Miami, FL – The 34th Annual Mary Williams Woodard Legacy Kwanzaa Celebration will be presented on Saturday, December 28, 2024, from 3 PM to 6 PM at the Samuel Johnson Youth Center, located at Charles Hadley Park. This exciting event is hosted by the City of Miami in partnership with the Miami-Dade Chapter of the Florida A&M University National Alumni Association, the Arthur and Mary Woodard Foundation for Education and Culture, Osun’s Village Miami, and Behavioral Health Associates of South Florida.

Kwanzaa is a time to reflect on community, culture, and the values that unite us. “Kwanzaa provides each of us an opportunity to reflect on the seven principles. and reaffirm our African heritage and culture,” said FAMU Alumni Miami-Dade Chapter President Miranda Albury.

Talitha Anyabwele

Diaunte Jenkins

Shardonay Daily

This year’s celebration will feature engaging activities, cultural performances, and opportunities to learn about the rich traditions of Kwanzaa. Our Kwanzaa message will be delivered by author, educational consultant and CEO of Black Girl Speaks, Talitha Anyabwele and talent performances  will be shared by director, choreographer, dancer and educator Diaunte Jenkins and singer Shardonay Daily. Youth attendees will also have the opportunity to participate in Zoe’s Dolls Great Toy Giveaway, where “little brown dolls for little brown girls,” educational toys and books for boys and girls will be distributed.

Here are this year’s Community Elders to be honored at the celebration. Community Elders are selected for their longstanding contribution to the uplift of the Black community .

• Barbara Anders
• Rodney Baltimore
• Dr. Dorothy Bendross-Mindingall
• Harold Ford
• Richard Gibson
• “Broadway” Cuthbert Harewood
• Rubye Howard
• James “Munch” Mungin
• Eric Pettus
• Veronica Rahming
• Pierre Rutledge
• Dininzulu “Gene” Tinnie
• Dr. Wallis Tinnie
• Thomasina Turner
• David Williams Jr.
• Robert Wilson

Community members are encouraged to bring donations of new, unwrapped educational toys and books for boys and girls to support this initiative. Your contributions will help ensure that every child in our community has access to resources that inspire learning and growth.

If You Go:

Event Details:

- Date:  Saturday, December 28, 2024

- Time:  3 PM - 6 PM

- Location:  Samuel Johnson Youth Center at Charles Hadley Park

- Address:  4900 NW 12th Ave., Miami, FL 33127

Don’t miss this afternoon filled with joy, education, and community spirit as we honor Kwanzaa together. RSVP via Eventbrite at https://bit.ly/famukwanzaa24.  For more information, contact the FAMUNAA Miami-Dade Chapter at [email protected].

Let’s celebrate our heritage, honor our elders and empower our youth!

Katt Williams

Katt Williams will debut his new comedy special, which will stream LIVE on Netflix from the YouTube Theater in Inglewood, California, as part of Netflix Is A Joke Fest on May 4, 2024, at 7 PM PDT/10 PM EST. This will be Katt Williams’s third comedy special with Netflix. His previous specials include "World War III" and "Great America." The show is part of the Netflix is a Joke Comedy Fest taking place in Los Angeles from May 2-12 with a comedy marathon of over 300 shows across 35+ venues.

Netflix is a Joke Fest, the biggest comedy festival in North America,  is back and bigger than ever. Produced by Netflix in association with Live Nation, the star-studded celebration of comedy from May 2 - May 12, 2024, will feature over 300 live stand-up shows, special events, table reads, sketches, and more with the best comedians and artists in the world. For 11 days, the comedy community will take over more than 35 of Los Angeles’  most beloved landmarks such as the Hollywood Bowl, The Greek, The Dolby, The Forum, The Palladium, the Orpheum Theatre, and The Wiltern as well as historic comedy venues including The Hollywood Improv, Largo, Laugh Factory and The Comedy Store.

Netflix is one of the world's leading entertainment services, with over 260 million paid memberships in over 190 countries, enjoying TV series, films, and games across a wide variety of genres and languages. Members can play, pause and resume watching as much as they want, anytime, anywhere, and can change their plans at any time.

Photo credit: Ronald Pollard Photography

Father’s Day is a special day dedicated to honoring the father figures in our lives. It is a day to celebrate and appreciate the love, guidance, and support that fathers provide. On this day, we take the time to express our gratitude and show our love for our dads and father figures.

The origins of Father’s Day can be traced back to the early 20th century. It was first celebrated in the United States in 1910 when a woman named Sonora Smart Dodd wanted to honor her father, who had raised her and her siblings as a single parent. She proposed the idea of a day to celebrate fathers, and the first Father’s Day was celebrated in Spokane, Washington on June 19, 1910.

