Today we’d like to introduce you to Buki Domingos. They and their team shared their story with us below:
Buki Domingos is a singer/songwriter, instrumentalist, and Nurse in Germany and California. She is also an activist and motivational speaker with over two decades of stage experience. Buki’s most notable achievement is co-founding the Racial Justice Coalition of San Diego. This multiethnic and multigenerational racial justice coalition spearheaded the three-year “I can’t breathe campaign” that led to the ban of all neck restraints in San Diego and counties. RJCSD was one of the co-sponsors of AB1196, led by Assemblymember Mike Gibson of Los Angeles, and banned the use of all neck restraints in California. As a Public Health Nurse, Buki is one of the co-founders of the Let’s Talk Black Health (#LtBH) Screening event that was started in 2023.
Buki Domingos is not only a talented singer/songwriter, instrumentalist, and Nurse in Germany and California but also a respected figure in the music industry in western Germany. She has an Album, “To God in Prayer,” and a Single, “A Better World & Trust”, and has been involved in several music projects and productions throughout Africa, Europe, and the US. Buki has toured Europe and West Africa, sharing the stage with celebrities like Sir Elton John and African Mega Stars like Angelique Kidjo. Her musical prowess and global collaborations testify to her talent and dedication. Buki is also the co-host of the podcast Alafia Voices of the African Diaspora, a social justice show that elevates voices of color worldwide.
Links:
https://www.kpbs.org/community-heroes/ https://www.ncrconline.com/mediation-conflict-resolution/support-ncrc/peacemaker-awards
www.bukidomingos.com or www.rjcsd.org
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
My US journey has been everything but smooth! A little bit about my journey.
A survivor of human trafficking, she uses her story to motivate and raise awareness nationwide. Buki Domingos is the 2019 KPBS and NCRC winner of the Community Heros Award for her work to raise awareness around human trafficking using her voice as a tool in motivational speaking and songs. Buki is among the honorees of the 2020 National Conflict Resolution Center and KPBS’ sponsored Peacemaker awards for her work around human trafficking. Buki Domingos was also named one of San Diego’s phenomenal 2020 Women in Advocacy by the San Diego Union-Tribune. Buki Domingos is also one of the recipients of the East County Magazine Briana Gomez Racial and Social Justice Award 2021
I do not see myself as a victim. I see myself as one with a calling to use adversities faced as an opportunity to grow and elevate my family and community as I climb.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I have always had dual careers in music and healthcare—sometimes one more than the other. Music and Nursing are my passions and callings; I cannot imagine my life without them. In Germany, I was known in most spaces as the singing geriatric nurse as my nursing hours reduced and music contracts took center stage in my life for over a decade.
Since I came to the US, nursing has taken center stage as I move through graduate school to become an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN). I practice as a Public Health Nurse (PHN) and in-patient nurse.
My most substantial assets are my family, friends, resilience and God’s grace, which always places me where he needs me to be, not when I want him to but always on time. This sets me apart from my peers.
Are there any important lessons you’ve learned that you can share with us?
The most important lesson I have learned is never to be discouraged and to lean on a saying my late mother always shared with me and my siblings while growing up: “It is not how far; it is how well.” Which, in other words, simply means to stay true to my path and not be phased by disappointments, understanding that there is a higher power that moves and orders my steps.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.rjcsd.org, www.bukidomingos.com
- Instagram: @bukidomingos1
Image Credits
Sven Domingos
Deborah Boyd
La Mesa Junteenth 2023
Desiree Smith
