Good afternoon, everyone. Good afternoon. Good afternoon. Thank you. We'd like to welcome you to the
Bloomington Black History Month kickoff. And to start, we're going to start by singing the Negro National
Anthem. We're going to ask that everybody rise and sing with us. Lift every voice and sing. Lift your
voices up. The words will be on the screens. So we ask that you join in with us as we sing. Lift every
voice and sing.
All right, everybody, please keep that round of applause going for the African American Choral Ensemble.
All right, so good afternoon, everybody. You will certainly hear more from them later in the program.
So to introduce myself, my name is Nia Iman Smith, and I will be your emcee for this event.
And so throughout our time together, I'm gonna get to know you. So everybody just say your name out
loud so I can hear everybody and see who's in here. Say your name. Beautiful, all right. So just to
tell you a little bit about myself. So I am originally from Oakland, California. Anybody from the Bay
in here? Okay, some representation over there.
And so I moved to Bloomington to pursue a PhD in ethnomusicology, which means the study of music in
culture. And so I am currently a doctoral candidate, and I'm working on my research. Thank you. And
my research is looking at black women's acts and practices of collecting vinyl, and also looking at
acts and practices of ancestor veneration in black music, so how it is
that we pay homage to and honor those who have come before us, all right? So when I'm not doing that,
I also teach at IU, and I also host a radio show on WFHB called Sonic Blackness Radio, all right? And
so you can listen to that. That comes on every other Saturday night, so I'm not on tonight, but every
other Saturday night from eight to nine p.m., so tune in.
So with that said, I share all of that because community and culture are at the heart of why it is that
we have gathered here today. This Black History Month is extra special because it marks the centennial
anniversary, 100 years of Black history commemorations in the United States.
history week founded by Carter G. Woodson in 1926 to a month-long celebration that was adopted in 1976
we have honored black history and culture for a hundred years. So as we kick off this celebration it
is our hope that it will reflect and honor all of the ways in which black people have contributed to
the world in which we live from education to politics to business and of course the arts.
And so what a better way to kick off our celebration than with an artistic showcase. But not just any
art, all right? Not just any art today. We will be showcasing art organizations and performers from
right here in our Bloomington community who are carrying that legacy forward in real time. So before
we get into today's amazing lineup, we want to acknowledge our sponsors and contributors who have made
this and other Black History Months
events possible. So we have our presenting sponsor, which is the South Central Community Action Program,
SCCAP. Yeah, give them a shout out. Our platinum sponsors are the City of Bloomington, the
City of Bloomington Office of the Clerk, and also the Neal Marshall Black Culture Center at Indiana
University.
And if you have not been to the Neil Marshalls, certainly make a trip there. Our gold sponsor is the
IU Credit Union. And our bronze sponsors are the Monroe County NAACP and IU Health. And we also want
to acknowledge the people and organizations that have sponsored individual programs and events throughout
this month and coming month. Our event sponsors are also the Bloomington Alumni Chapter of Delta Sigma
Theta Sorority Incorporated.
The Order of the Eastern Star, Southern Star, number 50, Jurisdiction of Indiana, and Stone City Lodge,
number 54. And we also want to thank Pizza X and Jimmy John's for donating food items for our performers.
Please give all of our sponsors a round of applause. All right, so before we get into our amazing lineup,
we are going to play one of the hottest game shows that is sweeping the nation, all right? It is a trivia
game show that is called... Black Facts! Black History Facts, all right? So how this is gonna work is
that I am going to ask a series of three trivia questions, all right? If you know the answer to the
question that you will see presented on the screen, I want you to raise your hand
And are there gifts involved? Yes, there are. All right, so are we ready to play? All right. Question
number one. This Ghanaian fabric is worn by many African-Americans as a symbol of cultural pride and
was especially popular for those of us who were around in the 1990s. Yes, I was around in the 1990s.
That fabric is called... yes, ma'am. That fabric is indeed called Kente clothes!
