May 9, 2013
Storyteller Vera Oye' Yaa-Anna and members of her troupe gather on stage at the “Arts Uniting People” opening night reception with some of the artists whose work was on exhibit along with Michael Gilmore, center, executive director of the Alexandria Community Services Board. Auntie Oye', second from the left, told a story, sang and danced with drummer Yerone Sanders, master ancestral drummer Joseph Ngwa and dancers Diane Freeman and Thomas Lee at the May 9 event at the Lee Center. This was the third annual “Art Uniting People,” a celebration of creativity and mental health. The art work will remain on exhibit at the Lee Center for six months and then will be moved to the Beatley Library, where last year's exhibit is still on display.
Stories this photo appears in:
A Joyous Occasion
To the Editor: Artists, their families and friends, and members of the community who attended the opening reception of “Art Uniting People” at the Lee Center not only got to see some powerful, moving, sad, jarring and funny works of art including photography, paintings, sketches and sculpture, they also got a chance to learn what it takes to be happy with Liberian-born storyteller Vera Oye' Yaa-Anna who told her tale of the king of the historic city of Timbuktu who was always unhappy no matter what his loyal subjects and servants tried to do. With the help of dancers Diane Freeman and Thomas Lee and drummers Yerone Sanders and Joseph Ngwa, the audience was soon clapping, dancing in their seats, down the aisles and on stage and chanting “I am Happy.” A few tried drumming including an intrigued four-year-old.
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