Makeda “Dread” Cheatom

Makeda “Dread” Cheatom is San Diego’s Cultural Ambassador, Founder and Executive Director of WorldBeat Cultural Center in Balboa Park. She is also Director of Casa del Tunel Tijuana, a sister center for Arts and Culture for the Tijuana, Mexico community. As a Cultural Anthropology Major and an EthnoMusicologist she has produced music from Africa, Jamaica, Mexico, Chile, Puerto Rico, Cuba and more. In 1971, she opened the first vegetarian restaurant in San Diego, the world-famous, Prophet Vegetarian Restaurant.

She later met Bob Marley and began her music career as a promoter and soon after she established the first live reggae venue, the Adams Ave Theatre in 1984 and in 1985 she opened up a world music venue on Hancock Ave, WorldBeat Center. In 1989, she established a cultural center in Balboa Park, WorldBeat Cultural Center which celebrates all cultures and spreads the message of peace in the San Diego community through music, art, dance and culture. Makeda uses WorldBeat Center as a means to empower the community with messages of health, sustainability, spirituality, self-healing and culture through technology including live broadcasting using social media and her television show, “WorldBeat Live”.

Makeda knows the significance of celebrating and preserving the history of her ancestors and has created a number of annual events including Martin Luther King Day Celebration (35 years), Multi-Cultural Earth Day (32 years), Tribute to the Reggae Legends (43 years) and Kwanzaa Celebration (43 years). For over 30 years Makeda has hosted her own radio show, Reggae Makossa where she’s spread the message of unity and self-liberation through reggae music and history. Reggae Makossa has aired on Magic 92.5, 91x, and IMER Fusion. Her numerous awards include: Channel 10 Leadership Award, San Diego County Women’s Hall of Fame as a Cultural Competent Bridge Builder, was named “San Diego Trailblazer” by the African American Heritage Foundation.