So we have a winner, all right? So within this first gift bag, we have some Kente cloth, and then also
have some wonderful artwork for you to take home, as well as a book of art by an artist who was really
good at incorporating African themes and motif, Romare Bearden, all right? So this is for you. How are you?
Question number two. Roberta Flack, Angela Davis, Jesse Jackson, and all the Jacksons had this item
that made sure their hair extended to the highest of heights and their fro's stay tight. What did they
have? Yes, good sir, over here. Come on down, you have one. So the answer is indeed
an afro pic, all right? So within this, you have an assortment of old school haircare products, including
some fake afro sheen and many other things that you can enjoy. All right. And finally, last question.
This song is an example of a classic genre of black music known as blank out music. Yes. Cook out music
is the answer.
The song is specifically before I let go by Frankie Beverly and Mays, or rather Mays featuring Frankie
Beverly. And you have a cookout kitten here, so there are some red cups. There is a tablecloth. You
got a grill master, okay? There's also dominoes, cards, and unos. Go out and have fun. Go out and have
a cookout. All right.
At this time, I would like to please welcome Shatoya Moss, who is the Director of Community and Family
Resources Department, as she presents the Visionary Leader Award. Good afternoon, everyone. Thank you.
I'm Shatoya Moss, I am the director for the City of Bloomington Community and Family Resources Department,
and on behalf of Mayor Thompson, we welcome you and thank you so much for being here with us today to
celebrate 100 years of black history. This year marks a powerful milestone. 100 years of naming brilliance
where silence once lived, of telling stories in our own voices, and honoring a legacy shaped by resilience.
In that spirit,
that presenting the 2026 Visionary Leader Award feels especially meaningful. This award honors an individual
who demonstrates exceptional leadership, service, and creativity. Someone who leads with intention,
uplifts their community, and reimagines what impact can look like across multiple spaces. It recognizes
those who refuse to be confined to a single lane, instead using their fullness of who they are to inspire,
heal, and connect others.
Our 2026 recipient embodies that spirit in a powerful and deeply human way. At a time when black communities
have long been expected to endure, to push through, and to carry more than our share, he creates space
for something just as necessary, healing. He understands that survival alone is not the goal and that
restoration and being truly seen are acts of leadership. He offers permission to pause, to speak freely,
and to be fully human without interruption or judgment.
In spaces where silence is often mistaken for strength and where care has historically been scarce,
overlooked, he has always shown up consistently. As the only black male licensed mental health counselor
in Bloomington, and I will say that again, as the only black male licensed mental health counselor in
Bloomington,
He supports individuals navigating depression, anxiety, trauma, life transitions with a deep commitment
to identity exploration and development, particularly those from underrepresented communities. Through
his practice, the Blue Sofa Counseling Services, he provides access and care in spaces where it's often
been absent. He also serves several days each week as the embedded counselor at Indiana University Neal
Marshall Black Culture Center, supporting students who seek counseling services,
His presence has led to an increased engagement and, perhaps more importantly, a powerful affirmation,
especially among black male students. They too deserve care and support. This is not new work for him.
It is rooted work. The kind of service communities depend on for long. It's publicly recognized and
long after the spotlight moves on. And his leadership does not stop there.
For the past three years, he has served as a co-troop leader for a locally-based Girl Scout troop serving
minority youth, investing time, mentorship into the next generation. And then, there's comedy. Over
the past four years, he has taken stages across the Midwest as a stand-up comedian, using humor as another
form of truth-telling and healing. A gifted storyteller, he draws from his lived experiences as a father
and a community member, blending wit,
Vulnerability and sharp observation to make modern life both relatable and laugh out loud funny His
work has been featured in the limestone comedy festival the Windy City Comedy Festival and in 2024 He
was named the winner of the Bloomington Comedy Festival and most recently he reached a major milestone
Making his full weekend headlining debut at the Comedy Attic just last month Whether through counseling
community service mentorship or comedy I
He reminds us that leadership can be both meaningful and human, that healing can coexist with laughter,
and that representation matters in every space we occupy. He is a proud member of Phi Beta Sigma fraternity,
incorporated, continuing a legacy of service, brotherhood, and social action. Just as generations of
black Americans have transformed their communities over the past century, he carries the enduring legacy
forward, bringing meaningful impact wherever he goes.
