The Black Folks Calendar

Edited by Steven Goings

The purpose of the Monterey Bay Black Folks Event Calendar is to connect CSU Monterey Bay with the local Black Communities of the Greater Monterey Bay Area.

The Black Folks Calendar (BFC) primarily serves as an event bulletin board of activities on and off campus that may be of particular interest to members of the Black Community.

Social Media Sites and Useful Links: Near the bottom of every issue is a link to the websites or social media pages of local and national Black organizations including local Historically Black Churches.

The Monterey Bay Black Folks Calendar Sadly & Respectfully

Announces

Funeral Arrangements for

Mrs. Helen B. Rucker

In Lieu of Flowers

The family suggests memorial contributions to the Helen Rucker Center for Black Excellence at CSU Monterey Bay or the Platoon Sergeant James Rucker and Helen B. Rucker Scholarship Fund.

In The NEXT ISSUE: A Community Remembers Mrs. Helen B. Rucker

The next issue of the Monterey Bay Black Folks Calendar, timed to coincide with Helen Rucker's Funeral and Repast, will feature photos and tributes from community members.

You may email word documents or digital photos that include Helen to me directly at sgoings@csumb.edu or africanquazar@gmail.com.

You may also post them on the Monterey Bay Black Folks Calendar Facebook Group.

All submission must be received by 6 pm Sunday November 30, 2025 for inclusion.

CSU Monterey Bay

Warmly Remembers

Mrs. Helen B Rucker

1932-2025 RIP

The Cal State Monterey Bay community is paying the highest tribute to teacher, librarian, activist, mentor and community leader Helen B. Rucker, who passed away the morning of Wednesday, Nov. 19. 

Helen was a champion of education as a way of uplifting lives and was a devoted supporter and ally of Cal State Monterey Bay and its students. 

She and her late husband, James Rucker, an Army veteran who served at Fort Ord, donated annually to a scholarship fund beginning in 1998, and later established a permanent endowment to ensure continued support for future generations of students: the Platoon Sergeant James Rucker and Helen B. Rucker Scholarship.

Helen supported the creation of the Helen Rucker Center for Black Excellence in 2020, and the student center is a tribute to her extraordinary impact and enduring partnership with the campus.

In 2022, CSUMB awarded Helen an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters in recognition of her tremendous contributions to education, equity and community service. 



“Personally, Helen was not only a mentor but also a profound influence in my life,” said CSUMB President Vanya Quiñones. “Through her words and actions, she showed me how one person can make a lasting difference simply by living with purpose and compassion each day. I looked up to her as both a guide and a role model, learning from her warmth, wisdom and unwavering strength. She had a rare ability to bring out the best in others, and her presence touched all of us in meaningful ways.”

Steven's Take On...

the passing of Helen B. Rucker

I've known this day was coming for quite awhile now. Long-time readers of the Black Folks Calendar know that I have gushed about my feelings for Mrs. Rucker for years now. For this special funeral announcement issue I am reprinting old Black Folks Calendar articles featuring Mrs. Rucker in a section called "Looking Back". That will contain plenty of gushing.

Knowing that I am therapist, Mrs. Rucker sent for me by way of CSUMB's Yhashika Lee in April of this year. She knew then that she would be leaving this world sometime soon and wanted someone she could speak with about the dying process over time. That someone turned out to be me. From then on, I visited her every Sunday that I could while her caretaker Dinice Maiden was at church. Often Mrs. Rucker and I would watch Catholic Mass together. She came to know that I am a student of A Course in Miracles and we would often discuss the lesson of the day (I bought her A Course in Miracles daily calendar with quotes to help keep her oriented in terms of dates).

One idea that comforted her was the idea that we are all just dreaming that we are here on Earth with its many trials and injustices. From that point of view, in reality, we are in heaven with God dreaming we are on Earth. When we die here, we simply wake up in Heaven. Just a few weeks ago, now much further along in dementia and confined to a hospital bed set up in her living room so guests could still visit, she whispered to me, "let's wake up together!"

Not every Catholic and Christian actually internalizes and lives out Christian values. For many it is just an identity, a brand, a way of saying I am part of the Chosen People. Not Helen Rucker. She lived the ‘faith without works is dead’ kind of Christianity.” Helen Rucker was not merely a Catholic, she was a Disciple of Jesus.

The great American scholar of Religious Studies, Huston Smith, said of Jesus' many disciples that they:

“found themselves thinking that if divine goodness were to manifest itself in human form, this (he) is how it would behave… he invited people to see differently instead of telling them what to do or believe…he located the authority of his teaching in his hearer’s hearts, not in himself or God-as-removed.”

In the Book of Acts, the Apostle Peter after acknowledging how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, said of Him simply, "he went around doing good...because God was with him."

So did Helen Rucker. Because she was a Disciple of Jesus who throughout her life stayed connected to the Risen Lord. Mrs. Rucker was impatient in the final years of her life. She considered it her most difficult period. Not because of pain, infirmary or dementia. But because she was unwillingly and increasingly benched from the public square she loved so much in her 90s.

