Voices Fall 2011

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Newsletter of the Kuumba Singers of Harvard College ESTABLISHED 1970 WINTER 2011

TABLE OF CONTENTS

PRESIDENTS LETTER......1A FRESH PERSPECTIVEON KUUMBA..................2LET A JOY KEEP YOU.....3-4WHAT DOES KUUMBAM E A N ? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4DIRECTORS NOTE............5AN ALUMNA REFLECTION. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7WHERE IS 2011?.........8-10HISTORICAL MOMENTS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11TOUR ANNOUNCEMENT..................................12SAVE THE DATES..........13BAF ANNOUNCEMENT ..14PATRONS OF KUUMBA...15KUUMBA MERCHANDISE...................................15ANNUAL FUND INFO.....16

Letter from the

President

VOICES

DIRECTOR

Sheldon K. X. Reid 96GSE 98

EXECUTIVE BOARD

President Linda Ugbah 12

Vice President Gloria Henderson 12

Tresurer Gabby Bryant 12

Recording Secretary Desiree Singer 14

Corresponding Secretary Matthew Williams 14

LibrarianDanitra Wansley 13

Director of Publicity Lauren Paul 13

Director of Development Herrissa Lamothe 12

Business Manager Sarah Peprah 13

Musicians Representative Jamie Dickerson 14

Tour Manager Alexandria Rhodes 14

BAF Chair Jowanna Malone 13

Question rom Crimson Reporter: Whatdoes Kuumba mean to you?

My Answer: (Silence)

Tough I am pretty sure this silence lasted ora mere ve seconds, it elt like an eternity. Howcould I possibly explain everything Kuumbameant to me? What i I le something out, didntdo something justice? How could I explain the

eeling that comes over me and so many as thewords to say, Speak to My Heart , begins to leavethe mouth o the soloist? How can I explain the

eeling that I get when we circle up , hold hands,

Layout, Editing, and Design: Matthew Williams 14. Voices 2011The Kuumba Singers of Harvard College

continued on page 6

and begin to sing one o my avorite Kuumba standards such as Psalm 23And then, within a blink o the eye, it dawned on me. Kuumba means just more than a place to see my riends two times a week; it means morethan just a sa e space. It is a place where true re ection can happen, can beexperienced, can be supported. Kuumba is di erent rom all o the otherorganizations that I have experienced during my collegiate tenure at Har- vard. It is a place that orces you to actually think about what you are

doing while you are doing; a place that makes you ask yoursel why yoare presently here and what does your individual presence here mean ?It is within this re ective space that true communion and ellowship

takes place as well. Tis o course is easiest seen during tour. Tis pastyear, Kuumbas trip to Bermuda was truly inspiring and eye-opening.Never have I been met with such kindness, such pure joy, and such overallbeauty that were the people o Bermuda. Every meal that we ate was madeo the love that I nd whenever go I back to Houston in search o good


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Ch oir Voices

When I rst decided to go to a Kuumba re-hearsal, I thought I was just joining a singing group.

I couldnt have been more wrong.As an entering member o the Harvard commu-

nity, there were certain things I was hoping to ndthis all. I knew I wanted to get connected with otherChristians on campus. I knew I was interested in get-ting involved with a black student organization. AndI knew I wanted to sing. Ive always loved music, so Istarted reshman year with high hopes o auditioning

or one o Harvards a cappella groups. But as the care-ree mood o orientation week gave way to a wholenew world o courses, papers, and sleep deprivation,I started to realize that I just wouldnt have the time toprepare or the rigorous audition cycle and practiceschedule that goes along with college a cappella. I was just beginning to relegate music to the maybe nextsemester category in my head, when my oormateinvited me to go check out Kuumba with her. Since itseemed like an acceptable alternative (with no audi-tions? I could handle that!), I immediately accepted.

