Subject:    AAHA UPDATES: MARKETPLACE SCHEDULE /OTHER EVENTS

THE AFRICAN AMERICAN HOLIDAY ASSOCIATION (AAHA)

Perpetuating and preserving culture through traditional and non-traditional

holidays, celebration & rituals

 P.O. Box 43255     Washington, D. C.  20010 

202-310-1430   Email: aaha@aaha-info.org    www.aaha-info.org 

SPREAD THE WORD ANNOUNCEMENT & SCHEDULE OF MARKETPLACE

For Immediate Release, THANK YOU

How can you really have peace on earth, goodwill toward mankind?  This holiday, attend the 17th African American Holiday Expo -  MarketPlace Festival , on Dec. 16 & 17 from 11 a.m. - 7 p.m. at the Reeves Center, 14th and U Sts. N.W, Wash, D.C.    All  events are open to the public with free-will donations supporting YEP (Youth Entrepreneur Program) and the Kwanzaa Peace Toy Drive, to exchange violent toys for peace toys. 

Shop with over 100 merchants, artists, businesses, healers & youth entrepreneurs offering cultural, fashionable, or urban wear;

African/Caribbean  imports, health and beauty products, home decorative items, unique gifts, ornaments for Christmas, Kwanzaa supplies and much more.

This indoor festival and health fair will showcase D’C’s finest youth talent; feature the acclaimed, author of “Heal Thyself” Queen Afua;  offer a Relationship Clinic by WPFW’s MindTalk host, Dr. Pamela Brewer; cultural and spiritual workshops like the Reparations/Statehood Town Meeting; an Ethnic food court, fun activities for the entire family and much more!

Help increase the peace and stop the violence by attending  the  17th Annual African American Holiday Expo- MarketPlace Festival for the most positive experience ever, where you can spend your money where it counts in the community.   For event schedule or more info, see the website  www.aaha-info.org     Or call 202-310-1430.  

SCHEDULE OF MARKETPLACE FESTIVAL

1st floor  of the Reeves Center, - all day, both days (unless noted)

Merchants, artists, businesses and youth entrepreneurs.

Ethnic food court Farm stand sale of locally-grown produce

Stage for youth talent showcase of  African dancing and drumming, martial  arts demos, jazz, hip hop, drill/step teams, Gospel, R & B and poetry

2nd floor of the Reeves Center, - all day, both days (unless noted)

More merchants, artists, businesses and youth entrepreneurs

Health & beauty products sold, demonstrated

Health fair and beauty spa with fitness work-outs, preventive health check-ups, reflexology, etc.
Seated massage by Capital Community Health Plan (Sat, 11-4);
Massage  and reflexology by Smai Taiwo Center (Sun, 11-6 p.m )
Relationship clinic to offer counseling by Dr. Pamela Brewer, of WPFW’s MindTalk Show  to help ease depression and relationship strains due to the holidays (Sat, 1-2:30 and Sun, 4:30 -6 p.m)
Kwanzaa / Christmas Videos 2nd floor, Community Room
Reparations/D.C. Statehood Town Meeting Forum (Sat, 5-6 p.m)
“What does the Winter Solstice Have to Do With Me”  by Helen Toni Douglas (Sun, 2-3 p.m.)
Internationally acclaimed, Queen Afua** to offer a wholistic lecture and booksigning (Sun. at 3 -5 p.m)
“Business Integrity” by Tag Team Marketing (Sun, 4-5 p.m);
“Strengthen the Intergenerational Links in the Black Community”, sponsored by Kijiji Wazee Project (Sun, 5-7 p.m.) with forum, refreshments, dialogue.
2nd floor, Dave Clark Room:  Open all day, both days
“Make a Gift Shop” for youth & parents, with interactive dialogue on value of giving (1-3 p.m)

Storytelling by Quarsar Storyteller

 

** Queen Afua - a nationally renowned herbalist, natural health and nutrition expert, dedicated healer of woman’s bodies and souls, practicing an uniquely Afrocentric spirituality.  Authored best-seller, “Heal Thyself” and serves clients, Stevie Wonder, Vanessa Williams, and Roberta Flack. “Breaking addictions for a healthy New Year” is the topic of her lecture (Sun 3-5 p.m) and booksigning of new release “Sacred Woman: A Guide to Healing the Feminine Body, Mind & Spirit”. 

