Key West Pays It Forward for Black History Month

By Arida Wright

On February 6-7, 2021 Miami Dade County Foster & Adoptive Parent Association, under the auspicious leadership of Executive Director Shemele Jenkins, brought to Key West nine young ladies, referred to as The Jewels, for a “cultural experience” in honor of Black History Month. Their ages ranged from 15-17 years old and the community of Key West poured out a ton of love and generosity to help host the group.

They were welcomed to the island at City Hall by Commissioner Clayton Lopez who presented them with the city flag and the chaperons with challenge coins. Then he began the discussion of black history in Key West. 

Then they were welcomed by Tom Geotz at the Anchors Aweigh Club House where Arida Wright of Powerlines Healing By The Sea Ministries presented a workshop entitled Blessings in Brokenness from her book Then Sings My Soul. The workbooks for the workshop were sponsored by the Key West Writers Guild. The art supplies for the class were donated and sent from Kenyah Imagine of North Carolina. Conch Food Master helped sponsor a delicious lunch of cracked conch for the ladies before they left for shopping and watching sunset on Mallory Square.

Later that evening, they were treated to an African dance class taught by Carol Brown, sponsored by Bender and Bender Associates, P.A. and Penny Leto of the Coffee Mill Dance Studios. Harold Peloti of the Key West Graveyard Junkanoos. Olufemi of Oyotunji African Village, Rod of Maryland, and Nauni Baillou of Key West were the awesome drummers for the class. The Jewels learned of the junkanoo tradition here in Key West and what the dance means in West African tradition. 

The Hotel Laureate Key West hotel sponsored the room they stayed in overnight and the Village Voices sponsored the dinner along with a beautiful pineapple upside down cake donated by Pat Gallagher.

On Sunday morning Corey Malcom, Director of Archaeology at the Mel Fisher Museum gave them a tour of the African Cemetery on Higgs Beach and a tour of the slave ship The Henrietta Marie which is on display at the Mel Fisher museum. The Candy Girls of Key West, Judy Leggett and Lynn Casamayor donated a bag full of original, homemade glass candy they make.

We would like to thank all our sponsors for their generosity and all those who contributed to, in Ms. Jenkins words, “The Jewels and their chaperons having a historical journey that will last a lifetime, in Key West.”

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