This year we celebrate Black History Month with a theme of African Americans and the Arts.
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. African American artists have used art to preserve history and community memory as well as for empowerment. Artistic and cultural movements such as the New Negro, Black Arts, Black Renaissance, hip-hop, and Afrofuturism, have been led by people of African descent and set the standard for popular trends around the world. In 2024, we examine the varied history and life of African American arts and artisans.
We encourage you to show your UCSF PRIDE by sharing your African American/Black heritage with your colleagues and friends. Here are a few ways you can share.
- Change your social media and Zoom profile picture to reflect your African American/ Black Heritage
- On Zoom use a virtual background showing your African American/Black Heritage (Bonus if the photo is one you took yourself)
- Add "Black History Month" and/or an image showing your African American/Black Heritage to your Email Signature
- Virtual Backgrounds for Black History Month can be downloaded here:
Additional Black History Month events are listed at the Multicultural Resource Center.
UCSF EVENTS
"...too busy living it..." Open Gallery with Featured Artist Ajuan Mance
February 1 - 29th | 11 am - 12 pm
2356 Sutter Suite, Suite J-112
The UCSF Black Women's Health & Livelihood Initiative is hosting a month long open gallery "...too busy living it..." with artist Ajuan Mance. The open gallery is located in the UCSF Black Wellness Center within the UCSF Women's Health Center.
Black History Month Special Menu
Tuesday, Feburary 6, 13, 20, 27 | 11 am - 2pm
Moffitt Cafe @ 505 Parnassus Ave #294, San Francisco, CA 94143
Come check out the Moffitt Cafe as our team will be celebrating Black History Month with special meals every Tuesday featuring recipes from chef Kwame Onwuachi.
Strength in Unity: Black Community Initiatives for HIV Education and Support
Wednesday, February 7 | 11 am - 12:30 pm
2356 Sutter St., Suite J-112
The UCSF Black Wellness Cetner
Join the UCSF Black Wellness Center in collaboration with Healing & Uniting Every Sista & and Black Brother Esteem in celebration of National Black HIV/AIDS Day of Awareness.
Hosted by Ebony Gordon with guidance by B. Stroud.
Lecture and Book Launch with Dante King, M.Ed
Thursday, February 8 | 12 pm - 1:30 pm
Mission Bay Campus, UCSF Nancy Friend Pritzker Psychiatry Building Auditorium
Hybrid - in person and zoom
Join the Finance and Administrative Services, Office of Senior Vice Chancellor Erin Gore and Multicultural Resource Center, Office of Diversity and Outreach for UCSF Black History Month 2024 Lecture and Book Launch for Dante King, M.Ed: Diagnosing Whiteness & Anti-Blackness: White Psychopathology, Collective Psychosis and Trauma in America
Dante’s talk will be an overview of the upcoming course and book Diagnosing Whiteness & Anti-Blackness: White Psychopathology, Collective Psychosis and Trauma in America.This talk will center on the development, construction, and functionality of race and racism as psychopathology, psychopathy, and sociopathy. It spotlights White-delusion as the normalized psychological and cultural context upon which all Americans live and exist. It also highlights the psychopathic and sociopathic development of anti-Blackness as an American politic. Participants are invited to evaluate their communities’, as well as their own individual relationships to Whiteness, anti-non-Whiteness, and anti-Blackness. This experience will be the start of our journey towards building a supportive community for coping and healing.
The 5th Anniversary of the UCSF Black Women’s Health and Livelihood Initiative
Thursday, February 8
UCSF Black Wellness Center
2356 Sutter St., Suite 9112, San Francisco
- 4 pm - 5 pm for Black-identifying individuals
- 5 - 7 pm for open for all
Join us as we celebrate 5 years of the UCSF Black Women's Health & Livelihood Initiative addressing helath and health care disparities for Black Women and Black gender expansive individuals.
The Black Caucus 32nd Annual Black Heritage Gala (Sold Out!)
Saturday, February 10 | 6 pm - 10 pm
Hyatt Regency (Embarcadero)
5 Embarcadero Center, San Francisco, CA 94102
Thank you to everyone who will be joining us for this year's Black Caucus gala at the Hyatt Regency in San Francisco. The sold-out event includes a no-host cocktail hour, community building, and dancing. We will be joined by hospital leadership from BCH and UCSF Health.
