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. Noel Schwerin’s documentary IN AN IDEAL WORLD will have its U.S. television premiere Tuesday, April 26, 2016, at 8 p.m. on WORLD Channel (check local listings), as part of the fourth season of AMERICA REFRAMED, public media’s newest documentary series. The film will be available for free streaming on http://worldchannel.org/programs/episode/arf-s4-e413-ideal-world/  starting April 27, 2016.

Shot over seven years, with unprecedented access, IN AN IDEAL WORLD follows three men in California’s infamous Soledad prison—John Piccirillo, a white separatist murderer, Sam Lewis, a black ex-gang member and Ben Curry, a warden. Each entered the system young and learned its codes of conduct not only to maintain order and safety, but also for their personal survival.

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. Noel Schwerin’s documentary IN AN IDEAL WORLD will have its U.S. television premiere Tuesday, April 26, 2016, at 8 p.m. on WORLD Channel (check local listings), as part of the fourth season of AMERICA REFRAMED, public media’s newest documentary series. The film will be available for free streaming on http://worldchannel.org/programs/episode/arf-s4-e413-ideal-world/  starting April 27, 2016.

Shot over seven years, with unprecedented access, IN AN IDEAL WORLD follows three men in California’s infamous Soledad prison—John Piccirillo, a white separatist murderer, Sam Lewis, a black ex-gang member and Ben Curry, a warden. Each entered the system young and learned its codes of conduct not only to maintain order and safety, but also for their personal survival.

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. Brooke Doaks is a Healing Artist, Cultural Curator, Creative Director and Founding Curator of Goddessflow Presents. She is the author of "A Grey Soul."  Brooke graduated from Columbia College Chicago with a B.A. in Visual Production and Marketing Communications. Follow the blog goddessflowpresents.be and visit her websitewww.brookedoaks.com for more awareness. Her Goddessflowpresents involves developing a series of workshops, community and spotlight events all highlighting the black feminine divine. Her next event at the Naming Gallery, 335 15th Street, in Oakland, April 29 honors, artist, activist, Regina Evans, who will perform excepts from "52 Letters,"  stories of sexual trafickking: entrapment, bondage and freedom.

2. Camilla Nielsson (Director), based in Copenhagen, studied documentary filmmaking at the Tisch School of the Arts and holds an M.A. in visual anthropology from New York University. She joins us to talk about "Democrats" which premieres on Independent Lens, Monday, April 18.

3. Rebroadcast of interview with Steven Anthony Jones, Artistic Director, Lorraine Hansberry Theatre presenting, "Thurgood," closing this weekend at AAACC. Visit lht-sf.org

4. IDRIS ACKAMOOR speaks to us about a new tour next month locally and internationally withThe Pyramids' new music:"We Be All Africans." Ackamoor is a multi-instrumentalist, composer, actor, tap dancer, producer, administrator, and director. He is the Founder and Co-Artistic Director of the multi-disciplinary San Francisco performance company Cultural Odyssey. Mr. Ackamoor has been honored with TWO Lifetime Achievement Awards for his extraordinary musical and theatrical contributions.

1. Brooke Doaks is a Healing Artist, Cultural Curator, Creative Director and Founding Curator of Goddessflow Presents. She is the author of "A Grey Soul."  Brooke graduated from Columbia College Chicago with a B.A. in Visual Production and Marketing Communications. Follow the blog goddessflowpresents.be and visit her websitewww.brookedoaks.com for more awareness. Her Goddessflowpresents involves developing a series of workshops, community and spotlight events all highlighting the black feminine divine. Her next event at the Naming Gallery, 335 15th Street, in Oakland, April 29 honors, artist, activist, Regina Evans, who will perform excepts from "52 Letters,"  stories of sexual trafickking: entrapment, bondage and freedom.

2. Camilla Nielsson (Director), based in Copenhagen, studied documentary filmmaking at the Tisch School of the Arts and holds an M.A. in visual anthropology from New York University. She joins us to talk about "Democrats" which premieres on Independent Lens, Monday, April 18.

