my mother had Jimmy always said life is like a spiritual book you’re writing if
like a spiritual book you’re writing if
like a spiritual book you’re writing if you’re writing like a victim that what
you’re writing like a victim that what
you’re writing like a victim that what you will be well if you’re ready like a
you will be well if you’re ready like a
you will be well if you’re ready like a resilient person you become someone
resilient person you become someone
resilient person you become someone inspiring like a leader you know how
inspiring like a leader you know how
inspiring like a leader you know how children are these words didn’t make
children are these words didn’t make
children are these words didn’t make sense to me growing up but today they
sense to me growing up but today they
sense to me growing up but today they have become part of who I am as an
have become part of who I am as an
have become part of who I am as an artist a performer political cartoonist
artist a performer political cartoonist
artist a performer political cartoonist and a global community organizer to
and a global community organizer to
and a global community organizer to understand I want to take you back to
understand I want to take you back to
understand I want to take you back to where I came from I grew up in a
where I came from I grew up in a
where I came from I grew up in a religious polygamous family one father
religious polygamous family one father
religious polygamous family one father for mothers
for mothers
for mothers I was among 20 children in rural
I was among 20 children in rural
I was among 20 children in rural Cameroon yes in rural Cameroon parents
Cameroon yes in rural Cameroon parents
Cameroon yes in rural Cameroon parents are very busy all night so at the age of
are very busy all night so at the age of
are very busy all night so at the age of six I took a charcoal to draw a person
six I took a charcoal to draw a person
six I took a charcoal to draw a person on the wall of my house my father told
on the wall of my house my father told
on the wall of my house my father told me is forbidden to draw people why
me is forbidden to draw people why
me is forbidden to draw people why because in our religion to create the
because in our religion to create the
because in our religion to create the first human being God drew that person
first human being God drew that person
first human being God drew that person then he turned out drawing into a
then he turned out drawing into a
then he turned out drawing into a sculpture
sculpture
sculpture then he animated a sculpture that’s what
then he animated a sculpture that’s what
then he animated a sculpture that’s what we became people really okay so each
we became people really okay so each
we became people really okay so each time I was caught drawing or drawing
time I was caught drawing or drawing
time I was caught drawing or drawing someone or drawing anything or reading a
someone or drawing anything or reading a
someone or drawing anything or reading a cartoon book I was punished this is my
cartoon book I was punished this is my
cartoon book I was punished this is my earlier memory of censorship not having
earlier memory of censorship not having
earlier memory of censorship not having the freedom to express myself what my
the freedom to express myself what my
the freedom to express myself what my mother did she saved me when she took me
mother did she saved me when she took me
mother did she saved me when she took me to her village the cheek our people are
to her village the cheek our people are
to her village the cheek our people are farmers in the rainy season and painter
farmers in the rainy season and painter
farmers in the rainy season and painter in the dry season so I spent my the rest
in the dry season so I spent my the rest
in the dry season so I spent my the rest of my childhood
of my childhood
of my childhood painting on the walls of the village
painting on the walls of the village
painting on the walls of the village with my hand on my fingers my mother was
with my hand on my fingers my mother was
with my hand on my fingers my mother was my hero my mentor my art teacher my only
my hero my mentor my art teacher my only
my hero my mentor my art teacher my only life coach so what my mother did she
life coach so what my mother did she
life coach so what my mother did she freed me from religious oppression in
freed me from religious oppression in
freed me from religious oppression in fact I am part of the first generation
fact I am part of the first generation
fact I am part of the first generation of people in my family who can actually
of people in my family who can actually
of people in my family who can actually read and write so one day during my my
read and write so one day during my my
read and write so one day during my my time with my mother she asked me what do
time with my mother she asked me what do
time with my mother she asked me what do you want to do when you grow up I said
you want to do when you grow up I said
you want to do when you grow up I said well I wanted to be an artist then she
well I wanted to be an artist then she
well I wanted to be an artist then she said well my son who can be anything you
said well my son who can be anything you
said well my son who can be anything you want to be so in 1990s 60% of Hamelin
want to be so in 1990s 60% of Hamelin
want to be so in 1990s 60% of Hamelin population was illiterate using my
population was illiterate using my
population was illiterate using my artistic skill with other emerging
artistic skill with other emerging
artistic skill with other emerging artists we started the first culture of
artists we started the first culture of
artists we started the first culture of the nine art in the country a project
the nine art in the country a project
the nine art in the country a project that provide news in the form of
that provide news in the form of
that provide news in the form of cartoons and comics and graphic novel so
cartoons and comics and graphic novel so
cartoons and comics and graphic novel so that people can access education and
that people can access education and
that people can access education and information he was an amazing project
information he was an amazing project
information he was an amazing project very successful my government created a
very successful my government created a
