Community Colleges Celebrate Juneteenth, With More Work Ahead

At Pasadena City College, a small group sits in an outdoor amphitheater, snapping fingers to the words and rhythm of poets who take turns in the center of the stage.

Spoken word artist Candace Nicholas-Lippman speaks about redefining one’s identity:

This event is one of many that community colleges across Los Angeles are using to celebrate Juneteenth, a long-time holiday only recently given federal recognition.

The poets here at PCC call forth the names of those killed at the hands of police — George Floyd and Breonna Taylor — and frustration at people who take advantage of their demographic status in harmful ways, like the white woman who falsely accused a Black man of threatening her life while he was birdwatching in New York City.

Sitting in the audience is Mignon Jones, a 32-year-old student at Pasadena City College studying business administration and management. Jones has been intentional about finding community at Pasadena City College since she became a student. A member of the Black Academic Collaborative Council, she came today as a volunteer. Growing up in California, Jones learned about Juneteenth from family.

“I had a family member who was like, ‘We don't celebrate the Fourth of July because Black people weren't free then,’” Jones says. “She educated me about Juneteenth and so I'm just really glad to be a part of today's event and to help out and just contribute.”

Stephan McGrue, the events coordinator for the poetry reading and a former PCC student himself, is Haitian American, is an educational advisor and coordinates events for PCC at large and specifically for The Association of Black Employees.

“I just wanna make sure I do what I can to emphasize why it's important that it became a holiday,” McGrue says. He wanted to create space and awareness for the community, students, and staff to recognize the disadvantages and lack of freedom Black people have experienced.

McGrue hopes cultural events like these continue for future generations and that the community college can continue to sponsor them.

A more accurate account of freedom

At West Los Angeles College, a line forms around a catered barbecue spread featuring burgers, hot links, baked beans, and potato salad. People gather around checkered tables as a DJ plays upbeat hip-hop tracks. There’s a mix of faculty and students, including some high school students taking summer classes.

Akela Rotem Jr. is a 32-year-old history student at WLAC with plans to become an educator and administrator — and who also works as a custodian. A member of the student union Black Scholars United, Rotem Jr. is at the barbecue to show support.

“America goes crazy for the Fourth of July, the independence from Britain, but they never celebrated the people who created America, which were the slaves, African Americans, the slaves that they brought over here who helped literally build the economy, the ecosystem, the housing, the structure,” Rotem Jr. says.

Millard Hill, a finance student, comes out to all the events hosted by Black Scholars United. He was incarcerated once, which he says allows him a different perspective on freedom during a holiday that celebrates emancipation.

“I feel like it's the African American culture's concept of the Fourth of July. It's very significant just because it reminds us of where we've been and where we are now, the progress that we've made, the progress that has to still be made,” Hill says.

For students, the spaces that are available on campus like the Black Student Success Center at Pasadena City College and the Black Scholars United at West have been helpful resources.

Hill says having people around like the director of Black Scholars United, Dr. Marilyn Ingram, makes a big difference. When Hill was having difficulty meeting with a counselor who could dedicate enough time to him, Ingram connected Hill with a counselor who met him in person for almost three hours during their first session.

“Dr. Marilyn's here every day,” he says. “Literally Monday through Friday. She's here every day. Her office is always open.”

Victories yet to be won

When asked about what they’d like to see more of at their campuses, students say more Black faculty representation, more efforts to enroll Black students, and more awareness in the community of what resources are available.

“I think we could use more (Black) professors and staff members, like faculty. And I know for me personally, it helps to see someone in an authority figure that looks like you to aspire to, especially for younger people,” says Jones of Pasadena City College.

At PCC, Black faculty members hold just over 7% of the tenured or tenure-track positions, compared to nearly 51% for white non-Hispanic, as of Fall 2022, according to data from the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office.

For Rotem Jr., there are a lot of programs at West Los Angeles — such as in dental hygiene or aviation — that he wishes had more Black student enrollment.

“I do want to see a little bit more interactive and intentional outreach to the African Americans in the community,” Rotem Jr. says. “There are many great programs here at West.”

He says youth at inner city schools need to know that besides gangs and traditional schooling, there are alternative educational options like trade programs. They can learn how to build airplanes if they want to, Rotem Jr. says. He would also like there to be more funding going to Black student unions.

Brian Hawkins, a 26-year-old student in commercial music and entrepreneurship working at the poetry event, also wishes more people were aware of opportunities at Pasadena City College.

“There's so many resources here,” Hawkins says. “[Students] just don't know about it.” Hawkins is in the foster care program Next Up and said the program led him to his current job as an assistant events coordinator.

When asked about what Juneteenth means to him, Hawkins, who is both Black and Italian, says, that “someone in my position has the opportunity to express himself, has the opportunity to just go to school without being seen as a criminal or less of a human being.”

“Everybody's still trying to get to know each other, culturally speaking,” he says. “And I'm just happy that conversation's happening.”