Day of the Ancestors:
Festival of Masks
Leimert Park's Day of the Ancestors: Festival of Masks is an annual celebration of our ancestors and an invocation for the South Central LA community. Founded in 2010 by artists Najite Agindotan and Ben Caldwell in collaboration with LA Commons, the Festival of Masks is a multicultural, multigenerational, and multimedia arts event that champions the vast identities of the African diaspora.
The festival features a libation ceremony, procession, and a lineup of dance and musical performances. The blessing and libation ceremony are designed to invoke a healing and reflection process in the community. The procession through the streets symbolizes the people's power and capacity to take ownership over their community, address challenges, and create change.
Unity + Legacy = Healing
Celebration: Sunday, June 26, 2022 at 12 pm
Leimert Park People's Street
The World Stage - Honoring Noni Olabisi
Banner by Man One
S.H.I.N.E Muwasi
Lula Washington Dance Theatre
Leimert Park Jazz Festival and Sutro Avenue Block Club - Honoring Derf Reklaw
Banner by Wendell Wiggins
Leimert Park Jaz Festival
Sutro Block Block Club
Dwight Trible and Trio
Leimert Park Merchants Association - Honoring Barbara Morrison
Banner by Kayla Shelton
The Harmony Project Drumline
Malia Pinkard
Timothy Morganfield
Sylvia Boyd and Trio
Black Women for Wellness - Honoring Veronica Mayes Johnson, Loretta Jones, and Lark Galloway-Gilliam
Banner by Raycasso
Lula Washington Dance Theatre - Children's Jazz Dance Ensemble
ECWA - Honoring James F. Jones Jr.
Banner by Wendell Wiggins
New Orleans Brass Band
Torre Brannon Reese
Everything with Soul
Sankofa Leaders
Aisha Cooper, Marquell Eason, Nichole Jones, Jenny Lopes, Kimoni Z. Oliver, Tyler Denise, Amara Ceriah McDuffie, Jade Isaac Newsome, Zaire Pitamba Thurston, Denise Courseault, Naomi Rush, Clearance McDuffie III, Azza Spivey, Noah Rush, Renee Wiggins, Senseni Makat, Nalını Sadler, Rodrigo G. Pineda, Indeya Eubank, Kennady Bob, Daniel Rush, Miracle Varnado
Blessing and Libations
Imodoye Shabazz
Featured Artists
Malik Sow
Kehinde
DAANSEKOU and Daunté "KINGTAE" Fyall
Leadership Circle
Ranika Adagio
Ben Caldwell
Rene Fisher-Mims
Tasha Hunter
Karen Mack
Toran X. Moore
Pastor Kelvin Sauls
Project Team
Tamica Washington-Miller, Event Director
Joyce Maddox, Event/Production Manager
Shani Hogan, Production Coordinator
Melanesia Hunter, Leimert Park Cultural Organizer
Imani Fullwilder, Leimert Park Cultural Organizer
Join us to experience an active connection with cultures rooted in Africa, through drumming, dancing, chanting, mask making, food and healing arts and, to find the sense of wholeness and well-being we are all seeking after two years in a global pandemic.
Be affirmed and find community as we come together to honor those who have passed on with art and performances that reflect their spirit and cement their legacy as ongoing guides for positive living.
Body, Mind, Spirit Saturdays
Prepare yourself to connect with the Ancestors
Every Saturday from May 14 - June 25, 2022
Crenshaw Walks
Dr. Randal Henry
Leimert Park People's Street
8:30 am
Join your neighbors and Dr. Randal Henry from Community Intelligence for a walk around Leimert Park. Meet at 4315 Leimert Blvd at 8:30 am OR at Leimert Park People's Plaza at 9am.
Dr. Randal Henry is the Founder and Chief of Community Intelligence, which is dedicated to delivering consultant services that help organizations achieve their goals.
Wellness Workshops
Leimert Park People's Street
10:30 am
Connect with your Body, Mind, and Spirit in a variety of workshops including yoga, meditation, breath work and more diaspora approaches to healing. Various presenters include Akua Danielle, Britt Blackwell, and Anbiya Smith.
May 14: Sound Meditation with Britt Blackwell
May 21: Yoga with Chelsea Gabrielle and Crenshaw Yoga and Dance
May 28: Meditation with Anbiya Smith
June 4: Breath Work with Akua Danielle
June 11: Ayurveda and Mind-Body Connection through Nature with Dr. Kadiatou Sibi
June 18: African Adornment with Elzariyah G.
West African Dance
Daunté "KINGTAE" Fyall and DAANSEKOU
Leimert Park People's Street
11:00 am
Join Daunté "KINGTAE" Fyall in an African Dance workshop where you learn and experience the healing powers and cultural wisdom intrinsic in African Dance.
Daunté "KINGTAE" Fyall and DAANSEKOU (dahn-say-kou) Cultural Arts Collective of Los Angeles work closely with inner city youth while also maintaining corporate private and individual group sessions. They promote the development of Ancestral knowledge through love, tradition, family, community, unity, and movement. With an affinity for cultural education, DAANSEKOU is on a quest to empower others to discover a great self awareness through light, love, and positive energy.