WSSNews | Volume 39 No. 48

FONTANA, CA - The National Volunteer Council on Freedmen Affairs (NVCFA), in partnership with the Kaleidoscope Global Network, is proud to announce the 3rd Annual Reparations Sum- mit & Candidate Forum.

This landmark event will take place on Saturday, February 21, 2026, from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM PST at Loveland Church in Fon- tana, California.

This year's summit, themed "Re- storative Justice: Healing the Past, Empowering the Future," arrives at a critical juncture in the nation- al movement for reparations. "As a leader in advocating for the descendants of persons enslaved in the United States, the NVCFA designed this summit to bridge the gap between grassroots activ- ism and legislative action," said founder and NVCFA CEO Juanita L. Watson.

"This summit will inform, heal, and motivate for real progress in forming a more perfect union," said Rev. Chuck Singleton of Ka- leidoscope Global Network and Loveland Church.

He continued, "We are provid- ing a platform for the community to engage directly with candidates who are committed to addressing the unpaid debt and perpetual in- justices suffered by the American Freedmen descendant class."

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2026

3rd Annual Reparations Summit Comes to the Inland Empire

The keynote speaker is Chad Brown, who will share insights on his "radical, innovative, and cutting-edge' approach to social progress.

-By Carl Dameron

Event Highlights Include:

• Candidate Forum: A unique op- portunity to hear from and ques- tion political candidates regarding their stance on local, state, and federal reparations legislation. • Inspiring Speakers: The keynote speaker is Chad Brown, who will share insights on his "radical, in- novative, and cutting-edge' ap- proach to social progress. Addi- tionally, other renowned activists and scholars will facilitate engag- ing conversations about commu- nity impact and restorative justice. • Hybrid Access: While the sum- mit encourages in-person connec- tion at Loveland Church, a virtual Zoom link is provided to allow nationwide participation. To ob- tain the link register online.

The NVCFA's mission remains focused on securing comprehen- sive legislative redress for sys- temic inequalities in education, housing, healthcare, and civil rights. This event serves as a call to action for all community mem- bers, advocates, and allies to join the pursuit of justice.

Registration Information: Attendees are encouraged to re- serve their spots early via Event- brite for online and in-person tick- ets. Visit www.wssnews.com to get tickets.

SACRAMENTO, CA - Califor- nia State University, Sacramento, is now accepting applications for the 2026/27 Cheryl Brown Geron- tology Scholarship program. This initiative aims to support students pursuing gerontology majors and minors, emphasizing diversity and inclusion in the field of aging. Eligible students from the Black Honors College and those from San Bernardino and Riverside counties in the Inland Empire must apply by March 2, 2026. Scholar- ships award $2,500 to minors and $5,000 to majors, with students at all academic levels able to reapply for up to four years, pending ad- ditional funding.

The scholarships, established in 2024 by the California Commis- sion on Aging, address the grow- ing need for professionals trained to serve the aging population. Interested students are encour- aged to submit their applications

• WESTSIDESTORY NEWSPAPER
• Cheryl Brown Gerontology
• Scholarships Now Available

Cheryl Brown, former Assemblymember and former chair of the California Commission.

through the student portal and select the appropriate college or geographic option.

Cheryl Brown, former Assem- blymember and former chair of the California Commission on Aging, said, "I strongly encour- age people of all ages to take advantage of this opportunity to study gerontology and contribute to the well-being of older adults in California. After all, we will all be 'old' one day."

In recognition of the importance of diversity and inclusion in the field of aging, these scholarships aim to encourage students in the newly established Black Honors College at Sacramento State to pursue education in gerontology.

To apply, submit the General Application and check the Black Honors College option.

To continue, visit www.wssnews.com.