The Sociology Student Association is holding the Artists for Environmental Justice Festival on Thursday from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. at the Soroptimist House.
“The festival is about generating awareness about the troubling state our environment is in and creating enthusiasm to get involved in the cause,” said Nori Kato, president of the Cal State Long Beach SSA.
The festival will include the Surfrider Foundation, a non-profit grassroots organization started by a group of surfers in the 1980s. With 70 chapters worldwide, the Long Beach Chapter will be collecting donations at the festival for Southern California ocean and beaches.
This year the SSA focused on social change and how to encourage students and faculty to be involved in creating a better community. This festival is about an issue that concerns everyone, and Kato said she is pleased with the progress made thus far:
“This is something our little group has been formulating since the fall, and we had no idea it would get as much support as it had,” Kato said. “The success we’ve had so far just goes to show that a small group of regular students can create change as long as they believe in what they’re doing.”
To help raise money for the organization, several art pieces will be sold at a silent auction.
Donated items include artwork from CSULB students, friends and Filipino artist, Parts Bagani, whose works normally sell for $200 or more.
Another way the student association is helping to raise money for the foundation is by selling $1 raffle tickets. Guests have the opportunity to win potted plants and flowers. Face painting will also be offered at $1 each. Donations can also be given by either cash or check to the Surfrider Foundation, Long Beach Chapter.
Admission to the festival is free and open to friends and family. There will be free food, live music and networking opportunities for people who want to get involved.
For more information about this event, feel free to contact Nori Kato at [email protected] or John Guevarra at [email protected].