The Long Beach Unity Festival & Spirit of Praise Sacred Artistry International

 The Long Beach Unity Festival Inc. is a non-profit 501c3 organization founded by Steve Adams in 1998 in response to the Rodney King incident and the violence and anger across racial lines that insued afterwards.  Believing that the Arts could bring healing and peace to the city, the LBUF mission was established:  T

 STEPHEN ADAMS:

As Founder and President of the non-profit 501c3 organization, The Long Beach Unity Festival, Mr. Adams has been a long-time charity event producer and community advocate. He is now in his 18th official year of producing one of Long Beach‘s signature outdoor events which promotes diversity, the Arts, and healthy lifestyles. Steve works closely with LB City Officials, the LBUSD, concerned citizens, and numerous social agencies to remove barriers of race, religion, and culture in the Greater LB and LA Communities through creative expression in music and the Arts. As a result, he has received numerous awards and commendations at local, state, and congressional levels including: The Human Dignity Award (CCEJ), The Community Partner Award (100 Black Men Inc.), City Council Districts Commendations, and Mayoral Proclamations.

 STEPHANIE BUTLER ADAMS

Rev. Stephanie is the Founding Director of Spirit of Praise Sacred Artistry International, International Director of Liturgical Dance for the AME Church under the directive of the Music & Christian Arts Ministry (MCAM), and creator of The Dancer In Me Sacred Arts & Music Training Institute. In each role, she creates technically sound curriculum models for dance and performing arts. For more than 15 years, her ministry and mission work has been recognized worldwide spanning Africa, Asia, Europe, North and South America, and extensively throughout the Caribbean for her in-depth teaching on choreography, dance theology, Arts-evangelism, liturgical worship, cross-cultural outreach ministry, and the preached Word. Her first book, My Body is the Temple: Encounters and Revelations of Sacred Dance & Artistry published in 2002 is a best seller in the category of Christian Arts. Her second published work is entitled, Breathe, Balance, and STRETCH: Movement Meditations & Daily Devotionals for Living, Xulon Press Publications, July 2006, and her latest work is a children’s book, The Dancer in Me, Xulon Press, 2014. Stephanie directs