“I love the community, and the community is filled with artists.”

by Susan Fried

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Hundreds of people attended the third annual Wa Na Wari Walk the Block. The annual fundraising event that covers multiple blocks in the Central District from Union to Cherry Street and 23rd to Martin Luther King Jr. Way features visual art, live music, and performances in Wa Na Wari’s neighbor’s yards and businesses. This year’s event was bigger than ever. Probably the biggest problem most people encountered was that there was so much great art, music, and dance happening that it was impossible to see it all.

Nisreen El-Saadoun, who lives near 23rd and Union, attended the walk with her husband and daughter for the first time on Saturday and said she was impressed by the experience. The walk was “full of so much love, so much positive energy, incredible people, smiles, and of course the art, food and music and just love, a lot of love.”

Georgia McDade came back to Walk the Block again this year because she said, “I love the community. I love the community and the community is filled with artists. It’s just so wonderful to see so many people with so many different talents and to see those talents on display.”

Elisheba Johnson, one of Wa Na Wari’s original cofounders, said that the planning for the 2023 Walk the Block started in February of 2023 but they may need to start planning for 2024 even earlier. I for one can’t wait to see what they come up with next year.

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📸 Featured Image: (DJ) Trumendous and Yirim Seck performed on the Hip Hop 50 Music Stage at Fat’s Chicken and Waffles on Sept. 30 during the third annual Walk the Block Art Festival and Fundraiser. (Photo: Susan Fried)

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