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MAKING A DIFFERENCE: Outward Bound Adventures show children a new world
LOS ANGELES SENTINEL — Kids, leave your phones and electronics at home; you’re going on an adventure. For some, Outward Bound Adventures’ excursions are a time to unplug and be worry-free as participants experience the outdoors, often opposite of the concrete jungles they live in.
By Wave Newspapers
Kids, leave your phones and electronics at home; you’re going on an adventure.
For some, Outward Bound Adventures’ excursions are a time to unplug and be worry-free as participants experience the outdoors, often opposite of the concrete jungles they live in.
For nearly 60 years, urban youth and families in Pasadena and Los Angeles County have joined the nonprofit on trips that last from days to almost a month, visiting islands, mountains, beaches and deserts.
“It is absolutely critical for every child to have access to the outdoors and not just because of the stewardship value that it promotes, but for the emotional, social and physical health benefits of having children connected to nature,” Charles Thomas, program director, said.
Thomas knows this because he was once a child participating in Outward Bound’s programs.
“I got in a lot of trouble as a kid and I was one of those kids that needed a lot more attention,” he said. “The founder of Outward Bound Adventures, she always took the time to share with me the value I brought to the conversation even if I was 14 years old. I said I would always take the time to listen when a child speaks, to understand them.”
The commitment to providing access to the outdoors to families in urban cities began with Pasadena school teacher, Helen Mary Williams, and the after-school club of her creation, Junior Audubon Society.
Williams wasn’t alone in her mission to bring children to the outdoors. She worked with other teachers like Helen Criss and one of the original Tuskegee Airmen pilots, LeRoy Criss. The mountaineering aspect of Outward Bound Adventures comes from Eldridge “Bud” Ross Jr., one of the first African Americans to join the Sierra Club Los Angeles chapter.
According to the organization, about 80,000 youths and families have been impacted by Outward Bound Adventures. Currently, there are four main programs the organization uses to teach youth from marginalized communities.
Each program uses six areas of focus: eco- and cultural-literacy; community engagement; stewardship and Leave No Trace ethics; team building and leadership; physical challenge and outdoor careers in conservation.
The Environment Restoration Teams offer short- and long-term paid positions to dropouts, veterans and recent high school graduates.
Families are most involved in the Natural Resources and Stewardship Academy, a year-round series of trips and courses about environmental conservation and education. Teach Me to Camp also helps families get involved with a guided introduction to wilderness and camping basics.
Because much of the staff are volunteers, programs like the Youth Advisory Council and the Diverse Outdoor Leaders Institute help train youth and adults to lead wilderness trips that will inspire the next generation.
“What I care about is that we have a larger community of color serving communities of color,” Thomas said. “I want certified, qualified instructors of color throughout Los Angeles — whether they’re at another nonprofit or starting their own — I want people who look like the kids that we’re trying to serve.”
Other than volunteers, donations keep the business running at its best with people offering money, equipment, training and educational support. The donations from the community allow Outward Bound Adventures to leave worries about equipment, food and transportation on them and not the people who take part.
In the future, Thomas would like the organization to expand to San Bernardino, San Fernando, Oakland and other cities. He also plans to focus on foster children and starting satellite campuses in Compton, Watts and East L.A.
“We’re not just an outdoor camping organization, that’s what we do when we’re out there, but what we’re trying to do is introduce these kids to a lifetime of outdoor recreation and careers in conservation and the environmental field. And that starts with them being comfortable outdoors.”
The article first appeared in The Los Angeles Sentinel
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EXCLUSIVE OP-ED: President Joe Biden Commemorating Juneteenth
BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE — “I’ve always believed that we need to be honest about our history, especially in the face of ongoing efforts to erase it. Darkness can hide much, but it erases nothing. Only with truth can come healing, justice, and repair.”

By Joseph R. Biden, Jr.
46th President of the United States: 2021—2025
The people of Galveston, Texas, have been commemorating Juneteenth since the Civil War ended. Yesterday, in honor of the 160th anniversary, I went there to join them.
You can read about the events of Juneteenth, but there’s nothing quite like going to Galveston and seeing where it all happened.
After General Robert E. Lee surrendered at Appomattox Court House on April 9, 1865, Union troops marched across the South for two months, freeing enslaved people along the way. Their final stop was Galveston, an island off the Gulf coast of Texas. There, on June 19, 1865, Union troops went to Reedy Chapel, a church founded in 1848 by enslaved people, and posted a document titled simply “General Order #3.”
“The people of Texas are informed,” it said, “that, in accordance with a Proclamation from the Executive of the United States, all slaves are free.”
We can only imagine the joy that spread through Galveston – and across the state and nation – on that day and those that followed.
Yesterday, there was once again joy in Galveston, with a parade, picnic, and fireworks. There was also great solemnity, because Juneteenth is a sacred day – a day of weight and power.
The Book of Psalms tells us: “Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.” Juneteenth marks both the long, hard night of slavery and subjugation, and the promise of that joyful morning to come.
As President, I had the great honor of signing the law declaring Juneteenth a federal holiday. It was our nation’s first new federal holiday since Martin Luther King, Jr. Day was created in 1983.
Our federal holidays say a lot about who we are as a nation. We have holidays celebrating our independence… the laborers who build this nation… the servicemembers who served and died in its defense.
And now, we also have a national holiday dedicated to the emancipation of enslaved Black Americans.
Signing that law was one of my proudest acts as President.
Yet for 156 years, Juneteenth was not written about in textbooks or taught in classrooms. Still today, there are those who say it does not deserve a holiday. They don’t want to remember the moral stain of slavery and the terrible harm it did to our country.
I’ve always believed that we need to be honest about our history, especially in the face of ongoing efforts to erase it. Darkness can hide much, but it erases nothing. Only with truth can come healing, justice, and repair.
I also believe that it’s not enough to commemorate the past. We must also embrace the obligation we have to the future. As Scripture says, “Faith without works is dead.” And right now, we Americans need to keep the faith and do the work.
In honor of Juneteenth, let’s help people register to vote.
For decades, we fought to expand voting rights in America. Now we’re living in an era when relentless obstacles are being thrown in the way of people trying to vote. We can’t let those tactics defeat us. In America, the power belongs with the people. And the way we show that power is by voting.
So let’s reach out to family, friends and neighbors – especially those who have never voted before. Remind them that with voting, anything is possible. And without it, nothing is possible.
Yesterday in Galveston, we gathered in Reedy Chapel to commemorate Juneteenth, just like people have done for 160 years and counting. We prayed, sang, and read General Order #3 again. The pews were full of families. How many people must have prayed for freedom inside those walls. How many must have sent fervent thanks to God when slavery finally ended.
I remembered the words of my late friend John Lewis. He said, “Freedom is not a state. It is an act.”
Juneteenth did not mark the end of America’s work to deliver on the promise of equality. It only marked the beginning. To honor the true meaning of Juneteenth, we must continue to work toward that promise. For our freedom. For our democracy. And for America itself.
#NNPA BlackPress
Cities Across the U.S. Shrink or Cancel Juneteenth Events as DEI Support Wanes
BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE — Across the country, Juneteenth celebrations are being scaled back or eliminated as public funding dries up and corporations withdraw sponsorship.

