African Cultural Movement Mar 2013 Final
Transcript of African Cultural Movement Mar 2013 Final
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KANKOUR A N WEST AFRICAN DANCE COMPANYApril 5, 2013 Contact: (202) 518-1213
F O R I M M E D I A T E R E L E A S E BR E AKI N G N E WS! ! ! AN UNPRECIDENTED MOVEMENT BY DC RESIDENTS, ACTIVISTS AND SUPPORTERS TO STOP THE
MASSIVE EROSION OF THE AFRICAN CULTURAL COMMUNITY IN THE DISTRICT
TheWashington,D.C.areahasseenamassiveerosionofAfricaneducationalandculturalorganizations
inrecentyears.ThisMovementbyDistrictresidents,activistsandsupportersisanattempttostopthe
erosion of these organizations and to develop a sustainable and permanent residence base in the
District. Just inthepasttwomonths,twopioneerDC-basedperformingartsinstitutions, the50plus
yearoldAfricanHeritageDancersandDrummersandKanKouranWestAfricanDanceCompany,almost
30 years old, have been forced to shut their doors indefinitely where they have been offering
educational and cultural arts programming to the D.C. community, national and international
communities collectively formore than 80 years.OtherDistrict-basedarts organizations such as the
DMVArtsAllianceshareourconcernandefforttoidentifyasustainableenvironmentforourcontinued
growthandexistencein theDistrictofColumbia. Supportersarebeingaskedto contactDCCouncil
MembersaswellastestifyattheupcomingOfficeonAfricanAffairsbudgethearingsonFriday,April
19at10amattheWilsonBuilding,1350PennsylvaniaAvenue,NW,Washington,DC.
For local arts organizations, it has become extremely difficult and almost impossible to secure and
maintainaffordablestudiospaceintheDistrict. Assuch,theseorganizationshavebeenoperatingon
life support. Sadlytherapidpaceof redevelopmentandgentrification intheDistrictofColumbiahas
notbeenkindtoartsorganizationslikeKanKouran.Whileweapplaudthecitysrebirth,andallofthe
wonderful, newthingsoccurring aroundus,DCs AfricanandAfricanAmerican cultural treasures are
going by the wayside, in the very face of the Districts transformation. Additionally, the current
economic crisis has furthercrippled these organizations and has threatened their very survival. The
departureofKanKouranWestAfricanDanceCompanyandtheAfricanHeritageDancersandDrummers
fromtheD.C.culturalandperformingartsscenewillhaveadevastatingimpactontheDistrictsrich
culturalfabricandonthepeopletheseorganizationshaveservedfordecadesespeciallythechildren.
MovementObjectives:
Stop the erosion and focus on the preservation and sustainability of the Africa culturalorganizationsintheDistrictofColumbia.Itcannotbedonebyorganizationsalone;
ProvideGrantMakingAuthority fortheMayorsOfficeonAfricanAffairs(OAA)equaltootherDCgovernmentofficeswithsimilarmandatethatwillallowOAAtooverseetechnicalassistance
grantsthatwillallowAfricanculturalorganizationstomaintaintheirpresenceinDC;
Provide immediate relief including appropriate studio space for KanKouran and engage indiscussions with other organizations like the African Heritage Dancers and Drummers to
ascertaintheirneedsandoptions.
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Howyoucanhelp
1)Call,VisitorEmailMayorVincentGrayandDCCouncilMembersListedbelow;
MayorVincentGray:Tel:(202)727-6300;Email: [email protected] CouncilMembersontheCommitteeonWorkforceandCommunityAffairs
1. MarionBarryWard8 ;Chair;Tel:(202)724-8045;Email:[email protected]. KenyanMcDuffyWard5;Tel:(202)724-8028;Email:[email protected]. TommyWells-Ward6 ;Tel:(202)724-8072;Email:[email protected]. YvetteAlexanderWard7 :Tel:(202)724-8068;Email:[email protected]. JimGraham-Ward1:Tel:(202)724-8181;Email:[email protected]
2)TESTIFYatOAAsUpcomingCouncilBudgetHearing,FRIDAY,APRIL19,10AM
BudgetHearingfor theOfficeon AfricanAffairshas been scheduled forFriday, April 19that
10:00AM.Thehearingwillbeheldinroom120attheJohnWilsonBuilding(1350Pennsylvania
Avenue,NW).PersonswishingtotestifyabouttheperformanceofOAAoranotherCommunity
AffairsagencymaycontactGarretKing, Committee onWorkforce andCommunity Affairsat
741-0948oremail:[email protected].
KanKouranmembersandsupportersareprimarilyfromDC,withseveralmembersandsupporterslivinginthe
metropolitanarea.WeareDistrictresidentslookingtobeservedbythoseweelectintooffice.
WhatYouShouldKnowAboutKanKouran
KanKouranwasfoundedinWashington,DCin1983asanon-profitperformingartsorganizationbyAssaneKonte
andAbdouKounta,bothnationalsofSenegal,WestAfrica.ThecompanymembersarefromAfrica,theCaribbean
andtheUnitedStates,alldedicatedtothecompanyspurposeofpreservingandsharingtherichcultureofAfrica.
Thecompanyhasbeen offeringeducational andculturalprogramming forchildrenandadults in theauthentic
dancing and drumming styles of West Africa. The companys outstanding reputation in the Washington, DC
metropolitanarea,andnationally,hasdeemeditoneofthemostsignificantculturalinstitutionsdeeplyrootedin
the Districts art scene. Under the leadership of its highly acclaimed co-founder, choreographer and Artistic
Director,AssaneKonte,KanKouranhasperformedatsomeofthecountrysmostprominentvenues,includingthe
WhiteHouse,LincolnCenter,KennedyCenterforthePerformingArtsandtheSmithsonianInstitution.Butitsmost
treasured prize is the thousands of educational programs and performances the company has conducted for
public,private,andcharterschoolsthroughouttheWashington,DCarea.KanKouranishosttothelargestfamily
reunionforAfricandancersanddrummersintheUnitedStatesforalmost30years.Thismajornationalconference
drawsAfricandancersanddrummersfromacrosstheUS,AfricaandtheCaribbeanandhassealedKanKourans
reputation asa key treasurein the Districtof Columbia. The Companys success isperhapsbestjudgedbyits
longevityandbythelargenumberofcompanyandcommunitymemberswhoareinvolvedindiverseacademic,
professional, andentrepreneurial pursuits,andwhocreditKanKouranwith instillingwithin themthe discipline,
pride, and commitment to self and community which have made their life pursuits meaningful as well as
successful.KanKouranisalsointernationallyacclaimed,havingperformedas farawayasAfrica,Europe,Asiaand
theCaribbean.Ofalltheseplaces,KanKouranproudlycallsWashingtonDChome.
Formoreinformation,pleasevisitusatwww.kankouran.org
WETHANKYOUFORYOURCONTINUEDSUPPORT. Thespiritliveson!
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