City of Axum Park is named for the Ethiopian city that became Denver’s ninth Sister City in 1993. In 1995 then Mayor Wellington Webb headed a delegation to Axum resulting in a street in that city being named “Denver Street.”

Mayors Hickenlooper and Gebrewahid exchanged gifts and enjoyed an Ethiopian meal with members of the community who came to celebrate the park’s upgrade.

Axum Park is located at Martin Luther King Boulevard and Cherry Street in Denver. Visit Denver Sister Cities International for more information about all of Denver’s sister cities.

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Words and photos by Sharon McCreary. Reprinted with permission.

One of our members and jewelry makers, Omhagain Dayeen, was recently asked to show her sketch and painting work for one month at the headquarters of The Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT). Many thanks to Lonnie Wiens, CDOT IT guru by day, art show curator on the side for making Omhagain’s show possible.

A special thanks is also in order to Leo Livecchi, married to an ALS founder and a somewhat reluctant supporter of A Little Something. He also works at CDOT. It was Leo’s idea to have Omhagain participate in CDOT’s rotating art gallery show.

After a lot of logistical wrangling, the show started to come together today. Lonnie said, “I am honored to have Omhagain’s work here. She’s an amazing artist.”

Lonnie, Omhagain, her husband, Kamal, and a friend, Susan Taylor, were on hand today, hanging pictures, arranging images and hanging the show. In addition, a film crew was getting footage of the action.

As it turns out, the film crew is from the State Department and filming a documentary about Darfuris living in the U.S. Omhagain has worked tirelessly to bring attention to the issues of Darfur, and she donates part of the profits from her art sales to buy clothes and food for refugees currently in Chad.

Omhagain came to the US as a refugee, an artist displaced from the country and culture she treasured. Her early US works reflected her melancholy. They were mostly subdued, technical, and factual images of her memories of home.

Her current work shows a woman who has found hope and joy in those same memories. Figures dance and move in bold colors. Human shapes are round and robust, enjoying a prosperous Sudanese life. The pictures show beauty, color, and vibrant images. They tell a story about Sudan and Omhagain’s love for what she left behind.

Before becoming a refugee, Omhagain had earned her Master’s degree in art education in Sudan. She was both an artist and a teacher. She wove tapestries and designed textiles. She had a passion for both creating and teaching, and it was obvious that she felt the power of art and the creative force.

Omhagain admits that she had to find herself again, both as a woman and an artist, after coming to the United States. She is quick to acknowledge that she got to where she is today with the help of friends and people who took the time to care, to sit, to listen, and to encourage. Ultimately, though, what comes out in Omhagain’s art is her love of faces, color, motion, and the people in her world, past and present.

More than art, Omhagain’s work shows the beauty of a culture now under siege. Perhaps a show in as unlikely a space as CDOT headquarters will help further the conversation about how we are connected to people around the world. Perhaps Omhagain’s art will shed some light on a part of the world that needs as much love and light as can possibly be generated before it can heal.

Omhagain’s art is for sale. The exhibit is open to the public during regular business hours, from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. Check in at the front desk. The art is dsplayed on both the first and second floors, in the halls. CDOT is located at 4201 E Arkansas Ave. in Denver. For more information, call 303-757-9011.

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A week after performing at the World Cup Kick-off concert in Johannesburg, Angelique Kidjo visited Boulder Theater for the first of only four US shows on her current tour. Kidjo has a history with Boulder, having performed there several times in recent years.

“Boulder is one of my five favorite cities in America,” Kidjo told Colorado Daily’s Wendy Kale. “I want everyone who comes out to forget their worries and celebrate being alive.”

“This moment will be very special in Boulder.”

And the show was indeed filled with special moments. Kidjo opened with a song she said was the first song she ever performed to an audience at the age of 6. Later, before performing “Petite Fleur” she explained that her late father used to sing the song to her when she was upset or frustrated.

