and young people who are incarcerated need and deserve support, and Planned Parenthood believes that access to health care education and services increases opportunities to live a positive, productive life,” says Gutierrez.

In addition to her work at Planned Parenthood, Gutierrez serves on the Community Council of the Black Infant Health Program, the San Diego HHSA Healthy Communities Central Region Leadership Team, the Board of Directors of Nu(me)r.a.l.s (New Me, Restored and Liberated Survivor) girls’ empowerment program, and the Board of Project New Village. She is also the Co-Chair of the Health Task Force of the San Diego Refugee Forum.

“One of the things I admire most about Vernita is how deeply she cares for people,” says Darrah DiGiorgio Johnson, President & CEO of Planned Parenthood of the Pacific Southwest. “Her compassion knows no limits and she is truly an inspiration to all of us.”

When Gutierrez is not working or volunteering, she is cooking for her friends and family and enjoys experimenting with new foods and new dishes. “Whenever I can, I visit the Project New Village Farmer’s Market to buy fresh produce and to support the farmers and other local folks who come out to sell their products.”

Retirement is still a distant thought to Gutierrez. She is looking forward to many more years of engaging and educating the community around social and reproductive justice issues to effect positive change “where I live and where I work.”

“I want to keep learning and growing and doing. If we don’t keep learning and embracing positive change, we fall behind, and eventually we go backwards.”

Grossmont College hosts Inaugural STEM Summit

State and Local

voice

-

May 15, 2013

0

Grossmont College hosts Inaugural STEM Summit

In response to the growing push towards increased education in the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) fields, the newly formed San Diego c, in partnership with the San Diego Science Alliance, hosted the inaugural STEM Summit last Friday, May 3. Hosted at Grossmont College, the day-long summit gathered over 150 industry professionals and educators passionate about the STEM educational track and how this track can bring about dynamic change and advancements in the San Diego community, as well as the nation.

The United States is currently ranked 17th in the world in education. Nationally, students in grades 1 – 4 receive only 2.3 hours of science instruction per week on average. The educators who addressed attendees on Friday pointed to this fact and urged leaders to take action.

“I go to data to create a real sense of urgency on why we need this,” said Assistant Superintendent of the San Diego County Office of Education, Debbie Beldock. “I want us to really think about where we are as a country. What we know today is that we’re not producing students who are competitive in the global workforce. We now have industries that are no longer coming to the United States to interview our students because they perceive that our students do not have the skills and knowledge to be productive citizens in a global workplace. That’s very, very scary.”

Ms. Beldock cited a report issued by the United States government dictating that in order for the country to maintain a level of technological prominence, it must produce one million more graduates from STEM fields than are currently graduating today. This problem is interrelated with educational equity. Educational opportunities are far from equal in the United States, let alone San Diego County. What the STEM summit also addressed, was the need to create opportunities for those underrepresented and disadvantaged youth.

“I believe it’s our moral obligation to ensure that every student, no matter what neighborhood they live in or what gender they happen to be, receives access to high quality STEM education. Think about not only who we are serving, but who are we not serving,” added Ms. Beldock.

The numbers for blacks earning degrees in STEM-related fields has declined slightly over the past decade. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, they received just 7 percent of all STEM bachelor’s degrees, 4 percent of master’s degrees, and 2 percent of PhDs in 2009. From community college through the PhD level, the percentage of STEM degrees received by blacks in 2009 was 7.5 percent, down from 8.1 percent in 2001.

Further, Ms. Beldock stated the definition of STEM literacy as: “a knowledge and understanding of scientific and mathematical concepts and processes required for personal decision making, participation in civic and cultural affairs and economic productivity for all students. That’s not about being a scientist or an engineer or a mathematician, that’s about being a productive citizen in our world.”

Also present, were several students of San Diego County schools who have benefitted from a STEM track, including San Ysidro High School senior, Sahara Astrop. Sahara’s passion for medicine pushed her to enroll in Medical Pathways, a medical program on San Ysidro High’s campus which includes courses such as medical biology, biotechnology, medical chemistry, human anatomy and physiology. This program allows students to discover career opportunities offered through a STEM education incorporating rigorous courses, field trips and other comprehensive learning. “These classes not only pushed me to grow academically, but holistically,” said Sahara. She has been accepted to Notre Dame and will study to pursue a career as a physician.

The STEM Summit comprised a variety of intense working sessions, speed rounds and panels ranging in topics including linking academics and real world STEM, the role of Next Generation Science Standards in Advancing STEM education and efforts to enhance STEM Teacher Leadership, and STEM Teacher Pathways.

The STEM Summit will become an annual event which will aggressively tackle STEM education, and work towards enhancing and availing such educational opportunities to the community as a whole. The National Research Council states, “STEM education can be an interdisciplinary or transdisciplinary approach to learning where rigorous academic concepts are coupled with real world problem-based and performance-based lessons. At this level, STEM education exemplifies the axiom, ‘the whole is more than the sum of the parts.’”

