27 Feb Celebrating Black History & Futures
We spent the month reflecting, celebrating, and learning with our Booker T. community about the incredible contributions that Black leaders have made around the world. As we continue to commemorate Black History Month, we also celebrate Black Futures and the meaningful impact that our community will continue to make. We’re listening to the voices of Booker T. youth, families, and seniors to keep our programs and services culturally relevant, and prioritize the holistic well-being of our neighbors.
Our theme, “From Rights to Renaissance” was the foundational theme for this month’s events and activities where we learned about significant contributions made by Black communities, iInstitutions and cultural centers, artists, musicians, and so much more.
We are excited to share just a few of the events that we hosted, co-hosted, and attended this month. We’re feeling beyond grateful and inspired by the resilience of our community!
Drumbeats, Heartbeats: Communities as One
A Joint Celebration of Lunar New Year & Black History Month
In partnership with Mayor London Breed, Both Sides of the Conversation, San Francisco Public
Library, University of San Francisco, theHuman Rights Commission, Friends of the SF Public Library, APA Heritage Foundation and the Chinese Historical Society of America, we co-hosted, Drumbeats, Heartbeats: Communities as One, a celebration of cultures with great people from around the city. The public event featured performances by African and Lion Dancer Drummers, Kyle Shin; Filipina-American rapper, producer, and director, Ruby Ibarra; saxophone musician, Howard Wiley; and pianist, Jo Jang! Watch a recording of the event, here!
Mo’ Magic Programs: Black & White Royalty Ball
Booker T. youth had a fun-filled evening at Mo’Magic’s annual Black & White Royalty Ball in honor of Black History Month! It was a magical night full of music and dance performances!
State of Black Mental Health Town Hall
Thank you to those who attended the town hall we co-hosted with the SF Department of Public Health and provided feedback on how we can better meet the unique health and cultural needs of San Francisco’s Black and African American communities. We look forward to continuing our efforts to ensure that everyone who needs mental health services receives culturally competent care.
Leaving a Legacy Project: Intergenerational Story Sharing
The Senior Wellness, Youth, and Teen & TAY (transitional aged youth) teams are collaborating on a “Leaving a Legacy” Project – an intergenerational video project where youth record, film, and archive senior stories. BTWCSC school-aged youth will have the opportunity to plan and facilitate group interviews with participating seniors, asking them about their lived experiences, while teen/TAY youth will learn the basics of video-editing through filming and creating “legacy” videos for the seniors to keep.
Booker T. Attends Community Inauguration of Public Defender Mano Raju
We attended the Community Inauguration of Public Defender Mano Raju on February 8th at the new Southeast Community Center. We look forward to working with his office to ensure more support and fair representation when it comes to justice for our community.
As we close out Black History Month, we encourage our community to continue to listen, learn, and celebrate the achievements and impact that Black leaders and communities have made in history. Booker T. will continue to be a safe space where Black lives are respected, celebrated, and encouraged to inspire others.
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