It is with profound pride and admiration that we present the 2026 Visionary Leader Award to a man who
leads with heart, humor, and purpose, Mr. Mohammed Sahir.
So well deserved. Mr. Sahir, we will be joined by Deputy Mayor Gretchen Knapp while we take a few photos.
So y'all still give it up for Mohamed. Obviously well deserved.
Well, well, well. Well, well, well. Thank you so much. It means a whole lot. And shout out to the little
ones out here belting the Negro National Anthem. Good job. I heard y'all. Good work. So it means a lot.
I love what I do. I happen to be able to do what I do and love what I do and happen to get a little
money for it, you know? So I greatly appreciate it. I've been a part of Bloomington for a while.
All your entire lives, I've been a part of Bloomington, you know? Yeah, yeah. But yeah, in all sincerity,
thank you much. I wasn't expecting this at all. My wife said, be here at 330. I said, it starts at 4.
I didn't know what the rush was. But with that being said, I pray that you all have a beautiful day.
Enjoy your beautiful Black History Month. And yeah, go Hoosiers.
Congratulations again, Mohammed, very well deserved. And before I turn it back over to our wonderful
emcee, I just wanted to take a moment and also recognize other leaders that we have in this space. So
if you are an elected official, either past or present, can you please stand? We thank you for your
service, and we thank you for your time and energy, and I will pass the mic.
All right, so let's give one more round of applause. You're gonna be doing a lot of clapping today.
All right. So now, ooh, I like that round clap. I'm gonna try that one next time. All right, so now
it is time for us to experience some of the amazing talent that is right here in our community. And
so our first performance comes from the Bloomington Montessori School Lower Elementary Program.
ages six to nine are part of a learning community that emphasizes care for one another, responsibility
to the community, and to the respect for the world around them. And so they will perform It Takes a
Village by Dr. Raymond Wise, Lean on Me by Bill Withers, excuse me, one of my favorites, and the traditional
gospel song, This Little Light of Mine. Let's welcome the Bloomington Montessori School Lower Elementary.
child I use my heart to love the
for that wonderful performance. And let us all let our lights shine all over Bloomington. Weren't they
absolutely amazing? Young people have always played an important role in shaping our shared future,
and it is their creativity, their leadership, and also their curiosity that will continue to move us
forward. And so speaking of
creativity, our youth across the community are invited to take part in the Black History Month poster
board contest on Saturday, February 21st. And this is a signature event that encourages young people
to explore history, storytelling, and self-expression. And so youth of all ages are welcome to participate,
as well as our parents, guardians, aunties, uncles, play cousins, everybody are encouraged to
have the youth in their area participate in this contest. And so also, there will be some cool prizes
for the winners. So meet us right here at City Hall on Saturday, February 21st. And now for our next
performance. I am pleased to introduce Jada Shivers, who was born and raised in Dallas, Texas. Jada
is a first-year graduate student at Indiana University.
majoring in African-American and African diaspora studies with a minor in psychology. She is
a multidisciplinary artist working in poetry and painting, and through language and visual arts, she
explores black identity, culture, and lived experience, creating work that invites reflection, care,
and joy. Let us welcome Jada Shivers.
I'm so glad to be here with you all today So I wrote this poem because I want people to know that you
are black history in the making So I hope it inspires you to not only dream big but do big things because
you are worthy of all good things This is not just for children before your inner child as well, so
always dream big Dear child, do you remember your origins the start of your roots the DNA running through
your veins?
View your big, beautiful family tree. It's waiting to add your name into our history. Dream like Martin.
Be witty as Shaka Zulu. Write like Lucille Clifton. Sing like Badu. Speak like Esi Dab Martin. That's
my grandmother, a small gift from me to you.
Sit like Rosa. Get active like Angela Davis, from streets to classrooms to pages. Create beauty from
disruption like Coretta Scott King. Listen to the whispers of our ancestors like Abagunde. Free your
village like Miss Tubman. Be inquisitive as Carter. Dream big as Obama when he became the first black
president. You are remarkable and unstoppable. You are black history in the making, so don't you ever
forget it.
