By Rebecca Flores
sac-ranger@alamo.edu
The fourth annual African Festival, a Black History Month event, is 11 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Thursday, in the Fiesta Room of Loftin Student Center.
Dee Dixon, who has been a member of the Black History Month Committee since 2012, stated “The African Festival is an event where we try to bring in different acts and entertainers together.”
“We will have some local artists that include a drummer by the name of T-Bow Gonzales as well as an African dancer by the name of Deirdre Lacour, who many may know from Urban-15,” Dixon said. “We also will have a Brazilian martial arts group by the name of Capoeira Luanda.”
Not only will guests be entertained, they will also have an opportunity to get involved.
“Each of the various acts will encourage the audience to participate,” she said. “T-Bow will invite some people to play the drums, Deirdre will teach some people a few dance steps and the Capoeira group will teach people some basic Capoeira moves.”
The African Festival will have many African foods for people to taste. The foods will include a rice dish that is Ghanaian-inspired as well as another dish that is Cameroonian-inspired.
“The reason why we incorporate food is because across many cultures there are basic ingredients people start off with, but it is what they add to it that makes every culture unique,” Dixon said.
Barbara Knotts, director of creative media and chair of the Black History Month Committee at the college, stated “I think it is important because other ethnic groups share with us their cultures, history and food. This time, we get to share also, especially during this month of black history.”