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“Taste of the Diaspora: Food. Flavor. Soul” celebrates the African influence on food and culture.
Hosted by cultural activities center Open Circle LLC, the family-friendly event is slated on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Gibson Center, 835 Sycamore St., Building H, Titusville.
Guests will enjoy food sampling, workshops, film screenings, presentations, entertainment and more. In the Spice Market, vendors will showcase products from around the world, including healing foods, incense and home goods.
Highlights include a presentation on travel from Michelle Talley of Barefoot Treasures Getaways, and a presentation from Oldaways on the “African Heritage Diet.” There will also be outdoor African dance and drum classes.
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The event pays homage to historian Dr. Runoko Rashidi, whose legacy includes a life’s work of tracing African presence and achievement throughout the world.
Rashidi, who died in 2021, was one of the world’s foremost scholars on the African presence found in ancient societies. He traveled the world, sometimes taking study groups with him, visiting museums and world heritage sites and speaking about his studies.
In a 2018 interview, he said he hoped to inspire people with his presentations. “I want them to see Africa in a different light. I want them to see themselves in a different light,” he said. “I want them to have a newfound sense of pride — an identity.”
“I also want them to have a sense of responsibility in terms of how do we make other people aware of this information and how do we use it to help empower our community and make the world a better place.”
“We dedicate the event to Dr. Rashidi because of his dedication to researching and preserving Black culture and his passion for global travel,” wrote Kuimba Boston of Open Circle LLC, in an email. “His ideals align with our goals for the event which are to encourage travel, networking and cooperative economics among members of the African Diaspora.”
According to Boston, one of the goals of the event is to spark interest in exploring the customs and traditions within the African Diaspora.
“It also gives the Brevard community the chance to try foods that are not readily available in the area,” Boston wrote.
Guests will be able to sample foods from Afro-Latin, Afro-Caribbean or African-American-Creole cultures provided by restaurants in Central Florida. The samples are included with admission, but there will also be food trucks and full-sized meals available for purchase.
Face masks must be worn in the food sampling area. Masks are encouraged in other indoor and popular outdoor spaces.
If you go
Taste of the Diaspora: Food. Flavor. Soul.
Where: The Gibson Center, 835 Sycamore Street, Building H, Titusville
When: Saturday, Oct. 15 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Admission: Starts at $20, with discounts for students. Free for children under 5.
On the web: facebook.com/events/363073585266006
Christina LaFortune is the Entertainment and TgIF Editor at FLORIDA TODAY. Follow her on Facebook at facebook.com/christinalafortune, on Twitter at @lafortunec, or send her an email at clafortune@floridatoday.com.
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