Thank you all. Jada, thank you so much for that beautiful performance. Let's give her another round
of applause.
One thing that I love about Bloomington is the art scene here and I really love that we get to see a
lot of different artistic talent on display. After all the arts gave and continue to give voice to the
movement and allows us to share our stories across generations and also amplify black culture.
So this Sunday evening, Girls Rock Bloomington and the Neal Marshall Black Culture Center will host
their annual Black History Month open mic. And this year's theme is Community Commemorations. And it
will feature Dr. Gladys Devane, author and founder of Resilience Productions. Community members are
welcome to sign up to share original work and read from a favorite black writer. And you can connect
with Dr. Glow after today's program.
The evening will also include a performance by a local band, the Lucky Sevens, and we encourage everyone
to attend and support these local artists and organizations. Now, on to our next performance. Earlier,
they opened the program with the Negro National Anthem, and now they will return with additional selections.
But before they come up, let me tell you a little bit about the African American Choral Ensemble. The
Choral Ensemble is one of three
That's one, two, how many is this? That's 30, there you go. Just making sure, making sure. That make
up the African American Arts Institute at Indiana University. ACE, along with the IU Soul Review and
African American Dance Company are actually academic courses within the African American and African
Diaspora Studies Department, which is committed to preserving and sharing black performing arts traditions.
This year is especially meaningful as the ensemble celebrates its 50th anniversary. So be sure to celebrate
with them during their anniversary weekend. Current members of the ensemble will join alumni from all
over the country at the 50th anniversary concert on Saturday, February 21st at 7.30 p.m. at the Jacobs
School of Musical Arts Center or the MEC. So let's be sure to pack the MEC and celebrate this amazing
Milestone with the Choral Ensemble. So please give them a round of applause as they come up. Good evening,
everyone. Check, check, check. Over there.
All right. Hi, I'm Dr. Raymond Wise, and this is a portion of the African American Choral Ensemble.
And we're certainly glad to be with you to celebrate Black History Month, and especially the
100th anniversary of this celebration. We're going to sing a couple songs for you this afternoon. We
hope that you will enjoy them.
The first song is a spiritual entitled, I Open My Mouth to the Lord. And as we think about the history
of African Americans in this country and the progress that has occurred in the country, we know it's
been a level of commitment for folks with determination to say, I will go, I shall go, no matter what.
So as we sing this song, we are grateful for those who've gone before. And we thank, I thank you for
Carter G. Woodson, who had this vision, and we're going to encourage you to do the same. I Open My Mouth
to the Lord.
my mouth to the Lord, and I will turn back.
As we celebrate Black History Month and we've just come off the celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King's
birthday, what we often forget as we celebrate that many of these people celebrated and pushed forward
because they were people of faith. They believed that there was a God that would empower them to make
it through the struggle until they reached that freedom or that place of deliverance. So with that said,
we've been asked to do a gospel piece. So we're going to sing a gospel piece. If you know anything about
gospel music, we know it's a collective art.
We know it's a piece that allows everybody to be a part. So you get to rock along, clap along,
sing along, shout along, all those things together. And this song is a song of celebration. It says,
this is the day that the Lord has made. We've come to praise the Lord. But the tag says, come on, let's
have a good time in the Lord. Anybody know how to have a good time? All right. Well, you can do that
by starting to clap along, to sing along, to rock along. And at the end of gospel pieces, they have
what they call a vamp.
A vamp is a part that repeats over and over and over again. So when we get to that part, it says good
time, gonna have a good time. Find a part, sing a part, join in, move, rock, clap, but celebrate with
us. This is the day that the Lord has made. Enjoy.
Let's celebrate together, let's have a great time together. The next song we're gonna share is a song
entitled See Me. A lot of times the challenges that we have in our world is because we don't see one
another. We listen to the stereotypical views and thoughts of others and we see what we see on the outside
but never go deep and look on what's on the inside. And on the inside of all of us are dreams and hopes
and visions and joys and all those things that many people will never know if they don't look beyond
the color of your skin or the words that you say.
