Local models from throughout the area, including West Hartford, will show off the fashion designs of Adele Masengo Ngoy.

Submitted photo

Submitted

Local community and business leaders will be fashion show models when the distinctive styles of accomplished fashion designer Adele Masengo Ngoy are featured at Juneteeth Brunch: An Afternoon of Music & Fashion 2015, presented by The Amistad Center for Art & Culture on Sunday, June 14, 1-3 p.m. at The Bond Ballroom in Hartford, as part of the Juneteenth celebration.

The accomplished community leaders who will be models for the fashion show include: Joel Alexander, Captain of the Jamaican Olympic Bobsled Team; Francine Austin, owner of Francine’s Salon & Day Spa located in Bloomfield; Kristen Clark, the Village for Children and Families; Greg Davis, an attorney at Travelers; Yvonne Davis, an internationally recognized leadership development trainer, professional coach and speaker; Cecil Hudson, a native of Hartford and supporter of the Amistad Center; Medina Jett, owner of ICSGroup, LLC and President of the Amistad Center Board of Trustees; Erin Keith, of Lisa Scheff Designs; Lorna Little, Executive Director of the St. Agnes Home in West Hartford; Lesa Moemeka, EM Solutions and Board of Directors at Renbrook School; Tara Spain, the Travelers Foundation; and Nya Hudson and Maxim Copeland, community leaders in the making.

The afternoon includes a grand buffet and musical entertainment provided by the Alvin Carter Trio. The emcee will be John Motley.

“Our mission is to celebrate art and culture influenced by people of African descent through education, scholarship and social experiences,” said Amistad Center Executive Director Olivia S. White. “Our Juneteenth celebration, which includes Juneteenth Family Day, Juneteenth Brunch, and the Jubilation Gala, embraces all of the elements of our mission. Our volunteer committee has worked hard to produce another jubilant celebration. We are grateful for the support we receive from the corporate community and individuals across Greater Hartford.’’

Juneteenth marks an important moment in American history, June 19, 1865, when the enslaved in Galveston, Texas first learned of their freedom, two and a half years after the enactment of the Emancipation Proclamation.  Thus began the Juneteenth celebration, which has grown to acknowledge the importance of education, achievement, community and freedom.

Juneteenth is commemorated by The Amistad Center in a series of events and programs. In addition to the Junteenth Brunch, the events in Hartford include the Juneteenth Family Day held on Saturday, June 13 at The Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art, and Jubilation!, the annual Juneteenth Celebration Gala on Friday, June 19 at the Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art.

Tickets to the Junteenth Brunch are $70 for members and $85 for non-members. Proceeds benefit The Amistad Center’s exhibitions and culture-based education programs and enable the preservation and development of its renowned collection of 7,000 objects.

Adele Masengo Ngoy is a fashion Designer based in Portland, Maine who has over 30 years of experience in the fashion industry, dating back to her accomplishments as a university fashion design student in her country of origin, the Democratic Republic of Congo. Masengo is fashion designer Adele Ngoy’s latest collection of modern creations of formal and casual wear made with traditional African prints.

While living in the Congo, Adele designed clothing for the elite. She is a talented tailor and designer who specializes in original custom wedding gowns, special occasion attire and every day business wear. She is known for her ability to perform intricate alterations and an ability to create authentic designs from scratch for women and men of all shapes and sizes worldwide.

Founded in 1987, The Amistad Center for Art & Culture owns and exhibits a vital collection of 7,000 works of art, artifacts and popular culture objects that document the experience, expressions and history of people of African descent. The Amistad Center is an independently incorporated and managed not-for-profit 501(c)3 organization, located in the Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art.

The Amistad Center is not related to the many other organizations in Connecticut and across the country who share the name Amistad. Amistad is a popular choice as it remembers a significant event and calls to mind African American strength and history.

To attend the Junteenth Brunch, go to https://www.eventbrite.com/e/juneteeth-brunch-an-afternoon-of-music-fashion-2015-tickets-16483754353. For further information on The Amistad Center, call 860-838-4133 or email [email protected].