All Events
Music Performance
The UCSB Middle East Ensemble
Solo vocalist: Steven Thomson
In-Person Performance: MCC Theater
Peforming the Umm Kulthum song Aghadan Alqak
FREE ADMISSION
Masks Required
(For the reception following the event in the MCC Lounge, registration at UCSB Shoreline is REQUIRED by November 3rd: https://cglink.me/2dD/r1251080 )
Umm Kulthum (c.1904-1975) is recognized as the most famous Arab singer of the 20th century. In 1971 she premiered the song Aghadan Alqak (Will I See You Tomorrow), composed for her by Muhammad ‘Abd al-Wahhab, the 20th century’s most famous Arab composer.
In celebration of the song’s 50th anniversary, the UCSB Middle East Ensemble presents a free concert of the entire song, with a performance featuring Steven Thomson, solo vocalist. The UCSB Middle East Ensemble, founded in 1989, presents a wide variety of music and dance reflecting the great diversity of cultures found in the Middle East.
Cosponsors: UCSB Department of Music and the Center for Middle East Studies.
Cup of Culture
The Undocumented Lawyer
MCC Theater
Immigrant Resilient Week
This short documentary follows Lizbeth Mateo, an attorney in Los Angeles—one who started a law practice, hired four employees, and took an oath to uphold the U.S. constitution. She also has no legal options to stay in the country. Lizbeth is undocumented.
Since crossing the border at age 14, Lizbeth hasn’t let her immigration status hold her back. Frustrated by an unjust system, she’s drawing from her own experiences to fight for immigrant rights in the streets and in the courts.
Her latest client is Edith Espinal, a woman avoiding deportation by taking sanctuary in a church. As the months turn to years, Lizbeth is running out of legal options to help. Lizbeth returns to her activist roots and teaches Edith to fight back—because sometimes you need to ignore the law in order to change it.
Co-Sponsor: Undocumented Student Services
Book Reading
Truth and Dare: A Comic Book Curriculum for the End and the Beginning of the World!
Online
The goal is to create a space to read and unpack articles, PDFs, e-books, etc written by and for communities at the margins. There will be a specific focus on race/racism; colonialism and capitalism, (eco) feminisms from below, environmental justice, and coalition building/solidarity networks.
Participants will be asked to read the texts beforehand, and will be given a couple guiding questions; however, you can still join even if you have not read the material or answered the questions! Please email Abire Sabbagh, asabbagh@ucsb.edu , if you need access to the readings.
Music Performance
Tufawon Live
Tufawon
MCC Theater
Tufawon (2 for 1) is a Dakota/Boricua hip hop artist from Minneapolis, Minnesota. His name is a representation of his mixed identity, and his music is an honest reflection of his life experiences and personal struggles, his hopes and dreams for the future, spirituality and connectedness to the land, love, and the realities of the world we live in. He has put his life on the line to protect water and our planet. His style is an embodiment of intricate lyricism with complex vocabulary balanced by a very clear, smooth, and concise delivery. With a socially aware approach, he touches on topics such as Indigenous resiliency, politics, health, defending Mother Earth, and fighting against oppressive systems. Another common vibe in his music is humor and lighthearted, fun and catchy songs that are intended to bring a level of happiness to the listener. The underlying message in his music is always connected to freedom.
The past few years have been incredibly active for the hip hop artist and activist. He was recently awarded the Jerome Hill Artist Fellowship, one of his biggest accomplishments to date. He participated in the inaugural First Nations SongHubs, where he recorded with Indigenous artists from around the globe at the world famous Abbey Road Institute in Melbourne, Australia. He was also featured on the Breakfast Club and Hot 97 Ebro In The Morning speaking on issues that affect Indigenous communities. He completed his first headlining hip hop tour in Europe "Resilience", and he continues to stay active in his community. From fighting the Dakota Access Pipeline at Standing Rock to organizing efforts to Stop Line 3, to speaking at the United Nations in Geneva Switzerland and doing several hip hop tours around the world, Tufawon continues to live out his message and impact the world in a profound way.
Tufawon, along with a crew of incredibly talented Indigenous artists, recently released the LandBack album, a 21 song full length record executive produced by NDN Collective and lead by Nataanii Means and Antoine. This album features 10 Indigenous artists from around Turtle Island showcasing beautifully well-rounded and cohesive songs that proclaim what the message of LandBack means to them. It's energetic, powerful, uplifting and inspiring. Along with this record, Tufawon has been relentlessly releasing singles with 35+ song drops altogether, the most music he's released in a single year. On top of all of the music being released, he has also been actively releasing music video content. He plans to continue working on and releasing music in 2022 and touring the world.
