Mayor Domenic J. Sarno, Police Superintendent Larry Akers, Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer Judi Crowell, Mayoral Aide Shenell Ford, and city and state officials joined with Ayanna Crawford and members of the Kwanzaa Collective in the Valley (“Kwanzaa Collective”) for the 2024 Kwanzaa Celebration on Thursday morning City Hall. This annual ceremony, which fell this year on the first day of Kwanzaa Week – Umoja or Unity – included the lighting of the Kinara, proclamation presentation officially declaring it “Kwanzaa Week” in the city, poetry, drumming, dancing, soul healing, sharing the history of Kwanzaa, and recognition of this year’s Kwanzaa Impact Awardees.
City Councilor Lavar Click Bruce, State Senator Jake Oliveira, State Representative Orlando Ramos, and City Councilors Tim Allen, Brian Santaniello, and Victor Davila all joined. The 2024 Kwanzaa Impact Awardees were recognized with citations from the City of Springfield and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Kwanzaa Collective member Regine Jackson recited a poem and fellow member Maria Del Carmen Rodriguez led attendees in soul healing with special rhythm, sound, and vibrations. Bomba de Aqui performed drumming and dancing and helped get everyone up on their feet as attendees danced in celebration of Umoja/Unity.
This year’s awardees are: Kevin Spivey ‘aka DJ KLS’, Gina Billie Gean Belvin (Co-Founder & Co-CEO at Digital Boombox Network), Bomba de Aqui Dance & Music Company (music director Brendalíz Cepeda and percussionist Saul Peñalosa), Unity Hearts Foundation (Naefia Mina Padi and Emmanuel Owusu), and Ariaun Stewart (Founder and CEO at C.HR Services LLC).
Mayor Sarno stated, “I want to thank my Mayoral Aide Shenell Ford, the Kwanzaa Collective, and especially Ayanna Crawford, who has really taken this annual celebration to the next level and expanded to communities throughout Western Mass. Thank you for your efforts in helping to put together a wonderful Kwanzaa Celebration here at City Hall and for uplifting those in the community who continue to give back. This annual event celebrates family pride, faith, community, and African-American culture and the roots and traditions of the holiday. It’s all about coming together. Congratulations to Kevin Spivey ‘aka DJ KLS’, Gina Billie Gean Belvin, Bomba de Aqui, Unity Hearts Foundation, and Ariaun Stewart on being named this year’s Kwanzaa Impact Awardees by the Kwanzaa Collective, and thank you for all that you do for our community. On behalf of the City of Springfield, best wishes for a Happy Kwanzaa and Happy New Year!”
Thank you to Focus Springfield for their coverage of this event: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jg6QKbPUoBw
Join the Kwanzaa Collective this weekend for the Community Kwanzaa Festival on Saturday, December 28, 2024 from 1:00 to 6:00 p.m. at the University of Massachusetts (UMass) Amherst Henry M. Thomas III Center located in Tower Square here in downtown Springfield.
