Upcoming events.
A Mixtape for Mourning: Song & Creative Circle for people of African descent
A Mixtape for Mourning
Song Circle & Creative Exploration for people of African descent w. Nkeiruka Oruche
Drawing from her Igbo ancestry and culture, this workshop invites participants to connect to their ancestral cultures and explore/create song or spoken word as tools for grief and commemoration of loved ones who have died. Onwu Di Njo is part of Nkeiruka Oruche’s ‘Obi gbawara’m//My Heart Shattered or What happens after I die?’ (OGB) researching and documenting traditions of death and grief in Igbo culture, and the African diaspora. The session will feature an introduction/context, song sharing, personal connection, and creation time inspired by the project.
Saturday, March 21, 2026
3:30 PM - 5:30 PM
OVRHL
Limited spots. Please RSVP to receive attendance info
About Nkeiruka Oruche
Nkeiruka Oruche is an Igbo multimedia creative, and cultural producer. She created and directed ‘Mixtape of the Dead & Gone #1’ dance-theater comedy about death and igbo cosmology. She is founder and director of Afro Urban Society, a non-profit organization dedicated to boosting art, media, and the tough-but-necessary conversations of the African diaspora. She co-founded and stewarded BoomShake Music, a social justice and music liberation organization. In 2023, she was on SF Playhouse ‘Nollywood Dreams’ creative team. Oruche was a Dance/USA Artist Fellow, Kikwetu Honors Awardee, a NYFA Immigrant Artist Fellow, and YBCA 100 Honoree, and has received awards from Creative Work Fund, MAP Fund, Kenneth Rainin Foundation, and California Arts Council. Her work has been featured in BBC Africa, Goethe-Institut, Fjord Review, Coal City University-Enugu, and Oakland Museum of California. She is focused on deepening and sustaining grassroots change-making, and community wealth through her work, play, and family life.
All-Ages Cooking Class: Egusi & Fufu- Oakland
oúnjẹ wá: cook & chow
Afro Culture Kids x Afro Urban Society
All-ages cooking class for beginners w. Nkeiruka Oruche & Maymunah
Egusi & Fufu Basics
Activate your culinary skills and your tastes buds with a fav: Egusi. Learn the basics of cooking Ofe Egusi with fresh ingredients sourced from our local farmers market and from small farmers in Nigeria. Pair it with an assortment of utara (starches) including Iyan, Akpu, Tuwo Shinkafa, Amala, and Eba. All food supplies and equipment will be provided. All ages, No previous cooking experience is necessary. Plant-based, and allergen-free ingredients
Notify us of your access needs in the registration form below or email info@afrorubansociety.com
Ubochi Nkwo March 28, 2026 | 10:30AM - 1PM
Fruitvale, Oakland, CA
ndị okenye (adults) $35-$75 | ụmụaka (kids) $10-$25 | LIMITED SPOTS
Egusi (egwusi, agusi, ohue, agushi) is popular across West Africa, with each community having variations of ingredients and cooking techniques (seeds, leafy greens, indigenous seasonings). In Nigeria, egusi is common among the Yoruba, Igbo, Ibibio and Efik and Bahumono of southern Nigeria, the Hausa of northern Nigeria and the Edo, Esan, Etsakọ, Urhobo and the Itsekiri people of the south-west of Nigeria. The Yorubas, quite notably the people of Ọṣun State – especially Ijesha – eat "iyan and egusi". The Ibibio and the Efik of southern Nigeria call it Afere Ikong. In Ghana, egusi is also called akatoa or agushi, and as in Nigeria is used for soup and stew, and most popularly in palaver sauce.
We will learn the basics of cooking Ofe Egusi with fresh ingredients sourced from our local farmers market and from small farmers in Nigeria. Participants will also try an assortment of utara (swallows/starches used to eat soups) including Iyan, Akpu, Tuwo Shinkafa, Amala, and Eba.
This workshop is designed to be inclusive of adults and children.
No previous cooking experience is necessary.
We will have plant-based, and allergen-free options.
All food supplies and equipment will be provided
Please notify us of any access needs we need to consider to allow you to fully participate info@afrorubansociety.com
Sibling Revel-ry! Black Theater Night & Pre-show Mixer
Sibling Revel-ry! Black Theater Night & Pre-show Mixer with Afro Urban Society
Friday, April 10 | 6:30 PM Berkeley Repertory Theatre | Narsai M. David Courtyard | 2015 Addison St., Berkeley
Who will take home the National Sibling Day Champs Prize? Join us for a lively, all-ages pre-show celebration before Ngozi Anyanwu's The Monsters — featuring musical chairs, a dance-off, complete the lyrics, arm wrestling, and more.
