The event will feature performances, vendors and events to highlight the African diaspora
By JESSICA YUNG — campus@theaggie.org
Black Family Day, hosted by the Cross Cultural Center, is set to be held on the UC Davis Quad on Saturday, May 24, from 12 to 8 p.m. The event will feature speakers as well as vendors selling crafts and food from across the African diaspora.
Makhi Jones, program coordinator of the African diaspora and Middle Eastern, North African and South Asian (MENASA) communities at the Cross Cultural Center, describes the event festivities as a celebration open to all.
“Black Family Day is a day of remembrance, a day of new experiences within the campus of UC Davis for Black families as well as anybody else who is welcome to come and just experience the day and the culture that we’re having,” Jones said. “It’s a good place for families to come out and enjoy some great food. So we have some good Black-owned food vendors that come out, craft vendors who end up selling their clothing, merchandise that they end up making themselves, all Black-owned businesses.”
Black Family Day has its roots in the picnics hosted by the Black Student Union in the 1970s, which sprouted into a larger gathering.
“Black Family Day began in the spring of 1970, when the Black Student Union held a barbecue on the Quad — though there were only 100 or so Black students at the time,” the Cross Cultural Center’s website reads. “Over the years, the stage at Black Family Day has featured many legendary performers and speakers, including famed writer and poet Maya Angelou in 1998, celebrating themselves and taking a stand against historical and cultural exclusion on campus.”
Last year’s Black Family Day event was canceled due to rain. This year’s event has a rain plan should the weather be unfavorable, according to Jones.
The headliner for the event is John Mackk, a Bay Area-based hip-hop and rap performer. Visitors can also expect performances from DJ KweKu and Shabbal Dance, a Sudanese and East African dance group based in the Bay Area.
There will also be performances by the UC Davis Majorettes. Majorette is a dancing style that combines parts of jazz, hip-hop, marching band and contemporary dance. The UC Davis majorette team is relatively new to campus, having formed earlier this year. The Sacramento State Stingerettes, another majorette group, are also slated to perform.
Other activities include a Stompfest, an alumni wine and jazz event held at the Coffee House, a children’s fair with bounce houses, a book talk, recreational basketball and live music from a cover band.
Those interested are encouraged to RSVP for the event on Eventbrite, however, it is not required. Students can reach out to Jones, mojjones@ucdavis.edu, directly for support and to collaborate with for future events.
Written by: Jessica Yung – campus@theaggie.org
