Urban League Helps Youth Begin School Year Armed for Success

On a picture-perfect summer day, hundreds of children and their parents attended an event in District Heights, Md., on Saturday, Aug. 23, which helped families gear up for the return of classes with free school supplies, health screenings and vaccines and food and entertainment for all.

The event, the 13th Annual Back 2 School Health and Wellness Festival, was co-sponsored by the Greater Washington Urban League or GWUL (Washington, D.C.) and Second Baptist Church Southwest, and was held in the church’s spacious parking lot. 

George H. Lambert Jr., President and CEO, GWUL, spoke with the AFRO prior to a ribbon cutting ceremony which kicked off the day, and reflected on how much the event has grown over the past 13 years. 

“We had over 1,000 children and parents register for today’s event and I’m both pleased and excited to see how it has grown in terms of attendance and sponsors after being launched 13 years ago when it was held in the Urban League’s much smaller parking lot,” Lambert said.

Upper Marlboro, Md., resident, Afeisha Akinsola, 40, arrived early at the festival with her three teenaged children. By the time it was over, she said one word described the event: “fantastic.”

“This was my first time attending the back-to-school festival and I must admit that I was shocked,” she said. “There were so many vendors and so many giveaways and free supplies that my children need and will use right away, I could hardly believe it. Fortunately, my mother heard about the event and sent me the link so I could register.” 

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