Unity Fest Enjoyable in Chochenyo Park

On Saturday June 13, Unity Fest, a free family-friendly pageant honoring the humanities and cultures of Africa and the African Diaspora, stuffed Chochenyo Park with music, meals, and artwork. Attendees might study various African cultural traditions whereas dancing and connecting with neighbors on picnic blankets beside an exuberant stage.

Presented by Rhythmix Cultural Works in partnership with the City of Alameda and a variety of sponsors and community partners, Unity Fest was a part of the Rhythmix within the Parks summer season collection which brings free cultural applications to Alameda’s parks.

The pageant started with welcoming remarks by the organizer, Rhythmix Executive Director Jennifer Radakovich. Tae Poetically Divine, often known as Shanti (Shawntae) Lair-Croom, served as emcee; along with serving as AUSD Educational Equity Coordinator and Advisor, Tae is a humanitarian, educator, wellness coach, poet, and filmmaker. Rhythmix volunteers circulated all through the pageant, answering questions and accumulating suggestions for the musical performers.

The musical program mirrored a various vary of cultural traditions. NKAN & the Faraya Band, led by Nigeria-born artist NKAN, blended conventional African rhythms with modern world sounds. Mbira dzaSoko launched audiences to the standard sounds of Zimbabwe via mbira music and percussion, whereas Mufaro weDzimbahwe celebrated “The Joy of Zimbabwean Music” via digital stylings. Duniya Dance & Drum Company, based by Punjabi-American dancer Joti Singh and Guinean musician Bongo Sidibe, shared music rooted in each South Asian and West African traditions. Duniya firm members additionally advised tales about West African griots, bards who protect historical past via storytelling and music, and reminded the viewers of how essential artwork may be for connecting with others in the present day.

There had been loads of sights and sounds for kids to get pleasure from, together with hands-on actions akin to drawing, crafting, and different youth artwork tasks led by Art of the African Diaspora. The Alphabet Rockers, an Oakland-based Grammy and Emmy award-winning hip-hop group based by Kaitlin McGaw and Tommy Shepherd, introduced their dedication to inclusion, fairness, and justice whereas performing catchy music written for kids and households.

Kids on the occasion appeared particularly enthralled by a stilt dancer (seen above) from Prescott Circus Theater. Stilt dancing is an historic custom that’s vital to folks from numerous cultural backgrounds.

One spotlight was Michele’s Soul Line dance, which introduced folks collectively via accessible choreography. Michele Germany leads Germaniacs: The All Inclusive Soul Line Dance Group. As soul, pop, and jazz music performed, contributors got directions to leap, step-point, and shimmy. Most of the gang was studying as they went with Michele’s energetic voice main the way in which. For anybody who discovered this exercise thrilling and a superb group builder, Soul Line Dance offers classes at Rhythmix on Sundays at 11 a.m.

The pageant additionally featured a various vary of group distributors. Families might store for jewellery, clothes, candles, and extra from native companies and makers akin to III Antiques & Thangs. Lola’s African Apparel supplied handmade clothes from Nigeria. And in fact, no cultural celebration could be full with out scrumptious meals — meals vehicles at Unity Fest included Jollof Kitchen (Nigerian-inspired dishes) Swahili Spot, (Tanzanian and East African delicacies), and Creole Caviar (Louisiana-inspired Creole and Southern flavors). They all got here ready with loads of vegetarian and kid-friendly choices.

The ambiance at Unity Fest was blessed with an ideal sunny Saturday afternoon and gave people native to Alameda and past a joyful likelihood to have a good time cultural variety within the Bay Area. There was one thing for everybody, because of the considerate particulars like nice audiovisual set-up, scrumptious meals, and skillful performers and artists.

Unity Fest was only one half of a bigger summer season of free arts programming in Alameda parks, with extra Rhythmix within the Parks occasions scheduled via September, together with:

Vivian Delchamps Wolf (English PhD, UCLA, 2022) is a professor of English at Dominican University of California and a contributing author for the Alameda Post. She can be a incapacity justice advocate, ballroom dancer, cat lover, and board recreation fanatic. Contact her through [email protected]. Her writing is collected at AlamedaPost.com/Vivan-Delchamps-Wolf.