By Dianne Anderson Statistically, the Black community runs two to three times more negatively impacted in every area of race bias in healthcare, education, housing, and have come to rely on events like the annual Juneteenth festival as a lifeline of familiar faces they know and trust. That may soon end as the City of ...

By Dianne Anderson All the backs of buildings and hidden places of Santa Ana became familiar territory for Pennie Mack, which was just like home for ten years until she got sick and tired of being sick and tired. She slept around the flags of the Civic Center for years, living on the walkway where ...

Cancer – A Silent Killer for Blacks By Dianne Anderson Cancer – if only it could rear its ugly head before someone hits the late stages when they can still receive treatment, and live. But typically, there are too few clues along the way. Sometimes, an unusual lump or a bump, but more likely, the ...

By Dianne Anderson When Yvonne Peeples first walked into the Heritage Museum exhibit featuring her mother, and all the early pictures taken with the movers and shakers of the day, there is one simple picture of her on her bike that is the most overwhelming. It was when she first moved to California. “I almost ...

By Dianne Anderson Like never before, the Juneteenth tradition is proliferating across the nation to show the world that Blacks in America, despite the worst of times, are still on top, still creating, and still vibrant. Since the celebration became a federal holiday two years ago, festivities are gaining momentum in the gathering, which Dwayne ...

By Dianne Anderson These days, politics dominate just about every major front of the social landscape, but Pastor Ivan Pitts expects that his long-time friend, Senator Rev. Raphael Warnock will preach on much more pressing matters at his highly anticipated visit. As part of the year-long milestone 100th anniversary of Second Baptist Church in Santa ...

By Dianne Anderson From humble beginnings, all the old landmark traditions of 100 years ago at Second Baptist Church in Santa Ana continue, even as what’s old becomes new again. With the development of a strong digital and online presence, membership is increasing at home, and internationally. During the worst of times, the church prospers, ...

By Dianne Anderson Nothing attracts community and business attention like tens of thousands in potential foot traffic. While COVID-19 put the breaks on most Black History Parades last year, Dwayne Shipp said their program pulled 13,000 out, according to the city census. This year, he expects attendees to reach about 18,000. “We have more businesses ...

By Dianne Anderson In this world, bad things happen. The why of it all is the question of the ages. Pastor Ivan Pitts, reminiscing about an old friend’s birthday, recalls the basis of Habakkuk’s entire argument about how the rain falls on the just and the unjust, why some get blessed, and others don’t. His ...

By Dianne Anderson Black men are being called to man up for an upcoming life-saving prostate health awareness event where they can freely ask – or anonymously write down – what’s stopping them from getting tested. This time around, no women are allowed. Rev. Gary McKinney said that before COVID-19, they averaged about 50 to ...