Go Africa Carnvial NYC 2021 Inspires Joy, Unity, and Community
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The #goafricacarnival was especially powerful this year. Due to the special circumstances surrounding quarantine and the pandemic you could sense there was pent up energy among the people as they waited with bated breath for a sweet release. This festival was the sweet release of energy from a collective whose main object was to spread joy, unity, and community.
Usually mass gatherings of a concentrate of black people will garner negative attention, but there was no negative vibes to be seen or felt. There was a strong sense of unity and inclusivity. The event was not just for Africans, but for all who share the principles of peace and love. The crowd was led in a group chant by members of the Ikenga Royal African Village who shouted with joy “It takes a village to raise a child! Ase!” Ase or ashe (from Yoruba àṣẹ) is a West African philosophical concept through which the Yoruba of Nigeria conceive the power to make things happen and produce change. Ase was spoken in unison by the crowd several times throughout the event. It sent a powerful message that through unity and togetherness we can accomplish great and mighty things. A provocative and timely sentiment since a majority of the trending media is filled with a “divide and hate” context.
The Go Africa Carnival is a prime example of how community events should be executed. The organizers did a fantastic job, and we have already marked our calendar for next year’s event.
