When a cause arises in which the Conscious Movements Collective feels particularly equipped to effect a positive change, we elevate that cause to Special Initiative level. Our current Special Initiative, on HIV/AIDS in Africa, is called Gravity (contact us).

Gravity empowers youth to fight the AIDS epidemic through art and digital technology. Over 50% of new HIV cases are people between the ages of 13-25 — we are being infected, so we have to be invested in stopping the spread of this virus. We are building an international youth solidarity network through our programs: the Healing InnoVations shows, the CD-ROM program, grassroots youth community workshops, CMC's radio show and resource center, and future travel programs. As we struggle together, we must educate each other to fight against global inequities and marginalization within own international community. We focus specifically on the most marginalized sub-sections of that community — women, children and glbt (gay/lesbian/bisexual/transgendered) youth.

The leaders of Gravity are Tchaiko Omawale and Adrienne Brown.

Tchaiko Omawale studied film and African-American Studies at Columbia University. During her time there, she gained film experience working with Spike Lee, Mira Nair and on various music video productions. She took time to live in France and work on a documentary about the role of Hip-Hop in young immigrant communities. During a summer she volunteered for UNICEF in North Korea. A consummate traveler, Tchaiko has lived in over 7 different countries, leading to her belief that a true understanding of internationalism is the only way to eliminate war and oppression. To that end, Tchaiko founded Gravity late 2000, and facilitated its merge with Conscious Movements Collective in less than a year. She heads up the Gravity Initiative on HIV/AIDS and is currently working on an AIDS documentary for CMC about how young, marginalized people of color, are effected and affected by the HIV/AIDS epidemic. In addition, she is a member of Abeja Obrera (www.abejaobrera.org), an organization that sees physical labor as a revolutionary quality for community development. With Abeja Obrera she has participated in several work projects both in New York City and in Cuba. Besides being a filmmaker, activist and proud Jamaican, Tchaiko works for the Law Offices of Donna L. Bascom in entertainment law and lives in New York.

Adrienne Brown studied Political Science, African American Studies, and Voice at Columbia University. While there she worked as Editor-in-Chief of college magazine Roots & Culture; founder and president of Elementary, a political hip-hop organization; Vice President of the Columbia College Student Body and the United Students of Color Council; and founder and president of the Coalition for Police Reform. She was awarded the student-voted Alumni Achievement Award for Outstanding Individual. She is managing director of the Conscious Movements Collective, and co-director of Gravity, the AIDS in Africa special initiative focusing on youth, which has produced two benefit shows and is developing a high school community education program and a documentary on and for youth. In the spring of 2002 she will be launching a community magazine online bringing together all of her cultural, political, and entertainment pursuits. In her free time she sings, records, writes poetry, babysits, dances, paints and draws. She is currently the Program Manager at the Harm Reduction Training Institute and lives in New York.

Gravity and CMC would like to thank:
Nzinga Kemp — stage manager for Healing InnoVations I
Angela Carter — video production Healing InnoVations I and Healing InnoVations II
Mishka Brown and Bill Mack — from Aerolith
Rocky LeMontagne — from Rocky Presents
Ivan Evangelista — sound for Healing InnoVations II
Dave Downs — logo design
Kenshin — flyer design
Charles Anthony— flyer and web design
bridget batch — web/CD-Rom design and photographs
Mark Connolly — from UNICEF for all his guidance
Peter Luppoff — from Subverse for all his help
Nicole Sheldon
Miguel Izquierdo
Aisha Satterwhite
Chelsea Peretti
Saidah Blount
Shonali Saha
CMC/Gravity Board
All the artists and performers
Our family and friends

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