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Last Updated on March 8, 2024 by BVN
S.E. Williams | Dr. Paulette Brown Hinds
This week’s primary election has left San Bernardino’s Black community pondering its political future with the loss of all three of the current Black city councilmembers.
Less than four years ago, the City of San Bernardino marked a milestone with the election of three Black city councilmembers. Those elected included Damon Alexander, Kimberly Calvin and Ben Reynoso.
Their election came more than 50 years after the city council was first integrated with the election of the city’s first Black councilman, Norris Gregory. Despite his election coming in the midst of the civil rights era, Norris held on and served two terms. Fate, however, was not as kind to Alexander, Calvin and Reynoso as preliminary results from Tuesday’s Presidential Primary Election showed all three councilmember going down in defeat.
Perhaps their election in 2020 was a sign of the times. It was in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic and Black and Brown communities were being impacted disproportionately, the brutal murder of George Floyd, a Black man, at the hands of police in Minneapolis, MN, stirred the consciousness of the nation, and municipalities were beginning to declare racism a public health crisis. Many viewed the simultaneous election of three Black candidates as a promise of change.
After the polls closed Tuesday, it looks as though none of the current Black city council members will be returning for the upcoming term. Damon Alexander and Ben Reynoso, despite their past service, did not secure top positions in their respective wards. And Kimberly Calvin, the third Black council member, faced a setback when a campaign error left her off the primary ballot, forcing her to mount a write-in campaign.
With Mario Flores’ win in that race, it is the first time in 57 years — since Norris Gregory’s historic win in 1967 — that San Bernardino’s 6th Ward will not have a Black city council member representing it at city hall.
Longtime San Bernardino resident, former San Bernardino city school board member, and publisher emeritus Hardy Brown recalls how long Black representation has been integral to city government. “I was involved in Councilman Gregory’s election by hosting a coffee for him at our home on California Street. We were able to get a stop sign in front of Rio Vista Elementary School for the safety of the children crossing the street.”
“The sign is still here saving children today,” he said, “The ward system was designed to have the citizens select a local voice in the city government. In this election it was Mayor Tran who selected, encouraged and funded the Flores campaign. It’s a sad day because he will be a mouthpiece for the mayor.”
The potential lack of Black voices on the city council raises critical questions about equitable representation and community involvement in the city’s decision-making processes.
“I am dismayed that there is an effort to erase Black representation in a community that has been historically marginalized by the city leadership,” Former Assemblymember and 6th Ward resident Cheryl Brown said.
“I wonder what Norris Gregory would say. It’s also telling that we supported a mayor who has now turned against us and lied about it,” she continued.
Recognizing the significance of Black representation beyond symbolism, community leaders stress the importance of ensuring that diverse voices are heard and valued in local governance. They emphasized the need for proactive measures to cultivate a leadership that reflects the city’s demographic diversity.
Westside Action Group President Alton Garrett shared, “The voters in San Bernardino have spoken and their voices have been heard loud and clear.” However, he said, the result of Tuesday’s election “is a combination of low voter turn-out and people who are eligible to vote not voting. Regardless of the reasons, the voters in San Bernardino have a city council that does not represent their city, and they have to live with until the next election cycle.”
In response to these developments, there is a renewed focus on supporting and empowering Black candidates to participate in the political process. Community initiatives, like BLU Educational Foundation’s Black Public Officials Leadership Training program, aim to nurture a new generation of Black leaders capable of making meaningful contributions to local governance through training in base building, candidate development, campaign development, and connection to a Black political network.
“There is enough blame to go around,”said Mr. Garrett, “we do not need to point fingers, we need to correct the situation so this never happens again.”
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