BC Radio

Next on BC Radio:  Moeasy

Next on BC Radio:  Fassil Abebe, PR Director ESFNA

Time:  Thursday, May 20th, at 8:30 PM EST

The Ethiopian Sports Federation in North America (ESFNA) is a non-profit, tax-exempt organization founded in 1984 to promote amateur soccer and cultural events within the Ethiopian community in the North America. Its goals include providing positive role models for the youth, promoting goodwill between the Ethiopian communities in North America and creating a bridge where people from Ethiopia and North America can interact in a mutually beneficial manner. In addition to the sports event, the Federation also promotes cultural activities to provide opportunities for Americans to learn more about Ethiopia’s culture and history.

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Next on BC Radio: Tiberah Tsehai and Berhan Tsehai

Time:  Monday, May 17th, 8:30 PM EST

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Next on BC Radio:  Liya and Mahlet Endale

Date:  Wednesday, May 12th,

Time: 8:30 PM EST

Tune into BC Radio as Mahlet and Liya Endale will discuss their experience going back to Ethiopia for the first time and the many ways that Ethiopia had changed and the sureal case of culture shock they felt as they were suddenly thrust into a country which is home to them yet felt like they were visitors.  This is an experience that many Ethiopians go through the first time they visit Ethiopia after being away for a long time.

You can engage in the conversation and recount your experiences going back to your place of birth after being away for a long time by calling 571.257.7298 or you can send an email to info@browncondor.com to have your story recounted on the air by the host of BC Radio.  Tune into BC Radio at 8:30 PM Wednesday, May 12th to listen to what promises to be a very interesting and revealing discussion with Liya and Mahlet.

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Recorded Interview with Congressman Moran

On Wednesday, May 05, Congressman Jim Moran, Representative of the 8^th Congressional District of Virginia was interviewed LIVE on Brown Condor Radio (www.browncondor.com) by Teddy Fikre.

There are some politicians that will say anything to get elected by staying clear of the truths that need to be told.  Then there are public servants like Jim Moran who speak the truth that needs to heard irrespective of the consequences.   The interview with Congressman Jim Moran on BC Radio is the embodiment of this notion.  Congressman Jim Moran did not bite his tongue when it comes to issues that impact all communities, issues such as immigration, health care, and democratic reform in Ethiopia.

The common thread throughout the interview was Congressman’s ability to state the facts instead of hedging his bets.  Listen to the entire recorded interview by clicking on the link below or by clicking on the picture of the radio.

http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/6701989

click to listen to full interview

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Live on BC Radio today: Samuel Getachew at 2:30 PM EST

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Want to know the definition of audacity?  Try this on for size.  An Ethiopian running for City Council in a country he was not born in before he reaches the age of 40.  Who is this audacious?  Let me introduce you, his name is Samuel Getachew and he is running for the Ward 43 City Council in Toronto Canada.

I have a long history with Samuel; I always knew that his imagination was greater than his current station in life.  Samuel is the type who dares to dream, and then dares to work even harder for that dream.  I met Samuel in 2008 while campaigning for Obama.  His enthusiasm and dedication to getting Obama elected was unmatched, and considering that he lives in Canada I found it a bit odd that he would work so hard for a man who would never become his president.

What Id did not know is that Samuel was drawn to Obama because he shares in Obama’s audacity.  In Obama, he saw his own story, a story of never giving in to the pessimism of others, a story of dreaming big and taking an even bigger action.  Tune into BC Radio at 2:30 PM EST today and get a chance to hear about Samuel Getachew and his audacious dream.

To read more about Samuel Getachew go to:

http://www.tadias.com/04/08/2010/ethiopian-canadian-enters-city-council-race-in-toronto/

Live on BC Radio today: Liya and Mahlet Endale at 6:30 PM EST

click to view website

Liya and Mahlet are sister who live in Atlanta, GA.  They parterned up to create a book project that details the experiences of Ethiopians and Eritreans living in America. They collected submissions from Ethiopian and Eritrean Americans throughout the U.S. (and Canada) about what it means to be young and Ethiopian/Eritrean in the States (and Canada). They are currently wrapping up the review process . Tune in at 4:00 PM to find out more about their project and their passion.

Live on BC Radio today: Angel’a Thomas at 8:00 PM EST

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Meet Angel’a Thomas born to an Eritrean Mother and Hungarian Father in Germany and raised in CT. Her musical background began as a child performing in school choruses and theater, leading to the Conneticut Childrens Chorus at The Hart School of Music in Hartfield, CT with accredited conductor Doreen Rau. Angel’a learned to play the piano and the guitar at a young age and soon found herself attracted to poetry and then hip-hop.

Angel started collaborations with local artists and traveling to perform throughout the North East and South Eastern States .

At Central Conneticut State University, Angel’a started promoting concerts featuring main stream acts such as Beanie Sigel, Memphis Bleek, Freeway, Young Guns, DJ Craig G, DJ Green Lantern and many others.

Angel’a spent the early part of ’03 traveling to Europe after her mom passed, returning to NY to pursue her career, which is when she first connected with End Of the Weak.

Angel’a also has appeared in TV Shows such as 3rd Watch, Law & Order, Blind Date, BET’s The Deal and also the feature film Notorious.

Her work with Eodub has led to collaborations with Iron Solomon, Poison Pen, Breez Evahflowin, Vice Verses, George Burnz, Pro, Sarakana, Kay M ,Vanguard, Jess Jamez Figueroa, SOS, TP Big Beatz, Da Man Productions, Soze, AZ Blaze, Veks Madison, Hazhe and also Razah.

Angel’ a was the winner of the Shine with Stage Time contest presented by Duck Down & Luxurie by LRG in conjuction with Hot 97’s Who’s Next. Also she has preformed at the legendary Rock Steady Anniversary and many popular NYC venues such as High Line and Pyramid.

For bookings and more info:

angelworkin@gmail.com

click to see Teza

Do the Dew, Do the Teza

I immigrated from the country of my birth to America due to the repressive and menacing regime that was Mengistu and the Derg junta. Although I was only seven when I left Ethiopia, I remember the brief time I lived in Ethiopia as the most wonderful time of my life. I LOVED Ethiopia with my heart fully, I loved our people, our land, our pride and our culture.

As a child, I used to give speeches in front of perfect strangers about the beauty of Ethiopia. While my eyes were opened to the beauty of our land, my mind was blind to the hatred of the Derg regime. I never understood why people would always watch what they said, why there was a sense of foreboding and mistrust. I remember once we came upon a checkpoint where there were soldiers who stood guard with AK47s, and my mother was terrified until we passed the checkpoint—I was awed by the cool men in uniforms.

As repressive as the regime was, we lived in relative comfort in Ethiopia. We had a house, a car, and my father worked for the Ethiopian Airlines. My parents did everything that they could to make sure we had everything that they ever wished they had. My father bought us the best clothes from Italy or France whenever he left on a flight—oh and Nutella which I would always anticipate as soon as he got off the plane. And though it was probably a bit out of my parents budget, all three of my siblings were enrolled in Lycee. Thus, we lived in a relative lap of luxury.

That is until things started turning for the worse in Ethiopia during the war with Somalia. It was then that my father decided to take us out of the country for good. Though I won’t go into the saga of how we came to America, our lives turned upside down once we arrived in America. We went from Kitfo to Raman noodles, from Doro Wat to spam sandwiches, from Nutella to Snickers. My father went from working at Ethiopian Airlines—a workplace of continental pride in Africa—to working in parking lots, taxi cab, and seven-eleven all at the same time to put food on our table. Gone were the joys of anticipating his arrivals from abroad, replaced with memories of his back breaking work wearing his San Francisco 49ers hat which he always wore in the freezing winter months—a hat which I still have in my closet seven years after his passing.

So for me Teza is more than just a movie, it is a connection to my place of birth, it is a connection to my country, my home, and my father. It is a reminder of why we came to this country, and why my parents gave up all earthly possessions in Ethiopia to live a life of constant worries of mortgages, taxes, and uncertainties. So to me, Teza is more than a movie, it is a story of my life, it is a story of me.

So it is with this in mind that I write to encourage—no implore—each and every one of you to watch the movie Teza. It would not amaze me to find out that the majority of the people who watch Teza are non-Ethiopian. And that is a sad sad thing if that is the case. Being Ethiopian is not just a birth-right, you can’t celebrate Ethiopia and “Ethiopianism” only when you are at a club and take her for granted the rest of your time. I love to have a good time just like the next man or woman, but what does it gain your soul an inch to do eskesta the whole night when you are not willing to commit a couple hours of your time from your weekend to support a movie that was made by our fellow lion Haile Gerima–a story of US.

After a successful, eight-week theatrical engagement in Washington, D.C., Mypheduh Films, Inc. is pleased to announce that TEZA, the latest release from world-renowned, Ethiopian born, independent filmmaker Haile Gerima, and the makers of Sankofa, will launch its New York City exhibition at Lincoln Plaza Cinema, on Friday, April 2, 2010.

TEZA NYC PREMIERE
Friday, April 2, 2010
Lincoln Plaza Cinema
1886 Broadway (at 62nd Street).

For more info, please visit : http://tezathemovie.com/

Pass this on to anyone that is a true fan of Ethiopian movies

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Tears through Melodies

by Teddy Fikre

Let me recount a trying time

A trail of tears of my own

From Virginia to New York

The year was 2000

When I caught the Y2K bug

Bitten by the worse bug of all

A love bug that bit my heart

I had just broken up

With the love of my life

As a man I was confused

I tried to keep a stiff lip

I never knew I had emotions

I thought I was invincible

Suddenly the loss of my love

Made pain evident and visible

I was despondent and in despair

Trying to get out of disrepair

I was always the one in charge

Never let my emotion go

Then along came a true light

That pierced my protective might

Thus begins my tears though melodies

I began my plunge into the ex factor

The first year was eternal bliss

But then we began to fight

The day turned into night

I did not know how to communicate

In turn she did not know to reciprocate

Thus she told me the fateful words

Teddy, we can no longer be together

With those words the universe crumbled

The sky turned red with rage

Then my heart bled a crimson tide

For my love was now an ex

“It could all be so simple
But you’d rather make it hard
Loving you is like a battle
And we both end up with scars
Tell me, who I have to be
To get some reciprocity
No one loves you more than me
And no one ever will”

I could take it no more

I figured my pain was because of location

Thus I conjured up a road trip occasion

I called my sister in New York

And told her that I wanted to visit

Rahel told me no problem

That she would love to have me

Immediately I embarked on this trip

Three hundred and fifty nine miles

To see if I could go full circle

And find the one degree of me

On my way out I grabbed Lauryn Hill’s CD

Thinking I could get an education

Through L-Boogie’s Miseducation

Thus begins my tears though melodies

“Is this just a silly game
That forces you to act this way
Forces you to scream my name
Then pretend that you can’t stay
Tell me, who I have to be
To get some reciprocity
No one loves you more than me
And no one ever will”

I listened to track two ad nauseam

I went nauseous with sadness

Awaiting to be awoken from a bad dream

For four hours I listed continuously

As Lauryn Hill crooned about an ex factor

I hit repeat on this one song

And repeatedly listened to this sad melody

New Jersey Turnpike was my trail of tears

I left bits of me on the road to the Big City

My steering wheel covered in rain drops from my eyes

As I crossed over the Delaware Bridge

The bridge that I once called “our bridge”

My heart sank to the bottom

As this became my bridge to nowhere

For a long time since that time

Every time crossing over that bridge

Would take me back to that day

And for a long time afterwards

Driving to NY would be painful

Thus begins my tears though melodies

” No matter how I think we grow
You always seem to let me know
It ain’t workin’
It ain’t workin’
And when I try to walk away
You’d hurt yourself to make me stay
This is crazy
This is crazy”

My state of melancholy lasted indefinitely

My ex and I would for ten year reprise that song

We became a light switch

Continually going from light to darkness

Fighting what we both knew was true

We were not meant to be me and you

But we desperately wanted to make it work

And for that I emptied my pride and emotion

Trying to attain the keeping of my passion

When we were together pure ecstasy

When apart unadulterated agony

Thus begins my tears though melodies

“I keep letting you back in
How can I explain myself
As painful as this thing has been
I just can’t be with no one else
See I know what we got to do
You let go and I’ll let go too
‘Cause no one’s hurt me more than you
And no one ever will”

One day during the break

My line brother convinced me to step out

So we decided to go out to a Delta party

Upon the arrival I see a man weeping

Being weak of heart myself

I decide to console this man

I sit down with him and ask what was wrong

I offered him a cigarette to listen to his story

He told me how his wife left him

Ran off with another man

As he recounted this misery

He shed a tear from this torturous memory

I too had to fight back a tear

Of this stranger’s agony

As I lent him an ear

I figured that this happened recently

Maybe a month or two before

Curiosity got the better of me

So decided to make an inquiry

“Bruh when did this happen”

He looked up from a sob

He responded meekly

What he said would forever change me

His wife left him seven years ago

WHAT?!?!!

He got me out of my blues

I decided from that moment

That no more would I grieve for my ex

Thus begins my tears though melodies

“Care for me, care for me
I know you care for me”

I stopped listening to Lauryn Hill

That day I became a player

I started chasing women

Hoping to find happiness

In some strange woman’s panties

I flew to Atlanta started going to parties

Bought fake platinum chains

Broken heart Teddy was now emotionless

I tried to burry my pain in Hennessey

And laughed off my tears

Dashed away my fears

By being a pimp

Tried to stand up from sadness

By having copious one night stands

Made countless women pay

For the sins of the one who broke my heart

Lauryn was no longer my love Doctor

I started listening to bullshit hip hop

Sellouts talkin about chasing money and hoes

I became uneducated trying to learn a lesson

I should have listened to the word of Lauryn Hill instead

My music reflected a new me

An uncaring and unloving man

The second someone got close to me

In a flash I was gone

Thus begins my tears though melodies

“There for me, there for me
Said you’d be there for me”

See music is our mirror

It reflects the essence of us

What we listen to is who we are

For ages men and women have sought shelter

Through the elixir of a soothing melody

In due time I learned the moral of the story

In order to love someone

You have to love yourself first

Only when you love yourself exceedingly

And accept yourself fully

Can you truly find true love?

When you seek love from another

You are bound to find agony

This lesson some learn

And some continuously burn

So while I write continuously

To eradicate the pain

And wipe away the tears

Some chase happiness

Hoping to find fullness

And dull the hurt

Through empty bottles

And smoked out roaches

But no man is truly a man

Who thinks he is all powerful

To have never felt the sting of a lost love

A man only becomes one

When he has felt the blow of a broken heart

Thus begins my tears though melodies

“Give to me, give to me
Why won’t you live for me”

The answer to the riddle

It is quite simple

In order to find true love

First love yourself first

When you love you fully and exceedingly

Can you then learn to love someone else

And be happy to give to someone fully

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