It seems to me that the final lesson for my friend, Helen, to absorb was that her presence -- not merely her works and her example -- her presence was a blessing in and of itself.

When a Teacher of God completes their task here, the body — no longer needed — is gently laid aside.

Helen: You have taught us well. We thank you for the masterful use you have made of a life well lived. I miss you dearly, and look forward to waking up when my work too is done here.

I can't wait to see you again!

--Love Steven Nelson Goings

Helen Bouligny Rucker

9/3/1932 - 11/19/2025

Helen Bouligny Rucker, a beloved civil rights activist, educator, pillar of the City of Seaside, and anchor of the Black community, passed away peacefully at the age of 93. Born in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Helen dedicated her remarkable life to fighting for justice, equality, and civic engagement, leaving an indelible mark on the Monterey Peninsula and beyond.

Early Life and Education

Helen was born on September 3, 1932 to Alphonse E. Bouligny and Bertha Lejuene in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

Growing up in segregated Louisiana, Helen experienced racial injustice firsthand, including being denied access to the public library as a child. Rather than being deterred, she developed a profound love of learning and books.

Helen attended St. Mary's Academy in New Orleans, a Catholic boarding school, starting in kindergarten; graduated from McKinley High School at age 15; and then graduated from Southern University, with a Bachelor's Degree at the age of 18.

She later earned a Masters Degree in Library Science from Louisiana State University, being the first African American to integrate the Library School.

During her time in Louisiana, Helen began her lifelong commitment to civil rights activism. She participated in voter registration drives, engaged in peaceful civil disobedience, and served as a facilitator during bus boycotts that echoed the historic Montgomery Bus Boycott of 1955. It is also where she began her career in education, as a teacher.

A Life in California

In the 1960s, Helen moved west to Oakland, California, where she met James Rucker, a career enlisted man in the Army. They married and moved to Seaside in 1964 when James was stationed at Fort Ord.

They spent his last tour in the Army in Germany, where he continued to train troops going into combat in Korea and Vietnam. She and James returned to Seaside in 1969 where James immediately entered Monterey Peninsula College where he received an AA degree, went to San Jose State University where he earned his BS Degree in Psychology and his MS Degree in Counseling Education. In 1969, they joyfully adopted the pride of their lives, James III at 4 months of age.

Helen served as a teacher and librarian in the Monterey Peninsula Unified School District for 37 years, retiring from Manzanita Elementary School in 1988. She and her husband called Seaside home for the rest of their lives, raising their son, James, and serving their community with unwavering dedication.

Helen and her husband were a resource for anyone who needed it in Seaside, especially those struggling or left behind. They regularly opened their home to residents: providing counseling, connecting people to resources, directly providing them when necessary, and fought for changes in city and county policy when systemic change was needed. They operated a nighttime library in the largest public housing complex where local students could find free tutoring and a quiet place to study. They co-founded and ran a jobs program, focused on providing job opportunities for kids trapped in the criminal justice system, directly advocating for youth and creating opportunities for them and support for their families. When it came to addressing issues facing people in the community, there was no problem too big or too small.

Community Leadership and Activism

After retiring from teaching, Helen's service to her community only deepened. She was elected to the Seaside City Council in 1992, where she served as mayor pro tem and tackled critical issues including water management, transportation, and the Fort Ord Military Base closure and reuse. In 2005, she was elected to the Board of Trustees of the Monterey Peninsula Unified School District, continuing her advocacy for education.

In 2008, Helen founded the Seaside Voter Education Center, an organization dedicated to inspiring young people, especially people of color, to vote and engage in democracy. For more than a decade, she ensured her community had access to educational materials and forums to discuss important issues. She served as President of the Monterey County NAACP and was a member of the Leon Panetta Lecture Series taskforce for over 20 years.

Recognition and Honors

Helen's lifetime of service earned her numerous honors and recognitions, including:

• 2015: Named Woman of the Year for the 29th Assembly District by Assemblymember Mark Stone

• 2017: Awarded the NAACP Monterey County Branch Medgar Evers Freedom Legacy Award

• 2019: Received the Community Woman of Distinction award from the Women's Leadership Council at CSU Monterey Bay

• 2022: Received the Key to the City of Seaside

• 2022: Crowned Mrs. Juneteenth Monterey County

• 2022: Awarded an honorary doctorate degree (Doctor of Humane Letters) from California State University, Monterey Bay

• 2022: CSU Monterey Bay's Center for Black Student Success renamed the Helen Rucker Center for Black Excellence in her honor

• 2023: Honored with a star on the Seaside Walk of Fame

The Seaside High School MakerSpace was also named the Helen B. Rucker Learning Center, and she endowed the Platoon Sergeant James Rucker and Helen B. Rucker Scholarship, which has supported students at CSU Monterey Bay since 1998.

