Wanda's Picks

We'll be talking about women political prisoners with Pam Africa and Linda Evans, Marilyn Bucks' co-defendant, and Marilyn’s attorney, J. Soffiyah Elijah is the Deputy Director of the Criminal Justice Institute at Harvard Law School, at 8 AM. There is an event for Marilyn, who will be released next year, this Sunday, March 8. Author, Cheo Tyehimba follows. His new book is "Like Loving Backward." His official Bay Area book party is at MoAD 3/7. Director, Barry Jenkins is on at 9 AM. His Black San Francisco postcard: "Medicine for Melancholy," opens at the Embarcadero in San Francisco, and we close with Mama Naomi Diouf, Diamano Coura West African Dance Company host of the 14th annual “Collage des Cultures Africaines” Festival, March 12-15 in Oakland and Berkeley.

The morning will begin with an update on Albert Woodfox’s case. I heard things went well in court Tuesday, March 3. We’ll be speaking with exonerated Anglola 3 member Robert Hillary King and other supporters, Albert's brother, Michael Mable and Parnell Herbert, about the hearing. This conversation will be followed by a talk with Todd Evans, playwright. His play, “Battle Road,” a play about Black people’s involvement in the Revolutionary War, will be produced at the Barn Theater in Ross, March 6, 7 & 8. We will close the program with The Big Read in Oakland, sponsored by the Oakland Public Library, the Oakland Museum and Cal State University East Bay. The book this year is Ernest Gaines’ A Lesson Before Dying, and there are many events planned this month to celebrate this wonderful work: films, poetry writing workshops, dramatization and an interview with the author. All the events are free.

Visit this website for information about Oakland's first ever Big Read program

03/04/2009 - Wednesday

6:30 pm

Fresh Perspectives: Theatrical performance

Location: Main Library, West Auditorium @ 125 14th Street, Oakland, CA

Artistic Director of Rough N Ready Theatre Players, Daunielle Rasmussen and the Theatre Department Chair at Laney College, Michael Torres, work with local actors to bring to life poignant scenes from A Lesson Before Dying in an intimate theatrical experience.

03/06/2009 - Friday

6:00 pm

At the Death House Door

Location: Oakland Museum of California @ 1000 Oak Street at 10th, Oakland, CA 94607

Attend a special screening of the Independent Film Channel's award-winning documentary, At The Death House Door. A short discussion will follow the screening.

03/07/2009 - Saturday

10:00 am

Writing Lessons: A Poetry Workshop

Location: CSU East Bay's The Oakland Center @ 1000 Broadway, Suite 109, Oakland, CA 94607

Prize-winning, local creative writer, Arisa Wh

We are joined in the studio by Jeremiah Kpoh, Maisha Productions and Eskender Aseged, Radio Africa Kitchen, who have a show: AFRICA RISING at PROJECT, 1251 Rhode Island Avenue, Saturday, February 28th at 9 p.m. Tickets are $20 and INCLUDES FOOD; the next guests in the studio are members of the cast, playwright, William A. Parker and director, Buddy Butler, of "Waitin' 2 End Hell," at Lorraine Hansberry Theatre at the PGE Auditorium, 77 Beale Street (near Embarcadero BART), San Francisco, Feb. 27-28, 8 p.m., and 3/1 at 2 p.m. We close the show with a conversation with Carolyn Brandy, director of Ojala and Elouise Burrell, a member of both Ojala and Linda Tillery's Cultural Heritage Choir--both are in concert, along with special guests at La Peña Cultural Center 3105 Shattuck Avenue, in Berkeley, Sat., Feb. 28, 6:30 and 8:45 PM. Visit www.borntodrum.net, www.lapena.org for information and tickets: (510)849-2568. Tickets are $18 in advance and $20 at the door.

I want to remind listeners that tonight is a poetry celebration of poet Reginald Lockett's life and work at the Humanist Hall, 390 27th Street, Oakland, CA 94612. The event, which is free, though donations are accepted, starts at 7 p.m. sharp! Door open at 6:30 p.m. There is also a birthday celebration of Oscar Grant's life at the Black Dot Art Space on 8th and Pine, in Oakland tonight. He would have been 22.

