SCVi students celebrate Black History Month

Santa Clarita Valley International Charter School students participate during a drum circle event held at SCVi in Castaic on Friday, 021822. Dan Watson/The Signal
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By Karen Marroquin 

Signal Staff Writer 

Children circled around and played their drums Friday at Santa Clarita Valley International Charter School. But they weren’t playing for leisure — these students were celebrating Black History Month.  

Throughout the month of February, people from around the country honor the accomplishments of African Americans throughout U.S. history. At SCVi, two parents organized an event for second- and third-graders to educate them about Black History Month.  

At the event, the SCVi learners joyfully brought out their inner artists as they drummed and sang along to a song called “Black Lives Matter,” playing drums loaned to SCVi by REMO, a Valencia-based drum manufacturer.  

Ashlann (cq) Paris, 9, left,, leans on a hand drum while listening to Tawanna Aimiuwu, Santa Clarita Valley chapter of the NAACP representative, read from the book “Change Sings” for Black History Month to Santa Clarita Valley International Charter School students during a drum circle event held at SCVi in Castaic on Friday, 021822. Dan Watson/The Signal

According to Lindsey Kahn, one of the organizers of the event, the drums were there to allow the children to celebrate through music and “feel in community.”  

But that wasn’t the only part of the event.  

The children also had a book read to them by Tawanna Aimiuwu, co-chair of the education committee at the Santa Clarita chapter of the NAACP. Aimiuwu read “Change Sings,” a lyrical picture book that seeks to remind everyone that change is good and necessary.  

Aimiuwu explained what her goal was at the event.  

Santa Clarita Valley International Charter School second-grader Marley Langstraat (cq) plays on a drum and cymbal set during a drum circle event held at SCVi in Castaic on Friday, 021822. Dan Watson/The Signal

“We wanted to impart a message regarding empathy to the students. Particularly at this age, we want them to begin to understand the idea of caring for other people whether or not they look like you, whether or not they believe like you.” 

A part of the book talked about respecting, helping and loving one another. Lindsey Kahn, an organizer of the event, reinforced this statement, saying, “Children need to hear ‘I love you,’ right? Well, they also need to hear, ‘I love YOU.’” 

Meanwhile, Mahesha Anderson, another organizer, said that learning about diversity and inclusion in events like these is “just as important as learning your ABC’s.”  

While it may have been an hour of fun, for learners like third grader Trulee Lopez, it was also a time of reflection. “It just felt special to me because some people in my family are African American.” 

Santa Clarita Valley International Charter School students participate during a drum circle event held at SCVi in Castaic on Friday, 021822. Dan Watson/The Signal
Santa Clarita Valley International Charter School first-graders use hand drums as they join fist, second and third graders during a drum circle event held at SCVi in Castaic on Friday, 021822. Dan Watson/The Signal

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