She also performed covers of some of her favorite artists including Miriam Makeba and James Brown. She added her own flavor to each song, describing the process as akin to making a smoothie. She puts all these various influences in a blender and comes out with something wonderful. She sang a Santana cover translated into Yoruba amidst songs sung in French, English, Fon, Swahili, and even Hindi.

While she played hits from her numerous past albums Kidjo gave the crowd some new music from her latest album “Oyo”. The audience went wild to Oyo’s first hit single “Move on Up”, and Angelique herself seemed to have limitless energy.

She interacted with the audience throughout, leaving the stage to sing ‘Afirika’ while moving through the crowd. Toward the end of the show she invited on stage anyone who wanted to come, and ended up with a stage full of people taking turns showing off their dance skills.

When the music stopped the doors opened to release sweaty and satisfied concert-goers singing their versions of Kidjo’s songs into the cool night air. We’re glad Angelique feels so strongly toward Boulder because Boulder certainly loves her.

www.kidjo.com

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I am often inspired when I hear of African women pursuing development initiatives in Africa because I know that women uniquely perceive the challenges encountered when a people lack access to basic necessities, education, and health amongst other challenges. So when I heard that Dr. Karambu Ringera was going to be in town, I contacted her and asked for an opportunity to talk to her about International Peace Initiatives (IPI), which she founded in 2002.

We met on a rainy Friday afternoon in May, and I asked her about IPI. Her face lit up as she told me about the Amani Children’s Home, a community based response to the ‘orphan crisis’, currently plaguing many African communities. Karambu does not call the children’s home an orphanage, noting that in her native tongue of Kimeru there is not a word for ‘orphan’. Children have always been a community’s responsibility.

The origins of International Peace Initiatives are humble. It grew out of a class assignment at the University of Denver, where Dr. Ringera earned her PhD in Intercultural Communication. Realizing that coursework should interact with the world outside the classroom, Karambu brought 40 college students to her home in Meru, Kenya in 2002. In November of that year, she held a Kenyan cultural event in Denver as a fundraiser and raised $400. She used that money to send 7 children in Meru to school.

The first children’s home, Kithoka Amani Children’s Home (KACH), opened its doors in 2009. It was built with a capacity to serve 60 children between the ages of 6-18 years. For Karambu KACH is just the first in a network of Amani homes which will serve children in Meru.

At KACH Karambu is determined to eliminate what she terms as the ‘welfare mentality’ prevalent in many institutions that house orphaned and vulnerable children. “Paying school fees is not enough,” Karambu says. “Other contextual elements must be considered because school fees will not materialize into a child graduating high school.”

KACH children learn self-reliance and life skills through projects like vegetable gardening and fish farming. The children earn money when they sell their produce to the KACH kitchen and are encouraged to save in the bank account that is opened for each child. The point in all of this, Karambu says, is to preempt the mentality of hopelessness, while cultivating the holistic well being of the child.

Another significant aspect of the KACH home is its community-based model. The objective is to cultivate the existing networks of family, friends and community, by keeping the children in their own communities. Karambu concludes that KACH and forthcoming Amani homes “are becoming centers of excellence for how orphaned and vulnerable children are cared for in our communities.” By adding value to the lives of the children that society has marginalized the stigma attached to orphaned and HIV-affected children is mitigated and the community is reminded of its responsibility to these children.

Dr. Karambu Ringera speaking at TEDxDU in May 2010.

One of the more remarkable outcomes has been a shift in the community’s perception of those with HIV/AIDS as well as the children’s perception of themselves. According to Karambu, the community is coming to the realization that HIV/AIDS is an incurable disease like others, such as cancer, and that everyone deserves a place in the community.

Today, IPI has sponsored 41 high school graduates, 3 middle level college graduates, 4 students currently enrolled in college. Fundraising for a second Amani home is underway, with construction slated to start in 2011.

