Hopeful Harambee Kids

`

Our family has attended Harambee Summer Festival for the last 12 years of its 16 year existence. It is, without a doubt, one of the most important parts of our family's year, every year,  and it is a significant part of our family history.  The world of Harambee is weaved into the fabric of our family culture every single day of the year. 

We are a stronger family, we are a BETTER family, because of Harambee.

I cannot begin to state what Harambee has meant to my kids throughout the years.  7 days of being surrounded by other kids that get it ALL.  Get being black in a majority white country, get being adopted, get being adopted trans racially and internationally, get multi racial families, get special needs.  Those 7 days make the other 358 days of the year bearable. Their friendships are life long and so, so important.  I am the mother I am, and my kids are the young men they are today, in large part because of our relationships at Harambee.

In a few short weeks we will join another 80 families for our week of camp.  Campers, Trailers, Tent's and loaded minivans will pour into beautiful Naramata, BC for a week of tears, laughter, fireside chats, football games going long after dusk and our precious family will be once again all together.  Counsellors will come to help support families struggling with attachment or racial issues.  Fana Soro and the Miyanda dancers (several of whom were Harambee kids originally) will come to share their talents and mentor youth.   The big kids, who were once the little kids,  will hang around with the little kids, who were once the babies and the circle of love and friendship will continue as if it was never broken.

And this same time, just down the road from camp, in Penticton, BC  Rihanna will be having a concert. RIHANNA.  OK, so this doesn't mean much to me but this does mean ALOT to the kids at camp.  Rihanna is someone that many Harambee kids see themselves reflected in.  A beautiful, black young woman with amazing talent, even if her history is somewhat complicated.  Just like our kids. 

Tickets start for this concert at $95.00 which means that for the vast majority of the kids coming to Harambee Camp, and their families, attendance won't be an option.  So us Harambee Moms are trying to put the word out.  I am not sure who you know or who, who you know, knows but if you possibly know anyone that would be willing to help out a great group of around 200 African Canadian and African American kids meet Rihanna, attend her rehearsal or even, possibly attend the concert we would appreciate help!

SUNFM is the sponsoring radio station  Def Jam  is her producer

It can't hurt to ask, right?