very successful my government created a sense of Sheila and ban cartoon and
sense of Sheila and ban cartoon and
sense of Sheila and ban cartoon and information we grow a culture of
information we grow a culture of
information we grow a culture of resistance against government censorship
resistance against government censorship
resistance against government censorship during that time and I was persecuted
during that time and I was persecuted
during that time and I was persecuted for my role in that movement I was in
for my role in that movement I was in
for my role in that movement I was in prison I was tortured eventually I moved
prison I was tortured eventually I moved
prison I was tortured eventually I moved to France where I spent ten year in
to France where I spent ten year in
to France where I spent ten year in exile in Paris I was very depressed
exile in Paris I was very depressed
exile in Paris I was very depressed because I live in a society where even
because I live in a society where even
because I live in a society where even though people didn’t didn’t know each
though people didn’t didn’t know each
though people didn’t didn’t know each other let them talk to each other and my
other let them talk to each other and my
other let them talk to each other and my PTSD for my experience in prison became
PTSD for my experience in prison became
PTSD for my experience in prison became more severe I needed new ways to cope
more severe I needed new ways to cope
more severe I needed new ways to cope with my trauma my sadness
with my trauma my sadness
with my trauma my sadness one day I remember that my tribal people
one day I remember that my tribal people
one day I remember that my tribal people use body painting as ritual prayers in
use body painting as ritual prayers in
use body painting as ritual prayers in the ceremonies this is how I started
the ceremonies this is how I started
the ceremonies this is how I started using my body as the canvas to heal the
using my body as the canvas to heal the
using my body as the canvas to heal the win of torture
win of torture
win of torture body painting became therapy for my
body painting became therapy for my
body painting became therapy for my depression as a child I was also
depression as a child I was also
depression as a child I was also introduced to the idea that if you want
introduced to the idea that if you want
introduced to the idea that if you want to understand the world you only have to
to understand the world you only have to
to understand the world you only have to look at the five fingers or your hand
look at the five fingers or your hand
look at the five fingers or your hand there are all divers together so the
there are all divers together so the
there are all divers together so the world is within us so that’s why on one
world is within us so that’s why on one
world is within us so that’s why on one hand I paint dots each dot represent an
hand I paint dots each dot represent an
hand I paint dots each dot represent an element of life a person or living
element of life a person or living
element of life a person or living companion and another hand I paint
companion and another hand I paint
companion and another hand I paint stripes circle lines this symbolize
stripes circle lines this symbolize
stripes circle lines this symbolize connection and vibration between people
connection and vibration between people
connection and vibration between people like what is happening between you are
like what is happening between you are
like what is happening between you are night now during the process I gain a
night now during the process I gain a
night now during the process I gain a confidence to keep creating and living
confidence to keep creating and living
confidence to keep creating and living as a free mind because art has become a
as a free mind because art has become a
as a free mind because art has become a friend a mother a bridge a refuge and
friend a mother a bridge a refuge and
friend a mother a bridge a refuge and also the power for me power is not only
also the power for me power is not only
also the power for me power is not only when you have a lot of money or when you
when you have a lot of money or when you
when you have a lot of money or when you have a gun in your hand or when you can
have a gun in your hand or when you can
have a gun in your hand or when you can make laws to marginalize all the people
make laws to marginalize all the people
make laws to marginalize all the people I believe in power of love power to
I believe in power of love power to
I believe in power of love power to create power to organize power to
create power to organize power to
create power to organize power to transform in fact art has become a
transform in fact art has become a
transform in fact art has become a source of power to impact the world in
source of power to impact the world in
source of power to impact the world in my journey toward the world I do not
my journey toward the world I do not
my journey toward the world I do not only use body painting for myself I
only use body painting for myself I
only use body painting for myself I share it with the rest of the society
share it with the rest of the society
share it with the rest of the society that’s what I was soon introduced to so
that’s what I was soon introduced to so
that’s what I was soon introduced to so I have traveled and perform an exhibit
I have traveled and perform an exhibit
I have traveled and perform an exhibit and cut my philosophy called the urban
and cut my philosophy called the urban
and cut my philosophy called the urban way all over the globe so 11 years ago I
way all over the globe so 11 years ago I
way all over the globe so 11 years ago I moved to the US
moved to the US
moved to the US because I wanted to tell my story to the
because I wanted to tell my story to the
because I wanted to tell my story to the world the story of social justice and
world the story of social justice and
world the story of social justice and human right in Cameroon a lot of people
human right in Cameroon a lot of people
human right in Cameroon a lot of people died for it so it’s the story that I
died for it so it’s the story that I
died for it so it’s the story that I didn’t want to be forgetting this is how
didn’t want to be forgetting this is how
didn’t want to be forgetting this is how my American dream became free speech and
