Renton proclaims Black History Month; city recognizes local HBCU program and student health hub

Mayor Armando Pavoni read and the council adopted a proclamation declaring February 2026 Black History Month in Renton, citing the centennial of the founding of the first Negro History Week in 1926 and the local African American community’s contributions to the city.

Kristen Thornton and Curtis Riggins accepted the proclamation on behalf of a Renton School District HBCU delegation program. Thornton said the program, started four years ago, has served more than 120 Black students with multi‑college tours, year‑long mentorship, academic support and attendance assistance. She said the program helps students see themselves in post‑secondary institutions; she reported an approximately 86 percent post‑secondary enrollment rate for students who participated in the program.

Curtis Riggins described his own experience and the program’s mission to give students exposure and opportunities they might not otherwise have.

Separately during public comment, Vicky Blakenley, director of student support for the Renton School District, told the council that the city’s new Student Health Hub is already improving outcomes. Blakenley said schools can now make direct referrals into a shared system that connects behavioral health, housing and community services, “turnaround time has dropped from months to less than a week,” and an independent evaluation by Oregon Health & Science University included in council packets confirms improvements.

No funding decisions or new ordinances tied to the HBCU program or the Student Health Hub were recorded during the meeting; both were recognized and placed in the public record.