Wanda's Picks

This is a black arts and culture site. We will be exploring the African Diaspora via the writing, performance, both musical and theatrical (film and stage), as well as the visual arts of Africans in the Diaspora and those influenced by these aesthetic forms of expression. I am interested in the political and social ramifications of art on society, specifically movements supported by these artists and their forebearers. It is my claim that the artists are the true revolutionaries, their work honest and filled with raw unedited passion. They are our true heroes. Ashay!

1. WAX Poets

2. NYAFF 2018 at BAMPFA with Mamadou Dia, director, Samedi Cinema (2016)

3. Program A: Between Us at TheatreFirst

JUST ONE DAY: A Story of Martin Luther King Jr.’s Legacy

Written by Cleavon Smith

Directed by Elizabeth Carter

LAVEAU: A Conjuring of Marie Laveau

By Brit Frazier

Directed by Margo Hall

with Dezi Soley

1. We open with an interview with Wax Poet(s): Artistic Director Heather Stockton and Wax Poet(s)Executive Director Garth Grimball. The two artists join us to talk about Swivel:Hinge:Return, a New Work in Two parts exploring What does your resistance dance look like? How is a radical body in a state of change? March 1-3 at CounterPulse, 80 Turk Street, in San Francisco.

2.Laura Elaine Ellis is Executive Director of the African & African American Performing Arts Coalition (AAAPAC) and co-founder with Kendra Barnes of the Black Choreographers Festival: Here and Now. She joins us to talk about the 14th Annual Black Choreographers Festival Here 2018: Feb. 17-March 4.  Visit bcfhereandnow.com

Cherie Hill (week 2 @ SAFEhouse Arts) is a creative artist, dancer, performer, teacher and scholar, whose art explores human expression and how it is conveyed through the body in collaboration with nature, music and visual imagery.

3. Central Works 2018 Season opens Feb. 17--March 18, with "Bamboozled: A New comedy about Family Valuables" by Patricia Milton, directed by Gary Graves. Shows are at the Berkeley City Club, 2315 Durant Avenue, Berkeley.

CW Resident Playwright Patricia Milton and actors Susan Jackson (Opal Anne) and Jeunée Simon (Abby) join us to talk about "Bamboozled."

1. Ben Vereen (from Archives June 2012)

2. Charles Peoples III (Ruby) is thrilled to perform with Theatre Rhino once again! Charles is a performance artist who explores visual storytelling to raise awareness, demand social justice, and cultivate self-love. He received his BA in Musical Theater from Sarah Lawrence College ('12) and is pursuing a Masters in Vocal Performance at SF State. In addition to school, he is working on his debut album and regularly performing new works. Additional theater credits include: Pink in The Legend of Pink and Adam in Priscilla Queen of the Desert, both with Theatre Rhinoceros, Collins in Rent, and Neil in The Story.  www.CharlesPeoplesIII.com

3. Life of the Law Live with executive producer: Nancy Nullane (archived interview 2/21)

4. Jeanne Theoharis on The Rebellious Life of Mrs. Rosa Parks

This is a black arts and culture site. We will be exploring the African Diaspora via the writing, performance, both musical and theatrical (film and stage), as well as the visual arts of Africans in the Diaspora and those influenced by these aesthetic forms of expression. I am interested in the political and social ramifications of art on society, specifically movements supported by these artists and their forebearers. It is my claim that the artists are the true revolutionaries, their work honest and filled with raw unedited passion. They are our true heroes. Ashay!

1. NANCY MULLANE, CO-FOUNDER, EXECUTIVE PRODUCER AND HOST OF LIFE OF THE LAW joins us to talk about a special live program this Friday, Feb. 23, in San Francisco. The locally produced public radio show & podcast Life of the Law will host Initial Public Offering: a night of storytelling about law, tech and life. Guests include: Fantastic Negrito: Grammy-winning artist bringing us blues with a punk attitude from Oakland

Sirron Norris; Riddhi Shah; Marcus Thompson, Kathy Tu and Troy Williams.

2. Dr. Jeanne Theoharis discussed her book: The Rebellious Life of Mrs. Rosa Parks (From the Archives)

This is a black arts and culture site. We will be exploring the African Diaspora via the writing, performance, both musical and theatrical (film and stage), as well as the visual arts of Africans in the Diaspora and those influenced by these aesthetic forms of expression. I am interested in the political and social ramifications of art on society, specifically movements supported by these artists and their forebearers. It is my claim that the artists are the true revolutionaries, their work honest and filled with raw unedited passion. They are our true heroes. Ashay!

