By Aryka Randall, Contributing Writer
Cultural icons who have made an impact on the Black community in San Diego were honored at the Keepers of the Culture event in Balboa Park on February 24th.
Hosted by the San Diego Black Arts and Culture District in conjunction with the San Diego African American Museum of Fine Arts and the San Diego History Center, the event packed the house while paying homage to Supervisor Monica Montgomery Steppe who was the first Black woman to win election to the San Diego Board of Supervisors, Vernon Sukumu who is a community activist and the former Chair of the Black federation and the Welfare Rights Organization, and members of the legendary R&B group Satisfaction.
The program opened with a musical performance from the group, Satisfaction, and segued into a panel where featured award recipients told stories of their careers, personal memories of San Diego, and how they each made a cultural impact on the community.
After the panel discussion, attendees were given the opportunity to ask the panelist a series of questions. Everything from advice on inspiring upcoming generations to questions about how the community can bring back social happenings like the Catfish Club and live music in the park on Sundays was brought to the floor.
One of the other highlights of the evening was watching several generations of San Diego natives come out to support their friends and family who have maintained a cultural impact on the city. Seeing several generations of people inspired to not only be great but do good was nothing short of heartfelt and inspiring.
The Black community in San Diego has always done a great job of sticking together and creating space to thrive. The Keepers of the Culture are a reflection of that practice and their efforts towards uplifting San Diego are admirable to say the least. Wonderful way to wrap up Black History Month!
