Layla Zekarias has lived in Windsor all her life, although she did not always feel that she belonged to her.

She said that Zekarias was a black teenager studying at the Saint Rose Catholic School in Santa Rosa. She had experienced students touching her curly, tightly curly hair without her permission.

Zekarias said that when Zekarias and her classmates learned about slavery at school, although her parents were immigrants from Eritrea and St. Croix in the Caribbean, some students would assume how that period of American history affected her family.

She said that although a science teacher on campus tried to make sure students were familiar with food from Zekarias culture, there were still some classmates who sometimes exulted at the leftovers that Zekarias brought.

"When the teacher really knew about my dinner, I didn't feel any difference," said 13-year-old Zekarias.

According to the 2020 U.S. Census data, in Sonoma County, black residents make up 1.5% of the total population, which is slightly more than 7,100.

Parents and community organizers say that the small size of the local black community can make people feel alienated, making it difficult for young people who want to connect with their peers outside the family and share their social and cultural experiences.

They added that finding examples of successful black role models in the community is equally challenging.

To solve these problems, the Petaluma Blacks for Community Development group was founded in 1978 by black families who wanted to share their history and culture with the community and provide mutual support-initiated a plan to connect black children and youth in Sonoma County with Local black leader.

One of the coordinators of the leadership program, Kristy Boblitt, said that the pilot of the project began in January and involved more than a dozen young people between the ages of 10 and 13.

The second phase of the plan has 16 members from a wider age range, some of whom participated in the pilot, which was launched at the end of last month.

On Saturday, the new group gathered at Santa Rosa Pumpkin Patch for the first face-to-face social gathering in the community.

"Our idea is to use it as a scaffolding for our young people," said Boblet, whose daughter was also on Saturday's outing. "Our long-term goal is to make these children feel that they are strong and capable people in our community."

This year’s planned trial run included virtual conversations with six local leaders who spoke about the skills that helped them succeed.

The content of the presentation included the power of creativity and out-of-thinking hosted by Salesforce graphic designers, and how to fill out college applications and college experience. Marco Lindsey, Deputy Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at the University of California, Berkeley, introduced at Haas School of Business, Bao Bollett said.

As part of the Petaluma Blacks for Community Development Virtual Black History Month program, the young members of the group also completed a capstone project, a vision board, and created a series of family-themed poems and slides.

Faith Ross, co-founder of Petaluma Blacks for Community Development, said: "They are the most important, they are really involved in what is happening."

The second phase adopted the format used in the trial run of the program, which included discussions on university preparation and understanding and resolving anxiety.

Boblitt said that with the relaxation of restrictions related to COVID-19, the plan’s organizers hope they can expand the community service elements of the plan by involving participants in service-oriented things such as park cleaning or food distribution. .

Jaylena Lomenech, one of the coordinators of the Grapevine Youth Leadership Program, said: “I think this is indeed an opportunity to not only help these students develop into leaders, but also to cultivate this self-awareness and Enhance their self-confidence."

Boblitt's daughter Nina Boblitt said the plan helped her cope with the feeling of "not dark enough."

She said that because she was adopted by white parents, she once felt that she was not suitable for other black teenagers, because she did not grow up under the same cultural customs and references as them.

She said that establishing contact with other black youths in Sonoma County, especially considering that she is one of the few black youths in the school, has always been her favorite part of the project.

"There is no right or wrong to be black," Nina Boblet said.

Alicia Prime, the mother of Zekarias, said that she is very interested in leading the group because she wants to instill a strong cultural awareness in her children.

She said she saw how difficult it was for her husband's white and black daughters to solve problems related to racial identity as a child.

Prime added that she has two sons who have joined the group. She said that she has seen a special change in her daughter, and she is more willing to hold on for herself and is not afraid to keep her natural hair.

She said that when she grew up, her children had almost no chance to participate in a plan that reflected them. She added that having this type of space can be powerful.

"Black youth need to understand and feel at ease, know if they are struggling, and if they have any type of difficulty, they can unload without any judgment," Prime said. "They have someone who can talk to, and he knows exactly what they went through."

Editor's note: The teenagers who participated in the Grapevine Youth Leadership Program created a series of poems and slides for Petaluma Blacks for Community Development's Virtual Black History Month program. A previous version of this story incorrectly identified the group hosting the project.

You can contact the full-time writer Nashelly Chavez at 707-521-5203 or nashelly.chavez@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @nashellytweets.

Diversity, fairness and tolerance, the Press Democratic Party 

Who calls Beiwan home, and how do their background, socioeconomic status, and other factors affect their experience? What cultures, traditions and religions are celebrated where we live? These are the issues that drove me to explore the diversity, equity, and inclusiveness of Sonoma County and beyond.   

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