{"id":26819,"date":"2025-09-17T17:39:57","date_gmt":"2025-09-17T14:39:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/barazalab.com\/?p=26819"},"modified":"2025-09-17T17:39:57","modified_gmt":"2025-09-17T14:39:57","slug":"get-to-know-your-curator","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/tuwele.com\/baraza_update\/get-to-know-your-curator\/","title":{"rendered":"Get To Know Your Curator"},"content":{"rendered":"

Hi everyone,<\/span><\/p>\n

After a long hiatus, we’re back! I’ve drafted many introductions, but I’ve realized it’s best to start with a “Get-to-know-your-Curator” post before diving into lengthy discussions. From there, we can explore ideas and collaborations together. I’m excited to hear your thoughts, so please feel free to reach out! A big thank you to Chris for setting such a high standard. I won’t try to fill her shoes, but I promise to honor our readers, my authentic voice, and the entire community in everything I share here.<\/span><\/p>\n

My role in one sentence:<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n

I\u2019m here to connect the dots, turn ideas into meaningful experiences and very occasionally make horrible jokes.<\/span><\/p>\n

What I\u2019m curating for you:<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n

The Africa Media Festival, Creative Civic Canvas, Curators-in-Residence, this newsletter, and other one-off initiatives that happen across Baraza. I, however, do not curate Baraza\u2019s music playlist so if you hear anything questionable, surely that cannot be me.<\/span><\/p>\n

My superpower at work:<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n

I possess a keen sense of listening, attuned to unspoken words, and can also detect the arrival of samosas by their scent. Therefore, I kindly request you avoid direct eye contact.<\/span><\/p>\n

My current creative obsession:<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n

Three-step Afro-house currently. So good. Too many concerts though. I\u2019ve also been actively looking for books that explain the rise and fall of dictatorial figures in historical accounts. I\u2019ve just finished reading \u201cHistory of Julius Caesar\u201d by Jacob Abbott, because often we believe that what we are going through is unique, yet there is both a playbook to enforcing and eventually overcoming tyranny, based on historical accounts.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2615 How I take my coffee\/tea:<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n

I love a good Mocha. This is the key to my heart really.<\/span><\/p>\n

\ud83c\udf0d A cause\/idea I\u2019m passionate about:<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n

I joined Baraza because I’m big on natural justice and believe in good karma. I really care about helping artists, entrepreneurs, and media pros bring their cool projects to life in a way that lasts. I’ve seen too many times how creatives finish a project, spend all their money, and then hit a wall trying to start something new. And it’s frustrating to see brands and big companies take advantage of the fact that there isn’t enough support for people in media and creative fields. My main aim is to make sure our shared passion leads to awesome work and that creators get the credit they deserve. Someone once told me that curation is often an exercise in humility, where it is my job to get out of the way, or get obstacles out of the way for creators and media professionals to go through. That is all I am here to do.<\/span><\/p>\n

My big dream for the creative\/media space:<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n

A world where African storytelling is respected, valued and well compensated. Where we can tell our stories boldly, beautifully, equitably and live sustainably from doing it.<\/span><\/p>\n

First media moment that shaped me:<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n

Learning about impartiality in media class was a bit of a struggle for me. But then, Marc Lamont Hill, who was a CNN correspondent at the time, really stood out. I trusted him because he was clear about speaking his mind, even when it meant losing his job at CNN after the Gaza-Israel controversy. Even though CNN let him go, he bounced back and became a host for <\/span>Upfront<\/span><\/i> on Al Jazeera. That whole experience really hit home for me: you can’t fake real trust. Your words and actions have to match up, and that’s something I’ve stuck with ever since.<\/span><\/p>\n

\ud83c\udfb5 The soundtrack to my workday:<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n

Christian Kuria \u2013 Sunbleach<\/span><\/p>\n

Mereba \u2013 Stay Tru<\/span><\/p>\n

Fun fact you didn\u2019t ask for but I\u2019ll tell you anyway:<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n

I once interned as an auditor, I\u2019ve worked as a researcher in STEM, I\u2019ve been a publicist for a musician and I\u2019ve also worked as a curator for old African artefacts. I have lived many lives. Don\u2019t ask. Let\u2019s leave the past in the past.<\/span><\/p>\n

\ud83d\udc8c How to find me at Baraza:<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n

My workmates make fun of me because I\u2019m a man from Western Kenya who cannot eat maize. So you can find me at Baraza eating fish, not with <\/span>ugali<\/span><\/i>, but with potatoes.<\/span><\/p>\n

