AICRE 

Martin Luther King Jr. Weekend

January 12-15, 2018
University of California, Irvine

Download the entire event schedule: PDF

The Africana Institute for Creativity, Recognition, and Elevation begins its impact on UCI and the world with a series of workshops, guest speakers, and discussions during the Martin Luther King Jr. Weekend 2018.

The Africana Institute of Creativity, Recognition, and Elevation (AICRE) kickstarts with Workshop and Performance Series 1, running through the commemorative weekend. Running from January 12th-15th, AICRE is programing an Undoing Racism Workshop®, presented by the People's Institute for Survival and Beyond (PISAB), a performance by MBDance, an intimate conversation with Dr. Al Colón, and various themed presentations and roundtable discussions. This interactive learning event brings together students, faculty, and staff into an environment of personal transformation and professional development.

AICRE is an interdisciplinary research entity, which aims to create a dynamic exchange of cultural, scientific, economic and spiritual knowledge between local communities and academia to positively impact the next generation, so that people of African descent can equitably contribute towards a more sustainable society and command respect worldwide.

These inaugural meetings are intentionally intimate, bringing a small group of thinkers and practitioners from across the African Diaspora to draw out the blueprint of this institute that hopes to redraw conceptions of Africana peoples (continent and in the Diaspora) and their creative outpourings, as much has remained hidden or mislabeled (academically speaking) due to the limits of disciplinary, discrete and Cartesian thinking. The Institute will explore connections between: the dynamically rhythmic body in motion and brain function; hip hop and Ewe culture; math and Yoruba spirituality; gaming and technology with Pan African folklore and language, music and healing.

Public Events

The Impact of Africa's Fractal Codes: Connections and Linkages
Friday, January 12, 2018
1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Student Center, Doheny Beach Rooms A & B – UC Irvine

Registration: Illuminations.uci.edu

• Power of Performance: Interpreting Haló Performance among the Southern Ewe as Significant Cultural Heritage with Implications and Extensions for African Diaspora Studies - Daniel Avorgbedor, PhD, University of Ghana, Legon
• Bẹ́ẹ̀lari: Ifá Binary System and the Algorithms for Modern Existence – Dr. Sola Adeyemi Goldsmiths University of London, UK
• Misogynist Algorithms and Quantified Bodies in Role-Playing Games - Dr. Aaron Trammell, PhD, UC Irvine
• AICRE Roundtable discussion: Linkages and Connections, Professor Ngugi wa Thiong'o, Sheron Wray, PhD, Daniel Avorgbedor, PhD University of Ghana and Sola Adeyemi and Dele Olajide, MD. PhD

Building AICRES of Resilience
Monday, January 15, 2018 - Martin Luther King Jr. Day
11:00 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.
Colloquium Room, Contemporary Arts Center, Arts Plaza – UC Irvine

Registration: Illuminations.uci.edu

• The Elmina Castle and Sankofa Project - Professor Magda El Zarki, PhD, UCI and Professor Pat Seed, PhD, UCI
• Resilience based Unexpected Outcomes - Dr. Dele Olajide, MD. PhD. FRCPsych. FRSA
• AICRE Roundtable discussion: Opening the Way to Connecting Research Methodologies with Recognition - Professor Ngugi wa Thiong'o, Sheron Wray, PhD, Daniel Avorgbedor, PhD University of Ghana and Sola Adeyemi and Dele Olajide, MD. PhD

Stepping into the Future with Dr. Alan Colón, People's Institute for Survival and Beyond
Monday, January 15, 2018 - Martin Luther King Jr. Day
3:00 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Colloquium Room, Contemporary Arts Center, Arts Plaza – UC Irvine

Registration: Illuminations.uci.edu

Dr. Alan Colón is a retired National Endowment for the Humanities Eminent Professor of Education and African World Studies, an active anti-racist educator and organizer with the People's Institute for Survival and Beyond, an organizer with Justice and Beyond, a New Orleans political coalition, and a jazz radio broadcaster. Dr. Colón is a veteran of forty-two years of service in higher education as teacher, researcher, author, administrator, mentor and organizer in and beyond schools. For five decades he has been devoted to building Black (Africana) studies and was supervised in his dissertation research and writing by the renowned social scientist, Dr. St. Clair Drake. In 1998, Dr. Colón moved to New Orleans for his appointment to the endowed chair at Dillard University. Since his retirement in 2012, Dr. Colón has had two essays published. He is currently preparing a manuscript for a book in organizing against racism. He is active in local coalition building for community justice and hosts Jazz From the French Market on WWOZ radio in New Orleans. His preoccupation, however, is with conducting undoing racism training and community organizing workshops throughout the United States with the People's Institute for Survival and Beyond, a collective of anti-racist educators and organizers headquartered in New Orleans. Co-hosted by the Black Student Union. Refreshments served.

(re)Source by  MBDance

Monday, January 15, 2018 - Martin Luther King Jr. Day
6:00 p.m. -7:30 p.m.
William Gillespie Studio 1100 – Claire Trevor School of the Arts, UC Irvine

Registration: Illuminations.uci.edu

Within the U.S. climate of upheaval, fear, and bullying at home and abroad, Bauman is focusing on what it takes to get by, get over, survive, and thrive. Improvisation, lineage, resilience: (re)Source is a danced solo exploration of how and when we call on these assets and when we reject them entirely. As research for the piece, Bauman has been studying cartography, marronage, and rituals for sustainability. Conceived of and embodied by Maria Bauman (www.mbdance.net), with sound composition by Shea Rose (www.shearose.com), the dance also includes a unique visual landscape co-created by Maria Bauman and by each set of audience members, with advising by Nontsikelelo Mutiti (www.nontsikelelomutiti.com). Performer: Maria Bauman

For further information contact:
Dr. Sheron Wray
wrays@uci.edu

Jasmine Adams AICRE Special Projects
jmadams1@uci.edu

http://sites.uci.edu/aicre/

Event Co-Sponsors

Africana Institute for Creativity, Recognition and Elevation
Campus Climate
Center for Black Cultures, Resources &Research
Claire Trevor School of the Arts
Department of Dance
Department of Drama
Department of Gender and Sexuality Studies
Department of Informatics
Department of Psychology and Social Behavior
Francisco J. Ayala School of Biological Sciences
Henry Samueli School of Engineering
Humanities Commons
Illuminations
JazzXchange
Office of Equal Opportunity and Diversity
Office of Inclusive Excellence
Office of the Vice Chancellor of Student
Office of the Vice Provost for Teaching and Learning
School of Humanities
School of Law
School of Physical Sciences Department of Gender and Sexuality
School of Social Ecology
School of the Social Sciences
UC Consortium for Black Studies in California
University Advancement