Afro Latino Festival brings culture and live music to D.C. area
By Patricia McDougall
On Saturday, Aug. 31 the Mayor’s Office on Latino Affairs held its third annual D.C. Afro Latino Fest in the Franklin Park area of the nation’s capital. The Afro-Latino community put on a vibrant show, complete with live music, dance, food, face painting, vendors, artists and more. Families joined in on the festivities with picnic blankets and baskets of food. Others patronized the various vendor trucks that lined the street with food from the Afro-Latino community.
The event brings D.C.’s Afro-Latino community together for culture, live music and a day full of excitement.
AFRO Photos / Patricia McDougall
Bailey Flowers (left) and Maya Flowers have a fabulous time at the Afro Latino Fest in D.C.
Natalie Darko (left), Sharon Senam, Priscilla Oduro and Natasha Darko enjoy the food and festivities at the Afro Latino Fest.
Pascaline Toh (left), Koko Marson and her daughter, Leomile Marson, dance to the sounds of Afro-Latino music.
Cindy Onyekwere-Mitchell(top left), Kenneth Mitchell, (bottom left) Kendall Zikorachukwu Mitchell and Kennedy Chizaramaku Mitchell enjoy a day of family fun at the Afro Latino Festival in D.C.’s Franklin Park.
The Yasser Tejeda Band performs live at the Afro Latino Festival. Shown here from left to right, drummer Lonathan “JBlak” Troncoso, lead guitar player Yasser Tejeda, Edwain Camilo on bass and percussionist Alexander Callender.
Miss Curvi USA 2024 Massiel Madera, shares a moment with Eduardo Perdomo, director of the Office on Latino Affairs.
Singer and composer Xiomara Fortuna performs live at the 2024 Afro Latino Fest. J.T. Mugabo visits vendor tables at the event.
Attendees enjoy a fun day dancing to the Afro-Latino beat in Franklin Park in D.C.
Word on the street: Can Kamala Harris beat Trump and lead the nation?
By AFRO Interns
On July 21, President Joe Biden shocked the nation with his decision to drop out of the presidential race and immediately endorse Vice President Kamala Harris for the role.
This summer, AFRO interns conducted interviews to ask two critical questions: “Do you think Kamala Harris will make a good president?” and “Can she beat out former President Trump to become the leader of the free world? Why or why not?”
Q1: “I feel like she’ll make a great president– especially when you take into account women’s rights. It is important that we have a president that cares not only about women’s rights, but also human rights, which is most important.”
Q2: “Genuinely, yes, I do. A lot of people in this generation have been seeking a younger president. [With] her background, I think she has a really good chance, especially the Black vote.”
Alexa Henry, 23 North Campus Facilities Supervisor for the Baltimore Orioles, Commentator for B1G+ Mount Laurel, N.J.
Q1: “I think anybody is better than the rightwing alternative.”
Q2: “No. I believe we have too many ignorant individuals out here, especially a lot that look like me – a Black man – with that slave master syndrome, who want to vote for Trump because it seems controversial, popular or whatever.”
Tarelle Baldwin, 42 Cyber Analyst Toledo, Ohio
The following AFRO Interns contributed to this report: Mekhi Abbott, Mackenzie Williams, Madeline Seck, Tierra Stone, Denim Fisher, Gabby Howard, Lizzie Suber and Saniyah Larkins.
Q1: “It’s a lot of people that might speak and say ‘Oh she did this and she did that’ but where? If she’s going to be the president I need her to step up.”
Krystie Johnson, 34
Baltimore Native Housekeeper
Q1: “I would hope so. I don’t know for sure but I hope she will.”
Q2: “I think she will make a good president because it would be nice to see a woman take the lead on something.”
Alice Eaton, 68 Baltimore Native Security Officer
Q1: “I hope she wins. I have a feeling.”
Q2: “She will be an effective president. I’ve heard her discuss a few things. She has my vote.”
Donald Comegys, 94
Baltimore native Retired City worker
Q1: “I don’t know if Kamala will win, only because America is not ready for a Black woman. Is she capable? Yes, she is well capable. But is America ready for an AfricanAmerican woman?”
Q2: “Given her background, she is well educated and able to make choices that will be beneficial for the country. She is all about the people– not just one race– but all people.”
Susan Barber, 60 Charlotte, N.C.
Q1: “This is not a slight on women, but I don’t know if our country is ready for a woman president. I don’t know if some of these White men will be ready.”
Q2: “Kamala had a lot of education. She’s a very intelligent woman. Her career speaks for herself. She’s done a lot of positive things in her career. She brings all of these things to the table. She’s qualified. If she does get it, they’re going to give her a hard time. It’ll be a big hurdle.”
Joseph Bowers, 54 Youngstown, Ohio Restaurant Owner
Q1: “Even though it looks good, right now we’re not ready for a female president. Right now, Donald Trump looks good, because he’s the only other man. Biden — another man — is not in there. If she gets a male assistant, a vice president that is strong on the Democratic side, she might be competitive. Right now, Trump has more push.”
Q2: “She doesn’t come across as being strong to me. When it comes down to military decisions, I don’t see her as a strong candidate for the United States right now. I could maybe see her as an assistant to Donald Trump.”
Walter Davis, 64 Seattle Retired
Q1: “She’s a lady. She had a good candidacy with Biden. She worked with Biden. She’ll win. I wish her well, we’ll see. I believe in her.”
Q2: “I sure hope so. It will be a good fight. She can win.”
Reginald Finney, 65 Baltimore native Retired
Q1: “It’s a no-brainer. She’s gotten 100 million dollars in donations.”
Q2: “Yes, Kamala would be effective. She has a legal background, and she’s already a vice president. The vice president does all the grunt work for the president — all the things the president doesn’t want to do, but the president gets all the credit. She’s already doing the job.”
Clarence Jones, 66 Harford County, Md. Accountant
As Election Day 2024 nears, Maryland residents express their thoughts on Vice President Kamala Harris becoming the official Democratic nominee for the upcoming presidential election.
AP Photo / Evan Vucci