South Bay Community News by SPMG Media

News & Entertainment from the Community! Serving the cities that make up the South Bay in Southern California ! To Advertise, Call (909) 942-0388 Vol. 20 Issue 10 May is

Mental Health Awareness Month

Inside What’s Happening Around Town… ………………………..….2 Local Government……..…….3 Business & Finance ...……...4 Education & Sports...……...5 Arts & Entertainment……...8 Health & Wellness...……...10 Church News………………….11

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On Thursday, May 18 at 10am, Brigitte Williams-Champion will follow a tradition that dates back to 1885, when William W. Lowe became the first postmaster of Long Beach. Williams-Champion will raise her right hand to be sworn in as the new and first female postmaster of Long Beach at the Michelle Obama Library, 5870 Atlantic Ave. As postmaster of Long Beach, Williams-Champion is responsible for the management of postal operations in the 90744–90815 ZIP codes, which consist of 16 post offices, stations and branches in Long Beach. She oversees 728 employees who provide service to 63,000 street addresses and 14,846 post-office boxes. Long Beach is 50 square miles in area and is home to more than 460,000 people, making it the 7th largest city in the state of California. “I’m proud to represent the postal service and the community,” Williams-Champion said. “One of my postal goals that I thrived for since the beginning of my postal career was to become a postmaster over a large city.” The oath Williams-Champion will take is the same taken by members of Congress and other federal employees, with the exception of a president. The wording of the federal employee oath dates back to an amendment made in 1861 to the 1789 Oath Act, the first bill passed by the U.S. Con-

gress. Williams-Champion began her postal career in 1981, as a part-time flexible carrier at the main office station (formerly Florence station) in Los Angeles. She served in numerous management positions in the Los Angeles District, including manager of Sanford, Mar Vista, Downtown Carrier Annex and Commerce Station. She also served as the postmaster in Inglewood and Redondo Beach. She was appointed as postmaster of Long Beach on Dec. 10, 2016. She completed her undergraduate studies at Cal State LA. She holds a bachelor of arts degree and a master’s degree in business management from the University of Phoenix. She also has a special certification in human resource management. She is a member of the Long Beach Chamber of Commerce and is currently the recording secretary for the Arthur Ash Tennis Club.

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“people with mental illness” as if they are a foreign group few of us ever ay is Mental Health Awareness Month, and organiza- encounter. The reality is that mental illness is so common—so common, tions across the nation will be drawing attention to in fact, that a recent study claims that it’s a life unmarred by mental illthe various—and often-surprising—way mental illness that’s the real anomaly. ness affects people’s lives. This May, a number of new research findings According to the study, which followed people ages 11-38 and tracked highlight the need for increased understanding of, empathy for, and their mental health, a mere 17% avoided mental illness. Forty-one perrespect of people facing mental health issues. Consider the following. cent had a mental health condition that lasted for many years. FortyMental Illness is ‘Normal’

two percent had a short-lived mental illness. This suggests that, sooner People with mental health issues have long felt that they are different or later, mental illness becomes an issue for most people. Depression, from others. Indeed, discussions of mental illness tend to speak about anxiety, and substance abuse were the most common diagnoses in the study. (Continued on page 10) 1

Coffee With Carson Sheriff’s Station & Carson Mayor Robles

Save the Date: Coffee with Carson Sheriff's Station and Carson Mayor Robles Tuesday, May 23, 10:00 am at Starbucks 20806 S Figueroa Street.

SPMG Media 385 S. Lemon Ave. #E236 Walnut, CA 91789 (909) 294-7236 SPMGMedia.com spmgmedia@gmail.com Home of South Bay Community News, Inland Empire Community News, Los Angeles Community News, Authors & Artists Magazine & Christian Community Magazine Your Source for PR & Marketing Services and Community News & Events. Get this digital edition at http://www.issuu.com/SmithPublish Learn more at spmgmedia.net For Advertising and Rates, email spmgmedia@gmail.com. Forward your press releases, event photos, engagement or wedding announcements and other celebration info and photos to us at the same email above. Print editions will be distributed throughout service areas beginning August. 2015. Print editions will be distributed through service areas via local businesses. Annual Subscription mailed—$30 per yr. Publisher/Publicist/Editor—Gina Smith

