Brenton Weyi

Weyi has created a reputation for his multi-disciplinary storytelling and creative work, which aims to pull in different mediums to immerse audiences in deep topics.[8] In 2019, he partnered with the Denver Museum of Nature and Science and Groupmuse to produce an event titled Living History. It was an multi-disciplinary exploration -- through classical music, storytelling, poetry and musical theatre -- of how the perspectives of history shape our understanding of the world. It featured classical music of Chevalier de Saint-Georges, a performance from a member of the Flobots, and a presentation of his My Country, My Country musical inside the wildlife halls of the museum.[19][20]

After completing his undergraduate education, Weyi moved to Thailand, where he lived and worked at a meditation and martial arts school.[10] He has written for numerous digital and print publications, and is known for his poetic essays, often addressing various humanist topics.[10][21][22][23] He is also known for his travels, and has visited over 60 nations.[1][10][11] After returning to Colorado in 2014, Weyi became an early adopter of the sharing economy, becoming a top host and community contact for Airbnb.[24]

In 2015, Weyi joined Playback Theatre West, Colorado's longest-running improvisational theatre company, which uses theater an empathy-building tool.[25][26] In the same year, he also co-founded Storytellers Acapella,[27] an all-male vocal quintet with the mission of bringing together communities with music and storytelling. Weyi has performed individually and with groups for various stakeholders to honor communities.[28][29]

In 2019, Weyi was a featured storyteller of Denver's edition of the Empathy Museum, a travelling pop-up that encourages members of the public to walk in each other's shoes in order to increase understanding and compassion in cities.[30] The project was originally founded by artist Clare Patey, and Denver's edition was put on by the Biennial of the Americas, also featuring stories from Suzi Q Smith, Mayor Michael B Hancock, and many others.[31]

In 2016, Weyi began work on a stage musical focusing on Congolese independence in the backdrop of the Cold War named My Country, My Country.[9] The piece highlights the story of Patrice Lumumba and Baudouin I of Belgium and the tumultuous time of nationalism and Communism around the world that eventually led to Lumumba's death. Weyi staged his first reading at the Denver Art Museum in 2018.[32] In late 2018, Weyi became the first Coloradan to host a Massivemuse—a large, multidisciplinary arts event—for national classical music company Groupmuse, which featured a staged reading of My Country, My Country and the music of Fanny Mendelssohn.[7] Due to the strength of the piece and its positive reception,[8] Weyi was named as an inaugural Playwright Fellow at the Denver Center for the Performing Arts, a new yearlong play-writing fellowship for four high-potential Colorado playwrights.[1] In 2019, Weyi presented My Country, My Country twice more, including at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science and became a community voice to speak to the history of Congo during the Cold War.[20]

In 2014, Weyi's father, Emmanuel Weyi, announced that he would plan to run for president in the 2016 elections in the Democratic Republic of Congo when incumbent Joseph Kabila completed his second and last term in office as mandated by the DRC's constitution.[33][34][35] Weyi was the head campaign architect and created the slogan "Stand By Me" for the campaign.[11][34] Though slated for 2016, the election was delayed several times over two years—often leading to violence—due to what many thought was an intentional effort by Mr. Kabila to hold on to power.[36] The election was eventually held in December 2018, with Kabila backing his former interior minister Emmanuel Ramazani Shadary.[37] It was mired in controversy as results were delayed for weeks and nationwide communications blackouts raised suspicions about the election's veracity.[38] Eventually, Felix Tshisekedi was named the winner.[39] Despite many opposition leaders in Congo and the African Union calling for an extensive review of the election, Tshisekedi was eventually inaugurated.[40] The main opposition leader, Martin Fayulu, who many presumed won the election,[41] continues to maintain that he was true winner and called for nonviolent protest on several occasions.[42][43] Emmanuel Weyi has also raised many questions about the validity of the electoral process given Congo's place as the most mineral rich nation in the world.[44]