Naomi Folks, 3, and her father, Royce Folks, both of Midlothian, enjoy an art activity during the Virginia Folklife Program of Virginia Humanities celebration last Saturday at the Library of Virginia. In between the fun activities, Naomi delighted the crowd with her moves while dancing to the sounds of Kadencia’s Afro-Puerto Rican music.

Kadencia, which performs bomba and Mayagüez-style plena music to promote and preserve Afro-Puerto Rican music, gets the crowd moving and grooving during a two-day celebration presented by the Library of Virginia and the Virginia Folklife Program of Virginia Humanities last Friday and Saturday. Kadencia is led by father-and-son duo Maurice Sanabria-Ortiz, foreground, and Maurice Tito Sanabria, left on the congas.

The celebration, which attracted appreciative crowds each day, also featured documentary screenings and art activities.

For the fifth consecutive year, the Virginia War Memorial is honoring the nearly 12,000 Virginia men and women who gave the ultimate sacrifice in service to Virginia and the United States by planting 12,000 American flags on the hill alongside the Shrine of Memory. The flags were placed on the hill June 23 by more than 150 volunteers, including Virginia’s First Lady Suzanne Youngkin, soldiers from Fort Gregg-Adams and various Boy Scouts troops. Volunteers are needed to help removed them tomorrow. “We are again asking for your assistance in helping the Virginia War Memorial recruit volunteers to assist in removing the flags on Friday, July 14, at 8 a.m.,” said Jeb Hockman, senior communications adviser, Virginia Department of Veterans Services. Volunteers may show up at Virginia War Memorial, 621 S. Belvidere St. to help with this effort. More information is available at www.vawarmemorial.org/events/hillofheroesday/ or by calling 804.362.2333.

Behold the state bird

Initiatives of Change gathered for an “I AM HERE” community-wide healing circle last Friday at Monroe Park near the Altria Theater where two men, Shawn Jackson and Enzo Smith, were shot and killed at Monroe Park on June 6 after leaving Huguenot High School’s graduation ceremonies. Nearly a dozen others were injured. An alleged gunman, Amari Ty-Jon Pollard, 19, was arrested.

An Eventbrite announcement for the “I AM HERE” healing circle read: “May the many lives that our city has lost from this tragic shooting and throughout our city over the years from Monroe Park to Mosby Court inspire all of us as a city and society to do the spiritual, societal, and yes systemic homework that have been divinely assigned to each of us in this moment in order to graduate from this cycle of violence in our city and beloved community.”