We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Jane Udoewa & Linda Anukwuem a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Jane Udoewa & thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. We’d love to hear the backstory behind a risk you and Linda have taken – whether big or small, walk us through what it was like and how it ultimately turned out.

The risks we have taken with the Nigeria Cultural Parade & Festival have taught us about patience and the impact of long-term decisions. We started working on the first edition of the Nigeria Cultural Parade & Festival in 2017 with little to no knowledge of what it takes to carry out a major outside event. Over the years, we have taken calculated risks to support a building brand and ensure a positive long-term impact. Some of these risks has cost us both financially and socially but nevertheless, it has been a fortunate journey.

From the very beginning, location was very important to us. Many do not know but securing the parade route in Downtown Houston was not an easy feat. Moreover, most of the international communities including the high population of Nigerians reside in Southwest Houston and forcing them to leave their comfort zone to participate in a street-wide celebration was not easy. We received so many complaints about parking and was told “no one will come to downtown, good luck with that!” As a team we were relentless and driven to beat the odds and prove the naysayers wrong. We felt purpose-driven to ensure the Nigerian culture is highlighted on center stage and Downtown Houston was going to experience the largest West African street celebration.

As we embark upon the sixth edition of the Nigeria Cultural Parade & Festival, we have gained momentum and continue to grow exponentially. Our supporters have become our marketers and the project has become an important asset to the cultural fabric of the city of Houston. It is safe to say that the risks taken thus far are leading us to greater heights and we are here to enjoy the ride.

Linda Anukwuem &, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on your partnership and what you do?

First and foremost, we are first generation Nigerian-Americans. As female entrepreneurs, we strive to put our best foot forward in anything that we do. We learned about placing our community first as young budding professionals seeking to connect and network with an organization called “AfriPro Young Professionals”. Through this organization, we were able to build a solid foundation and gain insight on “community” and what it takes for a community to strive economically and socially. Our relentless work ethic and subtle smiles sets us apart from the rest but its our approach that continues to enhance the project.

Over the years, we have creatively used the Nigeria Cultural Parade & Festival to indirectly provide a platform for Nigerians in Houston to show their presence in the city of Houston and play a role to support cultural understanding. We genuinely are proud of the neighboring communities and the diversity of the attendees who come to witness cultural diversity at it’s finest. We are most pleased with the mobilization of the different tribes that make up Nigeria uniting in the streets of Downtown Houston to wave the green and white flag and proudly boast tradition and cultural values. Most importantly, it allows various individuals from all walks of life to see the culture with “no passport required”. We believe the Nigeria Cultural Parade & Festival will take the position as a symbol of hope to the local community and the country itself.

To learn more about the Nigeria Cultural Parade & Festival, please visit www.nigeriaculturalparade.com

Join the conversations and follow us on Instagram @nigeriaculturalparade

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

Culture and tradition drive our journey. We work to present a colorful yet bold culture to the world unapologetically and we love it. And we hope everyone who attends to witness our beautiful live canvas is inspired to do the same to support a world of love, unity, and cultural understanding.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

When it rains, it pours! And we have experienced this literally. In 2021, we experienced a heavy rain-out during the festival following the parade. We were so excited since the festival market was host to many vendors. However, mother nature took over and the fun came to a halt for literally an hour. We could not let it change our mood because we still had attendees, participants, and vendors who were weathering the storm with us. Our sponsors were very supportive as well. It is moments like this when community becomes important. After the rain, the sun came out beaming and the smiles on the children’s faces was evident we are not in this alone.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.nigeriaculturalparade.com
• Instagram: nigeriaculturalparade
• Facebook: nigeriaculturalparade
• Linkedin: not applicable
• Twitter: nigeriaparade
• Youtube: Nigeria Cultural Parade

Image Credits
Credit: Maiya Photography