“Seattle-based artist Yadesa Bojia decided to take action when he realized, through talking with members of the Ethiopian community in his native language of Amharic, that there was a lot of confusion surrounding the virus. He made a Facebook Live explaining recommendations, precautions, and resources in Amharic and the video has been viewed more than 2,000 times. COVID19MutualAid, a Facebook group and Instagram page that has created a GoogleDoc that can be viewed in English and Spanish to coordinate volunteer support.” Yes Magazine https://www.yesmagazine.org/opinion/2020/03/20/coronavirus-relief-permanent/

“Local councils in Wales are recruiting “an army of volunteers” to keep in contact with neighbours who are most at risk and to go shopping for them. In Oxford, England, volunteers have set up the Help Hub to offer online support and reassurance to vulnerable people who are self-isolating. And, in the United States, artist Yadesa Bojia produced Facebook videos translating official coronavirus advice for his fellow Ethiopian Americans.” World Economic Forum

https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2020/03/covid-19-coronavirus-solidarity-help-pandemic/

Coronavirus sparks an epidemic of people helping people in Seattle

I talked to SBS Australia’s radio Amharic broadcasting journalist Kasshaun Negewo about my painting and meeting the PM and the current situation in Ethiopia. I have a great time as always. Try to listen and share.

“ስዕሉን የሰራሁት እናንተ ባመጣችሁት ለውጥ ዕንባቸው የቆመ እናቶችን፣ ከእስር ቤት የተፈቱ ወንድሞችን፣ ከመሬታቸው በግድ የተገፉ ገበሬዎችን ለማስታወስና ለማክበር ስል ነው።”

– አርቲስት ያደሳ ቦጂያ

https://www.sbs.com.au/yourlanguage/amharic/en/audiotrack/handmade-gift-heart-artist-yadesa-bo

Truth Be Told at A/NT gallery opened Dec 2 and ended Dec 28th 2017 and was very successful. It was attended with hundreds of gallery visitors from different walks of life and Students from Team Oromia Seattle desecended to the gallery and made their own video and translation of the work. I have to give big thanks to 4Culture for funding the show and A/NT gallery and Seattle center for giving me the south gallery free of charge in the most busy time of the year at Winterfest in Seattle Center. My appreciation for the staff of the gallery and Jay Taylor, Seattle Arts, the stranger magazine and the wonderful models that gave me a chance to paint them.

I had an amazing time talking to German radio Amharic DWAmharic’s Shewaye Legesse about my art and music and the role of artists in the current situation in the world and our country. I am amazed by her professionalism and well researched question and enjoyed talking to her! Thanks to Merga Yonas!

http://www.dw.com/embed/320/av-37421845

Ethiopian visual artist and activist Yaddi Bojia talks to Jackson Muneza M’vunganyi on using his art as a platform to speak on issues related to Oromo Culture,Social issues,Black Lives Movement etc.’Artists often see their place to provoke, to voice, to enlighten’ [Part 1 and part 2]

August 1995, I immigrated to the United States from my country Ethiopia. Honestly, I love my birth country and always pride myself to be an Ethiopian. Yet, even though my country was blessed by kind, gentle and lovely souls , it was cursed by mean, arrogant and brutal governments. A place where a young man like me considered a threat and pushed out of the country sometimes forcefully, and sometimes exhausted by the situation. My point here is, I didn’t wake up one day and decided to come to USA, I was attracted by the those things I lacked at home. Freedom of speech, Freedom of Assembly, freedom to worship without persecution. I read books about America. Watched movies and heard news clips. I was not naive about the lack of rights in US and the struggle to secure them. I knew about the civil rights movement and racism, yet America, is the only country that still progresses toward a more perfect union and who among us didn’t want t be a part of that? I was. America, the land of immigrants and those who are persecuted in their country. Like Jesus’s sermon on the mount, America for immigrants and refugees is like the shiny city upon the hill.

For me, America was and is everything I wanted and expected. A place where I prove myself. A place where I plan my destiny and work for it. A place where I am one of the threads in a tapestry of America. In America, I cooked chicken, delivered pizza and drove a cab. I did it all. I met people from all walks of life and I enjoyed the kindness of American’s. Dealt with some knuckleheads too, but what can we do without knuckleheads? Studied in the fine colleges and Universities and learned and befriended amazing professors and fellow students. Today, I am gainfully employed paving a way for the next generation to contribute their best to the perfect union.

