Staying Focused on Freedom By Dr. Maulana Karenga This is a Kawaida position statement on rightly celebrating Juneteenth as a day of freedom as distinct from a day of unreflective Americana – red soda water, boppin’, barbecuin’, flag waving, etc. It speaks against fostering images of a darker version of the 4th of July without ...

By Dianne Anderson One way that Trudy Coleman approaches her Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. annual breakfast is to bridge the disconnect in the community, and draw together unlikely alliances. It also raises deeper questions and probably some eyebrows. This year’s theme, “Injustice Anywhere is a Threat to Justice Everywhere,” is a quote by Martin ...

By Dianne Anderson On any given Saturday, Trudy Coleman has been on the phone in recent months with fellow representatives from across 30 different states to collectively promote this year’s national Juneteenth theme of “Remembering Our Ancestors.” The tribute is all the more important because this is the 400th year since the first enslaved Africans ...

Teen Panel to Lead Conversations on Race, Ethnicity, Gender Identity, Immigration Status Let’s Talk! Ethnic and racial tensions and discrimination are raging in our communities and schools. “Racism is hidden in plain sight,” states a prominent student from John W. North High School. Other students assert: “Racism is one of the biggest issues… People don’t ...

By Dianne Anderson Redlands, not exactly known for its African American roots, will revisit its prominent past at the city’s first Juneteenth celebration, and honor the man who built and planned several of the city’s great landmarks. Long forgotten, or ignored, Israel Beal’s legacy takes center stage as a top of the line craftsman with ...

By Dianne Anderson When Delores Armour first moved to Riverside in 1988, she met community historian and civil rights leader Rose Mayes, who spoke of her excitement in going home to Texas for the big Juneteenth celebration. As a history teacher of nearly four decades, Armour said she was surprised that she had never heard ...