Wanda's Picks

Co-Director, Beth Davenport's Pushing the Elephant, the story of Rose Mapendo& how she escapes ethnic violence in the Democratic Republic of Congo to become a vital voice in the mending of her country. Separated from her 5 yr. old daughter, Nangabire, and reunited 13 years later, Rose who has assisted many survivors with her message of forgiveness & peace has more of a challenge with her daughter. ITVS hosts a free screening & panel discussion, Mar. 22 in S.F. & Mar. 24 in Oakland. Visit communitycinema.org/ to learn about free screenings & later broadcasts on Independent Lens. Shereen Caesar, joins us next. She is one of three "Women of Calypso" in concert, March 24-26, at the African American Art & Culture Complex's Hall of Culture. The ensemble features three of the top female calypso singers in Trinidad, W.I. with Ms. Caesar, are Singing Saundra and Kizzie Ruiz. Through their songs they sing about contemporary life in Trinidad. All three have won hosts of awards and regularly place in the finals of Calypso competitions during Carnival and year round. Calypso is a music of the people, and although the more popularly known Calypso singers have been male such as The Mighty Sparrow, Shadow, and Lord Kitchener, "Women of Calypso" showcases the best of female Calypso singers from Trinidad who are now more than ever competing with and rivaling their male counterparts. Produced by Idris Ackamoor & Rhodessa Jones, for tickets visit culturalodyssey.org/tickets & www.youtube.com/watch?v=niIF2rKFSYg Charlotte Hill O’Neal aka Mama C, is an internationally known visual artist, writer, musician, filmmaker and spoken word artist. She was born in Kansas, USA and has lived in Africa with her husband, Pete O’Neal,who is the founder of United African Alliance Community Center UAACC since 1970. She is on a Peace in the Community tour through June 2011 with a stop in Berkeley tonight, 6-9 PM @ East Bay Jazz Wksh. 6604 San Pablo Ave., Oakland. Visit www.uaacc.habari.co.tz/

Our first guest is Clarence Lusane, author of "The Black History of the White House" (Open Media Series @ City Lights Books 2011). Dr.Lusane is an Associate Professor of Political Science at American University. In "The Black History of the White House," Dr. Lusane presents a comprehensive history of the White House from an African American perspective, illuminating the central role it has played in advancing, thwarting or simply ignoring efforts to achieve equal rights for all. Juxtaposing significant events in White House history with the ongoing struggle for civil rights. The author makes it plain that the White House has always been a prism through which to view the social struggles and progress of black Americans. This work shines a light on the untold stories of African Americans whose lives are part of the White House legacy. Our next guest is Dr. Rupa Marya, Physician and Musician/Rupa and the April Fishes. San Francisco based musical agitators Rupa & the April Fishes will be launching their April Fools Tour 2011 with a special show on their namesake day at The Independent, Friday April 1st, 2011. After their last rousing Bay Area performance with Manu Chao at The Warfield, the band has been busy working on new material inspired by bandleader Rupa's travels to Chiapas, Mexico where she did an artist residency working with an international group of artists as well as indigenous Tzotzil children. Visit

http://www.cumbancha.com/rupa/press Between the two live interviews we will rebroadcast an interview with Tonye Patano (Mama Nadi) & Oberson K.A. Adjepong (Christian), two cast members of Berkeley Rep's production of Lynn Nottage's "Ruined," up through April 10, 2011. Visit www.berkeleyrep.org

Today we interview Oberon K. A. Adjepong, (Christian) and Tonye Patano (Mama Nadi) two actors from Berkeley Rep's production of Lynn Nottage's Pulitzer Prize winning play, "Ruined," up through April 10, 2011. Visit www.berkeleyrep.org or call (510) 647-2949.

We are joined by Mama Naomi Diouf to talk about the 16th Annual Collage des Africaines, a celebration of the dance and cultures of the African Diaspora. The festival is from Thursday, March 10 to Sunday, March 13. The dance classes and lectures and community events take place at the Malonga Casquelourde Center for the Arts, 1428 Alice Street in Downtown Oakland. Visit http://www.diamanocoura.org/ and call (510) 508-3444. We close with an interview with Margo Hall, (Undine) David Westley Skillman, (Accountant/Ensemble) and Britney Fraizer, (Stephie/Ensemble)in the Lorraine Hansberry Theatre production of Lynn Nottage's "Fabulation or the Re-education of Undine," through March 27, 2011, at the Southside Theatre in Ft. Mason Center, Bldg. D, San Francisco. Visit www.lhtsf.org or call (415) 345-7575. Half price tickets on all Target Matinees: March 20 is the only one left!

