"Platform for Peace" Open Mic Nights at Ashkenaz Dance and Community Center - Photo Credit: Ivan Villasenor Madriz
By Laura Pucci, Psy.D.
President of Ik Onkar Peace Foundation
In January, it will have been a year since elders of Ik Onkar Peace Foundation, a Cooperation Circle of United Religions Initiative, passed the torch of leadership with the task of reaching the next generation. We have since joined with Ashkenaz Dance and Community Center in Berkeley to host their monthly open mic to provide an opportunity to cultivate peace and justice by engaging members of the East Bay community to bridge religious and cultural differences through performance of art and music and work together for the good of our community. Our ‘Platform for Peace’ is a grassroots effort to personify the mission of Ik Onkar Peace Foundation with intergenerational collaboration strongly encouraged and celebrated.
Our first featured artist on Mother’s Day was Mandeep Sethi, a socially conscious hip hop artist local to the Bay Area and recent winner of the American Indian Foundation Inaugural Arts Innovation Fund award. Our second featured artist, Richard and Dakota Dry, a father daughter duo joined us on Father’s Day to launch their summer tour. Dwayonna DreezyBaby-Antonette McBride and Loren Risley two artists from different cultural and musical backgrounds had never met before their collaboration “PEACE” at the second open mic which earned them the featured artist slot as Dreezy and The Great White Haole in the December “Platform for Peace.”
What began as a celebration of love within the homes of family members of Ashkenaz has grown beyond its walls stretching out into the East Bay community providing an opportunity for peaceful demonstration that comes at an important time in history. Doors opened in December on the same Sunday night many had taken to the streets to protest the deaths of Michael Brown and Eric Garner, as well as frustration about what many describe as the increasing militarization of local law enforcement agencies.
Now more than ever, with helicopters flying over our homes and wars raging around the world, it is imperative that we come together to cultivate peace and understanding between ages, races, religions, and nationalities. What better way to promote peace and harmony than through music, creative expression, and collaboration of strangers turned friends? Families who’ve entrusted the walls of Ashkenaz for over 30 years continue to bring out our next generation of citizens who will carry our torch of peace to their friends and the generations to follow.
Our turnout for all three events have been successful reaching the next generation whom are often more spiritual than religious while getting community members exposed to the mission of our foundation and excited to get involved in the work that we do. Our collaboration with leaders of next generation work with youth has provided an opportunity for youth to express their voices, creativity and empower them to advocate for change.
The next Open Mic at Ashkenaz:
Platform for Peace sponsored by Ik Onkar Peace Foundation will be on February 22, 2015 with featured artist, Los Ombligos. A local rock band from Berkeley, Los Ombligos are no strangers to community activism having recently performed at Mission Arts and Performance Project (MAPP) in San Francisco drawing a crowd of close to 200 like minded peaceful folks from all walks of life to enjoy the positive energy that comes from their sound. A fusion of latin funk reggae and rock come together to generate a sound of their own with members from Africa, South America and the Bay Area expanding their thoughts and ideas bringing a world view to their music, writing and their message.
Ashkenaz Dance and Community Center is located at 1317 San Pablo Ave in Berkeley, CA.
Check out our Facebook page Ashkenaz Open Mic Night or email [email protected] for more information.
We hope you can join us!
