FREE CONFERENCE SHOWS BLACKS WAYS TO STAY HEALTHY

Members of the Healthy Heritage Wellness Conference Planning Committee listen to Chairman Phyllis Clark present information about this July 26 event that will empower everyone, especially Blacks, to take charge of their physical, spiritual and emotional health.

(Riverside, Calif.) – Statistics show Black men in the Inland Empire live, on average, to be only 56 years old, and Black women live to an average of 63 years.

That’s about 13 years less than white people in the area.

When the African-American Health Initiative publicized these statistics a few years ago, some agencies decided to do something about it. In 2005, a coalition formed to put on the Healthy Heritage Wellness Conference.

The Fourth Annual Healthy Heritage Wellness Conference is set for Saturday, July 26 at California Baptist University, 8432 Magnolia Ave., Riverside.

“This is the premier wellness conference in this area,” said Phyllis Clark, chairman of the Healthy Heritage Wellness Conference planning committee. “It is well-established and well-sponsored.”

Sponsorships for this year’s conference are still available. They include The American Cancer Society, Pharmaceutical and Research Manufacturers of America (PhARMA), Southern California Edison, the Riverside Community Health Foundation, Inland Agency, Dameron Communications, Brothers and Sisters in Action (BASIA), Abbott Vascular and Novartis.

These sponsorships allow the conference organizers to put the event on at no charge.

The conference features some top-notch speakers, both local experts and those from outside the Inland Empire. But participants also can learn more about taking charge of their health in at least 40 information booths that will be set up in or near a courtyard by Cal Baptist’s Wallace Theater.
“This is a solutions-based conference,” Clark said. “People walk away with information they can apply.”

For instance, in one booth – actually a mobile medical clinic – doctors working with the University of California, Irvine Medical School will conduct clinical breast exams for women, and prostate cancer screenings for men.

In another booth, the American Cancer Society will give people a Colon Awareness Questionnaire, a survey designed to promote awareness of the benefits of colonoscopies in detecting early forms of colon cancer. Colonoscopies, and other types of screenings such as mammograms are performed in medical clinics with specialized equipment, but like the more basic breast and prostate exams, are vital tools in keeping people healthy.

“We want to make sure people know colon cancer is preventable and curable,” Clark said.

Most people should start having colonoscopies when they are 50 years old, Clark said. Since Blacks are more genetically predisposed to colon cancer, doctors often urge them to begin these screenings at age 40 or 45, and people with a close relative who contracted colon cancer early in life are often urged to have their first colonoscopy in their 20s or 30s.

Yet another American Cancer Society booth will feature “Ask the Experts.” Three specially trained health care workers will be on hand in this booth to answer questions. They can’t discuss specific cases, but can provide general knowledge about many health care subjects, especially those involving cancer.

And if you get there early, you can take a class in healthy eating at the Riverside County Nutrition Services booth. This is information you can pass on to others who would like to make healthy changes to their diet.

This 30-minute class, offered from 7:15 a.m. to 7:45 a.m., and again from 8:15 a.m. to 8:45 a.m., is designed for both health care professionals and others, said Diane Wayne, a senior nutritionist with Riverside County Nutrition Services. It will address how to lower cholesterol and fats, and skills needed to select heart-healthy foods.

“And you will get a free cook book,” Wayne said.

The course is free, but participants must register Riverside County Nutrition Services before the day of the event. Call (951) 358-5880 to register or for more information about this course.
In a nearby booth, Chef Tony Stemley of French Quarter Catering will have his healthy sweet potato pie for sale. During the afternoon portion of the conference, Stemley will explain healthy cooking as part of a panel discussion on wellness.

From 7:30 a.m. through 9:30 a.m. Healthy Heritage Wellness Conference participants are encouraged to walk about the booths on the Cal Baptist campus, availing themselves of all the resources provided.

The conference itself begins at 9:30 a.m. with presentations until noon by guest speakers. Conference participants will then enjoy a healthy and complementary lunch, and may continue to visit the booths to learn more about being healthy.

The keynote speaker Nikia Hammonds Blakely, represents the Susan G. Komen Foundation as a member of both its Young Women’s Advisory Council and its Circle of Promise speakers’ bureau, which targets Black women. Hammonds Blakely will not only give a motivational speech which explains how she became a breast cancer survivor when she was just 16 years old, but also will provide musical entertainment.

Other speakers are:

· Dr. E.M. Abdlulmumin, a psychologist at the University of California – Riverside Counseling Center and psychology professor for the Thomas Haider UCR/UCLA Program in Biomedical Sciences at UCR. Dr. Abdulmumin is also the founder and executive director of the DuBois Institute, a recreational and educational program for youth at the Bobby Bonds Sports Complex in Riverside.

· Charles Fossett III of Montclair, a sociology professor and author of Heartbrokers and Marriagebrokers, two books that explore personal relationships.

In the afternoon, from 1:10 p.m. to 4 p.m., a wellness panel is facilitated by Pastor Gerald T. Hightower, founder and senior pastor of Purpose Center International in Perris. It also features Dr. Stephen H. Barag, a physician at Pomona Valley Hospital Medical Center, speaking on hypertension and the doctor-patient relationship, Dr. Dave Williams, coordinator of the Riverside County Wellness Program, speaking on the holistic approach to wellness, Chef Anthony Stemley, sharing his techniques to prepare healthy meals and Tiombe Preston, a marriage and family therapist from othe Black Women’s Health Project, speaking on emotional health.

The free Healthy Heritage Wellness Conference is organized by a committee which includes staff members from Riverside County Public Health Department; the American Cancer Society; the Southern California Witness Project, a breast cancer awareness group; Inland Agency; Dameron Communications and many volunteers.

For more information or to attend the Healthy Heritage Wellness Conference call (951) 565-4431 or e-mail hhwcmovement@yahoo.com

ART INSTITUTE READIES HABITAT FOR HUMANITY HOME

Taylor Iverson and Roxanne Morgan review samples for an Interior Design project they were working on earlier this year at The Art Institute of California-Inland Empire. Interior Design students have recently put their studies to practical use by working with Habitat for Humanity to design fixtures in an 1,800 square foot home nearing completion in Riverside.

(SAN BERNARDINO Calif.) “Ours isn’t a typical college class,” said Marie Feuer, an instructor of the Human Factors interior design class at The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire. “There’s no read-this-chapter-and-take-a-test here. Ours is a hands-on effort, taking the design students from the abstract and theoretical, to the concrete and the real world.”

After five weeks of intense planning, researching and designing, a dozen of the institute’s students are ready to actually install what they’ve created in a new 1,800 square foot house built by Habitat for Humanity in Riverside for Stephanie and Ron Suarez and their six children.

On Thursday, July 24 at 7 a.m. students will arrive, along with Feuer, at the Riverside location ready to go. Their designs for cabinetry, shelving, storage units, kitchen and bathroom fixtures will become a reality when they execute the installation themselves.

Feuer notes, “The students had to submit proposals to the Habitat for Humanity staff which agreed on one without any changes at all. The plans had to be budgeted out, a list of tools assembled, building codes had to be assessed and a timeline established. The students used CAD software along with PowerPoint and InDesign programs, and even submitted materials samples. And they needed to determine what impact their choices of lighting and color would have on the family.”

“There were a thousand details to be dealt with,” she continues, “way beyond what designers normally have to handle. The students learned to get their hands dirty in the real world, understanding what a pain it can be to actually build their brilliant designs.”

The interior design students were split into two teams, and part of the learning was to learn how to get along in order to come up with so much and do it all on time and on budget.

Feuer explained how the students met with the Suarez family over dinner one night and set about interviewing the soon-to-be new homeowners. “The students asked question after question,” Feuer says. “Like, what were the children’s needs – for instance, our class created closets that will expand as the children’s lives evolve and they begin growing up.” And what did Mrs. Suarez like in a kitchen, how much storage space does the family need now and will require in the future? This was a wonderful evening.”

The students’ research included a trip to the Pitzer College, Claremont campus. “It’s prized as a ‘green’ school,” Feuer explains, “and we wanted to learn all we could in order to incorporate as many of the environmentally sensitive solutions as possible. We and Habitat wanted the house to be ecologically sound, not just be looking good.”

At the heart of the entire project at The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire was the Academic Director for Interior Design, Sara Sandoval, “a queen at finding the best, unique projects for her students,” Feuer says. “It was Sara who contacted Habitat for Humanity in the first place. She gave me enormous freedom, just asking me to keep her informed of what we were planning and how we’d pull it off. To have an academic director who allows you that freedom, and who shows that she respects me and what I do, made the entire effort a total joy.”

The Suarez/Habitat for Humanity home is at 2929 11th Street in Riverside. Installation on the 24th begins at 7 a.m. and will run all day. The family will be handed the keys at a celebration July 29.

