West African Dance Showcase by Tiyumba

Tiyumba Dance Group

Dear Friends:

I hope you will be able to come and experience West African Dance as it is so energetically performed by the Tiyumba Dance Group. It will be a lot of fun and it is an opportunity for you to see what Tiyumba is all about and also get down and dance.

Conference on African Intellectuals in the West

Based in Minnesota, Africa Today would best be described as an African think tank. Every month, the group organizers topics surrounding Africans in the Diaspora and the content.

What are YOU doing this weekend?

So much to do so little time. Sure it’ll be a little chilly and rainy, but that shouldn’t stop you from partaking in one of these many events. Make sure you get out and have some fun.

Awareness:

• RED 10 is the big event this weekend. A group of Africans will be walking for a cause and so should you. If you can’t make it to the walk there are plenty other of options. Saturday night through Sunday afternoon. For more info click here.
• The West African Collaborative will also be doing some HIV/AIDS awareness on Sat May 16th. You can watch a skit written and performed by Africans on HIV/AIDS at Brookdale Covenant Church from 3:00 – 5:00pm .

Art:

• Art-a-whirl 2009 is upon us – from Friday May 15th through Sunday May 17th. Make sure you catch a glimpse of ‘Gallery AfriQ by Omosh and Rabi’s Studio by Yarbi. For more details click here.

Fundraiser

• REAL (Resources for the Enrichment of African Lives) will be having their annual silent auction and dinner fundraiser  May 16th at Augsburg college. Event runs from 5:30 to 9:00pm.

• Cameroonian group Menchum cultural association (MENCAMIN) in Minnesota will be having a fund raising party on Saturday, May 16th 2009 at Mermaid Event Centre with DJ Moki. Doors open at 8:30pm and cost is$ 15.00

Religion

• The Patriarch of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church will be in Minnesota accompanied by numerous other bishops, priests and theologians to consecrate the new St. Ourael Church. Event goes from May 14th through the 17th.

Beware: Credit Card Scam in the Twin Cities

By the Minneapolis Police Department, City of Minneapolis

Please be advised that a new type of scam is appearing in the Metro area.

Red 10 Team takes on HIV/AIDS

RED10 AFFAIR

RED 10 @ MN AIDS WALK

Team Red10 would like to encourage you to join the Minnesota Aids Walk scheduled for Sunday May 17th 2009.

A Red10 Affair party, will be held on Saturday May 16th 2009 at Trocaderos in downtown Minneapolis. AIM and FunkHouse Entertainment are donating ALL the profits from the event to the MN AIDS Project. DJ’s from all corners of the continent will be featured.

Please also join the Red10 team by bringing awareness to the community, by registering for the walk through the following link: http://community.mnaidsproject.org/TEAMRED10

If you are unable to walk, you are invited to support the team to reach their goals by clicking on the following link: http://community.mnaidsproject.org/TEAMRED10 then click on ‘Support Me’, and make a donation to the team captain (WANGECHI). All proceeds will go towards the Minnesota AIDS project.

A catered Barbecue event will be held on Sunday after the Minnesota AIDS walk at the Minnehaha Park, from 12:00 pm to 5:00 pm. to raise additional funds towards the Minnesota AIDS project. Tuma’s Catering will be providing food for sale. SolJams and Touch entertainment will be providing the music entertainment.

African Health Action Corporation [AHA] will be available at the Minnehaha Park to privately test individuals who want to know their HIV status.

Red10 team is also looking for volunteers to help during and after the walk. Any help will be greatly appreciated.

Please show your support and work with the Red10 team to bring HIV/AIDS awareness to the community.  Accents Telecom will give $10.00 credit to anyone who walks and gets screened for HIV. Their rates are very competetive.

For more information about the Red10 team & fundraising events, please visit the following websites:

http://community.mnaidsproject.org/Page.aspx?pid=317

http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/group.php?gid=78560478063

http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/event.php?eid=78354726453

TEAM RED 10 will be representing the African Community at the 2009 MN AIDS WALK and we hope that you will participate in this worthy cause, our future.

Kenyan Women on a Sex Strike: Why they did it

You’ve probably heard about the women’s sex strike in Kenya. Published below is an excerpt of my reaction to this modern-day Lysistrata . You can read the article in its entirety here.

I must be getting it wrong. Or maybe most people are missing the point of the sex strike.

My first reaction when I heard about the sex strike was: how bold! what a statement! Still, I questioned their use of sex as a tool of peace. And then I began to watch in dismay as the country reacted. Perhaps we all agree that Kenyan politicians need to get their act together. But sex is still a taboo; unspoken.

What happened to the $10 dollars you donated to charity last year?

by Nelima

If you are a fan of Dambisa Moyo’s Dead AID,  ’What are we doing here?’ is a documentary you may want to watch. Here’s a synposis, for more information visit their website by clicking here.

WHAT ARE WE DOING HERE? explores why the charity given to Africa over the last five decades has been largely ineffective and often harmful. The film tells the story of Brandon, Nicholas, Daniel and Tim Klein who travel across Africa in an attempt to understand one of the great problems of our time; the failure to end poverty.