Theater, music for Black History Month Theater, music for Black History Month (February 14, 2003)

Weekend celebration Feb. 22-23

By Candice Shih

Black History Month will be celebrated over a three-day weekend this year in Mountain View with a marketplace, talent show and performance by Team I'Themba.

"I wanted to compact everything into a weekend. I know everybody's busy and so am I," said organizer Rosiland Bivings.

The celebration will begin on Feb. 22 from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. with an exhibition and sales of Afrocentric-themed products like drums, arts and crafts, books, and clothing. Members of Oriki Theater and a DJ will provide music and drama during the day, said Chike Nwoffiah, executive director of Oriki.

On Feb. 23 at 2 p.m., Bivings and Nwoffiah are hosting a talent show. "Get up there and do whatever you want to do just for fun," said Nwoffiah. "It's not going to be 'American Idol.'"

They are expecting local citizens to perform spoken word poetry, music, and dance. Bivings said she plans to lend her singing talent to the show.

The weekend will conclude with a Feb. 24 performance by Team I'Themba at 10:30 a.m. A multi-racial group from South Africa, Team I'Themba uses skits to express their message of hope and reconciliation. The college-aged cast, named after the Zulu word for 'hope,' will get the audience involved and take questions after the show.

"We call it Black History Weekend. The overarching theme is a celebration of our common cultures," said Nwoffiah.

Last year, Bivings organized the Mountain View Black History Month Film Festival with eight films shown. The logistics of repeating it this year were too challenging, so she decided to put together a different event where local residents could participate.

Bivings has also been involved in other Black History Month celebrations in recent years and said she fears that if she didn't do take charge, no one would. Bivings said she feels a responsibility to convey positive images of African-Americans who are contributing to the entire community.

"Something has to happen every February to celebrate our heritage," said Nwoffiah. "We owe it to ourselves and our children."

The events on Feb. 22-23 will take place at St. Joseph's Parish Hall Auditorium at 1120 Miramonte Ave. Team I'Themba's performance on Feb. 24 can be seen at the Mountain View Community Center at 201 S. Rengstorff Ave. All events are free.

To sign up as a market vendor or talent show participant, call Rosiland Bivings at 964-8219.
@email:E-mail Candice Shih at cshih@mv-voice.com