Community & Social Justice Episodes

Jocelyn Harris is Founder and CEO of Connections, Inc. Her organization helps bring joy to struggling low-income families in San Bernardino County. In this edition of SoCal Voices, Jocelyn shares how Connections makes a meaningful difference in the lives of people who need a helping hand. jollyconnectionsinc.com

LA County elected leaders and government officials have received well-deserved praise this year for returning Bruce’s Beach, prime coastal land in the city of Manhattan Beach, to the descendants of Charles and Willa Bruce. This comes nearly 100 years after the Bruce’s endured anti-Black harassment, and the Manhattan Beach city council unjustly condemned and seized the land through eminent domain, depriving Charles and Willa of their livelihood and the opportunity to pass down generational wealth...

Alicia Montgomery is CEO of the Center for Powerful Public Schools, a Los Angeles-based organization that helps educators create and sustain powerful public schools that prepare every student for college, career, and life. In this episode of SoCal Voices, hear how Ms. Montgomery and her team work to address the needs of students working to thrive in a system that was not designed for their success.

The Inland Empire Black Worker Center (IEBWC) serves as a resource to help address Black unemployment and under employment. In this edition of SoCal Voices, Community Organizer Dominique Dean shares the principles that guide IEBWC’s approach to helping workers learn about all the services available to help them carve a path toward higher-wage jobs in the water industry.

Riverside’s Gail B. Smith started working for Pacific Telephone/Pacific Bell (known today as AT&T) in the 1970s. When she was hired, she was Riverside’s first African American woman splicer and installer for the phone company — jobs that were held primarily by Caucasian men. In this episode of SoCal Voices, Ms. Smith discusses her experience being the first person like her in her workplace, the “nice nasties” she experienced from some of her co-workers, the support she received from others, and ...

Josh Giles is the super successful head coach of the Corona-Centennial High School’s boys basketball team. As coach of the Huskies, Giles’ long list of honors includes being named the 2020-21 Cal-Hi Sports Coach of the Year. He’s also known for his dedication to helping students become champions on and off the court. In this edition of SoCal Voices, Coach Giles shares how he came to basketball and the experiences that helped shaped his coaching philosophy.

The John M Pfau Library on the campus of Cal State University San Bernardino holds a digital archive honoring inland southern California’s Black history. In this episode of SoCal Voices, Assistant Professor of History Marc Robinson shares how “The Bridges that Carried Us Over” project came to be and his role in helping to preserve African American history in the Inland Empire. Resources: https://www.instagram.com/ieblackhistory/ https://www.facebook.com/IEBlackHistory bit.ly/bridges-projec...

Feeding America Riverside-San Bernardino CEO Stephanie Otero returns to SoCal Voices to share how you can be a real holiday hero by helping people dealing with food insecurity. Resources https://www.feedingamericaie.org

For a brief moment, it appeared that the pandemic’s severe impact on the restaurant industry would ease. As southern Californians began getting vaccinated against the deadly virus, infections, hospitalizations and deaths declined, and there was talk of a return to indoor dining. That moment didn’t last. Thanks to the Delta variant and — public health experts say — too few people getting vaccinated, it’s going to take a bit longer for LA’s restaurant industry to rebound. In this episode of SoCal ...

What does the future of inland SoCal’s economy look like? Is it all about warehousing or are other opportunities on the horizon? In this episode of SoCal Voices, Inland Empire Regional Chamber of Commerce president Edward Ornelas discusses what’s next for the Inland Empire’s economy and names the IE cities he believes are uniquely poised to thrive when the pandemic ends. Resources Social Media: @IERCC Website: https://www.iechamber.org

The US labor department recently reported that 4 million people quit their jobs in one month. It’s the highest number of resignations in two decades, and it’s happening as companies are requiring employees to return to the office after a year of working from home. In this edition of SoCal Voices, San Diego Workforce Partnership Senior Economist Daniel Enemark, discusses what’s driving this “Great Resignation,” and it’s potential impact on employers and southern California’s workers. Later in ...

The rising majority in southern California and across the nation is more racially diverse than ever. This group’s impact on society is becoming more evident every day. That’s a long overdue change for some but for others, the growth in numbers and power of people of color is perceived as a threat and continues to feed the racial divide. In this edition of SoCal Voices, Alex Jun, a professor at Azusa Pacific University and co-author of books about white cultural dominance, discusses the implicati...

With the guilty verdict in the Derrick Chauvin trial now behind us, what’s next in the push for equity and justice? Corey Jackson, founder and director of the Center Against Racism and Trauma (CART), and Janice Rooths of Anti-Racist Riverside discuss where we go from here in the continuing fight for equity and justice locally and across the USA. Additional Resources https://www.destroyracism.org Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/weareCART/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wearecart...

In San Bernardino and Riverside counties, over 400,000 people experience food insecurity. One in four children in the Inland Empire is food insecure and the pandemic has only made things worse. In this episode of SoCal Voices, Feeding America Riverside| San Bernardino CEO Stephanie Otero discusses how her organization helps feed people in need and what we all can do to help alleviate hunger. Additional Resources: www.feedingamericaie.org 951-359-4757 Upcoming Events: https://www.feedingame...

Rima Nashashibi is the founder and president of the Orange County based nonprofit GlobalHope 365, dedicated to ending harmful practices toward women and girls such as Child Marriage and Sex Trafficking. In this edition of SoCal Voices, Nashashibi discusses the factors that contribute to these abuses and what can be done to help end them. Additional Resources For help text: Be Free to 23733 National Human Trafficking Hotline: 888-373-7888 CA Coalition to End Child Marriage Digital Lette...

In this edition of SoCal Voices, San Bernardino native Brandon Watts, a first year law student at Howard University, shares his thoughts about the January 6 insurrection, double standards in policing, and whether equity can be achieved in America. Follow SoCal Voices on social media @socalvoices

The storming of the United States Capitol on January 6, 2021 showed the glaring and undeniable difference in how white and Black Americans are treated by law enforcement. The good news? Acts like these only push seekers of justice, fairness and equity to work harder and deepen their commitment to move this nation closer to truly living up to its ideals. Hear my thoughts about the insurrection and what needs to happen next. Follow SoCal Voices on social media @socalvoices Visit SoCal Voice...

The San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors recently adopted a resolution declaring racism a public health crisis. It aims to address long-standing disparities in housing, employment, criminal justice and more. On this edition of So Cal Voices, activist Grayson Bell shares his thoughts on whether the Board’s action can make a real and meaningful difference in people’s lives. Follow us on social media @socalvoices Additional Resources Blu Education Foundation: Bluedfoundation.org The ...

The murder of George Floyd while in police custody sparked protests against police brutality and renewed calls for social justice. While a number of major corporations publicly decried Floyd’s murder and recommitted to diversity and inclusion, other businesses remained silent. In this edition of SoCal Voices with Angela Ross, Rootwize CEO and Anti-Racist Riverside co-founder Janice Rooths outlines which path is best for business. Follow us on social media @socalvoices