By the end o that rst rehearsal, I could tell there

was just something di erent about Kuumba. At rst,I was just in awe o the music we, a group o singers rom all di erent (and or some, non-existent)musical backgrounds, could produce within just twoshort hours. But as I kept going to rehearsal, I startedto see Kuumba or more than just the music ormore o what it truly is: a community. Not only doesKuumba give me a place to make music, but it alsoprovides me with a group o students who are justlike me, and a place where I can just be mysel . Ku

umba is my connection to the black community atHarvard, and it gives me a place to re ect on whatreally matters in li e, pray or my classmates, and re joice in the salvation I have in Jesus. And in gettingto know more and more o my ellow KuumbabesIve already ound some o the coolest people Imlikely to meet at Harvard. Basically, Kuumba is theall-in-one package deal o everything I came intocollege hoping to experience. And despite my ini-tial expectations, Kuumba goes beyond simply be-ing a singing group its a community, a amily at

that, and its one that Im very glad to be a part o .

A Fresh Perspective on KuumbaBY HAVEN JONES 15


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Ch oir Voices

Te rst several times I heard about Kuumba, Icame to believe that it could only be a cult. Every time I talked to a Kuumbabe about their experience,

words would ail them. I heard things like, Its likeI just dont even know its just incredible, I oundcommunity there, and inevitably every person wouldconclude with you just have to come nd out oryoursel . I was skeptical, to say the least. An activity that didnt have to heavily incentivize its membersto venture to the Quad on cold, wintry weeknights?

A er much cajoling, one especially persistentKuumbabe convinced me to come to the Christ-mas concert in 2009, and it was there that I sawsomething much greater than anything that I hadexpected. I saw people who had joy, and not thekind that I elt a er turning in a di cult problemset. Tis joy wasand still isdeep and abiding. Itwasrelentless. It seemed to well up rom a placedeep inside, a place that I thought had atrophiedin the lonely and di cult Harvard atmosphere.Teirs was a joy that I hadnt seen at Harvard be-

ore. I couldnt understand it or the li e o me.I joined my sophomore spring. Te rst ew re-

hearsals were jarring. I ound that the sound thathad upli ed and inspired and com orted me didntcome naturally. It came through working meas-ure by measure on nights when everyone seemedtired. It came despite those nights when hal o us were in sweatpants everishly working on es-says. Tere was very little that was glamorous orappealing about it. I didnt want it to have to beso much work to make something beauti ul. And

why were people typing on laptops and read-ing textbooks? Where were all the people rev-eling in the beauty o making music together?

Tis bothered me at rstthe act that Ku-umba was made up o humans who struggled andwere stressed and were tired. And we werent justpushing through our hyperactive academic livessome days the music would be so daunting that I

ound mysel tempted to leave rehearsal. I wouldhave much pre erred to be on the other side o thestagein a com ortable chair, being ministered toby the depth o the message and the song. It wasduring one particularly di cult and rustrating re-hearsal that I elt that my personal struggle bus hadbroken down or good. Te piece we were work-ing on that night was bafingly hard (i you sangin the spring 2011 concert, you know which oneIm talking about), I had two midterms the nextday and I had been wearing the same sweatshirt or

ve days. Tere had to be an easier way than this.And then I began to wonderthe struggling, theworking it out, the hard won note that we nally chestedwerent these what it meant to be Ku-umba? What could be more beauti ul than a com-munity made o ragile, vulnerable humans push-ing themselves week a er week to create somethingmuch, much greater than the sum o their parts?Kuumba has created a sound that is orged in la-bor. wice a week dozens o us have chosen toyoke up together and strain toward our commongoalleaving our space better than we ound it.

Slowly and umblingly I stumbled upon the heart

Let a Joy Keep YouJoy always,

Joy everywhere**********************************

BY DES A LISSANU 13

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o the matter: yes, Kuumba is about leaving a placebetter than we ound it, o creating a beauti ul and joy ul noise. But our environment is not the only space that is trans ormedno, our time together istrans orming us as well. Our struggle is meaning-

ul. A work has been done and is being done in eacho uswe are being changed and renewed in orderto be sent orth into a world that needs us, a world

that is desperate or the Good News. And this isthe news that we bear: in the struggle, there is li e.

