My New Music Video: GIVE PEACE A CHANCE with Bajah + The Dry Eye Crew

I'm really excited to release the following music video I completed with Sierra Leonean superstar group, Bajah + The Dry Eye Crew.

"Give Peace a Chance" was produced to promote peaceful elections in Sierra Leone, coming up on November 17th. There is already rising tensions in the country in anticipation of the elections so this song and music video is being used to encourage youth to not be swayed into violence.

Today, our music video made the top story on Sierra Express Media.  Check it out:

http://www.sierraexpressmedia.com/archives/49525

This project was exciting for me as it confirms the power of collaborating with local artists who have incredible influence in societies affected by pressing global health and development issues I cover in my films.  I'll be sharing more about an initiative I am developing working with these artists (musicians, filmmakers, poets, etc) but in the meantime, enjoy the music video and feel free to share and forward.  

How I work as a Brooklyn-based filmmaker for UN and NGO agencies

I get a lot of filmmakers and development colleagues who ask me questions about how I was able to build a career as a filmmaker working for the United Nations and other NGOs. And also, at the same time as keeping my foot planted in the artistic and sociopolitical movements in Brooklyn.

Today I'll be speaking and will address some of these questions on a panel entitled, "Female Documentary Filmmakers" at the Art of Brooklyn Film Festival from 4-5:30pm.

Never heard of the festival?  Either have I but its been labeled as Brooklyn's Tribeca.

The festival runs from Aug 4-12 and you can find more info at www.aobff.org.

Hope to see you (and feel free to forward!)

High Level UN Meeting on Youth and Conflict

Today I'm looking forward to sitting on a high level panel at the UN on the issue of youth and conflict.  I was asked to participate in this because of a film and poetry initiative I did with UNFPA and the Women's Refugee Commission called Youth Zones (which you can view in English, French, Spanish or Arabic at www.YouthZones.org.)

With Youth Zones, I traveled with youth activist Chernor Bah from Sierra Leone and poetry mentor, Luke Nephew from the spoken word/creative writing non-profit I work with - Urban Word NYC - to Liberia, Colombia, Lebanon, Northern Uganda and New Orleans to document the struggles and resiliency of young people facing conflicts and natural disasters.  My talk will focus specifically on the poetry workshops and how young people in emergencies can benefit and heal from such creative, safe spaces.

As part of my efforts to engage local artists in my film related outreach activities, I recruited Bajah from Bajah + The Dry Eye Crew to also sit on the panel to discuss his experiences as a youth growing up in war-torn Sierra Leone .Here is a really great 3-minute clip that touches on the experience of Bajah and his bandmates.

If you are attending the ECOSOC event at the UN or are interested in being a special guest, send an email to the RSVP listed on the invite above.