CEO-FOUNDER: I.F.O.L
Ephraim M. Martin
Dr. Ephraim Martin Full Biography/Vita:
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The first IFOL was held at Hawthorne Park Racetrack in 1993. It attracted an estimated 6,000 people and almost doubled the following year. Since then, IFOL has been held in venues like City Front Center (DuSable’s land as martin coined it), near Navy Pier, Washington Park, on Chicago’s South side and Union Park, on Chicago’s West Loop where attendance continued to grow averaging over 30 thousand attendees per year.
BEFORE THE I.F.O.L STARTED:
In 1982, Ephraim M. Martin, founded and produced the annual Chicago Reggae Music Awards and the International Reggae Music Awards (IRMA), primarily for the promotion of Jamaican music, arts and culture. The Awards also served as a voice of expression for the voiceless peoples of the world and especially pushed for an end to Apartheid and for the freedom of Nelson Mandela. The event was first sponsored by the popular Staples Singers and the Uhuru organization in Chicago, Illinois.
The Chicago Reggae Music Awards, at the request of entertainers in various music genres before long evolved into the Annual Chicago Music Awards (CMA), which to this day is the official and only Awards event that honors all genres of music in Chicagoland, while keeping Jamaica in the forefront and pushing for patrons to visit Jamaica. The Chicago Music Awards is held in the month of January of each year, honoring those in Reggae, Pop, Gospel, Country, R&B, Jazz, Blues, Rock, Polka, Opera, Classical, Spoken word and more.
Answering to the call of people from various African countries the Caribbean and other countries, the IRMA, evolved into the International Reggae and World Music Awards (IRAWMA), with Jamaica’s reggae music, arts, culture and lifestyle as its driving force.
IRAWMA which started on May Day 1982 in Chicago went on the road in May 1987 and has promoted Jamaica and its lifestyle through the Annual International Reggae and World Music Awards (IRAWMA) events, press conferences and other media events around the world. Cities that have hosted IRAWMA in the last 30 years, in the United States and overseas include: Chicago, Miami, Atlanta, New Orleans, Ocho Rios, Fort Lauderdale, Montego Bay, Port of Spain, and New York.
A Pilar in the Community:
Left:
Ephraim Martin and NBA President Benjamin Crump
Middle:
Ephraim Martin with Hon. Hillary R. Clinton
Right:
Ephraim Martin and Rev Bernice King : Daughter of Dr. Martin Luther King
HONORS AND AWARDS:
1979- Three awards- Gold, Silver and Bronze from Jamaica Cultural Commission
1980- Award of Appreciation- Black Media Inc- USA.
1983- Award of Appreciation for Outstanding Contribution to African-America Community- Triton College
1996 -Named among Top Ten Men Who Lead in Chicago
1997- The Chicago Park District Black History Month Award for Cultural Appreciation
1998- Toussaint L’ Overture Award for Culture
2001- Named among top ten "People who Rock Chicago" by New City Weekly
2006- Black Heritage Image Award for “Excellence in International Relations”
2006- Humanitarian Award- United Church of Christ, Paul Hall Boys & Girls Club
2007- West Indies Theatre Award for Most Outstanding Promotion of Jamaican music Culture in the United States.
2008- NBC TV Business Expo International (BXI) Travel Award for Outstanding Contributions to International Travel
2009- Consortium Award for Most Valuable Person in Entertainment- Chicago
2011- The Chutney Foundation Award for Most Outstanding Contribution to Chutney and Caribbean Music, Trinidad
2011- West Indian Dance Company Lifetime Award for Untiring Promotion of Jamaica an the West Indies music, arts and culture
2011- The St. Maarten Government and People Lifetime Award for Extra-ordinary Contribution to Reggae, Pan, Caribbean and World Music
~From 1976-Present- Scores of other awards were given and received
GREATEST HONOR
Ephraim Martin and
President Obama
HUMBLE BEGININGS:
1974 to 1981. Ephraim worked with the Daily Gleaner Newspapers (the oldest newspaper in the western hemisphere) and Daily Star Newspaper (sister afternoon paper to the Gleaner), headquartered in Kingston, Jamaica. Ephraim, then one of the youngest media workers at the time, covered and occasionally dined with heads of Government and leaders from various countries. Among them: Queen Elizabeth, President Fidel Castro, President Jimmy Carter, President Julius Nyrere, Samara Machelle and Maurice Bishop, among others.
