October 20th is now
recognized as Lupita Nyong'0 day in Harlem, New York. Congressman
Charles Rangel and Voza Rivers, Chairman of the Harlem Arts Alliance
made the announcement on Tuesday, October 20.
The honor was announced as
a surprise during an open discussion between the Academy Award winner
and image activist Michaela Angela Davis at Mist Harlem a restaurant
located in the popular and predominantly black neighborhood.
Immediately after the event, Nyong’o took
to her Instagram page to share her excitement and appreciation
immediately after the event. She posted a video writing,
"October
20th declared Lupita Nyiong'o Day in Harlem? My heart is swollen with
the love and welcome I just received from the Harlem Community "
"Harlem essentially said: 'Welcome home, Lupita, here you are so
loved, here you are so supported.' It said to her, 'this is home,
too.'" Angela Davis told The Huffington Post.
Voza Rivers told HuffPost he chose to honor Nyong'o in Harlem because the
area is known for its fusion of a diverse array of cultures from Africa
and America. He said her connection and success on both continents --
and her influence on black communities everywhere -- made her the
perfect candidate.
"It was something very inviting about her that I said
that if I was going to make a recommendation on someone it would be
her," Rivers said.
"Lupita was really great," Michael Oloyede,an aspiring actor who attended the event, told The Huffington Post.
"She shared some really great insight on how she gives herself up to honor every role and tell the stories of people who can't do so themselves." he added.
Both Davis and Oloyede said the
significance of Nyong’o's success so far is certainly a call
for celebration -- and worth witnessing as her influence in Hollywood
continues to grow. They also noted how important her latest recognition
is, especially considering Harlem's rich black history and the amazing
roster of black artists it has bred.
"Harlem is a place where many black
artists who speak to the world through their art came from," he said. "I
couldn't think of a better place where 'Lupita Nyong'o Day' in New York
City was proclaimed."
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