Legacy

Helen's legacy is one of tireless advocacy, boundless compassion, and unwavering belief in the power of education and civic engagement. She inspired countless students, registered thousands of voters, and worked to ensure that every voice in her community was heard. Her proudest accomplishment was her family, particularly her son, who carried forward her values of service and justice.



Survivors

Helen was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Platoon Sergeant James Rucker. She is survived by her son and his family, as well as countless students, mentees, and community members whose lives she touched.

May her memory be a blessing and her example a charge to all of us.

A Look Back

Helen Rucker

in the

Black Folks Calendar

Through the Years:

MARCH 9, 2020 ISSUE

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:

Video: The 100 Story Project: Helen Rucker a Life of Service

Video: Local Legends of Monterey County: Helen Rucker

Video: NAACP@CSUMB honors Helen Rucker

https://csumb.edu/womensleadershipcouncil/community-woman-distinction

SEPTEMBER 14, 2020 ISSUE

In the Spotlight:

Mrs. Helen Rucker

The City of Seaside helps Mrs. Rucker celebrate her 88th Birthday!

Hailed by some as "the Queen of Seaside" (and many other superlatives as well!) Mrs. Helen Rucker attempted to have a quiet little (masked and social distanced) gathering at her Seaside home on Sat, Sept 5th -- two days after she turned 88 years old.

Ever the quintessential Community Activist, she used the occasion as an opportunity to gather supplies for the homeless. A steady stream of admirers and well wishers made the pilgrimage with tribute in the form of food, blankets, clothing -- even school supplies -- for the homeless among us.

Despite Mrs. Rucker's humble attempt to avoid gaudy fan fare with a modest shindig in her driveway, patio and garage, the City of Seaside was not having it! Perhaps they were suffering from withdrawal from Helen's virtual omnipresence before COVID-19 slowed everything -- even Helen -- down. Nevertheless, the City of Seaside was unwilling to be deprived of an opportunity to give proper homage to it's Queen.

Tue Sept 8th, Mrs. Helen Rucker was greeted with a surprise Birthday Parade of city officials, police cars and fire engines that more aptly demonstrated the overflow of respect and affection for this singular local figure.

Happy Birthday, Helen!

Click Here for a clip of Helen Rucker's celebration

OCTOBER 12, 2020 ISSUE

NOVEMBER 30, 2020 ISSUE

Steven's Take... on living with HIV/AIDS in the Black (Christian) Community

Shortly after graduating from Seaside High School in 1981, I saw a segment on the local nightly news about some sort of mysterious disease that was killing gay men. The original acronym for what eventually became HIV, the virus that causes AIDS was GRID -- Gay Related Immune Deficiency. The stigma related to homosexuality was immediately -- and perhaps permanently -- affixed to the disease itself. The word Gay itself was quickly turned into a punchline acronym; Got AIDS Yet?

For the first few years, when the disease was only associated with men who have sex with men, most national religious organizations were officially silent on the subject. But supported by religious doctrines that condemn homosexuality, clerics preached in pulpits around the world that AIDS was divine punishment for "the love that dare not speak its name".

African Americans are widely understood to be the most religiously oriented ethnic group in the United States. Not only that, most Black Christians belong to religiously conservative churches that interpret the Bible literally.

Regardless of whether Black folks became infected with HIV/AIDS through same sex contact or through other means, Black church communities have too rarely been a source of comfort for the afflicted or their families.

AIDS stands for Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome, the keyword being ACQUIRED. I acquired HIV in 1990 when it was understood to be an absolute death sentence. My life expectancy was 18 months. 30 years later, I am absolutely convinced that I am still alive only because of the grace of God's divine intervention.

I believe that one of the purposes of my extended life is to promote healing from the impact of oppressive and dehumanizing belief systems and to empower the religiously disenfranchised to seek spiritual connection and fellowship.

Like human beings themselves, beliefs systems are rarely all good or all bad, but they are always consequential. Notwithstanding partisan claims to the contrary...

... On the other hand, two of our most celebrated local African American activists, Helen Rucker (Catholic) and Ruthie Watts (Protestant) have been active in HIV prevention in Seaside and on the peninsula for years. Like the parable of the Good Samaritan, these extraordinary activists (both in their 80s) seem to have internalized the Christian message of comforting the afflicted quite a bit better than the majority of Black pastors.

And so, on this World AIDS Day, I express my utmost gratitude for Mrs. Rucker and Mrs. Watts who have made it immeasurably easier for people like me -- gay people with AIDS -- to live and thrive in the Black communities of Seaside and the Monterey Peninsula.  

FEBRUARY 21, 2022 ISSUE

In the Spotlight:

Helen Rucker

CSUMB All Black Gala Webinar Community Elder Honoree

Helen Rucker grew up in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, earning her B.S. from Southern University in 1951 and her M.S. from Louisiana State University in 1959. She taught and worked as a librarian in Baton Rouge, LA and Oakland, CA before moving to Seaside in 1964 and practicing her profession until her retirement in 1988 after which she launched a new career as an elected official and leading community activist.

