Black women’s voices and creativity took center stage Saturday at the City of Evanston’s Martin Luther King Jr. celebration at Fleetwood-Jourdain Community Center.
Residents of all ages filled the center’s auditorium, with more than 200 people in attendance, as the event recognized Black women’s resilience, history and hope. The event honored not only the legacy of King, but also the power of Black women in shaping their communities and the Civil Rights Movement.
“I’ve been to so many MLK events over the last 20 years, but this is the first one that was really focused on women and the women of the movement,” said Evanston resident Christa Shavers-Burns. “I think that celebrations like this are very important for us to remember where we came from, where we’re going, and just how much more work needs to be done.”
Musician and educator Natalie Frakes collaborated with singer Qiana McNary Licorish and spoken word artist Darlin Mikki to create dynamic, cross-genre performances…