wss3-12-26

• Volume 39 No. 52
• WSSNEWS
• Sharing the Quest for Excellence

FOR DAILY NEWS AND UPDATES VISIT www.wssnews.com

Thursday March 12, 2026

Inland Empire Event Celebrates Legacy and Leadership of Black Women in Politics

• THE RISE OF AF
• RESPECT MY GROWN
• CAN WO
• ORNIA POLI

SBCUSD Honors SB Fatherhood as February Outstanding Community Partner

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WESTSIDESTORY NEWSPAPER

Women's History Month Spotlight: Minnie Cox

-By Perry Howard, Inland Empire resident

A Black Woman Ran a Post Office So Well That White Supremacists Tried to Drive Her Out- and the President of the United States Shut Down the Entire Town Instead

In the Mississippi Delta at the end of the 19th tion, supervising staff, and maintaining one of century, power was supposed to look one way -white, male, and untouchable.

But in 1891, the federal government placed a Black woman in charge of something the town relied on every single day.

Her name was Minnie Cox. And the moment she proved she was excellent at her job, the town's white power structure decided that ex- cellence itself had become a threat.

A Black Woman in Charge of Federal Author- ity

In 1891, Minnie Cox was appointed postmas- ter of Indianola, Mississippi - a federal po- sition responsible for managing mail distributown.

the most essential services in any American

At the time, the post office was more than a building. It was the heartbeat of communi- cation. Bills moved through it. Business cor- respondence moved through it. Government documents moved through it. Family news traveled through it.

Whoever ran the post office held real influ- ence and tremendous responsibility. Minnie Cox ran it exceptionally well.

Local reports described the Indianola post of- fice as efficient, organized, and dependable un- der her leadership. Residents trusted her work.

Mail arrived on time. Records were accurate. Service was professional.

In other words, she did exactly what the fed- eral government expected. And that was the problem.

Because Mississippi in the 1890s was deep in- side the Jim Crow era - a period when white supremacist laws and customs were designed to push Black Americans out of political and economic power. A Black woman running a federal office disrupted that hierarchy.

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WESTSIDESTORY NEWSPAPER

Inland Empire Event Celebrates Legacy and Leadership of Black Women in Politics

By Regina Wilson | California Black Media

• RESPECT MY GROWN
• ORNIA POLI
• CAN WOR

THE RISE OF AF

Felicia Alexander, San Bernardino City Unified School District Trustee, Dr. Gwen Dowdy-Rodgers, Pat Moon, Marla Matime, Councilwoman Stevonna Evans, City of Adelanto, Jamie Azpeitia-Sachs, Riverside County Board of Education Trustee, Mayor Acquanetta Warren City of Fontana, Hon. Cheryl Brown, 47th District and Hon. Deborah Robertson City of Rialto.

SAN BERNARDINO At the start of Women's History Month, community leaders, students and residents gathered in the Inland Empire to celebrate the legacy and leadership of Black women in public service through a screening of the documentary Respect My Crown: The Rise of African American Women in California Politics.

The event, held Saturday, March 7, 2026, at the San Bernardino Valley College Audi- torium, brought together elected officials and community advocates to reflect on the growing impact of African American women in politi- cal leadership. The program was co-presented by the Alexander Family Foundation, Young Women's Empowerment Foundation and Black Elected Officials (BEO) of California.

The documentary chronicles the rise and in- fluence of Black women in California politics, highlighting the challenges they have navi- gated and the leadership roles they continue to play in shaping public policy and community outcomes across the state.

Several Inland Empire leaders featured in the film were recognized during the evening, including former Assemblymember Cheryl Brown, former Rialto Mayor Deborah Robert- son and Fontana Mayor Acquanetta Warren ― trailblazers whose public service careers have helped shape the region's civic and political landscape.

film's director and producer Pam Moon, fol- lowed by an acknowledgement of dignitaries by former councilmember and BEO board di- rector Damon Alexander before the screening.

Organizers said bringing the documentary to the Inland Empire was an opportunity to con- nect California's broader political history with local leadership.

