FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: PANAFEST

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT:
PANAFEST-USA Public Relations
Justine Mbianda (301)379-9111
Soffie Ceesay (240) 273-5616
Fatmata Barrie (301) 300-9781
[email protected]
5TH ANNUAL PAN AFRICAN FESTIVAL
Celebrating and promoting African heritage& unity September 27, 2014
Silver Spring MD [September 23, 2014] The Pan African Festival (PANAFEST-USA) returns to downtown Silver Spring on
Saturday September 27, 2014 at the Silver Spring Civic Center at One Veterans Plaza for its fifth annual African heritage
cultural celebration. September is African Heritage month in Montgomery County so it is fitting the month long
celebration ends with such a colorful and spectacular celebration of all things African. Between 7,000 -10,000 people
are expected to attend. PANAFEST-USA is organized to celebrate, promulgate and educate the public about the shared
rich cultures of people of African ancestry. This year’s theme I ♥ African Heritage Unity aims to promote solidarity
among all people of African heritage, as well as help build a cultural support network for African Diaspora
communities in the Capital region. The event, a perfect end-of-summer destination for family fun is free and open to
the public and runs from 12noon until 9pm.
Hosting the event is Mr. David Vandy of Voice of America, Ms. Sylvia Litana Robertson, former host at Afrika Plus TV and
Mr. Gil Ingles current host of Southern African Connection TV. The festival will open with a libation and procession of
Kings, Queens and paramount chiefs from the various African regions. Representatives from State and local government,
various embassies and community groups including DC Ward 8 Council member Marion Barry and Miss Africa USA 2014,
Meron Mary Eskista Wudneh will attend. Ms. Adele Clarice will sing the national anthem. Performances will begin soon
after. Over 25 groups representing all regions of Africa, the Caribbean and the USA have signed up to participate in the
festival. New on the scene will be performances from the Southern African region, which has previously, been under
represented at PANAFEST-USA. This year’s performance line -up includes;
BANDS & ARTISTS
• Amisa Asima (Cameroon)
• Anne Marcelle (Ivory Coast)
• ASA! Kalenya (Various)
• Ausar Auset Society (USA )
• Babessi Cultural Group (Cameroon)
• Ethiopian Traditional Dancers (USA)
• Farafina Kan (USA)
• Sierra Leone Fly Girls (Sierra Leone)
• Lily Meka (Cameroon)
• Gotti Monroe (Nigeria/USA)
• Josephine Atanga (Cameroon)
• Mbuutu Dance (Uganda)
• Moto Moto Marimba Band (Zimbabwe)
• New Birth Foundation(USA)
• People’s Community Baptist Church (USA)
• Rhythms of Kalahari (Botswana)
• The Sanctuaries (USA)
• Shango Kwame Drum Ensemble (USA)
• Uasuf Gueye (USA)
• Young Heru Harris (USA)
FASHION & BEAUTY
• Southern African Fashion Show
HEALTH & FITNESS
• Zumba with Zukossa Fitness
• NesiWangu - My Nurse
MOTIVATION & INSPIRATION
• Margaret Dureke
• Middle Passage
• Greater Potomac Valley Exploration
Committee
• African Immigrant Caucus
STAND UP COMEDY & POETRY
• Anna Mwalagho (Kenya)
• Sylvia Kiruri (Kenya)
VENDORS & EXHIBITORS
In addition to live performances, PANAFEST-USA offers vendors of food, arts & crafts, apparel, and services. Food
vendors serving dishes to reflect the different cultures represented the Greater Washington DC area. Do not miss out
on the exotic fare from the diverse cultures of Africa including jolof rice from West Africa, Vetkoeks from South Africa;
jerk chicken, goat-meat and fish from the Caribbean just to name a few; and other spicy, appetizing dishes from across
the African Diaspora. The arts & crafts exhibitors’ displays include colorful and rich fabrics; handcrafted fine arts;
interactive demonstrations; health and wellness workshops; spectacular jewelry.
Also exhibiting at the Festival are various community based nonprofit organizations including Montgomery County
Gilchrist Center for Cultural Diversity, African Women’s Cancer Awareness Association (ACWAA), African Immigrant
Caucus (AIC), Southern African Community USA (SACU), Nesi Wangu, Montgomery County African Affairs Advisory
Group (AAAG)
The Gilchrist Center for Cultural diversity strives to make Montgomery County a thriving multicultural community where
every resident feels welcomed, participates civically, and contributes positively to the economy by providing all county
residents with empowerment tools including English as a second language classes, workforce development, computer
literacy .
AIC is participating in this year’s fifth annual Pan-African cultural festival “PANAFEST 2014” to increase awareness and
political power on behalf of African Immigrants in the U.S. It is important, that Africans come together to work towards
making our demands known to political officials, by establishing a collective voice, and common goal.
Southern African Community,USA a consortium of 15 Southern African communities in the DC metro region is
participating as part of its mission to unite and raise the visibility of Southern Africans in the U.S., thereby creating
cultural awareness and advance their interests through engagement. SACU is also organizing the Southern African
Fashion show.