She was elected to Seaside City Council 1992-98, she was elected to the Monterey Peninsula Unified School District Board of Trustees in 2005 and was reelected unopposed in 2009 serving until 2013. 

In 1998, Mrs. Rucker endowed a $25,000 scholarship to CSUMB in honor of her late husband, James Rucker who served on the former Ft. Ord. In 1999, Mrs. Rucker was honored by being named a Fellow at CSUMB and served for many years on the university’s Service Learning Advisory Committee. Indeed, Mrs. Rucker has maintained dozens of organizational affiliations over the years and in 2003 was the recipient of KSBW’s Jefferson Award which was merely one of dozens of other recognitions before and since from a variety of civic, professional, and governmental organizations.

She has long been a civil rights activist and community advocate. She started the nonprofit, Citizens for Transparency in Government, which began as a Barack Obama campaign support headquarters. 

Until the COVID pandemic shut her office down, for many years, Mrs. Rucker operated a one-person organization, the Seaside Voter Education/Registration Center, which served as a way for Mrs. Rucker to promote the importance of everyone registering to vote in every election and being informed about the candidates and their platforms. 

In each of the last five national elections as well as the last ten local, county and state elections, she has provided educational election materials as well as providing forums addressing pertinent issues relevant to the elections. She and her volunteers have held numerous activities designed to entice people to come in and register to vote, such as providing hot dogs and drinks, hot sup nights and pizza parties. The Center also hosted presidential debates during national elections. All of these are activities that were a part of the National and Monterey County Branch NAACP’s efforts to meet a mandated number of newly registered voters.

During the past few years, the Center has provided meeting space for several NAACP committees such as Health, Criminal Justice, and Life Membership Galas. The Center has also served as a clearing house for the dissemination of NAACP materials. In addition, the Center has hosted African American HIV/AIDS Awareness activities in which condoms provided by the Health Department, were offered free of charge. 

The Center is a place where citizens of Seaside could come to get information on issues important to them and many residents utilize the service. As the local African American community’s premiere voting rights advocate, Mrs. Rucker reminds us all that, “People in my generation died for the right to vote. Makes you feel a part of this great country to vote.”

MARCH 21, 2022 ISSUE

In the Spotlight:

CSUMB's All Black Gala Webinar 

Featuring Special Honoree Mrs. Helen Rucker

Theme: Re-Connecting to Monterey County Historic Black Community: Honoring Black Excellence Past, Present and Future

Short Reflection by Steven Goings

One of the most rewarding events I have been part in recent years was last month's All Black Gala in which various CSUMB entities partnered with the Monterey County Branch NAACP in honoring Black CSUMB and Community Activists.

Four things stood out to me about the Feb 26th event:

Our Mistress of Ceremonies -- Brooklyn Greene

Black Student United President Brooklyn Greene served as the Emcee for the entire event and did a masterful job. Dr. Brian Corpening, a 35 year veteran of higher education, praised it as one of the best emcee performance of his entire career! Everyone who knows Brooklyn should drop what you are doing and give her a well deserved shout-out!

Over-Due Honoring of Ms. Jessica Newman -- OC3 Coordinator - 2016

Among her many accomplishment in her short time with CSUMB as the staff coordinator for the Otter Cross Cultural Center was transforming the OC3 from a professional staff of one to two directors and coordinator. She also helped facilitate the student staff's idea of creating and annual All Black Gala event for Black History Month with its first key-note speaker being the legendary Dr. Angela Davis. Like too many Black professionals before and since her tenure at CSUMB, Jessica felt more diminished than enhanced by her time with us which she felt was toxic to Black students and professionals. With organizations like the African Heritage Faculty and Staff Alliance, the Office of Inclusive Excellence and the President's Committee on Equity and Inclusion trying mightily to do better by our Black and African Heritage CSUMB community members, it was gratifying recognizing the trail-blazing work of Jessica Newman.

Surprise Honoree: Dr. Brian Corpening, CSUMB's Chief Diversity Officer

The All Black Gala honored 2 students, 2 alums, 2 staff-faculty members, 2 community members and 1 cabin-level administrator, Dr. Brian Corpening. The surprise honor moved him to tears as we had managed to completely keep it from him. I said of him in my introduction:

"In the 15 years that I have been at CSUMB I can honestly say that I have never seen a leader of the caliber of Dr. Brian Corpening! For years, many of us, myself included, funded our Black themed events out of our own pockets and our own extracurricular time which given the general demands of working at CSUMB plus the cultural taxation of working-while Black involved was often too little to make the systemic changes that we truly needed. 



All that changed with the arrival of Dr. Corpening to our campus in 2018...

at CSUMB, he has been nothing short of omnipresent, effortlessly navigating and obliterating the silos on our campus to bridge and connect paid leaders and volunteer activists all over the campus.  Ideas like a Black Student Center that had been talked about on this campus since I was an undergraduate suddenly became real as Dr. Corpening fought for the financial and material resources needed to make them a reality." 

