The Praise House Project at Emory opens with an evening of reflection and performance in honor of the African-American history of Emory University. Audiences are invited to gather at the Praise House on the grounds of historic Glenn Memorial United Methodist Church on Emory’s Atlanta campus for an opening celebration on Oct. 19 from 7 pm – 9 pm.
The evening will include a tribute to the late Dr. Pellom McDaniles III, an opening prayer by Emory alumna and Oxford descendant, Rev. Dr. Avis Williams, a solo performance by Oxford Emory Faculty, Dr. Emorja Roberson and an address by Praise House Project creator, artist activist, Charmaine Minniefield who will invoke the names of the ancestors of Emory while inviting audiences to recall the names of their own.
Like praise houses before, The Gathering will invite a homecoming to historic spaces, ancestral memories, and traditions of community, faith and resistance.
The evening will feature a live performance of the Praise House Project song, Rite-to-Freedom, performed by all Atlanta artists including one of its creators, musical composer Salah Ananse, accompanied by performing artists Mausiki Scales and Common Ground Collective, and Giwayen Mata all-sistah, dance, percussion, and vocal ensemble, along with the Epic Community Choir, Edeliegba Senior Dance Ensemble, harpists Afiya Cave and Amari Carpenter and the Internationally renowned hip-hop ambassador Toni Blackman, hailing from Brooklyn and Senegal, will honor the ring shout tradition in a spoken word cypher. Audience participation encouraged. Offerings and white attire in honor of the ancestors are welcomed.
Below are details of several featured artists:
Kemi Bennings
Producer
Kemi is a producer, interdisciplinary artist and creative professional with 20 years of experience in designing, producing, directing and promoting live entertainment, curated events and cultural programming that integrates art, music and civic engagement in an effort to build community, impact and inspire social change. As poet/soul singer, Kemi combines new age conscious poetry and music to inspire a generation of artistic change. Her thought-provoking, new age conscious poetry challenges and inspires the audience. In her live performance, Kemi shape shifts, transforms and evokes change. She has had the opportunity to share the stage with Sonia Sanchez, Oscar Brown, Jr., Jenifer Lewis, The Last Poets, Nancy Wilson, to name a few. Kemi is the visionary of notable projects including Ministers Of Sound, Cultivating Collective Thoughts, Soul Sista’s Juke Joint, A Great Day In Atlanta and most recently Música Soul, a live music event that bridges expat and local communities. Her niche in theater is producing musical theatrical productions showcasing independent artists. Kemi is an evolutionary force who uses her gifts to uplift, inspire, and empower. She is a native of Augusta, Georgia.
Rev. Dr. Avis Williams
Opening Prayer and Address
Rev. Dr. Avis Williams served as Pastor of Community Transformation for Lake Oconee Community Church from 2007 to 2018, organizing its Youth Alliance, a collaborative partnership between the Greensboro Housing Authority, the Greene County Schools, and PCCSS. In this role, she helped organize cultural, historical, and educational enrichment for the students with a four-week summer program and regular semester activities for students, parents, church, and community volunteers. Before that, from 1996 to 2010, she owned Envirohazard Consultants of Covington, Ga., an environmental, health, and safety consulting company that provided training environmental assessments for governmental agencies and local businesses. Avis has served on the boards of numerous community organizations, including the Saint Mary’s Good Samaritan Hospital, Life Source Food Distribution in Eatonton, Georgia, and serves on The Plaza Arts Center board Central Georgia Technical College’s board representing Putnam County. Presently, Avis is the Community Liaison for the Putnam County Charter School System. She holds a bachelor of arts degree in chemistry, a master of divinity degree in theology, and a doctorate of ministry in theology from Emory University. She was Oxford Commencement speaker in 2022 and served on Emory’s Twin Memorial committee, now the Selection committee.
Dr. Emorja Roberson
Soloist
Faculty, Oxford College of Emory University
Assistant Professor of Music and African American Studies
Performing Arts Center at the University of Notre Dame. He was awarded with the 2021 Academic Freedom Award from the Department of Africana Studies and is the recipient of the 2022 Sr. Jean Lenz Award for his leadership that promotes a more diverse, inclusive campus community for all students.
In April 2022, he premiered his oratorio, BE-SPOKEN, which highlights the experiences of the Black experience through jazz, hip-hop, and gospel. The premiere included artists, such as, Anthony Walker, King Chav, HarRell D. Young, Donishisa Ballard, and Grammy-Award winner, Ledisi. Making history once again, on June 30, 2022, Roberson became the first African-American to receive a Doctor of Musical Arts in Choral Conducting from the University of Notre Dame.
Roberson is a 2022 recipient of the Future of Music Faculty Fellowship with Cleveland Institute of Music and the Assistant Professor of Music and African American Studies at Oxford College of Emory University.
Salah Ananse
The creator the Rite-to-Freedom, the anthem song of the Praise House along with Malesha Jessie Taylor as We Are Djeli
With over 20 years as a producer and DJ on the Atlanta music scene, Salah Ananse’s talent as a DJ has put him on bills with notable DJ’s such as Vikter Duplaix, DJ Kemit (Kemeticjust), Rich Medina, DJ Spinna, ?uestlove and Kai Alce. He has also held opening DJ spots for artists such as Jay-Z, Dave Chappelle, India Arie, Joi, Res, Fertile Ground, Dwele, Les Nubians, Musiq, The Roots, Donnie and Raphael Saadiq. Not only does Ananse rock crowds for some of the Southeast’s most popular party series such as One Music Fest, House In The Park and his own Afrique Electrique & Sunday School, he travels the world bringing his unique mix of soul, house & hip hop. He’s held a recurring stint in Brazil and performed in Ethiopia, Argentina, England and many more countries.
Over his career Salah Ananse has expanded his brand to include signature events. His Afrique Electrique party, which started in 2009 has become one of the most popular events for soulful house at Miami’s WMC. His LOVESEXY party, which is dedicate to the work of Prince expanded to Chicago in 2015. His Sunday School parties remain a summer staple in Atlanta. He recently joined forces with former collaborator DJ Kemit to do The Late Night Ritual party series. He also joined forces with the other 3 DJs from House In The Park to create & produce The Atlanta Weekender which celebrated 5 years in 2016.
Mausiki Scales And Common Ground Collective
Mausiki Scales has been a force in the Atlanta indie music scene for almost two decades as a sought after keyboardist and founder/musical director of the critically acclaimed ensemble, the Common Ground
Collective. Recently honored with the Georgia Governor’s Award for the Arts and Humanities, Mausiki is also a folklorist and historian who translates his knowledge into musical arrangements that leave his audiences moved and moving…literally.
Whether performing as a trio or a full 10-piece ensemble, Mausiki Scales and the Common Ground Collective are known for taking fans on a fearless exploration of the pulsating rhythms of the African Diaspora, seamlessly connecting the dots between afrobeat, funk, hip hop, soul and New Orleans jazz…in a single performance.
They have performed in numerous celebrations, concerts, and special events throughout Africa and the Americas, including Ghana’s Golden Anniversary Celebration, the National Black Arts Festival, Funk Jazz Café, and the Atlanta Jazz Festival. They have also collaborated with artists such as Roy Ayers, Babatunde Olatunji, Stevie Wonder, The Last Poets and Third World.
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