KWAME EDWARDS:
Kwame {Kwame Ismail, 龙酷凯 , DJ KMATiKC} is an aesthetic engineer, ethnographic filmmaker, college professor, DJ, author, and sneaker enthusiast from Washington, DC. His goal is to share help share the 21st century stories of the western African Diaspora as they traverse the planet Earth through film and scholarly articles. The courses he has taught range from collegiate level social science and statistics courses to secondary school social studies classes to AP classes. He has also taught geometry and language arts in a juvenile detention center. Kwame has lived, DJ'd, and taught in both Shenzhen, China; and Doha, Qatar. He has also DJ'd in Macau, Hong Kong, and various cities in the United States and the People's Republic of China. His latest ethnographic series are "Black In China 黑人在中国," which chronicles the experiences of 88 Black westerners living in the People's Republic of China; and "Black in Doha [السود في الدوحة قطر]," which chronicles the experiences of 13 Black westerners living in the city of Doha, Qatar. He was awarded the July 2019 Filmmaker of the Month by the Washington DC Office of Cable, Television, Film, Media & Entertainment for his first feature length documentary 68. In 2021, he was voted as the People's Choice for the Made In The DMV 35 Under 35.
FILM
2021
Saddled Solace
Director, Producer, Editor, Cinematographer
DAYS OF RESISTANCE (We Act Radio)
Editor, Cinematographer
World Class For Whom
Producer, Editor
The Hot Seat (Jafe Cycling)
Cinematographer, Assistant Producer
2020
H.O.PE.
Editor
Heartbeat of the City
Writer, Director of Research, Cinematographer, Score
Creator, Producer, Writer, Editor, Host
2019
Director, Executive Producer, Writer, Editor
2018
Black In China 黑人在中国 (season 3)
Creator, Producer, Videographer, Ethnographer, Editor
2017
Black In China 黑人在中国 (season 3)
Creator, Producer, Videographer, Ethnographer
Creator, Director, Producer, Editor, Videographer
2016
Black In China 黑人在中国 (season 2)
Creator, Director, Producer, Editor, Videographer, Ethnographer
2015
Black In Doha السود في الدوحة قطر
Director, Producer, Editor, Videographer, Ethnographer
"Hip Hop Is Gay" - True Culture The God
Director, Producer, Editor, Videographer
Black In China 黑人在中国 (season 1)
Creator, Director, Producer, Editor, Videographer, Ethnographer
Black in China 黑人在中国 series featured on Black Life China website
Black Life China podcast interview; March 2015
2013
Paper Trail [silent short film]
Writer, Director, Producer, Editor, Videographer
Reasons Kwame Ismail Should Not Be a Rapper [comedic short film]
Writer, Director, Producer, Editor, Videographer, Actor
Blogs
“Sand Travels”
“Kwame’s Laowai Adventure”
Radio
Yeyan Radio: “Rough Around the Edges” [2014-2016]
WMBC Freeform Radio: “Rough Around the Edges” [2012-2013]
Black Westerners in China ethnography (in process)
One Love on the Nile (Get Far Magazine)
Crank That Bass (M.A. Thesis)
Presentations
2016 Cultural Appropriation vs Appreciation in the East Asian Hip Hop; International Hip Hop Studies Conference; University of Cambridge
2014 The Shenzhen Struggle; Ameson Year in China 1st Annual Photo Essay Contest
2013 Crank That Bass; Graduate Research Conference; University of Maryland Baltimore County
2009 Does Birth Order Affect Self-Esteem; National Association of African American Honors Programs National Conference; Miami, Florida
Accolades/Honors
The Media Prince/Washington Informer Bridge Magazine/Made in the DMV: 2021 DMV 35 Under 35
Government of the District of Columbia Office of Cable Television, Film, Music & Entertainment (OCTFME) JULY 2019 Filmmaker of the Month (FOTM)
POSITIONS
Adjunct Professor - American University Department of Sociology
Adjunct Professor - Bowie State University Department of Behavioral Sciences & Human Services; Department of Fine & Performing Arts
Adjunct Professor - Community College of Baltimore County (CCBC-Essex) School of Wellness, Education, Behavior & Social Sciences
Adjunct Professor - Morgan State University Department of Sociology & Anthropology
Adjunct Professor - Prince George's Community College (PGCC) Psychological & Sociological Sciences Department
Adjunct Professor - University of Maryland Baltimore County Department of Sociology, Anthropology, and Health Administration & Policy
Adjunct Professor - University of Maryland College Park Department of Sociology
Program Manager - Bowie State University Study Abroad
Guest Lecturer - 黑龙江大学 [Heilongjiang University]
Guest Lecturer - Universidad de La Habana [The University of Havana]
International Correspondent - Get Far Magazine
International School Curriculum Consultant (China; Qatar)
Nonprofit Consultant - Jared Morgan Solutions LLC.
Grant Panelist - Prince George's Arts & Humanities Council
Partner/Founder - 龙酷凯 Films™
Education
Graduate Certificate in Documentary Filmmaking - The George Washington University
TEFL Certificate
Master of Arts in Applied Sociology - University of Maryland Baltimore County (UMBC)
Post Baccalaureate Certificate in Nonprofit Organization Management- University of Maryland Baltimore County (UMBC)
Bachelor's of Science Sociology (History minor) -Bowie State University
