By Dianne Anderson

Celebrations of good times and energetic fun for Black History Month are breaking out about town, while other more cerebral thinkers will be brainstorming the next frontier in the battle for social justice.

Reparations are still up for discussion focused on growth and sustainability, but it’s not just all about the money.

LaVerne Duncan, longtime community activist, is inviting the community out to hear expert panelist discussions to cover how reparations work as a collective united effort in righting historical wrongs, and promoting healing.

But first, on Thursday, February 20, the Black History Long Beach celebration luncheon will be held at The Westin Long Beach at 11:30 a.m. featuring guest speaker Joanna S. Jackson, President & CEO of the Weingart Foundation. They are also honoring several powerhouse CEOs for their role in promoting diversity, held at 333 East Ocean Blvd. Tickets are $150 each.

Pearl Devers, president of the Palm Springs Section 14 Survivors Inc., is a special guest at the luncheon. Devers was instrumental in pressuring Palm Springs last year for a $5.9 million settlement reparation to be split among the descendants and former residents for the city’s role in burning down their homes and taking their land. They also received $21 million, while not legally tied to the settlement agreement, will support programs, future housing and economic development.

Duncan said the event, in collaboration with State Senate Majority Leader Lena Gonzalez and Long Beach Forward, also honors several CEOs who have been critical to the justice movement.

“They walk the walk, not just talk the talk. Sen. Gonzalez is also honoring four leaders from her district. We’re giving out scholarships to high school graduating seniors to a Long Beach City College student, and a Cal State University Long Beach student,” she said.

On Saturday, February 22, “Reparations: A Solidarity of Purpose” features expert views on what’s at stake for the future. The free event includes a resource fair, and will be held at the Art Theatre of Long Beach from 1:30-5:00 p.m., located at 2025 E 4th St.

Despite the nonstop trauma of recent weeks, she believes that Black History Month is at the heart of the community and will never be ripped away.

Duncan has spent a lifetime in civil service and as a housing advocate with the nonprofit Andy Street. She chose the theme reparations because it is a huge issue and a big part of the solution.

“It addresses what’s going on with DEI right now, and reparations because we have been going through this for hundreds of years. It looks like we’re moving backward,” she said. “For me, solidarity of purpose is not just financial, but attacking it from every angle, including education and housing.

As so many federally supported programs are being stripped away by Donald Trump, education is also on everyone’s minds lately.

There is a lot of uncertainty around education and student support services.

Uduak-Joe Ntuk, LBCC Board of Trustees President, said Long Beach Community College has worked hard for the past three years at helping Black students feel supported with a sense of belonging.

About 13% of the college’s student body identifies as Black/African American. He said the Black Student Success Center has become an important gathering place and hub to foster empowerment since opening last year.

LBCC maintains a strong commitment to supporting all Black students, including through programs like the Male Success Initiative, the Umoja Program, and many Black History Month events now happening across our campuses.

Despite attacks on DEI,  he said they remain committed to Black student success and expanding educational opportunities to all students through their diversity, equity, and inclusion programming, but that also takes community involvement.

“I would encourage increased advocacy actions, such as contacting your state and federal elected officials and letting them know that programs centering on DEI are a priority to your family and share personal stories,” he said.

He feels that everyone has a role to play in mitigating any loss of DEI-focused initiatives.

“Higher education institutions can reinforce their commitment to existing DEI programs, increase programs that increase a sense of belonging, and identify programs that are dependent on fragile federal funding and identify new funding sources that can’t be touched by anti-DEI politicians,” he said.

On February 18, the campus is also  hosting Karaoke and Open Mic Night on Tuesday, from 5:00-7:00 p.m. at LAC B206 in the Social Justice Intercultural Center. The event will showcase talent, enjoy live performances, and overall celebrate in a supportive space.

On Thursday, February 20, they are also hosting its Sip N Paint event from 2:00-4:00 p.m. at the LBCC Bistro in LAC V101 with a relaxing way to engage in art, meaningful conversations, and self-expression.  The following Wednesday, February 26, Elected Officials Panel runs from 10:00-11:00 a.m. at LAC L103 in the Black Student Success Center, giving students another way to engage in conversations on challenges facing the community.

Six Triple Eight film screening happens on Wednesday, February 26 from 2:00-4:00 p.m. at LAC, B105., highlighting story of the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion, the only all-Black, all-female unit that refused to back down in their service overseas in the face of extreme racism and sexim during World War II.

At Long Beach Public Library, Black History Month also has events running almost daily, covering everything from children’s stories to some of the harder adult conversations.

On Tuesday, February 18, the community is invited to virtually join in on “I Am Nobody’s Slave: In Conversation with Pulitzer Prize Finalist Lee Hawkins” from 11:00 a.m. to noon, with a discussion featuring author Lee Hawkins as he delves into his memoir of his family’s legacy of post-enslavement trauma and resilience.

At CSULB, Paul Carter said their Black History Month events on campus have been more focused on being hopeful. Last week their 26th annual event covered the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King.

“His legacy is as relevant today as it’s ever been focused around Dr. King’s dream. Our programs are focused on celebration and hope. That’s the frame of our events,” said Carter, assistant director of the CSULB Black Resource Center.

This month, he was most excited about their Black History Month cookout kickoff event.

“There was a lot of dancing, a cook-out family reunion, just people coming together just eating good food, folks eating soul food. We had a DJ, and a kickoff to the month as we go into some of the more academic programs and experience joy so folks feel welcome on campus and in the community,” he said.

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/reparations-a-solidarity-of-purpose-film-screening-tickets-1225445082229

For Free Library Events, see https://www.longbeach.gov/library/events/black-history-month/

For more information on Lavern Duncan’s year-round programming, see

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For LBCC, see https://www.lbcc.edu/post/black-history-events

FOR CSULB:
https://www.csulb.edu/office-of-the-provost/article/csulb-celebrates-black-history-month