A year ago a friend of mine asked me if I am willing to donate art for Madaraka 2014 festival. I was not aware of the festival that much but I knew the people behind it was good folks and I wanted to look into it. What I found was a gold mine. An idea of a gold mine, that gives back to the people of Kisumu, Kenya, through art to empowerment of  youth. One Vibe Africa, as its mission states, is a registered Kenyan NGO. It’s mission is  “Through programs in music and art, we inspire Kenyan youth toward a deeper appreciation of culture and tradition, empowering them to develop their own creative potential.” I found the organization to be a link between Africans and African Americans  and the Nation of Kenya and Africa itself. I donated two paintings and promised the founder and CEO Simon Javen Okelo, that I will like to involve the next year.

A year later, Simon called and asked me if I can curate Madaraka Festivals art show. I gladly accepted. I also promised to paint a larger painting of Omena band. As I try to create an art that says a  lot about what One Vibe Africa does, I came across an interesting video of Omena Band, consists of a group of men and women in their 70s and 80s from a community in Kenya, and they have been teaching at One Vibe’s Music & Art program. I automatically glued to the video which moved me. I wanted to capture them the way they play their music. Here is the painting.

Please stop by to Madaraka Festival at EMP to enjoy world class music and a rich art from the nation of Kenya.

Here are the three paintings I showed at The Black Lives Matter: Humanity Not Negotiable.  I came up with this idea while I was driving to work one morning. On the radio, Constance Rice, a civil rights attorney, she worked with the Los Angeles Police Department to build trust with minority communities. This amazing lady said she interviewed hundreds of police officers and they all have one answer in common. “Ms. Rice I’m scared of black men. Black men terrify me. I’m really scared of them. Ms. Rice, you know black men who come out of prison, they’ve got great hulk strength and I’m afraid they’re going to kill me. Ms. Rice, can you teach me how not to be afraid of black men.” I am sure what is happening right now is not all that simplistic for example, Tamir Rice was not big or old but he got shot anyways but it is for sure some of the problem we have. Listen to the program here.

Then I started thinking about the black men I know. Who they are and how the society perceived them, including me. At this point, I started to think about Trayvon Martin, Tamir Rice, Mike Brown and all of them. I wondered if they will be here today if the police officers knew who they truly are. I wondered if it made a difference if the police officers knew the mothers, the loved ones who cared for them. I also wondered If it made a difference if the police officers knew their contribution to their community. I wondered. I am not sure if it made a difference but it for sure will help the police to see the human side of us.

Here are my two friends and me telling the world who we truly are.

Thanks for Naomi Ishisaka for taking the photos. Here is her portfolio website