Happy Black History Month!
Dear SEIU 721 Brothers and Sisters,
Something that I look forward to every year during Black History Month is taking the time to shine a spotlight on people who might not be widely known but made huge contributions to our society.
Black History is American History and it’s important that we don’t forget people like Jane Bolin, who was the first Black woman to attend Yale Law School and our country’s first Black female judge. Throughout her career, she worked with private employers to ensure people were being hired based on their skills instead of being discriminated against based on their skin color.
And did you know that Rosa Parks wasn’t the first one who refused to give up her bus seat in Montgomery, Alabama? The first was Claudette Colvin, who as a 15-year-old, bravely challenged the bus driver and was arrested for not moving. (She just recently had her record cleared after 66 years!)
I’m excited to announce that as part of this year’s Black History Month celebration, the SEIU 721 African American Caucus is serving by hosting a food drive for the LA Regional Food Bank. We will be collecting food donations at our DTLA Headquarters on Feb. 26 in partnership with our brothers and sisters from Labor and Community Services.
Can’t make it that day? No problem! Beginning Valentine’s Day (Monday, Feb. 14) you can drop off donations in our lobby. Here is a list of items we are accepting for this event:
• Peanut butter• Canned soup• Canned fruit• Canned vegetables• Canned stew• Canned fish• Canned beans• Pasta • Rice
I’m hoping you can join us in this act of service and that together we can continue to shine a light on some of the unsung heroes in US History. Happy Black History Month!
In Unity & Service,
Simboa Wright
SEIU 721 Vice President