MANCHESTER, NH – Bridging gaps in understanding through the arts is part of the mission of Deo Mwano Consultancy. Led by consultant, performer, and social impact innovator Deo Mwano, his latest endeavor, a video called “The Bluprint Project,” premiered with a public event on April 16. The name of the project was inspired by Martin Luther King’s “What Is Your Life Blueprint” 1967 speech 1967, and consists of eight true-to-life short stories of hope and encouragement that are woven together through visual storytelling using dance and music. Mwano was introduced during the premiere by the Executive Director of the Capitol Center for the Arts Nicolette Clarke.
Mwano explained that the project came to be through his interpretation of the current social climate, the intersection of COVID-19 and racial tension.
“I wanted to reflect on what was happening,” says Mwano who’s collaborators used their own creative depictions, each delivering valuable presentations. Performers include Shaquille Worsley, Kurt Villard, Stephanie Brewster, Amanda Whitworth, Millicent Alhamis, and Oscar Arevalo with standout performances of hip-hop by Martin Toe and the slow-mo dance of Abel Garcia. Portions of Martin Luther King’s “What is Your Life Blueprint” speech were adeptly synched and featured between each performance, with Mwano producing a majority of the music.
Audience members in attendance described the project as emotionally moving, grounding, and visual.
Mwano says that he trusted the people he worked with to channel their characters. Stephanie Brewster, who was very familiar with her role, played an overworked nurse in the COVID pandemic. “I did not have to do a lot of digging for the character,” said Brewster. “My mom was a nurse for 30 years.
Oscar Arevalo, who played a man that has just been laid off, wrote and performed his own song, “Never Give Up.”
Performers also commented on the process of their creative renditions. Millicent Alhamis, who played a Black woman proficient at her job yet still waiting for a promotion after six years, channels her frustration into an afro-centric dance, explaining it is “soft in the beginning and more empowered in the end.” Peter Grigorakakis who plays Alhamis manager and ironically was Alhamis real-life supervisor previously, felt the project was good for his own personal growth.
Civic Leader of the Year 2021, Martin Toe who performed an original rap, plays the role of a Black man bombarded with current realities “in the overwhelm of right now, coming to awareness of the madness around us,” says Toe, “I could amplify what I was feeling.” Toe’s performance was inspired by portions of what he has experienced in New Hampshire. “ The law is like bleach. It works for whites but destroys color. Lift up your voice through your art creativity or influence,” Toe said.
Mwano says he would like to use the Blueprint Project as a tool of social encouragement.
“I want to use The Blueprint project to bring hope and inspiration to as many people as possible by partnering with different organizations to host a screening of the project and conduct Q&A… which allows people to reflect on their observation of the project in order to take ownership but also take away the principle of respect for others’ experiences,” says Mwano. “With the use of virtual systems, I can bring this project nationally and globally.”
For more, go to Deo Mwano Consultancy.