Today during the first hour we will speak to Ntozake Shange, poet, playwright, writer, whose seminal work, "For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When the Rainbow Is Enuf," is currently on stage at the Black Repertory Group in Berkeley, Friday-Sunday, Feb. 27-March 1. She is joined by the co-director, Cassandra A. Henderson. Visit www.keepersoftheculture.com For the second portion of our program guests are Dayna Stephens and Johannes Wallman , both musicians and educators. Prof. Wallman will speak about the upcoming scholarship fundraising concert, Tuesday, March 3, at Yoshi's in Oakland. Dayna is featured artist. Visit www.yoshis.com

We will be celebrating the life of El Hajj Malik El Shabazz this morning in music and words. 44 years ago, he was killed. Just 39 years old at the time, we miss his words and laughter and insight. We also miss his integrity and upright character. If listeners would like to share thoughts, please call into the station, (347) 237-4610 the first hour. The second portion of the program will be a celebration of Nina Simone's music. She was born today, Feb. 21, 76 years ago. In the San Francisco Bay Area there are a lot of Mardi Gras Parties, so we'll play Carnival music to get you in a festive mood. Robert Hillary King, of the International Coalition to Free the Angola 3 (really two, King's out now),is our special guest this morning. He'll update us on Albert Woodfox, whose birthday is this month. Maybe we'll sing happy birthday. We want to offer our condolences to his family, brother Michael Mable and sister-in-law, Adrienne, for the loss of their daughter a few days ago.

I am going to have to postpone the tribute for Lanier Pruitt, educator, musician, to April 2009. Stay tuned for the new date. The theme is Mardi Gras this weekend in the San Francisco Bay Area, especially on the East Bay side of things. I will have as my first guest Sophis Dorsainvil of Kalbass Kreyol, an Afro-Caribbean band and the sensational Brazilian Dance Group Samba Mora at Ashkenaz Music and Dance Center in Berkeley, 9:30 p.m. He will be followed by members of the cast of the Men's Story Project, now a film screening Sunday, Feb.22, Shatuck Theatre in Berkeley, as a part of SF Indie Festival www.mensstoryproject.org We will then be joined by members of the cast of "Tough Titty" at the Magic Theatre, through Feb. 22, 2009. Visit http://www.magictheatre.org/season0809/tough.shtml. We'll close the morning with Michelle Jacques who's band, Chelle! has a concert "Voodooville," Saturday evening at the Jazz School in Berkeley celebrating Mardi Gras www.jazzschool.inhousetickets.com. For the latest in what's going on visit http://wandaspicks.com

We will feature Fred Harris, composer, pianist who has a recital --"Blastin' Barriers," next week, February 24, 8 p.m. at the Century Club Bldg., 1355 Franklin Street, at Sutter,in San Francisco. For tickets and information call (415) 672-5173 or visit www.fhperformances.org, We'll listen to his work and talk about his art in a special extended segment. If you aren't on Alcatraz to see Kevin Epps' latest film, The Black Rock, Tuesday, Feb. 17, a film, brought to you by the director of "Straight Outta Hunter's Point," his latest, a film which looks at the black people incarcerated on Alcatraz, I'll give you an update and information about the limited engagement at The Red Vic Movie House in San Francisco. I might have other special guests. We're working on it presently. We'll also be speaking to Director/Playwright James Brooks and Bryant Bolling, Musical Director, whose Celestial Celebration opens 2/20, 21, 27, 28, 3/1, 8 PM, Sunday at 3 PM, at Laney College, 900 Fallon Street, in Oakland, (510) 839-9192. Don Paul, poet, is another guest who is on a book tour presently and will speak about his book and a tribute to Yuri Kochiyama, 2/19 at the Humanist Hall on 27th Street. Yuri was a close friend of Malcolm X, who was killed 44 years ago, Sat., Feb. 21. We hope to close the program with poetry of artists who will be a part of Black Panthers Black History Program honoring Huey P. Newton, at the Black Repertory Theatre, 3201 Adeline Street, in Berkeley, 5-8 p.m. Visit www.itsabouttimebpp.net or call (510) 652-7170.

