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Reunion fills downtown with a sense of fellowship
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Lucky Penny (2nd from right) shares the stage with personalities from the radio show Lamont and two white guys comprised of, Lamont (far right), Pistol Pete (far left) and DJ ME (second from left) during the Lucky Penny Family Reunion at Federal Plaza on Sunday afternoon.
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Stef (Steffan Thompson), of Youngstown, performs with his fellow members of FamBoys, including BuddaB (Breandre Allen, with I heart Fam shirt) during the Lucky Penny Family Reunion on Federal Plaza Sunday afternoon.
Lucky Penny's Family Reunion
Gallery
Reunion fills downtown with a sense of fellowship
By SEAN BARRON
VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT
YOUNGSTOWN — Alleah Karon’s music career has seen her being the opening act for several nationally known rap and hip-hop artists, but her most recent performance took place in front of her largest crowd.
“I’m excited that people are coming together with no drama,” Karon said after performing for a few thousand people during Sunday’s second annual Lucky Penny Family Reunion.
Karon started singing around age 2, now specializes in pop and R&B and writes her own songs, she said. Among those she has opened for are Slim Thug, Pleasure P. and Sammie & Huey, all national acts, Karon said.
“It’s nice that a lot of black people can get out at the end of summer and get out one last time before fall,” said Karon’s sister, Kameela Lateef of Columbus, adding that she also enjoyed seeing youngsters perform at the reunion.
Also at the all-day event was Karon’s 6-year-old son, Gabriel.
Perfect weather greeted attendees of all ages who filled Central Square to hear Karon and others perform onstage during the free gathering.
The reunion, hosted by radio station 101.9 JAMZ, was a way to thank listeners while giving back to the community, explained Lucky Penny, a disc jockey at the station, which plays mostly hip-hop, R&B and gospel music.
The event also showcased local and national talent and featured one stage each for gospel musicians, youth performers and hip-hop and R&B singers, Penny noted.
One of the headliners was Roosevelt “Blaq Rose” Griffin Jr., a singer who auditioned for legendary R&B artist Gerald Levert and is a member of Levert II.
Griffin has his roots in gospel music and is a 1990 South High School graduate. He was a member of Whoz Who, an R&B act, in the mid-1990s and appeared on the 1996 album “Aftermath” by Dr. Dre, a multiplatinum rap artist.
Many people were content to sit and listen to a variety of gospel performers and inspirational messages, as plenty of fellowship, unity and camaraderie filled downtown Youngstown. A thick circle of people surrounded several youngsters who danced and performed to hip-hop.
Many attendees seemed attracted to the numerous vendors who sold T-shirts depicting, among others, legendary singers James Brown, Marvin Gaye and Bob Marley as well as jazz trumpeter Miles Davis. Others perused books by black authors such as W.E.B. DuBois, Carter G. Woodson and Elijah Muhammad.
Other merchandise for sale included cosmetics, aromatherapy oils and scents, baked goods and jewelry made by Phillip C. El of Akron.
El, who owns Nuafrique Custom Jewelry Designs in Akron, said he began making sterling-silver pendants and earrings more than 25 years ago. El also has worked in New York City’s Diamond District as well as in Atlanta and Washington, D.C.
His sterling-silver merchandise had African themes and included a gymesm and sankofa. The African terms mean, respectively, “With God, all things are possible,” and “Never too late to fetch what is left behind,” he noted.
Also on hand was El’s wife, Queen, whose specialty is drawing and designing mostly African patterns and themes on dresses, many of which are for weddings, ceremonies and other special events.
“We do a little bit of everything and love what we do,” Queen El said.
Some people took home information on several social-service agencies and organizations, including Helping Hand Ministries, which was founded in 1999 by Carrie Gray-Stemper. Helping Hand provides emergency shelter, food and clothing to disadvantaged homeless women and children.
A primary goal is to rehabilitate dilapidated and vacant homes so they can be used to temporarily house such women and youngsters, its mission statement says.
Information also was available on the Heart Reach Super Kids child-care center on Youngstown’s North Side.
The Christian-based center employs 20 full-time teachers and aides to work with children 6 weeks to 12 years old. Offerings include tutors, an after-care program, accelerated-reading opportunities and transportation to school.
Another table had pamphlets on and accepted donations to start the Frankie Halfacre Memorial Scholarship fund, named after the late former owner of 101.9 JAMZ.
The effort is working with the Youngstown State University Foundation and is to assist minority YSU students who plan to major in communications, explained Cabble Breedlove, president of the Marcus Garvey Association of Youngstown.
A goal is to raise $5,000, with YSU matching that amount, while keeping Halfacre’s name alive, he said.
“This is what we’re doing for the community,” Breedlove added.