The Adilah Show with Guest Mzuri Moyo of the Film "Sankofa"

Host Adilah Barnes interviews Paterson, NJ, native Mzuri Moyo, a.k.a Lorraine Therese Pope, on her show "Adilah."  Reared in the church, Mzuri grew up singing in The Solid Rock Baptist Church where her family had strong ties.

Upon graduating from nursing school Mzuri abandoned her profession to pursue her dream and moved to Paris, France where she sang in various night clubs. This enabled her to develop her unique style of Jazzpel (Jazz and Gospel) wowing European audiences with her extraordinary, soulful sound.

Upon returning to the U.S., she was cast in the cultural film Sankofa as Lucy.  After viewing Gil Noble's "Like It Is" program on ABC, where she saw the great civil rights heroine Fannie Lou Hamer, she became captivated. Upon hearing Ms. Hammer's story, Mzuri was determined to pay homage to this unknown giant. After years of research she penned an award winning one-woman show, entitled "The Fannie Lou Hamer Story." As a result, in 2001, Moyo  received the prestigious Audelco Award for best solo performance.

On September 9, 2011, Ms. Moyo sang at the United Nations’ General Assembly for their 911 commemoration. Her credits include: a performance at Lincoln Center, Opera for Peace which she sang in Paraguay, an appearance as one of three sopranos with the NYC Symphony conducted by Dr. David Eaton. She recently released her CD, I’ll Be Home For Christmas, and she made several appearances at the LA Women's Theatre Festival.

The Fannie Lou Hamer Story is one of five solo shows at the Arena Stage as part of the Living Legends Series at the DC Black Theatre Festival from June 29 - July 1. The show was featured at the Dwyer Cultural Center and Riverside Church in NYC during Black History month.

Mzuri Moyo's Fannie Lou Hammer performance is on both CD and DVD.