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LET’S FIND A WAY is a project of love, started in August 2006 with the hopes of bringing relief to those children either effected or infected by the HIV virus. Orphaned, left homeless, hungry or dying, these global children need our help and support. You are being asked and invited to the QUEEN ELISABETH THEATER IN Vancouver BC on the 12th of June 2010, Saturday. This is a fund raiser for our foundation and THE HAPPY LIVER SOCIETY of Vancouver. 1–RUTH MATHIANG–African vocals 2–SAMIDHA JOGLEKAR - Hindi vocals 3–DAVID MARACLE - Mohawk, Iroquoian - Celtic flutes - davidrmaracle.com 4–WALEED ABDULHAMID – Arabic - Electric Bass & Acoustic Guitar - myspace.com/waleedabdulhamid MUSICIANS 5–RICHARD GREENSPOON - Drums 6–RAVI NAIMPALLY - Tabla Ravi Naimpally was born in Kanpur , India 7–JOHN EBATA - Piano & Keyboard - myspace.com/johnebata 8–DEREK THORNE – Congas & Percussion - myspace.com/riddum 9–LAURENCE STEVENSON - Violin - myspace.com/laurencestevenson PLEASE WATCH FOR TICKETS AT TICKET MASTER

VOCALS

 

1–RUTH MATHIANG–African vocals

 

2–SAMIDHA JOGLEKAR - Hindi vocals

 

3–DAVID MARACLE - Mohawk, Iroquoian - Celtic flutes - davidrmaracle.com

 

4–WALEED ABDULHAMID – Arabic - Electric Bass & Acoustic Guitar - myspace.com/waleedabdulhamid

 

MUSICIANS

5–RICHARD GREENSPOON - Drums

 

6–RAVI NAIMPALLY - Tabla

 

Ravi Naimpally was born in Kanpur , India

 

7–JOHN EBATA - Piano & Keyboard - myspace.com/johnebata

 

8–DEREK THORNE – Congas & Percussion - myspace.com/riddum

 

9–LAURENCE STEVENSON - Violin - myspace.com/laurencestevenson

PHIL KOOCHIN

Phil grew up in British Columbia where he spent his youth forming and playing in many popular and successful bands. Over the years he has formed a bond of experience and creativity which has resulted in a diverse and unique repertoire of original music. His songs bridge musical genres effortlessly and reach across all boundaries to share a passion for music that can make a difference.

JENNIFER PODEMSKI

Jennifer Podemski, 34, is an award winning, Gemini nominated actress born and raised in Toronto, Canada. Since beginning her professional career at the age of 14, Jennifer has achieved great success as an actor in film, television and theater. Best known for her roles in Bruce McDonald’s acclaimed feature film Dance Me Outside, CBC’s The Rez, and Riverdale, Jennifer’s more recent work includes: CBC’s The Border; The award winning Showcase comedy series Moose TV where she starred along with Adam Beach, Degrassi TNG in her recurring role as Ms. Sauve; The Robber Bride starring Mary-Louise Parker and is currently working with author/screenwriter Paul Quarrington; who received the Governor General’s Award for his novel Whale Music; in his short film adaptation of his novel The Ravine.

Although acting has always been her passion, Jennifer began producing in 1998 and co-founded the Toronto based film and television production company Big Soul Productions with Laura J. Milliken. Since it’s inception, Big Soul Productions has produced award winning film and television programs including three seasons of the aboriginal youth role model series The Seventh Generation. In the summer of 2002, Jennifer and Laura developed the first dramatic series to be created, controlled and written by an all-aboriginal production team. Moccasin Flats aired for three seasons on two National Networks, The Aboriginal People’s Television Network and Showcase. Moccasin Flats aired to critical acclaim and received three Gemini nominations in 2006 including Best Series.

Despite a busy schedule, Jennifer dedicates a large part of her time to working with and mentoring youth. She has toured Canada and the U.S., speaking to Native youth and facilitating workshops in self-awareness, goal setting, performing, business, media and self-empowerment. She has facilitated over 500 workshops and continues to dedicate her time to strengthening the future by empowering youth to realize their potential.

