**FILE** Guests gather at Afro Plus Fest 2025 at RFK Stadium. This year, the festival is three days at Northwest Stadium Complex in Landover, Maryland, and is expected to bring out a projected 120,000 attendees. (Courtesy of APMWORLDMAG)

Why was it important to come together and celebrate the African diaspora at Afro Plus Fest?

Yung Manny, recording artist and DMV native
“I think it’s so important to have an event meshing all the African communities. So many of us here grew up just never having anything to represent us. So it’s just beautiful, man. I have very few words. It’s a pretty unique, beautiful experience out here.”

Patricia Kaimapo, festival attendee
“I feel like Afro Plus Fest is just an amazing festival, especially for Africans.”

Kylah Williams, festival attendee
“There was a time where African culture wasn’t as celebrated, so I’m so happy to see everyone out here together.”

Boahen Kwakye, festival attendee
“A lot of us grew up not having a place like this where we can all gather, explore our music. A lot of us hid our foods away during lunch. A lot of us had our music in our headphones. We weren’t playing it out loud, so this is a celebration for all of us.”

Prase Davies, festival attendee
“I love Afro Fest. This weekend is important for different cultures to come together, man. Everybody around the world came together right here to have a good time and celebrate the unity of Africa.”

Compiled by Demarco Rush

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