It’s not too late to start classes. Courses begin Aug. 21, offering day, evening and weekend classes for new and reentry students. For details or a tour of the campus call (909) 915-2100, or go on line to artinstitutes.edu/inlandempire.

The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire offers Bachelor of Science degrees in Game Art & Design, Culinary Management, Graphic Design, Web Design & Interactive Media, Interior Design, Fashion Design and Retail Management, and Media Arts & Animation. There are also Associate of Science degrees in Graphic Design and Culinary Arts. Each program is offered on a year-round basis, allowing students to work uninterrupted toward their degrees.

The Art Institute of California-Inland Empire is one of The Art Institutes (www.artinstitutes.edu ), a system of over 40 education institutions located throughout North America, providing an important source of design, media arts, fashion and culinary arts professionals.

AFTER FILLING HOUSE WITH OTHER PEOPLE’S CHILDREN, RIALTO COUPLE GETS TWO OF THEIR OWN

Veteran foster parents parents Anna Rodriguez-Murillo and her husband Jose of Rialto hold their newly adopted children two-year-old Matthew and three-year-old Seren. They were their foster parents for two years. The couple are also foster parents of the four more children through the Knotts Family and Parenting Institute.

KFI-PR-102 FAMILY


(RIALTO, Calif) Anna Rodriguez-Murillo is consumed with caring for other people’s children. The 26-year-old foster care mom from Rialto loves the 11 children she has parented as if they were her own.

“I don’t think it matters if I’m not their real mom,” said Rodriguez-Murillo, who has cared for as many as six foster care children at a time. “Right now, I don’t have time to have my own children, maybe in the future. I’m so attached to these kids. For me, it’s as if I had them.”

Soon, Rodriguez-Murillo and her husband, Jose, a 27-year-old finish carpenter, will become legal parents to two of the six children in their busy household. A seven-week-old boy and 14-month-old girl came to them two years ago through the Knotts Family and Parenting Institute in San Bernardino, which opened in 1992. This month, the couple and Matthew and Seren will be dressed in their nicest clothes to attend the adoption finalization proceedings at the county courthouse in San Bernardino.

Matthew and Seren represent two of the 434 adoptions that are facilitated annually by San Bernardino County Department of Children’s Services. Knotts Family and Parenting Institute, which contracts with the county, recruited and trained Anna and Jose Murillo to care for children who are temporarily removed from their home due to abuse or neglect.

When a child can’t be returned to the parent or be placed permanently with relatives, Gwendolyn Knotts, CEO of the Knotts Family and Parenting Institute, said she hopes that some of their 40 foster care families will choose to adopt. Parents such as Anna and Jose Murillo need no encouragement. “Anna reflects it in the care she provides. She has a natural passion and a lot of patience. She personally has a desire to give love to other children.”

“My wife does a nice job,” said Murillo, who is originally from Carson. “She treats them well. I love having a lot of kids around to play with.”

Matthew came to the couple at seven weeks old. His bones were broken from being shaken. A county nurse visited their home weekly and taught them how to gently care for the infant so his injuries would heal.

“My husband, he got so close to the baby boy,” Rodriguez-Murillo said. “He was so delicate. We couldn’t hold him or he would cry. It would hurt too much. We would hug him and rub his back.” A CT head scan at Loma Linda University Medical Center showed no evidence of brain injury, the most serious complication for shaken babies.

Rodriguez-Murillo didn’t plan on adopting when she signed up with Knotts Family and Parenting Institute almost two and a half years ago. But she became so attached to the children that she knew if any of them could not be reunited with their biological family, she would probably want to adopt.

Gwendolyn Knotts said that more and more of the families who work with the Knotts Family and Parenting Institute are willing to take that step. “It’s become such a natural progression, that the Knotts Institute is now in the process of getting licensed to facilitate adoption.”

Rodriguez-Murillo’s path to foster parenthood began in her own childhood in South Los Angeles. Her mother never worked at home as a housewife, so Anna, the oldest of seven children, helped care for her younger siblings. Anna Rodriguez was 16 when she married Jose Murillo, her boyfriend at Locke High School. The young couple followed her mother when she moved to Rialto. They lived in her home for three months, and then bought a house on a quiet dead end street – a perfect place for children to play.

For five years, Rodriguez-Murillo was the caretaker of her brother-in-law’s children after the breakup of his marriage. One day, a neighbor asked her what happened to the two kids who used to play outside. Rodriguez- Murillo explained that they had gone to live with their grandmother. The neighbor, who was a foster care parent with the Knotts Family and Parenting Institute, suggested that Rodriguez-Murillo also get certified.

“After my brother-in-law’s kids left, I felt that something was missing. Then I thought, my house is big. I could take care of some other people’s kids.”

The couple went through a three-month training and certification program at the Knotts Family and Parenting Institute to learn how to parent foster children -- from CPR and first aid to learning how to be a mentor to the child’s biological parent – if it’s determined that the child can be safely reunited with the family.

Rodriguez-Murillo said she is never on her own as a foster parent. Knotts offers the children tutoring, mental health services, mentoring and recreational and cultural activities. “If we need something, Knotts is always there,” she says.

The Knotts Family and Parenting Institute will be there for Rodriguez-Murillo and her husband next Christmas for an unprecedented family vacation. The Knotts Institute will step in to care for their four boys in foster care when the parents take Matthew and Seren to meet their new relatives in Mexico.

“I can’t take the others out of the country, but my family in Mexico is excited that I am adopting,” Rodriguez- Murillo said. “They see them as my own.”

Since 1992 the Knotts Family and Parenting Institute has provided foster family services for the children, parents and foster parents of Riverside and San Bernardino counties.

For more information or to become a foster parent call the Knotts Family and Parenting Institute at (909) 880-0600.

________________________
Foster Care in San Bernardino County
• The Children’s Services Department investigates 30,358 emergency referrals annually
• Emergency referrals increased by 25 percent from 2000 through October 18, 2007
• The County supervises 6,000 children monthly, approximately 4,568 of whom are placed in foster homes.
Why are children removed from their parents care?
• General neglect: 41 percent
• Physical abuse: 17 percent
• Sexual abuse: 9 percent
▫

DAMERON COMMUNICATIONS WELCOMES YOUNGEST INTERN

Mary Cooksey

(SAN BERNARDINO, Calif.) Mary Jayne Cooksey joined Dameron Communications as one of its youngest interns.

“It’s a pleasure to have Mary working for Dameron Communications. She brings a youthful insight to projects. She is a hardworking young woman and I’m sure she will go far in the Public Relations field, “said Carl Dameron, president of Dameron Communications.

Cooksey is a third year student at California State University, San Bernardino. She is currently working towards her Bachelor’s of Science degree in Marketing and Public Relations. At the age of 20, Cooksey has decided to get an early start on her career experience.

“Dameron Communications, being one of the Inland Empire’s leading public relations and advertising firms, it's common sense to want to intern here. Interning at Dameron Communications has been an excellent opportunity to participate in Public Relations related activities, it has allowed me to come in contact with some very accomplished individuals and get a real feel of what it is I want to do once I graduate from college,” said Cooksey.

As the first in her family to attend college, Cooksey decided to go away for school to experience college life away from home. She attended Humboldt State University in the fall of 2005. After a year and a half at HSU, Cooksey transferred to California State University, San Bernardino. “The campus at Humboldt State was gorgeous and the classes taught me a lot about myself, however, after some thought I came to the decision to transfer. CSUSB was always my first choice, I love the way the communications program is organized and the way the faculty treats their students,” said Cooksey.

Cooksey has always enjoyed writing. At Azusa High School she was the school’s sports editor. As a three sport varsity athlete during her high school career, she was able to give the inside perspective of every sport she covered.


“Playing sports my whole life I often found myself the youngest member of every team. But, that never killed my drive. That only made me work harder to exceed the level of competition and bring up a couple notches, “ Cooksey said.

In every sport she participated in she received awards. She was second team all league in volleyball, all tournament on her two time league champion varsity basketball team, three time high jump league champion, one of them being in her freshmen year of high school.

She also received the most outstanding field athlete award in 2003 and was the Athlete of the Month in her senior year. Ending a long list of awards at her graduation ceremony, she received the Distinguished Athlete Award from the United States Marine Corps for displaying courage, poise, self-confidence and leadership as a high school athlete.

Cooksey was strongly involved in her academics. On top of being involved in athletics, she was also part of the National Honor Society and was elected to the School Site Council. The board included the principal of the school, a number of teaching staff and other selected students.

Giving back to the community is something to which Cooksey is committed. While going to school and participating in extracurricular activities, Cooksey found time to help out in her community. She volunteered to do youth coaching for children ages 6-12 and helped out as teacher’s aid at the local elementary schools. Also, Cooksey and some girls on her varsity basketball team did a basketball camp for young girls ages 8-12 at local parks and a recreation center in the city of Azusa.

