A Nation Divides, Inglewood Unites

Music Festival Offers Hope & Optimism 

By Kenneth Miller | Publisher

Overcast skies on humid Saturday marking the America’s 250th Anniversary did little to prevent scores of Inglewood residents family and friends from yet another joyous occasion during the 4th Annual City of Inglewood Music Festival at Darby Park on July 4.

BRINGING IT- DANI B (KENNETH MILLER/PHOTO)

Beginning in the late morning with Inglewood High School Marching Band and onward with six musical acts, highlighted by Klaymaxx and iconic funk group Cameo, with Dani B bumping popular disco hit “Bad Girls” sandwiched in between the seven hours of fun was well worth it and left time for more more July 4 celebrations later on.

UNITY REIGNS SUPREME— Councilwoman Dionne Faulk (in pink) joined on stage for the ceremonial welcoming  by the majority of the Council including Eloy Morales, Gloria Gray and Mayor James T. Butts Jr., City Clerk Aisha L. Thompson and Treasurer Angela Allen, Inglewood Unified School District Board Member Margaret Evans and Vice President Brandon G. Myers. (KENNETH MILLER/PHOTO)

The free concert attracted an audience of Black Americans ages from 20 to senior citizen, porting umbrellas, dragging wagons with lawn chairs, picnic baskets of food that harkens back to a bygone era when such unity was a normal occasion and not a forged theme during this moment of racial division in America.

Hosted by Councilwoman Dionne Faulk, who launched the event in 2022 for just the purpose of bringing a family atmosphere together, using the one element of music as a symphony to orchestrate it.

“Really excited to do it for the fourth year and especially on the nation’s 250th Anniversary, Faulk explained to South Bay Black Journal. We have a lot to celebrate here in this country, I know we have a lot of work todo but as Americans we have to pull together, we have to unite and we have to continue grow and build and make sure that everybody is happy in The United States of America.”

The first Black woman elected to the City of Inglewood District 4 Council Seat went on to add “I that I am excited to put on an event where people and come together, relax, have a good time and on Monday we go back to work.”

She was joined on stage for the ceremonial welcoming  by the majority of the Council including Eloy Morales, Gloria Gray and Mayor James T. Butts Jr., City Clerk Aisha L. Thompson and Treasurer Angela Allen, Inglewood Unified School District Board Member Margaret Evans and Vice President Brandon G. Myers.

AH YE MON- RISING SON (KENNETH MILLER/PHOTO)

The Mayor sported a tailored Inglewood green outfit for the occasion and spent more time in the audience greeting fans than he did anywhere else.

“We are the example for every city in this country of what you can aspire to if you plan, have vision and execute. We come from the brink of bankruptcy to having more money in reserve than any city in the county , from a 70 percent unemployment rate to 5 percent, one of the lowest for a majority minority city in the country. We went from a triple B minus bond rating  to double A plus and we have generational wealth in home ownership for our residents, with more millionaires in Inglewood than you can count,” stated Butts to SBBJ.

The planning for such an event, particularly when its held at one of the many parks in the renaissance city starts with Director of Parks, Recreation and Community Services Thomas Uwal who was also on hand.

“We put all of our City resources together because we know that this is very important and I am thankful for the Mayor and Councilwoman Faulk in planning this event. We are having a good time, with music, food that is a sense of togetherness and that’s what it’s all about.”

DYNAMIC DUO—ADAI LAMAR & COUNCILWOMAN DIONNE FAULK (KENNETH MILLER/PHOTO)

Uwal supervised three meetings in the past three months with good delegation of task that includes the division of labor, the park maintenance trims the grass, turn off the sprinklers two days in advance of the event, IT establishing the WIFI for the attendees, bringing aboard public works to make sure that transportation is provided for guest from the designated parking lot at KIA Forum, and Code Enforcement securing the safety for all.

The City of Inglewood Music Festival Mistress of Ceremonies is Radio Free KJLH lovely on air personality Adai Lamar who like Faulk and Mayor Butts was filled with optimism.

DELIGHTFUL—SHERIE & COUNCILWOMAN DIONNE FAULK (KENNETH MILLER/PHOTO)

“Anything Councilwoman Dionne Faulk is apart of in the City of Inglewood, KJLH is proud to be apart of.  This is our home, so we are right there next door to City Hall and being able to bring the community together like this is amazing, and to be able to emcee it for the day and be able to love on our people is amazing, but especially right now when we have when we have climate in our country that seems to be pulling us apart when we can come together for music , when we can come together for the country, the nation and everyone just get along for just this one day is pretty incredible, Lamar told SBBJ.

Sherie’s positive rap song about kids going to school, doing their homework, the drips of Rising Son reggae set and always on point Susie Hanson made for the sort of fireworks that inspires the soul and breathes hope in the shadows of despair.