Our Founder

Edmund “Umoja” Herman, known to many as Brother Umoja, is the founder of Umoja Communications Company Int. (UCCI), the Piton International Film Festival (PIFF Global & PIFF Africa), Sisters in Harmony (SIH), Speaking to Harmony (Blog Talk Radio Show), and Umoja Communications Company Network (UCCN TV). UCCI began with its introduction into the world of media with Umoja Photo in 1991. Since its inception, Brother Umoja has had the honor of being the personal photographer for the Reverend Al Sharpton for 6-years, and working with the late Johnny Cochran, Betty Shabazz, Coretta Scott King, and many others. Brother Umoja has also been sought out to capture the images of numerous historical, political, musical, and sporting events worldwide. 

Throughout the years, within his multi-media company, Brother Umoja has had the pleasure of interviewing and/or establishing working relationships with individuals from various media genres such as director Warrington Hudlin (Boomerang, House Party, etc.), actor Antonio Fargas (Starsky & Hutch, Foxy Brown, etc.), South African International Music Sensation Lira, the Commodores, the legendary Freddie McGregor and Marcia Griffiths, and many others. After years of networking and establishing ongoing relationships with those in the film industry, Brother Umoja also began working with individuals who started or had ongoing film festivals. 

In 2014, UCCI launched the Piton Film Festival (PFF), in honor of the Piton Peaks in St. Lucia, the homeland of Brother Umoja. After the resounding global interest from filmmakers and producers of creative art works (i.e., Features, documentaries, musicians, visual artists, authors, etc.) to have their works showcased at the festival, PFF was rebranded as the Piton International Film Festival (PIFF). Along with this rebranding, came a change in focus from being a competition to focusing on collaboration with a 12-month initiative to assist with global exposure, monetization, and education. 

Since, this change, PIFF is now actively working with and promoting hundreds of actors, singers, musicians, filmmakers, producers, directors, etc. from over 65 different countries around the world. Brother Umoja has also established two offices in Africa (Zimbabwe and Uganda) and has started PIFF Africa. This brand of PIFF will focus on the creative industry and personal based in Africa.

The martial arts community has inducted Mr. Herman into a few Halls of Fames for his work he has done of the past 20 years in their community. New York City Black firefighters has awarded him their service award for his work with them after the 9/11 attack in New York City.

As an active member of society and the global community at large, Mr. Herman enjoys networking, sports, traveling, and connecting with people across the globe to make this world a better place.