For more information about Dameron Communications, call (909) 888-0321.

About Dameron Communications
Since 1989 Dameron Communications has creatively met the needs of our diverse client base locally, regionally and nationally. We are an award winning advertising and public relations agency that creates integrated marketing solutions to increase sales and profits, win elections, inform the public or gain acceptance of potentially controversial issues. We use our 20 years of communications knowledge and experience to advance our clients’ objectives.

CUCA GUTIERREZ BECOMES NEW PUBLIC RELATIONS COORDINATOR

Cuca Gutierrez

(SAN BERNARDINO, CalIf) Cuca Gutierrez joined Dameron Communications as a Public Relations Coordinator.

Gutierrez is a newcomer to the world of public relations and advertising. She brings both passion for writing and logistical support for the company, which are reasons that lured her to join the Dameron Communications team.

Prior to joining Dameron Communications, Cuca worked for Allstate Insurance where she started out as a front desk agent but quickly received her California insurance license certifying her as an auto and home insurance agent. There she worked closely with clients regarding proof of insurance and provided customer service.

“At Allstate my customer service experience prepared me to pursue the position at Dameron Communications,” says Gutierrez.

Cuca attended Chaffey College where she majored in English with a desire to become an English teacher. She also studied at San Jose Community College and wrote for the college newspaper.

Also Cuca worked for the Fontana Unified School District as a teachers aide for special education students. Where she tutor students with homework and help set-up lesson plans with teachers.

“I always enjoyed working closely with children,” said Gutierrez.

As Cuca begins her professional career as a writer and public relations representative, she sees Dameron Communications as a place to continue her advancement within the competitive corporate world.

“My experience with Dameron Communications so far has been an excellent ride. I have met very influential people all over the Inland Empire and I enjoy being in the presence of important figures within San Bernardino and Riverside County,” says Gutierrez.

For more information on Dameron Communications call (909) 888-0321.

About Dameron Communications
Since 1989 Dameron Communications has creatively met the needs of our diverse client base locally, regionally and nationally. We are an award winning advertising and public relations agency that creates integrated marketing solutions to increase sales and profits, win elections, inform the public or gain acceptance of potentially controversial issues. We use our 20 years of communications knowledge and experience to advance our clients’ objectives.

ART INSTITUTE HEARS: ‘33 YEARS A DISNEY ANIMATOR’

Ron Husband shows how he starts the animation process with pen and paper sketches.

(SAN BERNARDINO Calif.). Hundreds of animation sketches and a dozen of his few hundred filled sketch pads packed the tables in a lecture hall at The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire July 11 as Disney animator Ron Husband delighted a room of 30 student animators as part of the institute’s week-long Invasion of Infinite Creativity workshops and seminars.

The 33-year Disney veteran lists major credits as long as his arm: The Fox and the Hound, The Black Cauldron, The Great Mouse Detective, Oliver & Company, The Little Mermaid, Rescuers Down Under, two versions of Beauty and the Beast, Atlantis: Search for the Lost Empire, Treasure Planet, The Small One, Fantasia 2000, Pocahontas, Lion King, Hunchback of Notre Dame, Aladdin, Fat Albert The Movie and so many more, even including creation of the Cool Cat in singer Paula Abdul’s music video “Opposites Attract.” “I’ve worked on nearly all Disney animations except Tarzan from 1975 through 2005,” Husband said (he’s currently an illustrator with Disney’s publishing group).

Husband’s almost countless awards span a Father of the Year, a Teacher of the Year, a Man of the Year, a National Achievement in Art honor, Best New Artist, and the Centurion Award from the National Religious Broadcasters in Washington, D.C.

But Ron wasn’t at the institute to sing his own praises; that was left to Academic Director of Media Arts & Animation Santosh Oommen, the session’s organizer and host. “Success such as his requires incredible talent,” he has said, “but breaking Disney’s color barrier 33 years ago proves he also has great determination.” Oommen recalled, “I met Ron in 1995 at an art gallery, his sketchbook in his hand.”

“I always have one with me,” Husband said. “I’ve been drawing since I was five, and I have hundreds of books by now, with more to come. Drawing is what I do and enjoy doing. Like a baseball player who practices to keep his talents sharp, I do the same with drawing.”

Prior to joining Disney in 1975, Husband, his University of Nevada Las Vegas Bachelor of Arts degree in hand, landed a job with Honeywell in West Covina, slugging along doing block diagrams, he said. “I had a wife and two kids, and needed a job.” He heard about a Disney possibility and took his commercial art portfolio with him to an interview where they scanned his work and sketchbook. “I’d no animation experience,” he recalled, “but they saw movement in my drawings and gave me a chance.”

“Drawing is communicating and entertaining,” Husband explained. “If you don’t entertain, you don’t work for long. And drawings should give people information: who the character is and what it’s like, you show what they’re doing and communicate the ‘why.’ It all starts somewhere, up here,” he said touching his forehead.

The film animation process begins with what the director wants, he described. “You show the director your quick sketches to see if you’re going in the right direction,” instead of spending days finalizing a scene, “and then the director says it’s not quite right, try it again. But, if it works, and you get the anticipated reaction you wanted, then you create the full animation. So, first you do the whole movie in storyboards, then the rough sketch animation, then the cleaned-up animation and then the full animation. You can be on one movie for four or five years with each single drawing being on the screen for only 1/24th of a second.”

Making the impossible believable is some of the animator’s fun, he noted. You may have Mickey Mouse running off a cliff, realizing what he’s done and scampering back to safety before falling to his doom. “But it all seems natural,” he said.

Research plays a major role in the animator’s work, Husband pointed out. “When I was to do the Dr. Sweet character in Atlantis: Search for the Lost Empire, I studied medical tools and equipment and spoke to people in the profession. When I have to do animals at Disney, I research their anatomy and their movement first.”

Has computer-generated animation, the current rage, crept into his life? “I did some CGI animation,” he recalled, “but I really missed pushing the pencil, drawing. Little did I know CGI was going to take over as it has. I went back to drawing.”

Born in Monrovia, the San Dimas resident is happily married after 35 years to LaVonne, with three adult children and three granddaughters.

“I’m now adding a new challenge, a new direction, to my career,” he said. “I’m writing a book; it’s on quick sketching. No publisher yet, but I still have a way to go.”

With an easy smile crossing his lips, Ron Husband concluded, “I haven’t ‘gone to work’ a day in my life. I’m truly blessed to be doing what God gave me the skills to do. And to make a living at it.”

The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire offers Bachelor of Science degrees in Game Art & Design, Culinary Management, Graphic Design, Web Design & Interactive Media, Interior Design, Fashion Design and Retail Management, and Media Arts & Animation. There are also Associate of Science degrees in Graphic Design and Culinary Arts. Each program is offered on a year-round basis, allowing students to work uninterrupted toward their degrees.

The Art Institute of California-Inland Empire is one of The Art Institutes (www.artinstitutes.edu ), a system of over 40 education institutions located throughout North America, providing an important source of design, media arts, fashion and culinary arts professionals.

LaSalle Medical Associates Awarded for Helping more than 100,000 people obtain health insurance

Dr. Albert Arteaga threw out the opening pitch at a recent Inland Empire 66ers baseball game, part of an honor he received for helping thousands of people to obtain health insurance.

(San Bernardino, Calif.) - Together Rx Access honored Dr. Albert Arteaga, president of LaSalle Medical Associates, Inc. at a recent Inland Empire 66’ers baseball game for helping more than 100,000 people obtain health insurance. His honor included throwing the first pitch of the game during the Inland Empire 66’ers vs. the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes game.

“This was the first time I’ve ever pitched a baseball in my life,” said Dr. Arteaga. “I am honored to accept this award on behalf of the 13 doctors and 113 staff members of LaSalle Medical Associates. We are pleased to help Rx Access give more people low cost prescriptions.”

The Together Rx Access program is sponsored by leading pharmaceutical companies; it gives help to hardworking uninsured Americans and their families, by granting them immediate access to savings on prescription drugs at their neighborhood pharmacy. This help comes in the form of a card that is free to obtain and free to use.

Together Rx Access enrolls nearly 10,000 uninsured individuals every week nationwide. Over 1.5 million Americans have already enrolled in the program and 260,000 of those are children. Current cardholders have already saved nearly $68 million on their prescriptions.

Rex, the Together Rx Access mascot, was at the game to assist in passing out information and to direct fans to Together Rx Access representatives that were located throughout the stadium. These representatives assisted fans in determining if they were eligible for the program, as well as enrolling anyone that qualified for the program onsite.

LaSalle is also one of the top enrollers in California for the Healthy Families program, a low-cost health insurance for children 0 to 18 years old. The program provides medical, dental and vision coverage for children.