Our first guest is Gretchen Wallace, President & Founder of Global Grassroots. GGR's purpose is to catalyze the development of conscious communities of change agents who will work independently, collectively and systematically to advance the rights and wellbeing of women: www.globalgrassroots.org Catinca Tabacaru, Executive Director & General Counsel, Women's Voices Now, which has a film festival in Hollywood, California, March 17-19, 2011 at the Los Angeles Film School, 6363 Sunset Blvd. joins us to talk about her organization. Visit http://womensvoicesnow.org Torange Yeghiazarian who founded Golden Thread Productions in October 1996, which has a current production, "What Do the Women Say?", March 9, 2011, at La Pena Cultural Center, 3150 Shattuck Ave., Berkeley wasn't able to join us, so we will reschedule. Visit www.goldenthread.org We close with Raja Rahim and Thomas Simpson, founder of AfroSolo presenter of the concert featuring Ms. Rahim Sunday, March 13, 2011, 4 PM, at the African American Art & Culture Complex, 762 Fulton Street, San Francisco. Visit www.afrosolo.org or call (415) 771-2376. Today we have a pair of tickets for the 10 PM McCoy Tyner show at Yoshi's San Francisco, Thursday, March 10, 2011, 8 PM. Mr. Tyner features Bobby Hutcherson. Visit www.yoshis.com If you'd like the pair of tickets send me a message here or email to [email protected] with your contact information.

I had a wonderful interview with Farryn Johnson, Princess Tiana (The Frog Princess)about "Let's Celebrate," Disney on Ice at the Oakland Coliseum this weekend through Sunday, March 6, 2011. I went to opening night with my granddaughter and daughters opening night and we were impressed with the level of skill by skaters and the fun party had by all on ice. There is something about Walt Disney productions and characters that makes one smile and feel warm inside. I was looking to see Princess Tiana's two solos numbers, both after intermission, and I was not disappointed. My granddaughter sat on the edge of her seat in lit mouse ears and a wand. Other children were in fairy wings and princess gowns and slippers. At one point a skater danced through a ring of fire. Opening night in both Oakland and San Jose all seats were $15 and the seats were for the most part full. I loved seeing fathers and mothers, boys and girls out for an evening of fun entertainment. The finale while pretty made me wonder what the snow was made from when it didn't melt. Other guests: Civil Rights Movement Veterans: Chude Allen, Carol Ruth Silver, and Jean Wiley are participating in the Museum of the African Diaspora's "One Vision, One Struggle, Many Battlefields," Sat., Feb. 5, 2-5 PM. MoAD is located on Mission at Third Street in San Francisco. Zahra Noorbakhsh's "All Atheists Are Muslim," which opened Feb. 3, 2011, and continues, 8 PM, Thursdays: Feb. 10, 17, and 24, at the Stagewerx Theater. Visit www.stagewerx.org We close with a freewheeling conversation with artist/educator, Andrée Singer Thompson who has an Eco Art Matters Class at Laney College. She says there is still space in the three unit class which meets Wednesdays, 9 AM to 3 PM in the new Art Bldg., Rm. 130, Sculpture Studio. Former student and exhibiting artist, Sophie Lan Hou, also joins us. We play music from The Frog Prince, Anika Noni Rose, "Almost There," and three by Tony Williams: "Fred," "Wildlife" and "Lady Jane."

