Written by Walena Logan Photo by Walena Logan The Southern California Coalition of the National Council of Negro Women, Inc. (SCC-NCNW) recently held the annual Black Family Reunion at the historic SoCal Council House, located at 3720 West 54th Street, in Los Angeles. Since its inception in 1986, the Black Family Reunion has served as ...

by Barbara Smith As a client leaves Jaja’s African Braiding Salon, newly coiffed after an extraordinary day of immersion into the complicated lives of the braiders, she sighs, “It feels like I moved in for the day.” And for us in the audience, it feels like we have moved in too. From the very first ...

Born and raised in the United States, Ghattas Khoury has always felt a deep connection to his Jordanian heritage. At Chaffey Adult School’s 4th Annual Multicultural Fair on March 8, he volunteered at a booth showcasing traditional clothing, books and artifacts from Jordan and the Arab region. His message was simple yet powerful: “Be proud of ...

African American art is infused with African, Caribbean, and the Black American lived experiences. In the fields of visual and performing arts, literature, fashion, folklore, language, film, music, architecture, culinary and other forms of cultural expression, the African American influence has been paramount. African American artists have used art to preserve history and community memory ...

By Dianne Anderson Young activists, students and staff are keeping the lines of communication open at the upcoming second annual Chaffey College event, where the crux of discussions focus on possible solutions to systemic failure. “This is far-reaching, not just for our students, but also for the community. We really focused on the bridge, faculty, ...

Visitors packed the Anthropology Museum on Sept. 21 at Cal State San Bernardino to mark the formal opening of the new exhibition, “Afróntalo,” which directs the focus on the often-underrepresented and overlooked history and culture of Mexico’s Afro-descendent communities. “‘Afróntalo’ represents a unique and invaluable effort to shed light on the often-underrepresented narratives of the ...

Five years ago, Roryana Bowman moved with her two children and partner from her hometown of Columbus, Ohio to California, with plans to complete her degree in American Sign Language. “I’m passionate about the deaf community. I’m passionate about sign language. I want to be an ally to the deaf community,” said Bowman, interim coordinator of ...

Placing the Nguzo Saba at the Center By Dr. Maulana Karenga As we move once again into the month of December and the season of celebration of the good at the year’s end, Kwanzaa will again assume its rightful role as a distinct, definitive and defining African cultural presence at the table of these times. ...

By Daniella Masterson When this year’s California Assessment of Student Progress and Performance (CAASPP) scores dipped for students K-12,  it confirmed what educators at San Bernardino City Unified School District (SBCUSD) already knew: The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted learning across the board. The CAASPP test is just one measure of progress.  It is ...

By Dianne Anderson In coming to San Bernardino with her Ph.D. in hand in the early 1980s, Dr. Mildred Dalton Hampton-Henry held the beginnings of a novel idea. What if she could reach underserved kids and teens, and show them what it means to be successful – all at a time when local high school ...