Wanda's Picks

Edward P. Jones is a New York Times bestselling author and has been awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction, the National Book Critics Circle award, the International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award, and the Lannan Literary Award for The Known World. His first novel The Known World is about the ownership of slaves by a black master in the antebellum South. Reviewers lauded Jones for the novel's epic grandeur, vernacular, and lyrical prose, fully realized characters, and lively dialogue. Comparing Jones favorably with William Faulkner and Toni Morrison. After winning the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction Jones told Publisher's Weekly : "I want to write about the things which helped us to survive: the love, grace, intelligence, and strength for us as a people." Jones also received a MacArthur Fellowship in 2004. His first collection of stories, Lost in the City, won the PEN/Hemingway Award and was short-listed for the National Book Award. The stories recapture the life Jones knew growing up in the 1950s and 1960s, especially the rich vernacular of his mother and her associates. "I remember black people's poetic language," His second story collection, All Aunt Hagar’s Children, was a finalist for the Pen/Faulkner Award. He has been an instructor of fiction writing at a range of universities, including Princeton. He lives in Washington, D.C. 

                                                   

2. From the Archives: Rhodessa Jones talks about her work: "SHE:The Rhodessa Jones Story," which opened at Brava in SF, March 28-April 7, 2013.

Music: Sweet Honey in the Rock; Teri Simmons; Thao & the Get Down Stay Down; Ethnic Heritage Ensemble

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. Director - NC Heikin began her career at La Mama Experimental Theatre Club in New York and went on to work on and off Broadway as an actress, singer, dancer, writer and director. Her most recent film, Sound of Redemption, The Frank Morgan Story (http://frankmorganstory.com/) about a troubled jazz musician, was produced by bestselling author Michael Connelly and premiered at the Los Angeles Film Festival in 2014 and theatrically in NY and LA in 2015. Her most recent film is Life Crime and tells the story of Reggie Austin and how music saved his life. www.NCHeikin.com 

2. Mama Naomi Gede Diouf joins us to speak about The Forbidden Bush premiering this weekend, Nov. 26, 8 p.m. and Nov. 27, 3 p.m. at Laney College, the Odell Johnson Theatre, 900 Fallon Street.

3. Velina Brown joins us to talk about Word 4 Word and Z Space's production of Edward P. Jones's Aunt Hagar's Children.

4. Taiwo Kujichagulia-Seitu, Lyric Dance School, joins us to talk about the Jazzy Nutcracker featuring Duke Ellington's music, Dec. 10, 3-6 p.m. at EOYDC.

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. Cleavon Smith graduated from the US Naval Academy and Mills College. He is the writer of Vs., produced by TheatreFirst in their 2016-17 season. His short plays have been featured in the 2012 PlayGround and the 2015 Ohlone College Playwrights Festivals. He lives in Oakland and teaches in the English department at Berkeley City College."

2. Standing Rock Protest. Tiyesha Meroe, People's Community Medics. To help visit https://medichealercouncil.com/donate/

3. Mark Harris, artist joins us to speak about his recent work and an exhibit opening Friday, Nov. 11, 6-9 at CIIS in San Francisco. His artist talk is Nov. 16, 6 p.m. at CIIS, 1453 Mission Street:  "Freedom isn't Free", "American Exceptionalism - Same as it Ever Was", "Silence = Violence No. 3", "Home Sweet Home"

4. Keith Josef Adkins, playwright, Safe House, at Aurora Theater in Berkeley Nov. 4 through Dec. 4.

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!

From the Archives

Ben Vereen (2013) joins us to talk about a new show at the Razz Room in San Francisco. We open with an essay about Nate Parker's Birth of a Nation.