WALEED ABDULHAMID

myspace.com/waleedabdulhamid
Waleed Abdulhamid is the project manager, music director and producer of the recording of Let”s Find A Way He is also responsible for recomposing the original song to the version that is now heard on the recording. Originally from Sudan , the multi-instrumentalist, composer, vocalist and producer, Waleed Abdulhamid, has been an active member of the Toronto music scene, since his arrival in Canada in 1992. He demonstrates his versatility on guitar, bass, drums, flute, harmonica, kirin, bass kirin, darabhuka, marimba, balimbo, congas, bongos, djembe, dumbek and tama. He is known for his striking vocals, his innovative bass technique and his speed and precision on percussion.
Waleed has played, toured and recorded with the pop/rock band, The Claymen, African band, AfroNubians, world jazz artist, Mosa Neshama and reggae band, Solid Rock. Most recently Waleed has played and recorded with David Clayton Thomas from the Grammy award winning band “Blood, Sweat & Tears as well as with the Motown Legend Band “The Drifters”.  He was a founding member of award-winning African bands, Tikisa, Radio Nomad and Balimbo. He has recorded with jazz bass player Paul Novotny, most recently on a Honda promotion, and with jazz pianists David Johanns and Joe Sealy. As music director Waleed has directed a series of shows at the Caliban Arts Theatre (Freedom Live), Inner Stage, and various dance companies. He has also worked extensively as a studio musician and arranger with many local R&B bands.
Waleed is also renown for his teaching abilities. He teaches a “World of Music” at Hart House - University of Toronto, Toronto District School Board where he has taught music in various high schools, Full Circle Productions and private tutorials. He has also facilitated many workshops in different music schools.
Waleed has written, composed and produced music for several TV shows. This includes a series of documentaries for the Discovery Channel, a documentary about “Hajj” for CBC, the “11th hour” on CFTO and a series of documentaries for the History channel including “Lumamba”.
Waleed leads his award-winning African jazz band, Radio Nomad (Toronto African Music Awards, Band of the Year Award, 2000). He composed, arranged and produced all the material on Radio Nomad’s first album, “Kalam Jamil”, released in February 2000. He performs with Radio Nomad and as a freelance musician at venues and festivals across Canada. He has appeared at Canadian festivals such as Festival International de Jazz de Montreal, The Downtown Jazz Festivals of Toronto, Halifax and Vancouver, The Toronto Street Festival, Afrofest (Queenspark), the CJRT Colour of Jazz Festival (Ontario Place), Rhythms of the World Festival and WOMAD (Harbourfront) of Toronto, the Vancouver Downtown Festival, the Atlantic Festival and the Hillside Festival.
Waleed was born in Sudan in 1968. He began performing at the age of 6, when he appeared on a popular weekly children’s television show and on a radio show in Sudan. Before leaving Sudan in 1989, he toured across his country, as well as Egypt, Syria, Kuwait and Emirate. Waleed was known for bringing traditional rhythms into popular music in Sudan. Many percussionists across the country emulated his unique percussion style. He played with top bands and singers in the region, such as Egd Ejelad, Abdulkarim Kably, Khalil Ismail and Mohamed Alamin. Egd Ejelad was responsible for bringing traditional music from ethnic groups all over Sudan and a strong message on social issues to the city centres. When he left Sudan at age 18, he performed, recorded and toured extensively, appearing at major music festivals in Stockholm, Copenhagen, Frankfurt, Oslo, as well as in Finland and Iceland.

Waleed Abdulhamid
245 Dunn Ave., Apt. 607
Toronto, Ont., Canada, M6K 1S6

BOONAA MOHAMMED

As a youth activist, Boonaa Mohammed has taken leadership roles in organizations such as the Black Youth Coalition Against Violence, B.L.O.C.K. headz, and the Toronto Youth Cabinet. He has won numerous poetry slams around Toronto and he has been featured in the historical When Brothers Speak a spoken word concert. Boonaa was a member of Team Toronto in the Canadian Festival of Spoken Words, and is currently touring high schools with the Stolen From Africa movement.

