By Dianne Anderson

Sitting silent and agonizing over all that the community lacks in money and resources is not the most effective way to spark change and reform policy.

This month, aspiring movers and shakers can learn how to get in the mix to advocate for their communities by serving on city boards, commissions and committees, which are always seeking more involvement.

It doesn’t take a lot of expertise, but it does take a lot of heart to rage against the machine.

To move Inland Empire cities forward, BLU Educational Foundation is calling on passionate residents to apply for classes and make a difference in their community.

Rakayla Simpson said the goal is to increase Black representation on school boards, on commissions and in elected offices.

“We understand levels and nuances when we’re talking about politics and political office that all these things are working together and intersected and connected,” said Simpson, Leadership Development Coordinator for the BLU Educational Foundation.

Attracting leaders and community members into as many positions as possible will help build Black political power. Ultimately, she said it would also form agendas that serve the Inland Empire to represent the best interests of the community.

Deadline to apply to the BLU for Civic Institute Engagement Black Public Officials Leadership training is March 18 at 5:00 p.m. Training supports Black leaders interested in running for public office or appointment to a public commission or board. Meetings monthly run on the first Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to noon, and the third Thursday from 5:30-8:30 p.m., ending May 16 with a culmination ceremony.

This year, they are looking to get some people seated, but whether on boards, commissions, or public office, the training will help with professional and personal development, and if desired, campaign development.

Meetings will drill down on specific impact areas for the Black community, including education, environment, energy, health, housing, economics and jobs. It also could overlap for those who may want to sit on boards and commissions to explore the big issues facing their communities, and possible solutions.

“We bring in experts in each of those areas, and educate the cohort on things to consider if you are going to run your campaign on any one of these policy focuses. We talk about Black community trends to recognize future [impact],” she said.

Simpson, who also went through the training, currently serves on San Bernardino’s public safety and human relations commission, and has served on the city’s charter commission.

Part of the training is to prepare the community for their role as commissioners and see what boards and commissions are currently open for election or nominations.

In San Bernardino, she said they have 14 commissions. Since the recent election, they expect Ward 3, Ward 6, and Ward 7 to open. She feels it’s perfect timing with so many openings, and preparing community members to represent the needs of their community.

For herself, she was surprised that commission work isn’t hard, but requires dedication. Her commission meets once a month for 90 minutes, mostly bringing comments and concerns for the agenda, and recommendations on plans of action.

Some commissioners go out frequently to community events, and keep their ears to the ground. Others go out a couple of times a month to attend their neighborhood associations.

“The more engaged you are in your Ward, the more it helps to inform your work on the commission,” she said.

After all these years volunteering, she said it’s still exciting and people can serve on commissions in various ways, and there are plenty of boards to use community talent. When she was a young child, she saw how her parents were involved in the community.

She feels it is an important commitment.

“We need action, it only makes sense that if you want to see change, you have to start with you. If it’s me, then it’s me. If it’s not me, then who? And, if not now then when?” she said.

Bronica Martindale-Taylor also serves on the San Bernardino Measure “S” Citizens Oversight Committee, which decides how tax dollars are spent.

She said meetings get even more interesting around which Ward will get the most money.

“What I’ve discovered through the process of trying to improve the community in different positions such as boards and commissions is that you have to have good leadership with the City Council. Your board is as good as your Council,” she said.

Over the decades, she has served on several commissions and boards, and said that most of all, community power means knowing how politics works.

“The reason why it always goes back to we the people, because we the people have to put people in or take them out if they’re not effective. We have to be educated to know what’s going on,” she said.

Each council person has a commissioner representing them for each Ward, and that particular commissioner also looks out for the interests of the constituents in their Ward.

Martindale-Taylor represents Ward 6, but she emphasized that it’s also about looking out for the betterment of the whole city, and sometimes commissioners must work hard to get resources to the neglected parts of the city.

She said now is the time for commissioners to get with their councilperson to see what their Ward needs. All positions and commissions are important, but she stressed that it’s just as important for councilmembers to work with their commissioners to improve their areas.

“We need to get individuals in this city that are not only going to work with the community to improve the community, but also work with the selected councilperson to make these policies come to fruition, to provide these resources to be utilized in their wards,” she said.

For more information on BLU Training, contact rsimpson@bluedfoundation.org or see www.bluedfoundation.org

To see more commissions and boards in San Bernardino,
https://www.sbcity.org/about/boards_commissions_citizen_advisory_committees