Juneteenth showers Williams family with gifts this holiday season

Holiday bliss: From left: Renell Williams, Xavier Williams, Prince Williams, Imani
Jefferson, Dr. Sharli Kay Adair (Juneteenth Urban Music Festival's director of operations),
Telisa Franklin (Juneteenth's CEO and executive producer), Kevin Williams, Malik Williams,
and Shirley Marlow, the children's maternal grandmother. (Photos by Wiley Henry)

This holiday season has been a little merrier for a single mother struggling to care for her five children.

“I’m very overwhelmed. I didn’t have the funds to do what I wanted to do for my children,” said Renell Williams, 31, the mother of Prince Williams, 17; Kevin Williams, 15; Xavier Williams, 7; Malik Williams, 5; and Imani Jefferson, 3.

Last year, parents spent an average of $422 per child during the holidays, with 34 percent of them spending $500 per child, according to data compiled by T. Rowe Price Group, Inc., an asset management company.

Williams isn’t one of the fortunate parents with that kind of money to spend. The money just isn’t there. Hardships often preclude families like Williams’ from buying gifts for the children.

Renell Williams and her children show their appreciation
for the gifts that the Juneteenth Urban Music Festival
provided this holiday season.

But there are people and organizations like the Juneteenth Urban Music Festival that make it their business to help families with limited means. On Dec. 17, board members showered Williams and her children with at least six gifts apiece. Shirlan Marlow, Williams’ mother, also received a gift.

Juneteenth is celebrated annually in June to mark the end of slavery for African Americans. And each year during the holiday season a family is selected to receive an outpouring of gifts. There are no set criteria to receive gifts. 

“This Christmas will be very memorable – one that my kids won’t forget. This is a real blessing,” said Williams, who gets by on two of her children’s disability checks.

Dr. Sharli Kay Adair sums it up this way: “If you’re a blessing for someone, you’ll be blessed.”

Adair is Juneteenth’s director of operations. She has an affinity for children. Along with Telisa Franklin, Juneteenth’s CEO and executive producer, they wanted to make sure the Williams family receive an abundance of gifts and food baskets.

“As a single parent, you’re not always able to do that,” said Adair, noting that Williams has been an “amazing mother” in spite of her circumstances. “She has overcome the odds.”

“We really needed this for the family,” said Kevin, an eighth-grade student at Colonial Middle School. He enjoys playing basketball and aspires to be an engineer.

Franklin reflected on her own experiences as a child when the family could barely make ends meet and when life, most times, was topsy-turvy. Faith would sustain the family, she said, and prayer would keep them lifted up.

“Growing up as a child, we relied on others to make the Christmas season bright,” said Franklin, who grew up in the home of her grandparents. “They were limited trying to raise their children, as well as their grandchildren.”

The family survived on the generosity of others. “There were a lot of others making contributions to the family,” said Franklin, whose own generosity provided the impetus for gift-giving this holiday season.

Prince framed the experience with a radiant smile and expressed his heartfelt appreciation. “I’m glad they blessed us,” said Prince, not ashamed to show humility. “I’m grateful to get what I got.”

Prince is an 11^th-grade student at Pathways and Education. He likes drama and the cultural aspects of theatre. In 10^th grade, he landed a major role in “Big Fish,” a musical. His mind, however, is set on a career in education.

Franklin choked with emotions when the children started tearing into a couple of their gifts. “It means so much to see the children’s eyes light up and a smile warming their faces,” she said.

Franklin and Adair plan to keep in touch with the Williams family throughout the New Year.