Above: The UNA Student Alliance at Cupertino High School
in California, formed by students Derek Zhou and Alex Pommier,
held a fund raising event at their school on Saturday, December
20, 2008, raising funds to send school supplies to the the small
village of Gira Dima in Ethiopia.

By Mary Granholm

Published: Sunday, January 11, 2009

Mountain View, CA (Tadias) – When Derek Zhou won the United Nations Association (UNA) Essay Contest in our chapter two years ago he said he wanted to do something that would make a difference in the world. He is certainly doing just that. He and Alex Pommier, students at Cupertino High School, formed a UNA Student Alliance, recruited a Faculty Advisor, Bob Pelz, and 58 student members, and researched needs and organizations through which they might work.

They chose The World Family, a local organization supplying clinics and hospitals in Ethiopia, and now building a community center nearly completed, in the small village of Gira Dima in Ethiopia, that has no electricity or potable water. This center will have a clinic, classrooms, gathering place, and gardens, among other things, and solar panels will be installed to provide electricity. The students feel that education is the greatest key to making a difference in the lives of people and decided to focus in that area. They are collecting school supplies and hope to get a container off by spring.

Sorting School Supplies to Ship to Ethiopia (All Photo credit: Cupertino High
School United Nations Association’s photo stream at flickr)

These remarkable, dedicated, and visionary students held an event on Saturday, December 20, at their school, at which they held an auction and raffle of donated items. Art work, jewelry, restaurant meals, a helicopter ride, a lecture series, and even a 2-week stay for 8 people at a Hawaiian time-share were some of the rewards. They have now raised $6,500 toward their goal of $8,000, which is the cost of shipping a container. Incidentally, if you need an auctioneer, Derek would make a great choice.

Some of the students and their adviser hope to spend a month in Gira Dima in the summer.

Learn more at www.theworldfamily.org

About the Author:

Mary Granholm, a retired school teacher, serves as President of the UNA- USA Midpeninsula Chapter.

By Tadias Staff

Published: Monday, December 29, 2008

New York (Tadias) – Here are our 20 favorite people of the year that we interviewed and/or featured their work in 2008. The numbers are not rankings of their achievements. We look forward to 2009. Happy New Year!

20) Selam Mulugeta (Former Obama Campaign Staffer)

Ethiopian-American Selam Mulugeta worked as a staff member for President-Elect Obama’s successful 2008 campaign for the White House. Ms. Mulugeta, who formerly served as a Congressional staffer and Special Assistant to Rep. Mike Honda (D-Calif.), founder and Chair of the Congressional Ethiopia and Ethiopian American Caucus, served as a Field Organizer for the Obama/Biden campaign in Northern Virginia. Obama won the state on November 4th, 2008, becoming the first Presidential candidate from the Democratic party to do so in more than 40 years. Read more about Selam Mulugeta.

19) Bekele Geleta (The New Boss at Red Cross)

Ethiopian-born Bekele Geleta, 64, was appointed Secretary General of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies in 2008. Mr. Geleta previously served as General Manager of International Operations for the Canadian Red Cross. He spent five years in prison in Ethiopia, but later served as a Cabinet Minister and the Ethiopian Ambassador to Japan. He went to Canada as a refugee in 1992 with his wife, Tsehay Mulugeta, and their four sons. He started a new career in humanitarian work in Ottawa , serving with Care Canada, Red Cross and other organizations, which eventually led to this current prestigious post. Read our interview with Bekele Geleta.

18) Beejhy Barhany (Founder, BINA Cultural Foundation)

Beejhy Barhany (pictured above with her husband at the Ethiopian Millennium celebration concert at Joe’s Pub. on Saturday, May 31, 2008), is the Director of BINA Cultural Foundation and the chief coordinator of the 2008 Ethiopian Millennium Events Series in New York, which included a concert, an art exhibition, a film festival and an interfaith panel discussion. Tadias Magazine congratulates Mrs. Barhany on a successful series of events.

17) Chef and Author Marcus Samuelsson

Marcus Samuelsson, who was born in Ethiopia and raised in Sweden, is best known as the co-owner of New York’s finest Scandinavian restaurant, Aquavit. After having excelled at the Swedish side of his culinary heritage, Mr. Samuelson traveled extensively throughout the African continent, and shared with us some of the most profound lessons that he learned about Pan-African cuisine. He culminated his journey with his award-winning book, The Soul of a New Cuisine, and a new African Restaurant. Read our interview with Marcus Samuelsson.

16) Haile Gerima (Award Wining Director)

Ethiopian-born director Haile Gerima (pictured above left with Tunisian Culture Minister Abderraouf Basti) scooped several international awards in 2008 for his new film “Teza”. Tadias Magazine congratulates Mr. Gerima on his well deserved recognition. Read More.

15) Yohannes Gebregeorgis (CNN Hero)

Yohannes Gebregeorgis, one of the Top Ten CNN Heroes of 2008, 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. Mr. Gebregeorgis, 59, was born in Ethiopia and came to the United States as a political refugee in 1981. He eventually put himself through college, earning a graduate degree in library science and worked as a Librarian in San Francisco for nearly two decades before embarking on his current project. He currently lives in Ethiopia. Read our interview with Yohannes Gebregeorgis.

14) Getatchew Mekurya (king of Ethiopian saxophone)

The legendary saxophonist Getatchew Mekurya stole the show at a historic concert on August 20, 2008, at Damrosch’s Park in NYC. “The concert closed with a gripping performance by Mr. Mekurya, the king of Ethiopian saxophone…” noted a columnist for The New York Times, and we couldn’t agree more. We likewise salute Mahmoud Ahmed and Alemayehu Eshete, who both performed at the show. Read more.

13) Aida Muluneh (Photographer)

Photographer Aida Muluneh, whose current exhibition is being hosted by Berlin’s Institute for Foreign Cultural Relations (through November 1st, 2009), established an NGO in 2008 to train a new generation of African photographers to compete in the global media industry while reshaping the image of Africa to reflect their personal experiences. Read More.