And this song is just a song that, see me, see me, see me. And if we can begin to do that, we might
indeed make the world a better place. Enjoy, see me.
And we hope we take that message with us. We're living in a time and a world where people are doing
all kinds of things because we don't acknowledge the personhood and the humanhood of one another. And
if we could get that message, we'd have a much better world. This last song that we're going to sing
is a song entitled, Shining the Light. And we're going to ask you to be a part of this as well. And
we know the children on the front row are going to help us because they're just seeing this little light of mine.
Now, in the middle of it, you're going to hear this spiritual, this little light of mine, I'm going
to let it shine. And when that comes, we're going to invite you to sing along with us and share in it
with us. And that part you'll know. But at the end, there is this vamp, right? We talked about the vamp.
Everywhere I go, I'm going to let it shine, let it shine, all of that. So join in with us and celebrate.
It's been a wonderful joy to be with you today. And we hope that we've encouraged you in some way. As
I already announced, on the 21st of February, we're going to be celebrating our 50th anniversary.
And we're having a hundred voice mass choir come together. There'll be alumni coming from all over the
country to sing. We're going to be doing a concert, historical concert in the Mac. You're used to seeing
opera there, but it's going to be gospel and spirituals on stage and you have got to be there. So we
invite all of you to come and our theme is let's pack the Mac.
So come on in, let's pack the mac, we'll have a great time together. But we encourage you to keep this
celebration going and know that while they give 28 days, maybe 29 days in the leap year to Black History
Month, Black History Month is every day of the year because African Americans have contributed in great
ways to this nation. So thank you again for having us and enjoy, shine the light, enjoy.
Be sure to check out ACE. That is once again, February 21st. Pack the Mac, 7.30 p.m., right? Give them
another round of applause. And so we thank them so much for that beautiful performance. Next, I am pleased
to introduce Michaela Taylor. Michaela, it's so good to see you. A little side note.
And also Anu Dada. Both Michaela and Anu are members of the Black, Brown, and Beige Theater Troupe,
a student organization at IU that aims to establish a platform for multi-ethnic students by exploring
culturally diverse theatrical works.
This includes showcasing and creating stories that define heritage, traditions, and values. Michaela
is a senior from Anderson, Indiana majoring in theater and drama with minors in art management or arts
management and business. And Anu is a sophomore from Indianapolis. Go ahead. Okay, Indy.
and is majoring in neuroscience and has been involved in theater since high school. We are so happy
to have both Michaela and Anu here with us this evening as they present some monologues. So let's welcome
them. Hi, everyone. I'm Anu. And today, I'll be performing Surgeoner's Truth Speech
that she made in 1851 titled, Ain't I a Woman? Well, children, where there is so much racket, there
must be something out of kil. I think that between the Negroes in the South and the woman in the North,
all this here talking about rights, the white man's gonna be in a fix pretty soon.
But what's all this here talking about? That man over there says that woman needs to be helped into
carriages and lifted over ditches and have the best place everywhere. Nobody ever helped me into carriages
or over mud puddles or giving me any best place. Ain't I a woman? Look at me. Look at my arms. I have plowed.
and planted and gathered into barns and no man could head me. Ain't I a woman? I could work as much
and eat as much as a man when I could get it and bare the lashes well. And ain't I a woman? I had born
13 children and seen almost all of them got sold off to slavery. And when I cried the mother's grief,
nobody but Jesus heard me. Ain't I a woman?
They talk about this thing in the head. What's this they call it? Intellect, that's it. What's that
got to do with the woman's rights or Negro's rights? If my cup can hold but a pint and yours holds a
quart, wouldn't you be mean not to let me have my little half-measure fool?
And that little man back there says, woman can't have as much rights as man because Christ wasn't a
woman. Where did your Jesus come from? Where did your Jesus come from? Came from God and a woman. Men
had nothing to do with that. Now if the first woman God had ever made was strong enough to turn this
world upside down,
These women all together ought to be able to turn it around and flip their right side back up again.
