Smith Family Does South Africa

A few weeks ago, the entire Smith family clan came together for a 2 week vacation/ultimate holiday/African extravaganza which included time in Soweto, Lesedi Village, Kruger Park, and Cape Town. With both Jesse and I currently living in South Africa, the family decided there was no better time to come check out the motherland. It was hands down the best family trip we've ever had. Here are a few snippets of the awesomeness:

 

 

Maun International Poetry Festival

Dredd X

Last weekend, I traveled to Maun, Botswana to perform in the first annual Maun International Poetry Festival.  The festival was coordinated and put together by a local spoken word group in Maun called PoetAvango, who put on monthly sessions for the poetry lovers of their country. The founder of the group, Dredd X, a talented poet/guitarist with an unyielding smile and an amiable sense of humor, invited me to be part of the festival a few months ago after seeing of my videos on youtube. Needless to say I was more than happy to take him up on such an opportunity.

At first, I was daunted by the prospect of an 18-hour bus ride, but there no way I’d let that stop me from meeting and performing with some of the best poets in southern Africa. The bus ride itself ended up being pretty easy, relatively speaking, with a few good books and a long nap used to pass the time.

Zwesh

In Maun, I roomed with another poet from South Africa named Zwesh. There are a lot of adjectives I could use in an attempt to describe Zwesh, but they would all be insufficient. Basically, Zwesh a wise African sage who dropped amazing Rasta knowledge on me the entire time I was there. Seriously, I don’t think this dude could go 5 minutes without saying subtly profound things. He also helped guide me through the chaos of the mini-bus station when we had to transfer buses, and moved vendors and taxi drivers aside as if he were parting the Red Sea.

Outspoken, Brighten, and Upmost

I also made good friends with two immensely talented poets from Zimbabwe, Outspoken and Upmost-Mybrotherskeeper. These guys run a really impressive arts for social and political activism organization back in Harare, and considering the current political climate in Zim, I commend them highly for the important work they’re doing.

Friday evening there was a workshop/symposium for all of the poets to discuss the our personal writing processes as well as the state of spoken word, what role it plays in our society, and how we can harness the power of our art to inspire others to bring about social change.

Saturday during the day there was a youth poetry competition where 10 teenage girls from Botswana competed in the finals of the Women Against Rape (WAR) poetry slam. The theme of all of the pieces had to do with gender-based violence and these girls went in! It was some of the most passionate poetry I’ve ever heard and you could tell that this was coming from a very real place for all of them.

Saturday night was the main show, where poets from across southern Africa got on stage and presented work that ranged from modern slam, to storytelling, to monologues, to traditional tribal poetry. While we had to bring the festival indoors because of the rain, it was definitely a cool experience to see so many different styles of poetry manifesting themselves on stage.

If only I actually glowed like this onstage

Overall the experience was a great one and if I’m lucky, it won’t be the last poetry festival I perform in.

 

 

 

  

Human Rights Day HCT

On Monday, March 21st. Grassroot Soccer Soweto held our second ever HIV Counseling and Testing Soccer Tournament (HCT). As I mentioned in my December post following our first HCT back on World AIDS Day, an HCT is a soccer tournament in which participating teams have the opportunity to play competitive soccer matches, obtain specialized life skills training from our GRS coaches, and receive complementary HIV tests. While the testing is voluntary, players are given numerous incentives to encourage them to know their status. For example, each participant who gets tested receives a free T-shirt and goodie bag. Additionally, all teams receive an additional point in the tournament standings for each member of their team who gets tested. With the difference between competing teams often just being a few points, the teams who get the most players tested typically end up advancing to the semi-final round.


So as you might have guessed from the description and structure of the tournament, getting people tested was the unquestionably the primary goal of the event.

We held the event on March 21st both to take advantage of a day when schools would be out, as well as to commemorate Human Rights Day. As stated by about.com: On this day in 1960 the police killed 69 people at Sharpeville who were participating in a protest against the pass laws. Many were shot in the back. The carnage made world headlines. Four days later the government banned black political organizations, many leaders were arrested or went into exile. During the Apartheid era there were human rights abuses by all sides; Human Rights Day is but one step to ensure that the people of South Africa are aware of their human rights and to ensure that such abuses never again occur.

While we interns have been fortunate to have our hands in a variety of projects, activities, and interventions, this event took on a special significance for us because we were given full ownership and responsibility of putting the entire day together. We would be responsible for the success or failure of the event.

Now, I’ve planned and coordinated a number of events before, but never one of this scale, and never one on the continent of Africa. Subsequently, the two months of preparation for this event taught me more about event planning than anything I could have ever read in a book, learned at a lecture, or researched on the internet. It was “experiential learning” to the highest degree.

