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Yolo County celebrating Black History Month with quilt exhibits, community activities, & special events 

By: Anthony Volkar, Yolo County Office of Education

Yolo County is celebrating Black History Month throughout February with a  month-long series of events and activities designed to engage, educate and inspire the  community. This year’s celebration is a collaboration between local agencies, schools, and  organizations, featuring quilt exhibits, a special launch event, and other community activities. 

The theme for this year’s celebration is “Stitching Together Stories: Celebrating Black History  through Quilts, Education, and Engagement”. The theme highlights how quilts have preserved  cultural heritage, told powerful stories, and sparked important conversations. The planning  committee hopes that Black History Month will provide the community an opportunity to deepen  its understanding of Black history through creative expression and meaningful dialogue. 

The month kicked off on February 3 with a kickoff celebration at the Yolo County Office of  Education. Over 100 attendees gathered to honor Black history and culture through guest  speakers, musical performances, a quilt display, and the recognition of a community leader. 

Dr. Mari Gray, an associate professor at California State University, East Bay, shared her  research on the Great Migration – the period when millions of African Americans moved from the  South to the North between 1910 and 1970. 

During the kickoff celebration, the planning committee recognized Marlene Bell, a retired  educator, for her long-term contributions and service to the community. 

From February 5-28, five quilt displays will be set up across Yolo County, each showcasing a  collection of quilts by Khristel Johnson, a retired educator and master quilter. 

The planning committee invites community members to participate in a fun, interactive activity by  completing a passport. Those who visit all five quilt display sites, get their passport stamped, and  return the completed passports by March 3 will be entered into a prize drawing. Passports can be  picked up at any Yolo County Library branch or the Yolo County Office of Education in Woodland.

The quilt displays are located at the following sites: 

● Davis: Mary L. Stephens Davis Branch Library, 315 E 14th St. 
● Esparto: Capay Valley Health and Community Center Lobby, 17340 Yolo Ave. 
● West Sacramento: Arthur F. Turner Community Library, 1212 Merkley Ave. 
● Winters: Winters Community Library, 708 Railroad Ave. 
● Woodland: Erwin Meier Administration Building Atrium (lower level), 625 Court St.  

Community members are also invited to participate in the “I Am” Quilt Activity. By creating an 8.5”  x 11” quilt square, participants can submit their designs to be included in a countywide quilt  display to be showcased at the end of Black History Month.  

Classrooms and school groups are encouraged to participate in the quilt activity. Completed quilt  squares should be submitted to any Yolo County Library branch or the Yolo County Office of  Education by March 3.  

This year marks the first official countywide celebration of Black History Month. The Yolo County  Office of Education formed a planning committee of volunteers, who plan to continue the  countywide celebration annually. 

The events of Black History Month were made possible with financial support from the Yolo  County Office of Education, Yolo County Health and Human Services Agency (Cultural  Competence Committee), the City of Woodland, Davis Joint Unified School District, Esparto  Unified School District, Washington Unified School District, Woodland Joint Unified School  District, and Winters Joint Unified School District. 

For more information about Yolo County Black History Month, visit ycoe.org/blackhistory or follow  Yolo County Black History Month on Facebook. 

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