Week of 22nd October: Giants of Lovers Rock, Black History Month Festivals, Networking, music and dancing

Hello wonderful people,

Proud to be African

Another activity packed week for your benefit listed here below from Proud to be African Clothing.

Plenty of things to do, places to go and people to see so take a look through the days and keep yourself busy. And if you happen to meet me at any event wearing your Proud to be African Shirt you get a free gift (please note apparently a hug or handshake can be defined as a gift!!!)

Monday 22^nd October

At 6.00pm Lets Event presents: Lets Watch ‘The Life Story of Marcus Garvey’ a film (as the name implies) about the life of Marcus Garvey. The film starts at 7.30pm and is followed by a discussion, all this takes place at Bar 19:20, 19-20 Great Sutton Street, Farringdon, EC1V 0DR. Admission is £2.00 only

At 7.00pm at the Culture Space, Canada Water Library, 21 Surrey Quays Road, SE16 7AR singer Pauline Black of the platinum selling band The Selector will read from her autobiography Black by Design, this event is FREE.

At 7.00pm is a screening of the movie ‘The Help’ at Wood Green Central Library, 187-197A High Road, Wood Green, N22 6XD, set in the Deep South of the USA, this is a story about two women who develop an unlikely friendship in extraordinary circumstances. This screening is FREE

From 7.00pm to 8.30pm is a lecture on The Origin of Modern Jazz by Robin Walker at Marcus Garvey Library, Tottenham Green leisure Centre, 1 Philip Lane, Tottenham, N15 4JA, this FREE lecture charts the evolution of jazz from the greats of Dizzy Gillespie, Charlie Parker and Thelonious Monk to the modern jazz legends of the present day

Tuesday 23^rd October

10.30am to 4.00pm at the Ladywell Day Centre, 148 Ladywell Centre, Dressington Avenue, Ladywell, SE4 1JF you can celebrate Black History Month and World Mental Health Day, there will be food, henna design, music from the Lewisham Concert Band, Egyptian dance, African poetry and entertainment at this FREE event

At 6.00pm on Room K0.18, Strand Campus, The Strand, WC2R 2LS, Kings College London, the KCL African Caribbean Society (ACS) presents Celebrating Success, a night of informal presentations by prominent speakers about how to become successful, this will be a interactive event with the opportunity to ask questions as well as listen to the invited guests. This is a FREE event

Born in the UK Made in Africa

At Peckham Library, 122 Peckham Hill Street, SE15 5JR at 7.00pm we have a talk, African musicians and Renaissance royal celebrations, by Dr Miranda Kaufmann about the contribution of African musicians during the 1500’s such as John Blanke. This is a FREE event.

At 8.30pm we have a musical gem which is not quite London but close enough and interesting enough to warrant a mention. Kora virtuoso Sona Jobarteh and her band will be performing at the Canterbury Festival at St Alphege, St Alphege Lane, Canterbury, CT1 2EB. Sona Jobarteh is the granddaughter of master griot Amadu Bansang Jobarteh and the cousin of kora maestro Toumani Diabate, not only is she the first female kora virtuoso, she is also a singer, producer, composer and multi instrumentalist who has worked with musicians from Africa, the US and Europe. This one is well worth the journey; tickets are £12.00 from here 

Wednesday 24^th October

At 5.30pm Young Black Grads presents the BHM Conversation at Be At One, 16-18 Brushfield Street, Old Spitalfields, City of London, E1 6AN. This informal networking session is ideal for engaging with fellow YBG members and friends; conveniently it’s at Happy Hour so you can ‘indulge yourself’ as well! Tickets are £5.00 from here


From 6.00 to 10.00pm, Professionals For Africa will be holding a Networking event at Shaka Zulu Restaurant, The Stables Market, Chalk Farm Road, Camden, NW1 8AB. So grab your business cards and come meet Africans or friends of Africa in a relaxing environment, to network, make friends, or just hang out with colleagues. This event is FREE just RSVP here.

At 6.00pm we have Olaudah Equiano and Robert Wedderburn Remembered at Shoreditch Library, 80 Hoxton Street, Shoreditch, N1 6LP. Author and historian Steve Martin uses their writings, speeches and archive images to represent the opinions of these black political figures of the 18^th and 19^th century. This is a FREE event.

