Nkeiruka Oruche is an arts administrator, cultural producer and multidisciplinary performer of Igbo descent, who specializes in urban culture of the African Diaspora and its intersections with personal identity, public wealth and sociopolitical action. Since 2002, Nkeiruka has played a crucial role in ushering African culture unto the global stage from working as Editor-in-Chief of Nigerianentertainment.com, a digital magazine, and as co-founder of One3snapshot, an art collective.  In 2018, she wrote and created ‘What Had Happened Was… An Afro Urban Musical’, a hot-blooded urban dance theater piece exploring a timeline of afro urban dance and music from 1910 to the present.

She is a 2018 NYFA Immigrant Artist Fellow, recipient of The Creative Work Fund, and the MAP Fund. Other grants and awards include Kenneth Rainin Foundation, California Arts Council, The Zellerbach Family Foundation, The East Bay Funds for Artists, Dancer’s Group/CA$H, ACTA Living Cultures, City of Oakland and Akonadi Foundation.

With her work as Executive Artistic Director of Afro Urban Society she hopes to deepen and sustain progressive and grassroots opportunities, and economic sustenance for artists and cultural workers of African descent.

Kanukai Chigamba is a multifaceted dancer, musician, performer, and burgeoning photographer and filmmaker. She started dancing at a young age in Harare, Zimbabwe, at Biras and later joined the Mhembero Dance Troupe, performing traditional Zimbabwean dance. In 2010, Chigamba moved to Oakland and has since expanded her dance repertoire in both traditional and urban styles as a lead performer of the renowned Chinyakare Ensemble, and principal in Gbedu Town Radio, a Pan Afro Urban Music and Dance Ensemble.

Chigamba has performed all over the United States, including at the San Francisco Ethnic Dance Festival, Oregon Zimfest, Monterey Bay Reggaefest and the Africa Day Celebration in Washington, D.C.

Her arts and cultural background is reinforced by a bachelor's degree in International Relations from Sacramento State University, her travels to Togo, South Africa, and her work with Yoram Savion/YAK Films, Julia Chigamba, Nkeiruka Oruche, Stern Grove Festival, Destiny Arts, Afro Urban Society and the Oakland Museum of California.

Along with new performance work, teaching and program administration, Kanukai is currently embarking on her next major project, a photographic essay series featuring African women navigating the complexities and opportunities of street transportation.

DESIGN & TECH Fellows
2020/2021

Tanika Baptiste
Tabitha Chester
Robert Norwood
Ray Ray Young
NiQueen Jones
Chiefo Chukwudebe
Charlotte Christien
Amariah Ke'Mia Williams
Allysa Evans
Alexis Smithers
Adrienne Edwards

Advisory Council

Nunu Kidane Director, Priority Africa Network
Regina Calloway Artistic Director/Cultural Bearer
Rufaro Gwarada National Project Lead, Power California/Board Member, Priority Africa Network
Ephrata Tesfahun Managing Director, Umoja Festival
Kemi Role Director of Work Equity, National Employment Law Project
Michael French Director, Theatre Aluminous
Stella Adelman Managing Director, Dance Mission Theater

bakanal de afrique Fellows
2020/2021

Adetona Omokanye
Afatasi The Artist
Agaba Solomon Peabo
Agyakomah
Alexis Alleyne-Caputo
Arafa C. Hamadi
Bryan Emry
Caroline Ngorobi
D'mani Thomas
Damilola Onafuwa
DAVID SNIPES
Demetrius Borge
Dom Jones
Habila Sani Mazawaje
Ifayomi Christine
Jonathan Chambalin

Judith Dyeme Daduut
Keena Azania Romano
Kelly GreenLight
Kiazi Malonga
Mal the Oddity
Nico Phooko
nwaobiala
Nzilani Simu
Nzinga Bandida
Oganga Mangiti
Okhiogbe Omonblanks Omonhinmin
Olubori Babaoye
Piwai
Sephora Woldu
Tango Leadaz
Tayleur Crenshaw
Trabolee
Tshepiso Mabula ka Ndongeni
Valerie Fab-Uche
Vanessa Mwingira
VIVI KARIA
Wole Hammond
Yvonne Shortt

Onye Ozi Fellows
2019/2020

Aambr N'cole Newsome
Chibueze Crouch
Chanel Boungouandza Bibene
Cynthia Ouandji
Gabriel Christian DeLeon
Ida Jackson
james shields
Justice, Faraji Foster
Keisha Turner
Nikki Owusu Yeboah
Ohirenua Giwa-amu
Oluwakemisola R. Colloraffi
ReginEld Edmonds
Sabaa Zareena
Uzo Nwankpa