Talk Soon,<\/span>
\n<\/span>Martie Mtange<\/span>
\n<\/span>Curator | Baraza Media Lab<\/span><\/p>\n

Member Spotlight: Fallohide Africa + ARGO<\/span><\/h2>\n

This week, we\u2019re stepping into the mythic, mossy world of <\/span>ARGO<\/span><\/i> \u2014 Africa\u2019s first public environmental Augmented Reality (AR) game. Built by visionary game designer Joanna Oluoch and the creative minds at Fallohide Africa, ARGO turns Nairobi\u2019s Oloolua Forest into an enchanted, story-rich playground \u2014 blending conservation, tech, and magic.<\/span><\/p>\n

So… What\u2019s ARGO, and Why Should We Care?<\/span><\/h3>\n

Think of ARGO as Pok\u00e9mon Go meets climate storytelling \u2014 but Afro-mythic, deeply joyful, and built on a design philosophy Joanna calls \u201curgency without despair.\u201d No guilt trips. No apocalypse forecasting. Just good storytelling, forest guardians, and immersive gameplay that draws you in \u2014 then subtly reminds you the Earth needs your help.<\/span>
\n<\/span> It\u2019s fun first. The message follows. And that\u2019s the point.<\/span><\/p>\n

What\u2019s One African Media Innovation That\u2019s Blown You Away?<\/span><\/h3>\n

The Cr\u00e9ation Africa programme (yep \u2014 that French government one) is giving serious lift to African creatives working in AR\/VR, animation, and immersive storytelling. And guess what? ARGO is one of its 2025 grantees!<\/span>
\n<\/span> What\u2019s exciting is how the programme backs projects that are both <\/span>culturally rooted<\/span><\/i> and <\/span>technologically ambitious<\/span><\/i> \u2014 a rare but necessary combo on the continent.<\/span><\/p>\n

One Quick Tip for Media Orgs Trying to Engage Audiences Better?<\/span><\/h3>\n

Lead with emotion. Not data.<\/span>
\n<\/span>Not a slide deck.<\/span>
\n<\/span>Not another infographic.<\/span>
\n<\/span>Emotion.<\/span>
\n<\/span>Whether it\u2019s humour, myth, or mystery \u2014 start with feeling. If people care, they\u2019ll come back for more. That\u2019s ARGO\u2019s secret sauce.<\/span><\/p>\n

What\u2019s the Most Underrated Opportunity in African Media?<\/span><\/h3>\n

Nature. Real-world spaces. Public places.<\/span>
\n<\/span>We keep thinking content belongs on screens. But Africa\u2019s forests, rooftops, streets, and rivers? They’re waiting to be reimagined as immersive storytelling stages.<\/span>
\n<\/span>With ARGO, we didn\u2019t rent a venue \u2014 we turned <\/span>Oloolua Forest<\/span><\/i> into a permanent media installation. It\u2019s live. It\u2019s free. It\u2019s weird and wonderful. And it\u2019s just the beginning.<\/span><\/p>\n

Final Word?<\/span><\/h3>\n

We\u2019ve raised over $60,000, showcased ARGO in Kenya, South Africa, Uganda, Mozambique, Tanzania, and France \u2014 and a permanent installation is now underway in Oloolua Forest.<\/span>
\n<\/span>Follow our journey at <\/span>fallohide.africa<\/span><\/a> or <\/span>argo.oloolua<\/span><\/a>.<\/span>
\n<\/span>Because saving the world shouldn’t feel like a guilt trip.<\/span>
\n<\/span>It could start with a story.<\/span>
\n<\/span>Or a game.<\/span>
\n<\/span>Or just a really good pair of hiking boots.<\/span><\/p>\n

Partner Pulse: Radio Workshop Wants Your Stories!<\/span><\/h2>\n

At this year\u2019s Africa Media Festival, the Radio Workshop crew blew us away with their hands-on session: <\/span>\u201cLevel Up Your Audio Storytelling.\u201d<\/span><\/i> And the vibes didn\u2019t stop there \u2014 now they\u2019re inviting YOU to pitch your next big audio idea.<\/span>
\n<\/span>Submit your pitch here<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

Why It Mattered:<\/b><\/h3>\n

Led by Naomi Grewan, Mike Rahfaldt, and Melissa Mbugua, the workshop walked participants through everything:<\/span><\/p>\n