Is the Caribbean ready for crowd funding? Kenton Wyatt asks.

Kenton Wyatt , Director of Kendrum Music Academy in Brampton, Ontario has decided to test the philanthropy of Caribbean Music and Art lovers by going to Indiegogo (an online Crowd funding) site-http://bit.ly/15vHv7w - to raise the money he needs to take 12 young musicians to the International Festival of Arts- CARIFESTA in Suriname. So far, however, the response on his site has been lackluster. Between 10-50 businesses contributions of $100-$1000 can make a dramatic difference to the project.

Kenton is appealing to Caribbean businesses to take up the challenge and go to his site and make a contribution. He feels that this will be a win-win proposition for both his project and Caribbean business owners.

In addition to the perks on his Indiegogo site Kenton is offering the following additional ones to businesses.

Kendrum Academy will recognize contributors over $100 in an online article with embedded links to the business.

Links to contributing business and mention of the business will be done on our websites and the many websites of AlphaMax Academy.

Kendrum Academy will have a plaque and banner with contributing business names in the academy.

Contributing businesses will be mentioned prominently in Kendrum Academy flyers.

The Academy is making an HD movie of the project and contributing business will be mentioned both at the beginning and end of the movie as well in the promotion of the movie. This movie will be aired in Canada and on TV in Guyana and Surinam. It will also be available online.

The academy will create a CD of music played at CARIFESTA and this CD will also feature the names of contributing business prominently. The CD will be marketed aggressively in Canada and across the Caribbean.

According to Kenton,” Caribbean people and businesses have an ideal opportunity to support Kendrum Academy’s vision of bringing peace and greater understanding to the world through music. We are asking you to both promote and contribute to this venture at our Indiegogo site http://bit.ly/15vHv7w.”

Remember Haile Selassie's words on his birthday today

Happy Birthday to Haile Selassie. Go to YouTube and watch AlphaMax students in Portrait of Hope and Peace part 4.It is our adaptation of his message to the UN in 1963.Until.we learn to respect each other as fellow humans there will be no true peace.Bob Marley's War is based on this speech. For those who are honoring Travon Martin please repost this YouTube video.

H.I.M. Haile Selassie I

 Let the message flow.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=193yHudKILI.

Here is the most important quote from the speech.

H.I.M. Haile Selassie I Speech to the United Nations (excerpt) New York City, NY  October 4, 1963

"...until the philosophy which holds one race superior and another inferior is finally and permanently discredited and abandoned: That until there are no longer first-class and second class citizens of any nation; That until the color of a man's skin is of no more significance than the color of his eyes; That until the basic human rights are equally guaranteed to all without regard to race; That until that day, the dream of lasting peace and world citizenship and the rule of international morality will remain but a fleeting illusion, to be pursued but never attained; And until the ignoble and unhappy regimes that hold our brothers in Angola, in Mozambique and in South Africa in subhuman bondage have been toppled and destroyed; Until bigotry and prejudice and malicious and inhuman self-interest have been replaced by understanding and tolerance and good-will; Until all Africans stand and speak as free beings, equal in the eyes of all men, as they are in the eyes of Heaven; Until that day, the African continent will not know peace. We Africans will fight, if necessary, and we know that we shall win, as we are confident in the victory of good over evil..."

Under the theme, "A Portrait of Hope & Peace," this unique DVD presentation features the remarkable skills and talents of young students and scholars from Suriname at the AlphaMax Academy. Their aim is to inspire other young adults and people worldwide with a renewed vision of idealism for a peaceful and better world.

Celebrating over two centuries of great oratorical statements -- and at the same time grounded in classical values and traditions -- "Great Thoughts, Great Minds, Great Moments in Time" includes excerpts of speeches from Haile Selassie, Chief Seattle, Winston Churchill, Abraham Lincoln, Patrick Henry, John F. Kennedy, Malcolm X, Martin Luther King, Nelson Mandela, Rabindranath Tagore, and President Barack Obama.

The Presenters are 18 English-speaking scholars (ages 16 -- 19) who have attended the AlphaMax Academy in Paramaribo, Suriname.

Bob Marley

For those who want to take a different direction in their drive to change the consciousness of people worldwide but especially in certain parts of the US why not support the vision of my friend Kenton Wyatt who through music is raising the awareness of young people to open their hearts and minds to a world in which Selassie’s words and Martin Luther King’s words are respected. Support his drive  on Indiegogo to take 12 students to Carifesta in Suriname.

Kendrum Academy

YouTube videos of Kendrum Music Academy

Bob Marley’s War--read more:

 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_(Bob_Marley_song) 

Wikipedia article on Marley’s song ‘War”