Energetic chants and endless music filled the streets of Downtown Oakland at the ninth annual Black Joy Parade on Feb. 22.
The parade drew about 35,000 attendees and 150 organizations — ranging from religious groups to local sports teams — to march and dance down Broadway.
UC Berkeley Black student and alumni associations, in addition to Cal Band and the campus majorette team, the Bearettes, were also among the organizations that joined the vibrant celebration.
Meanwhile, campus mascot Oski ran around the performers, high-fiving spectators and posing for the occasional photo.
“It really shows the visibility of Black joy and Black honor, representing and holding space for this month and this day,” said campus student Azuri Vallatine, who attended the parade as a part of UC Berkeley’s African American Theme Program residential housing, also known as Afro Floor.
In addition to Afro Floor residents, UC Berkeley’s Black Alumni Association and the African American Student Development Office, members of the campus chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi, a historically Black fraternity, were also in attendance.
“If you go to Berkeley … I feel like you got to go to a (Black Joy) parade at least once,” said campus student and Kappa Alpha Psi member Kenyea Coleman. This was Coleman’s second time attending the parade.
Campus student Izzy Bakre, a resident assistant for Afro Floor, said it was her first time attending the parade.
Bakre emphasized how far members of the Bay Area Black community traveled to be at the parade — they were not just from Oakland, but some even came from San Jose.
“Just to see so many Black people together and just celebrating life and everything was just so freaking amazing, and just made me so soppy,” Bakre said. “As soon as we started the parade, I just started smiling ear to ear.”
The event also featured a host of local businesses. Small stands sold everything from children’s books highlighting Black culture to natural hair products, while activity zones offered video games, golf, a makeshift roller skating rink and more.
All the while, rich aromas from the food vendors lining street corners filled the air. Vendors’ offerings were varied, including barbecue, hot dogs and even vegan soul food.
The parade was made possible by an entirely volunteer-based staff and sponsorships from organizations such as Black Infant Health, the title sponsor, as well as Kaiser Permanente and Comcast, according to the parade’s Activation Lead Demjuan Julian.
According to Brian McGhee, membership chair of the Black Alumni Association, events like this are important as they work to change negative narratives surrounding the Black community, instead highlighting the “incredible” innovations of Black culture, music, science and more.
“This (is) particularly for all folks — not just our African American folks — but all folks of color to come out and celebrate Black joy with us,” McGhee said.