CITY OF HAWTHORNE: MAY Council Presentations * An award was presented to the City of Hawthorne by Marilyn Lyon Environmental Services Analyst. The award congratulates the City for achieving platinum level energy leader status partnering with Southern California Edison and South Bay City Council of Governments. It was noted that $50,000 in savings has been realized in the Edison energy bill at City Hall alone in a year. * A presentation was given to Julia Lemus de Solares in honor of her 103rd birthday by her grandson Youth Commissioner Oscar Solares and her family. Mrs. Solares was recognized as the oldest resident in Hawthorne. She was born in 1917 and has lived in Hawthorne for 30 years. * Council Member Angie English spoke on behalf and a Certificate of Appreciation was given to the Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity inc. regarding their volunteer work providing free tax services to seniors and citizens of Hawthorne. The tax service was held at the Hawthorne Senior Center from March until April 15th. 141 tax payers were assisted. * A Certificate of Recognition was presented to newly appointed Youth Commissioner Ryan Christopher Richard

The Road to Business Conference hosted by South Bay SBDC aka El Camino College SBDC

Accounting—Enjoli Hall Marketing—Chris Smith, Amber Smith, Richard Hall SPMG Proud Member & Community Partners:

Obtaining financing is one of the many hurdles small business owner's face when trying to expand their operations. The Road to Business Credit Conference will explain personal and business credit scores, what loan programs are available, and what lender's are looking for when reviewing a loan application. Here is what will be covered: 1. In depth explanation of personal and business credit score and reports and the whys/hows to better manage your credit. 2. Overview of available loan programs including SBA lending 3. Lender's panel on lender requirements along with Q & A May 23, 2017 9:00 A.M. 4:00 P.M. Small Business Development Center 13430 Hawthorne Blvd. Hawthorne, CA 90250 Register Here - https://lasbdcnet.ecenterdirect.com/events/19029 2

City of Compton: The June 6 Runoff

City of El Segundo: The Future of El Segundo Panel

Compton voters go to the polls on Tuesday, June 6. I've answered some of the most frequently asked questions regarding the runoff election including vote-by-mail ballot deadlines, voter registration and more! Please read and share with your Compton family and friends so that come #ElectionDay we can finish the work!

Bisnow hosted “The Future of El Segundo” panel yesterday discussing commercial real estate market fundamentals, trends and what tenants want in the evolving work place. Key note speakers included Tim Harris, COO of the Lakers, Luc Robitaille, President of the LA Kings, and Suzanne Fuentes, Mayor of the City of El Segundo.

- Mayor Aja Brown Get your questions answered at Asked & Answered: The June 6 Runoff Election

City of Carson: City Council and Mayor Recognize Carson High School Cheer

Last month the City of Carson recognized the Carson High School Cheer team as 1st Place Winner in the 2017 Jamz National Championship. Special thanks goes out to the City Council and Mayor. @jawanehilton #cityofcarson #carson#cheerleading #cheerleader #c heer #jamz #jamznationals

City Approves Unpermitted Apartments to Combat Homelessness

City of Manhattan Beach: 39th Annual Older Adult Health Fair

Join the City of Manhattan Beach for the 39th Annual Older Adult Health Fair at the Joslyn Community Center (1601 N Valley Drive) on Friday, May 19, from 8:30 a.m. to 12 noon! The Health Fair, sponsored by the City of Manhattan Beach and South Bay Family Health Care, will provide Older Adults (50 and over) with FREE health screenings and the opportunity to visit with local and community resource providers such as Beach Cities Health District, Los Angeles County Public Health Department and Social Security Administration. No-cost health screenings include (subject to change): “Ask the Care Manager”, Anemia, Blood Pressure, Bone Density, Chiropractic, Cholesterol, Glucose, Hearing, Low Vision Consultation, Lung Capacity, Oral Cancer Check, Pharmacy Review, Vision, and Yoga Demonstrations. The DOPPLER TEST (Stroke Screening) will also be available for $20 by appointment only. Please call (310) 802-6177 Ext. 1112.

Hoping to boost the city's stock of affordable housing, the City Council agreed Wednesday to legalize some previously un-permitted apartments in multi-family buildings. Under the ordinance, which was approved on a 12-0 vote, landlords can rent out previously unapproved units, provided they offer an equal amount of affordable housing units at the same location. The ordinance stemmed from a motion introduced by former Councilman Felipe Fuentes in 2014 directing the Department of City Planning to propose options for legalizing unapproved dwelling units. Numerous studies have found that due to a lack of available units at all economic levels, rental prices have risen in recent years, making the city one of the least affordable in the country to live in. The approved ordinance is the latest in a series of moves the City Council has taken to address the issue. READ MORE

City Of Long Beach To Push Economic Inclusion And Continue Outreach To MinorityOwned Businesses With a minority-majority population of about 54% identifying as a race other than white, according to www.suburbanstats.org, it stands to reason that the City of Long Beach would analyze methods to assist minority-owned businesses.

an, Russian, Spanish and Vietnamese. Keisler said this feature is one of the more innovative tools in the country and received an award from the American Planning Association. As for other business support systems currently offered by the city, Seyed Jalali, economic development officer for the city, explained that none are designed specifically to assist minority-owned businesses but that outreach is strongest in communities with large numbers of small businesses that are minority owned.

