Solange was in D.C. last week, not only to perform at the Peace Ball on Thursday, but to also connect with fans. The singer stopped by Sankofa Video Books & Café on Friday to meet up with fans and give some books away (a second option to speaking at Howard University, which was closed due to the inauguration).
Sankofa Video Books & Café carries books about people of African descent around the world. “I think that now more than ever we have to invest in community and fellowship,” Solange said. One of the owners of Sankofa, Shirikiana Gerima, says that Solange’s decision to come to the store was significant for members of the black community as it faces an uncertain future in the Trump era.
“For Solange to feel like [Sankofa] is a touchstone for when times get challenging is rewarding for us,” Gerima says. “We hope to be the kind of place for anybody who needs to remember that what we’re facing is not new and that there are people who have stood up to harder things. They’ve left messages and symbols and signs about how to go about this kind of thing. They made it, and we can make it.”
Solange bought 250 books for students and fans in attendance. Listen to a portion of Solange’s speech below:
#Solange stopped by black-owned #SankofaBookstoreAndCafe where she shared words of wisdom and bought 250 books for those in attendance. pic.twitter.com/xkzITW1Z9F
— Crystal Johnson (@Crystal1Johnson) January 22, 2017
