First month of 2016 started off with a bang. I resolved, as I have for a while now to start the new year with a new mantra that develops on last year's #Deeper. And I remember sharing my train of thought with a close friend who expressed apprehension when "someone mentioned" #SelfLove. Thirty-plus days into the new year and I am convinced I couldn't have picked a better time to shape my decisions and actions. More on #SelfLove in a bit...

One of the positive results to committing to #Deeper is my engagement with +Global Shapers Accra. The Accra Hub is an entrepreneurs-packed group of young professionals who are passionate and have the potential to truly leave a positive impact on the world.

In 2015 I applied for, and we won, the opportunity to host #ShapingDavos in Accra on the topic "Building Trust in Public-Private Partnerships" (blog post here) this year the topic “Creating 75 million entrepreneurs, is it possible?

#ShapingDavos is a global phenomenon that connects 20 cities from around the world to discuss 10 topics related to the theme of the World Economic Forum’s Annual Meeting 2016 in Davos - Klosters. Our discussion points, contributions and recorded session will be part of the engagement world wide at www.shapingdavos.org

For-Profit Session: 3:30 - 4:30pm

Selorm Branttie - Mpedigree

Alloysius Attah - Farmerline - Kumasi Hub*

John Armah - Orios Group - Accra Hub*

Ruben Atekpe - Mecowa - WEF member and Accra Hub Founder*

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Social Impact Session: 4:45pm - 5:45pm 

Kim Green - Yes Ghana

Hassan Salih - MESH

Yaba Haffar - Teach for Ghana

Daniel Owusu - Cape Coast Hub*

William Senyo - Impact Hub Accra - Ho Hub*

Emmanuel Leslie Addae - TedX Accra

Elizabeth Patterson - GEIG Education Initiative - Kumasi Hub*

The conversations were insightful with video snippets here on some of the most memorable quotes #WEF16

Group picture 1

 

Group picture 2

To check out the full video: for-profit video link here and social enterprise here.

After our event sessions we plugged in to the World Economic forum to share contributions based on what was discussed.

  

I was honored to share nuggets of wisdom based on the fantastic contributions from the #ShapingDavos in Accra 2016 panelists. Full video here.

#Deeper ampa! We made sure we also had the video snippets contributing to the social media impact of our local events and I appreciate our sponsors and partners who made it possible to raise 5,500ghs in less than 1 week. #GamorLegacy

It is "Crazy Charley..." how time flies. I tried figuring out the first E.L. track I heard 3 years ago and One Ghana [For Your Pocket] sticks out vividly for two reasons: the catchy tune/witty lyrics and the Taxi -painted Bentley! I remember asking myself who IS this young rapper and why does he sound so familiar?

Elorm Adablah or EL was one of my seniors at Presbyterian Boys' Secondary School, go figure! Not only that, he and my Clerk House (2) mate Francis Kuma aka Foxy aka Jinx/Frank P were part of another  Ɔdadeɛ Jayso's Skillion rap group. Fast forward almost a decade later and E. L. is headlining his 2nd concert in tandem with his freshly released mixtape. B.A.R. II.

Working at +Y1079FM I got a complimentary copy of the new mixtape a few weeks back and it has been on rotation on my phone and in my car. My current two favorites:

Work 2: is a song is for all of us who can't/won't/don't know how to stop working, and when we do work that we are truly passionate about, we swear we haven't worked a day in our lives!

There is something melodic about "We No Dey Hear" and I'm impressed with Lil' Shaker's growth and appreciate getting introduced to Jo Cue on this mixtape. There is also a youthful irreverence and persistence that "We No Dey Hear" captures EL - "...dem talk wanna matter but we no dey hear." #CoolDudesUnite.

How many times have we (you and I) rep-ed New York on Alicia Keys/Jay-Z album, rep-ed Miami because Khaled & Pitbull or Chi-Town because of Common? Nope we aren't from there and this "get crunk" track sets me up nicely for any occasion. Riding with the boys? Wossop; I'm gonna kill this presentation and make these Cedis turn into Dollars real quick Wossop; fresh to death and ready to stunt on these girl(s) charley Wossop! EL mentions the neighborhoods I've lived in from North Kaneshie to Airport Residential. #MyGuy

To be fair, there are hard-hitting songs from hip-hop heads with versatile, lyrical tracks for all. These three resonated with my-everyday-life without me even trying hard.

Pictures at the Tigo Music #Bar2Concert below:

Trigmatic from #YFMGhana family

The B.A.R. himself: EL

Jayso before the crowd: #PioneerStatus

And now my personal fav videos taken with my iPhone 5c:

Saturday May 16th, turned out to be a packed day! After being a guest at many a MESH Confab, I was invited to speak at May 2015 edition and I was humbled and nervous at the same time. The last confab I attended, featured fellow  Ɔdadeɛ +Jayso Skillions, +Nicole Amarteifio  and +Yaw DK Osseo-Asare as speakers. It was insightful, informative and inspirational.

