The County of Kern is in the process of updating its General Plan, and this is our chance to help create a healthy Kern County. The plan determines how a county will grow and how land will be used. It’s an opportunity for residents to share ideas about how we can improve our communities and ensure that rural communities are included in the plan.

The County will be holding a community meeting October 13 at 7 p.m. at the Kern County Board of Supervisor Chambers, 1115 Truxtun Ave in Bakersfield. Please join our Environment Action Team and help ensure that the plan includes investment in parks, affordable housing and addresses infrastructure needs.

To learn more about this effort please call the Center of Race Poverty and Environment at (661) 720-9140 or Leadership Counsel for Justice and Accountability at (661) 843-7677.

Nearly 25 percent of California schools, almost all in low-income communities, do not provide free and fresh drinking water to students at meal times every day, despite state and federal laws that require it. Water consumption is critical to good health and a vital component for successful learning and physical development. If water access or quality are concerns at your school, #Agua4All may be able to help.

For more information about how to access state funds to install water bottle filling stations in your school, and assistance with water treatment where necessary, please fill out a brief survey: here.

Locally produced anti-violence music video aimed at putting a stop to violence and preventing youth from joining gangs has gone viral.

The video was produced by Danny Morrison, a local radio personality and owner of New Life Residential and Training Center and features local artist.

“I’m sick of seeing young people drop out of school,” says Morrison. “I’m sick of seeing young people kill one another.”

Morrison launched the video at his #howlong Healing Summit held on Sept. 15 at the Fox Theatre.

“So to combat the multiple issues that are infecting our community, I came up with an idea. What if I brought together the hottest artists in our town, recreated a classic anti-violence video from 1989 and launched a campaign for the next generation,” states Morrison.

Click here to watch the video on Youtube.

Our partners over at Leadership Counsel for Justice and Accountability are looking to hire two full time staff members to be based in their Bakersfield office.

The organization is seeking a full time Policy Advocate and full time Staff Attorney. Click on the links to learn more about the positions.

Positions available until filled. Resume and cover letters can be sent to vgaribay@leadershipcounsel.org.

South Kern Sol’s Randy Villegas, wrote the following response to Kern County District Attorney Lisa Green’s recent comments about closing libraries so that the county can put deputies on the streets.

In the commentary, Villegas highlighted, “If you really want to prioritize public safety, you need to attack the real threat: lack of education and lack of opportunity.”

Randy Villegas is a senior at CSU Bakersfield and a youth storyteller for South Kern Sol. He is currently serving as a Congressional Intern in Washington D.C. through the California based Panetta Institute for Public Policy.

South Kern Sol youth storytellers demonstrated the power behind storytelling at their final event of their 2016 Summer Series earlier this month where they invited community leaders, elected officials, county administrators to the Bakersfield Museum of Art to join the conversation about equity, and why place and race matter in Kern.

Youth spoke about the breadth of issues they are covering to ensure that Kern becomes a healthier place for everyone. Some of those issues include: access to safe, clean drinking water; the need for everyone to have access to health care regardless of immigration status; equitable health-promoting land use policies; clean, safe air quality; restorative justice policies and practices in schools; equitable funding for low income school districts through the Local Control Funding Formula; and safe and well-maintained parks.

Several of their stories, along with photos from past events, were also displayed on the white walls of the museum.

Professor Mark Martinez, Ph.D., from CSU Bakersfield’s Social Justice Center moderated a panel discussion, where three youth storytellers: Randy Villegas, Dean Welliver, and Yesenia Aguilar spoke about what drives them to write stories about issues impacting their communities.

[Click here to learn more about the event in this beautiful report by Matt Boone from Bakersfield’s KBAK and KBFX Eyewitness News]