Today we feature Tony Spires, producer of the Bay Area Black Comedy Competition and Festival, Feb. 13-15, at Tommy T's in Pleasanton: www.BlackComedyCompetition.com; Isaura Oliveira, whose work is a part of Black Choreographers Here and Now, week 2 at Dance Mission, 3316 24th Street @ Mission: http://www.bcfhereandnow.com/; My Children, My Africa (by Athol Fugard) cast: L. Peter Callendar, Lloyd Roberson II, and Laura Morache. The play is currently on stage at the Marin Theatre Company, 397 Miller Ave., in Mill Valley through Sunday, Feb. 15, (415) 388-5208, www.marintheatre.org; some of the cast from "Gem of the Ocean" (by August Wilson) cast: C. Kelly Wright, Donald Lacy, Hosea L. Simmons, Hansford Prince. The Sacramento Theatre Company production is up through 2/15, and is located at 1419 H Street, SAc., (916) 443-6722.

We will be speaking with former Georgia Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney who is giving the keynote address this week, Feb. 13-15, at the 11th Annual Leadership Conference of The Black Caucus of California Student Association of Community Colleges (CalSACC). The conference theme for 2009 is: "Ujima: Utilizing the Power of Education for Collective Empowerment," and the working title is: "The Glass Ceiling has been Broken, The Inauguration Parties are Over, Now the Work Begins." It is hosted by the Black Caucus at Foothill College, Foothill College, 12345 El Monte Road, Los Altos Hills. Ms. McKinney will be joined on the air by Glen Ford, publisher of Black Agenda Report. We will have a 50 minute conversation, followed by a short talk with Black Caucus leadership about the conference this year. We will also talk to Guy Patrice Lumumba, son of the first Prime Minister of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, along with Lisa F. Jackson, director of the film, "The Greatest Silence: Rape in the Congo," and Muadi Mukenge, Regional Director of Sub-Saharan Africa Global Fund for Women. She will also act as translator for Guy, who will speak in French.

Happy Birthday Bob Marley! A Belated Happy Birthday Langston Hughes. Happy Birthday also to my brother Fred Batin and friends: Portia Anderson, Raymond Nat Turner, Jamal Ali and all other Aquarians.

8-8:30 AM:

Laura Elaine Ellis and Kendra Kimbrough: Black Choreographers Here and Now, opening tonight at Laney College in Oakland and continuing in San Francisco at Dance Mission next weekend.

8:30-9 AM:

Ayodele Nzinga and Geoffrey Grier re: The Tenderloin Theatre's Night at the Black Hawk: 2/5-7 & 2/12-14, at the NMTL/CBD Community Center, 134 Golden Gate St., in SF. They are joined by the cast of Ellis Berry’s Production of “MOSES,” a dramatic, inspiring and powerful stage play about the life of Harriet Tubman. Starring Yehmanja Houff as Moses, opening at the Malonga Casquelourd Theater 1428 Alice Street in Oakland, Friday, February 13 @ 8:00 p.m., continuing through the weekend, two 8 p.m. performances and a Sunday matinee. Tickets are $20.00 for age 18 and above and$10.00 for youths 17 and below. All youth tickets are sold at the door the night of the performances only. For further information please call Herma Jean Gardere at 510-904-8520.

9:00 AM:

A Song for Coretta by Pearl Cleage, directed by Victoria Erville, at Brava for Women in the Arts!, 2789 24th Street, SF, through tomorrow, Feb. 7. Visit www.brava.org

9:30 AM Nefasha Ayer “The World that Travels”: with guests: vocalist, songwriter Meklit Hadero and her cousin, MC, Gabriel Teodros. The ensemble hits tonight, 2/6 and tomorrow, 2/7, 8 p.m. at Brava on the main stage.