At 7.00pm we have a book launch: Udo Nwabueze Agomoh’s book Banana Skin-Love Magic at the Marcus Garvey Library. This is a FREE event

Thursday 25^th October

From 5.00pm to 8.00pm UCL Global Disability Research Group will be holding a Disabled Children in East Africa Seminar at The Wolfson Centre, University College London, Mecklenburgh Square WC1N 2AD. In which 3 speakers will discuss their MSc projects focussing on different aspects of disabled children’s lives in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania. This event is FREE, RSVP here.

Proud to be African Children's clothes

At 7.00pm SOAS ACS presents Black Hair and Beauty: A Discussion, in Room G51, SOAS, Russell Square Building, Thornhaugh Street, WC1H 0XG with a guest panel consisting of Nouriah Bah (SOAS), Tola Okogwu (Editor, Inspired Style) and Fiona Onanuga (Editor, Love Your Tresses). This FREE event will have panel discussions, refreshments and lively debate.

At 7.00pm Raw Materials and Floetic Lara present Black History Celebrations, an evening of live music, poetry and lyricism at Raw Materials, 2 Robstart Street, Brixton, SW9 0DJ. Stand by for some old classics as well as music from the Raw Vibes Band featuring Tagz, Lochei, Honey Raym, Floetic Lara and Andrea Bentley and musicians JB, Miles, Chavez, Chris Franck and Don Chandler, this is a FREE event but please call 0207 737 6103 to RSVP

At 7.00pm historian Cecil Gutzmore presents Jamaica: 50 years on from Independence, accompanied by a song by Brenda Rattray at Manor House Library, Old Road, Manor House, SE13 5SY. This is a FREE event

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Friday 26^th October

 At 6.15pm EIRENICON hosts Industrial Strategies For Africa at RCOG, 27 Sussex Place, Regents Place, NW1 4RG. The event will discuss African manufacturing and industrialisation policies and what strategies government and the private sector should be taking. The Keynote speaker is Dr Kandah Yumkella(Director General, United Nations Industrial Development Group), he will be joined for a panel discussion by Mr Admassu Tadesse (CEO, PTA Bank, The Eastern and Southern African Trade and Development Bank), William Wallis (Africa Editor, Financial Times) and Mr Hinh Dinh (Lead Economist, The World Bank). This is FREE but RSVP from here essential

From 6.30pm to 9.30pm is the UK-East Africa Health Partnerships: Opportunities and Challenges at the Uganda High Commission, 58-59 Trafalgar Square, Charing Cross, WC2N 5DX. This is the first networking meeting of the East African Healthcare Forum (EAHF) which seeks to create peer to peer and institutional healthcare partnerships. This event is themed ‘Exploring the opportunities and challenges of working in the East African health environment’, with confirmed speakers, Perry Mohammed (Global Access Programme and Partnerships at Janssen), Moses Batwala (Doctors For Africa). There will also be a video presentation by Mr RJ Jutley (Consultant Cardiologist and Chairman Pan African Heart Foundation), this will be followed by a panel discussion and time for networking over drinks. This is a FREE event but RSVP here

At 7.00pm we have Bass Culture: The Influence of reggae on British music at The Bussey Building, 133 Rye Lane, SE15 4ST, this is a discussion about the progression and influence of reggae music on mainstream music and popular culture, the panel will consist of Mykaell Riley, Lezlee Lyrix, David Katz, Sticky and Lady Chann. Followed by performances by the Rasites, Prince Malachi and RTKal. This is a FREE event RSVP here.

At 7.30pm the Caribbean Community Choir will hold an evening of song at Crofton Park Libray 375 Brockley Road, Crofton Park, SE4 2AG with writer Steve Smith, this is a FREE event.

