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HIGHLIGHTING AFRICAN AMERICAN ARTS & CULTURE
I'll Make Me a World in Iowa, also known as Iowa's African American Festival, rises to the challenge posed by a global pandemic and delivers its signature programming, Education Day and Celebration Day, on February 26 and 27, 2021. Headliners include actor and producer Christian Keyes, the African Storytelling troupe Your Queens and social media Lifestyle Influencer Nikki Boyd, creator of At Home with Nikki. 
 
The jam-packed two-day event, also known as Iowa’s African American Festival, marks its 23rd anniversary with a virtual cultural salute designed to be a culminating experience for Black History Month in our state. Virtual attendees can expect familiar programming including Celebrity headliners, art, Iowa performers, educational exhibits and community vendors presented in a new way. They will also share new engagement experiences through I’ll Make Me a World in Iowa’s virtual platform, called Whova. Registration is easy and required to participate.
 
"We gather to honor a culture rich with pride, hope, resilience and joy.  We gather to honor those who have toiled and paved the way and those that now push powerfully forward. We gather to lift spirits and touch hearts. We gather to remember, to share, and to educate. We have made our world in Iowa and we gather to celebrate." said Betty C. Andrews, Executive Director.
 
Education Day for students is February 26 from 9 - 11 AM. Details can be found here.
Celebration Day is February 26 from 10 AM - 4:30 PM. Details are below. 
CULTURAL SESSIONS WITH NATIONAL & LOCAL PRESENTERS

Christian Keyes headlines the 2021 Festival. A prolific actor and producer, Keyes most recently starred in the addictive TV Show from Bounce, Saints & Sinners and BET's hot legal drama, In Contempt. Read his full bio here.
VIRTUAL EXHIBITORS & VENDORS
Your Queens is an authentic African Storytelling troupe. Now based in New York, the troupe has united to share the stories of beautiful queens and kings who lived in the Motherland. Read their bio here.
EASY REGISTRATION TO ATTEND
Nikki Boyd is an entrepreneur, social media lifestyles influencer. She started her business, At Home With Nikki, on YouTube. Her book, Beautifully Organized: A Guide to Function and Style in Your Home, is "goals" for her nearly one million followers on social media. Read her full bio here.
HONORING OUR LEGACY & HEROES
A new video series, entitled “It Is My Right: Stories of African American Civil Rights in Iowa,” is comprised of seven segments about activism, education, employment, housing, legal history, politics and government, and social life.  The project, led by the Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs and hosted by Betty Andrews, documents oral histories and unsung Black difference-makers from throughout Iowa.  Click here to read more.

Nominate your hero for the Heritage Legacy Awards. The I’ll Make Me a World in Iowa Annual Heritage Legacy Awards are statewide recognition for Iowans and organizations who exemplify, through their actions and community contributions, the mission of I’ll Make Me a World in Iowa. The award is available in three categories. Youth, Lifetime Achievement & Organization. Awards will be announced during the virtual IMMAWII Festival. Click here to nominate someone by February 22, 2021.
IOWA PERFORMERS
ISISERETTES DRUM & DRILL CORPS 
LIZ SHARP | BRAZILLIAN TWINS | ROMONDA BELCHCER
SAY WHAT POETRY | ALL THE WAY LIVE

CULTURAL WORKSHOPS
African Americans & Tracing our Roots
Black Church – Then, Now and Next
Celebrity Chefs & Soul Food Makeovers
Covid-19, The Vaccine & The African American Community
Educating the Black Child
Entrepreneurship: Spotlight on Black Business in Iowa
Financial Fitness
Addressing Health Risk Factors With a Cultural Lens
Iowa’s African American Politicians
Mental Health
Movements Matter. Seeking Justice
Rediscovering Buxton: The Black Utopia of Iowa
Sports, Super Bowls & Social Justice
STAY TUNED! OUR NEXT ANNOUNCEMENT FEATURES DETAILS ON OUR WORLD-CLASS IOWA PERFORMERS, WORKSHOP PRESENTERS & OUR IMMAWII EDUCATION DASHBOARD WITH YEAR-ROUND RESOURCES
AWARDS, ENGAGEMENT ACTIVITIES & PRIZES

Prizes for early birds! The festival starts at 10:00 AM with time to get registered and familiarize yourself with the virtual platform. At 10:30 AM, in conjunction with the IMMAWII Wellness Experience, we really get things moving with the Morning Pump Up. Iowa fitness pro's Zakiya English of Grace Fitness, Jerimiah Wright of Get it Wright Fitness, and Stephanie KantStopZumba Claytor are here to pump your day up!
Supporting Small Businesses and nonprofits. Do you have something you'd like to sell or share? A small investment could increase your business profits. IMMAWII events bring thousands of attendees from throughout Iowa, the Midwest, and the U.S. As a virtual festival vendor or exhibitor you will be able to promote your business. Click here for an application.
THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS FOR SUPPORTING A WORLD OF CULTURE
ALSO MAKE SURE YOUR STUDENTS ARE REGISTERED FOR EDUCATION DAY. IT'S A VIRTUAL FIELD TRIP FOR SCHOOLS. CLICK HERE FOR DETAILS
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