The LaSalle staff is trained to enroll uninsured patients into one of the many government-sponsored health insurance programs including Healthy Families. If patients do not qualify for a health insurance program, instead of billing a large fee, then sending the patient to collections, LaSalle charges the patient $25.

As the son of an Adventist minister Dr. Arteaga is dedicated to deliver the best healthcare possible for his patients. He also demands all staff from the receptionist to the doctors treat patients with the dignity, compassion and respect we all deserve.


“LaSalle has created a system that delivers quality healthcare regardless of ethnicity or income,” said Dr. Arteaga.


LaSalle has also received other awards for its commitment to quality health care for all. These include:

* The San Bernardino County Medical Society’s Merlin Hendrickson, M.D. Award for Outstanding Contribution to the Community. Dr. Arteaga was recognized for his efforts to provide health services to Inland Empire children.
* Inland Empire Health Plan (IEHP) as Riverside and San Bernardino’s best health care provider.
* The African American Health Initiative as a model provider in a two-year study of Black healthcare in San Bernardino County.


This is the third year Together Rx Access has sponsored minor league baseball games, in an effort to raise awareness about the program to more Americans. The program has been reaching out to minor league baseball fans in hopes that they will pass along the valuable information they have gained about the savings card.

“We have helped more than 1.5 million individuals obtain their medication at little to no cost and we are pleased to work with the 66’ers to raise even more awareness about our program within San Bernardino and its surrounding counties,” said Roba Whiteley, executive director of Rx Access.

The average Together Rx Access cardholder saves 25 to 40 percent on more than 300 brand-name prescription products included in the program. There are also savings available on a wide range of generic prescription products. Medicines in the program include those used to treat asthma, depression, diabetes, high cholesterol and many other common conditions.

To qualify for the free Together Rx Access Card, applicants cannot be eligible for Medicare or have public or private prescription drug coverage, must have a household income of less than $30,000 for a single person or $60,000 for a family of four (income eligibility is adjusted for family size). Applicants must also be legal residents of the United States or Puerto Rico.

Those who are eligible for the Together Rx Access Card may also qualify for additional savings on prescription medication or even free medication, through other patient assistance programs affiliated with the Partnership for Prescription Assistance (PPA).

For more information about the Together Rx access or to enroll in the program call 800-966-0407 or visit TogetherRxAccess.com. The website also has the most current list of brand-name medicines and products.

The 66ers are part of the Los Angeles Dodgers minor league farm system. The team competes in the California League against other teams from throughout the state who are at the “A” level of the minor league system.

A-level players are usually two years or more away from playing with the Dodgers or another major league team. An exception is current Dodgers third baseman Blake Dewitt, who played with the 66ers for part of last season before moving up to the Dodgers “AA” team in Jacksonville, Mo.

The LaSalle medical clinics are at 17577 Arrow Blvd. in Fontana, 1505 17th St. and 565 North Mount Vernon in San Bernardino, and 16455 Main St. in Hesperia.

For an appointment or more information or to sign up for The Healthy Families health insurance program with maximum monthly premiums of $48 per month, per family call LaSalle Medical Associates at (909) 890-0407.

DESPITE THE RECESSION THERE ARE STILL BILLIONS FOR COLLEGE

Richard Macias, a student at the Art Institute of California-Inland Empire, discusses financial aid options with Bola Soyemi, Director of Financial Aid.

(SAN BERNARDINO, Calif.) “Yes, the nation is in an economic crisis,” agrees Bola Soyemi, Director of Student Financial Services for the Art Institute of California – Inland Empire. “But funds for college are still available. It’s just that parents and students don’t realize it.”

Students considering an education at an Art Institute school most likely have a definite career goal, as the education they provide focuses on training people to work in creative fields. But, as with almost all careers, these students need to prepare for their goals with a college education.

“I hope to have a job doing what I love, so when I awaken each morning my job is something more of an adventure, rather than something to just pay the bills,” said Alurra Hughes, a senior at Redlands High School who hopes to attend The Art Institute of California -- Inland Empire after graduation.

Alurra seized a great opportunity earlier this year, when she entered and won The Art Institute of California --Inland Empire’s annual poster contest. She has already won a $3,000 scholarship, and has an opportunity to increase that amount to a full scholarship if she wins a competition of first-place winners from participating schools of The Art Institutes.

But even if she doesn’t win the full scholarship, the financial aid staff of The Art Institute of California-Inland Empire will help Alurra find the resources she needs to pursue a degree at their school. They did the same two years ago for Alyssa Mees, who is now one of the school’s first graduates and works full-time in her dream job as a graphic designer.

The Art Institute of California -- Inland Empire has helped most of the more than 750 current students put together financial aid packages so that they too can pursue their education and career goals.

In some cases, Soyemi states, parents aren’t clear on the value and opportunities a higher education provides. This leads to a lack of parental support and commitment towards sending a child to college.

“I believe that more families should change their mindset towards education and embrace the opportunities that come with having a college degree,” Soyemi said. “The opportunities do come with cost, of course, but funds for college are still available.”

On the Internet, Google’s search engine spells it out. There are five million hits under “scholarship search,” two and a half million sites for “student financial aid” and in our state alone there are 700,000 sites under “California student financial aid.”

The United States Department of Education provides more than $83 billion in loans and non-repayable grants for higher education. That makes up fully 60 percent of the nation’s student aid funding. More than nine million students are dependent on this aid for their college education. And, experts point out, millions of available dollars go unused every single year.

Soyemi, who heads a staff of 10, says, “Approximately 90 percent of the students at our school were on some financial aid program last year, ranging from hundreds of dollars in support to many thousands.” These might take the form of federal, state or institution grants, depending on current budget allocations.

“My biggest task,” Soyemi adds, “is encouraging students and their parents to not disqualify themselves by simply failing to apply for aid. Particularly the parents, who may not realize that funds are available.”

“All the student or parents have to do to start the financial planning process is go to any college or university financial aid office and fill out the FAFSA form. That stands for Free Application for Federal Student Aid. Then you simply ask what else is available.”

Every year The Art Institute of California -- Inland Empire gives over $150,000 in scholarships from $3,000 to $15,000 each. For details, go to www.artinstitutes.edu/Admissions/FinancialAid.aspx

There might be scholarships from local businesses or service organizations, state supplied grants, funds from the college itself and numerous student loan programs in which interest rates are low and repayment doesn’t begin until the education years are completed.

There are basically two categories of financial aid: achievement-based, which encompasses a student’s skills, abilities or talent, qualifying him or her for scholarships; and need-based, looking at the family’s financial condition.

Within those areas, four types of financial assistance are offered:

Scholarships are essentially “gifts” not requiring repayment. There are those, of course, for high-achieving academics, but there are additionally scholarships for exceptional skill in, say, the medical arena, and for standout talent that might include athletics or theater.

In the U.S., there are more than 1.5 million scholarships available, providing in excess of $1 billion in educational assistance.

Then, there are grants, which also do not need to be repaid, for a student’s unique or proven abilities.

Loans exist as well, primarily from the schools, lending institutions, individuals or organizations. These funds do need to be repaid, but at low interest rates over a number of years, beginning when the student completes or terminates his or her education.

And fourth, schools frequently offer work-study programs in which the student takes on part-time employment to supplement income while at the same time gaining valuable experience in the workforce, what many consider the “real world.”

Soyemi stresses that if a student has the family support and the personal drive for a college education, this should never let a difficult financial situation stand in the way.

Financial aid still exists, in the billions of dollars.

The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire offers Bachelor of Science degrees in Game Art & Design, Culinary Management, Graphic Design, Web Design & Interactive Media, Interior Design, Fashion Design, Fashion & Retail Management and Media Arts & Animation. There are also Associate of Science degrees in Graphic Design and Culinary Arts. Each program is offered on a year-round basis, allowing students to work uninterrupted toward their degrees.

It’s not too late to start classes. Courses begin Aug. 21, with offerings in the days, evenings and on weekends for new and reentry students. For details or a tour of the campus call (909) 915-2100, or go on line to artinstitutes.edu/inlandempire.

Learn Techniques From Disneys' First African-American Animator

(SAN BERNARDINO, Calif.) In 2001, Dr. Joshua Sweet made his debut on the silver screen in the movie Atlantis: Search For The Lost Empire, and made history as the first African-American human character in a Disney animated film.

Dr. Sweet had a lot of the heart and soul of another African-American who made Disney history. Thirty years ago, Ron Husband, who worked as the supervising animator in the development of Dr. Sweet, was the first African-American animator hired by Disney.

Friday, July 11 Husband will share his animation techniques as part of The Invasion of Infinite Creativity, an event hosted by The Art Institute of California - Inland Empire. His presentation from noon to 2 p.m. will describe to guests how he approaches the process of animation, and specifically, how he approaches a scene.

Husband also will show examples of his work. Besides Atlantis: Search For The Lost Empire, Husband has done animation for dozens of Disney films and television shows, and he currently works as an illustrator in Disney’s publishing group.

