Africana Festival joins community with campus

Free dinner and entertainment isn't a hard sell, and Oyibo Afoaku knows it. The director of the Neal-Marshall Black Culture Center and inspiration behind Thursday's Fourth Annual Africana Festival, Afoaku said the event has been a yearly success.\nShe brought the idea of the Africana Festival to IU from her former job. The event started out as a way to celebrate Black History Month and has grown into a large festival attracting 600 to 700 people.\nThe program consists of two sections lasting throughout the day. The morning session, from 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. in the Neal-Marshall Black Culture Center, includes crafts and games, informational multicultural tables, a drumming workshop and a spoken word recital. This aspect of the program garners high participation among Bloomington elementary students, Afoaku said. Welcoming remarks will be given by Patrick O'Meara, dean of international programs, and the keynote speaker is Beverly Calender-Anderson, Bloomington's Safe and Civil City program director. A student leader panel of seven individuals will be moderated by the Director of the Office of Diversity Education Eric Love. \nThe second part of the event takes place from 5 to 8 p.m. in the Indiana Memorial Union's Alumni Hall. Described as a "soul food dinner with entertainment," attendance is limited to the first 300 people because of limited food. As the event has sold out for the past four years, Afoaku advised attendees to pick up their free tickets at the NMBCC before Thursday to ensure a seat.\nEntertainment after the dinner will include choir and solo singing performances from Bloomington High School North and a local church, in addition to a keynote address from IU President Adam Herbert. The Blackberry Jam Band from Indianapolis will also play, and student speeches and dance performances can be expected. The final event will be stepping by black greek organizations. \n"This is a very tasking program in the sense that you have a lot going into it," Afoaku said.\nThis event's planning committee consists of 19 members. The NMBCC seeks out forum members, sources of entertainment, panelists, speakers and sponsorship a year before the actual event, she said. \n"There's no way you can wait until January or February," she said.\nThe event's 15 sponsors represent University programs and organizations, students and the Bloomington community, according to the Africana Festival program. The event is run by the NMBCC and the dinner is paid for by the IU Student Association.\n"We normally like to collaborate with everybody around the campus," Afoaku said. \nAll speakers at this year's festival will address its theme, "Leadership and Service." Afoaku said she sees students as future leaders who can learn from today's leaders.\n"This program is one that builds bridges," she said.\nIU student De'Ondray Pope shares Afoaku's conviction.\n"African Americans played an essential role in getting everything done in this country so this country can be as streamlined as it is," he said. "I think it's a very important issue, a very important program that needs to be done."\nSaying the festival is not just for blacks, Afoaku encouraged all to participate.\n"The Africana Festival is a very inclusive program," she said. "It brings everyone in to some extent"