You keep using this term diverse and then complain when people have divergent ideas. Which one are you looking for?

Atleast here we talk about it. Try the burbs where no one talks about anything…ever. You barely know who your neighbors are.

In my opinion there is very little hatred in the above postings… just people getting up in a dander and using flowery language that truely doesn’t represent what is being said or is just plain stupid.

Enjoy your utopia to the north….

Take a couple of steps back, folks. It sounds like you both want to make a nice, safe neighborhood. There’s no need to alienate each other if you’ve basically got the same goal in mind.

I do know ACHR is just angry about the noise, not so much the festival itself. I myself was upset over the name of it, Black Sunday, then unity was used in the description. That was my only problem with it, not the festival itself and I lived just 2 blocks from the park at the time.

I found it ironic that the very people the soldiers were fighting to keep locked in chains (whether virtual or real) were celebrating their freedom and right to congregate as a large group on what originally started as Indian land. There is a long history of oppression in Richmond and lots more in Jamestown and it’s best we white folks try to remember just how angry and controlling our ancestors were to make generations of people hate us so much, even in 2007.

Not this Black Sunday?

Down Home Family Reunion
Aug. 17-18
Celebration of Arican American folk life
17th year sponsored by the Elegba Folklore Sociey. Info:www.efsinc.org.

5th Annual Happily Natural
Aug 24-26th
Hotchkiss Field Community Center
701 Brookland Park Blvd.
Info: http://www.happilynaturalday.com

5th Annual Gabriel Forum
7pm Oct 10th
Honors Gariel’s Rebellion
Info: (804)644-5834 or e-mail DefendersFJE@hotmail.com

A view into another city’s happenings ….
NORTHALSTED MARKET DAYS
Aug 11-12
26th annual Lakeview event, billed as the Midwest’s largest outdoor two day party, I mean festival, features arts and crafts, food and more than 40 musical acts on four stages

FOURTH ANNUAL ARTS AT THE GLEN TOWN CENTER
Aug 11-12
Features more than 185 artists with sculpture gardens, food vendors, glass blowing demos and other interactive art projects, with live music and more

GINZA HOLIDAY
Aug 10-12
52nd annual Japanese cultural celebration with folk dancing, drummers, craft demos, food & merchandise vendors
Midwest Buddhist Temple, 435 W. Menomonee Street

PILSEN ARTS AND CULTURAL FESTIVAL
Aug 11-12
Browse sculptures, paintings, glasswork and more with national and international artists, and live music
FREE
Harrison Park, 1824 S. Wood Street

ST. PROCOPIUS ANNUAL KERMES
Aug 10-12
The 2nd. annual Mexican street fest with live music, folkloric dance performers, kids’ games, vendors
St. Procopius Catholic Church, 1641 S. Allport Street

CROATIAN FEST
A huge street party with a parade through the east end of Bridgeport, homemade Croatian foods and pastries, beer garden and wine tent, dancing and live music
FREE
Princeton Ave. and 28th Place

WEST FEST 2007
Aug 11-12
A street fest along Chicago Ave. (b/t Damen Ave. and Wood Street) features live music and deejays, arts & crafts, food and drink!
800 N. Damen

AUGUST FEST
Aug 10-12
This outdoor event features carnival rides, live music, food & craft vendors, kiddie activities and more
2600 S. Central Park Ave.
FREE

PALMER SQUARE BOULEVARD ARTS FESTIVAL
Aug 11-12
Browse arts and crafts by more than 30 artists at this annual event. Features live music from the ‘70s and ‘80s (my era), historical trolley rides, beer garden, food vendors, and kids’ activities.
Palmer Square Park

60TH ANNUAL MENDOTA SWEET CORN FESTIVAL….”who’s got the butter?”
Aug 9-12
Love corn? Let’s just say if 50 TONS doesn’t cut it, well, you need to buy your own farm. Also featuring a parade, live music, flea market, beer garden and carnival rides

12th ANNUAL SHADES OF RIVERVIEW CARNIVAL
Aug 10-12
Carnival rides, games and more
Lane Tech HS, 2501 W. Addison Street

33RD ARMENIAN FESTIVAL
Aug 11-12
An indoor/outdoor festival on the church grounds featuring live music and awesome eats
FREE
St. Gregory Armenian Church, 6700 W. Diversey Ave.