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Saturday 27^th October

Proud to be Nigerian

At 10.00am, the Igbo Culture and Support Network (ICSN) comes forth with the Igbo Dance School another initiative alongside last week’s Iri ji (New Yam festival), and the Igbo language school. This 8 week dance class runs from this Saturday. This class will teach traditional Igbo dances and is open to males and females, with each lesson building stamina, technique and mastering choreography. For those that don’t know, the Igbo nation is the third largest tribe in Nigeria and has a rich traditional and modern heritage from the Igbo Ukwu pots and Nsibidi written language to modern authors such as Chinua Achebe and Chimanda Ngozi Adichie. The course is £65.00 and takes place at the Islington Arts Factory, 2 Parkhurst Road, Holloway, N7 0SF until 15/12/2012. For more information email Kaosochi.

From 11.00am to 2.00pm genealogist and family historian Sharon Tomlin will be holding a Caribbean Ancestry Research session at John Harvard Library, Borough High Street, SE1 1JA where you can research your Caribbean history and build your family tree. This event is FREE but book your place here. 

From 12.00pm to 6.00pm we have Southwark Councils Black History Month Jamboree an afternoon of family celebrations at the Thomas Carlton Centre, Alpha Street, SE15 4NX. There will be performances by the Koruso Southwark Community Choir , Kinetika Bloco Youth Carnival, Metronome Steel Orchestra, Nikisha, Carl Campbell Dance Company and Triniboi Joocie. There will be workshops by Tayo Fatunla his artwork is to the left!!!, Drumhead African drumming and Afrikan yoga. There will be a Health Seminar by Illumina Lifestyle, a Spotlight on authors Junior James and Stephen Bourne. This is a FREE event but some workshops will need RSVP, more details here.

At 12.00 midday is the YBS Talks Politics, Government and Communities event at Stephen Lawrence Charitable Trust, 39 Brookmill Road, Deptford, SE8 4HU which seeks to provide career advice and information to young people and get them engaged in politics, government and the community. There will be an opening talk by Matther Ryder followed by a Q&A, a Panel Debate with Richard Serunjogi, Rukayat Sarumi, Dr David Michale and Emeka Egbuonu, with a closing speech by Doreen Lawrence. This is a FREE event but please RSVP here and email for more information.

From 1.00pm to 5.00pm at the Wood Green Central Library is the Black History Month Festival, a fun filled family festival with stalls, visual arts, music, literature, food, arts and crafts

From 1.30pm to 5.30pm is the Paceworking Tea Party ‘Stand Up For Downs’ at the Kingsley Hotel, Bloomsbury Way, Bloomsbury, WC1A 2SD. As part of Down Syndrome Awareness Month this event seeks to raise awareness and raise funds for the Downs Heart Group and The Downs Syndrome Foundation Nigeria. The event will be moderated by Seye Aina and Segun Ariyo and there will be drinks, cakes, sandwiches a raffle, spoken word and poetry performances by Tinu Adewoye and Pete Godismo and other entertainment. Confirmed speakers are Mrs Rose Mordi (Down’s Syndrome Foundation Nigeria), Penny Green (Downs Heart Group), Debbie Ariyo OBE (AFRUCA) and Dayo Olomu (Dayo Olomu & Associates).  Tickets for this very worthy course are only £30.00 from here

At 2.00pm Pauline Dodgson Katiya and Nigel Watt discuss Zimbabwean author Wilson Katiyo and his books ‘Son of the Soil’ and ‘Tsiga’ at the  Wood Green Central Library.

Born in the UK Made in Jamaica

At 6.00pm we have Giants of Lovers Rock Part 4 at the IndigO2, Millenium Way, Greenwich, SE10 0AX. Literally a who’s who of Lovers Rock, Janet Kay, Kofi, Carroll Thompson, Sandra Cross, Vivian Jones, Victor Romero Evans, Michael Gordon, Peter Hunnigale, Marie Pierre, Sister Love Featuring Ika, Sonia Chosen Few featuring AJ Franklin, Barry Biggs , 15, 16, 17 (yeah it’s a genuine band, ask somebody!!), Winsome Tradition  featuring Paul Dawkins, Trevor Walters, Lovella Ellis, Eargasm featuring Dennis Pinnock, Leroy Simmonds, Janet Lee Davis, Don Campbell, Adele Harley and Lady Lex. Hosted by Robbe Gee and Eddie Nestor, tickets range from £20 (standing) to £60 (Kings Row) from here

At 7.00pm AngloNubia presents Africa the Experience at the Millennium Gloucester Hotel, 4-18 Harrington Gardens, South Kensington, SW7 4LH, this event will serve as a showcase for members of the fashion and entertainment industry to showcase their collections. As well as fashion shows there will be performances from entertainment and music stars. Tickets are £25.00 from here. 

