Peoplehood Parade

 

Hundreds Soared in Solidarity with SpiralQ at our 16th annual Peoplehood Parade
We at Spiral Q are still in awe of the beauty, magic and power that October 24th's Peoplehood Parade wrought. From The Paul Robeson House at 50th and Walnut Streets all the way to Clark Park at 45th and Kingsessing Avenue, nearly 500 people - friends old and new, activists, artists, community residents, bicyclists and more - showed up for justice, and weaving our moving tribute to the movement for Black lives through the streets of West Philadelphia.

This year, our signature pageant was in the parade and, we have to say, there was something extraspecial about it. Spiral Q artists curated 5 themed sections of the parade: In Memoriam; The Shoulders We Stand On; Healing + Reconciliation; Rise + Resist, Defy + Dismantle; and Transcendence. We are grateful to Monroe, LA-based artist Vitus Shell, a dear friend of the Q, who came up to make Peoplehood shine with truth, with powerful original prints, and with the memories of those we've lost in the struggle for Black lives. Special prints included memorial portraits of Paul Robeson, Thami Mnyele, Bayard Rustin - and, of course, Peoplehood founder and Spiral Q godmother Fran Aulston. Families, friends, and neighbors joined in the parade and truly brought the story to life. The West Powelton Steppers had everyone moving to the beat, including the unicyclist (!), and stilt-walkers Tanaya Thomas and Yandeh Sallah-Muhammad brought the parade to dazzling heights. Also unveiled at the parade, in Fran's honor, was a newly created piece in our collection: a Paul Robeson puppet, created by artists Caitlin Peck and Sauda Abdul-Aziz. Once in the park, Gordon Brown sang a stirring tribute to Fran in the style of Paul Robeson. The day culminated with Spiral Q co-artistic director Jennifer Turnbull leading the crowd in a participatory healing dance.

PUTTING JOY IN JUSTICE
"What really moved me was the joy. I think that most Black Lives Matter-related marches, actions, events would much more easily express anger and grief, which is totally real and important and warranted, and it's good that there was a place for those expressions in Peoplehood, but I thought it was revolutionary that the parade also insisted on expressing joy and hope." -Rachel, parade participant