With poetry, dance and music more than 66 people recently celebrated Race Amity Day in Sanford at the Velma H. Williams Westside Community Center. Ms. Rosa Malagon, wearing a beautiful national dress, demonstrated a national dance from the Mexican state of Jalisco and invited us to learn a few steps. Ms. Valada Flewellyn shared her poem "My People Love to Dance" with drummers accompanying her. Numerous persons in the audience joined her. A video presentation of the history of Race Amity Day (RAD) in Sanford was shared. It was noted that Sanford stands out in the Orlando metropolitan region for being singular in its support of unifying the community through consistently not only supporting RAD but Sanford Speaks and the Race Equity Equality and Inclusion committee. Providing spaces that celebrate and value our differences and also spaces that invite ongoing dialogue opportunities to explore how we can sustain and enhance unity in the community are powerful.
Mayor Woodruff read the Race Amity Day proclamation established in 2021 and received from the Baha’i community a colorful sun catcher depicting the tree of humanity in its varied colors to place in a sunny window in his home during his deserved retirement. He will be missed.