KOREAN STREET FESTIVAL
Aug 11-12
12th annual cultural festival includes traditional dancing, plays, martial arts demonstrations, live music, food vendors, kids’ activities and a 5K run.
3200 W. Bryn Mawr
FREE

BORIQUAFEST
Features live music, DJ beats, traditional Puerto Rican food, beer garden, domino tournament, kids’ activities and more
FREE

GRANT PARK MUSIC FESTIVAL
Friday, Saturday & Wednesday thru Aug 18th
The 73rd. annual classical music series holds its third full season in Millennium;

Now, rumors about a booty contest, and people in bikinis, and racial slurs…those are all lies and whoever made up these lies should be ashamed. And whoever you are who made these rumors…Was there somthing going on in your head? for you to make up somthing as bad as that, only because probably the name “Black Sunday” is the name. I didn’t see none of those things at the event, everyone was fully clothed. All the drinking, loudness, and trash that come from the Racing event…we don’t say anything about that or make up false accusations about it. This is just ridiculous that someone has to try to put something positive down, but its in God hands and I hope that “Black Sunday continues to happen and be successful”.

What excuses? Who are you referring to as YOU? What bad behavior is being condoned regarding Black Sunday?

Black Sunday has ABSOLUTELY NOTHING to do with RACE! This is a misperception taken on by individuals who may be stuck in the past. Please fast forward to the future. Futures that consist of all races are able to come together for the greater good…PEACE, EQUALITY & UNITY. I am sure that you see violence everyday on the news. Residents from different parts of the Richmond Metro and surrounding areas DO NOT get along. North side residents are not allowed on Southside and the like. Black Sunday is an event (little does any “angry resident” know) brought all of these potentially violent residents that we see on a day to day basis together WITHOUT FIGHTING, GUN SLAYING & NAME CALLING.

I would think for a safer community, safer city and safer state, that we must first take small steps toward the larger goal. It starts with one person. One person who grew up in a diverse city who has the desire to try to make it easier for future generations to not endure the racial slurs or inequality treatment based on skin color. You can talk until you are blue in the face and no one will listen. Music does have a way of relaxing the mind and generally making people feel good. You cannot say that you have never heard that ‘favorite song” and not want to tap your feet, snap your fingers or nod your head. Whether music is classical, rock, pop, hip-hop, jazz or country, we all have our own preferences that can make us feel good and forget our troubles sometimes.

In order to get to the root of this problem, we must first go back to the beginning. The name “Black Sunday” as stated before, is not racial. The idea for this event derived from the bible. Genesis – 1: 1 “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” It also goes on to state that God created this from darkness. So for those of you who feel that the term “Black” automatically means skin color, I am here to inform you that you are incorrect. We choose to create something good out of chaos. In order to do a new thing in the community, you have to start from the beginning. We wanted to do something new, something fresh, something that would bring all people together. Do not stay focused on the name, focus on the purpose. There are too many assumptions being made without any facts. For a person to assume “hustler” means a drug dealer, you are incorrect. The term ‘hustler’ is often used by individuals who are struggling in there day to day routine. To them, there is a struggle to survive, keep food on the table and a roof over their heads. To hustle is to work triple time to make sure your family is taken care of. Excuse us for not being politically correct in using the word “struggle.” The term is not always linked to illegal activity. Please open your eyes, broaden your minds and do not be afraid to ask about the unknown. The only stupid questions are those that go unasked! It is all in how you as an individual choose to express yourself.

My goal is not to bash anyone because you are angry with the image that you perceive. I want to clarify want may be uncharted territory for the unaware. If this does not pertain to you, please disregard. There were a number of false accusations of events during the 2006 & 2007 event. For the record, there was no BOOTY or BOOB CONTESTS and being in attendance for the entire event, NO ONE WORE A BIKINI OF ANY KIND. All attendees where fully clothed. I do not know where or how this rumor was started but it is untrue. No alcoholic beverages, no arguing, name calling took place. There were children and adult dance contests, both of which created big smiles of enjoyment among the crowds. Please do not speak upon what you have not witnessed. For those who were in attendance, I sure you can vouch for the authenticity of these contests.

To address the comments regarding the myspace site, I cannot control choice of photos that are used for individual myspace pages. The site is a major marketing tool of this day and age. Most individuals use the site to promote their businesses and some use the site for personal reasons. It is a social networking service where individuals across the nation are able to interact via internet. It’s seems as though some of the residents or angry individuals are on a Salem Witch Hunt, reacting to a rumor spread by someone who detests the event. For whomever that started the rumor, you know who you are and should be ashamed. Now, everyone is out for blood. If this doesn’t sound like hatred, I do not know what does.

For those that feel the music was too loud, we truly apologize as this too is a learning experience. The 2007 event took those comments into consideration and repositioned the speakers to accommodate the residents as instructed by park officials. No one was branding themselves as a greater dancer based on race that too is something based on untruth. Again, I would understand the anger and frustration if the accusation held true but they do not and did not take place. All performers were given strict instructions that profane language, racial slurs or the like were not allowed. This is and will always be a family event and we stressed the importance of having children in attendance. The event planners deem the types of behavior we are accused of unacceptable because those are not the values that we uphold.

