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Meet Benny. Benny is a hip-hop artist, social entrepreneur, community activist, farmer and bee-keeper, and humble leader. Benny is also a dreamer and a do-er which is how and why he started Northern Uganda Hiphop Culture (NUHC) to empower young people in his community through hip-hop and the creative arts. Benny is changing the narrative of Northern Uganda from one of violence and dependence to one of peace, sustainability, and agency.

Join us Tues, Sept 11 at 7 pm at Pique Travel (362 Third Street, Excelsior) to learn more about Benny’s work and how we can help. RSVP here.

More about his story For the past 5 years (or longer), Benny has dreamed of building a community cultural and creative space in Kitgum, his hometown in Northern Uganda. This center will include a fully-equipped music studio, a computer lab, an art studio, and a dance space. More importantly, it will be a dedicated space for people-- young and old-- from the community to come together to collaborate, create, support, and share with one another. The center is not just for hip-hop, but is a spot where creativity serves as a platform to promote positive social change in the community.

While they have made great progress in securing the land and building the outside structure of the youth center, they need help finishing the space so Benny and the amazing team of young people can do even greater work in improving lives in their community. As supporters of his efforts, Benny’s US and Minnesota friends are looking to raise $20,000 by the end of September to finish the center as well as for initial implementation of community projects. NUHC has received support from other organizations, including a Minnesota-based Rotary Club and the Pollination Project, as well as UK-based In Place of War (IPOW) which is sending music studio equipment of more than $50,000 for the center.

Can’t attend, but want to support Benny’s quest? Please visit his GoFundMe page.

Link: https://www.gofundme.com/youth-center-in-northern-uganda