By Dianne Anderson Unplug, unwind, take a deeper breath with some time off from the political frenzy of the unrelenting loop, but first, indulge in a full immersion into the rhythm of Black excellence. On Wednesday, February 12, Irvine Valley College campus will liven up with a live drum circle, connect with the community and ...

by Dianne Anderson Long Beach, while known for its wide spectrum of diversity, still has a lot to learn when it comes to the history of the Black experience, a gap design that has played out in many ways through the decades. That obvious blindspot inspired Oba Totton to create the upcoming local Legacy and ...

By Dianne Anderson Soul food foodies, entertainment aficionados, and even health nerds will come from miles and miles around to experience this year’s headliners, VIPS and celebrity attractions at the Orange County Black History Parade. To keep the throngs full and festive, Dwayne Shipp said the best strategy was obvious. Food Fest ’25, from one ...

By Dianne Anderson Already picking up speed in several states, the early vote of those critical little bubbles on the ballot is set to determine the course of democracy in less than three weeks. Community activists say it’s just the start of what’s to come. Ernesta Wright of the nonpartisan G.R.E.E.N Foundation said at their ...

by Barbara Smith The Orange County Sheriff’s Department Homicide Unit was honored recently for their work in combating hate and extremism. In the face of record-breaking levels of hate and antisemitism across Southern California, ADL, a leading anti-hate organization that counters antisemitism, extremism and bias, honored law enforcement professionals in May at the Skirball Cultural Center in ...

By Elizabeth Wells, UC Health For Omar Morales-Haro, pursuing a public health degree while training to be a doctor just made sense. “When we’re in the business of helping people improve their health, we should be taking a step back and evaluating the systems in which we practice,” he said. Omar just graduated from UC Irvine ...

by Dianne Anderson If the community didn’t have enough to talk about at last year’s Juneteenth – this year should provide more than enough conversation to cover the latest threats to freedom and democracy. Across the Inland Empire, Orange County, and Long Beach, celebrations are honoring Black history by preserving the culture, and defending the ...

Gospel Voices of OC, an artistic concert in conjunction with Juneteenth, returns for its third season to Musco Center for the Arts at Chapman University on Saturday, June 8. Produced by Arts & Learning Conservancy’s Founder/CEO Debora Wondercheck and presented by Musco Center Presents and Chapman University’s Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, this year’s ...

By Dianne Anderson Anyone with any history with Donald Craig  doesn’t  have to think twice about some of his best qualities – he never met a stranger,  he  was always considerate and  never  stopped fighting for people in need. Even when times were hard, and up until last month, he was still on the phone ...

By Dianne Anderson Searching for equity in Orange County can feel like a needle in a haystack, but this month the spotlight on diversity is shining on harder to reach places. Trina Greene Brown, a leader in gender and racial equity movements, applauded the county’s recent initiative to reinstate an Office on the Status of ...