By The Freelancer
The Royal Family brought more than two centuries of history to San Diego July 31st through August 3rd, turning the harbor city into a hub of laughter, music, and memories. Descendants of Fant and Phyllis Royal, who raised four sons: Doye, Morris, Dave, and Robert (and lost two daughters at birth), arrived from across the country for a four-day reunion that celebrated their legacy and looked ahead to the future.
Relatives traveled from Georgia, New York, the Carolinas, Arizona, Florida, Utah, Detroit, California, and beyond. The San Diego committee: Saladin Martin, Eventa Brown, Latesha Fields, Monique White, Amanda Jones, Dajon Howden, Dar Mims, Maurice Johnson, and Ishajuwan Saunders organized the events, ensuring the family had plenty to eat, dance to, and remember.
Day One: Meet & Greet
The gathering kicked off at the Hilton DoubleTree Harborside with a warm welcome. Rhonique Randall, who hosted and cleaned up all four days, kept the atmosphere running smoothly. Boots On The Ground Line Dancing by Maisha Mahone set the tone, while food, games, and conversations brought everyone closer. The children were involved and had a lot of fun.
Day Two: City Tour, Dinner Dance, and Awards
The morning started with a creative T-shirt cutting session led by Teresa Jackson. By afternoon, attendees boarded a city tour hosted by Saladin Martin and assisted by Maurice Johnson, taking in the scenic and historic landmarks of San Diego.
That evening, the Happy Hour Dinner Dance transformed DoubleTree into a celebration of music and elegance. J-Movelle performed live, and DJ King Arthur kept the dance floor moving. Hosts Latesha Fields and Saladin Martin mixed humor with heart, ensuring no one left without a smile. Awards highlighted family spirit: Shannon Crenshaw earned “Who Paid First,” Joshaie Brown Jr. claimed, “Best Dressed,” and Aaliyah Slayton took home the Rudy Hall Sr. “Keeper of the Flame” Award. Resolutions were presented by Narriman Fields, Tariri Mims, and Ceicily Williams-Grant. The evening closed with a symbolic passing of the staff to the Detroit chapter, which will host the next reunion.
Day Three: Family Cookout
Chef Key Locke and friends served up a Mexican Fiesta at Admiral Baker Park. The cookout was laid-back and flavorful, with the kind of food that keeps people coming back for seconds and sometimes thirds.
Day Four: Fish Fry Farewell
The final day’s fish fry gave everyone one last chance to sit together, share stories, and make promises to do it all again in a year.
The San Diego committee thanked volunteers, donors, photographers, The Freelancer and Shawn Jones, and everyone who made the event possible. “This family has traveled many roads, but we always find our way back to each other,” one attendee said.
Next stop: Detroit, Michigan.
For full stories and photos only published in print, pick up a paper at a newsstand near you, or check out the latest edition of our newspaper on Thursday each week.
Related
‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source sdvoice.info ’
