Colton Courier 03/30/23

C O L T O N C O U R I E R WWe e eekkllyy

H O W T O R E A C H U S H O W T O R E A C H U S

I n l a n d E m p i r e C o m m u n i t y N e w s p a p e r s

O f f i c e : ( 9 0 9 ) 3 8 1 - 9 8 9 8 E d i t o r i a l : i e c n 1 @ m a c c o m A d v e r t i s i n g : s a l e s @ i e c

By Christina Romero, community member

Be a u t y p a g e a n t s h a v e become a growing cult u r a l i n s t i t u t i o n i n diverse countries, taking many c u l t u r a l f o r m s a n d a r t i s t i c expressions involving symboli s m a n d c o l l e c t i v e c u l t u r a l a g e n c y i n t h e g e n e r a t i o n s

Community pageantry institute purposes deeply linked to the cities' cultural authenticity and identity The beauty in service is defining civic duty and comm i t m e n t , s e l f - d e v e l o p m e n t , and representation; there are no fixed boundaries

P a g e a n t r y c e l e b r a t e s t h e strength and commitment of

those willing to represent the community as goodwill ambassadors Judges choose symbolic representatives who represent the spirit of their locales and those that will nurture the civic s p i r i t a n d p r i d e C h a n t e l l e Angel Martinez, “Miss Colton 2022,” cultivates that authenticity for the City of Colton, CA Chantelle emphasizes the

importance of collective identit y : " I n o r d e r t o r e p r e s e n t Colton, I have to be a part of Colton ” (Martinez, 2023, p 1)

During her reign, she learned she could do more than she imagined with her title; she has developed a deeper civic iden-

By Manny Sandoval

J

C R a m o s (D-San Bernardino)

a n n o u n c e d t o d a y t h a t

C a l i f o r n i a ' s S t a t e A u d i t o r will undertake a review of w h e t h e r P r o p o s i t i o n 4 7 , approved by voters in 2014, has increased or decreased theft and drug crimes in San

B e r n a r d i n o a n d R i v e r s i d e

c o u n t i e s T h e a u d i t o r w i l l also examine the measure's i m p a c t o n r e c i d i v i s m a n d u n d e r r e p o r t i n g o f c r i m e s Ramos's request for the audit was approved this week on a unanimous, bipartisan vote of 12-0 by the Joint Legislative Audit Committee

Immediately following the news briefing about the audit,

law enforcement and tribal advocates gathered to share information and suggestions about how best to implement Feather Alert, a new public notification system, administ e r e d b y t h e C a l i f o r n i a Highway Patrol, to combat the state's growing rate of v i o l e n c e a g a i n s t N a t i v e American people, especially women and girls

A s s e m b l y m e m b e r R a m o s said, "We believe this measure has led to an increase in crimes, specifically property crimes in California A solid, professional review of Prop 4 7 ' s i m p a c t i s c r i t i c a l t o assessing what the impact has been in the eight years since the ballot measure's passage

As s e m b l y m e m b e r

a m e s

PHOTO MANNY SANDOVAL California State Assemblymember James C Ramos (center) pictured at the San Bernardino County Sheriff s Department with San Bernardino Valley College film students who successfully livestreamed Ramos conference on Friday, March 24th, 2023

Miss Colton cont next pg

Miss Colton

tity that involves an intentional and active presence, shared values, and collective cultural productions with the City of Colton Chamber of Commerce, nonprofits, small businesses, foundations, civic groups, corporations, The City Of Colton, etc She spends time reading books to children and accepted an invitation from the Rialto Unified School District as a guest speaker for the Girls Club, where she received a special note from a student saying she had a super corazón (heart) Ever heard of the phrase “A Little Dirt, Never Hurts,” this Queen is not afraid of getting dirty; she participates in cleaning community parks

Students catapulted into a new sphere of living; lost in the uproar, the transition into online learning was burdensome and unfamiliar territory; it became identified with the pandemic learning style A significant challenge for Chantelle was “thrust remotely into hours of lectures before a screen ” (Martinez, 2023, p 1)

Recognizing she wanted to avoid mismanaging her purpose, she took advantage of each opportunity to help her adjust While promoting her platform,

she attends the University of Redlands She is set to graduate in 2024 with a Bachelor's degree in English Literature, Bachelor's degree in Race, And Ethnic Studies, Minoring in Women, Gender, And Sexuality Studies; she is the Vice Chair of the Native American Student Union and program assistant of the Proudian Interdisciplinary Honors Program

