Wanda's Picks

Today we are celebrating the life of El Hajj Malik El Shabazz, a man who epitomizes transformation and revolutionary thought born May 19, 2011, (1925-1965). We are joined by friends and family who knew and admired him. Confirmed are: A. Peter Bailey, author, journalist, friend of Brother Malcolm, and Yusufu Mosley, activist, and practitioner of African-Centered Restorative Justice. We are also joined by scholar, artist, writer, teacher, Amiri Baraka. We close with an interview with Abraham Burton, who is headlining the Tenth Annual Malcolm X Jazz Arts Festival, Saturday, May 21, 2011 at San Antonio Park. The Abraham Burton Trio performs at Eastside Cultural Center 2277 International Blvd., Oakland, CA   94606, Sunday: May 22, 2011, 6PM-two sets. Admission is $15. For more information: 510/533-6629 We open with "Eleanor  Bumpurs" featuring Jon Jang Sextet (David Murray, tenor saxophone: James Newton, flute; Chen Jiebing, erhu; Jon Jang, piano; Santi Debriano, double bass; Billy Hart, multiple percussion.  The work speaks to an African American grandmother who was murdered by the Bronx police for not paying her rent on time continuing the long history of legal lynching or as Amiri Baraka once broadly described as the Sisyphus Syndrome, the repeated pattern that is a sustained upward trend bred of fierce struggle and broad unity and then blunted and periodically turned around socially, politicially economically, by political reaction, social repression, VIOLENCE and most of all white supremacy reasserting itself. Alan DeWayne Blueford was an 18-year-old senior at Skyline High School, preparing to graduate in June. He was the youngest son of Adam Blueford Sr. and Jeralynn Brown Blueford. During the early morning hours of May 6, 2012, Alan was murdered by an officer – whose name has yet to be released – with the Oakland Police Department. His family is now seeking justice for his death.

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We devote the first hour to a Shout out to the Black Mother. Guests are asked to tell us their mom's name. Question: Is she still alive? What do you love most about her? What lessons are you still living by? What is she most proud of that you have done? Moms you can give a shout out to yourselves too (smile). Count your blessings on the air. You have only a minute or two though, depending on the response (smile). We are then joined by Jennifer Baichwal, director, Payback, based on Margaret Atwood's visionary work, Payback: Debt and the Shadow Side of Wealth. The film opens May 18, 2012 at Landmark's Lumiere in San Francisco and Landmark's Shattuck Cinemas in Berkeley. We close with a conversation with Eleanor Jacobs, Lena in Lorraine Hansberry's Raisin in the Sun, directed by L. Peter Callender, Artistic Director, African American Shakespeare Company in San Francisco at the Burial Clay Theater at the African American Art and Culture Complex, 762 Fulton Street, San Francisco. Visit www.african-americanshakes.org or call (800) 838-3006.

This is a black arts and culture site. We will be exploring the writing, visual and performing arts of African people in the Diaspora. It is my claim that the artists are the true revolutionaries, their work filled with raw unfettered passion. They are our true heroes. Ashay! Remember to tune in on Wednesdays from 6 AM PST to 7 or 8 AM and on Fridays from 8 AM to 10 AM. We also host special broadcasts from time to time.

Today we speak to Ethel Long Scott, Executive Director of WEAP and Tamara Perine, Shop Stewart at UFCW about the four day public hearing, the first ever World Courts of Women on Poverty in the US, May 10-13, 2012 at Laney College in Oakland, CA. Visit www.weap.org We then speak to cast in the Lorraine Hansberry Theatre's season's production of Pearl Cleage's Blues for an Alabama Sky, directed by Michele Shay. It is at LHT through Saturday, May 12. We'll speak to actors Tobie Windham, Leilani Drakeford and Joshua L. Green. Visit www.lhtsf.org  Music: Somi's "When the Rains Come"; Liz Wright selection from Salt.

