Archive for July, 2010
Week 6: Where did the time go? Last Class for Black History 4 Young People 2010!
Posted by drkwaku in Uncategorized on July 28, 2010
Do not forget! This is the last class of the session! This one is for parents/guardians and students of BH4YP only. During this culmination class (At Lucy Florence, corner of Degnan and 43rd PLACE), the parents/guardians are invited to join the enrolled students who will receive their certificates. Dr. Kwaku has a message for them. We will also play a brief video from the semester featuring the students. Note: All students are not in the film since they had full schedules and some were not present when filming was done. Special thanks to Eso Won Books and Ben Caldwell, owner of Kaos Studios where the class was held. Many children's activities happen in that space. Check with Ben Caldwell for class offerings.
This week's winner of the Black History Quiz is Travon Tisino who has been a delight to have in the class the last three years.
In case you missed it, here is the letter we sent home last week:
Dear Parents/Guardians:
Greetings! Our next class, which is our last, will be held around the corner at the Lucy Florence Coffee House (3351 W. 43rd Street, on the corner), in their auditorium. (Starts the same time, at 10 a.m. sharp!) It is one of the most important cultural locations in the Leimert Park area.
During the last class, we will have one more lesson, and each registered student will receive a certificate of completion. We will also have some wonderful prizes for our no cost raffle for the adults, and our regular student prize of a free meal for two at the marvelous Simply Wholesome Health Food restaurant.
We all want to know where our own family ancestry originated from on the continent of Afrika. Our grand prize (for all who qualify) is a DNA kit from African Ancestry Inc., in Washington D.C. This will allow the winner to know exactly where their place of origin and cultural group on the continent of Afrika, on the matriarchal side of the family.
We look forward to seeing you. There is plenty of metered parking directly across the street. For those who come early, you will see a short film Isidra made of the students in the class. See you then.
Peace,
Dr. Kwaku
Week 5: Africa Today, Writing Research Papers and a Tour of Eso Won Books
Posted by drkwaku in Uncategorized on July 22, 2010
This Saturday, July 24, 2010, we have an exciting class. We will take a short tour of the Leimert Park Village, the cultural center for Black Los Angeles, and especially Eso Won Books, where the students will observe the vast array of literature by authors of Afrikan descent. This area is the most culturally intense and enriched area in Southern California for people of Afrikan descent.
We have a guest speaker! Jaaye Person-Lynn, Esq., who just returned from a month in South Afrika, where he went to six World Cup games, will show us photographs (PowerPoint) of his spectacular journey. We will talk abut the culture, and some of the history of the Afrikan people in South Afrika.
We will also cover a precise method on writing research papers, (with a handout,) showing exactly how to properly construct a research paper. Though this may be advanced for some, it is our belief that the earlier the student starts, the better he or she will became through time.
As always, we start at 10:00am sharp. Time discipline is very important in being successful in other endeavors.
This will be the last Black History 4 Young People class open to the public til next summer. Next week's class–July 31- will be for parents and students only. PLEASE NOTE: Because we will need a larger space next week, we will move the class to Lucy Florence for our culmination class. We will give you the exact address in next week's email in order to avoid confusion.
Please mark your calendars, because during that class we will be awarding a complete DNA test rom African Ancestry. Don't miss that class!
Congratulations to this week's winner!
We are so proud of him!
He wins a dinner for two to Simply Wholesome. From all reports, the food is as good as we say it is! (Check then out on Slauson and Overhill!)
Enjoy your week, everybody!
This week: How to Get A’s in School
Posted by drkwaku in Uncategorized on July 15, 2010
Dear Students of Black History 4 Young People,
Ask yourself: do you want to get A’s in school? Or are you happy with a C? Have you ever stopped to think what a “C” says about you? If you can get the best grade, why not? A’s pay off, especially when it is time for college in just a few short years. They are like money in the bank. Straight A’s get the attention of scholarship committees, and admissions counselors. We already know you are SMART enough. So tell me, are you letting a few TV shows, or hours chatting on the ‘Net take away your A’s?
Our emphasis this week is Education. One, you will be able to see the struggle during the segregated South period, and what
students had to go through to receive an equal education. This will hopefully encourage you to not take your present education for granted, since some students in the South were harassed, jailed, tortured, and some even killed fighting for your rights.