Ch oir Voices

*********************************Let joy kill you!Keep away rom the little deaths.

(Carl Sandburg)

What does Kuumba mean? BY LISA AKORLI 12

"A Swahili word to signi y doing what you canwith what you have to leave a place better than itwas when you ound it."A noble aspirationBut to me, Kuumba means so much moreLoveSupportCommunity A sa e spaceShaking o the day's stress and rustrationSomething to look orward toA place to laugh, breath, cry...be who I am, and,o course, sing

aking mysel , the world, a little less seriously A regular reminder to think less and live more

Tank you Kuumba

K u u m b a

R e t r e a t

, F a l l 2 0

1 1

Where Will Spring our2012 Be?

FIND OU ON PAGE 12

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Direc tor s No te Rehearsal was over and as the last notes o Tere is a Balm in Gilead aded, wecircled up to share prayer requests or concerns, struggles and burdens, as well as our prais-es or joys and blessings experienced throughout the past week. While this has become ourregular practice a er rehearsal, what was unusual this day was the high volume o sickness,su ering, struggle and loss. Sadness and rustration were almost palpable. I dont remem-ber i we closed the circle-up session with a song, prayer or a reading that day, but I doremember what happened a erwards. People lingered. Tey talked. Tey hugged. Many

ormed smaller groups to and prayed or speci c people. People com orted each other.Tey shared more details or asked or more details. Some simply cried together.

Me? For a moment I resisted the urge to go and com ort and be a part and Iwatched. And as I watched, I smiled. Tere may have been non allergy related wetness inmy eyes but I couldnt help smiling. I smiled because it hit me again, as it does almost everyrehearsal, how special a place this is. Tis place where we come together to learn and cel-ebrate and share... Tis place you all helped build helped make what it is with your ownstories and songs and joys and pain with your laughter Tis place we call Kuumba.

It shouldnt be this way but there are very ew places where such a thing can happen.Where people rom all over who may have nothing else in common initially but member-ship in the group, can come together and eel like they can share with and support peoplewho are di erent, still strangers in some way, and yet amily none-the-less. We are all luckyenough to be a part o such a space and so I smiled. Kuumba is a blessing. I am daily honored to be a part o it. I just want to thank you all or the parts you have played andcontinue to play. Please consider how you can continue to build with us. We need you atthe concerts. We need your stories, your connections, your experiences, your advice, yourmentorship in your various elds. We need you to remember what Kuumba was to you soyou can help it be even more to those coming a er.

Spaces like these may be ew and ar between, but we eel like ours can grow, andmultiply. Lets all bring some Kuumba to where ever we happen to be but dont orget tocome back or a recharge now and then. You are amily. You are Kuumba.

Sheldon K. X. Reid


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T he Pres ide nt s Le t te r (cocontinued from page 1

ole Southern hospitality. From bus services to catered meals, to accommodations on the ocean-ront, this past tour brought with it an aura that was ull o love and joy. Yet this eeling only grew

as we Kuumba moved orward to the Spring Concert. A er his South A rican gun-boots rendi-tion on stage, the past President, Matthews Mmopi asked the audience in Sanders the ollowingquestion: How many people have never been to a Kuumba Concert? Immediately multiple handsshot up and the other audience members began to cheer. It was a magical moment; not only did it represent the power o Kuumba to attract people 41 years later, but the power that comesabout when a group o people come together to support something that was born out o struggle.

Over the last ew months, I have been given opportunities to re ect on what it means tobe in Kuumba and more importantly, what it must have meant to be in Kuumba during its rst

ew years. Amazing alumni have graced the choir with not only their presence but also theirstories, detailing the strength ound when people work together to put orth a single idea . Testrength o Kuumbas mission and the multitudes o Kuumbabes continue to make it one o themost beauti ul institutions on Harvards campus. I personally have bene ted rom members o Kuumba especially a er the loss o my ather during sophomore year. Tere is no place whereI eel more at home, more mysel , more ree and yet more challenged. I ound my voice inKuumba and believe that so many new members in Kuumba have ound their respective ones aswell. I have been challenged here and been made able to challenge others. One past president

o Kuumba once stated, we always talk about how Kuumba allows people to grow as singersand develop their voices , but Kuumbas greatest gi is that it allows people to grow as individu-als. Kuumba is here to stay because it is not only relevant, it changes those inside. I look or-ward to continued growth as an individual and collectively within the Kuumba. Trough work-ing together, Kuumbabes o the past and Kuumbabes o the present will be able to secure thatKuumbabes o the uture leave their space better than they ound it.

