Festiva de Drumsticks / Manje' ak Mizik  

October 15, 2013, Case Borrega, New Orleans

 

 

Sticking Up For Children had its first Festiva de Drumsticks / Manje' ak Mizik on Tuesday, October 15, at Casa Borrega in New Orleans. Manje' ak Mizik means Meal with Music in the Kreyol language of Haiti.

 

Drummers Alexey Marti of Cuba, Alfred Roberts of New Orleans, and Fanfan of Haiti played together for the first time. They were great! Fanfan gave a quick demonstration of 15 rhythms from Haiti--many a popular American song could be heard in these rhythms. Matthew Shilling joined the drummers on saxophone. Actor and film-maker Jeffrey Poitier recited Wanda Robinson and read from James Baldwin and Langston Hughes.

 

The food was similarly "tree-mendous!". Our volunteers and Chef Fernando of Casa Borrega produced nine dishes from the Caribbean. Trays heaping with fragrant portions and each dish a particular pleasure!

 

This first Festiva had support from the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Foundation, the New Orleans' Consulate of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, and the urban farms of NOLA Green Roots and Our School at Blair Grocery.

 

The Festiva raised money for Sticking Up For Children's four beneficiaries. On Monday, October 21 we presented checks to two orphanages-and-schools in Haiti, the Foyer Espoir Pour les Enfants (FEPE) in Port-au-Prince and the Youpi Youpi Fondamental in Cayes Jacmel. We also gave checks to to two organizations that work with young people in New Orleans, the Kuumba Institute of the Ashe Cultural Arts Center and the New Orleans Youth Sound Experience.

 

Then came a happy surprise! Saturday morning, October 26, Cyril Neville sent an e-mail. Cyril wrote that he and bandmates in the Royal Southern Brotherhood had received a check for $1000 from Mr. Warren N. Lortz, a person in the audience for the RSB's seven performances aboard a Blues Cruise. The RSB then decided to award the $1000 to Sticking Up For Children.

 

Wow that the RSB so moved Mr. Lortz! Wow that the RSB passed along the amount to Sticking Up For Children!

 

Cyril concluded his email: ' ... Mr. Lortz' donation may prompt others to do the same. This is a worthy cause and I'm extremely proud to be involved. Thank you.

Funkaliciously yours,
Cyril Neville'