February 2025
Black History Month is a time to celebrate the achievements, contributions, and legacy of African Americans. It’s also a time to learn about Black history and culture, and to support Black-led organizations.
In keeping with that tradition, we are proud to continue our legacy of amplifying the history and contributions of African-Americans at WNS through education and celebration.
We are excited to offer a variety of events to recognize and celebrate Black History Month this year. Some will be for students only, some for just parents and caregivers, and some for the entire WNS community. We can’t wait to see you there!
Community Gathering (8:15am)
HBCU/Black Greek Celebration Step Show and Parent Coffee
Please join us as we celebrate the legacy of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and Black Greek organizations. Members of our student body will perform a step followed by a step show put on by members of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.
Participate: All students, faculty and parents are encouraged to wear HBCU, Black Greek, and/or other college paraphernalia and attend the parent/caretaker coffee hosted by the Parent Group in the Third Grade Garden immediately following the performance!
ECC Black History Month Sing (9am)
Come celebrate Black History Month as we dedicate two of the ECC February morning sings to celebrating Black History. Please join us in the ECC Amphitheatre on February 7 and February 28 at 9am.
Your suggestions for specific songs or music that resonates with your family or hold special significance to the Black History Month theme are welcome. Please feel free to reach out to Kenya Lee kenyalee.kl@gmail.com (Egypt’s Mom) or Maya Valree mvalree@outlook.com (Gianna’s Mom) to share your ideas and/or confirm your participation.
Community Gathering (8:15am)
“I Love My Hair” Parade
Join us for a celebration of beauty, culture, self-love and self-expression during our Black History Month “I Love My Hair” Parade! This is an exciting opportunity for families and faculty to come together and showcase the pride we have in our unique hairstyles and hair textures. Whether it’s curls, braids, afros, twists, locs, silk presses or fades, every style tells a story of heritage and identity.
Participate: Bring your creativity and wear your hair with pride as we honor the rich history of Black culture and the importance of self-love.
Community Gathering (8:15am)
Double Dutch Exhibition with Melanated Jump Squad
Double Dutch, a jump rope activity where two ropes are turned simultaneously, is deeply rooted in African-American communities, particularly among Black girls, where it gained widespread popularity due to its accessibility, creative expression through rhymes and moves, and its association with street culture in urban areas like New York City, especially during the Great Depression.
Please join us as Melanated Jump Squad, an organization based here in Los Angeles, performs in an exclusive exhibition for the WNS community!
Community Gathering (8:15am)
Singers of Soul Gospel Choir and WNS Student Gospel Jets led by WNS parent Ryan Bathé Brown
Deemed by the Los Angeles Times as “the wall of sound powerhouse gospel choir,” The Singers of Soul are an award-winning vocal ensemble comprised of singers of all styles, ranging from Broadway to the Metropolitan opera, led by founder/choir director Dedrick Bonner.
Please join us as the Gospel Jets and Singers of Soul helps us close out Black History Month with a bang!
ECC Black History Month Sing (9am)
Come celebrate Black History Month as we dedicate two of the ECC February morning sings to celebrating Black History. Please join us in the ECC Amphitheatre on February 7 and February 28 at 9am.
Your suggestions for specific songs or music that resonates with your family or hold special significance to the Black History Month theme are welcome. Please feel free to reach out to Kenya Lee kenyalee.kl@gmail.com (Egypt’s Mom) or Maya Valree mvalree@outlook.com (Gianna’s Mom) to share your ideas and/or confirm your participation.
For the second year in a row, WNS parents have donated art created by African-American artists and/or depicting aspects of the African-American experience to our Black History Month Art Gallery. Located in the MLC, students can view art ranging from fine art paintings to photography during their class periods.
Parents and caretakers can come view the art gallery from 3-5:30pm on Wednesday, February 26th and Thursday, February 27th. WNS 4th grade parent Robyn Price Pierre will also be doing a book signing and giveaway on these dates for her book “FATHERS.”
“Ultimately I began to understand FATHERS in a different way. It began to feel like an archival project – the archiving of our humanity. Because when future generations or civilizations look back, if they look at our media, our newspapers, what will they know of us? Will they know that we, black folk, black fathers in this case, lived and loved?”
– Robyn Price Pierre, editor of FATHERS as told to The New York Times
Take a look at our photo sharing platform, Vidigami, to stay up to date with all of the incredible events that are taking place this month!
© 2025 WNS | Westside Neighborhood School.
