Kwanzaa

Friday, December 30 at 4-8PM At 1-800 Happy Birthday 7 Knickerbocker Avenue

Join us for Kwanzaa at 1-800 Happy Birthday, an event celebrating all faiths and cultures. The celebratory afternoon will be filled with prayer & libation, education on the 7 principles of Kwanzaa, a silent art auction, music, breakout discussions on economics, land ownership, business development, and family strengthening. Including Black Solidarity, art, clothing and vegetarian food vendors. The event is organized by JUSTUS Foundation and Buddha Chief.

What does revolution look like? Reimagining oppressive systems, implementing tools for social justice and actualizing the power of the collective voice.

ABOUT JUSTUS FOUNDATION

In an effort to centralize important info, JUSTUS Foundation hopes to create an app that will serve as a main destination for how people are mobilizing. This platform will inform all potential participants how to effectively contribute. In addition to protests and boycotts, they plan to become a central hub to amplify any marginalized voice by also including petitions, political alerts and connecting critical social awareness groups.

ABOUT BUDDHA CHIEF AKA THE CURE RATER

With Brooklyn being the home to heavy hitters in the rap game, there’s no doubt that great artistry comes from this particular borough in New York City. Vaughn Jefferson also known as Buddha Chief is an artist and entrepreneur who understands cultural significance when it comes to his music and work.

In the 1980’s during the peak of the crack era, it was important for young black males not to become a product of their environment. Buddha Chief was raised by his mother and grandmother, but hip hop always surrounded him as a kid. He was brought up on the same block as one of his hip hop inspirations Big Daddy Kane. Vaughn even curated a mural of Big Daddy Kane on the building where he once lived which he signed in approval. He plans to carry on tradition like other famous artists from the Bed Stuy community started and to keep shaping the rap culture.

At first when Buddha Chief started to make music he was known as “Von Jeff”. His mission was to give his listeners positive energy through beats and lyrics. The process of creating the perfect song for his audience became a thrill for him. He released his first mixtape in 2012 titled ‘ Count Me In ‘. Several songs from his project were placed in the film ’ “Inevitable Defeat Of Mister And Pete” which was executive produced by Alicia Keys.

Music wasn’t just about songs to Vaughn it was viewed as a lifestyle. He had a different approach when it came to getting his foot through the entertainment door. In the early 2000’s Buddha Chief served as the Director of A&R for MTV2’S “Monday Night Fight Klub”. He scouted and developed many of the popular battle rappers such as Cortez, Tay Roc, Reed Dollaz, Jag, Math Hoffa, and Serius Jones to name a few. Vaughn also found passion in production where he became a videographer for rapper Maino and for the respected Shawn Carter Scholarship Foundation.

Buddha Chief was chosen as his new stage name to rebrand himself. Buddha Chief is not only Vaughn’s stage name but also for his cannabis business. Being a huge fan of rapper Redman is what inspired the name behind the brand. “On a righteous level my vision was to always create an infusion of people and bring many cultures together under one roof by means of cannabis. Hence we have Buddha Chief” says rapper Buddha Chief. Outside of his music and cannabis career, Vaughn has also become a strong advocate for the black community as a whole. He’s currently releasing a docuseries titled “The Cure Rater’ to display the importance of mental health awareness. Buddha Chief’s passion coupled with his versatile talents will make him a respected name in hip hop culture.

ABOUT CORAZON VALIENTE

Harnessing the energy that eating communally generates and sharing in the happiness has been a passion of mine since childhood. Baking my first set of cinnamon rolls when I was 12 years old. Through my experiences of watching family members and close friends live and navigate life with chronic illnesses, I took my love of cooking, science and experimentation to craft combinations that would bring joy, peace, tranquility and respite from the pain of those who I shared with. My name is Corazon Valiente and I live, work, play and love in Flatbush, Brooklyn.