New Orleans’ Batiste Family joins The Peace Train to Transcend Barriers across the USA-Mexico border
NEW ORLEANS – The Peace Train was founded in 1992 in South Africa to help Nelson Mandela spread his vision of equality for all. Sharon Katz and Nonhlanhla Wanda, two musicians who were born on opposite sides of Apartheid’s barriers, started by forming the country’s first 500-voice multiracial and multicultural choir. Then they took the singers on a performance tour by train – The Peace Train – and helped promote a peaceful transition to democracy. Now they’re bringing 25 years of worldwide social justice experience to the USA-Mexico border for The Peace Train’s Transcending Barriers project, a multi-year cross-cultural initiative aimed at developing greater understanding.
This July, after months of working on both sides of the border, The Peace Train will take singers and supporters from the US on a parade across the Mexican border to join with young singers in Tijuana for cross-cultural workshops. On July 21st at 6:00PM, they’ll all perform together in The Peace Train’s Unity Concert at Centro Cultural Tijuana, and members of the Batiste family plan to be there.
Damon J. Batiste met Sharon and Nonhlanhla when The Peace Train performed at the New Orleans Jazz Festival in 1995. That encounter ultimately led to Batiste’s founding of the New Orleans-South Africa Connection (NOSACONN) which fosters cultural exchanges, produces major concerts and events, and supports the arts in education. NOSACONN and The Peace Train are now planning several projects in New Orleans and around the world to address contemporary social issues through the arts.
Sharon’s and Nonhlanhla’s work with The Peace Train is the subject of the multiple award-winning film, When Voices Meet, narrated by John Kani of Black Panther fame. The film has been featured at 27 film festivals and has shown on television in over 50 countries. Their new Afro-Jazz-Contemporary fusion album, Side-By-Side, features all original songs by Sharon, Nonhlanhla and Malcolm Nhleko, an original member of The Peace Train who now travels the world with Ladysmith Black Mambazo
Transcending Barriers is a partnership between The Peace Train and Promotora de las Bellas Artes. It is funded in part by the San Diego Foundation and the Puffin Foundation with additional support from WorldBeat Cultural Center, Coca-Cola Mexico, Centro Cultural Tijuana, Synergy Foundation, City of Chula Vista and Guitars in the Classroom.
For More Info:
SHARON KATZ & THE PEACE TRAIN
South Africa: 40 Blofield Rd., KwaZulu-Natal 3610
USA: 251 S. 13th St., #604, Philadelphia, PA 19107
Cellphone in USA & WhatsApp: 215-495-9562
E-mail: GetOnThePeaceTrain@gmail.com
Website: http://www.sharonkatz.com