Push Pause

At the Oakpod Wednesday, no one asked about the choice of words, why we called this event Push Pause. Perhaps they thought they understood what was meant. Time was suspended and nothing mattered except New Orleans and Hurricane Katrina survivors. I warned my students that I'd be there in body but not soul.

Watching the Amanda Herman and Morris family film, "Lost Island," over and over again, between 8 a.m. and 3 p.m., I had grown tired then furious. Aug. 29 used to be a day I thought of when I thought of Michael Jackson - he was born the same year as me and I've grown older with the popular artist. I'd been celebrating my friend Karla's birthday for years, yet I never committed the date to memory nor that of my favorite cousin Jeff in New Orleans.

Now thanks to failed levees and a wild woman named Katrina, it's a day I'll never forget. Two years ago she came into my life unasked, uninvited and since then has claimed a drawer and a few hangers in the closet. I think she plans to stay ... like the Bush presidency seems to go on and on. Katrina is an unwanted guest I can't seem to eject.

It's been two years and people are still homeless and displaced. On the Jim Lehrer News Hour Aug. 29 there was a segment on the new immigrants - white people converging on New Orleans like frontiersmen out to explore. One woman was just out of medical school; another was a teacher at the Langston Hughes School in the Lower 9th Ward. Still another person working in the Lower 9th spoke of the distrust he gets from residents he'd been trying to help restore their homes. He is ready for a break.

Gentrification masquerading as philanthropy

Last week at the Push Pause: Maafa 2007 Hurricane Katrina Fundraiser Reportback, we had poetry, updates from New Orleans and films - Spike Lee's "When the Levees Broke" and Amanda Herman and the Morris Family's "Lost Island." I was waiting for Walidah Imarisha's "On Common Ground," but it arrived the next day. We raised $709.05 for three worthy organizations: Common Ground Health Clinic, cghc.org/donationletter.pdf and cghc.org/cghcrenovations.wmv; Survivors for Survivors via CC Campbell-Rock, (925) 339-6277 and (504) 432-4243; and LIFE of Mississippi, lifeofms.com, 188 C Main St., Biloxi, MS 39530, (228) 435-5433.

For information about the tribunal in New Orleans, which began Aug. 29, visit internationaltribunal.org. To listen to an interview about the fundraiser, visit kpfa.org/archives/index.php?arch=22004 (Aug. 30, 2007).

Wednesday evening, we called New Orleans from The Oakpod Gallery, 450 Santa Clara Ave., Oakland, www.theoakpod.com, and spoke to Megan Jackson, who volunteers at Common Ground Health Clinic. There were about 50 of us assembled. All the chairs were full; people sat on the floor or leaned against walls, mindful of all the beautiful art healing us as we mourned over the senseless loss - the continuing Maafa, or destruction of Black life and Black hopes.

We'd planned to speak to Davey D from Hard Knock Radio about the activities there on anniversary night, but I was a bit too weary and decided to just make the one call as the time was after 9 p.m. and people were getting restless for cake. Like I said, it was also Karla's 40th birthday and she wanted to share it with us. Periodically her friends and family sang, "Happy Birthday, Karla!"

Megan is a 28-year-old woman on a mission. Born in Marrero, Louisiana (10 minutes from New Orleans), she began writing poetry at the age of 11. Grounded in spirituality by her mother and grandmother, her writing took on a spiritual standpoint, becoming both relative and controversial. She expanded her writing to many rap, R&B and gospel songs.

Soon after completing her underground album "Enter the G" under her stage name G-Oracle, Hurricane Katrina struck. While still in its aftermath, she completed the actual book, "Enter the G," which had been in the making since 1998.

"Enter the G" is a book composed to deliver the structural insight of life. Based upon one poem, it is the spiritual and intellectual insight needed to walk the path of life. She currently volunteers at Common Ground Health Clinic as a phlebotomist helping those without health insurance.

