Family

Honoring Staff Sergeant Sandra Andelicia Brown, Native of Pasadena

PASADENA JOURNAL — Sandra was an Honors Graduate from San Gorgonio High School in Highland, California; and received the Distinguished Honor Graduate Award at both Airman Leadership School and Advanced Individual Training School in the Air Force. Brown was the only person ever to receive a posthumous Distinguished Honor Graduate Award in the history of San Antonio College in San Antonio, Texas. She graduated from San Antonio College with two degrees: one prior to her death; and, one posthumously, in Administrative Assistance and Business Entrepreneurship.

Published

5 years ago

June 13, 2019

Journal Staff

By Brenda Stewart

My name is Brenda Stewart and I am the mother of Staff Sergeant Sandra Andelicia Brown, who met with an untimely death as a result of medication complications during routine visits to the Audie L. Murphy Memorial VA Hospital. Sandra A. Brown was born and grew up in Pasadena, CA After graduation from high school, she joined the Air Force in 2009. She became a Staff Sergeant at Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio, Texas, where she was a supervisor and advisor on administering meals and charting menus for diverse types of patients, as well as an accountant of inventory and ﬁ nance. She was the expert person in her ﬁeld of Nutritional Medicine.

Sandra was an Honors Graduate from San Gorgonio High School in Highland, California; and received the Distinguished Honor Graduate Award at both Airman Leadership School and Advanced Individual Training School in the Air Force. Brown was the only person ever to receive a posthumous Distinguished Honor Graduate Award in the history of San Antonio College in San Antonio, Texas. She graduated from San Antonio College with two degrees: one prior to her death; and, one posthumously, in Administrative Assistance and Business Entrepreneurship.

I marched at Sandra’s graduation on May 11, 2019 at the Freeman Coliseum in San Antonio, Texas, where I received my daughter’s accolades of seven Honor Cords and two Medallions. These achievements were simply phenomenal. Her cords included: GOLD: Phi Theta Kappa; BLACK: GPA 3.5 and above; BLUE: SAC honors academy; PURPLE: Distinguished Graduate; SILVER: Student Ambassador; RED, WHITE & BLUE: Military Service;and, BLACK & PLATINUM: National Society of Leadership & Success. Sandra always maintained a 4.0 GPA throughout her academic career.

Sandra’s professor at SAC, Dr. Rena Doering, said, “Sandra was all the good things you wanted in a student…she truly excelled at everything she did.” Dr. Haan, Administrative Computer Technology Coordinator at SAC, said, “Sandra had well deﬁned goals, she knew exactly what her skill set was, and how she wanted to progress with her degree.” Brown’s Veteran Career Advisor Kirkland Brown said, “Thank you for keeping the memories of a wonderful individual alive.”

Sandra recently started two online businesses: Medaci Hair Naturals, an herbal organic hair care product line; and, Sandi’s Bags and Things. Sandra traveled for the past two years, while residing with her mother and completed missionary work throughout the United States. Caring for those less fortunate was her passion. She administered care to those in need by ensuring they had food and prayer while she visited them. Sandra A. Brown was laid to rest on October 21, 2018 at the Riverside National Cemetery, where she received additional honors.

This article originally appeared in the Pasadena Journal.

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Bay Area

Emiliano Zapata Street Academy Celebrates 40 Years Serving Oakland Families

The Oakland Emiliano Zapata Street Academy, a public alternative high school, celebrated its 50th anniversary this year with a community party and festival last Saturday with live music, good food, vendors’ booths, and activities for adults and children.

Published

4 days ago

May 4, 2024

Oakland Post

Live music was part of the 50th anniversary celebration of the Emiliano Zapata Street Academy, a public alternative high school, on April 27, at St. Augustine’s Episcopal Church on Telegraph Avenue and 29th Street. Photo by Ken Epstein.

By Ken Epstein

The Oakland Emiliano Zapata Street Academy, a public alternative high school, celebrated its 50^th anniversary this year with a community party and festival last Saturday with live music, good food, vendors’ booths, and activities for adults and children.

