New resolutions and the euphoria of a new year notwithstanding, 2021 has started off feeling like the B-side of a 2020-mixtape. 

The advent of a new strain of the COVID-19 virus, insurrection in the United States of America, and a continuing global economic crunch. And yet, there is hope. Hope when and finality to writing two thousand and twenty-one, that triggers a mental indication that we individually and collectively have the opportunity to turn a new leaf.

Amanda Gorman photo credit: USA Today

Of the press releases, news updates, and tweets during President Joe Biden & Vice President Kamala Harris’ inauguration, the quote that resonates with me was shared byThe Youngest Inaugural Poet in US History, Amanda Gorman: “There is always light if only we are brave enough to see it. If only we’re brave enough to be it.”

I’m walking into 2021 and I am claiming it, my eyes are wide open because my year is going to be lit!

By employing this energy as a personal mantra I am looking forward to framing the conversation I have with Heavy Chef’s January 2021 Event: The Futurists 2021 - What the Hell Just Happened? And What Now? with Bronwyn Williams & Dion Chang. Deets here.

As a moderator fostering this discussion, there are three buckets I am keen to share insights on, namely: health vulnerabilities - the Coronavirus pandemic; leadership disappointment: the global response to disseminating information, managing a shared crisis, and charting a clear, equitable vaccine distribution path moving forward; & economic challenges - the whittling down of opportunities and fractured world of work with millions of young people struggling to find jobs after years-investment of education/skills acquisition

Heavy Chef’s January 2021 Event: The Futurists 2021 — What the Hell Just Happened? And What Now?

Most critically, with Bronwyn and Dion, we shall explore our what now? moment. Personally, the emphasis is on community empowerment. Our communities are the foundations of our local industries as well as our national and international modes of commerce. During these challenging times with border closures to mitigate the virus; we need to ever more present, ever more community-focused, and up-lifting. After all, none of us can escape where we find ourselves at home; work, school, and other activities are all done from our homes, in our communities.

If there is a time to give, of our time, our talents and resources to those close to us (literally, in our communities), it is now. Eliu - God is here I interpret is unconditional love is here situates our actions, establishes our need for presence, and as I build on the idea of Eliu Gift Hub and practice. A rallying call for artisans, confectionary makers, and creatives to participate in the global economy, digitally and benefit from the ratification of the AfCFTA/continental trade agreement.

I’m excited to transition research, discussion, and empathetic listening into a real-life community-focused Africa to the world innovation process with the gift hub. Join here to participate.

Be well, be safe, be brave, be loved.

p.s. We are hiring! Research Assistant and Programs and Content Assistant - candidates should send their resumes to eagamor@4irAfrica.co

p.s.s. We (Google Podcast Creator’s program advisors) are purposefully building convergent opportunities, I am starting with the KukuZafest Podcasters Festival in 2021 to create alignment with a changing traditional to the digital broadcasting ecosystem. We hope that these efforts empower even more (sometimes marginalized) voices for positive impact.

Originally published to Unpacking Africa newsletter’s 15,000 + subscribers on Jan 26, 2021.

EdTech 🚨 Live at the EdTech Africa 2019 conference: buzz words “gamification” “3-D printing” “online platforms” “Data-driven” “manipulatives” “21st Century” and our all time fav “4IR” have joined us 💕@EduKanea #MosquitoClaps

Presenting on Digital Education & Vocational Training TVET in South Africa, Emmanuel Gamor

Team edu Kanea co-Founders Zinhle Mhkabela & Emmanuel Gamor

During the 2-day event, I facilitated a session to an experts-only audience on The Digital Education & Vocational Training in the South African context. It was an honor to be listed with the world's leading experts in Education Technology.

1000 World Class Experts, Emmanuel Agbeko Gamor, edu Kanea

It is always a super cool feeling to review a new phone before it hits the markets/shelves. Though I've owned other smartphone models, Samsung has been impressing me with their latest line of Galaxy devices.
Last November I tried my hands at the Samsung Galaxy Note 4 and was duly impressed, the super AMOLED display and Android OS (which has come pretty far since I switched to iOS) was a pleasant surprise. The stylus was incredibly responsive...wider screen....connection to wearable gear.... but this post is about the new Samsung Galaxy A5. Let me not get ahead of myself.

First thing that I noticed on the A5 was the metallic outer casing and the rounded edges. Surprisingly, the Galaxy A5 is way lighter than my iPhone 5c and quite noticeably so.

Holding the camera at the launch in Accra on January 30th, 2015.

The phone is incredibly fast and comes with 16GB of memory (2GB RAM) and an opportunity for you to upgrade to as much as you would like/can afford on an SD card...not bad, especially if you want to push movies, photos or music via Samsung's AllShare Play feature to a Samsung TV ( I own a ChromeCast so I get to push YouTube and a few others apps from my mobile devices as well).

As a photographer though, I honed in quickly on the picture taking features on the phone. If you are a stats feign this is what you'll get with the Samsung Galaxy A5:

• CMOS 13 MegaPixels for the primary (back) camera
• Geo-tagging (so you can let friends know of pictures taken in Korle-Gonno)
• Touch face, face detection & panorama (even more k3ch3)
• 1080p @30fps for video...charley in 1998 could phones do this...lemme check Google real quick and get back to you.

Alright so my favorite photo feature on this 50 inch screen device has to do with selfies. I take selfies all the time, see here. And with the selfie-stick craze...yes selfie-stick is a thing...the ability to take pictures by only showing your palm to the camera tickled the day light out of me; closing the deal for the Samsung A5 as a must have phone in my arsenal. With all the bells and whistles of a metallic casing, light-weight device run on Google Android's KitKat (yummie!) a perk like automated selfie was a welcome bonus.

The launch at the new Samsung office at Stanbic Heights was fun and friends caught on to my favorite feature

Samsung official demonstrating to the press at the launch

Deeper

My friend and YFM co-worker Caroline Sampson was fascinated on Sunday when I showed her the phone after church.

Got it right after a few tries #PalmSelfies with YFM's Caroline Sampson

The phone's estimated retail value is 1,500 ghs and at that price point, (my first monthly salary in Ghana for perspective at what most consider here to be a good job) the phone isn't cheap.

In conclusion though the Galaxy A5 is a fun, light weight smartphone that I can use to impress all the beautiful ladies. #A5lifestyle

Deeper* is my 2015 resolution to dig deeper into conversations, reviews and sentiments I share on-air or online.