UNews - Desmond Kamara

��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge International Dinner returns with distinguished alumnus Dez Kamara as keynote

trevor.kenney — Wed, 22 Jan 2025 20:17:27 +0000

A valued ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge tradition is returning in February when the ULethbridge International Centre presents its celebration of the amazing contributions of international students at its 28th edition of the International Dinner.

Hosted for the first time since 2020, the evening will feature a keynote address from author, social justice advocate, alumnus and Alumni Honour Society inductee Desmond (Dez) Kamara (BA ’10). The event takes place Thursday, Feb. 6, 5 to 10 p.m., in the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ’s Science Commons Atrium.

Dez Kamara is testament to the power of education and making the most of his opportunities.

“It’s really exciting to be back hosting our International Dinner once again, celebrating all that international students bring to our campus and our community,” says Paul Pan, executive director of the International Centre. “You cannot overstate how valuable it is to have a diverse campus culture, one that introduces new world views and fosters mutual learning and a global perspective.”

Kamara is testament to the power of education and making the most of his opportunities. Born in Sierra Leone, Kamara survived 12 years of civil war and post-conflict. Focused on supporting war victims, especially former child soldiers, he produced a documentary to raise awareness of their experiences. His career spans nearly a decade working with the United Nations Special Court for Sierra Leone and various international non-governmental organizations (INGOs) in Sierra Leone, Canada and Jamaica.

In 2023, Kamara returned to ULethbridge to launch his first book, Looking Back: From Yele, Gbonkolenken Tonkolili District Sierra Leone to Lethbridge, Alberta Canada (Achieving an Educational Dream), reflecting his commitment to family values, education and his resilience to achieve his dreams.

“This is where my dream came true, and I would not launch this book anywhere except the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge,” he said at the time. “I can always tell anyone that I am the values and the principles of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge, and in combination with my family, they helped me to be who I am today.”

He has a master’s in social work from the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Windsor, specializing in mental health and community development (policy + practice).

Kamara is presently living in Gatineau, Que., where he is working with youth in community mental health.

“My task now is to break the barriers of exclusion, to help the forgotten, those left behind and the voiceless. It could be refugees, or immigrants, or child combatants or anyone in our society who is discriminated against, or excluded,” he says. “I feel with what I have achieved with the struggles I’ve faced; I need to give back and help those who need it.”

In addition to Kamara’s inspirational keynote address, the evening will feature fine dining with an international flair, a silent auction and live entertainment. Regular admission tickets are priced at $100 ($720 per table of eight) and $80 per student ($640 for a table) and registration is available here. All money raised will support the International Student Emergency Bursary.

Newest Alumni Honour Society inductees creating positive change

trevor.kenney — Wed, 18 Sep 2024 15:11:41 +0000

Art, education and social change highlight the issues being addressed by the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Alumni Association’s (ULAA) newest inductees into the Alumni Honour Society.

Ahkoiinnimaki (Pipe Woman) Star Crop Eared Wolf (BFA - Native American Art ’17), Desmond (Dez) Kamara (BA ’10), April Matisz (BFA - Art ’09) and Dr. Philip McRae (BEd ’91) are all being recognized for their achievements.

“I’m very pleased to introduce these four outstanding alumni, all of whom have and continue to make vital contributions to their communities,” says Cyndi Bester (BMus ’95, MEd ’01), ULAA president. “Our alumni are using their ULethbridge experience to make a real difference in society, improving people’s lives and serving as inspiration to today’s students who can see themselves in the inspiring work they do.”

Alumni Honour Society inductees will be honoured for their contributions to community at Let There Be Light Night, a celebration of alumni achievement, on Friday, Oct. 18, 2024, at 7 p.m. in the Science Commons Atrium. Tickets are currently available online.

Ahkoiinnimaki (Pipe Woman) Star Crop Eared Wolf

Ahkoiinnimaki (Pipe Woman) Star Crop Eared Wolf

A visionary artist and curator from the Kainai Nation, Ahkoiinnimaki (Pipe Woman) Star Crop Eared Wolf has carved an inspiring path in the world of Indigenous art and cultural preservation. With a deep commitment to the Niitsitapi heritage, her multidisciplinary work — including painting, sculpture and photography — explores environmental and cultural themes deeply rooted in Blackfoot traditions. Achieving her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Native American Art (Art History/Museum Studies) in 2017, Crop Eared Wolf’s work has appeared in prominent galleries across North America. Her leadership extends beyond the gallery walls, with community-based initiatives and workshops, including Traditional Blackfoot Plants workshops across Treaty 7 territory. Currently the curator at The Confluence (Fort Calgary), Crop Eared Wolf is transforming the interpretive exhibits, bringing Indigenous perspectives to the forefront. Her journey is a testament to the power of art and education in fostering cultural understanding and connection.

