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Our club is off and running as usual. If you missed our Juneteenth Celebration, you missed a great party. It was a huge success, everyone had a wonderful time. We want to thank Ms. Joyce Allen and her team for a job well done. Our next event is Jazz Under the Stars on Oct. 7 and our last event of the year is our Christmas Party on Dec. 9. In July, families throughout this country celebrate the Fourth of July. However, there have been conversations among some of us as to whether or not the holiday should be celebrated in our culture. It is a known fact that many of us come from ancestry that were enslaved during the Revolutionary Era (1765-1791). The Revolutionary War took place between 1775-1783. The Patriots declared independence from the British Empire in 1776 but was not fully achieved until 1783. The more I learn about this time in our history, like anything else, it's complicated. It's estimated that 20,000 enslaved and free people of African descent joined the Royalist (British) and were promised freedom for those enslaved; approximately 9,000 enslaved and free people of African descent joined the Patriots (Colonists). Some were promised freedom but most were not. Most of us heard of Crispus Attucks, but he was not the only "Black Patriot" who fought on the side of the Colonists. There are hundreds, maybe thousands, of "Black Patriots" whose contribution to the independence of this country has been lost over time. I would like to highlight Mr. James Armistead. There is very little known about Mr. Armistead, who was an enslaved man in Virginia. He became a double agent, passing intelligence and misinformation between the Patriots and Royalists. He pretended to be a runaway slave and joined the Royalists army. However, his loyalty was with the Patriots. Mr. Armistead conveyed vital information to General Marquis de Lafayette. Due to this information, the Patriots won the battle of Yorktown, which ended the war. As a result, General Lafayette provided testimony regarding Mr. Armistead's heroism, he gained his freedom and changed his surname to Lafayette. He is known as Mr. James Armistead Lafayette. Should those of us of African descent celebrate the holiday, this is a private and personal choice. Knowledge is power. If you have any questions, please contact the AACC President, Wanda Valentine, at (951) 544-1606. ~ Jocelyn Doucette 40 FOUR SEASONS BREEZE | JULY 2023 This past month the Matzah Balls and Meatballs met on the fields of The Summit to determine which team would win the bragging rights as gifted athletes. Last year, the Matzah Balls won the match because the Italian American Club members were having too much fun visiting with friends, eating, and enjoying an occasional alcoholic beverage. This year's event was held on June 11, so, as of this writing, the event had not occurred, but I am certain it was well-attended by the Jewish Cultural and the Italian American Clubs. For more information on the winners, please check out the August Breeze or check with one of the team members. The July meeting of the Italian American Club is scheduled for July 13 at 6 pm at The Courts. A potluck is planned by the Steering Committee for our members to enjoy, and as an added treat for our club members, the plan at this time is for the Happy Camper Food Truck to be out in front of The Courts from 6 to 8 pm selling gelato ice cream. For our members who went on the trip to San Diego's Little Italy, you might recall eating gelato at Nona's and other restaurants. The Salted Caramel Gelato was worth the trip to Little Italy on its own. So mark the date in July for the meeting of the Italian American Club and maybe, just maybe, you will find the gelato dessert will go down easy after the potluck. The Italian American Club is open to all residents of Four Seasons. You do not have to be Italian to join our group or come to our meetings. We would love to have you come visit us. To all our members and everyone in Four Seasons, we hope we will see you at one our meetings. Non Vedo L Ori Di Vederti Presto (Looking forward to seeing you soon). ~ Barbara Dipoma, (805) 377-2616 and Jerry Monahan, (951) 212-8898 Italian American Club African American Cultural Club

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