Meredith Performs "Ain't Nobody"

We wanted to create a new word for a new experience so we took the Kiswahili word “ubunifu,” an adjective meaning creative and ‘shenged’ it up so to speak, into the verb ubunify which we define as “to be immersed in the creative process.” Ubunify u•bu•nee•fy Definition: To immerse in the creative process #Ubunify In lieu of gifts share some creative expression – a quote, a poem, a song, a drawing, a photo, a dance, a whatever. So a few days before the party I did a post saying “in celebration of my birthday I’m going to ubunify myself this Saturday. Want to come ubunify with me?” I got all kinds of responses cool & crazy – some posted, some direct and as the idea caught on the creativity exploded and took on a life of its own. I was thrilled by the range of imagination. #Ubunified

Meredith Performs "Fragile"

My bay area brother Ron Calime took photos of the Bay Bridge in Oakland and wrote a poem called “Bridges of Peace” talking about our activities over the last 40 years around the world building global bridges of peace; Vernis Ross wrote a poem “The Drums of Africa;” My sister Michele also wrote a timeful birthday poem. My nextdoor neighbor Nate did a pencil sketch of me as a superhero; Fabulous Fahamisha designed a couple of jewelry pieces, New Yorker/ Kenyan/Los Angelean Denise Gordon ubunified me with one of her shirt designs from her MimiZuri clothing line. Shout outs from around the world and song tributes came from The Gambia, Kenya, Burundi, Amsterdam, London, Texas, New Jersey and Uganda. The performances are taking on a life of their own. Makadem, the nyatiti master from Kenya, performed a traditional Luo song. My buddy Bradie Speller in New Jersey saw what Makadem did and added jembe. Bradie's contribution is exactly what ubunify is about. Spontaneity, improvisation, collaboration beyond borders and building community. Bradie saw the performance on nyatiti that Makadem posted from Lamu, Kenya. That gave him the idea to extend it. Bradie added his jembe drum to what Makadem was playing and then posted it, morphing it into something else. Who's next to add to this piece of music which has its own life? Now when Bradie gets to Kenya and meets Makadem you know they gotta play! Creative expressions are still coming in so as we edit them we’ll add them to www.ubunify.com

Video from the LIVE BROADCAST of the Global Party Celebrating Meredith Beal's Birthday
29/30 December 2018
Live from Los Angeles CA USA

I've Been