Wanda's Picks

Rebroadcast: We had technical difficulties this morning and were unable to broadcast at our regularly scheduled time. We broadcast one from the archives, a special tribute to Malcolm X aired on his birthday last year, May 19, 2010, featuring interviews with musician Steve Wilson, activist and MOVE member Ramona Africa with poet/teacher, Malcolm Shabazz Hoover; filmmaker, writer, educator, Chike Nwoffiah; and professor, historican, Manu Ampim. We feature the music of Soulfege. The event honoring Judi Bari, that Ramona Africa speaks of in her interview is Sunday, May 23, 7 PM at La Peña Cultural Center, 3105 Shattuck Avenue, Berkeley, CA 94705 USA. The event is hosted by Revolutionary Ecology Earth First! and Headwaters Coalition and is free though donations are accepted. It is in recognition of the 20th anniversary of the bomb attack on Earth First! activist Judi Bari with speakers, music & film. Sponsored by Earth First and Headwaters coalition.

We are fighting for our place in the sun . . . and we will never rest until that place is secure” (Brother Malcolm X May 19, 1925-Feb. 21, 1965). On the eve of the tragic murder of a man whom Ossie Davis, called “our Prince,” El Hajj Malik El Shabazz was killed as he stood speaking in Manhattan at the Audubon Ballroom, in front of his family, friends, numerous witnesses and of course enemies, in the San Francisco Bay Area there was a People’s Tribunal which looked at government surveillance as well as police brutality, and how to make the government accountable. Also on the eve of El Hajj Malik El Shabazz’s murder, we had the opportunity to speak to a surviving freedom fighter, a spiritual child of Brother Malcolm, Robert Hillary King, whose life exemplifies the resistance Brother Malik inspired world wide, a resistance to tyranny and oppression exemplified here in California and Wisconsin, as well as in Tunisia and Egypt and Libya. King whose tenth anniversary just passed, February 8, 2011, speaks about the recent and exciting news about Albert Woodfox’s case, and by extension Herman Wallace, the three men collectively known as the Angola 3. He also speaks about recent travel and upcoming appearances such as the screening in Washington DC Film Festival (Feb. 2 to March 2, 2011), Wed., Feb. 23, 2011 with director Vadim Jean of the film, “The Land of the Free,” which tells the story of these three men: Robert Hillary King, Albert Woodfox and Herman Wallace, together known as the Angola 3. The film is narrated by Samuel Jackson. Here in the San Francisco Bay Area, The Human Rights Watch Film Festival is screening "In the Land of the Free," at Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, 701 Mission Street (at Third Street), San Francisco, CA March 31, 2011, 7:30 PM, (415) 978-ARTS. Visit www.hrw.org/en/united-states/us-program/prison-and-detention-conditions

Daniel Biram, director/producer speaks about his film: "Me Facing Life: Cyntoia's Story," which will have an ITVS Community Screening, Tuesday, Feb. 22, 2011, 5:45 PM at the San Francisco Library on Larkin Street. In 2004, Cyntoia Brown was arrested for murder and sentenced to 51 years. The camera follows her from age 16 to 22. Visit http://www.itvs.org/screenings Our next guests are artists: Nancy Cato and Refa One, who have exhibits up currently in Oakland, CA. Nancy is a part of "Oakland Local" at Gallery 416, 416 26th Street. The closing reception is Feb. 23, 2011 at 5 PM to 9 PM. Refa One's "AeroSoul 2" at Joyce Gordon Gallery has a program tonight, Friday, Feb. 18, 6 PM. Educators will speak about how they use hip hop visual art in the classroom. Visit www.catocreations.com and http://www.aerosoulart.com/YOUTH_EXHIBIT.html to find out about the companion youth exhibit and reception Feb. 25, 6 PM at "Posh Pieces Studio" in Oakland. S. Pearl Sharp drops by for a quick interview about her classic film, "The Healing Passage/Voices from the Water" (2004), which will have its Documentary Channel debut as a part of a 3rd Tuesday series of African Diaspora cinema, Tuesday, Feb. 22, 2011, 8 PM both PT/ET, www.documentarychannel.com, www.thehealingpassage-voices.com/ We close with guests: scholars and arts activists CK Ladzekpo, director of the African Music Program at UC Berkeley and a cultural icon here in California, especially the SF Bay and Anthony Brown, Ph.D., ethonomusiciologist, drummer, composer and groundbreaking artist who brings together the Asian and African aesthetics through his body, literally body and figurative body of work. Cynthia Taylor, Adult Program Manager with the Oakland Museum shares with is O Zone: Soundtrack--The Drum, which is a public program Friday, Feb. 25, 2011, 5 PM to 12 midnight. Visit www.museumca.org The event is family friendly and free for members & children 8 and under, 9-17 years $6; seniors/college students $9, general $12.

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. Periodically, we will rebroadcast shows, what we call, "From the Archives."