The African Women’s Cancer Awareness Association is a coalition of African immigrant women health professionals
formed to address disparities in awareness, prevention and access to healthcare for African immigrant communities that
face cancer and other life threatening illnesses.
NesiWangu or My Nurse in Swahili, is community health advocacy service started by Tanzanian born Registered Nurse
Harriet Shangarai. Realizing the need for clear, simple and easily accessible health information for the Swahili speaking
Tanzanian community Harriet started Nesi Wangu a health blog to share information as well as to create awareness of
health disparities in the community here in America as well as in Tanzania
The Montgomery County African Affairs Advisory Group will be conducting a voter registration drive at the festival.
Immigrant and minority groups have the lowest voter turnout rate and AAAG is working to change that as it is only
through engagement and participation that change can come
OUR PARTNERS & SPONSORS
The 2014 PANAFEST- USA sponsors include Fund for Montgomery, World of Montgomery Festival, MoneyGram,
Montgomery County Office of Community Partnerships, Roots to Glory Tours and Kaiser Permanente.
ABOUT PANAFEST-USA
Pan African Festival-USA (PANAFEST-USA) is an annual cultural festival, held in Silver Spring Maryland to celebrate
African Culture; promote solidarity among all Africans, and develop a cultural support network for African diaspora
communities in the Capital region. Held each year on the last weekend of September, PANAFEST-USA is the finale that
caps the month long celebration of September as African Heritage month. Since inception in 2010 PANAFEST-USA has
grown in size and popularity and draws thousands of visitors, vendors and exhibitors from as far north as New York
and as far south as Georgia. It has become the premier African cultural festival in the Washington DC Metro area
PANAFEST-USA organizing Committee is led by the All Cameroonian Cultural & Development Foundation (ACCDF) in
partnership with Montgomery County African Affairs Advisory Group (AAAG). ACCDF is registered nonprofit
foundation whose aim is to revive, conserve and enhance Cameroonian cultural heritage by leveraging cultural
diversity as a vehicle to stimulate collaboration and shared responsibility in building a progressive, enterprising
community. The African Affairs Advisory Group serves as liaison between the African communities and the
Montgomery County government. The purpose of the African Affairs Advisory Group is to ensure that the County
Executive is well informed of and able to act effectively to respond to the needs and concerns of African immigrants
living and or working in Montgomery County.
2014 PERFORMERS BIOS
Uasuf Gueye
Uasuf is a dynamic djembe and dundun drummer, and is a skilled instrument
craftsman. He also plays the 21-key bala. Uasuf spends his time performing,
teaching, and studying music and the history associated with it. Uasef has served
as Teachers assistant in music classes at Montgomery College Maryland,
University of Maryland and conducted a workshop at a music clinic at the Berklee
School of Music
ASA Kilenya
ASA! Kelenya is an African Highlife dance company. The
official performing company of ASA! Enterprises LLC, ASA!
Kelenya fuses traditional and contemporary African dance."
ASA! Kilenya has dancers from USA, Senegal, Ghana, Nigeria
and Trinidad
Anna Mwalagho
Anna Mwalagho is more than a triple-threat performer. She is a true
remarkable renaissance woman, an internationally recognized actress,
comedian, poet/spoken word artist, African dancer, singer/songwriter
and storyteller. She has won numerous national awards in her native
country Kenya, and here in the U.S.A, where she is recognized as the
Queen of spoken Afro beat and "Mama Africa". She has captivated
many with her blend of spoken word, African dance, music, comedy,
acting, and storytelling into an electrifying one woman show
Ethiopian Traditional Dance
Thomas Young is an American who performs Ethiopian Traditional
Dance. Mr. Young has been studying the Ethiopian culture for 15
years
struggles of Blacks
Middle Passage presents poetry, music and dancing all aimed at
highlighting the significance of PANAFEST-USA and Middle Passage.
Presentations includes When We Were Africans, Drums of Thunder by
the Shango Kwame Drum Ensemble, a music and dance to celebrate
the African spirit, which survived in Afro-America and represents the
longing to identify and reconnect with African and its heritage. Middle
Passage also presents the African Spirit Remembered by the Ausar
Auset Society who will sing praise songs and perform a ritual
community dance. Closing the segment is the People’s Community
Baptist Church, whose congregation has 2000 members, will present
a flag ceremony executed by its Boy Scout Troop; and its Youth Choir
will deliver a medley of thematic songs related to the historical
Rhythms of Kalahari
Is a 3-member women group from Botswana. They will perform
Botswana traditional dances. Their name is derived from
Kqlahari or Kalahari, a desert in Botswana. The Kalahari is home
to the Khoi-San, a tribe of hunters and gathers. The group’s
type of dance originated from the Khoi-San people. Rhythms of
the Kalahari has performed at occasions at the United Nations,
Botswana Embassy, Brooklyn Museum and the Russell Simmons
Empowerment Fund
The Southern African Fashion Show
The Southern African Fashion USA is organized by Southern African
Community USA (SACU) to showcase the designs and fashion of southern
Africa as well as raise the visibility of Southern Africans in the DC metro
region and beyond. Designers featured at PANAFEST- USA include
Nashona designs (Tanzania), Mitindo by Ma Winny (Tanzania) and Jewelry
& accessories by South African Bazaar. Leading the models is model and
Fashion Show Coordinator Mrs. Inga Kim.
Young Heru Harris
Is a young writer and producer who has been performing since age 3.He has performed dancing on the streets of
Harlem, Brooklyn, and Venice Beach. He has also acted in Days of our Lives” and as the face of the ʺYoung Athletesʺ
campaign for Nike
Margaret Dureke Juris Doctor
Founder and President of Women Empowered to Achieve The impossible
(WETATi)- a global business network for women of all generations; Entrepreneur
Extraordinaire, her mission is to help women and girls get empowerment and
emancipation through education
Zumba with Zukossa
Join the Zukossa Fitness team for one hot hour of Zumba
featuring West African, Caribbean and Latin rhythms. Visit
zukossafitness.com or contact Janet Awokoya at
[email protected] for more information
African Immigrant Caucus
The African Immigrant Caucus is a growing network of African
Immigrant
Institutions that have come together to effect change
through the power of our numbers. Launched in the
Washington DC metro area in November 2013, the group
consists of community, clergy, and business leaders who
believe African immigrants in the diaspora need a voice in the
political system.
Mbuutu Dance Group
Mbuutu of Uganda is an East African dance group based in the DC
metro area that performs traditional and modern dances.
Members have traveled extensively and performed at venues
such as the Kennedy Center, World Bank, Annenberg Center for
the Arts, MIT, St. Maarten Art Saves Lives Summer Intensive, and
more.
Babessi Cultural Group
Babessi is the head Quarters of Babessi Subdivision in Ngoketunjia Division of the North West Region of Cameroon.
Babessi were the first settlers of the Ndop Plain and Babessi tradition traces its dynastic origins to the Tikari who
were great mask-makers around the 1500. After settling in the Ndop Plain, “Le’boh” became their famous victory
song/dance and Nyo’leboh their Chaperon during difficult moments. Wherever they are, the Babessi people always
promote their culture because a loss of cultural identity is tantamount to the loss of knowledge
Moto Moto Marimba Band
Moto Moto Marimba is a dynamic group of musicians
performing Shona songs from Zimbabwe on Marimba. Moto
Moto also performs Mbira music from Zimbabwe. Moto is a
Shona word meaning fire. Just like fire, Moto Moto marimba
music's hot rhythms compel you to get up and shine on the
dance floor. Their music appeals to all ages. The band is based
in Northern Virginia.
Farafina Kan
Farafina Kan maintains the history, traditions, and culture of West
Africa through intergenerational performance in drum, dance and
song. Through performances, workshops, residences, and in-studio
classes, Farafina Kan offers audiences a passport to authentic Africa
Sylvia Kiruri
Originally, from Kenya Sylvia is a college student with a passion for Poetry and community engagement programs
that help elevate and enrich the lives of immigrates in the diaspora. To Sylvia, the art of poetry is"the eyes that tell a
story when one is still yet asleep."
Sierra Leone Fly Girls
Sierra Leone Fly Girls are an all-girls group made up of cousins
Nyanbeh, Zainab, Isha, Gloria & Mariama. They were all born in
America to parents of Sierra Leone descend. The group began as a
Church group in 2011 and they have risen like a phoenix. The Sierra
Leone Fly Girls’ performances have enflamed passions of fans and
rapturous crowds everywhere they have performed. They perform to
different Africa beats, beats they grew up listening to and used to
hone their skills.
Gotti Monroe
Gotti Monroe is a female hip-hop artist from Washington DC. She has hit the stage
all over from locally to even being on 106 & Park, where she won the female hiphop competition on Wild Out Wednesday. She will be performing her music along
with her debut single "See Me Now" which is available on iTunes, Amazon, &
Spotify.
Lily Meka
Lily Meka is a Cameroon born singer, songwriter, model and humanitarian.
She grew up singing and performing at different venues passing on her
powerful message through speech and songs. Her specialty is African Folklore
music and sings from the heart.
Amisa Asima
Amisa Asima is a Cameroonian singer, composer, actor, playwright, poet, and
theater critic and stand-up comedian.
Anne Marcelle
Anne Marcelle is an Ivorian dancer. She and her partner Moussa perform an Ivorian dances moves to the
song okenni-tkin by renowned Ivorian performer Serge Beynaud. Anne also performs solo routines
where she does dance styles from all over Africa.
The Sanctuaries
What happens when creative people of different spiritual
backgrounds and artistic influences collaborate towards a
common vision? That is the question that sits at the heart of
The Sanctuaries, the diverse arts community with soul, which
inspires its artists to make art. The Artists of The Sanctuaries
bring soul through various kinds of vocal performances
WE ARE SOCIAL!
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PanafestUSA
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Live updates coverage will be posted to our social networks. Use hashtag #PANAFESTUSA to follow live tweetcoverage and pre-festival updates