I asked Karambu how the African community in Denver could become involved. Rather than appealing only for donations to IPI, she answered more broadly, saying “if each person started a project to support vulnerable children in their own communities, we can take charge of our own continent. Let each person think of whom they can partner with and start creating projects like this and other opportunities that can create jobs in their own villages”.

If you would like to learn more about IPI and how you can become involved, please visit IPI’s website www.ipeacei.org/

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To listen to Freddy Kaniki, you’d never know how much he has lost and how far he’s come. In 1994, at the age of 18, he saw civil war break out in his homeland of Rwanda. Two years later, his father and three brothers were killed by Hutu militia. Touched by 100 days of mass killings and the aftermath of poverty and misery around him, he vowed to do something to make a difference.

While in pharmacy school in Rwanda he came to the realization that he  didn’t have the power or means to make a significant difference in the suffering of his fellow Rwandans, and resolved to move to America after obtaining his degree. “I couldn’t live there any longer and remain sane,” says Freddy.

In 2002, he moved to Portland, Maine, with his wife and two children and tried to get licensed as a pharmacist. But not knowing any English proved a stumbling block. To pay the bills, he began working in a meat packing plant.

During that time he met Colleen Hoffman,director of pharmacy operations for the Maine Medical Center – a 600-bed teaching hospital – and asked her for a job. “I was willing to  do anything to get into the pharmacy,” says Freddy.  She gave him a job delivering medications to floors  throughout the hospital. Within four months,  Freddy was promoted to pharmacy technician and within three years he was fluent in English. In  flawless English he says, “When you don’t have a  choice, the brain learns faster.”

For 18 months he studied, read books, converted his  pharmacy knowledge from French into English, and  in 2005 took the NAPLEX and passed.

Even though he was a pharmacist, he knew that in order to advance and equip himself sufficiently to make a difference back in Rwanda he’d have to obtain his PharmD. So, in 2006 he applied to the nontraditional program and was accepted. For the last four years, he’s been diligently working and studying and in May he will be Dr. Kaniki. For Freddy that’s only part of his journey. Having never forgotten his painful past, he’s working on becoming an American citizen and finding a job that marries his education with his passion for humanitarianism.

Originally published in the UCD School of Pharmacy newsletter. Reprinted with permission.

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Yohannes Gebregeorgis was honored this past Sunday at Regis University where he was presented with an honorary doctorate. Gebregeorgis was recognized for his tireless work promoting literacy and access to books amongst children in Ethiopia through his nonprofit organization, Ethiopia Reads.

Gebregeorgis was previously named one of the Top 10 heroes of the year by CNN in recognition of his work to bring positive global change by empowering children through education. He is also the recipient of the 2008 Presidential Citation for International Innovation from the American Library Association.

Gebregeorgis has given years of his life and a great deal of his own money to spreading the love of reading he acquired as a young man to today’s potential young readers in Ethiopia. “Books have changed my life. That is why I want to bring books to Ethiopia’s children,” said Gebregeorgis addressing the students and spectators at Regis University’s May 10th commencement.

Ethiopia Reads believes that education is the key to improving the lives of the next generation of Ethiopians, a country filled with children, and that books are the key to fostering a genuine love of learning. The organization invites all who love children and books to join them in their endeavor. Visit ethiopiareads.org to learn more and get involved.

Gebregeorgis' two sons joined him at the June 10th commencement at Regis University

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Restaurant owner Ifiok Etuk made news recently when he turned his Hessini Roots International Cafe into Iffy’s Kitchen to provide a free meal to local children. This was the second year for the restaurant’s Celebration of Children, through which Etuk hopes to inspire local children and instill in them a sense of self worth.

Originally from Nigeria, Etuk moved to Denver in 1987 when he was thirteen years old. His career in food service began with a cooler full of burritos which he sold to late night customers outside clubs. In 1998 he opened Hessini Roots International Cafe where he still serves burritos, but the menu has been expanded to include Nigerian and soul food.