This year +Aisha Obuobi & +Joe Osae-Addo and I got to exchange ideas and engage with the MESH creative society.

Even though I was billed as a "YouTube Expert" I focused more on my personal storytelling journey as a multimedia journalists and made a case to encourage more digital Ghanaian content through collaboration.

A big shout-out to +Sed Tsegah  for taking this picture #MeshConfab2015

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After 5pm I dashed back to Legon to join in on the #DumsorMustStop vigil. I got to Tetteh Quarshie a little after 6pm to join in on the +yvonne nelson & other Ghanaian movie stars and celebrities led non-partisan protest to the country's electricity crisis.

                          

Wanlov "was there some"

Placards demand for a solution to #dumsor

Van Vicker, DKB and D-Black in attendance

Young professionals lamenting the electricity situation

Mr. Sam Mends (Omni media/Citi FM) speaking with the media

See boys.

Fellow Ɔdadeɛ 

Google REACH is a three-week intensive program aimed at bringing together innovators, developers, and entrepreneurs with mentors from Google to forge lasting relationships and turn ideas into reality. This year, for HuddleGH - YouTube workshops and consultations, three awesome Googlers +Gaurav Bhogale, +Christina Beveridge & +Ellen Eby spent 3 weeks with me in Accra as REACHstars! Highlights below:

Week 1:

On our way to our first school session at National Film & Television institute (NAFTI)

Attentive students: future filmmakers and media journalists

Always time for a selfie, yep E. A. Gamor - YouTube

Week 2:

Did you know University of Ghana - Legon has gone Google!

Christina Beveridge explaining advertising models on YT

Gaurav Bhogale before his famous ice-breaker "Big Bird Little Bird"

Excited to teach at University of Ghana - Legon

Week 3:

Presenting to a rapt audience at IPMC College of Technology

Do you YouTube? Why not? It is FREE!

Huddles +iSpace Foundation

New big screen +iSpace Foundation just for YouTube videos

Ellen Eby engaging with HuddleGH participants at iSpace Foundation, Osu

HuddleGH YouTube Community 2014

In-between & after all the work we found time to eat, fellowship ("chillop") and we picked up some awards!

Buka - guess who is eating what....

Halloween in Accra!

West Hills Mall Opening #REACHstars

West Hills mall - largest in West Africa

Look who picked up two Google Reach Global Awards - Emmanuel Agbeko Gamor #GamorLegacy

I get to positively surf the internet, especially YouTube for work and the daily. My new Chrome-cast device, a gift from a fellow Googler + Surfline (Ghana's 1st 4G LTE internet), also enables me watch videos on a large screen at my leisure.

I'm biased towards impressive Ghanaian music videos and lately, Sarkodie doesn't disappoint.

His track "Special Someone" produced by fellow Ɔdadeɛ Jayso & features one of my favorite Nigerian artist Burna Boy (see post about why Burna's my homeboy, here), and South Africa's latest hip-hop phenom Aka.

While watching the video though, I noticed prolific Ghanaian musician and hiplife artists Castro's cameo which led me to believe that this video was shot much earlier this year, or conspiracy theorists remarks that Castro isn't dead *side eye* . As much as I'd want him alive too, what would he have been doing all this while then? So many questions, so few answers.

For all things YouTube though (see what I did there), check out the HuddleGH YouTube online community I curate, here. If you are able to come through to the YouTube Huddles at iSpace on Thursdays, let us know huddlegh@ispacegh.com

Whistling to Sark's "Special Someone" as I exist stage left.

As a multimedia story teller & content creator, one of the projects that brings me immense joy is the YouTube Creator's Huddles at +iSpace Foundation . *Check out vibrant online community of huddlers, YouTube Creator's Huddle GH, here*

Dusted off my photoshop skills, thanks UF #GatorsAlways

Simply put: YouTube Creator's Huddles are open, collaborative, learning space for imaginative and hardworking young people to tell stories. The platform of choice being YouTube.  It has taken a few months to take off, but it has been an amazing journey thus far... words of inspiration that always resonate whenever I host a Thursday huddle are these: amazing happens when you truly collaboratively create with others, our successful output is exponentially rewarding...

Emmanuel Agbeko Gamor, YouTube Project Manager, Google Ghana

The launch of the huddles were beautifully photographed by +Michael Dakwa, Team Lead of team1000 words.

+Timothy Adei put together this really quick yet impressive video montage, for which I'm grateful. #YouTubeGH #HuddleGH #CollaborativeSuccess #team1000words

Plenty thanks to the Vim Squad, Google Ghana team members too.