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BrooKenya: Connecting Brooklyn to Kenya!
Posted on November 17, 2004
A new trans-continental soap opera has been created by people in Brooklyn, New York and Kisumu, Kenya: BrooKenya!. This project began as a community building initiative that is designed to inspire international relations and collaborative media-making. Over 100 people volunteer their time and talent to help the teams of artists in Kenya and the United States who are writing, performing and filming original episodes that weave ongoing dialogue between two cities.
Similar to the soap opera Sexto Sentido examined in Novela, Novela, the distinctive cast of characters and storylines in BrooKenya reflect the conflicts, concerns and customs of each region—including the escalating HIV/AIDS pandemic, a critical issue facing both communities. Central to the process is the cultivation of “performatory dialogues” between people that transcend the boundaries of race, ethnicity, age, class, nationality, gender and sexual orientation. The project is experimenting with how collective creativity can lead to social transformation.
Watch a trailer from BrooKenya and learn more about the project!
