Dr. A. Manneh Sumo & Hon. Kedrick L. White, Sr. Admitted to DATI USA Board of Directors

The Honorable Body of Dehkontee Artists Theatre, Inc. (DATI) is pleased to announce the formal admission of two distinguished Liberian statesmen as members of DATI USA Board of Directors. They are Dr. Augustine Manneh Sumo and Mr. Kedrick L. White, Sr. Both statesmen recently expressed their desire to assist the management of Dehkontee Artists Theatre, Inc. in its efforts to preserve, promote, and institutionalize Liberia’s diverse and rich cultural heritage through the performing and visual arts and Afrocentric literacy.

Dr. Augustine Manneh Sumo comes with a wealth of experience as an astute advocate of Liberian history and culture. He is the founder of the popular social media chatroom called “Memory Lane,” which is his effort to “rewrite true Liberian history.” As a scholar, our distinguished board member is a “Tiger”, a graduate of the Booker Washington Institute (BWI) in Kakata, Margibi County, Liberia. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Liberia and an MPH (Master of Public Health) degree from the California State University – Fullerton. Additionally, Dr. Sumo holds an MBA from the University of Phoenix and a Ph.D. in Public Policy Law, from Walden University. Some of his literary publications include but are not limited to: Coping with the Threat of Ebola, Pain in Exile, and Framing Dreams. His books are available on Amazon, Barnes & Nobles, Booktopia, iBook, eBook, Kindle, and Durance Publishing.

Mr. Kedrick L. White, Sr. is a “Dragon,” a graduate of Ricks Institute. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Architectural Science from the School of Engineering and Architecture at the University of Tuskegee in Tuskegee, Alabama. Mr. White served as Executive Director of ELWA (Eternal Love west Africa). In this capacity, Mr. White oversaw the administration of a self-contained 133-acre campus consisting of the famous ELWA Hospital, a 50 plus-bed medical facility, over three hundred employees, a 600-student elementary/junior High school, a youth camp, a 14-bedroom guest house, and campus housing and maintenance facilities and the renowned Radio ElWA, a Christian FM & SW radio station.

As a resident of St. Paul, Minnesota, Mr. White worked with the St. Paul Public Housing Agency, MN (STPHA), which?owns and manages?over 4,700 public housing rental units.? He also did Continuing education courses and seminars in Contract Documents, Structural Engineering for Architects, International Building Code Seminar, Affordable Housing Symposium, etc. Mr. White also has vast professional experience in facility management, contract administration techniques, budgeting, accounting, and cost estimating techniques, government procurement and code requirements/regulations, among other engineering skills. Most importantly, he comes at a time when part of DATI’s plan is to raise funds to construct the first school of the performing and visual arts to preserve and institutionalize Liberian history and culture.

Why the Preservation of Liberia's Cultural Heritage and Peacebuilding Are Crucial?

One reason why the preservation of Liberian culture and peacebuilding are crucial at this point in Liberian history is because Liberia’s culture is at the brink of extinction and most of the present generation of Liberians who are Liberia’s future leaders, have been greatly deprived of self-knowledge, as well as knowledge about their ancestry at home and at school. This is a security risk for any post-genocide nation and people to live in their own homeland as if they are strangers from a different region of the world. Even nowadays, the foreigners in Liberia know more about, appreciate Liberia and live better in Liberia than Liberians do in their own home due to Liberians’ lack of national consciousness and love for their own native land. Appeals made over the past fifty years to national leaders to improve Liberia’s educational system and cultural sector have fallen on deaf ears from one administration to the other. Therefore, it is significant that young Liberians identifying with DATI’s cultural awareness and peacebuilding project be warmly embraced because they share the same vision as other patriotic Liberians who support the promotion and preservation of Liberian history and culture.

More about Dehkontee Artists Theatre, Inc. (DATI)

Dehkontee Artists Theatre, Inc. is Liberia’s longest surviving collegiate theatre organization that was founded at the University of Liberia in 1977. It is a 501 ? (3) African-centered educational and cultural organization in the United States of America and it is also duly registered with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as a nonprofit organization in Liberia. DATI is based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in the United States of America and it has two chapters in the Republic of Liberia: 1. The Gbenelue Chapter, which consists of students and graduates of Tubman University in Harper, Maryland County, Southeastern Liberia, and 2. Dugbor Chapter in Monrovia, Montserrado County, Southcentral Liberia, that comprises students and graduates of the University of Liberia, Cuttington University, Stella Maris, United Methodist University, and A.M.E. Zion University in Southcentral Liberia.

Since 2019, DATI has been passionately struggling to promote peace and reconciliation and provide civic education to survivors of the Liberian genocide with the aim to create cultural awareness and national consciousness among Liberians. Hence, the Honorable Body of Dehkontee Artists Theatre, Inc. warmly welcomes both gentlemen who are joining the ranks and files of patriotic Liberians who are committed to the preservation of Liberia’s cultural heritage. We wish our new board members and their families success and prosperity as we strive together to prevent the culture of Liberia from being totally wiped out.

How to Donate to the DATI Kukatonon Peace Project in Liberia

You can donate to the DATI Kukatonon Peace Project in Liberia in several ways:

1.????? Cashapp: $JosephGbaba; tel. (267) 973-1709

2.????? Write check or money order to: Dehkontee Artists Theatre, Inc., P. O. Box 143, Clifton Heights, PA 19018

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