SMCL: Equity Through Art: A Conversation On The Nairobi Movement

Press release from San Mateo County Libraries:

Library Communications

February 10, 2022

A Conversation With Community Elders About the Nairobi Movement

San Mateo County has a vibrant history in East Palo Alto as a prominent hub for Black culture and activism in the Bay Area and nationally. It’s a history that many in the county are unaware of and yet holds local and national significance. During Black History Month, it’s particularly important to learn this local history through the stories of the leaders who built it.

The Nairobi Movement was a political, social and cultural renaissance period in East Palo Alto between 1960 and 1980. It was a time when Black people organized and took political action to gain community control of government, education, health, social and cultural institutions in the community.

Register to join us for this event, co-sponsored by Nairobi Advocates and the EPA Community Archive, opens a new window. Community elders who played leading roles during the Nairobi Movement will share personal stories about the Black Experience in East Palo Alto during the Nairobi era. Members of Nairobi Advocates who will serve as panelists are: Kalamu Chache, Juanita Croft, Louis Dixon, Martha Hanks, Frank J. Omowale Satterwhite and Vulindlela Wobogo. Sharifa Wilson will share information about the East Palo Alto Community Archive.

Our 2021-2022 Equity Through Art Series is in partnership with the County of San Mateo Chief Equity Officer, opens a new window. The series was launched to take you on a journey from today’s pain in Silicon Valley into the history of some of our people of color, to culminate in a vision for the future of BIPOC in San Mateo County. Communities will share their stories and experiences through the lens of art.

This press release was produced by San Mateo County Libraries. The views expressed here are the author’s own.