54Lights

WHAT TO EXPECT...WHEN YOU PUSH PLAY

Kondwani Mwase sits down with Ghanaian-Canadian artist Kofi Frimpong for a vibrant discussion about his artistic journey, creative process, and the power of community. Kofi shares insights into how his colourful paintings connect with people, especially those in the African diaspora. Join them as they explore the importance of love, laughter, and endless possibilities in art and life.

LEAN IN, LISTEN UP...AND LEARN

• Inspired by his father's doodling of Egyptian characters, Kofi's artistic journey began at a young age.
• Kofi's paintings often feature vibrant colours and textured backdrops that tell a story, with figures and faces complementing the narrative.
• Reflecting his love for people, community, collaboration, and the idea of creating spaces conducive to love, learning, and laughter, Kofi's art serves as a powerful connector.
• Kofi's passion for community building and spreading love stems from his belief in the importance of supporting one another and creating environments that foster endless possibilities.
• Kofi's Ghanaian roots influence his art through the use of vibrant colours and the way he interacts with people, emphasizing politeness and respect.
• Focusing on the backdrop to tell a story, Kofi's creative process involves adding a figure or face that fits the narrative as the final piece.
• Engaging conversations with his wife and children, playing sports like basketball and volleyball, and reading books, even if he doesn't always finish them, provide Kofi with escape and fun.

OUR HIGHs (NO LOWs)

[00:08:29] "I noticed the teacher coming. I realised that I didn't have time to, you know, hide my drawing. So, I just kept going. And to my surprise my teacher didn't actually get upset. In fact, she was really impressed." - Kofi shares a pivotal moment in his artistic journey.

[00:11:03] "The process in itself is for me, and then the artwork is for the world. Lucky for me when people see my artwork they find a connection." - Kofi explains how his creative process is personal, while his art connects with others.

[00:24:33] "When we create these environments that are conducive to love, learning, laughter and endless possibility, it just feels good” - Kofi discusses his passion for community building and how it relates to his art.

[00:32:45] "I feel like there's definitely a strong connection between Ghana and Nigeria. Um, obviously, you know Ghana must go and Nigeria must go. That's in the past. But right now, I feel like we're definitely family." - Kofi highlights the connection between Ghana and Nigeria, recommending Nigeria as the next destination for 54Lights.

FIND AND FOLLOW 54LIGHTS

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Email guest referrals, comments and stories to [email protected] (feedback welcome…complaints and hate, not so much)

54Lights is committed to illuminating the African experience...one story (brush stroke) at a time. 

WHAT TO EXPECT...WHEN YOU PUSH PLAY

In this episode, we relive some great experiences from our first 99 episodes...calling out the many highs from seasons and journey's past. Most poignantly, host Kondwani Mwase pays homage to the audience and artists (creatives) who have made our firat 100 episodes remarkably special. each wildly wonderful in their own right.

MUSIC

Dis O Dat by Cassa: https://open.spotify.com/artist/1qVqyeTICpuu938EF2Lxon?si=EGvVjgA0SbCxMSzy2TvISQ

FIND AND FOLLOW 54LIGHTS

Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crowd54/

Email guest referrals, comments and stories to [email protected] (feedback welcome…complaints and hate, not so much)

54Lights is committed to illuminating the African experience...one story (beat) at a time. 

WHAT TO EXPECT...WHEN YOU PUSH PLAY

Kondwani interviews entrepreneur Lola Adeyemi, founder of It's Souper, an Afrofusion gourmet meal company selling flavourful soups, sauces and spices. Hear Lola's inspiring story of leaving medical school in Nigeria to follow her creative passions, moving to Canada, building a career in tech, then creating her food brand to bring authentic African flavours to the mainstream market. Learn how she empowers people to appreciate diverse cultures through delicious food.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Lola felt restricted in medical school and craved outlets for her creativity, leading her to pivot careers.
• Getting an e-commerce course assignment to identify a business gap inspired Lola's food brand idea.
• Lola aims to make African food accessible and appreciated by all, not just relegated to ethnic stores.
• Quality control and ensuring authentic flavours are critical when scaling up production.
• Lola had to overcome fears of pricing her value-added product too low due to self-limiting beliefs.
• Taking smart risks requires getting comfortable with the fear of failure.
• Lola successfully got her African food brand into mainstream stores with coveted shelf space.

BEST MOMENTS

5:26 "I felt like being in medical school wasn't creative enough for me." 

16:50 "When Africans don't have the opportunity to tell their stories...then somebody else is going to take ownership of that story." 

28:16 "My will to succeed is much greater than my fear of failure." 

28:28 "If something doesn't scare you...maybe your dreams are not big enough." 

VALUABLE RESOURCES

• https://itssouper.com/
• https://54lights.com/

ABOUT THE HOST

Kondwani Mwase | Host & Creator

‘The world of reality has its limits; the world of imagination is boundless.’  – Jean-Jacques Rousseau

For most of my life, I have been obsessed with relationships. I have worked, watched and wondered about the complex nature of human interaction. Originally, my interest laid in the narrative…more specifically, I was driven to understand what was happening. Increasingly, my curiosity has been inspired by the underlying motivations behind events…why it happens. It is this curiosity that motivates me.

My professional journey led me to the field of marketing and the exercise of selling in the service of brands. Over the years, I’ve learned that the true currency is working in the service of people. Finding ways to understand how to cultivate meaningful relationships with them….and making them “happy”. I leveraged my skills as a mass marketer to reach a different audience with a different message. As such, The Warehouse Magazine became my passion. I founded the publication to try and build a community for the conscientious. It was my first business, my first foray into media and, in some ways, my first love. And its eventual retirement left me wanting. Leaving me with a feeling of unfinished business.

FIND AND FOLLOW 54LIGHTS

Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crowd54/

Email guest referrals, comments and stories to [email protected] (feedback welcome…complaints and hate, not so much)

WHAT TO EXPECT...WHEN YOU PUSH PLAY

In this episode, Kondwani interviews Khulekani Msweli, a fashion designer, artist, entrepreneur and activist from Eswatini. Khulekani discusses returning to Eswatini after studying abroad to give back to his community through art and community development projects. He shares how art can speak truth to power and reflect societal issues. Khulekani also talks about building appreciation for the arts in Eswatini and making it a viable career option.

LEAN IN, LISTEN UP...AND LEARN

• Khulekani name means "collective prayer" which embodies his Christian upbringing and personal philosophies.
• He currently lives in northeast Eswatini running his design and art-based business.
• Khulekani works in various artistic media like sculpture and performance art with no limits on expression.
• He uses art to reflect political and societal happenings in Eswatini.
• Arts are still very much on a growth trajectory in some African countries.
• Art means different things to different people and it’s important to remember this as a creative. 
• Living as a successful artist in Eswatini encourages youth to pursue creative careers.
• In high school, Khulekani’s tutors guided him to study fashion design while pursuing his art interests.
• Fashion is one of the easier artistic routes to enter, particularly regarding finances. 
• Art is Khulekani’s highest form of expression, there are no limits when he is creating. 
• He set up a fashion and art-based business in Eswatini after studying abroad.
• Khulekani is involved in community development projects through his parents' foundation.

BEST MOMENTS..OUR HIGHs (NO LOWs)

11:18 “[Art]It’s allowed me to express a lot of what’s happening in the community in my country”

12:56 "Art and politics tend to go hand in hand." 

13:23 "Art reflects society of the day. It could be good politics, it could be bad politics."

13:48 "Art is a great tool for speaking truth to power." 

17:13 "I took it upon myself to say, you know what, I'll be that person...which even the kids can say, well if Khulekani can make it in Eswatini, well maybe mom and dad do allow me to give it a go." 

19:24 "At the back of my mind I just wanted something where I would literally be able to start my own business”

FIND & FOLLOW - Resources and more

https://www.instagram.com/khulekani_msweli/

Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crowd54/

Email guest referrals, comments and stories to [email protected] 

54Lights is committed to illuminating the African experience...one story at a time. 

WHAT TO EXPECT...WHEN YOU PUSH PLAY

Kondwani interviews Juno award-winning artist Garth Prince, who shares his journey from Namibia to building a music community in Canada. With infectious rhythms and cross-cultural sounds, Garth describes how creating music became his pathway to preserve his African roots. Listen as Garth unpacks his evolution from focusing solely on Namibian music to welcoming diverse influences. 

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Music provided Garth a way to hold onto his Namibian roots and “keep that spirit alive” after moving to Canada. He started by playing shows then realised his sound resonated most with kids, which ultimately shaped his career direction.
• Garth measures success not by accolades but by those moments in rehearsals or shows when he feels he is home, he tries to “bottle” these feelings of being transported back.
• Though Garth led song ideas initially, his process has evolved to be collaborative based on audience response. If students don’t like a new song, he’s “okay with shelving that” because the community helps decide.
• Having lost his African languages and traditions over time, moving to Canada gave Garth a renewed sense of wanting to reconnect with his culture. Though geography limits full immersion now, music became his pathway to hold on to it.
• Garth used to firmly identify himself as Namibian but now embraces his hybrid identity. After being in Canada since 2008, he even jokes, “when people ask me, where are you from? I say, I’m from Edmonton.”
• Collaborating with other African immigrant artists has helped Garth form a community in Edmonton while expanding his sound, such as learning Swahili lyrics from a friend. 
• An influx of black music and artists embracing their identity in the 90s initially drew Garth to music and made him feel “I can sing too.” He recognises this dream coming full circle through connecting with pioneers like Canada’s Maestro Fresh Wes.

BEST MOMENTS

07:22 “There’s that feeling of what the show feels like, I almost have to stop and just for a second...say, man, this is, I’m back home right now.”

8:56 "It can be very overwhelming. So sometimes I would just let the band play a little bit and I could just take that, that space and when nobody knows, but in that moment, it's, it's just a sense of gratefulness or that, that I feel in that moment." 

18:00 “They [the children] responded the way you would typically expect in Namibia”

18:35 “And then after that, I went back to the drawing board with a band and I said, Listen, the intentions I had for this, that building that sense of community, you know, with the music reminding me of back home, these school shows reminded me more of that”

ABOUT THE HOST

Kondwani Mwase | Host & Creator

For most of my life, I have been obsessed with relationships. I have worked, watched and wondered about the complex nature of human interaction. Originally, my interest laid in the narrative…more specifically, I was driven to understand what was happening. Increasingly, my curiosity has been inspired by the underlying motivations behind events…why it happens. It is this curiosity that motivates me.

My professional journey led me to the field of marketing and the exercise of selling in the service of brands. Over the years, I’ve learned that the true currency is working in the service of people. Finding ways to understand how to cultivate meaningful relationships with them….and making them “happy”. I leveraged my skills as a mass marketer to reach a different audience with a different message. As such, The Warehouse Magazine became my passion. I founded the publication to try and build a community for the conscientious. It was my first business, my first foray into media and, in some ways, my first love. And its eventual retirement left me wanting. Leaving me with a feeling of unfinished business.

FIND & FOLLOW 54

Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crowd54/

Email guest referrals, comments and stories to [email protected] 

WHAT TO EXPECT...WHEN YOU PUSH PLAY

In this quick episode of 54Bites we are joined in virtual studio by our newest intern Navi Kahlon. Navi, who has roots in Tanzania, joins us from the journalism program at Toronto Metropolitan University. As our Brand Partnerships intern, Navi is leading the charge with great strategic relationships we're crafting and cultivating at the broadcast.

In our latest quick hit, we introduce our relationship with Malawi's Capital Radio. That station, based in Blantyre, Malawi, will play our content on its airways 1-2 times each week for the next year. And while there's more to come on this relationship, we're amazed and excited to share the news.

NAVI's PICKS

And there IS more....have a listen to find out the episodes that Navi chooses are her heartwarming favourites.

• Outspoken with Tiana Conley
• What's in a Name with all our guests - a spotlight on the naming journey

FIND AND FOLLOW 54LIGHTS

Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crowd54/

Email guest referrals, comments and stories to [email protected] (feedback welcome…complaints and hate, not so much)

54Lights is committed to illuminating the African experience...one story (beat) at a time. 

WHAT TO EXPECT...WHEN YOU PUSH PLAY

54Lights touches down in the beautiful nation of Mauritius for this light-hearted and light-filled conversation with Pascal Lagesse. Pascal joined us virtually from his homeland where he has been working as a visual arts professional for over two decades. A prolific painter who’s refined his skills and signature in a way that’s unmistakable and definitely formidable.

Over the pandemic, Pascal introduced the Zafer style of painting…one grounded in vibrant colour, infused with local staples like the Dodo bird, and also pulls from regional influences like traditional African masks. All of these are what helps make Pascal’s work thrive and flourish. Along with illuminating us on these inspirations from his work, Pascal also shared how his parents, people who’s professional pathways were in finance and accounting, allowed him the space to pursue his love of the arts. And finally, Pascal shared how his work has helped him cobat bouts of depression. His openness and candor belying a vulnerability and strength that’s unique and impressive.

LISTEN AND LEARN… our Key Takeaways from the Show

·     Pascal Lagesse is a natural artist who is comfortable writing, painting, acting and even behind the lens taking photos

·     Our guest councils parents to encourage children and youth to pursue the arts as today more than ever, the arts and design in particular, informs so much of our world

·     Kondwani and Pascal may or may not be considering launching Mauriwood… to rival Holly/Bolly/Nolly-wood

·     The Zafer style, used in many of Pascal’s most recent works, was born after a visit to Amsterdam

QUOTABLES

FIND AND FOLLOW PASCAL LAGESSE

Our guest – contact Pascal Lagesse on Instagram at @pascallagesseart or visit his website – www.pascallagesse.com

FIND AND FOLLOW 54LIGHTS

Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crowd54/

Email guest referrals, comments and stories to [email protected] (feedback welcome…complaints and hate, not so much)

54Lights is committed to illuminating the African experience...one story (beat) at a time. 

WHAT TO EXPECT...WHEN YOU PUSH PLAY

Kondwani interviews emerging radio personality Daouda in this fun and insightful episode. Originally from Mali, Daouda shares stories from his journey studying communications in Canada and gaining experience in university radio. Daouda talks to Kondwani about his travels, Ottawa's surprisingly vibrant local music scene, and his plans to take his podcast, Inside These Minds, to the next level.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Daouda was born in Dubai to Malian parents before immigrating to Canada at a young age.
• As a shy child, Daouda gradually built his charismatic personality by surrounding himself with great energy.
• Daouda refined his interviewing skills during college radio internships, learning about Ottawa's underground music scene.
• He strives to make podcast guests feel comfortable, like talking to an old friend.
• During the pandemic, Daouda used photography to document life moments and stay grounded.
• Daouda has visited Mali several times and keeps close ties with his large extended family there, considering himself both Malian and Canadian.

BEST MOMENTS

4:48 “One of the things I noticed is this scene is so underground isn’t it” 

6:20 "I want to be in this industry that has a lot of storytelling that’s well thought out and well planned out”

10:42 “I’m the type of guy that wants to connect to the guests as well”

19:19 “I have a big family over in Mali… I’m always open about where i’ve come from

27:00 "I never been the type of guy to be interviewed on the other side of the spectrum, but it was fun." 

VALUABLE RESOURCES

https://54lights.com/

ABOUT THE HOST

Kondwani Mwase | Host & Creator

‘The world of reality has its limits; the world of imagination is boundless.’  – Jean-Jacques Rousseau

WHAT TO EXPECT...WHEN YOU PUSH PLAY

In this episode, host Kondwani Mwase is joined by Kenyan/Ugandan creator and director Mumbi Tindyebwa Otu. Mumbi joined us in, virtual studio, from Toronto where she now lives after time in Victoria, BC. During the course of this short, yet infinitely sweet, conversation, Mumbi shared insights about her journey as a creative - shedding light on her process and purpose. A student of life, Mumbi's approach to creation includes an intentional flow that allows her cast and crew to bond as humans as well as professionals in their craft.

Mumbi is a Dora Award winner, a Founder/Artistic Director of the experimental theatre company IFT (It’s A Freedom Thing Theatre) Theatre, a recipient of a Toronto Theatre Critics Award, an Artistic Director’s Award, a Pauline McGibbon Award , a Mallory Gilbert Protege Award, a Harold Award, and has been twice nominated for the John Hirsch Directing Award. 

Most recently, Mumbi directed Is God Is by Aleshea Harris and Sizwe Bansi is Dead by Athol Fugard, written collaboratively with two South African actors, John Kani and Winston Ntshona, both of whom appeared in the original production

OUR HIGHs (NO LOWs)

6:22 I studied Human Biology in Victoria and so I just kind of quietly finished my degree and then like shifted gears towards the arts after that.

12:56 I think that when my African identity met my Black identity, I would say when my family immigrated here as a teenager, I was like, oh, okay. This is when the meeting happened. So I feel like those two things always being in conversation with each other and being a woman

FIND AND FOLLOW 54LIGHTS

Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crowd54/

Email guest referrals, comments and stories to [email protected] (feedback welcome…complaints and hate, not so much)

54Lights is committed to illuminating the African experience...one story (beat) at a time. 

WHAT TO EXPECT...WHEN YOU PUSH PLAY

Diana Gasper has made her life in North Carolina after meeting her American husband in Canada, yet she will always have the most love and longing for her home of Tanzania. Diana is a businesswoman, entrepreneur and philanthropist who helps women and girls in Tanzania to create their own businesses and sources of income, teaching them to work smart, not hard. She talks to Kondwani all about her love for Tanzania, how she started to help support women there and also about founding her Travel Agency, Extra Mile Adventure.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Many women in business across Africa are working very hard but not smart. This is what Diana focuses on in her work with women in Tanzania.
• You have to be an example of what you teach. It’s important to Diana that she isn’t just teaching theory but is an example of success with her own businesses.
• Extra Mile Adventure organises travel and trips for a wide range of clientele and tastes, from Disney tickets to Religious Pilgrimages. They also have a very special product, a franchise to help women join tourism.
• There are so many incredible tourist destinations and things to see in East Africa, including Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania and the chimpanzees in Uganda, Diana urges everyone to visit, Africa is a rich and diverse continent, you could spend a lifetime travelling and not see everything there is to see there.

QUOTABLES

• 04:02 “I like it, it’s home now”
• 09:96 “I started a non-profit organisation to empower women and girls in terms of giving them education on how they can work smart not hard”
• 11:20 “My heart is in Africa”
• 21:10 “If a man wants to join the team, he better be ready to support women”

VALUABLE RESOURCES

https://www.linkedin.com/in/diana-gasper-546193262/

www.extramiles.us

https://54lights.com/

ABOUT THE HOST

Kondwani Mwase | Host & Creator

‘The world of reality has its limits; the world of imagination is boundless.’  – Jean-Jacques Rousseau

For most of my life, I have been obsessed with relationships. I have worked, watched and wondered about the complex nature of human interaction. Originally, my interest laid in the narrative…more specifically, I was driven to understand what was happening. Increasingly, my curiosity has been inspired by the underlying motivations behind events…why it happens. It is this curiosity that motivates me.

FIND AND FOLLOW 54LIGHTS

Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crowd54/

Email guest referrals, comments and stories to [email protected] (feedback welcome…complaints and hate, not so much)

54Lights is committed to illuminating the African experience...one story (beat) at a time.