Wanda's Picks

Today we highlighted the Oakland Community School, the first charter school in the State of CA and a model promoted by then Gov.Jerry Brown--yes, unbelievable that this same man, as CA Attorney Gen. is promoting the trial of the SF8. We had Billy X, itsabouttimebpp.com, Melvin Dixon, the Commemorator and the Lil' Bobby Hutton Literacy Program and Naomi Banks, former student on the air. "The Down Memory Lane Reunion," is 10/25, 12-5, at the old school site: 6118 International Blvd., Oakland. We also had Naima and Alixa, climblingpoetree.com who have a new show: Hurricane Season, Oct. 24-25, at La Pena Cultural Center, 3105 Shattuck Ave., in Berkeley, 7:00 doors, 7:30 show. They will also take "Hurricane Season," to Cell Space in SF, 10/30, 7:00 doors, 7:30 show. They are performing poetry at the "Wonders of Cannibis" Festival its second day, 10/26, which also features Dead Prez, at Golden Gate Park in SF, CA. My other guests were, Avotcja & Modupue, which features musician Jon Jang, and others, performing at the Jazz School, in downtown Berkeley, Oct. 24, 8 p.m. Next was guest, Shara K. Lange, whose film, "The Way North," about a Morrocan sports photographer, Fatima Rhazi, turned activist for women's rights in France, screens at 2 p.m. at the Shattuck Cinemas, in Berkeley, 10/25. It's a part of the "12th Arab Film Festival" www.aff.org. We closed with a great conversation with Black Panther Party Chairman,and co-founder, Bobby Seale, ESCC co-founder, Greg Morozumi, and the author of the book, "The Snake Dance," about the Second Annual Third World Book Festival at ESCC, 12-6 p.m. Oct.25-26, at 2277 International Blvd. in Oakland. Visit http://wandaspicks.com

Today we had an exclusive interview with Troy Anthony Davis' sister Martina Correia, who has been standing for justice for her brother for 19 long years. Mr. Davis is scheduled once again, for execution Monday, October 27, by the State of Georgia if a stay is not granted. Davis turned 40 October 9, and though witnesses have recanted, and the absence of DNA prove his innocence, the 8th Amendment of the Georgia State Constitution, states it's okay to kill and innocent person as long as the courts feel he has received a fair trial. Mr. Davis is from an upper middle class black family, his dad retired military, and police officer. He graduated with honors from high school, a year after he was scheduled to graduate because he was caregiver for his sister who had MS and was paralyzed from the waist down. Since his incarceration, his dad has died--diabetic coma, the stress of a son on death row too much for him to take. Martina Correia diagnosed with cancer March 2001, has been on chemotherapy for all these years after her doctors dismissed her symptoms. It's a good thing she is a medical practitioner and knew what tests to run and where to get a second opinion once her suspicions were confirmed. Even now, Martina stated on the air this morning, it's crazy that she has to take poison to stay alive, while her brother is about to be given poison to kill him. The show opened with an interview with Chanaka Hodge, who wears multiple hats at Youth Speaks which sponsors the Living Word Festival, in its 7th year, closing weekend, October 23-25, at Theater Artaud, 450 Florida Street in San Francisco. Tickets are $5 for students and $20/25 for adults. At the box office if guests mention the password, "Race is Fiction," they get two for one passes. Call (415) 255-9035.

Today we will talk about the current exhibit at the Prescott Joseph Center: Breath of the Ancestors: Joy Holland and Casper Banjo, introducing Keith Hopkins. The exhibit is up through October 31. PJC is at 920 Peralta Street in Oakland and the gallery is open 9-5 Monday-Friday. Call (510) 208-5651. We will speak to Casper's neice, Akili Banjo about her uncle's work. We might be joined by other friends and colleagues. We will continue the conversation next Friday with other guests. Also on the air today are Joanna Haigood, Zaccho Dance Theatre, who is participating in Trolley Dances Saturday-Sunday, October 18-19, 11-3:30 along the T-Line or Third Street Rail. Visit http://www.epiphanydance.org/ We will close the show today with a conversation with playwright Shanique Scott, whose one woman show,"Prisons," premieres tonight, Friday, October 17, 8 p.m., and continues Saturday, October 18, 2:30 and 5:00 p.m. through Sunday, October 19, 5:00 p.m., at the Black Rep in Berkeley, 3201 Adeline Street, in Berkeley. Call (510) 652-2120. We will be joined in the studio by Dr. Mona Vaughn Scott, the late founder's daughter and now Executive Director of Black Repertory Group Theatre.

