Afri-love

Interview with Live Unchained Co-Founder, Kathryn Buford

I'm really excited about today's interview with Live Unchained Co-Founder and PhD candidate, Kathryn Buford. Live Unchained is a global arts and media initiative featuring black women artists and writers across the African diaspora. I virtually met Kathryn earlier this year when she approached me for an interview and since then, we've been exchanging ideas, finding opportunities to collaborate and sharing life experiences. Despite the thousands of miles between us, we've become friends and I'm really honoured to know this inspiring, intelligent, thoughtful woman and to share her story with you.

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What's your passion?
I'm developing Live Unchained, a global arts organization for women of African descent, with one of my dearest friends, Miriam Moore. I see this project as my brainchild and I am passionate about seeing it to its full potential as a globally recognized brand that celebrates and empowers women of African descent and their creative interests. I've learned to take all my dreams and gifts seriously and I am passionate about realizing them and, hopefully, inspiring others to do the same.

What inspired you to pursue a PhD? What inspired Live Unchained?
My undergraduate college experience was a bit rocky, but academically I performed well and wanted to teach at the collegiate level, so that meant a PhD. Honestly, I know why I started the PhD, but throughout the process I often asked myself: WHAT AM I DOING?!!! WHY AM I PUTTING MYSELF THROUGH THIS?!!! LOL I thought sociology was fascinating--exploring questions of culture, revolution and identity, so I decided that would be my doctorate. But, I didn't realize how grim and euro-centric the dominant thinking in sociology had been and learning how to navigate that took a lot of work. Learning how to handle harsh criticism and different personalities was also challenging. Now, I've learned to make my graduate work revolve around Live Unchained, and that has finally helped me answer those burning questions ;) I know anything that helps me grow Live Unchained is worth seeing through.

Africa and Diaspora events this October

As September draws to a close, I'm getting geared up for a bunch of exciting events in October. I'm one of those people who plans her social calendar waaaay in advance and diligently researches to find Afri-love-inspiring events. Not always easy but definitely worth it! I thought that I'd spare you some of the time and effort and compile all the Africa and Diaspora related events that I find each month. I also hope to tap into the power of crowd-sourcing to create an even richer listing for all of us. I invite you to share the great discoveries that you make in your "yard" (see the bottom of this post for details). Enjoy!

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MONTH-LONG EVENTS

Black History Month (UK) events in Islington
London
Islington Council is organising a variety of free and low cost film screenings, exhibitions, talks, readings, poetry and performances inspiring and connecting communities to historical legacies and Black experience today
Download Islington Black History Month 2011- Arts and Culture events
Download Islington Black History Month 2011 - Business and Enterprise events
Download Islington Black History Month 2011 - Schools activities 

Afrika Eye Film Festival
London
Afrika Eye Film Festival showcases films that tell stories told by African and diaspora voices. Bringing together local African and Afro-Caribbean communities with international figures in film, music, and dance, Afrika Eye aims to offer an insight into African culture both on and beyond the screen.

I am thenublack exhibition
London, Wednesday 5 - Saturday 29 October
Celebrating the talents of a generation of youth born to parents of the African Diaspora, this exhibition presents artists who have been inspired by the positive influence of their forbearers. Through a variety of disciplines from illustration to photography this collection of work conveys the rich heritage of contemporary Black culture.
Download flyer

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SATURDAY 1 OCTOBER

Black History Live 2011
London, 10am - 6pm
(Also on Sunday 2 October, 10am - 5pm)
A cultural extravaganza at Wembey Stadium celebrating the start of Black History Month. A fun-packed day for all the family

Run the Sahara 2012 Launch
London, 3 - 5:50pm
Featuring a screening of the award-winning documentary El Problema, readings by acclaimed playwright and poet Inua Ellams and preview of The Runner.Sandblast’s 4th annual campaign of Run the Sahara will help raise funds for its exciting new music empowerment initiative –Studio Live – in the Saharawi refugee camps in SW Algeria aiming to enable artists to develop professionally and reach international audiences through music and express their culture and struggle more widely.

Black Sound Series: The Afterparty
Manchester, 9pm 'til late
A free evening of live music, with performances from Tsana, Sparkz, Young Identity, Media Drop and DJ sets from Phaze One and Irfan Rainy until the small hours.

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TUESDAY 4 OCTOBER

Insight with Robert King: The Angola 3 and their fight for justice
London, 7pm
Robert King at the Frontline Club, in conversation with founder and director of Reprieve, Clive Stafford Smith to recount his personal story of injustice and how his life’s focus now is to campaign against abuses in the criminal justice system and for the freedom of Black Panthers, Herman Wallace and Albert Woodfox who are now serving their 40th year in solitary confinement.

