Opinion

EDITORIAL

EXECUTIVE EDITOR

Christina Fuoco-Karasinski christina@timespublications.com

DEPUTY EDITOR

Luke Netzley lnetzley@timespublications.com

CONTRIBUTORS

Jordan Houston, Bridgette M. Redman, Ellen Snortland, Annika Tomlin

ART DIRECTOR

Stephanie Torres storres@timespublications.com

PHOTOGRAPHER Chris Mortenson

ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER

ZAC REYNOLDS

Zac@TimesPublications.com (626) 360-2811

ADVERTISING

SALES AND MARKETING

Lisa Chase For Advertising Information Call (626) 360-2811

CLASSIFIED ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE

Ann Turrietta (Legals)

BUSINESS

OFFICE MANAGER

Ann Turrietta

TIMES MEDIA GROUP

PRESIDENT

Steve Strickbine

VICE PRESIDENT, CHIEF REVENUE OFFICER

Michael Hiatt

Pasadena Weekly is published every Thursday. Pasadena Weekly is available free of charge. No person may, without prior written permission from Pasadena Weekly, take more than one copy of each weekly issue. Additional copies of the current issue if available may be purchased for $1, payable in advance, at Pasadena Weekly office. Only authorized Pasadena Weekly distributors may distribute the Pasadena Weekly. Pasadena Weekly has been adjudicated as a newspaper of general circulation in Court Judgment No. C-655062. Copyright: No news stories, illustrations, editorial matter or advertisements herein can be reproduced without written permission of copyright owner. All rights reserved, 2022.

HOW TO REACH US

Address:

PO Box 1349, South Pasadena CA 91030 Telephone: (626) 584-1500 Fax: (626) 795-0149

AUDITED CIRCULATION of 26,275 Serving Alhambra, Altadena, Arcadia, Eagle Rock, Glendale, La Cañada Flintridge, Montrose, Pasadena, San Marino, Sierra Madre and South Pasadena

Reading your way through Black History Month

By Ellen Snortland Pasadena Weekly Columnist

“How are we to atone for sins of the past if we don’t know what the transgressions were?” people of conscience may ask. It’s a question worth pondering, one that eluded the governor of Virginia, Glenn Youngkin, after running — and winning — on a platform of “no critical race theory.”

Napoleon popularized Fontenelle’s quote “What is history but fables agreed upon?” while Churchill is often (but incorrectly) credited with “History is written by the victors.” Black History and Women’s History months (as well as the other commemorative history months) are attempts to counter the dominant history perpetrated by the dominators, the so-called victors. In the United States, our official history is the province of white, straight males with occasional appearances by two-dimensional, often stereotypical Black and/or female people. They are the “extras” in our historical fables — myths are touted as The Truth. It is a narrative so convincing that people will die to keep it in place.

Hey, fellow white people! As a start, we can confront our entrenched societal racism by reading books and watching documentaries about African Americans. I would recommend not starting with books like “White Fragility” by Robin DiAngelo. It’s a necessary book, albeit a challenging one. If you’d rather tap into empathy by getting inside a person’s head and life, I recommend starting with real people.

An essential primer is “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings” by the late, great Maya Angelou. Guys, it’s beneficial to read more female authors if you’ve segregated yourself by reading only male memoirs or fiction. You can learn a lot and heal many wounds if you can put yourself into the life-as-lived shoes of women and girls. I’m shocked by how few men I admire and respect have not read Toni Morrison or Maya Angelou.

When it comes to compelling stories of Black lives on the big and small screen, cable television and streaming services have done much better than glitzy, big-budget Hollywood films. Documentary films and series are compelling at accurately reflecting the populations in this country. A friend recently said something like, “There will always be action movies for the guys. It’s predictable fare, and that’s fine; it doesn’t harm anything.” I take issue with that. I find it harmful in reinforcing and ultimately cementing stale and outdated ideas of hypermasculinity. The current state of mainstream storytelling is enmeshed in wealth and gun “porn,” which ends up being bad for everyone — even the men who are cramming those stories down our throats.

I think storytelling is key to a person’s and a nation’s health, and entertainment is a significant export for America. When films cast anyone except white men and women as “villainous” characters, which is the norm, the entire globe gets a picture of these citizens as some form of lowlife. Heroic nonwhite characters are seen as exceptions to the rule. Thankfully there has been some movement in this area over the last few years. It’s been a long time coming.

Back to the basics: Please read James Baldwin’s “The Fire Next Time.” It’s a classic and a tribute to one of our most beloved public intellectuals. Read “The Autobiography of Malcolm X” if you want to experience the transformation of a man who — had he not been gunned down in his prime — would now be 97. What a loss for both statesmanship and race reconciliation.

If you want a “trifecta” for at least three commemorative months — Black, women and LGBTQ+ — may I introduce you to the late Rev. Pauli Murray? If you read about her, you can cover a lot of ground! The Ruth Bader Ginsberg biopic “On the Basis of Sex” had Ms. Murray in a cameo that few people would recognize. She was one of the peers invited to hold a “mock” court with RBG in her living room before her big breakthrough gender case. Ms. Murray was many things: a scholar, an author, a lawyer and, finally, the first African American and female priest in the Episcopal Church. She’s even been declared a saint by that church! Murray was a walking, talking example of a justice missionary for her race, her sex and any downtrodden people. She was instrumental and uncredited in creating the winning argument that finally brought Brown v. Board of Education into ending the “separate but equal” ideas that had held sway for what seemed like forever. There’s a new documentary about her on Amazon, “I Am Pauli Murray,” as well as a new book, “The Life of a Pioneering Feminist and Civil Rights Activist” by Terry Catasus Jennings and the Rev. Murray’s niece, Rosita Stevens-Holsey. As a nation, we have much to atone for. Meanwhile, take the baby steps of watching movies and reading books. Those actions can and do make a difference.

