Deadline November 5 TOS-2 THURSDAY | NOVEMBER 1 | 2018 | TASTE of SOUL FAMILY FESTIVAL | COMMEMORATIVE EDITION

THURSDAY | NOVEMBER 1 | 2018 | TASTE OF SOUL FAMILY FESTIVAL | COMMEMORATIVE EDITION

Enter for a chance to win! Deadline November 5 TOS-2 THURSDAY | NOVEMBER 1 | 2018 | TASTE OF SOUL FAMILY FESTIVAL | COMMEMORATIVE EDITION

THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU FOR COMING OUT AND FEELING THE LOVE!!!

The dictionary defines LOVE as:a strong affection for another arising out of kinship or personal ties. Well, if you attended the 13th Annual Taste of Soul Family Festival, there is no truer explanation of the feelings that occurred during the day.

It was a day full of LOVE. The love that was felt was both a noun and a verb. It was inspiring, it was warm and friendly and even warm and fuzzy. It was absolutely our community at its BEST. Yes, it was a day of food of music, of vendors of a size and kind, but more than that it was a feeling, a “Vibe” a sense of belonging. It was a day where we as the African American Community shined at our best and brightest. It was Our Day, Our Time to Celebrate and our time to simply Love US. There was no pretense, no tension, no fear, we were at home.

The Sentinel Family cannot put into words how Thankful we are to all of our vendors, our sponsors, but most of all our participants our family, our friends who all came out to enjoy the day. Whether you walked up and down Crenshaw Blvd. all day eating, laughing and enjoying the atmosphere or whether you camped out at The Hyundai Soundstage, 94.7 The WAVE stage, The 102.3 KJLH Stage or got your praise on at the Brenda Marsh-Mitchell Gospel stage sponsored by McDonald’s, there was a place of everyone.

The day was hot, but Love and Joy made the day cool. There are so many people that I need and want to thank for making this day so very special. First I have to thank the Chairs of this event City Council President Herb Wesson, Councilman Marqueece Harris-Dawson, and Mayor Eric Garcetti who’s districts are the host districts of Taste of Soul. But I also cannot forget My Brother, City Councilman Curren Price. While Taste of Soul is not in his district he is a staunch supporter of the event and this event could not occur without his unwavering support as well. Then there is our Supervisor, Mark Ridley Thomas. Mark has been a supporter of Taste of Soul from day one, he is one of the rare politicians who like me would rather walk the streets than just view it from the stage. He wants to speak with the people, buy directly from the vendors, listen to the music from the audience. In essence Mark comes out to “Feel The Love”.

But it takes a lot more than just political support to make Taste of Soul the “Ultimate Block Party”. It takes action, it takes work and it takes corporate sponsors who come out and support in order for this to remain the wonderful, exciting and FREE event that it is. Sponsors and partners like Hyundai, South Coast Air Quality Management District, LeadersUp, Bank of America, our Official Transportation Partner Metro, Airbnb, Chase Bank, Kaiser Permanente, City National Bank, LADWP, McDonald’s, Wells Fargo, Walsh/Shea, One West Bank, The Brotherhood Crusade, The Law Offices of Ivie, McNeill and Wyatt, Mothers In Action, California Resources Corporation, AT&T, Metropolitan Water District, West Basin Municipal Water District, Lyft, Charles R. Drew Uni- versity, LA City Workforce Investment Board, Plenary Group, Californians For Energy Independence, Comerica Bank, Good Samaritan Hospital, Southern California Gas Company, SEIU Local 2015, Cedars-Sinai, Easy Choice Health Plan, Learn 4 Life, DaVita, Metro PCS, City of Hope, Covered California, US Bank Watts Health, Martin Luther King Jr. Community Hospital, E&B Natural Resources, Signal Hill Petroleum, Los Angeles World Airports, Avenues of Life and 7-Eleven.

This year we also added an new feature. Big shout outs go to the organizers from LeadersUp who provided the opportunity for almost 300 people to get a job right on the spot. “Where else can you go and get a piece of chicken and a job in one place?” This new element added to Taste of Soul give us the opportunity to not only embrace who we are, but give individuals and families the opportunity to grow and prosper and in these challenging times that is exactly what Taste of Soul is all about.