“Ron Husband’s experience makes him one of the top animators in Southern California,” said Santosh Oommen, academic director for the Media Arts & Animation program of The Art Institute of California - Inland Empire. “Success such as his requires incredible talent, but breaking Disney’s color barrier 30 years ago proves he also has great determination. He will certainly motivate and challenge anyone entering the field of animation.”

Other guest speakers during The Invasion of Infinite Creativity will be April Greiman, a pioneer in the use of technology to create graphic design, and Alexander Manu, who is the author of The Imagination Challenge: Strategic Foresight and Innovation in the Global Economy,” and an expert on developing innovation and creativity in business environments.

While The Invasion of Infinite Creativity includes presentations by three guest speakers who are especially well known in their areas of design, it is primarily an opportunity for the public to learn the latest design techniques through workshops led by the award-winning faculty of The Art Institute of California - Inland Empire. They will present workshops in Interior Design, Graphic Design, Web Design & Interactive Media, Media Arts & Animation, Culinary Arts and Game Art & Design.

Most of these workshops are free.

Interior Design workshops cover making computerized 3-D renderings with the SketchUP program; balancing mind, body and spirit with color; and marker rendering (a $30 materials fee for the marker rendering workshops will include 12 AD markers, marker paper samples and a DVD showing how to render wood, glass and metal).

Graphic Design/Web Design & Interactive Media workshops cover print graphics using InDesign, web design basics and how to publish a design portfolio online, web design with CSS Frameworks, Flash Object-Oriented Programming, AfterEffects for motion graphics, and search engine optimization.

Media Arts & Animation/Game Art & Design workshops cover figure sculpting (participants will sculpt a female form using a live model), life drawing, character design for film and television, storyboarding and comic books, digital character painting, history and future of animation, how Heavy Iron Studios (developer of various computer games) has approached level design, using ZBrush to develop and create characters, and digital character animation,

Culinary workshops cover healthy cuisine and international cuisine along with baking and pastry techniques and artistry.

The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire offers Bachelor of Science degrees in Game Art & Design, Culinary Management, Graphic Design, Web Design & Interactive Media, Interior Design, Fashion Design, Fashion & Retail Management and Media Arts & Animation. There are also Associate of Science degrees in Graphic Design and Culinary Arts. Each program is offered on a year-round basis, allowing students to work uninterrupted toward their degrees.

It’s not too late to start classes. Courses begin July 14, offering day, evening and weekend classes for new and reentry students. For details or a tour of the campus call (909) 915-2100, or go on line to artinstitutes.edu/inlandempire.

The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire is one of the Art Institutes (www.artinstitutes.edu/InlandEmpire), a system of more than 40 locations throughout North America, providing an important source of design, media arts, fashion and culinary arts professionals. For more information, call (909) 915-2100 or go on line to www.artinstitutes.edu/InlandEmpire.


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Environmental Stresses Bring Serious Health Consequences

(SAN BERNARDINO, California) Blacks in the Inland Empire live with environmental stresses that could have serious consequences for their health, including premature death.

Dr. V. Diane Woods, founding president and CEO of the African American Health Institute of San Bernardino County, has tried to persuade people of this for years. Dr. Woods designed and conducted a countywide health planning project from 2003 to 2005, funded by The California Endowment, called the African American Health Initiative Planning Project.

The study was to investigate from the perspective of Americans of African ancestry in San Bernardino County why they have the poorest health outcomes of all ethnic groups. More African Americans die from the leading causes of death such as heart disease, stroke, cancer, and HIV/AIDS than any other group. Even African American infants die two to three times more often than other infants.

Statistics for San Bernardino County show that Americans of African ancestry die 13 years earlier than Whites. “Simply put African American males die at an average age of 56, and African American females die at an average age of 62,” said Dr. Woods. Since then, the African American Health Institute was created in January 2006, and has been working to combat this statistic.

Now, two documentary filmmakers, Larry Adleman and Llew Smith, have taken a look at health data affecting all races from across the country. The result of the filmmakers’ investigation, a four-part series called Unnatural Causes, airs soon on the PBS network.

Unnatural Causes concludes that lower incomes, racism and other external stresses put people at the greatest risk of health problems. These causes that are outside of a person, and can’t easily be changed by one’s own initiative, are more likely than biology or bad choices to make a person sick.

San Bernardino affiliate KVCR is scheduled to show the documentary starting July 2, and air at 8 p.m. July 9, July 16 and July 23.

“What I like about this series is we have collected our local data. Our results overwhelmingly point to multiple factors in San Bernardino County other than biology and bad choices that lead to persistent trends of premature death for Americans of African ancestry,” said Dr. Woods. “Now public health experts across America support our findings with mounting scientific evidence. Our local situation mirrors the nationwide situation.”

Dr. Woods learned of this film in 2006, and immediately signed the African American Health Institute to be a partner organization with the filmmakers. Many health care organizations in the country have joined this partnership, as have national organizations such as the Health Policy Institute of the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies, the National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO), and the American Public Health Association (APHA). The complete list can be viewed at www.unnaturalcauses.org.

As one of the partner organizations, the African American Health Institute held a preview screening of the documentary on Thursday, April 20 at the Norman C. Feldheym Library in San Bernardino. The segment Dr. Woods chose to preview shows how environmental changes over the 20th Century led to a high increase in diabetes and other health problems among two Native American tribes, the Tohonos and the Pimas, on reservations in Arizona.

At the preview, Dr. Woods discussed concerns both the series and her organization have raised. There are similarities between the health problems of the Native Americans now living on reservations, and those of Blacks living in the Inland Empire, she said.

Historically, the Native Americans in Arizona lived off their land, the Tohonos eating native vegetation that grew abundantly and the Pimas developing an elaborate irrigation system to draw water from a nearby river for their crops. Both tribes ate healthy and got lots of exercise. There was absolutely no diabetes among them during this time.

But starting in about 1890, White settlers in Arizona had increased the demand for water so much, the river by the Pimas had run dry and the Tohono’s area was a desert wasteland. A dam built during the Calvin Coolidge administration promised more water for the Pimas, but they saw very little. Instead, because of overt discrimination practiced then, most of that water was diverted to resorts, golf courses and wealthy Whites-only suburbs.

“This is a part of the sad history of America,” said Woods. “The ultimate travesty is that most people do not stop to think about the physical and mental devastation this environmental change has brought to a proud, self-sufficient people, the Native Americans.”

The Native Americans, stripped of their livelihood, had to rely on surplus commodities distributed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Usually these commodities are white flour, cheese, lard or other fats, and canned food. “Not foods for a healthy diet,” Woods said.

The video points out that while “fry bread” is now regarded as traditional Native American cuisine, it is not. It is what the early 20th Century Arizonans living on the reservations often made with their commodities, which was all they had. Their typical diet was much healthier.

“Here in the 21st Century Inland Empire, some Americans of African ancestry also rely on USDA surplus commodities to put food on their table,” Dr. Woods said. “African people were brought to America against their will. They were stripped of their dignity and treated lower than animals. The mental and physiological damage done to Americans of African ancestry is unspeakable. Even today, our people are led to believe that our culture is unhealthy, and bad, which is not true.”

“Think about the potlucks we have after church,” she said. “These social gatherings represent collective energy for positive fellowship, nurturing of our young, encouragement for the struggling, and general support for good will, honesty and integrity. This is the core of the African village, a fundamental premise for the health of Americans of African ancestry.”

Most Inland Empire residents suffer from a lack of exercise, Dr. Woods said. Some live in neighborhoods that aren’t safe for children to play outdoors. And others live in newer suburbs, that while safer; still have only small front and back yards, and almost no space between homes.

“This crowded condition tends to herd people together. When the African American family gathers it is often in large open spaces, such as the back yard at a relative’s home. We are a people of movement, energy, and laughter. We enjoy family gatherings. We love people to people interaction. We like space. Mentally, the new environmental changes and housing developments in the Inland Empire tend to be stressful. They take away space.

“Continual stress and negativism are environmental factors that put Black people at even greater health risk than bad diets and lack of exercise, as was demonstrated in Unnatural Causes,” Woods said. “The stress factor has been documented in scientific studies as a killer.”

While overt race-based discrimination has been illegal for more than 40 years, many Black people grew up with that oppression and still live with these covert factors, which causes ongoing accumulated stress.

“For instance, some people with rental homes will turn a Black person’s application down even though the home is vacant,” Dr. Woods said. “Likewise, some mortgage companies will invent reasons to deny a “prime” loan, or any loan to a Black person, or give high interest loans instead of lower interest loans.”

“Another way Blacks are discriminated against,” Dr. Woods said, “is in health and healthcare. Within the last five years inequities against Blacks, the poor and under-represented minorities (URM) have been overwhelmingly documented in the Institutes of Medicine (IOM) report, studies by RAND, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), and many other scientific academies.”

