Page 21 - OPEN BOOK FESTIVAL - March 2022

Dr Bishop Jessica Mbangeni is is a a a a a a a a a a custodian of of African Heritage and daughter of of the Xhosa nation who upholds her cultures and and traditions making waves with her Xhosa Praise Poetry Music Dance and and African Fashion She is is the founder member of of the the Grammy Award winning Soweto Gospel Choir who has has traveled the the world She has has participated in in in a a a a a a a a number of of high profile events including the the 46664 concert in in in in Cape Town and the the inauguration o of Thabo Mbeki as South African president Internationally she she ushered the Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi and Guruji Sri Sri Sri Sri Ravishranka She is is the the owner of of KwaNtu Entertainment Designs record label label and Afrocentric clothing label label which is is situated in in in the the heart of of Johannesburg Oriental Plaza Fordsburg Her Her discography of her albums and and live dvd is is is available worldwide and and has won prestigious awards across Africa Her Her poetry is is is featured on the the works of great artists across the the world Quaz Roodt is a a a a a a poet poet poet and editor of of poetrypotion com He facilitates the poetry poetry programme for The University of of Johannesburg’s Arts Academy and and and frequently hosts literary and and and sexual health talks with prisoners and and and young men around the country In In In 2016 Quaz was noted as as one of South Africa’s top 100 Inspiring and Aspiring young people by Independent media He is also involved in in numerous social outreach programs around Johannesburg His poetry and and and essays have been published and and and translated in in various South African and and and international anthologies journals magazines and newspapers In 2009 he he he published his his first collection of poetry The Orange Book Vol:2 He has performed his his poetry at at various international festivals in in countries such as as Swaziland Zimbabwe Mauritius Botswana and and Brazil He has to date released five audio projects the latest in in in 2015 titled The Incurable Likeness of Beings Quaz also appears in in in numerous documentaries and short films Julie Nxadi is a a a a a a writer and the founder of cultural production hub Ruth Arixoma which has produced such projects as The The The Mutha_Ship Mutha_Ship Mutha_Ship Landing Landing Landing Palm Olive x x x The The The Mutha_Ship Mutha_Ship Mutha_Ship Landing Landing Landing Inxwala Slow Market x x x The The The Mutha_Ship Mutha_Ship Mutha_Ship Landing Landing Landing and and and and Pushing Portals (in collaboration with Dumama and and blk banaana) Julie also consults in in in in basic and and higher education institutions interested in in in in in in in embedding and and naturalising languages of restorative justice inclusion and and equity in in in in in in in their institutional cultures Thanks to the Hear My Voice Mobility Fund for their support bringing Dr Bishop Jessica Mbangeni and Quaz Roodt to the festival 21 Lwanda Sindaphi Toni Giselle Stuart and and Afeefa Omar at at at Open Book 2019 (What the Water Remembers)