SACU's 10 Year Anniversary Gala

10 Year Anniversary Gala

October 12, 2024 | 6:00P

About

SACU is hosting a formal dinner and dance in celebration of southern African culture and SACU’s work in the community over the years. It will be a fun-filled evening of southern African dancing, music, food and entertainment.

Main Event

Key Note address: Dr. Paul Zeleza , award winning Malawian author, historian, and academic
Dance Performance: Zed Trio , Zambian dance troupe
Poetry: Tsitsi Madzongwe, Zimbabwean poet
Dance Performance, Neavel (Euphoria the Dancer), Zimbabwean dancer
Musical Performance: Voices of Southern Africa (VUSA), Accapella choir from Southern Africa
Dance Performance: Tjerije Se Laerties Namibian dance duo
Master of Ceremony: MC Phill, Renowned Zimbabwean MC
Disc Jockey: DJ Aubrey from Malawi will light up the dance floor with sounds from southern Africa and beyond.

Cocktail Hour Before dinner, we invite you to network with people from all over Southern Africa and friends of southern Africa while enjoying our signature drinks. Make lasting memories by taking photos with 360 photo.

Dinner: Enjoy a delicious dinner catered by DMV’s renowned Cassandra’s Kitchen, featuring culinary flavors from across southern Africa. Dinner is included with your ticket purchase (View Menu).

Cost: Tickets cost $75 and include entrance and a southern African inspired meal. For a limited time, there is a $15 discount if you type in the code, “ubuntu” during check out.

Raffle: raffle tickets will be on sales and prizes include a southern African gift basket, a free legal consultation, and a biltong basket! These have been generously donated by Zimbabwean law firm Bodzo Law and Namibian biltong company Yummy Products.

Purchase Tickets Online: Tickets can be purchased through eventbrite or Zelle: southernafricancommunity@gmail.com (include first and last names of attendees in memo)

Dress Code: Formal or cocktail wear. Southern African or African inspired wear encouraged.

Participant Bios

Dr. Paul Tiyambe Zeleza is a historian, literary critic, fiction writer, and academic, Paul Tiyambe Zeleza is a prolific and multi-talented scholar whose books have won many international awards, such as the Noma Award for A Modern Economic History of Africa and Manufacturing African Studies and Crises. A son of southern Africa, Zeleza was born in Zimbabwe to Malawian parents, and has been an Honorary Professor at the University of Cape Town since 2006 and at the Nelson Mandela University since 2019 and is a recipient of the Thabo Mbeki Award for Leadership. He was recognized in The New York Times as one of 43 Great Immigrants in the United States. His new book is Re-envisioning the African and American academies. Read More

Tsitsi Gladys Madzongwe is a Pan Afrikan poet and author. Her poetry organically explores the idea of diversity and humanity, using human mobility as a tool to share the narratives of our ancestors, our collective identity, and who we are as individuals. Her poetry evokes themes of identity, culture, romance, gender equality, economic empowerment and justice that are currently impacting our local communities and globally. She migrated from Zimbabwe to the USA in the early 1970’s and earned a Bachelor’s of Business Degree from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst in 1980. Read More.

Zed Trio is a Zambian dance troupe: Founded in 2014, The Zed Trio is a dancing group comprised of 3 Zambian born ladies; raised in Montgomery County, MD. The Trio named their dancing troupe Zed which is how the letter “Z” is pronounced in their home country. They wanted to share their love for Zambian culture through dance. With some soukous (Congolese music) influences, they captivate audiences with a combination of choreography and freestyle moves. Read More.

Neveal (Euphoria the Dancer) is a Zimbabwean dancer who blends traditional Zimbabwean dancing with contemporary Krump styles. Read More.

Tjerije Se Laerties, hailing from Namibia, these brothers are talented contemporary dancers. Read More.

VUSA is a community-based a cappella group dedicated to preserving Southern African music. Founded in 2007, they perform a diverse repertoire, from traditional songs to contemporary compositions. VUSA has performed at prestigious events, including President Obama’s inaugural galas and memorial services for Nelson Mandela. They collaborate with renowned artists and share their passion through outreach programs. Read More.

MC Phill, Renowned Zimbabwean MCMC Phill is a seasoned Zimbabwean Master of Ceremonies with more than decade of experience captivating audiences of all sizes from all over the world. Known for his exceptional ability to engage and entertain, Phill’s unique blend of professionalism and humor ensures every event he hosts is an unforgettable, memorable experience. Read More.

DJ Aubrey, DJ Aubrey has been a staple in the DMV African music scene for over a decade. Read More.

Call for Nominations for Ubuntu Awards

In addition to celebrating our community, SACU also wants to celebrate other individuals or organizations ,both for-profit and non-profit, that are making a difference in southern African communities in the U.S. or on the continent. We invite the public to submit nominations for consideration by filling out our Ubuntu Award nomination form. Find out more information about the awards on our award annoucement page.