Soul in the Square

Sunday, August 7, 2016 The Highland Park Music Festival will kick-off the weekend with an outdoor music fest in Roxbury’s John Eliot Square called Soul in the Square featuring D. J. Bruno along with Highland Park’s own D.J. Chris Grant and D.J. Anastasia. The main stage of Soul in the Square will be set up on the grounds of the First Church in Roxbury with local artists producing live art, vendors and food trucks. Festival attendees will be able to set out picnic blankets and chairs on the spacious First Church Yard lawn while enjoying musical tributes to Earth Wind and Fire’s Maurice White, Natalie Cole, Phife Dawg of Tribe called Quest, David Bowie, Vanity, Muhammed Ali and Prince. Envisioned by Roxbury business owners Christopher and Kai Grant and William “Watts” Watkins of Ignatius Foundation, Soul in the Square is a vision that bridges the musical gap between the millennial, Generation Y, and Generation X and the Baby Boomers. (25yrs and up) The mission is to make “a declaration of Soul” in the heart of Roxbury catapulting the roots of black music securely into its’ future. About Fort Hill Jerk Chicken Fort Hill Jerk Chicken, LLC was established in 2011 by Christopher and Kai Grant in the Highland Park neighborhood of Roxbury. Their highly sought after Jerk proteins have been mentioned on blogs like Chowhound, Boston Eater and the brand’s signature whole Chopped Chicken was feature in the July 2015 Best of Boston issue of Boston Magazine. Thousands of New Englanders have experienced Fort Hill Jerk’s product and will be the signature dish of Sojourner’s Lounge: a brick-and-mortar restaurant the Grants are opening in John Eliot Square Fall/Winter 2016. About Ignatius Foundation Ignatius Foundation (IF) is a charitable organization that is dedicated to promoting empowerment of people, educating our youth, and respect for cultural diversity and the non-profit arm of the Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity. The mission of IF is to develop the total person- spirit, mind, and body through character-development and art programs that build strong kids, strong families, and strong communities. William “Watts” Watkins, President/CEO of Ignatius Foundation is native of Roxbury, MA has spent most of his life helping others. He has participated in private meetings with some of the most powerful men and women in sports, entertainment, politics, and business in America. He currently works for the Urban League of Eastern Massachusetts as the Director of Workforce Development, assisting individuals to find their career path, developing and managing job training programs. Also, a radio personality and assistant program director for WZBR 1410AM the "Bass of Boston."