Bay Area artist duos and groups will go head-to-head in a friendly sibling rivalry that mirrors the heart of the play itself. Bring your people and be part of the fun — performances, games, and refreshments included.
This event is free and open to all before and after the show ( will there be an after show event?). A ticket is required for the play.
All-Ages Shona Songs, Language & Story workshop
Mauya Mauya!
Afro Culture Kids x Afro Urban Society
All-ages Songs, Language & Story workshop w. Kanukai & Mukanya
Join us for an intergenerational ACK Family Pop Up rooted in nhaka yechivanhu, the living traditions passed down through song, language, and story. This gathering invites children, caregivers, and community members to come together in a participatory space where culture is learned by doing.
Families will explore the ChiShona language from Zimbabwe through music and movement, learn simple language phrases, sing traditional Shona songs, and listen to ngano that carry ancestral wisdom. Participants will also be introduced to the mbira, learning basic rhythms and songs while understanding its cultural significance as an instrument of memory, connection, and prayer.
All ages welcome. No prior experience needed, just come ready to learn, share, and be in community.
Notify us of your access needs in the registration form below, or email info@afrorubansociety.com
Mugovera, Chikumi 13, 2026
10:30 AM - 1PM
East Oakland
Vakuru (adults) $25 | Vana (kids) $5 | LIMITED SPOTS
Onwu Di Njo: grief circle & creative writing ONLINE
Onwu Di Njo
Grief Circle & Creative Writing Workshop for people of African descent (who have lost a parent, child, or sibling). with Nkeiruka Oruche & Michael French
Co-facilitated by Nkeiruka and collaborator Micheal French this interactive workshop will explore our personal connections with death and using creativity as a tool to support our grief and commemoration. The session will feature an introduction/context about this project, participants sharing their personal experiences, and guided creative writing activity inspired by the project.
This workshop is part Nkeiruka Oruche’s ‘Obi gbawara’m//My Heart Shattered or What happens after I die?’ (OGB), researching and documenting traditions of death and grief in Igbo culture, and the African diaspora.
Sunday, July 19, 2026
10:00 AM-1:00 PM PST | 6PM-9PM WAT, BST | 1PM-4PM ET
Online (via Zoom)
Limited spots. Please RSVP to receive attendance info
ACK Summer Camp Oakland 1
SUMMER 2026 DATES
Session 1: Aug 3 - 14, 2026
Session 2: Aug 18 - 28, 2026
Onwu Di Njo: grief songs workshop with Nkeiruka Oruche
Onwu Di Njo
Onwu Di Njo: grief songs workshop with Nkeiruka Oruche
Drawing from her Igbo ancestry and culture, this workshop invites participants to connect to their ancestral cultures and explore/create song or spoken word as tools for grief and commemoration of loved ones who have died. Onwu Di Njo is part of Nkeiruka Oruche’s ‘Obi gbawara’m//My Heart Shattered or What happens after I die?’ (OGB) researching and documenting traditions of death and grief in Igbo culture, and the African diaspora. The session will feature an introduction/context, song sharing, personal connection, and creation time inspired by the project.
Sunday, August16, 2026
2:00 PM - 4:00 PM
OVRHL
Limited spots. Please RSVP to receive attendance info
ACK Summer Camp Oakland 2
SUMMER 2026 DATES | oakland, ca
Session 1: Aug 3 - 14, 2026
Session 2: Aug 18 - 28, 2026
Afro Family Intertribe Games & Chow
Afro Urban Society x Afro Culture Kids Camp Present:
Afro Family Intertribe Games & Chow
Bring an Afro family heritage dish & come ready to play, groove & be together
Fri, Aug 21, 2026
4-7 PM
Dimond Park Tennis Courts
ALL AGES
ACK x Ile Omode @ Black Joy Parade
Afro Culture Kids x Ile Omode x Afro Urban Society
Igwe Bu Ike! People Power! Contingent at Black Joy Parade
Ile Omode & Afro Culture Kids take it to the streets of Downtown Oakland. Repping the spirit of STRENGTH IN NUMBERS
with Songs. Playground Games. Dance. Chants & More
Sun, Feb 22, 2026
12:30 PM
Downtown Oakland
Learn more abut the parade here
Igwe Bu Ike! People Power! (IBIPP). Strength in numbers.
