Happy Black History Month, San Diego! We’re proud to recognize, celebrate, and amplify the achievements of African Americans and their central role in our collective history.
Here at San Diego Wave FC we are committed to fostering an inclusive and equitable Club, and to help in effecting positive change in San Diego and beyond.
We encourage all Wave FC fans to join us in emphasizing and amplifying education and celebration of Black culture. And to continue that energy throughout the year.
For those considering utilizing their time or resources this February to help recognize and honor Black History Month, below is a compiled list of organizations and resources both locally and nationally spanning education, business, and community activism and services. Click on the individual names to visit their websites and learn more about the independent work these organizations are striving to achieve. If there are additional organizations and/or resources you believe we should provide our platform to, please send your suggestions to [email protected].
Black History Month Events:
Black Com!x Day — February 3 and 4; The 6th year of highlighting Black Owned Cartoons & Comics. A FREE event for everyone to enjoy from all walks of life. BCD 2024 takes place at World Beat Center, San Diego and will feature panels, meet & greets, and more.
The Kick Back: Black Excellence — February 10; Students and families of all ages have the opportunity to share their story through food, music, and other creative outlets. Since the launch of the Movement BE Center in July of 2021, they have hosted hundreds of families, with a goal to keep families thriving together.
Martin Luther King Jr. Community Choir Performance — February 10; Enjoy an afternoon of traditional and contemporary gospel music at the Rancho San Diego Library.
Queer Youth Karaoke Celebrate Queer Black Artistry — February 10; A free partnership with Diversionary Theatre, and The San Diego Queer Youth Chorus, San Diego Pride youth programs, Trans Family Support Services, and San Diego Unified School District’s Youth Advocacy Program. Bring your favorite cover to do Karaoke Style, or original song to sing. Come as you are!
Lift Every Voice and Sing — February 15; Mt. Carmel High School Choir Department presents their Black History Month concert, entitled “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” featuring songs by BIPOC composers and genres of the African Diasporic musical tradition.
Black History Drag Queen Storytime — February 17; PRIDE Storytime is a family-friendly way of recognizing and celebrating our diversity and individuality through age-appropriate stories & songs. This is a safe space, all families are welcome.
Black History Celebration and Author Talk — February 17; Everyone is welcome for a fun afternoon with face painting, music by DJ Charles Egypt, soul food from Mad’m Chef with Kitchen Magician and a presentation by author Dr. Catherine Grace Pope.
Black History Month Kids Strream Festival — February 25; Get ready for an exciting journey through African American history, with interactive activities, games, and storytelling and more. Guide your children in discovering the achievements and contributions of African Americans throughout history.
Wikipedia Edit-A-Thon: Black History Month — February 26; Learn to edit Wikipedia pages and contribute to making knowledge more accessible. All experience levels are welcome. It is highly recommended that participants create a Wikipedia account ahead of time.
Crafternoon: African Mask Craft — February 27; African masks represent the spirits of people or things and were worn during ceremonies and celebrations. Masks are rooted in the belief of animism, or the worship of the natural world. Celebrate Black History Month by making your own mask.
SDSU Celebrates Black History Month — Monthlong; The 2024 theme focuses on the importance of African American art is infused with African, Caribbean, and the Black American lived experiences. In the fields of visual and performing arts, literature, fashion, folklore, language, film, music, architecture, culinary and other forms of cultural expression the African American influence has been paramount.
San Diego and Southern California-Based Organizations:
Movement BE — Located at 6787 El Cajon Blvd, Movement BE strives to create a safe and nurturing environment for youth to explore and express their unique creative spirit. Thier goal is to foster a creative community and cultivate a passion for the arts and its potential to enrich lives. Wave FC this month made a $500 donation to the center to help continue their work and events that provide safe spaces for creativity, self-expression, and emotional support.
The Blue Heart Foundation — A 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that provides mentorship to underserved African-American males ages 13-18 of San Diego County. This programming helps facilitate positive interactions, education, empowerment and emotional well being.
County of San Diego Black Chamber of Commerce — Utilizing innovative programs, networking opportunities, and business partnerships to advance and strengthen Inclusive Economic Development throughout the City and County of San Diego with the mission to create generational wealth through business enterprise, education, employment, and investing.
Jack and Jill of San Diego — A membership organization of mothers with children ages 2 -19, dedicated to nurturing future African American leaders by strengthening children through leadership development, volunteer service, philanthropic giving, and civic duty.
Urban League of San Diego County — A civil rights and direct service 501 (c)(3) non-profit organization, founded in 1953, whose mission is to assist African Americans and other underserved people in San Diego County to achieve social and economic equality through advocacy, bridge building, program services, and research.
LISC San Diego — The organization’s San Diego Black Homebuyers Program (SDBHP) aims to eradicate the racial wealth gap in San Diego County through investment in wealth-building opportunity through Black homeownership.
NAACP San Diego — San Diego’s branch of the nation’s largest civil rights organization committed to social justice.
