A panel of scholars from the UC Davis African American Studies Research Cluster recently held a discussion on "The Meanings of Obama". A recording of the discussion is available below.

A Student Documentary Film Series
A Production of AAS 175B: Black Documentary Production

Thursday June 4th, 2009
4:10-6:00pm
Wellman 126

The Films:

The Lost 500

by Jon Teklai, Contessa Turner, Lonnell Vaughn and  Logan Williams

Where are all the black people? The Lost 500: the search for our lost brothas and sistas on the UC Davis campus.

Natural Dissatisfaction

by Ebony Grant,  Amandala McWright, Janae Price, Andromeda Townsend and Chiijmree Williams

Focusing on black women, Natural Dissatisfaction questions the myths, beliefs, realities and of black hair in US society.

Organized Gangs

by Brandon Brown, Rachel Johnson, Wayne Lindsay and Nina Massoumi.

Organized Gangs asks, Is there a connection between fraternities, sororities and gangs in African American society?

Dr. Bettina Ng'weno sends this message from the Quarter Abroad Program in Cuba:

This year is the 50th anniversary of the Cuban Revolution. This year Casa de las Americas celebrates 50 years of cultural production and criticism.  Although not as monumental, this year African American and African studies went to Cuba.  I, Bettina Ng’weno from African American and African Studies (AAS) and Professor Beatriz Pesquera from Chicano Studies (CHI) accompanied 16 students on the Cuba Quarter Abroad program. While in Cuba students took two African American and African Studies courses (AAS 180 “Race and Ethnicity in Latin America” and AAS 198 “Afro Cuba”) and two Chicano Studies courses ( CHI 112 “Globalization, Transnationalism and Chicano Latino Communities” and CHI 198 “Women and Cuban Revolution”) that prepared them to engage, discover, investigate and understand their new and exciting surroundings. As it was also my first time in Cuba this was a learning experience for everyone. 

We were particularly lucky to be in Cuba during the celebration of 50 years of the Casa de las America who housed us both as a home and a learning institution.  As a result we actually ended up on Cuban national TV.  Students have benefited from the many excellent and challenging talks and excursions arranged by the Casa de las Americas.  Most of these talks and excursions had been arranged in previous years by Prof Marc Blanchard from Comparative Literature whose experience and organization we benefited from immensely and to whom we are much indebted. We have experienced culture shock as well as excitement – sometime just understanding how to buy bread can be complicated.  It has been a steep learning curve but one where even the process of learning have been a reward. 

The 16 students are amazing people who have from the first day engaged their environment, have reached out and participated to the fullest in all that was possible. I have learnt a lot from them.  All of us got to march with the Casa de las Americas in the Labor Day parade (May 1st) which was an experience not to miss.  We have also managed to hear and see as much music, dance and art performances as possible as there is a wealth of cultural production available for mass / popular consumption here in Havana.  With our classes on focusing on Afro Cubans and women the students are able to engage Cuban society structuring from two important perspectives enabling them to go further than surface level and to formulate interesting questions.

One of the students would like to share his photo blog with you.

Halifu Osumare - Book Signing for Her First Book: The Africanist Aesthetic in Global Hip-Hop: Power Moves (2008)

• Sat March 14, 2 PM - Underground Books, Sacramento
• Fri May 2 - Nate Holden Performing Arts Center, Los Angeles
• Fri May 22 - Barnes and Noble, Jack London Square, Oakland

Information: hosumare@yahoo.com

Associate Professor of African American & African Studies, University of California, Davis
& 2008-9 Fulbright Scholar for West Africa

• Teaching at the University of Ghana, Legon
• Dancing with the Ghana National Dance Company
• The Slave Castle Experience
• Everyday Ghanaian Life & Perceptions of Black Americans
• African Reactions to President Obama's Election
• The West African Hip-Hop Scene - Ghanaian "Hiplife" (subject of forthcoming book)

African American & African Studies Program Brown Bag Lecture Series

Presentations are held from 12:10-1:100 in 2215 Hart Hall
 

Sponsored by the African American & African Studies Program and the African
American Studies Research Cluster (of the Davis Humanities Institute)

Dr. Bettina Ng'weno takes 17 students to Cuba in Spring quarter on the UC Davis Quarter Abroad Program, which is one out of four university programs through which American students are allowed to go to Cuba. While in Cuba she will be teaching AAS 180 ("Race and Ethnicity in Latin America") and AAS 198 ("Afro-Cuba")

For more information, see: http://quarterabroad.ucdavis.edu/program_havana.cfm

Update 5/12/2009: Dr. Ng'weno has sent a message from Cuba.

Port-of-Spain, Trinidad And Tobago
June 28-July 28, 2009

Deadline: April 3rd.

Instructor: Christine Acham (acham@ucdavis.edu)

All students from freshmen to graduate students and alumni welcome! Open to all University of California and non-University of California Students. No experience necessary. Apply online: Program Web page: https://summer-abroad.ucdavis.edu.

Program Overview: This hands-on class focuses on the art of documentary production. Students will learn how to write and produce documentary films. Documentaries are often seen as objective and reality. By analyzing both independent and mainstream documentaries, this class will ask students to reconsider these long held beliefs. Students will learn about different modes, styles, and types of documentary filmmaking. With this knowledge of documentary's narrative and creative potential, students will then work in groups to propose, shoot and edit short films based on local social and environmental issues as well as cultural events. Includes: 8 Units of Credit, Housing, Meals Monday-Friday, Field Trips, Cultural Activities.

See Website for More Details and to Apply or Contact Program Coordinator: Holly Keefer: hjkeefer@ucdavis.edu or Christine Acham. Apply Soon. Space is LIMITED.