Drumming Up Resistance w/ Umi Vaughan

Submitted by the Event Organizer

Join us for an afternoon of Afro-Brazilian music, dance and conversation celebrating Silencing the Drum: Religious Racism and Afro-Brazilian Sacred Music, the new book by Umi Vaughan and Danielle N. Boaz.

The event kicks off with a reception and book signing, followed by a dynamic lecture-performance featuring live drumming, dance, and readings. Umi Vaughan, independent artist and scholar, will share stories, poetry and passages with support from local artists. He will then be joined by Samad Raheem Guerra, Director of World Dance at Ruth Asawa School of the Arts, for a lively conversation about Afro-Brazilian traditions, culture and resistance. Audience Q&A and book signing to follow.

Schedule

• 1:00–2:00 p.m.: Reception and book signing

• 1:30/1:40 p.m.: Doors open

• 2:05 p.m.: Welcome remarks

• 2:10–2:45 p.m.: Performance and storytelling with Umi Vaughan, drummers and dancers

• 2:45–3:00 p.m.: Conversation with Samad Guerra

• 3:00–3:30 p.m.: Audience Q&A

• 3:30–4:00 p.m.: Mingle and book signing continues

About the Book:
Silencing the Drum blends legal scholarship with ethnomusicology to expose the profound struggle of Afro-Brazilian sacred music against escalating intolerance. Drawing on interviews with religious leaders, musicians and activists, the book explores attacks against Afro-Brazilian communities while celebrating their resilience and cultural power.

About the Speakers:
Umi Vaughan is an independent artist, scholar, and former professor of Africana Studies at CSU Monterey Bay, with a Ph.D. in Cultural Anthropology from the University of Michigan. His work explores music and dance traditions across the African Diaspora.
Samad Raheem Guerra is a multidisciplinary artist, arts educator and Director of World Dance at Ruth Asawa School of the Arts in San Francisco.

Event Details
Sunday, May 4, 2025
1:00–4:00 p.m.
Koret Auditorium & Koret Lobby, Main Library, 100 Larkin Street,  ✉️ artmusicrec@sfpl.org

Disclaimer: Please double check event information with the event organizer as events can be canceled, details can change after they are added to our calendar, and errors do occur.