More recently the restauranteur has taken on another pursuit. His book A Romance Truth is aimed at helping people navigate the complicated world of romance. We asked Mr. Etuk a few questions about his first book.

Love and romance are perhaps the most written about topics. What unique elements does A Romance Truth offer that readers might not find elsewhere?

A Romance Truth is unique because it comes from a place of truth and understanding that has come from situations. It depicts real life situations that you can relate to and offers an explanation and ways you can change yourself and better not only yourself but all the situations you encounter.

As you were writing A Romance Truth, who did you envision as your primary audience?

I envisioned my primary audience to be Single or involved men that have struggled with relationships. As I kept writing I had women in mind as well and wanted to help them understand a mans point of view as well. This book is not a how to on relationships but probes greater questions that one can only ask themselves and attempt to change or make better. If this book can help only one person live a life with better relationships then I have done what I set out to do.

Before writing A Romance Truth you were already a successful restaurateur, as owner of Hessini Roots. Are there any ways these two pursuits inform one another, or do they rely on different skill sets altogether?

The two pursuits do go hand in hand as well as involve totally different skills altogether. I have built my restaurant on relationships. When you walk through the doors of Hessini Roots my goal is that you feel it is a second home. I make it a point to talk and get to know everyone that comes through the door so they will not only want to come back for the food but also the sense of home that I feel when I walk in as well. In talking with customers I developed a greater understanding myself that allowed me to write A Romance Truth. Based on what I have learned from people I have developed myself and I want to share that with everyone.

Is there a certain dish or two that you consider your specialty or signature dish at Hessini Roots?

Well we specialize in Nigerian and Soul Food. If you want to come and get the whole experience of my restaurant you and someone you care about have to try the Soup and Fufu. It is a dish that you share with people you are close to and you want to share in depth pieces of yourself with them, it is also the ultimate family food and a way to get kids that may not like veggies to eat healthy.

Who have been your greatest influences as both an entrepreneur and an author?

My family has been my biggest supporters and my greatest teachers. I also owe a lot to the people that believed enough in my dream to come and enjoy the whole Hessini Roots environment. I also know that every person that has come into my life weather they have walked out or not left a nugget of knowledge or understanding that helped me be the person I am today.

What is your favorite thing about living in Colorado?

My family and the entire Colorado lifestyle. We have an outdoor lifestyle not available anywhere else and so many wonderful places to go and things to do. I also love the people and all the love they have shown me has been fantastic.

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A Romance Truth by Ifiok Etuk is available at www.aromancetruth.com as well as Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

Read more: Weekend Out: Free meals, entertainment to help hungry kids By Kat Valentine King, The Denver Post

Free feed for kids is cafe owner’s thank-you By Annette Espinoza, The Denver Post

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By Daniel Sauvé

I first met Francis Bok in New York seven years ago. He was soft-spoken and chose his words carefully as he recounted the ten years he lived as a slave in Sudan. At that time he had been in the US for four years and was still working on his English. Originally resettled in Fargo, North Dakota, Bok moved to Ames, Iowa before being invited to work with  the American Anti-Slavery Group in Boston. Bok began speaking for AASG and in 2003 published his autobiography Escape from Slavery: The True Story of My Ten Years in Captivity and My Journey to Freedom in America. He had come to New York as part of a book tour.

Flash forward to March 2010 and Francis Bok is standing in front of a bright yellow wall lined with bookshelves at West Side Books in Denver. He is speaking of slavery not as a historical fact, but he speaks as a living reminder that slavery is ongoing. In fact, Bok says, more people are in slavery now than ever crossed the Atlantic during the slave trade.

This Francis Bok seems quite different than the one I met in New York. He seems more confident and at ease, no longer unsure of his words. But he is still thoughtful and gracious. When asked to comment on U.S. foreign policy he simply says, “All I can say is the U.S. has been good to me.” However, he is not so kind to the Government of Sudan and President Al Bashir. He was hopeful the upcoming elections would see a change in regime, but that was before key opposition parties dropped out of the race. Regardless, Bok is determined to bring awareness to the issue of slavery, in his homeland Sudan, and around the world.

