Audio By Carbonatix
Ietef Vita always has a lot on his plate, and most of it involves his biggest interests: hip-hop, organic gardening and education. In fact, Vita’s alter-ego, DJ Cavem, is nationally regarded, and his day job is as an educator for Blue and Yellow Logic, an organization that brings together organic cultivation and at-risk youth.
But the roots of Vita’s career go back to 2005, when he was a senior in high school and participated in the Brown Suga Youth Fest.
The event, says Vita’s wife and fest organizer Neambe Leadon Vita, was created to “empower youth by giving them information and support, ways to do things in their community and learn about some things that are already going on.”
The fest hopes to accomplish these goals with several events, starting today at noon with screenings of films that focus on organic or environmental initiatives. That will be followed by an inter-generational/inter-cultural panel at 3 p.m. called “Going Green, Living Bling: Redefining the Image of Wealth in Hip Hop Culture.” The festival culminates with an open-mike session and performances from Slam Nuba poets, Vita’s own Moetavation Crew and others — along with an array of booths, vendors, giveaways and food.
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It’s all free, and it happens today from noon to 9 p.m. at the Crossroads Theater, 2590 Washington Street. For more information, visit www.brownsugayouthfest.com.
Sat., April 30, 12-9 p.m., 2011
