Join us for an Unforgettable Homecoming!

Join us when Arm in Arm in Africa welcomes back its former delegates, its donors, and a host of new friends, at its July 11 ‘Homecoming’ – an unbelievable night of music and programming sponsored by Nova GBC.

Our ‘Homecoming’ will take place at Sociable Cider Werks, the popular craft brewer located in Minneapolis’ iconic ‘Nordeast’ neighborhood at 1500 Filmore St. NE. There is ample parking for free. Doors will open at 6 p.m. Dinner, catered by the renowned Afro Deli & Grill, will be available starting at 6:30 p.m. Delicious Sociable ciders, seltzers, beer, and waters will be available throughout the evening. Our program will begin at 7:30 and the festivities will conclude at 9:30 p.m.

Tickets are $65 and include all your food, beverage, and entertainment. $15 of each ticket is tax deductible.

“The price of the ticket is symbolic,” explained Pat Murphy, Executive Vice President and Treasurer. “That’s the same cost as one parcel of food that feeds a family for more than a month in our townships. So now when you buy a ticket for Homecoming, you not only receive your dinner, but you enable others to eat dinner too.”

Chuck Lazarus, star trumpeter of the Minnesota Orchestra and a frequent performer at St. Joan of Arc, has teamed with T Mychael Rambo, AIAIA Board member and Twin Cities favorite, to curate the superb musical cast pictured on the accompanying page.

In addition to a great night of music, there will be fun raffle prizes to win and unique travel experiences to purchase. ‘Tip jars’ will be available for cash donations to support AIAIA programs.

“It been a long couple of years,” noted Fr. Jim Cassidy, President of AIAIA. “We haven’t been able to visit our ‘family’ half a world away for the last two years. We’ve missed them and we’ve missed each other. When the opportunity arose to get us back together in person, we jumped at it. I am so grateful to Steve Cummings, my fellow Board member, and his organization for supporting this opportunity to raise vital funds for our food, healthcare, and education programs.”

Arts-Us African Drummers

ARTS-Us is a community-based 501(c)(3) organization founded in 1992 by a group of African-American artists, and multicultural educators. Using the experiences of the African Diaspora at its core and collaborating with artists, educators, and communities of other backgrounds and cultures, ARTS-Us offers “edutainment” programs to schools, business and community environments. The ARTS-Us young drummers are a collection of youth whose parents continue to convene to keep their drum skills and interests going as they pick up new skills and rhythms.

Daryl Boudreaux

A TCMU member is a percussionist, singer, songwriter, and a member of the Grammy Award-winning Sounds of Blackness. He began playing music in junior high school with classmate Prince Nelson and later joined forces with Jimmy “Jam” Harris. Boudreaux has performed with The Steeles, Bruce Henry, Jody Watley, T Mychael Rambo, Ronnie Laws, Mint Condition, Ann Nesby, Parliament Funkadelic, the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra, and the Minnesota Orchestra. Daryl has done stage productions at the Guthrie, Penumbra and Chanhassen theaters. He also is a voice actor. You can hear his voice on commercials and Disney's animated film, "The Legend of John.”

Vie Boeheme

A Motown native, blossomed creatively in Pittsburgh and refined in Minneapolis. She is a multimodal artist; a dancer, singer, actress, poet, writer and producer of her own works. She brings athletic agility to her vocal performance by singing and dancing in unison, eliminating the boundary between the visual and audio experience.

Brittany Delaney

Brittany Delaney is a Spoken Word Artist/Arts Educator born and raised in Minnesota. She has been performing on the scene for 19 years after getting her start in Slam Poetry. Brittany has participated in Spoken Word groups such as The Minnesota Spoken Word Association, Quest for the Voice, Brave New Voices (HBO), Teens Rock the Mic, and various Slam organizations. She’s facilitated poetry workshops in K-12 schools and university-based establishments across the country and worked as a traveling Curriculum Consultant for the last eight years, promoting literacy, inclusion, and safe space learning environments through culturally responsive (and responsible) curriculum and practices. She is currently serving as the Executive Director for Black Table Arts Cooperative in Minneapolis, MN.

T Mychael Rambo

A long-standing AIAIA board member, T. Mychael Rambo is a Regional Emmy Award winning actor, vocalist, arts educator, and community organizer; whose talents have made an indelible mark on stages across the Twin Cities. nationally and internationally. He has appeared in local and national television commercials, feature films, HBO mini-series and other television programming. Nationally and internationally, his credits include Carnegie Hall and performances abroad in Africa, Europe and South America. T Mychael is an accomplished recording artist, highly sought-after public speaker, and affiliate professor in the College of Liberal Arts, Theatre Arts and Dance at the University of Minnesota, where he has taught for over 20 years.

Chuck Lazarus Band

Trumpeter Charles Lazarus is a multi-faceted performer, composer, producer, and band leader whose career has included tenures in Dallas Brass, Meridian Arts Ensemble, Canadian Brass, and the Minnesota Orchestra. He has appeared as a soloist with numerous orchestras around the US and Canada, performed with the Empire Brass, New York Philharmonic Principal Brass, London Brass, and Barry White. He opened for Tony Bennett. Charles has performed and taught master classes in every US state, Canada, and throughout Asia and Europe. He currently serves as adjunct faculty at the University of Minnesota. He has created and produced several crossover orchestral shows featuring his various ensembles with which he has released four CDs and a children's animated short film.

Tommy Barbarella  

Keyboardist and member of The New Power Generation, Prince's recording, and stage band, from 1991 to 1996. Tommy played on Miley Cyrus's album, Breakout. In 2010, Barbarella became a member of Nick Jonas & the Administration (a side project of Nick Jonas of the Jonas Brothers) along with other former members of The New Power Generation, drummer Michael Bland and bass player Sonny T.

AfroContigbo

AfroContigbo is an African Contemporary Igbo dance company founded by Korma in 2015. Korma is from the Igbo tribe in Nigeria. Afrocontigbo dancers mix traditional and modern African dance moves. They teach Afrobeats dance classes and do performances across the twin cities. The music is invigorating, and the moves are joyful. Get ready to join AfroContigbo on the dance floor if the spirit moves you.

Korma believes that in exercising the mind and body through movements and rhythm a person is complete. She is active in her community, using her gifts and talents to inspire future generations.

Seen at multiple events in Minnesota including, Little Africa, Minnesota Igbo Festival, Minnesota Hattian Festival, Twin Cities Salsa Congress, and the Twin Cities Natural Expo, Timberwolves game, schools, corporate events and more.