Desmond (Dez) Kamara

Desmond (Dez) Kamara

Desmond (Dez) Kamara has turned his personal experiences into a powerful force for social change. His dedication to excellence was evident at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts, majoring in anthropology. Born in Sierra Leone, Kamara survived 12 years of civil war and post-conflict. Focused on supporting war victims, especially former child soldiers, Kamara produced a documentary to raise awareness of their experiences. His career spans nearly a decade working with the United Nations, the Special Court for Sierra Leone and various international non-governmental organizations (INGOs) in Sierra Leone, Canada and Jamaica. In 2023, Kamara returned to ULethbridge to launch his first book, reflecting his commitment to family values, education and his resilience to achieve his dreams. He recently completed a master’s in social work at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Windsor, specializing in mental health and community development (policy + practice). Kamara exemplifies the values and spirit of ULethbridge, making him an exceptional representative and alumnus whose work continues to inspire globally.

April Matisz

April Matisz

April Matisz continually proves to be an exceedingly talented and dedicated artist. Her research interests are varied, as she explores the creatures and complex processes that make up the natural world, as well as the natural processes that have created us and continue to shape our lives. Matisz has established herself as a significant voice in contemporary Canadian art, connecting her education in both art and biology to engage in issues of motherhood and ecology. Through her artwork, Matisz captivates viewers with attention to detail in her creative brushwork and intricate paper collages that combine to demonstrate captivating stories of migration, evolution and survival. Matisz’s recent solo exhibition at the Southern Alberta Art Gallery is evidence of her work making a larger impact across the province. She recently finished her MFA at Emily Carr ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Art and Design and is excited to begin teaching Drawing 1 at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge in Winter 2025. 

Dr. Philip McRae

Dr. Philip McRae

Dr. Philip McRae is an esteemed thought leader and highly coveted speaker, recognized internationally for his influence on the educational landscape. His keynote addresses and presentations at prestigious events worldwide have created spaces sharing insights and advancing dialogue on critical issues shaping the future of education. Dr. McRae’s commitment to research and fostering positive change knows no boundaries. His impactful work in secondary and post-secondary institutions transcends borders and includes teaching experiences in the Middle East, Europe, Asia and in Alberta, with the Lethbridge Public School District and at Red Crow College with the Blood Tribe. He currently holds a pivotal role in the provincial educational system, balancing positions as the executive staff officer and associate coordinator of government research at the Alberta Teachers’ Association and as an adjunct professor at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Alberta, where he earned his PhD.

Returning home

trevor.kenney — Tue, 30 Nov 2010 23:21:33 +0000

If you visited Sierra Leone today, you would see a picturesque and peaceful country, a lush tropical land on the coast of West Africa that is vibrant with culture. Most of the people you'd meet there would greet you with a warm smile, many purveying a selection of woven mats, fine fabrics, pots and pans, and other market items in the colourful and bustling streets of Freetown, the capital city.

But if you looked a little further, if your instincts ran a bit deeper, you'd notice that underneath the vitality of Sierra Leone is an undercurrent of tension and heartbreak. Colonial buildings, once glorious, now slump sadly on street corners, decaying from neglect. Poverty is rampant and trust is rare. Everywhere you go, suspicious eyes are lowered over hushed voices, and all too often someone is missing an arm, a leg or an ear – haunting visual reminders of the darkest days in the country's history, a period of civil war that raged from 1991 to 2002.

Desmond Kamara returns to Sierra Leone and tells the stories of child soldiers.

The unsettling underbelly of modern- day Sierra Leone is a truth that U of L alumnus Desmond Kamara (BA'10) knows very well. Desmond, or Dez, as he prefers to be called, was born and raised in Sierra Leone, and was a young man when the war erupted. What occurred in the years that followed would forever change the face of Sierra Leone, and set Kamara's life on a course he would never have predicted.