She has a great love for her city and has plans on continuing her work in the community. With only her faith in God, her books, poems, songs and selfless acts, she seeks to show you the truth of life and its continuing purpose. She said her poem is a representation of the anger and pain Katrina caused in the lives of good people. It's called "Miscellaneous Behavior":

"I saw the rain coming / nothing was ever said yet so much was felt, so much was not expected / foolish, seeking the truth as an ultimate savior when in actuality / it is just another form of depression another form of oppression / there is a great cost for freedom / there is an even greater cost for relief / nice city, nice atmosphere, nice move, / checkmate / and i didn't even know i was in the game / this aftermath of pain has caused me to be borderline insane / knowing that this is my last and final change / now i didn't just see but i felt the rain / waiting for the sun to shine and change the scenery, / my patience grows thin / the battle then begins between my eagerness to do what is right / and my pure passion to let this shit be over with, to just win. / Detached, I've been moved from the source that keeps me intact with me / keeps peace intact with peace, / and keeps my love intact with what its true definition should be / to only be met with burdens on this level to this degree. / I saw the rain coming / i felt the rain pouring / and that same storm has yet to finish passing over me." - Megan Jackson

Rafael Jesus Gonzalez, one of the presenters that evening, told us about current legislation, the Gulf Coast Recovery Bill of 2007 (S1668), and how we can take action for Gulf Coast restoration and relief. You can watch a video and sign a petition supporting the bill at whenthesaints.org. Its passage, which would reopen public housing in New Orleans, among many other goals, is critical to rebuilding the infrastructure in the Gulf Coast region.

Benefit for earthquake victims in Peru

Wednesday, Sept. 5, 8 p.m., at La Peña Cultural Center, 3105 Shattuck Ave., Berkeley, is a benefit for the earthquake victims in Peru, presented by Asociacion Cultural DeRompe y Raja. Tickets are $15. The recent earthquake in Peru centered in Black Peru. To read articles about Black Peru, see www.seeingblack.com/article_261.shtml ("Black Perúvians seek aid" by Karen Juanita Carrillo) and www.seeingblack.com/article_251.shtml ("More than 500 dead in Peru earthquake centered in Black coastal communities").

‘Blues in the Night'

"Blues in the Night" features Maurice Hines (Gregory Hines' brother), Freda Payne, Carol Woods and Paulette Ivory at the Post Theatre, 450 Post St., in the Kennington Park Hotel, San Francisco. Call (415) 771-6900. Tuesday night I saw a few familiar faces on the bandstand - Mark Wright and Jeff Chambers. Glen Pearson wasn't playing that night; however, the musical director was, and he was fantastic, as was the entire show, from the costumes and lovely ladies to the set and lighting.

It's been extended into October, so if you were debating whether or not to attend, go. Songs aren't written like this anymore and singers - well, the better singers - don't have anything nearly as challenging to work their skills around any longer. Perhaps this is the appeal of "Blues in the Night," "Brick Top" and other musical reprises that highlight an era in American culture which is nostalgic for its ability to frame a topic - in this case, love and loneliness - so well.

Rhonda Benin & Soulful Strutt

First Fridays has become the thing around Oaktown this year, thanks to the Oakland Museum of California. It's a time to hang out with other arts-loving people - the arts defined in its broader sense, the performance and visual genres. There are films in the garden, music on the terrace, poetry in the theatre, crafts in the courtyard, lectures in the galleries and the lines for the food - don't worry about cooking, leave that to the chefs at the cafe.

This Friday at First Fridays, 5-9 p.m., in the cafe, Rhonda Benin and Soulful Strutt are in concert, and it promises to be a treat. This is the band's first Oakland gig in over a year, so they'll be presenting what will appear to most folks as new material. She told me in a brief cyber interview:

"We'll be doing a mix of jazz, blues, R&B music and of course songs from my CD, ‘A Matter of the Heart.' I'm honored to have a great band: Tammy Hall, piano; Babatunde Lea, drums and percussion; Ron Belcher, electric and acoustic bass; Charles McNeal, saxophone; and Charles Spikes, guitar."

In answer to the question about the Black musicians' forum developed in response to her clairvoyant call for more gigs and visibility for Black jazz musicians earlier this summer, a core of whom have been meeting on Sundays for the past few months, she said:

"I noticed in the Berkeley Downtown Festival, Biscuits and Blues in SF, Jazz at Pearls, the numbers [of Black musicians] are up. There is a marked difference in the line-up of the San Francisco Blues Festival. KCSM 91.1 made significant adjustments in its playlists. Believe me, this whole thing, especially Yoshi's, got national attention and we forced some changes."

The film "The Mighty Warriors of Comedy" is showing in the garden. Patrons can also take a break to practice yoga in the galleries. A series called "Jazz at the Castle" is about to debut this month, so stay tuned. Take the First Fridays shuttle. For information, visit www.museumca.org/ffaf/FirstFridayShuttleStops.htm or call (510) 238-2200.

