Monterey Bay Black Folks Event Calendar |
Week of Mon August 24th through Sun August 30th, 2020 |
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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 idea for the calendar came out of the community forums organized as part of CSUMB's annual Super Saturday Black student recruitment events. The Calendar is edited by Steven Goings with new editions being released every Monday. To submit an event for possible inclusion, please send to AfricanQuazar@gmail.com. The submission deadline is Friday at 6pm.
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Steven's
Take:
Welcome Back to CSUMB Students
Wow! What a ride 2020 is turning out to be! Although I am not thrilled to be working from home, I am thrilled to have a home as I know many community members who have lost theirs to the multiple fires. I am also grateful for not only having a job (as so many do not), but also for not having to risk exposure to the coronavirus as is the case for so many essential workers.
As always, the best thing that can be said of times of catastrophe and upheaval, is how it pulls people together and reveals our true strength, resiliency and determination to help others as we overcome the many challenges of this singular year.
Having attended dozens of CSUMB zoom planning meetings in the wake of the pandemic and the public execution of George Floyd, I couldn't be more proud of the adaptability, care and concern exhibited by our staff, faculty and administrators in their determination to deliver the very best academic experience possible in these turbulent times.
For our Black & African Heritage students this includes greatly increased attention to their sense of belonging. Numerous studies have indicated that cultural dissonance is inversely related to retention. In order for minority students to persist in college they must either acclimate to the general campus or establish sufficient connections with their cultural groups.
A minimum of three new avenues for cultural connections are now available for Black students that were not available at this time last year. 1) The Monterey Bay Black Folks Event Calendar itself along with our Facebook Group Page, 2) The brand new Center for Black Student Success highlighted in this issue and 3) the Mandla Mentoring program developed by Dr. Vivian Waldrup Patternson, in which Black students can sign-up to join a Black mentor family of 5 to 6 students facilitated by a Black staff or faculty member.
We hope that together, these and other cultural enrichment programs will lead to a greater sense of connection and belonging, increased academic success, increased retention, and -- as word spreads about how CSUMB and the surrounding Black communities wrap their arms around Black students -- an increase in the size of our Black student population which has been declining over the last 5 years.
To ALL students, staff and faculty of CSUMB...Welcome Back!
-- Steven Goings
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Supporting the Monterey County Branch NAACP!
The Monterey Bay Black Folks Event Calendar is dedicating the month of August to fundraising for the Monterey County Branch NAACP!
Click Here to become a member of the Monterey County Branch
Monterey County Branch Website: http://montereynaacp.org/
Options for Contributing to the Monterey County Branch NAACP
Please donate to one of the following funds. Make your check out to the NAACP Monterey County Branch #1049 and send it to P.O. Box 782, Seaside, CA 93955. In the lower-left area of your check, please indicate which fund you want to donate.
Or
Click on one of the links below to donate via PAYPAL or with credit card.
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In the Spotlight Jimmy Panetta:
The Monterey County Branch NAACP will host Congressman Panetta as the Guest Speaker at their General Membership Meeting on Thursday August 27, 2020 at 7PM. RSVP to mcbnaacp1049@att.net for zoom link.
Congressman Jimmy Panetta is dedicated to public service and proudly serves California’s 20th Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives. His district includes Monterey and San Benito Counties, and parts of Santa Cruz and Santa Clara Counties. First elected 2016, he is serving his second term in Congress. He currently serves on the House Committee on Ways and Means, the House Committee on Budget, and the House Committee on Agriculture.
Having grown up on the central coast of California, Congressman Panetta understands the importance of giving back to the community and country that gave him and his family so much. He was instilled with a sense of public service and its importance to our democracy, and has made sure that his work is reflective of the values of the people who entrusted him to be their voice in our nation’s capital.
During his time in Congress...
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In the Spotlight Alana Myles:
Alana Myles is a native of the Monterey Peninsula. She is an army brat. Her father was stationed at the former Ft. Ord.
