Ujamaa Place: A Black Man’s Sketch

S2, E7: Meet Interim CEO Michael Belton

A Black Man's Sketch Season 2, Episode 7: Meet Interim CEO Michael Belton
Guest Bio
Belton has been a tireless advocate for the total elimination of racial and ethnic disparities and disproportions in Minnesota’s justice systems. He has encouraged focused-attention on creating culturally-rooted responses to youth of color, especially African American males.
Learn more about Ujamaa Place at: https://ujamaaplace.org.
 
 
 

S2, E6: Honoring Otis Zanders LIVE @ EJI, Montgomery, AL

Ujamaa Place traveled to the deep South on its second annual Ujamaanomics Civil Rights Research Experience, confronting the history of slavery in America and the disparities that remain in place today.   UCRRE 2022 explored “The Economics of Slavery and Lynching,” and how this history systemically perpetuates poverty and connects us to the present-day lynchings of George Floyd and Philando Castile, while navigating an economic system built on inequality that continues its linkage to the Transatlantic slave trade.
Ujamaa Men Mayo, Bryant and Royce host this episode honoring Otis Zanders at a special retirement luncheon at Equal Justice Initiative's Legacy Room in Montgomery, AL joined by a live audience.
 

S2, E5: Power Hour with Judith Ragir

Zen Priest, Ujamaa Place board member Judith Ragir wrote a book titled “Untangling Karma," where she wrote about traveling to Africa with Ujamaa Place in 2017. Judith tells the story of Melissa and the black women that raised her, where she found her connection with Black culture and where she found love, soul and acceptance.  Her book pays tribute to the women who raised her in a beautiful way.
 
 

S2, E4: Transformation from the Heart with Cyrus

Ujamaa Man Cyrus speaks openly about the pain, suffering, hope and determination during his transformation journey from Wisconsin to Minnesota  and what it means to be the first in his family to get a 4-year degree in Communications from Augsburg College. 
Listen to more episodes at: https://ujamaaplace.org/abms-podcast/ and get involved in transforming the lives of the most marginalized population in society.

S2, E3: Transformation with Kavon

Kavon takes us through his journey of transformation that started in 2019, from homeless and connected to the criminal justice system and his determination to turn his life around motivated by his love for his children and himself. Kavon discovered self love embracing the programs, coaches and love poured into him at Ujamaa Place.  Kavon was recently promoted to management with his current employer PepsiCo.

S2, E2: Juneteenth Commemorative Episode

A celebration of African American history, music, art and literature, featuring a special tribute to George Floyd and Philando Castile by Ta-coumba T. Aiken and Seitu Jones. Juneteenth Commemoration 2022 is in partnership with The City of St. Paul, Saint Paul Public Library, MN Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund, Ujamaa Place and OMG Studios.
Learn more at: https://ujamaaplace.org/juneteenth-2022/
An OMG Studios production. All rights reserved.

S2, E1: Commemorate Black History & Culture with Dr. Bernard Lafayette

A Black Man's Sketch podcast hosted by Ujamaa Place CEO Otis Zanders, featuring Dr. Bernard Lafayette, author of "In Peace and Freedom." ABMS S2, E1 starts with a Black History Commemoration reflection from Ujamaa Man Cedric and Coaches Darnell and Andre on "What gives them hope today?," followed by a discussion about voting rights with Kevin Lindsey, CEO of MN Humanities Center. 
Special guests' bios:
Dr. Bernard Lafayette 
Today’s special guest, Dr. Bernard Lafayette has led a life of service by putting his own life on the life to uphold the values and beliefs that all persons are created equal. A student activist in the Nashville, Tennessee, sit-in campaign of 1960, and a longtime staff member of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee(SNCC), Bernard Lafayette gained a reputation as a steadfast proponent of nonviolence before Martin Luther King offered him the position of program director of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) in 1967. Dr. Lafayette was born in Tampa, Florida, on 19 July 1940. In 1958 he moved to Nashville to attend American Baptist Theological Seminary. As a freshman, Lafayette began attending weekly meetings arranged by JamesLawson, a representative of the Fellowship of Reconciliation who had contacted King during the Montgomery bus boycott. Throughout 1958 and 1959, in partnership with Nashville’s SCLC affiliate, Lawson taught nonviolence techniques to Lafayette and his fellow Nashville students, including John Lewis, James Bevel, and DianeNash. Energized by Lawson’s classes and a weekend retreat at the Highlander Folk School, Dr. Lafayette and his friends began conducting sit-ins at segregated restaurants and businesses in 1959. When Ella Baker, under the auspices of SCLC, organized a conference of students on Easter weekend in 1960, Lafayette attended this conference that gave birth to SNCC. (Pronounced SNICK)
 
