The sounds of jazz and the power of spoken word poetry will fill the Westerbeck Recital Hall as Pasadena City College hosts Kuumba: Poetry and Jazz in the Spirit of Liberation on Thursday, February 27, 2025, from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM. The event, presented by the college’s Black Student Success Center, Pride Center, and Division of Institutional Equity, Diversity, and Justice is free and open to the public, offering an opportunity to experience diverse artistic performances from students and local artists.
Organized as a collaborative effort, the event highlights creative expression through jazz music and spoken word. The Black Student Success Center, a central hub for Black student engagement on campus, the Pride Center, which provides support and advocacy for LGBTQ+ students, and the Division of Institutional Equity, Diversity, and Justice are working together to provide a welcoming space for attendees to enjoy live performances that reflect a variety of experiences and perspectives.
The event aims to celebrate jazz and spoken word as dynamic art forms that resonate with different audiences. Jazz, deeply rooted in African American musical traditions, and spoken word poetry, a powerful form of artistic expression, will come together in a night that showcases talent from Pasadena City College and beyond. Attendees can expect an evening filled with soulful melodies and thought-provoking poetry that explore themes of identity, culture, and lived experience.
Jazz and Poetry Night reinforces PCC’s commitment to providing accessible cultural experiences for students and the broader Pasadena community. The Black Student Success Center, and Pride Center, and Division of Institutional Equity, Diversity, and Justice work collaboratively with campus partners and community members to ensure inclusivity and representation in student life and artistic programming.
For more information about the event or to inquire about performance opportunities, interested individuals can visit: pasadena.edu/blackheritage
Westerbeck Recital Hall, Pasadena City College, 1570 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena, CA 91106. (626) 585-7123. pasadena.edu
