Monterey Bay Black Folks Event Calendar
Week of Mon March 9th through Sun Mar 15th, 2020
About the Monterey Bay Black Folks Event Calendar

The purpose of the Monterey Bay Black Folks Event Calendar is to connect the Black Community of CSU Monterey Bay with the local Black Communities of the Greater Monterey Bay Area. The Calendar is edited by Steven Goings, MSW and is entirely voluntary and looking for institutional support. To submit an event for possible inclusion, please send to AfricanQuazar@gmail.com. The plan is to send out the Calendar every Monday at 9 AM for those who wish to receive it. The deadline for Monday submissions is midnight of the previous Thursday.
This Week's Events
Upcoming Events:
In the Spotlight:
Regina Mason

The Village Project, Inc. Co-founder & former and future candidate for Seaside City Council

At the March 5, 2020 Seaside City Council Meeting on the Campus Towne Project, Mrs. Mason used her public comments to the City Council and the Community on notice that she would indeed be running in the next election for a seat on the Seaside City Council.

A life-long resident of Seaside, has had an enormous impact on the City of Seaside, the local African American community, People of Color in particular and People of the Monterey County in general.

As March is Women's History Month, it seems especially appropriate to remember the honors she has received for her work as one of our most prominent local women leaders.

In 1999, Mrs. Mason received the Outstanding Woman of the Year Award from the Monterey County Commission on the Status of Women.

In 2010, Regina Mason was honored on the floor of the California State Assembly by (then) Assemblyman Bill Monning (now Senator) as the District's Woman of the Year.

Of course she has received much praise for her work with the Monterey County Branch NAACP (both as President and as Youth Council Advisor) and The Village Project, Inc.

According to her The Village Project, Inc. bio

"Regina is a mother, aunt, sister and mentor to young women and girls and is married to the love of her life, Mel Mason. Regina is a child of god and worships at Friendship Baptist Church in Seaside, CA"

You can read her full The Village Project bio here:


Here is the 2010 Monterey County Weekly article: Regina Mason named Woman of the year:











In the Spotlight
Helen Rucker
Community Activist, Public Servant, Civil Rights SHERO, Voting Rights and Registration Advocate, and one of the most honored and admired leaders in Monterey County.

A year ago at the Eight Annual NAACP Black History Month program in which the NAACP@CSUMB honored Helen Rucker, I joked that Mrs. Rucker does not need another award. But that we, the community need to keep honoring her because she keeps doing honorable things!

In keeping with Women's History Month, here are some accolades she has received as a trailblazing woman of Monterey County:

Mrs. Rucker was one of the first (and few) women ever elected to the Seaside City Council (1992) where she ultimately served as Mayor Pro-Tem.

In 1993, Mrs. Rucker received the Outstanding Woman of the Year Award from the Monterey County Commission on the Status of Women.

In 2015, Mrs Rucker was honored by California Assemblyman Mark Stone as the District Woman of the Year.

As recently as 2019, Mrs. Rucker was selected as the third ever Community Woman of Distinction by the Women's Leadership Council as a woman who:

  • Represents the mission and goals of the Women's Leadership Council
  • Demonstrates support to CSUMB
  • Serves as a model to students
  • Demonstrates a commitment to community service

There are literally scores of articles on this remarkable woman available online, here are just a few:





Historically Black Church Tour:
Lighthouse Full Gospel Church

Sun Mar 8, 10:45 AM Service
Located at 1153 Hamilton Ave., Seaside

Pastor Jean Jackson


This is the 7th stop on the semester long Historically Black Church Tour. Participating churches and dates are:

Mar 15, Lighthouse Full Gospel, Seaside
Mar 22, Holy Assembly Missionary, Marina
Apr 12, Christian Memorial Tabernacle, P.G.
Apr 19, Ocean View Baptist, Seaside
Apr 26, Community Mission Baptist, Seaside
May 3, Hays Christian Methodist-Episcopal, Seaside

For Full Tour Schedule and Car Pool Information, Click Here
Ongoing Community Call for bios & pictures of local Black Community leaders and organizations for permanent archive, please send to africanquazar@gmail.comm

Women's History Month Profile Link:
Shirley Chisholm

Shirley Anita St. Hill Chisholm was the first African American woman in Congress (1968) and the first woman and African American to seek the nomination for president of the United States from one of the two major political parties (1972). Her motto and title of her autobiography—Unbossed and Unbought—illustrated her outspoken advocacy for women and minorities during her seven terms in the U.S. House of Representatives..  .

Click here for link to story from National Women's Museum History
Monterey Bay Black Folks Weekly Event Calendar 
Submit to AfricanQuazar@gmail.com