Nelson Mandela Tribute In 3D

Jul 7, 2010 | ,

In the lead up to Nelson Mandela’s 92nd birthday on July 18th, the Nelson Mandela Foundation held the Legacy Gala Dinner where some of South Africa’s top artists performed, leading fashion and jewellery designers created pieces inspired by Madiba’s legacy and values and these pieces and other memorabilia were auctioned.  Madiba has lived a rich live that can serve as an example for all of us and key to events such as the Legacy Dinner, as well as Mandela Day, is for all of us to draw inspiration from his life and his legacy to create a future we can all be proud of. I was fortunate enough to...

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Alicia Keys Keeps A Child Alive

Jun 23, 2010 | ,

In this day and age, artists can no longer exist in isolation from society, looking down upon the rest of the world from their luxurious surroundings. Many come from the very world we reside in and, for us to collectively progress, it is necessary that they play their part. Alicia Keys, known more as an award-winning singer, songwriter and producer, understands that her accomplishment can never be meaningful unless it is coupled with a commitment to assist and effect positive change in this sometime harsh world. At the core of this understanding and commitment is Keep A Child Alive (KCA)...

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In Retrospect

Apr 26, 2010 |

Been behind schedule on posts so didn't get this out last week Friday. These are some of my favourite links from last week. Entertaining. Inspiring. Amusing. Irritating. Enlightening. Power out unplugs energy workshop Oh! The irony. Power outages at Johannesburg's Apartheid Museum have delayed a National Union of Mineworkers energy security workshop, attended by the industry's leading stakeholders. [Times Live] Suma Interviews Prof Mensah(Ghana) A comedic interview with an Indian man who speaks exactly like a Ghanaian [Video] Canopy Jar Online poetry publication [Words] Chinese Magic Aki...

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In Retrospect

Apr 16, 2010 |

6 Powerful Social Media Persuasion Techniques Let’s be honest, you don’t just want your voice to be added to the conversation; you want your voice to be heard, repeated, and valued—and your message to be influential.  Ultimately, you’re after influence ... [more] Reminders of a Boy Returned to Russia SHELBYVILLE, Tenn. — The toys in the backyard suggest generous parenting: a swing set, its green paint shiny and new; a red tetherball covered in cherry-red glitter; even a trampoline... [NY Times] Spoken Word & Music: Poet LKJ The legendary dub poet Linton Kwesi Johnson live on tour...

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Township Media Activists

Apr 12, 2010 |

We all seek voice. A platform to express ourselves. Those on the outside always seem to have the greater voice, to determine what needs to be done in our space. It must be a human condition. To look outward and see problems, instead of looking inward and solving them. The media - including online - always seems to be just that ... the outside looking in at the problems of others. I met Daniel Lurie last year and he shared some of his ideas and vision for changing this as well as using the media "to deter human rights abuses, create dialogue, unify the community, empower gender equality and...

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A Beautiful Soul – Joolz Denby

Apr 5, 2010 |

In 2004, the British Council in South Africa put together a poetry show called The Writers Ball presents Joolz Denby. A couple of us were booked to come and share our poetry at the show, which took place at Horror Cafe in Newtown. We were still finding our own voices as poets and writers and I remember being worried that this poet they were bring in from the UK would possibly look down on our work. I had an image of a matronly woman steeped in the literary and poetic traditions from Chaucer and Shakespeare through to Wilde and Hardy without any interest or consideration for the contemporary...

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