No Host Cocktail Hour | Seated Dinner with Wine | Community Building | Dancing
Fireside Chat with BLOOM: Black Love Opporunity and Outcome Improvement in Medicine
Wednesday, February 14 | 12 pm - 1 pm
Join us for a Fireside Chat with the founders of BLOOM: Black Love Opportunity and Outcome Improvement in Medicine, a new clinic that matches Black babies with Black healthcare providers to improve outcomes for both moms and kids.
BLOOM is a space where Black babies and families are seen by racially concordant providers who understand and share their lived experiences. These families have access to world-class health care; receive screening for traumatic experiences and mental health wellness; connect with services that address unmet needs; receive financial assistance to establish college savings accounts; and benefit from lactation support and post-natal nutrition, among other services.
This is a groundbreaking effort. There is nothing comparable to this initiative in the United States. With the launch of BLOOM, we are building a model for Black pediatric primary care that can be replicated across the country.
Panelists:
- Dayna Long, MD - Kayla Karvonen, MD
- Javay, Ross, MD - Justin Williams, MD
Moderated by Saun-Toy Trotter
Soul in Harmony - Meditation & Sound Bath
Friday, February 16 | 12 pm - 1 pm (in person and zoom)
2356 Sutter St., Suite J-112
The UCSF Black Wellness Center
San Francisco, CA
Elevate your Black History Month experience with a transcendent journey of self-discovery at the UCSF Black Womxn's Health Center! Join us on February 16th for a soulful meditation and rejuvenating sound bath as we celebrate the rich tapestry of Black history and resilience.
Red Bay Coffee Grand Opening
Wednesday, February 21
BCH Oakland Outpatient Center
Join us as we celebrate the grand opening of Red Bay Coffee in BCH Oakland's Outpatient Center. As a locally owned black business and one of Oprah's Favorite Things of 2023, Red Bay Coffee is a testament to excellence. With this new hospital vendor, customers will also be able to order food and beverages online and on their phone with the InstaEats app. (No more waiting in line!). Stop by to savor a delightful coffee or indulge in a tasty bite while enjoying live entertainment as part of the opening festivities.
Black Womxn Researcher Mixer
Wednesday, February 21 | 11 am - 1 pm (in person
2356 Sutter St., Suite J-112
The UCSF Black Wellness Center
San Francisco, CA
Andrea Jackson and Judy Young, Co-Directors of the Black Womxn’s Health & Livelihood Initiative invite you to unlock the power of collaboration and amplify the voices of Black Womxn in research at our exclusive Black Womxn Research Mixer! Join us at the UCSF Black Wellness Center on February 21st, from 11 am to 1 pm, for a dynamic and empowering event designed to foster connections, share insights, and celebrate the achievements of Black Womxn in academia and beyond.
Hear Us, See Us: Listening to Patients of Color
Thursday, February 22nd |12:00pm - 1:00pm (virtual)
The UCSF Healthcare Advocates for Social Justice invite you to join us on Thursday, February 22nd at 12PM for a discussion called “Hear Us, See Us: Listening to Patients of Color.” The talk will feature business consultant, strategist, coach and lupus patient, Angela Bishop Ross, MPH, MBA.
You can register for the talk here and learn more about Angela here. This lecture is free to attend but donations to the Lupus Foundation of Northern California are strongly encouraged.
Black Jeopardy
Friday, February 23, 2024 | 5 pm - 7 pm
HSW 302 (in person)
Come and join the UCSF Student National Medical Association for Black Jeopardy. Learn more about Black icons and culture. Come celebrate Black History Month. All are welcome especially people who are good at trive, want to get invoved in SNMA, and who want to learn about Black folx. Free food!
Black Joy Parade
Sunday, February 25 | 11:30 am - 2:30 pm
14th St & Franklin St Oakland, CA 94612
UCSF Benioff Children's Hospitals is excited to announce its participation in the 7th annual Oakland Black Joy Parade. We invite everyone to join us and proudly represent BCH during the parade portion of the event. The Black Joy Parade exists to provide the Black community and allies a live experience that celebrates the community’s influence on cultures past, present and future. Join us on Sunday, February 25 (Parade begins at 12:30 p.m.) in Downtown Oakland.
Soulful Roots: Ancestor Alter Gathering
Thursday, February 29 | 11 am - 12:30 pm (in person and zoom)
The UCSF Black Wellness Center
2356 Sutter St., Suite J-112
San Francisco, CA
Join us for an extraordinary celebration at the Black Wellness Center as we honor Black History Month and the rare leap year with a special event on February 29, 2024.
Step into a rich tapestry of culture and history as we delve into the significance of ancestral altars within the Black community. Our event aims to highlight the importance of preserving and honoring the past while fostering a sense of unity and pride in our heritage.
