On Africa. Some say...

Africa has never loomed as large in the popular imagination of the West as it does today, thanks to the Jeffrey Sachs-Bono ambition to Make Poverty History, and of course to Angelina Jolie and Madonna's commitment to adopting African babies.

Their message of hope is one that seems to deny Africans a role as agents of their own transformation. We can save Darfur. We can save Africans from disease. We can even save Africans from themselves. Africa can be saved if we just try hard enough.

Of the 47 countries that make up sub-Saharan Africa, only five-Sudan, Chad, Uganda, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Somalia-are home to active conflicts. Last year, Africa saw its highest growth in GDP in two decades. Sixteen African countries have favorable sovereign credit ratings. Botswana's is higher than Japan, yet it still struggles to attract investment.

For the thousands of foreign-educated lawyers, businessmen, and architects from the Diaspora who are leaving cushy corporate jobs to return home with their skills and their dynamism to open businesses, it's about creating wealth, not reducing poverty. Africa is not a victim in need of saving: it's a land of opportunity.

Great Article

http://american.com/archive/2007/july-0707/africans-to-bono-for-gods-sake-please-stop
http://www.dni.gov/nic/PDF_GIF_confreports/africa_future.pdf

RADIO! NPR BABY!

First Dumas Arts Festival in place - 2.14.08
The first Dumas Arts Festival takes place in Roanoke Feb. 22-24. Hollins University student filmmaker Kalimah Abioto was on Studio Virginia to talk about her entry, If the People Could Fly. lISTEN! http://www.wvtf.org/news_and_notes/audio/gm_dumas_arts_fest.mp3

Finalists Please... Sex Ed 101

To all of my faithful readers,

I know I've been away and you've missed me tons. Though We haven't had much time to catch up
I should have mentioned that I a video I did over Christmas break was chosen as a finalist for Dogooder Film/Video Competition. The finalist filmmakers were flown to San Francisco, California January 21-23 to have their film screened at The Sex/Tech Conference. Though I didn't win, I gained something much more valuable... confidence. That's right folks, CONFIDENCE.
Confidence in making a good film people could relate to. Cause when you think about it, making
a film that people can relate, cry, and laugh to takes practice. I'm happy to say that I continue on
this road of understanding humans better everyday, though it tends to hurt sometimes. Which means that I am becoming a happier person day by day.This isn't the only thing I want to say.No. Lastly, I just wanted to say, it feels good to know that people can see that you've worked hard on something. That is, honestly, the best part.
Though I wasn't able to go to San Francisco I want to say thanks to the folks at Dogooder for making the reward so sweet and
cheering my video on. San Fran, I'm coming for you soon baby!


The guys over at Dogooder TV did a write up on my video so please check out their chill blog AND MY VID if you have the time. Keep Hustlin'

ISIS-Inc.: Technically, it's about Sex: Eighteen Thousand Eight Hundred and Thirty

Just A Fifty Scents

This is just a lil something I made up. Actually a work in progress. I'm planning on making a psychedelic experimental type video collection of all the airports we've traversed. I like that word traverse. I hope I'm using it in the right context. ; )

Artist Spotlight

Raaf Rivero




Don't Believe the Hype

Radio!

If you're in Virginia tune into:

Studio Virginia 89.1FM (Thurs 7:30-8 pm) - Regional arts and culture news magazine, hosted by Gene Marrano & Cara Modisett
I will be on the radio talking about the PCFP and our screening downtown at the Dumas Arts Festival in Roanoke, VA on February 22 at 7:30 PM.

Worldwind! From New Orleans to Africa

Hey world. Its been a minute. Took a couple of trips. I've been to Africa, New York, New Orleans, Paris, Amsterdam, back home to Memphis again and finally in VA.

New SightForSound

The Arctic Monkeys



Cody Chesnutt