With Kuum-Love,Linda Ugbah 12


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Al um ni Voices

Five years ago I attended my college graduation. Itwas a rainy day, we were all too tired rom staying upall night be ore, and we sloshed around in our regalia,worn over makeshi rain coats to protect us rom theweather. I still have a picture, ramed and centered onmy bookcase, o me and two close riends ast asleep at

the event, slumped in our seats, heads leaning upon oneanothers shoulders. My goodness, we were exhausted!And also excited both at the new adventure that lay ahead, but also at the chanceto nally take a break romschool, however short-lived.Yes, the rst time I elt true

reedom rom looming dead-lines and never being nishedwas on that day, June 6th, 2006.

Fast orward ve years, and

its a remarkable case o dj vuthat I nd mysel at Harvard College once again. Inmany ways, it eels as though I never le . Ten again,as my submission to the 5th Anniversary Report de-clares, I did quite a bit in the interim and am probably awholly di erent person having been out o college nowlonger than I was ever in it. Last spring, I was askedto deliver a commencement speech ocusing on les-sons Ive learned over the years that have helped mebecome the person I am today. Te ourth tenet o my speech was a lesson learned right here at Harvard thebelie that one should ocus on achievements that aremeaning ul. I urged listeners to ask themselves twokey questions: how would the world be di erent be-cause they were in it, and how would they be di erentbecause they were in the world. Now that Im back,these questions beg my consideration. Te place looksthe same, but I did leave and have returned changed.

I Im a di erent person today than I was on June 6th,2006, its probably because during this 5-year break

rom the craziness o college Ive had time to re ect omy experience as a Harvard undergraduate. I didntknow it at the time, but my our years at Harvard werein large part a search or meaning. Achievement oachievements sake lost its allure. I certainly didnrealize it then, but being a high achiever among high

achievers reed me to consider the bigger pictureKuumba was home or me throughout the jour-ney. Kuumba supported my exploration by remind-

ing me that I should be livingor more than just me, and

that as pain ul as the processwas, i I held on a little whillonger, everything would bealright. Kuumba reminded meo home. I grew up in the blackchurch, singing songs o cel-

ebration alongside lamentingballads, and had grown to appreciate music as an ex-pression o li e itsel . But Kuumba also expanded mhorizons. Kuumba taught me the South A rican Na-tional Anthem and then I traveled to the motherlandto nd out just how olks were doing post-ApartheidI learned to sing. o stand in ront o a crowd wita microphone and use my voice to express real emo-tion, rather than simply mimicking the latest popsinger on the radio. As a Christian, I believe thatGod always has my back, and that tapping into Hisplan always works out or my good. I cant help buknow that Kuumba was a part o that plan or me

Five years ago I attended my college gradu-ation. But, more importantly, ve years ago I en-tered the world as a woman more concernedwith how my actions impacted the lives o others, rather than how many accolades I could ac-cumulate. Harvard taught me that, and Kuumbawas the catalyst that helped me learn the lesson.

Kuumba supported my explorationby reminding me that I should beliving or more than just me, andthat as pain ul as the process was, i I held on a little while longer, every-

thing would be alright.

An Alumna Re ectionBY PARIS WOODS 06


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Al um ni Voices

Where is 2011?

Lawrence BenjaminI'm taking a gap year as I apply to medical school, and I have been working in my hometown o SaltLake City since graduating. I'll also be traveling to Haiti in January o 2012 or about 4 months to volunteer at a hospital. o speak to the experience o a 2011 Kuumbabe, I think the best way to sumit us is as ollows: You ully realize that you are going to miss Kuumba, that the KWS is gonna getreal, but you really can't know until your gone. And, to put a ner point on the act, this point is only magni ed when you have a brie opportunity to return as I did acouple weeks ago. You could stumble upon a picture rom a Kuumbatour, or maybe even a Kuumba standard will pop up on shufe onyour iPod. Immediately you are overcome with a wave o emotionsand a sense o longing, to adorn the stole once more, to take the stageone last time, to make a joy ul noise, and to once again be amongst

amily. But the show must go on, you know that Kuumba is still aliveand well, that your chair has been lled by another, and, besides, youcan always go back or concerts! Alas, in many ways I think that isthe experience o all college graduates as they move on to new points in their lives and yet look back upon the glory days, but that is ever more true when you also eel you have le your Kuumba home.

Rashaud SeniorIm the Quality Operations Coordinator or Steward Health Care Network, which is a network o physicians in either private practices or community-based hospitals/care centers. I work as part o the Quality eam tasked with increasing the quality o care given by the physicians in the network asmeasured by nationally-de ned care designations/targets. So, basically, that translates to me helpingmy team do a vast array o projects and analyses aimed at helping the physicians provide optimal careto their many patients.

Jeremiah CrossI'm currently a FA teacher in Baltimore. I teach Biology to 9th graders at an inner-city school. I'malso doing an Education Masters program at Johns Hopkins. I wish I had more to tell you but that'sabout all I'm doing haha (but its more than it seems).

Find out what the class o 2011 has been up to since graduating last May.


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Al um ni Voices

sion AberraHey Kuumba!I'm currently living and working in Addis Ababa,Ethiopia as an intern or the Health department o Save the Children USA. So ar I've had plenty o opportunity to learn and grow both in the work-place and in daily li e. It goes without saying thatthings are much di erent here. Even as the Occupy Movement is taking place in developed nations andpeople are backlashing against corporate greed and

social inequality, the economic divide here in Ethiopia is much deeper and yet there is no expectationo similar protests due to the government's tight grip on political activisim and expression. Nonethe-less, people carry on doing what they can to make a living under increasingly harsh economic condi-tions. Kindness is not lost amidst poverty and traditional values are not orgotten. My only hope isthat the political tides or engagement o the international community in today's incredibly globalizedworld will lead to progress rather than decline or people here. On a personal note, the real world is

raught with responsibilities I never had to deal with in college. Income has become a li eline that Iwatch like a hawk. Recently, I've lost quite a bit o it to medical school admissions and I'm reminded

o what one o my big brothers in Kuumba, Fo e, once told me: "Someone be eatin let mignon witmy admissions ee, I know this!" But I know it will all be worth it in the end and I look orward totaking the next step towards my dreams. In the meantime, I miss Kuumba very much.Much love,

sion

Sophie SakellariadisTis summer I went to see amily in Greece, and then taught French at a high school study abroadprogram in Nice. Now I'm interning or the Clinton Global Ini-tiative in New York City, in CEO/Haiti department. I'm planningto teach in Latin America or a year when I nish my internship.


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Al um ni Voices

Dawn Mackey I've been doing a bit o traveling over the past ew months. wo days a er graduation, I competedwith the newly- ormed, Boston-based CONcept AR ists dance crew at World o Dance New York (atraveling, urban dance competition). A week later, I le or Seoul, South Korea to spend the summerteaching English grammar or the writing portion o the SA . I also spent time exploring the cities o Seoul and Busan, developing a new appreciation or spicy ood, learning more about a di erent cul-

ture and mysel simultaneously, trying to practice my basicKorean, and listening to excessive quantities o Korean popmusic. :) Upon returning home to the states, I visited am-ily and riends in New York and Cali ornia, took an eye-opening trip to a Christian worship summit in Dallas, X,and made some weekend trips to see my ormer dance am-ily per orm in Boston. Now, I'm applying or journalism jobs and graduate school, in either journalism or theology.