Now they asking to do it. And you men, you men better let them. Oblige to you for hearing me. Now, oh,
Surgeoner, ain't got nothing much to say. Thank you.
monologue I will be performing is titled The Mirror by Annie Labara. I am a queen, a slave, a princess,
a clerk, a mother, a bus driver, a factory worker, a PhD. But who am I? I am the embodiment of the past
and the promise of the future.
Throughout my veins flows the spirits of Congo, Sudan, Angola, Tanzania, Kenya, Ethiopia, Guinea, Nigeria,
Cameroon, Mozambique, and Namibia. My ancestors' footsteps echo in the desert sands as they journey
toward a promised land of abundance, a land of pasture and prosperity. I did not choose to be here,
but here I am. Who am I?
Do I belong? I am Africa in America. Am I American? Am I African? Am I both or neither? I don't know.
My past is a constant companion shaping my present and guiding my future. I cannot forget. I am the
scent of earth and grass, the taste of rum and gin,
Distilled spirits you can taste with my lips. My skin, cinnamon colored and radiant, tells the story
of resilience and beauty. I see myself in the mirror of life. They see my skin color and my soft curly
hair. They do not see my soul. A life of struggle and triumph. I see my mother and my grandmother in
my reflection.
their calloused hands and their tired eyes bearing witness to their resilience, the struggle to thrive,
to survive, to remember the past without being defined by it. I am vibrant, bursting with color, not
just in my blood and my skin, but in my clothes and my soul. They call me black, but I am a kaleidoscope
of hues, the embodiment of life itself. Today I choose red.
Red is my favorite color. I vibrate with every thread embroidered on my dress, shining like Africa herself.
I am loud, obnoxious, and unapologetic. I laugh with the force of a thunderstorm, my voice echoing through
the streets like a song. I am hurting inside, but I am loving. I care deeply, fiercely for those who
are mine. I'm a woman of the diaspora, migrant, survivor,
and warrior. I am the rhythm of the drum, the beat of the heart, the soul of the African spirits migrating
across continents. I see you. Do you see me? Do you see my colors or do you only see my blackness? What
do you see? Tell me, do you see our braided hair? Those braids are the roads to follow, the path to
escape. Those braids are our identity.
They are the legacy of my ancestors' freedom. And so as I stand here, a descendant of kings and queens,
of warriors and storytellers, I declare I am not just a survivor or a migrant or the diaspora.
I am a thriver. I am not just a product of a history. I am a creator of my destiny. I am the embodiment
of resilience, the voice of generations past that no one will silence.
in the hope of generations to come. My story continues, unbroken and unyielding, for I am Africa and
my spirit knows no bounds. All right, those were some really, really wonderful and powerful
reflections from both Anu and Michaela. So please, once again, give them another round of applause.
And so our final performances come from Fairview Elementary Show Choir and World Music Club.
And the show choir features fourth through sixth graders and is directed by Brennan and Lee Wilder of
Bloomington Expressive Arts Training. Following that, the World Music Club featuring students in grades
two through six will perform Zimbabwean marimba music on handcrafted instruments under the direction
of Dan Kusea. So let's give it up for Fairview Elementary.
And I used to be able to do all of that. All right. That was an absolutely beautiful performance. So
thank you so much, Fairview Elementary Show Choir. OK. And in the words of our beloved, our beloved
Whitney Houston, AKA The Voice, she said, we believe that children are the future. And so you all know
the rest. So continue to encourage our children to use their gifts and talents in a meaningful way.
So as the World Music Club prepares a reminder to join us next Saturday for the annual Black Market from 10 a.m.
to 2 p.m. here at City Hall. It is a family-friendly opportunity to connect with local businesses, learn
about community resources, and continue celebrating Black History Month together. So be sure to bring
your soft money. Do you all in this digital age know what soft money is? What's soft money?
that paper, all right? Bring that cash. Cash rules everything around me. Cream, get the money, what?
