“There’s no way the three of us would have ever met one another were it not for Prince Rogers Nelson,” explained Cinzia Inzinna, as Norvis Long-Parker and Nadine Rivers-Johnson readily nod in agreement.
Respectively, these three women hail from the cities of Rochester, New York; Frederick, Maryland; and Stone Mountain, Georgia. Their paths first crossed in the wake of Prince’s tragic passing. Today, the close friends collectively make up the administrative team of the private Facebook group Purple Genealogy.
Purple Genealogy is much more than an online gathering of Prince fans. Back in 2018, Inzinna, Long-Parker, and Rivers-Johnson were instrumental in the Prince Legacy Henderson Project, which resulted in a beautiful Prince mural and memorial bench in downtown Henderson, the small southern Minnesota town along the banks of the Minnesota River where one of the most iconic scenes in “Purple Rain” was filmed on November 2, 1983.
“We realized we all had the same idea, the same purpose around our love for Prince to continue his legacy through philanthropy,” added Inzinna.
“Party with a purpose” became their mantra, and Purple Genealogy’s annual gatherings here in Minnesota laid the foundation for giving back to the local community. They first lent their support to the Twin Cities-based nonprofit Purple Playground—co-founded by Heidi Vader and Willie Adams—and its celebrated Academy of Prince Summer Music Program for teens.
Through this effort, the ladies of Purple Genealogy were ultimately connected to David “T.C.” Ellis, a former Paisley Park/Warner Bros. recording artist and the creator of Studio 4 Enterprises and St. Paul’s High School for the Recording Arts (HSRA).
Ellis, who appeared alongside Prince in the sequel to “Purple Rain,” 1990’s “Graffiti Bridge,” used the earnings from his Paisley Park contract to fund HSRA. He invited Inzinna, Long-Parker, and Rivers-Johnson to tour the school, and the three of them knew instantly that HSRA was something they wanted to support.
Purple Genealogy will soon present “Let it Rain… Purple,” a night to celebrate 40 years of Purple Rain. Proceeds will go toward the painting of a mural designed to “preserve the legacy of Prince” at HSRA.
Norvis-Long, a lifelong arts educator who formally retired in 2012, notes that her passion for working with children never waned and that HSRA was a perfect fit for Purple Genealogy.
“Far too many kids are left behind in school, and the shortage of art and music programs has a lot to do with this,” said Norvis-Long. “So many of these have hidden talents that they might know nothing about. A place such as HSRA helps them not only discover but nurture those talents as well.”
During the trio’s visit to HSRA, one of the things that stood out most was how focused, engaging, friendly, and enthusiastic the students were.
“We were told how difficult it was to get some of these kids to even speak to you before they found a home here,” Norvis-Long said. “Now they are thriving. In all my years as an educator, I’ve never been to a school like this. And this was something so important to Prince—to provide children with this type of education. He gave the world so much, and this is a way for us to give back. To carry on Prince’s legacy in a meaningful way.”
When considering the impact that the school’s students have already had on all three women, Rivers-Johnson acknowledges current HSRA senior Sierra Rich, who volunteered to help coordinate “Let in Rain… Purple.”
“Since the three of us don’t have a local presence in Minneapolis,” Rivers-Johnson observed, “Sierra volunteered to step in. And she’s just taken the bull by the horns on this. Her passion is infectious. And we are all so proud of her.”
“Let it Rain… Purple” takes place on Sunday, April 21, 2024, from 4:30 p.m. to 10:00 p.m., at the Women’s Club of Minneapolis (410 Oak Grove Street, Minneapolis).
In addition to a screening of Prince’s 1984 motion picture debut, “Purple Rain,” the event will include a panel discussion featuring Purple Rain choreographer John Command; an appearance by renowned Twin Cities concert photographer Tommy Smith, III; a mini-fashion show spotlighting Prince-inspired costumes by past winners of Quinn Villagomez’s The Purple One’s Annual Prince Celebration Fashion Show; and a dance party featuring Adams, who in addition to his role at Purple Playground, brings more than three decades of experience as a musical director and deejay.
Attendees are encouraged to wear “Purple Rain”-themed costumes or other Prince-related attire. Free popcorn and pizza will also be offered, the pizza courtesy of Slice Brothers, Minneapolis’ first Black-owned pizzeria.
Tickets for the event are $19.84, a nod to the year “Purple Rain” was released and can be purchased here. The proceeds will support the transportation and materials costs for Las Vegas-based artist Clifford Morris, who has already agreed to donate his time and talents to create the new portable HSRA mural.
“The decision to go with a portable mural,” revealed Norvis-Long, “is to ensure its preservation. Should HSRA ever outgrow its current space, the mural can travel with them to their next location.”
Of course, if one party with a purpose is great, two are even better. Morris’s HSRA mural will be officially unveiled at Purple Genealogy’s 4th Annual Fundraiser/Dance Party, “Crystal Ball,” on Wednesday, June 19, 2024, before being transported to its home at HSRA.
“Crystal Ball” will also be held at the Women’s Club of Minneapolis. Along with the presentation of the HSRA mural, there will be deejay sets from Adams and Michael Holtz and live music by former Warner Bros. recording artist Martin Kember. Plus, Paisley Park’s own Mark Webster will be presented with the Purple Genealogy Service Award for his tireless dedication to ensuring that Prince Rogers Nelson Memorial Highway became a reality.
“Putting on events like these is our way to show our love to Minneapolis,” asserts Rivers-Johnson. “Prince gave us all so much. We just want to pay tribute to him as well as all those who helped make the Minneapolis Sound the worldwide phenomenon that it is today.”
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