Fashion Show, Other Activities Kick Off Dr. Martin Luther King Celebration in Hope

Vendors, a “pop-up shop”, and a fashion show were held in the Fair Park Coliseum on Saturday (1-18). This was part of the local celebration of the Dr. Martin Luther Kind holiday.  The vendors included herbal remedies and seasoning, fashion attire, wigs, jewelry, barbecue, sweets, and a food truck as well as an author. More than one vendor had been creating what they were selling for many years. One vendor has been doing jewelry for 60 years. The organizer, Nikita Goode, told about all of the vendors present. Since her roots are in Magnolia many of the vendors and participants were either from Magnolia or Louisiana.

Speakers including Windel Ross (a minister at Galilee Missionary Baptist Church)  encouraged people to not only have a dream but to follow their dream.

As well an aesthetician as well as a speaker, there was also author Athena G. Hill who wrote a how a poem of hers about hardship brought forward a spiritual experience. Her book is “Unlocked Diaries”. Her story is about her survival and thriving despite having been shot and paralyzed. Others have encouraged her to continue, and she managed to gain a degree and work in the Criminal Justice field. She also has three children.

There was a dance performance by the Rising Stars.

There were three sections to the fashion show. For the event people traveled from Dallas and Shreveport. Local Hope resident Marsha White was honored with a humanitarian award with the acknowledgement of her bringing people to church among other things.