IBIPP channels the strength of collective work and responsibility and how working together helps us achieve success for all. This theme will explore different concepts of this ethos in our various African cultures from the Igbo Ogbo to the Oakland/US Black Panther Party.
Hustle (Line Dancing) & Detroit Ballroom Workshop
Malonga Casquelourd Center
1428 Alice Street
Oakland, CA, 94612 United States
About
LaKiesha Golden is a Performing Artist with a specialization in Congolese (Central African) Dance and Urban Ballroom among experience in other dance genres. She's an Educator, Dance Instructor, Community Arts Organizer and Arts Advocate. She currently teaches workshops and performs for various events throughout the Bay Area and beyond.
YOUR LIFE, YOUR STORY | 8-HOUR Writing Intensive Workshop
Afro Urban Society’s Sufferhead Academy presents:
Your Life, Your Story: Writing Intensive for People of African Descent [Online] with Micheal French
Saturday Sep 13 10a-3p & Sunday Sep 14 10a-1p (Pacific Time)
Online (via Zoom)
Limited to 12 Spots for the Workshop
Sliding Scale $300 to $1500 (for scholarships & accessibility email info@afrourbansociety.com)
YOUR LIFE, YOUR STORY - 8-HOUR Writing Intensive Workshop
Exploring your life is where so many great stories begin. Your Life, Your Story is an eight-hour intensive where you will learn how to identify the stories behind your experiences, and transform them into work that’s beautiful, meaningful, and uniquely yours. In a supportive, non-judgmental environment, utilizing guided prompts that will help you generate new ideas for your writing in any genre, this class will give you the strategies to blend fact with fiction, yet remain truthful, the tools to create sensory scenes and vivid characters, and the key to dynamic dialogue, and urgent, compelling storytelling. Ta-Nehisi Coates, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Christina Henriquez, Toni Morrison, and James McBride are just a few of the writers we’ll use as inspiration. By the end of eight hours, you’ll take home the structure for a short story or personal essay, the seeds to develop several more writing ideas, and a stronger connection to your creative instincts. Only one person can live your life, only one person can write your stories. Why deprive the world of who you are!
About Michael French
MICHAEL FRENCH is a director, writer, actor, and inventor of brilliant things, originally from London, England. He has written and directed the Ovation award winning play ‘The Rainy Season,’ collaborated with Tiger Lion Arts on the much acclaimed ‘The Buddha Prince,’ and directed over thirty-five plays in London, New York, and the Bay Area of San Francisco. Michael is a resident director for Playground, a resident artist for Oakland Theatre Project, and the artist development coach for Afro Urban Society. He is currently writing his first collection of short stories entitled ‘Babble.’
Afro Urban Society/Sufferhead Academy
Afro Urban Society is a creative community of brilliant artists and culture workers dedicated to celebrating the unique expressions of Urban Africans through performance and community activism. Through original and curated arts & event production, popular arts education and community engagement we create spaces for diverse African stories. Our project, Sufferhead Academy is a series of creative and artistic industry workshops for the culture.
Detroit Ballroom & Hustle (Line Dancing) Workshop
It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.
To Be Born is to Belong. BAMBDFEST, Oakland
Afro Urban Society x BAMBDFEST International 2025 Biennial To Be Born is to Belong
Join us for a community gathering to honor the life cycle, belonging and community connection with Dance, Music, & Play
Latham Square
Afro Family Intertribe Games & Chow
Dimond Park Tennis Courts
Afro Urban Society x Afro Culture Kids Camp Present:
Afro Family Intertribe Games & Chow
Bring an Afro family heritage dish & come ready to play, groove & be together
Fri, Aug 22, 2025
4-6 PM
Dimond Park Tennis Courts
ALL AGES
Afro Culture Kids Community Day
Bring an Afro-family heritage dish & come ready to play, groove & be together!
Fri, Aug 22, 2025
4-6 PM
Dimond Park Tennis Courts
ALL AGES
Join us for our 2nd Annual Community Intertribal Games at Dimond Park. We invite both kids and adults to attend and participate in the games. Each participant should complete the RSVP Form. Teams will be decided on the day of the potluck. Enjoy potluck-style food, different game competitions, and performances. Any person of African descent can attend and participate in the games.
