One Journey Festival Announces Multicultural Lineup | June 29, 2019

    WASHINGTON DC, June 25, 2019 /24-7PressRelease/ -- One Journey recognizes the talents and resilience of refugees and displaced people throughout the world. We encourage communities to embrace those who have fled violence and persecution, in search of secure homes and brighter futures for themselves and their families. On June 29th, One Journey Festival returns to Washington, DC to celebrate how far they have come, on so many diverse paths, through a day-long event packed with art, food, music, dance, technology, and inspiring stories.

"The One Journey team has assembled an amazing lineup of singers, musicians, dancers, and speakers for the mainstage," says co-founder Wendy Chan. "They are refugees and immigrants from countries around the world. For many, their journeys and the hardships they have survived are the heart and soul of their creative lives."

The Festival is set to take place on the grounds of the National Cathedral from 11am to 6pm. The festival is free, family-friendly, and will happen, rain or shine. Three stages of packed performances will entertain and inspire festival goers, along with an international marketplace, immersive VR experiences, a take action tent, and family-friendly activities. More than 5,000 attendees are expected to attend.

One Journey Festival – Program Highlights

Music
•Jorge Glem & César Orozco – Grammy-nominated cuatro player, Jorge Glem, joins forces with Cuban-Venezuelan pianist, composer, César Orozco, for their special fusion of traditional Latin music and modern jazz
•Leftist – "The U.N. of hip-hop." Hailing from Afghanistan, Côte d'Ivoire, India, and Washington DC, Leftist delivers hip-hop, alternative rock and soul wrapped up into one
•Abraham Mwinda – "Inspired." This Congolese-born singer, songwriter, and rapper was raised in a Kenyan refugee camp, and shares his life experiences through powerfully compelling songs
•Pihcintu Multicultural Chorus – Their soul-stirring songs help restart young lives. This 23-strong, all-girls choir is made up of former refugees from around the globe
•Cheick Hamala Diabate – The "King of the n'goni", a West African lute and cousin of the banjo, Grammy-nominated Diabate merges his "griot" roots in Mali with American sounds
•Batalá Washington – Samba-reggae rhythms from this all-woman Afro-Brazilian band, "empowering women through drumming"
•The Tributary Project – Celebrating connection through music, Jaja, Joseck, Meera, and Rob blend the music of their roots in the Congo, Kenya, Mali, India and the Island of Brooklyn
•Megumi Saruhashi – From Carnegie Hall to refugee camps in the middle east, Brooklyn-based Japanese violinist and composer, Megumi, has delivered her music to people around the globe
•MENDÉ – This Puerto Rican musical group performs stirring folk sounds of the bomba and plena, featuring musicians and singers from across the island, plus Turkey and Mexico
•Stephane Detchou – Front man for local funk and soul band, AZTEC SUN, blends storytelling, neo-soul vocals and ambient rhythm guitar to produce an electric afro soul sound
•Fandango Son Cosita Seria – This musical group specializes in son jarocho, traditional string music combining Spanish, indigenous, and West African sounds with zapateado dancing

Dance
•Sokeo Ros – Celebrated hip-hop dancer, director, teacher, born in a Cambodian refugee camp in Thailand. His many award-winning theater pieces include From Refugee Camp to Project
•Maru Montero Dance Company – Washington, DC's premier Latin dance company, featuring traditional folk dance and modern dance
•Hussein Smko – Battery Dance spotted this self-taught dancer/choreographer from Iraq over social media. A survivor of five wars, Smko was the first recipient of the Adel Euro Campaign for Dancers Seeking Refuge
•Leila Mire Dance – Performer, choreographer, writer, educator, and now a company member of ClancyWorks dance company. Mire taught dance as physical therapy in Haiti
•Silk Road Dance Company – From the White House and Kennedy Center stage to the One Journey Festival, award-winning, critically acclaimed Silk Road Dance Company presents a global repertoire of dances from Asia, the Middle East, and beyond

Speakers/Storytellers
•Emi Mahmoud – Refugee from Sudan, acclaimed slam poet, activist, UN Goodwill Ambassador, and tireless advocate for refugees. "When your very existence is an act of defiance, live."
•Jay Abdo – A huge movie and TV star in the Middle East, Abdo fled Syria as a refugee, now he's rebuilding his career in movies with Tom Hanks and Nicole Kidman
•Karagöz Shadow Theater – Traditional Turkish shadow puppetry. Broadway-bound, Karagöz brings the magic of the "dream curtain" to the world
•Convergence Theatre – Powerful vignettes from "A New Nation" amplify the voices of immigrants and refugees to "challenge fear and strengthen our sense of home"

Many of the mainstage performers will share their stories with Festival goers on the One Journey Story Stage. Several styles of dance will also be taught throughout the day at the Studio Stage.

One Journey Festival 2019 is made possible by the generous support of our sponsors: Accenture, Mars Incorporated, APCO Worldwide, Episcopal Migration Ministries, Islamic Relief, Marymount University, New American Economy, NOVA Friends of Refugees, OneRefugee, St. George's Episcopal Church of Arlington VA, Starbucks, and Ultra Mobile.

About One Journey. One Journey is a grassroots alliance working to counter anti-refugee sentiment by shifting the narrative about refugees worldwide. We combat hate and fear by celebrating the talents and contributions of newcomers, reminding America of its own migrant roots, and connecting the public to organizations on the front lines of actively supporting refugees. We strive to build enduring allies for refugees and use cultural and technological tools to facilitate human connections between refugees and their host communities.

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