Ruby Bridges was 6 years old in 1960 when she entered first grade at William Frantz Elementary School in New Orleans, accompanied by U.S. Marshals for protection. She spent her entire first day — and many more after that — as the school’s only student after white families pulled their children out rather than have them learn alongside a black child.
It’s a powerful story that Bridges told Tuesday during a conversation with NBC Bay Area news anchor Marcus Washington at YWCA Golden Gate Silicon Valley’s annual Inspire Luncheon fundraiser at the Santa Clara Convention Center.
“Honestly, I’ll never forget that day,” Bridges, 70, said in front of more than 1,000 people. She remembers people yelling and screaming and waving their hands, but living in New Orleans, she was used to that kind of display for a different reason. “That’s what happens at Mardi Gras, so I thought it was Mardi Gras,” she said. “What protected me was the innocence of a child.”
Only one teacher, Barbara Henry, stayed to teach him that year and they are still friends, Bridges said.
Bridges started the Ruby Bridges Foundation a quarter century ago to promote tolerance. She shared her experience in speeches and books and received a lifetime of accolades. But, she warns, the racism she experienced as a child is not exactly a thing of the past and remains extremely dangerous today.
“We need to come together for our children,” she said. “Those who are helpful and who share the same mind and heart, we must unite, otherwise we will not be able to save not only this country, but the world.”
The YWCA Golden Gate Silicon Valley also honored the Children’s Advocacy Center of Santa Clara County, a program of the District Attorney’s Office that provides support to child victims of abuse and neglect.
Chief Deputy Prosecutor Jay Boyarsky, who accepted the award on behalf of the prosecutor’s office, said the work of the YWCA is inspiring and deeply connected to the work he does at the center. “We are incredibly grateful for your commitment to the children of our community and your passion for violence prevention,” he said.
CELLULOID CELEBRATION: The Silicon Valley African Film Festival returns this week for its 15th edition in San Jose, offering moviegoers 85 films from 38 countries, including animated films, documentaries, feature films and narrative shorts.
The festival begins Thursday with a summit, “Identities and Representations in African Cinema,” at the Student Union Theater at San Jose State University. But the real show begins Friday at the historic Hoover Theater, at Naglee and Park avenues, with a red carpet and reception featuring West African cuisine, followed by a flag parade and live performance.
The opening night features two Ugandan films: “Half Chocolate, Half Vanilla,” a 5-minute short, and “Makula,” which won four awards, including Best Director and Best Feature, at the Uganda Film Festival. film from Uganda this summer.
Additional screenings will take place all day Saturday and Sunday in Hoover, with the closing ceremony and awards ceremony at the Montgomery Theater in downtown San Jose. Get the schedule and tickets at www.svaff.org.
MARIACHI TO MORGAN HILL: Music education will get a boost this Saturday as the fifth annual Youth Mariachi Concert takes place at Britton Middle School. The concert, which will take place from noon to 5 p.m., will feature youth groups and include performances by young folk dance groups.
The concert, co-produced by the Ancestral Roots and Tradition Society (ARTS) and the Morgan Hill Kiwanis Club, is free. Each participating group will receive a $1,000 stipend
to help them purchase instruments or other items that will help them continue their musical journey.
“Music has the power to bring different communities together and transcends cultural barriers,” said Kathy Chavez Napoli, one of the event’s founders.
