Maya Gwynn
With KVCR Public Media, I'm Maya Gwynn with Black Perspectives IE, a show where we learn about the amazing things members of the Black community are doing in the Inland Empire. My guest today is Vickie Davis, Commissioner of Workforce Development in San Bernardino County/ Founder of the city of Rialto’s Juneteenth Jam and the Entrepreneurs Expo. Thank you so much for being here, Vickie.
Vickie Davis
Thank you for having me, Maya. I really appreciate it.
Maya Gwynn
So the Rialto Juneteenth Jam will take place on Thursday, June 19, from 4pm to 9pm at Alec Fergusson Park in Rialto. What makes this year's Juneteenth Celebration unique or special?
Vickie Davis
This is a collective of over 25 different local nonprofit organizations who are on a call weekly for months leading up to this day, talking about everything from how do we get a stage to who can cook oxtails? It is just a whole family affair, because in the space where we're planning this, we just love on and appreciate the values and the gifts that each individual and each organization brings to the table, and then we figure out a way to amplify that, and it culminates in our Juneteenth Celebration. That's awesome.
Maya Gwynn
What does Juneteenth mean to you personally, and how do you hope that meaning is reflected in the event?
Vickie Davis
We all know the history factually of Juneteenth, but the spirit of Juneteenth is one of resilience, determination, and a desire to overcome whatever it is that is attempting to suppress or oppress us. And so having a Juneteenth Celebration led by so many people with such, you know, amazing stories of overcoming means to me that we're being successful as a community. We don't know how all the things are going to come together and happen, because it's not, you know, a hugely funded project, but we depend on each other, and then God makes a way. And then people call me and say, Hey, I heard you needed a -- and I'm like, I do need it. And they're like, All right, well, I got one. I'm gonna bring it. And so I'm just really thankful for the people that I get to interact with over the course of this process. And they make it special. They make it meaningful.
Maya Gwynn
Are there any local vendors or organizations involved in this year's celebration that you're especially excited to highlight and talk about?
Vickie Davis
I cannot do this event without talking about the Deborah Robertson Foundation, former mayor of Rialto. She really invested her vote of confidence in me and called me a couple of years ago and said, Hey, Vickie, we need this, and can you help facilitate it? And since then, she's just continued to pour into this day and this celebration, which is kind of convenient, I think, because Juneteenth is also her birthday. But for sure, the Deborah Robertson Foundation, for sure, my family's nonprofit organization - we've been providing residential care facilities in the Inland Empire for mentally ill adults for about 25 years. DEV Partnerships. There are so many from our DJs to our food vendors to our equipment people. We have flag football with Gary Walker and Tawan Green. Gary was a former Baltimore Ravens professional football player, and he's from Rialto, and he's leading that initiative. This year, we're adding a pageant, Miss Juneteenth. Yeah. So it's about the spirit of Juneteenth and overcoming and being resilient. And we have Sheila James, who also is from Rialto, and who was recently crowned Miss Grand Nevada 2025. And she's in the running for Miss USA. We have Fentwood hoops on the basketball court, along with Chloe Wells and our Dime League, which is a Pro Am Women's Basketball League right here, out of the Inland Empire. They've done a lot of work to get women's basketball kind of moving in the IE. Tri-City Church…
Maya Gwynn
Those are all amazing. And the people who are lucky enough to show up, they're all gonna see the hard work that you guys have done.
Vickie Davis
Yeah, it's an explosion of love. There's a car display, there's three-point shootout contest, there's women's self-care bags, there's jazz. I just got a call from a band called The Shenanigans, and they're a band led by teenagers, and they're gonna be performing. Girl, I can't even remember all of the things.
Maya Gwynn
What do you hope people, especially younger generations, take away from participating in the Juneteenth Celebration?
Vickie Davis
So when I was young, growing up, you know, in the Inland Empire in Rialto, my family and our neighbors used to do a block parties, and they would take all the kids in the neighborhood and put us into teams, like one from each age group, and we would do scavenger hunts. And go to our neighbor doors and be like, do you have 3 q-tips? Do you have a paper clip? And it really made an impression on me of what it feels like to have a whole community behind you and how important that is, and how crucial it is for developing parts of your personality and your character and your values. And so I hope that the love and the spirit of how we put this together comes across in the delivery, so that the kids and the young people who are there can get that same kind of nurturing and sense of community from it. And maybe, of all the hundreds of kids who come through there, five or 10 or one, will one day be like, You know what, I remember when I was young… and it'll inspire them to do something beautiful that carries on and that helps people and that keeps the community affiliated with the kids, because it takes a village.
Maya Gwynn
Yeah definitely. And we're gonna move into our rapid-fire portion. So if your work had a theme song, what would it be?
Vickie Davis
Aretha Franklin Rock Steady. Rock Steady, baby. That's my hype song.
Maya Gwynn
If you had to teach a master class or give a TED talk on a random skill, you have silly or serious? What would it be?
Vickie Davis
Serious would be empathy. Silly would be ventriloquism. Because I'm good at talking without moving my lips.
Maya Gwynn
What's your favorite IE restaurant or just like a landmark that reminds you of the Inland Empire?
Vickie Davis
You know Mama Helens in Rialto? Because just history, you know what I mean. And like family. And actually, Mama Helen is going to be the namesake of our trophy for our giveaway for our Juneteenth cook off.
Maya Gwynn
Wow, I love that. And most important question, how can people find out more about the event.
Vickie Davis
So I know this is a crazy thing, but everybody in the Inland Empire has my number. So my number is on the flyers. You can call me directly at 951-255-7382, I will answer any questions that you have and help you get connected to whatever portion of the event that interests you the most. You can follow me on Instagram at Vicki Davis Wellness, Vickie with an IE, V i c, k, i e, because I say you can't have Vickie without the I E or the IE without Vickie. Also, you can send me an email at blackontheblock.MissD@gmail.com. You can also go on our Eventbrite page at Juneteenth Jam 2025, and just sign up for general interest and see all the cool flyers and stuff that we have going on. But the goal is to make it as accessible as possible. The theme is always going to be, until I die and somebody takes it over and change it, It's a family affair. Because it really is, and so I wanted to feel like family.
Maya Gwynn
That's awesome. Thank you so much for being here.
Vickie Davis
Thank you so much for having me. You're doing an awesome thing right here, and I just feel really privileged to be on this platform with so many wonderful leaders that you've been interviewing in the community. So thank you for highlighting.
Maya Gwynn
Thank you so much. Vickie Davis is Commissioner of Workforce Development in San Bernardino County and Founder of the city of Rialto’s Juneteenth Jam and the Entrepreneurs Expo. Support for this segment comes from the Black Equity Fund at IECF, advancing racial equity and supporting long term investments in black led organizations in Riverside and San Bernardino counties. Join us again next week for Black Perspectives IE. For KVCR Public Media, I'm Maya Gwynn. Thank you.
