Uplift San Bernardino joins in mourning the loss of Dr. Margaret Hill and Marta Macias Brown with San Bernardino, the community that they tirelessly served. Brown passed away Friday, Dec. 17 and Dr. Hill passed away Sunday, Dec. 19.

Brown, a native of San Bernardino and longtime public and community servant, co-founded the “El Chicano Newspaper” in 1968. The newspaper is a community platform featuring articles on local news, achievements and educational issues within the Inland Empire. Brown is also remembered for her advocacy work in politics including her assistance in organizing regional interaction civil rights activist Cesar Chavez, her work as a community education specialist for San Bernardino County and her work in facilitating the preservation of the congressional papers of her husband, California congressman George Brown, through the Brown Legacy Project at UCR. Brown served in various boards and committees including the George and Marta Brown Foundation for Science, Casa Ramona Community Center, and the Judicial Nominees Commission.

Hill, a pillar of the community, was a longtime Education Board Member serving from 2011 with her term scheduled to end in 2024. Hill began her service as an educator in 1971 when she began teaching at San Bernardino High School. Hill also authored two books, wrote a weekly newspaper column on education and served on various local boards and committees, including First 5 San Bernardino and  the San Bernardino African American Committee. As a testament to her value to the community, the school district’s community room was named after her. A public memorial service is planned for 11 a.m. on Saturday, Jan. 22 at San Manuel Stadium located at 280 S. E St. in San Bernardino. In lieu of flower donations, monetary donations to Hill’s charity, Maggie’s Kids Foundation are welcomed.

Local, state and community leaders and members took to their social media platforms to express their condolences and remember the difference both Brown and Hill made in their respective journeys.

Photo courtesy of Inland Empire Community News, www.iecn.com. Grand opening of George Brown, Jr. Elementary School in San Bernardino.