“One of the things that’s very prominent in the city council’s blueprint for economic development is economic inclusion,” John Keisler, director of economic & property development, said. “Looking at our economic analysis from Beacon Economics, there is tremendous opportunity to support our minority-owned businesses to grow and suc- Jalali explained that the Small Business Deceed.” velopment Center and other assistance proKeisler said this renewed and deliberate fo- grams reach out to minority-owned busicus on economic inclusion is meant to devel- nesses in disenfranchised areas because op and implement a plan for increasing the they are less likely to be aware of them. He number and size of minority-owned busi- said the city also utilizes business improvenesses in the city. He explained that once ment districts (BIDs) to assist minoritythe economic blueprint is finalized, inclusion owned businesses, such as helping in the would be a major part of his department’s formation of the Midtown and Uptown BIDs. work over the next year. “Obviously, we have limited resources, so Some steps have already been taken to assist minority entrepreneurs in navigating the business startup process. Keisler explained that one major hurdle encountered by minority-owned businesses is a potential language barrier.

South Bay Los Angeles 350 Climate Action Group at the POLA Green Festival

the way we are going to [assist] is through alignment and collaboration,” Jalali said. “[We will] work with the DLBA, Bixby Knolls, all of these business associations that can sort of act as an advocate and be out there to promote and help deliver those services.”

“An example of how we are trying to reach READ MORE our minority-owned businesses is that we are trying to provide more navigators to assist people that might struggle with linguistic or cultural barriers,” Keisler said. BizPort, an online portal to assist entrepreneurs in starting and growing a business in Long Beach that was launched in October of last year, acts as a digital navigator through its translation into nine languages – Armenian, Chinese, Filipino, Japanese, Khmer, Kore-

Camp Lakers Presented by UCLA Health

From Wildomar to Rosemead, High Schoolers Get an Edison Scholars Surprise

Who: Boys & Girls, Ages 9-17 What: Day Camp, 9am - 4pm Where: Next Level Sports Complex, 12821 Knott St. Garden Grove, CA 92841 Session 1: Monday, June 26 - Friday, June 30 Session 2: Monday, July 3 - Friday, July 7

Last summer A.C. Green coached these hoopers to the title at #CampLakers! Camp is almost sold out! Don't miss out on your chance to learn from the Lakers this summer. Register today! CLICK HERE

When Promise Agbo, 17, was 6 years old, her “I promised my parents that when I go to colfather would often take her outside to look at lege, they won’t have to worry about a thing,” the stars in the sky. said Ramos, an aspiring teacher, as his fellow classmates cheered their support at a surprise Ten years later, she accepted an internship at assembly. “Now, with this, everything is reNASA where she was able to work on the Mars laxed. It makes everything so much easier.” Mission. Her idea: a hybrid spacecraft that once deployed would break off into a satellite This year alone, Edison International will give and land rover. Her idea was so good it was out $1.2 million in Edison Scholars awards. The presented to the NASA administration. 30 winners represent the diverse communities across SCE’s service territory, from Hanford to “I like to explore something that we never Newport Beach. knew about,” said Agbo, who hopes to one day work at NASA as a space flight engineer. “Ideas In Wildomar, Dylan Dickerson, 17, a senior can come to fruition. If you dream a good idea, at Elsinore High School, was recently recogit can come true.” nized as the school’s valedictorian. During the ceremony, he was also named one of this The Norwalk High School senior has a GPA of year’s Edison Scholars. 4.47 and has so far been accepted to 15 colleges. Her dream of attending Stanford came clos- As he held back tears, Dickerson — who hopes er to reality Wednesday when she was sur- to attend the University of California, San Dieprised at a school assembly with an Edison go and major in mathematics — accepted the Scholars award. $40,000 check and thanked Gaddi Vasquez, Edison International and SCE senior vice presiOne of 30 students to be selected, Agbo will dent, Government Affairs, who was on hand to receive a $40,000 scholarship paid over four deliver the award. years. Since 2006, Edison International has awarded about $7.7 million in scholarships to "This is just an amazing blessing,” said Dicker580 Edison Scholars. The program is funded son. entirely by shareholder dollars, not customers. Mike Bao, 17, a senior at Troy High School in In addition to academic success and financial Fullerton, was already doing real analysis and need, students must plan to pur- statistical mechanics at a young age. sue STEM (science, technology, engineering or With a $40,000 check from Edison Internationmath) degrees at an accredited four-year colal, his dream of earning a physics degree from lege or university. Applicants must also live in Harvard is now a giant step closer. or attend a high school in Southern California Edison’s service area. “I want to prove to the world that science is William Ramos, 17, is a senior at Don Bosco cool,” he said. Technical Institute in Rosemead. On Monday, “We keep the lights on, but we are excited to he learned that his dream of attending Califorget to do more than just keep the lights on,” nia Polytechnic State University, San Luis said Pizarro. “We get to recognize great stuObispo to pursue a degree in chemistry had dents and great dreams. Guys — go change become a reality. the world.” “I heard you have big dreams,” said Pedro Pizarro, Edison International president and CEO, as he handed him an oversized green, yellow and white check for $40,000. “William, you earned this, and we are very proud of you.”