North County African American Women’s Association — Dedicated to providing a support network through education, health awareness, and life skills programs for women and girls in San Diego North County to increase their self-sufficiency. NCAAWA has provided over $300,000 to young women and girls to further their education.
United Women of East Africa — A San Diego nonprofit providing health services, education and advocacy for the well-being of the East African community, women and families. In 2022, Wave FC and Naomi Girma, in collaboration with the NWSL, partnered with the organization as part of the Nationwide Community Impact Program.
SD Black Artist Collective — Committed to helping Black Artists in San Diego produce work that is unapologetic, authentic, and healing to the Black experience.
Somali Family Services of San Diego — A community-based social service organization that provides culturally and linguistically appropriate programs and services to refugee and immigrant communities of San Diego.
RISE San Diego — Elevating and advancing urban leadership through dialogue-based civic engagement, dynamic nonprofit partnerships, and direct training and support to increase the capacity of urban residents to effect meaningful community change.
Textured Waves — Created to propagate the culture and sport of women’s surfing towards women of color and underrepresented demographics through representation, community and sisterly camaraderie.
Black-Owned Business in San Diego:
Check out the following links for various lists of Black-owned businesses throughout our community. According to Lending Tree, only 2.4% of U.S. businesses are Black owned, while Black people account for 12.8% of the U.S. population.
National Support and Education:
Association for the Study of African American Life and History — Promoting greater knowledge of African American history through a program of education, research, and publishing.
Black Veteran’s Project — Furthering research and storytelling to advance racial equity in and out of uniform. Leading a movement for racial inclusion and justice across the United States military while ensuring the welfare of all Black veterans who’ve served.
Black Women’s Blueprint — Providing services and spaces for healing, reconciliation and human connection with the natural world. Dedicated to working towards a world where women, girls, and all people experiencing gender-based oppression are valued, everyone is given the opportunity to rise to their potential, and resources are leveraged for the influence of restoration and reconciliation.
Black Women for Wellness — Advancing the health and well-being of Black women and girls through education, empowerment and advocacy.
BlackHistoryMonth.gov Exhibits, Collections, and Teaching Resources — The Library of Congress, National Archives and Records Administration, National Endowment for the Humanities, National Gallery of Art, National Park Service, Smithsonian Institution and United States Holocaust Memorial Museum join in paying tribute to the generations of African Americans who struggled with adversity to achieve full citizenship in American society. Discover interactive activities such as Analyzing a Letter from Jackie Robinson: “Fair Play and Justice”, The Impact of Bloody Sunday in Selma, We Shall Overcome: March on Washington, and Examining Where Rosa Parks Sat.
Center for Racial Justice in Education — Fighting for the idea that unless Black history is taught throughout the year, it perpetuates an “othering” of Black Lives and Black students, and is also a manifestation of anti-blackness. Ensuring the ongoing integration of Black history and experiences throughout all curriculum is imperative as educators continue to uplift every student and reinforce that Black Lives Matter everyday.
Common Goal — Rooted in the belief that the world’s most popular sport is one of the few cultural forces strong enough to help shift society towards a more sustainable and equitable future for all. One of the organization’s initiatives is the Anti-Racist Project, which strives to end racism in football on the field, on the sideline, in the front office and across our communities.
CommonSense.org — Resources, including videos, texts, lessons, podcasts, and more, about activists, art and culture, inventors, engineers, historical events, and beyond.
DuSable Black History Museum and Education Center — The first non-profit museum dedicated to the collection, documentation, preservation, study and the dissemination of the history and culture of Africans and African Americans.
EDSITEment — A teacher’s guide offering a collection of lessons and resources for K-12 social studies, literature, and arts classrooms that center around the achievements, perspectives, and experiences of African Americans across U.S. history.
Learning for Justice — Go beyond trauma and struggle to examine the liberation, civic engagement, creativity and intersecting identities of Black people.
NAACP Legal Defense Fund — America’s premier legal organization fighting for racial justice. Using the power of law, narrative, research, and people, we defend and advance the full dignity and citizenship of Black people in America.
National Archives — A wealth of material documenting the Black experience in the U.S., from public programs to online exhibits. Featured sections include a keynote speech from congresswoman Barbara Jordan, exploring the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and Black college life in the New Deal.
National Black Justice Coalition — America’s leading national civil rights organization dedicated to the empowerment of Black lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer+, and same gender loving (LGBTQ+/SGL) people, including people living with HIV/AIDS through coalition building, federal policy change, research, and education.
National Education Association — Resources to protect honesty in education and learning more about your rights to teach the truth.
Police Brutality Center – Exists to bring awareness to the growing epidemic of police brutality, racial profiling, and excessive force.
Public Broadcasting Service — Lesson plans and resources that cover topics ranging from civil rights events to discussions about race in current events.
Trans Women of Color Collective — Seeks to shift the narrative of surviving to thriving in our communities. Striving to build economic empowerment and global networks that connect rural communities with suburban enclaves, inner city youth with elders, donors with Black trans entrepreneurs, healers with those seeking to be whole and collaborators with agitators.
