MANSFIELD — Rakayla Smith’s 15-year-old arms glided up, one after the other, in a fluid motion toward the heavens. The edges of her white dress swung above the grass as she twirled, stopped and lifted her gaze.
Smith moved with complete confidence, performing a praise dance she choreographed with a fellow dancer in a just a week.
“I was kind of nervous,” she said afterward. “I want to make everybody proud.”
More than 100 people came out to the NECIC’s Urban Farm on Saturday for Kay Day, a small festival celebrating the legacy of Geneva Kay Smith. Smith, a former community organizer and anti-violence advocate, died in December 2019 due to complications from open-heart surgery.
The Kay Day festivities included a numerous speakers, a backpack and school supply giveaway, a bouncy house and a buffet meal. A number of Mansfield leaders were in attendance, including Mansfield Police Chief Keith Porch and councilman Aurelio Diaz among others.
Attendees also took a moment to honor seven local families impacted by gun violence in the last year. Each was presented with a homemade blanket.
Rakayla said her mother (Geneva Kay Smith) would be proud to witness the events of the day.
“I think she would be very happy and excited because she just loved the community and loved helping out,” she said.
Kay’s sister, Aretha Greir, said it filled her heart to see the community come together in her honor.
“It’s amazing, it’s getting bigger by the year,” she said.
Grier said her sister made time to give tirelessly to her community, even as a full-time working mother.
“(Kay) gave so much of her time, her love, her energy, her spirit,” she said.
Kay spent three years as a community organizer for the North End Community Improvement Collaborative, where she led programs including The North End Elder program, Neighbor Up Night, Mansfield Community Against Violence, My Brother’s Keeper and Open Tables.
She also found Mothers United to S.A.V.E. (Standing Against Violence Everywhere).
Deanna West-Torrence, executive director of the NECIC, said Kay left a lasting impact on the organization.
“It was not until Kay came to NECIC that (anti-violence) really became a focus of our work,” she said. “The organization opened up to allow Kay to insert her passion into what it was that we did and she made us a lot richer for it.”
Greir said she’d like to see Kay Day continue to grow as a reminder to others to keep pouring into the community.
“I would like to see more bounce houses, more games, like a small fair because that was her heart,” she said. “That was who she was. When she did it, she put her all into it.”
Greir also said she wants to keep the event free.
“You never know, this could be somebody’s only meal that they’re getting today,” she said.