Kevin Lindsey
As former Commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Human Rights from 2011 to 2019, Mr. Lindsey led the department to prominence as a positive change agent across Minnesota and nationally, defeating a photo-id Minnesota constitutional amendment, ensuring passage of the ban-the-box law, overseeing the nation’s largest statewide school suspension settlement, and transforming how people think about diversity and inclusion.
In his current role as the CEO of the Minnesota Humanities, Kevin seeks to create a just society that is curious, connected, and compassionate by working to create equity within schools, developing humanities programs, and, when funding is made available, the Minnesota Humanities also provides grants to community cultural organizations.
Kevin received his J.D. and B.S. in Political Science from the University of Iowa, where as a student he served as editor-in-chief of the Iowa Law Review. He was honored by his alma mater with the 2017 Iowa Law Review Distinguished Alumni Award.

S1, E24: Virtual Celebration & Awards 2021

A message of gratitude from Ujamaa Place CEO Otis Zanders,
Welcome to our Virtual Celebration & Awards 2021.  Wow! Can you believe we’re just days away from the start of a new year. I don’t know about you, but it has me excited about new opportunities for learning, understanding, growing, and most importantly loving. Challenges were abundant in 2021, but the strides we made were greater. 
Bear with me while I reflect on how far we’ve come…
I, for one, experienced some personal health challenges in 2021. While I was out on medical leave, the staff at Ujamaa Place was forced to step up and fulfill my responsibilities in addition to their own work, which was already made more difficult by the pandemic. They rose to the occasion beyond what would have been expected of anyone in these circumstances, and I am forever grateful to them for it. This experience made us stronger as an organization, and we are eager to take the lessons and understanding gained in 2021 into 2022 and broaden our unconditional love and support of the most marginalized population in society, African American men, aged 18-30.
This year was not without sadness.  We lost a Ujamaa brother and member of our Ujamaa Music Group, Justin Langeslay aka “Ju$$ Lyfe,” who is remembered as kind, loving, respectful and full of life.
I just want to express my gratitude for you! THANK YOU for supporting Ujamaa Place over the years. We know none of this would be possible without the bold support of our community. Knowing that the community is supporting and cheering them on goes a long way for the Ujamaa Men on their transformation journey. I’m unaware of another organization in the country with culturally-centric transformative programming like Ujamaa Place. Know that you are the reason Ujamaa Place is what it is today. Because of your support of Ujamaa Place, you are forever part of the legacy of social justice and criminal justice reform, including but not limited to the re-imagination of what re-entry for formerly incarcerated individuals looks like, the implementation of alternative sentencing programs, and so much more amazing change that’s on the horizon. I hope you don’t take that lightly. You have helped change hearts and minds, and the world is a better place because of you.
Love + Blessings, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
Otis Zanders
Song Credits:
Looking 2 My Brother
Produced By KAJ Productions
Written By UMG
KAJ
Bayo
Young Light
Detrell Melodies
Ju$$Lyfe
Vocals Kip Blackshire
The Color Of My Skin
Produced By KAJ Productions
Written by UMG
KAJ
Bayo
Young Light
Detrell Melodies
JU$$Lyfe
Vocals Kip Blackshire
Film Production Credits:
Produced by: OMG Media Solutions
Film location: Studio B at Paisley Park
Ujamaa Music Group is a music program supported by Ujamaa Place.  All rights reserved. 2021
The final episode of "A Black Man's Sketch Season 2 is dedicated to the loving memory of Justin "Ju$$ Lyfe" Langeslay.  We remember Ju$$ Lyfe as kind, loving, respectful and super-talented. Thank you to the Ujamaa Men, coaches, staff and special guests for dedicating your time and talent to our podcast.  We are looking forward to releasing ABMS Season 3 in 2022! 
Happy New Year,
Monique Linder, Producer
OMG Studios