Talk about turning a negative into a positive… Not only have folks decided, in spite of COVID-19-ordered social distancing and other restrictions on gatherings, that the show must go on; they’ve also co-opted the term “drive-by” to describe what has quickly become one of the most popular forms of celebration for birthdays, graduations, and other milestones, virtually stripping the term of its negative connotations.

But, that’s exactly what Shauna K. Henson did, working in cahoots with her cousin Candace Davis Hawkins and mom Karleigh Henson, to create a surprise drive-by celebration for the 90th birthday of family matriarch and well-loved community servant Laura Knight.

I was like, ‘I’m not writing drive-by on my grandmother’s 90th birthday…’”

In case you don’t get it, in the times of COVID-19, a “drive-by” involves a festive caravan of vehicles festooned with decorations, parading by the home of an individual to celebrate a life-event or other accomplishment.

In the case of Laura Knight’s 90th Birthday Mobile Soirée, the trio of hosts took the concept of drive-by to an even higher level by including the virtual component of Zoom video conferencing, which allowed local friends and relatives unable to attend, as well as those in Texas and Virginia, to participate.

When Mrs. Knight, a retired Baltimore City Public Schools social worker, charter member of the National Coalition of 100 Black Women – Baltimore Metropolitan Chapter, and longtime member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc, emerged from her home and was led to the Delta-decorated birthday tent, adorned with flowers, balloons, ribbons and streamers, awaiting her arrival in the driveway, she was totally surprised by the scene of an adoring public, waiting and ready to celebrate her big day.

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