LANCASTER, Calif.—It has been more than a year since educator Deberae Culpepper-Ofori started the journey to open up a culturally-centered charter school. And now that September is here, she is proud to see her vision materialize.

Currently kindergarten through fourth grade, Life Source Charter School’s signature programs will include integrated education with technology, music, cultural studies and foreign language. All children will receive at least one hour of computer instruction as well as music and Spanish lessons.

PALMDALE, Calif.—Many in the local community will rally in support of fathers and father figures at the second annual Fatherhood Conference sponsored by United Christian Fellowship on Sept. 10.

The event’s coordinator, Victor Riley, wants the city to understand the importance of a positive male figure in the lives of youth, as well as for the well being of the community.

“We want to celebrate the joy of fatherhood,” he said. “We want to acknowledge men doing their due diligence.”

PALMDALE, Calif.—African scholar Kwadwo Obeng, author of the book “We Are All Africans,” is now teaching classes on the African roots of civilization and Black culture. Obeng is seeking people of African descent to join him in the free course of study.

“The seminars will be based on the book, which includes the teaching of the origin of humanity. I will be going into African cosmology, our history, culture, religion, all the way to our existence as homo sapiens. I will cover over 200,000 years,” Obeng said.

Some sectors of the religious community have been in an uproar since Gov. Jerry Brown approved SB 48, otherwise known as the California Fair, Accurate, Inclusive and Respectful (FAIR) Education Act.

The new law, which was passed on July 14 this year, amends “the Education Code to include social sciences instruction on the contributions of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people.”

The bill was originally proposed by Mark Leno of San Francisco, an openly gay Democratic senator.