Laurel Ridge Community College hosts a number of events in celebration of Black History.
Monday, Jan 23 at 12:30pm: Virtual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr speech contest. Write and deliver a 3-5 minute speech on the topic “I have a dream”. It does not have to mirror Dr. King’s famous speech- tell us about YOUR dream! This is a live Zoom event with a top prize of $200 for 1st place and $100 for 2nd place. To compete, email: [email protected] by Jan 19. To attend, go to http://laurelridge.edu/mlk.
Friday, Jan 27 at 8:00am-7:00pm: Trip to the National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington D.C. We will provide transportation from the Middletown and Fauquier campuses to the Vienna Metro Station plus metro fare to the National Mall and back. We have tickets for 11:15am entry to the museum which closes at 5:30pm. We will then return to the college. You are responsible for your food costs as we will stop for lunch. There is limited ticket and transportation availablility, so register here by Jan 21st.
Tuesday, Feb 7 at 12:30pm: Virtual spoken word and poetry performance by Joan Leslie. Joan ‘Lyric’ Leslie is an author, a slam poet, a back-to-back Queen of the South Poetry Slam Champion and story-teller whose work journeys through self-discovery and self-love while incorporating a fair share of humor and wit. She uses poetry to call a spade a spade and to challenge systemic injustice. Her book ‘My Blackness Rhymes with Joy’ highlights experiences with love, healing, justice and the reclamation of black joy through it all. Attend via Zoom here: http://laurelridge.edu/poet
Wednesday, Feb 15 at 12:00pm- 3:00pm: Unearthing Enslaved Lives at Belle Grove. Cedar Creek and Belle Grove National Historical Park Ranger, Shannon Moeck, will conduct a 30-minute program about the life of Judah, the enslaved cook of Belle Grove. Purchased by the Hites with her two young boys, Judah remained the Hites’ cook until her death in 1836. Then see a new exhibit on the archaeology that was conducted at the Enslaved Quarter Site. It’s a special event just for Laurel Ridge Community College! All are Welcome, no registration necessary, but if accomodations are needed, please email [email protected] at least one week before the date. Student Life will provide a shuttle from Cornerstone Hall to Belle Grove every 15 minutes starting at 11:45am so you can attend all or some of the program. The program will follow this schedule :
12:00- Welcome
12:15- Life of Judah
1:15- Break/ Discussion
1:45-Enslaved Quarter Site
2:30- Tour/ Explore
3:00- Conclusion
Thursday, Feb 16 at 6:30pm-8:30pm: Historically Black Colleges & Universities Virtual Transfer Showcase. Have you thought about what’s next after Laurel Ridge? Maybe your journey includes a Historically Black College or University. Come learn about who they are what they have to offer. Register here.
Tuesday, Feb 21 at 12:30pm-1:30pm: Zuzu African Acrobats in Corron Conference Center. Hailing from Tanzania, ZUZU AFRICAN ACROBATS celebrate the two thousand year old Bantu culture of East Africa. Each member of the cast has received special instructions from elders in the Bagamoyo Arts and Cultural Institute to perform these ancient traditions to audiences around the world. Some of the highlights of this training include proficiency with the ngoma (drum), contortion (ubishi wa solo), dish spinning (sahani inazunguka), chair balance (kusawazisha kiti), unicycles and bicycle tricks (baiskeli), human pyramids (mazoezi ya viungo) and much more all to the sounds of African beats! The grace, beauty and strength of Africa stands as living testimony presented through living human art and entertainment. All are welcome!
Tuesday, Feb 21 at 3:00pm: Virtual Black History Trivia. Join librarian Kerry on Zoom and compete via Kahoot for prizes and bragging rights. Register here!
Tuesday, Feb 28 at 3:00pm-5:00pm: Movie Bingo- Moonlight in-person at Middletown and Fauquier Campuses.
All Laurel Ridge students, staff and faculty are welcome!
Stop by our film screening of the coming-of-age drama Moonlight and play movie bingo as we go! As events happen on-screen, you’ll mark squares on your bingo card and compete to get five in a row (across, down or diagonally).
The first confirmed bingo wins a $50 Amazon gift card at the end of the screening!
No registration required, just show up at the time of the event on either campus.
- Middletown Campus: Room 310 (Cornerstone Hall)
- Fauquier Campus: Paris Room (Located in the Library)
About Moonlight:
A young African-American man grapples with his identity and sexuality while experiencing the everyday struggles of childhood, adolescence, and burgeoning adulthood.
Runtime: 1 hour 50 minutes