Today we feature a live interview with Rory O'Connor whose latest book, Friends, Followers and the Furture: How Social Media are Changing Politics, Threatening Big Brands and

Killing Traditional Media, published this month by City Lights.   Rory O'Connor's broadcast, film and print career has been recognized with two Emmys, a George Orwell Award, a George Polk Award, a Writer's Guild Award among other honors.  His previous books include the recently released 2nd edition of Nukespeak and Shock Jocks: Hate Speech & Talk Radio (2008). We open with two interviews: the first with director Mark Wexler recorded June 29, 2011 and second with Martin Luther, broadcast live February 10, 2012

Rebroadcast of interview with healers who talk about: A Day at the Spy: Mind, Body and Spirit, Saturday, April 28, 2012, 1:30 to 8 p.m. at Wo'se Community House of Amen Ra, 8924 Holly Street in Oakland. For appointments call Yaya (386) 292-2916 or Linnett (805) 966-6333. We close with another interview from the archives: Wadada Leo Smith who speaks about the debut of his current opus: 10 Freedom Summers which premiered in October 2011.

We speak to four healers: Gary Brown, King Arthur Blake, Linnett Saunders-Peal and Queen Yaniba about the first in a series called: A Day at the Spa: Mind, Body ansd Spirit Renewal at Wo'se House of Amen Ra, 8924 Holly Street, Oakland, CA. Call (386) 292-2916 or (805) 966-6333 for an appointment between 1:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. The admission includes a 3-course meal plus beverage and dessert. For appointments call: Linette at (805) 966-6333 or (386) 292-2916. Scholarships are available so ask. Tickets are $30 in advance and $40 at the door. Groups of 5 are $25 each. The entire circuit which includes Yoga, Reiki, Massage, Crystal Hand Bath, Facials, Sound Healing and Aroma Therapy, and other pleasant surprises -- is about 1 1/2 hour.  Music: Nawal "Hima," Khadja Nin "Sina Mali, Sine Dini," and Judith Sephume's "te Tshephile."

This is a black arts and culture site. We will be exploring the writing, visual and performing arts of African people in the Diaspora. It is my claim that the artists are the true revolutionaries, their work filled with raw unfettered passion. They are our true heroes. Ashay! Remember to tune in on Wednesdays from 6 AM PST to 7 or 8 AM and on Fridays from 8 AM to 10 AM. We also host special broadcasts from time to time.

8:00 AM: Rebroadcast of Alrick Brown, dir. Kinyarwanda (SFIFF 54). 8:30 AM: playwright Michael Kroll & Rev. Dorothy Streuther, speak about Requiem for the Death Penalty, on the 20th Anniversay of CA's resumption of the death penalty by lethal gas in Robert Alton Harris's case, April 21, 1992. There are a series of events: art reception with Malaquias Montoya, at 1111 Minna Gallery in SF. Apr. 21 there is a film screening, there are awards for death penalty advocates, panel discussions with victims and survivors, culminating with the staged reading of kroll's play: "Just Like a Dog" at Shogun theatre in Berkeley, Apr. 23-24, 7 p.m. Visit http://requiemforthedeathpenalty.eventbrite.com/ 9:00 AM: Tina Abram-Davis, Visual Anthropologist's first presentation will be on April 24 at the http://humanrights.sfsu.edu/summit9.html She is featured on a panel at 3:30, Modern Epidemics.  The second panel, on April 25th at 9:30 a.m. is called "Until Haiti Spoke: The Cholera Epidemic".  The second project is part of a panel entitled "Human Rights Film Festival."  The presentation is called "Africa: A Colonial Project of Genocide." Edris Cooper Anifowoshe, actress, activist, producer, joins us to talk about "The Green Goddess," a fim screening in The Oaksterdam University/CalNORML Benefit, tonight, Friday, April 20, 3-8 p.m. at 1600 Broadway in Oakland. Donation $10. Visit http://www.calnorm.org/events.html Music: Alice Walker reciting We Have a Beautiful Mother, an excerpt from Praises for the World; Leon Williams's singing The Creator Has a Master Plan; Adimu WolfHawkJaguar's Hunter Poetry.

This is a black arts and culture site. We will be exploring the writing, visual and performing arts of African people in the Diaspora. It is my claim that the artists are the true revolutionaries, their work filled with raw unfettered passion. They are our true heroes. Ashay! Remember to tune in on Wednesdays from 6 AM PST to 7 or 8 AM and on Fridays from 8 AM to 10 AM. We also host special broadcasts from time to time.