Join Myiah Pink for the second annual Soul Revival Art Festival and Sickle Cell Fundraiser as she bridges the gap between art and wellness on Jan. 13 & 14.
BY J.A. JONES | Staff Writer
ST. PETERSBURG — The Soul Revival Art Festival & Fundraiser (SRAFF), organized by local artist Myiah Pink (Myiah Moody), has expanded, bringing two days of events to Studio@620, 620 First Ave. S, and the Well for Life, The Deuces, 833 22nd St. S., on Saturday, Jan. 13, and Sun., Jan 14.
The festival starts with a brunch at Studio@620 on Saturday from 11-3 p.m. “This year, we’re extending the festival to a two-day celebration,” shared Moody. “We’re kicking things off with ‘The Revival: Art Brunch Gala’ at The Studio@620 on Saturday morning, featuring brunch bites, a curated gallery, live music and a diverse panel discussion.”
A medical professional with experience and expertise in sickle cell will be on hand to share insights. “Our focus is on bridging the gap between art and wellness, with thought-provoking prompts around the gallery touching on culture, traditions, and mental health.”
The brunch gala will include ‘pink carpet’ photo-ops, with a professional photographer taking creative headshots. “We are encouraging guests to come dressed in their cultural attire. As an artist, I believe we are all art, and it is a beautiful thing to be able to capture that beauty through the lens of another artist,” added Moody.
Saturday evening, the festival continues with a celebration at the 2nd Saturday Art Walk.
On Sunday, the event continues with an outdoor market, live performances, therapeutic art activities, live food demos, a drum circle, live painting and raffles.
“We will also be transforming The Well into a mini pop-up gallery experience that you won’t want to miss consisting of even more artists,” Moody added. “We’re doubling down on our mission by creating engaging activities and conversations for attendees. It’s all about celebrating culture, artistic brilliance, and the transformative power of art and wellness.”
The festival will be capped off with an open mic at The Catalyst from 5-6 p.m. and a live band and chill vibes beginning at 6:30 pm at Urban Drinkery.
Moody is partnering to raise funds for the Sickle Cell Disease Association of America St. Petersburg Chapter, a non-profit serving families dealing with the disease. Currently, the organization supports 135 families in the Pinellas County area with services including a Family Support Group, scholarships, educational presentations, genetic counseling, Christmas celebration activities, referral services, a Wishing Fund, Emergency Family Assistance and recreational enrichment.
It is estimated that 100,000 Americans are affected with sickle cell disease; the majority are of African descent. The first case in the West was discovered in 1910; research eventually found the disease to be linked to regions where malaria was historically endemic, including sub-Saharan Africa, India, the Middle East and the Mediterranean.
In 1949, American biochemist Linus Pauling revealed that the abnormal protein (hemoglobin S, HbS) was the cause of sickle cell anemia (SCA); this discovery established SCD as the first molecular disease, leading to extensive scientific and medical research. Still, funding to develop a cure has been slow to materialize, undoubtedly since while an estimated 300,000 babies are born with sickle cell each year, over 80 percent are born in Africa.
While the World Health Organization (WHO) didn’t even recognize SCD as a global public health problem until 2006, increasing globalization and migration have led experts to believe that the number of humans affected by SCD will increase exponentially. One researcher estimated that between 2010 and 2050, the overall number of SCD births may grow to as many as 14,242,000 worldwide.
In the last 15 years, the discovery of BCL11A, a major γ-globin gene repressor, along with an insight into the switch from fetal to adult hemoglobin, stem cell transplantation, and gene editing, has finally aided in creating more therapeutic drugs.
Moody noted that the FDA recently approved two sickle cell disease treatments. Casgevy, from Vertex Pharmaceuticals and CRISPR Therapeutics, was the first medicine approved in the United States to use the gene-editing tool CRISPR. The second, Lyfgenia, is a gene therapy from Bluebird Bio. Both treatments work by genetically modifying a patient’s stem cells. Before now, bone marrow transplant was the only known treatment and required a matching donor.
However, these new therapies are beyond the price range of most who have the disease. Vertex’s price point lands at $2.2 million per patient – not including what it costs for hospital stays or chemo treatments. There are also possible side effects. More research and funding are vital.
In Florida, a 2014 study found there are as many as 14,000 Black sickle cell patients in the state; however, a 2022 bill brought by former U.S. Rep. Charlie Crist to increase research funding stalled in Congress.
Locally, Moody is bringing art, soul, education, and awareness to the SCA/SCD conversation. Her aunt and father were both born with the disease, and she and her sister share the trait – so the work is very personal. Donations made by HappySoul by Pink go toward a scholarship fund created in the name of Moody’s aunt, LaMetra Moody, the inspiration behind HappySoul by Pink.
The artist said the donation goal is $3,000. Click here to contribute via GoFundMe. Event merchandise is available at https://HappySoul.Pink, with 50 percent of proceeds going towards the donation goal.
Click here if you are interested in volunteering.
All tickets (including vendor tickets) can be found at Eventbrite.
Partners and sponsor organizations include The Well for Life, St. Petersburg College Mitchem Services, Greenbook of Tampa Bay, Infinite Potential Learning Academy, The Dali Museum, Blick Art Materials, The Mahaffey Theater and Pinellas Diaspora Arts Project.
