Year in Review by The Tadias Team

Published: Thursday, December 25, 2008

New York: (Tadias) – The following are our top ten favorite Ethiopian-American related events that we attended and/or featured in 2008. We wish all our readers “Happy Holidays!” We look forward to the New Year, and to continue highlighting events and personalities that make ours one of the most vibrant immigrant communities in the country. Happy New Year from all of us at Tadias.com!

Counting down: Top 10 Events of 2008 Covered by Tadias

10). The seventh annual anniversary of Little Ethiopia in L.A.

The seventh annual anniversary of Little Ethiopia took place in Los Angeles on September 14, 2008. The celebration was organized by the Little Ethiopia Business Association, which is chaired by Woizero Negest Legesse. Among the most active organizers of the event were: Mesob Restaurant, Rosalind Restaurant, Rahel Vegan Cuisine, Nyala Restaurant, Ferede Child Care Center, Selam Travel, and the Ethiopian Airlines. The office of the Mayor of Los Angeles and City Councils also provided assistance for the event. Read more about this event.

9). The Annual Ethiopian Soccer Tournament (D.C. 2008).

North America’s largest African soccer tournament, hosted by the Ethiopian Sport Federation of North America (ESFNA), was held in the nation’s capital this year. The Washington D.C. Metropolitan area is home to one of the largest Ethiopian population in the country, and tens of thousands of Ethiopian immigrants attended the event this year on July 4th weekend. Read More.

8). Historic Ethiopian out of doors Concert in New York

On the evening of Wednesday, August 20, 2008, Damrosch’s Park in New York was packed with Ethiopians and curious New Yorkers who were treated to an astonishing concert of fusion rock, jazz and Ethiopian music. The historic event at the Lincoln Center’s out of doors concert series, one of the longest-running free summer festivals in the U.S., featured Mahmoud Ahmed and Alemayehu Eshete accompanied by the Either Orchestra, and the legendary saxophonist Getatchew Mekurya in collaboration with Dutch band the Ex. The trio performed for the first time at Damrosch’s Park. Read more and see hot shots from the event.

7). Ethiopia 2000 @ the Schomburg Center

The final event of the Ethiopian Millennium Celebration Series hosted by the BINA foundation included a panel discussion entitled “Ethiopia: The Three Faiths” at the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, which attracted a diverse and large audience on Saturday, June 21, 2008. Read more about this event.

6). Sojourner Truth Awards Celebration

Abaynesh Asrat: Distinguished Women Awardee
Ethiopian-born Abaynesh Asrat, Founder & CEO of Nation to Nation Networking (NNN), was recognized with “The Sojourner Truth Award,” which is given each year by the National Association of Negro Business and Professional Women’s Clubs. Abaynesh is a member of Harlem’s legendary Abyssinian Baptist Church delegation to Ethiopia in 2007, which took place as part of the church’s bicentennial celebration and in honor of the Ethiopian Millennium. Other awardees, that were honored at the 80th Annual Founder’s Day of the New York Club of Women’s Clubs, include: Robert T. Johnson (The District Attorney of Bronx County since January 1, 1989), Debra Wallace (Ebony Magazine), Kim M. Williamson (Director of Prime Time Programing for Food Networks in New York City), Joyce Johnson (CEO of the Black Equity Alliance), among others. The event took place on Sunday, April 27, 2008, at the Eastwood Manor in Bronx, NY. Read more about Abaynesh’s work at NNN.

5). Obama & McCain at Columbia University Forum

Presidential nominees Senator Barack Obama and Senator John McCain participated in a discussion regarding the importance of engaging in service and civic responsibilities on the seventh anniversary of 9/11 in New York at Columbia University. The Presidential Forum was part of a two-day summit which included speeches by Al Gore, Governor Patterson, Columbia President Bollinger and Barnard Provost Elizabeth Boylan. The forum was moderated by Judy Woodruff of PBS’ “NewsHour” and Richard Stengel, managing editor of Time magazine. Read more and view photos of this event.

4). Ted Alemayuhu’s Keynote at Columbia University

The third Annual Health Disparities Conference at Columbia University was held on Friday, March 7th and Saturday, March 8th, 2008. Ethiopian-born Ted Alemayuhu, Founder & Chairman of U.S. Doctors for Africa, was one of the featured keynote speakers. View photos from this event.

3). Sheba Highlight at Choice Eats 2008

The Queen of Sheba Ethiopian restaurant in New York was featured at the first Annual Choice Eats tasting event organized by The Village Voice, the nation’s first and largest alternative newsweekly. The event took place on Tuesday, March 11, 2008 at the historic Puck Building in Manhattan. Queen of Sheba Ethiopian restaurant was one of thirty-three favorite restaurants of Voice food critic Robert Sietsema, author of Secret New York. Sietsema has reviewed more than 2,000 restaurants in the last 14 years and this year’s Choice Eats covered samples from all corners of the world. Read more about this event.

2). CNN Hero in New York

Yohannes Gebregeorgis, 59, was recognized by CNN for his remarkable efforts to bring free public libraries and literacy programs to thousands of children in Ethiopia, including the country’s first Donkey Mobile Library. One of the Top Ten CNN Heroes of 2008, spoke at Cafe Addis in Harlem, New York on Saturday, December 13, 2008. Tadias TV was there to record the event.

1). The day Barack Obama was elected President

Nothing this year tops the spontaneous celebrations that broke out around the world on November 4th 2008, the day Barack Obama was elected the 44th President of the United States. Memorable photos from this historic day was captured in Harlem by Tadias Magazine’s contributing photographer Jeffrey Phipps. View photos from election night 2008.