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http://www.bavubuka.org
The Bavubuka Foundation is a nonprofit organization that believes that
connecting youth with music and the arts can transform lives and unify
diverse communities. Bavubuka is dedicated to creating spaces and
educational programs that will nurture and empower a new generation of
young leaders in Uganda and all of Africa, who will use their voices to
communicate positive messages and affect positive change in their
communities and the world. We are proud to be in partnership with award-winning U.S. architect Travis Price, lead architect for the Bavubuka Community Center.
Travis is well known for his innovations in environmentally sound
architecture and his attention and appreciation to diverse cultural
influences. His extensive experience includes design work in Uganda.
His plans for the center will be cutting edge environmentally friendly,
increasing its benefit to the youth and communities. Such things as
pollution-free, self-sustaining solar power will cut down on costs
and introduce important environmental/architectural innovations in a
neglected area of the world. Travis also leads a nonprofit Spirit of
Place, Spirit of Design a design-build exploration program primarily
for architecture students, but also affiliated with fields of
anthropology, archaeology and the arts.
The
Foundation is dedicated to building regional community centers and
a large scale ‘world class’ arts and community center
within East Africa. Focusing our attentions on east Africa as a
center for bringing the arts communities together from around Africa
and the world, we hope to expand our visions thereafter to other
countries and the world over through extended partnerships and unity
with those places people.With approximately 54% of its population under the age of 18,
Uganda is in critical need of spaces and programs that offer
alternative education options to youth. We are actively raising funds
for our first community center in Uganda to serve as a home base for
our programs and outreach. The Bavubuka Community Center will be a safe and
uplifting environment that will host youth from all over Uganda. The
Center will foster creativity and build a strong network and
partnership with the youth in the most impoverished areas of the
country. To be designed by award-winning US architect Travis Price, the Center will also be environmentally progressive and culturally sensitive in design.
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Silas
Balabyekkubo
The President of the foundation Silas is a musician, producer,
and all around people person. He is a bringer of unity wherever
he is. His zest for people and the creative arts have given
rise to his creative approach to provide opportunities for his
homeland of Uganda, Africa, and the world. Moving into his late
20s Silas is determined to accomplish the foundations goal of
Building the largest east African arts school and community
center which he knows will be a pinnacle turning point for the
continent in its struggles for peace and social development.
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Aaron
Kim Elton
Vice President of the foundation, Aaron is a born resident of British Columbia
Canada from the small coastal township of Bowen Island. Having
a good grasp on motion pictures Aaron found his calling in
creating productions that had real meaning for real people
and has expanded his visions along side Silas towards the
functional operation of this Foundation. With an endless stream
of creative energy to draw from and a strong desire to give
back to the world he feels responsible too, Aaron has created
the concept of “Global Unity Entertainment ”
and you are experiencing it right now!
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Seb Roberts
Hailing
from Port Colborne, Ontario, Seb is the youngest person to join the
Bavubuka Foundation. From a young age he has been actively involved in
sports. Now he uses his experience to promote the beneficial effects of
competitive play by heading the Bavubuka All-Sports wing. Along with
being an avid sports enthusiast he has recently immersed himself in the
music aspect of the foundation and will be performing at the 2008 Hip
Hop Summit in Kampala, Uganda. A great beginning for a young man who is
yet to see his eighteenth birthday..
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Phoenix Olivia
Phoenix
is the foundation's web designer, photographer and resident
DJ. Born in Guyana, South America she grew up surrounded by
artists and musicians. After relocating to Canada 15 years
ago Phoenix began persuing her own pre destined artistic path
via the underground electronic dance music scene as a DJ,
while also fostering her second love - the more visual realm
of photography.
Salman Ayub Rana
Salman
Ayub Rana (YLooK) is a hip hop artist, activist and young lawyer from
the city of Toronto in Canada. He hails from the mighty Circle hip hop
collective (Kardinal Offishall, Solitair, Saukrates, etc.) His
interests revolve around human rights, Islam, East Africa, youth
justice, youth empowerment, children's rights and protection and hip
hop cultural studies. He recently spent over half a year in Uganda
working with the Uganda Law Society on issues concerning development,
law reform and children's rights. It was in Kampala where Salman met
the Bavubuka brothers and sisters and it was at the initial meeting
where he decided he needed to be a part of this vital and evolutionary
movement. He believes in the power of youth, hip hop and ultimately in
the power of the ONE which connects us all. |
In USA
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Alex Kirya aka Saba Saba & Krazy Native
A
Ugandan native, has been performing hip hop since 1994 when he joined
the Bataka Squad, a pioneering Ugandan hip hop group who originated
Lugaflow, rapping in the Luganda language. Using his talents to uplift
his people, Alex has been with Bavubuka since it began. This past year
he has performed at venues across the US, including the Power to the
Peaceful concert in San Francisco and the Save Darfur Concert at
Syracuse University. |
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Myra Vides.
Creative Director of Photography Myra is a California native born in
Central America, a Mother, an Environmentalist, Activist, and
Child/Family Portrait photographer.
Myra has worked as an Art Teacher creating curriculums for children as
young as two years old, and has extensive experience in front and
behind the camera for two decades.
In Fall 2008 Myra will be teaching photography to youth at the Getty
Villa in Malibu with The Virginia Avenue Project.
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Brett Mazurek
A
Creative Director Originally from Orlando,Florida, Brett aka 3rdi, is a
multi-talented social activist using the digital medium as his canvas.
His raw guerrilla style photography, music videos, and documentaries
are a reflection of intimate human moments that let the viewer escape
into his cinematic vision. His first documentary "Diamonds in the
Rough", is a look at the efforts by Ugandan hip hop artists to bring
positive social change to Uganda will be released early next year. He
also runs SubterraneanNetwork.com representing underground conscious artists from around the globe.
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Originally
from Washington, DC, Lara has over 15 years of experience working with
nonprofit organizations dedicated to social and environmental causes,
including work with the progressive youth organization Earth
Conservation Corps located in Southeast DC. She holds a BA Fine Arts
and Masters in Urban and Environmental Planning from the University of
Virginia.
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