By Dianne Anderson Black parents and students are invited to jump into the collegiate mix and learn how to scale all those tall walls facing first generation college-goers. About the only big restriction for students is the one thing that almost everyone in the underserved community easily qualifies for. They must be low-income and the ...

By Dianne Anderson Writing out their frustrations, the youth of the UCLA Black Male Literacy Academy spent the last week pondering the regular prompts of their daily lives. The continuing pandemic, resulting in sickness or death in their families, and the financial strain are the reality of the times. Invariably, George Floyd and the endless ...

By Dianne Anderson Bringing out the basketball team brings out the fans, and let the games begin. LA Sparks NBWA members and the coach are coming to Indian Springs High School for a two hour Jr. Sparks Basketball Clinic event to help kids learn how not to lose control in life on a bad dribble. ...

By Dianne Anderson Even if their $100,000 investments involve fake money, the boys of the 100 Black Men of Long Beach count their lessons in economic justice as a game-changer. And, they’re not easily shortchanged. Coming up July 12-16, the program’s literacy academy covers the Closing the Wealth Gap series, and some of the finer ...

By Dianne Anderson Ask DeMarco Washington what the kids need more of these days, and the answer is gaming, which is one of his favorite things… but it’s not always about fun. When he’s not mentoring or working on a career in the fire service, he is thinking of new ways to lure Black students ...

By Dianne Anderson Kids having a tough time adapting to this strange new virtual world can soon see some old familiar faces, and feel closer to their second home at Akoma Unity Center in San Bernardino. Starting September 8, Akoma launches its virtual program with a curriculum that mirrors its typical after school program. Students ...

By Dianne Anderson Ask what Markel Cooper is doing lately, and he usually answers like any identical twin would — in the plural. “We’re working on our credential at this point,” he said. “We’re going to be teaching physical education, and we plan on getting our masters. We’ll probably get into athletic directing, then starting ...

By Dianne Anderson To get into the heads of the Z Generation, today’s most challenged teens, requires more than a one size fits all approach. It takes a lot of style, something that Sigma Beta Xi has more than enough to go around. Programming got off the ground six years ago, and since then students ...