Rosa Parks Day in California features USDA Office of Civil Rights

California State Capitol Rosa Parks Celebration 2009, highlights a season of positive change. President Barack Obama Inauguration Day Parade was led by a replica of Montgomery City Bus Lines Company bus #2857. “The Mother of Civil Rights” will have a statue commissioned and erected statue in our U.S. Capitol, Washington, D.C.

"I'd like for people to know that I had a very spiritual background and that I believe in church and my faith and that has helped to give me the strength and courage to live as I did" her eternal words provide a foundation to celebrate the legacy of Rosa Parks.

Rosa Louise McCauley Parks was born February 4, 1913 on a Black Farm in Tuskegee, Alabama. Her full life legacy speaks to us today in this season of positive change. Rosa Parks Celebration in California is a central annual event to support the Black Food and Agriculture Network, thus her spirit continue to live in our heart and mind.

U.S. Agriculture Secretary Vilsack announced that Civil Rights will be a central focus in the Obama administration. In a seamless transition within the USDA, Office Assistant Secretary Civil Rights, Outreach Director, Dr. Gladys Gary Vaughn continues to provide strong leadership providing equal opportunity and access to USDA programs long denied, toward rebuilding Black Agriculture throughout the State of California.

Together, we will duplicate the spirit of our Washington D.C. based USDA/Community Based Organization Partnership here within the #1 U.S. Agriculture State, a 100 billion dollar California agribusiness industry.

Lt. Governor Garamendi, Secretary of State Bowen, Senate President Pro Tem Steinberg, Assembly Speaker Bass and many California legislative leaders have demonstrated support for Rosa Parks Day 2009 and the introduction of our USDA/CBO Partnership will help calibrate the proposed California Ag 2030 Vision with Federal Ag Policy.

It is our destiny to ensure the many winters where Rosa Parks spent here in California sharing her values and beliefs will continue to grow in our fertile soil.

Black History Month 2009 gives us a positive reflection upon extremely negative history in the early years of the State of California. First Governor Peter Burnett in his inaugural address proposed to export all people of African ancestry out of the new State of California. His neighbor, Daniel Blue and friends, prayed about this proposal while creating the St. Andrew AME Church. Our proposed official study of the State of Black Food and Agriculture will offer public policy solutions identified in the State of Black California Report.

Today, Rosa Parks Celebration 2009 praises the bridges that have brought us thus far along our collective journey to “form a more perfect union” and provides a stronger connection to our past, present and future.

Rosa Parks Celebration ~ California State Capitol
Monday, February 9, 2009
Room 126, 4:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.
featuring
Charles Smith, Office of Outreach and Diversity
Assistant Secretary of Civil Rights
United States Department of Agriculture
Washington, D.C.