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Unity Fest Fun in Chochenyo Park

by Vivian Delchamps Wolf On In Alameda Life | Comments Disabled

On Saturday June 13, Unity Fest [1], a free family-friendly festival honoring the arts and cultures of Africa and the African Diaspora, filled Chochenyo Park with music, food, and art. Attendees could learn about diverse African cultural traditions while dancing and connecting with neighbors on picnic blankets beside an exuberant stage.

Alameda Post - A photo of the poster for Unity Fest hanging on a fence, and a photo of a man with a microphone smiling and performing next to a child. [2]
Left: Unity Fest sign in front of Park Station. Photo by Vivian Delchamps Wolf. Right: Tommy Shepherd of The Alphabet Rockers enjoys the festival with a young attendee. Photo by Ritch Hazel [3].

Presented by Rhythmix Cultural Works in partnership with the City of Alameda and a wide range of sponsors and community partners [4], Unity Fest was part of the Rhythmix in the Parks [5] summer series which brings free cultural programs to Alameda’s parks.

The festival began with welcoming remarks by the organizer, Rhythmix Executive Director Jennifer Radakovich. Tae Poetically Divine, also known as Shanti (Shawntae) Lair-Croom, served as emcee; in addition to serving as AUSD Educational Equity Coordinator and Advisor, Tae is a humanitarian, educator, wellness coach, poet [6], and filmmaker. Rhythmix volunteers circulated throughout the festival, answering questions and collecting tips for the musical performers.

The musical program reflected a diverse range of cultural traditions. NKAN & the Faraya Band, led by Nigeria-born artist NKAN, blended traditional African rhythms with contemporary global sounds. Mbira dzaSoko introduced audiences to the traditional sounds of Zimbabwe through mbira music and percussion, while Mufaro weDzimbahwe celebrated “The Joy of Zimbabwean Music” through electronic stylings. Duniya Dance & Drum Company, founded by Punjabi-American dancer Joti Singh and Guinean musician Bongo Sidibe, shared music rooted in both South Asian and West African traditions. Duniya company members also told stories about West African griots, bards who preserve history through storytelling and music, and reminded the audience of how important art can be for connecting with others today.

Alameda Post - photos of performers at Unity Fest. In one, a man in colorful clothing plays a percussion instrument onstage. In another, a woman walks on some kind of stilts at Chochenyo park. [7]
Left: A drummer from Duniya Dance & Drum Company. Right: A stilt dancer strikes a pose. Photos by Ritch Hazel.

There were plenty of sights and sounds for children to enjoy, including hands-on activities such as drawing, crafting, and other youth art projects led by Art of the African Diaspora. The Alphabet Rockers, an Oakland-based Grammy and Emmy award-winning hip-hop group founded by Kaitlin McGaw and Tommy Shepherd, brought their dedication to inclusion, equity, and justice while performing catchy music written for children and families.

Kids at the event seemed especially enthralled by a stilt dancer (seen above) from Prescott Circus Theater [8]. Stilt dancing is an ancient tradition that is significant to people from various cultural backgrounds.

One highlight was Michele’s Soul Line dance, which brought people together through accessible choreography. Michele Germany leads Germaniacs: The All Inclusive Soul Line Dance Group. As soul, pop, and jazz music played, participants were given instructions to jump, step-point, and shimmy. Most of the crowd was learning as they went with Michele’s energetic voice leading the way. For anyone who found this activity exciting and a good community builder, Soul Line Dance offers classes at Rhythmix [9] on Sundays at 11 a.m.

Alameda Post - Two photos of women joyfully dancing outdoors at Chochenyo park , either in front of an audience or with participants. [10]
Left: A dancer performs at Unity Fest. Right: Michele Germany leading a line dance. The author (in a hat in the background) happily tries to figure out the next step. Photos by Ritch Hazel.

The festival also featured a varied range of community vendors. Families could shop for jewelry, clothing, candles, and more from local businesses and makers such as III Antiques & Thangs. Lola’s African Apparel offered handmade clothing from Nigeria. And of course, no cultural celebration would be complete without delicious food — food trucks at Unity Fest included Jollof Kitchen (Nigerian-inspired dishes) Swahili Spot, (Tanzanian and East African cuisine), and Creole Caviar (Louisiana-inspired Creole and Southern flavors). They all came prepared with plenty of vegetarian and kid-friendly options.

The atmosphere at Unity Fest was blessed with a perfect sunny Saturday afternoon and gave folks local to Alameda and beyond a joyful chance to celebrate cultural diversity in the Bay Area. There was something for everyone, thanks to the thoughtful details like great audiovisual set-up, delicious food, and skillful performers and artists.

Unity Fest was just one part of a larger summer of free arts programming in Alameda parks, with more Rhythmix in the Parks events scheduled through September, including:

Vivian Delchamps Wolf (English PhD, UCLA, 2022) is a professor of English at Dominican University of California and a contributing writer for the Alameda Post. She is also a disability justice advocate, ballroom dancer, cat lover, and board game enthusiast. Contact her via [email protected] [14]. Her writing is collected at AlamedaPost.com/Vivan-Delchamps-Wolf [15].