On Friday, March 3, Students Taking Action for Anti-Racism (STAAR) organized a celebratory event for Black Futures Month. The event took place by the senior tree during lunch, and featured music, colorful posters, and friendship bracelet making. Exhibits of the positive impact and importance of the Black community in America lined the senior tree.

While last year’s event observed Black History Month, this year STAAR chose to celebrate Black Futures instead, hoping to promote forward-thinking change as well as recognition of the past. 

“We’re trying to uplift people and start talking about the future and …bring awareness to moving forward and what we can do to support black individuals,” Archie Williams junior and STAAR member Summer Bradley said.

Information about Black history and futures were showcased on multiple tables arranged next to the senior tree. In support of Black futures, one table presented information about Black businesses and nonprofits in the Bay area as well as multiple African American Study associations. These included the Association for the Study of African American Life and History and The African American Leadership Forum.

Details regarding the Breathe Act, a bill framework that envisions a new approach to public safety, were provided by STAAR. Posters highlighted the lives of Beth A. Brown and Gladys Bentley, two influential Black women, as well as the history of the Harlem Renaissance.  

Many attendees gathered around the arts and crafts table, where STAAR members wove together colorful strings to fashion creative friendship bracelets.

“I think it’s a good way to show support for Black History Month by doing a fun activity and getting people together,” sophomore Zara Wolf said.

Events like these help spread positivity and share important information. All students in attendance participated in STAAR’s goal of making a more inclusive environment for the Archie Williams community.