Elisha Greenwell Research Paper
Everyone has a story to tell, a story either based on their life experiences, a story to educate listeners, or just simply a story to entertain others.
Ms. Elisha Greenwell from Oakland, California, has a story to share that includes a little variety of all three, but she is doing it in a unique way by allowing African-Americans to celebrate who they are and where they come from as a culture of people.
As the founder and organizer of Oakland’s First Annual Black Joy Pride, Greenwell wanted to tell a story that people could be proud of far and wide and for years to come. Growing up in Sacramento, Greenwell described her household with a lot of positive energy, “my parents were very encouraging and wanted the best for us, and stressed the …show more content…
importance of an education,” says Greenwell. The love and appreciation she uses to describe her father as being the “best father in the world,” makes her sounds like a daddy’s girl, but the respect and compassion she uses to paint the image of her resourceful and empathetic mother would give one the impression that her mother is her world; not to mention a sister that she proudly claims with a big smile as her true best friend.
Growing up Greenwell enjoyed watching images she saw on television and developing stories of her own to share of them. As she got older her interest in storytelling was nurtured, and she eventually entered University College of Santa Barbara majoring in Business-Economics and Creative Writing. After completing her undergrad, Greenwell relocated to Oakland for grad school, and then afterward to Portland and then Los Angeles for reasons of life experiences.
Recently returning to Oakland after securing a job with Facebook in their advertising department, Greenwell experienced a cultural shock by observing that Oakland was no longer the city that she once adored so much. Greenwell’s previous stay in Oakland she states, “I really began to understand and appreciate my Blackness and all its beauty and glory,” which grew to be very special to her.
But the Oakland that she knew wasn’t anymore, “I wanted to go back to L.A.,” is what she thought to herself, but after reestablishing herself within the community and reconnecting with family and friends. She began to feel comfortable once again in the city that she once proudly called home. “Everyone is so positive, energetic, creative and talented, but unfortunately Black communities isn’t at mass right now,” says Greenwell. Throughout the nation the population and essence of the Black community is slowing fading, but the stories of these communities continue to linger on, and Greenwell wanted to do something to help make sure that their stories will continue to be told.
Inspired by the lives of her father and grandparents that were actively involved in their communities, Greenwell wanted to do something to celebrate the people and the community of Oakland as well. And like every entrepreneur, one day she went to bed with a problem and woke up the following with a solution… a parade.
Greenwell floated around the idea of organizing a parade that not only celebrated the life and well-being of African-Americans, but the many stories that the African-American community have to share with the world community. Oakland and many other communities throughout the Bay Area became the home to many descendants that migrated to the California Bay Area to work in the shipyards during World War II. Over the years the Black community grew stronger and being Black became a very joyful thing and the essence of it was fully embraced among many.
Greenwell wants to bring back that proud notion by hosting the Black Joy Parade in one of the nation’s most profound communities once known for its public display joy of the Black culture. Regardless of the Black communities’ hardships these past 400 years, Greenwell wants to share their many stories of joy of who they are, the joys of what has been accomplished, and the joys of just how far they have come to be where they are today.
Since September of 2017, Greenwell has been moving full speed with the concept of the parade and seeking support.
She has managed to obtain the support of Oakland’s own Oakland Athletics of the Major League Baseball, Facebook, the LGBT community, and much more along with speaking with the office of U.S. Representative for California's 13th congressional district Rep. Barbara Lee.
A GoFundMe campaign has been established and have raised over $12k of its $50k goal to help pay for the associated cost of the entire event. The parade will be held on Saturday, February 25 at 12:30 pm beginning at the corner of 14th and Allison, and will end on 19th and Broadway with a celebration afterward with: tables to play Dominos, Black wineries, food trucks, spoken word poets and more.
Greenwell was asked what is her goal five-years from now, and she tells me, “to be a better version of what I am today and grow with empathy.” One her goals is to one day be able to work with Oprah and learn her “secret sauce.” But with the direction that Ms. Greenwell is going, she will soon have her own homemade sauce and people seeking to obtain it. But after all the praise and credit she is receiving for this growing anticipated event, she herself her parents and grandparents as an inspiration and her team for the continued support: Stacey Greenwell, Amber Lester, Samantha Wise, Maya Hall, and event
sponsors.
The Black Joy Parade is still trying to raise funds to help with the operation of the event. If you would like to make a donation, please click on the following link: https://www.gofundme.com/blackjoyparade
For more information on this event please click on the following link: www.blackjoyparade.org, and perhaps you can find the inspiration to tell your story. Everyone has a story to tell… What’s yours?
