THURSDAY FEBRUARY 2, 2023THE PASADENA SENIOR CENTERPASADENA, CA We Thank our Sponsors and Vendors for making this event a successNATIONAL ORGANIZATION OF BLACK LAW ENFORCEMENT (NOBLE)PHOENIX SOCIETY OF PASADENAPASADENA FIRE FOUNDATIONPASADENA BLACK MUNICIPAL EMPLOYEE ASSOCIATION (PBMEA)PASADENA POLICE OFFICER ASSOCIATION (PPOA)PASADENA POLICE RELIEF ASSOCIATION (PPRA)PASADENA FEDERAL CREDIT UNION PASADENA LATINO EMPLOYEE ASSOCIATION (PLEA)PASADENA FIREFIGHTERS ASSOCIATION LOCAL 809 (PFFA)ROCHELLE BRANCHPAMELA E BURTONWALLACE FAMILY FOUNDATIONCHICK-FIL-ASAILOR’S BREW COFFEEESZYLFIE TAYLOR, Taylor Insurance & Financial Services, Pasadena, CASTEPHEN BABALOLA, Toyin’s African WearCHEF ROMAN STYLES IV, Mealionaire meal prep & cateringVERONICA MILES, Four Clover HomesMICHAEL LATTIMORE, Life Coach, Soul-Centered TransformationSO CALIFORNIA WOMEN’S CONFERENCE/VITAL VOICESSpecial Thank You to Emeka & Rhythms Family Band, Rhythms of the Village, Altadena CA"Every great dream begins with a dreamer. Always remember, you have within you the strength, the patience, and the passion to reach for the stars to change the world." –Harriet Tubman 2023BLACK HISTORY MONTHPANCAKE BREAKFAST
Lift every voice and singTill earth and heaven ring,Ring with the harmonies of Liberty;Let our rejoicing riseHigh as the listening skies,Let it resound loud as the rolling sea.Sing a song full of the faith that the dark past has taught us,Sing a song full of the hope that the present has brought us,Facing the rising sun of our new day begunLet us march on till victory is won.Stony the road we trod,Bitter the chastening rod,Felt in the days when hope unborn had died;Yet with a steady beat,Have not our weary feetCome to the place for which our fathers sighed?We have come over a way that with tears have been watered,We have come, treading our path throughthe blood of the slaughtered,Out from the gloomy past,Till now we stand at lastWhere the white gleam of our bright star is cast.God of our weary years,God of our silent tears,Thou who has brought us thus far on the way;Thou who has by Thy mightLed us into the light,Keep us forever in the path, we pray.Lest our feet stray from the places, Our God, where we met Thee;Lest, our hearts drunk with the wine of the world, we forget Thee;Shadowed beneath Thy hand,May we forever stand.True to our GOD,True to our native land 'THE NEGRO NATIONAL ANTHEM'
WELCOMEINTRODUCTION OF HONOR GUARDSTAR SPANGLED BANNERNatalya Romo-JonesBLACK NATIONAL ANTHEM‘Lift Every Voice and Sing’Veronica ChrissMinister of Music, Castaic AME Community ChurchINVOCATIONRev. Dr. Larry E. Campbell Senior Pastor of First A.M. E. Church, PasadenaBLACK HISTORY BREAKFAST OCCASIONBREAKFAST SERVEDDRUM WELCOMEMC WELCOMEJarvis Shelby and Lt. Carolyn Gordon, Pasadena PoliceJustin Hester, Pasadena Fire DIGNITARIES AND SPECIAL GUEST HONORING JOHN J. KENNEDYPresented by Councilmember Tyron HamptonKEYNOTE SPEAKER INTRODUCTIONKEYNOTE ADDRESSMs. Phyllis CurrieDRUM/TRADIONAL AFRICAN DANCE PREFORMANCERhythms of the VillageCOMMITTEE INTRODUCTION/VENDORSTHANK YOU FOR ATTENDINGThe San Gabriel Valley Chapter of National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives (NOBLE), the Phoenix Society of Pasadena (BlackFirefighters), and the Pasadena Black Municipal Employees’ Association (PBMEA), welcome you to the Annual Black History Pancake Breakfast .The Black History Pancake Breakfast began as a luncheon inside the Pasadena Police Department, over 25 years ago. Police Officer SimoneAlexander, who has since married (Morris) and Retired as a Police Corporal, had a passion and desire to acknowledge and celebrate thecontributions of African American who were instrumental in shaping the city of Pasadena, specifically the police department.Her vision was that of family coming together around a delicious meal where we could remind ourselves and expose others to our real history,traditions, accomplishments and yes, our struggles. Throughout the month of February, the police department was in essence a Black HistoryMuseum. African Art adorned the hallways and a Black Inventions Museum greeted City Department Heads and Community guests as they enteredthe lobby. It was hoped that the luncheon and “Museum” would encourage learning moments, as we spotlight African American Men and Womenwho chose to pick up the mantle of serving this city in spite of the hurdles, lack of acceptance, closed doors, and obstacles set to hinder and tear usapart.The annual luncheon gave way to a breakfast and a collaboration between the San Gabriel Valley Chapter of NOBLE (National Organization ofBlack Law Enforcement Executives), the Phoenix Society of Pasadena Black Professional Firefighters, and PBMEA (Pasadena Black MunicipalEmployees Association).This year’s theme, “Celebrating Black Employee Excellence – Honoring Trailblazers Past, Present & Future” honors those who accepted being the‘first’, and through their determination navigated barriers and opened doors for a better Pasadena, and those who continue to carry on the work. “If you want to lift yourself up, lift up someone else”- Booker T Washington, 1856Since leaving Pasadena, she has worked as a consultant with many electric and water agencies on strategic planning andgovernance. She is a director on several boards, including that of a regional transmission operator in the Midwest, serving asboard chair for 3 years. She is active in several non-profit and community organizations, including Pasadena Rotary.Ms. Currie is a UCLA alumna with a BA in political science and an MBA and completed the Program for Senior Executives in Stateand Local Government from the Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University.PHYLLIS CURRIEjoined the City of Pasadena in 2001 as General Manager of the Waterand Power Department (PWP).In her 14 years in Pasadena, PWP added new electric generation at the power plant; builta water treatment plant funded by NASA to clean up ground water contamination; andembarked on multi-year infrastructure improvement programs to upgrade the city’swater and electrical distribution systems. She and her staff engaged in stakeholder-drivenwater and energy resource planning leading to aggressive goals for renewable energy, andwater conservation. She also held leadership positions in industry associations.Prior to Pasadena, positions held by Ms. Currie during her 30-year career with the city ofLos Angeles included Chief Financial Officer of the Los Angeles Department of Water andPower, assistant city administrative officer and director of the city’s rent control program.KEYNOTE SPEAKER
Lift every voice and singTill earth and heaven ring,Ring with the harmonies of Liberty;Let our rejoicing riseHigh as the listening skies,Let it resound loud as the rolling sea.Sing a song full of the faith that the dark past has taught us,Sing a song full of the hope that the present has brought us,Facing the rising sun of our new day begunLet us march on till victory is won.Stony the road we trod,Bitter the chastening rod,Felt in the days when hope unborn had died;Yet with a steady beat,Have not our weary feetCome to the place for which our fathers sighed?We have come over a way that with tears have been watered,We have come, treading our path throughthe blood of the slaughtered,Out from the gloomy past,Till now we stand at lastWhere the white gleam of our bright star is cast.God of our weary years,God of our silent tears,Thou who has brought us thus far on the way;Thou who has by Thy mightLed us into the light,Keep us forever in the path, we pray.Lest our feet stray from the places, Our God, where we met Thee;Lest, our hearts drunk with the wine of the world, we forget Thee;Shadowed beneath Thy hand,May we forever stand.True to our GOD,True to our native land 'THE NEGRO NATIONAL ANTHEM'WELCOMEINTRODUCTION OF HONOR GUARDSTAR SPANGLED BANNERBLACK NATIONAL ANTHEM‘Lift Every Voice and Sing’Veronica ChrissMinister of Music, Castaic AME Community ChurchINVOCATIONRev. Dr. Larry E. Campbell Senior Pastor of First A.M. E. Church, PasadenaMC WELCOMEJustin Hester, Pasadena Fire BREAKFAST SERVEDDRUM WELCOMEDIGNITARIES AND SPECIAL GUEST FILM - HONORING MACK ROBINSONPresented by Councilmember Tyron HamptonKEYNOTE SPEAKER INTRODUCTIONKEYNOTE ADDRESSPhillip DunnDRUM/TRADIONAL AFRICAN DANCE PREFORMANCERhythms of the VillageCOMMITTEE INTRODUCTION/VENDORSTHANK YOU FOR ATTENDING
BLACK HISTORY MONTH BREAKFAST
Mack & JackieRobinson