City of Santa Monica to Honor Black Professionals at Inaugural Community Mixer on February 25
February 19, 2020 11:33 AM
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
DATE: February 19, 2020
CONTACT: Constance Farrell, Public Information Officer
constance.farrell@smgov.net I 310-458-8301 I 424-280-0008 (cell)
City of Santa Monica to Honor Black Professionals
at Inaugural Community Mixer on February 25
Special performances by West African drum/dance group DAANSEKOU
When: Tuesday, February 25, 11 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Where: 1300 block of the Third Street Promenade between Santa Monica Boulevard and Arizona Avenue.
SANTA MONICA, Calif. – The City of Santa Monica’s Government Alliance on Race and Equity (GARE) cohort will honor Black professionals who work or live in Santa Monica at its Celebrating Black Excellence Community Mixer on Tuesday, February 25, 2020. The event will take place from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. with the awards presentation kicking off the event.
“The aim of this event is to recognize the exemplary work being done by Santa Monica’s Black community,” said Delana G. Gbenekama, the City’s GARE representative who is spearheading planning for the events. “I also want all community members to make new connections and have conversations about how we can continue working together to make Santa Monica thrive,” she said.
The first hour of the mixer will feature an awards presentation honoring 10 Black professionals, for their outstanding leadership or community service. The event will include special performances and a brief talk about West African dance and drumming by DAANSEKOU Arts Collective, an organization that focuses on the development of African Ancestral knowledge led by choreographer and instructor Daunté Fyall.
“DAANSEKOU encourages all to join us on our quest to empower others to discover a greater self-awareness, through sharing and honoring the living tradition of West African drum and dance culture,“ said Fyall.
Refreshments will be served.
Attendees are encouraged to take walk, bike, carpool or take public transportation to the event. For attendees who drive, the closest parking structures are Parking Structure 3, located at 1320 4th St., and at Parking Structure 4, located at 1321 2nd St.
The mixer is co-sponsored by Downtown Santa Monica, Inc., which is providing the space on the Third Street Promenade.
For a full list of Black History Month events in Santa Monica, visit santamonica.gov/blog/blackhistorymonth.
GARE is a national network of government working to achieve racial equity and opportunities for all. The City of Santa Monica has been a member of GARE since 2017.
Media Contact
Constance Farrell
Communications & Public Information Manager
Constance.Farrell@santamonica.gov