The Young Women’s Drumming Empowerment Project

and the Saartjie Project

are proud to present:

the Soul Beat SiStars

in their debut performance: EPIPHANY

Saturday August 28th 2010, 12pm

at the Columbia Heights Day Festival Youth Stage

(On the Harriet Tubman E.S. Soccer Field, on 11th St. between Kenyon and Irving Streets NW. Use street parking or take the Green Line to Columbia Heights)

Cost: FREE (donations gladly accepted!)

The Soul Beat SiStars are a talented group of 10 young women from DC who have completed YWDEP’s 2010 Summer Enrichment Program. The SiStars have showed up twice weekly since May 22nd to study drumming and hip hop, learn and create rhythms and songs, write poetry, and discover their inner beauty, power and potential. The SiStars are truly excited to bring you their debut performance, EPIPHANY, so please join us!

YWDEP 2010 through a grandmother’s eyes…

The first night we brought the girls to the “introductory session” for YWDEP, we expected a presentation of concept, a Q & A session, and then dismissal. Instead we heard powerful drumming that first night. And we knew some of the girls had never touched a drum before. It was thrilling. We were joyful. A promise. A deep satisfaction. That was May.

Now, in August, a beautiful group of young women are on the lawn at 16th and Newton, drumming their hearts out. Cars are pausing on the street, not moving when the light turns green. Folks waiting for the bus don’t want to get on. Residents are pouring out of their apartments to dance on the sidewalk and sit on the lawn to listen. WHY? Because there is so much power in the beat.

Witnessing the music evolve within the performers has been a satisfying experience. They have experienced other artists and new art forms during this program. It has opened their eyes and hearts. Now they are moving to the beat and feeling it deep inside. It’s wonderful. Irresistible!

– Tiambe, YWDEP Grandma