1. “Education and the quest for knowledge stops only at the grave.” H.I.M. Emperor Haile Selassie I, 18th May 1959 Roots International Arts Alliance, Inc. Educational Development Funding Agenda "Today, Our eyes and Our hopes are on all you graduates. We hope that the seeds of learning which you have received will, in the service which you render, ripen into an abundant harvest. We assumed the obligation to foster and expand education in our nation both as a solemn duty, because the nation can flourish and grow only as the ranks of the teachers and students are expanded and filled as a matter of free will, because man would prefer to speak of his nation in terms of its educated men and women rather than by recounting the size of its population.“ H.I.M. Emperor Haile Selassie I 1966 Graduation Address at Haile Selassie I University June 30, 1966

2. Mission and Purpose ROOTS International Arts Alliance, Inc. has partnered with the Emperor Haile Selassie First Memorial Association in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia to raise funds for the following programs: The Emperor Haile Selassie I Scholars Fund The Emperor Haile Selassie I Summer Internship Program The Emperor Haile Selassie I Alumni Association The Emperor Haile Selassie Learning Center Construction The Emperor Haile Selassie I Text Book Drive The Emperor Haile Selassie I Library-Museum Construction Project These noble programs are the vision of retired government officials who once held prominent positions within the Imperial government of Ethiopia’s last King of Kings, Emperor Haile Selassie I, the 225 th and the last King of Kings of the Solomonic Dynasty to sit upon the Throne of David, in in Ethiopia, modern times (1930-1975). ROOTS has committed to raising funds for the construction the Association’s educational development programs which includes the construction of satellite libraries and learning centers and the provision of annual four-year scholarships in support of the Emperor Haile Selassie I Scholars Program. ROOTS is also thoroughly committed to the Associations long-term plan to construct a world-class library-museum in memory of Emperor Haile Selassie I—a project which is projected to take 5-15 years (fundraising, planning, construction and implementation. ROOTS International Arts Alliance, Inc. d/b/a Emperor Haile Selassie I Association-USA The Queen of Sheba & Pharaohs‘ Educational Research Foundation

3. Emperor Haile Selassie I Scholars Fund Educational Development Program in Ethiopia Emperor Haile Selassie I Scholars Program Short-Term Mission & Goal The Emperor Haile Selassie I Scholars Fund will provide scholarships to qualifying Ethiopian students who achieve outstanding results in their Certificate Examinations but are hampered from college for lack of financial resources. The total cost per student is $750.00/US (covers room and board for four years).

4. Emperor Haile Selassie I Internship Program Educational Development Programs in Ethiopia Emperor Haile Selassie I Scholars Program 2013 Internship Program This eight-week internship is available to college students who have a desire to serve humanity through educational development. The internship is open to the following majors: Engineering, Architectural/structural design/City Planning Business, Religion, History and Black Studies Library and Environmental Sciences Selected students will gain valuable hands-on-experience and increased self-confidence in business communications, business planning, development and implementation for educational programs, while gaining first-hand knowledge about ancient Ethiopian history and culture. Requirements: Must be self-disciplined and of the highest moral character (minimum 2.5 GPA). Interns who successfully complete the program earn 6.0 credit hours.

5. Long-term Goal & Lifetime Commitment Library-Museum Construction 5-15 Year Project Long-Term Goal A delegation is traveling to Ethiopia in 2012 to meet members of the Emperor Haile Selassie I Memorial Association and to discuss the architectural design, scope of work, timelines for completion, material cost and labor projects, for the construction of ten regional libraries in the short term and a larger library- museum, over the next 5-15 years, in memory Emperor Haile Selassie I, Ethiopia’s last King of Kings of the Solomonic Dynasty, to sit upon the Throne of David, in modern times. The library-museum will be a repository of historical books, photographs, and electronic media and oral histories that will preserve the ancient royal history of Ethiopia via a state-of-the-art digital archive system.

6. Construction Project Architectural, Engineering Design Summer Programs This program seeks the brightest Ethiopian, African-American and Caribbean architectural, engineering and science students to assist with translating the Association’s vision via computer applications and technology to design a world-class library-museum and 10 satellite libraries. Students of environmental science will be asked to incorporate green technologies into the design which would include solar lighting. Selected Ethiopian students will receive small stipends and will work with professional architects and CAD specialists’ using the latest state-of-the- art architectural computer programs and technology to render the final design that will be used to determine overall cost of the project. The design of the library-museum and ten smaller learning centers will be based on ancient and modern Ethiopian architecture. Emperor Haile Selassie I Scholars Program Architectural, Engineering and Science Educational Exchange program

