#NNPA BlackPress

Celebrities Join Metrolink in Highlighting Environmental and Social Opportunities

LOS ANGELES SENTINEL — The participants included NBA greats Norm Nixon and Byron Scott, NFL star Eric Dickerson, award-winning singer Jeffrey Osborne and actor/comedian Cedric the Entertainer. The legends united with Metrolink to promote the environmental benefits of riding the train, share commentary about points of interest along the route and acquaint passengers with various community-based organizations that are doing positive work in the Southland.

Published

6 years ago

September 3, 2019

Oakland Post

CEO Stephanie Wiggins, center, poses with Byron Scott, left, and Jeffrey Osborne, who serve as guest conductors on the Metrolink rail system. (Photo by: Jose Ubeda | Metrolink)

By Cora Jackson-Fossett

Metrolink riders will soon hear famous voices announcing train stops. As part of its Guest Conductor Program, the rail service invited several local celebrities and community leaders to record messages and announcements.

The participants included NBA greats Norm Nixon and Byron Scott, NFL star Eric Dickerson, award-winning singer Jeffrey Osborne and actor/comedian Cedric the Entertainer. The legends united with Metrolink to promote the environmental benefits of riding the train, share commentary about points of interest along the route and acquaint passengers with various community-based organizations that are doing positive work in the Southland.

According to Metrolink CEO Stephanie Wiggins, “We have about 40,000 riders a day and about 1 million a month among the six counties that we operate in. This program is a great way to elevate awareness because people get on the train and may tune out the announcements, but when they hear Byron Scott, they will listen and that will get people more engaged.

“He’s acknowledging the smart choice that they made by riding Metrolink and that should make them feel better. And then he is telling them about another way that they can contribute on a social level,” explained Wiggins.

In Scott’s case, he talked about A Community of Friends nonprofit. Scott recently partnered with the organization in its mission to end homelessness and provide permanent supportive housing for those with mental illness,” Scott said.

Stephanie Wiggins shares a laugh with Jeffrey Osborne. (Photo by: Jose Ubeda | Metrolink)

“It is great that I was able to get my message out about an organization that I have so much love for and is doing so many wonderful things. I think Metrolink is doing the same thing as far as providing a service. It is a much easier way of transportation. You can rest and relax and it is great for the environment and it takes cars off the street,” he added.

Expressing similar comments, Osborne said, “Public transportation is great! Going from one point to another point is a lot easier instead of going through TSA. Going and coming is so simple when you ride public transportation. I love it!”

The positive response by Scott and Osborne confirms the success of using guest conductors. In the past, the agency recruited former Angels baseball player Tim Salmon, members of the California Assembly, Congressman Gil Cisneros and members of the Metrolink Board of Directors to record messages.

The Guest Conductor Program aligns with Wiggins’ vision of increasing the profile of the six-county, 538 route-mile system. By using Metrolink’s extensive network, riders can reduce traffic worries, save time and enjoy amenities such as clean restrooms, security courtesy of the L.A. Sherriff’s Department and charging outlets and USB ports on certain seats.

“This is a nice way to incentivize people to get out of their cars and contribute to something that will make an environmental impact,” said Wiggins. “We have 62 stations in over 50 cities. We are a part of the community and we want people to know that!”

This article originally appeared in The Los Angeles Sentinel.

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post

Up Next

Clark Atlanta Alumni in Birmingham Area Welcome Dr. French

Don't Miss

Loyola Marymount University’s TLC Program Strives for Black Excellence

Oakland Post

Click to comment

#NNPA BlackPress

Tiguan’s AI Touchscreen & Gear Shift: VW Just Changed the Game! #2

Explore the Tiguan’s cutting-edge 12.9-inch infotainment touchscreen featuring wireless Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, voice control, and a new AI assistant. See how VW innovatively moved the gear shifter to the steering column, enhancing the center console and navigation system! #AutoNetwork #Tiguan #Infotainment #AppleCarPlay #AndroidAuto #AISystem #NavigationSystem #CarTech #TechReview #CarInnovation #Automotive

Published

2 days ago

June 17, 2025

Oakland Post

https://youtube.com/watch?v=0xUKM6U2Lpc&autoplay=0&cc_lang_pref=en&cc_load_policy=0&color=0&controls=1&fs=1&h1=en&loop=0&rel=0

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post

#NNPA BlackPress

IN MEMORIAM: Legendary Funk Pioneer Sly Stone Dies at 82

Sly Stone’s musical approach radically reshaped popular music. He transcended genre boundaries and empowered a new generation of artists. The band’s socially conscious message and infectious rhythms sparked a wave of influence, reaching artists as diverse as Miles Davis, George Clinton, Prince, Dr. Dre, and the Roots.

