LivelyHood, a media group founded by Tamara Hood, is presenting the Unlikely Heroes Benefit with host Sway Calloway of MTV News. The event will be an intimate fundraiser for GER: To Be Separate, a new documentary that traces one man’s odyssey as a Sudanese child soldier to refugee, as well as his escape and his amazing journey home, on Monday, May 2 at the 92Y Tribeca in New York City from 7 to 9 p.m. In addition, attendees will experience a riveting discussion moderated by Oscar-nominated filmmaker David O. Russell and some of the Lost Boys of Sudan, including Ger Duany, Lopez Lomong, and King Deng.
The event’s host committee includes Danny Glover, Mark G. Mathis, Bethann Hardison, Loul Deng and Dr. Adebola Orafidiya. Music will be provided by Rahzel, formerly of The Roots, featuring Arama Mara. Sponsors include Global Network for Humanity, MindSmack, and Africa.com.
Ger Duany’s upcoming film GER: To Be Separate, directed by African Academy Award-winner Wanuri Kahiu, documents one man’s odyssey from child soldier to refugee to Hollywood actor and international top model, and his amazing journey back home as he votes for the first time for a new Sudan and celebrates its division. The release of this documentary will mark the beginning of Ger’s mission to help rebuild his nation, bringing educational institutions and healthcare facilities to his home village.
About The Lost Boys of Sudan:
Ger Duany
Fleeing the war as a child, Ger Duany traveled between different camps in Ethiopia, Somalia and Kenya as a refugee for 9 years. At age 12, he held his first AK-47 and was forced to put up a fight. Ger was among the first group of “lost boys” who resettled in the U.S. in 1994, where he discovered basketball as a method of therapy in high school. He went on to become a star basketball player and won an athletic scholarship to play in college. Today, Ger is most notably known on the runways of New York and Milan, editorial magazine spreads, and on the silver screen. His mission is to help restore Sudan by building medical and educational institutions in his village.
Lopez Lomong
Abducted at age six and separated from his family during the war, Lopez Lomong managed to escape his captors and spent the next 10 years in a refugee camp in Kenya. Lopez came to the United States at the age of 16 and became a U.S. citizen in 2007. A world-class runner, he led his track and cross-country teams to state championships during high school and college. After his success at the collegiate level, Lopez signed a contract with Nike and now competes professionally. He has won 2 back-to-back national titles, winning the 1500m race in both 2009 and 2010 USA Outdoor Championships. He specializes in the 1500m run but is a serious contender in every mid-distance race from 800m up to and including the 5k.
King Deng
Born in Wulu, South Sudan with no date of birth recorded, King Deng now celebrates the refugee date of birth that was given to him by the UNHCR (United High Commission for Refugees). However, January 1, 1979 does not just belong to King. In fact, everyone who made it out of the war zone alive was given that date of birth. After spending seven weeks in 1998 at a camp, the Red Cross took King to Nairobi where he was assigned to a refugee camp for minors. In 2000, they started the process of moving the minor groups to the United States. Deng lived in New York until he was taken to Atlanta in June 6, 2001. His book, The Lost Boy of Sudan, describes his life in detail.
Check out the promo here:
The Unlikely Heroes promo – Danny Glover from The Unlikely Heroes on Vimeo.
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