Santa Monica issued the following on Nov. 16
Black History Month 2021 to Highlight the Black Family, Leadership and Service
Every February, people across the nation come together for events and activities to celebrate Black History Month. It’s a time for us to continue our collective journey of honoring and deepening our knowledge of the history and contributions of African Americans and people of African descent that have been marginalized from mainstream curricula and discussions because of our country’s legacy of slavery, and institutional and structural racism. The City of Santa Monica’s Government Alliance on Race and Equity (GARE) cohort and Black History Month Committee will offer a roster of events and activities in February 2021 to highlight the history, diversity and achievements of our local Black community and the Black community nationwide. This year, events will be held virtually to keep us all safe during COVID-19.
The theme for Black History Month 2021 is The Black Family: Representation, Identity and Diversity and is set every year by the Association for the Study of African American Life and History®, an organization founded in 1915 by Dr. Carter G. Woodson, the famed African American historian known as the “Father of Black History.” Much of the programming for Santa Monica’s Black History Month events and activities aligns with the theme, with discussions by community members about their family histories and contributions to the city, reflections by current and/or former residents on memories of Historic Belmar Park and the Belmar History + Arts Project commemorating its history, and a community conversation about the novel “Saving Ruby King,” which explores trauma, friendships and secrets that intertwine families for generations.
We hope you will join us for these free learning opportunities that are food for our minds, bodies and souls. While we would love to hold in-person fellowships with you, we instead will meet you in virtual spaces for our events and activities as we continue to exercise caution during the COVID-19 pandemic. RSVP details for each event and activity are listed below.
In addition to participating in our Black History Month event programming, we encourage you to visit our Black-owned businesses page to discover local entrepreneurs you can support and our equity page featuring information about the Black Agenda for Santa Monica and the newly formed Santa Monica Black Lives Association, a nonprofit organization formed by Black community leaders.
Original source can be found here
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