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The Forum Tuesday, May 23 at 7:30 PM

TICKETS

Becoming Ms. Burton: A Conversation with Susan Burton

Monday, June 12 at 6:30 PM - 9 PM The California Endowment 1000 N Alameda St, Los Angeles, California 90012 Please join The California Endowment (TCE) and Susan Burton, author, activist and founder of A New Way of Life for an intimate conversation on women and mass incarceration. Susan will be in conversation with Healthy California's Director of Neighborhoods Mary Lou Fulton to celebrate the publication of BECOMING MS. BURTON: FROM PRISON TO RECOVERY TO LEADING THE FIGHT FOR INCARCERATED WOMEN Opening remarks will be provided by Dr. Robert K. Ross, President and CEO of The California Endowment. Free and open to the public! Copies of Becoming Ms. Burton will be available for sale at the book signing immediately following the talk. CLICK HERE FOR TICKETS

C-Breezy and special guests 50 Cent, Fabolous, O.T. Genasis and Kap G have performed in 33 cities across America. Their journey kicked off in Baltimore, Maryland on March 3 and will end in Los Angeles, California on May 5. Though some expected French Montana to join the tour, his name is not on the official poster Breezy shared on Instagram. Earlier this year, the

Jazz and Conversations on Youth Well-Being Thursday, May 25 at 6:30 PM - 10 PM LA84 Foundation 2141 W Adams Blvd, Los Angeles, California 90018 A cool relaxing evening of fun, networking, food, and entertainment to show that we care about youth well-being. Jazz and Conversations on Youth Well-Being is a fundraising event to support Sanctuary of Hope. Jazz and Conversations on Youth Well-Being will feature jazz entertainment by legendary Jacques Lesure, youth and young adult wellbeing thought leader panelists, and hors dâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;oeuvres. Tickets $50 (Ticket purchase is tax deductible) Contact 323-786-2413 for sponsorship or ad information. Purchase tickets online at www.thesoh.org/events/

Review of Singer/Songwriter Darcell's self-titled debut album Darcell Love this CD - Five Stars "I also met Darcel at Starbucks on Barrington.He approched me and told me about his CD. I purchased one that he had with him and wasn't disappointed. I love R&B and this is a great CD. Can't wait for his second one." - by mg4usc Music available on iTunes Learn more about Darcell at http://www.darcell.net/ #SPMGMedia 8

Mental Health Awareness Month

Blast the Sugar Out!: Lower Blood Sugar, Lose Weight, Live Better Because of all the recent information I have come across on how bad sugar is for all of us, I wanted to take a more in-depth look at this subject. Blast the Sugar Out offers a very comprehensive look at the subject. The author Ian K. Smith, MD, explains where the various kinds of sugar come from, and offers a five week program with weekly changes to replace some of our bad habits with good ones.

(Continued from Page 1—Mental Health Awareness Month) .. Gender Can Affect Mental Health Diagnoses Many of us have heard that 1 in 68 children are diagnosed with autism, but the overwhelming majority of those children are boys. A new study suggests this may be because providers fail to recognize the signs of autism in girls. The reason? Gender-based empathy conditioning. People with autism often appear to lack empathy or recognize social cues. According to the study, however, girls on the spectrum show outward signs of empathy. Researchers believe this is because gender conditioning to master social skills is much stronger in girls. So girls with autism may appear to understand social cues even when they don’t.

physical health, or discuss how one supports the other. This isn’t anything new. Philosophers, scientists, and laypeople of all varieties have been separating the mind from the body for generations. Research increasingly points to the link between the two. For example, some studies suggest that chronic inflammation may cause depression. Others have found that mental illness can affect physical health, or lead to symptoms of chronic pain. The role of exercise in fighting mental illness is well documented. People taking some chemotherapy drugs may be more vulnerable to depression, even when researchers control for the already depressing effects of having cancer. And a new study just linked consuming low-fat, rather than wholefat, dairy to a lowered risk of depression.

