You're listening to 91.9 KVCR. I'm Rick Dulock. For the past several months, KVCR has been part of a newly formed coalition of news outlets in the Inland Empire known as the IE Journalism Innovation HUB and Fund. The Hub is providing resources and support which encourages collaboration between outlets in order to better serve residents consuming news in our region. One of the outlets KVCR is working with is Black Voice News, and I'm joined today by Stephanie Williams, their Executive Editor. Thanks for stopping by, Stephanie.
Stephanie Williams
Well, thank you for having me today, Rick.
Dulock
Before we get into the news stories, can you share a little bit about Black Voice News?
Williams Absolutely. I'm excited to have an opportunity to do that. Black Voice News has served the inland region for more than five decades, and we primarily focus on solutions oriented, data enhanced reporting. And as I know you're aware, over the years, our community reporters have commented and chronicled some of the most important stories impacting the lives of black Californians and the inland region.
Dulock
Well, thanks for the history, and now please share some of what Black Voice News has covered in the last week or so.
Williams
I'd like to begin with an op-ed by Hardy Brown, Sr. titled, God is Calling Us Out: Is the USA Now a Ku Klux Klan Country? in his op-ed, Brown focuses on Reverend Al Smith's sermon that emphasized the importance of sharing faith and heritage with the younger generation, tying it to the current predicament faced by so many in the country today. Brown shares his experience of living in America for 83 years, including the murder of his uncle in North Carolina in 1942, which was covered up due to the Jim Crow laws that existed at that time. Brown sees similarities between the Ku Klux Klan actions in the past and the current ICE raids. He further warns against allowing the U.S. to become a Ku Klux Klan country again.
Next, I'd like to introduce you to Riverside Art Museum Curator, Lisa Henry. Henry, a curator with a master's degree in curatorial studies from UCLA, was hired as a full-time curator at the Riverside Art Museum after having served as a guest curator there for six years. She has worked as an independent curator and art consultant for institutions on both the east and west coast, and is passionate about women led and black led art. She currently has two exhibitions on display at RAM, including The Versatility of Pulp and Joel Sternfeld: On this Site. Her passion for contemporary art began in college, where she studied art history and worked in the on-campus gallery.
From there, I'd like to bring your attention to the Inland Empire Community Foundation's 2025 Summit titled Building Thriving Communities through Civic Engagement. The Inland Empire Community Foundation hosted the summit with a focus on building thriving and equitable communities. The Summit built on a report produced last year titled Vital Conditions for Health and Well Being, using its findings to analyze what core elements allow communities to thrive. This is known as belonging and civic muscle. The Summit featured panels and breakout discussions focused on community reconnection, understanding legacy, reclaiming and rewriting community history, as well as humane housing. And those in attendance had the opportunity to enjoy the wisdom of keynote speaker Angela Glover Blackwell, who emphasized the importance of civic innovation and community led governance, including people's assemblies and the need for mutual accountability and flourishing.
And the final story I'd like to draw your attention to this week is titled Inland Empire Faces Extreme Heat. And as those of you here in the region know, we experienced dangerous heat conditions in recent weeks, with record breaking temperatures in several desert and mountain communities. A heat advisory was in effect throughout the heat event, and officials urged people to stay hydrated and to limit outdoor activity during peak afternoon hours. There was a high pressure system over New Mexico that heightened the risk of wildfire and heat related illnesses, and a fire near Lake Piru forced thousands in the area to evacuate.
To read these stories in their entirety, I encourage you to visit blackvoicenews.com
Dulock
Stephanie Williams is Executive Editor with Black Voice News. Thanks Stephanie, so much, for coming in today.
Stephanie Williams
Thank you, Rick.
Rick Dulock
Support for this segment comes from the IE Journalism Innovation HUB+Fund. I'm Rick Dulock, KVCR News.