1.Poetic Response to the Elections with poets: Rafael Jesús González, Eugene Redmond, Marcus Lorenzo Penn, Sandra "Makeda" Hooper-Mayfield, Karla Brundage, Alan Laird, Ann Marie Davis, Raymond Nat Turner, Charles Curtis Blackwell, Karla Brundage, Zigi Lowenberg

2. 30th Annual Black Doll Artists Show and Sale, Nov. 12, 10-5 at the African American Museum and Library, Oakland

3. BACCHANAL DE AFRIQUE Nkeiruka Oruche, Artistic Director/Producer Nkeiruka Oruche is a Nigerian of Igbo descent who lives and plays with her family in Oakland. She is a dancer, musician, performer and educator specializing in street dance and music styles from Africa and her Diaspora. With over 15 years of experience and a passion for social justice and community-building, her goal is to work with people to use art as a way to lead healthy lives and create positive change in the world. Nkeiruka has worked with Amara Tabor-Smith, Loco Bloco, Dance Mission Theater, the Oakland Museum of California, Our Family Coalition, Youth Speaks and a host of change-making entities. Currently, Nkeiruka is leading Afro Urban Society, a group that works to foster and preserve the resiliency, interconnection and existence of people of African descent in global urban settings through art performance and social engagement. She is also a Co-Founder of BoomShake, a social justice oriented musical community.

November 18: Til’ Dance Do Us Part, Afro-Urban Musical, 8PM @ Dance Mission Theater, San Francisco

November 19: Community Lab for the African Diaspora, 6PM @ EastSide Arts Alliance, Oakland

November 19: Afrobeats vs. Azonto Master Dance Class, 2PM @ Dance Mission Theater, San Francisco

November 20: Afrobeats & Soul Line & Turf & More Dance Workshops, 11AM - 7PM @ EastSide Arts Alliance, Oakland

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. Cleavon Smith graduated from the US Naval Academy and Mills College. He is the writer of Vs., produced by TheatreFirst in their 2016-17 season. His short plays have been featured in the 2012 PlayGround and the 2015 Ohlone College Playwrights Festivals. He lives in Oakland and teaches in the English department at Berkeley City College."

2. Standing Rock Protest. Tiyesha Meroe, People's Community Medics. To help visit https://medichealercouncil.com/donate/

3. Mark Harris, artist joins us to speak about his recent work: 

"Freedom isn't Free"

"American Exceptionalism - Same as it Ever Was"

"Silence = Violence No. 3"

"Home Sweet Home"

4. Keith Josef Adkins, playwright, Safe House, at Aurora Theater in Berkeley

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!

This morning we speak to Rev. Daniel Buford, Director, Prophetic Ministery at Allen Temple Baptist Church, Oakland, CA, about presidential candidate, Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton. We also speak about voting rights for black people in America. The show concludes with a conversation about California ballot propositions and City of Oakland Ballot Measures for the upcoming election.

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. Melody Shere'a and Monica Simmons join us to speak about the encore screening of there film, "Invisible Women: Being Black in Corporate America," Nov. 11 at the Valley Art Center at Holy Names University.

2. Mother and daughter, Opal Palmer Adisa and Teju Adisa Farrar join us to share poetry and philosophy of life.

3. We close with a conversation with Rev. Daniel Buford about current CA Ballot Propositions. This is a two part conversation, the second, Sat., Nov. 5, 8 AM

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!

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. Frantz Jerome, Haitian political analyst, joins us to talk about the Island Nation. Frantz is very knowledgeable and has been a frequent guest on Flashpoints, Sojourner Truth and other radio programs discussing Haiti. He is a former professor at CUNY, well-known and respected in the NY community where he was the coordinator of a coalition of 80 Haitian grassroots organizations during the 1990's.  http://www.haitiemergencyrelief.org/Haiti_Emergency_Relief_Fund/home.html

2. Wanda Ravernell, Director, Omira Institute, joins us to speak about the National Museum of African American History and Culture opening weekend, Sept. 23-25.

3. Stogie Amir Kenyatta, One Man Show on the life of Paul Robeson. “The World is my Home – The Life of Paul Robeson,” at Berkeley Black Rep, 3201 Adeline Street, Oct. 28-29, 2016. http://www.blackrepertorygroup.com/ www.PaulRobesonOnManShow.com