GRASS VALLEY, Calif. January 20, 2019 – Love Walk 2: A Festival includes a walk from Grass Valley’s Mill Street to the Elks Lodge, with live music, dance, films, workshops, children’s activities, and more. This free, multi-cultural, celebration of our community takes place on Martin Luther King Day, Monday, January 21 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The day begins with opening ceremonies at Mill and Bank Streets followed by a walk to the Elk’s Lodge. Except for the workshops and presentations, and children’s activities, the festival’s activities will be held at the lodge, at 108 South School Street.
Kadija, consisting of musician/producer Aja Salvatore and singer/songwriter Melike Konur, headlines the afternoon’s music with funk, soul, and jazz inundated with African rhythms. The popular duo performed for the Center for the Arts in November. Drummer Moussa Camara, from West Africa, offers African music and world beat. Much loved by local audiences, Sista Kat, Nikila Mama Wisdom, Ishence and their band feature the body swaying sounds of Reggae. Their lyrics emphasis the unity of humankind.
A selection of Wild & Scenic Film Festival short environmental and social justice films that tie environmental issues to marginalized communities are shown downstairs in the Elks Lodge from noon to 2pm.
Workshops and presentations are at the Unitarian Universalist Community of the Mountains and the Grass Valley United Methodist Church on Church Street. Subject matter ranges from alternatives to violence to expression through poetry. A description and sign up sheet are at http://signup.com/go/rbtiBNX.
Bia Navarro of Brazil, whose passion is sharing games from her native country, will lead children’s activities from noon to 4pm at the Grass Valley United Methodist Church.
Local musician and dancer Eliza Nova will serve as master of ceremonies.
This year’s family friendly event is presented by Creating Communities Beyond Bias (CCBB) in partnership with Community Beyond Violence and with support from South Yuba River Citizens League’s Wild and Scenic Film Festival.
Jamal Walker, co-founder of CCBB, said, “The first Love Walk, in Grass Valley in September 2017, was a grass roots semi-spontaneous gathering of 1,000 people from the Nevada County community in response to a racial incident involving my son, a young black man. The purpose of that gathering, rather than a protest of injustice, was to show support and unity as a community, not only for my son, but for any person who experiences mistreatment on the basis of perceived differences due to race, gender, sexual orientation, and other forms of bias.
“That gathering was so successful that we decided to make it a yearly event, to re-affirm our commitment to unity and love for one another.”
For the schedule of events and other information: