Week of 18th February: Plays, Coffee, Films, Poetry, Mali, Congo

Greetings and salutations!!

Another fascinating week beckons! For those of you that put off your Valentines celebrations Proud to be African Clothing is still offering you 10% off until the 25^th of February with the code VAL10. We have a wide array of events for you, from a second run of Lookman Sanusi’s hilarious play ‘Our Husband Has Gone Mad Again’, Arinze Kene’s new play ‘Gods Property’ at the Albany, Marsha Ambrosius performing live in Islington, African Fashion in Carnaby Street and the British Museum. Fascinating talks on Mali, Congo, African Coffee, African agriculture, Sierra Leonean masquerades, poetry, movies, mathematics, children’s half term drumming and an audience with the Jamaican High Commissioner.  There is something (mostly FREE!!) everyday this week so this half term cannot be boring, get out there and enjoy yourselves!

Monday 18^th February

From 5.30pm to 7.00pm is the International Fashion Showcase, Nigeria- Woven Threads as part of London Fashion Week at Kingly Court, Carnaby Street, Soho, W1B 5PW. This exhibition looks at the future of the Nigerian fashion industry and the art of textile craftsmanship. More details of this FREE event here.  

The British Museum’s Exhibition Social Fabric: African Textiles Today, is being held in Room 91, The British Museum, Great Russell Street, Russell Square, WC1B 3DG. The exhibition takes a fresh look at the history, manufacture and social significance of African printed and factory woven fabrics. Textiles including kanga (Kenya and Tanzania), capuluna (Mozambique) and shweshwe (southern Africa) mirror changing times and fashion. This FREE exhibition continues until 21^st April and is open till late every Friday.

At 8.00pm there is MonologueSlam UK at the Theatre Royal Stratford East, Gerry Raffles Square, Stratford, E15 1BN, hosted by BBC actor Jimmy Akingbola this event gives 20 actors the opportunity to perform for an audience and for a panel of people who could further their careers. The judges will be Murray Melvin (Actor), Dawn Reid (Deputy Artistic Director), Sam Jones (Casting Director) and Madeleine Charman (Agent). Other big industry names expected to attend include Lenny Henry, Javone Pronce, Aml Ameen, Hugh Quarshie, Chuck Venn, Eric Blakeney, Nick Bagnall, Paulette Randall, Kerry Michael and
Julia Crampsie. Tickets are £10.00 (£7.50 concs) from here. 

Tuesday 19^th February

At 10.00am the IRIE! Half Term Club will be taking place at the Moonshot Centre, Fordham Park, Angus Street, New Cross, SE14 6LU. There will be sessions for children aged 5-12 as well as teenagers aged 13-18. Going on till the 21^st of February, the young people will be taught dance drumming, percussion and different dance styles including African Caribbean and Street Danc. This is a FREE event, book here.

At 6.00pm the KPMG African and Caribbean Network will be holding Leaders that Inspire-Life Story of a Leader at KPMG, 15 Canada Square, Canary Wharf, E14 5GL. Featuring Baroness Scotland QC who has the distinction of being the first black female QC and the first female Attorney General in the roles 700 year history and Tim Campbell MBE winner of the first Apprentice TV series and London Ambassador for Training and Enterprise. Moderated by Chris Page (KPMG) register for this fascinating FREE event by email.

At 6.00pm Chatham House presents Mali: From Crisis Intervention to Potential Recovery at Royal Institute of International Affairs, Chatham House, 10 St James Square, SW1Y 4LE. Chaired by Dr Claire Spencer (Chatham House) with Ibrahima Diane (BBC Afrique), Paul Melly (Chatham House and Camilla Toulmin (International Institute for Environment and Development). The panel will discuss the complex and long term problems in northern Mali and the viable options for stabilizing the country. This is a FREE event to attend contact Tighisti Amare.

At 7.00pm Britain’s Successful Black Women (BSBW) presents the ‘Inspire Me’ Goals Workshop at the Evering Pentecostal Church, 1 Suffield Road, Seven Sisters, N15 5JX The evening will start with group discussions on How to have a clear vision and How to stay motivated. And will be followed by keynote speakers Mavela Baley founder (BSBW) delivering a presentation on Looking at your failure, laughing at your achievements and Onyi Anyado (Author and Life Coach) who will deliver a presentation on How to write, work and win with your goals. The evening will end with networking and light refreshments. Tickets are £7.00 standard, £14.00 buy 2 get one free from here.

At 7.00pm the Royal Africa Socirety will be hosting the Launch of Andrew Rugasira’s Book ‘A Good African Story’ at the Khalili Lecture Theatre, SOAS, Thornhaugh Street, Russell Square, WC1H 0XG. Andrew Rugasira is CEO of Good African Coffee, the first African coffee brand to be listed in UK supermarkets. In this book he recounts the obstacles he and his company faced from lions in theRwenzori mountains, a lack of finance and discrimination. Despite this he has helped thousands of farmers earn a decent living , send their children to school and argues that trade and not aid is the key to Africa’s destiny. Chaired by Alex Jakana (BBC) you can register for this FREE event here.

From 7.00pm to 9.00pm Black History Studies presents The African Origin of Mathematics at PCS Headquarters, 160 Falcon Road, Clapham Junction, SW11 2LN. Mathematician John Matthews will guide participants through ancient African Mathematical systems and demonstrate how these can be used today. Admission is £5.00 per person under 16’s for free.

Wednesday 20^th February

At 1.00pm Chatham House will be hosting What Next For the Democratic Republic of Congo at the Royal Institute of International Affairs, Chatham House, 10 St James Square, SW1Y 4LE. Chaired by Dr Knox Chitiyo (Chatham House), with Anneke Van Woudenburg (Human Rights Watch) and Ben Shepherd (Chatham House) the panel will reflect on the current peace talks between the Congolese government and the M23 rebels and consider what options are available for outside parties to bring in a lasting peace. To attend this FREE event contact Tighisti Amare.

At 5.00pm The International Huntley Symposium will be hosting a lecture on Britain’s Black Debt: Reparations for Caribbean Slavery by Professor Sir Hilary Beckles at London Metropolitan Archives, 40 Northampton Road, EC1R 0HB. Based on his new book ‘Britain’s Black Debt: Reparations for Caribbean Slavery and Native Genocide’ the speaker looks at the origins and development of reparations as a regional and international process. To book a FREE place call 0207 332 3851

From 6.00pm to 8.00pm is the Inspirational You Masterclass in PR, Marketing and Communications in Room 414 (4^th Floor) Birkbeck, University of London, Torrington Square, Malet Street, WC1E 7HX, the evening begins with interactive networking and then moves on to the keynote speakers, Karen Tippett (Tippett PR), Daren Dixon (International Talent and Brand Partnerships Executive), Latoya Kessie (Fashion Blogger), Anne-Marie Batson (PR and Corporate Communications practitioner) and Hugh Thomas (Vita Coco) who will speak about raising your profile and learning the secrets of mass media, how to successfully run a PR and marketing business, understand the dos and don’ts of PR, Communications and Marketing and develop your awareness of social media and how to use it. This will be followed by a discussion and Q&A and then more networking. Tickets range from £5.00 to £15.00 from here. 

At 6.30pm we have the monthly networking event Ebony Inspired- A Black Entrepreneurs Network at Mar Azul Restaurant, 124 Clapham Road, Stockwell, SW9 0LA, this FREE event is open to black professionals, innovators and entrepreneurs from all fields and industries RSVP here.

At 6.30pm Amoo Venture Capital Advisory presents place4BRICS: Enterprise Software and Apps at Goodman Derrick LLP, 10 Saint Bride Street, EC4A 4AD. This monthly meetup features speakers, discussions and networks revolving around start ups and seeks to provide a community of like minded self supporting people. February s event is about the decisions enterprises have to make around platforms, teambuilding, social marketing and design. There will be presentations from William Berrington (Partner, Goldenhill International M&A Advisors) moderated by Nzube Ufodike(CEO/ Founder Amoo Venture Capital Advisory). The panel discussion is followed by a pitching competition and then networking and light refreshments. RSVP for this FREE event here. 

At 7.30pm Kayo Chingoyi presents Charlotte Higgins, Belinda Zhawi and Kristiana Colon at the Betsey Trotwood, 56 Farringdon Road, EC1R 3BL. This event will see poetry from charlotte Higgins, Belinda K. Zhawi and Chicago native Kristiana Colon, with music by rapper PaceColdFire. There are also available open mic slots. Tickets are £3.00 in advance from here and £5.00 on the door (£3.00 concessions).

At 7.30pm Arinze Kene’s new play Gods Property will be premiering at The Albany, Douglas Way, Deptford, SE8 4AG. Set in 1982 London gripped by unemployment and inner city riots, two brothers are unexpectedly reunited in a flat in Deptford. Chima (Kingsley Ben-Adir) returns to make past wrongs right and rekindle his relationship with his 16 year old brother Onochie (Ash Hunter) but he is not welcome in the neighbourhood and as word leaks out he has a limited amount of time to get through to his kid brother before he has to face rough justice. Running till 23 February at this theatre, tickets are £8.00 - £14.00 from here.

Thursday 21^st February

At 1.30pm Elevation Networks presents the Great Debate Championships at University of London Union, Malet Street, WC1E 7HY in which 8 universities will be battling it out to be crowned the first ever Great Debate Champions. This quarter final draw will feature Birmingham City vs Coventry, Surrey vs LSE, Goldsmiths vs Royal Holloway and South Bank vs Cambridge. Register for this FREE event here.  

At 7.30pm Heavy Wind Media presents the second run of Ola Rotimi’s rib cracking play Our Husband Has Gone Mad Again at the Flash Musicals Youth Theatre, Methuen Road, Edgware, HA9 6EZ. Directed by Lookman Sanusi this play tells the story of a former Army officers plans to enter politics, however his plans are endangered by the arrival of his American wife who is unaware of his other two wives! Running until Sunday the 24^th with weekend afternoon matinees at 3.00pm on Saturday and Sunday. Tickets are £11.00 (£6.00 children) from here.

At 1.15pm there is a Gallery Talk in Room 3, the British Museum on Soso wui: A Sierra Leonean mask between worlds. Paul Basu will discuss the masks worn by masquerades of the Sierra Leonean all female Sande Society during a girls the rite of passage ceremonies. This is a FREE event.

From 7.00pm to 9.00pm the Royal Africa Society hosts Land Rush: Who owns Africa? at the Khalili Lecture Theatre, SOAS, Thornhaugh Street, WC1H 0XG. This is a screening of a documentary shot in Mali and the USA exploring the huge expansion of international agri business, specifically following an American seeking to set up a sugar plantation and the Malians who oppose it. It will be followed by a panel discussion chaired by Anna Locke (Overseas Development Institute), with the documentary’s director Hugo Berkeley and Camilla Toulmin (International Institute for Environment and Development). To attend this FREE event register here. 

Friday 22^nd February

From 2.00pm is the first session of A New Way for Black History Month at the Africa Centre, 38 King Street, Covent Garden, WC2E 8JT. It is 25 years since Black History Month began as a month long activity in October, this event seeks to review what has been achieved thus far and charting a way forward. The first session from 2.30pm to 5.00pm will involve discussions and break out groups on African Heritage followed by a programme of presentations, entertainment and public debate from 6.30pm to 9.00pm. Register for this FREE event here.

From 6.30pm to 11.00pm is iCAN- informal Caribbean African Network at La Tasca, Hertsmere Road, Canary Wharf, E14 4AE, this is an informal networking event for people of Caribbean and African heritage, so come down to this FREE event and have fun, network and make links! RSVP here.

From 6.30pm to 10.30pm Star100 presents a Conversation about Ghanaian Entrepreneurship at Allen and Overy, 1 Bishops Square, E1 6AD, with Elikem Nutifafa Kuenyehia Managing Partner at Oxford and Beaumont which is recognised as one of Ghana’s leading corporate law firms with offices in Accra and London. Elikem is also the author of Kuenyehia on Entrepreneurship: A Textbook of Contemporary Ghanaian Entrepreneurship, lectures on Entrepreneurship at the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA) and sits on the board of several companies, he will be discussing entrepreneurship in general and in the context of Ghana, setting up and running a business and his own journey is setting up Oxford and Beaumont. Admission is £13.50 from here

From 6.30pm to 9.30pm Black History Walks hosts The Black History of Comedy in The Blue Room, BFI Southbank, Belvedere Road, SE1 8XX. This session is a visual tapestry of historical comedy from great known and unknown comics from the 1960’s to date. Looked at along a timeline of various international rights struggles, be prepared to laugh and learn at the same time at this FREE event!

At 6.30pm CAFCO hosts An Audience with Her Excellency Aloun Ndombet-Assamba, High Commissioner for Jamaica at 40 Northwood Road, Croydon, CR7 8HQ. This will be an unparalleled opportunity for Jamaicans and friends of Jamaica to meet the Jamaican Government’s highest representative in the United Kingdom and ask questions on politics, business, culture and community both at home and abroad. There will be networking, refreshment and presentations from the community as well as a Q&A with the High Commissioner herself. Send your questions by email or phone 07947 911 982 and register for this FREE event here.

At 7.00pm there is a South by South film screening of Call Me Kuchu at the South London Gallery, 67 Peckham Road, Peckham, SE5 8UH, this is a documentary about discrimination in Uganda. Book this FREE event here. 

At 7.00pm the SOAS Pan African Society presents Poetry Night featuring spoken word by Akala and special guests in Theatre G2, SOAS, Thornhaugh Street, Russell Square, WC1H 0XG. MOBO award winning artust Akala fuses rap, rock and electro punk with fierce lyrical storytelling, he will be joined by Esther Stanford-Xosei  (Sister Ekua) who will speak on the role of art and African culture, Jaja Soze a reforemed street thug turned hip hop artist, activist, author and businessman, JJ Bola a Congo born, London raised writer and poet and Kayo Chingoyi Zambian poet and writer in residence at Kingston University. Tickets are £6.00 in person of £7.00 online from here. 

At 7.30pm is the Second Association of Dance of the African Diaspora (ADAD) Lifetime Achievement Award at the Finsbury Town Hall, Roseberry Avenue, EC1R 4QT. Bringing together arts professionals and dance supporters to celebrate and reward creative excellence with live entertainment including choreography by Jackie Guy MBE. Tickets are £20.00 from here.

Saturday 23^rd February

From 11.00am to 1.00pm the Women’s Empowerment Project will be holding an Information Event about Shalom House at the Putney Library, 5-7 Disraeli Road, Putney, SW15 2DR. The Shalom House Project provides  a refuge for sex workers in Ghana between the ages of 13 and 23. The aim is to provide counselling, health screening and vocational skills for them and raise awareness of the sex trade in Ghana. More details from here.

At 6.00pm Black History Walks presents its second Queen Nzingha Lecture Series: Black Women in Academia- Success, Secrets and Coping Strategies in Room B36, Birkbeck College, University of London, Malet Street, WC1E 7HX. The lecture features 3 generations of African/ Caribbean women who have achieved Phds discussing their experiences in academia. Speakers include Dr Ama Biney who has lectured at Middlesex University and Birkbeck College, Dr Michelle Asantewa an English and Creative writing lecturer at London Metropolitan University and Nathalie Montloius a PHd student who has just completed her doctorate in cultural studies. RSVP for this FREE and informative event here

At 7.00pm is the I Dream of Congo Party at the Conway Hall, 25 Red Lion Square, WC1R 4RL. There will be Soukous, rumba from musicians like Gasandji, Ya Kil and Matondo Mulele, this party marks the end of the ‘I Dream of Congo’ exhibition of photos, words and images from eastern Congo. Tickets are £12.00 and include a free drink from here. All proceeds go to projects in Congo. 

At 6.00pm we have The Finale of Top Model of Colour at Royal Mint Court, Dexter House, Tower Hill, EC3N 4HJ. With the designers of the hit Rihanna TV show ‘Styled to Rock’ hosting a fashion show Rock the Runway, other entertainment will include a catwalk off, best dressed, the peoples choice and refreshments. Tickets start from £25.00 from here. 

At 7.00pm the Afrospot Showcase will be featuring Mosi Conde at Passing Clouds, 1 Richmond Road, Dalston, E8 4AA. Hosted by bassist Kodjovi Kush and featuring the Afrospot All Stars as well as Guinean griot Mosi Conde and DJ Freestyle and Afrospotify DJ. FREE before 9.00pm, £5.00 before 10.00pm and £8.00 thereafter.

Sunday 24^th February

At 6.45pm will be the My Time live show hosted by Maxie with guest panellists Clare Perkins  (from Eastenders), Steven Burrell (Family Affairs) at C102 Farmcharm Trading Estate, 8-12 Creekside, Deptford, SE8 3DX. Topics for discussion will be ‘The “N” word’ and ‘What is the role of a woman in a relationship’. With performances by Deleelah and entertainment by resident DJ King. RSVP this FREE event here.

  

At 7.00pm we have Marsha Ambrosius live at the Islington Assembly Hall, Upper Street, Islington, N1 2UD. The former Floetry singer will be performing tracks from her new album ‘Late Nights and Early Mornings’ as well as older material from her Floetry days. Supported by DJ’s Paul Aaron and K15, Jesse Gamage and Bashiyra live. Tickets start from £22.50 from here.

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