Black Whole Radio

Hosted By:

Michelle Materre, The Grande Dame of Black Whole

and

Aisha Karefa-Smart, The High Priestness of Black Whole

"Should Orange REALLY be the New Black?: The Troublesome Representation of Women of Color in today's Media"

Guests:

Tracyann Williams, cultural studies and gender studies faculty member and Director of Academic Advising, The New School for Public Engagement

Vanessa Martinez, blogger, film critic, Shadow and Act

Ka' Ramuu Kush, Filmmaker, "And Then..."

Tanisha Christie, filmmaker, "Walk With Me"

 

Marlaina Martin is a doctoral student in the Cultural Anthropology program at Rutgers University. Her fields of interest include media and new media studies, critical race theory, feminist studies, and body and embodiment studies. Her current research focuses on black women filmmakers' experiences in production and distribution

Hosts:

Karriemah Muhammad and Rudolph Muhammad

The Hip Hop Principal, Shango Blake.  Analyze what are some of the issues within public education. (Specifically School environment and culture). What is wrong and are the best practices they will turning the American failing educational system.

Hosted By:

Jojopahmaria Nsoroma

Age of Illumination

Samiyyah Saafir-Muhammad was born Jacqueline Glover in New York City in 1951. After spending her early years in foster care, moving four times before the age of three, she settled in with her aunt, following her father’s passing.

While still in elementary school Samiyyah took an interest in helping other students do well, joining “The Future Teachers’ Club” in the fifth grade. As a high school student, Samiyyah became aware her people’s struggle for freedom—witnessing civil rights demonstrations, protests, assassinations and riots—and decided she wanted to help somehow.  It was in this atmosphere that she went off to Northeastern University in Boston where she majored in Education. Her stay there was short-lived, however, as she was introduced to the teachings of The Honorable Elijah Muhammad and thereafter joined the Nation of Islam. Within the Nation of Islam’s Muhammad University, Samiyyah underwent educational training and worked as a teacher’s assistant.

Since 2005, Samiyyah has had the privilege of serving as the Directress at Muhammad University of Islam in Atlanta, which serves students from Pre-K to the eighth grade. She has been blessed to carry on the 84-year educational tradition, which was started by the Honorable Elijah Muhammad and his brave followers in the 1930’s.

A widow after 35 years of marriage, Samiyyah presently enjoys the blessing of her and her husband’s nine children: six sons and three daughters, all of whom attended or are attending HBCUs. Samiyyah has been a mother to not only her nine children, but also to her two stepchildren, her nieces and nephews, her eight grandchildren and countless other children and adults in the community who come to her for advice, wisdom and guidance. Affectionately called MamaMiyyah, Samiyyah’s house is never empty

Host:

Lesa Marie Belle

 

Inspring Gospel Music. Comtemporary and Traditional

Composer, producer and multi-instrumentalist Onel Mulet has performed with a roster of legendary artists including Santos Colon, Pete "El Conde" Rodriguez and Celia Cruz as well as internationally renown artists Johnny Pacheco, Bobby Valentin, Ismael Miranda, Larry Harlow, Bobby Cruz, Jose Luis Rodriguez "El Puma", Israel Sardiña of Los Van Van, Arturo Sandoval,Malena Burke, Carlos "Patato" Valdes as well as the notable Cuban Troubadour Pedro Luis Ferrer, and NY-based Grammy nominated artists, David Oquendo and Roman Diaz. Born and reared in Miami, of Cuban heritage, Onels musical environment was anchored by the music of his parents, Cuban masters, and richly influenced by the diversity of American music including Motown, funk, old school Rhythm & Blues, classical music and jazz greats, Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, Paquito DíRivera and John Coltrane. A graduate of the New World School of the Arts in Florida, he quickly became part of the local Miami music scene. 

INTERVIEWS:

 

Master percussionist, scholar and composer Román Díaz is regarded as a “living repository”  of Afro Cuban  music. Having performed and recorded with the likes of Merceditas Valdes, Raices Profundas, Los Marqueses de Atares,Jane Bunett, Juan Carlos Formell, Orlando “Puntilla” Rios, Paquito D’Rivera, Oriente Lopez, Giovanni Hidalgo As a member of the seminal rumba ensemble Yoruba Andabo, he aided in the creation of the sound that has defined rumba since the 1980’s in Cuba and all around the world. The evolution of Guarapachangeo incorporating Bata and the once archaic cajón  into modern rumba is the legacy of the late Pancho Quinto (founder of Yoruba Andabo).

With Co Host:

LaShawn Allen-Muhammad

Interviews:

Charles Barron

New York City Counselman and Black Panther

Council Member Charles Barron has been a community activist for 25 years. He has extensive experience on the local and national levels. In 1969, in need of a vehicle to express his desire for justice, Barron joined the Harlem branch of the Black Panther Party. 

In 1979, Barron joined the National Black United Front (NBUF) and became the founding chairperson of NBUF'S Harlem Chapter. Shortly thereafter, he was appointed Chief of Staff to the Reverend Herbert Daughtry, chairperson of the National Black United Front. From 1982-87 he served as Secretary General of African Peoples Christian Organization (APCO). 

 

In 2001, Barron was elected to the New York City Council. He serves as Chair of the Higher Education Committee and is a member of the committees on Land Use, Consumer Affairs, Women s Issues, Landmarks, Public Siting and Maritime Uses. In this role. In the winter and spring of 2003, Barron delivered $280,000 to senior citizen programs in his district. He also played an integral role in getting the Meals on Wheels program restored to the city budget for seniors in his district. Barron, in collaboration with the New York City Housing Authority, secured $12.5 million for an East New York Recreation Center. In addition, he fought to obtain $1.2 million for the renovation of Linden/George Gershwin Park in his district. Barron spearheaded the restoration of over $10 million for students at City University of New York colleges. Additionally, he was successful in maintaining the Peter Vallone Scholarship awards for CUNY students.

With Co-Host:

Harold Muhammad

The Divas of Culture

Michelle Materre,

The Grande Dame of Black Whole Entertainment

and

Aisha Karefa-Smart,

The High Priestess of Black Whole Entertainment

The Power of the Moving Image:

Using Film as a tool to Combat Violence"

featuring:

Steve James is one of America’s most acclaimed documentary filmmakers. His films include Hoop Dreams - often voted the greatest documentary of all time - Stevie, The New Americans, At the Death House Door, and No Crossover: The Trial of Allen Iverson. In 2011 James released The Interrupters, which swept nearly every major documentary award. 

Destiny Jackson holds a Bachelors of Arts degree in sociology and film from the Ohio State University. During undergrad, she focused her studies on screenwriting and on women of color, particularly African-American women, in the media. \

Ayesha Grice is a writer, astrologer, and facilitator of workshops with relationships, healing and empowerment themes. She has been a monthly columnist and contributing editor for Essence Magazine for 25 years, has written articles on relationship and empowerment themes for Essence and is currently writing a monthly column for Sage Magazine in the Pocono Mountains.