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WEDNESDAY 12 OCTOBER

Freestyle Fictionary
Manchester, 8:30pm
Freestyle Fictionary is an event based on freestyle word games, it is accessible to all, whether Hip Hop heads or not, it is witty, light-hearted, and includes audience participation.

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FRIDAY 14 OCTOBER

I am Osunlade
Manchester, 11:30pm
A 6 hour marathon set by my favourite DJ! House music all night long … 

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MONDAY 17 OCTOBER

The Black British Filmmaker's Guide to Success
London, 6pm - 8pm
Seasoned film commentator, Nadia Denton, discusses her book, The Black British Filmmaker's Guide to Success: Finance, Market and Distribute Your Film. 

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WEDNESDAY 19 OCTOBER

Black LGBT Shorts Programme
London, 7 - 8:30pm
A moving programme of six short films from around the world exploring the experience of being Black and gay, from Australia, South Africa to an estate in South London.

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FRIDAY 21 OCTOBER

Insight with Nawal El Saadawi
London, 7pm
The internationally renowned Egyptian writer, novelist and activist Nawal El Saadawi will be celebraing her 80th birthday at the Frontline Club, discussing her life's work and the launch of a foundation that will embody the themes, ethos and characteristics that have shaped it.

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SATURDAY 22 OCTOBER

Manchester Literature Festival: Jean 'Binta' Breeze
Manchester, 7:30pm
Internationally renowned Jamaican ‘dub’ poet, director and playwright Jean ‘Binta’ Breeze’s words are personal and political and her electric stage presence and rhythmic wordplay has mesmerized audiences around the world. 

Whether speaking about Third World poverty, reggae music, inner-city life, the Caribbean or family, she weaves together themes that challenge and celebrate human experience in all its many forms. She will be joined by members of Speakeasy People and Contact’s Key Partner Company, Young Identity. 

SOAS World Music Stage at the Bloomsbury Festival
London, 12 - 7:30pm (and Sunday, 12 - 5:00pm)

A free concert series brought to you by my alma mater, The School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) – the UK’s premier academic institution dedicated to the research and development of non-Western cultures, traditions and languages. Acts include:

• Amira Kheir – Sudanese-Italian singer/songwriter Amira Kheir is creating a sound that is inspired by traditional Sudanese singing and instrumentation, blended with elements of Jazz, Soul, African as well as Middle Eastern music. 
• Laye Sow – one of the most exciting musicians to come out of Senegal. Of Dogan and Fula heritage, the music takes you on a journey from his village on the edge of the Sahara to the happening night clubs of Dakar. 
• Harare Music – Zimbabwe's rich African musical heritage is still alive and kicking, albeit in exile. Frontman and marimba virtuoso Kudaushe Matimba was a member of the legendary Bhundu Boys back in the 80s; now based in London he is keeping up the faith, celebrating the musical alliances he has since made in the UK through the prism of Zimbabwe’s urban Chimurenga and Jit Jive music.
• Diabel Cissokho – Senegalese musician Diabel Cissokho is part of the great line of Cissokho griots. His “resonant voice and rocking kora style” (Songlines), have been welcomed everywhere from WOMAD and Glastonbury to London’s Barbican.

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WEDNESDAY 26 OCTOBER

Viva Riva! Screening
London, 7pm
For charismatic criminal, Riva, as sudden burst of stolen wealth ignites an exhilarating, hedonistic and perilous journey through one of the most intriguing cities in Africa – Kinshasha.

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What's good in your city this October? Leave a comment to share. 

Event listings – If you'd like me to list your event in November and beyond, please drop me an email by the 21st of October via address: afrilovemail [at] gmail [dot] com. 

Want to stay up to date with events, and received Afri-love posts directly into your inbox? Subscribe here.

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Osunlade photo via Resident Advisor; Nawal El Saadawi photo via bikyamasr

The RCA Black show begins: Uncomfortable colour thing? Opportunity to inspire?

Today marks the launch of RCA Black, an exhibition celebrating art and design by African and African Caribbean Royal College of Art (RCA) graduates. Brought to you in collaboration with the African and African Caribbean Design Diaspora (AACDD), the exhibition will include work by 23 artists working in several disciplines including fine art, photography, product design, jewellery and more.

The show's co-curator and RCA graduate herself, Ekua McMorris, addresses the question that will be on many people's minds – what is black art? "Black art can be anything." she says in this Hannah Pool/Guardian article. "It can be a landscape without any reference to colour or culture." A friend of mine – artist, RCA grad, tutor and RCA Black exhibitor – Catherine Anyango shares some of her views on the topic in the same article, that's worth some reflection.

