Lifestyle | February 27th, 2019

Harambee Festival Livens Cascades Park

By: A'nire Glenn

From 11 a.m. in the morning until the evening at 6 p.m. last Saturday, the peaceful and spacious Cascades Park was packed with Tallahassee residents and artists celebrating African music, dance, food, poetry, fashion and more at the fourth annual FAMU Harambee Festival.

The festival attracted a crowd featuring many performing artists such as neo-soul artist Cody Chestnutt and poet, singer and activist Sunni Patterson.

The poet thought the event was necessary for unity and joy. Sunni believes it is important to see and experience black and African culture as a way to unify and to rediscover ones self.

“It’s important for joy, to experience joy,” she said. “We are living in a time where we are bombarded with hatred, with injustice. We are bombarded with everything that makes us not be ourselves. It’s important that we see more examples of self.”

Keith Rodgers is host of the annual festival as well as Black on Black Rhyme, a weekly poetry show at Nefetari’s Fine Cuisine and Spirits. He believes the Harambee Festival is for people to attend and be involved.

“It’s important for them to be here and be involved because if you look around, they are here and they are involved,” Rodgers said. “It’s a beautiful thing to see beautiful things actually happen.”

While some were aware of Harambee Festival, others stumbled upon the event. Kacey Johnson and her partner Marquise Rosier decided to indulge in the festival after seeing the array of vendors stationed selling an array of goods from jewelry, food, art and more. Johnson and Rosier saw Harambee Festival as an opportunity to have fun and opportunities to support the Black community.

“It’s nice to spread the love for the community and spend where I can. So much money doesn’t go to our community,” she said. “It’s important we spend money in our community.”

As people mingled while sharing their enjoyment of the food, music and culture of
Harambee, it was evident that the event is truly one for the community.

Although FAMU conducted the event, the entire Tallahassee community was welcome. Children, pets, artist, activist and vendors all contributed to the beauty of the Harambee Festival.