Cerritos college hosted a social awareness forum that covered talking to the police, social issues such as voting and civil rights to give information on the justice system and how it affects students’ lives.
A group spent their Saturday morning and afternoon to gain social and political information and talk about what goes on in their community.
“The good thing I like the most is that there is a lot of youth here. So starting the conversation of political awareness as social justice and action, things that they can do. I was in one of the workshops, it was the juvenile justice jeopardy, it was so eye opening, it was a lot of things that I didn’t even know myself. So just allowing them to have that conversation about black youth, I think it’s really important,” said Tahnea Carter, a member of Delta Sigma Theta.
The forum was sponsored by a collective of groups that included the Alpha Kappa Alphas, the Delta Sigma Thetas and Umoja from both Cerritos and Long Beach.
There was a voting booth set up where people could walk up and register to vote.
Delta Sigma Theta oversaw the booth during the entire event and informed people about their voting rights and how to start voting and registration process.
“We are here tabling about getting the word about registering to vote, so if anyone isn’t registered, we have place cards here where they can register and we just take them down to the post office for them,” Tahnea Carter said.
Long Beach City College’s Umoja club joined in on the planning along with club president Elijah Harris and club member Sierra Kerr.
“I came in support of one of the teachers that I mentor for. I’m mentoring her middle school students as well as showing up for Umoja,” Sierra Kerr said.
Umoja mentored the youth to help them learn about reaching for bigger opportunities as well as providing reassurance to make sure there is no pressure about pursuing academic related goals.
“Umoja’s part is mainly mentoring as well as helping with the children, we’re basically here to show kids that their future is so much brighter than what they would normally see on the streets. We do have a large population of homeless people in LA as well as a large population of unemployed African Americans. We really want to show students that you can be successful although it may look like you can’t. We’re here to showcase that community colleges is fine, universities are fine, Cal States are fine. Whichever route you choose to take, which is best for you is perfectly fine for you and that’s what you should strive for. As well as your community,” Sierra Kerr said.
The event discussed topics from voting rights, changes in the political system, knowing what your voting rights are and how to be aware of surroundings in the black community.
Chair of the coalition committee Ronic Tatum emceed the event. The event was an idea she thought of back in March, during her time in Washington D.C. for a political awareness event.
“I hope that people will be empowered. I feel that they gain knowledge and knowledge brings forth power so I hope that they will be empowered to take what they learn back into their communities, their churches, into their homes, jobs and get the word out. We learn about information about the 2020 census. The changes with the voting process, how to interact with police. So just take the information back and get it back to your family and friends who couldn’t be here and continue to spread the word and education to others,” Ronic Tatum explained.
Over a 100 people attended the event who with a mixture of both adults and teenagers who went to learn more about political and social awareness in the African American community.