Friday, September 7, 2007

Moonlight Over Sangha

Our benefit show for the Japan International Volunteer Center in Juba,Sudan was a success. The concert featuring Call Me on the Allophone, Corner Store Heroes, Manos de Oso, and Everything Must Go raised $113 ( which is actually a lot a money for ... the Sudan) for the Automotive Workshop. run by teacher/facilitator, Mr. Takaki Imai. Takaki is teaching mechanical skills to Sudanese war refugees as they try to seek work when reentering Sudan, or when seeking work in neighboring countries along the Sudan's southern border like Uganda and Kenya. The proceeds from this show will go to pay for basic needs, like books, and other school supplies. To directly donate , write to:

Japan International Volunteer Center
Maruko Building 6F1-20-6
Higashi-Ueno, Taito-ku, Tokyo 110-8605 Japan

A small letter should be included in order to earmark contributions to the JIVC Automotive Workshop in Juba.

The show was held at Sangha 7014 Westmoreland Ave. in Takoma Park, Maryland.
Its founder & proprietor, Jennifer Carter, started Sangha on September 11,2001 as a fair trade store & perfromance to showcase goods, artisans, and artists from around the world in order to create a community based on the principles of Fair Trade. Fair Trade is simply labor without exploitation, mutual profit without greed. The products and gifts sold at Sangha are made largely by women's cooperatives from over 30 different countries including meditation cushions from Cambodia, Madagascar, Rwanda, and Tibet. None of these products are made with child labor or sweatshop labor. Also Sangha sells lots of good,old-fashioned, cheap used books.
Over the years , it has become the unofficial Community Center of Old Takoma Park ,featuring cartooning classes, childrens' concerts, meditation workshops, Quaker meetings, drum circles, Americana and avant-jazz performances from local artists and from abroad.

Sangha has been the official home base for Stripeysox Productions, our music & activism collective that features underground music local to the Takoma Park/Silver Spring area. Stripeysox got its start at the Electric Maid Community Exchange in 2003, and relocated to Sangha in 2005. Without the help of Sangha, Stripeysox would not most likely exist. Through Stripeysox, Sangha has hosted other underground and fringe music concerts like the Electric Possible and Audio Vortex series.

on September 11, 2007 , Sangha will close its location on 7014 Westmoreland Ave. in Takoma Park, with a grand closing event featuring performances by

*Avant-Jazz Legend, Kahil El'Zabar

*female A Cappella group, In Process

*The Oneness Family School Childrens' Choir

*and a live broadcast by Pacifica Radio WPFW 89.3

for more details on this event, please contact Ms. Jennifer Carter @ 301 891 3214
or email sanghapeaceproject@gmail.com

Sangha will reopen in its new location in 962 Wayne Ave. Silver Spring,Maryland on September 12,2007.