Diverse trajectories of symbolic appearances by an appointed “Miss Queen of Colton” draws upon actively engaged processes beyond the passive citizenship framework

Veteran Mr Ramirez stated, “riding with Chantelle in the Veterans Day parade was a memorable moment for him ” Chantelle’s coordinator Erlinda Armendariz Rotary Club of Colton, Calif, “Chantelle loves being miss Colton She is always there when you need her and loves helping others in her community ”(Armendariz, 2023, p 1) Advice to future nominees,

“I would encourage them to become more involved with events and organizations We all benefit from the experience gained from becoming active participants in the Colton Community ” (Martinez, 2023, p 1)

Colton City Council Recognizes Youth Football Star s

by Dr.G (Dr. Luis S. González) community writer

On Tuesday, March 21, the Colton City Council recognized two student athletes, Colton Suchil and Xavier Sandoval, Colton High School seniors who were selected to participate in the Inland Valley All-Star Football Classic

Colton and Xavier were chosen among 77 All-Star football players across the Inland Empire Each year the coaches from every high school program in the county of San Bernardino come together to select the very best at each position Colton was selected as an offensive lineman, and Xavier as a defensive back

The All-Star Football Classic was held at the Colton High School Stadium on a rainsoaked Saturday afternoon

Hundreds of families, fans and friends came out to support the game, and cheer on their favorite All-Star player

IE Sports Net on Fox Sports Radio hosted the event, and offered excellent play-by play commentary to the action on the field Both Colton and Xavier were selected to play for the East All Stars, who defeated the West All-Stars 34-7

Of local interest was the fact that the City of Colton has not had any players selected to play in the Inland Valley Football Classic for the last six years This year we had two, Colton and Xavier Being selected by the coaches in the county not only means they represented Colton High School very well, but stood out as being among the best players in the county

At the Council meeting Colton and Xavier were recognized for this unique honor, as they represent their team, their school, and the City of Colton Congratulations to Colton Suchil and Xavier Sandoval for this athletic accomplishment May their future endeavors continue to achieve success

Ramos

and to determine if changes are needed That is the role of the State Auditor "

The audit will focus on statistics regarding Prop 47 crimes pre-2014 and post-2014, the impact of COVID-era public safety policies on these numbers, and the effects on recidivism in San Bernardino and Riverside Counties The audit is expected to be released in approximately six months

Supporters of the audit include San Bernardino County Sheriff Shannon Dicus, City of Redlands Interim Police Chief Rachel Tolbert, City of Rialto Police Chief Mark Kling, Sheriff's Employees Benefit Association President Grant Ward, San Bernardino Police Officers Association Vice President Jose Loera, Lauren Pettigrew Munzer, Crime Victims United Board Member, and Hispanic Coalition of Small Businesses Chairman Frank Montes

The Feather Alert, which became available in January, is a public notification tool to help law enforcement quickly notify the public about the disproportionate number of missing Native Americans and enlist their aid for timely leads to locate

victims and prosecute suspects

The California Highway Patrol activates the alert at the request of local law enforcement, and it works much like an AMBER Alert

Ramos said, "I am gratified that the governor approved this bill to help stop the violence afflicting California's Native American communities The Feather Alert will aid law enforcement and families in getting the word out quickly when a Native individual is missing or endangered by alerting the public in a broad and effective manner Creating an alert or advisory system was a top recommendation from tribal leaders in May to highlight this issue "

California has the highest population of Native Americans in the nation and is among the states with the highest rates of reported cases of Missing and Murdered Indigenous People

The Feather Alert has specific criteria that must be met before activation, including the missing person being an indigenous woman or an indigenous person, local law enforcement determining that the person is in danger, and information being available that could assist in the safe recovery of the missing person

According to the Sovereign Bodies Institute, only nine percent of murders of indigenous women in California have ever been solved The Feather Alert aims to stem the tide of unsolved cases and provide more immediate support when suspected abductions or other acts of violence occur against California Indian people who suffer a disproportionate number of those crimes

In California, the Feather Alert joins other special notifications overseen by the CHP, including the AMBER Alert, Blue Alert, Silver Alert, and general endangered missing advisory