1. Asale Haquekyah Chandler and Yolanda Banks join us to talk about the First Cultural Arts Black History Month Parade, Monday, Feb. 19, 2018, beginning at 10:30 a.m. with an ancestral blessing followed by a crowning ceremony a 11:15 a.m.  The march is from Bayview's MLK Park, 5701 Third Street (near Carol) to the AAACC, 762 Fulton Street in Fillmore. For more information call: 415-287-7481 or [email protected] Visit: Inhumanemovie.com

1. We open with an interview with Wax Poet(s): Artistic Director Heather Stockton and Wax Poet(s)Executive Director Garth Grimball. The two artists join us to talk about Swivel:Hinge:Return, a New Work in Two parts exploring What does your resistance dance look like? How is a radical body in a state of change? March 1-3 at CounterPulse, 80 Turk Street, in San Francisco.

2.Laura Elaine Ellis is Executive Director of the African & African American Performing Arts Coalition (AAAPAC) and co-founder with Kendra Barnes of the Black Choreographers Festival: Here and Now. She joins us to talk about the 14th Annual Black Choreographers Festival Here 2018: Feb. 17-March 4.  Visit bcfhereandnow.com

Cherie Hill (week 2 @ SAFEhouse Arts) is a creative artist, dancer, performer, teacher and scholar, whose art explores human expression and how it is conveyed through the body in collaboration with nature, music and visual imagery.

3. Central Works 2018 Season opens Feb. 17--March 18, with "Bamboozled: A New comedy about Family Valuables" by Patricia Milton, directed by Gary Graves. Shows are at the Berkeley City Club, 2315 Durant Avenue, Berkeley.

CW Resident Playwright Patricia Milton and actors Susan Jackson (Opal Anne) and Jeunée Simon (Abby) join us to talk about "Bamboozled."

Additional Music and Audio: Zion Trinity: Opening Prayer for Esu Legba; Mama C's "Hug a Thug or the Malcolm X Factor" and the speech by El Hajj Malik El Shabazz: "You Can't Hate the Roots of a Tree."

This is a black arts and culture site. We will be exploring the African Diaspora via the writing, performance, both musical and theatrical (film and stage), as well as the visual arts of Africans in the Diaspora and those influenced by these aesthetic forms of expression. I am interested in the political and social ramifications of art on society, specifically movements supported by these artists and their forebearers. It is my claim that the artists are the true revolutionaries, their work honest and filled with raw unedited passion. They are our true heroes. Ashay!

1. Compton, California native and CEO, Dr. Theresa Price founded the National College Resources Foundation (NCRF) a 501c3 non-profit organization in 1999 in a direct response to the passing of California’s proposition 209 that banned affirmative action programs in California colleges. Since its inception, the organization has secured and distributed more than $300 million in scholarships & grants to over 400,000 students (over 200,000 first generation students) through 100 College Expos produced by NCRF. The next stop is Oakland, CA at the Marriott on Sat., Feb. 17. https://www.thecollegeexpo.org/events/oakland

2. Jovelyn Richards joins us to talk about her latest project with show featuring: Ciara Lovelace, Kimberly Turner, Feb. 11, 7-8:10 p.m. at La Pena Cultural Center, 3105 Shattuck Ave., Berkeley. lapena.org 510-849-2568.

3. John Santos, composer, educator, joins us to talk about, an upcoming concert, The Sacred Roots of Latin Jazz, 2/11, 4 p.m. at the First Presbyterian Church of Oakland. https://santoslatinjazz.brownpapertickets.com/  510-533-6629

4. Billy X, Its About Time Black Panther Programs in the Oakland Public Library: West Oakland (2/17, 1-4 pm), Golden Gate (2/10, 2-5 pm). Visit itsabouttimebpp.net

This is a black arts and culture site. We will be exploring the African Diaspora via the writing, performance, both musical and theatrical (film and stage), as well as the visual arts of Africans in the Diaspora and those influenced by these aesthetic forms of expression. I am interested in the political and social ramifications of art on society, specifically movements supported by these artists and their forebearers. It is my claim that the artists are the true revolutionaries, their work honest and filled with raw unedited passion. They are our true heroes. Ashay! 

1. Kiara Boone, Deputy Program Manager, earned a degree in Political Science from Davidson College in 2011 and a nonprofit management executive certificate from Georgetown University in 2012. Prior to joining EJI, she worked with the National Coalition for the Homeless in Washington, DC, and managed support for community development in Florida for the Jessie Ball duPont Fund. The National Memorial for Peace and Justice and The Legacy Museum: From enslavement to Mass Incarceration April 26-29, 2018. https://eji.org/national-lynching-memorial & https://eji.org/enslavement-to-mass-incarceration-museum

2. Billy X, Its About Time Black Panther Programs in the Oakland Public Library: West Oakland (2/17, 1-4 pm), Golden Gate (2/10, 2-5 pm). Visit itsabouttimebpp.net

3. John Santos, composer, educator, joins us to talk about, an upcoming concert, The Sacred Roots of Latin Jazz, 2/11, 4 p.m. at the First Presbyterian Church of Oakland. https://santoslatinjazz.brownpapertickets.com/  510-533-6629

1. Halifu Osumare, Ph.D., author of the new work, Dancing in Black, A Memoir (2018, University of Florida Press). Dr. Osumare is professor emerita of African American and African Studies at the University of California, Davis, is the author of "The Hiplife in Ghana: West African Indigenization of Hip-Hop" and "The Africanist Aesthetic in Global Hip-Hop: Power Moves." New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2007. 

2. WO2WO members: Karla Brundage, Tyrice Brown, Sanda "Makeda" Hooper-Mayfield, and Zakiyyah Capehart-Bollings, join us to talk about African Diaspora conversations through the Japanese poetic form, Renshi.

3. Archived interview 2/24 (Geoffrey Grier and Jeffery Smith)

4. SF Indie 2018 directors: Cathy Lee Crane, director, The Manhattan Front (2/10:4:30 PM); 2/14: 7 PM); Rocky Capella, dir., Guitar Man (2/11:7 PM; 2/15: 9:15).

Cathy Lee CRANE, 2000 MFA graduate from SF State's Cinema Program has been charting a speculative history on film since 1994. She joins us to talk about The Manhattan Front: "Women, anarchists, and spies conjure the fantastically true story of how America entered WW1," which is having its world premiere at the SF Indie Festival 2/10 4 PM and 2/14 7 PM at the Roxie

Rocky Capella, dir., "Don't Shoot I'm the Guitar Man," has worked in the film industry on more than six hundred films, commercials, television and internet projects as an award-winning action director, stunt coordinator and performer. Rocky has been a member of the Director's Guild of America for more than 25 years.

"Don't Shoot! I'm the Guitar Man" is gives the average person an "inside look" at prison and the inner workings of a music program in San Quentin State Prison.

This is a black arts and culture site. We will be exploring the African Diaspora via the writing, performance, both musical and theatrical (film and stage), as well as the visual arts of Africans in the Diaspora and those influenced by these aesthetic forms of expression. I am interested in the political and social ramifications of art on society, specifically movements supported by these artists and their forebearers. It is my claim that the artists are the true revolutionaries, their work honest and filled with raw unedited passion. They are our true heroes. Ashay!

1. Diane Amos is a San Francisco-based actress, improv artist, and comedian joins us to talk about her gig with other Afircan American comedic artists at Ashkenaz Music and Dance Center, 1317 San Pablo Ave., in Berkeley, Thursday, Feb. 8, at 8 p.m.

2. Lisa Tealer, Interim Executive Director of the African American Community Health Advisory Committee (AACHAC) www.aachac.org  (Soul Stroll folks) Joins us to talk about "An Evening with HeLa" on Feb 1, 2018 from 6-9 pm & Educational Seminar: Communities of Color & Clinical Trial Participation: A Call to Action on Feb. 2, 2018 from 9am-1:30pm www.aachac.org or hela.brownpapertickets.com

3. Zakiya Harris is a Shapeshifter. She is an afro-eclectic mix of soul, dance and theater and she is a part of MIXTAPE Vol. 1: Femme Fatale, Feb. 1, 8 p.m., at the Starlite Social Club, 2236 Martin Luther King, Oakland, 1-510-593-2109, hrs.4:00 pm-2:00 am

4. David Graves, artist, joins us to talk about Spirit Migration, Jan. 5-Feb. 22, M-F 8-4:30 PM at EBMUD Oakland Administration Building, 2nd floor lobby, 375 11th Street, Oakland. Artist reception, Friday, Feb. 2, 5-7 p.m.