As a health professional, she has often seen Blacks wait a long time for their doctors and insurance companies to approve a necessary surgery or treatment, while Whites with the same insurance coverage and same health provider obtain the necessary care quickly. “This is a case of inequity and unequal treatment, not inferior providers or a lack of insurance,” Woods said.

This type of stress is created for poor people, irrespective of ethnicity. The results are still the same, sickness or death. This is why everyone should view the PBS series Unnatural Causes. “We as health professionals need to target root causes of premature death and poor health outcomes in our society. We need to use our scarce money and human resources to change what is wrong in our society. And, what is terribly wrong are stress factors,” Woods said.

As Dr. Woods has been saying for several years, these risk factors create an intolerable situation.

“At this point in America, and other places around the world we are in a crisis, a global crisis,” she said. “A crisis requires an aggressive approach and we at AAHI-SBC are committed to following through with what is needed and to work with anyone who truly wishes to eradicate root causes for poor health outcomes.”

What San Bernardino County needs to do most of all, she said, is commit significant money to preventative health and healthcare. We need major change. We need to stop making excuses and stop trying to look good.

“Our County needs to give money and support to those community organizations that are truly working with their people. Organizations need to demonstrate with hard facts that they are working directly with people who need the help. Our County needs to stop using ‘token’ responses to life and death issues. Our County decision-makers need to stop playing with the lives of people they are responsible for protecting and preserving their health. We need to get about the business of not maintaining the “status quo.”

“Our County decision-makers can not afford to casually look the other way, or ‘play make believe,’ or pretend to create elaborate ‘less than honorable’ attempts in addressing serious societal issues, when people are dying needlessly from preventable conditions. Our County leadership needs to move aggressively ahead and get about the business of investing money and people power into saving lives of all people, and preventing one more needless death not just saving the lives of the chosen few,” said Dr. Woods.

She hopes the Unnatural Causes PBS national series will prick the “moral conscious” and further convince local policy-makers and decision-makers in the health industry of this need. “This is not a time to “just” stay in business but, to change for the good of the people, or we will all be dead shortly. Unfortunately, when death touches your family, the sting is great. The recovery is slow.”

“Unnatural Causes is not a feel-good production,” she said. “It is not entertainment, as usual. It is about a national movement forward to tear down false ideologies, and build up systems in America that will be fair, just, and equal for all. Unnatural Causes is about saving lives of Americans.”

The first episode is entitled In Sickness and In Wealth and it will air on Wednesday July 2 at 8pm on KVCR channel 24. This episode will address as to why some of us become sick more frequently than others, as well as why some die sooner.

The second airing, Wednesday July 9 at 8pm on KVCR channel 24, will show two twenty-five minute episodes entitled: When the Bough Breaks and Becoming American. The first twenty-five minutes segment, episode two, will focuses on: infant morality rates among African Americans that remain twice as high as that of white Americans, as well as investigate possible causes researchers determine add to the burden of racism as a long term-risk factor.

The third episode showing within the second airing will focus on recent Mexican immigrants and their tendency to be healthier than the average American. The longer they are here, however, the worse their health becomes, even as their socio-economic status improves. This is “Hispanic Paradox,” places their children at high risk for obesity, heart disease and mental illness.

The fourth episode, entitled Bad Sugar, will air July 16 at 8pm on KVCR channel 24 and will provide viewers with an in-depth look at the Pima and Tohono O’odham Indians of southern Arizona, which are marked with the distinction of perhaps the highest rates of Type 2 diabetes in the world.

The fifth episode, which will also be air July 16 at 8pm on KVCR channel 24, entitled Place Matters, tells of recent Southeast Asian immigrants, along with Latinos, increasingly moving into what have been neglected black urban neighborhoods and how their health is now being eroded.

The final airing of Unnatural Causes, showing July 23 at 8pm on KVCR channel 24, will include the sixth and seventh episodes. The sixth episode, Collateral Damage, will follow patterns of uneven development that mark the Pacific Islands and diabetes, cardiovascular and kidney diseases and tuberculosis. These diseases are taking a growing toll on Pacific Islander populations.

For more information about AAHI, please call us at (909) 880-2600.

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About the African American Health Institute of San Bernardino County (AAHI-SBC)
AAHI-SBC is a community-based resource focused solely on improving health among Americans of African ancestry, the poor and under-represented (URM) ethnic minorities in the Inland Empire. Please visit our Web Site at www.AAHI-SBC.org and learn more about what self-help groups and others are doing to improve the conditions of Blacks. You will also find the history of AAHI-SBC, an extensive list of partners, and activities underway.

Innovation & Creativity = Business Success

(SAN BERNARDINO, Calif.) “What if?”

This question, in infinite variations, is the foundation for discovering something new. It’s a question Alexander Manu, the author of “The Imagination Challenge: Strategic Foresight and Innovation in the Global Economy,” encourages corporations worldwide to ask as they seek new business opportunities.

By challenging corporate America to use its collective imagination for almost three decades, Manu has ignited a passion among creative individuals for developing and sharing new ideas. He has given more than 200 lectures on creativity and innovation in 23 countries, attended by thousands of people.

Monday, July 7, he brings his innovative thinking to San Bernardino, when the Art Institute of California-Inland Empire hosts The Invasion of Infinite Creativity. This series of lectures and workshops is designed to both stimulate people’s creativity and to showcase the quality instruction students at The Art Institute of California-Inland Empire already receive from leaders in creative industries, such as design and animation.

As one of the keynote speakers for The Invasion of Infinite Creativity, Manu will give three presentations about his “Imagination Challenge” at The Art Institute of California-Inland Empire. These take place Monday, July 7 at 12 noon and 6 p.m.

Manu, who lives in Toronto, Canada, is the senior partner and chief imaginator at InnoSpa International Partners, a worldwide consulting firm that helps large corporations to use innovation and strategic planning to be more competitive. He previously was the founder and executive director of the Beal Institute for Strategic Creativity, which helped businesses to be more effective by using creative thinking.

Manu was born in 1954 in Bucharest, Romania. He obtained a Master of Decorative Arts degree from the Institute of Fine Arts in Bucharest in 1978, and served on the faculty there before coming to Toronto in 1980.

Besides lecturing, authoring and serving as a design and planning consultant for large corporations, Manu currently serves as an instructor for the Ontario College of Art & Design, and at the Rotman School of Management, both in Toronto. He also is a past president of the Association of Chartered Industrial Designers of Ontario (Canada), and served twice on the board of the International Council of Societies of Industrial Design.

Other guest speakers during The Invasion of Infinite Creativity will be April Greiman, a pioneer in the use of technology to create graphic design, and Ron Husband, who was the first Black animator hired by Disney Studios.

While The Invasion of Infinite Creativity includes presentations by three guest speakers who are especially well known in their areas of design, it is primarily an opportunity for the public to learn the latest design techniques through workshops led by the award-winning faculty of The Art Institute of California-Inland Empire. They will present workshops in Interior Design, Graphic Design, Web Design & Interactive Media, Media Arts & Animation and Game Art & Design.

Most of these workshops are free.

Interior Design workshops cover making computerized 3-D renderings with the SketchUP program, balancing mind, body and spirit with color, and marker rendering (a $30 materials fee for the marker rendering workshops will include 12 AD® markers, marker paper samples and a DVD showing how to render wood, glass and metal)

Graphic Design/Web Design & Interactive Media workshops cover print graphics using InDesign, web design basics and how to publish a design portfolio online, web design with CSS Frameworks, Flash Object-Oriented Programming, AfterEffects for motion graphics, and search engine optimization.

Media Arts & Animation/Game Art & Design workshops cover figure sculpting (participants will sculpt a female form using a live model,) life drawing, character design for film and television, storyboarding and comic books, digital character painting, history and future of animation, how Heavy Iron Studios (developer of various computer games) has approached level design, using ZBrush to develop and create characters, and digital character animation,

Culinary workshops cover healthy cuisine, international cuisine, and baking and pastry techniques and artistry.

The Art Institute of California–Inland Empire offers Bachelor of Science degrees in Game Art & Design, Culinary Management, Graphic Design, Web Design & Interactive Media, Interior Design, Fashion Design, Fashion & Retail Management and Media Arts & Animation. There are also Associate of Science degrees in Graphic Design and Culinary Arts. Each program is offered on a year-round basis, allowing students to work uninterrupted toward their degrees.

It’s not too late to start classes. Courses begin July 14, offering day, evening and weekend classes for new and reentry students. For details or a tour of the campus call (909) 915-2100, or go on line to artinstitutes.edu/inlandempire.

The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire is one of the Art Institutes (www.artinstitutes.edu/InlandEmpire), a system of more than 40 locations throughout North America, providing an important source of design, media arts, fashion and culinary arts professionals. For more information, call (909) 915-2100 or go on line to www.artinstitutes.edu/InlandEmpire.

