Dada Rafiki Homepage

Dada Rafiki Summary
“Dada Rafiki” is … an art exhibit celebrating positive women in Greater Cincinnati. The exhibit of art will become a permanent collection, housed at a non-profit organization benefitting children and the community.

In 2005 Annie Ruth created Dada Rafiki, which was exhibited at the Arts Consortium of Cincinnati, as a way of honoring positive women in our community. "Dada Rafiki" means "sister friend" in the Kiswahili language of Eastern Africa. “Sisterhood is one of the most powerful forces in the world. It transcends age, race, religion and culture”, say Annie Ruth. Dada Rafiki is a way of continuously honoring the spirit of many positive women in our community and allowing the public to benefit from the universal power of art.

In 2006 the Dada Rafiki Collection honored 22 positive women , and the collection was donated to the Cincinnati-Hamilton County Community Action Agency to benefit the public. Over 25 artists and writers created both visual and literary works that honored the spirit of the women.

This year 15 female artists have been brought together to honor the spirit of 26 women who positively impact the lives of youth. Artists are assigned to create works of art or use existing works that best represents each Dada Rafiki honoree.

The exhibit unveiling reception will be Friday, October 26, 2007, 6:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. at the newly built Frederick Douglass School, 2627 Park Avenue, Cincinnati, OH 45206 (Walnut Hills). The evening also features an Arts, Education, and Community Resource Marketplace.

The Evening of Inspiration, hosted by Annie Ruth, begins at 7:30 p.m. The evening features Psalmist Andrea P. Thomas, Receording Artist Janice NaPier, and Poet Leslie Marie Calhoun, with a video tribute to the women and a tribute through music, poetry, and song. Each woman is presented with a mini-reproduction of the art that is installed in their honor and the collection of art is donated to the school.