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 her protection. She spent her entire first day — and many others afterward — as the school’s only student after white families pulled their kids our rather than have them learn alongside a Black child.
It’s a powerful story that Bridges recounted Tuesday in a conversation with NBC Bay Area news anchor Marcus Washington at the 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, told the audience of more than 1,000 people. She remembers people screaming and shouting and waving their hands, but living in New Orleans, she was used to those kinds of displays 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.”
Ruby Bridges, keynote speaker, speaks at the YWCA Golden Gate Silicon Valley’s annual Inspire Luncheon at the Santa Clara Convention Center in Santa Clara, Calif., on Tuesday, Oct. 8, 2024. Bridges, a civil rights icon, was the first Black child to attend an all-white elementary school in Louisiana, making worldwide headlines. (Shae Hammond/Bay Area News Group)
Only one teacher, Barbara Henry, remained to teach her that year and they are still friends, Bridges said.
Bridges started the Ruby Bridges Foundation a quarter-century ago to promote tolerance, and she has shared her experience in speeches and in books and has received a lifetime of awards. But, she warns, the racism that she experienced as a child isn’t exactly a thing of the past and is still extremely dangerous today.
“We have got to come together for our kids,” she said. “Those of use who are of like minds and hearts, we have to come together or we won’t be able to save not only this country, but the world.”
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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 for children who are victims of abuse and neglect.
Chief Assistant District Attorney Jay Boyarsky, who accepted the award on behalf of the DA’s office, said the YWCA’s work is inspiring and deeply connected to the work they do at the center. “We’re incredibly thankful for your commitment to the children in our community and your passion for violence prevention,” he said.
CELLULOID CELEBRATION: The Silicon Valley African Film Festival returns for its 15th year this week in San Jose, offering moviegoers 85 movies from 38 countries — including animated films, documentaries and narrative features and shorts.
The festival begins Thursday with a summit, “Identities and Representation in African Film,” at San Jose State University’s Student Union Theater. But the real show starts on Friday at the Historic Hoover Theater on Naglee and Park avenues with a red-carpet walk and reception featuring West African cuisine, followed by a parade of flags and a live performance.
Opening night features two films from Uganda: “Half Chocolate, Half Vanilla,” a 5-minute short, and “Makula,” which won four awards, including best director and best feature film, at the Uganda Film Festival this summer.
More screenings will take place all day Saturday and Sunday at Hoover, with the closing ceremony and awards at the Montgomery Theatre in downtown San Jose. Get the schedule and tickets at www.svaff.org.
MARIACHI IN 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 runs from noon to 5 p.m., will showcase youth bands and will include performances by young folklorico dance groups.
The concert, co-produced by the Ancestral Roots and Tradition Society (ARTS) and the Morgan Hill Kiwanis Club, is free to attend. Each participating group will get a $1,000 stipendto help purchase instruments or other items that’ll keep them going on their musical journeys.
“Music has the power to bring different communities together and transcends cultural barriers,” said Kathy Chavez Napoli, one of the event’s founders.