‘Be the Change you want to see’ that was Mahatma Gandhi, to me we must not wait for change, we must be the agent of the change we want to see. I believe in grassroots engagement in effecting positive changes in society and that’s what I use my work to do every day. When I was young about 6 years old my uncle took me to the radio, it was scary, have never been to a radio studio, but I muster my courage and when the Mic was presented to me in that split moment, I was dazed but hopeful, I came forward, my first words were shaky but after that moment I gain momentum and I presented my first poem on radio, Am an artist, who dreams of a more peaceful and equalitarian world. A poet (a Slam poet) Writer, Director, and Producer.
A production at Baxter Theater, Cape Town,South Africa.(I was selected among 25 in the world as Next Generation of Theater For Children and Young people by International Association of Theater For Children and Young - ASSITEJ
I have produced several plays and three short films: Juvenile Justice and Stay Safe That’s Love.. I organized a monthly poetry event dubbed: Black Swagger Poetry Slam. Am engaged in gender issues in my society, I was raised by three women whom I called my trinity of Women. My great-grandmother, my grandmother, and my mother. My great-grandmother was very old yet wanted her granddaughter to be ‘someone’ unfortunately that someone came in the person of me.She gave birth to me very young, very very young. My society despises the women in every way imaginable. Along the way, I saw first hand the maltreatment melted on the woman in my society. Through my grand mother and mother I got schooled and though, I lost all of them, I know for sure that if my society was fairer and my mother had a level playing field, She will probably be alive today.
Me and Ebene editing videos for Cameroonian NGO Effective Basic Services - ebase
I am alive and all her dreams and aspiration will take shape in the lives her great-granddaughters, her granddaughter and that will only happen if Someone stands up for them! I stand up for them that’s why I am using my work to change mindset through my organization on how my society treats all girls and women. Young people are not giving the opportunity to speak, this is the reason why I created Black Swagger Poetry Slam to give young people the opportunity to speak out and stand up for their future which is being drawn away by octogenarians( Most of our Leaders are sit tight dictators).
However, before we have this change, we must first change how we treat our earth, making changes in policies, making changes in the way society treats the woman and giving youth a platform will mean nothing if we can’t protect the environment. If there is no sustainable use of environment we risk not having mother earth. This why I have been engaged with my organization La Liberte Arts Group in promoting the conservation of the Bamenda Highlands Forest, through Dramas such Goodbye tomorrow and advocacy videos, poems.Heck, am a vegetarian, hmm, strange that’s strange in my community, I am like the only known vegetarian.
Wish you nice day!
Akumbu