Heads up: Your parents/guardians are invited to our last class (31 July). At that session, their responsibility to your education will be explained.
Next week, we will see and hear about our son, Jaaye Person-Lynn’s month-long visit to South Africa for World Cup Soccer. What a milestone for the continent! His photos will demonstrate how Africa is today, and the beautiful things that are going on there. You can listen to him this Saturday before class on Adai Lamar’s show on KJLH when he is her guest. That’s 102.3 FM KJLH or listen live on http://www.KJLH.com sometime between 8-10 a.m.
Don’t forget, this Saturday is picture day, so please come camera ready and come on-time so you don’t miss it! The class photo is printed on the certificate the enrolled students will receive on the last day.
Finally, congratulations to Naheema for winning this week’s Black History Quiz. She is a student at Lane College who spends summers in Los Angeles.
We thank all of our sponsors. They help us do what we do!
See you Saturday!
Dr. Kwaku
Black History 4 Young People 3rd Week 6/10/10
Posted by drkwaku in Uncategorized on July 7, 2010
Click photos to enlarge and read more!
IN THIS WEEK’S CLASS:
Topic One: Intra Color Discrimination (That Dark skinned-Light skinned thing!)
Topic Two:
The Afrikan Origin of Humanity
We will also look at the lifestyle and culture of the Baka People, the descendants of the first human beings who occupied the world before later humans evolved. The entire human race came from these small Afrikans.
To the Parents!
We trust you had a beautiful holiday weekend. For the first time, we are including the questions that were asked at the conclusion of the class. Again, congrats to our young winner, Ms. Halle! (Click to enlarge her picture above).
Have summer guests? Bring your 12-18 year old relatives and friends to class for the per class rate: $15 per class.
Location: KAOS Studios,
3333 W. 43rd Pl. (corner of 43rd Place and Leimert Blvd.),
Los Angeles, CA 90008
Time: 10 a.m. sharp! to Noon!
Important Date:
31 July Parents Are Invited to the Last Class.
Dr. Kwaku’s Voice Mail: (213) 368-4976
Note: During Class, please phone Isidra’s Cell phone which was given to you the first week.
How Much Black History Do you Know? Take the Quiz!
Congratulations to young Halle, who answered the most questions. As our Week 2 winner, she and a guest can go eat delicious food at Simply Wholesome with her Gift Certificate! But, how much do YOU know? Take the same quiz she did and see how many you get right!
Questions from the Dr. John Henrik Clarke Interview: (Answers are below.)
1. Name the essay Dr. John Henrik Clarke read to get him started?
2. What is the first college to have a Black Studies program? _____________________________
3. Dr. Clarke said we need the reconsider the Black people of that century? _____________________________
4. Name two American things found in Afrika before Columbus. _____________________________
5. What was the first civilization in the Americas? _____________________________
6. How many voyages did Columbus make to America? _____________________________
7. Who was the worlds 1st multi genius? _____________________________
8. Name the king who organized the Hawaiian Islands into a nation. _____________________________
9. King Abubakari sailed to America with how many ships? _____________________________
Questions from the Origins of Rap DVD
10. What are the four elements of Hip Hop? _____________________________
11. Who are the three fathers of hip hop? _____________________________
ANSWERS
Q Questions from the Dr. John Henrik Clarke Interview:
1. Name the essay Dr. John Henrik Clarke read to get him started? The Negro Digs Up His Past. (Full text at link)
2. What is the first college to have a Black Studies program? San Francisco State.
3. Dr. Clarke said we need the reconsider the Black people of that century? The 19th century.
4. Name two American things found in Afrika before Columbus. Pineapple, cotton.
5. What was the first civilization in the Americas? Olmec.
6. How many voyages did Columbus make to America? Four.
7. Who was the worlds 1st multi genius? Imhotep
8. Name King who organized the Hawaiian Islands into a nation. King Kamehameha.
9. King Abubakari sailed to America with how many ships? 200.
Questions from the Origins of Rap DVD
10. What are the four elements of Hip Hop? Dj’ing, Scratching, graffiti, and break dancing
11. Who are the three fathers of hip hop? DJ Kool Herc, Grandmaster Flash and Afrika Bambaataa.
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