Today we will be speaking with Robert H. King (International Committee to Free the Angola 3) about Albert Woodfox's case. He was in court earlier this week in New Orleans and there is pending good news on the case. After over 35 years in prison, 31-plus in solitary confinement, Albert might be a free man in less than a month. We will also talk about Troy Davis, who has a pending appeal to the federal Supreme Court. In the second portion of the program we will speak to the Lathan Hodge, producer of the latest film on the rap group, Public Enemy. This feature film documents the bands 20th anniversary tour and gives rare behind the scenes interviews and perspectives on a group which continues to change the way art is used as a vehicle for social change--a.k.a. revolution. The film will screen closing night, 6-8:15 p.m. at the 7th Annual Oakland International Film Festival. All screenings are at the Grand Lake Theater in Oakland. Visit www.oiff.org for the entire schedule.

Black Arts and Culture show featuring interviews, music, dialogue and other topical commentaries to savor for the rest of the morning and throughout the week. Both well-known and up and coming artists will be guests. We're not snobs...quality is not date stamped nor is the revolution on prime time yet....Tune in.

This morning we featured Dr. Washington Burns, director of Prescott Joseph Center in West Oakland and Ayodele Nzinga, director of the Lower Bottom Playaz, Shakespeare in the Yard. The current show is: Ebony and Johnny, with shows 10/10 and 10/11 at 7 PM and Sunday, 10/12 at 2 PM. This interview was followed by one with African American artists featured in the Days of the Dead Exhibit at SomArts in San Francisco:Malik Seneferu, Kemit Amenophis & Patricia A. Montgomery, and Candi Farlice. The exhibit opens tomorrow evening 6-10 PM, with other special events planned like an artist talk November 1 and a closing party November 4.

This engaging interview was followed by one with song stylist, Paula West, who will be appearing this evening at San Francisco Performances' concert at the Herbst Theatre, in San Francisco on Van Ness between MacAllister and Grove Streets. I concluded the show with a conversation with Mrs. Eva Rutland joined by her granddaughter, Eva Fields. Mrs. Rutland, 91 years old now, is the author of the recently reissued, "When We Were Colored, a Mother's Story." She is also the author of a series of romance novels and is working on a book about being a grandmother. She will be at the San Lorenzo Branch Library next week, October 18, at 2 PM and next month at the African American Museum and Library in Oakland. I called her back after the show and we had a great conversation. She couldn't hear me well on the line, so I plan to interveiw face-to-face and perhaps upload the interview later or write an article. We'll see. I am really enjoying her book and plan to go by the West Oakland Branch Library and check out a romance novel by her.

Since I started this segment of my weekly broadcasts, it's been rare that I have just featured prerecorded interviews. I guess I will just have to write the stories :-) That said, this week I will feature a segment from an interview with Dr. Ysaye M. Barnwell, a member of Sweet Honey in the Rock, who performed this past weekend at SFJAZZ. Yes, they were marvelous! Dressed in lovely black flared skirts, some of the women in boots, the tops jackets, tunics or two-piece affairs. They took us on an American journey, a soul journey, a cleansing and thoughtprovoking often painful journey during the concert at the lovely Davies Symphony Hall in San Francisco. There were empty seats in the orchestra. I don't know what it looked like in the balcony--it would have been nice if people were invited down to fill in the space, but it was full nonetheless. The extended set, which began late to accommodate those of us wading through the Love Fest ending just outside the doors on the streets of San Francisco's Civic Center, took many selections from the groups 35 year old songbook as well as their latest CD: Experience 101. The concert was co-sponsored by the San Francisco Links, an organization that offers scholarships to girls for college. When I went backstage I met a few of the singers and other fans, some whom I knew. I think I danced back to BART. It was a great evening! After the prerecorded interview, I spoke to Tracey Nails-Bell, owner of A Diamond in the Rough, an image consultancy which works with women reentering society, others who have economic hardships, struggling single female headed households, who want to do something with their lives, but might need guidance and support getting there.

October is Maafa Awareness Month and today we'll be joined in the studio by David Roach, CEO of the Oakland International Film Festival, which opens with Baayan Bakari's latest film, "Equinox," Thursday, October 9, at the Grand Lake Theatre in Oakland. We are joined by special guest this first hour by Mama Imahkas, who over 20 years ago repatriated to Ghana and has been creating ceremonies to welcome Africans on their return to the Motherland, the land of our origin. Visit oneafricaghana.com and livinginblack.com. For information about the Oakland Film Festival visit www.oiff.org for a listing of all the films and special workshops, lectures and parties.