Participants in the summit on Feather Alert implementation included tribal leaders from across the State, along with representatives from the San Manuel MMIP Youth Advocacy Group Law enforcement agencies that were present include California Highway Patrol AMBER Alert Coordinator Captain Ken Roberts, Merri Lopez-Keifer, Director of Native American Affairs in the Office of the Attorney General, San Bernardino County Sheriff Assistant John Ades and San Bernardino City Police Chief Darren Goodman

PHOTO MANNY SANDOVAL California State Assemblymember James C Ramos pictured with Jamul Indian Village Chairperson Erica Pinto Morongo Band of Mission Indians Chairman Charles Martin, Yurok Tribe Chairman Joe James, Picayune Band of Chukchansi Chairperson Janet Bill, San Manuel Band of Mission Indians Board Committee member Laurena Bolden, Strong Hearted Native Women’s Coalition Executive Director Keely Linton and Raven Casas of the San Manuel MMIP Youth Advocacy Group Law enforcement participants included California Highway Patrol AMBER Alert Coordinator Captain Ken Roberts, Merri Lopez-Keifer, Director of Native American Affairs in the Office of the Attorney General, San Bernardino County Sheriff Assistant John Ades and San Bernardino City Police Chief Darren Goodman

By Caden Henderson

The NCAA basketball tournament has supplied us with yet another month of madness In a year where a 16 seed beat a 1 and a 15 seed made it to the second weekend, it only feels right that the final four this year is the first one to feature ever not feature a team seeded 1, 2, or 3 Instead, the 9 seeded Florida Atlantic Owls vs the 5 seeded San Diego State Aztecs and the 5 seeded Miami Hurricanes vs the 4 seeded UConn Huskies will be the two Final Four matchups With these games featuring teams very unfamiliar with each other, there is a lot to preview and prepare for before Saturday

What a ride it’s been for Florida Atlantic They won their first round game

C a d e n C e n t e r T he Final Four Full Of Sur prises

vs Memphis off a questionable no timeout call but haven’t looked back since They defeated 16 seed FDU in round two before defeating a gritty Tennessee team in the sweet 16 and a red hot Kansas State group in the elite eight What has got them here is what can give them a chance vs SDSU; the long ball Throughout their run FAU has been able to hit 3’s in an efficient and timely manner Continue this, and they can beat anyone

Have their jumpers fail however, and they could go out in an ugly fashion For San Diego State, they’re probably the best defensive team left in the tournament They beat a red hot Creighton team in order to get to the final four and have really given their opponents little to no window to beat them I believe that defense wins championships, and that is

Water Bill Assistance is Available at Community Action Par tner ship of San Ber nardino County

Community News

Community Action Partnership of San Bernardino County (CAPSBC) is helping residents with their water or wastewater bill(s) through its Low-Income

Household Water Assistance Program (LIHWAP)

LIHWAP is a federally funded program that offers a one-time payment, up to a maximum of $2,000, to help residents pay their current or past-due water or wastewater bills they have accrued There is no date restriction for when the overdue amount occurred

San Bernardino County households may qualify for assistance if:

Their total household gross income is at or below 60% of the State Median Income or a household member is a current recipient of CalFresh or CalWORKs

They receive service from a participating community water system or wastewater treatment provider (private wells and septic excluded)

Renters may also qualify if: Their water and/or wastewater bill is included in their rental payment, and they are past due on rent

The application for renters will require additional steps as they

must complete an agreement with their landlord to apply for the benefit amount

Residents with Disconnect & Shut Off Notices:

Applicants who are in danger of getting services disconnected, or whose services have already been disconnected, can submit the application as soon as possible with all the paperwork to be processed for immediate assistance

Qualifying Amount:

Households that qualify for LIHWAP could reduce their water or wastewater charges, or both if their bills include both services, by up to $2,000

Once an applicant is found eligible, a credit will be applied to their water and/or wastewater bill within 45 days or less CAPSBC staff will send a pledge to the water company or wastewater treatment provider with the approved amount, however, this does not always stop or prevent disconnections if the non-payment process has been too long

To schedule an appointment, San Bernardino County residents can call 909-723-1500