For more information on STEM education in California schools visit http://www.cde.ca.gov/pd/ca/sc/stemintrod.asp

Profiling Our Clergy: Dr. Emanuel Whipple, Sr.

voice

-

May 15, 2013

0

Profiling Our Clergy: Dr. Emanuel Whipple, Sr.

Calvary Baptist Church, a beacon in San Diego, has been a religious staple in the south western quadrant of San Diego for 124 years. It has survived the rise and fall of many churches. It has persevered and overcame the many trials and obstacles of finding new leadership. Three years ago when the current pastor passed away, the members at Calvary Baptist were once again faced with the burden of finding new leadership. Losing a pastor can be a devastating blow to any church, but when the Lord steps in and sends a man after his own heart the congregation can make a quick recovery. That is exactly what God did for Calvary Baptist Church.

In December of 2011 Dr. Emanuel Whipple Sr. took the reins of Calvary Baptist bringing his modernized east coast approach to Christian living and mixing it with the traditional roots of Calvary Baptist Church to create a harmonious atmosphere of praise, worship, and service unto the Lord. Convincing his minister of music, Kwan Debose, to relocate with him Dr. Whipple has added an east coast flair to the music ministry. Not only has his presence influenced the music, but his strong sense of organization and fortitude has impacted auxiliaries throughout the church causing them to revamp and refocus. His institution of a Children’s ministry and Noonday bible class have further added to the ministry opportunities and given the church more to offer its members.

Dr. Whipple hails from Mt. Nebo Baptist Church where he was the pastor for 18 years. He was 13 years old when he first felt a call from the Lord to move forward in ministry, but just like most he had his own dreams and aspirations. He advanced to grade levels and entered college at the age of 16. He aspired to be a lawyer, but God had different plans for him. Finally heeding the call of God Dr. Whipple dropped out of law school and entered seminary. His educational studies have awarded him four degrees in theology, one being a doctorate, and a degree in education. Dr. Whipple brings with him a wealth of knowledge, education, and experience that is sure to move Calvary Baptist to the next level.

The most obvious impact Dr. Whipple’s had on the church is the wonderful changes he’s made to the building it’s self. Not wanting to take away from the ‘Pink Church’ moniker that Calvary Baptist is known as he chose an interior design that goes well with the pink exterior. In 12 Short months Dr. Whipple has taken a church full of rich history and enhanced its beauty with a contemporary design. The new tile floors, painted walls, newly added choir room; counseling room, and the remodeled reception area are just a few of the renovation that have transformed Calvary Baptist Church into an edifice that reflects the many blessings God has bestowed upon them. Once all renovations are complete, Calvary Baptist will be a sight to see.

It is the church’s mission to evangelize the lost and empower God’s people to external salvation in Jesus Christ. Their vision focuses on the total needs of a man. With Dr. Whipple’s plan to open a crisis home for church members who’ve fallen on hard times, and to open schools to further natural and spiritual education their goals will be achieved. Although Dr. Whipple brings a more modernized approach to things, he is still a man rooted and grounded in the word of God. It is his goal to help the people of God move from the permissive will of God to His perfect will. He takes his assignment at Calvary very seriously and is grateful to God for counting him worthy to lead his flock into a new realm of service.

Profiling Our Clergy: Dr. William A. Benson

Religious

voice

-

May 15, 2013

0

Profiling Our Clergy: Dr. William A. Benson

Dr. William A. Benson, pastor and founder of Total Deliverance Worship Center, was a member of Greater Apostolic Faith Temple before opening TDWC in 2001. Before opening his church Pastor Benson was granted an opportunity to conduct a “lunch break” bible class at Balboa Hospital. Just as other’s were allotted time for physical fitness during lunch, he was blessed to be able to teach a bible class that grew into about 17 attendees. These midday work place teachings developed into what is the current day Total Deliverance Worship Center.

The church began as a midweek bible class at the Handlery Hotel with just four members from his class at work. Within months the church began to grow and they moved to a building on Broadway where they resided for four years. The church experienced a few more moves before obtaining the building they currently occupy at 2774 Sweet Water Springs Blvd in Spring Valley, Ca.

Through the ups, downs, successes, and failures of opening a church, Pastor Benson says his greatest battle was not being a native to California. “San Diego is a very close knit community, very family oriented,” said Benson as he discussed the difficulties of opening a church in a city in which you don’t have any roots. He was in essence the new kid on the block. Without a California lineage or connection it was difficult to get people to attend his church because he was not well known. Also at that time there were so many great Apostolic churches that were at their pinnacle and saints were happy with their membership. Not easily deterred Benson hit the streets of San Diego in the true spirit of evangelism to win lost souls for Christ. Instead of a church filled with saints that were quintessentially born on the church pew, he had a church filled with babes in Christ. He was able to witness the transformation from sinner to saint in many of his members, which fortified the “Total Deliverance” vision he had for the church.