Law School Expands in San Bernardino

Stephan Cutler, dean of the School of Criminal Justice & Public Policy for American Heritage University, gives remarks at the school's grand opening at 255 N D Street. Also on the stage with Cutler are Robin De-Ivy Allen, keynote speaker for the grand opening, and American Heritage University's management team: Registrar Margaret Espinosa, Law School Dean Pamela Gressier, Chief Academic Officer Jay Deb and President Tony Ogiamien.

(SAN BERNARDINO, Calif.) Aspiring lawyers and other professionals have new opportunities to earn their degree, with the expansion of American Heritage University into its new quarters at 255 North D Street, Suite 403.

“A law school! Right here in San Bernardino County! I am excited about this,” said Robin De-Ivy Allen, one of the guests at American Heritage University’s Grand Opening ceremony, held Tuesday, June 24.

De-Ivy Allen was the motivational speaker for the Grand Opening, but other guests shared the enthusiasm. Many agreed, the Juris Doctorate and other programs American Heritage now offers in downtown San Bernardino will motivate many people to pursue higher education.

President Tony Ogiamien noted that since American Heritage University moved into its new building, its enrollment has grown significantly. Many men and women work in the courthouse and other professional buildings nearby, and noticed the sign outside the building.

“This is a great new location for us,” he said.

The 255 North D Street address is also considerably larger than its old offices a few miles away. With the expansion, American Heritage University moves from a purely online school to a hybrid program, offering students a choice of online or in-class instruction.

“If you have not completed your degree, you have a new opportunity to do so here at American Heritage University,” Ogiamien said. “Our instructors are seasoned professionals.”

“But you do not have to sit in a classroom,” he said. “We also have quality online instruction.”

Undergraduate degree programs at AHU are designed to allow students to proceed at their own pace. They also are specifically tailored for students who started a degree elsewhere, but left college before graduating.

They are required to complete a minimum of two courses per session, and must finish their undergraduate program within two years. Undergraduate students must have already completed 60 units.

The postgraduate work must be completed within one year. The Juris Doctorate degree is a four-year program for those seeking California State Bar eligibility.

The School of Law offers a Bachelor of Science degree in Law and the Juris Doctorate. Courses cover such subjects as contracts, criminal law, criminal procedure, legal writing, torts, Constitutional law, civil procedure and real property law.

American Heritage University also offers bachelor’s degrees in business administration, film studies, social studies and computer information systems, master’s degrees in business administration, public policy and computer information systems and a doctorate degree in business administration. It offers certificates for nursing assistants and English as a foreign language.

American Heritage University has been granted full approval to operate by the California State Bureau for Postsecondary and Vocational Education.

For more information, call (909) 888-0321.

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Life Drawing Class at Art Institute of California-Inland Empire

(SAN BERNADINO, Calif.) Knowing how to draw from a live human model is important for any artist. The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire will show attendees how to do this at its Life Drawing workshop on Saturday, July 19, from 1 - 5 p.m. The workshop will be open at no charge.

“These classes to give budding young artists the instruction they need to improve in their drawing abilities,” said Santosh Ooomen, academic director of animation of the Art Institute of California – Inland Empire .”We are committed to helping artists in the Inland Empire grow.”

The Life Drawing workshops are usually offered on the third Saturday of every month. There are 21 seats available in each class. Students must bring their own pencils and drawing papers. The workshop is open to the public, those 15 years old or above, and the classes are offered at no charge.

“Many people have great creative talents,” Oomen says. “The workshop offers people a chance to focus that raw creative talent into directed creativity. Our goal is to help make better artists.”

Oommen says the workshop involves drawing from a live figure and covers topics such as anatomy and gestures. To sign up for the Life Drawing workshop, or for more information, call The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire at (909) 915-2100.

Healthy Relationships, A Healthier You

(RIVERSIDE, Calif.) – A young Black woman who survived breast cancer at an early age will highlight a conference that will motivate other African-Americans to take charge of their health.
Nikia Hammonds Blakely is the keynote speaker for the free Healthy Heritage Wellness Conference, taking place from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. July 26 at California Baptist University, 8432 Magnolia St., Riverside. The conference offers speakers, information booths and interactive sessions aimed at improving the overall health and well being of the Black community.
The theme of this year’s conference is “Healthy Relationships, A Healthier You.”
“Good relationships are essential to our happiness and emotional well-being,” said Phyllis Clark, event organizer. They influence everything from hypertension to age-related health issues.”
Hammonds Blakely was diagnosed with a rare and aggressive form of breast cancer when she was just 16 years old. She spent that summer undergoing radiation treatments and several surgical procedures, but after several months the cancer went away and has not returned.
“I was terrified when I learned I had cancer,” she said. “After God delivered me from this, motivating other people to take care of their health became my passion.”
Now 29, Hammonds Blakely is a member of the Susan J. Komen Foundation’s Young Women’s Advisory Council and speaks throughout the world on the issue of women’s health and African-American health. She also serves as a national ambassador for Circle of Promise, a division of the Susan J. Komen foundation working to improve the high incidences of and poor survival rates for Black women with breast cancer.
And she does this all while serving as an assistant director for marketing and alumni relations at Ivy Tech Community College in Crown, Point, Indiana and pursuing her Ph.D. in organizational management.

“Maintaining healthy relationships is not easy, but it can be done,” Clark said. “The Healthy Heritage Wellness Conference 2008 will provide tools and resources to help develop and maintain these relationships.”
According to a San Bernardino County Department of Health report, African
Americans in San Bernardino County die 13 years younger than whites. Many African American lives are shortened by illness such as diabetes, high blood pressure (hypertension), heart disease, HIV/AIDS and cancer.
The Healthy Heritage Wellness Conference features speakers who bring a wealth of
knowledge from the medical, emotional health, faith, and Afrocentric worlds.
Other speakers are:
• Dr. E.M. Abdlulmumin, a psychologist at the University of California – Riverside Counseling Center and psychology professor for the Thomas Haider UCR/UCLA Program in Biomedical Sciences at UCR. Dr. Abdulmumin is also the founder and executive director of the DuBois Institute, a recreational and educational program for youth at the Bobby Bonds Sports Complex in Riverside.
• Charles Fossett III of Montclair, a sociology professor and author of Heartbrokers and Marriagebrokers, two books that explore personal relationships.
A wellness panel includes Dr. Stephen H. Barag, a physician at Pomona Valley Hospital Medical Center, speaking on hypertension and the doctor-patient relationship, Dr. Dave Williams, coordinator of the Riverside County Wellness Program, speaking on the holistic approach to wellness, Chef Anthony Stemley, owner of French Quarter Catering, sharing his techniques to prepare healthy meals and a representative of the Black Women’s Health Project, speaking on Twelve Commandments for Mental Health.
There are also free screenings for HIV/AIDS, prostate cancer and blood sugar levels, clinical breast examinations and more Clark said.
The free Healthy Heritage Wellness Conference is organized by a committee, which includes staff members from Riverside County Public Health Department, the American Cancer Society, the Southern California Witness Project, a breast cancer awareness group, Inland Agency, Dameron Communications and many volunteers.
Sponsorships for this year’s conference are still available. They will include The American Cancer Society, Pharmaceutical and Research Manufacturers of America, Southern California Edison, the Riverside County Health Foundation, Inland Agency, Dameron Communications and Novartis.
For more information or to attend the Healthy Heritage Wellness Conference call (951) 565-4431 or e-mail hhwcmovement@yahoo.com.

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Digital graphics pioneer April Greiman coming to Art Institute in July

(SAN BERNARDINO, Calif.) April Greiman, a world-recognized leader in the evolution of post-modern graphic art, will give a rare guest presentation at The Art Institute of California-Inland Empire on July 10 at 2:30 p.m. Admission is free and open to the public.

“She was one of the first women in graphic design to break through what had been a male-dominated field, and make a name for herself,” said Micheal Swank, academic director of the Graphic Arts and Web Design & Interactive Media departments of the Art Institute of California-Inland Empire. “She also pioneered the use of technologies that changed the essence of what graphic design is today.”

Greiman, 60, of Los Angeles, was one of the first graphic designers to embrace the computer as a graphic design tool. Shortly after McIntosh computers were made public in 1984, she purchased one and began incorporating applications such as McDraw into her work.

One of her most well-known works which she used these early computer technologies to create was Issue #133 of Design Quarterly, published in 1986. Instead of the usual magazine format, this issue was a large poster, with a life-size digitalized photo of her naked on one side, with layers of image and text interspersed, and video images and text on the other side. The focus of the issue was “Does It Make Sense?” and addressed her thoughts on the emerging field of digital graphic design.