Attending the Saturday, April 27 celebration were current and past students, families, faculty, and supporters of the school. The school is located at 417 29^th St., and the celebration was held nearby at St. Augustine’s Episcopal Church on Telegraph Avenue in Oakland.

For more information, go to www.streetacademy.online or call 510) 874-3630 or (510) 879-2313.

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Alameda County

A Safe Place, Bay Area Domestic Violence Community Organization, Opens New Service Center in Oakland

Oakland-Bay Area non-profit, A Safe Place, announces the grand opening of its newly purchased building in Oakland that will be a service center for families that have suffered from domestic violence. The new, two-story building has over six new service rooms for counseling, mental health support groups, legal services, children’s treatment, safe space for community engagement, and partnership activities.

Published

4 days ago

May 4, 2024

Oakland Post

Façade of the new community center for A Safe Place opening on May 10 in Oakland. Courtesy photo.

By Courtney Slocum Riley

Special to The Post

Oakland-Bay Area non-profit, A Safe Place, announces the grand opening of its newly purchased building in Oakland that will be a service center for families that have suffered from domestic violence.

The new, two-story building has over six new service rooms for counseling, mental health support groups, legal services, children’s treatment, safe space for community engagement, and partnership activities.

Domestic violence occurrences and offenses account for a considerable amount of all violent crimes in Alameda County. A Safe Place is attempting to provide a safe place for families to heal. A Safe Place is the only comprehensive domestic violence assistance program including a safehouse, in Oakland.

The grand opening celebration will also serve as a fundraiser to build out healing, therapeutic spaces for children and adult victims and survivors and survivors of domestic violence (male and female).

The new service center will expand the work of the organization, founded in 1976 when a group of women working in San Francisco came together to address the urgent need for a shelter in the East Bay. A year later, they founded A Safe Place (ASP) in Oakland. Run solely by volunteers, they set up a crisis line to offer crisis counseling and information to battered women and their children.

The organization serves over 500 adults and children annually through a host of services including crisis counseling via 24-hour crisis line, emergency motel and safehouse sheltering, mental health services (counseling and support groups).

Under the leadership of Executive Director, Carolyn Russell, the organization has grown from a single program into the comprehensive domestic violence and assistance program. ASP strives to meet the growing and diverse needs of our growing community.

The organization hopes to complete all the upgrades and therapeutic room improvements by August 2024. The public is invited to donate to the effort by using the website at www.asafeplace.org/donate. The organization also accepts in-kind gifts as well as items from the organization’s Amazon Wishlist.

Oakland Post

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Bay Area

Obituary: Former California Education Superintendent Delaine Eastin Passes at 76

Delaine Eastin, who served as a former state Assemblymember representing parts of Santa Clara and Alameda County — and the first woman elected as State Superintendent of Public Instruction — died at age 76 on April 23. Eastin passed away from complications caused by a stroke.

Published

4 days ago

May 3, 2024

Oakland Post

Former California Education Superintendent Delaine Eastin.

By California Black Media

Eastin passed away from complications caused by a stroke.

Known for her power of persuasion, Eastin used her influence to be a champion for bipartisan issues that helped raise academic standards, lower class sizes, and emphasize the importance of conserving nature and the environment in schools.

Former Assembly Speaker Willie Brown and fellow legislative colleagues said that Eastin was in demand on the speech circuit while serving as a legislator.

“Few could engender the kind of emotion and passion she delivered in every speech,” Brown said.

State superintendent Tony Thurmond called Eastin a trailblazer who inspired fellow public servants.

“California lost an icon in our school system today. Delaine Eastin’s legacy as a trailblazer in public education will forever inspire us. Her unwavering dedication to California students — from championing Universal Preschool and the “A Garden in Every School” program to honoring our educators by establishing the California Teachers of the Year Awards — has left an indelible mark on our state’s educational landscape,” said Thurmond.