Rendered Speechless: The Helen Rucker Center for Black Excellence

At the end of the program, President Eduardo Ochoa personally delivered the news that the Center for Black Student Success is being re-named the Helen Rucker Center for Black Excellence! Mrs. Rucker was rendered temporarily speechless by the news and all she could say was "wow, wow!" Dr. Ochoa went on to say,

"Not only does this re-naming honor Helen Rucker, but it also honors and recognizes all the individuals in the Community who plays such an important role in bringing about California State University Monterey Bay. CSUMB owes all of you an enormous debt of gratitude and we hope that the Helen Rucker Center for Black Excellence captures those feelings of deep appreciation, thank you and congratulations Helen for all of you done."

The full list of honorees were:

• Current undergraduate student - Zah-Rah LaTour
• Current graduate student - Marcus Garrett
• CSUMB alum -- Antionette Anderson
• CSUMB alum -- Tyller Williamson
• Former CSUMB staff member -- Jessica Newman
• Former CSUMB counselor/faculty -- Lynne White-Dixon
• CSUMB Cabinet Member -- Dr. Brian Corpening
• Community Member -- Edward Armstrong
• Community Member -- Helen Rucker

FEBRUARY 21, 2022 ISSUE

In the Spotlight: Helen Rucker Center for Black Excellence:

Mission

The Helen Rucker Center for Black Excellence engages and empowers African Diaspora students at CSUMB by providing academic, professional, and personal/cultural support and enrichment programming. HRCBE serves as the central hub and campus home for Black student life, working with campus and local community members to ensure Black collegiate success at CSUMB.

CSUMB Website: https://csumb.edu/blackstudentsuccess/

2021-2022 Highlight Academic Year Highlight:

Seaside’s longtime librarian, teacher, civic leader and civil rights activist Helen Rucker, at age 89, has been receiving her much-deserved flowers.

In February this year, she was given an honorary key to the city of Seaside by Mayor Ian Ogelsby for her years of work in the community.

On Feb. 26, she was a guest of honor at the virtual 2022 CSUMB All Black Gala, receiving literal flowers in the form of a bouquet.

And on Sunday, April 24, CSUMB reprised the All Black Gala in person in the Otter Student Union ballroom, reaffirming, in her presence, the dedication of the university’s Helen Rucker Center for Black Excellence. The center's stated mission is that it "engages and empowers African Diaspora students at CSUMB by providing academic, professional, and personal/cultural support and enrichment programming."

The future location of the center, which was formerly named the Center for Black Student Success, is expected to be a hub of Black student life and a convergence of the local and CSUMB community.

President Ochoa told the assembled audience that the Helen Rucker Center for Black Excellence represents a commitment to community, that he was excited to have been able to announce the name, and thanked the CSUMB faculty, staff and professionals who made it happen.

"I look forward to following the work of the Center in the coming years and will always remember this wonderful event that launched the newly named Helen Rucker Center for Black Excellence," Ochoa said. "Congratulations to all of the honorees and to Helen Rucker."

Former CSUMB staffers and alumni shared anecdotes and accolades about Rucker. One student talked about how she benefitted from the Platoon Sergeant James Rucker and Helen B. Rucker Scholarship. Others talked about their hopes for the newly named Helen Rucker Center for Black Excellence.

Seaside mayor Ian Ogelsby said, “This is just a wonderful event in honor of Mrs. Rucker for decades of service to education and Black excellence. It’s such an honor to be here to see this recognition finally for the work she’s been doing.”

Steven Goings, a counselor and faculty with the Personal Growth and Counseling Center, called Rucker the “epitome of community service.”

“When I got here on campus in 2006, people were telling me about her. She’s been a part of establishing this university,” Goings said. “She’s probably one of the most respected people in Monterey County. She’s the most wonderful person I know.”

A native of Louisiana, since arriving in Seaside in 1968, Rucker has served in her adopted home as an educator, city councilmember, school board and MPUSD trustee. She’s been a champion of voter rights and has registered countless people to vote over the years.

After the in-person All Black Gala’s musical performances by the CSUMB Gospel Choir and the Leon Joyce Jr. Trio, both of which were well appreciated, President Ochoa ended the evening with the news that Rucker would receive an honorary doctorate from CSUMB during the May commencement.

A fitting tribute to a person who has championed education for many decades, and continues to do so.

Turning 90

On Saturday, September 3, 2022, Mrs. Helen Rucker will turn 90 years old. In lieu of presents, she is requesting donations to the Helen Rucker Center for Black Excellence at 

donate.csumb.edu.ruckercenter

Academic/Professional Funding Request Form

The Helen Rucker Center for Black Excellence (HRCBE) provides funding to support the academic and professional success of students at CSUMB. Funding may be requested for up to $250 per academic year. In particular, HRCBE requested funds can be used to support:

• Textbooks: HRCBE provides textbook support.
• Academic Conferences: HRCBE supports conference participation related to student academic fields and research.
• Graduate School Preparation: HRCBE provides graduate school support in the form of counseling, school visits, test preparation and fees, and application fees.
• Professional Organizations: HRCBE provides professional organization memberships (e.g. National Society for Black Engineers, Black Doctoral Network, etc.).

