Lakewood High Students Walk Out to Protest the Removal of Black Counselors
Lakewood, California–Students at Lakewood High School are taking a stand against what they call the ongoing removal and mistreatment of Black counselors on campus — walking out of class and marching to City Hall to demand answers and accountability Oct. 10th.
The protest, organized by the school’s Black Student Union, comes after two well-known Black counselors are no longer present in the school’s counseling office. Students say their absence has left a void in support and guidance for Black students, with only one Black counselor remaining.
This protest follows The Voice of Black Los Angeles earlier reporting on former Lakewood High counselor Naazir Anyabwile, who said he was pushed out of the school after refusing to support an investigation targeting his Black female co-worker. In that investigation, Anyabwile said he was retaliated against for speaking truthfully and his contract was not renewed for the 2025-26 school year.
The students say both counselors played key roles at Lakewood High creating pathways for college readiness and access.
“That doesn’t make any sense Mr. Anyabwile is gone,” said one student during the demonstration. “He had no reason to lose his job and have to move to a whole other district. He was there for these students all the years he was here, and everybody loved him.”
The walkout drew dozens of students who marched to Lakewood City Hall, hoping to get the issue on the radar of newly elected Mayor Cassandra Chase, the city’s first Black mayor. While the city does not oversee personnel matters within the Long Beach Unified School District (LBUSD), students said they wanted to make sure local leadership was aware of the impact these decisions are having on their education and mental health.
“They’re the ones who were helping us set up our future,” another student said. “I don’t see other school administrators going out of their way to take us and drive nine hours to Chico State University. And they’re getting rid of that — it’s like they don’t want us to go to college. That’s what it’s feeling like.”
Students said they feel disrespected watching the Black counselors who made them feel seen and supported being pushed out of the school.
“They are getting rid of the people who make us feel comfortable, so we don’t have the same possibilities as others,” said one Black male student.
A Black parent said the absence of Mr. Anyabwile was immediately noticeable at the school’s recent back-to-school event.
“Mr. Anyabwile was critical in my son’s educational journey,” she shared. “He and other Black staff were the ones making sure Black students were enrolled in the A-G requirement classes so they could qualify for college.”
The Long Beach Unified School District has not responded to The Voice of Black Los Angeles request for comment.
Students say they plan to continue raising their voices at the upcoming school board meeting this Wednesday, urging district leaders to address what they describe as systemic discrimination and retaliation against Black counselors at Lakewood High School.
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