Since then, Father’s Day has become a popular holiday around the world. It is celebrated on different dates in different countries, but the sentiment remains the same – to honor and appreciate the role of fathers in our lives.

On Father’s Day, families often gather together to spend time with their dads. This may involve going out for a special meal, giving gifts, or simply spending time doing activities that the father enjoys. It is also a time to reflect on the positive impact that fathers have on their children’s lives and to express gratitude for their love and support.

Father’s Day can be a difficult time for those who have lost their fathers or who have strained relationships with them. It is important to remember that not all families are the same and that Father’s Day can be celebrated in many different ways. Some may choose to honor father figures who are not biologically related or to celebrate the role of single mothers who have fulfilled both parental roles.

Whatever your situation may be, Father’s Day is a reminder of the importance of family and the love that we share with those who have helped shape us into the people we are today. So, take the time to appreciate your father and father figures this Father’s Day, and let them know just how much they mean to you.

Morris Day and Jerome Benton of Morris Day and The Time perform onstage during the 2022 Soul Train Awards presented by BET at the Orleans Arena on November 13, 2022 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Paras Griffin/Getty Images for BET)

The Soul Train Awards 2022 presented by BET and hosted by award-winning comedian and actor Deon Cole, featured a lineup of unforgettable performances including special moments and appearances by some of the brightest stars in Black culture and entertainment. 

The event kicked off with the “Soul Train Awards Red Carpet Special,” with hosts Tank covering the Main Stage, Letoya Luckett on the Correspondent Stage, and Novi Brown (“Tyler Perry’s Sistas”) in the Walmart Lounge. Beyoncé led the night with three wins for Album of The Year, Song of the Year and Best Collaboration with Ronald Isley & The Isley Brothers. 

Trailblazing 90’s R&B supergroup Xscape was crowned Lady of Soul at this year’s Awards. The award was presented to them by their legendary producer and So So Def Recordings founder Jermaine Dupri, who spoke fondly about knowing the group was destined for stardom when he met them. 

Xscape embodied elegance as they graced the stage and  accepted the award. The group  performed some of their biggest hits, including “My Little Secret,” “Who Can I Run To?,” ''Tonight,” and fan-favorite “Just Kickin It” with surprise guest Jermaine Dupri, to which the audience bumped, grooved, and sang along word for word. Xscape ended their performance with their powerful ballad, “Understanding.”

Iconic funk brand Morris Day & The Time closed out the night with the Legend Award, presented to them by JB Smoove. After reflecting on the group’s success, and their days collaborating with Prince, Morris Day & The Time accepted the award and expressed profound gratitude. The group then brought their blend of funk and soul to the stage, performing a medley of their classic hits including “Cool,” “777,” “Jungle Love,” and closing out with crowd favorite “Bird,” keeping the audience on their feet dancing until the last note.

Here is the complete list of Soul Train Awards 2022 winners:
 
Best New Artist
Tems  
 
Certified Soul Award
Mary J. Blige          
 
Best R&B/Soul Female Artist
Jazmine Sullivan  
 
Best R&B/Soul Male Artist
Chris Brown         
 
Best Gospel/Inspirational Award
Maverick City Music X Kirk Franklin          
 
Song of the Year
Break My Soul  -    Beyoncé
  
Album of the Year
Renaissance     -     Beyoncé
 
The Ashford and Simpson Songwriter’s Award
Hrs & Hrs  -  Muni Long
 
Best Dance Performance
About Damn Time  Lizzo

Best Collaboration
Make Me Say It Again, Girl     -    Ronald Isley & The Isley Brothers Feat. Beyoncé
 
Video of the Year
Smokin Out The Window  -   Bruno Mars, Anderson Paak, Silk Sonic

Watch an encore airing of Soul Train Awards 2022, Sunday, November 27 at 8 PM ET/PT and Thursday, December 1 at 9 PM ET/PT on BET. The Soul Train Awards 2022 will air internationally on BET Africa on Sunday, November 27 at 3:00 CAT, BET France on Thursday, December 1 at 20:45 PM CET. The show will also be available to watch on My5 and Sky On-Demand in the UK beginning Thursday, December 1.

On this fourth Thursday in November many will gather with family and friends for a sumptuous meal with all the trimmings. We will enjoy a Thanksgiving Parade and football game as we wait in anticipation for Black Friday sales and the Christmas shopping season. For others the reality of the challenges of life --- food insecurity, housing insecurity, illness, debt and loss of loved ones make this day difficult to navigate. Let's be mindful of that. 