Jason FloodI'm currently living in San Francisco and working atGoogle as a Financial Analyst, covering the Legal, PR,and Policy teams. It's de nitely interesting work, es-pecially given the volatility in the tech world aroundintellectual property law. Kuumba still manages to ndits way into every aspect o my li e, even though I'mthousands o miles away. In team meetings, our direc-tor mandates that we have 90 seconds o silent medita-tion be ore we start, a er which I always expect to heara pitch roughly around A- at, ollowed by choruses o random vowel sounds and numbers (and maybe evena "Many, Many Mumbling Mice" or a "Snoop Dogg"). My other team members don't really under-stand why I enjoy that time so much. Songs like "Order My Steps", "Lily in the Valley", and "Speak toMy Heart" are still in my playlist on repeat or some o those struggle-tastic mornings when it's stillpitch black outside and I'm literally sprinting down the hill towards the water or the shuttle down toMountain View, all the while praying I haven't orgotten anything important at my apartment. Spir-ituality has always been a simultaneously calming and motivating orce in my li e, and the music and

people in Kuumba have consistently provided an important link to it. I'm excited to catch up witheach and every one o you and see the Kuum am in action at the Spring Concert.


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His to r i ca l Moments

Congratulations to Karen Freeman-Wilson 82, who was recently elected the rst emale mayor o Gary, Indiana and the states

rst black emale mayor! A er graduating rom the college in1982, she attended and graduated rom Harvard Law School in1985. Prior to her historic election, Mrs. Freeman-Wilson servedas a judge and Indinans 40th Attorney General. Te Kuumba

amily sends love and prayers as she steps into this role.

oday, Kuumba has an endowment large enough to support annual spring tours and a ree con-cert without nancial di culty. Tis was not always the case. Kuumbas early years were markedby limited nancial resources, unestablished bylaws, and uncertainty. Te ollowing is an exerpt

rom a booklet o re ections on a then our-year-old Kuumba, written by Linda Fields 76, VicePresident 1974-5. Tis re ection reminds us that while circumstances may have changed, ourability to do what we can with what we have has always been a constant.

~Linda Buck Fields 76, BUS 77

I can remember my rst Kuumba rehearsal. It was September of 1971, the beginning of Ku - umba's second year of existence. I had heard that a group of people were going and being a music lover, I thought I'd check it out. The rehearsal was held in Sever Hall, and the large room was packed with newcomers, such as myself and many of the seasoned singers who had preceded us... That year was a political year. We sang at a number of political demon - strations, and in support of the rights of Black people, here and all over the world... That year was an unstructured year. We had not yet perfected our bylaws. As such, people attended rehearsals and performances as they wished. There could be as many as 40 people or as few as 8 or 10. We learned to do with what we had... Kuumba's third year was quite a contrast to its second year: more people (about 70), more engagements (sometimes as many as 2 per week, 4 weeks per month), and our rst tour (when about 10 of us obtained $300 student loans so that we could pay the bus company, who, at the last minute, demanded to be paid before we set foot on the bus). It was the year when, for the latter half of the year, we had no director,and students had to take on responsibility for direction of rehearsals and programming for all engagements, including the Evening of Black Spirituality. It was a year of robe-making, din - ner parties which lasted from 7pm to 6am. It was the year when we sang at St. Paul's Church at approximately 3 o'clock in the morning. It was a year of need, of change, and of strug - gle. It was the year we learned to sing the song "Wonderful." ... To make a long story short, I "checked out" Kuumba for about 4 years and then some.

Kuumba Alumna Makes History


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Tour An noun cement Wherever Kuumba goes on tour, it leaves an impression, or not only is our music upli ing, but

it also teaches people about the gloriousness that arises out o the pain, strength, and perseveranceo the A rican diaspora. our is an opportunity to meet our alumni. We love to make connectionswith all o them and see where they are now. It is also important or the choir to speak and learn

rom the older generationsto understand the circumstances under which Kuumba was a neces-sity or black students at Harvard. our is also an opportunity to have ellowship and to create longlasting bonds between members. It is where reshmen members really become integrated into thespirit and tradition o Kuumba. For me personally, it was the best opportunity I had to actually engage in more than mere small talk and to understand the numerous backgrounds o those withinthe choir.

