Public Employee Press

DC 37 Black History Month celebration opens Feb. 3

The DC 37 Black History Committee has announced that the union's 32nd annual Black History Month celebration will commence Monday, Feb. 3, with an opening ceremony at 6 p.m. at union headquarters. All members are invited to join Executive Director Lillian Roberts, DC 37 officers, local leaders and guests in kicking off the month-long cultural celebration with a ribbon-cutting ceremony sponsored by the committee and Local 1113.

"Back to Back," the 2014 theme, honors the historic presidency of Barak Obama and supports him and other worker-friendly political candidates. The committee will celebrate President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama throughout the month's events, which will culminate in Finale Night on Friday, Feb. 28.

Many locals will present programs in Room 1 at DC 37's 125 Barclay St. union hall, including SSEU Local 371, whose event will be on Friday, Feb. 7; Local 2627, Friday, Feb. 14; and Local 372, Friday, Feb. 21. For more information on Black History Month events at DC 37, members can contact their local president or Committee Chair Deborah Pitts, president of Local 1113, at 212-815-1113.

"Electing an African American as president of the United States in 2008 and again in 2012 was a giant feat that we are proud of," said Pitts. "His efforts to move the nation forward with health care and to break the gridlock in Washington have been challenged by the Tea Party and Republican conservatives, who make themselves enemies of progress and threaten to turn back the clock on voting rights. We're here to say, 'We've got your back!'"

All events will take place at 6 p.m. at 125 Barclay Street in lower Manhattan.