NEWPORT NEWS, Va. (WAVY) — Newport News is gearing up for its biggest festival of the year Saturday, as the 33rd annual Southeast Community Day Parade and Festival is expected to be filled with fun, food and music, but organizers say it’s about more than a good time.
Founder Andrew Shannon said it all started as a way to educate youth. After young girls were being negatively approached, he wanted to create an outlet for them to turn to.
“Unfortunately, we had some young girls on their way to school — middle and high school girls on their way to school and they were being sexually assaulted and the community called for a rally, [and] nobody showed up,” Shannon said. “So I said, ‘I know that there’s a way that we can bring the community together to provide positive education but also talk about public safety.”
Now community leaders, local schools, marching bands and business owners will fill the streets of Newport News. With a step in the right direction, Shannon said this is how you build a stronger community.
“We can show the cultural aspect, the positive cultural energy that we have, the community spirit, intergenerational, mothers, grandmothers, children, it’s an entire family network,” Shannon said, “to show the positive things that are happening in our city, the positive things that are happening right here in Newport News in the Southeast Community.”
The founder said this is an effort to take back the community and he encouraged people to speak up to create positive change.
The fun kicks off Saturday. For more information about the parade, click here.