7. Ethiopian Children Library Book Drive …we need to collect 20,000 books to establish 10 libraries Many children in remote areas in Ethiopia do not have access to books or libraries’ which support the development of basic literacy skills (reading comprehension). Our mission is to support the Emperor Haile Selassie I Memorial Association’s educational development program in Ethiopia by launching a book drive to collect 20,000, textbooks, general reading books encyclopedia’s, dictionaries and other appropriate reading materials for each library, based on the Ethiopian governments requirements for students of all ages. Emperor Haile Selassie I Scholars Program Library Book Drive Promoting Literacy in Ethiopia

8. Historical Expeditions to Ethiopia Educational Expeditions and Tours to the Ethiopia Will stimulate the local economy in the areas of Educational and Historical Tourism Historical expeditions and tours will be tailored to attract educators, clergy, historians, researchers, students and others who are interested in learning about ancient Ethiopian history first hand while touring the historic route in Ethiopia. Participants will be encouraged to contribute books, computers, and/or make financial contributions in support of the Emperor Haile Selassie I Scholars Program and Library-Museum Construction Project.

9. BOARD OF DIRECTORS Wolette Selassie President & CEO National Spokesperson Chicago, Illinois Nathaniel H. Mayes III Vice President & Director of International Youth Development Sacramento, California Erick Nickerson Director International Affairs Chicago, IL Iesha Scott Public Relations Director Chicago, IL CHICAGO Email: haileselassie1 UNITED STATES PO Box 803764 Chicago, IL 60680-3764 Tel: 872-244-7300 Fax: 773-268-1927 Email: rootsinternational@sbcglobal.netrootsinternational@sbcglobal.net ROOTS International Arts Alliance, Inc. d/b/a Emperor Haile Selassie I Association-USA The Queen of Sheba & Pharaohs‘ Educational Research Foundation

10. Wolette Selassie President & CEO ROOTS International Arts Alliance, Inc. Imani Kali-Nyah, is the Founder, President & CEO of ROOTS International Arts Alliance, Inc. (ROOTS), and it’s dba’s (The Emperor Haile Selassie I Association, The Ethiopian Holocaust Remembrance Committee and the Queen of Sheba Research and Education Foundation). ROOTS was incorporated twenty-five years ago in Chicago, Illinois as a non-profit, non-political 501(c) 3 tax-exempt organization, to promote and preserve ancient and modern African history via educational cultural and performing arts programs. Imani, whose spiritual Ethiopian name is Wolette Selassie (Daughter of the Trinity); she was born in the Heartland of Mississippi Timber Country in a small southern town in the United States; her father, grandfather and uncles were active members of the Ethiopianist Movement from the beginning of Benito Mussolini systematic mass-extermination campaign in Ethiopia in 1936, that was carried out with poison gas and other horrific crimes against humanity upon the defenseless Ethiopian people. Young Wolette’s father and uncles taught her about the ancient Ethiopian presence in the bible beginning with Genesis 2:13 and the history Emperor Haile Selassie I, who is the last King of the Solomonic Dynasty to sit upon King David’s Throne in Ethiopia in modern times. Such knowledge shaped Wolette’s impressionable and creative young mind and ignited her desire to learn more about ancient Ethiopia from a very early age, and she did. Today, Wolette’s is known internationally for her dedication and commitment to the ideals of Emperor Haile Selassie I and her love an appreciation for the promotion and preservation of ancient Ethiopian history. Wolette Selassie is spiritually motivated to work for the upliftment of African people via African-centered Education and Educational Development programs; she believes that “The greatest mission of all is to Serve and to always put Race-First”. She has traveled extensively and is respected for her views on sensitive issues directly related to human rights, fair-reporting and African-centered research and education; she has received numerous awards and recognition for her contributions to African/Ethiopian culture, most notably from the Honorable Mayor Harold Washington (1985), the Honorable Mayor Richard Daley (1991), the Illinois Bell Community Leadership Award (1987) and the Empress Menen Award (1993). Wolette Selassie earned a BA in Mass Communications from Chicago State University, specializing in television and radio productions with an emphasis on investigative reporting; she also studied law for two-years. Currently she is he executive producer of “African Worldview,” which airs every Thursday night on Channel 19 in Chicago from 9:00pm – 9:30pm and is now in its fourteenth season. Wolette has produced a number of programs on ancient Ethiopian history. (NOTE: “Wolette is currently employed by the City of Chicago in the Department of Law as Assistant to the Deputy Corporation Counsel of the Revenue Litigation Division where has worked for the past eleven years under her married name “Barbara R. Miller).