On one hand, can the colour of your skin determine the kind of work you produce? On the other hand, can your work be totally removed from your experience and how the colour of your skin shapes that experience? I'd love to hear your thoughts on the matter.

Debates aside, it is momentous that the highly influential (and predominantly white) RCA is putting together this showcase of  exemplary work that spans 60 years. Perhaps it will help to inspire at least one young person of colour into following their heart and taking a path so little travelled by members of our communities. 

The show runs until the 6th of september. More details here.

Related reading:

• 5 reasons why design matters: an argument for African parents, businesses and other skeptics
• In our own hands: an interview with Kesha Bruce for the 6x6 Summer Blog Tour
• There are many ways to get to Mombasa and so many stories to tell

 

Art school confidential on the Kesha Bruce studio blog

Artist and creative consultant Kesha Bruce (who made an appearance on Afri-love not too long ago) asked me to share my thoughts on and experiences of art school with her, in Art School Confidential. 

Did you go to art school? What was your experience like? Are you considering going to art school? What are you hoping to get out of the experience? Share your responses over at Kesha's.

World AIDs day – getting a thorough education

It's World AIDS day today and I've noticed several messages and tweets talking about "Happy World AIDS Day" and "Celebrate World AIDS Day…" While I understand that people are spreading the word and participating for a cause, it's the choice of words that I find a bit inappropriate. I doubt we would hear "Happy Cancer Day" or something similar. 

Nevertheless, there are a bunch of things that people are doing today in recognition, shall we say, of HIV and AIDS. Participating in a bit of guilt-free consumerism by buying things (RED), wearing red ribbons and encouraging each other to practice safe sex. One thing I'd like to encourage is taking the time to go a bit deeper and understand more about HIV and AIDS. Not just the fact that nameless people in poor countries are dying but, perhaps interrogating the most readily-available information and looking at the wider socio-economic factors that come into play with what has become more than just a disease but, a booming business and at times, a weapon of propaganda.

Consider getting yourself an alternative education. Check out Alive and Well, a comprehensive site that challenges several assumptions about HIV and AIDS. Get your hands on a copy of the intriguing film,  The Other Side of AIDS, which explores what mainstream media will not.   

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Images: using art and public spaces to raise awareness. But do these solutions suffice to address the complexities around sex, HIV and AIDS? Top – a sex-ed mural in Tanzania, via globalpost (view the full collection here). Bottom: a photo I took at a primary school in Tausa, Taita (Kenya).

 

Design for good

A little over a week ago, I travelled to Wales to run a workshop with university students, on design for good. Specifically exploring how graphic design can contribute to positive change.

It was a rewarding day. The students were engaged, creative and humorous, and I can't wait to see what they come up with in response to the term-long brief I've set them.

Key questions explored included: 

• Why design? Why do we designers do what we do? What can it achieve? 
• Why design for good? What benefit to planet, profit and especially, people? What's in it for the designer him or herself?!
• How can we design for good? Why should people care? How can we present our ideas and messages about positive action in ways that are useful and desirable to people? What tools are at our disposal for this mission?

I know I always hammer on about the significance of starting all journeys and enquiries with the self. In true form, I asked the students why they have chosen to be designers in the first place. Their responses included: "to communicate,"  "to educate," "it's challenging."

Why am I a designer? To help improve people's wellbeing. Whether that be through supporting the activities that provide their livelihood; affirming their identity and uniqueness; encouraging respect of self, community and environment or; through facilitating communication and interaction between groups for the mutual benefit of all.

That involves designing/facilitating experiences and this blog is an example of such.

At the end of the design for good day, what's key is respecting diversity. Nature demonstrates this to us every day and we designers, and people in general, can learn a lot by observing it. People are different and are driven and excited by different things. Our role as designers is to truly understand who our audiences are, what attitudes they have towards the changes we are encouraging and for us to find away to position positive change as exciting, useful and desirable. We have to inspire.

"Ultimately, it is the agenda with which we approach the making of things that must be truly diverse."
— Michael Braungart & William McDonough

And final inspiration from US President, John F. Kennedy:

"The problems of the world cannot possibly be solved by skeptics or cynics whose horizons are limited by the obvious realities.We need people who can dream of things that never were."

If you're interested in exploring design for good with your students, company or organisation, please do get in touch. I'd love to help you get people excited and inspired!

Images: some great books on the subject including Do Good Design: How Design can Change our World: How Communicators can Save the World by David B. Berman, Cradle to Cradle: Remaking the Way we make Things by Michael Braungart & William McDonough, Massive Change: A Manifesto for the Future Global Design Culture by Bruce Mau