It was standing room only in the Brass Community School library as students, parents and staff gathered to listen to presentations from guest speakers for the school’s Afro-Diaspora Celebration Friday afternoon.
Each year, the school celebrates cultures from across the world. This year, in the spirit of learning about Black history past the month of February, the school hosted an Afro-Diaspora Celebration, which focused on West and East Africa along with the Caribbean and the Black African-American excellence as a whole. The Afro Diaspora are African and African descendants who were involuntarily and voluntarily moved to different parts of the world.
“I always do a Black History Month event every year, but this was just like a special event considering that I was taking this trip to the continent,” said fifth-grade teacher Andrea Bell-Myers. “Every time I travel abroad, anywhere, I made sure that anything that I learned abroad, I bring back to the students into the school and make them part of the experience.”
Festivities included art displays, photo opportunities, and a Jamaican dish sampler, which featured jerk chicken and red beans and rice, among other offerings.
During the celebration, Alvin Owens, owner of Regimen Barber Collective, gave a presentation on the history of Black hair, Bell-Myers gave a presentation on her recent trip to Nigeria, and recently-crowned Miss Kenosha 2023 Willow Newell gave a presentation on her study abroad trip to Tanzania through Carthage College.
“We visited some of the more rural parts and the metropolitan areas of Tanzania, studying religion and culture,” Newell said. “Being able to bring a piece of the continent they hear so much about to them (and) showing them pictures feels great, because hopefully, one day, they’ll be able to go and remember, ‘Willow came and talked to me about it.’”
The event was also tied to literacy, legacy, and healing, according to Bell-Myers. Students read the novel “Children of the Quicksand,” written by a Nigerian author, and wrote summaries for each chapter, wrote letters to students at the Eko Primary School in Ukwu-Nzu, Delta State, Nigeria, and utilize video chat to connect with the Eko Primary School students, along with other activities.
“To be a culturally responsive educator (there) is the responsibility of not just educating children of the diaspora of Back America, it is about educating all children,” Bell-Myers said. “Everyone should learn about everyone else’s culture, because when you have a greater understanding of people, then you have a greater opportunity to make connections, to build relationships, to create bonds (and) to strengthen your village, your cities, and your towns.”
Bell-Myers also acknowledged the event was a team effort, and recognized all the teachers, staff and parent volunteers.
Source: kenoshanews.com