By: Staff Writer
May 28, 2021
The Brevard Caribbean American Sports and Cultural Association Incorporated of Palm Bay (BCASCA) is holding their first ever Caribbean American Heritage month this upcoming June in Palm Bay, Brevard County and have 14 events lined up over the course.
Marcia Campbell, president of BCASCA, told Caribbean Magazine Plus, “This is a first year it’s being celebrated in Palm Bay and Brevard County, it has never been done in this area before.”
The month of June was adopted by the U.S. Congress as Caribbean-American Heritage Month in February 2006. During the month, BCASCA highlights and acknowledges the significant contributions of Caribbean-Americans and their descendants in Brevard County and nationwide. They have shaped our culture and heritage, enriching our communities with their contributions to music, film, the arts, business, literature, government, sports, food, and medical field and in many other areas.
Kicking off the month of festivities on Friday June 4 at Veterans Memorial Park, a concert will be held featuring, Bianca Ortiz, Ras Professor and I-Ruption Reggae Band.
Several sponsors have already signed up to support the month of activities Ms Campbell said and she is looking forward to having lots of people come out to support despite the COVID-19 concerns.
“My hope is that the collaboration with our French, Spanish and English Islands during the month-long celebration of our Caribbean heritage will form a unity which will extend beyond June and into BCASCA’s vison of building the Multicultural Centre on the property purchased recently. A Centre where we can celebrate and showcase Caribbean culture throughout the year,” said Ms Campbell.
Ms Campbell also said: “Well, over the course of the moth we are having different celebrations, we are having 14 celebrations for the month. So we would like 1,000 to 2,000 or more individuals to come out.
BCASCA is having two main celebrations with the first one on June 4 at Veterans Memorial Park and the second will be on June 26 at the same park they will have a parade. “We’re expecting a major amount of people also,” said Ms Campbell.
She added: “We’re having consul general’s coming either via zoom, or in person to do presentation. So those might be smaller events, and then we’re having a Soca night at the centre and then we’re having Soca Sunday in the park, we’re doing the same for reggae as well. And then we’re doing a Haitian night at the centre. So those might be smaller events over the two major events are on June 4 and June 26.”
BCASCA will also be continuing on with their annual film festival where they will be celebrating the first Jamaican woman to reach Antarctica, Judith Falloon-Reid, who has a book and a movie made about her they will also be reviewing along with other Caribbean movies.