Bok’s visit to Denver was sponsored by the Colorado Coalition for Genocide Awareness and Action, an organization whose mission is to raise awareness of genocides past and present and take action to stop genocides present and future. The book singing at West Side Books was hosted and moderated by Pastor Heidi McGinness, Director of Outreach for Christian Solidarity International-USA.

Pastor Heidi McGinness introduces Francis Bok, author of Escape from Slavery: The True Story of My Ten Years in Captivity and My Journey to Freedom in America

Al Lackner of the Colorado Coalition for Genocide Awareness and Action speaks about current affairs in Sudan. http://www.ccgaa.org/

Francis Bok fields questions about Sudanese politics ahead of Sudan's upcoming elections.

Pastor Heidi McGinness and Francis Bok with West Side Books owner Lois Harvey

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“People are too busy texting and twittering and facebooking to seek wisdom. It used to be that people sought wisdom. Now wisdom seeks people.”

So began the story at the 7th Annual BaoBao Festival, an event that brings music, dance and storytelling to audiences in Colorado Springs, Denver and Boulder. The BaoBao Festival celebrates the West African tradition of gathering under the baobao tree to share stories.

This year’s theme was “The Measuring Stick” and the tale, written by Akramah Cofie, explored the criteria by which we judge one another. In the story a woman accuses her neighbor’s cat of eating her fish despite a lack of evidence. “That’s cat profiling!” the neighbor insists. Joseph the cat cannot be blamed simply for being a cat. But when Joseph goes missing the cat owner is quick to assume the cat was stolen by a visitor from a tribe rumored to eat cats. The woman goes on a journey to find her missing cat, and learns the consequences of judging a person based on physical appearance or tribal affiliation.

In addition to the story and performances by traditional West African musicians and dancers, the festival featured performers from Streetside Studio, Grupo Macando, 1,000 Voices led by Nii Armah Sowah, and Break EFX, a break dance crew that recently featured on MTV’s “America’s Best Dance Crew”.

Writing for the Daily Camera, Lindsay Gulisano spoke to author Akramah Cofie who has been writing stories for the BaoBao festival since 2007.

“Festivals are very important in our lives as Africans,” said Cofie, “so we wanted to bring over this part of our culture for times when we don’t have the funds to go all the way home.”
…
“When it is time for the BaoBao Festival, it is important for people to understand that it is not just an African thing, but something special for the entire community in Boulder to embrace and make their own,” he said.

The festival also serves the purpose of raising funds for a library to be built in Accra, Ghana. You can follow the progress of this project and make a donation at the BaoBao Festival website.

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From a pair of TOMS shoes to a trip to Costa Rica, guests at Educate!’s annual ball bid on silent auction items that would at once allow them to win fun prizes while also raising money for education in Uganda. In addition to the auction Educate supporters bought art and jewelry made in Uganda, pledged to sponsor a student, and enjoyed drinks and  hors d’oeuvres.

Educate is a Boulder-based nonprofit organization that works to directly address the most fundamental challenge facing Africa: the lack of socially responsible leadership across diverse sectors of society. They accomplish this goal through a rigourous two year program in which a student receives leadership training and leads a social enterprise that effectively and sustainably addresses a community need. In 2009 Educate! led 415 students through the program, and that number increased in 2010 to over 800 students.

Congressman Jared Polis was on hand to praise Educate’s important work and encourage the audience to give generously. Polis added that he hopes to plan a trip to Africa soon. Vocal band Face wound up the party by performing a capella versions of popular tunes from the ‘Pink Panther Theme’ to Journey’s ‘Don’t Stop Believing’. By the end of the night Educate! had raised over $25,000 for their education programs in Uganda.

For more coverage of the Educate! Annual Ball check out this article in the CU Independent, this post from Educate’s blog, and this blog post by Jessica Ryan.

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