HOOD RIVER — Programs that supported Black in the Gorge (BiG) scholarships ran all month at Columbia Center for the Arts (CCA), bolstering a local organization’s programs for Black, Black biracial and multiracial youth.
Black History Month is February in the U.S., October in Europe. It’s an almost century-old official celebration of Black history, culture and education. This year’s theme, selected by the Association for the Study of African American Life and History, is “African Americans and Labor.”
Under the new administration, however, at least one federal agency — the Pentagon — has paused celebrations of Martin Luther King Day, Black History Month, and other cultural and historic events, according to the Associated Press. Others say they will continue to celebrate.
Locally, celebrations continued. “... Black History Month programs will celebrate BIPOC [Black, Indigenous and People of Color] creativity and joy, all while supporting the B.i.G. Scholarship fund, which provides educational scholarships for Black residents of the Gorge,” CCA Executive Director Tim Harkins said via press release.
Black/African American people made up 6% of Hood River County residents in 2022, according to U.S. census data from that year. In Wasco County, that number was 0.1% and in Klickitat County, 0.7%.
“Because of these small numbers, these youth face particular challenges of isolation and lack of role models who look like them. Rarely, if ever, do students in our communities, have the opportunity to have a Black teacher or even be exposed to other Black adults outside of their families. This lack of exposure is detrimental to Black students, students of other races and ultimately to our whole community,” reads Black in the Gorge’s webpage.
Their programs aim to reduce isolation, fund education opportunities and offer activities for those youth. To this end, BiG hosts monthly community events, organizes Juneteenth celebrations and college visits, and awards the scholarships.
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