GLENDALE, Ariz. – In years past, to commemorate the achievements made by black people in history, Glendale Community College has carried out Black History Month celebrations strictly on campus, but due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, this February is different.

For the first time since GCC initially celebrated Black History Month, all events and activities will be held virtually through Zoom or Google Meet. An RSVP is required for some events such as the 4-part documentary screening of “When They See Us”. Others require a passcode, meeting link, or both.

Some mandatory reservation events also require attendance 15 minutes before start time to ensure timeliness. Be sure to check details on the GCC event calendar.

A few virtual activities will also be recorded so that students can view it on their own time. The Langston Hughes Project and Step Afrika are two examples.

For students interested, they can visit a few places to find more information. Firstly, GCC’s website has a list of all activities scheduled for the month. The website also offers direct links to RSVP. Students can also download a PDF of the picture above. The file acts as a calendar that explains what each event is about and includes links and passwords as well. Lastly, the Student Leadership Center website is a resource for all students that presents the most information. There are separate PDFs for most events through the month that give clear instruction about the time, how to sign up, as well an event summary.

A committee for Black History Month, created by the GCC Student Leadership Center, is the primary host this year. Additional groups and clubs including Associated Student Government and the Black Student Union worked closely to create their own activities as well.  If there is a specific club on campus that is hosting their own celebration, the details will be listed on the GCC event calendar.