Ghana
International Hip Hop Artists Help Support Displaced Africans
On December 16, 2006, hip hop artists from all over the world will unite to improve the welfare of displaced Africans. Musicians from Brazil to Ghana, including Chosan and Wanlov the Kubolor will spit rhymes in their native tongues to promote the work of a non-profit organization called Nah We Yone, meaning “it belongs to us†in the Krio language. It was formed as a New York City based group to provide services to distressed communities within the African Diaspora.
Nah We Yone provides critical psychological and social support to Africans, crisis intervention to displaced individuals, children, and families, wellness, and culturally informed programming and education on immigration and detention of refugees. The ultimate mission of Nah We Yone is to foster independence and self-empowerment among African refugees and asylees living in the United States.
Groups such as Lava Gina, World Up, Fusicology, and Liberation Lab are sponsoring the hip hop event entitled, “Music as a Weapon Presents: Bling & Blood,†symbolizing the ongoing oppression of Africans in the African diamond trade. Bling & Blood is a free event at Lava Gina, New York City’s premier world music lounge located on 116 Avenue C, New York City. Doors open at 6:30pm. Any proceeds from the event will go directly to Nah We Yone.
For more info, go directly to www.nahweyone.org or www.lavagina.com
Lava Gina, World Up, Fusicology, Liberation Lab
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Rant on Ashes and Snow
WTF
I watched the film Ashes and Snow today.
I want to lighten up, and enjoy this truly enchanting and fluid film, but I cannot shake the feeling that I was supposed to be seduced into not noticing the racism and exploitation ...
People of color with their eyes and mouths closed and still as stone. Exquisite women of color dancers playing second fiddle to the white swim-dancers who had the first and last scene. Haikus written with the self-important tone of a white man. The white man who has the last word while the third world folks are his "medium." It was set up so that the human beings were objectified. He contributes, imo, to racism in the form of the exoticizing and dehumanizing of women of color. Men and children too for that matter. Then he imposes his poetry on top of their worlds.
At the time I was watching, I thought the narrator was white. I stand corrected Laurence Fishburne is a black man. That helps some, but the fact remains that a white man waltzed around the world and took what he wanted from it.
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You cannot not be political when watching the World Cup
Money can't buy you a FIFA Cup.
[via Celebrations in Accra after Ghana beats USA - Google Video]:
Ghana is one of the poorest countries in the world. Here's some stats from Wikipedia's entry on Ghana
Population
- 2005 est. 22,113,0001 (49th)
- Density 88.2/km² (83th)
228.4/sq mi
GDP (PPP) 2005 estimate
- Total $51.8 billion (77th)
- Per capita $2,500 (169th)
Here are the same stats for the United States:
Population
- 2006 est. 298,217,215 (3rd)
- 2000
- Density 30/km² (143rd)
83/sq mi
GDP (PPP) 2006 estimate
- Total $13.05 trillion (1st)
- Per capita $43,555 (3rd)
Just so you understand the enormity of these numbers, Bill Gates' net worth is US$50 billion; down from an all time high of US$100 billion.
FIFA World Soccer Cup 2006 | Politics | Poverty | Soccer | Sports | Africa | Bill Gates | Ghana
