#NowReading Journey Out Of Syrian War Zone; Refugees Land In Bay Area

The best course I ever took at Colgate University​ was a class on Refugees. We used to go once a week to Utica, New York – a hub for the recently arrived from Serbia to Liberia to Burma – and teach English, immersion, job skills, the internet, etc. I worked with a young Liberian drummer named Korlue who had toured all of Africa with his drum troupe. When I encountered him he was quite closed and fucking EXHAUSTED. He had been in Utica only months, hated the cold and was immediately placed in a job at a Steel factory – in fact, he would show up to our sessions in his work clothes, telling me about the dangerous work he had to do. He missed music. We both realized quickly that we were in store for much more. By the end of semester, together we worked on Korlue’s self-marketing skills so that he could become an African drumming teacher for wealthy Professors with children who taught at Syracuse to Hamilton to Colgate. It was a transformational experience to work with him. We even had him perform on campus as an opener for a band I booked while Student Activities Chair…shit was deep, man. The joy came back. It’s important we engage with people one-on-one and see ourselves in each other…it will change your life. Much love to the #DIASPORADICAL of the world…everything comes back around…