I mention “on the continent of Africa” because there are a number of subtle (and not so subtle) differences between putting an event like this together in the States and putting one together here, (and for my politically correct friends out there, I say “on the continent of Africa” not because I mean to clump all of these countries together, but just because I have lived in more than one African country).

Anyway, one of the biggest differences is that many of the things typically done over the phone or via email in the States, have to be done in person here. One reason is because the level of technological savvy and sophistication does not exist on the same scale here as it does back home, and secondly I've found that culturally some people see these means of communication too impersonal and insist on instead speaking to you face to face. Naturally, this results in a lot more driving, waiting, and time then would otherwise be necessary back home, but at the end of the day the things that need to get done, get done. And over the course of this year, if I’ve learned nothing else, I’ve learned that here in SA patience is the name of the game.


With torrential downpours plaguing Johannesburg all week, there were concerns that the weather might not cooperate with our plans for the big day. But after a lot of crossed fingers and an animated rain dance from AJ, we were relieved to find that the rain clouds had decided to stay away on what turned out to be a beautiful day in Soweto.

After mitigating a few unexpected obstacles in the morning, the event proved to be the successful occasion we all hoped for. The boys and girls teams played their matches passionately while still following the rules of our “fair play” system, the sounds of the marimba band’s spirited music reverberated throughout the grounds, our coaches delivered Generation Skillz interventions with heartfelt authenticity, and those in attendance were treated to a special visit from famous Bafana Bafana star and local hero Teko Modise. By days end, we had crowned both a deserved boys and girls champion, done more dance moves in a day than most people could hope to do in a lifetime, and tested nearly 250 players and community members - tripling the amount of people we had tested at our last event. And despite the fact that my voice was gone and that I couldn’t feel my feet due to not sitting down for 8 hours straight I was thrilled by how the event turned out...

Teko participating in an intervention

A young fan and his newly autographed ball

Angela, V, Teko, T-Bash, and Tebza

Awesome T-shirt

GRS Coaches

Boys Champions

Runners-up

Girls Champions

Haha, awesome

The Tiz

"Does Tizzy's face always look like that?"--"Nah, she must have gas..."

Kickin' it in Cape Town

Last week I traveled to Cape Town to spend some time with my sister Jesse, who’s studying abroad at UCT, as well as to perform as the featured artist at the Verses Poetry Session.

I was already a big fan of Cape Town after the last time I visited back in October, but with it now being summertime down here in the southern hemisphere, I fell deeply in love with this place all over again. I still believe that, despite its often sour reputation, Johannesburg is the gem of South Africa. Like a fine wine that one slowly but surely acquires a taste and fondness for. Cape Town on the other hand, is like a big jug of mama’s homemade Kool-Aid. As soon as you taste it, you can’t get enough. You’re immediately enraptured by the natural beauty of Table Mountain, the converging shores of the Indian and Atlantic Ocean, the eclectic mix of European and African cultures, and how all of the girls in Cape Town seem curiously and captivatingly good-looking.

I had a great time kicking it with Jess, going to the beach, people watching at UCT, partying with the Cape Town GRS Interns, and hanging with my old Davidson bud Jessica Walker, who’s getting her masters at Africa’s top university.

The week in Cape Town concluded with my show at the Verses poetry session. The setting was intimidate, the audience was energetic, and everyone seemed very receptive to my work. And between Jesse, Jess Walker, the GRS interns, and all of these people’s respective friend groups, it was awesome see some familiar faces and have my own unwavering cheering section in the crowd. I did some old classics as well as some new pieces. The night was great and I’m glad I’ll be making my way back to Cape Town soon.

Below you’ll find one of the newer pieces I’ve written, ‘Dear South African Girl’, performed recently at the African Leadership Academy. Check it out, pass it along, and I hope you enjoy:

One Africa & U2 Concert

Over the course of my time working for Grassroot Soccer here in South Africa, there have been a number of occasions where the perks of working at the world-class Nike Football Training Center have made themselves apparent.  Whether it be access to track suits and tennis shoes supplied to us by Nike, being able to watch professional and international soccer teams train and play, or being able to meet the multitude of activist, policy makers, and celebrities who pass through to tour the facility during there time in Johannesburg.

Last week, we were told by the Cape Town headquarters that the one, the only, legendary, world famous, internationally acclaimed, globally renowned, universally extra-super-awesome-amazing band, U2, would be coming to the Nike Center before their big concert on Sunday.

So while I’ll admit that U2 isn’t necessarily one of the most frequently played artists on my ITunes, I was still excited for the opportunity to meet and liaise with Bono, the guitar player who always wears that same beanie, and the rest of the crew.

