Washington, DC – Omekongo Dibinga, publisher, writer, trilingual poet, educator and motivational speaker, in conjunction with OrigiNation Cultural Arts Center, Boston, Massachusetts’ premiere youth performance art center serving Boston youth ages 5 to 21 that live in underserved communities, will travel to Johannesburg, South Africa with 12 youth, for a 10-day tour leaving Thanksgiving Day from the United States, for the 2nd Annual Free Your Mind Publishing "Empowerment Through the Arts Tour."
Omekongo Dibinga organized the trip, working alongside OriginNation Cultural Arts Center. The youth will participate in art workshops, creative classes, lecture demonstrations and special performances in the schools visited throughout Johannesburg, South Africa. Plans are underway for the Empowerment Through the Arts Tour participants to organize a fundraising performance for World AIDS Day.
"It is important for inner city youth to experience the joys of international travel. It expands their reach and provides them with the true meaning of global citizenship, and responsibility, says Dibinga. "what a child experiences internationally is something that cannot be bought or sold, and their experience will not only enhance their creativity, but unleash a power to want more out of life. This is the experience we trust will help to shape and motivate youth of tomorrow. It is an opportunity for the youth to ‘free their minds’."
"It has been a lifelong dream of mine to create an opportunity for our youth to participate in a meaningful, international, life-changing cultural exchange experience," says Shaumba Yandje Dibinga,OrigiNation’s Founding Executive and Artistic Director.
ABOUT OMEKONGO DIBINGA
Omekongo Dibinga, a first generation Congelese-American Publisher, motivational speaker, writer, trilingual poet, educator, as well as an actor and rapper. His life experiences, companies, and accomplishments are well received by many communities across the globe. He’s performed on stage with Outkast, Wyclef Jean, Sonia Sanchez, Les Brown, Awilo, The Last Poets, Felix Wazekwa, and Dennis Brutus – just to name a few. He’s appeared and performed on BET, NPR, Music Choice, BBC and Voice of America, written two self published books, produced produced four CD’s and one DVD; yet his passion is and will always with youth education. He’s studied at Harvard, MIT, Morehouse College and The University of Cheikh Anta Diop in Dakar, Senegal and is currently a Ph.D student in International Education Policy at the University of Maryland. For more information about Omekongo, please visit www.omekongo.com. For additional information about the upcoming tour, interviews, press/media related entities, please contact: Syieda Penn, Pastiche Group via email at: syipenn@pastichegroup.com or 202-829-1752.
ABOUT ORIGINATION
OrigiNation (www.originationinc.org) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit performance arts organization. Its mission is to utilize the arts to promote self-esteem, civic responsibility, and physical fitness among the youth between the ages of 5 and 21 who live in Boston’s underserved neighborhoods. OrigiNation serves 300 youth annually through its four professional youth dance companies, year-long dance institute, performance arts camp and summer dance intensive. OrigiNation serves an additional 1,500 youth annually through its arts education and outreach program. For additional information regarding the upcoming tour, details and information regarding OrigiNation, please contact, Musau Dibinga, Misenga Management via email at: mdibinga@misengamanagement.com or 617-327-2226.
