The 2020 debutantes of the Zulu Social Aid & Pleasure Club

For thirty-one young ladies, life-long thoughts, dreams and imagination surrounding Carnival Season became live and “in living color” when they made their debuts at the 2020 Zulu Coronation Ball on Friday, February 21 to this year’s pageantry entitled, “Zulu’s Book of Love and Cinema.”

The spotlight shone brightly as Brian M. Sims was officially crowned as King Zulu 2020 and his lovely cohort, Dr. Chanda Macias, Queen Zulu 2020.

Sharing in that spotlight were this year’s debutantes of the century plus organization. They are Misses Kennedy I. Bates, king’s maid, and daughter of Mr. Everette Bates Jr. and Mrs. Niketa Bienemy; Maci M. Duplessis, queen’s maid, and daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Rory Duplessis; Amoni M. Dyer, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Bernard Dyer Jr.; Le’Jonné M. Blackmon, daughter of Ms. Lawanda Blackmon; Nia L. Jackson, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Walter Jackson; Brooklyn S. Joyner, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Excel L. Joyner; Jazmyn A. Baskin, daughter of Maria C. Armour; Simone A. Haley, daughter of Mr. N. Sundiata Haley and Ms. Rachel Davis; Nia L. Rivers, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Neron Rivers; Chanel I. Hendricks, daughter of Mr. Leo Hendricks Jr. and Mrs. Selika Bates;

Misses Jailyn C. London, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Curtis London III; Brieanna Cerf, daughter of Ms. Nia Cooper and Mr. Mark Cerf; Hydia S. A. Banks, daughter of Mr. Russell Keith Banks Sr. and Ms. Nakia C. Ben Banks; Te`a K. Harris, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Terrance Harris; Sasa A. D. Middleton, daughter of Mr. Andrew Middleton and Ms. Tahirahana Williams; Brionna A. Summers, daughter of Ms. Sabrina Summers; Ashia M. Henry, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Kim Henry; Toni D. Nash, daughter of Tracy D. Nash, Sr. and Dr. Tonya M. Washington-Nash; Tayla I. McLaughlin, daughter of Cynthia Darensbourg and the late Maria Darensbourg; Kai Z.L. Haley, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Okyeame Haley, Esq.;

Also Misses Madison N. Ben, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Frank T. Ben III; Laine M. Roberts, daughter of Capt. LeJon M. Roberts and Ms. Natashia Goins- Roberts; Kendiee C. Bailey-Lacabe, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Troy LaCabe; Diamond D. Floyd, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Edward Johnson and the late Dennis J. Floyd; Jordan E. Washington, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Lionel Washington; Demi`A. Bluford, daughter of Dr. Michael McKnight Sr. and Ms. LaToya A. Bluford; Kaci A. Chairs, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Kelan Chairs, Sr.; Karrington N. Smith, daughter of Mrs. LaToya Sanders-Smith and the late Mr. Terry Smith; Rayne T. Williams, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Williams III; Destiny L. Graves, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Mack A. Graves Jr.; and Kelsey L. Rainey, daughter of Mr. Oscar Rainey and Ms. Michelle Patterson.

Attendants to King Sims were his Charge d’ Affairs Todd K. Bazzle, Kevin Randolph, and Keith Thomas; Chief Tribesmen, Brian Pollard and Travis Phipps; and Tribesmen, Lyelle Joseph Bellard, Patrick Bridges, Derrick Campbell, Keith Celestine, Rychon Garrett, Kevin Mathews, Jamar McKneely, Eugene H. Taylor, III, Leo Washington, and Daron J. Wright Sr.

Serving as Queen Macias’ Charge d ’Affairs were Darrin McWilliams, Kevin Guidry and George E Ray Jr. Her prince was Michael Keith Bobo Jr. and the Queen’s princesses were Chanel Marie Taylor and Chayla Rene Taylor; while her pages were Alaya L. Adams, Rychon D. Garrett Jr. and Rylee G. Hill. The queen’s attendants were Dr. Aleisha Dobins, Kim Henry, Karen McWilliams, Judge Robin Pittman, Dr. Sharmayne Rutledge, Dr. Janana Snowden and Theodoris Thyssen.

Elroy A. James serves as president of Zulu. Clifton Jones was this year’s Coordinator of the Coronation and Dennis Robertson Jr., was the 2020 Chairman of Carnival Activities. Clarence A. Becknell Sr., Zulu Historian Emeritus, was the coronation pageantry’s official master of ceremonies.

This article originally published in the February 24, 2020 print edition of The Louisiana Weekly newspaper.