Dress Attire: Comfy, Afro, Festive Colors
Potluck Sign Up
Afro Culture Kids Summer Camp Ssn 2
SUMMER 2025 DATES
Session 1: Aug 4 - 15, 2025
Session 2: Aug 18 - 29, 2025
Ndeewo unu! Hevoyi Vabereki! Sannu ku!
Anyị wu Afro Culture Kids Winter Camp (ACK)!, a community-based outdoor Pan-African arts & culture camp catered to kids ages 5—16 of African descent. Our camp is full of music, dance, art & crafts, healthy cooking, games, storytelling, languages, outdoor play, and nature/garden exploration. Kids enrolled in this camp are excited about learning new skills, being creative, making and keeping friends, and having lots of fun.
We keep camp small so that our offerings can reach deep! We offer a community-mutual aid sliding scale fee structure, so that in the spirit of our African cultures, all our children can receive the gift of our offering. Kids in our camp relatively independent and are comfortable in facilitated/focused creative/artistic spaces, and have at least one Black/African descent parent/caregiver present in their family.
Through our community our children get exposure and practice in Pan African cultures including Shona, Igbo, Zulu, Kinyarwanda, Hausa, African-American, Yoruba, Afro-Peruvian, and Congolese to name a few.
LOCATION
Camp Drop-Off & Pick Up will be in Oakland (Address sent after full registration). Campers also travel to other local venues for daily field trips and activities.
FEES
$0—$2000/Session. We operate on a community mutual financial pooling system aka sliding scale. We have spots in different payment tiers, and we hope that with the support of those who have, we can make it possible to cover our costs of operations, and have a dynamic camp experience for all involved.
Fee is PER CHILD if you are registering more than one child, then select the quantity to match the # of children you plan to register.
Please choose a sliding scale rate that best suits your family’s ability to pay. We have limited space at camp, and need everyone’s contribution to make camp happen. Be considerate of keeping lower rates for folks who need it more than you do. If you need to make a contribution that is different from the established sliding scale rates use the ‘Your Rate’ option.
Camp fees cover the cost of attending camp/camp activities. Camp t-shirt, and field trips are not included.
Camp Daily Flow & Expectations
Camp will run from Monday to Friday 9AM-5PM during that week.
Fridays from 3—5PM is Community Day (Camper families are invited to participate in a celebration and gathering)
Camp will feature play, storytelling, games, music and dance instruction, cooking, nature/garden practice, & kid-led activities.
Be outside, deepen friendships and strengthen artistic practice.
Bring your own lunch/snack.
Onwu Di Njo: grief songs workshop with Nkeiruka Oruche
Drawing from her Igbo ancestry and culture, this workshop invites participants to connect to their ancestral cultures and explore/create song or spoken word as tools for grief and commemoration of loved ones who have died. Onwu Di Njo is part of Nkeiruka Oruche’s ‘Obi gbawara’m//My Heart Shattered or What happens after I die?’ (OGB) researching and documenting traditions of death and grief in Igbo culture, and the African diaspora. The session will feature an introduction/context, song sharing, personal connection, and creation time inspired by the project.
2025 World Arts West Dance Festival
The 2025 World Arts West Dance Festival is a 3-weekend global dance & music festival that focuses on the theme of “Dance as Health and Healing,” exploring what constitutes a healthy community and how we use dance for connection and solidarity.
About Nkeiruka Oruche
Nkeiruka Oruche is an Igbo multimedia creative, and cultural producer. She created and directed ‘Mixtape of the Dead & Gone #1’ dance-theater comedy about death and igbo cosmology. She is founder and director of Afro Urban Society, a non-profit organization dedicated to boosting art, media, and the tough-but-necessary conversations of the African diaspora. She co-founded and stewarded BoomShake Music, a social justice and music liberation organization. In 2023, she was on SF Playhouse ‘Nollywood Dreams’ creative team. Oruche was a Dance/USA Artist Fellow, Kikwetu Honors Awardee, a NYFA Immigrant Artist Fellow, and YBCA 100 Honoree, and has received awards from Creative Work Fund, MAP Fund, Kenneth Rainin Foundation, and California Arts Council. Her work has been featured in BBC Africa, Goethe-Institut, Fjord Review, Coal City University-Enugu, and Oakland Museum of California.
Afro Culture Kids Summer Camp Ssn 1
SUMMER 2025 DATES
Session 1: Aug 4 - 15, 2025
Session 2: Aug 18 - 29, 2025
Ndeewo unu! Hevoyi Vabereki! Sannu ku!
