Appreciating Black History
‘Eta Nu Mentees Experience the Zora Neale Hurston Festival’
By Clifford Wimberly, Jr.
Each Year, Eta Nu participates in many programs geared toward educating people about the success of African Americans. Some of these events include Greek Unity Day, Black History Cultural Presentations, Diversity Workshops and training. The Zora Neale Hurston Festival is an event that has recently attracted many Eta Nu Brothers, becoming on integral part of our Black History Month Celebration.
Each year, The Gentlemen of Influence and Q-Unit Mentoring Program look forward to traveling to Eatonville, Fla. to celebrate the lifetime achievements of Zora Neale Hurston. The Zora Neale Hurston Festival is an excellent event that exposes the group to a powerful representation of African American success.
This year, the festival showcased performances by top local talent, healthy eating seminars, vendors, and delicious food. This experience would not have been possible without the support of the Eta Nu Brothers. Members of Eta Nu donated funds, which allowed each mentee to experience a day of fun and excitement. A total of 23 mentees attended the event this year. Each member received a $25 dollar stipend. They were able purchase food and buy whatever they wanted from vendors.
For the past three years, more and more brothers have participated in the festival, traveling over 250 miles from Pompano Beach to Eatonville, FL. Brother Melvin Davis, Eta Nu’s Social Action Chairman is responsible for Eta Nu’s attendance.
He has taken the lead in the yearly planning the a yearly trip for the chapter. He identifies dates and also makes all travel arrangements. He has also placed a major emphasis on exposing our Mentor Program to the Americanized Black Culture. “It is important that our young people know the truth about African American History. These type of events highlight the success of African Americans during a time of struggle,” stated Brother Davis, referring to the post Slavery Era in which freed Blacks had to find their place in a society.
