- Welcome to "Inland Edition," where we have conversations with people who make decisions that affect our everyday lives.

My name is Joe Richardson.

I'm an attorney.

I'm a local resident, and your host.

And, today, we're going to have a chat with the first African American woman trustee on the San Bernardino County Board of Education.

A wife, a mother and a lifetime resident of San Bernardino, Dr. Gwen Rodgers holds a bachelor's degree in behavioral health, [background music] a master's degree in human resources and a doctorate in educational leadership.

She advocates for foster youth with mental health concerns, and founded Young Women's Empowerment.

Having served on too many boards to name, and received awards and recognition galore from Assemblymembers, foundations and members of Congress, Dr. Rodgers is passionate, mission-driven and positive, and I can't wait for you to meet her.

[gentle upbeat music] ♪ ♪ ♪ - [Joe] Alright!

We've got a trustee from the San Bernardino County Board of Education, Dr. Gwen Dowdy-Rodgers, like "Dodgers!"

- Absolutely, you got it.

- How are you?

- I'm doing well.

I feel like I'm back at home.

- So, let's start here.

You're from here.

- I am.

- So, this is a full-circle moment, right?

- It is!

- So, let's talk about- because you do education.

You are education.

Let's talk about your journey in education, like the schools you went to, the things that you went to, you know?

Just the things that you've done in this education space that have you here now.

- So, as you said, I was born and raised here in San Bernardino.

I love San Bernardino.

And, my education has been in all of our schools, beginning at Roosevelt.

I mention Roosevelt because that was my elementary school.

That is still there to this day.

Moved over to Arrowview, and then graduated from one of the best schools, but I call it the best school, San Bernardino High School.

- OK!

- So, I'm a Cardinal and I love it.

I love it!

But, guess what else?

I also came here to San Bernardino Valley College.

- Wow.

- Graduated from here and continued my journey.

Went to Cal Baptist, Liberty, and now here I am, claiming that title, of "doctor!"

(both laughing) - Well, you're claiming it pretty well.

You're comin' off like a doctor to me!

(laughter) Tell us.

Was along the path-?

- Yeah?

- Along the road there, was there an aha moment that says, "I know that I'm going to be involved in education governance?"

Or, is there a bunch of moments?

And, you know, you're also one of those people that-?

You know, "oh, we're looking for someone to do this", and you are helping them do it, but you end up doing it.

- Yes, yes.

- So, these opportunities and these realities kind of find you.

So, was it a moment or was it a process?

- It's been a moment in a process!

(both laughing) And, I say that because education was real important in my family and continues to be.

I had a brother, and I remember when he was working on his doctorate, and believe it or not, I still tell him it's really my doctorate because he asked me to help him type it!

And, it gave me an opportunity to look and say, "wow, you can go on a journey and really do something you're passionate about."

But then, later on in life, I found myself with my own kids, and education still was important for me.

And so, what I did was got involved, and, boy, did I get involved!

I became a parent advocate working with parents.

Never-- I have no one in my family that is an elected official, but we've always worked with them in our community.

So, what I did was became the champion of parent education for other parents, as you said.

When they would have problems, I was like, "I'll be the voice.

I will go there.

I will support you."

And then, one day, they said, "why don't you run from an elected, you know, seat?"

I said, "what are you talkin' about?

That doesn't sound right to me!"

- Right.

- "That's not something my jam is."

- Right.

- But, really, it really was.

And, they said, "You know?

Because you do it and it's your passion, you should."

And so, the rest is kind of history.

I had a person that was going to retire from the Board of Education and they asked me would I come forward and be appointed, or at least seek to be appointed.

And, I did and I won.

And then, six months later, I had to run an election.

The bells, the whistles and all those things I saw on TV, I found myself doing.

And, the rest is what I'm sitting here as today.

- Wow.

So you're a trustee, San Bernardino County Board of Education.

Let us know.

Give us a one-on-one on what that means.

- So now, I went from San Bernardino City Unified School District as a district board member in the district of which I received my education.

So, moving from that, that was a very large district, 48,000-plus students; engaging still with the community and everything that's pertaining to a student having success.