San Francisco Symphony Night

San Francisco Symphony Family Night is Saturday, Sept. 22. Adults at $10 and youth 17 and younger are $1. For information, call (415) 864-6000.

Monterey Jazz Festival

Monterey Jazz Festival is Sept. 21-23 at the Monterey Fairgrounds. Visit www.montereyjazzfestival.org or call (925) 275-9255.

East Bay AIDS Walk

Saturday, Sept. 8, join walkers at Lake Merritt for the annual East Bay AIDS Walk. Step off is at 10 a.m. at the Lakeside Park Gazebo off Grand Avenue near Children's Fairyland. Support AIDS services in the East Bay. For information, call (510) 873-6514. Admission is free.

Madcat Women's International Film Festival

For information on the Madcat Women's International Film Festival, Sept. 11-26, visit www.madcatfilmfestival.org or call (415) 436-9523. Venues are El Rio, Artists' Television Access (ATA) and Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, all in San Francisco.

Dr. Asa Hilliard III Community Memorial Tribute

The tribute to educator Dr. Asa Hilliard III is at the Malonga Casquelourd Center for the Arts, Sunday, Sept. 9, at 2:30 p.m. For information, call (415) 613-1911 and (510) 654-2620. The tribute is free. I ran into Dr. Wade Nobles, a colleague and friend of Hilliard's, last week. He told me that he and Hilliard were together in August and just before he died they were both in route to pick up their wives. His passing is a tremendous loss to the African community. Visit www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/08/15/AR2007081502328.html.
Hilliard Tribute continues on KPFA, 94.1 FM

Africa Today and Transitions on Traditions hosts Walter Turner and Gregg Bridges will honor the life and the legacy of Dr. Asa G. Hilliard III, Nana Baffour Amankwatia II, with special programming on Monday, Sept. 10, from 7 to 10 p.m. The program will include the words of Dr. Hilliard and commentary from scholars, activists and friends, including Dr. James Turner, Dr. Runoko Rashidi, Dr. Siri Briggs, Manu Ampim, Dr. Akinyele Umoja, Nzingha Heru, Dr. Oba T'Shaka, Naeem Deskins, Dr. Charles Finch and others.

Kenny Burrell and the Jazz Heritage All-Stars

The great composer and guitarist Kenny Burrell finishes off the week at Yoshi's Jack London Square, Thursday, Sept. 6-9. Visit www.yoshis.com or call (510) 238-9200.

Health Fair

A Latino Heritage Month event on Saturday, Sept. 8, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., at the Women's Cancer Resource Center (WCRC), 5741 Telegraph Ave., Oakland, features a health and art fair with cancer and health information in English and Spanish; a visual art show with art by more than 12 local Latino artists; free food; Latin American music and performance; a free raffle, gifts for first 200 adults, and information from 18 local Latino or community organizations.

The visual artists are Amelia Jasmine Azul, Virginia Benavidez, Estilo, Cristian Guerrero, Marco Huizar, Monica Marini, Gabriella Nuñez , Rachel Palacios, Cecilia Populus-Eudave, Martita Rodriguez, Laura Victoria Salazar, María Sanchez, Migdalia Valdes, and Mica Valdez. There will be beautiful guitar music by Jesus Guillen, Melissa Rivera and Rafael Manriquez

‘Celebrating Freedom: The Art of Willie Birch'

For the final day of this special exhibition, at 11 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 8, 40 Acres Art Gallery in Sacramento hosts a fun and informative hands-on workshop for all ages about the significance of Mardi Gras in New Orleans and the role masks play in this annual cultural affair. Then you get to make your own. All that is required is your creativity! The gallery is located at 3428 Third Ave., Sacramento. Gallery hours are Tuesday-Friday 12 p.m. to 6 p.m., Saturday 10-5. Call (916) 456-5080 or visit www.40acresartgallery.org.

Power to the Peaceful

Michael Franti and Spearhead perform along with the Indigo Girls at the annual Power to the Peaceful Concert on Saturday, Sept. 8, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., at Golden Gate Park Speedway Meadows in San Francisco. Amy Goodman of Democracy Now! is the main speaker. The event usually begins with yoga and other centering activities for the entire family and community, and it's free. Visit www.powertothepeaceful.org.
Bay View Arts Editor Wanda Sabir can be reached at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it Visit her website, www.wandaspicks.com, for an expanded version of Wanda's Picks and for exciting "web exclusives."

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