We open the show with Masashi Niwano, The Center for Asian American Media Festival and Exhibitions Director for the SF International Asian American Festival (SFIAAFF), in its 29th Year, MAR 10-20, 2011! Visit www.caamedia.org We also speak to Ross Tuttle, director of "Resident Aliens," in the Doc series: SAT 03.12 7:30 KABUKI & TUE 03.15 4:15 VIZ. David Herrera, the Artistic Director of the David Herrera Performance Company, speaks about "American Layer Cake" at Dance Mission next week, March 11-12, 8 PM, March 13, 7 PM. Visit www.dhperformance.org We have the newly appointed Artistic Director of the Lorraine Hansberry Theatre, Steven Anthony Jones on the air to talk about the season finale: Lynn Nottage’s “Fabulation; or the Reeducation of Undine,” at Fort Mason Center’s Southside Theatre, San Francisco, CA, March 3-27, 2011, directed by Ellen Sebastian-Chang, featuring Margo Hall. LHT, at 30, is the oldest black equity house on the West Coast, lost its two founding directors in 2010, Quentin Easter and Stanley H. Williams. Jones’s stepping up to the helm with almost 40 years of theatre experience, much of it here in the San Francisco Bay Area is fortuitous for all concerned. Visit www.lhtsf.org Mr. Jones received his early theatre training at Karamu House in his hometown of Cleveland, Ohio. He originated the role of Private James Wilkie in the original production of A Soldier's Play at the Negro Ensemble Company in New York. NEC is 100 this year. We close with Viera Whye, producing artistic director at Tabia African-American Theatre Ensemble, which is celebrating its 25th Anniversary season. Ms. Whye is joined by friend and renown San Jose State University professor, actor, playwright, designer and musician, Buddy Butler, who directs Cheryl L. West’s “Jar the Floor,” continuing Friday-Saturday, March 4-5, 8 PM through Sunday, March 6, 3 PM at Mexican Heritage Theatre, 1700 Alum Rock Avenue, San Jose. Visit www.acteva.com/go/sjmag or call (408) 272-9924.

We need some help in a real big way. I just learned that the unions are going to make an

announcement that they are pulling out of the capitol occupation and i am happy about

that because now the voice of the people can truly emerge.

We need to get this message to people who know about longterm resistance, occupation

and struggle. I thought of angela davis you know of others.

I am not sure what this means for the occupation and resources. I understand that presently

they are not allowing food in for the protesters.

We need help. The folks in the building are refusing to leave.

[So much confusion, so much deception, so much muddled thinking. Most workers, I would say the overwhelming majority of workers, would wholeheartedly support unions if it weren’t for sellout and corrupt union leadership who live comfortably off of union dues and sweetheart contract deals with parasitical corporations. The ideology of the enemy is lodged within the working class itself. The working class will have to undergo a process of disillusionment before there will be a genuine revolutionary working class movement. A majority of workers would prefer to call themselves “middle class”, ( a meaningless term other than to bestow upon its subscriber a false sense of superiority and privilege) than working class. Most importantly, without a revolutionary theory of class struggle there can be not revolutionary working class movement. What we see emerging in Wisconsin is inevitable and the beginning of a very, very long process. Cast away all illusions and prepare to struggle. Workers of the world, unite! You have nothing to lose but your chains; you have a world to gain.]

RM

The Christian Science Monitor - CSMonitor.com

Rebroadcast from June 2011, directors of "Mountains Take Wings," a film that tells the untold story of Yuri Kochiyama and Angela Y. Davis, two great women in conversation.

Shareef Nasir speaks about his new film: "Lost Found." New Wave choreographers join us to talk about the closing weekend of "Black Choreographers Festival: Here & Now," at Dance Mission in San Francisco, 24th Street @ Mission. David Pettee and Susan Hutchinson, both descendants of slave holders, speak about the "Coming to the Table Initiative: History, Connection, Healing, Action." We close with Queen Makedah, Sistah Beauty, and Irae Divine, who speak about their upcoming tour in honor of International Women's History Month, March 2011. Oriyah Music presents the EMPRESS MEDITATIONS West Coast Tour, a series of presentations featuring LIVE performances by QUEEN MAKEDAH, Sistah Beauty and Irae Divine with the SHEBA WARRIORS all-star band, plus the cream of local female DJ's, spoken word, and dance competitions. The purpose of the tour is to spotlight conscious female artists in reggae music whose music speaks to the historical cultural contributions of women from antiquity to the present day, and addresses issues pertinent to women and the family unit. For more information on the EMPRESS MEDITATIONS Tour, visit queenmakedah.com