War is never pretty, but the civil war in Sierra Leone bears a particularly ugly scar. Child soldiers, some as young as seven, were the binding thread in the fabric of the rebel resistance. It is estimated that up to 50,000 children between the ages of seven and 18 were traumatically removed from their homes by rebel forces during the violent upheaval and were subjected to weeks of brutal "training" – most often under the influence of drugs that they were forced to take. Anyone who tried to escape was shot in front of the others, in many cases by a fellow child soldier. Countless children saw their parents shot dead, or watched helplessly as their mothers and sisters were dragged off to become bush wives and sex slaves. Villages were pillaged and then burned to the ground. With no family left and no home to run to, these children took up the automatic weapons that had been thrust into their hands and put them to use as instructed.

The effects of these horrific experiences, not surprisingly, caused massive social fallout. Dozens of organizations from around the world rushed to Sierra Leone to work with former child soldiers, rehabilitate them and reintegrate them into society. Cause Canada was one of the organizations involved in the effort, and Kamara, who was a teenager at the time, was hired by Cause Canada in 2001.

"Most of the kids I was working with didn't know anything different than war," says Kamara. "Some had spent almost half of their lives in combat, and had been forced to do terrible things. They were brainwashed. They needed an incredible amount of counselling and support to return to normal life, and we worked tirelessly to try to help them."

Kamara in Sierra Leone in 2010 with children at a mission school. The child with the sunglasses is the son of a former child soldier.

Kamara worked out of St. Michael's rehabilitation centre in Freetown, where he met a man by the name of Robert Cornellier from Montreal. A film director by profession, Cornellier was in Sierra Leone to shoot a documentary entitled Lost Childhood, a film that follows the lives of six child soldiers after the war. Kamara and Cornellier hit it off, and Cornellier quickly realized that Kamara would be an invaluable asset to the production. He enlisted Kamara as a consultant/researcher, and Kamara was happy to provide background knowledge and expertise on the kids involved.

"I knew the kids very well. I lived, worked, ate, played and prayed with them. I knew their stories. I could tell when they were being honest, and how to make them comfortable enough to share experiences. They trusted me," says Kamara. "It was always my goal to honour these kids, and tell their stories in a way that was respectful and truthful."

A year after the film wrapped, Kamara was in Canada leading a youth delegation under the auspices of Cause Canada. While here, he decided to take the first step in fulfilling a dream he'd always had of someday studying abroad. With encouragement from the Canadian staff, Kamara applied to a college in Calgary, and was accepted. He moved to Canada to begin the program in 2004.

"I always wanted to continue my education outside my country," says Kamara. "With the atrocities I'd seen, I wanted to experience something completely different. I knew that my work in Sierra Leone was not complete, but to really make the difference I wanted to make, I needed to go out into the world and bring what I learned back home with me."

After two years in college, Kamara was accepted at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge to study anthropology. In 2007, he decided to contact Robert Cornellier and sent him an e-mail message to say hello. As it happened, Cornellier was also trying to connect with Kamara.

"Robert had been calling random people in Sierra Leone, trying to locate me, but no one he spoke with knew how to get in touch with me in Canada," says Kamara. "I sent that e-mail message to him at just the right time."

Cornellier was looking for Kamara because he was preparing to do a follow-up film to Lost Childhood called The Kids of St. Michael's. Cornellier wanted Kamara back for the second project, and Kamara was keen to accept. He went to his U of L professors for their opinions on what to do.

"The support I got was phenomenal," says Kamara. "My professors unanimously told me that I absolutely had to do it, that I couldn't possibly know where this might take me. I contacted the Applied Studies office, and we made it happen."

The Kids of St. Michael's became an applied study in Kamara's degree program. Kamara took a much bigger role in the process the second time around, co-directing and narrating the film, as well as working in front of the camera as host. The premise of the project was to find the six children from Lost Childhood and see how they were faring, but the concept proved impossible to fulfill.

"The kids were spread out over the country, and a few we couldn't locate at all, so we had to change our plans," says Kamara. "The film became a road film, following me as I searched for the children, and the discoveries I made about the current situation of child soldiers."

Only three of the six previous child soldiers featured in Lost Childhood were found during the making of The Kids of St. Michael's, and to Kamara's dismay, not much had changed.

"In fact, their situations were worse," says Kamara. "There is very little support for them. Reconciliation and reunification programs are being cut short, funding has dried up. There is so much work left to do, and no real way to do it. In Africa we say that it takes a village to raise a child. These children fought for up to ten years of their lives. To just put them back into society is not enough. The objective of reintegration has been met, but has to be properly followed up. We need to support the kids even if it takes ten more years."

Kamara is already working with Cornellier on plans for a third film that will focus on furthering the reconciliation process in Sierra Leone, and increase support for former child soldiers. Although he feels his work for the cause isn't yet done, Kamara speaks reflectively and openly about what his future might hold.

