Bravo

Congratulations to Operation Unite and everyone who made the annual Hudson Black Arts and Cultural Festival and Parade a great success.

Celebrating culture
By Andrew Amelinckx
Register-Star/Hudson-Catskill Newspapers
August 10, 2008

HUDSON — The annual Black Arts Festival began with a parade that rolled down Warren Street in Hudson Saturday, led by Hudson Mayor Rick Scalera and Greg Mosley, president of Operation Unite New York, the organization that is the main sponsor of the event.

The festival, held at Waterfront Park, brings together the arts, social issues and family fun. Children and adults learned the art of traditional African dance and how to play the djembe — a West African drum — thanks to Frank Malloy of Harambee Dance Company of New York City.

The culinary arts were also represented at the event with Hazel’s Kitchen serving up soul food and other vendors selling traditional Jamaican as well as old-fashioned American eats.

Scalera recommended Hazel’s sweet potato pie. “Get one before they’re all gone,” he said.

The art of Double-Dutch rope jumping was also on display.

Nya Franklin, 11, jumped in and skipped rope for several minutes while Kertrice Willis and Jazmyne Dunkle, both 14, swung the rope that had been doubled over to make two arcs which moved in opposite directions. Later in the evening there was a gospel concert featuring the Albany District Chorale and the Dorothy Holloway Gospel Choir.

“It’s a day to show the arts and culture of the community,” said Mosley, adding there were other important aspects the festival, including “career opportunities and voter registration.”

The Columbia/Greene Chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People was on hand Saturday. The organization was there recruiting members and signing up people to vote.

“We’re reaching out to people to join us,” said Columbia-Greene NAACP Vice President James M. White Jr. “We’re worried about the treatment of a certain segment of the population and we have been addressing...tough issues.”

Several local candidates were also on hand Saturday, including Ken Dow, who is running for state Senate in the 41st District, as well as Richard Koweek and Brian Herman, both running for Hudson City Judge.

“I’m not telling you who to vote for...Just to vote,” Mosley told the festival crowd. “Many of our people worked hard and died so we could have the right to vote.”

Operation Unite, New York has been putting on the event for the past 16 years. “It started as a family day on Columbia street,” said Mosley.

“Can you believe this started as a block party?” asked Hudson Second Ward Supervisor, the Rev. Ed Cross, looking at the crowd gathered for the event.

Mosley said that it was getting harder to put the event together because of declining volunteerism and funding, blaming it on the current economy.

“We truly are a not-for-profit. It doesn’t work without funding,” he said.

He told the Register-Star that the city of Hudson, especially under Scalera’s leadership, had been a great supporter of theirs.

According to Mosley, his wife Elena was the person most responsible for the festival’s existence.

“This wouldn’t happen without Elena,” he said.