PRESS RELEASE

Long Beach, CA – The City of Long Beach Department of Parks, Recreation and Marine invites the community to attend “Black Mosaic,” a music and dance showcase that celebrates Black History Month and honors the rich history and contributions of the Black community. This free event is co-sponsored by the Inner City Shakespeare Ensemble and will be held on Friday, Feb. 28 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the Long Beach Senior Center (1150 E. 4th St.).

“While we come to the close of Black History Month, we continue to honor the power of Black voices and the profound stories shared through art and performance," said Mayor Rex Richardson. “We invite the community to join us for ‘Black Mosaic’ and enjoy a vibrant celebration that will magnify these stories that connect us all.”

“Black Mosaic” will feature a variety of creative performances, including Long Beach Youth Poet Laureate Helena Donato-Sapp and the DramanaKone drum and dance group, as well as spoken word, music and dance performances by local performers that showcase the richness of Black history and culture. The event will be narrated by Dr. Melanie Curtis Andrews, Inner City Shakespeare Ensemble Artistic Director. No registration is required to attend.

The Inner City Shakespeare Ensemble is a community organization that brings at-risk students into the world of theater using Shakespeare’s ageless language and wisdom. The Ensemble now includes a broad community of actors, directors, playwrights and filmmakers, all from a wide variety of ages, races, religions, socio-economic backgrounds and levels of experience. The organization performs in parks, gymnasiums, high school auditoriums, black box and thousand-seat theaters, on film, online and in the streets. More informationabout the Inner City Shakespeare Ensemble can be found on their website.

For more information about the event, call 562.570.3500 or visit the event webpage.

About the City of Long Beach
Long Beach is nestled along the Southern California coast and home to approximately 466,000 people. As an award-winning full-service charter city, Long Beach offers the amenities of a metropolitan city while maintaining a strong sense of individual and diverse neighborhoods, culture, and community. With a bustling downtown and over six miles of scenic beaches, Long Beach is a renowned tourist and business destination and home to the iconic Queen Mary, nationally recognized Aquarium of the Pacific and Long Beach Airport, the award-winning Long Beach Convention and Entertainment Center and world-class Port of Long Beach.

For more information about the City of Long Beach, visit longbeach.gov/. Follow us on social to keep up with the latest news: Facebook, X, Instagram and YouTube. More information about the Department of Parks, Recreation and Marine is available at longbeach.gov/park and on Facebook, X and Instagram.