"Two years ago, I never thought about being the co-director of a film," he says. "Right now I'm still contemplating the direction that I want to go; I'm considering what I really want to do. I'm just going to go with the flow. If an opportunity arises that will allow me to help the world become a better place, I'll take it."

This story appeared originally in the Fall 2010 issue of SAM. For a look at the full issue of SAM in a flipbook format, follow this link.

Kamara documentary opens eyes

trevor.kenney — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 17:53:57 +0000

Recently, Desmond, or Dez as he prefers to be called, returned to Sierra Leone to help make a documentary film, The Kids of St. Michael's, that he believes will show the world what has been happening to the child soldiers of Sierra Leone and just how much work has been left unfinished.

Kamara, an anthropology major, will be on hand Saturday, June 12 beginning at 1:30 p.m. at the Lethbridge Public Library Theatre Gallery to show the film and talk about the process of filmmaking under difficult circumstances. The event is free.

Documentary filmmaker and U of L anthropology graduate Dez Kamara.

He will put a very real perspective to the personal stories of the people he and a crew from Montreal-based Macumba International gathered.

Kamara is no stranger to documentary filmmaking. He worked with the same film crew in 2001 on a project called "Lost Childhood", also about Sierra Leone's child soldiers, their demobilization, and their reintegration into society.

At the time, Kamara was a resident of Freetown and a worker at St. Michael's rehabilitation centre. He was able to connect with the children in a meaningful way, and help the filmmakers get their real stories.

"You have to understand, most of these kids don't know anything different than war," says Kamara. "They have spent five or six years in the bush fighting, some of them even as many as 10 years, and so their minds are tainted. It's like they have been brainwashed. They need lots of counseling and skills training before they can return to society."

For Kamara, Lost Childhood was about telling the story of these children in the hopes that others would see that Sierra Leone needed help. However, he also knew that if he were going to do his part to help his home, he would have to take action for himself.

In 2004, when he and his family had saved enough money, Kamara came from Sierra Leone to Canada as a student. After spending two years at a small college in Calgary, in 2006, Kamara applied to the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge and started studying anthropology.

He took on a much bigger role for the second film, which he undertook as an Applied Study through anthropology and the Faculty of Arts and Science's Applied Study and Co-operative Education Dept. at the U of L.

"I am the co-director and narrator of this second documentary. The film follows me while I look for these kids to see what has changed," says Kamara.

When Kamara found out about this opportunity in 2007, he knew that he had to take advantage of it and the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ community supported him.

"My professors supported me whole-heartedly. They said you have to do this because you have no idea where this experience is going to take you."

Some funding was provided by a grant Kamara received from the Lethbridge Public Interest Research Group, a campus/community organization that supports international projects.

In the end, it was all about doing something that could have an impact.

"Making a film that examines how things have changed only to uncover another layer of crisis is very challenging. Especially when that crisis is happening and no one really knows about it," says Kamara.

For Dez Kamara, the most important thing that came from this experience is that he was able to give something back to his home and his community through film.

"I encourage all students that if you have a project in mind, then you must find a way to do it," he says. "You have no idea where your experiences will take you."

Kamara presents documentary film

trevor.kenney — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 17:46:43 +0000

Leaving home is never an easy thing to do, but Desmond Kamara, a recent ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge graduate (BA'10), did just that when he travelled from Freetown, Sierra Leone to Calgary, then the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge.

Recently, Desmond, or Dez as he prefers to be called, returned to Sierra Leone to help make a documentary film, The Kids of St. Michael's, that he believes will show the world what has been happening to the child soldiers of Sierra Leone and just how much work has been left unfinished.

Kamara, an anthropology major, will be on hand Saturday, June 12 beginning at 1:30 p.m. at the Lethbridge Public Library Theatre Gallery to show the film and talk about the process of filmmaking under difficult circumstances.

He will put a very real perspective to the personal stories of the people he and a crew from Montreal-based Macumba International gathered. The event is free to attend.

UNews - Desmond Kamara

��Ѹ�����Դ���߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge International Dinner returns with distinguished alumnus Dez Kamara as keynote

Related Topics

Newest Alumni Honour Society inductees creating positive change

Related Topics

Returning home

Related Topics

Kamara documentary opens eyes

Related Topics

Kamara presents documentary film

Related Topics

��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge International Dinner returns with distinguished alumnus Dez Kamara as keynote