Anyị wu Afro Culture Kids Winter Camp (ACK)!, a community-based outdoor Pan-African arts & culture camp catered to kids ages 5—16 of African descent. Our camp is full of music, dance, art & crafts, healthy cooking, games, storytelling, languages, outdoor play, and nature/garden exploration. Kids enrolled in this camp are excited about learning new skills, being creative, making and keeping friends, and having lots of fun.
We keep camp small so that our offerings can reach deep! We offer a community-mutual aid sliding scale fee structure, so that in the spirit of our African cultures, all our children can receive the gift of our offering. Kids in our camp relatively independent and are comfortable in facilitated/focused creative/artistic spaces, and have at least one Black/African descent parent/caregiver present in their family.
Through our community our children get exposure and practice in Pan African cultures including Shona, Igbo, Zulu, Kinyarwanda, Hausa, African-American, Yoruba, Afro-Peruvian, and Congolese to name a few.
LOCATION
Camp Drop-Off & Pick Up will be in Oakland (Address sent after full registration). Campers also travel to other local venues for daily field trips and activities.
FEES
$0—$2000/Session. We operate on a community mutual financial pooling system aka sliding scale. We have spots in different payment tiers, and we hope that with the support of those who have, we can make it possible to cover our costs of operations, and have a dynamic camp experience for all involved.
Fee is PER CHILD if you are registering more than one child, then select the quantity to match the # of children you plan to register.
Please choose a sliding scale rate that best suits your family’s ability to pay. We have limited space at camp, and need everyone’s contribution to make camp happen. Be considerate of keeping lower rates for folks who need it more than you do. If you need to make a contribution that is different from the established sliding scale rates use the ‘Your Rate’ option.
Camp fees cover the cost of attending camp/camp activities. Camp t-shirt, and field trips are not included.
Camp Daily Flow & Expectations
Camp will run from Monday to Friday 9AM-5PM during that week.
Fridays from 3—5PM is Community Day (Camper families are invited to participate in a celebration and gathering)
Camp will feature play, storytelling, games, music and dance instruction, cooking, nature/garden practice, & kid-led activities.
Be outside, deepen friendships and strengthen artistic practice.
Bring your own lunch/snack.
Making a Mixtape for the Dead & Gone: grief circle & creative writing workshop
Making a Mixtape for the Dead & Gone
Grief Circle & Creative Writing Workshop for people of African descent (who have lost a parent, child, or sibling). with Nkeiruka Oruche & Michael French
Sunday, July 20, 2025
10:00 AM 1:00 PM
Online (via Zoom)
Free (Donations accepted)
Limited spots. Please register to receive attendance info
Co-facilitated by Nkeiruka and collaborator Micheal French this interactive workshop will explore our personal connections with death and using creativity as a tool to support our grief and commemoration. The session will feature an introduction/context about this project, participants sharing their personal experiences, and guided creative writing activity inspired by the project.
This workshop is part Nkeiruka Oruche’s ‘Obi gbawara’m//My Heart Shattered or What happens after I die?’ (OGB), researching and documenting traditions of death and grief in Igbo culture, and the African diaspora.
About Michael French
MICHAEL FRENCH is a director, writer, actor, and inventor of brilliant things, originally from London, England. In an ideal world he would be living in Morocco, have another place in Barcelona, spend three months of the year in Ghana, and have a cabin in the woods where he would go to write. He would meditate every day, practice Tai Chi three times a week, eat Indian food every Sunday, and be fit enough to run a marathon if he suddenly feels so inspired. Mr. French is currently writing his first collection of short stories entitled, 'Babble.'
Afro Urban Society/Sufferhead Academy
Afro Urban Society is a creative community of brilliant artists and culture workers dedicated to celebrating the unique expressions of Urban Africans through performance and community activism. Through original and curated arts & event production, popular arts education and community engagement we create spaces for diverse African stories. Our project, Sufferhead Academy is a series of creative and artistic industry workshops for the culture.
ACK Family Saturdays at TKD FARMERS’ MARKET
Afro Culture Kids @ TKD Farmers Market
Saturdays June 28- July 19, 2025
11:00 am - 1:00 pm
ALL AGES
FREE
FEATURING
ACK Facilitators
Okachamma Dance Troupe International
Mama Ejima
Watch our Camp Videos
Gbedu Town Radio- Nightlife @ The California Academy of Sciences
From bhangra to Pan Afro-Urban dance and samba, see how the dance floor becomes a canvas for self-expression. Featuring Afro Urban Society/Gbedu Town Radio, BrasArte, and Non Stop Bhangra.
