April is Minority Health Month, dedicated to building awareness of the health disparities among minority populations and to improving health outcomes through community and education. As the month concludes, Groovy Gratitude in partnership with Muggin Coffehouse will celebrate with a “Rhythm of Life” block party Uptown on Saturday.
Alicia Dixon, owner of Groovy Gratitude, a juice and smoothie bar opening mid-May, says, “Our mission is to inspire health and wellness through our offerings. And so we wanted to come to the Uptown Greenlaw community because there’s a community with limited healthy food options. And so we’re addressing this by bringing accessible, affordable, and nutritious choices to the area, and for our brand, it really stands out by integrating music, mindfulness, and community. And one of those things was Rhythm of Life. And [that] was birthed through our passion for the community and the brand but also to celebrate Minority Health Month.”
The block party, which is sponsored by Varsity Spirit, Memphis Medical District Collaborative, and 100 Black Men of Memphis, will be a “cultural music celebration as well as a holistic health focus,” says Dixon. “We’re tailoring the event to address those everyday stresses and strains, particularly benefiting the hard-working blue-collar community.”
Essentially, Dixon with her business partner Marquis White hopes to present well-being as an experience of the mind, body, and soul, so this event will have a range of activities from yoga and meditation workshops with sound baths, to live performances on the Overton Park Shell’s Shell on Wheels, to DJ sets, to acupuncture, to vendors offering aromatic coffees and wholesome eats. The YMCA will have activities for kids, and a fire truck is coming, too, for folks of all ages to explore. “We really want to make it a fun, family event,” Dixon says.
“My earliest childhood memories are from growing up in the Uptown, North Memphis, Hurt Village community,” White adds. “Being a lifelong Memphian, I’m stoked and excited to be bringing Groovy Gratitude but also just building even more community with the fun things that we have lined up. We’re excited for sure.”
“This is just the beginning,” Dixon agrees. “Because we definitely aim to ignite a series of health and wellness initiatives that really leave a lasting legacy, encouraging our community to continue making health-conscious choices every day. Not looking for perfection, just balance. Just let people have an option if nothing else.”
Rhythm of Life, Groovy Gratitude, 605 N. 2nd St., Saturday, April 27, 11 a.m.-3 p.m., Free.