So, it was last year, I realized that there was going to be a vacant seat, and I decided, "Hmm?

What more can I do in education?"

Well?

I found out that it was serving 400,000 students and making sure that now they're on the other end of community day school, some in juvenile hall, but still seeking to be successful.

And so, as a elected official for the Board of Education, we find ourselves looking at expulsions, interdistrict transfers, the very, very large budget that we have here in San Bernardino.

And then, also oversight for our superintendent and his salary.

- You represent Area D. - Yes.

- Tell me about the area and how many trustee members there are.

You know?

That kind of thing.

- So, there's five trustees on the San Bernardino County Board of Education, and we each have a geographical area.

Mine is Area D, which is all of San Bernardino, all of Rialto and all of Snowline.

So, I get some down here and a little bit of "up the hill" as well, as we call it.

- Wow.

So, tell me about when you look at the state of San Bernardino County education- at the risk of asking this broad super question, where I have no idea where the answer goes- (Gwen chuckles) tell me what you see when you look at-?

Give us the 30,000-foot view of the state of education in this county.

- Wow.

The state of education has been affected by mental health more than anything else.

And that's, you know, the journey that children have and families have.

It's been tough, right?

And so, it makes it very difficult to learn, you know, when you're experiencing trauma, which is real.

You know, many-- all of us experience something.

But, after coming out of COVID and moving forward with that, it really, really added extra pressure.

Those that are still hungry, still needing food, trying to navigate jobs, trying to just figure out how they can assist their families.

And so, because of those things in education, we have found it so important to make sure that we're looking at the whole child and realizing that if we don't adjust or make an effort to combat the barriers that they have, it's going to just get deeper and deeper into a level, where some of our kids were so disgruntled about what was happening and they didn't understand.

They didn't even want to enroll.

And so, we are now, you know, a full-on press of everyone is making sure that they're knocking on doors, going out, and first asking the question- not "why is your child not here?"

And, coming from a punitive state, but saying, "what can we do to help you?

"What services do you need?

"How can we assist you with those things so that we can get you back in school?"

And so, in many cases, when we are able to face-to-face with a parent or caregiver, we're able to have that success to let them know that they're not alone.

We can focus back on reading, writing and arithmetic, as they say.

- Tell me about how you, as a board, interface with the multitude, a myriad of districts that you have-- - Mm hm.

- with different types of districts, different types of folks, super diverse, how you interface with the districts?

And then, how you interface with other state-?

You know, state governance or, you know, other governance organizations?

You know, how you guys all connect the dots together.

- So, we collaborate.

You know?

We need policies beyond our control.

We have to get in there and making sure that our local legislators, which do a great job here in San Bernardino, hearing the concerns and then taking those up, you know, scale for us to be able to say, "we can't go, but you can be our face.

You can champion for us."

But, that's only done through collaboration, which is what I've really-?

One of the things that really motivated me to become an elected official.

After I decided to do it, we had a superintendent at the time that didn't divide our city and realized that we need to collaborate with county, we need to collaborate with faith-based, we need to collaborate with city, because those were our same students and families that interface with them, as well.

So, how we engage, again, is collaboration.

Knowing who our partners are, knowing who our legislators are, and just being in contact with them on a regular.

I've never seen a time where there is so much-?

You know, I can dial you on speed call and be able to say, "here.

This is going on.

"Can we meet?

Can we have a conversation about what's happening in education?"

And, they're always open.

- You have degrees in behavioral health, educational leadership.

- Mm hm.

- And, you know, I worked on that a while (Gwen laughs) 'cause it's not like, you know, one-word degrees!

- Right, right!

- No!

You got multi-word, multi-syllable degrees!

(Gwen laughs) That means you're really smart.

And, another one in human resources.

Tell me how all of those converge to really inform your experience in terms of what you're doing now.

- You know, the unique thing about it?

When I had began my educational journey, I thought I was gonna be a business major.

So, I spent 20 years in corporate America, right?

- Wow.

- And so, it was all about, "okay, you go.

