EL CHICANo Weekly
Vol 62, NO. 26
April 17, 2025
Teamsters Launch Petition to Rename Seccombe Lake Park After Civil Rights Icon Ignacio Lopez During Car Show
IECN.com
Time for Change Honors Taraji P. Henson, Jon Pardi, and Chiara Tilesi at Sold-Out Gala Pg. 3
PHOTO MANNY SANDOVAL
A classic lowrider making its way down Fourth Street and N Sierra Way ahead of the petition signing to change the name of Seccombe Lake Park to Ignacio Lopez Park.
By Manny Sandoval
W
Riverside County Unites for Child Abuse Prevention Month Pg. 4
hat began as a vibrant celebration of labor, culture, and classic cars evolved into a profound call for justice Saturday, as Teamsters Local 1932 hosted its Spring Fling Car Show and launched a petition. The petition is to rename Seccombe Lake Park in honor of local Mexican American civil rights pioneer Ignacio Lopez.
PHOTO MANNY SANDOVAL
An Aztec performance by a Pasadena group wearing regalia–featuring cultural dancing and traditional music.
The April 12 event drew more than 3,000 people—including 2,000 registered car owners and vendors—to downtown San Bernardino. Amid the chrome bumpers and community camaraderie, the union’s Hispanic Caucus unveiled a grassroots initiative to rename the park, which closed March 3 for a yearlong $13.8 million renovation. Their goal: replace the name of former Mayor William C. Seccombe with that of
Lopez, whose legal action helped strike down racial segregation in public facilities. “Right now, while the park is being revitalized, is the perfect time to rename it and honor someone who fought so that all people—regardless of ethnicity—could enjoy these public spaces,” said Carlos Gonzales, Teamsters staff coordinator and Teamsters cont. on next pg.
“He Said Dinosaurs Would Protect Him”: Inside the Powerful Open House at Partners Against Violence in San Bernardino By Manny Sandoval
P
artners Against Violence opened its doors to the public on April 10 for a powerful and emotional open house at its San Bernardino center, offering a rare glimpse into the traumainformed services it provides for survivors of sexual assault, domestic violence, and abuse across the Inland Empire.
Assemblymember
Inland Empire Community Ramos’s Bill to Protect Newspapers
Native Students’ Right Office: (909) 381-9898 toEditorial: Wear Tribal Regalia iecn1@mac.com Advertising: sales@iecn.com at Graduation Approved Legals : iecnlegals@hotmail.com Pg. 5
Located at 444 N. Arrowhead Ave., the San Bernardino site is one of three main offices— alongside La Quinta and Yucca Valley—with satellite locations in Redlands, Victorville, and Yucaipa. Together, these centers serve as vital sanctuaries for survivors in some of the region’s most underserved communities.
HOW TO REACH US Inland Empire Community Newspapers Office: (909) 381-9898 Editorial: iecn1@mac.com Advertising: iecn1@mac.com Legals: iecnlegals@gmail.com
PHOTO MANNY SANDOVAL Care Counselor Virginia Aragon detailing the riveting experience where a young boy disclosed sexual assault using figurines inside a sand box in the Children’s Room.
Attendees, including Mayor Helen Tran, Councilmembers Dr. Treasure Ortiz, Mario Flores, and Theodore Sanchez, as well as San Bernardino
Police Sergeant Nick Oldendorf and San Bernardino County Sheriff Lieutenant Steve Scovel, toured survivorcentered spaces, met staff and care counselors, and experienced several powerful visual installations. Among the most moving parts of the tour was the Children’s Room, where counselor Virginia Aragon walked guests through the tools and techniques used to support the youngest survivors. “This is a space designed to break down barriers,” said Aragon. “We get kids who are scared and wondering why they’re here. The room is filled with Play-Doh, coloring activities, plushies, bean bags, and even a swinging chair—anything that invites them to feel safe enough to open up.” She described how children often communicate complex trauma through play. In one PAV cont. next pg.