Proud to be African Polo shirts

At 7.00pm we have the 9^th BB Awards Gala Night at The Hilton London Tower Bridge, 5 More London Place, SE1 2BYhosted by BBC presenter Brenda Emmanus. The event features exhibitions, award presentations, a live band, delicious cuisine, comedy, a fashion show and musical performances. Tickets are £90.00 email or check the website.   

At 7.00pm we have Black History Month Celebration and Networking Event at Veranda Bar, 30 Acre Lane, Brixton, SW2 5SG this fun packed event with all funds raised going to the Lime Jewel fundraising campaign for Haiti. Although this event is FREE you can donate £3.00 while you RSVP here. 

At 7.30pm there is a screening of the Jamaican movie ‘Better Mus Come’ at the Bernie Grant Arts Centre, which traces the origins of the use of street gangs by Jamaican politicians in their struggle for electoral victory. Tickets are £12.00 (£10.00 concessions)

At 8.00pm at InSPire, The Crypt at St Peters, Liverpool Grove, SE17 2UD we have Silver Sounds where older clubbers can enjoy a selection of soca, reggae, ska and rocksteady hits. This is a FREE event but tickets must be collected from InSPire or Southwark Pensioners Centre.

At 8.00pm at the Broadway Theatre Catford, The Broadway, SE6 4RU is The Prophet Kwaku, venting is controversial but very funny comedic spleen, tickets are £15.00 from here 

At 10.00pm at Club Couture, 58 Camberwell Church Street, Camberwell SE5 8QZ we have The Afrika Wears Ball, with DJ’s Natural Mystic Danny Tammuz, AmeN NoiR, Selektah Ras and others playing the very best in 80’s, 90’s classics afrobeats, bashment, soca, neo soul, RnB, reggae, dancehall, funky house and so on. So get your African designer wear (such as a Proud to be African T shirt, hint hint!!) or traditional and get yourself down there. Tickets are £7.00 in advance from here and here, more on the door.     

Sunday 28^th October

Proud to be Ghanaian

We have a Ghanaian Sunday at the Africa Centre, 38 King Street, Covent Garden, WC2E 8JT, with the light hearted movie Road to Accra at 2.30pm, about Addey a hardworking family man who marries off his daughter to a rich man when he loses his job as a lorry driver, however she runs off to Accra with the poor man she loves. This event is FREE RSVP here.

The 2^nd International Black Hairtage takes place from 3.00pm to 8.00pm at the Tricycle Cinema, 269 Kilburn High Road, Kilburn, NW6 7JR. There will be a Mini Market and Beauty Exhibition running through out. From 3.30 to 5.35pm will be Films with Q&A’s, from 5.35 to 6.00pmwill be a networking session alongside the mini market and from 6.00 to 7.00pm a Natural Hair Workshop, from 7.30 to 8.00pm more networking. The mini market is free throughout, Films with Q&A are £8.00, workshop £7.00 from here.

Also on Sunday at 5.00pm is the 14^th Annual Gathering of Africa’s Best (GAB) Awards at the Hilton London Paddington, 146 Praed Street, Paddington, W2 1EE the GAB Awards were started by The Trumpet Media Group to highlight Africans excelling the various fields as widely varied as the Arts, Media, Banking and Finance, Medicine, International Relations, Sport, Entertainment, Health, Business and so on. Tickets’ start from £100.00 from here.

The Ghanaian theme continues at 6.00pm at the Africa Centre with The Hiplife in Ghana a discussion by author Dr Halifu Osumare on how hip hop music and culture in Ghana over the past 20 years has formed a new musical genre and subculture known as hiplife. This FREE event will be moderated by Alexis Akwagyiram, RSVP here.  

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