{"id":5872,"date":"2022-08-11T16:41:06","date_gmt":"2022-08-11T16:41:06","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/wordpress.thetruthtoledo.com\/?p=5872"},"modified":"2022-08-11T16:41:27","modified_gmt":"2022-08-11T16:41:27","slug":"the-17th-annual-african-american-festival-brings-thousands-to-promenade-park","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wordpress.thetruthtoledo.com\/index.php\/2022\/08\/11\/the-17th-annual-african-american-festival-brings-thousands-to-promenade-park\/","title":{"rendered":"The 17th Annual African American Festival Brings Thousands to Promenade Park"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Sandy Spang, Rev. Willie Perryman, Suzette Cowell, Countilwoman Vanice Williams, Aletha Easterly, Mayor Wade Kapszukiewicz<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

By Tricia Hall<\/strong><\/em>
\nThe Truth Reporter<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

The 17th<\/sup> African American Festival which was organized by the Toledo Urban Federal Credit Union was held on Saturday, August 6. Thousands of individuals and families gathered at Promenade Park in downtown Toledo to enjoy an afternoon of music, family and fresh air. The gates opened at 1:00 p.m. with a series of live musical performers beginning at 2:00 p.m.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis festival is such a wonderful event. The turnout was great. The music was great and I\u2019m so enjoying myself,\u201d shared Alethea Easterly, festival volunteer.<\/p>\n

During an intermission, Suzette Cowell, CEO of Toledo Urban Federal Credit Union, and various elected officials shared an announcement about the credit union\u2019s next expansion. \u201cWe started the credit union 17 years ago at the corner of Detroit and Junction and we had 800 visitors,\u201d said Cowell. \u201cToday we\u2019re excited to announce that we are going to provide an opportunity to revitalize the community. Dorr Street used to have over 70 minority-owned businesses and we\u2019re breaking ground on a new development to relaunch opportunities with a resource center.\u201d<\/p>\n

The TUFCU expansion will be directly across Dorr Street from the existing facility and will include expanded offices and services for credit union members along with business resources for the neighborhoods in the area.<\/p>\n

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MCs Big Trice and Toi Creel<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Immediately following the announcement, Cowell and Toledo Mayor Wade Kapszukiewicz\u2019s signatures were taken on a contract to confirm the groundbreaking expansion.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m so proud of Suzette and the credit union\u2019s board. This is all due to her leadership,\u201d explained Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you\u2019re from Junction and Englewood, you know what this means? We will own something. This is for Black folks,\u201d explained Vanice Williams, Toledo City Council member.<\/p>\n

In addition to the festival, festivities included a prayer breakfast on July 15. The breakfast was held at the Glass City Metroparks Pavilion and honored five individuals: David Ross, creative placemaking coordinator of The Arts Commission; Adam Levine, CEO of Toledo Museum of Art; Rev. Perryman Jr, DMin, pastor of Jerusalem Baptist Church and president of Toledo Chapter of NAACP; Sonia Flunder-McNair, CEO of Urban Wholistics and Suzanne Rorick, executive director of Toledo Opera.<\/p>\n

The Annual Parade, sponsored by Health Partners of Western Ohio on Saturday, July 15, started at Dorr and Detroit and ended at Nelson Grace Park.<\/p>\n

Featured entertainment: The Whispers, The Zapp Band, Sunshine Anderson, Troop, Lyfe Jennings, Comedian Keith Bender; Local Entertainment: Aayan Naim, The Good The Bad and The Blues, Intuition, Jay Rush Jennings, Chris Byrd and True Victory, Amandalynn and Arthur Bishop; DJ Money Knox; and Emcees: Toi Creel and Big Trice.<\/p>\n

This year\u2019s Festival sponsors were: Urban Wholistics, The University of Toledo, Worship Center, Huntington bank, The Toledo Journal, The Blade, Taylor Automotive Family, Key Bank, Quality Time, Toledo Opera, Mercy College of Ohio, The Mix 95.7fm, Lucas County Commissioners, First Church of God, Toledo Lucas County Port Authority, Lourdes University, City of Toledo, PNC Bank, Walk the Word Church, TARTA, The Sojourner\u2019s Truth newspaper, Toledo Museum of Art, House of Day Funeral Service, Waterford Bank, 13 ABC, City of Toledo Human Relations Commissions, Health Partners of Western Ohio, Jeep Country Federal Credit Union, Friendship Baptist Church, ECDI, Grogan\u2019s Towne and The Juice 107.3 fm.<\/p>\n