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Empowerment through Expression

Empowerment through Expression. With Imani Uzuri Moderated by Shani Jamila. Agenda. About the Human Rights Project Why Human Rights and the Arts? Introducing Imani Uzuri Performer Composer Questions and Answers Conclusion. Shani Jamila,

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Empowerment through Expression

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  1. Empowerment through Expression With Imani Uzuri Moderated by Shani Jamila

  2. Agenda • About the Human Rights Project • Why Human Rights and the Arts? • Introducing Imani Uzuri • Performer • Composer • Questions and Answers • Conclusion

  3. Shani Jamila, Artist and Director of the Human Rights Project at the Urban Justice Center Who We Are… Imani Uzuri, vocalist, composer, and cultural worker

  4. Urban Justice Center • The Urban Justice Center was founded in 1982 as an anti-poverty organization that serves NYC's most vulnerable residents. • The Human Rights Project is one of 11 projects at the Urban Justice Center

  5. Human Rights Project • Founded in 1999 • The Human Rights Project (HRP) evolved from the desire to hold the government accountable to human rights standards. • HRP works at both the local and national levels to equip advocates with information and tools to promote domestic compliance with universally accepted human rights standards.

  6. HRP Initiatives • Human Rights Report Card • Human Rights Institute • Involvement between Human Rights and the Arts • Recently, HRP has begun to incorporate art as a core pedagogical tool during our community forums and events, and we have begun to expand our cultural activism offerings.

  7. Today’s conversation • Human Rights are the basic rights and freedoms that we are all entitled to by virtue of being human. They are indivisible and interdependent. • There are five aspects of human rights: civil, political, cultural, social, and economic.

  8. Today we will be exploring • Empowerment through cultural and artistic expression • Human rights • at the individual level • as a citizen of the world

  9. Imani Uzuri Imani Uzuri is a vocalist, composer, and cultural worker focused on healing and empowerment. She travels often; creating, composing, and performing across various artistic forms at a wide range of venues and festivals. Uzuri's newest album, The Gypsy Diaries, draws on her rural Southern roots as well as international influences. Time Out New York says, “Uzuri never fails to mesmerize audiences with her narcotic blend of...ethereal sounds.” She has guest lectured on Negro Spirituals and Early American Music at a number of institutions including Harvard and Columbia.

  10. Her Holy Water: A Black Girl’s Rock Opera “Sun Moon Child, Speak to me… Sun Moon Child, I believe in your destiny” - Sun Moon Child ImaniUzuri

  11. The Gypsy Diaries "Ms. Uzuri creates a tapestry of genre-smashing music that bridges nations." - Candace L., Okayplayer The multi-influential work [The Gypsy Diaries] encompasses Indian, blues, gospel, Afro-pop, Eastern European, and East Asian elements that bring a sense of class, soul, and dignity to the world of music. This is world music at its best!" - Matthew Forss, Inside World Music

  12. The Gypsy Diaries Release Party Joe’s Pub June 1, 2012

  13. Ecstatic Music Festival 2013 Presented by Kaufman Music Center ImaniUzuri and Joseph C. Phillips Jr. were commissioned by Kaufman Music Center's Ecstatic Music Festival to co-compose a composition which became Awe and Humility. They each also presented a composition Joseph C. Phillips Jr. (Changing Same) and ImaniUzuri (Placeless). The performance was performed by ImaniUzuri, Numinous chamber orchestra with special guests and conducted by Joseph C. Phillips Jr.

  14. Shani Jamila and Imani Uzuri

  15. Placeless • At Ecstatic Music Festival 2013 • Presented by Kaufman Music Center • “My place is placeless, a trace of the traceless, neither body or soul, I belong to the Beloved " • –Rumi 1. Evenly Yoked2. Hush Arbor 3. Shall Guide Me4. My Place Is Placeless Placeless is a contemplative musical proposal that explores the expansive themes of home and “place” inspired by the Psalms, the writings of Sufi mystic and poet Rumi and the folk hymnody African-American Spirituals. It is an ode to the journey we all travel in various ways throughout our living moments towards transcendence.

  16. MevlanaJalaluddinRumi “Let yourself be drawn by the stronger pull of that which you truly love.” “When you are everywhere, you are nowhere / When you are somewhere, you are everywhere.” “Raise your words, not voice. It is rain that grows flowers, not thunder.”

  17. Article 27 Everyone has the right freely to participate in the cultural life of the community, to enjoy the arts and to share in scientific advancement and its benefits. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights

  18. Travel “Traveling may feel lonely sometimes, But all who wander are not lost The journey is to look inside and find…” -Imani Uzuri Dream Child

  19. Travel and the Human Experience “I would surmise that travel…is at the source of the human experience. It is one of the most elemental activities, almost as basic as the act of breathing.” -Luigi Monga in Travel and Travel Writing

  20. Article 13 • Everyone has the right to freedom of movement and residence within the borders of each state. • Everyone has the right to leave any country, including his own, and to return to his country. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights

  21. The Right to Freedom of Artistic Expression From a report by FaridaShaheed, Special Rapporteur in the field of cultural rights The vitality of artistic creativity is necessary for the development of vibrant cultures and the functioning of democratic societies. Artistic expressions and creations are an integral part of cultural life, which entails contesting meanings and revisiting culturally inherited ideas and concepts.

  22. Influences NusratFateh Ali Khan Dr. Bernice Johnson Reagon Mari Boine OumouSangare Nina Simone Sonia Sanchez

  23. Collaborations Robert Ashley and Imani Uzuri Herbie Hancock WangechiMutu and Imani Uzuri

  24. Collaborations Vijay Iyer ImaniUzuri performing in front of the work of Sanford Biggers John Legend

  25. The Right to Freedom of Artistic Expression From a report by FaridaShaheed, Special Rapporteur in the field of cultural rights Art constitutes an important vehicle for each person, individually and in community with others, as well as groups of people, to develop and express their humanity, worldview and meanings assigned to their existence and development. People in all societies create, make use of, or relate to, artistic expressions and creations.

  26. Q&A At this time we are happy to take any questions. Please press *1 on your phone to “raise your hand.”

  27. Thank You We appreciate your time and are glad that you joined us today. We look forward to continuing the conversation with you. To keep up to date on announcements and to receive our weekly newsletter, subscribe to the HRP listserv. Please email geigo@urbanjustice.org to do so.

  28. Contact Info Human Rights Project Urban Justice Center 123 William Street, 16th Floor New York, NY 10038 www.hrpujc.org

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