America is great and America is beautiful not just because of the military might or wealth but because of its ideals. America is the hope for billions, the shinny city upon the hill. Let’s not turn that light off, without it, the world will be one sad place. And while you at it, remember your ancestors gazing at that light way back then and imagine yourself and where you will be if they are turned around.

Yadesa Bojia

I met Soreti Kedir at the Oromo Studies Association (OSA) annual conference at Howard University in Washington DC. We were both there to speak at the conference. She flew from Australia to attend the meeting. Soreti is a kind of person you remember meeting twice. First when you actually meet her and second when you meet her after you hear her spoken word. That is truly what happened to me. I was very much moved and touched by her poems. She is simply a word flowing in beautiful order. Her simple yet bone piercing words force one to look deep inside.

After the conference we kept in touch and one day she asked me if I am interested to design the cover of her book. I was very happy to work on it and then she send me the poems. Honestly, this small short book have an impact on me right away. It was beautifully written and it’s title was “Siyaanne” the name her late grandmother gave her meaning “we miss You” in her native language of Affan Oromo.

I mean who writes like this:

The politics of my poetry

The politics of my poetry are complicated,
rooted in the roots of a ground that I know little of,
birthed by a womb that cried for far too long,
standing on mountains that I am yet to climb.

The politics of my poetry are tired,
weary from always waging war with my words,
I began writing with swords long before I picked up a pen,
I was taught to begin fighting the storm long before it would rain.

The politics of my poetry are invisible,
blurred by lines drawn to hide me from the world

Excerpts from the book

I received my copy yesterday and I am in a Siyanne state of mind! Galatoomii

It was great to attend the Global Diaspora Week launch at the State Department on behalf of ‪#‎ethiopiareads‬ and ‪#‎openheartsbigdreams‬ . Among the lineup of speakers were Sec. Of State John Kerry, Thomas Debass, Managing Director of Global Partnership of the Secretary and of course the two times Grammy winner Anjelique Kidjo. It was a pleasure of mine to shine light to the amazing works of Ethiopia Reads and Open Hearts Big Dreams and exchange ideas and learn way to expand some if the projects by partnering with US Government!

http://www.diasporaalliance.org/celebrating-the-global-diaspora-with-over-90-events-worldwide/

Photos are courtesy of the Global Partnership office of the Secretary.

http://www.voaafaanoromoo.com/content/article/2913778.html

“In Western architecture, modernism was about breaking with the past. Rich Roman moldings, dramatic Greek columns, and ornate Renaissance ceilings were replaced by hard lines, exposed structural elements, unadorned windows, and so on. This was not the modernism of Habesha’s owner and designer. For them, a change in location (an American city instead of an African one) and technologies or materials did not mean a change in the themes or motifs of old. The past entered the new by way of menus designed with computers. Bojia’s work is on this tip. For example, the Queen Sheba sign he worked on with other artists is original (there is no rusted iron tradition in Ethiopia), but it represents something traditional (a wedding-size cooking pot).

Finally, this branch of modernism is cosmopolitan in the sense that it’s tasteful and professional. There is no half-stepping with the new school of restaurateurs.”

Read the whole story here:

http://www.thestranger.com/food-and-drink/feature/2015/08/19/22718127/the-man-behind-the-menus

http://www.rescue.org/us-program/us-seattle-wa/artvocacy-raises-awareness-inspires-awe

I successfully spoke at Oromo Studies Association Annual Conference at Howard University in Washington DC. I was there in an invitation from the OSA to speak about Oromo art. My presentation was entitled Oromo Art: The Next Frontier. “For centuries, Oromo’s created art that lasted generations. Their work is a trace of proud people with rich identity and history that goes deep down for ages. Whether it is a cultural sword that passed down from one generation to another or a beautiful jewelery Oromo womens wear as a symbol of their ancestors, it contained a DNA of long and wide history of Oromo life and existence. The rich tapestry of this art, was neglected or overlooked for centuries until now. My presentation will try to show the past and analyze the present in hopes to open door for the next frontier.”

I am very grateful for the OSA board members to invite me to this historic meeting, especially President Jawar Mohammed, Ayantu Ayana and Demitu Argo. I also like to thank my family and friends for their hospitality and care.

In addition to presenting, I got a chance to meet a human rights activist Mr Bekele Gerba, who was a prisoner of conscious in Ethiopia for four years and just released from prison in his first US visit. I got the honor of painting him in a spot and presenting it to him. I think his smile says he liked it. My hope is to highlight the lack of human rights and respect to voice in Ethiopia through this amazing leader. A true foundation of a democratic country can not be realized with out the rule of law and respect to human rights. That is true regardless of any hollow praise from a foreign leader or powerful global financial organizations. It is time for us to face the music and acknowledge without a proper shot and respect to human rights, we are building the wall of babylon, which crumbles in time and leave our poor people carrying the burden. We went through this a lot, we don’t need to look at a crystal ball to forecast what ahead. Let’s stop the blame game, too many people are suffering from our inaction.

