A family--most of whom are dressed in African clothing--enjoyed the sights, sounds, tastes and culture of African World Festival, held last weekend on the Summerfest grounds (photo by Barbara White)

by Barbara White
Okay, y’all spank me for missing opening day ceremonies the first one I have missed in 24 years, and equally I also missed Frankie Beverly and Maze. But I had another calling I thought I could go to the Rev. Donnie Sims Celebration and stay for three hours and get to see Maze.

Well know the rest: we had church in the Four Point Sheraton. Thanks to all the people who missed I-Witness on Friday, out of 15,000 people many of you missed me I’m honored and thank you for your calls wondering where I was, Holla! I loved it!

On day two of AWF, I hung out and again was asked where I was on Friday. I love AWF. You get to see many of the folks you have not seen all year, you are thoroughly entertained and you get to eat everything you see.

It’s like a big family reunion and everybody smiles at you; you become a big kid at the fest. I ran into Joseph and Emma Butts who were dressed very Afrocentric they looked really good, Retired Detective Robin Estrada who has volunteered for the fest for more than 24 years and Hansberry Sands Artistic Director Willie Abney.

On Saturday, the entertainment was basically local except for Slick Rick of New York. Nationally renowned poets Kwabena Nixon and Muhibb Dyer opened for Slick Rick, and they were well received. The cultural stage was vibin’ with many of the poets like Autumn Blaze, Sista Monica, Pyramid, Bobby Drake, Nigel, Josh the Scribe, Jameela Ali, and groups like Growing Nation, Scottie Knox with Xrta Entertainment and J. Lamar with Perfection was the host. Mile’ Production put together Mile’ presents Poetry n’ Motion in the cultural stage. It was a good show.

Not many folks showed for Saturday but many young people filled parts of the grounds. I watched Slick Rick as he rocked the young folks and me too. The crowds hollered "go Slick Rick go, go Slick Rick go." He starts singing "Oh, oh, oh, oh, do the Rockwell," and folks went crazy. He did some reggae and he was really good. Most of the elders were all 35 this night because there were no acts for them. But it was all good.

I moved on over behind Brown’s Cafe where they were holding the teen dance with WNOV 860 Personality Homerrrrrr Blow. I loved it because there was nothing else going on the grounds young and old flocked there where Homer had the 3-year-old and up just being bossy, I loved it. There were dance challenges and I know we are all from Africa, you could clearly see the tribalism in play and it was a good thing. Okay, Homer played "Meet Me In The Park" and the Mile' Production girls Lelah, Nakia, and Mimi had me out there doing my thing, and D. Rock and Homer were cracking up, Holla! Okay, I tried the Jamaican Beer with Janice it was good.

Ron Johnson and Gary Graka have joined us.

As I watched all the young people, little tots dancing with their moms or dads, elders doing the best they could, I was touched, it was a beautiful sight and that’s what African World Festival is all about, family.

AWF--Sunday

You all this was the second big day Gospel and many of the local choirs had entered the competition. These choirs rocked the fish in Lake Michigan and I know the Creator was laid back pleased at hearing his in praise. There was a $10,000 prize to be divided between first and fourth place. Guiding Light Church was the first place winner with a prize of $3,000, which will be put in the church fund for the rebuilding of their church. All Saints Choir took second place with a prize of $2,000, the Holy Recovery Choir was third with a prize of $1,500 and Greater Mt. Sinai came in fourth with a prize of $750. Folks had a good time.

I ran into even more folks like State Senator Spencer Coggs, his wife Geisha and his best friend Toussaint Bell who were celebrating Spencer’s birthday. In addition, Spencer’s mother-in-law’s birthday Lulu Mae Chambers, she is one of my favorite people Happy Birthday Lulu, much love.

The energy was just mellow and laid back the weather was great.

Y’all know I had to get something to eat so I tried the Mi Zion Sweet Tea at Shanis Exquisite Catering it was the best tea I have had all year. Then they tempted me with the peach cobbler sundae and I thought I was in heaven! The Rev. Lazonnie Belton It was too good! I moved on over where I joined Kwabena Nixon and Ms. Jazzy to watch the performances of Little Jacob, Rico Love and LeChe’, They were rocking the house. Rico did a special thing he brought a number of young brothers on the stage and y’all know who they were, but he wanted to show we could exist in peace and here on the grounds of AWF we got to be about family and love. "I want all of you to know young people showed they can be about peace and we just have to give them a chance. Let us open our arms to them and start teaching them. From this day forward let’s welcome them to AWF and tell and show them what is expected of them and further more let them know they are ours and we love them." I loved that Rico did that. Little Jewel one of my favorites was also in the line up on Sunday on the Miller Stage. He is really good. He and Little Jacob have the little girls thinking they are Usher or somebody, I love it.

Y’all know I had to have some chicken wings from Brown’s Cafe.

Marvelous Mack did the blues and he turned it out, I loved it! At AWF, you get all the news Rico has just signed on to Usher’s record label, Ricky and Lisa Cooks got married. You also see everybody. I saw Corey Jo Biddle, director of the Black Holocaust Museum, Peggy Burton and Betty Bankhead, Renee Hoover, who is an excellent singer she does gospel now with a group called Evangelistic Voices; Stan and Ruby Farquharson, one of my favorite bands 3 The Hard Way also performed.

There was Mark Wade, James Miller who has been a dedicated volunteer with the festival as well as Percy Dorsey. Delores Parr, Ben Watson, the group Zulu Nation, Terrance Raye, Melvin Lee of Torrences House of Threads did a fashion show on the grounds this year it was nice.

Faye Collins, Gloria Jones and I had the greatest conversation about cooking and we made a date to do some; I cannot wait.

Of course, we closed again with Homerrr Blow and our blended generations stepping out until next year. It was a good time. I will write more next week on AWF. To all the volunteers you know I loved it, keep doing the good stuff.