By Lil Nickelson
The African American Day Parade (“AADP”) put on its 55th annual parade in Harlem this year on the third Sunday in September.
This year AADP also hosted its second annual Community Resource Fair on the day before the parade, Saturday, September 14th, 2024, from 11 am to 5 pm in the outdoor plaza at the Adam Clayton Powell Jr. State Office building at 163 West 125th Street in Harlem, NY.
It was at AADP’s media press conference kickoff event the weekend before held at the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture at 515 Malcolm X Blvd in Harlem. that I first learned about the resource fair. The theme for this second annual fair was “Get Involved,” and it would highlight community literacy, health & cultural celebration. Instead of only writing about it, I decided right then to be about it, and I approached Jazminn Robinson, head of volunteers and offered up myself as a volunteer willing to report at 9am the next Saturday.
It was sunny, not humid all day in the outdoor plaza, where different vendors were stationed comfortably across the space. Give aways included Harlem Shake with two types of lemonade you could sample, tote bags publicizing eating healthy and staying healthy, arts & crafts play stations for the youth, health screenings tables, vendors selling fresh produce or desserts by Reverence restaurant, vegan and fresh fried fish or honey made from bee hives in Central Harlem were available to purchase.
Prior to the beginning of the program, as a volunteer, I stuffed giveaway bags for the kids, helped secure AADP’s step and repeat signage along a stone pillar column in front, and stomped on as many pesty bugs flying around the pillars too. No job was too small or big that we did not collectively manage as a team.
The program began when R & B’s current lead singer in Double Exposure James Burris, one of the parade’s announcers introduced AADP’s executive director Yusef Hassan to those assembled. Dr. Bob Lee from WBLS is always in the house; AADP is one of his favorite organizations to work with year after year. Yusef mentioned how this year ABC News would be covering the parade on television the next afternoon for several hours versus the five-minute take every NYC network station normally devotes to Harlem’s parade, which is one of the largest African American parades in America.
A health panel was assembled of healthcare professionals, spoke, and then fielded questions from the audience. It is a small world because one of my friends in attendance ran into her primary care physician, who was on the panel. Independent book publishers were there to discuss their business and how you could benefit from their services.
There were live performances by up-and-coming singers, rappers, and spoken word artists along with story reading to the youth in the audience. AADP leaders gave out numerous accolades and awards during the festivities to recognize the unpaid volunteers that give of their time and talent to the parade year after year, and now have added the resource fair to their tasks.
This year’s parade theme was “Good Leader = Good Government…Vote!” Grand marshals were NYS Attorney Leticia James, NYS Lieutenant Governor Antoni Delgado, NYC Council Speaker Adrienne Adams, NYS Senator Cordell Cleare. Marshals were Bronz Borough President Vanessa Gibson, Harlem’s own NYC Council member Yusef Salaam, and NYS Assemblymember Stefani Zinerman. Dr. Hazel N. Dukes, President of NYS NAACP Conference rode along the parade route with outgoing NYS Assembly member Inez Dickens and former US Congressman Charles Rangel.
This year’s upcoming election and the need to get out the vote was evident with the voter registration materials that were available to those who needed them. T-shirts proclaiming Vice President Kamala Harris for President were on sale by the normal street vendors that align the north side stretch of 125th Street. I did not view one that mentioned of the candidate she is running against.
Lil Nickelson
Lil Nickelson is a Senior Consultant with an MBA degree focused on Finance and Financial Management Services from New York University, Leonard N. Stern School of Business. Skilled in sales, management, business development, marketing strategy, and social media, with a history of working in the food and beverages industry. Her column “Dining with Miss Lil” has been featured in Harlem newspapers and with Harlem World Magazine for numerous years.
Photo Credits: 1) The Plaza. 2) Harlem Westside Publishing. By Stephanie Elaine Reed.
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