NightLife Intersections Resident DJ: Amal
FOR EVENT DETAILS, & TO GET TICKETS VISIT THE NIGHTLIFE WEBSITE
The California Academy of Sciences
OnStage Cyphers: ALL FEMALE HIPHOP
OnStage Cyphers mission is to bring to our community a body of work the opposition would have never expected from us as a unit. For our lyrics & delivery to display knowledge of self, mental health awareness and respect for other rappers who are not always from the same neighborhood”
Saturday, March 8, 6PM—10PM
Theme: Self Care
Location on registration
🌹IG Dm @onstagecyphers or @keidraonstage for admission details or pay at the door!!! 🤍
Featuring💐Artists: @dropzonetiff 💓, @jsongbird1 💞, @cso_dojah 🩷, @alienmackitty 💕, @hi.honeygoldjasmine 💖, @dribaaby 💘, @soviciousofficial 💝, @giveit2emlala 💞
Brought to you by @onstagecyphers 🎤 and sponsored by @afrourbansociety 💛
ACK Family Saturdays at TKD FARMERS’ MARKET
Afro Culture Kids @ TKD Farmers Market
Sat November 16, 2024 11:00 am - 1:00 pm
Ages 6 to 16yrs
ALL AGES
FREE
FEATURING
ACK Facilitators
Okachamma Dance Troupe International
Mama Ejima
Watch our Camp Videos
![From The Personal To The Public: Writing Workshop [Online]](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6784861fafa23d688ef51461/1764649530669-GVYRF61QZZPD1OUCBGBN/Final%2BDraft%2BWriting%2Bworkshop%2Bimage.webp)
From The Personal To The Public: Writing Workshop [Online]
Afro Urban Society’s Sufferhead Academy presents
From The Personal To The Public: Writing Workshop for People of African Descent with Michael French
Saturdays: Sep 7 - Oct 5, 2024
10 AM - 12PM PDT
Online (via Zoom)
Sliding Scale $0 to $350 for the 5 class (please pay what you can, and consider paying more to support those who aren’t able to do this at all. If you need need a $0 registration please email info@afrourbansociety.com)
Limited to 12 Spots for the Workshop
For accessibility info and needs please email info@afrourbansociety.com
From the Personal to the Public
All writing is personal, all writing is private, so how can you take your experiences and ideas and turn them into writing that has meaning, beauty and truth for someone else? “From the Personal to the Public” is a five-week writing intensive where you will learn how to express your truth, weave your words into worlds, and how to capture the emotions of readers other than yourself. In an environment that is highly supportive and non-judgmental, using writing prompts and exercises, journaling, brainstorming, as well as reading, listening, and learning from some of the great writers of our time, “From the Personal to the Public” will help you develop your creative voice and what it means to write with purpose. Whether you write fiction, poetry, spoken word, screenplays, or I-don’t-know-what-this-is-but-I-like-it, understanding how to use your creative voice is vital to being heard. Writing is as much about how you write as it is what you write, so say what needs to be said and add your voice to the cultural conversation.
* Courage is a requirement.
About Michael French
MICHAEL FRENCH is a director, writer, actor, and inventor of brilliant things, originally from London, England. In an ideal world he would be living in Morocco, have another place in Barcelona, spend three months of the year in Ghana, and have a cabin in the woods where he would go to write. He would meditate every day, practice Tai Chi three times a week, eat Indian food every Sunday, and be fit enough to run a marathon if he suddenly feels so inspired. Mr. French is currently writing his first collection of short stories entitled, 'Babble.'
Afro Urban Society/Sufferhead Academy
Afro Urban Society is a creative community of brilliant artists and culture workers dedicated to celebrating the unique expressions of Urban Africans through performance and community activism. Through original and curated arts & event production, popular arts education and community engagement we create spaces for diverse African stories. Our project, Sufferhead Academy is a series of creative and artistic industry workshops for the culture.
Afro Family Intertribe Games & Chow
Afro Urban Society x Afro Culture Kids Camp Present: Afro Family Intertribe Games & Chow
Bring an Afro family heritage dish & come ready to play, groove & be together
Sat, Aug 17, 2024
10 AM - 2 PM
Dimond Park Tennis Courts
ALL AGES
Afro Culture Kids Community Day
Bring an Afro-family heritage dish & come ready to play, groove & be together!
