#NNPA BlackPress
Knock Knock Angels Transforms Lives Via Makeovers
PRECINCT REPORTER GROUP NEWS — Vicki Lobo is up to her ears in furniture with donations that keep pouring in. It’s far more than she imagined she would receive, and that’s a good thing. Her phone has been ringing off the hook with an abundance of furniture, but now the big question is where to put it.
By Dianne Anderson
Vicki Lobo is up to her ears in furniture with donations that keep pouring in.
It’s far more than she imagined she would receive, and that’s a good thing. Her phone has been ringing off the hook with an abundance of furniture, but now the big question is where to put it.
Next, her goal is to find someone willing to donate a facility.
“We are talking to property managers to see if we can get someone to donate space,” said Lobo, founder and CEO of Knock Knock Angels. “I’m literally turning down furniture now.”
Lots of accolades have come around the nonprofit that she started several years ago. Mostly, it’s operated out of pocket along with small grants, and through the generosity of volunteers.
The nonprofit organization handles two to three cases a month. They grant final wishes for the terminally ill, furnish and decorate homes for families, single parents, veterans and the elderly, and victims of violent crimes and abuse.
It’s an idea that has been a long time coming. Ever since she a little girl, she wanted to do what she does now, but a life-threatening bout with thyroid cancer jump-started her ambition.
“Something makes you just jump into it to say today’s the day that I’m going to pursue what’s inside of me,” she said. “For me, it was cancer.”
In a way, her cancer was an accidental discovery. She had already lost close friends to cancer, including one who had refused to see a doctor, and passed away at only 47 years old.
Lobo wanted to get the word out about just how easy it is to get cancer screenings. In the process, her doctor discovered a lump on her neck. The thyroid cancer was removed, and she said there was a huge outpouring of support and cards from friends and strangers.
“I never knew these people, and realized the power of social media just from an ordinary individual like me,” she said.
After surgery, she pulled her friends together, and pooled their resources to help a 71-year old partially blind woman at Christmas. They redecorated her home, brought in some furniture, and introduced the woman to the world via social media.
“People want to help. People want to give. They have stuff they don’t use in their house, and this has grown and grown,” said Lobo, a real estate agent.
Lobo also sits on the city of Rialto Homeless Task Force, and she commended Rialto Mayor Deborah Robertson for including the nonprofit as a collaborative partner on the city’s grant.
Not long ago, Lobo helped another homeless 61 year old woman, who had been sleeping in her car. She was able to get subsidized housing, and together, partner with several agencies and Assemblymember Eloise Reyes.
“Our goal is to make an apartment a home for people that have nothing. They have a bag, they’re leaving apartments and shelters, they’re living under a bridge. Moms are living in their cars with their babies,” she said.
With all furniture, she also must be careful because with storage units where pests and bugs can travel. She learned that hard lesson the hard way. One couch in storage was infested with crickets.
“We went into a brand new apartment for a veteran. I put the sofa in there. I cried for two days,” she said. “We can’t operate in storage, in storage because you don’t know what’s in the unit next to you.”
Lobo has done whole house makeovers, fixing up furniture, bedding, the things that many can not afford. By the time she’s done, it looks staged like a model home.
Community volunteers come from all over to help.
“For years, it was just a group of girls, volunteers coming out regularly. Women come from everywhere, I have a designer that comes from Palm Springs. They collect things, they give their own time.”
The storefront facility that she hopes to secure would be able to accept donations that can be delivered locally to Fontana and Rialto. She also wants to be in a position to receive big box donations that may be slightly damaged, but are still quality products.
Often, she said big stores toss out their damaged goods.
“It could have a broken leg and they just write it off, but my people can fix it,” she said.
To donate or to get help, see http://knockknockangels.org.
This article originally appeared in The Precinct Reporter News Group.
#NNPA BlackPress
IN MEMORIAM: Ramona Edelin, Influential Activist and Education Advocate, Dies at 78
NNPA NEWSWIRE — Born on September 4, 1945, in Los Angeles, California, activist Ramona Edelin’s early years were marked by a commitment to education and social justice. According to her HistoryMakers biography, after graduating from Fisk University with a Bachelor’s degree in 1967, she pursued further studies at the University of East Anglia in England. She earned her master’s degree before completing her Ph.D. at Boston University in 1981.
The post IN MEMORIAM: Ramona Edelin, Influential Activist and Education Advocate, Dies at 78 first appeared on BlackPressUSA.
By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent
@StacyBrownMedia
Once upon a time, Black Americans were simply known as colored people, or Negroes. That is until Ramona Edelin came along. The activist, renowned for her pivotal roles in advancing civil rights, education reform, and community empowerment, died at her D.C. residence last month at the age of 78. Her death, finally confirmed this week by Barnaby Towns, a communications strategist who collaborated with Dr. Edelin, was attributed to cancer.
Born on September 4, 1945, in Los Angeles, California, Edelin’s early years were marked by a commitment to education and social justice. According to her HistoryMakers biography, after graduating from Fisk University with a Bachelor’s degree in 1967, she pursued further studies at the University of East Anglia in England. She earned her master’s degree before completing her Ph.D. at Boston University in 1981.
Edelin’s contributions to academia and activism were manifold. She was pivotal in popularizing the term “African American” alongside Rev. Jesse L. Jackson in the late 1980s.
Jackson had announced the preference for “African American,” speaking for summit organizers that included Dr. Edelin. “Just as we were called Colored, but were not that, and then Negro, but not that, to be called Black is just as baseless,” he said, adding that “African American” “has cultural integrity” and “puts us in our proper historical context.”
Later, Edelin told Ebony magazine, “Calling ourselves African Americans is the first step in the cultural offensive,” while linking the name change to a “cultural renaissance” in which Black Americans reconnected with their history and heritage.
“Who are we if we don’t acknowledge our motherland?” she asked later. “When a child in a ghetto calls himself African American, immediately he’s international. You’ve taken him from the ghetto and put him on the globe.”
The HistoryMakers bio noted that Edelin’s academic pursuits led her to found and chair the Department of African American Studies at Northeastern University, where she established herself as a leading voice.
Transitioning from academia to advocacy, Edelin joined the National Urban Coalition in 1977, eventually ascending to president and CEO. During her tenure, she spearheaded initiatives such as the “Say Yes to a Youngster’s Future” program, which provided crucial support in math, science, and technology to youth and teachers of color in urban areas. Her biography noted that Edelin’s efforts extended nationwide through partnerships with organizations like the National Science Foundation and the United States Department of Education.
President Bill Clinton recognized Edelin’s expertise by appointing her to the Presidential Board on Historically Black Colleges and Universities in 1998. She also co-founded and served as treasurer of the Black Leadership Forum, solidifying her standing as a respected leader in African American communities.
Beyond her professional achievements, Edelin dedicated herself to numerous boards and committees, including chairing the District of Columbia Educational Goals 2000 Panel and contributing to the Federal Advisory Committee for the Black Community Crusade for Children.
Throughout her life, Edelin received widespread recognition for her contributions. Ebony magazine honored her as one of the 100 Most Influential Black Americans, and she received prestigious awards such as the Southern Christian Leadership Award for Progressive Leadership and the IBM Community Executive Program Award.
The post IN MEMORIAM: Ramona Edelin, Influential Activist and Education Advocate, Dies at 78 first appeared on BlackPressUSA.
#NNPA BlackPress
Tennessee State University Board Disbanded by MAGA Loyalists as Assault on DE&I Continues
NNPA NEWSWIRE — Recent legislative actions in Tennessee, such as repealing police reform measures enacted after the killing of Tyre Nichols, underscore a troubling trend of undermining local control and perpetuating racist agendas. The new law preventing local governments from restricting police officers’ authority disregards community efforts to address systemic issues of police violence and racial profiling.
The post Tennessee State University Board Disbanded by MAGA Loyalists as Assault on DE&I Continues first appeared on BlackPressUSA.
