This May marks the inaugural celebration of Black Elders Appreciation Day in Los Angeles County—a milestone unanimously approved on May 13 by the Board of Supervisors as part of Older Americans Month. Set to be observed annually on the third Saturday of May, the day uplifts the voices, experiences, and wisdom of Black elders throughout the region.
This year’s celebration was co-hosted by Compton Mayor Emma Sharif and highlighted the release of the Black Eldering Bill of Rights and Community Manifesto for the Care and Belonging of Black Elders—a powerful declaration shaped by more than 100 Sankofa Elder Ambassadors and community stakeholders. Together, they crafted a community-driven blueprint to affirm the dignity, wellbeing, and cultural legacy of Black elders.
Explore the day’s vibrant moments through the lens of Black Voice News in the photo essay below.
Black elder ambassadors stand and applaud one another during the public release of the Black Eldering Bill of Rights at the Housing Authority in Compton on May 17, 2025. Los Angeles County has officially designated the third Saturday in May as Black Elders Appreciation Day, which will be celebrated as part of the Sankofa Elders Project. (Aryana Noroozi for Black Voice News/ CatchLight Local)Poet Aiyana Da’Briel listens to speakers during the public release of the Black Eldering Bill of Rights at the Housing Authority in Compton on May 17, 2025. Da’Briel gave a libation and labor acknowledgement at the beginning of the event. Los Angeles County has officially designated the third Saturday in May as Black Elders Appreciation Day, which will be celebrated as part of the Sankofa Elders Project. (Aryana Noroozi for Black Voice News/ CatchLight Local)A mural outlining the principles of the Sankofa Elder’s Project is displayed at the public release of the Black Eldering Bill of Rights at the Housing Authority in Compton on May 17, 2025. Los Angeles County has officially designated the third Saturday in May as Black Elders Appreciation Day, which will be celebrated as part of the Sankofa Elders Project. (Aryana Noroozi for Black Voice News/ CatchLight Local)Members of the Young Life Compton program prepare to share the Black Eldering Bill of rights during its public release at the Housing Authority in Compton on May 17, 2025. Los Angeles County has officially designated the third Saturday in May as Black Elders Appreciation Day, which will be celebrated as part of the Sankofa Elders Project. (Aryana Noroozi for Black Voice News/ CatchLight Local)Attendees applaud during the public release of the Black Eldering Bill of Rights at the Housing Authority in Compton on May 17, 2025. Los Angeles County has officially designated the third Saturday in May as Black Elders Appreciation Day, which will be celebrated as part of the Sankofa Elders Project. (Aryana Noroozi for Black Voice News/ CatchLight Local)A member of “Genesis: The Balm,” a Southern California-based multi-genre vocal group performs during the public release of the Black Eldering Bill of Rights at the Housing Authority in Compton on May 17, 2025. Los Angeles County has officially designated the third Saturday in May as Black Elders Appreciation Day, which will be celebrated as part of the Sankofa Elders Project. (Aryana Noroozi for Black Voice News/ CatchLight Local)
Black Voice News photojournalist Aryana Noroozi was born in San Diego, California and graduated with a master’s degree from The Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism. Her love for visual storytelling led her to document immigrant and deportee communities and those struggling with addiction. She was a 2020 Pulitzer Center Crisis Reporting Fellow and a GroundTruth Project Migration Fellow. She is currently a CatchLight/Report for America corps member employed by Black Voice News. You can learn more about her at aryananoroozi.com. You can email her at aryana@blackvoicenews.com.