Applications can also be submitted via fax, email, in-person, or mailed in

why SDSU is my pick to go to the championship game

To me, Miami is officially a “tournament program” What I mean by that is they step up their game like no other when it comes time for the big dance They made an improbable run last year as a double digit seed and have done it again this time as a 5 seed

The Hurricanes ran through the gauntlet path of Indiana, Houston, and Texas to get here and as a result are as battle tested as anybody If they can continue to have that “it” factor, they have a shot to win

As for the UConn Huskies, there’s no team in the final four hotter than this group They absolutely obliterated their elite 8 matchup, Gonzaga, 82-54 in a game I went into believing that the win-

ner would become the champion I still believe in that statement I think the Huskies shut down the U and advance to yet another national championship where they will take down the winner of SDSU vs FAU

March Madness has provided us with yet another years worth of clutch shots and unforgettable moments It all will conclude in Houston, Texas when the Final Four arrives at NRG Stadium on Saturday

This will then be followed by the championship game on Monday where we could see FAU, SDSU, or Miami get their first ever title or UConn add another trophy to their collection

Bewar e of potholes, and r epor t them!

Community News

The vexing thing about potholes is that they are most likely to appear during the time of year when they are nearly impossible to fix Repair materials do not bond well, if at all, when it's cold and wet

The snow and the rain that has been abusing the mountain communities is also abusing the mountain roads, so many roads are showing signs of damage with new cracks and potholes Public Works crews are aware of the damage and will begin making repairs after the roads dry out

Until repairs can be made, motorists are encouraged to drive with caution, watch the road, keep in mind a shallow-looking puddle can actually be a deep puddle, and report pothole and other road issues by using the SeeClickFix app

You can download the app at Google Play or the Apple App Store Get more information at the Department of Public Works website

SeeClickFix is free and it allows county residents to provide the County Public Works team with pictures, videos, and descriptions of road issues

The app also allows residents to request cindering on local roads and report issues such as snow damage or cars blocking snow plows The app can also be used to report flooding and blocked storm drains

The County is helping to keep nuisance traffic in check by promoting its No Snow Play on the Roadway campaign to discourage people from heading to the mountains with plans to pull to the side of a highway to sled, make snowmen, and throw snowballs at each other

The County will leverage billboards and social media to make sure everyone knows that road-side snow play can be met with fines and towaways

Striving f or g r eatness: Fir st-generation CSUSB student on the path to

Community News

She can still hear it more than 15 years later: “Mexican girls like Ally are made for house cleaning

not college ”

Ally Bledsoe’s second-grade tutor had uttered those words to her after she had submitted a “sloppy” handwriting assignment “I know I was very young,” Bledsoe says, “but I will never forget when I was sitting there and told myself, ‘No matter what happens in my life, I will prove her wrong ’”

She did

In 2018, the same year she graduated high school, Bledsoe enrolled at Cal State San Bernardino as a first-generation biology major She will graduate with her bachelor ’s degree in spring 2023 and is on the path to become a pediatric oncologist

“It’s very intimidating and it’s very scary,” she admits “I will be the first doctor in my whole family I have nobody to look to, so it’s all on me But it’s also very exciting ”

In her freshman and sophomore years at CSUSB, Bledsoe worked four jobs to pay for school and help her mother with household bills, while also taking care of her grandmother, who has dementia “It was very hard,” she recalls “But I managed ”

Luckily, she was the recipient of the CSUSB S L Gimbel Foundation Scholarship, not once, but twice, at $10,000 each “It helped me out a lot,” she says, noting that she was able to put some into her savings for medical school

While a lot of the financial burden has been lifted, Bledsoe is still hard at work, waking up at 3:30 a m to catch

the 5:20 a m shuttle from Coachella to the San Bernardino campus every Monday and Wednesday

“Even though I am very tired, I know that it’s going to be worth it in the end because it will pay off,” says Bledsoe, who works in CSUSB associate professor Jeremy Dodsworth’s research lab “All the late nights and early mornings – it will pay off ”

Her dream of becoming a pediatric oncologist stems from her love of children

“Seeing life through a child’s eyes is unexplainable It’s pure, it’s magical, it’s beautiful,” she says, adding that cancer runs in her family, which is why she chose to pursue oncology

“I want to help children from all walks of life,” she explains “I want to show them that there is life during and after cancer because I know cancer is very ugly I want to find a cure for cancer so no child will have to lose their childhood ”

