Renowned musical artists, Sierra Leone Refugee All Stars, come to UAA

Group formed in refugee camps during civil war in Sierra Leone, Africa
As a part of the University of Alaska Anchorage's (UAA) annual Juneteenth celebration, UAA Student Activities presents Sierra Leone's Refugee All Stars on Friday, June 15 at 7:30 p.m. in the Wendy Williamson Auditorium. 

With a spirited and infectious fusion of traditional West African music, roots reggae and rhythmic traditional folk, Sierra Leone's Refugee All Stars craft music that transforms and uplifts.  Formed in a refugee camp in the West African nation of Guinea, all of the band's 10 members lived in or around Freetown, Sierra Leone's capital city, before rebel attacks forced a mass exodus from the city near the turn of the 21st century.

Sierra Leone's Refugee All Stars began to form at Kalia Refugee Camp in Guinea when band members Reuben, Franco and Grace connected through their common love of music.  After being forced to evacuate Kalia Refugee Camp because of increased violence, they were moved to Sembakounya Refugee Camp where they found their remaining band members.  At Sembakounya, the Refugee All Stars began to really develop when a Canadian refugee aid organization donated a microphone, a rusty sound system and two rundown electric guitars.

The members of Sierra Leone's Refugee All Stars are diverse in age and character, ranging from Reuben M. Koroma, 42-year old songwriter and guiding light of the group, to Black Nature, an orphaned teenage rapper.  Regardless of their differences, they have a common bond in the loss and displacement caused by Sierra Leone's civil war, and a shared belief in the transportive power of music.

Sierra Leone's Refugee All Stars have lived through unimaginable tragedy and yet have become an example for the healing power of music.  The group has been championed by a range of luminaries including Ice Cube, Paul McCartney, Aerosmith's Joe Perry and the New York Times' Stephen Holden who wrote, "As harrowing as these personal tales may be, the music buoying them is uplifting.  The cliché bears repeating: music heals and creates community."

Tickets are available at www.UAATIX.com and are $20 for adults, $10 for non-UAA students and youth, and free for UAA students with a current student ID.  For more information call (907) 786-1219.  To learn more about Sierra Leone's Refugee All Stars visit www.refugeeallstars.org.