In this day and age where you hear so much about stars behaving badly and dissing their fans, it is such a breath of fresh air to know that one star is reportedly always humble and sweet to her fans. That star is none other than Nicole Ari Parker (Kodjoe), formally of the hit TV Series Soul Food. The now Murder in the First star became involved with her fan club and website known then as Simply Nicole Ari Parker (SNAP) when the creator of the fan webpage Valencia Taylor reached out to her.

"The reason I started the website was that she was my favorite actress on Soul Food and I wanted to see what other roles she'd played in, when I went to look her up she didn't have a website. I knew others had to be looking for information on her as well, so I did research on her and made her a website. From there we all became a family and when I assisted the Kodjoes it just made sense to bring the two together. That was the birth of the celebration. Bringing the online family and the reason we knew each other together" states Taylor.

The first celebration took place in Los Angeles in 2004 and although they don't have a celebration every year, the members often get together for special occasions, vacations etc. "I never thought it would grow to this level or be this big when I first started it," says Taylor.

While Kodjoe doesn't always have the time to attend each celebration, she has been to three of them all in Los Angeles. She takes pictures, signs autographs and basically has a great time hanging out with her fans and they enjoy her.

This group of fans, mostly women, sometime travel to her plays, go to her movies, watch her shows and just support her. Over the years they have developed a strong sisterhood with Kodjoe and each other.

"She talks to us and doesn't forget a thing," said Frenda Rodgers who has been coming to the celebrations since the beginning. "She is just humble and kind person"

Now as for me well I have missed every celebration and get together but this year on the 10th Anniversary I was determined to go. So I paid my registration fee, got my ticket and flew out to LA to join the gang. I didn't make it to the meet and greet so I missed meeting Nicole in person but I made it to the dinner and what a wonderful time I had. Some of the women I knew from the website and many of them I met for the first time at the event.

Sadly this is the last SNAK celebration but the crew will get together from time to time as they have become a family.

I will always remember my first and last SNAK celebration with fondness and I know that one day I too will have the pleasure of meeting Nicole Ari Parker (Kodjoe) a star that shows kindness to her fans.

To learn more about Nicole Ari Kodjoe you can visit her website at www.nicoleariparkeronline.com



The Members of SNAK