It's business.

You're gonna have your own business, make money."

And, I realized I didn't even really like that.

I was working as a, you know, as a financial representative at the time for those 20 years and moved up the ladder.

But, I was always taking classes somewhere around human services.

And, it finally clicked on me later on is that I really liked people.

I really liked helping people.

So, I had convinced myself that by the time I obtained my HR degree, that I would still be around people.

I would be helping them and listening to their problems, whatever it was, with no judgment.

'Cause it was just something that was innate in me.

I'm also, you know, a minister, as well.

And, I put it all together and I said, "wow, this is what it is!

It's people that I like.

"It's not the fact that I'm gonna go have a business, "get money, do that.

That will come, that's not important."

Helping people was really my jam.

(chuckles) And I said, "okay, it makes sense now!"

So, that's how.

- Tell me about the opportunities that you see-- - Mm hm?

- As it pertains to the next frontiers in education.

- Yeah.

- How education can collaborate with business and those types of things.

Really looking around the corner and helping our kids grow up and have great opportunities, whether it's vocational, traditional college and things like that.

What are some of the things that you're excited about when you think about that?

- So, I'm excited about the fact that we've had pathways and now we're building upon those 21st century-- allowing our students to really tell us what they like.

If it's coding; you know, engaging in research on fossil fuel.

Whatever it is, we want to be able to give them that hands-on experience, and that's what's really working.

It's we have the traditional, you know, route that some choose to do, but now there's a more vast-- open for them to be able to say, "I like digital technology."

Some things that some people have no desire to do, they desire to do that, and that's what's gonna keep them in school.

But, what we have to do is make sure that we are also pushing for funding to be able to do those creative things with our partners and that's why it's important, as I said before, about collaboration.

We want our city also to know these are the types of jobs that we would like to experience here for our students to keep them here, where they want to stay, if that's what their choice is.

Or, they want to come back and continue their future, you know, here, what will they have to look forward to?

And so, our conversations are important and crucial and continue to be with our city officials, as well.

- [Joe] But, tell me what we're missing.

If we had our druthers, here's what we really need that we don't have enough of.

What would that be?

- [Gwen] What we're missing is civic engagement and always having our students in the room.

I just recently spoke at an event a week ago.

And, my question is-- and I tell people, you know, when I come and speak, a lot of times, I do ask a question: where would all the youth in the room stand?

And, while we were all there, there was not one single youth there to hear what we were talking about pertaining to them.

So, civic engagement continues to be very, very important all around with-- Every table should have every other one with a youth sitting there, so that they can get the information firsthand as well as they can speak to it.

They will tell us what they want if we let them sit at the table with us.

And, I say "if", because it doesn't happen all the time.

- How do the young folks that, you know, imagine, "the you" that's coming up now, that has certainly something to say about education and perhaps an interest.

They know what they like or what they don't.

What are ways for them to get involved, pay attention to what's going on as it pertains to their education, and really take the bulls by the horn, in terms of really participating in what's happening with them?

- So, what I'm happy about is before I left San Bernardino City Unified School District, we made sure that it was important to have student board members.

We had some great students that did some things at the state, but we then decided to make sure that we had student board members participating on our board.

Now fast-forward today, I'm sitting on the county board and guess what I'm asking for?

A student board member or two, to be there so that they can give us the voice.

We should be able to turn to them and say, "what is it that we need?

"What is it that we are not doing?

What would you like to see?"

If we're not asking those questions, then how can we expect it to happen?

- Yeah.

So, tell us about how you see San Bernardino's role, not only as a center of the Inland Empire, but its role in terms of this large, huge state, which hopefully, is on the cutting edge of the things that are happening in education and hopefully givin' a template and an example for the rest of the country.

But, how do you see San Bernardino?

And, this is the place, not only that you work and that you serve, but that you're from.

- Mm hm!

- How do you see that in its unique place here?

- San Bernardino, we that live here, are very resilient.

You know, we're dedicated.

We believe in our city.

I mean, like I said, born and raised here.

My job is to contribute.

The next person job is to contribute and continue on.

