By Paula Anderson
Yvonne B. Acey has received numerous awards and accolades for her community service and engagement. Writing by Design Media, Inc. asked Acey to share the experiences and challenges with hosting the Africa in April Cultural Awareness Festival, Inc. since 1986. Below is a Q &A with Acey.
Q: What has been the most rewarding aspect of hosting this annual festival?
A: “The most rewarding aspect of hosting Africa In April Cultural Awareness Festival, Inc. for three decades has been multifaceted and multidimensional encompassing a multiplicity of mediums-developing, expressing and educating diverse audiences via "The Windows of The Arts "embracing the African Diaspora. Additionally, Africa In April has been an avenue to provide opportunities for artistic appreciation, creativity and dramatic expressions/productions including encouraging healthy lifestyles and behaviors, i.e. education, economics, cultures, fashions, arts, crafts, music, history, cuisines, tourism, entrepreneurship, literacy, drug awareness/intervention/prevention, technology, reading, job shadowing, training, retraining, positive values, genealogy, family traditions, character, growth, mentoring, scholarships, internships, character growth and development.”
Q: What has been the most challenging?
A: “There have been numerous varied and diverse challenges during our 30 years plus from the beginning of Africa In April Cultural Awareness Festival as a committee of 5 or 6 at LeMoyne-Owen College to the present time with a committee, board of directors, a 501(3) and numerous volunteers including partners and sponsors. Consequently, we have adopted several quotes- Dr. Martin L. King, Jr's philosophy-"Life's most persistent and urging question is "What are you doing for others?"; " We may have come on different ships, but we're in the same boat now."
Q: What are ways that you have worked to increase awareness and exposure for 36 years?
A:“My husband and I have consistently encountered many challenges daily, weekly, monthly and yearly, but we realize that there are many struggles and we decided to continue the quest for freedom, justice, equality regardless of the cause. We are always reminded of a famous statement- "It's not about The Applause but The Causes". Again, we must "Keep Our Eyes On The Prize" and move on. As we remember another one of Dr. Martin L. King, Jr's quotes- " If you can't fly, then run if you can't run then walk, then crawl, but if you can't crawl, but whatever you do, you have to keep moving forward." In summary, we must constantly search for opportunities for change and growth-academically, socially, educationally, creatively, psychologically, aesthetically, physically and developmentally including multiple mediums, connections, collaborations, partnerships, diverse constituents engaging with various organizations, communities, groups and individuals whose goals, objectives and missions are similar to yours-" Teamwork Is A Key To Making The Dream Work." To this end, we have been able to sponsor successfully (and) produce quality Africa In April Cultural Awareness Festival, Inc. for thirty-five years with minor interruptions, i.e. COVID-19 when we moved from our annual Africa In April Cultural Awareness Festival to August incorporating the same theme, message and programmatic thrust honoring an African Country on the International Beale Street and Ida B. Wells Street, formerly 4th Street.”
To learn more about Africa in April, visit www.africainapril.org.
This article was originally published on April 14, 2023.
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