The Thanksgiving holiday, as many have been taught, is based on a mythical dinner between Native Americans and Pilgrims. As with many American traditions, we have drifted so far away from the original intent that we basically just enjoy the day off from work or school without consideration of its origin or purpose. In the case of Thanksgiving that is a good thing. To the indigenous peoples of America, Thanksgiving, like Columbus Day is traumatic as it was not peaceful but violent and resulted in the death of their ancestors. Let's be mindful of that. 

As history is being whitewashed and in some cases erased, it is ever more crucial that we teach ourselves and our children the truth outside of their traditional classroom. So, know the facts about Thanksgiving. Continue to express gratitude and enjoy your time with family and friends even if you are trash-talking each other about a football game or a game of bid whist. 

Family is the foundation of our community. We thank you for joining us in this movement as we strengthen our family bonds for future generations. Give Thanks every day. Asé. Amen.

More than 200,000 fans are expected in South Florida for Rolling Loud Miami 2022 at Hard Rock Stadium.

It's that time of year again; Rolling Loud, the world's largest hip hop music festival, will be held at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens from July 22 - July 24. Rolling Loud Miami Friday night headliner, Kanye West, is no longer performing this year and has been replaced with Kid Cudi. Future and Kendrick Lamar are the headliners for Saturday and Sunday, respectively.

The 2022 Rolling Loud Tour includes Rolling Loud Toronto on September 9 - September 11 at Ontario Place and Rolling Loud New York on September 23 - September 25 at Citi Field. There were previous Rolling Loud 2022 stops in Portugal and the Netherlands. For more information, visit www.rollingloud.com.

This evening, the Religious Affairs Committee of the Miami-Dade Branch NAACP will continue with their series on local religious leaders, Meet the Pastor.

This episode’s special guests are Rev. Dr. Jimmie L. Bryant, Senior Pastor and Lady Estella King-Bryant of Antioch Missionary Baptist Church of Liberty City. You don’t want to miss this lively, educational, engaging and motivational conversation. Pastor and Lady Bryant are inarguably one of the most forward-thinking religious couples around.

• When: TONIGHT, July 11, 2022, 7:00 PM ET 
• Where: Via Zoom & Facebook Live 
• ZOOM Meeting ID: 853 4173 4135  Passcode: 640493 
• Facebook Live: @MiamiDadeNAACP

As Americans witness the advancement and passage of laws making it more difficult to vote throughout the nation, the Miami-Dade Chapter of the National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC) is hosting an important symposium on Sunday, February 20, 2022, 6 PM ET, “Voting Rights Act-The Power of Now: Why it’s important to you!” This virtual event is designed to educate, inform, mobilize and empower voters.  Visit https://tinyurl.com/36e6a7dj to pre-register for the event. 

The NPHC is a collaborative council of Black Greek-letter fraternities and sororities informally known as the “Divine Nine.” These organizations have historically played a significant role in fighting for civil rights in America and in Get Out The Vote initiatives. 

Laura Coates will lead this conversation on voting rights. She is a CNN senior legal analyst, SiriusXM talk show host, attorney, author and college professor. Other panelists are Congresswoman Frederica Wilson (AKA), State Senator Shevrin Jones (ΑΦΑ), State Representative Christopher Benjamin (ΩΨΦ), Wilkie D. Ferguson Jr. Bar Association Trelvis Randolph (ΦΒΣ), and Vanessa Woodard Byers (ΑΚΑ), creator and editor of Blogging Black Miami. 

Don’t miss this lively, engaging and informative discussion Sunday,  February 20, 2022, at 6 PM ET. Join the conversation by pre-registering at https://tinyurl.com/36e6a7dj. 

Dr. Keietta Givens (ΔΣΘ) is president of the Miami-Dade Chapter of the NPHC. 

The South Florida Chapter of the National Alumnae Association of Spelman College will present their "All That Jazz" 2021 Virtual Scholarship Fundraiser and Live Auction on Sunday, June 27, 2021, 3 PM ET.

Event co-hosts are Spelman alumnae Christie Grays Chambers, commercial realtor and founder of I am CHIC, and Betty Davis, Chief Meteorologist, WPLG-10.

You can win exquisite items while empowering the next generation of global women leaders in the liberal arts, sciences, and business.

Since 1881, Spelman College has produced notable alumnae such as Stacey Abrams, Alice Walker, Rosalind Brewer, Keshia Knight Pulliam, Esther Rolle, Dr. Dorothy Jenkins Fields, Marian Wright Edelman, and Bernice King.

RSVP at sfnaasc.org.