The day I was blessed to use my talent as a writer to craft a letter to Ghanaian Chiefs and members of Parliament for the approval of my art program changed my life and how I show up in the world as an artist and writer.
I remember sitting in my hotel room in Abu Dhabi thinking of my next bucket list item. I always dreamed of going to Africa and Ghana was at the top of the list. OWN THE MIC-GHANA a music showcase in a village was the vision. I went to work building a team of like minds. I would began building a network of team members within my city (Chattanooga), within the city of Accra (Ghana), Kanjarga (Ghana) and surrounding areas. Project and program management was something that always shown up in my private sector work, although my creative talent as an artist and writer allowed me to take my passion work to a higher level. I would work beside Chattanooga citizens teaching the art of networking, marketing, fund raising, talent development, artist resume writing etc.
It would be my first visit to the motherland, but I didn't want to show up simply as a tourist. I wanted to add value. I came bearing gifts. I wanted to use my expertise and resources to make a difference through art. OWN THE MIC-Ghana was my way of using the art of writing, performance art (music), the beauty of culture and the power of connection to inspire underground artists.
The goal was to bring attention to the hidden talent of the youth in Ghana so that they can be recognized for their creativity. Through this program, I hoped that we could bridge the gap between cultures and create a platform for young people from different backgrounds to learn from each other.
It was an incredible experience to witness the power of art and music exchanges in a village in Ghana. The Own the Mic Ghana talent showcase was created to highlight the unsung talent and hidden potential of youth living in this rural area. Through this event, we were able to provide a platform for them to develop their talents and build their self-confidence. It was amazing to see how culture can bring people together, inspire each other, and create meaningful connections.
As I looked out at the amazing event, it was time to award the 1st place winner of the competition. The top 3 would win cash incentives and talent development assistance. It was amazing to see Chiefs of surrounding areas and a table full of judges that my team and I created ( judges were local city officials, well known artists from the region, music industry experts etc.) and the beautiful people of Kanjarga, neighboring villages and Accra come out to enjoy OWN THE MIC-Ghana. We lit the village up!
( We are working to bring OWN THE MIC-GHANA back to Ghana and other countries in Africa. If you are interested in investing please contact us). Follow our 1st Place winner @kapatoreigns on IG and FB. Follow our 2nd place winner @bulisa_bowy_one_kaset on IG and FB. Follow our 3rd place winner @adiipi on IG and FB.
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