12) Dr. Ebba Ebba (Founder, Gemini Health Care Group)

Dr. Ebba Ebba (above left), founder of Gemini Health Care Group, a non-profit established to provide health care to Ethiopian children, hosted two notable events in 2008: a health care forum in July at George Washington University and a fundraiser in Atlanta to benefit the building of a children’s hospital in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Read more.

11) Philipos & Sara (Queen of Sheba Restaurant in New York)

Philipos & Sara of the Queen of Sheba Ethiopian Restaurant in New York demonstrated why crowds are flocking to their midtown Manhattan eatery at the first Annual Choice Eats tasting event organized by The Village Voice in 2008. 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.

10) Emahoy Tsege Mariam Gebru (The Ethiopian Nun Pianist)

Emahoy Tsege Mariam Gebru, the 85-year-old Ethiopian nun and renowned classical pianist and composer, performed at a sold out benefit concert for the first time in 35 years in June, 2008, in Washington, DC. She captured an eager audience, along with seven young performers who shared the stage with her. Read more.

9) Artist Assegid Gessesse (“Memory Tourist”)

Assegid Gessesse exhibited his spirited mixed media prints in 2008. “I am a memory tourist,” Gessesse says referring to our favorite print entitled ‘Addis Abeba’ – a vivid collage reflecting architecture, the urban/rural dichotomy, and use of space. Read More.

8. Teodross “Teo” Avery

What does Teodross “Teo” Avery have in common with jazz giants Dizzy Gillespie, Tito Puente, and Arturo Sandoval? They all have graced the stage of The Blue Note, one of New York’s legendary jazz clubs. Teo, a talented Ethiopian-American musician is carving his own niche in hip-hop jazz. He has recorded and collaborated with powerhouse musicians including: Aretha Franklin, Lauryn Hill, Shakira, Wu Tang Clan, Ethiopian artists Abegaz Shiota and Henok Temesgen, and Amy Winehouse. Films such as Love Jones, Brown Sugar and Beauty Shop also carry songs he has either written or produced. His own lyrics entitled New Day New Groove and My Generation capture the proactive, idealistic and determined energy of his generation. Read the interview with Teo Avery.

7) Zelela Menker

Zelela Menker’s OP-ED pieces on Tadias in 2008 advocating for the election of Barack Obama generated a healthy discussion. We first met Zelela Menker while covering an Obama rally in New York on Feb 2, 2008. Zelela was born and raised in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. She is a graduate of Mount Holyoke College (MHC) in South Hadley, Massachusetts, where she majored in Critical Social Thought with a concentration on Health Disparities and Healthcare Policy. Read More.

6) Kedist Geremaw (Obama Organizing Fellow)

Kedist Geremaw, a health care administrator in Washington, D.C., was one of the 3,600 individuals who were selected and trained as an Obama Organizing Fellow during the summer of 2008. Mrs. Geremew has accomplished much as an Obama Organizing Fellow, and the creativity, dedication, and optimism that she and her colleagues displayed was inspiring, commendable, contagious, and has our respect and recognition. Read more about Mrs. Geremaw.

5) Abaynesh Asrat, Founder & CEO of NNN

Ethiopian-born Abaynesh Asrat was recognized with “The Sojourner Truth Award” in 2008, 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.

4) Professor Donald Levine

Professor Donald Levine’s thoughtful and insightful opinion articles during the Presidential Campaign of 2008 was much needed and appreciated by our readers. He is a colleague of President-Elect Barack Obama from their teaching days at the University of Chicago. He is a Professor Emeritus of Sociology and his research and teaching interests focus on classical social theory, modernization theory, Ethiopian studies, conflict theory and aikido, and philosophies of liberal education. Read More.

3) Professor Ayele Bekerie

Dr. Ayele Bekerie ‘s scholarly papers on historical topics, such as the story of St. Yared, the great Ethiopian composer, choreographer and poet, who lived in Aksum almost 1500 years ago, was one of the most popular articles among our readers. Ayele Bekerie, an Assistant Professor at the Africana Studies and Research Center of Cornell University, is the author of the award-winning book “Ethiopic, An African Writing System: Its History and Principles” (The Red Sea Press, 1997). Bekerie’s papers have been published in scholarly journals, such as ANKH: Journal of Egyptology and African Civilizations, Journal of the Horn of Africa, Journal of Black Studies, the International Journal of Africana Studies, and the International Journal of Ethiopian Studies. Bekerie is also the creator of the African Writing System web site and a contributing author in the highly acclaimed book, “ONE HOUSE: The Battle of Adwa 1896-100 Years.” Bekerie’s most recent published work includes “The Idea of Ethiopia: Ancient Roots, Modern African Diaspora Thoughts,” in Power and Nationalism in Modern Africa, published by Carolina Academic Press in 2008 and “The Ancient African Past and Africana Studies” in the Journal of Black Studies in 2007. Bekerie appears frequently on the Amharic Service of Voice of America and Radio Germany. He is a regular contributor to Tadias Magazine and other Ethiopian American electronic publications. His current book project is on the “Idea of Ethiopia.” Read More.

2) Ted Alemayuhu (Founder & Chairman of USDFA)

Ethiopian-born Ted Alemayuhu (pictured above right with friends – Russell Simmons left – at Cipriani Wall Street on October 17th, 2007), is the Founder & Chairman of U.S. Doctors for Africa (USDFA). He was one of the featured keynote speakers at the 2008 Health Disparities Conference at Columbia University. Mr. Alemayuhu is preparing to host the gathering of over 20 African First Ladies for their first-ever U.S.-based health summit on April 20-21, 2009, at the RAND Corporation in Los Angeles. Read More.

Editor’s Note: The numbers are not rankings of their achievements. We honor each person listed. Happy 2009!

Above: Election night in Harlem.
(Photo by Jeffrey Phipps for Tadias Magazine)

Updated: Tuesday, November 11, 2008

New York (Tadias) – How do you feel? That was the question we posed to some of our readers and contributors right after the historic election of Barack Obama as the next President of the United States. Here are their reflections:

Taqiyya Haden (New York)

“OBAMA!” That’s my new greeting! Unfortunately I’m not sure of the meaning. It is rumored to mean ‘crooked, not a straight line’ and if so it is still appropriate considering the turns we took to get our first Black President. Or we could just start greeting each other with “44!” Whatever sounds and feels right in the moment.

I almost broke down crying seeing the Beautiful Black First Family walk out. This is the first presidential election in my short 30 something years of life that I was passionate about, stood in the cold for and debated about almost daily. I had all confidence that he would win. I genuinely believe the American people that still suffer the pathology of racism know that he is the only one available and able to solve our foreign affairs issues.

The rest of the world is watching and that is so important. No matter how great this country is and (I have a hard time saying that at all as an African American) it has been founded and became prosperous on the oppression of people that look like President Obama. The United States has been looked upon, justifiably as having a hypocritical system of government by the rest of the world. Democracy has not proven to apply to all citizens. The images alone of this election will decrease those feelings.

My hope is that we all stay energized , excited and maintain a belief in our political power that we have so often ignored or felt so defeated unwilling to try. My fear is some that voted will rely too heavily on Barack Obama and basically go back to being lazy and ignorant now that he has won.

If we are willing to see this as a win for all of us we may be more willing to hold ourselves accountable for change. It did not end last night, this is only the beginning. To my specific community of Africans and African Americans in Harlem we must stay involved and I ask that we think globally but act locally.

And finally…isn’t this the most brilliant and attractive family to move into that house?!

Kedist Geremaw (Obama campaign organizing fellow, Washington DC)

It felt like giving birth to a child ( I am saying this from a birthing experience) in this case the pregnancy lasted close to two years. It is a relief…history was made and a person with a name like Barack was elected the president of USA. My faith in human kind is restored. As Barack Obama said “Your name shouldn’t be a hindrance to your success”

Kedist Geremaw
Obama campaign organizing fellow
Washington DC

Professor Ayele Bekerie ( Cornell University)

On November 4, 2008, I was the first person to enter the polling place in my district at 6 am. I voted for Barack Obama. When I voted, I had a feeling that the vote is going to be a winner. Lo and behold, Obama won big. History is made and and I was in it.

I felt that I played a role to bring the good news that the whole world desired. I felt like that I played a role to bring joy, even if for few moments, to the millions of fans of Obama in Kenya, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Uganda, Tanzania, for that matter the continent of Africa. The world is one with the United States of America.

The election of an African American to the highest office in the country, to be the Commander In Chief, is indeed a testimony to the greatness of the American people. Dreams come true in America. Parents of many hues and backgrounds can confidently tell their children now to dream big and realize their dreams.

Obama turned the page of history. Obama wrote a new chapter in American racial history. Relations among racialized groups will not be the same again. Common purpose defeats divisiveness. Conversation outstrips talking points. Intelligence triumphs over ignorance.

Best wishes,

Ayele

Professor Donald N. Levine (Chicago)

For me this election fulfills an eight-year dream. In 2000 then U of Chicago colleague, neighbor, and state representative Barack Obama came to our home for a coffee, to introduce him to friends and mobilize support for his first national campaign when he ran to be congressman from our district. Although he lost that campaign, a loss that depressed him about his prospects for a political career, those of us who heard him then could not believe that he would not bounce back and get stronger than ever.

It’s true, when Barack announced his candidacy for president, I had mixed feelings, believing that it was premature for him to run for the position at that juncture, even though he was qualified. It was when a friend pointed out that his presidency would amount to a transformative experience, for the US and the world, that I caught the significance of the timing and went to work on his behalf, with Ethiopian groups in Ohio and Pennsylvania in the primaries, and with phone calls to voters in Ohio and Indiana in the general election.

And now it has happened. It has been a totally healing, clarifying, and energizing experience. Blessings to us all!

Photo by Gabriella Muttone

Publisher’s Note:

Steven Ivory has been a music and culture journalist for more than twenty-five years. His work has appeared in the Los Angeles Times, Essence, Vibe, and The Source, among other publications. He lives in Los Angeles, California.

This article had been published on the Electronic Urban Report (EURweb.com) and the African-American Village prior to its publication here with the author’s permission in January 2003.

Steven told Tadias that Ethiopians who have read the essay have responded to him with warm words and expressions of regret.

“So many Ethiopian people have written in kindness and apology”, he said. “There is no need for this, I know that the actions of a few don’t speak for a whole race.”

We have selected this piece from our archives with a hope that it might spark a healthy debate on the issue.

My Own Kind
By Steven Ivory

For several years, I’d passed the restaurant while driving through that side of town. It looked like an interesting spot; I said I’d stick my head in there one day.

But when that day finally came, it reminded me of the scene in the movie “48 Hours,” where Eddie Murphy ventures into a bar that happens to be a white country & western joint. My arrival was not nearly as spectacular, but I did elicit my share of curious glances.

A bartender can set the mood for a patron, and the man pouring my drink was pleasant. However, our good-natured chat about the weather and the day’s headlines wasn’t enough to take the chill off this room. I casually looked around the place and couldn’t find one face that appeared to hold much love for a newcomer.

Taking another sip of my beer, I told myself that maybe it was just me. What did I expect, a welcoming committee? I reminded myself that many social establishments often react a little coolly to non-regulars. Maybe what I was feeling didn’t have a damned thing to do with anything but familiarity.

The restaurant was more than half full, but I had the tiny bar all to myself, so I was glad that two men and a woman in the mood for libations joined me. For all the acknowledgment made, though, I might as well have been invisible. When another man moseyed in and took a seat at the end of the bar, he somehow ended up in the trio’s jovial conversation. So they weren’t blind or anti-social, after all. I deduced that it had to be my cologne.

Or, just maybe, it really WAS me. And maybe I really DIDN’T come in here for just a drink and cordial camaraderie. Maybe, deep, deep down inside, I’d come in here to make some kind of point. I certainly was open to conceding as much to myself.

And so, with very little chance of my self-examination being interrupted, I sat there and gave it all serious, honest consideration – and confirmed that I truly did have honorable intentions. I figured I’d come in here, have a drink, dig the atmosphere and thus add it to my list of places to go. For reasons that evaded me, it wasn’t working out that way.

I couldn’t ignore the irony, of course – the very notion that hundreds of years later, there’d be the issue of us getting along. For many years, I’ve heard all the reasons. Inevitably mentioned are issues of culture and the idea that any problems among us are, ultimately, the residual affect of slavery in America. Did that sinister deed, besides everything else, somehow drive a wedge between brothers under God’s sun, a division that, after all these years, still remains?

And who says that we, in particular, must get along, anyway?

But we SHOULD … shouldn’t we?

Once again alone at the bar, I was pondering it all when the bartender spoke.

“My friend, may I ask you a question?”

“Sure.”

“Why did you come here tonight?”

I explained that I’d never been here before and I thought it adventurous to try something new.

“Just a drink? Or did you also hope to meet some of our women?”

It all sounds so offensive now, but you had to be there. His words came sincerely – out of curiosity more than anything else and, I suppose, concern. I thought about his question.

Maybe, I replied, I ventured in here hoping, perhaps, to discover some measure of kinship. Or, as corny as it might sound, just a little bit of myself.

“But it’s Friday night, my friend,” he said.

“There are many other places in this city for you to be. Would you not want to be with … your own kind?”

I know – it all could have made for some compelling banter. However, after seeking conversation over the course of two beers, all I wanted to do now was leave. I tried to pay my tab, but the bartender simply smiled.

“It is on the house, my friend,” he said.

Translation: Just leave, my friend. Please.

As a Black man born and raised in America, I’ve dealt with prejudice, racism and mistrust in many configurations. Sometimes it is subtle and other times not so subtle, and you can encounter it anywhere, from anybody. Still, it never occurred to me that I’d face any of those things on a Friday night in an Ethiopian restaurant.

From the tiny bar I gathered up my pride and headed out in search of “my own kind” – and hoped that I’d know them when I saw them.

Related Links and Tadias Stories:

Color, Controversy and DNA

Ethio & Afro American Relations: The Case of Melaku E. Bayen and John Robinson. By Ayele Bekerie

TAAMRAT EMMANUEL “DISCOVERS” HARLEM, 1931. By Jody Benjamin

Tadias Magazine
By Tadias Staff

New York (Tadias) – Yes, Beyoncé is slated to appear in Ethiopia this week.

According to the singer’s upcoming international tour dates published on her website, the 26-year-old R&B star is scheduled to perform at the Millennium Hall in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on October 17, 2007.

It was rumored during the summer that Beyoncé would appear in Ethiopia on September 12, 2007 (The day ushered in the new millennium according to Ethiopia’s ancient calendar). Instead, the big party in Addis Ababa featured a headline performance by US hip-hop group the Black Eyed Peas, which was attended by several heads of state, including Kenya’s Mwai Kibaki and Rwanda’s Paul Kagame.

It is not clear how much the Grammy Awards winner is paid for her appearance in Ethiopia. The summer rumors inlcluded a figure of one million dollars (plus pay for the transportation of her band and equipment).

Beyoncé Giselle Knowles rose to fame as the creative force and lead singer of the R&B girl group Destiny’s Child, the world’s best-selling female group of all time.

Beyoncé performing “Listen” during her The Beyoncé Experience tour in Munich, Bavaria, Germany.

She also achieved success in the film industry, starring in such Hollywood films as the 2006 comedy The Pink Panther and the 2006 musical film Dreamgirls, which earned her two Golden Globe Award nominations — one for acting and other for the song.

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By Meklit Workneh

We braid it, cornrow it, plait it, dread it, straighten it, relax it, flat iron it, curl it, put in extensions, put in a weave, fade it, and grow out an afro. What do we NOT do to our hair?

Hair may seem like a simple feature to many people. However, I’ve noticed that hair has turned into a feature with social and political issues surrounding it. Watching movies like “Barbershop,” I began to notice to a larger extent how central a role hair plays in many communities. It goes without saying that in African and African diasporic communities, actual hair and the process of doing hair provide plenty of stimuli for conversation and social gathering. When I first moved to the United States and to Stanford, one of the points on which I could immediately relate to other black students was hair. For one, I discovered that a lot of us shopped at that whole separate aisle at Wal-Mart for “ethnic hair products”. Hair is a point of commonality across Africa and the African diaspora.

I can trace back my first memories of awareness of my own hair to the day I got my first Barbie. I must have been 4 or 5 years old. This Barbie had long, straight blond hair like most dolls that were available on the market at that time. (This was always a point of confusion for me growing up in Ethiopia since I was always busy trying to figure out why their hair did not look the way mine did.)

As soon as my mom gave me the doll, she told me not to put her in water because that would ruin her hair. And right after my mom left, I plunged the doll in water and her hair came out looking very raggedy. Then, I asked my aunt to help me blow-dry and straighten it before my mom came back. I’m still not sure what compelled me to do that, but I do know that it shows a level of awareness and understanding about the importance of hair in the society I was raised in. That doll was to go through several forms of torture in my possession, eventually having all her hair shaved off and her head pulled off her neck. Needless to say, my mother was not impressed with the way I handled my toys.

The hair issue also came up in a more academic setting, my Popular Culture in Africa class. Looking at ads circa the 1960s advertising hair perms and relaxers, we came up with the idea that by straightening, relaxing or perming their hair, black people were trying to appear white.

Growing up in Ethiopia, issues dealing with race had never played a major role in my life. After my first year in the United States, however, I found myself reflecting a great deal more upon racial matters. When describing the United States to people back home, I often found myself using the word “racialized.” The hair issue became a sub-category of this racialization.

In my classes at Stanford, Madam C.J. Walker was lauded for being the first African-American woman entrepreneur and millionaire, but criticized for creating hair products that further led to a dislike of typically “African” traits among African- Americans. And I was thinking: Hold up, I know I have a perm in my hair and I straighten it occasionally, does that mean I’m trying to appear white? I knew there was no such intention in the back of my head. So what were these people talking about?

A girl in my Popular Culture in Africa class broke it down for me that fateful day when we were discussing those ads. I realized that I straighten my hair for the same reason that I braid it or leave it curly . . . because I like the way it looks! There is no deeper psychological process to this, it’s pure and simple popular culture. I don’t know what the roots of this “fashion” are. But regardless of roots and origins, black hair fashion today is not an imitation or fabrication; it is its own entity unlike anything before. It evolves with the times and is sometimes a reflection of the times and other times it just looks good.

The 70s brought the black power movement and Afros worldwide from New York to Paris to Dakar. The 80s and 90s brought the popularization of a spiritual pan-African consciousness and dreadlocks became popular. 90s hip-hop culture made cornrows acceptable as a fashionable hairstyle, and not just a hairstyle for those bum days. And although a lot of these hairstyles and dos can be traced back to what people on the African continent have done for centuries, each generation has added its own twist and flair to make black hair what it is today.

Love it or hate it, hair is more than just fashion in today’s world. It is social, cultural, political, you name it. And that is what makes it all the more interesting. Entire political statements are made through hair (think dreadlocks in the Rastafarian movement). In the film “Barbershop”, for instance, it provides a setting for social and intellectual gathering.

All I know is next time I go to have my hair braided, straightened or twisted, I’m going to look into it a little deeper.

About the Author:

Meklit Workneh is a graduate student at Yale University. She wrote this piece when she was a junior at Stanford University. The article was first published on Tadias in the spring of 2004.

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Source: MSN.com

By Kimberly Dawn Neumann

How is it that some couples seem to stay starry-eyed for years, and others let their sizzle, um… fizzle? Well, it appears that successful chemistry sustainers develop healthy coupled-up habits which allow them to keep their love alive and kicking. “People can have a lot of trouble staying close,” says Joyce Catlett, author of Sex and Love in Intimate Relationships. “They get into relationships and think they’re automatically going to know how to make everything work, but figuring out how to stay passionate together is really a skill.” But luckily, these are skills that anyone can learn. Here are six habits that you’d do well to adopt if you want your date to become your happily-ever-after mate.

Habit #1: Catch romance where you can“You may start out with champagne and roses, but the likelihood of being able to sustain that feeling with a busy schedule is pretty unlikely,” says JoAnn Magdoff, Ph.D., a New York City-based psychotherapist. Successful couples learn to build a bubble of romance at unexpected times – during their daily commute, while doing laundry – and in low-impact ways, whether that be a long, lingering smooch or just holding hands. In other words, the next time you hear yourself say “Oh, look, we’ve got 15 minutes to ourselves,” make use of it—that’s what keeps the spark alive.

Habit #2: Fight fair
Believe it or not, learning to fight right is an important part of keeping chemistry alive. Why? Because if you are constantly cutting each other down, it’s hard to feel mutually amorous. “There is no such thing as a relationship without disagreements,” says David Wygant, author of Always Talk to Strangers. “But if there is an understanding that your partner can come to you with any dissension without being attacked, you will have an honest relationship comprised of ‘open discussions’ rather than ‘fights.’” Debra Tobias, who has been happily married for almost 10 years to her husband Steve, agrees. “Steve and I have learned to listen to each other when we’re upset and we admit when we’re wrong,” says Tobias. “We also make a rule of never, ever saying ‘I told you so’ no matter how much we might want to say it.” The result is that their chemistry doesn’t wane because they never let their arguments escalate to a personal level. Focus on the issue at hand instead of throwing verbal punches.

Habit #3: Nurture your separate selves
Going off to your book club when your sweetie’s out golfing isn’t a sign you two are drifting apart. On the contrary, developing individual interests allows for a richer life as a couple. By taking little “couple breaks,” you gain a greater appreciation of the gifts your partner brings to your life and you have more to offer as well. “It’s very sexy to be independent sometimes,” says Magdoff. “You feel better about yourself and you’re less demanding of your partner when you’re together.” After all, taking some personal responsibility for your own well-being relieves the other person of the pressure to “provide” happiness—so go ahead and nurture some solo adventures. That’ll also keep each of you stocked with plenty of adventures to chat about, which also builds your bond.

Habit #4: Take on a project together
Separate interests aside, exploring new ground together is also important since it strengthens your history of shared experiences. Jo Smith and her husband of four years found this out when they committed to running their first 10K together. “We were training together, carbo-loading and hydrating together, running the race together and ultimately succeeding together when we both finished,” says Smith. “It brought a whole new level of closeness to our relationship because of the time we spent learning as a duo during this endeavor.” Couples who take on adventures together get a sense of daring and accomplishment that can really kick up their chemistry!

Habit #5: Don’t let your sex life slide
No doubt about it, couples with healthy sex lives have no problem keeping chemistry cooking. (That whole “couples’ sex lives naturally fade over time” excuse? Not true.) The trick to injecting more electricity into a lagging love life has to do with trying new things—sure, it can be easy to work on tricks and techniques when you first meet, but people’s preferences can, and do, change over time. “In interviewing people on the topic of sexuality, it became clear that the couples who were the most satisfied sexually were also the ones who were open to some experimentation,” says Catlett. This isn’t to say you suddenly have to become a wild thing, though. Even returning to the basics you may have abandoned along the way – lots of kissing and eye contact, for example – can make the usual encounter feel very different… and much more intimate.

Habit #6: Engage in some mutual admiration
In order for chemistry between two people to thrive, there needs to be mutual respect. “It’s about putting yourself in the role of an observer of your partner,” says Magdoff. “Watch them “perform” – I’m not saying they need to do a song and dance for you – just pay attention to the everyday things that remind you why you find them so special.” Then, make it a point to lob compliments their way. “A good exercise is to occasionally create a mental list of the qualities you dig about your partner, and to occasionally share one of your thoughts with the one you love,” says Wygant. Because the reality is, you’ll always want to be around someone who thinks you’re fantastic.

Kimberly Dawn Neumann is a New York City-based writer whose work has appeared in such publications as Cosmopolitan, Redbook, and Fitness.

Related Links and Tadias Stories:

In a Relationship Sex is the Key. By Dr. Tseday Aberra

From Mik Awake’s blog: Unusually Tired

Publisher’s Note: Mik Awake is a contributing editor of Tadias
Magazine. He lives in Brooklyn, New York. The following commentary
is from his personal blog.

The Brain Drain in Action

I get this Ethiopian news feed on my rss, and whenever I click through I end up at this pretty suspect site called Ethioblog, which is somehow related to a fairly reputable Ethiopian news site called Nazret.com.

The articles are straightforward, if mundane; I get the feeling they pretty much run a Google news search on the word “ethiopia” or “ethiopian” and then they post the first ten links or so. Most of the time, it’s crappy stuff about Ethiopian guys in Kentucky getting arrested for robbery. But as with many sites I visit, more than the actual articles, I find that I spend more time reading the comments to them.

Can I just put this out there: there are some crazy fucking Ethiopians with internet access. You don’t believe me? Read on!

Below are excerpts from a string of comments written by various people to a single post on this Ethioblog site. I have rendered them exactly as they appear on the site, spelling mistakes, emoticons and all. Very important to keep in mind: the original post everyone’s responding to is about how a newspaper in Addis Ababa INCORRECTLY stated that 50 Cent and Janet Jackson would be performing at the heavily-anticipated millennium celebration in Ethiopia, which will occur in September of this year.

(N.B. Ethiopia runs on an ancient calendar that’s seven years behind the Western one, and Ethiopian New Year has always fallen, coincidentally, on September 11. Perhaps it’s no surprise that in recent years Ethiopians–with our swarthy, Semitic looks and our Arabic-sounding language–have tried to keep stateside celebrations on the low-low.)

What I love about the comments, which are usually written in all caps with emphatic syntax and punctuation, is the vehemence with which they all seem to be written. You get the sense that whoever wrote them was gnashing his teeth and pounding out the words on a keyboard, the space bar splitting in half. So, it’s not unusual to read a comment in response to an article, say, about Ethiopia’s Prime Minister that reads: “Death to the rotten Meles vampire and all of the Tigray tribe. Blood of their children will be drink by winners of democracy.”

Anyway, just so that this is clear, I have to repeat it. The article these comments are responding to is about how Fifty and Janet will most likely NOT (I repeat, NOT) be performing in Ethiopia.

People complain about the great brain drains that are afflicting many developing nations like Ethiopia. Sadly, after reading these, I think they might be on to something.

Sigh…

“That is what i call millenium.”

“I dought it that they will go in to their grave.”

“Go 50 cent and show them whats up for my ppl and yo will be remember forever.”

“how about country music ? that is for G”

“I heard the rapper Game and Jarule going to be there too, Fidy needs to watch his back..ain’t no Federal police going to help him.”

[Mik: Halfway down the page, where at last count there were 24 comments, a person simply identified as “Man” left a message that seemed to redeem everything that came before it. Here’s what he said:]

“lol send John bolton, thats what ethios love…not 50.”

[Mik: At first, when I read this, I was thinking, Wow, that’s a bit cryptic, but pretty deep. You want America to send the cantankerous Bush crony, John R. Bolton, who was the US Ambassador to the UN during the lead-up to Iraq? Are you being serious or sarcastic? Why do Ethiopians love him? Do you think Ethiopians want to give him a talking to? Do you want him to explain why he resigned in 2006 after Bush offered him another position? Please don’t leave us hanging, Man!]

[Mik: Then he ruined everything by commenting again.]

Man: “I meant michael bolton…the dead singer….”

[Mik: Sigh. Regardless of what people on hold or in elevators may wish, Michael Bolton is still alive.]

“Fifty don’t risk your life in Addis. There are many angry people over there. It is going to be heavy. Heavier than New York street. We have got a lot of time bombs to waiting to pop up. Some don’t see it coming…Soda Pop. Da Da”

“who gives a dum”

“That is a good expectation.Welcom both of you for the biggest ever event in Ethiopian history, the millennium festival. I can’t wait to happen it.”

—————————-//——————————————-
Message From the Tadias Team

Dear Tadias Reader:

We are happy to share that it is finally here!! We would love to send you the Print issue of our pre-millennium issue. It is the biggest and the best designed issue we have produced since the magazine was conceived four years ago. We are also happy to announce that we will be traveling to Addis to producing a special Millennium issue from Ethiopia in September. Please subscribe to Tadias for an annual payment of only $19.99. Click Here

Best Regards,
The Tadias Team
—————————————//———————————

In a Relationship Sex is the Key

By Dr. Tseday Aberra

Nature has decided that men are more susceptible to sex than women. Women are blessed with taming their sexual appetites far efficiently than men. So when you ask women why they marry, they tell you it is for the affection and companionship. Men also tell you for companionship, but it is primarily for the availability of sex. Affection and companionship in a marriage includes sex for men. But I’m not so sure it is so for women.

People say marriage is difficult. Wrong. I say a husband and a wife make it difficult. Marriage is difficult for anyone who fails to understand what it means to be in one, and what it takes to make it fulfilling. It takes commitment and work, indeed, but it is certainly not difficult. At least it does not have to be.

Marriage requires understanding. It is an agreement based on an understanding between a husband and a wife. It is an entity that is created in order to give them meaning that otherwise does not exist. This meaning is completely subjective since its foundation is based on the unique agreement created by the two in the marriage. It requires both to participate and contribute willingly and completely. Otherwise, it would not exist in fulfilling form.

No one can definitely tell you what marriage is and what it is suppose to mean other than what I have just told you. You make of it what you want. The difficulty that comes with this freedom is knowing the limitations of what you can make of it. You cannot make it yours nor can he make it his. It belongs to you both. Once it is created, it has its own life and its purpose is to give you meaning. To create it, however, both of you are required to provide certain instruments that will keep it alive and fulfilling. These instruments are not negotiable. Among all of them, the most important is sex.

When a husband and wife decide to settle down, after having picked a mate of their choosing, what they do to keep each other depends on how committed they are to fulfilling the agreement. Their commitment in contributing the necessary instruments in giving life to the marriage and maintaining its viability is most crucial.

Times have changed. The 21st century has leveled the playing field so that the only thing a husband and a wife require from each other is companionship. The one element that will not be equalized, however, is a husband’s need to go to his wife for sex. Therefore, a husband comes into a marriage, having lost all his bargaining power, with a promise of one thing and one thing only: sexual companionship. A wife who is committed to her marriage ought to know the position of her husband. She ought to know his predicament. Being in a powerful position, a wife ought to know her husband is at her complete mercy. She also ought to know how she uses her power determines the vitality of the marriage.