Bledsoe says part of her motivation comes from those who have doubted her, including her second-grade tutor “What about getting a husband?” some family members have even asked “A husband is not going to get me my MD,” she responds “I will ”

A tough childhood also influenced her commitment to succeed Bledsoe was born and raised in an area plagued with gang violence, was raised by a single mother in a low-income household, and had a troubled father who was in and out of her life

Despite her barriers, Bledsoe has always been determined to achieve her goals, not only for herself, but for her best friend – her mother – as well as for her future children and patients

“I want to give my mom a good life, the life that she deserves,” she affirms “I want to be able to give my future children the life that I have always wanted, and I want to be the best doctor I can be for my future patients That’s what pushes me to be great ”

And pursuing higher education was the path she knew she had to take “I breathe education I breathe my major I need it,” she says “I knew education was the only way out for my mother and I ”

But that does not mean she plans to leave behind the area where she was born and raised In fact, she hopes to someday open her own pediatric cancer clinic in the Coachella Valley since one does not exist

“I want to provide that here so the child does not have to change their entire environment as a result of cancer, and the parents do not have to worry about paying for gas and missing a lot of work to be there for their child," she says “At my clinic, I want to be able to help every child that comes I do not care if they cannot afford it I refuse to turn them away ”

For Bledsoe, kindness and understanding are the most important traits in a doctor, noting that many people think that being a doctor just means being smart

“Yes, it is being intelligent, but I also think it’s about how you are kind, how you have compassion, how you have empathy,” she explains “You understand their needs and do your research so you can figure out answers to their questions ”

Soon she will be one step closer to her dreams and walking across the stage at Commencement as a proud, firstgeneration CSUSB graduate, where

more than 80% of its students identify as first generation

“CSUSB, I think, is the home of firstgens,” she says “When I graduate, I will be graduating with a lot of firstgenerations, so it will be a milestone for all of us and we will all experience it together Even if I don’t know them, we are still connected by being firstgenerations ”

And while she continues a fulfilling academic journey, she is also currently experiencing a deeply personal one –a journey of forgiveness

“Recently my father passed away,” she reveals “CSUSB provided me with therapy, which in the Mexican culture, that’s looked down upon I was raised to keep it inside I will forever be grateful and will forever be indebted to CSUSB

“My father has caused a lot of turmoil in my 23 years of life and now that he is no longer here, I am figuring out how to forgive him,” she continues “Out of everything I have been through in my life, this journey will probably be the hardest one I never knew how strong I was until I had to come to terms with forgiving my father without receiving an apology I am forgiving my father because I deserve peace

“I have learned that my story may not have such a happy beginning, but that does not make me who I am – it is the rest of my story It doesn’t matter how I started What matters is how I finish I truly believe that where there is darkness, there will always be greatness ”

CSUSB pr esident af filiates with Excelencia in Education’s Pr esidents f or Latino Student Success networ k

Community News

Excelencia in Education, the nation’s premier authority in efforts accelerating Latino student success in higher education, announced that Tomás D Morales, president of Cal State San Bernardino, has joined the Presidents for Latino Student Success network

This important national network is comprised of college and university presidents and chancellors who commit to making their institutions learning environments where Latino students thrive The institutions in Excelencia’s network are transforming higher education Through the network, Morales will collaborate with Excelencia to leverage collective expertise and resources, foster partnerships, and amplify current efforts at the national level

“I am deeply honored and proud to be part of this amazing group of leaders who are dedicated to providing an exceptional higher education experience

not only to Latino students but to all students,” Morales said “Though our campuses are located throughout the country, our goal is the same – create an educational environment where students not only succeed, but excel and are ready to lead our communities as the future leaders of our society

Of the thousands of colleges and universities across the country, the 175 institutions in the network enroll one in four of all Latino students in higher education

More importantly, these institutions account for one in three of all Latino graduates In fact, a subset of the Excelencia network – 30 institutions that have been certified with the Seal of Excelencia –represents 13 of all Latino enrollment and graduates 14 percent of all Latinos in the U S

Excelencia professionals, the leadership network, and their campus teams, actively collaborate to put evidencebased practices and strategic analysis of student data to use supporting and ad-