Pastor Benson says his strength as a pastor is the fact that he has always been a community person. He’s had a crisis home since the beginning and also obtained a grant funded prison reentry program. Out his community involvement his own nonprofit organization, Stepping Higher Inc, was born. TDWC does all their community outreach through Stepping Higher. They operate a ‘women in crisis’ home, are one of the largest food distribution sites in east San Diego, are the head quarters of Feeding America for east county, and are also the training site for those desiring to open a food bank. Through these efforts it is Pastor Benson’s desire for TDWC to be known as a resourceful church. He doesn’t want to be known as a resource or just a church, but as a place where one can go to have their spiritual and natural needs met.

Through the course of managing the call on his life Pastor Benson has come to appreciate and understand the importance of having a mentor or role model. Having never met his father Benson is grateful for the Lord having placed several mentors in his life. “When God would elevate me to the next level he would prepare me a new mentor.” These mentors were male and female and provided exactly what he needed for each level. Bishop Henry Johnson, Bishop Robert Douglas, Bishop Mcgriff, Bishop Swancey, Bishop House, Overseer Pat Mckinstry, Dr. Iona Lot, and Bishop Charles Taylor, were instrumental in the success of his ministry. “Find out who you are, and don’t change,” are words of wisdom given by Bishop Johnson. Although Bishop has gone on to be with the Lord, Pastor Benson still finds himself gravitating back toward those words whenever he feels like his methods are not working and he considers changing it up. Bishop Johnson’s words remind him to remain true to who he is.

Members of TDWC describe Pastor Benson as a down to earth pastor. “He never sugar coats his past, never tries to be something he’s not, he’s very approachable, teaches realistic application of biblical principles, and gives you an opportunity to be used by God,” are just a few things the members have to say about him. Pastor Benson understands the need for a balanced life and encourages everyone to not neglect family for the sake of the church, but to make family a priority. Some would think that in such a large church the pastor would be out of touch with the needs of the people, or unreachable, but not Pastor Benson. He makes himself available as much as possible and the people really feel as though they can go to him when needed.

On Sunday mornings at 10:45am the sanctuary fills members who’ve come in anticipation of a great move of God. They expect the praise team to sing to the glory of God, they expect the musicians to play skillfully and with the anointing of God. They expect to dance in the aisles and they expect to hear from the Lord, but most of all they expect to leave different than how they came in. No matter how large TDWC becomes it will always be a church where the presence of God is welcomed and allowed to reign. The truth of the word of God will always be preached. It will always be a place of praise and worship. It will always be a place of total deliverance.

The San Diego Chapter of the NAACP’s AGC Victory

Politics

voice

-

May 13, 2013

0

The San Diego Chapter of the NAACP’s AGC Victory

It is surprising how little has been said about the local National Association for the Advancement of Colored People’s (NAACP) court victory over the Association of General Contractors (AGC). For years, the local chapter of this basically “white” contractor’s association has fought every effort to give any percentage of local government contracts to so called “minority” contractors. The Court of Appeals ruling upholding; race and sex based preferences to African Americans, Native Americans, Asian-Pacific Americans and women owned firms on certain transportation contracts by the California Department of Transportation (CAL-Trans) should be considered a opening of doors to such contracting that have been virtually closed to the named groups in recent years. Small business owners should be looking very closely at all contracting agencies from the state to the county, to the cities within the county of San Diego and especially to the City of San Diego itself, which has new leadership in purchasing, thanks to Mayor Bob Filner.

This is a good time for the affected communities to take a close look at how they might partner with the local NAACP Chapter in similar law suits to stop some of the turning back of the clock on Civil Rights gains currently underway. For example in the 1970’s the City of San Diego’s Police Department found itself under a consent decree because of the lack of minority police officers. Today after having experienced Blacks at all levels of the San Diego Police Department, including a Deputy Chief, there appears to be no recruitment efforts to replace those officers who are leaving or have left the department through attrition; will it take legal action to make this chief of police address the issue? Today, claims of discrimination in the work place are no longer as easy to litigate as they once were because of the shifting of the burden of proof to the victim in many cases. Who is speaking up to tell African Americans that the bringing of “wrongful termination” action in the workplace represents an effective alternative, if the case can be made. Now is the time to look at all contracting entities and work place complaints and make it known that court action is still an option of the NAACP and that the people who support the organization are not afraid to finance such litigation, if necessary. We must remember as Thomas Jefferson said that “Eternal vigilance is the price of freedom.” Let’s not go to sleep on our victories.