( ENSPIRE Community Spotlight ) National Black Cultural Information Trust Inc, Brings African American Cultural Expo and Children’s Book Festival to Silver Spring Maryland
ENSPIRE Contributor: Daniel Garritson
The National Black Cultural Information Trust Inc. hosted the African American Cultural Expo and Children’s Book Festival last Saturday, July 22, 2023. The event took place from 10 am – 4 pm ET in Silver Springs, Maryland. The expo and festival featured local businesses, artists, and children’s book authors, and was hosted at the Silver Spring Civic Center inside the Buffalo Soldiers Great Hall.
Throughout the day, attendees could attend book readings from local authors, create their own arts and crafts, shop with vendors, and attend live performances. Each child in attendance would receive a gift bag. Grammy-Nominated Children’s Entertainer, Author, and Educator, “Culture Queen” was the Mistress of Ceremonies. The event featured dozens of Black authors from the DMV area. There were also performances by L-Stringz Celebrity Violinist and Magician Don Juan.
Jessica Ann Mitchell Aiwuyor, Founder and Executive Director of the National Black Cultural Information Trust, Inc., said about the event:
“We’re excited to bring the African American Cultural Expo and Children’s Book Festival to life in Silver Spring, Maryland. Our number one goal is to provide access to educational resources and information to communities of African descent, especially among our youth. The African American Cultural Expo and Children’s Book Festival is our opportunity to connect authors, storytellers, musicians, and artisans with local families as accessible resources for cultural education and learning.”
The event served to bring joy and unity to the local community and celebrate Black culture.
The National Black Cultural Information Trust, Inc. describes itself as “a Pan-African initiative that uses communications, media, and cultural storytelling to share information and resources that correct and challenge cultural misinformation and disinformation surrounding racial/ethnic identity, anti-Blackness, and other false narratives that harm our communities,”. The NCBI Trust is supported by the MacArthur Foundation. The Legaci Press and DARCARS Automotive Group are sponsors of the African American Cultural Expo and Children’s Book Festival.
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