$3.8 million dollar s now available f or ar tists in River side and San Ber nardino County

by Cr eative Cor ps

Community News

Creative Corps Inland SoCal, a state-funded project of the California Arts Council (CAC) with regional arts organizations from Inland Southern California, announced and opened a request for proposals (RFP) to fund individual artists and community-based organizations to employ artists in Riverside and San Bernardino Counties The goal is to strengthen and further the creative workforce in and across Inland Southern California and to promote artist-driven projects that aim to spark social change on key issues identified by CAC $3 8 million dollars will be made available, with grants ranging from $10,000 to $100,000 given directly to artists and community-based organizations to fund creative initiatives and projects that address the most pressing issues in the region, including public health and pandemic

Inland SoCal

recovery, water and energy conservation, disaster preparedness and recovery, voter and civic participation, and social justice and community engagement

The Creative Corps Inland SoCal has already hosted multiple listening sessions throughout February across Riverside and San Bernardino Counties to inform community members and receive feedback from potential participants on ways to ensure the regranting process is equitable, inclusive, and transparent

Residents voiced their thoughts on the regranting program and provided area-specific examples of the key social issues identified in the grant that are currently facing the region All community insights have been incorporated into the grant program guidelines and process

“Listening to the voices of artists, people of color, tribal communities, and

vancing the talents, skills and contributions of Latino students and the institutions

“Higher education leaders with skills and vision are fundamental to our country’s strong recovery,” Sarita Brown, cofounder and president of Excelencia, said “Those prepared to engage and intentionally serve Latino students, while serving all their students, will lead the way ”

Excelencia is honored to work with the trendsetting presidents and chancellors who have accepted this challenge as the leaders in the network have made common cause with Excelencia to accelerate Latino student success in higher education, according to the organization

Cal State San Bernardino, a designated Hispanic-Serving Institution since 1994, is now the second largest HSI in California and the 16th largest in the country As of the fall 2022 semester, 67 percent of the CSUSB student body is Hispanic with the fall 2018 cohort of full-time, first-time freshmen having a

four-year graduation rate of 24 2 percent, and the CSUSB fall 2016 cohort of full-time, first-time freshmen having a six-year graduation rate of 54 3 percent

As an HSI, CSUSB has also shown its effectiveness in how well it serves its low-income students

In a 2022 Economic Mobility Index (EMI) ranking by the national think tank, Third Way, CSUSB was listed No 8 in the nation Unlike prioritizing selectivity and test scores like traditional rankings, the think tank took a different approach: They defined value based on how well institutions serve their low-income students, in addition to the proportion of low- and moderate-income students a school serves The report saw a group of Hispanic-Serving Institutions topping the list, including CSUSB

Visit the Presidents for Latino Student Success webpage to learn more about the network and other institutional leaders across the country affiliated with Excelencia

VA Loma Linda hosts Women’s Health Center open house March 31

Community News

those that are most impacted by health and environmental issues are critical to properly inform our approach and process We are not simply funding art projects

This is a pilot program for workforce development through the arts in the region This program will have a lasting impact on how we view art and how we fund and promote creative projects across Inland SoCal ” Jennifer Kane, Executive Director of Arts Connection - The Arts Council of San Bernardino County

Technical assistance programs, listed on the application, will be available to artists and applicants at no cost, through community mentors and workshops

Deadline to apply is set for May 1, 2023

Apply to the regranting program or learn more about the Creative Corps a t : creativeinlandsocal com

VA Loma Linda Healthcare System is hosting an open house event for the Women’s Health Center at 10391 Corporate Drive in Redlands March 31 from 2-4 p m The event is open to the public

Visitors can tour VA Loma Linda’s newest location, where women Veterans receive comprehensive care in an updated private setting The open house will feature clinic tours, interactive exhibits, and information tables

“We’re excited to serve the growing population of women Veterans at VA, with health care that is tai-

lored to their needs in a sensitive, respectful environment,” said VALLHS Women Veterans Program Manager Lisa Roybal “Women Veterans belong at VA ”

VALLHS Women’s Health Center opened in September 2022, expanding access for women Veterans by nearly doubling the space designated for women-centric care The 12,000-square-foot facility features 12 single-patient private exam rooms and two procedure rooms with dedicated patient lift systems The center has 17 front parking spaces, two ADA accessible, and 11 additional rear parking spots

