(upbeat techno music playing)
- We've been celebrating the 11th year of
the Yong African Leaders Initiative
while uniting on a world front to support
young people's voices, actions,
and engagement for International Youth Day.
You can't have a celebration
without music and entertainment.
So it's time we shine a light on some of our artistic
youth leaders. My name is Wordsmith, and I'll be your host
alongside my partner, DJ Invisible.
We will be showcasing YALI artists' accomplishments
through music videos and performances.
DJ Invisible likes to call this the YALI mixtape.
I hope you enjoy the mix of artists and their stories.
First up is Grace Jerry.
She is a 2015 alumni of the Mandela Washington Fellowship,
a gospel singer,
and a disability rights activist from Nigeria.
Grace created the YALI Anthem and had the honor of
introducing Barack Obama during a gathering of 500 young
African leaders in 2015. Please enjoy.
- Thanks, Wordsmith. Let's go ahead
and get right into the music.
YALI 21 mixtape. Let's go, Grace Jerry!
♪ Yes we can show we can change the world ♪
(Scratching) Grace Jerry
♪ Yes we can show we can change the world ♪
♪ Yes we can show we can change Africa ♪
♪ It gon' happen, no ♪
♪ Yes it gon' happen, no ♪
♪ It's a world filled with darkness everywhere ♪
♪ But I see the light ♪
♪ Not from the north, the south, the east or the west ♪
♪ But from within you ♪
♪ Bring it out, let it shine ♪
♪ Bring it out, let it work ♪
♪ I see a great you, I see a great me, I see a great us ♪
♪ I see a great continent, I see great nations ♪
♪ I see people whose existence ♪
♪ Cannot afford to be ignored ♪
♪ Not by any nation of the world ♪
♪ Not by any race or tribe ♪
♪ I see great, I see great Africans as we emerge ♪
♪ Yes we can show we can change the world ♪
♪ Yes we can show we can change Africa ♪
♪ It gon' happen, no ♪
♪ Yes it gon' happen, no ♪
♪ It gon' happen, no ♪
♪ Believer, yeah yeah yeah ♪
♪ Cause it gon' happen, no ♪
♪ It gon' happen, no ♪
♪ Believe, believe, believe ♪
♪ Cause it gon' happen, no ♪
♪ It gon' happen, no ♪
- Yes indeed! Thanks Grace Jerry!
That's the way to get us started off.
Wordsmith, who we got coming up next?
- Next, we have Douglas Ogutu.
He is currently working on a project
for up and coming artists in the slums.
With the help of the YALI transformation fund,
the year long project will see young rappers
collaborate on a 12 track album.
It will be recorded and produced At Douglas's
Dow Music and Art Studio under the flagship program
Art for Leadership. Please enjoy.
(rooster crows)
(guitar plays)
- Douglas Ogutu! This is going in the right direction, YALI.
So check it out. We're going to keep this party going.
Wordsmith, who we got coming up next?
- Next, I would like to introduce Kawseei Mark.
He's a fellowship and YES alumni from Uganda
with a love for break dancing.
Orphaned at the age of 15 Kawseei had devoted his life
to helping kids who have went through
the same life experience. Today,
he works with local and international schools,
community centers, orphanages, prisons, drug rehabilitation
centers, children's homes, and more, so please enjoy.
- We got music. (speaks in foreign language)
One, two, three, four!
- 'Sup, y'all? My name is Kawseei Mark,
a YALI 2016 fellow from Uganda.
I want to give a very big, big shout out
to this great organization, the YALI network.
10 years, people!
- All right. That's my man right there. Kawseei Mark.
Yo, I've been working with him for months now
and did not know he was a b-boy and then he has skills
like that. I was warming up. I was getting ready to
challenge him. And then I saw in the video,
he was spinning on his head.
So I decided to back down because we'd have to call an
ambulance and we'll just keep it,
we'll keep the party moving.
And speaking of the medical profession, Wordsmith,
who we got coming up next?
- It's my pleasure to introduce our next YALI artist.
Doctor Chidzani Catherine Mbenge
won first prize at the YALI 10 poetry competition
and 2019 public management fellow.
She is currently completing her master in medicine,
specializing in public health medicine
at the University of Botswana.
She's a student mentor through Bound by Love and is involved
with community development projects in her home village
and Macomguane train organization. Please enjoy.
- Today I'll be reciting my poem
The Shy Girl who Refuses To Die Shy,
which just won first position at the YALI 10 competition
about the impacts that YALI had on my life.
Despite the palpitations, the stomach knots,
I breezed through leadership for YALI alumni.
I discovered that I can be a leader in my own right.
I do not have to pretend to be somebody else.
I can be the best version of myself.
Shy and (mumbles) I was born, but we cannot
judge a fish for its flying capabilities
when its strength is in swimming.
Harmony, responsibility, analytical developer,
persistence, are the key strengths that I can utilize.
Health, integrity, humility, empathy are the core values.
(ululation drowns out other sounds)
I speak about system strengthening and management.
I speak evidence based policies and interventions,
best practices from any leadership in management,
best practices from Atlanta,
home of the largest public health institute.
They inspire me and mesmerize me to see
the CDC. I dream of the public health institute
of CDC Botswana.
- Oh my goodness.
I'm so glad that you were able to catch up with me.
Nice to meet you.
- Thank you.
- Do you remember there was some noises
that were happening in the poem?
- Oh yeah, those are what you call ululations in Botswana.
So if you listen to any of our traditional poems,
we have somebody doing the ululations
after every stanza like (ululates).
- You had to do it right now.
You said you're not good at it.
I've never done it. Go for it. Come on.
- It's something like (ululates).
- (ululates)
- Yes! Something like that. (laughs)
- All right, Doc. So next time you do a poem, let me know.
And I'll be right there with you doing the ululations.
It's an honor for me to get a chance to talk to you.
I look forward to seeing you in person at some point
in time down the line.
- Thank you so much. Buh-bye! (laughs)
- Thanks again, Dr. C, you are amazing.
So next we're going to keep it going.
We only have time for one more.
So Wordsmith, who we got coming up next?
- Coming up next is Lamboginny.
He is a Nigerian singer and youth prison reformer
who mixes inspirational, uplifting lyrics with catchy,
Afro-beat rhythms. Lambo is also humanitarian
and has used his star power to advocate
for young people in prison in Nigeria.
His nonprofit called SALT, Saving All Lives Together,
raises money to bring music therapy programs
to Nigerian youth prisoners. Please enjoy.
♪ I believe in Africa ♪
♪ ♪ I believe in you ♪
♪ I believe in Africa ♪
♪ I believe in you, yeah ♪
♪ If we follow our eyes again ♪
♪ Like the stars gon' shine again ♪
♪ We may cry, but we'll smile again ♪
♪ Africa will rise again ♪
♪ Yes you can, yes I will ♪
♪ Fight my way through the stone ♪
♪ Yes I can, yes I will ♪
♪ With the children of the future ♪
♪ Yes I can, yes I will ♪
♪ It's your time to take control, take control ♪
♪ What are you waiting for ♪
♪ I believe in Africa ♪
♪ I believe in you ♪
♪ YALI, YALI, YALI ♪
♪ Young African leaders ♪
♪ YALI, YALI, YALI ♪
♪ Young African soldiers ♪
♪ YALI, YALI, YALI ♪
♪ Young African leaders ♪
♪ YALI, YALI, YALI ♪
♪ Young African soldiers ♪
♪ YALI, YALI, YALI ♪
♪ Young African leaders ♪
♪ YALI, YALI, YALI ♪
♪ Young African soldiers ♪
- Yes indeed. YALI 21. Let's go. I had a good time.
They're telling me that I have to stop playing music right
now, but I love playing music and the artists that were
performing were amazing. It just makes me feel good.
So from my man Wordsmith, DJ Invisible,
we both had a great time and appreciate everybody behind the
scenes that put this program together.
I'm going to play some more music. Let's go. YALI.
(Scratching)
YALI 21. My name is DJ Invisible,
from my man Wordsmith, peace!
♪ I believe in Africa ♪
♪ I believe in you, yeah ♪
♪ Ma ma ma ma ma ♪