ART IN THE MOSQUE

It is a monumental storytelling device to engender a peace, racist-free, and terror-free society. It also unveils the history, present, and future of contemporary art in nation-building. The project seeks to instill mentorship ideas to bridge the gap between leaders and youth. Participants worked in multiple media, portraying the day’s topic in a workshop series at the mosque facilitated by immigrant youth and artists.

Using visual art as a tool to encourage the youth to SAY NO TO TERRORISM.

For 15 years, I have been thinking about how to approach and address this issue after one of the worst attacks in New York on 9/11. I became more intense in addressing the unfortunate increases in terrorist groups and their recent widespread spread across the African communities. For instance, it was recently confirmed that two Ghanaians, including a 25-year-old college graduate, have joined the dreaded terrorist group. So it has become very necessary for leaders to think about the best ways and means to guide and protect our communities. The Yankasa Mosque in the Bronx (my project venue) has resorted to focusing Friday sermons to call on the support of every member to reflect, support, and join hands to stop these barbaric activities. They usually lament the lack of innovative and educational programs to guide the youth, and so they easily get brainwashed by these criminals. Another mouthpiece is the office of the National Chief Imam of Ghana, which continuously expresses Islamic views on the issue in various media and platforms. They have admonished parents both at home and abroad to beware of children´s mentorships and the need for community leaders to get closer contact with their youth to be able to give guidance, since this is lacking. As a young contemporary African artist and a Muslim, I believe the time has come to voice out my concern, a concern for all rising young Muslims.

“This program is made possible with public funds from the Bronx Council on the Arts through the New York State Council on the Arts.”