October 29th 2008—Ashara puts the icing on the rich cake of the western leg of the 41 Million Strong Tour

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Jacqui
About Jacqui

November 4, 2008

I was just about to head out in the morning to meet with Kris Adams of “Let Us Rise” and was eager to learn about their focus on post-election accountability. However, just as I was gearing up to leave my hotel room to meet her at her office, I received an email saying she had been laid low with a cold and couldn’t make it. I sympathized, as I had managed to be sick twice in these two weeks and I hardly ever get sick! Because the work of Let Us Rise is so exciting, I encourage folks who are interested in looking at innovative strategies for accountability to visit www.letusrise.org to learn about their work and watch video clips of their members sharing reflections.

Fortunately for me, from her sick bed Kris graciously recommended that I speak to Ashara Ekundayo, member of the Colorado Women’s Voters’ Circle initiative www.womensvotingcircles.com and she shared Ashara’s number. I immediately called Ashara and was delighted by her flexibility and willingness to link up pretty much instantaneously because I needed to be in Colorado Springs to catch my flight by 12:30pm and we spoke on the phone at around 10am. I was able to meet her by 11am in the historic Five Points area of Denver.

It is hard to put to words the vibrant spirit, character, and passion Ashara exuded as she spoke of the issues about which she cares– education and reproductive choice, her chosen path for civic engagement, and how she intertwines her culture work, her connection with youth and her justice lens. One really has to watch the footage of her interview to even begin to have a sense of Ashara. Please visit the WOCU You Tube Channel to hear the wisdom and feel the energy. J www.youtube.com/womenofcolorunited Also, please check out Ashara’s website at www.panafricanarts.org.