AFIA Podcast

In Episode # 32 I had a conversation with Carine Kaneza Nantulya who is the Africa Advocacy Director within the Africa Division at Human Rights Watch. Before joining Human Rights Watch, she was spokesperson for the Women and Girls Movement for Peace and Security in Burundi. She is a transitional justice practitioner with over fifteen years’ experience in human rights programming and conflict resolution in Burundi, Uganda, Sierra Leone and South Africa, among others. She coordinated a human rights program at the Desmond Tutu Peace Centre; worked on the peace negotiations between the Uganda Government and the Lord’s Resistance Army and advised the negotiation teams. She has worked as an independent consultant and evaluator for international organizations, governments and African organizations, including the National Unity and Reconciliation Commission of Rwanda, the Forum of Conscience in Sierra Leone, United Nations Development Program (UNDP) in Uganda, Ugandan Ministry of Justice, Search for Common Ground, Global Rights and the Juba Initiative Fund (JIP) of the peace process between the Government of Uganda and Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA). Carine holds a master’s degree in Human Rights Law and International Humanitarian Law from the University of the Western Cape in South Africa.

Follow Simon Javan Okelo on Social Media:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OkeloJavan

Twitter: https://twitter.com/OkeloJavan

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/simonjavano...

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@simonjavanoke...

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/simon-oke...

iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast...

#AfricanFatherInAmerica #AFIAPodcast #AfricanHeritage #ShareBlackStories #BlackLivesMatter #BlackFathers #AfricanFathers

In episode 31 I had a conversation with the incredible Dr. Joye Hardiman who is a renowned writer, scholar, teacher, world traveler, storyteller, and the CEO of Hardiman House Inc., which is an urban sanctuary that hosts and convenes saloons, programs, and virtual events that expand the mind, feed the spirit and restore the soul.

Dr. Joye Hardiman is also the Creative Director of the  Ra- imaging Exploratorium a training, coaching and consulting  agency and of Ancestral Art Works -  a creative production company that uses Ancestral Wisdoms to solve Contemporary Problems. She was the Executive Director of the Evergreen State College - urban campus in Tacoma WA. for almost two decades , the 2nd National Vice- president of the Association for the Study of Classical African Civilizations ( ASCAC) and is now an Senior member of the Pacific Northwest Pan- African Community.

Follow Simon Javan Okelo on Social Media:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OkeloJavan

Twitter: https://twitter.com/OkeloJavan

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/simonjavano...

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@simonjavanoke...

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/simon-oke...

iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast...

In episode 30 I had the privilege to have a conversation with Boniface Mwangi who has risen from poverty to prominence in Kenya. He is renowned for his powerful photographs and his courageous protests calling for social justice. He is an award-winning Kenyan photojournalist and human rights activist. He was a staff photographer with The Standard, a leading Kenyan newspaper, for four years. He became the eye of Kenyans during the 2007/8 post- election violence and showed courage and compassion to capture thousands of images; some so gory they could not be published. His work has appeared in leading publications in the world — from The New York Times to The Guardian and Chicago Tribune, Los Angeles Times, The International Herald Tribune, The Sunday Times, The Telegraph and The Boston Globe among others. In 2012 Boniface founded PAWA254, a hub for creatives in Kenya where journalists, artists and activists find innovative ways of achieving social change. He studied human rights and documentary photography at New York University, USA. He has twice won the CNN Multichoice Africa Photojournalist of the Year Award and is the youngest Prince Claus Laureate. New African Magazine named him one of the 100 Most Influential Africans of 2014 and 2016 and he is also a senior TED Fellow. Time magazine recognized him as a Next Generation Leader in 2015 and was selected as Kenya’s Top 40 under 40 men 2016. He was named as top 100 Kenyans 2019. Boniface Mwangi continues to wage a spirited campaign against oppressive establishments. Although at one point he stood alone, today his movement has gained traction with many – inspired by his vision and consistency – adding their voices to champion for a better Kenya Boniface is the founder and the party leader of Ukweli Party, a political party bringing citizens together wanting to live in Kenya where everyone is empowered to engage politically, to realize their full potential, to prosper economically and to thrive in a socially cohesive community.

In this episode I held a conversation with Omari Salisbury who is the COO and Founder of Converge Media, a leading producer of content for black and urban audiences. The son of the first black-owned photography studio in the Northwest, Omari Salisubry hails from a long line of visual storytellers. 52 countries and counting, Omari is a true global citizen working in media across the continent of Africa, the middle east, and Europe for Media Zone, Clouds Media Group, and Status Communications. No matter where Omari finds himself across the globe, he will always call Seattle home. Omari is a proud native of Seattle’s Central District and a graduate of James A. Garfield High School.

Every culture depends on a currency. Any group without a currency will be oppressed. Currency does not have to be financial. Currency allows people to take interest in each other.

Everybody takes interest in white people because the national currency was built to compensate them when they are due. One must workout how to discover other currencies. It's a psychological and spiritual space that eventually changes the integrity of the national currency 

Most people only go to work for the national currency and all the other currencies are diminished. If we are an organization we should be able to figure out what our other currencies are.

Time is a currency and must be evaluated as such. Creativity is a currency. Inspiration is a currency. We can't calculate the future only based on the national currency.

The dollar was not designed to be enough for those who work for it. Connecting and creating new agreements to overcome the national currency and create what the future looks like is critical.

It's exactly correct. Language is currency. If we don't have a unified language we will continue to be oppressed. All oppressors have a unified language and national or continental currencies.

I came from the slum. I grew up in Manyatta slum, which is one of the slums benefitting from Panga Bizz After COVID-19. Manyatta is also the same slum where One Vibe Africa runs our Education Music & Art Program in Kenya. 

I am leading Panga Bizz After COVID-19, which is a fundraising campaign on Facebook to help 500 women in Mathare, Manyatta, and Nyalenda slums in Kenya. At the time of the recording of this episode we had raised funds to give seed money to 72 women who run small scale businesses in the slum like my mother did.

I know that we might not be able to reach our goal of getting help to 500 women, but I am determined to ensure that at least 100 women get help by the end of day today on June 30th. Once we get this first 100 women this much needed help we will ensure that they get the money as soon as possible and do follow up on how the seed money has impacted their businesses and their communities and then we will do a second virtual Madaraka Festival by the end of the year to get seed money to the remaining 400 women.

In this episode I held a conversation with Nakeya Isabell who is a native of Seattle, WA. She uses her voice, creativity and compassion to spread hope. In 2004, Nakeya graduated from Cleveland High in Seattle then earned basketball scholarships at the College of Southern Idaho and Pepperdine University.

In 2009, Nakeya graduated with a BA in Advertising. She is passionate about faith, love, justice and community. Currently Nakeya is a youth services assistant at Cleveland High. She released her first spoken word album entitled “Love, Justice & Truth.” Nakeya life goal is to live full so that she can die empty.

I have celebrated Juneteenth in the past but this episode is the first time when I deeply explored its history and why it’s important for all of us to know about Juneteenth. I researched and found a video by Rev. Al Sharpton that I shared in this episode. I also read an article written by Vivian Philips. 

During this episode I learned about Juneteenth and the plight of Black people in America and beyond, but what I am gathering is that the history of Black people or African people globally is tied together and this means that the future is also tied together. This means that unity is part of the solution for Black people’s plight globally. 

In this episode I held a conversation with Marlon Brown who is a black man, husband, brother, uncle, Godfather, business owner and warrior.  As busy as many of us are, Marlon works as a Racial Equity Consultant.  Marlon works with businesses and organizations who want to become anti-racist.  Marlon is on several boards including Board Member of Black Lives Matter Seattle King County Chapter for the past two years.  Marlon is the host of "Church with Mr. B.," a Gospel radio show on Hollow Earth Radio located in the Central District of Seattle, WA.  Marlon wears a lot of hats and enjoys spending time with his spouse, friends and traveling when possible.

In this episode I had a conversation with Henry Richards who is a licensed clinical psychologist with over two decades of experience in the evaluation, assessment, and treatment of individuals in forensic and correctional contexts.

He has managed large forensic and correctional programs and provided training and organizational consultation to states, counties, hospitals, as well as residential and outpatient programs. He has specialized experience and training in addictions, sex offender issues, and methodologies of personal and organizational transformation and change.