CLCA Cafecito: How are Latiné People Also African Descendants? And other tales of Black-Brown Unity, Vol. 2
Thursday, February 29 | 12 pm - 1 pm (zoom)
Join the Chicanx Latinx Campus Association for an encore installment of our Cafecito series in honor of Black History Month. We’ll be joined by Roberto Ariel Vargas, MPH, who will lead an introductory conversation on how La Raza is descended from Africans and the impact of the African Diaspora on Latin America. They will share with our community other stories of Black-Brown unity. Our goal is to highlight the connective tissue between these communities and help foster a stronger sense of understanding and responsibility when it comes to anti-Black racism at UCSF, and beyond.
This event is free and virtual.
If you have questions, please reach out to Jae Rouse Iñiguez, MHSA, MA
BLACK INITIATIVES AT BENIOFF CHILDREN'S HOSPITALS
BCH Black Caucus
The group serves as a resource for advancing the social and cultural growth among African American care providers and staff through outreach, mentoring, networking, community service, and enrichment activities. Stephanie Brown and Abdur Shemsu are the co-chairs. BCH Black Caucus meets on the 4th Thursdays of the month at 4 pm - 5 pm.
Miller-Davis-Jenkins Society
Founded in 2020, MDJS seeks to foster community, support mentorship and boost academic success for Black and African American Students, Residents, Fellows and Faculty with a focus on the UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospitals. Taron Davis, MD and Julius Oatts, MD, are the co-chairs.
BLOOM: Black Love Opportunity and Outcome Improvement in Medicine
BLOOM is a space where Black babies and families are seen by racially concordant providers who understand and share their lived experiences. These families have access to world-class health care; receive screening for traumatic experiences and mental health wellness; connect with services that address unmet needs; receive financial assistance to establish college savings accounts; and benefit from lactation support and post-natal nutrition, among other services.
This is a groundbreaking effort. There is nothing comparable to this initiative in the United States. With the launch of BLOOM, we are building a model for Black pediatric primary care that can be replicated across the country.
Read more infomation on Bloom: Black Love Opportunity and Outcome Improvement in Medicine
BLACK PROGRAMS AND INITIATIVES AT UCSF
- UCSF Black Caucus
- Black Health Initiative
- Black Leadership Advisory Council
- Black Women's Health
- Black Women's Health and Livelihood Initiative
- EMBRACE: Perinatal Care for Black Families
- Black Excellence in STEM
- Resilient Teens & Black Baby Equity Project, UCSF
- Black Economic Equity Movement
- Men of Color Program and Black Health Center of Excellence
- Student National Medical Association
BLACKS AND AFRICAN AMERICANS IN THE ARTS
ONLINE ART EXHIBITS
Afrofuturism - A History of Black Futures
National Museum of African American History and Culture, Smithsonian
Afrofuturism: A History of Black Futures immerses visitors in a conversation that reimagines, reinterprets and reclaims the past and present for a more empowering future for African Americans.
African American Museum and Library at Oakland
The African American Museum and Library at Oakland is dedicated to the discovery, preservation, interpretation, and sharing of historical and cultural experiences of African Americans in California and the West for present and future generations.
Black Music Project
An interactive exhibit celebrating, promoting, and preserving the idea that the history of Black American music is the story of America
Portraits of African Americans - The National Portrait Gallery Collection
These special additions to the general national gallery were first introduced through the Harmon Foundation Collection in the 1940s, with a goal to "counter racist stereotypes and racial prejudice through portraiture," the gallery explains. The first portraits were commissioned from two Black woman artists, Betsy Graves Reyneau and Harlem Renaissance artist Laura Wheeler Waring. Since then, the portrait gallery has been expanded and is available for online viewing. Along with portraits of former president Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama, it includes portraits of 18th-century poet Phillis Wheatley, congresswoman and first woman candidate for president Shirley Chisholm, and Henrietta Lacks, known for contributing the first immortalized line of cells in the study of cancer — all Black women who have often been left out of historical narratives.
Standing up for Change, The National Women’s History Museum
In 2016, the National Women’s History Museum launched this online photo exhibition documenting the role of Black women during the civil rights movement as leaders, organizers, and faces of the movement. As the exhibit states, "African American women were the critical mass, the grassroots leaders challenging America to embrace justice and equality for all." The website features art and documents dating from early anti-abolition efforts all the way to the mid-20th century.
FEATURED ARTISTS
VIDEOS