The Women’s Health

Center contains the comprehensive primary care women’s health clinic, gynecology surgery service, and Women Veterans Program manager and team Regular business hours are 8 a m to 4:30 p m Monday through Friday

Our Women Veterans Program offers comprehensive healthcare services including primary care, gynecology, nutrition, mental health and more If you have questions about the Women Veterans Program or Women’s Health Center, please contact the VALLHS Women’s Health Center at 909-583-6765

For more information, visit Women Veteran Care | VA Loma Linda Health Care | Veterans Affairs

Transforming lives through education

By Eric Sandoval

In partnership with the IE Chamber of Commerce, the non-profit organization Think Together recently held its third annual Inland Empire Education and Workforce Readiness Summit on March 15, in downtown Riverside

The discussion for this year ’s summit centered on ways to improve education and workforce development in the Inland Empire, while focusing on increasing access to quality education, preparing students for the job market and creating equitable career pathways

The event welcomed over 200 guests from both the public and private sectors to collaborate In addition, the event featured Think Together alum, Diego Martinez who discussed his own success story and experience in Think Together ’s after-school program Hack Club

“After School programs like the ones I was able to participate in inspired me to dream big,” Martinez said as he spoke at the event

Martinez, who is now 20 years old began with Think Together during his Freshman year in high school

“I didn’t really have a clear sense of what I wanted to attain when it came to higher education,” shared Martinez He added, “Coming from a low-income family and title one high school, there weren’t too many positive reinforcements provided either ”

However, once he had the opportunity to join the vex robotics team offered by Think Together at his school West Valley, he was able to experience the engineering design process which he found interesting

Following his positive first experience with Think Together, Martinez was able to help get prepared for his future career and higher learning with workshops offered by the non-profit

“I was able to learn interview skills, develop my resume, and start looking beyond a typical career, and define where I want to go now which is the field of automotive within mechanical engineering,” shared Martinez

Following these workshops, Martinez joined Think Together ’s Hack Club as a student leader his senior year This position served as an opportunity for Martinez to start his school’s first computer coding club with the help of Think together

“By being able to engage with our students and teach them about one of the higher paying careers on the market today in computer science,

we were able to really set that bar and bring more equity and more S T E M careers into our lower-income neighborhoods and for our children,” Martinez said

Hack Club also offered him the opportunity to engage with the steering committee, which is a group of adult mentors who run Hack clubs at their site This led to the creation of the club’s hackathon event

The event allows all students to meet virtually and hack away at one issue for the entire day As part of the club, Martinez would co-lead its coding workshops

“Essentially how they(workshops) run, is they’re modeled to be easily digestible for students to understand how to program in the very essential sense,” shared Martinez

As part of these workshops, students were taught how to code in C-plus-plus, Html, Python and Javascript, which are some of the most common coding languages in the workforce today

“With Hack Club, I was able to gain great presentation skills in developing and presenting this information to our members,” Martinez stated One of his favorite moments as a Hack Club leader occurred when he was able to introduce Tommy Brewer, Think Together ’s deputy chief of innovation and partnerships at one of many Think Together events he participated in “Being offered opportunities outside of Hack Club with Think Together also provided good reinforcement and great professional development throughout my journey,” shared Martinez

One of Martinez’s greatest accomplishments with Think Together occurred when he was earned its Good to Great Scholarship, which is awarded to students that embody the organization’s mission of being odds-changers while persevering in school and being actively involved in their communities

“The Good to great Scholarship is amazing,” said Martinez “If there are any high school students that read this article, definitely apply to it if you’re eligible,” he added

In addition to receiving funding, Martinez was partnered with a mentor as part of the scholarship Martinez has used Think Together ’s resources as a way to develop and progress in his education and career, and as of now, he’s currently finishing up his final year at Mt San Jacinto, where he is hoping to transfer to a UC to pursue a major in mechanical engineering

PHOTO THINK TOGETHER Diego Martinez posing for a photo during his trip to Washington D C

PHOTO THINK TOGETHER Diego Martinez; Patricia Lock Dawson, Mayor of Riverside; Cathy Paredes, Bank of America IE Executive; and Randy Barth, President of Think Together

Inland Empir e student maximizes T hink Together’s r esources to pur sue car eer and higher education

Celebrating Cesar Chavez

“You are never strong enough that you don’t need help.”

- Cesar Chavez