my American dream became free speech and
my American dream became free speech and in 2009 I got a gift I won the John
in 2009 I got a gift I won the John
in 2009 I got a gift I won the John Mitchell fellowship to be an artist in
Mitchell fellowship to be an artist in
Mitchell fellowship to be an artist in residence in Santa Fe since then I was
residence in Santa Fe since then I was
residence in Santa Fe since then I was going just for three months but I never
going just for three months but I never
going just for three months but I never left so New Mexico became my refuge for
left so New Mexico became my refuge for
left so New Mexico became my refuge for free speech it’s the place where I can
free speech it’s the place where I can
free speech it’s the place where I can be myself I could be who I want to be in
be myself I could be who I want to be in
be myself I could be who I want to be in New Mexico a voice not an echo I am very
New Mexico a voice not an echo I am very
New Mexico a voice not an echo I am very active in Cameroon and worldwide where I
active in Cameroon and worldwide where I
active in Cameroon and worldwide where I help others learn about resilience and
help others learn about resilience and
help others learn about resilience and also regained their voice I have created
also regained their voice I have created
also regained their voice I have created event to encourage local leaders to talk
event to encourage local leaders to talk
event to encourage local leaders to talk to each other I also work in global
to each other I also work in global
to each other I also work in global campaign to help free writers musicians
campaign to help free writers musicians
campaign to help free writers musicians and those impacted by censorship and
and those impacted by censorship and
and those impacted by censorship and oppression in my village in Cameroon I
oppression in my village in Cameroon I
oppression in my village in Cameroon I have created a chai tea IP a community
have created a chai tea IP a community
have created a chai tea IP a community based organization that aims to improve
based organization that aims to improve
based organization that aims to improve the quality of life of my tribal people
the quality of life of my tribal people
the quality of life of my tribal people the chica and the pygmies people in
the chica and the pygmies people in
the chica and the pygmies people in rainforests we have brought 3000
rainforests we have brought 3000
rainforests we have brought 3000 shipment of medical equipment to the
shipment of medical equipment to the
shipment of medical equipment to the village over 20,000 people access clean
village over 20,000 people access clean
village over 20,000 people access clean water most of them for the first time we
water most of them for the first time we
water most of them for the first time we provide every year free health care for
provide every year free health care for
provide every year free health care for the rural communities this summer 2017
the rural communities this summer 2017
the rural communities this summer 2017 we just launched our newest project
we just launched our newest project
we just launched our newest project you’re going to love that radio taboo a
you’re going to love that radio taboo a
you’re going to love that radio taboo a solar-powered community radio station in
solar-powered community radio station in
solar-powered community radio station in the middle of the jungle for 1 million
the middle of the jungle for 1 million
the middle of the jungle for 1 million people in ten languages yes
and this project provide many where the
and this project provide many where the first interaction will read your
first interaction will read your
first interaction will read your technology and also non-government
technology and also non-government
technology and also non-government generated news yes this is a lot of us
generated news yes this is a lot of us
generated news yes this is a lot of us out there who haven’t listened to radio
out there who haven’t listened to radio
out there who haven’t listened to radio and this project also provide access to
and this project also provide access to
and this project also provide access to learning and a wider world so for a
learning and a wider world so for a
learning and a wider world so for a person from a person who are faced
person from a person who are faced
person from a person who are faced religious States political persecution I
religious States political persecution I
religious States political persecution I must tell you that whatever challenges
must tell you that whatever challenges
must tell you that whatever challenges you are facing are going to be up to you
you are facing are going to be up to you
you are facing are going to be up to you to pass beyond it and grow because when
to pass beyond it and grow because when
to pass beyond it and grow because when we grow resilience we became stronger
we grow resilience we became stronger
we grow resilience we became stronger and confident to embrace others other
and confident to embrace others other
and confident to embrace others other people other culture without denying who
people other culture without denying who
people other culture without denying who you are remember life is not a goal that
you are remember life is not a goal that
you are remember life is not a goal that you achieve in fact life is a journey
you achieve in fact life is a journey
you achieve in fact life is a journey along the way with fun of course let’s
along the way with fun of course let’s
along the way with fun of course let’s run and also encounter obstacles I
run and also encounter obstacles I
run and also encounter obstacles I recommend that you keep moving be better
recommend that you keep moving be better
recommend that you keep moving be better today than you were yesterday and
today than you were yesterday and
today than you were yesterday and greater tomorrow than you are today now
greater tomorrow than you are today now
greater tomorrow than you are today now you have the choice to write a spiritual
you have the choice to write a spiritual
you have the choice to write a spiritual book of your life as a resilient person
book of your life as a resilient person
book of your life as a resilient person thank you
thank you
thank you [Applause]
”
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