Allan Hancock College students host Black History Month Celebration

SANTA MARIA, Calif. - A Black History Month event was held at Allan Hancock College in Santa Maria today.

The associated student body government of Allan Hancock College hosted a celebration of Black History Month at the Mechanics Bank Student Center on Wednesday. 

“This is my third year at Hancock and my second year being the emcee for this event,” says Edward Lamberson, AHC student and event emcee. 

Food, live music, and high profile guest speakers provided an enriching interlude to normal classes, with various presentations on black history, excellence, pride, and culture through education.

“In my sociology class there was like a statistical study done on the exposure index, and that's the amount of races you would encounter in different areas of the globe. And for Santa maria County, the exposure index for African-Americans is less than 2%,” says Lamberson. 

Speakers included Santa Barbara County Superior Court Judge Denise Hippach, as well as Deneatrice Lewis of Pacifica Graduate Institute. 

“It was very lovely. I got to I got to meet some lovely people,” says Elmer Ramirez, returning AHC student.

“I really enjoyed all the festivities and learning about the different stories. I think they were very inspiring and really good life lessons and just celebrating culture in general,” says Emily Limon, another AHC student.

Black History Month is one year away from it's 50th anniversary.

It was first recognized by president Gerald Ford in 1976. 

“This college has really showed me that it really doesn't matter what kind of background you have, what kind of race you are that really it's about being a student and being a community together,” says Limon.