TRANSFORMED: Community Unity Day

Deborah Saatoff, Program Chairperson at the 2017 TRANSFORMED MLK Day of Service project

BY DEXTER MCCREE, Feature Writer

ST. PETERSBURG –This Saturday, the vacant football sized lot across from Laos Multicultural Center will be transformed into a playland field with cultural events and fun activities.

This year’s TRANSFORMED: Community Unity Day was made possible by the MLK Day of Service grant and will take place from 11-3 p.m. across the street from 5975 Carrier St. N.

“We want to provide an opportunity for youth and their families to experience discriminatory healing and embrace of oneness in our local community,” said Ural Darling, chairperson of the unity event, a program of High Profile Motivational Services, Inc.

The event aims to provide a venue for the community to release stress and anxiety and examine and celebrate other cultures.

“It is going to be quite the experience for many people,” said Darling.

The event will feature exhibitions of various ethnicities clothing, music, food, artifacts, history and more. This will be the third year of TRANSFORMED, but the second year affiliated with the Dr. Martin Luther King Day of Service celebration weekend.

High Profile Motivational Services, Inc. is a 501(c) (3) organization with initiatives focused on neighborhood revitalization, family empowerment, youth leadership and development, business and community ownership.

“I’m so looking forward to TRANSFORMED day. Last year was an impressive event and it was something there for everyone,” said Janice Starling-Williams, founder of All Kidney Patients Support Group and facilitator of the Community Medical mall at the event.

TRANSFORMED will have approximately 25-30 stations of music, fun, cultural food and games for children. Activities will take place in “Kid Zone,” “Teen Scene,” “Community Medical Mall,” “The Stage” and “Special Programs.”

High Profile Motivational Services, Inc.’s 2017 MLK Day of Service project featured The Bulgarian Dancers

The Kid Zone for younger children will feature a petting zoo, bounce house, arts and crafts, a police horse, wildlife exhibits, drawings, prizes, cultural exhibits, musical chairs, children games, a food court and tasty treats.

The Teen Scene will showcase 2K and Madden game station tournaments with prizes, bounce house, capture the flag, hot shot and more inflatables.

In the Community Medical Mall, health care providers will join together to educate participates, provide basic healthcare checks and bring a fun and lively atmosphere in learning to take care of our body. Free samples of products will be distributed.

The Stage and Special programs include top-five world championship wheelchair trick artists Jimmy Wheelz, live radio broadcast, kickboxing/ self-defense demo, Bulgarian dancers, TV personalities and Princess Noela Lokolo of the LoKele Tribe of the Democratic Republic of Congo and other representatives of the community. Drawings and prizes will take place throughout the day.