HANAN ABDULMALIK

Hanan Abdulmalik joined the Parliamentary Centre as a consultant in January, and continues her work in the capacity of Program Officer since April 2004. The focus of most of her work is in the Ethiopia Parliamentary Capacity Development Project. Ms. Abdulmalik’s interest in community and international development has led her to a management consulting position in the Office of the Executive Secretary of the United Nations Economic Commission of Africa, consultancy at the Program Support Unit of CIDA in Ethiopia, as well as numerous community and volunteer work in Canada as well as Ethiopia.

Ms. Abdulmalik has lived extensively in Egypt, U.K, Canada and Ethiopia and speaks English, Amharic, Harari, and Arabic.

Hanan holds a BA in Economics and Computer Science from the University of Toronto.

CLEM (MANGA)MARSHALL

About Clem Marshall:
Clem Marshall is an educator who makes his focus language, culture, ancestry and race. As president of MangaCom Inc., he provides a range of equity-enhancing services in education, organizational change and the arts. Presently, his work takes him across Canada and the USA as a consultant to public school boards and independent schools engaged in developing anti-racist and diversity curricula. In his work he draws on his experience as a classroom teacher with the Toronto Board of Education in French, Labor History and ESL ranging from kindergarten to high school for over fifteen years. His article “When the Picture Becomes the Frame” in the popular teacher-education text Beyond Heroes and Holidays: A Practical Guide to K-12 Anti-Racist Multicultural Education And Staff Development

He is a graduate of the University of Toronto, The University of Saskatchewan and the Sorbonne. His M.A. thesis (UofT/OISE) is entitled: reflects insights gained from his work with students, colleagues and diverse communities. Du Mot Injuste Au Mot Juste: Count(er)ing the Costs of Black Holocausts. It addresses enduring legacies of historical genocidal forced exile and labor on populations of Afrikan ancestry across the globe. He is presently pursuing studies in the doctoral program in Communications with the European Graduate School in Saas-Fee, Wallis in Switzerland.

With his colleague, educator Enid Lee, he co-authored Kaleidoscope of Health, a training manual on cultural competence for the Ontario Hospital Association in 1993. In 2002, he authored the report Open Windows, Opening Doors: Ethnoracial/Ethnocultural Communities Addiction And Mental Health for the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health.

Lecturing at Atkinson College’s Department of Sociology earned him the honor of “Teacher of the Year” at York University in Toronto in 1996. In 2004 he taught Community Arts in the New Media Department at Ryerson University in Toronto. Clem Marshall has presented papers on panAfrikan education at the University of the West Indies in Jamaica, the University of Cape Town in South Africa and most recently at the University of Namibia in June 2005.

Clem Marshall also wrote and directed All Eyes On Africa , an educational documentary, in English and French, which introduces students to positive images of Afrikan history, culture and art. A graduate of l’Université Internationale de Théâtre at the University of Paris, he toured Europe with the troupe of Jean-Marie Serreau in Le Roi Christophe of Aimé Césaire. His presentations on Afrikan history and culture have been featured in the Royal Ontario Museum’s exposition, Into the Heart of Africa in 1989, and the prize-winning Ontario Science Centre program, A Question of Truth in 1997. He also designed and delivered a lecture series, Learning to Love Afrika and Her Art at the Art Gallery of Ontario in 2002. Clem Marshall is also regularly invited to be a member of juries of the Ontario Arts Council.

Among clients in anti-racist training, he lists the Ontario Ministry of Education, Orchard School in Indianapolis, the Canadian Pharmacy Association, and the Toronto YWCA, Ontario Public Service Employees Union and COSTI, a large, multicultural and immigrant service organization in Toronto.

He has written extensively on issues of panAfrikan education and liberation for Share, an influential Canadian weekly that reflects the interests and concerns of readers of Afrikan and Caribbean ancestry.

From the roots of this song comes a documentary that
shows the making of this international project, that unites the world to it’s cause.
We hope you enjoy it as much as we did producing it.

