Get culture, encouragement at Black Family Day in Reidsville

Black Family Day

The 12th Annual Black Family Day is Saturday in downtown Reidsville. The event, organizers say, is a celebration of unity in the black community and a time of learning and fellowship.

“This is a way for people who want to make our community stronger to interact with each other. It’s a good, easy way to get people together,” said Amon Muhammad, founder and coordinator.

The theme of this year’s Black Family Day is “Stop the Killing! The Future is About Y.O.U.T.H.” The acronym stands for Youth Organized and United To Help.

“That’s what we’re trying to do — to get young people involved so they can learn how to start organizing, meeting other young people,” said Muhammad. For the first time at Black Family Day, the youth will have a chance to participate in a “Stop the Killing” art contest. Muhammad said the purpose is to “start teaching them how to use arts and culture to diminish violence.”

Black Family Day showcases the talents of spoken word artists, singers and dancers. Muhammad said June is Black Music Month, one of the reasons he chose the last Saturday of June to host the annual event. The cultural outdoor program begins at 11 a.m. at Scales and Morehead streets.

Dymez “Da General,” a local rap artist who recently performed at the Rockingham Theatre, is one of the acts booked for the event. Others are Willie T. Green, a gospel singer from Martinsville, Va., Hype 4 Life Dance Team from Winston-Salem, a Reggaeton group from Panama, and Sun Moon Dojo, a martial arts group from Greensboro. A live African dance troupe, which was popular with the crowd at last year’s Black Family Day, will return.

Jacqori, a 16-year-old hip-hop/R&B artist from Greensboro, will bring his encouraging message to the youth of Reidsville on Saturday afternoon. The all-original lyrics of Jacqori’s songs have a positive message and are profanity-free.

“You can still be hot without cursing in your rhyme,” said Jacqori. In the song, “I Cry,” Jacqori talks about not being ashamed to express his emotions for a girl. Jacqori isn’t afraid to show off his talent as a singer, either. He encourages other young aspiring artists to pursue their dreams.

“Take full passion in what you do and just have faith, and believe in yourself 100 percent,” he said. Jacqori has been a professional hip-hop/R&B artist with Bent Face Records since the age of 14.

While Black Family Day is a great venue of expression for artists such as Jacqori, it’s also a good place for vendors with an “entrepreneurial spirit,” according to Muhammad. A workshop at the Reidsville Public Library on Saturday focuses on entrepreneurship. Muhammad said the workshop gives young people options in a flailing job market by teaching them how to sell their own products and start their own businesses. Another workshop describes how to form a health-care network to address health problems in the black community, such as the high rates of chronic diseases. The workshops for self-improvement begin at noon.

Other reasons to go to Black Family Day is the food — from hot dogs and hamburgers to Italian ice and frozen lemonade — and the children’s activities. The Family Fun Village will feature kiddie swings, a berry-go-round, crawl-throughs and a moon bounce.

“It’s a safe environment for the children,” Muhammad said.

Families are encouraged to pre-register for Black Family Day. Visit www.blackfamilyday.org.

Talent Search TV

A talent search TV show will begin airing July 6 from 5 to 6 p.m. on Time Warner Cable Channel 58 in Madison. A weekly talent search and taping will be held at The Brickyard Tavern at 100 W. Murphy St. in Madison at 9 p.m. beginning Friday. Producers will select one winner each week from The Brickyard Tavern.

Concert at the Park

Veronica and Co. are performing a concert at the Eden Kiwanis Amphitheater at Freedom Park in Eden on Saturday from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Veronica Jones, lead singer, performs regularly at Cafe 99 in Reidsville. She sings Tina Turner and a variety of other music. Saturday’s concert is free and open to the public. Bring a lawn chair or blanket.

Children of Eden

The Theatre Guild of Rockingham County presents “Children of Eden,” a Broadway musical. Showings are at 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 2:30 p.m. Sunday. All showings are in the Advanced Technologies Building auditorium at Rockingham Community College in Wentworth. Tickets are $10 for adults and $7 for students and children. Tickets can be purchased in advance at www.tgrc-nc.com or at the door.

Fishing Derby

The Madison-Mayodan Recreation Department holds its annual Fishing Derby at Farris Memorial Park from 8 to 11 a.m. Saturday. Check-in begins at 7 a.m. Registration for the event is $2 for ages 13 and under and $7 for ages 14 and above. All anglers are required to bring their own bait. Participants receive a T-shirt, and prizes and awards will be given to winners in various age divisions. The recreation department and Fuzzy’s Barbecue are co-sponsoring the event. To pre-register, call 548-2789 or 548-9572.

Amateur Radio Field Day

The Rockingham County Amateur Radio Club holds its annual Field Day exercises Saturday and Sunday at Lake Reidsville, at shelter No. 1. The event begins at 1 p.m. Saturday and ends at 3 p.m. Sunday. Field Day is an opportunity for amateur radio operators across the nation to practice quickly setting up equipment using emergency power and attempting to contact as many other amateurs as possible. The exercise helps train amateur radio operators to be a vital link to communities in the event of disaster. For more information, call Paul Patterson at 548-2027.

Benefit Supper

The Rockingham Humane Society is holding a hot dog and hamburger supper from 1 to 5 p.m. Saturday at Scotty’s Carpet Service at 636 Boone Road in Eden. Supper includes hot dog or hamburger, chips, drink and dessert. Proceeds benefit the Rockingham Humane Society. Call 623-4428.

Health Awareness and Family Fun Day

Hayes Chapel United Methodist Church, at 111 Bethany Road in Madison, will team up with Layne’s Family Pharmacy to sponsor Health Awareness and Family Fun Day from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday. The event includes free blood-sugar checks, free weights, and those with old glucose meters can trade them in for a free one. Information will be available in the areas of education, health care, wills, diabetes and more. Call Ann Joyner at 613-0826 or Wanda Harris at 403-3457.

CrossWalk Cafe

Two Christian groups – Unmasked from Charleston, S.C., and Impact Praise Team from New Life Assembly Church in Wentworth – will provide the entertainment at the CrossWalk Cafe on Saturday. The cafe opens at 7 p.m. and closes at 10. Refreshments are available for minimal donations. CrossWalk Cafe is in the old sanctuary of the Church of God of Prophecy at 13811 old N.C. 87 in Eden (across from the old Unifi building). The cafe is free and open to the public.

Music at The Buzz

Phil Sparks will provide the music at the Backstreet Buzz Coffee House at 234 S.W. Market St. in Reidsville from 7 to 9 p.m. Saturday.

Take Two

Greensboro’s Fun Fourth Festival will kick off Saturday with a Fun Fourth Freedom Run and Walk at 8 a.m. Run or walk in honor of a veteran or active-duty military member. The race starts at the Greensboro Marriott Downtown. The celebration continues Sunday from 1 to 6 p.m. with Heritage Day at the Blandwood Mansion. The event will feature Revolutionary War re-enactors and bluegrass and Americana music, including headliner Carolina Chocolate Drops. Visit http://www.aroundthepiedmonttriad.com/gsofestivals/FunFourth/index-fun4.htm.

• Staff writer Miranda Baines can be reached at mbaines@reidsvillereview.com or 349-4331, ext. 35.