Sat, Aug 17, 2024
10 AM - 2 PM
Dimond Park Tennis Courts
ALL AGES
Join us for our 2nd Annual Community Intertribal Games at Dimond Park. We invite both kids and adults to attend and participate in the games. Each participant should complete the RSVP Form. Teams will be decided on the day of the potluck. Enjoy potluck-style food, different game competitions, and performances. Any person of African descent can attend and participate in the games.
Dress Attire: Comfy, Afro, Festive Colors
Afro Culture Kids Summer Camp Ssn 2
SUMMER 2024 DATES
Session 1: Jul 29—Aug 9, 2024
Session 2: Aug 12—23, 2024
Ndeewo unu! Hevoyi Vabereki! Sannu ku!
Anyị wu Afro Culture Kids Winter Camp (ACK)!, a community-based outdoor Pan-African arts & culture camp catered to kids ages 5—16 of African descent. Our camp is full of music, dance, art & crafts, healthy cooking, games, storytelling, languages, outdoor play, and nature/garden exploration. Kids enrolled in this camp are excited about learning new skills, being creative, making and keeping friends, and having lots of fun.
We keep camp small so that our offerings can reach deep! We offer a community-mutual aid sliding scale fee structure, so that in the spirit of our African cultures, all our children can receive the gift of our offering. Kids in our camp relatively independent and are comfortable in facilitated/focused creative/artistic spaces, and have at least one Black/African descent parent/caregiver present in their family.
Through our community our children get exposure and practice in Pan African cultures including Shona, Igbo, Zulu, Kinyarwanda, Hausa, African-American, Yoruba, Afro-Peruvian, and Congolese to name a few.
LOCATION
Camp Drop-Off & Pick Up will be in Oakland (Address sent after full registration). Campers also travel to other local venues for daily field trips and activities.
FEES
$0—$2000/Session. We operate on a community mutual financial pooling system aka sliding scale. We have spots in different payment tiers, and we hope that with the support of those who have, we can make it possible to cover our costs of operations, and have a dynamic camp experience for all involved.
Fee is PER CHILD if you are registering more than one child, then select the quantity to match the # of children you plan to register.
Please choose a sliding scale rate that best suits your family’s ability to pay. We have limited space at camp, and need everyone’s contribution to make camp happen. Be considerate of keeping lower rates for folks who need it more than you do. If you need to make a contribution that is different from the established sliding scale rates use the ‘Your Rate’ option.
Camp fees cover the cost of attending camp/camp activities. Camp t-shirt, and field trips are not included.
Camp Daily Flow & Expectations
Camp will run from Monday to Friday 9AM-5PM during that week.
Fridays from 3—5PM is Community Day (Camper families are invited to participate in a celebration and gathering)
Camp will feature play, storytelling, games, music and dance instruction, cooking, nature/garden practice, & kid-led activities.
Be outside, deepen friendships and strengthen artistic practice.
Bring your own lunch/snack.
Afro Culture Kids Summer Camp Ssn 1
SUMMER 2025 DATES
Session 1: Jul 29—Aug 9, 2024
Session 2: Aug 12—23, 2024
Ndeewo unu! Hevoyi Vabereki! Sannu ku!
Anyị wu Afro Culture Kids Winter Camp (ACK)!, a community-based outdoor Pan-African arts & culture camp catered to kids ages 5—16 of African descent. Our camp is full of music, dance, art & crafts, healthy cooking, games, storytelling, languages, outdoor play, and nature/garden exploration. Kids enrolled in this camp are excited about learning new skills, being creative, making and keeping friends, and having lots of fun.
We keep camp small so that our offerings can reach deep! We offer a community-mutual aid sliding scale fee structure, so that in the spirit of our African cultures, all our children can receive the gift of our offering. Kids in our camp relatively independent and are comfortable in facilitated/focused creative/artistic spaces, and have at least one Black/African descent parent/caregiver present in their family.
Through our community our children get exposure and practice in Pan African cultures including Shona, Igbo, Zulu, Kinyarwanda, Hausa, African-American, Yoruba, Afro-Peruvian, and Congolese to name a few.
LOCATION
Camp Drop-Off & Pick Up will be in Oakland (Address sent after full registration). Campers also travel to other local venues for daily field trips and activities.
FEES
$0—$2000/Session. We operate on a community mutual financial pooling system aka sliding scale. We have spots in different payment tiers, and we hope that with the support of those who have, we can make it possible to cover our costs of operations, and have a dynamic camp experience for all involved.
