Wanda's Picks

1. Marlene "Mo" Morris, director, A New Color, the Art of Edythe Boone with the star of the film, Ms. Edy. The film screens at the Mill Valley Film Festival October 10 and 16. Visit a newcolordocumentary.com

2. Dr. William Conwill

Many African American teens find themselves wondering what they should or should not be doing and how they should behave toward each other. As they struggle to build their characters, they receive a wide range of feedback from multiple sources, bringing about confusion. Spirit Training offers a guide through that confusion by providing a personal training aid for Black teens in the arena of ethics. Spirit Training holds that our spirits, which protect and sustain us, should direct and unify our thoughts, efforts, and actions. Author William L. Conwill seeks to help Black teens who want to prepare for adulthood in the family, the community, and the world by developing their characters. Based on traditional African values, the principles presented in this guide serve as directives or instructions on living, as well as means of defense against destructive influences. These principles are represented throughout the text by Adinkra symbols, along with a self-defense interpretation for each principle and a reading to help provide insight. Drawing on brain science, transpersonal psychology, and mainstream psychiatry, as well as ancient traditions, Spirit Training invites Black teens to conduct a personal and conscious examination of the principles that have allowed us to survive, create, and nurture life.

1. Marlene "Mo" Morris, director, A New Color, the Art of Edythe Boone with the star of the film, Ms. Edy. The film screens at the Mill Valley Film Festival October 10 and 16. Visit a newcolordocumentary.com

2. Dr. William Conwill

Many African American teens find themselves wondering what they should or should not be doing and how they should behave toward each other. As they struggle to build their characters, they receive a wide range of feedback from multiple sources, bringing about confusion. Spirit Training offers a guide through that confusion by providing a personal training aid for Black teens in the arena of ethics. Spirit Training holds that our spirits, which protect and sustain us, should direct and unify our thoughts, efforts, and actions. Author William L. Conwill seeks to help Black teens who want to prepare for adulthood in the family, the community, and the world by developing their characters. Based on traditional African values, the principles presented in this guide serve as directives or instructions on living, as well as means of defense against destructive influences. These principles are represented throughout the text by Adinkra symbols, along with a self-defense interpretation for each principle and a reading to help provide insight. Drawing on brain science, transpersonal psychology, and mainstream psychiatry, as well as ancient traditions, Spirit Training invites Black teens to conduct a personal and conscious examination of the principles that have allowed us to survive, create, and nurture life.

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!

Guest:G. Kwame Scruggs, founder and executive director of Alchemy, Inc., has over 20 years experience working with urban male youth. He holds a Ph.D. and MA in Mythological Studies with an emphasis in Depth Psychology from Pacifica Graduate Institute, in Santa Barbara, California. His published works include “There’s a Secret in the Village: Using Myth to Engage Urban Adolescent Males.”

Kwame also holds a MS degree in Technical Education with an emphasis in Guidance and Counseling from the University of Akron, where he also completed all coursework for a master’s degree in Community Counseling. He has conducted numerous workshops on the use of myth to engage urban youth, and has been a featured speaker at the C. G. Jung Foundation for Analytical Psychology of New York City. He is a Certified Facilitator of the Akan System of Life Cycle Development (African-based rites of passage), and completed his first level of post-certification in Ghana, West Africa.

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!

Guest:G. Kwame Scruggs, founder and executive director of Alchemy, Inc., has over 20 years experience working with urban male youth. He holds a Ph.D. and MA in Mythological Studies with an emphasis in Depth Psychology from Pacifica Graduate Institute, in Santa Barbara, California. His published works include “There’s a Secret in the Village: Using Myth to Engage Urban Adolescent Males.”

Kwame also holds a MS degree in Technical Education with an emphasis in Guidance and Counseling from the University of Akron, where he also completed all coursework for a master’s degree in Community Counseling. He has conducted numerous workshops on the use of myth to engage urban youth, and has been a featured speaker at the C. G. Jung Foundation for Analytical Psychology of New York City. He is a Certified Facilitator of the Akan System of Life Cycle Development (African-based rites of passage), and completed his first level of post-certification in Ghana, West Africa.

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!

Rebroadcast of Public Testimony Legislative hearing re: Secured Housing Unit (SHU) August 23, 2011.

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!

Rebroadcast of Public Testimony Legislative hearing re: Secured Housing Unit (SHU) August 23, 2011.

1. Thomas Simpson, founder, director, AfroSolo Arts Festival 21, to talk about My Brother’s and Sister’s Keeper/SF and San Francisco’s Unified School District’s BLACK FAMILY: Cradle to College and Career Day Resource Fair (Saturday, 9/19/15) at Mission High School 9:30 AM – 3:00 PM, 3750 18th Street in San Francisco.

2. Deborah Vaughn, co-founder, director, Dimensions Dance Theatre and Micia Mosely, comedian, join usto talk aboutThe Town on Notice, Oct. 17, at the Malonga Casquelourd Theatre in Oakland. Combining dance, live music, spoken word and stand-up comedy, The Town takes on the subject of Oakland's gentrification as an invitation for meaningful dialogue. For tickets visit brownpapertickets.com or call 800-838-3006.

3. Aviva Kempner's films investigate non-stereotypical images of Jews in history and celebrate the untold stories of Jewish heroes.  Here current film, ROSENWALD is the incredible story of Julius Rosenwald, who never finished high school but rose to become co-owner of Sears, Roebuck & Co. Influenced by the writings of the educator Booker T. Washington, he joined forces with African American communities to build over 5,300 schools across the segregated South during the early part of the 20th century, providing 660,000 black children with access to education. Landmark Theatres Engagement begins Friday, Sept. 11, 2015 at Opera Plaza Cinemas, 601 Van Ness, San Francisco, Shattuck Cinemas, 2230 Shattuck Avenue, Berkeley.

1. Thomas Simpson, founder, director, AfroSolo Arts Festival 21, to talk about My Brother’s and Sister’s Keeper/SF and San Francisco’s Unified School District’s BLACK FAMILY: Cradle to College and Career Day Resource Fair (Saturday, 9/19/15) at Mission High School 9:30 AM – 3:00 PM, 3750 18th Street in San Francisco.

2. Deborah Vaughn, co-founder, director, Dimensions Dance Theatre and Micia Mosely, comedian, join usto talk aboutThe Town on Notice, Oct. 17, at the Malonga Casquelourd Theatre in Oakland. Combining dance, live music, spoken word and stand-up comedy, The Town takes on the subject of Oakland's gentrification as an invitation for meaningful dialogue. For tickets visit brownpapertickets.com or call 800-838-3006.

3. Aviva Kempner's films investigate non-stereotypical images of Jews in history and celebrate the untold stories of Jewish heroes.  Here current film, ROSENWALD is the incredible story of Julius Rosenwald, who never finished high school but rose to become co-owner of Sears, Roebuck & Co. Influenced by the writings of the educator Booker T. Washington, he joined forces with African American communities to build over 5,300 schools across the segregated South during the early part of the 20th century, providing 660,000 black children with access to education. Landmark Theatres Engagement begins Friday, Sept. 11, 2015 at Opera Plaza Cinemas, 601 Van Ness, San Francisco, Shattuck Cinemas, 2230 Shattuck Avenue, 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 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!