MESA Celebrates Ethiopian New Year 2019 with Community, Culture, and Giving

A celebration of community, culture, generosity, and a new chapter for MESA

On September 12, 2026, the Massachusetts Ethiopian Support Association (MESA) community came together for a joyful celebration of Ethiopian New Year 2019, a memorable evening filled with culture, music, dance, generosity, and a strong sense of community.

This year’s celebration was especially meaningful for MESA. As members learned the exciting news that MESA will have its own office beginning in October 2026 at 75 Pleasant Street, Suite #128, Malden, MA, the excitement could be felt throughout the community. Members and supporters stepped forward in many different ways to help prepare for the New Year celebration and support the organization as it begins this important new chapter.

One of the most remarkable aspects of this year’s event was the generosity of our community. A significant portion of the expenses associated with the celebration was covered through contributions and support from MESA members and friends of the organization.

To everyone who donated, volunteered, performed, prepared food, helped organize, decorated, supported behind the scenes, or simply came to celebrate with us: THANK YOU! Your unwavering support, in so many different forms, is what makes MESA such a strong and vibrant community organization.

A Beautiful Cultural Opening

Following dinner, the celebration officially began with a beautiful Ethiopian New Year tradition. Our beloved Enqu Dankira, together with MESA sisters, performed “Abeba Ayesh Woy” as a group, creating a wonderful opening to the evening and bringing the spirit of Ethiopian New Year to everyone in attendance.

We were also honored to welcome Revere Mayor Patrick Keefe, who once again joined our community for the celebration. We sincerely appreciate his continued presence and friendship with our community, and it was wonderful to see him enjoying this special occasion alongside MESA members and guests.

Celebrating Our Students and the Spirit of Giving

Another very special moment of the evening was recognizing four senior members of Enqu Dankira who will be heading to college. Through the MESA Scholarship Program, each of the four students received a scholarship in recognition and support of their educational journey.

The scholarships also reflected the extraordinary spirit of giving within our community. Part of the scholarship funding was raised by our hardworking MESA member Eskinder Graham (Eskiew-Sheshew), who volunteered his time and energy shining shoes during our recent Ethiopian-American Family Day event to raise money for the scholarship program.

His effort is a wonderful example of what MESA represents: community members helping one another and finding creative ways to give back to the next generation.

We congratulate all four scholarship recipients and wish them tremendous success as they begin the next chapter of their education.

Music, Dancing, and an Unforgettable Performance

The celebration continued with an outstanding musical performance by singer Andupa Teshome, accompanied by keyboardist Ashu. Their energy and music kept the dance floor busy and brought our guests together for an evening filled with dancing, laughter, and celebration.

One of the biggest highlights of the night was the performance by our Enqu Dankira Group. Their presentation of different Ethiopian traditional and cultural dances captured the attention of the entire audience. Their colorful, energetic, and beautifully coordinated performances were truly eye-catching and demonstrated the richness and diversity of Ethiopian culture.

We are incredibly proud of Enqu Dankira and grateful for the work they continue to do in preserving and sharing our culture with younger generations and the wider community.

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Starting the New Year Together

The celebration continued until 1:00 AM, with our community enjoying music, dancing, friendship, and the opportunity to welcome the Ethiopian New Year together.

More than just a New Year celebration, the evening demonstrated what can happen when a community comes together with a shared purpose. From our members and volunteers to our performers, donors, supporters, guests, and young people, everyone contributed to making the celebration special.

As MESA prepares to open its new office in Malden in October, we enter this New Year with excitement and gratitude for how far we have come—and with even greater hope for what we can accomplish together.

Thank you to every MESA member, supporter, volunteer, performer, sponsor, guest, and friend who helped make our 2026 Ethiopian New Year celebration a success.

መልካም አዲስ ዓመት ለሁላችንም!

May the New Year bring peace, health, happiness, prosperity, and unity to our community and to families everywhere.

Together, we celebrate our culture. Together, we support our community. Together, we build MESA.