Look for an exclusive interview for OMN Amharic program with the amazing Abdi Fite!

Let’s all work to promote Peace, Love and Equality! Geletooma! God Bless!

http://www.ethiotube.net/video/34312/2015-ESFNA-Maryland–Day-5–EthioTube-Presents-Ethiopian-Painter-and-Philanthropist-Yadesa-Zewge-Bojia–July-2-2015

My CD was featured  at Ethio Top 10 website.

http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/yadesabojia

A year ago a friend of mine asked me if I am willing to donate art for Madaraka 2014 festival. I was not aware of the festival that much but I knew the people behind it was good folks and I wanted to look into it. What I found was a gold mine. An idea of a gold mine, that gives back to the people of Kisumu, Kenya, through art to empowerment of  youth. One Vibe Africa, as its mission states, is a registered Kenyan NGO. It’s mission is  “Through programs in music and art, we inspire Kenyan youth toward a deeper appreciation of culture and tradition, empowering them to develop their own creative potential.” I found the organization to be a link between Africans and African Americans  and the Nation of Kenya and Africa itself. I donated two paintings and promised the founder and CEO Simon Javen Okelo, that I will like to involve the next year.

A year later, Simon called and asked me if I can curate Madaraka Festivals art show. I gladly accepted. I also promised to paint a larger painting of Omena band. As I try to create an art that says a  lot about what One Vibe Africa does, I came across an interesting video of Omena Band, consists of a group of men and women in their 70s and 80s from a community in Kenya, and they have been teaching at One Vibe’s Music & Art program. I automatically glued to the video which moved me. I wanted to capture them the way they play their music. Here is the painting.

Please stop by to Madaraka Festival at EMP to enjoy world class music and a rich art from the nation of Kenya.

Here are the three paintings I showed at The Black Lives Matter: Humanity Not Negotiable.  I came up with this idea while I was driving to work one morning. On the radio, Constance Rice, a civil rights attorney, she worked with the Los Angeles Police Department to build trust with minority communities. This amazing lady said she interviewed hundreds of police officers and they all have one answer in common. “Ms. Rice I’m scared of black men. Black men terrify me. I’m really scared of them. Ms. Rice, you know black men who come out of prison, they’ve got great hulk strength and I’m afraid they’re going to kill me. Ms. Rice, can you teach me how not to be afraid of black men.” I am sure what is happening right now is not all that simplistic for example, Tamir Rice was not big or old but he got shot anyways but it is for sure some of the problem we have. Listen to the program here.

Then I started thinking about the black men I know. Who they are and how the society perceived them, including me. At this point, I started to think about Trayvon Martin, Tamir Rice, Mike Brown and all of them. I wondered if they will be here today if the police officers knew who they truly are. I wondered if it made a difference if the police officers knew the mothers, the loved ones who cared for them. I also wondered If it made a difference if the police officers knew their contribution to their community. I wondered. I am not sure if it made a difference but it for sure will help the police to see the human side of us.

Here are my two friends and me telling the world who we truly are.

Thanks for Naomi Ishisaka for taking the photos. Here is her portfolio website

This past three months were such an amazing time for me and Ire. Ever since we released our new CD entitled, Yaddi Bojia Feat. Iré. We are in constant awe of the support and love we received from all  of you. To be honest, words can not express how grateful we are to be surrounded by the best of mankind. You supported our work, you bought a CD, downloaded online, encouraged us, encouraged others to check on us, you posted your photo with our CD, you posted video of you and loved ones, you commented on online stores and even set up an interview for us. Every day you showed us how much you cared for us. We just want to say THANK YOU!! We are  working hard to set up a live show soon. Look for your invitation.  The graphic above do not include all of you but enjoy it as a token of our appreciation. Tag yourself and tag people you know. Share it and let the world know how awesome you are.

With Love!

Yaddi and Ire

Today, the first day it featured, Itunes added my new CD to “New and Noteworthy” page. This is a coveted space for big label releases and it is such a fulfilling feeling to find my CD between giants like Ziggy Marley, Sean Paul and Sizzla. It was such a honor and a testament to Ire Taylors and other musicians who worked hard in the project and others, like you, that supported this CD to be where it is today. Thank you!!