The 13 year-old, Kid Clown, a local entrepreneur, on his way to audition for the Disney Channel .

FYI:  WHY THE MARKETPLACE FESTIVAL HELPS INCREASE THE PEACE

As we enter a new millennium and many are calling for a re-dedication towards peace and reconciliation to rebound from the violence and human rights atrocities seen in America, the non-profit, African American Holiday Association (AAHA) and its “Peace on Earth” initiative have been in the forefront of these efforts.  A recent study indicated that a quarter of U.S.  teen  have been involved with weapons, particularly unsupervised minority youths. However, AAHA’s 17th Annual African American Holiday Expo continues to offer viable peace activities focused on youth and families.  

Since 1989, starting with AAHA’s founder’s two sons, Ako and Rashid, its YEP  (Youth Entrepreneur Program) has now helped over 750 youth gain a learning and earning, leadership experience at the Expo.  In honor of Rashid Handy, who served in YEP for 5 years, who was killed in 1994, YEP continues his legacy with the slogan, “10 years of helping youth sell products instead of drugs”.  2001, YEP is seeking to partner with contributors to expand as an after-school “Holiday Expo On-Line” project.

This year, the Expo will further encourage peace through its’ new Kwanzaa Peace Toy Drive.  Peace toys or monetary donations can be dropped off at any of  the Expo events held from Nov. 25 - Dec. 26, 2000.  The Expo’s main event,  the MarketPlace Festival, held at the Reeves Center in Washington, D.  C., Sat & Sun, Dec. 16 & 17 from 11 a.m - 7 p.m, will offer the largest venue for the toy exchange, youth entrepreneurship, and wholistic activities that will increase the peace and stop violence during the holidays and beyond.

The  annual African American Holiday Expo is the oldest, east coast celebration of Christmas and  Kwanzaa.  In keeping with AAHA’s  mission of  using holidays to preserve culture, the Expo offers many self-help, alternatives to the highly, commercialized holiday season while  educating and organizing communities for social change. 

EXPO VOLUNTEERS NEEDED.  ATTEND LAST MEETING BEFORE EVENT:  DEC. 14 AT REEVES

CENTER, DAVE CLARK ROOM, 2ND FLOOR, 7 P.M.  IF CAN’T MAKE THE MEETING, CALL

OFFICE.  THANKS

OTHER CULTURAL EVENTS

NUBIAN INTERNATIONAL/HAND DANCE ASSOCIATION

will be having an ongoing dance every Thursday, at the BIOKO Restaurant & Nite Club located at:

5313 Georgia Avenue, N.W.

Washington, D.C. 20010

202/722-4800

Founded by Spiritualist & Health Guru Gloria Long and myself, the purpose of these events are to PROMOTE and ENHANCE the tradition of hand dancing in a cultural/wholelistic environment.  Club owner Steve Osagbue, a native of Nigeria is a serious advocate about the necessity for Africans and Africans born in this country to actively engage in on-going cultural exchange.  He is backing up these expressions by opening up his club to us without restraints.   Yours truly will be the providing the music under the name of  “D.J. DREAD MUHAMMAD”, and we will have guest D.J.’s in from time to time.

It will cost you nothing so long as you arrive before 9:30 P.M.  A three dollar cover charge will be asked after that time.  Our gracious host will have a buffet of mostly vegetable and chicken dishes for a small fee of $5.00.  Of course there will be water, juice, sodas and beer for sale.  Everything is all set and all we need now is for you to come out and help us make this event a success.

Many thanks for your review and consideration of our new movement and we look forward to MEETING YOU ON THE DANCE FLOOR!!

BLESSED ARE THOSE WHO DANCE!!!