As anyone who attended this years Taste of Soul can attest to, the weather was incredible, but it was also HOT. But, because of the dedicated support of LAFD and our health partners we were able to assist our elderly, our tired and our sick to keep the day positive and in the spirit of collaboration that makes the day so wonderful. First off I have to acknowledge Dr. William King of W. King Health Care Group, this brother stepped up and was providing medical assistance to Taste of Soul before anyone else. But as Taste of Soul has grown and the call went out for more medical partners the response was over- whelming and undeniable. So we have to also thank Martin Luther King Jr. Community Hospital, Kaiser Permanente who was our main medical provider, St John’s Hospital and our loyal and unwavering friends from Watts Health Foundation. These health providers are the Best of the Best from across the Southland who have all come together in a spirit of collaboration to provide care and wellness to all who attended Taste of Soul. But the support does not stop at just treatment for those who didn’t feel well at Taste of Soul -- AIDS Health Foundation was on hand to provide free screenings, LA Child Guid- ance Clinic provided free mental health and behavioral services to children, youth and young adults, Vision To Learn provided free eye exams for children in Children’s World, Cedars-Sinai provided BMI screening and education for weight loss and reducing consumption of sugary drinks, flu shots, diabetes screenings dental screening, blood pressure checks and mammograms from our health partners.

The day was a good day, we all felt safe because of the diligent work of the officers from LAPD, CHP and the Brothers from Able Solutions Security who provide security for the event in the loving, caring and respectful manner we all deserve.

But most of all I want to thank you the members of our community. The millions of people who have enjoyed Taste of Soul, The chefs and vendors who have come out to sell their goods and the agencies who provide services over the past 13 years. Taste of Soul is a demonstration of the very best of our community and our people it is a time and a place where we can all come together to celebrate the beauty that is uniquely US. Thank You for Coming Out and Feeling the Love, We look forward to seeing you all on October 19, 2019 for the 14th Annual Taste of Soul, because as always our team will be working to make this day Bigger, Better and Brighter than ever.

Yours in Brotherhood,

Danny J. Bakewell, Sr. Founder/Creator Taste of Soul Chairman & CEO Bakewell Media The Los Angeles Sentinel The LA Watts Times

THURSDAY | NOVEMBER 1 | 2018 | TASTE OF SOUL FAMILY FESTIVAL | COMMEMORATIVE EDITION TOS-3

DJ Shell, 94.7 The Wave Sister Sledge

Pat Prescott, 94.7 The Wave Pat Harvey, CBS2 HeadKrack, Sister Sledge Jody Watley Fox Dish Nation

On Tour Sean Michael Sister Sledge

Cultural Soul

Pat Prescott & Jacob Emrani Marcio Donaldson, StarQuest Adult Winner

Deitrick Haddon Lonnie Hunter and Choir April May Cooper and Family

J Red, Pastor Kelvin Sauls and Aundrae Russell Ricky Dillard & Lillian Lloyd The Southern California Black McDonald’s Own- ers Association members, from left, Lindsey Hughes, Reggie Webb, Nicole Enearu, Patricia Williams and Kyle Webb. JJ Hairston, Canton Jones The Williams Singers & Donald Lawrence

Keith “Wonderboy” Johnson TOS-4 THURSDAY | NOVEMBER 1 | 2018 | TASTE OF SOUL FAMILY FESTIVAL | COMMEMORATIVE EDITION

DW3

Macy Gray DJ Mal-Ski

KJLH Choir Jussie Smollett En Vogue

Ready For The World

Gemaine

Stevie Wonder & En Vogue hyundai sound

Chanté Moore

Zafar Brooks, Hyundai & Danny J. Bakewell, Sr., Founder/Creator of Taste of Soul

Teddy Riley & Blackstreet Kurtis Blow DJ B-Hen

Melanie Fiona

Ginuwine StarQuest 4 Kids Winner, Jhala Angelique THURSDAY | NOVEMBER 1 | 2018 | TASTE OF SOUL FAMILY FESTIVAL | COMMEMORATIVE EDITION TOS-5

Featured stage entertainment organized by Randy Hawkins, “Paint & Sip” sponsored by Bank of America, Films “Spider-Verse” and “The Nutcracker and The Four Realms” provided by Sony and Vision To Learn who provided free eye exams to children.

Photos By: Taste of Soul Photographers TOS-8 THURSDAY | NOVEMBER 1 | 2018 | TASTE OF SOUL FAMILY FESTIVAL | COMMEMORATIVE EDITION

Mayor Council President Councilmember LA County Supervisor ERIC GARCETTI HERB WESSON MARQUEECE MARK RIDLEY-THOMAS HARRIS-DAWSON

Congressmember Councilmember Assemblymember Assemblymember KAREN BASS CURREN PRICE REGGIE-JONES-SAWYER AUTUMN BURKE

KCBS-Channel 2 LAUSD District 1 Law Firm PAT HARVEY GEORGE McKENNA IVIE, McNEILL & WYATT