We work together, hand in hand.

We get things done.

And, that comes with us making sure that we know we stayed for a purpose and a reason.

I could've went away, but I choose not to.

I'm still here and I'm gonna continue to contribute.

But, one of the key factors to contributing is setting that example.

It goes back to the Margaret Hill concept.

You want someone to see you doing versus you telling about what you're going to do, how you're going to do it.

And, I've always told people it's the same thing when they chose me to be in this role and to move forward, it wasn't based on the fact that, you know, I'm so great.

I am a doer.

So, I'd rather show people what I'm willing to do versus tell you what I'm gonna do.

Or, all that wonderful stuff that goes with, you know, what some people just say and it doesn't line up with their actions.

- And so, that's what some of us say down home: "I can show you better than I can tell you!"

- Absolutely!

(laughs) - Right, exactly.

So, speaking of which, you know, being a doer, here you are and you find yourself as the first African American woman on the San Bernardino County Board of Education.

So, talk about not only being a representative, but the notion of representation.

- Absolutely.

- And, us being there and being at the table and how important that is.

- You know, it's completely important.

I can't articulate how important everyone's voice is, but I still am in shock that in 2023, I can be doing a first.

You know, still.

And, many others.

There's firsts that are coming up that, to me, it should have been that way a long time ago.

'Cause we celebrate far-- few-and-far-between on issues like that.

But, for me, it's a voice that wasn't there.

So, I know it's a lot of weight that goes along with it, but my goal is to do the best job that I can do because I expect the next and a next, and a next.

That's the expectation.

But, we know, I know one of the big things also when I left Unified, was to have a department for diversity, equity and inclusion because I felt that if it's on the books, it's there to stay.

We could figure it out as we go.

But, we saw a terrible time, you know, in our country, when people just became very disgruntled with just everything and it was a halt that took place and even more recent, some things that have taken place.

But, we have to look at that and face it.

Why is it, you know, that it's just happening?

And then, we continue to serve and realize that we have a lot in common, but we just need to work together.

- So, you know, for all the challenges and, you know, people hear what they hear about San Bernardino and all of these other things, give us some good news.

Tell us the things that you're proud of.

- Wow.

I'm proud of, again, the fact that we're resilient.

That even though you could pick up the newspaper, it's our job to remind people that we are still here.

Everything you're reading, you have to understand is not always true.

We are not fighting against each other.

We are coming together as a diverse people that love each other and care about each other and we're seeking to make sure, even our homeless situation that's taking place, that we are gonna work together collaboratively in all of our respective roles and see that people get what they need.

This is the county seat, for goodness sakes!

Resources are everywhere, but we have to make sure we allow people to know where to go, how to get it, and engage and not judge them for the circumstances that they're in, but to seek to help them.

So, the good news is we are still working together.

The good news is that we have students back in the classroom.

The good news is they're excelling.

And, the good news is they want to be there.

And, the list goes on and on.

There are teachers still showing up.

There are people still going to work and doing what they need to do to help our city be better.

Potholes are being fixed!

(chuckles) You know, things are getting done.

But, is there more?

There's always going to be more, but the good news is we're still waking up every day and making sure we do our part.

- How do you encourage parents that are just, you know, maybe living hand-to-mouth and just trying to get from day to day-- - Yeah.

- whose children, of course, would be better off for them, you know, just knowing more about what's going on as it goes on.

How do you encourage them to say, you know, there's not this big huge wall that you can't get across.

- Right.

- And, parents?

We need you to certainly know what's going on and we encourage you to know what's going on and to get involved and to make your relationship that much more direct and more intentional with the schools and with education in general.

How do you encourage them that way?

- I love this question (laughs) because it comes up often!

You have to show up.

You know, while there are a lot of things that keep you down and cause you, you know, just all kinda grief, you have to show up.

You cannot not show up.

Not just when things are bad.

You have to show up long before that.

And, I tell parents that.

I've been telling parents before I even got in the seat.

It's easy to complain from a distance, but if you come and engage, one, you will find out why things are taking place.

And then, guess what?