Dollar, dollar bills, y'all, okay? So bring your cash, okay? And you also can bring your credit cards,
your debit cards, whatever you need for your purchases. And you can learn about some of the amazing
resources and opportunities that we have right here in this community. So bring the whole
family. So once again, meet us back here next Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. for this very special
event. All right. So once again, what time will that be? Will the black market be happening? 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
So you will bring once again what soft money and that is?
rules everything around me, cream, get the money, dollar dollar bills, y'all, all right? And also bring
your debit cards in addition, all right? So as the World Music Club continues to set up, I think we
can use this as a time, we're only seven days into Black History Month, so how many of you have gone
to any other Black History Month events around town? Okay, so we got a couple, all right, who is planning
to go to some more after this?
Everybody should have their hands raised, all right? Why? Because we gave you a series of wonderful
events that will be happening. So once again, do not forget that ACE will be performing. That will be Saturday.
February 21st 730 p.m. So let's be sure to pack the Mac We also have the wonderful girls rock Bloomington
who will be having the open mic with the Neil Marshall Black culture center So come check that out on
Sunday that is happening as well and you can also check out a variety of events that will be happening
here throughout the month or
You can also do a little bit of traveling and go check out what else is happening in Indiana, what's
happening in Indianapolis, what's happening in Carmel, what's happening in all of the other respective
places in this state. All right. So, once again, as we continue to get
are set up for our wonderful performances that is happening today. I'm curious to hear from some of
our youth voices. So Bloomington Montessori School, my friends who are up here at the front. I invite
one person to come up, raise hand and tell me what has been their favorite part of the program so far.
I saw you first. Come on up here and tell everybody what has been your favorite part
My favorite part was probably the drums. I also liked the show choir. Okay, all right. So the drums
and the show choir, both wonderful, wonderful. And you know what? I also enjoyed your performance. So
thank you very much, all right. So now, everybody give a round of applause for our friend.
For the final performance of the evening, let's show some love to the Fairview Elementary World Music
Club. Thank you so much. Thank you so much. I'm so much here today to be here. So this music is traditional
music of our ancestors. The way we connect the board.
Music, as a breakfast and a six, will engage people. All our message comes through music. So music means
a lot. So the day from the music, there's a lot of fishing.
Enjoy that, everybody.
And this move right here took me back when I was in high school. I did West African Haitian dance, and
we would do that move also. So once again, I just want to, and we want to thank the Fairview World Music
Club for that beautiful performance. And so it has been an absolutely beautiful day. I think that we
have kicked off Black History Month right. Do you agree?
And so once again, thank you for joining us today. And so remember, there are events happening all month
long, all right? Lionel Richie has a song that goes all night long. Well, we have events happening all
month long, even down to the very last day of the month. So Saturday, February 28,
is the annual Black History Month gala, or some people say gala, gala gala. Now, we need to see you
in your flyest of your fly attire for this affair. There will be a cocktail hour that starts at 6 p.m.
and a program at 7 p.m. that includes some very special award presentations and a silent auction.
So again, bring that soft money, which is what? Because cash rules everything around me.
get the money, dollar dollar bills, y'all. Does anybody know who that is a reference to? Wu Tang, because
Wu Tang is for the kids. All right, so be sure to bring that soft money and you will get a nice plated
meal and we will end the night in a most appropriate way on the dance floor. So go learn your line dances
and tickets are on sale
online or also at the Buskirk Chumlee Theater. And you can purchase, excuse me, individual tickets,
tables, and you can even be a sponsor. So get your tickets because they are selling out fast.
And so again, we want to thank our sponsors for making this and other events possible. We already mentioned
them, but please let's give them another round of applause. All right.
And to all of our amazing performers today, the African American Choral Ensemble, Bloomington Montessori
School, Jada Shivers, Michaela Taylor, Anu Dada, and Fairview Elementary Show Choir and World Music
Club. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
we need your feedback, all right? So let us know your thoughts about today's event by scanning the QR
code and completing a brief survey. The feedback can be sent later, all right? So thank you for joining
us all and have a happy Black History Month. Thank you, everybody.