Last year, Kuumba had the wonder ul opportunity to go to Bermuda or the 2011 our. Oneo the most eye-opening moments was when we had a small jam session with a music class at aschool. A young student had written part o a song, and Sheldon began to move around the room,initially directing people about what to do and helping the student with writing verses. But then itgrew to something even more collaborative. Be ore I knew what was happening, the whole roomwas alight with music. Te entire choir was singing, and several others were playing various instru-ments. It was then that I realized I was surrounded by genuinely talented people, their latent gi snever sur acing until then. Tere I wasa college student rom the small town o omball, exas,who never sang a day in her li esuddenly in Bermuda, with students much younger than me,and singing with all the power within my body. Tis uid trans ormation is something that still

amazes me in re ection. I am sure you relatesometimes it is simple to get caught up in the daily grind, but only upon introspection do we notice the changes in our manners, our belie s, or ourcharacters. Te acts o our memories may ade, but we will always remember how we elt. Some-thing about emotions manages to sear itsel into our minds, making all else second in importance.Tere ore, as time goes by, and as I may orget my ellow Kuumbabes' names or the lyrics to someo our standards (pretty di cult to do), I will always remember how, through music, Kuumbachanged me.

As a sophomore member o Kuumba, I do not have years o personal experience with past tours.But this is not a problem. Part o the magic o Kuumba is that it creates a community where mem-ories live through others. I do not hesitate to ask others to share their experiences with meandsometimes, I do not even have to ask!

Tis year Kuumba will be going to New York City during Harvard's Spring Break. It is really ex-citing to go to a place renowned or its talented people and the creating o stars; but it also a placewhere many o our alumni have close ties. You, alumni, are so important to the preservation o Kuumba and I want to thank you or your continued support. Because o this, I hope to see many o you on tour this Spring! I would love to discover i Kuumba made such an impression on you asit did me.

Best,Alexandria Rhodes 14

our Manager


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SAVE HE DA ESTe 41st Annual Dr. Allen Counter Christmas Concert: My Soul is a Witness Friday & Saturday December 2-3, 2011 at 8 PM in Memorial Church, Harvard YardCome and join us or a night o song and rejoicing! Meet some new Kuumbabes, catch up withold riends, and help us sing the most enduring Kuumba standards atPost. ickets are available at the Harvard Box O ce, and can be re-quested by emailing Sarah Peprah at [email protected].

our 2012: New York March 10-18, 2012Live in the New York area? Spread the word that Kuumba will betouring there this spring and come out and show your support. Formore in ormation, contact Alexandria Rhodes at [email protected].

Te 14th Annual Walter J. Leonard Black Arts Festival: Living For More Tan

Just Me February 16-18, 2012Join us as we celebrate the ingenuity o black art with the Boston Community. For in ormation onhow you can be involved, contact BAF Chair Jowanna Malone at blackarts [email protected].

Te 42nd Annual Archie C. Epps Spring ConcertApril 21, 2012Cant make it to the Christmas concert? Join us at the Spring concert next April.

Rehearsal VisitAny uesday or Tursday In the Boston area? Stop by and visit a rehearsal, wed love to see you! We practice rom 7 to 10pmat the SOCH (in the quad). Feel ree to email Matthew Williams ([email protected]) or Linda Ugbah ([email protected]) i you plan on stopping by.


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BAF Announcement Dear Kuumba Family,

Te Dr. Walter J. Leonard Black Arts Festival (BAF) is a celebration o the artistic tradition o the A rican Diaspora. It is hosted by the Kuumba Singers o Harvard College and named or one o the groups most in uential, supportive ounding gures, Dr. Walter J. Leonard. Past estivals haveshowcased various art orms including, but not limited to: dance, spoken word, artwork, lm, song,theater, and graphic media.

Since my reshman year, BAF has exposed me to the richness o black culture. In 2010, thetheme was Sankofa , which means to go back and take and emphasized how important it is tolearn rom ones past in order to embrace the present. I learned that we as black people cannot truly appreciate the wonder, strength, and resilience that exists in our community without ully knowingthe struggles we had to go through to create a space or ourselves and express our talents. In 2011,the theme was How It Feels to be Colored Me and was centered on an essay by Zora Neale Hurstono the same name. Tis estival displayed the complexities o the black experience and enlightenedme on the similarities and di erences among the experiences o people within the black commu-nity.