LET’S FIND A WAY”: SONG BRINGS HOPE FOR CHILDREN WITH AIDS

TORONTO WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 17TH Lets Find A Way is a labor of love or kenoronhkwa(in the Mohawk language of the Iroquois confederacy, it is the word for love medicine) that began with the hopes of bringing international attention and relief to children either affected or infected by the HIV virus. It’s a concern that reaches across borders, religions and political beliefs; never before have so many performers come together in song, from around the world, to raise awareness of the need for help in fighting this deadly disease. For more information please visit letsfindaway.ca.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

PHIL KOOCHIN

Phil grew up in British Columbia where he spent his youth forming and playing in many popular and successful bands. Over the years he has formed a bond of experience and creativity which has resulted in a diverse and unique repertoire of original music. His songs bridge musical genres effortlessly and reach across all boundaries to share a passion for music that can make a difference.

JENNIFER PODEMSKI

Jennifer Podemski, 34, is an award winning, Gemini nominated actress born and raised in Toronto, Canada. Since beginning her professional career at the age of 14, Jennifer has achieved great success as an actor in film, television and theater. Best known for her roles in Bruce McDonald’s acclaimed feature film Dance Me Outside, CBC’s The Rez, and Riverdale, Jennifer’s more recent work includes: CBC’s The Border; The award winning Showcase comedy series Moose TV where she starred along with Adam Beach, Degrassi TNG in her recurring role as Ms. Sauve; The Robber Bride starring Mary-Louise Parker and is currently working with author/screenwriter Paul Quarrington; who received the Governor General’s Award for his novel Whale Music; in his short film adaptation of his novel The Ravine.

Although acting has always been her passion, Jennifer began producing in 1998 and co-founded the Toronto based film and television production company Big Soul Productions with Laura J. Milliken. Since it’s inception, Big Soul Productions has produced award winning film and television programs including three seasons of the aboriginal youth role model series The Seventh Generation. In the summer of 2002, Jennifer and Laura developed the first dramatic series to be created, controlled and written by an all-aboriginal production team. Moccasin Flats aired for three seasons on two National Networks, The Aboriginal People’s Television Network and Showcase. Moccasin Flats aired to critical acclaim and received three Gemini nominations in 2006 including Best Series.

Despite a busy schedule, Jennifer dedicates a large part of her time to working with and mentoring youth. She has toured Canada and the U.S., speaking to Native youth and facilitating workshops in self-awareness, goal setting, performing, business, media and self-empowerment. She has facilitated over 500 workshops and continues to dedicate her time to strengthening the future by empowering youth to realize their potential.

WALEED ABDULHAMID

myspace.com/waleedabdulhamid
Waleed Abdulhamid is the project manager, music director and producer of the recording of Let”s Find A Way He is also responsible for recomposing the original song to the version that is now heard on the recording. Originally from Sudan , the multi-instrumentalist, composer, vocalist and producer has been an active member of the Toronto music scene since his arrival in Canada in 1992. Waleed leads his African jazz band, Radio Nomad which won Band of the Year at the Toronto African Music Awards in 2000. He has dedicated his time and talent for the love of the children of his home country.

BOONAA MOHAMMED

As a youth activist, Boonaa Mohammed has taken leadership roles in organizations such as the Black Youth Coalition Against Violence, B.L.O.C.K. headz, and the Toronto Youth Cabinet. He has won numerous poetry slams around Toronto and he has been featured in the historical When Brothers Speak a spoken word concert. Boonaa was a member of Team Toronto in the Canadian Festival of Spoken Words, and is currently touring high schools with the Stolen From Africa movement.

HANAN ABDULMALIK

Hanan Abdulmalik joined the Parliamentary Centre as a consultant in January, and continues her work in the capacity of Program Officer since April 2004. The focus of most of her work is in the Ethiopia Parliamentary Capacity Development Project. Ms. Abdulmalik’s interest in community and international development has led her to a management consulting position in the Office of the Executive Secretary of the United Nations Economic Commission of Africa, consultancy at the Program Support Unit of CIDA in Ethiopia, as well as numerous community and volunteer work in Canada as well as Ethiopia.

Ms. Abdulmalik has lived extensively in Egypt, U.K, Canada and Ethiopia and speaks English, Amharic, Harari, and Arabic.