The morning they were supposed to arrive, Tizzy, AJ and I blasted U2 in the office and played our imaginary air guitars as our South African colleagues looked at us as if we had lost our minds. When the van pulled up to the center, we all peaked our heads out of the office to be amongst the first to catch a glimpse of the guys. Then, there they were. Out of the van stepped…a group of white people I didn’t recognize at all.

Turns out Bono wasn’t coming to the Nike Center, it was members of his advocacy organization One. Initially, we were disappointed. After being under the assumption that I was going to meet U2, meeting some policy advocates on international development seemed like the worst thing in the world. Turned out to be far from it.

While I had heard and read a bit about One, we ended up learning much more about the organization and their strategies on tackling the problems of global health, extreme poverty, universal education, and a multitude of other important initiatives.

Following their visit, we were invited to be guest the following Tuesday at the “One Africa Symposium: Economic Transformation Through Transparency and Technology.” The event brought together African leaders in economics, agriculture, development, and technology for an evening of thought-provoking discussions and impressive displays of how Africans are taking great strides in some of the continents most difficult problems. It reminded me of a TEDTalk. And I’m obsessed with TEDTalks, so to experience an event like this in person and have the opportunity to meet with some of the speakers at a reception afterwards was really great. More than anything, it was an incredibly inspiring event and definitely reinforced why we’re doing the work we’re doing.

Also, and unexpectedly, we were given two tickets to attend the U2 concert at Soccer City on Sunday night. And with none of our coaches or staff really knowing who U2 is, and with Tizzy frolicking down in Cape Town, AJ and I made our way down to the stadium to rock out with our favorite Irish superstars. I had never been to a concert quite like this one, but I have to say I enjoyed it.

Alphas in Joburg

When I entered college, I never really envisioned myself joining a fraternity. Not that I had anything against them, I just didn’t think it was something that fit my personality. Even amid the fact that most of the men in my family were members of Omego Psi Phi, and almost all the guys on my soccer team were members of Kappa Sigma, I didn’t think it was something I was that interested in.

That changed however, when I met the Alphas at Davidson. I was immediately impressed with all the guys and how it seemed like a group of motivated young black men who shared my values, stood up for what they believed in, dedicated themselves to service, and were just overall really about their business. For me, the opportunity to surround myself with a group of guys like that outweighed any apprehensions I initially had about joining a fraternity.

Phortue501A - My boys for life

Being a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity has had an immeasurably positive affect on my life since I joined my freshman year of college. It’s how I’ve met some of my best friends, been involved in some great service initiatives, and have also enjoyed my fair share of parties with the guys. But my appreciation for Alpha and what role it has played in my life has been reinforced over the past few weeks during my time with the Rho Phi Lambda Chapter of Alpha here in Johannesburg, South Africa.

I had heard rumors that there was an Alpha Chapter in Joburg before I came, but for some reason brushed it off as some sort of random fabrication. “Alphas in Africa? That’s just silly.” How wrong I was. So a few weeks ago, I found information about the chapter online, reached out to the guys, and was immediately and without hesitation brought into the family of Alphas living here in Joburg.

Joburg chapter being introduced at the National Convention last year

Through the guys I’ve been introduced to an assortment of really interesting people I never would have met before, and aspects of life in Joburg that I had no idea about before. And as much as I love the beautiful game, it also doesn't hurt that AJ and I now have a group of people to play basketball with on weekends.

Additionally, (I feel a bit spoiled by my timing) because last week the Alphas of Johannesburg hosted the National President of the fraternity, Skip Mason, and the entire board of elected officials within the fraternity. The guys from the US came across the Atlantic to officially charter the second chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha on the continent (there was already a chapter in Monrovia, Liberia).  To mark the occasion, amongst a series of other events, there was a dinner that was attended by nearly 200 people, of which the proceeds went to the African Leadership Academy and the Teboho Trust. Both great organizations doing amazing work.

The night was a lot of fun and reminded me of the reasons I joined Alpha in the first place. Good guys, worthy causes, and a good time. I’m excited that Alpha, which also has now has chapters in Europe, is extending its reach throughout the world, and I’m excited to be a part of it.

Sidenote - shout out to my boys at the Tau Omicron Chapter of APhiA for winning 1st place in the Davidson College Stepshow...no big deal

Heal the Hood

Shout out to Jessica Walker for showing me this...

Heal the Hood is a dope organization operating out of Cape Town that uses Hip-Hop and B-Boy culture as a tool to engage kids and give them something healthy and productive to do with their free time. Even here with GRS I've found that one of the things that often hinders these kids from making healthy life choices is the fact that they have so much free time. And anywhere in the world, the US included, the formula is pretty consistent...kids + free time + not many options when it comes to how to spend that free time = bad decisions.

So organizations like this one are absolutely necessary in the holistic approach to changing the trajectory of these kid's lives. Here out their website here.

And here's a video giving a rough breakdown of what they do: