KUUMBA FESTIVAL HISTORY
Shadidi Amma - About the Founder
Born January 21, 1956 in the country sides of Georgia, Stephanie “Shadidi Amma” Bryant was raised with a very spiritual upbringing that stressed the importance of family and helping your neighbor. Shadidi’s interest in social activism developed as a very young teenager when she was met with a challenge of identity posed by her older brother when he asked the question, “Who are you?” She answered, “colored?” “No,” he replied. “Negro.” “No,” he said. “You’re black. Back then "Black" was a negative to her. But she listened. In her own words, “I always listened to my big brother, and what he said just stuck with me. I researched and I met others who helped me understand what being black was all about.”
She began to develop self-pride and love for who she was. This was something she wanted to share with others. She became active with a cultural center in Jacksonville, Florida, where she performed with others through the center’s programs on many occasions, as well as many other locations as the years went by. It was at the cultural center that she gained her love for theatre. She also began to write poetry during those years. Later, in a quest to know more about the African American holiday of Kwanzaa, she became a part of an organization called Some Positive People. It was SSP and another culturally conscious organization that sponsored the first community Kwanzaa celebration some 25 years ago. She learned how to interpret self, society and the world. She learned many different ideologies but most comprehensively to the ideas of Kawaida, developed by Dr. Maulana Karenga (creator of Kwanzaa), which played a very important role in developing her understanding of all around her.
Through frequent conversations with friends and advisors, they saw the need to establish cultural activities in the Jacksonville community, just like she was used to when she was at the cultural center in the 70s. Their involvement together with a cultural festival in Orlando, Florida helped them to realize that they could do the same thing in Jacksonville. With the consul of another festival director, they set out to birth the Kuumba Festival. With the help of members of the Carter G. Woodson Committee for Positive Education, Inc., Kuumba had its initial debut in 1988. Through Kuumba, Shadidi went on to found the Youth Link Project, a cultural arts youth program which she directed, in conjunction with the Eastside Theater Production Company. She continued the mission for cultural integration within many schools, churches, community centers, festival, etc., performing and teaching about African Heritage.
In 1995 she worked as a program assistant with Operation S.T.R.E.E.T.S. There she worked with youth ages 6 - 16 developing rites of passage programs and an african dance theatre group made up of kids known as S.T.R.E.E.T. Kid Dancers who performed throughout Northeast Florida. After the end of the Operation S.T.R.E.E.T.S. program in 1998 the group changed its name to the Rhythm Dancers, continuing performances all over the region. Shadidi loved working with youth. She believed that if we are going to touch the hearts and minds of our community to move in a more positive and productive direction, "we have to begin with our youth."
Shadidi will long be remembered for her hard work, commitment, and passion for integrating African culture, the arts, and pride at a time when little to nothing was available for black/African youth in the South.
Thank you Shadidi from the community of Jacksonville! We will always love you and keep your Vision in motion.
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KUUMBA FESTIVAL OUTLOOK
The Kuumba Festival was introduced to the community by the Carter G. Woodson Committee for Positive Education of Jacksonville, Inc. in 1988. The festival includes The Great Kings and Queens of Africa Parade, a variety of general, merchandise and food vendors; and professional workshops covering african dance, health-related issues, motivation, empowerment and education. The Festival also features a youth tent and community rally, fun games, guests speakers, plus entertainment featuring local and national talent. During the past 20 years, we have moved the festival to different areas within the Jacksonville Eastside and Northside neighborhoods to promote a sense of tradition and community.
The 21st Annual African, African-American Cultural Arts and Music Kuumba Festival has grown from a crowd of 2,000 patrons in 1988 to as many as 20,000 in 1997, and we are still growing. It has also expanded from a two-day weekend festival to a series of pre-festival activities with educational workshops and creative performances spread throughout the course of several months prior to this most memorable main event.
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The Carter G. Woodson Committee for Positive Education of Jacksonville, Inc. is the founding organization of the Kuumba Festival. The Woodson Committee is a grass roots organization dedicated to:
- The circulation and restoration of African Culture;
- Positive development and education of young minds to instill self-pride, confidence and achievement through the use of cultural education team building skills and successful attitude.
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Through the Woodson Committee the Festival has been a spring board for creating other cultural festivals, businesses, and an acceptance for more cultural programs in our community and schools. |
