Saturday was an eventful day. After joining forces with Rotaract Club of Adentan & Blogging Ghana, I got to photograph my first blood-drive at the University of Ghana - Legon.

Pentagon Hall, Legon.

Donor card.

Biggest sport, gave blood with a smile!

Wikimedian people!

Blogging Ghana member gave blood!

At Accra Mall

Nat Health Service Officials at Accra Mall

Edward Tagoe showing off "@ttaaggooee" tee

@gamelmag!

Video Team Ghana Decides with @wizsharifa

Doc came through

The Blogging Ghana Crew at Uni of Ghana - Legon

Desmond and I were recipients of a Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc scholarship in high school and being Ghanaians, we've hit it off ever since. To say we've been partners in (positive) 'crime' is an understatement.
Last year, after a trip to Ghana, Des informed me he was starting a non-profit unity bridge initiative(an organization actively vested in making a change in the lives of the underprivileged youth in Ghana).
Due to my impossibly busy schedule (at the newspaper/radio station) I declined an invitation on the organization's board and volunteered to partner with him for the Holidays Books and lightly used Clothes Drive instead. Through ads on radio, we collected boxes full of items that will go towards helping single teenage mothers on the streets of Ghana's capital, Accra. itake photos est 1985 offered 20% on all photography contracts to donors. We'll be hosting another drive soon so stay tuned for details, after all the snazzy banner has already been made ;-)

Angelique Kidjo a Grammy Award-winning Beninoise singer-songwriter interacting with a fan during her performance.



Angelique interacting with the crowd and getting the audience to croon to the hook of her song.



John Legend, bottom right, applauds Angelique Kidjo after her outstanding performance.


Angelique Kidjo's phenomenal performance at the Africare Bishop Walker Dinner to honor John Legend.
I intern with Africare a non-profit that serves 25 countries in Africa and the dinner is one of the end-of-year programs to honor outstanding contributors to Africa's cause. Of course the D80 came along, it would be a travesty for me not to have taken pictures!

I am reminiscing about my time at UF and the fact that I have become the product of my experiences in Gainesville.
An invaluable lesson that will definitely serve me well was my exposure to cultural diversity. Not just in the text book sense of the word -more black or white people- but in the true appreciation of different cultures such as the Aztek & Mexika peoples.

As promised here is the audio slide show, it is pretty self explanatory. You can click on the four divergent arrows on the far right to view in full screen. Click on CHISPAS for more information about the group. Click here for President Obama's views on the Dream act.

During the latter part of spring this year a group of UF students from CHISPAS ( the Coalition of Hispanic Integrating Spanish Speakers through Advocacy and Service) advocated for the DREAM act to be passed by Congress. D.R.E.A.M. stands for the Development, Relief and Education of Alien Minors Act; I'm passionate about the issue and did a soundslide feature on the demonstration that day. Expect it soon.

When I left my research methods class yesterday, I noticed students with 'undocumented?' posted on their shirts. To someone else that may have easily been lost in translation. But to any immigrant or student with family members who don't have American citizenship, one would feel almost compelled to stop and find what the placards and protests are about. Maria & Marcos are members of CHISPAS at UF and the were creating awareness for the Dream Act; to allow undocumented high school graduates temporary residency to study in college or join the military. To the many amongst us, including myself, who came to the United States as children and have the potential to thrive given the opportunity to attend college, the Dream Act seems like a basic human right. I only hope the country's leaders and Congress sees so too.