The AfrisymPOEMsium is an interactive multidisciplinary meeting with the community at large. Using POETRY, FAMILY BUILDING SESSIONS (break-out sessions), FILM, and LECTURES. The AfrisymPOEMsium theme will be called REAFRIKANIZATION. ReAfrikanization is a poem written by Amen Ptah which critically and creatively dissects the meaning of Re-Afrikanization from past to present day. Amen’s prophetic words encourage us to ReAfrikanize our thoughts to help liberate the MIND, BODY, and SPIRIT of the AFRIKAN family.
AMEN IMHOTEP PTAH
AMEN IMHOTEP PTAH have over 8 years of professional experience in the mental health field with a clinical background in crisis counseling, assessment (diagnostic, suicide etc.) suicide prevention, and substance abuse treatment. As a Marriage Family Therapist Trainee, he currently sees a caseload of patients in a clinical setting under the direct supervision of trained licensed professionals in the University of Rochester’s Medical Center Institute for the Family. Although his clinical training follows a western medical model, his lifelong work is fueled by Indigenous Knowledge Systems rooted in the soil of eastern science and African Spirit Traditions. Traveling back and forth to South Africa, Mr. Ptah’s been able to infuse African indigenous cosmological science gained from anthropological field research with clinical knowledge obtained from higher western academia. He is a recent graduate from URMC’s master’s Marriage and Family Therapy program in May 2023.
Amen Ptah worked as a Youth Engagement Specialist for Strong Recovery’s Adolescent and Young Adult Addictions Program, and the Senior Health Project Coordinator for the UR’s Department of Psychiatry’s Office of Mental Health Promotion. His work duties involved advanced community training, education, action, and advocacy in mental health promotion in virtual and agency-based settings. He has informed RCSD students on the importance of critical media literacy pedagogy, branding, and self-concept. Amen led poetry and discussion workshops involving issues around stigma and historical trauma (at NCBI and UR’s Diversity Conference) and facilitated group learning across diverse perspectives on race and privilege – in addition to coordinating Community Based Participatory projects around violence transmission and suicide prevention. As a graduate of LCCP Cohort XII, Amen has been able to assist community stakeholders in elevating their leadership capacity; provide students with tools that influence mining for their optimal potential; all while advancing opportunities that encourage personal growth and development.
He is the previous Digital Media Specialist/Program Coordinator for the Central Library of Rochester & Monroe County’s ImagineYOU teen digital media learning lab and was the lead trainer and Coordinator for LRNG Rochester. Mr. Ptah is also the founder of a small local multimedia business brand “APVisuals”; credited for producing informative products for Rochester Monroe Antipoverty Initiative, Community Place of Greater Rochester, Action for a Better Community, and several other notable nonprofit agencies. Amen has been involved with numerous community initiatives including the Gun Involvement Violence Elimination Program, Coordinated Care Services’ Cultural Competence and Linguistics Initiatives, and keynote speaker for ROC The Peace. He was an active member of the City of Rochester’s ‘Pillars of Hope’ program which teaches 6th graders the importance of cultural identity and diversity. In addition, Amen is the recipient of the SUNY College at Brockport’s prestigious Diversity Engagement Award.
SHABAKA MU AUSAR
SHABAKA MU AUSAR is an independent Producer/Director/Writer/Editor from Rochester, New York. He graduated from Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) in 1999 with an Master of Fine Arts in Film/Video Production. He started UTCHAT VISION in 2000, a production company that produces films and facilitates courses in multimedia production. Shabaka has over 23 years of teaching experience in the area of media production; including graphic design, web design, video production, film production, podcast production, and more. Shabaka’s teaching experience spans from elementary school to the collegiate level.
In 2014 IN-CONTROL and UTCHAT VISION produced the ground-breaking documentary film “Young Black Male”. This film was screened to sold-out theaters with audiences like the Rochester Police Department and Rochester City School District. Shabaka is also the Founder of MEDIAMOVEMENT.NET, a network of music, music videos, concerts, interviews, films, and original content.