Alana retired from the Santa Rita Union School District in Salinas after teaching 20 years at the elementary school level. She is currently a member of the Monterey Peninsula Unified School District (MPUSD ) board of trustees and is also the Chair of the board of trustees for Community Human Services, a non-profit community service organization.
Myles is a Gold Life Member with the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). She has served on the Executive Committee of the Monterey Co. Branch NAACP and at one time chaired the local NAACP Scholarship Committee. She continues to serve on the Education Committee.
Myles' married daughter and her four grandchildren make their home in San Diego County, California.
Alana's Take
The Not So Normal MPUSD Back-to-School Kick-Off
"Normally, Monterey Peninsula Unified School District (MPUSD) starts the new school year with an in-person, high energy, spirited rally to welcome back teachers and staff. The Superintendent of Schools and the President of the School Board acknowledges the educational community. One hears inspiring speeches or moving stories of personal growth and development from teachers, staff, and student representatives. Cheer leaders, the Seaside High band and perhaps the drumline or even a T-shirt firing canon help create a mood of excitement. Well, it is quite evident that, due to COVID-19, this school year is not normal. Nevertheless, the 2020-2021 school kick-off, although virtual, did not disappoint. The Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources, Dr. Manny Nunez, shared the story of his personal journey as an undocumented immigrant and...
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In the Spotlight:
Umi Vaughan, Faculty Director of the Center for Black Student Success
Even as the entire CSU system is operating in a virtual environment due to the global pandemic, campus leaders at CSUMB have decided to debut the Center for Black Student Success. The website, which you can visit at https://csumb.edu/blackstudentsuccess went live on August 11, 2020.
- Programming/mentor coordinator
- Marketing/social media
- Operations/budget
They will operate under the direct supervision of the newly named founding faculty director, Dr. Umi Vaughan.
Umi's Take:
The Director of the Center for Black Student Success talks about his ambitions for the Center.
"2020 has been a year of great upheaval and uncertainty. But 2020 is also a year of strong action toward social justice.
One of the ways that CSUMB is responding to this world political, cultural moment is by stepping up efforts to support Black students. The Center for Black Student Success (CBSS) is a new initiative that engages and empowers African Diaspora students at CSUMB by providing academic, professional, and personal/cultural support and enrichment programming. CBSS serves as the central hub and campus home for Black student life, working with campus and local community members to ensure Black collegiate success at CSUMB. We connect students to financial support (for example, textbook assistance, academic conference attendance), match them with faculty mentors, and facilitate research opportunities.
Through its Signature Programs CBSS welcomes entrepreneurs, authors, artists, scholars, and performers from throughout the African Diaspora to enrich the CSUMB experience with concerts, workshops, exhibits focused on engaging and inspiring Black students. Programs include: the Toni Morrison Authors Conversation Series; Madame C.J. Walker/Robert F. Smith Black Professionals Series; Black Money Matters Financial Literacy Series; Daniel Hale Williams Black Health Education Series; and the Katherine Dunham African Diaspora Performance Series.
Our first event will take place virtually and features Congolese-American master drummer Kiazi Malonga performing traditional rhythms and original compositions from his new album on September 24 at 6 p.m. (See the CSUMB Homepage for Zoom link to enjoy this exciting performance and discussion.)
As Faculty Director of CBSS I am excited to use this platform creatively to foment academic success as well as personal fulfillment, belonging, and joy for Black students at CSUMB. Here we go!"
-- Dr. Umi Vaughan,
Associate Professor
CBSS Faculty Director
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In the Spotlight:
LaVerne McLeod, "Bridge Building to Equity" Workshop Creator & Facilitator
LaVerne McLeod, a retired middle school teacher, has many talents, wears many hats and spends a lot of her time creating and exploring with new ideas. Corn Hollow is her first book creation. She writes for people of all races and ages.
