Thursday, March 29

YWDEP Features at Teen Dating Violence Conference

WHO:Young Women's Drumming Empowerment Project

WHAT:PERFORMANCE at the ACT NOW, CHOOSE RESPECT Teen Dating Violence Conference

WHERE:The HRC Building, 1640 Rhode Island Ave NW, in the Equality Center

WHEN:Saturday, March 31st, 9:30 a.m.

Directions/Otherwww.breakthecycle.org

Act Now, Choose Respect Teen Conference
March 30-31, Washington DC.

Break the Cycle, The DC Rape Crisis Center, My
Sister’s Place and Women Empowered Against Violence
present the 4th Annual City-Wide Teen Dating Violence
Conference, "Act Now. Choose Respect” in Washington,
DC. The mission of the conference is to inform teens
about dating violence and provide resources so that
teens could make more empowered decisions about their
relationships.

YWDEP will be featured as the OPENING ACT at this
important conference. We'll be performing at 9:30 a.m.
on Saturday, March 31st at the Equality Center in the
Human Rights Campaign Building, 1640 Rhode Island Ave
NW (near 16th and M intersection).

PeAcE and thanks for your support -

Kristen Arant
YWDEP Founding Director
www.youngwomendrum.org

Wednesday, March 28

UPCOMING DC-AREA DRUMMING EVENTS!!!

Friends!
I'm writing to let you know about several upcoming
events of interest! FYI all of these are available on
my blog: www.drumlady.blogspot.com should you choose
to skip over this email for now.

A. This Saturday: Amazones: Women Master Drummers of
Guinea at the Rosslyn Spectrum Theatre in Arlington,
VA

B. Spring women's drumming class at Circle Yoga!
Sign up!

C. Afro-Latin Rhythm Circle at Art-o-Matic - May
5th!

D. New drumlady.com website launching on my b-day
(April 4)!

E. BUMBADA women's drumming conference April 27-29: HELP A YOUNG WOMAN FROM YWDEP ATTEND THE CONFERENCE THROUGH OUR SPONSORSHIP PROGRAM!

F. SUPPORT RENEE BOWSER! Event at Blair Mansion Inn
TOMORROW!(featuring myself and henry on drums!)

Please see below for brief descriptions of all of the
above - thank you for your time and attention!

in RHYTHM!!
Kristen Arant
www.drumlady.com
www.youngwomendrum.org

A - AMAZONES!
These women are miraculous. Check their website:
http://www.amazoneswomandrummers.com/ - the photos are
incredible.
Amazones: Woman Master Drummers of Guinea
Saturday, March 31, 2007, 8 p.m.
Rosslyn Spectrum
1611 N. Kent Street
Free Parking in the building garage, access from
Arlington Ridge Road
Directions/Map to Rosslyn Spectrum
Tickets $20 through Ticketmaster (703-573-SEAT or
www.Ticketmaster.com)
General Seating
Information: 703-228-1850
TTY: 703-228-1855


B - SPRING WOMEN'S DRUM CLASS!
see www.circleyoga.com under "spring schedule." The
class starts on Sunday April 15 and runs through June
10. It's every Sunday from 12-1:15 p.m. Drop-in for
$18 per class or sign up for the semester and pay
less. The class is averaging around 10 women per
session now - very exciting, FUN and educational!

Hand Drumming for Women
In this class students will explore West African drums
and rhythms with djembe artist Kristen Arant, learning
basic notes of the djembe, parts to traditional West
African polyrhythms. Students will build confidence,
strength, and joy by playing improvisationally through
listening and bonding with one another.


C - ART-O-MATIC AFRO-LATIN RHYTHM CIRCLE! MAY 5, 8-10
p.m. Art-o-Matic is taking two floors of an unused
office space in Crystal City, VA this year, with huge
windows overlooking the metro, train tracks and the
airport. One floor will feature walls full of local
artists' work; another is devoted to sculpture and
live art forms. Bars and live music are on the
schedule for the weekends. I'll be hostng an
Afro-Latin rhythm circle there on May 5 - i'll have
drums but feel free to bring your own. More at
www.artomatic.org.