"The Alexander Family Foundation was hon- ored to initiate the idea of bringing the Re- spect My Crown film to the Inland Empire, celebrating the legacy of African American women whose leadership continues to shape policy and transform the landscape for African Americans and all communities," Damon and The program opened with remarks from the Felicia Alexander said in a joint statement.

WESTSIDESTORY NEWSPAPER

To Tackle Doctor Shortage in Inland Empire, J.W. Vines Medical Foundation Expands Mentorship Program

RIVERSIDE, CA - There will be a short- age of 5,000 physicians in the Inland Empire (IE) over the next 10 years, according to Dr. G. Richard Olds, the founding Dean of the medical school at the University of California, Riverside. The J.W. Vines Medical Founda- tion anticipated the problem 23 years ago and, in response, created The Elma Vines Summer Health Academy to recruit new Black doctors to the region.

The summer Academy mentors pre-med uni- versity students, providing a pathway to medi- cal school and a future career in the health care industry. Its ultimate goal is to address the physician shortage by increasing Black physi- cian representation throughout the region. According to UCR's research, the IE cur- rently has 42 primary care doctors per 100,000 residents, well below the recommended range of 60 to 80 per 100,000. The area is consid- ered one of the most underserved regions in the country due, in large part, to high poverty rates combined with rapid population growth.

This five-week paid program provides stu- dents with one-on-one mentoring from sur- geons, general practitioners, pediatricians, and dentists, as well as experience working with medical office staff.

Students are tutored in etiquette and medical professionalism, as well as the importance of confidentiality when handling sensitive infor- mation.

Students also receive instruction in creating and delivering medical presentations and de- veloping public speaking skills. Each student is required to prepare and present a weekly re- port regarding their encounters, observations, and knowledge gain.

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WESTSIDESTORY NEWSPAPER

California Anti-Hate Program Ending; Black Residents Still Most Targeted

STOP THE HATE. SPREAD THE LOVE.

A meeting of the California Civic Media Pro- gram Advisory Board was briefly disrupted last month when an unknown participant hi- jacked the Zoom chat and repeatedly posted the racial slur "I HATE N**GERS!" before moderators removed the messages. The inci- dent underscored a troubling reality highlight- ed in a new statewide report: anti-Black hate remains persistent in California, and Black residents continue to experience the highest rates of hate incidents.

Days later, the California Commission on the State of Hate released its 2024-2025 Annual

• BLACK
• THAN
• REPORT
• HATE

Report on Feb. 24, warning that hate activ- ity remains elevated statewide and that Black Californians continue to face disproportionate harm.

The findings come as California prepares to close its Stop the Hate program on June 30, 2026, after investing $250 million in public awareness, prevention and grassroots anti-hate work.

Assemblymember Dr. Corey Jackson (D- Moreno Valley) says combating hate across the state requires cross-community alliances, particularly for Black Californians who expe-

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By Edward Henderson | California Black Media

STOP THE HATE. SPREAD THE LOVE.

rience the highest number of hate incidents. "One of the critical things about hate is that in many cases, when hate arises against one group, that community is often left on its own to organize and defend itself. They're left try- ing to fend off the attacks and educate others about their own humanity," said Jackson, who spoke at a Feb. 24 informational hearing titled "State of Hate in California: Progress on Ad- dressing Hate in California."

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Continued from page 5

SBCUSD Honors

SB Fatherhood dren and families in our community," said SB Fatherhood Administrative Assistant Rose Tucker Berryman during remarks at the Feb. 17 Board of Education meeting. "We truly be- lieve, and research supports, that when fathers are empowered and engaged that children thrive and communities grow stronger."

The SBCUSD Board also presented the Out- standing Achievement Awards to students, par- ents and staff of Cypress Elementary School, Kendall Elementary School, Virtual Academy and Anderson School.

The Board recognizes Outstanding Student Award winners to honor excellence in aca- demics, athletics, fine arts, citizenship and most improvement. The Board also presents the Outstanding Parent/Grandparent/Volun- teer Award and Outstanding Employee Award to individuals who embody the district's dedi- cation to student achievement and well-being.

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