By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent
@StacyBrownMedia
Tennessee State University (TSU), the state’s only public historically Black college and university (HBCU), faces a tumultuous future as Gov. Bill Lee dissolved its board, a move supported by racist conservatives and MAGA Republicans in the Tennessee General Assembly, who follow the lead of the twice-impeached, four-times indicted, alleged sexual predator former President Donald Trump. Educators and others have denounced the move as an attack on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I) and a grave setback for higher education.
Critics argue that TSU’s purported financial mismanagement is a manufactured crisis rooted in decades of underinvestment by the state government. They’ve noted that it continues a trend by conservatives and the racist MAGA movement to eliminate opportunities for Blacks in education, corporate America, and the public sector.
Gevin Reynolds, a former speechwriter for Vice President Kamala Harris, emphasizes in an op-ed that TSU’s financial difficulties are not the result of university leadership because a recent audit found no evidence of fraud or malfeasance.
Reynolds noted that the disbanding of TSU’s board is not an isolated incident but part of a broader assault on DE&I initiatives nationwide. Ten states, including Tennessee, have enacted laws banning DE&I policies on college campuses, while governors appointing MAGA loyalists to university trustee positions further undermine efforts to promote inclusivity and equality.
Moreover, recent legislative actions in Tennessee, such as repealing police reform measures enacted after the killing of Tyre Nichols, underscore a troubling trend of undermining local control and perpetuating racist agendas. The new law preventing local governments from restricting police officers’ authority disregards community efforts to address systemic issues of police violence and racial profiling.
The actions echo historical efforts to suppress Black progress, reminiscent of the violent backlash against gains made during the Reconstruction era. President Joe Biden warned during an appearance in New York last month that Trump desires to bring the nation back to the 18th and 19th centuries – in other words, to see, among other things, African Americans back in the chains of slavery, women subservient to men without any say over their bodies, and all voting rights restricted to white men.
The parallels are stark, with white supremacist ideologies used to justify attacks on Black institutions and disenfranchise marginalized communities, Reynolds argued.
In response to these challenges, advocates stress the urgency of collective action to defend democracy and combat systemic racism. Understanding that attacks on institutions like TSU are symptomatic of broader threats to democratic norms, they call for increased civic engagement and voting at all levels of government.
The actions of people dedicated to upholding the principles of inclusivity, equity, and justice for all will determine the outcome of the ongoing fight for democracy, Reynolds noted. “We are in a war for our democracy, one whose outcome will be determined by every line on every ballot at every precinct,” he stated.
The post Tennessee State University Board Disbanded by MAGA Loyalists as Assault on DE&I Continues first appeared on BlackPressUSA.
#NNPA BlackPress
Braxton Haulcy and the Expansion of Walker|West Music Academy
May 24, 2023 – Walker West Music Academy gets an early start on expansion. Join us for a Wednesday episode of The …
The post Braxton Haulcy and the Expansion of Walker|West Music Academy first appeared on BlackPressUSA.
May 24, 2023 – Walker West Music Academy gets an early start on expansion. Join us for a Wednesday episode of The …
The post Braxton Haulcy and the Expansion of Walker|West Music Academy first appeared on BlackPressUSA.
-
Community2 weeks ago
Financial Assistance Bill for Descendants of Enslaved Persons to Help Them Purchase, Own, or Maintain a Home
-
Activism4 weeks ago
Oakland Post: Week of April 3 – 6, 2024
-
Business2 weeks ago
V.P. Kamala Harris: Americans With Criminal Records Will Soon Be Eligible for SBA Loans
-
Community2 weeks ago
AG Bonta Says Oakland School Leaders Should Comply with State Laws to Avoid ‘Disparate Harm’ When Closing or Merging Schools
-
Activism3 weeks ago
Oakland Post: Week of April 10 – 16, 2024
-
Community2 weeks ago
Oakland WNBA Player to be Inducted Into Hall of Fame
-
Community2 weeks ago
Richmond Nonprofit Helps Ex-Felons Get Back on Their Feet
-
Community2 weeks ago
RPAL to Rename Technology Center for Retired Police Captain Arthur Lee Johnson