Hanan holds a BA in Economics and Computer Science from the University of Toronto.

CLEM (MANGA)MARSHALL

About Clem Marshall:
Clem Marshall is an educator who makes his focus language, culture, ancestry and race. As president of MangaCom Inc., he provides a range of equity-enhancing services in education, organizational change and the arts. Presently, his work takes him across Canada and the USA as a consultant to public school boards and independent schools engaged in developing anti-racist and diversity curricula. In his work he draws on his experience as a classroom teacher with the Toronto Board of Education in French, Labor History and ESL ranging from kindergarten to high school for over fifteen years. His article “When the Picture Becomes the Frame” in the popular teacher-education text Beyond Heroes and Holidays: A Practical Guide to K-12 Anti-Racist Multicultural Education And Staff Development

He is a graduate of the University of Toronto, The University of Saskatchewan and the Sorbonne. His M.A. thesis (UofT/OISE) is entitled: reflects insights gained from his work with students, colleagues and diverse communities. Du Mot Injuste Au Mot Juste: Count(er)ing the Costs of Black Holocausts. It addresses enduring legacies of historical genocidal forced exile and labor on populations of Afrikan ancestry across the globe. He is presently pursuing studies in the doctoral program in Communications with the European Graduate School in Saas-Fee, Wallis in Switzerland.

With his colleague, educator Enid Lee, he co-authored Kaleidoscope of Health, a training manual on cultural competence for the Ontario Hospital Association in 1993. In 2002, he authored the report Open Windows, Opening Doors: Ethnoracial/Ethnocultural Communities Addiction And Mental Health for the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health.

Lecturing at Atkinson College’s Department of Sociology earned him the honor of “Teacher of the Year” at York University in Toronto in 1996. In 2004 he taught Community Arts in the New Media Department at Ryerson University in Toronto. Clem Marshall has presented papers on panAfrikan education at the University of the West Indies in Jamaica, the University of Cape Town in South Africa and most recently at the University of Namibia in June 2005.

Clem Marshall also wrote and directed All Eyes On Africa , an educational documentary, in English and French, which introduces students to positive images of Afrikan history, culture and art. A graduate of l’Université Internationale de Théâtre at the University of Paris, he toured Europe with the troupe of Jean-Marie Serreau in Le Roi Christophe of Aimé Césaire. His presentations on Afrikan history and culture have been featured in the Royal Ontario Museum’s exposition, Into the Heart of Africa in 1989, and the prize-winning Ontario Science Centre program, A Question of Truth in 1997. He also designed and delivered a lecture series, Learning to Love Afrika and Her Art at the Art Gallery of Ontario in 2002. Clem Marshall is also regularly invited to be a member of juries of the Ontario Arts Council.

Among clients in anti-racist training, he lists the Ontario Ministry of Education, Orchard School in Indianapolis, the Canadian Pharmacy Association, and the Toronto YWCA, Ontario Public Service Employees Union and COSTI, a large, multicultural and immigrant service organization in Toronto.

He has written extensively on issues of panAfrikan education and liberation for Share, an influential Canadian weekly that reflects the interests and concerns of readers of Afrikan and Caribbean ancestry.

From the roots of this song comes a documentary that
shows the making of this international project, that unites the world to it’s cause.
We hope you enjoy it as much as we did producing it.

LET’S FIND A WAY”: SONG BRINGS HOPE FOR CHILDREN WITH AIDS

TORONTO WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 17TH Lets Find A Way is a labor of love or kenoronhkwa(in the Mohawk language of the Iroquois confederacy, it is the word for love medicine) that began with the hopes of bringing international attention and relief to children either affected or infected by the HIV virus. It’s a concern that reaches across borders, religions and political beliefs; never before have so many performers come together in song, from around the world, to raise awareness of the need for help in fighting this deadly disease. For more information please visit letsfindaway.ca.

Let’s Find A Way Society gratefully acknowledges the support from the Producers of the CTV’s Corner Gas, David Livingstone and Empire New Media, TXN Installations, Arbor Records, iTunes, Napster, Rhapsody, mTraks, Robert Cooper and Helen Coxon.