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One of the signs of a healthy society is its ability to simultaneously preserve its culture and adapt to times. It involves safeguarding history and heritage while embracing new dynamism and innovations that are celebrated and renewed, bringing together people of common heritage, fostering exchange and understanding among them. Culture is the soul of a people. It influences the economy, nurtures values to be cherished, and it informs politics. It is inconceivable to pursue sustainable development without the intersection of cultural attributes. Broadening the conversation beyond performances to appreciate the impacts of culture and heritage on economic, intellectual, mental, social, and spiritual welfare is essential. Jah Kente International, Inc. lays groundwork and promotes systemic and sustainable development through the integration of arts, culture, heritage, and design into local strategies for strengthening communities.

R esponsible E quality S ensitizes P reserves E nriches C ultural T alent RESPECT On December 26, 2019, Jah Kente International, Inc previewed the Jah Kente International: RESPECT: Liddy's Lady and the Gentleman Youth Dinner Theatre. T he underlying goal promotes equal access to high quality theater with intercultural competency, social-emotional outcomes, physiological and cognitive growth, improved learning and health maintenance through arts that is researched-based. Read more in this mail and the debut in Summer 2020

The Guest of Honor was a Liddy (in the middle), a young artist putting her ideas and passion into action by using arts as a medium to foster positive change. On her 16th birthday, she stepped up and chose not to receive gifts but to donate to the creation of intercultural arts for young males and females (equal opportunity), especially in undeserved communities as a means to bring people together to inspire and implement the change they need.

For individuals and society, the arts is a valuable tool for discovering, exploring and interpreting reality. Our youths are not only exposed to the benefits of the arts, they experience arts in the productive context of living the examined life: what does this mean? what must I do?

It is a Community Affair! Jah Kente International is refining and retooling its Performing and Fine Arts Department by promoting childhood development, which includes social-emotional outcomes, physiological and cognitive growth. We will use research studies, more reliable and standardized measurement tools, and detailed measurement of the complex nature of the linkages, including its effects on learning and health maintenance.

The Jah Kente International RESPECT: Liddy's Lady and Gentleman Dinner Theatre takes place with high end dinning in an intimate setting with immediate feedback. The thrill of every performance is a mirror image of what is happening in society and expressed in compelling and instructive ways.

R esponsible E quality S ensitizes P reserves E nriches C ultural T alent RESPECT RESPECT Liddy's Lady and the Gentleman. It begins from the home, it takes the community to nurture it, and it requires standards that affirm culturally-oriented artistic productions by youths, male and female, with equal opportunity to excel in the creative industry. Jah Kente International RESPECT: Liddy's Lady and the Gentleman Youth Dinner Theatre is adaptable to experiences of local and international audiences. It is researched-based and combines fine dinning, a play, and associated presentations for participants to actualize their artistic talents. From Spring 2020, Jah Kente International will be hosting and sharing best practices on arts as a teaching tool for learning, economic empowerment, health maintenance through webinars, symposia, and published reports.  The debut of  Jah Kente International RESPECT: Liddy's Lady and the Gentleman is scheduled for Summer 2020.

Each actor and youth model received $50 for their ten minutes performance to open a bank account. This was designed as an early orientation for children to see value in their talent in an appreciative environment, and to link their creativity to earning a living as well as contributing to their socio-emotional and cognitive developments.

An integrated view of the arts is an essential component of cross- cultural communications. It connects academic and experiential practice of the arts, with interdisciplinary engagements, and the recognition that the arts is central to cultural identity and for international and intercultural development projects.

Fine arts involves creative expression that may convey an idea, emotion or exploration involving painting, sculpture, textiles, pottery, rock art, masks, personal decoration, jewelry, and more. Master teacher David Penn is bilingual and proficient in sign language. He prepares students to understand practices that are associated with the making of art to represent not only the outward appearance of creation, but also their inward significance, and to explore the fundamental idea connected to aesthetic, intellectual or intrinsic value of the production.

Chardelle Moore (left) demonstrates a dance number after her rendition of You are Da Plug! Chardelle Moore is a multidisciplinary artist, former model, a former Miss Caribbean Washington Area, an awarding winning television anchor, and former creative producer at FOX45 Baltimore, Maryland. Welcome Chardelle beginning in May 2020 as the Jah Kente International Inc.'s Special Instructor of Soft Skills, which are personal attributes and socioemotional intelligence that enable students to set and achieve their goals as well as to interact harmoniously with others in a given setting and life in general.

Chardelle (right) and Liddy (left). Liddy in her own words: "There are many distractions, and not enough focus on the problems around us.  Change is a more powerful  word than some people may realize. It is a clarion call to service and it generates opportunities for people as a whole to work together with conviction and compassion. These virtues reflect the kindness and socioemotional intelligence that are quite lacking in modern days. Service allows us as a community to put aside disagreements for the greater good of the cause." "But before attempting to persuade a group to engage in a project for positive change, you do need to take a moment to reflect on yourself-- if you’re performing services that contribute to the change you want to see in the world. That was the question I had to ask myself,” What am I doing? And what can I  do?” "It takes conviction, a deep belief to commit to accomplish something that is not just easy to do but what is necessary to do to improve conditions in society. It may take one idea to make a difference but it takes a whole lot of people to create a change, and a way we can help our world change for the better is through service and to help  others beyond only those we know."

" After I figured out that I wanted to start helping others, I brainstormed on what I could do to help. At the time I was just 13 years old and my range of talents were not that impressive, but something I did have was my voice.  In July 2018, at the historic Second Baptist Church in Washington, DC, which served as an Underground Railroad for slaves fleeing to freedom, I seized the opportunity to inspire and engage a multicultural audience, both adults and youths, on how young people can be encouraged and supported to channel our talents to bring about change. I offered my service as a youth keynote speaker for the Jah Kente International Sankofa Youth Education Exchange, Cultural and Leadership Immersion Pilot Project. It is a multidimensional project that encourages and offers young Americans exchange opportunities in Africa where they get involved in needed services that are implemented through hands-on community project. In the exchange, participants gain experience in world affairs and build friendship to promote a more peaceful world. The youths as the future can make this happen. I used the arts through music and sang a song called "Believe" to end my presentation." Liddy.

Heritage is who we are and what shapes our identity. The creative industry is a major contributor to economic growth and transformation. It is linked to prosperity when we see value in unique cultures with opportunities for making a living. Jah Kente International Inc. builds partnerships through shared practices and developments, including heritage and eco-tourism.

[Jah Kente International], 3807 New Hampshire Ave, NW, Washington, DC, 20011], [202-829-1160], [jahkente.org]