Archival listen to an Aug. 4, 2009, interview with director Simone Britton about her film, "Rachel," shown at the SFJFF 2009, and an earlier film on Egyptian sensation, Umm Kulthum; we spend an hour speaking to founders and presenters of Black Choreographers Festival: Here & Now 2011 opening this weekend, Friday, Feb. 11-Sunday, Feb. 13, at Laney College Theatre, 900 Fallon Street, Oakland, CA. There is also a free film series each week associated with the themes of the festival. Visit www.bcfhereandnow.com We close with an extended conversation with actress Omoze Idehenre, "Francine/Lena," in the West Coast Premiere of Bruce Norris's "Clybourne Park," at the American Conservatory Theatre's Geary Theatre, through February 20. Tickets start from $10. Visit www.act-sf.org or call (415) 749-2228. Music played on this show: Toshi Reagon's "She Brings Me" and Sistas in the Pit's "Roller Coaster."

1st broadcast Nov. 16, 2010: Today we feature actors, Traci Allen (Nettie) & Edward C. Smith (Mister) from The Color Purple: A Musical opening in San Jose at the end of the month, Nov. 23-28, www.broadwaysanjose.com, (415) 792-4111. November kicks off a 16 day campaign to address violence against women in "Recognition of International Day for the Elimination of Violence Towards Women," 12 Noon on the Steps of San Francisco, City Hall. We are joined by two of the organizers: Nina Serrano and MamaCoAtl. We close with an interview with choreographer Adia Whitaker, whose Apey! is on stage at CounterPulse in San Francisco. Ampey! is a look at migration of an African woman from the Diaspora back home.

We open with an interview with Farryn Johnson, Princess Tiana (The Frog Princess) in Disney on Ice's "Let's Celebrate! February 23-27, in San Jose, CA and March 2-6 in Oakland, CA. Our next 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, 533 Sutter Street, in San Francisco. 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. The class exhibit from Fall 2010: "Save Our Earth Ship," has a closing reception this Friday, February 4, 2011, 4-7 PM at the Steingart Gallery, 900 Fallon Street in the Tower Bldg. 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."

Rebroadcast: Cindy Blackman was in town Wednesday, October 28, 2009 for an SFJAZZ Tribute to Tony Williams, great drummer and composer (Dec. 12, 1945-Feb. 23, 1997). Blackman speaks about her friendship with the great musician, how he influenced her musical style and that of others to date, musicians who are not even aware of how much of his legacy lives on. She is returning to Oakland at Yoshi's Jack London Square: February 2-5, 2011, 8 & 10 PM nightly with Jack Bruce - bass and vocals, Vernon Reid - guitar, John Medeski - organ, Cindy Blackman - drums and vocals. Visit

http://www.myspace.com/cindyblackmanmusic We close with a live interview with Sistahs in the Pit, a Bay Area power trio featuring ieela Grant on drums, Kofy Brown on bass and new guitar player Shelley Doty. They open the 2nd Annual San Francisco Music Festival, February 3-17, at CELLSPACE, 2050 Bryant @ 18th in San Francisco. Visit sfindie.com We have tickets to give away for the Blackman show, Thursday, February 3, 2011, 10:00 PM Two sets. Send us a message with your name to win. We play a Tony Williams' selection "Wildlife."

We speak to Sausan, Artistic Director/Chreographer & Owner of the Sausan Academy of Egyptian Dance. She speaks about her upcoming show, the first ever event of traditional cabaret and folkloric performances of classical Egyptian style dance. The event is at the International House @ UC Berkeley. Visit www.sausanacademy.com Barrie McClune, California Newsreel, joins us to talk about the African Film Festival at UC Berkeley's PFA, Jan. 27-Feb. 17, 2011. Call (510-642-1412). We close with an interview with photographer James Knox, whose exhibit, "JAZZ MOMENTS," goes up at the Berkeley Public Library, Main Branch Feb. 14-Apr. 30, 2011. The artist reception is Sat., Feb. 26, 2 PM. We open with the directors of the film JAZZ MAMA.

We open with a rebroadcast of an interview with Tom Burrell, advertising executive and a member of the Black Think Tank for "A New Way Forward: Healing What's Hurting Black America." Visit stopthebrainwash.com

Gerald Lenoir is the director of the Black Alliance for Just Immigration (BAJI) founded in the Oakland/San Francisco Bay Area in 2006 to support fair and just immigration reform and to bring African Americans together with immigrant communities to fight for social and economic justice. He is also a board member of the National Network for Immigrant and Refugee Rights.

He will be speaking to us about a teleconference series beginning January 27, 2011, 12 noon, PST. The first conversation is with Rhonda McGee, Professor, University of San Francisco School of Law. Call 1-866-931-7845. The code is 90147. Visit BAJI's Facebook page for international call-in information and for a list of the complete four part series final Thursdays, January-April.