Her expertise for writing Corn Hollow is drawn from her childhood experiences. As an African American, being reared on a farm in the south during the rise of the Civil Rights Movement in America, LaVerne recollects many incidents of that time.
Having participated in the preparation and harvesting of cotton crops, canning, large truck patches and meat processing, she conveys smells, sensations, and flavor in her novel.
LaVerne McLeod paints in oils and recently moved into acrylics. Additionally, she is a skilled textile hand weaver/designer. On top of that, she has spent a lot of time as a community leader and volunteer.
She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Education and a Master of Arts in Counselor Education. The author lives with her husband on the coast of California where she enjoys natural surroundings that nurtures her creativity. Beyond all her joys and activities, LaVerne loves spending time with her grandchildren. The reciprocated energies with her grands enhance her creative spirit and vibrancy.
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Upcoming
Community Events:
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The Racial Pandemic Series -- Part I
Session 1 of 4.
The Racial Crisis & Inner-Actions to Help Heal Our Wounds
Thursday, August 27, 2020
10:00am-11:00am
Follow this link for detailed DESCRIPTIONS about all 4 sessions
The Racial Pandemic Series grew out of LaVerne McLeod’s previous Bridge Building to Equity workshops. Being compelled in the midst of the viral pandemic to continue with this social justice work after the public execution of George Floyd, McLeod formulated a series of social justice webinars. The purpose of these webinars is to help heal and take non-violent action to create positive changes.
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Aug 27-28, 2020 Virtual March on Washington
The virtual march — which will bring forward a bold National Black agenda — will take place on August 27 and August 28, 2020, the 57th anniversary of the historic March on Washington, where the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his “I Have a Dream” speech. Accompanying virtual events with music performances and keynote speakers will also take place on the nights of August 27th and 28th. This inclusive day of action seeks to channel the soaring energy from this national moment of reckoning and will call for reforms of the systems, structures, policies, and attitudes that enable police brutality, racial discrimination. Organizers will also execute a robust civic engagement effort with multiple levers of change, including registering participants to vote and encouraging them to participate in the Census.
Schedule of Events
The 2020 Virtual March on Washington is about asking everyone — from protesters in the streets to elected officials at all levels of government — to commit to pursuing a new agenda that prioritizes equity, justice, and opportunity for all. Get ready for an interactive series of events and virtual experiences.
More details and information on how to participate coming soon, but stay up to date with the latest by texting ‘POWER’ to 40649.
THE CALL
Thursday, August 27, 5-7pm PST
- Music, reflections, panels, young activists.
THE MARCH
Friday, August 28, 8am – 12pm PST
- Convened by Rev. Al Sharpton and Martin Luther King III, the Commitment March will gather at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C. to restore and recommit to the dream Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. defined in 1963. The March will be streamed across multiple social media platforms.
THE CHARGE
Friday, August 28, 6-8pm PST
- The event will conclude with a night of virtual programming, including a major keynote address and musical performances by award-winning artists.
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Talking about Racial Bias with Dr. Jennifer Eberhardt
September 3, 2020
6:00pm — 7:00pm
Register early and get rewarded!
First twelve people to register will receive a free copy of Dr. Eberhardt's book courtesy of the Otter Student Union and Otter Cross Cultural Center.
Join Otter Student Union and the Otter Cross Cultural Center for a keynote on the psychological associations between race, crime, and police brutality. Dr. Jennifer Eberhardt is a renowned expert on where unconscious racial bias comes from and how to address it.
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An Evening with Dr. Ibram X. Kendi
September 9, 2020
6:00pm — 7:00pm
The Otter Student Union and Otter Cross Cultural Center are proud to invite you to enjoy a 45 minute discussion with Dr. Ibram X. Kendi on how to build an anti-racist world. Conversation will be followed by a 15 minute Q&A session.
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Useful Links:
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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
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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.
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Monterey Bay Black Folks Weekly Event Calendar
Submit to AfricanQuazar@gmail.com
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