Tis year, the theme is called Living for More Tan Just Me , which is a lyric rom a Kuumbaoriginal, Living or More. Te song is about nding strength in the act that you are living orsomething bigger than yoursel , that you are living or people who will come a er you who may nothave to struggle as much as you because you will have made a better way or them. Tis translatesto the BAF theme as we aim to encourage black young adults on and around Harvards campusto inspire the black youth to express and empower themselves through art in the Cambridge andBoston area. BAF will be centered on the signi cant role that young adults play in inciting a youngchilds interests in the arts and the importance or that child to have a possible outlet in the arts.Te youth we are trying to target include anywhere rom elementary to high school ages.

Te events o BAF vary rom year to year, and one event in particular that will be unique or thisyear is the Bene t alent Showcase, which will eature various youth acts in the community as wellas young adult acts. At least hal o the proceeds o the event will go towards an arts and/or educa-

tional initiative in Boston that caters to minority youth. We are really excited or this event and eelit will be a great gi Kuumba will give to the greater Boston community.BAF will be on the weekend o February 16-18, 2012. Please keep a look out or the urther de-

tails o all o our events and the times in which they will occur!

With much Kuumblove,Jowanna Malone 13Chair o Black Arts Festival


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Pat rons of KuumbaHero ($1000 and above)Sharon Henry

Angel ($500 - $999)Dr. S. Allen CounterDr. Walter J. LeonardJulia & Nick Sakellariadis

Bene actor ($250 - $499)Dr. Claudia AlleyneDr. Linda S. Hotchkiss & HonorableRobert P. YoungMichele Jones

Patron ($100 - $249)Andrea Zo

Booster ($50 - $99)Kim Roberts

Friend ($1 - $49)Linda B. FieldsRachel HaurwitzJanet & Manny ParaschosAnne PatroneBeatrice Viramonte

Tank you or your generous contributions! Without the nancial support o our numerous bene actors, Kuumbawould not exist in the capacity it does today. We count on you to continue supporting Kuumba through donations to

the Annual Fund and by purchasing merchandise at concerts or on www.kuumbasingers.org.

GOT KUUMBA GEAR?All merchandise can be ound in the shop section o the website

T-Shirts (short and long-sleeve)...

...Professional choir picturescourtesy of Morse Photogra-

phy (2006,2007)

Sweatshirts and Sweatpants...

...CDs: Our Spirit Stands (2007)One More River (2003)

Rooted in the Spirit (2001)


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Kuumba Singers of Harvard CollegeSOCH Box # 6659 Sheppard StreetCambridge, MA 02138

For your support through all and any means (presence, donations, prayers), we are so grateful!Without your continued support, Kuumba would not exist today.

The Kuumba Singers ANNUAL FUND

To donate, please detach/print out this page, ll outthe adjacent form, andsend it with your cash or check to:Kuumba Singers,SOCH Box #66,59 Shepard Street,

Cambridge, MA 02138

If you have any questions,please contactHerrissa Lamothe, Director of Development,at [email protected] .

Te Kuumba Singers DONA ION CARD

HE KUUMBA SINGERS OF HARVARD COLLEGEEstablished 197059 Shepperd St, SOCH Box #66, Cambridge, MA [email protected] | kuumbasingers.org

o donate, please ll outthis orm and mail it withyour cash or check

Please make check payableto Te Kuumba Singers o Harvard College

Please contact HerrissaLamothe at [email protected] withany questions.

YES! I WOULD LIKE O CON RIBU E $_______________ O HEKUUMBA SINGERS!!!

Name:_____________________________________________________

Mailing Address; ____________________________________________

Email Address:______________________________________________

I would like to direct my donation to (please check the appropriate box):

ANNUAL FUND BLACK AR S FES IVAL OURANNIVERSARY CONCER EXPENSES GENERAL

Voices Fall 2011

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Transcript of Voices Fall 2011