Black History Month celebrations flourish despite pandemic

Share: Students sit in a Zoom waiting room, anticipating the Show Your Grit event to begin. They arrive little by little, each entrance announced with a pleasant jingle on their computer screens, instead of the greetings of hello that they might be accustomed to. Although the occasion was shared through computer screens, the triumph of black heritage between the students and staff shone through. Follow:

Local author laments the loss of Los Angeles icons

Share: The Allendale Library was filled with people ready to ask Pasadena-based author Lynell George questions about her latest book, “After/Image: Los Angeles Outside the Frame.” Even though the book signing was swift and mellow, George became passionate and emotional when she talked about influential Black figures such as Rodney King and how his experience with police brutality affected her.  “A Conversation with Lynell George” took place on Feb. 29 at the Allendale Library in Pasadena for its Black History Month celebration. George addressed Los …

Local gallery showcases the voices of black artists

Share: The Alkebulan Cultural Center, a small and beige building with miniature palm trees and trimmed grass located in Pasadena, seems unassuming from the outside. But the inside tells a different story with its displays of portraits, paintings and enamel pieces created from the hearts and hands of black artists.  The walls are covered with African masks and black-made art from the hands of this month’s displayed artists. African pop music plays in the corner of the small room, forming a playful feeling as visitors …

What Black History Month means to PCC

Share: Red, black and forest green. These colors represent the Pan-African flag, as well as the colors embodied by Ujima Pathways, Blackademia students and faculty and the history of the Black community. PCC’s Ujima Blackademia program sponsored the month-long celebration of Black History Month (BHM) through a series of events on campus for all students to participate in, with a message to relay across all students, staff and outside of PCC: every month can be Black History Month through the power of comradery, as pointed …

Ujima fosters culture, community and creativity

Share: People are gathered at tables, painting beautiful pictures of logos, nature and space. Doing art work together, with shiny, multicolored balloons floating around the room as the soundtrack of the movie “Black Panther” played in the background. It is only one of the many events happening this February, including African dances, black history game night, and a hip hop forum. The festival was sponsored by Ujima, Blackademia, and ASPCC and was located in the CC building. The Ujima Festival occurred on Thursday, February 28 …

PCC celebrates its diversity during Black History Month

Share: Black History Month celebrations were taking place all over PCC’s campus this past February thanks to the efforts of Ujima and Blackademia. With over 250 students in Ujima, and many more in the Blackademia program, there was no shortage of people celebrating African-American culture. Despite hampered student attendance in the beginning of the month due to it being winter intersession, that did not stop the celebration. Director of the Ujima program, Gena Lopez, talked about this by saying, “Even though there weren’t as many …

Student souls take flight through Tuskegee history

Share: The production “Fly” follows four Tuskegee Airmen—the first African-American aviators in the U.S. military—from their initial squad training and education and through the often thinly veiled racist oppression by their superior officers, their comrades and even their subordinates. But the play also largely focuses on their bonding as a team and as men of mission, their triumphs as fighter pilots, and their losses in wartime. Follow: