“Artistic Expressions”: JON-J Hosts a Celebration of Black History with African American Art 

Nahshon Bolton, President of the Bergen County chapter of JON-J, put together this event with the organization’s past and present leaders in attendance, hoping to get closer to the community in these troubling times. “I know a lot of people still having COVID withdrawal, so having events like this where it’s out in the open for the whole community to come, that means a lot,” said Bolton. “So, anyone from all walks of life would come and talk in fellowship. It felt like a family reunion.”

The goal of the Artistic Expressions event is to promote much joy and unity for those in attendance. The festivities began with a prayer and a reading from Psalm 137, encouraging goodness and representation for the African American and Jamaican American communities in a proud declaration of Christian faith. This sense of connection through art was a core theme of the event, which brought up the African concept of ubuntu, meaning “I am because you are.” 

“What people should acknowledge is that we come from all walks of life,” said Bolton. “No matter if you’re African American, Jamaican American, or even other races. We could all enjoy the beauty that is our cultures. It doesn’t matter if you’re different. I think that coming together, regardless of what title it is, we could all appreciate the arts and beauties of this theme, that is the arts.”

“Artistic Expressions” was a special event for JON-J, especially because the arts were a new theme that the organization chose to explore to create a greater sense of unity this Black History Month. “Art in the grand scheme of things is one of the things that connects many people,” said Bolton. “No matter what type of art it is, every man, every human can have appreciation for it. And I know we think the arts is just music, but dancing is an art. Writing is an art. Putting words together to tell a story, that’s one of the greatest arts that we had.” 

Indeed, those who performed at Artistic Expressions had many fascinating stories to tell. JON-J Bergen County’s secretary, Jeniver “Princess” Angaroo, gave a presentation about the history of reggae music. Referencing the recent release of the biopic Bob Marley: One Love, this lesson had the audience dance around to the sound of classic Jamaican music in recognition of this often-overlooked genre. Likewise, some presenters went onstage to share their poetry, with one speaker reciting a comedic poem listing the many vital inventions made by African Americans. 

One performer, in particular, gave a riveting and uplifting presentation about the beauty of art and “taking up space,” teaching attendees how to acknowledge, interpret, and accept their worth within society. This insightful process was divided into four steps: encouraging the audience to observe the space they take up, make sense of how they define value, take action to make themselves valuable to the community, and surrender themselves to a higher power or the fact that they’ve done everything they could.

In the spirit of acknowledging one’s value, JON-J was bestowed an award for their services on behalf of New Jersey Congressman Josh Gottheimer. The organization presented the “Making a Difference” award to local cook Orlando Williams for his many generous food donations. The event also held a Family Feud-style game show awarding goodie bags to members of the audience courtesy of Hackensack Meridian Health.

Additionally, the audience saw some child guests give musical performances onstage, with one brave girl singing a rendition of Tamela Mann’s “Take Me to the King.” The evening concluded on a high note with a chorus of local children standing before everything and singing another religious tune.

All in all, Artistic Expressions succeeded as a beautiful and inspiring celebration of Black culture. Teachings of art, religion, and mental health converged into this joyous gathering of friends and neighbors, who all collaborated to present a memorable night of fun and enlightenment.

“This event was nothing short of amazing,” said Bolton. “Seeing the whole community come out to support Black History Month. That means the world to us and the Jamaican community. And I think that if everyone can contribute one way or another to Black history, for now and in the future, to highlight all the great talents that we have in our community, even from the most trivial things to the greatest singers, we can all highlight the great talent.”