We'll also be joined by Keith Hopkins, one of the artists featured in the Maafa Commemoration Exhibit at Prescott Joseph Center, 920 Peralta Street in Oakland. The exhibit is up through the end of October. October 3, the exhibit opens and can be viewed before the play, Ebony and Johnny, which begins at 7 p.m., and during intermission. During the week, the organization is open 9-5 daily. Our featured vocalist this week is Ajuana Black from her CD: "Ajuana Black: A Soulful Journey." We'll play a couple of tunes. You can catch Ajuana and her band at Solf Notes Jazz Lounge and Restaurant tonight, 355 19th St., Oakland,(510) 444-7587, October 3, 9 p.m. in downtown Oakland. Visit http://wandaspicks.com for more information about what's going on in the San Francisco Bay. We'll close with an excerpt from Runoko Rashidi interview which we were unable to upload on the Wednesday segment of Wanda's Picks. Keep a listen out for the interview with Dr. Ysaye M Barnwell with Sweet Honey in Rock. They'll be at SFJAZZ Saturday, October 4, 8 p.m. at Davies Symphony Hall, Grove and Van Ness in San Francisco. You can check them out after the Rashidi lecture at 4 p.m. at the African Children's Advanced Learning Center, 959 33rd Street, Oakland.

Note: I had technical difficulties this morning and was unable to upload the interview with Dr. Rashidi. I will attempt to air a segment this Friday or transscribe the great interview for my web exclusives at http://wandaspicks.com He will be presenting a lecture and slide show 10/4, 4 p.m. at the African Children's Advanced Learning Center, 959 33rd Street (at San Pablo) in Oakland. Admission is $10 for adults, $5 for students with ID and free for youth under 18.

This morning we spoke to Ajuana Black and John William Templeton, actress and playwright: Queen Califia: Ruler of California," which opened at the Buriel Clay Theatre, 762 Fulton Street, San Francisco. The play continues today through Thursday, October 2. The 10/2 performance is at 7 p.m. and today and tomorrow the performance is a part of an educational workshop series facilitated by Mr. Templeton. For more information call (415) 922-2049 or visit www.californiablackhistory.com. For Ajuana Black visit ajuanablack.fuzz.com or contact her at [email protected]. She has a show at Soft Notes in Oakland, 9:30 p.m. No cover.

This morning we'll be speaking with participants in the Critical Resisitance Conference 10 at Laney College, 900 Fallon Street, Oakland, this weekend: our regular guest Robert H. King, A3,author of "From the Bottom of the Heap," (PM Press) along with other guests: Emory Douglas, former Minister of Culture for the Black Panther Party, Pam and Ramona Africa, MOVE 9, and the International Friends and Family of Mumia Abu Jamal, Hamdiyah Cook, All of Us or None and the California Coalition for Women Prisoners.

Also this week we will visit with actors from a couple of San Francisco Bay Area companies: Berkeley Rep, which is currently in production with Yellowjackets. We'll be speaking to Amaya Alonso Hallifax and Jahmela Biggs. We will close the morning with a dicussion of the wonderful play, MacB, The MacBeth Project at the African American Shakespeare Company. For more details visit http://wandaspicks.com

Closing: Freda Kahlo exhibit at SFMOMA, Kev Choice is at the Shattuck Downlow tonight, Sept. 26, Sacred Spray Paint at Mama Buzz Cafe, 2318 Telegraph Ave., in Oakland, closes Sept. 27, and Laney College Theatre presents: Cubaneando, Saturday-Sunday, Sept. 27-28, 8 and 5 PM. Laney College is at 900 Fallon Street, near Lake Merritt BART and the Oakland Museum.

This week we will have a live interview with musician/composer, Wallace Roney, who will be opening the San Francisco Jazz Festival, as a part of the "Miles From India" project. Roney, a protege of Davis, will offer listeners rare insight into the artist, the project and his own creative process.

Last year, the concert was a hit and sold out quickly, so it has been moved to a larger venue, Davies Symphony Hall in San Francisco, Grove and Van Ness). Visit www.sfjazz.org

From the archives will feature rare audio interviews from artists and revolutionary thinkers I've interviewed in the past ten or so years (2008-1998). Each show will be just an hour, but in that hour these artists and culture workers will share perspectives on life I treasure as I'm sure you will.