Ellen Snortland has written “Consider This…” for a heckuva long time, and she also coaches first-time book authors! Contact her at ellen@ beautybitesbeast.com.

•CARTOON•

We want to hear from you!

Being in print is a lot more meaningful than grouching on Facebook. Send compliments, complaints and insights about local issues to christina@timespublications.com.

• NEWS •

PASADENA | ALHAMBRA | ALTADENA | ARCADIA | EAGLE ROCK | GLENDALE | LA CAÑADA | MONTROSE | SAN MARINO | SIERRA MADRE | SOUTH PASADENA

Don Benito celebrates Read Across America Day

By Jordan Houston Pasadena Weekly Staff Writer

In honor of National Read Across America Day on March 2, Don Benito Fundamental School is hosting a series of events to promote reading across all ages.

From Monday, Feb. 28, to Wednesday, March 9, the Pasadena elementary school, located at 3700 Denair Street, is celebrating the skill through a variety of engaging ways, including a scholastic book fair, a bookmark contest, annual Read-AThon and more.

The effort is designed to inspire students to feel more excited about reading, said Don Benito Fundamental School Principal Merle Bugarín.

“It’s just trying to see how to engage and motivate our students to read more often,” the principal said. “Technology has become such a big part of their lives, especially this generation. We know technology is here to stay, and we want them to see the value in reading, and reading good books.”

The Don Benito Parent Teacher Association hosted a bookmark art contest during the week of Feb. 4 among all grades. Students were asked to design their own bookmarks according to the chosen theme, “Books Bring us Together.”

The rules required the artwork to remain in the outline of the bookmark, which could consist of color and/or black and white. Students also wrote their first names, the initial of their last names and grade levels on the front.

The winners of each grade level will be announced on Monday, Feb. 28, at Don Benito. Students will receive a copy of their grade’s winning bookmark. Don Benito Parent Teacher Association Vice President of Volunteers Tarah Kenney added that the winning bookmarks will also be distributed to neighboring preschools.

“They’re so excited,” Kennedy said. “I had a parent text me who said, ‘Are we going to get the bookmarks back if they don’t win? Because my kid is wanting to keep his.’”

Between Feb. 7 and Feb. 11, a group of local judges selected the winners of each grade. The judges included Pasadena Unified School District Superintendent Brian McDonald; children author and illustrator David Shannon; Pasadena High School’s Abigail Griffith of the 2022 Royal Roses Court; the Royal Roses Court 2022 Marshall Jeannine Briggs; Pasadena Weekly Executive Editor Christina Fuoco-Karasinski and Pasadena Youth Librarian AnnMarie Kolakowski.

Community members will also serve as guest readers.

“Bringing in people from the community to read to the kids (is important),” Bugarín said. “I think they need to see that reading happens outside of school. By our community members, they (the students) get that exposure to somebody else reading to them. It’s about developing those partnerships to the community and inspiring our kids to love reading and have that joy of reading.”

The PTA is also partnering with the Pasadena Library to offer free library cards that same week, accompanied by a reading list created by the library for each grade level.

Kennedy, who is spearheading the PTA’s reading efforts, said she wants students to reacquaint themselves with libraries.

“My whole thing is, I want them to know that there are libraries that offer other things than just books,” the PTA volunteer said. “It tugs at my heart. I want to get these kids off of their computers.”

The Scholastic Book Fair, boasting the bookmark contest’s exact theme, will run from Feb. 24 to Friday, March 4. An annual Read-A-Thon fundraiser, raising money via rewarding reading, will also take place between Thursday, Feb. 24, and Wednesday, March 9. Funds will go toward supporting Don Benito’s curricular activities and resources, Bugarín said.

Guest readers, including Pasadena Weekly’s Fuoco-Karasinski, will make in-person or virtual appearances during the national holiday to read to the students.

“I just want to inspire that joy for reading,” Bugarín added. “I know as a kid, some of my greatest memories are from when I was at home just reading a book on maybe a Saturday morning or evening before I went to bed.”

Read Across America was established by the National Education Association, a professional employee organization committed to advancing public education, in

Olivia Butcher puts the finishing touches on her bookmark.

Violet Robleto, Olivia Butcher, Madison Belo and Sebastian Solorzano show off their finished bookmarks.

1998 to motivate “children and teens to read through events, partnerships and reading resources that are about everyone, for everyone.”

National Read Across America Day is Wednesday, March 2, the birthday of beloved children’s book author Dr. Seuss.

Don Benito’s Kennedy said she was inspired during the height of the pandemic to kick-start the elementary school’s holiday celebration this year.

“My whole agenda is, because I saw what happened during COVID with my kid — I don’t have any other examples — but it’s about him getting back to the basics and getting back to the community, knowing what is available and taking a moment to get off their devices,” she said. “It’s sitting in a place that gives them as much adventure as their computers. From their books, you get adventure, fantasy, escape and comedy.”

For more information on Don Benito Fundamental School, visit its website at pusd.us/donbenito or follow its social media pages @donbenitoelementary on Instagram or Facebook. The pages will also feature the announced bookmark contest winners.

To donate to the Annual Read-A-Thon fundraiser, email donbenitoaf@gmail.com or head over to app.99pledges.com/fund/DonBenitoSchool.