Black Culture Foundation Presents Eight Black Rose Awards and Two Scholarships
2024-03-06
31st Annual Black Rose Award winners for 2024Photo byVan Howard
Photo caption: Black Rose Award winners. Left to right first row; Fontana Mayor Acquanetta Warren, Sam’s Club Assistant Manager Michael Beauregard, California State University San Bernardino President Tomás Morales, San Bernardino City Unified School District Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources Dr. Marcus Funchess, American Career College Director of Education Tina Darling, City of Moreno Valley Park Commissioner James C. Baker II, Black Rose Awards Entertainment Chairperson Rev. Bronica Martindale, Black Culture Foundation Past President Ezekiel Adeleke, and Atkinson, Andelson, Loya, Ruud & Romo Partner Jack B. Clarke Jr. Back Row: Black Culture Foundation President Carl Dameron, GPL-Grandparents Love Founder Aristotle McDaniel, and Black Rose Awards Founder and Black Culture Foundation Secretary Jim King.
Riverside, CA---The Black Culture Foundation, Inc. honored eight local heroes and awarded two scholarships at its annual Black Rose Awards Gala.
The recipients of the Dr. Juanita Scott Humanitarian of the Year Award was given to two individuals: Dr. Marcus Funchess, who serves as the assistant superintendent of human resources for the San Bernardino City Unified School District, and Jack B. Clarke Jr., a community leader and partner at the law firm of Atkinson, Andelson, Loya, Ruud & Romo.
“On behalf of CSUSB’s 20,000 students and 125,000 alumni, we are honored to receive the Founders Award from the Black Culture Foundation,” stated California State University San Bernardino (CSUSB) President Dr. Tomás D. Morales. “We are proud of our partnership with the Black Culture Foundation and the African American community in the Inland Empire in advocating for educational opportunities to the residents of the Inland Empire.”
Black Rose Award winners include Acquanetta Warren, Mayor of Fontana, James C. Baker II, Park Commissioner for the City of Moreno Valley; Michael Beauregard, Assistant Manager at Sam’s Club; Tina Darling, Director of Education at American Career College, Ontario, and Chair of the Nursing and Health Ministry at New Hope Missionary Baptist Church; and Aristotle McDaniel, founder of GPL-Grandparents Love.”
Maya Johnson and Daniel Rivera Jr. received Dr. Margaret Hill Black Rose Young Adults Inspiration Awards including scholarships of $1,250 each.
The masters of ceremonies for the evening were Dia Poole and Kathryn Ervin.Photo byVan Howard
The masters of ceremonies for the evening were Cal State University San Bernardino theatre arts professor Kathryn Ervin and former Judicial Council of California legislative advocate Dia S. Poole.
Entertainment for the evening came from Unspeakable Praise youth praise dance group and the Original Mary Jane Girls leader lead singer Makeda Francisco. San Bernardino Valley College (SBVC) student JhuMaani Chess sang a stirring rendition of the United States National Anthem. SBVC student Cherish Jackson moved the audience with her rendition of The Black National Anthem.
The Black Rose Awards are a complement to Black History Month. The awards are sponsored by the Black Culture Foundation, a nonprofit founded in 1968, to foster a greater understanding of Black culture and heighten community awareness of the accomplishments of Black people, past and present, and to plan, coordinate, and direct an annual Black History Month parade and related cultural activities.
Foundation President Carl M. Dameron said, “The nomination committee chose outstanding Inland Empire leaders to receive Black Rose Awards this year. We are honored to recognize and publicly thank them for their longtime and ongoing service to the people of the Inland Empire.”
A list of all previous Black Rose Award winners from 1990 is on the Foundation website at sbbcfoundation.org
Event sponsors included The Southern California Gas Company, the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians, Dameron Communications, Charles Bibbs, Southern California Edison, U.S. Representative Pete Aguilar (D-33), California State Assemblymember Eloise Reyes (D-50), The Social Lites, the law firm of Atkinson, Andelson, Loya, Ruud & Romo, and California State University, San Bernardino.
Original Mary Jane Girls leader lead singer Makeda Francisco performed at the Annual Black Rose Awards.Photo byVan Howard
Certificates of achievement were presented to the Black Rose Awards winners from Representative Pete Aguilar, California State Senator Rosilicie Ochoa Bogh (R-23), State Senator Richard Roth (D-31), State Senator Kelly Seyarto (R-32), Assemblymember Sabrina Cervantes (D-58), Assemblymember Dr. Corey A. Jackson (D-60), Assemblymember James C. Ramos (D-45), Assemblymember Eloise Reyes, Assemblymember Greg Wallis (R-47), County of San Bernadino Second District Supervisor Jesse Armendarez, County of San Bernadino Fifth District Supervisor Joe Baca, Jr., and the Cities of Corona, Fontana, Highland, Rialto Riverside, and San Bernardino.
The evening closed with the swearing of Carl M. Dameron as president of the Black Culture Foundation. His theme for 2024 is “Its Time.”Photo byVan Howard
The evening closed with the swearing of Carl M. Dameron as president of the Black Culture Foundation. His theme for 2024 is “Its Time.” Dameron proclaimed that “it’s time to bring back the San Bernardino Black History Parade. It’s time to bring back the Black Senior King and Queen. It’s time for an Inland Empire-wide Black events calendar, all online, in one place, free for all to share events and access.”
Dameron concluded, "It’s time for young and old, novice and experienced to join us to honor our legacy of excellence and build our leaders for the future.” He implored people to become members atsbbcfoundation.org/membership.
Black Rose Award Winner Video Links. Click below to see a speech from the Black Rose Award winners.
About the Black Rose Awards
The Black Rose Awards are a complement to Black History Month. The awards are sponsored by the Black Culture Foundation, Inc. a nonprofit founded in 1968 by a small group of people who were concerned that, “...nationwide, our school systems have not yet incorporated Black history studies into regular school curriculums. Thus, all students miss the opportunity to learn more about a vital part of this country's history.”
The Black Culture Foundation's purpose “...is to foster an interest and a greater understanding of Black culture, to heighten community awareness of the accomplishments of Black people, past and present, and to plan, coordinate and direct an annual Black History Month parade and related cultural activities...[and] bridge the gaps across cultural lines by bringing the local community together to celebrate this event in the spirit of unity and brotherhood.”
The Black Rose Awards are the Foundation’s showcase cultural event.
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