Published

2 days ago

June 17, 2025

Oakland Post

Sly and the Family Stone play the Opera House in Bournemouth. Mojo review. Photo by Simon Fernandez.

By Stacy M. Brown
BlackPressUSA.com Newswire

Sylvester “Sly” Stewart—known to the world as Sly Stone, frontman of the groundbreaking band Sly and the Family Stone—has died at the age of 82.

His family confirmed that he passed away peacefully at his Los Angeles home surrounded by loved ones, after battling chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and other health complications.

Born March 15, 1943, in Denton, Texas, Stone moved with his family to Vallejo, California, as a child. He began recording gospel music at age 8 with his siblings in a group called the Stewart Four. By his teenage years, he had mastered multiple instruments and was already pioneering racial integration in music—an ethos that would define his career.

In 1966, Sly and his brother Freddie merged their bands to form Sly and the Family Stone, complete with a revolutionary interracial, mixed-gender lineup.

The band quickly became a commercial and cultural force with hits such as “Dance to the Music,” “Everyday People,” and “Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin)”—all penned by Stone himself.

Their album “Stand!” (1969) and live performances—most notably at Woodstock—cemented their reputation, blending soul, funk, rock, gospel, and psychedelia to reflect the optimism and turmoil of their era.

As the 1970s progressed, Stone confronted personal demons. His desire to use music as a response to war, racism, and societal change culminated in the intense album “There’s a Riot Goin’ On” (1971). But drug dependency began to undermine both his health and professional life, leading to erratic behavior and band decline through the early 1980s.

Withdrawn from the public eye for much of the 1990s and early 2000s, Stone staged occasional comebacks. He was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1993, received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Grammys in 2017, and captured public attention following the 2023 release of his memoir “Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin)”—published under Questlove’s imprint. He also completed a biographical screenplay and was featured in Questlove’s documentary “Sly Lives!” earlier this year.

His influence endured across generations. Critics and historians repeatedly credit him with perfecting funk and creating a “progressive soul,” shaping a path for racial integration both onstage and in the broader culture.

“Rest in beats Sly Stone,” legendary Public Enemy frontman Chuck D posted on social media with an illustrative drawing of the artist. “We should thank Questlove of the Roots for keeping his fire blazing in this century.”

Emmy-winning entertainment publicist Danny Deraney also paid homage. “Rest easy Sly Stone,” Deraney posted. “You changed music (and me) forever. The time he won over Ed Sullivan’s audience in 1968. Simply magical. Freelance music publicist and Sirius XM host Eric Alper also offered a tribute.

“The funk pioneer who made the world dance, think, and get higher,” Alper wrote of Sly Stone. “His music changed everything—and it still does.”

Sly Stone is survived by three children.

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post

#NNPA BlackPress

PRESS ROOM: Clyburn on 10th Anniversary of Mother Emanuel AME Church Shooting in Charleston

BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE — Congressman James E. Clyburn (SC-06) released the following video on X, paying tribute to the 10th anniversary of the shooting that took place at Mother Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, South Carolina on June 17, 2015.

Published

2 days ago

June 17, 2025

Oakland Post

By Congressman James E. Clyburn

WATCH HERE

CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA – Congressman James E. Clyburn (SC-06) released the following video on X, paying tribute to the 10^th anniversary of the shooting that took place at Mother Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, South Carolina on June 17, 2015.

“Over 6 years ago, the House first passed my Enhanced Background Checks Act to close the Charleston Loophole that allowed a white supremacist to obtain the gun he used to murder nine worshipers at Emanuel AME Church on June 17, 2015.

“I’ll never stop fighting to pass this law.”