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Elected officials from the City of Menlo Park attend the annual Black Liberation month celebration at Belle Haven Community Campus on Saturday, Feb. 8, 2025, in Menlo Park. Photo by Amaya Edwards. 
People paint a community mural at the Black Liberation Month celebration at Belle Haven Community Campus on Saturday, Feb. 8, 2025, in Menlo Park, Calif. The event’s theme this year focuses on African-Americans and Labor; business owners among others from the Belle Haven community were celebrated. Photo by Amaya Edwards. 
Free food is served at the Black Liberation Month celebration at Belle Haven Community Campus on Saturday, Feb. 8, 2025, in Menlo Park, Calif. The event’s theme this year focuses on African-Americans and Labor; business owners among others from the Belle Haven community were celebrated. Photo by Amaya Edwards. 
The City of Menlo Park hosts its annual Black Liberation month celebration at Belle Haven Community Campus on Saturday, Feb. 8, 2025, in Menlo Park. Photo by Amaya Edwards. 
Konstance Kirkendoll gives a presentation on recent achievement within the Black community at the Black Liberation Month celebration at Belle Haven Community Campus on Saturday, Feb. 8, 2025, in Menlo Park, Calif. The event’s theme this year focuses on African-Americans and Labor; business owners among others from the Belle Haven community were celebrated. Photo by Amaya Edwards. 
The City of Menlo Park hosts its annual Black Liberation month celebration at Belle Haven Community Campus on Saturday, Feb. 8, 2025, in Menlo Park. Photo by Amaya Edwards. 
Natalya Jones, Library and Community Services manager, moderates the City of Menlo Park’s annual Black Liberation month celebration at Belle Haven Community Campus on Saturday, Feb. 8, 2025, in Menlo Park. Photo by Amaya Edwards. 
Etienne, 4, and Artemis, 5, paint during the City of Menlo Park’s annual Black Liberation month celebration at Belle Haven Community Campus on Saturday, Feb. 8, 2025, in Menlo Park. Photo by Amaya Edwards.
Community members gathered at the Belle Haven Community Campus in Menlo Park on Saturday afternoon, Feb. 8, to celebrate local business owners and community members, and to listen to music and spoken word poetry performances as part of the city’s annual Black Liberation Month celebrations. Dozens of people attended the celebration.
This year’s theme for the event was African Americans and Labor. The event focused on the various ways that work and working intersects with the collective experiences of the Black community.
Speakers included local residents and activists Juanita Croft and Pam Jones, who gave a presentation on local businesses. Jaliyah Minor, 16, a local high school student, gave a presentation on the leaders of the labor movement. Konstance Kirkendoll, a local resident and educator at Beechwood School, gave a presentation on recent achievements in the Black community.
Jamey Williams, a local rapper and spoken word poet, performed at the celebration.
Activities also included the painting of a community mural that reads “Intentions & Unity.” The mural was completed by youth and adults alike.
