Saturday, August 3
12:00 noon - 8:00 pm
Plymouth Church, North Capitol St. & Missouri Ave., NW

Community Coalition for Peace and Justice is co-sponsoring a day-long neighborhood festival to celebrate many cultures for justice and peace. There will be information tables; drumming; a parade; mural painting; films about Haiti, Colombia, Black Farmers, and other topics; musical performances; and food. This multi-cultural festival will celebrate communities coming together in the wake of 911 to ensure that all citizens of our community have equal access to affordable housing, employment, adequate health care. Films and videos include: Homecoming by Charlene Gilbert, a story about Black farmers being stripped of their precious land; Adanggaman , a film that takes place in 17th century-Ivory Coast and explores the painful subject of the slave trade; a video about the Afro-Colombian struggle for peace; a screening on the People's Movement in Haiti; and a collection of claymation shorts by Tewodross Melchishua, and more. There will be panel discussions following selected screenings. Spend the day with plenty of food, crafts, and entertainment for the young and old, as well as information tables. Masters of Ceremonies for stage entertainment will be WPFW’s Damu Smith and Nkenge Toure. The festival will kick off with a drum call by Baba Ngoma and a carnival style parade of principles by area youth bands. The chapel will host an evening of jazz, starting at 5:00. Conceived and designed local-youth artists, under the tutelage of the renown Jorge Luis Somarriba, participate in the creation of a giant mural with images of our struggles and victory in our work to honor the environment and human rights. Join Into Afrika, Inc., Plymouth Congregational Church, Alternate Roots, the Community Coalition for Justice and Peace, the DC Chapter of the National Coalition of Blacks for Reparations in America (NCOBRA), the Gray Panthers, and Quixote Center-Quest for Peace for a fun filled event. Do you have a flyer or leaflet that you'd like to be displayed on the Community Coalition Information Table at the Festival (no charge to you)? Please reply to Ann Masnik at am68@umail.umd.edu. Event contact: IntoAfrika at 202-797-9127.