We are The Village
Who We Are & Our Roots
Rho Omega & Friends, Inc. was founded with a vision to uplift, support, and create a lasting positive impact within our community. As a dedicated 501(c)3 non-profit organization, we are steadfastly committed to our core mission: to uplift and empower the community by providing focused, effective, and participatory leadership that improves public policy and enhances the overall education, social, and economic status of the community.
For years, we have operated under a simple but powerful truth: "We Are The Village."
Nurturing Health, Wellness & Community
True community empowerment starts with holistic well-being. Mental wellness—which encompasses our emotional, psychological, and social lives is vital to living a fulfilling and purposeful life. For the Black community, nurturing mental wellness and physical health is especially crucial as we navigate unique systemic stressors, social disparities, and historical traumas.
Statistics from the Office of Minority Health show that African American communities generally face a higher risk for chronic conditions such as heart disease, stroke, cancer, diabetes, and other health disparities compared to their counterparts.
To us, Black Health and Wellness means building a unified community. It means listening to, caring for, advocating for, and helping the least resourced among us get the necessary care to live their best, healthiest lives. We put this belief into action year-round through powerful community programming.
Our Initiatives: Building the Village Year-Round
1. Youth Empowerment & Mentorship
We believe in investing heavily in the future of our youth, providing them with the tools, character development, and guidance they need to succeed.
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Frank R. Rayson Good Citizenship Award: This program recognizes and awards high school youth for demonstrating exceptional positive character within their schools and community environments.
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Shreveport/Bossier Omega Lamplighters: Our premier youth mentoring and development program. We focus on community involvement, scholastic performance, financial literacy, and college readiness through empowering seminars and hands-on workshops.
2. The Urban Community Garden Initiative
Food justice and nutrition are central to community health. Our Urban Community Garden is a free, fresh-vegetable utopia located directly in local food desert areas, allowing families to harvest fresh produce year-round.
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Educational Workshops: We host monthly gardening and cooking workshops, teaching citizens how to grow their own food and identifying which foods help fight disease.
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Feeding the Hungry: We host monthly community cookouts to feed the homeless and less fortunate. Together, our garden initiatives proudly feed over 2,500 people annually.
3. Christmas Toy Giveaway & Holiday Party
Every child deserves a magical holiday season. Our annual community Christmas party brings joy, comfort, and festive celebration to families who need it most.
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Holiday Magic: We provide hot meals, music, dancing, festive activities, and Christmas gifts for over 500 children in the community each year—complete with a special visit from Santa Claus himself!
4. Sneakers on the Ground 5K Walk/Run: Fight Against Obesity
Presented in proud, ongoing collaboration with the Shreveport Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., this annual spring race is a direct response to health disparities impacting our neighborhood. Hosted at Bill Cockrell Park, it stands as a major community pillar in our collective fight against obesity.
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Active Engagement: The event features both a competitive 5K Run/Walk and a multi-generational 1/2 Mile Kids Fun Run, ensuring that fitness is accessible to all age groups and skill levels.
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The Post-Race Community Celebration: The impact goes beyond the finish line; participants and neighbors gather immediately afterward for race awards, healthy refreshments, and our signature Omega Community Appreciation Cookout.
Our Flagship Event: Let The Good Times Roll Festival
The Let the Good Times Roll Festival holds the proud distinction of being the largest Juneteenth celebration not only in the Ark-La-Tex area but in the entire state of Louisiana.
While the festival is famous for its incredible atmosphere, it serves a deeper purpose: we use this massive platform to educate our community and stimulate social awareness regarding health issues adversely affecting African Americans. Drawing an estimated 20,000 festivalgoers over the weekend, the event brings an economic impact of over $1,000,000 to the Shreveport/Bossier community.
Festival Highlights & Impact Features:
1. The Health & Wellness Village (Free & Community-Resource Based)
Every year on Saturday morning, the festival transforms into a massive hub for community health, resources, and holistic care. Because our community’s needs change, our programming evolves too. While our specific offerings vary from year to year, our commitment remains absolute: providing high-impact, completely free, and accessible health resources to over 1,200 attendees annually.
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Ongoing Core Services: We consistently provide free health screenings, blood testing, HIV testing, dental hygiene resources, immunizations, and complimentary haircuts.
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Evolving Annual Features: We constantly introduce new wellness initiatives to keep our village moving and healing. Past highlights have included community workout classes and dedicated mental health seminars.
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Featured This Year — Steps, Serenity, Sweat, and Heal: A dynamic, specialized wellness lineup featuring a family line dance class, a free yoga session, a high-energy free HIIT workout class, and an impactful Mental Health & Domestic Violence symposium.
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2. Family & Kid Zone
A dedicated, safe space built to promote physical activity and social connection, engaging more than 3,000 children over the weekend.
3. World-Class Entertainment
Multi-day lineups featuring incredible local, regional, and national artists that bring travelers from neighboring states and beyond.
Join The Village
When families, friends, neighbors, and strangers can come together in a safe, celebratory, and friendly environment, something beautiful happens. Friendships are born, unforgettable family memories are made, and community bonds are permanently strengthened.
Every initiative we run gives us the opportunity to create a direct, lasting benefit for our community. The smiles we see on the faces of the people we are blessed to impact say it all.
Help us keep the village strong.