Click Here for Funding Request Form

SEPTEMBER 5, 2022 ISSUE

Steven's Take On...

The Extraordinary Mrs. Helen Rucker as she turns 90!

What a blessing it is to be in the presence of greatness! What a miracle to call the Great One friend! One of the remarkable things about Mrs. Rucker is that when she opens her home to you and looks favorably upon you, you truly feel like you are in the Inner Circle, when rationally you know you are just a bit player in her ever-expanding world. 

Someone (I think it was Seaside Mayor Ian Oglesby) remarked publicly at her 90th birthday celebration that the hundred-or-so of us invited to celebrate her at the Embassy Suites on Sat Sept 3, 2022, were mere representatives of her multitude of admirers. That someone was right.

And yet, despite the best efforts of her legion of admirers who showered her with well-deserved and earnest praises, Mrs. Rucker still managed to give more than she received.  After all, it was Mrs. Rucker (with perhaps the help of family and benefactors) that paid for the hotel and lunch! Furthermore, Mrs. Rucker insisted that she receive no gifts in the form of material presents but instead asked attendees to donate to CSU Monterey Bay's Helen Rucker Center for Black Excellence. Although preliminary, I do have first hand knowledge that tens of thousands of dollars were raised at her 90th birthday celebration for the Center that bares her name! (Click Here if you would like to contribute in her honor)

Outside of the donation request on the invitations and presence of donation slips in envelops at each table, the fund-raising element of her celebration was barely mentioned as the focus was entirely on recognizing Mrs. Rucker and her extraordinary accomplishments, accolades and contributions over a life masterfully lived.  

There were some highlights from the afternoon that were my personal favorites:

• James Rucker III, her son, served as the emcee. It's always a delight see the only child, Mrs. Rucker raised...and how like his mother he is!

• Friend and live-in-assistant, Dinice Maiden, read a portion from Mrs. Rucker's (unpublished?) autobiography that detailed much of her life before she became famous and beloved on the Monterey Peninsula. We learned of her being raised by a single father in Louisiana, of her love of reading -- and the pain of not being able to go to the public library due to Jim Crow segregation. We learned that she graduated high school at 15 and college at 18! We learned of her initial fear and later admiration for the Black Panthers while she was in Berkeley in the 60s. We learned of her fight and triumph against employment discrimination here on the Monterey Peninsula when she first attempted to break into the Monterey Unified School District.  

• Speaking of school districts, P.K. Diffenbaugh, Superintendent of the Monterey Peninsula Unified School District announced that Seaside High School's library is being re-named after Mrs. Rucker.

•  Mel Mason, co-founder of The Village Project, Inc. (TVPI) with his wife Regina, spoke of how Mrs. Rucker volunteering at the front desk in the early days of TVPI provided the budding non-profit with the clout, credibility and good will to become the amazing institution it is today (14 years later). In other words, because of the community's trust in Mrs. Rucker and her good judgement, if she backed The Village Project, so would they.

• Current Monterey County Branch President Yvonne Thomas on behalf of the Thomas sister spoke with appropriate pride at how their father -- the area's first Black banker -- was able to loan the Rucker Family the money for their lovely home on Mescal in Seaside, thus also making them neighbors in the process.

• Former U.S. Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta spoke of first meeting Mrs. Rucker when he served as legal consul to the Monterey County Branch NAACP. He spoke of her door-to-door campaign support when he originally ran for the U.S. Congress in the late 70s. But he also spoke of how Mrs. Rucker pulled no punches in holding people in power accountable and advocating for the issues of the Black Community. In essence, Secretary Panetta told the crowd, having God on your side doesn't mean a damn unless you can fight! And Helen can fight! He knew Helen Rucker would always give it to you straight.

• I was able to unveil the framed portrait of Helen Rucker painted by local artist/activist Paul Richmond that my family purchased and that will find its ultimate home at the Helen Rucker Center for Black Excellence (see image above).

Happy Birthday Helen Rucker, Thank you for the Gift that is YOU!

OCTOBER 31, 2022 ISSUE

In the Spotlight: Da'Ja Robinson, Administrative Support Coordinator for the Helen Rucker Center for Black Excellence

After graduating Monterey High School in 2005, Da'Ja Robinson moved to Las Vegas where she explored her passion for community work and mentoring the youth. She spent nearly a decade giving back, mentoring young girls, and creating events to include women empowerment luncheons and workshops. Life brought her back to Seaside, CA in 2017 to be with family and return to the stomping grounds that ultimately shaped her. Da'Ja recently served as an UMOJA Ambassador at Monterey Peninsula College (MPC) where she continues her education as a full-time student. She plans to graduate in Spring 23' and finish her studies at a 4-year college majoring in Communications (Let's pull for CSUMB...wink). She currently operates as the Black Power Building Organizer for Building Healthy Communities Monterey County and is a Community Organizer for the Monterey County Black Caucus.