3. Rebroadcast of interview with Steven Anthony Jones, Artistic Director, Lorraine Hansberry Theatre presenting, "Thurgood," closing this weekend at AAACC. Visit lht-sf.org

4. IDRIS ACKAMOOR speaks to us about a new tour next month locally and internationally withThe Pyramids' new music:"We Be All Africans." Ackamoor is a multi-instrumentalist, composer, actor, tap dancer, producer, administrator, and director. He is the Founder and Co-Artistic Director of the multi-disciplinary San Francisco performance company Cultural Odyssey. Mr. Ackamoor has been honored with TWO Lifetime Achievement Awards for his extraordinary musical and theatrical contributions.

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. We open the show with an interview with Jeffrey Brown ( director of SOLD) and Neerja Naik actress and Associate producer SOLD. The film opens in Bay Area Theatres Friday, April 15. Visit http://www.soldthemovie.com/about-the-movie/

2. We speak next to a Bay Area entrepreneur, Bobo Kwame of BOBO Kwame Designs founded in CA.

3. We speak to William Hartfield (most recently seen in "The Gospel of Lovingkindness") playing Tom Joad and actor, Francisco Arcila, who plays Noah Joad, in Ubuntu Theatre Project's production of The Grapes of Wrath by Frank Galati, Apr. 6-24, at Oakland City Church, 2735 MacArthur Blvd. TheGrapesofWrath.brownpapertickets.com/

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. We open the show with an interview with Jeffrey Brown ( director of SOLD) and Neerja Naik actress and Associate producer SOLD. The film opens in Bay Area Theatres Friday, April 15. Visit http://www.soldthemovie.com/about-the-movie/

2. We speak next to a Bay Area entrepreneur, Bobo Kwame of BOBO Kwame Designs founded in CA.

3. We speak to William Hartfield (most recently seen in "The Gospel of Lovingkindness") playing Tom Joad and actor, Francisco Arcila, who plays Noah Joad, in Ubuntu Theatre Project's production of The Grapes of Wrath by Frank Galati, Apr. 6-24, at Oakland City Church, 2735 MacArthur Blvd. TheGrapesofWrath.brownpapertickets.com/

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!

Shaka Barak is the Minister of Education for the Universal Negro Improvement Association and African Communities League (UNIA & ACL) through appointment by current President General Senghor Baye. Located in Chicago, he joined the Garvey Nkrumah Memorial Progressive Division #429 of the UNIA & ACL forty years ago under Dr. Charles L. James. President General James was a Graduate under the Honorable Marcus Mosiah Garvey the Dean of the School of African Philosophy. Shaka Barak after years of service asked President General James to teach him the same Course of African Philosophy. Shaka Barak in 1981, was taught the course along with a few other hand-picked men and women. Only he was told publicly when he graduated by President General James that he knew because he had been taught and that he must “tell the story, and “if you don’t tell the story then you are no damn good”.  Since President General James death in 1990 Shaka Barak co-founded over 24 years ago with his wife Qamar, The Marcus Garvey Institute (MGI), an organization that does research on the life and works of the Honorable Marcus Mosiah Garvey and the UNIA & ACL.

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!

Shaka Barak is the Minister of Education for the Universal Negro Improvement Association and African Communities League (UNIA & ACL) through appointment by current President General Senghor Baye. Located in Chicago, he joined the Garvey Nkrumah Memorial Progressive Division #429 of the UNIA & ACL forty years ago under Dr. Charles L. James. President General James was a Graduate under the Honorable Marcus Mosiah Garvey the Dean of the School of African Philosophy. Shaka Barak after years of service asked President General James to teach him the same Course of African Philosophy. Shaka Barak in 1981, was taught the course along with a few other hand-picked men and women. Only he was told publicly when he graduated by President General James that he knew because he had been taught and that he must “tell the story, and “if you don’t tell the story then you are no damn good”.  Since President General James death in 1990 Shaka Barak co-founded over 24 years ago with his wife Qamar, The Marcus Garvey Institute (MGI), an organization that does research on the life and works of the Honorable Marcus Mosiah Garvey and the UNIA & ACL.