TAMPA, Fla. — June marks the beginning of Caribbean-American Heritage Month, and there's a local non-profit organization that is not only making our Caribbean natives feel right at home but also sharing their culture with the rest of Tampa Bay.
When the Caribbean Heritage Festival began 12 years ago, only a few dozen people attended; this Saturday, they are expecting well over 1,000. It’s become a staple in the Tampa Bay community.
Krazy K, from Saint Lucia, and Francesca Richardson, from Trinidad and Tobago, are among several performers from the Caribbean now living in Tampa Bay who will be on stage at University Park.
“I think being a person of Caribbean descent is something we should cherish, we should all cherish, and we must never be afraid to come out and let everyone know we are special because the Caribbean has a culture of its own,” said Richardson.
The festival is organized by Jamaican born Kay Joseph with the non-profit group CANDO, which stands for the Caribbean American National Development Organization.
“Being from Jamaica, sometimes you don’t really see a lot of our people, and then when we come together, it's like a reunion, so it's a nice place for us to feel like we belong, and we actually share our heritage with everyone,” said Joseph.
From the entertainment to the food to the clothing, every island of the Caribbean will be represented.
“It means a lot because sometimes people thrive on negative stuff and division but not over here, it’s all about unity when everybody comes together, it’s always a plus, it’s always a plus,” said Krazy K.
CANDO says the festival is also a great opportunity to share all the other programs they offer year-round.
“We bought some steel drums for the University of South Florida, and we did our first class as a community, and they are actually going to be teaching it as a class at USF,” said Joseph.
The festival runs from 2 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Saturday, June 1, at University Park. Kids 12 and under are free. For more information, go to www.wicando.org.
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