If by some chance, a wife does not care to her husband’s needs enough and often, he will have a hard time acknowledging whether there is a relationship tailored to meet his benefits. Now remember, a husband comes into a marriage willingly, and should also be willing to give all that he has. He has volunteered to commit and participate. And in return, he expects sex. When I say all that the husband has to give, it encompasses all the instruments he contributes to create and maintain the marriage. A husband will not hold back whatever is needed to make his marriage a place of sanctity.

A wife comes into this marriage expecting affection and companionship. However, she has to come with a special instrument in particular. Yes, there are other instruments that she has to bring also, but…on a serious note…, she has to bring one thing…the IT…and the willingness to use IT and make IT available. Without going into detail what a husband brings as instruments to create and maintain a marriage because they are not as important as what the wife brings specifically, the instrument that a wife brings is by far the most essential piece of the marriage. The IT is sacred and essential. If you toy with IT, you will lose the marriage. If you hold on to IT, you will lose the marriage. If you ration IT, you will lose the marriage. Guaranteed!

Having already lost his bargaining power, a husband comes into the marriage knowing and hating to be in a position where he has to rely completely on his wife for sex. When she rations sex, a husband learns that his dear wife is conniving, selfish, mean, but most of all, untrustworthy. He realizes that his wife holds all the cards of intimacy and that she can always put him back in his place. Not as a man but as a husband, he sadly realizes that he cannot rely on her. His trust is broken.

Very often a wife forgets that her vindictive behavior leaves a scar on her husband that she cannot remedy at a later time. After a fight, there is a whole lot of “forgiving” that takes place by both, but very little of “forgetting” by the husband especially. What your husband would not forget is that one of the most crucial instruments that is required to create and maintain a fulfilling marriage is actually negotiable, and that it depends on the whimsy of a wife that he just found out to be conniving, selfish, and mean.

Let me tell you, dear wife, once such a doubt creeps into your husband, not only would you lose him, but definitely you would lose your marriage. Take it from me, there is no therapy in this world that will bring back the marriage.

Next time, before you decide to hold on to sex because you had a point to make, think a moment and realize what is REALLY at stake.

—————-

About the Author:
Ethiopian-born, Dr. Tseday Aberra, is a Clinical and Forensic Psychologist. She has a private practice in the greater Los Angeles area and also works for the California Department of Corrections. She holds M.S. in Marriage, Family, Child Counseling and A Psy.D. in Clinical Psychology. She is recognized as an expert by California Superior Courts and gives seminars nationwide on marriage, relationships, and friendship. She has made a guest appearance on Court TV.

If you would like to advertise with us, please send us an e-mail: info@tadias.com

Related Links and Tadias Stories:

Happy Couples: What’s Their Secret?

Above: She’s got brains, beauty and a serious sweet tooth.
Meet Jiitu Abraham. Recently, we had a chance to sit
down and chat with the Ethiopian beauty queen.

Tadias: How does it feel to be crowned “Miss Ethiopia World”?

Jiitu Abraham: I feel blessed and honored. I fasted for two months prior to the competition. I asked GOD to make it clear to me if I should go, or if it was just going to be a waste of my time. I didn’t actually buy my ticket until 3 days before the competition. I am honored because I am the first American-born Ethiopian to win this title.

I was happy to see that organizers such as Andy Abulime, and the competition’s judges, were progressive enough in their thinking to understand that you don’t have to be born in Ethiopia to be an Ethiopian. The country of your birth doesn’t prevent you from taking pride or interest in the country that raised the parent(s) who raised you.

While I have received a lot of negative feedback from many, I stand my ground in believing that to be Ethiopian is something that you are born being regardless of your birth country, not something that can be given or taken away from you. With all the children being born to Ethiopian parents in the US and other countries outside of Ethiopia, there is no way that I can or will allow someone to tell me that we are not real Ethiopians, or not Ethiopian enough. We might have had different experiences growing up but that is what is going to make us a more eclectic and successful community. If encouraged and supported properly, Ethiopians, from all backgrounds, can come together and fuse their different life experiences and knowledge to better the social, economic, and political situation in Ethiopia. Being born outside of Ethiopia was not our choice, neither is being Ethiopian. It just simply IS our reality.

Tadias: Who is your role model and why?

JA: I have different role models for different aspects of my life. As far as life goes, I don’t have to look far for a role model, because my parents, Abebe Abraham and Azenegash Hailu Abraham, are my role models. They have showed me through their actions that the only way to achieve your goals is through hard work and determination. They taught me that there is no speed-pass to success. True success can only be earned through hard work. They also made sure to instill in me the importance of trying to live your life for God, because without him nothing is possible.

When it comes to pursuing a career in entertainment, I would say my role model has been Will Smith. I specifically remember one interview he did for MTV, in which the reporter commented on his acting and rapping talents. Will replied, “I might not be the best actor or the best rapper, but one thing I can say for sure is that I am the most determined.” That day I made this statement my motto. I repeated this statement to myself over and over again while competing in Ethiopia. I was so nervous. I was full of self-doubt.

The girls were so beautiful and all I can remember thinking was “You are out of your league.” But I had to keep saying to myself, “You might not be the tallest, the skinniest or the prettiest, but you CAN be the most determined.” Repeating this statement to myself over and over and over again, coupled with the constant verbal affirmation of my parents is what allowed me to give 110% to pursuing a life-long dream.

Tadias: Where do you see yourself five years from now?

JA: In five years, I would like to see myself as the President/CEO of my own entertainment company. The company would be focused on International Americans. I would like to help shape the media’s image of first-generation immigrants, like myself. Our experiences growing up are unique and have yet to be focused on by mainstream media.

Tadias: Name three things you can’t live without… Okay, make it five.

JA: I am glad that you moved it up to five. I couldn’t narrow it down to three. First and foremost, I couldn’t live without my relationship with God. It is hard being young in the world today. There is so much more of a pull from the secular world than the religious one. It is easy for someone to get lost. I try to keep His word with me at all times, so hopefully when I am put in a tough position I can make a smart decision.

