The Kern Community College District is aware of the recent reports and public statements regarding allegations involving César Chávez. These allegations are serious and deeply concerning.
We recognize the profound harm caused by sexual abuse, and we believe all allegations must be treated with care, seriousness, and respect for those who come forward. We stand in support of survivors.
As an institution serving Kern County, where the farmworker movement has deep roots and lasting significance, we remain committed to honoring the broader movement and its enduring impact on our region and communities.
Kern CCD remains focused on supporting our students and communities through education, workforce development, and equitable opportunities.
Support resources are available to students and employees through campus counseling services and employee assistance programs.
On Thursday, Kern CCD hosted its seventh annual Women in Leadership event at the Weill Institute as part of Women’s History Month.
Topics for this year’s panel included the importance of mentors in developing women leaders, empowering young girls to achieve their highest potential, and maintaining femininity within male-dominated spaces.
Chancellor Bloomberg gave opening remarks before the panel discussion, encouraging women to take action to make their communities a better place.
“To all the powerful female leaders in the room today – you don’t just inherit history, you make history,” Chancellor Bloomberg said. “Today is a celebration of your influence, your passion, your drive, and your will to succeed.”
Thank you to Norma Rojas-Mora for moderating this year’s Women in Leadership panel, and thank you to the following panelists for sharing their insights:
June Nachor – Vice Chairwoman, Tejon Indian Tribe
Evelyn Young Spath – President/CEO, Kern County Black Farmers’ Association
Jenni Byers – Economic Development Director, City of Bakersfield
Neetu Jhaj – Co-owner, Countryside Corp.; Founder/CEO, Rehna Raiya Foundation
Bank of America and the Kern Economic Development Corporation cohosted the inaugural Kern County Healthcare Summit Tuesday at the Bakersfield College Renegade Events Center. Topics at the summit included strategies for addressing workforce shortages in nursing and other healthcare careers, economic trends affecting healthcare costs in Kern County, and the role of educators in building talent pipelines to local hospitals and clinics.
More than 150 representatives from Kern County’s healthcare industry attended the summit to network and learn more about the unique challenges and opportunities in our region. Kern CCD was a proud sponsor of the event, as healthcare education and workforce development continues to be one of our key priorities.
We’re committed to uplifting our communities by providing accessible pathways to employment in healthcare, which is one of the most high-wage, high-demand career sectors in the Southern San Joaquin Valley. We’re also engaging elementary and high school students to get interested in healthcare and other STEM careers through our College Discovery Academy and the K-16 Education Collaborative.
Thank you to Adventist Health, Dignity Health, the Kern County Superintendent of Schools, Kern Health Systems, and all the partners who supported the first-annual Kern County Healthcare Summit.
To celebrate Black History Month, Kern CCD Chancellor Steven Bloomberg hosted the annual African American Leaders Luncheon Thursday at the Weill Institute in downtown Bakersfield. The theme for this year’s luncheon was “From Reflection to Response: African-American Leadership in Action”.
The keynote panel for this year’s luncheon featured Marquette Hawkins, Mayor of California City; Odessa Perkins, a human trafficking advocate and founder of the EmPOWERment Dess Perkins Foundation; and Javon Kemp, a Licensed Counselor and Supervisor with Kern County Behavioral Health and Recovery Services. Topics included the challenges and triumphs that come with leadership, the importance of providing a proactive response to our community’s struggles, and the courage it takes to display vulnerability and transparency.
Thank you to Danielle Hillard, an Enterprise IT Project Manager at Kern CCD, for serving as the moderator for this year’s African American Leaders Luncheon, as well as Mom’s House restaurant @momshouse.chickenandwaffles for catering the soul food lunch for this year’s event.
Today, Kern CCD announced an innovative partnership with Dreamscape Learn to launch their first mobile immersive learning classroom in higher education. This mobile unit will bring Dreamscape Learn’s advanced immersive experiences directly to communities served by the District, enabling broader access to high-quality STEM education across the district’s colleges.
Equipped with immersive learning environments developed by Dreamscape Learn, the mobile classroom transports students into cinematic, story-driven worlds that go far beyond traditional textbooks or lab stations, engaging them more deeply and motivating them to work harder and achieve stronger results.
After Monday’s celebration of Indigenous People’s Day, Kern Community College District hosted a second day of festivities to close out Hispanic Heritage Month. Educators and community leaders from throughout Kern County gathered at the Weill Institute on Tuesday, October 14th to enjoy enchiladas and aguas frescas catered by So-Cal Tamal.
The keynote presentation for the event was moderated by Norma Rojas-Mora, Kern CCD’s Associate Vice Chancellor of Public Affairs and Development, who facilitated an engaging panel discussion about the importance of family, navigating college as a first-generation student, and the role of Hispanic Serving Institutions in community education and workforce development. The panel featured attorney David Torres, a criminal defense attorney with more than 35 years of experience and co-founder of the Immigration Justice Collaborative; Xochitl Garcia, a family law attorney and member of the Immigration Justice Collaborative; and Dr. Rebecca Rivera, a board-certified OBGYN at Adventist Health and Chair of the National Hispanic Medical Association’s Central Valley California Chapter.
In honor of Indigenous People’s Day, the Kern Community College District hosted a luncheon event on Monday, October 13th to celebrate the contributions of Indigenous communities in the San Joaquin Valley. After a comprehensive labor and land recognition and a traditional blessing, attendees enjoyed a meal catered by Red House BBQ in Tehachapi, one of the only Indigenous-owned restaurants in California.
The keynote for the event, which was held at the Weill Institute, featured a roundtable discussion on wellness from an indigenous community perspective. The discussion was moderated by Emma Blackthorne, Kern CCD’s Associate Vice Chancellor of Institutional Research. The panel featured Angel Galvez, CEO of the Bakersfield American Indian Health Project; Sandra Gillming, an Elder with the Tejon Indian Tribe; and Eugene Albitre, an Elder of the Kumeyaay Tribe and an expert in Indigenous rawhide braiding practices.
Panelists emphasized that traditional wellness includes body, mind, and spirit, and is supported by gratitude, respect, and recognition of the smaller things in life that bring us joy, such the melody of a song or the hues of a sunrise. Each of the panelists expressed how their Indigenous cultural practices are a source of strength during tough times individually and collectively as a community.
“Wellness is not just about the self, but about community, relationships, and reciprocity,” said Emma Blackthorne, who is a native of the Bad River Band of Ojibwe in Wisconsin Tribe. “May we continue to honor Indigenous community not only in ceremony, but in action.”
Thank you to all who attended and supported our Indigenous People’s Day event.
Kern Community College District is launching the College Discovery Academy in June 2026 for elementary and middle school students to develop confidence in their ability to succeed in higher education.
Students in the 4th through 8th grade will participate in a four-week mini-semester, taking grade-appropriate classes on a college campus and exploring different career pathways. The pilot program will enroll students from five partner schools in the Bakersfield City School District.
At today’s press event, Kern CCD Chancellor Dr. Steven Bloomberg and representatives from the Bakersfield City School District and Kern County Superintendent of Schools shared more information about this exciting new program.
“The College Discovery Academy is designed from the ground up to empower the potential of elementary and middle school students in Kern County,” Dr. Bloomberg said. “Throughout the month of June, students will learn critical thinking and problem-solving skills while receiving exposure to cutting-edge career exploration opportunities, which will help them see that higher education is an accessible part of their future.”