If this event proves anything, it proves our statement true based on the reactions received: We are a city divided and we need to come together not be against each other! The city does not divide us into racial categories, individuals do. So maybe it is time for us to look within ourselves to discover what the real problem is and let’s move on from there. At the end of the day, we are all the same. Once we close our eyes, everyone is the same but it is only when we see hatred through others that we jump aboard for the ride. We choose to let the ride pass us by and take a stand for what we believe: We can live in a city, town or state of equality!

I can see the humor but as you have seen throughout the thread people took this misinformation and used it as evidence for why this was not a good event. Former Angry Chimborazo resident is mistaken in her assumption of the booty contest. I attended the event last year and this year and I can assure you that there was not a Booty Contest. As I said earlier give this event a chance and you will see for yourself that this is a positive event.

“The folks who live around the park ABSOLUTELY have the right to dictate what happens in that park.”

It’s a National Park. What’s your reasoning for feeling entitled to control park activities? Proximity? It’s a ridiculous claim and faulty logic. The land you own has limits.

Are you saying that a Booty contest was never planned for this year? Or, are you saying that the never was one … including last year? Formerly Angry Chimborazo Resident claims to have witnessed the sound of one going on last year.

Regardless, I think a lot of people were shocked by the idea of a best booty contest in a public park. And, I think that’s fine. If the event is truly a family event (which it appears to have been by all accounts after the fact), I think anyone who expressed shock should allow themselves the oppotunity to calm down and welcome another event to the area.

As for my repeated references to the best booty contest … well … I just thought it was hilarious.

Perhaps someone could either transform this event into or create from scratch a African American Heritage day to compete with/compliment the Irish and Italian festivals. I think that would be helpful to the community.

don’t you think that growing up in that sort of environment might produce a different set of values that develop into less-than-model behavior.

your kids would be far better off if they were exposed to people outside of their socio-cultural-economic circle. exposure to jaded, judgemental, inflexible adults will just produce more of the same.

this culture that you are so quick to condemn developed as a response to the recent-past history of the blatant, legal and widely accepted practice of discrimination, inequality, mistreatment and disenfranchisement.

your justification is just shy of pre-civil-rights-era “reasoning” that made racial inequality the status quo for many generations and created many of the social issues that we are dealing with today. the pre-civil-rights-era position on race is just as shameful and indefensible as your position is in 2007.

i would not want my kids exposed to YOUR kind of garbage – face the facts,society is in trouble thanks to the racial, social, cultural and economic division you are perpetuating.

Eyes and Clay Street…I ‘m real sorry that you feel offended by the comments that do not support black culture… Face the facts, the black race is in real trouble…and it’s nobody’s fault except their own. If the myspace webpage is something to be proud of….go figure–I can’t. Glorification of the Thug life, drug use, degradation of women, lawlessness, violence against the “man”….all things to be proud of. You bet, I don’t want my kids exposed to that garbage. I’m glad to hear that this year was calm and received well by all. Rested assured, if it were not–there would not be a next year.

***posted by william at August 4, 2007 10:09 am :
“Ahem. The majority of the homeowners around Chimborozo Park are white. And, I don’t think most of them appreciate this type of an event in their neighborhood. We simply wish that the promoters would host the event in an area that is more appreciative of their culture.”

This person uses “we” to demonstrate that he speaks for other white homeowners, who do not “appreciate” the close proximity of (loud) black culture. He believes that more whites than blacks live around the park.Therefore one “culture” is more deserving than the other of controlling what happens in the park. This divide rests on race.

**posted by Q-bert Johnson at July 26, 2007 3:04 pm :
“The Irish Festival supports St. Patricks Church. Some of the money raised is then donated to community outreach programs. The rest is for the church. What does “Blackfest ‘07″ support? How does it help Church Hill? Well I guess the city garbage men will be earning some overtime cleaning up the mess. Lock your homes and your cars. It will be a long weekend.”

This comment connects a large (read “rowdy”) gathering of black people with increased crime. Hmm. How stereotypical is that. Was there increased crime at the park this weekend? Doubtful, because it would be up on this thread. I for one am so sick of seeing preppy white a-holes pissing in the alleys after High on the Hog and the Irish or Italian Festival. But I do not demonize every guy in a baseball hat and braided belt. (Okay, I do, but not because they pee in alleys). But is race an issue? The differential of race is not a factor for most white Church Hillians when they talk about the problems happening with these events, because the main participants in those gatherings are white.

Let’s be honest people–if race and class were not an issue in this neighborhood then EVERYONE’s kids would be enrolled in Chimbo Elementary and MLK Middle.

There are major problems, but this board is an example of ways that people communicate. I think it’s wonderful that people are coming to the table, even if they don’t always agree.