Ms. Elisha Greenwell from Oakland, California, has a story to share that includes a little variety of all three, but she is doing it in a unique way by allowing African-Americans to celebrate who they are and where they come from as a culture of people.
As the founder and organizer of Oakland’s First Annual Black Joy Pride, Greenwell wanted to tell a story that people could be proud of far and wide and for years to come. Growing up in Sacramento, Greenwell described her household with a lot of positive energy, “my parents were very encouraging and wanted the best for us, and stressed the …show more content…
importance of an education,” says Greenwell. The love and appreciation she uses to describe her father as being the “best father in the world,” makes her sounds like a daddy’s girl, but the respect and compassion she uses to paint the image of her resourceful and empathetic mother would give one the impression that her mother is her world; not to mention a sister that she proudly claims with a big smile as her true best friend.
Growing up Greenwell enjoyed watching images she saw on television and developing stories of her own to share of them. As she got older her interest in storytelling was nurtured, and she eventually entered University College of Santa Barbara majoring in Business-Economics and Creative Writing. After completing her undergrad, Greenwell relocated to Oakland for grad school, and then afterward to Portland and then Los Angeles for reasons of life experiences.
Recently returning to Oakland after securing a job with Facebook in their advertising department, Greenwell experienced a cultural shock by observing that Oakland was no longer the city that she once adored so much. Greenwell’s previous stay in Oakland she states, “I really began to understand and appreciate my Blackness and all its beauty and glory,” which grew to be very special to her.
But the Oakland that she knew wasn’t anymore, “I wanted to go back to L.A.,” is what she thought to herself, but after reestablishing herself within the community and reconnecting with family and friends. She began to feel comfortable once again in the city that she once proudly called home. “Everyone is so positive, energetic, creative and talented, but unfortunately Black communities isn’t at mass right now,” says Greenwell. Throughout the nation the population and essence of the Black community is slowing fading, but the stories of these communities continue to linger on, and Greenwell wanted to do something to help make sure that their stories will continue to be told.
Inspired by the lives of her father and grandparents that were actively involved in their communities, Greenwell wanted to do something to celebrate the people and the community of Oakland as well. And like every entrepreneur, one day she went to bed with a problem and woke up the following with a solution… a parade.
Greenwell floated around the idea of organizing a parade that not only celebrated the life and well-being of African-Americans, but the many stories that the African-American community have to share with the world community. Oakland and many other communities throughout the Bay Area became the home to many descendants that migrated to the California Bay Area to work in the shipyards during World War II. Over the years the Black community grew stronger and being Black became a very joyful thing and the essence of it was fully embraced among many.
Greenwell wants to bring back that proud notion by hosting the Black Joy Parade in one of the nation’s most profound communities once known for its public display joy of the Black culture. Regardless of the Black communities’ hardships these past 400 years, Greenwell wants to share their many stories of joy of who they are, the joys of what has been accomplished, and the joys of just how far they have come to be where they are today.
Since September of 2017, Greenwell has been moving full speed with the concept of the parade and seeking support.
She has managed to obtain the support of Oakland’s own Oakland Athletics of the Major League Baseball, Facebook, the LGBT community, and much more along with speaking with the office of U.S. Representative for California's 13th congressional district Rep. Barbara Lee.
A GoFundMe campaign has been established and have raised over $12k of its $50k goal to help pay for the associated cost of the entire event. The parade will be held on Saturday, February 25 at 12:30 pm beginning at the corner of 14th and Allison, and will end on 19th and Broadway with a celebration afterward with: tables to play Dominos, Black wineries, food trucks, spoken word poets and more.
Greenwell was asked what is her goal five-years from now, and she tells me, “to be a better version of what I am today and grow with empathy.” One her goals is to one day be able to work with Oprah and learn her “secret sauce.” But with the direction that Ms. Greenwell is going, she will soon have her own homemade sauce and people seeking to obtain it. But after all the praise and credit she is receiving for this growing anticipated event, she herself her parents and grandparents as an inspiration and her team for the continued support: Stacey Greenwell, Amber Lester, Samantha Wise, Maya Hall, and event
sponsors.
The Black Joy Parade is still trying to raise funds to help with the operation of the event. If you would like to make a donation, please click on the following link: https://www.gofundme.com/blackjoyparade
For more information on this event please click on the following link: www.blackjoyparade.org, and perhaps you can find the inspiration to tell your story. Everyone has a story to tell… What’s yours?