JANUARY 10, 2023 ISSUE



In the Spotlight: Helen Rucker Center for Black Excellence:

The Helen Rucker Center for Black Excellence engages and empowers African Diaspora students, faculty, staff, and community members through academic, professional, and cultural programming. The Center serves as a regional hub for Black advancement, scholarship, and engagement.

The Helen Rucker Center put its efforts into creating platforms and opportunities to engage and elevate Black students, faculty, staff, and Black communities in high gear during the Fall 2022 Academic School year. Holding the three values of Community, Excellence and Service at the forefront, there are a few wins to highlight.

HRC collaborated with its partners to actively engage and evaluate Black voices and perspectives and actively engage our campus constituents around issues affecting Black populations. The first step was an introduction and appearance in Yhashika Lee's Freshman class where she teaches Ethnic Studies. 20-30 Black students sat at their desk learning about the vision and mission of HRC in hopes to gain and maintain the students interest and attention.

While network building and keeping in communication with students, more collaborations took place resulting in relationship building, self-actualization, exploration, academic advancement, goal setting and cultural conversations relevant to our students lifestyles. The African Heritage Research Collaborative serviced 14 students and 7 mentors. 10 Students were tutored this semester and the Mandla Mentoring serviced 41 students with 12 mentors. HRC hosted a Hike around Point Lobos National Park and Brunch at From Scratch Restaurant in Carmel, hosting 18 participants. Lastly, HRC collaborated with Africana Heritage Scholars monthly to host a Black Student Meet-up where they enjoyed creative icebreakers, chat about current events taking place in Black news and cultivate a safe space to be themselves and relate to individuals who look like them.

We are proud of the development and progress this semester and look forward to what 2023 has to offer our students.

JANUARY 10, 2023 ISSUE

PARTING WORDS:

Steven Goings, developer and editor of the Black Folks Calendar steps back, Da'Ja Robinson and the Helen Rucker Center for Black Excellence steps forward.

-- by Steven Goings

It all began with Helen Rucker.

"It" being my relationship to the local Black communities of Monterey Bay. Recognizing in 2010 that over the years I had allowed my own internalized homophobia to block me from forming meaningful relationships within the Black Community, I knew I needed to make a change. I corrected this by joining CSUMB's Black Students United student organization in my final year as an undergraduate at CSUMB. In response to a notorious racial incident (the "N" word written in chalk in front of the CSUMB Dining Commons) I gave a report on the incident to the Monterey County Branch NAACP in my role of then-president of the Student Peace Alliance. Shortly after this, Mrs. Helen Rucker (a prominent member and past president) summoned me to her office in Seaside and asked me to run for assistant secretary of the Monterey County Branch which I did. This began my activism within the local Black communities of Seaside and the greater Monterey Bay.

Of the many roles I would take in the community since then, few have been as personally satisfying as developing and editing the Monterey Bay Black Folks Event Calendar.

As of this writing, we have over 500 subscribers and over 500 followers of our Facebook page! So why step back now?

Well frankly, the work of it has simply outgrown the capacity of a single editor and the work needs to be institutionalized so that it will continue bridging the gap between CSUMB and local Black communities long after I am gone.

Enter the Helen Rucker Center for Black Excellence.

Over the last semester and with the blessing of Helen Rucker Center founding director Dr. Vanessa Lopez-Littleton, I have been preparing Da'Ja Robinson, the administrative support coordinator for the HRC to take over the principal duties of editing and producing the Calendar going forward -- starting with this New Year 2023 Edition. All of this edition's stories (introducing new NAACP Monterey County Branch President Lyndon Tarver, the Seaside Rising Youth Leadership Academy, Robert Daniel's fundraiser for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, and the Helen Rucker Center semester highlights) were put together by Da'ja and her team.

The very work of putting the calendar together will develop new relationships, connections and collaborations between CSUMB and the local goings-on of movers and shakers in the Black community -- which of course was the whole point in the first place!

So not only does everything start with Dr. Helen Rucker, it comes back to her as well!

Thank you for allowing me to serve in the capacity of editor over the last few years, I will continue to submit ideas and content occasionally going forward knowing that the bulk of the work is being supported and shared among the staff of the Helen Rucker Center for Black Excellence.

Thank you for stepping up, Da'Ja Robinson, I hope that you find this work as fulfilling as I have!

Finally, as I think about my passion for bringing CSUMB and the Black communities of the Monterey Bay into to closer relationship with each other, I want to close with a reflection of my own involvement with the local annual Martin Luther King March in Seaside and my hopes that the Pan Hellenic Council will continue to involve the participation of CSUMB in future programing.