Worldwide, Depression is the Leading Cause The invisible line between the mind and body of Disability is imaginary. Our thoughts reside in the brain, and the brain lives in the body. It’s affected by The leading cause of disability isn’t cancer what we eat, how we spend our time, and our or chronic pain, though public health cam- overall health. paigns might make you think otherwise. According to data from the World Health Organi- Environment Matters for Mental Health zation (WHO), depression is the leading cause Much discussion of mental health focuses of disability worldwide. What’s more, it’s held on genetics, brain chemicals, and other biologthat place for many years. ical phenomena. It’s true that mental illness is Even more troubling, despite burgeoning biological, but that does not mean that all casawareness, the rate of depression is not es of mental illness are hard-wired. The envigetting better. Particularly in developing na- ronment can affect the behavior of genes, as tions, people often do not receive treatment the emerging study of epigenetics is making for symptoms of depression. And between ever more clear. Stressful and deprived envi2005-2015, the rate of depression actually in- ronments can alter the way genes behave, creased by 18%. triggering mental illness. For example, recent Mental and Physical Health are Inseparable research has linked growing up with food insecurity to an increased risk of mental health Media portrayals often talk about mental and difficulties.

The environment in which people grow up also teaches them how to handle everything from daily stress to serious trauma. People may learn depressive thinking from their parents, for instance, or they may experience trauma in early childhood that leaves them with lasting mental health difficulties. Mental illness certainly has a biological component, but to believe that it is solely hardwired and unavoidable is to believe that treatment doesn’t work. That’s not true. Treatment helps the brain re-learn new ways of processing information as it helps the client cope with difficult emotions. And just as the environment can shape people toward mental illness, treatment can help pull them away from it. The goals of better understanding mental health diagnoses and improving societal empathy should not be limited to the month of May, but it's certainly a good time to refocus our efforts. Joel L. Young, M.D., is the Medical Director of the Rochester Center for Behavioral Medicine outside of Detroit, and teaches Psychiatry at Wayne State University School of Medicine. Trained at the University of Michigan, Dr. Young is certified by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology and holds added qualifications in geriatric and forensic psychiatry. In addition, he is a diplomate of the American Board of Adolescent Psychiatry. He is also the author of When Your Adult Child Breaks Your Heart.

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New Challenge Ministries South Bay Feeding the People of the South Bay

Join Sister Jeanine Blake, Elder Lawrence Blake & the West A Crew for the 2017 B.L.O.O.M. Luncheon on June 10th. (Be Lifted Out Of Mess) Kindly R.S.V.P. by May 30th to JBlake@WestA.org or call 323-7338300 X2610. Best selling Author and International Speaker Deborah Smith Pegues will be the keynote speaker at this year's luncheon. Deborah's passion is to show people how to put feet to their faith and walk out the Word of God in every area of their life.

Juneteenth Festival Saturday, June 17 at 11 AM - 6 PM

ore than 9000 children will needlessly die every day all over the world, and a lot of the time it is very preventable with something as basic as soap. Pneumonia and diarrheal diseases are two of the leading culprits causing these tragic deaths. Every year these diseases kill up to 2 million children. Basic hygiene and the use of soap could save many of their lives. In many countries the homeless population also do not have access to soap or shampoo either. Friends we need your help with laundry soap, dish soap, diapers of all sizes The Jordans are one how many more can we help kids and families from be coming sick. This also saves the tax payer medical costs. New Challenge Ministries , Inc. 21804 Halldale Ave. 90501 PO Box 5152 Torrance, CA 90510 310-320-4171 Email:newchallengetorrance@gmail.com www.newchallengeministries.com We are a 501 c 3 non-profit Please call if your going to drop off a donation so we have some one to accept it.

961 W Alondra Blvd, Compton, CA 90220-3528 This is a FREE event Celebrating Our Culture, Economic Empowerment and Black Business. In honor of our ancestors and in responsibility to our future we are presenting a JUNETEENTH CELEBRATION: CELEBRATING OUR CULTURE, the past, the present and the future, through Economic Empowerment, and through the Encouragement, development and support of Black Businesses to build a better tomorrow for us and our children, and future generations that follow. The Juneteenth event Saturday will include live performances that will celebrate African American Music, dancing, Spades/Bid Wiz & Domino table, kids activities and vendors selling barbecue and soul food that will be featured throughout the day. 11