Lo and behold, you may have an idea.

Come and present that.

We have public forums and I tell everyone, I'm not a politician.

I'm a public servant.

- Right.

There's a difference!

(laughs) And, I'm glad you know 'cause not everybody does!

(laughter) Talk to me about what gets you through.

I mean, you know, you do what you do.

You're a wife.

You're a mom.

We're talkin' about your kids backstage, all the great things that they're doing.

And you are, yes, a public servant.

But, there are, you know, particularly when you have a servant's heart-- - Yes.

- you feel the burden of the people that you're serving.

How do you get through tough moments?

You know, when things-- you know that there's a gap between what you desire and what you have from a resource standpoint or whatever it may be.

How do you get through tough moments personally and even professionally?

- And simple, but not so simple, I pray.

- That's right.

- I really do.

I pray specific to our city.

I pray specifically to our students, to our families, everyone, you know?

Because to me, I get it.

You know, I had parents that came from the South, right?

And, it was very difficult.

But, what they pushed us to is to be better humans and to make sure that we are always praying and thanking God for each day that we have to do better.

And so, during those difficult times, you know, I just stop and I reflect on the good that I have done, at least.

You know, if I can't do anything else, there has been some good.

And, I think we beat ourselves up sometimes and we don't celebrate what we have been able to accomplish.

I mean, you know, we woke up; we're here.

And, you think about the people that you've helped indirectly, directly.

We all do it.

And so, those moments, I think about the student.

Just recently that I was at a meeting and the mother was able to communicate with me that her daughter had not received her diploma because she thought that perhaps she hadn't turned in the proper paperwork and that was from 2017.

And, to be able to be in that space, that moment, and say, "I'm gonna get this done for you by tomorrow at the latest."

The power to be able to have those moments and do those types of things is what continues to ground me.

And, know when a student calls me-- I've had the same phone number for 30 years, and I give that same number out to the students and they will call me and say, "will you just Zoom with me?

I need to have a conversation about X."

And, to be able to do that are the wins that I reflect on to say, "wow.

They picked up the phone, they called me, and guess what?

I could help them."

- Give us some homework.

You know?

Clearly, you have a vision about what you wanna do.

You're connected, you know, with this area.

This is what you do and this is who you are.

- Mm hm!

- And so, I am certain that people are watching and they're inspired and they're like, "wow, I never understood.

"You know, maybe I'd heard the name "or I know the San Bernardino County Board of Education, but now this is more real to me."

- Yes.

- How do people follow up, get more information and get in contact about services?

- If you want to speak to us, I always encourage people to go to where the services are.

Number one, you know, whether it's from public health or educational system, you always start with who you engage with day-to-day.

All the way up the food chain, obviously, sits the Board of Education.

We're all public, as I said.

So, you know, we have website.

You can go to the San Bernardino County Board of Education website.

See each of us, click on, send an email, like people do all the time for me!

They email me.

They call me.

They text me!

You know, "hey, it's me."

I'm like, "can you tell me your name?"

But, okay!

(laughter) But, you know, again, that engagement and knowing how to navigate what we always call "the system."

The system is us.

It's people.

It's live human beings that you can reach out to and share your thoughts, share your concerns, and give us the great ideas.

We don't know everything, but let us know what you'd like to see, as well.

- Well, it's great to be educated and to be inspired.

I do this every week and it seems like it goes to another level.

So, trustee in San Bernardino County Board of Education, Dr. Gwen Dowdy-Rodgers.

R-O-D!

- Yes.

- G-E-R-S. - Give me my D!

- Don't wanna get that wrong!

Give her, her D. Listen!

She's on the board now.

(Gwen laughs) Give her, her D!

No, but Dr. Gwen Dowdy-Rodgers.

- Yes.

- Thank you so much for being here.

I appreciate it.

- Thank you for having me.

- And, we thank you for watching us on "Inland Edition."

Know that you can watch these episodes even on YouTube, if you don't catch it during our normal broadcast.

Check it out.

Let everyone know, and keep going with us as we connect dots and build bridges one conversation at a time.

See ya next time.

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