October 20th officially declared Lupita Nyong'O Day in Harlem, New York

October 20th is now recognized as Lupita Nyong'0 day
in Harlem, New York. Congressman Charles Rangel and
Voza Rivers, Chairman of the Harlem Arts Alliance made
the announcement on Tuesday, October 20.
The honor was announced as a surprise during an open
discussion between the Academy Award winner and
image activist Michaela Angela Davis at Mist Harlem a
restaurant located in the popular and predominantly
black neighborhood.
Immediately after the event, Nyong’o took to her
Instagram page to share her excitement and
appreciation immediately after the event. She posted a
video writing,
"October 20th declared Lupita Nyiong'o Day in
Harlem? My heart is swollen with the love and welcome
I just received from the Harlem Community "
"Harlem essentially said: 'Welcome home, Lupita,
here you are so loved, here you are so supported.' It
said to her, 'this is home, too.'" Angela Davis told The
Huffington Post.
Voza Rivers told HuffPost he chose to honor Nyong'o in
Harlem because the area is known for its fusion of a
diverse array of cultures from Africa and America. He
said her connection and success on both continents --
and her influence on black communities everywhere --
made her the perfect candidate.
"It was something very inviting about her that I said
that if I was going to make a recommendation on
someone it would be her," Rivers said.
"Lupita was really great," Michael Oloyede,an
aspiring actor who attended the event, told The
Huffington Post.
"She shared some really great insight on how she
gives herself up to honor every role and tell the stories
of people who can't do so themselves." he added.
Both Davis and Oloyede said the significance of
Nyong’o's success so far is certainly a call
for celebration -- and worth witnessing as her influence
in Hollywood continues to grow. They also noted how
important her latest recognition is,
especially considering Harlem's rich black history and
the amazing roster of black artists it has bred.
"Harlem is a place where many black artists who
speak to the world through their art came from," he
said. "I couldn't think of a better place where 'Lupita
Nyong'o Day' in New York City was proclaimed."