Monterey Bay Black Folks Event Calendar
Week of Mon June 29th through Sun July 5th, 2020
About the Monterey Bay Black Folks Event Calendar

The purpose of the Monterey Bay Black Folks Event Calendar is to connect the Black Community of CSU Monterey Bay with the local Black Communities of the Greater Monterey Bay Area. The Calendar is edited by Steven Goings, MSW and is entirely voluntary and looking for institutional support. To submit an event for possible inclusion, please send to AfricanQuazar@gmail.com. The plan is to send out the Calendar every Monday at 9 AM for those who wish to receive it. The deadline for Monday submissions is midnight of the previous Thursday.
Steven's Take

Bi-monthly CSUMB & Black Community Town & Gown Forum

July 6 from 6 to 7:30 PM. Contact Steven Goings at AfricanQuazar@gmail.com or sgoings@csumb.edu for zoom link and password.

Remember that the Monterey Bay Black Folks Event Calendar is part of a greater effort to connect the Black Community of CSU Monterey Bay with the Black Communities of the Greater Monterey Bay Area. The bi-monthly town and gown Black community forums are designed to bring together Black community leaders and Black students, staff & faculty for sustained organizing around common issues.

It is my greatest hope that this becomes a vehicle for community organizing that informs and amplifies the efforts of our great local institutions including but not limited to The Village Project, inc., the NAACP, the Pan-Hellenic Council, the LINKS inc., the Recognizing Military Service Center, CSUMB Black Students United and the CSUMB African American Heritage Faculty and Staff Alliance.

If you are a member of any of these groups and are receiving this calendar, I urge you to have your organization send a representative to our first meeting on July 6th.

In the meantime, I have also created an informal survey to ascertain the needs of the Black Community. I encourage everyone reading who has ideas about out to improve our communities to take this survey: Monterey Black Folks Needs Survey


Steven is a Village Project, inc Jubilee Campaign Leader!

Due to COVID-19, The Village Project, inc. will not be able to present their 5th Annual Luncheon Fundraiser this year. Nevertheless, it is crucial that the community continue to support this most outstanding organization. In fact, I can tell you most sincerely, that I personally consider The Village Project, Inc. to be the most effective primarily Black/African Heritage serving institution in Monterey County! That is why, I hope that you will join me in generously contributing to The Village Project Jubilee Fundraising Campaign through the month of July. The goal is $50,000.

The unequal impact of the pandemic on the African American community has been compounded by more police killings of African Americans. In addition to the ongoing stressors of inequality, both these violent stressors weigh heavily on the community. Your response and donation is an important and needed reminder that folks in the wider community care.

See the weekly progress towards our goal and make your donations at https://www.villageprojectinc.org/donations .
About the Above Ghana Tour...

Families can sign-up directly for the Ghana tour by following the information in the above flier. However, The Village Project, Inc. has received funding for 10 scholarships. If you would like an opportunity to be sponsored by The Village Project, Inc., please contact Regina Mason directly at regina@villageprojectinc.org or at 831 392 1500 . Mrs. Mason would like applicants to know that your family MUST be available to attend each day of the tour: " It is better to let the funds go to another family in another project than to sign up and not follow thru and participate. Thanks!" -- Regina Mason


Videos from Dirrick Williams

Dirrick Williams, author of " Don't Be Just Another Brick in the Wall " and "Principle Living" has set up his own studio and has been videotaping some interesting content for his show "Your Voice Matters!" on his online channel of the internet T.V. network TOK-2-ME-TV.

Selected links from recent offerings include:



Here is a link to the recording of the above webinar on Anti-Blackness in Education. You are encouraged to review, comment, and share. 

Free Webinar

Black Minds Matter
announcing confirmed guest speaker Professor Ivory Toldson from Howard University
hosted by J. Luke Wood & Donna Y Ford

A Five Part Series Beginning July 16, 2020

Addressing the Parallels Between the Policing of Black Lives
and Schooling of Black Minds
Useful Links:


  • Here is something the Monterey County Branch NAACP is working on. You can send your entries directly to lbogene@yahoo.com

  • Check out the list and add your bio and photo to it.

  • We all know the so-called criminal justice system treats our folks much more harshly than others, sometimes just having community members show up at court can make a difference in how things turn out.

  • Check it out or add your favorite to the list

  • With so few African Americans working in our K-12 and higher education systems, our kids have too few opportunities to see professionals and role models who look like them. We are looking for Black community members and professionals who can be called on to be occasional guest speakers in local classrooms.

Black Voices and Photo Portrait Project
  • Local photographer Nic Coury has launched this Black Portrait Project and looking for subjects. If interested in posing for a professional picture message him on Facebook or send me (africanquazar@gmail.com) your contact info for me to forward.

  • Just the basic public contact and position info

  • Click on this google document to share your thoughts about what is needed in the Black community. We will prioritize them for further action.

  • Check out the current list of churches, update existing entries or add new ones.
Steven Goings, also known as Quazar, delivers his first ever sermon at the Unitarian Universalist Church of the Monterey Peninsula for Pride Sunday entitled "Queer Spirit; the Courage to Be Unique". Videotaped by Dirrick Williams, you can view it by clicking this link

LGBTQ Month Profile Link:

MARSHA P. JOHNSON

... Marsha P. Johnson was an activist, self-identified drag queen, performer, and survivor. She was a prominent figure in the Stonewall uprising of 1969. Marsha went by “Black Marsha” before settling on Marsha P. Johnson. The “P” stood for “Pay It No Mind,” which is what Marsha would say in response to questions about her gender. It is the consideration of who “Black Marsha” was that inspired The Marsha P. Johnson Institute...
.

Click here for link to the Marsha P. Johnson Institute website
Monterey Bay Black Folks Weekly Event Calendar 
Submit to AfricanQuazar@gmail.com