Black History Month Concludes with Celebration of Students and Community

LAUREN KAY CHIARADIO

On March 1st and 2nd, Black Americans Demonstrating Unity (BADU) celebrated the end of Black History Month in dual events honoring black excellence and culture. The first of the two events was BADU’s first Awards banquet on March 1st,t which was catered by Winston-Salem restaurant Prime Tyme and given a donation by BB&T.

The results of awards for the banquet are as follows:

Hines-Gaither Award: Tamia House

Squad Award: Khadija Bangura, Fafa Glover-Tay, Zykeria Carlton, and Tai Batchelor

Best Big/Little Award: Krystal Johnson and Kay-Kay Reeves

Dynamic Duo Award: Destiny Mims and Shania Douglas

Humanitarian Award: Destiny Mims

New Kid on the Block Award: Miracle Johnson

Survivor Award: Khadija Bangura

Endurance Award: Nakila Evans

I Was Here Award: Shania Douglas

Petty Award: Shenell Pharr

Excellence Award: Sarah-Esther Belinga

MVP Award: Aaliyah Webb

Golden Award: Alexus Little

Savant Award: Ariel Autrey

Virtuoso Award: Imani Brown

And BADU’s Choice Award: Shalondra Brown

The second of the events occurred on March 2nd,  and was BADU’s fourth annual Black History Month Finale Show. The event was a stunningly beautiful display of black culture and excellence in the Winston-Salem community. The variety of performers in attendance included dancers, singers, poets and others celebrating themselves through music, movement and the written word.

Among the variety of talented performers were Salem College’s gospel choir The Joyful Sounds, Parkland High School’s Dancing Debs, Voices of God’s Children, Salem Academy’s Modern Black Beauties, Kay-Kay Reeves, Kam Brower-Daniel, the African Student Organization’s (ASO) Afro-Dance Team, Sarah-Esther Belinga and the Ghost Ryders Step Team.

In addition to the performances, Dr. Shawn Ricks gave a beautiful speech reminding those in attendance of the importance of “intergenerational celebrations of … history and culture [as] they remind us all of the role that the past [has] on the future.” Also, eleven-year-old non-profit owner JCB inspired the audience to dream, along with teaching her very own JCB dance.

Featured businesses from the Finale Show included Carolina’s Vineyards and Hops, JCB Dance, Body and Soul, Chef J’Avia Scents and Crafts, Imkomezi Fashion, and Baleyera Boutique.