Fee is PER CHILD if you are registering more than one child, then select the quantity to match the # of children you plan to register.
Please choose a sliding scale rate that best suits your family’s ability to pay. We have limited space at camp, and need everyone’s contribution to make camp happen. Be considerate of keeping lower rates for folks who need it more than you do. If you need to make a contribution that is different from the established sliding scale rates use the ‘Your Rate’ option.
Camp fees cover the cost of attending camp/camp activities. Camp t-shirt, and field trips are not included.
Camp Daily Flow & Expectations
Camp will run from Monday to Friday 9AM-5PM during that week.
Fridays from 3—5PM is Community Day (Camper families are invited to participate in a celebration and gathering)
Camp will feature play, storytelling, games, music and dance instruction, cooking, nature/garden practice, & kid-led activities.
Be outside, deepen friendships and strengthen artistic practice.
Bring your own lunch/snack.
Pan Afro Urban Youth Intensive Performance
Join Afro Urban Society’s Gbedu Town Radio and the youth from Feline Finesse Dance Company for an interactive performance that honors the Bay Area- San Francisco culture through spoken word, dance, and songs.
Dress Code: Denim and White
Pan Afro Urban Youth Intensive Performance
Afro Urban Society x Feline Finesse presents:
"Rooted In Memory: A Love Letter to Our Black Family’s Legacies in San Francisco
July 11, 2024
Thursday | 6:30 PM - 8 PM
India Basin Shoreline Park, Hunters Point Blvd & Hawes St, 950 Galvez Ave, San Francisco, CA 94124
Free with RSVP
Join Afro Urban Society’s Gbedu Town Radio and the youth from Feline Finesse Dance Company for an interactive performance that honors the Bay Area- San Francisco culture through spoken word, dance, and songs.
Dress Code: Denim and White
ABOUT
Afro Urban Society is a non-profit organization of cultural creatives dedicated to boosting art, media, and the tough-but-necessary conversations relevant to the African diaspora.
Feline Finesse Dance Company, est 2014, is a youth sisterhood stemming from the origins of the Bayview-Hunters Point community, San Francisco. Our mission is to create a safe haven for all young ladies to freely, creatively, and artistically express themselves through dance while empowering them to reach their full potential, goals and dreams.
Over-articulated and barely translated, Gbedu Town Radio tells dynamic stories for the culture. Led by Artistic Director, Nkeiruka Oruche, and featuring a dynamic group of performers, GTR explores social and political themes through Pan Afro-Urban music and dance including Afrobeats, Dancehall, Coupé-Décalé & varieties of Hip hop
This workshop is presented with support by San Francisco Foundation and California Arts
Youth Performance Residency - Summer 2024
Feline Finesse Youth Summer Residency with Chinyakare Ensemble. Summer 2023, Bayview, San Francisco
Gbedu Town Radio x Feline Finesse
Pan Afro-Urban Performance Intensive for Youth
The Youth Performance Intensive with GbeduTown Radio will offer young individuals a transformative journey into the world of performing arts. Led by experienced instructors, participants will engage in theater, singing, dancing, and many other workshops. All work will lead to an end-of-session showcase that will be open to the public.
Mondays - Thursdays | 3-6 PM
June 24 - July 11, 2024
Feline Finesse Dance Company House of Finesse
4430 3rd St., San Francisco
ABOUT
Afro Urban Society is an exuberant network of brilliant artists and culture workers dedicated to celebrating the unique expressions of Urban Africans through programs, performances, and productions.
Gbedu Town Radio Over-articulated and barely translated, Gbedu Town Radio tells dynamic stories for the culture. Led by Artistic Director, Nkeiruka Oruche, and featuring a dynamic group of performers, GTR explores social and political themes through Pan Afro-Urban music and dance including Afrobeats, Dancehall, Coupé-Décalé & varieties of Hip hop.
Feline Finesse Dance Company, est 2014, is a youth sisterhood stemming from the origins of the Bayview-Hunters Point community, in San Francisco. Our mission is to create a haven for all young ladies to freely, creatively, and artistically express themselves through dance while empowering them to reach their full potential, goals, and dreams. We self-identify thru genres of Hip-hop and West African; but most importantly, we philosophize a sisterhood of love and self-respect. We not only teach choreography, but we educate our young ladies in dance fundamentals, technique and overall etiquette.