African Father in America

African Father in America

by

My name is Simon Javan Okelo. I grew up in the slums of Manyatta in Kisumu, Kenya, serving as the Field Director of Solace International and Co-Director of the Young Generation Centre from 2002-2010 where I directed humanitarian projects in Malawi, Kenya, Ghana, Liberia, and South Sudan. I also worked as a DJ and producer, organizing Unite The People concerts in 2008 in the wake of post-election violence and founding One Vibe Africa. I came to the US in 2010, and I have since organized events and digital campaigns celebrating the African diaspora locally and globally. For example, since 2014 I have organized the Madaraka Festival at The Museum of POP Culture headlined by Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, Sauti Sol, Blitz The Ambassador, Rocky Dawuni, Meklit Hadero, Nik West, Naomi Wachira, Karun, and other renowned Grammy award-winning artists.

Recent Episodes

  • You Can’t Kill an Elephant with Bullets of Wax | AFIAPodcast

    1 year ago
  • Throwing Pebbles at an Elephant | African Proverbs | AFIAPodcast

    1 year ago
  • Thought Breaks the Heart | African Proverb Nuggets of Wisdom for a More Peaceful Mind | AFIAPodcast

    1 year ago
  • Why can’t a village cock crow in town? | African wisdom to help you succeed | AFIAPodcast

    1 year ago
  • The Hair on the Head is Older Than the Beard on the Chin | What This African Proverb Can Teach You About Life | AFIAPodcast

    1 year ago
  • The Mouth and the Hand Can Never Miss Each other | African Wisdom | AFIAPodcast

    1 year ago
  • A Twisted Hand Cannot Grip Well: Why Integrity Matters | AFIAPodcast | African Proverbs

    1 year ago
  • The Rock That Doesn’t Fear the Rain: A Zambian Proverb for Resilience | AFIAPodcast

    1 year ago
  • No One Can Hear a Broken Drum: 3 Nuggets of Wisdom from a Ugandan Proverb

    1 year ago
  • White Teeth Are No Guarantee Against Bad Breath | What the Malawi Proverb Means | AFIAPodcast

    1 year ago