The sixth annual Ju-Ju’s Annual Block Party will be held Aug. 14-16 at Penn Park. The three-day event will peak on Saturday, Aug. 15, with a block party and streetball tournament.
Festivities will start at noon and end at 9 pm. An after-party is set for 10 pm to 2 am. The family-friendly event will include music, food, hair braiding, face painting, and more.
In its sixth iteration, the event will host its first Women’s select streetball game. Julian Walters, founder and event coordinator, said this is one of the most exciting aspects of this year.
“I think that’s going to be a great addition because there’s a lot of young girls who look up to some of these players who are going to be in the game, and it just shows inclusivity,” Walters said. “Just displaying the talent that’s been cultivated in Madison and gone on to do great things. So I’m really excited for the women’s select game.”
Serving his community has always been a passion for Walters, he said. His mother, Jackie Hunt, was the CEO of FOSTER Dane County, inspiring him to do this work.
“This is something that God placed on my heart, my purpose. I’ve been blessed in my professional career, and so I want to do what I can to help those who look like me in any way that I can,” Walters said.
By focusing on local Madison businesses and talent, Walters garnered support from sponsors and the community. Sponsors range from SSM Health, the YMCA, MMSD and local realtors. There are booths set up with educational packets for families to take advantage of.
“We don’t expect for it to be an intake session at the park, but we really just want to create an environment where people can be introduced to these organizations because a lot of people don’t even know what resources are out there for them,” said Walters. “And then when they do, some of those environments are intimidating to walk into for people who have been marginalized historically.”
The event not only educates but connects and reconnects people, said Walters. With six years under its belt, there has been enough time to see high school students go to college and elementary school students go to high school, said Walters.
“We get stories all the time about people like, oh, I haven’t seen Coach or I haven’t seen Mister or Misses [since] they taught me at you Wright or such and such, since the Boys and Girls Club,” said Walters. “And so seeing the growth of people who have attended it as well and hearing those stories, but also seeing it in real time has also been a pleasure.”
Beyond educating and entertaining, Walters works to create a place where Black people can be “culturally themselves.”
“Though we create an environment that’s inclusive for all races, with the understanding that there’s limited space for Black people to be culturally themselves,” said Walters.
The block party is a place to connect with the community and to connect with Blackness, he said. Walters saw a need to uplift Black people in Madison and has put faith and work into it since. Last year they gave out 250 Nike Dunks to those most in need, said Walters.
“Understanding where the state of this economy is, where the state of our nation is, and trying to do my little part [in] my little corner of the world to make life easier for people,” Walters said. “But then also just give them hope, let them know that people care about them and are looking out for them when they can.”
As the event grows year over year, Walters intentionally keeps it local to ensure it remains authentic to Madison’s Black community.
“I’m not motivated by making this the biggest event ever or anything like that,” he said. “I want it to be authentic. I want it to remain as what it is in the community, and as people who are aligning with us, as people align with us … We encourage the community to come enjoy the sixth annual block party with us. It’s a family-fun event suitable for families of all ages. There’s something for everyone out there to enjoy, and we would love to have you celebrate the community with us.”