D - WEBSITE LAUNCH ON APRIL 4TH!
I am celebrating my 32nd birthday, and will be
launching a new website, built in collaboration with
Alexandra Silverthorne. Please
remember to check it out! www.drumlady.com


E - The BUMBADA all-women's drumming weekend is
FANTASTC. All levels come and experience workshops
ranging from djembe technique to drum circle
facilitation to shekere building and african dance.
April 27-29 - sign up by April 1st for the discounted
rate. The infamous UBAKA HILL will be presenting there
this year! It's a no-miss:
http://www.bumbadawomenweekend.myevent.com/

P.S. if you are interested in helping to SPONSOR A
YOUNG WOMAN FROM YWDEP to attend the BUMBADA
CONFERENCE this year, please call me: 202-213-7810 or
email me: kristen@youngwomendrum.org.


F - SUPPORT RENEE BOWSER!
I don't usually pass along information about political
events - but Renee is a friend and a Young Women's
Drumming Empowerment Project member-supporter. She's a
Washingtonian by choice, a part of the DC community
for nearly 24 years, served two terms as a
Commissioner on the DC Commission on Human Rights,
tutored homeless children for seven years and raised
scholarship money for college-bound DC youth. She's
also a Union lawyer who has fought to advance the
rights of working people, building on her experience
as a civil rights investigator. She's now in her 5th
year as an ANC Commissioner and her goals are all
about bringing consistent, effective ward-wide
constituent services to Ward 4.

FYI - My drumming partner Henry and I will be
performing at this event

SUPPORT RENEE BOWSER:
Spring Bash for Renee
Thursday March 29, 2007
Time: 6:30 pm - 9:00 pm
Blair Manison Inn, 7711 Eastern Ave. (near Georgia
Ave. & Kalmia Sts. NW)
Join Renée and friends for an evening of live
entertainment at this magical and historical DC
location. Tasty appetizers will be served. Cash bar.

Voluntary donations for Renée's Ward 4 Campaign will
be accepted.
RSVP requested at 202-291-3080

Monday, March 5

Community Fundraiser Supports Young Women's Leadership Development

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 5, 2007
Contact: Kristen Arant, 202-213-7810
kristen@youngwomendrum.org

Community Showcase to Support Young Women's Leadership Development

The Young Women's Drumming Empowerment Project (YWDEP) - a youth development organization that uses expressive arts and teambuilding to boost its participants' self esteem, self awareness and leadership skills - is hosting a Community Showcase on March 10, 2007 from 4-7 p.m. at Edmund Burke High School, to raise funds for its summer programming.

YWDEP, founded in 2005 on a small grant from the DC Arts Commission, is planning its third summer Enrichment Program (SEP), which employs DC artists and youth workers to teach interactive workshops in hand drumming, poetry, song-writing, movement, team building and more throughout the summer months, resulting in a yearly end of the summer performance
that has stunned audiences. (See YWDEP show reel at: http://www.youngwomendrum.org gallery.html).

Currently YWDEP is supported through its community membership program, and is fiscally sponsored by One Common Unity, a registered 501(c)3 non-profit organization.

YWDEP is organizing outreach programs that will span the entirity of DC in order to build its youth membership base for the SEP. YWDEP is also expanding its mentorship program, which was initiated in 2006 when its first group of participants expressed an interest in mentoring new girls entering the second annual SEP.

YWDEP's own Nancy Umanzor, 18, an original project participant, has graduated to staff and will be serving as the Mentorship Coordinator this summer.

"This year we have a lot more staff and volunteers who have experience working with groups of adolescents," She said.

"With their help we'll be able to push forward our Mentorship Program, which will be a huge success because we'll have a diverse group of girls learning how to become leaders and demonstrating to our new members what women can do in today's society."

The showcase, which includes $500 worth of raffle prizes from local businesses, will be hosted by
hip-hop artivist the Princess of Controversy, and features community arts and youth groups such as Sol y Soul and Interstages - an organization that provides artistic and academic opportunities for early adolescents in low-income neighborhoods. Entertainment also includes a Brazilian Quartet, local poets and singer-songwriters, WeDance Ensemble, and members of YWDEP and the Intergenerational Women's Drum Choir.

The event will be held on Saturday, March 10 from 4-7 p.m. at Edmund Burke High School's new auditorium - 4101 Connecticut Ave NW, Van Ness/UDC Metro, corner of Connecticut and Upton Sts. Limited garage parking and street parking are available. $10 suggested donation.

For more information: www.youngwomendrum.org