FROM THE
PUBLISHER
Happy Black History Month, This is the time of year when the African American community of any city is quite busy, and greater Orlando is no exception. We’ve celebrated Christmas, Kwanzaa, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday, organizational anniversaries, and we’ve just rounded the corner to Black History Month. The MLK Holiday weekend was filled with oratorical contests, banquets, parades, festivals, and Divine Nine founder’s days. Many of these activities were taking place at the same time, which showed Black greater Orlando at its best. Whew, I’m already tired, but in the spirit of our ancestors, I know I have to “keep on keeping on.” In this issue, we spotlighted the Christmas decorations of two households that take Christmas to a whole new level. We feature Kwanzaa celebrations in Orlando, Deland, and Lakeland. We were so intentional in our focus on central Florida’s Black History that we can’t share all that we uncovered in this issue; some articles will carry over into our Spring Issue. In our last two issues Black men have
WINTER 2024 VOLUME 1 | ISSUE 3 PUBLISHER & EDITOR-IN-CHIEF J. Lajuana Miller ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER Michael A. Miller CONTRIBUTING EDITORS Alayna Riggins • Steven Yoder ART DIRECTOR Christina Yoder DISTRIBUTION MANAGERS Anita Mitchell • James Benjamin, Jr. PHOTOGRAPHERS First Klass Memories Photography Chris Lindsay Photography CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Kyraneisha Coleman Erikka Hart • Marc McEwen Michael A. Miller Robin Soliz FOR ALL CORRESPONDENCE Radiantly Black P.O. Box 470311, Lake Monroe, FL 32747 407-840-6813 Info@RadiantlyBlack.com VISIT US ONLINE AT RADIANTLYBLACK.COM All information and advertising content contained herein is provided as a service to our readers and is not endorsed by the publisher or staff. Radiantly Black magazine is not responsible for statements made by advertisers or writers. The publisher assumes no responsibility for errors or misprints in copy or in any customer approved advertising copy. No part of this publication may be reproduced without the written permission of the publisher. We reserve the right to refuse advertising space at our discretion.
been talking about love. We allowed them to “take a seat” in this issue (more from them in the next issue) and allowed the ladies to talk about love from a Valentine’s Day perspective. And, as you know, we love, love, love celebrating our people. Herein, there are personal accomplishments, organizational highlights, and, of course – Good Eats, focused this time on Black-owned seafood restaurants. For more central Florida Black history, we encourage you to check out the City of Apopka’s extensive online exhibit covering the Black History of that area. Visit https://www.apopka. gov/973/Black-History-Month-Book-Project. I hope to see you at some of the Black History Month activities shown below. If you see me, come over and say hello. History Alive: Bessie Coleman Aviation Adventure • Sat. Feb. 3, 2024, 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. Celebrate the remarkable achievements of Bessie Coleman, a pioneer in aviation history! During History Alive! you will experience engaging activities throughout the museum that highlight the incredible journey of America’s first Black and Native American woman pilot and the important role of aviation in central Florida history. Activities are included with museum admission. Orange County Regional History Center, 65 E. Central Blvd, Orlando, FL 32801. Hint of History Workshops: Galactic Trailblazers • Tues. Feb. 13, 1 – 4 p.m. Houston, we have history! Join us this month to recognize Black Americans who have contributed to America’s space journey. The History Center’s monthly Hint of History drop-in sessions allow families to customize their learning experience and participate in activities at their own pace. Our program is geared towards children ages 5 to 11 years old and is ideal for homeschool students, but all ages and families are welcome to join in on the fun and learning. Orange County Regional History Center, 65 E. Central Blvd, Orlando, FL 32801. Honoring Black Heritage & Culture • Sat., Feb. 17, 2024, 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. Join us for our second annual Honoring Black Heritage and Culture family day event! This year’s theme is African Americans as leaders in the arts. We will explore the tremendous impact Black Americans have had on visual arts, music, cultural movements, and more. The day will include performances, speakers, and activities for all ages. Museum admission is free on this date, thanks to funding from Florida Humanities. Orange County Regional History Center, 65 E. Central Blvd, Orlando, FL 32801. For all of these events, you can visit TheHistoryCenter.org/Events for more information.
As always, write to us at www.radiantlyblack.com/contact and let us know what we’re doing right and where we could improve. This magazine is all about YOU!
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Blessings!
Lajuana
J. Lajuana Miller | Publisher & Editor-in-Chief
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