Secondly I would choose my family, my mom, Azenegash Hailu Abraham, my dad, Abebe Abraham, and my brother, Yohannes Abraham, a very handsome, Yale University student. They are my rock and my strength. I couldn’t go through all the ups and downs of life and pursue a career in the oftentimes fickle entertainment business, if I didn’t know that I will always have them there at the end.

Thirdly I would choose my friends, Dana, Betty, Tessi, Jen, Michelle, and Abbey, who are my extended family. They support me at my shows, encourage me to pursue my dreams, and most importantly, they are always there when I need to take my mind off a hard day’s work, and just have fun!

My fourth choice would be sweets! Some people have a sweet tooth, I, on the other hand, have sweet teeth (plural). If it were up to me I would eat sweets for every meal. I know my health-nut mom is cringing at this statement, but it is true. While I do my best to heed the health advice of my mother, I have yet to allow a single day of my adult life to pass without sneaking in at least one piece of cake or chocolate.

Lastly I would chose playing. While I love to get dressed up for a night on the town, I enjoy playing more. I love nothing more than spending a whole Saturday or Sunday swimming in a local lake, hiking in West Virginia, or biking. Actually, I just got back from a 3-day, 184-mile bike ride from Cumberland, MD to Georgetown, DC. It was wearisome but I enjoyed the serenity of being outside, in nature, without the hustle and bustle of everyday life.

Tadias: Is there anything else you would like our readers to know?

JA: I was named “Honorary Ambassador of Goodwill to Israel.” While my father and I were in Israel, on a religious pilgrimage, the Minister of Tourism, Mr. Avraham Hirchson, presented me with the title “Honorary Ambassador of Goodwill to Israel.” I also got a chance to meet with Senator Barack Obama, United States Senator for Illinois, and discussed my mission as Miss Ethiopia World. We also discussed ways in which to seek and gather public support and recognition for the foundation supported by the Miss Ethiopia World title, the Ethiopian Life Foundation, and its causes.

Also, I am a senior anchor for ENBS (Ethiopian National Broadcasting Services). ENBS is currently the only Amharic and English language program focused on informing and educating the Ethiopian Community and interested public residing in the Washington, DC area. ENBS presents issues pertaining to Ethiopians, Ethiopia, and its surrounding African countries. The show airs every Saturday between 4-5pm on MHz Networks.

Photographs by Peter Palm

Tadias: Thank you, Brook, for taking your time to do this interview with us and congratulations for being our featured model on this issue. Please tell our readers when and how you started modeling?

Brook: Thank you, Tadias, for this interview and the opportunity to address your readers. It is a great honor to be this issue’s featured model in Tadias.

My modeling career started about five years ago following my brief involvement with a modeling contest search called “The Face of Africa”. I had been dreaming about modeling for a long time; but knew very little about the actual work and I certainly did not have any contacts to speak of. I entered the contest in Ethiopia just for fun, and to my delight, I was chosen as one of the two winners at the national level – from a talent pool of over 300 contestants!

In preparation for the regional contest in Uganda, we received very thorough training in all aspects of modeling: from makeup and hairdo to the catwalk and posing for the photo shoots. I learned so much in this short period during the photo shoot and had the most fun I ever had. I did not win in Uganda but I felt like a winner because by now I had fallen in love with modeling and discovered my passion.

Tadias: What are your interests and what do you enjoy doing the most?

Brook: My interests have revolved around modeling; I love fashion magazines; I don’t just look at the pages, I study each page, how well the fashion item is presented, the models’ make-up, their poses, their smiles, and what makes them stand out.

Tadias: What is the best part of being a model?

Brook: It is so much fun! I love the hectic activities backstage, the friendship among the models, and wearing beautiful clothes that I used to admire in magazines. I love the exciting atmosphere and my professional role in it. And then I always end up making new friends.

Tadias: What is the hard part for you?

Brook: The hard part is the inability to get the kind of work that can get you noticed by the top international agencies. It is a very competitive business as you know, but it is very frustrating when you can’t even get the opportunity to compete because of work permit issues and the like. I have worked hard to capture the attention of some important modeling agencies, only to be ruled out due to my foreign status.

Tadias: People tend to think that models have high self esteem because they have put themselves in that glamorous field. Is that true for you?

Brook: I think people have high self esteem because they have been raised in a loving environment that nurtured and supported them. Authentic self esteem comes from within and is independent of glamour and glitter. I have been blessed with a network of family and friends that believes in me no matter what field I choose.

Tadias: What is your career ambition and where do you see yourself 5 years from now?

Brook: My ambition is to achieve my highest potential in the career that I love and enjoy. Five years from now, I see myself as a top model on international runways. I am certain that I will achieve my dream because I believe in myself and I am prepared to work hard and do whatever it takes to succeed.

Tadias: Who is your role model and why?

Brook: That’s easy! My ultimate role model and inspiration is Liya Kebede, an Ethiopian success story, international supermodel for top designers, the “Face of Estee Lauder”, wife and mother of two, humanitarian who gives back to Ethiopia, and still humble. She is beautiful inside and out, and I am so proud of her. When it gets a little tough for me, I just remember Liya and I’m encouraged to keep going.

Tadias: Name three things that you can’t live without…ok make it four.

Brook: I can’t think of THINGS that I couldn’t live without. But clearly, my lifeline is my family and friends whom I love and who love me back unconditionally. Of course, my passion for fashion and modeling comes next. I love all kinds of fashion and I love to experiment with my own creations, combining different pieces and coming up with entirely different looks. Next on my list would be Ethiopian food; my soul-food. Last, but not least, I couldn’t live without laughter. I love to laugh and even when things get rough, I remember not to take myself too seriously and laugh at the circumstances.

Tadias: If people from the fashion industry want to get in touch with you for work, how can they reach you?

Brook: For now my primary means of contact remains my email address, bruktawitk@yahoo.com. God willing, I’ll join the ranks and have an agent to represent me in the future.

Tadias: Is there anything else that you would like our readers to know?

Brook: I want to express my gratitude to your readers for their show of interest in me and my career. I recognize the importance of your support in this business. It keeps me humble while at the same time it encourages me to succeed and honor your readers as well.