Meridian Lauderdale County NAACP President Ramona Sanders provides information about the NAACP and membership to attendees at the Highland Park Community Family Fun Festival on Saturday.

More than a dozen sororities, fraternities, civic organizations, clubs and nonprofits were represented Saturday as the City of Meridian headed its first ever Highland Park Community Family Fun Festival.

The festival included bounce houses, food trucks and games for kids. There were also classic cars, raffles and more.

Ricky Hood, executive director of the Boys and Girls Club of East Mississippi, said the event showed what the community can do if it works together.

“This is a community event. No one group or one person can do it by their self,” he said. “It takes more than the boys and girls club…It takes a community, it takes a group to make it happen.”

Hood called on the clubs and organizations to make their presence known in the community. There are people and groups doing good things in Meridian, and that needs to be known, he said.

“A lot of good things happen in this community, and you all need to let people know,” he said. “That’s not bragging. It is what it is. You’re giving back.”

Sheila Walker of the Delta Nu Zeta, Zeta Phi Beta sorority said she was glad to see so many individuals and groups coming together. Recent news, such as the Supreme Court’s recent ruling on affirmative action, does not bode well for the Black community, she said, and the community spirit like that shown at Saturday’s festival will be needed.

“I need for you guys to learn your history so that you will know some of the terminology that is being spoken of in the news,” she said. “Affirmative action and student loan non-forgiveness, those are issues that are going to affect us as an African American race.”

Ramona Sanders, president of the Meridian Lauderdale County NAACP, echoed Walker’s comments. The roll back of affirmative action and the Supreme Court’s overturning of President Joe Biden’s student loan forgiveness plan, as well as restrictions on women’s reproductive rights, will hit the Black community the hardest, she said.

“We’ve got a lot of work to do,” she said. “They’re trying to cancel us out.”

Meridian Parks and Recreation Director Thomas Adams said he wanted to thank all of the groups, clubs and organizations that helped plan and participated in the festival. It was truly a group effort, he said.

While Saturday’s event may have been the first, Adams said, it will not be the last Family Fun Festival. As word spreads, he said he hopes to see even more people and groups participate in future events.