Celebrating 100 Days of Black Excellence

Greetings Ed&IS Community,

We're thrilled to kick off our third annual celebratory tradition of 100 Days of Black Excellence! For those of you joining us for the first time, this cultural series, initiated by the Office of Justice Equity Diversity and Inclusion (OJEDI), is designed for our School as a whole to honor, recognize, and joyously commemorate the remarkable achievements of the Black community within and beyond Ed&IS.

Our cultural series extends the conventional February observance of Black history. At Ed&IS, we firmly believe that the contributions of Black individuals, like those of other minoritized communities in the US, are interwoven into the fabric of everyday life in this country. Therefore, we advocate for an inclusive year-round acknowledgment of diverse communities rather than confining recognition to a single month. 

The goals of this cultural series are:

a. Highlight the issues and concerns of the Black community.

b. Provide a platform for learning and discussion for the entire Ed&IS community around the n the intricacies of Black life in the US.

c. Celebrate the accomplishments of Black individuals within our community.

2024 Events

Our exciting signature events are back this year, including a welcome cookout, student/faculty mixer, Symposium, State of Black Affairs, and Black Excellence Reception. Ed&IS community members of all backgrounds are welcome to participate in these celebrations. Please see the tentative dates below:

February 8th- Black Graduate Conversations in the BBRC feat. Danny Solorzano

February 22nd – Part 2 of Book Club for James McBride's novel The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store

February 23rd – Welcome Cookout

March – Student/Faculty Mixer

April – Symposium, State of Black Affairs

May – Part 3 of Book Club, Black Excellence Reception

This year, our celebration will also feature an insightful interview with the nationally recognized multimedia artist, educator, poet, activist, and philanthropist L'Merchie Frazier. With decades of service as the Director of Education and Interpretation at the Museum of African American History Boston/Nantucket, as well as currently in the role of Executive Director of Creative and Strategic Partnerships at SpokeArt, L'Merchie brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to our community. Our conversation with L'Merchie will focus on how educators can utilize art to discuss complex topics and its transformative power to heal community trauma. For more information on L'Merchie's work, please see her website. 

In addition to the events, we are continuing the UCLA Ed&IS Scholarship for Research on Black Life. This award supports students at Ed&IS who have demonstrated service and research/projects related to Black life. Eligible students across all graduate and undergraduate programs in Ed&IS are encouraged to apply. Visit this link for more information.

Finally, we have compiled an exciting list of activities at UCLA and beyond specially curated for Black History Month. We hope you attend these enriching experiences and you can build community in some of these spaces. 

Wishing you health, community, and connection during these 100 days!

OJEDI