Greetings Family,
We’ve been jamming through the start of 2024. We had an amazing 35th MLK Day celebration again with Pato Banton and Stand Up for Justice. Thank you Pato Banton for this year’s incredible theme song. It was one of the most hearticle songs and videos about Dr Martin Luther King that I have heard; it was about coming together in peace among all colors, all people and all races as well as about his struggle to achieve liberation for all.
A week later, San Diego experienced a hard flood. WorldBeat Center was also hit but our heart also goes to all the families that lost their homes. Thanks to your generous food donations on Martin Luther King Day we were able to do an immediate response to feed families affected in our closest neighborhoods. This has been a community effort to clean and rebuild the affected communities. So many individuals, families, businesses and non-profit organizations have come together. Big up to Fred Sotelo, Birdie Gutierrez, Jackie Robinson YMCA, Mundo Gardens, Monica Montgomery just to name a few. We also want to thank the volunteers and individual donors who helped us clean up the water at WorldBeat Center and helped us purchase supplies and pay for repairs. We are grateful to each and everyone of you. Thanks to you we were able to have our doors open in time for Black History Month with the first event Black Comix Day.
Make sure you check out the Black History Month highlights below.
We are now in Women’s History Month and I am so honored to be recognized for the “Cesar E Chavez Humanitarian Award” by Barrio Station during their 54th Anniversary Benefit Dinner.
Soon we will also be in Spring Equinox and Spring is also the perfect time to cleanse out the body. Save the date Friday, March 22nd, come learn about iridology with Dr Derah. She will have consultations the next day. The next week will be a gathering with the Aztec Dance community to convene and watch the film screening of “the Last Totli” It’s a free event on Saturday, March 29th.
WorldBeat Cultural Center has been celebrating Earth Day for 32 years. Even though San Diego Earth Works is no longer producing Earth Day in Balboa Park, WorldBeat Center is continuing our Multi-Cultural Earth Day Celebration. This year’s theme is “Together As One”. It’s going to take all of us, all nations, all races, all ages, all colors to Save this Planet from the effects of Climate Change, War, Hunger and Food Insecurities. We also need to work together with our environment. We can no longer see ourselves as separate. We all must join together and have a purpose that’s
beyond greed and constant division. Humans have also created urban heat islands that are disproportionately affecting low-income and BIPOC communities. To address this challenge we must plant and caretake of more green spaces. These green spaces can help absorb CO2 as well as create sanctuaries and buffer zones against noise pollution. WorldBeat Center is looking into creating green spaces using the Miyawaki forest method led by our climate advisor, Nan Renner. This year at Earth Day we will have Green Stations where you can swap seeds, learn to compost, learn about healing herbs as well as information on ways to get involved with local organizations. See you and the family Sunday, April 21st 12pm-6pm at WorldBeat Cultural Center. Remember here at the WorldBeat Center you are all our relations!
Asante and many blessings, Aho!
Executive Director
Makeda Cheatom
