Man grills during a community cookout at Gunpowder State Park. Photo by Rukwaro & Associate / Courtesy of Global Civic Fora.

The savory aroma of goat meat permeated the air, while the soft crackle of roasting corn and the hum of various languages filled Pavilion 3 at Gunpowder Falls State Park on July 12.

Itโ€™s a familiar scene for many East African immigrants whoโ€™ve gathered there annually for decades.

โ€œWell, we just picked an American holiday โ€” the Fourth of July being Independence Day โ€” and we, as Kenyan-Americans, felt that it’s nice to also remember our heritage in the same spirit,โ€ said Mugo Gachucha, one of the eventโ€™s longtime organizers.

The annual cookout began more than 30 years ago with a few families and a single pot of food. Now, itโ€™s a cornerstone event for the Kenyan diaspora across Maryland and neighboring states.

Read more (and listen) at WYPR.