In 1986, technology wasn’t adequate to easily integrate video images and text, so Greiman’s work on the Design Quarterly issue was considered an astounding technical feat, according to the website for AIGA, the top professional organization for graphic designers.

This website also noted that Design Quarterly #133 was a departure artistically from widely-held notions of graphic design at the time. Her digital images and type were clearly pixilated, a distortion most graphic designers of the day considered unacceptable., but that could hardly be avoided when using computers. New technologies have since been developed to greatly reduce pixilation to the point it is not visible in most finished works, but Greiman embraced and greatly expanded on the distorted look, causing many graphic designers to rethink their approach to graphic arts, both artistically and technologically.

Today, Greiman continues to stay on top of new technologies and design ideas. Her design firm, Made In Space, creates images using a variety of media, from traditional photography to the latest technology. She’s also developed an interest in architectural design, and has collaborated with architects to develop signs, interior spaces and more.

When Greiman began working in Graphic Arts, there weren’t as many uses for it, and graphic designers tended to only work in one area of expertise. Now, there are many uses for graphic design, and different types of designers must work together to bring about the much more complex projects today’s technology is capable of producing.

“In the tradition of graphic design of the 20th Century, you could either be a great typographer, a great designer or illustrator, or a great poster designer,” she said. “Now we are confronted with motion graphics, the World Wide Web, and interactive applications. The world has changed and the field is changing to meet it.”

And so is the Art Institute of California-Inland Empire, which is training designers to work in the most modern techniques of Graphic Design, and all of the fields that have emerged from graphic design. It offers Bachelor of Science degrees in Game Art & Design, Graphic Design, Culinary Management, Web Design & Interactive Media, Fashion & Retail Management, Fashion Design, Interior Design, Media Arts & Animation; and Associate of Science Degrees in Graphic Design and Culinary Arts.

For more information, or to arrange a tour, call (909) 915-2100.

The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire is one of the Art Institutes (a system of more than 40 locations throughout North America, providing an important source of design, media arts, fashion and culinary arts professionals. For more information, call (909) 915-2100 or go on line to www.artinstitutes.edu/inlandempire.
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Art Institute adds counseling staff

Sara Reilly counsels a student at the Art Institute of the Inland Empire. Photo by Robert Swapp.

(SAN BERNARDINO, Calif.) She was a Business major at Azusa Pacific University, until she took an “Introduction to Counseling” class. “And immediately,” says Sara Reilly, “I knew the business world wasn’t for me. My heart just wasn’t in it.”

Reilly, who now lives in Redlands, is the new Counseling and Disability Service director at The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire.

She did complete her B.A. in Business. but with her goals and passion having found new direction, she obtained her Masters last December in Educational Counseling.

“I found a new and very strong desire to help students,” she adds, “and my life took on a whole new meaning.”

Working under the Student Affairs Department these past three months has been excitingly active. Reilly had one-on-one sessions with 54 Art Institute students in May, each with a different need, a different problem. “I love that about this job. The student contacts and situations vary each and every day.”

Reilly doesn’t only rely on students coming to her, however, and “outreach” programs are high on her agenda. There are workshops she directs in stress management, avoiding procrastination, handling success and more.

“I bring in a lot of guest speakers, too,” she says. “A big part of my job is letting students know what assistance and resources are out there in their own communities, available to anyone in need. Students may be introduced to rape centers, to drugs and alcohol programs, to child care assistance. There’s so much help available that students might otherwise never know exists.”

Reilly does double-duty, though, with Disability Services a very important part of her responsibilities. In this capacity, she works with teachers who may have students with specialized needs. “For instance, some students may require additional test time,” she explains. Others may not be able to arrive at their next class right on time, some may need to sit extra close or at a distance from the classroom teacher, still others may have unique nutritional needs. Whatever student disabilities call for, it’s her job to handle them.

“There’s an added benefit to being at The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire,” Reilly notes. “In the public school system you drown in paperwork, cutting into potentially meaningful time with students. Here, at a private school, I can spend my time as an academic counselor one hour and a personal advisor the next. I’m here for our 750 students, not simply for the administration or the government.”

Already, Sara Reilly has her eyes set on more ways to assist students. “We’ve done some reaching out to them, but there has to be more. I can’t simply wait for a student to come to me. Some are too embarrassed to admit they need help, others just may not even know our office exists. In the future I’ll spend more time to introduce them to the vast resources at the school and within the community, for example. I’ll expand the number of workshops, too.” There’s a great deal that any school can do to help their students, but not all administrations realize its importance. The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire does. That’s why they brought in Sara Reilly.

The Art Institute of California–Inland Empire offers Bachelor of Science degrees in Game Art & Design, Culinary Management, Graphic Design, Web Design & Interactive Media, Interior Design, Fashion and Retail Management and Media Arts & Animation. There are also Associate of Science degrees in Graphic Design and Culinary Arts. Each program is offered on a year-round basis, allowing students to work uninterrupted toward their degrees.

It’s not too late to start classes. Courses begin July 14, offering day, evening and weekend classes for new and reentry students. For details or a tour of the campus call (909) 915-2100, or go on line to artinstitutes.edu/inlandempire.

The Art Institute of California-Inland Empire is only one of more than 40 educational institutions within The Art Institutes system, located throughout North America, providing an important source of design, media arts, fashion and culinary arts professionals.

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Hotel guests will work so they can teach others

The Riverside Marriott has some extra help the week of June 23-27, as teachers job-shadow the hotel staff as part of a workshop on teaching hospitality and tourism to students enrolled in Home Economics Careers and Technology courses at high schools and Regional Occupation programs.

(RIVERSIDE, California) – Home Economics Careers and Technology teachers from throughout California will convene at the Riverside Marriott Hotel for a week June 23-27, but this is no vacation for them – they’ll all be put to work.

These teachers will spend part of their week working as reservation clerks, receptionists, food and beverage servers, and as part of the housekeeping, catering, room service, concierge, and security and maintenance staff. Then they will return to their own high schools and Regional Occupation Programs, better equipped to prepare their students for careers in tourism and hospitality.

“California’s reputation for breathtaking landscapes and friendly people have put the state on the map as the number one travel destination in the United States,” said Janice DeBenedetti, consultant for the California Department of Education’s Home Economics Careers & Technology program. “This means there is hardly a better place for young people to begin a career in the hospitality, tourism and recreation industry, and it’s not slowing down anytime soon.”

The hospitality/tourism industry employs about 900,000 people as of 2008, and is expected to grow 4.5 percent each year through 2014, DeBenedetti said. Some of the best-paid jobs within this sector are theme park directors, hotel managers, caterers and event planners

“The growing demand for hospitality and tourism has convinced many high schools and ROP programs to add specialized courses in hospitality and tourism,” DeBenedetti said. “This workshop is for the instructors who will teach those courses.

Before they take on the roles of hospitality providers for the Riverside Marriott, the teachers will “job shadow” people who actually hold these jobs. They will also tour other hotels in the area, to learn about how they provide hospitality.

On-the-job experience is only part of the course for teachers taking part in this professional development workshop offered by Home Economics Careers & Technology. As with any part of the California educational system, there are State Board of Education-approved standards for Hospitality/Tourism programs, which the Department of Education expects all schools to follow. Members of the Home Economics Careers and Technology staff, along with guest instructor Michael Lao of Glendale Community College, will train teachers in how to develop a program that follows those standards.

The standards for all Home Economics Careers and Technology courses were developed with the input of industry leaders and educators.

Teachers will also learn strategies to help students learn the material, how to develop tests and other assignments to measure the students’ grasp of what they have learned, and about resources to help them financially or enhance the training they will provide. As Home Economics Careers and Technology instructors, they will also learn how to use the FHA-HERO leadership and career development program, as a co-curricular organization for students enrolled in Home Economics Careers & Technology courses.

“We are pleased to partner with the California Department of Education and its Home Economics Careers and Technology program in support of the hospitality industry,” said Tom Donahue, general manager of the Riverside Marriott Hotel. “Marriott as a corporation, and the Riverside Marriott, are in full support of partnerships to assist teachers and school districts in the development of this type of specialized training in our schools.”

Home Economics Careers and Technology courses prepare students to work in three industry sectors: Hospitality, Tourism & Recreation (including Culinary Arts); Fashion & Interior Design; and Education, Child Development & Family Services. The courses, which focus on both leadership and career development, are offered in high schools, Regional Occupations Programs and some middle schools.

In the 1970s, California began expanding its home economics courses, taking the focus off traditional homemaking. The program now has a dual focus. One program Consumer and Family Studies, prepares students with personal and life management skills. The other, Home Economics Related Occupations, prepares students for high-skill, high-wage careers in the related industries.

While culinary, fashion and child development courses remain staples of most schools’ home economics curriculum; programs now address broad topics like tourism and hospitality, consumer affairs and energy conservation.

For more information, call Janice DeBenedetti at (916) 323-5025.