I first contacted the MLK march principal organizer, Mrs. Alice Jordan, in 2010 when I was an AmeriCorps Volunteer Infrastructure Program leader at CSUMB's Service Learning Institute. With Mrs. Jordan's permission, we established AmeriCorps volunteer support for the program from then on. By 2012, I coordinated with Mrs. Jordan to add a significant Day of Service component to the program and I drew to her attention some grant opportunities as well. Essentially, together we established the 40 days of service challenge that stretched from Dr. Martin Luther King Day to Cesar Chavez Day and included a Service Pledge in the program. 

The service component was indeed successful and generated hundreds of hours of community service from community members during that period.  

And of course, the latest contribution by CSUMB happened over the last two years when I contacted Mrs. Jordan in late 2020 and convinced her not to cancel the program due to COVID as I insisted that our university could provide the technical support to transform it to a virtual program. Which of course we did. 

I imagine with the passing of Alice Jordan - after this year's celebration - there will be some time to re-imagine the program in the future. 

Personally, I am interested in developing an ongoing purposeful service opportunities program for volunteering and community building within the Black community that could be articulated at a future MLK event with a component of celebrating the contributions of local community builders each year. If Dr. Vanessa Lopez Littleton, the founding director of the Helen Rucker Center for Black Excellence agrees to this, I think this, and the AmeriCorps event support could be substantial ways CSUMB could contribute to and partner with the City of Seaside and Pan-Hellenic Council's annual MLK event going forward.  

-- Steven Goings, Jan 1, 2023

FEBRUARY 9, 2023 ISSUE

Broadway Walk of Fame Ribbon Cutting & Unveiling

February 11, 2023 at 1:00 PM

On Saturday, February 11, 2023, City of Seaside will host the Broadway Walk of Fame ribbon cutting ceremony on Broadway Avenue. The event will take place from 1:00PM – 3:00PM.

The event will honor individuals that have made a significant and lasting contribution to the Seaside community in the areas of Athletics and Competition; Arts and Performing Media; Civics and Government; Community and Social Equality; Education; Environment and Conservation; Journalism and Literature; and Outstanding Achievement.

The Walk of Fame program was created in order to provide a unique attraction that enhances and encourages a walkable downtown. Each star will honor local Seaside residents and serve as a living historical record of Seaside’s achievements as a community.

The inaugural class of inductees for 2022 are:

In The NEXT ISSUE: A Community Remembers Mrs. Helen B. Rucker

Now that I have had my say...

Our next issue, timed to coincide with Helen Rucker's Funeral and Repast will feature photos and tributes from community members. You may email word documents or digital photos that include Helen to me directly at sgoings@csumb.edu or africanquazar@gmail.com. You may also post them on the Monterey Bay Black Folks Calendar Facebook Group. All submission must be received by 6 pm Sunday November 30, 2025 for inclusion.

Steven Goings, NAACP former Membership Chair, asks you to please join the Monterey County Branch at https://montereynaacp.org/membership/

Why Join?

The famous case that ended legal segregation in this country – Brown vs. Board of Education – was brought, argued and won by NAACP lawyers. Rosa Parks’ famous act of civil disobedience was not a chance occurrence as many erroneously believe. It was a coordinated action she undertook as secretary of the Montgomery NAACP.

It was the NAACP that first sounded the national alarm regarding voter suppression that began in earnest in 2010 as a backlash to the election of Barack Obama as our first Black president in 2008. Our record-breaking voter registration efforts in 2012 overcame those suppression tactics and ensured a second term for the incumbent president. 

Fast-forward to 2022 and we are now experiencing a great rise in identity-based hate crimes and anti-LGBTQ+ legislation along with a resurgence of anti-democratic white supremacy, the greatest roll-back of civil rights and the most coordinated attack on voting rights since the 1960s.

The NAACP is leading the fight against all of these trends and your membership funds these efforts.  

Deeper Involvement

Simply purchasing a membership is very helpful to the organization. But the work of the NAACP is done in committee and to be frank there is more work than workers! So if it works in your life to roll-up your sleeves and dive in, here are some of the standing committees that can always use support (you can find committee descriptions on our website at: https://montereynaacp.org/committees/)

Thank you for supporting our local NAACP!

Useful Links:

New! County Employment Opportunities: Monterey County Supervisor Elect Wendy Askew encourages community members to "register for job announcements from the County - and to apply for anything that seems interesting so that your resume gets into the system."

Black Business Directory

• Here is something the Monterey County Branch NAACP is working on. You can send your entries directly to lbogene@yahoo.com

Black Community Leader/Activist Archive

• Check out the list and add your bio and photo to it.

Black Court Support Volunteer Sign-Ups

• We all know the so-called criminal justice system treats our folks much more harshly than others, sometimes just having community members show up at court can make a difference in how things turn out.

Black Web Sites

• Check it out or add your favorite to the list

Black Speakers Bureau for Classroom Presentations

• With so few African Americans working in our K-12 and higher education systems, our kids have too few opportunities to see professionals and role models who look like them. We are looking for Black community members and professionals who can be called on to be occasional guest speakers in local classrooms.

Monterey Bay Historically Black Churches

• Check out the current list of churches, update existing entries or add new ones.