CONGRESSWOMAN MAXINE WATERS TO KEYNOTE INAUGURAL ‘STATE OF THE BLACK COMMUNITY: PASADENA & ALTADENA’

Congresswoman Maxine Waters keynotes a Black community town hall Sept. 26, with Black Main St Village: cafe, art exhibit & Eaton Fire theater.

PASADENA, CA, UNITED STATES, September 25, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — Community Women Vital Voices and the Black Clergy Community & Civic Alliance will host the inaugural State of the Black Community: Pasadena & Altadena on Saturday, September 26, 2026, bringing together residents, elected officials, civic leaders, faith leaders, business leaders and community advocates for a day centered on the challenges, opportunities and future of Black communities throughout Pasadena, Altadena, the San Gabriel Valley and Los Angeles County. 2:00

The event will take place from 9:00 a.m. to p.m. at First AME Church Pasadena, 1700 N. Raymond Ave., Pasadena, CA, with the main program scheduled from 10:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Congresswoman Maxine Waters will serve as the event’s keynote speaker, joining prominent civic, community and faith leaders for a critical conversation about where the Black community stands today and where it is headed over the next decade.

The inaugural gathering is designed to move beyond conversation and toward measurable community action.

This is movement not a program. It is part of an ongoing process of Black people examining our history, protecting our legacy, understanding our current position and collectively determining what must happen next.

Under the theme “From Conversation to Action. From Presence to Power. Building Power. Driving Change.

Securing Our Future,” the gathering will examine issues directly affecting Black residents, families, businesses, churches and institutions.

Central to the conversation will be building, protecting and transferring Black wealth and what must happen now
to ensure that property, businesses, financial resources and knowledge are passed to future generations.

Leaders will also examine the evolving role of the Black Church and Black clergy, institutions that have historically
served as centers of leadership, organizing, economic development and social change within Black communities.

The conversation will also address philanthropy and the Black community, including how resources reach Black neighborhoods and organizations, who determines funding priorities and how Black institutions can develop stronger and more equitable relationships with philanthropic partners.

At the heart of the gathering is a larger question about the future: Will the Black population in Pasadena, Altadena
and surrounding communities increase or decrease over the next 10 years, and what are we doing today to influence that outcome?

The program will be led by Dr. Yolanda Gorman, President of the African American Board Leadership Institute, who will serve as Master of Ceremonies.

Featured community and civic leaders include Antonio Manning, Chair of the Board of the Eaton Fire Collaborative Leadership Council; Miguel A. Santana, President and CEO of the California Community Foundation; Dr. Lorrie Frasure, Ralph J. Bunche Endowed Chair in Political Science and African American Studies; Tyron Hampton, Pasadena City Councilmember representing District 1; and Los Angeles County Supervisor Kathryn Barger, who will participate in the event.

Beyond the main program, attendees will experience Black Main St Cafe and Black Main St Village, creating spaces for Black businesses, organizations, entrepreneurs, community resources, conversation and connection.

The event will also feature a dedicated theater presentation of a Black documentary examining the Eaton Fire and its impact on the community, with producers and directors participating, along with a Black Art Exhibit highlighting Black history, resilience, creativity and legacy, including “The Black Legacy Voice Echoes Our Truth.”

These experiences will remain open to the public throughout the event.

The gathering comes at a pivotal moment for Black communities throughout Pasadena and Altadena as residents continue confronting questions surrounding stability, economic opportunity, generational wealth, community displacement, disaster recovery and equitable access to resources.

The State of the Black Community is being developed as an ongoing platform for identifying priorities, collecting
critical community data, strengthening Black institutions, creating accountability and developing a unified path
forward.

This gathering is not intended to end when the event ends. It is a movement designed to continue the work of
examining where Black people have been, where we are today and what must be built, protected and transferred
to ensure a stronger future for generations to come.

RSVP Information

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