By Stacy M. Brown
Black Press USA Senior National Correspondent
Across the country, Juneteenth celebrations are being scaled back or eliminated as public funding dries up and corporations withdraw sponsorship. In many communities, the once-growing recognition of the holiday is facing sharp resistance tied to the unraveling of diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts.
In Denver, Colorado, the annual Juneteenth Music Festival, one of the largest in the nation—was cut from two days to one. Organizers said more than a dozen corporate sponsors walked away from commitments, leaving them with a financial gap that almost canceled the event. Norman Harris, the festival’s executive director, said several companies “pulled back their investments or let us know they couldn’t or wouldn’t be in a position to support this year.” Harris credited grassroots donors and small businesses for stepping in when larger backers stepped aside.
In Colorado Springs, the local celebration was relocated to the Citadel Mall parking lot after support from previous sponsors disappeared. Organizers noted that where there were once dozens of corporate partners, only five remained. The downsized event was pieced together with limited resources, but community leaders said they refused to let the holiday go unacknowledged.
Scottsdale, Arizona, canceled its Juneteenth observance after the city council voted to dissolve its diversity, equity, and inclusion office in February. Without the office in place, the city offered no support for planning or funding, leaving residents without an official celebration.
In San Diego, the Cooper Family Foundation lost a $25,000 grant from the National Endowment for the Arts that had been earmarked for Juneteenth programming. Organizers said the decision forced them to personally finance key elements of the event, including cultural exhibits, performances, and youth engagement activities.
Bend, Oregon, called off its Juneteenth event entirely. Organizers cited political tensions and safety concerns, saying they could not secure the partnerships needed to proceed. A public statement from the planning committee described the current climate as “increasingly volatile,” making it difficult to host a safe and inclusive event.
West Virginia, which has recognized Juneteenth as a paid state holiday since 2017, will not sponsor any official events this year. State leaders pointed to budget constraints and recent decisions to eliminate DEI programming across agencies as the reasons for stepping away from public observance.
Austin, Texas, has also reduced its Juneteenth programming. While the city has not canceled events outright, organizers said diminished city support and fewer private contributions forced them to focus only on core activities.
“Thankfully, there was a wide range of support that came when we made the announcement that the celebration is in jeopardy,” said Harris. “But it shows how fragile that support has become.”
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Juneteenth and President Trump
BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE — Juneteenth is a day for African Americans in this nation to connect to their ancestry. It honors the end of slavery in the United States and is considered the longest-running African American holiday. The primary focus is freedom and the emancipation of enslaved people in the United States.

By April Ryan
BlackPressUSA.com Newswire Washington Bureau Chief and White House Correspondent
President Trump is set to proclaim the federal observance of Juneteenth as the White House is open for business on this holiday. The White House says the president will sign a “historic proclamation designating Juneteenth as a National Day of Observance, marking the 160th anniversary of General Order Number 3 in Galveston, Texas.” The declaration was that “all slaves are free.” This Trump proclamation, according to the White House, “will celebrate the Emancipation Proclamation, the Republican Party’s role in passing the 13th Amendment, and reaffirm the administration’s dedication to equal justice and prosperity for all.”
This proclamation comes as President Trump has denounced Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and anything Woke. Juneteenth is a celebration of freedom from the tyranny of 250 years of slavery after the Civil War.
The Juneteenth celebration started when Union troops reached Galveston, Texas, and told the slaves that they were free on June 19, 1865, two years after the Emancipation Proclamation was created.
The Emancipation Proclamation, which is on display in the Lincoln Bedroom of the White House, was issued by President Abraham Lincoln on January 1, 1863. It established that all enslaved people in Confederate states in rebellion against the Union “shall be then, thenceforward, and forever free.”
Juneteenth is a day for African Americans in this nation to connect to their ancestry. It honors the end of slavery in the United States and is considered the longest-running African American holiday. The primary focus is freedom and the emancipation of enslaved people in the United States.
The Juneteenth federal holiday was signed into law by then-President Joe Biden on June 19, 2021. This Trump White House is in full swing today, with a press briefing by Karoline Leavitt, not taking the federal holiday off. Also, President Trump will receive an intelligence briefing in the morning and participate in a swearing-in ceremony for the U.S. Ambassador to Ireland.
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