Jan 18, 2017 4 min read

CALIFORNIA – During Black History Month, California University of Pennsylvania will confront the pervasive problem of racism, remember the giving spirit of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and celebrate African-American culture, visual and performing arts, music and food.

This year’s Black History Month theme at Cal is “Struggle, Strength, Resilience, Triumph.”

Admission is free to all events, and the public is invited, unless otherwise noted. Events include:

Jan. 31 – “The Good News About Racism,” a presentation by empowerment specialist Eraka Rouzorondu, CEO of Ma’at Enterprises, 4 to 7 p.m. in the south wing of the Convocation Center.

Rouzorondu, who is a nationally acclaimed educator, poet, producer, director, performance artist and author, will explore the history of racism, and what steps every person can take to help eradicate it.

For nearly 30 years, Rouzorondu has addressed audiences for clients such as the Smithsonian Institution, the Association of Black Psychologists, Lockheed Martin and General Dynamics. She has lectured at colleges and universities from throughout the United States, and has been the keynote speaker at national conventions, such as the African American Women’s Conference.

Feb. 1 – Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Giving and American Red Cross Blood Drive, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Natali Performance Center. Register or drop in to give blood, or donate gently used clothing and shoes, new toiletry items, old eyeglasses and unwanted cellphones. The event is organized by the Office of Diversity Education and Multicultural Affairs and the Office of Volunteer Programs and Service Learning.

Feb. 2 – A Raisin in the Sun: A Multimedia Showing, 7 p.m. in the Blaney Theatre, Steele Hall. The Department of Music and Theatre will look at various stage and film versions of the award-winning 1959 play about a black family’s struggles to overcome racism and pursue their dreams. The event sets the stage for the department’s production of a Raisin spin-off, “Clybourne Park,” set to open April 20.

Feb. 8 – “A Dichotomous Life: A Person of Color Living in Two Worlds,” noon to 1 p.m. in the Natali Student Center, rooms 206 and 207. Bring a lunch and join the Department of Social Work for a roundtable discussion of the personal and societal expectations faced by people of color in various settings.

Feb. 15 – Black Arts Festival & Multicultural Affairs Night at the basketball game, 1 to 5 p.m. in the Convocation Center. The arts festival will showcase visual art from Cal U.’s Department of Art and Languages, along with spoken-word performances, music and art-and-crafts vendors. The halftime show features a performance by members of Cal U.’s Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity and the Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority.

Feb. 22 – Soul Food Luncheon, 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. in the Gold Rush dining hall. Choose from a menu created from recipes and stories contributed by members of the Cal U. community and collected by the Office of Multicultural Affairs and Diversity Education.

Feb. 27 – Screening and panel discussion of the Netflix documentary “13th,” 5:30 p.m. in Eberly Hall, room 110. The psychology department, along with the Frederick Douglass Institute, will present a screening of Ava DuVernay’s acclaimed documentary about the criminal justice system in the United States since the abolition of slavery. A panel discussion with faculty member Dr. Rueben Brock, a former FDI scholar, follows the film.

March 3 – Trip to the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, D.C. The bus will leave at 5:30 a.m. for a one-day trip to the nation’s capital and the newest museum on the Washington Mall. Registration is required, and payment is due in advance. Cost is $30 for students and $60 for staff, faculty and guests. For more information, email webb_s@calu.edu.