March 17, 2010
‘Mirrors in Every Corner’ by Chinaka Hodge, directed by Marc Bamuthi Joseph, at Intersection for the Arts through March 28
The characters’ stories in Chinaka Hodge’s debut as a playwright, “Mirrors in Every Corner,” capture a sense of tragedy lurking near all of us. From Rodney King to Oscar Grant, Loma Pieta to urban removal, one sits on the edge of her seat waiting for the wrecking ball to fall.
March 14, 2010
‘John Brown’s Truth: A Musically Improvised Opera’ by William Crossman
Harper’s Ferry … freeing slaves … Virginia … hanging … white man – this is the extent of my knowledge of John Brown. I wasn’t aware that it was 150 years ago, on Oct. 14-15, 1859, that this happened, an event which many say forecast the Civil War and the emancipation of enslaved Africans. See the opera Sunday afternoon, March 14, 3 p.m., at the East Side Cultural Center.
Balancing act: an interview with the Bay Area rap artist Balance
I’ve known the man that the music world calls Balance for many years. Ever since I can remember he has been on his music grind, whether it was recording, performing or learning the game from his 9 to 5 job at Rasputin’s in Berkeley, where he is the rap buyer.
March 13, 2010
Medea Project presents ‘Dancing with the Clown of Love’
Multi-layered with healing at its center, the large cast of “Dancing with the Clown of Love,” some infected, everyone affected, shared stories written over the past two years at the Women’s HIV Program at the University of California San Francisco – documented in a short film that opens the show. Hurry! The run closes this weekend.
March 12, 2010
For Akua Njeri (Deborah Johnson)*
Akua Njeri (fna Deborah Johnson) is a former member of the Illinois Chapter Black Panther Party. She is a survivor of the Dec. 4, 1969, assassination of Chairman Fred Hampton and Defense Captain Mark Clark. She is the widow of Chairman Fred and the mother of Chairman Fred Jr.
Remembering Althea Francois, beloved Louisiana Black Panther, prison abolitionist, ‘pillar in our struggle’
Althea, I see and visualize you walking around heaven with Harriett, Martin, Malcolm, John Brown, Nat, George, Clara, Billie etc. You fed the hungry – mentally, spiritually and physically – and clothed the needy. You gave the blood of your intellect for the liberation and spiritual salvation of all the oppressed and exploited people, the masses.
March 5, 2010
Oscar nomination for ‘Music by Prudence’ about disabled Zimbabwean singer Prudence Mabhena
“Music by Prudence,” a film by Roger Ross Williams, has been nominated for an Academy Award in the category of Documentary: Short Subject. The 33-minute documentary stars Prudence Mabhena, a talented young woman from Zimbabwe suffering from arthrogryphosis, a rare disorder that severely deforms the joints of the body. Despite overwhelming odds, Prudence, who sings in five languages, is sharing her astounding talent with the world.
February 27, 2010
‘The Breach’
Rhodessa, dressed in an orange prison jumper from South Africa (orange the universal prison attire, like a brand), appears with a whip. All the sensations: cold, hard, eerie darkness, unfamiliar sounds, smells, give the audience plenty to contemplate, especially those in the first two rows where the whip spinning in Rhodessa’s hand over our heads, which she then flicks, we feel, too close to our faces as its breeze and the sting of its impact hits the ground again too close for comfort. But this theme – the Black holocaust – is it supposed to be an idea that brings ease?
February 24, 2010
Filmmaker Angela Carroll on her new film ‘Angela Y. Davis: Radical Pedagogy’
Who IS Angela Davis? Don’t miss Angela Carroll’s new film, “Angela Y. Davis: Radical Pedagogy,” screening Wednesday, March 10, 1-3 p.m. in the Richard Oakes Room, Cesar Chavez Student Union, SF State University, and 6-7 p.m. and 7-8 p.m., at the Jazz Heritage Center, 1330 Fillmore St., San Francisco; Friday, March 12, 8-9 p.m. and 9-10 p.m., also at the Jazz Heritage Center; and Thursday, April 1, 6:30 p.m., at Barrios Unidos, 1817 Soquel Ave., Santa Cruz.
February 19, 2010
My thoughts on ‘Showdown in Desire: The Black Panthers take a stand in New Orleans’
Black History Month Special: “Big Man,” a founder of the Black Panther Party and the first editor of the Black Panther newspaper, reviews an excellent new book telling the story of the shootout in September 1970 between the Panthers and the New Orleans PD in the Desire public housing development through the words of the people who lived it.
February 14, 2010
Two poems for Haiti: ‘We be Spirit People’ and ‘Statistics of loss’
Be strong, Ayiti! Be strong, Afrikans! Sending love, respect and honor to our Afrikan family in Ayiti, the Congo and around the planet – not in honor of their bloody valentine, but in solidarity with those who know it’s time. For too long we have stayed the wind; now let the wind blow, while we Move the Village to Higher Ground.
February 13, 2010
Haiti! ... in one form or another
They shoot us, then display us as looters. / Then they bring in the U.N. and the rest of the U.S. friends, / Blackwater forces who now go under the new name Xe, / Who, like a fatal disease, once they get in, they don’t / Never plan on leaving. … / Haiti! The land of my brotherman … and sister woman, / The ones that kicked Napolean’s ass, / The land of sugar cane and Africans, / The land in which the enslaved revolt.
February 12, 2010
Kween among men: an interview wit’ the Oakland-based songstress Kween
Kween is one of the many talented vocalists hovering around the Bay, right alongside Ledisi, Femi, Netta B, Silk E, Chela Simone and others. Behind the mic, Kween is a beast, with a very distinct style and beautiful voice complemented by her seamless chocolate kiss complexion.
February 7, 2010
Skater world: an interview wit’ pro skater Karl Watson
The middle schoolers of today are fast becoming known in the hood as the skater generation. Skate culture, born in the U.S., is a phenomenon around the world. Bay Area based pro skater Karl Watson has been skating for over 20 years, and he has been all over the world on his boards.
January 31, 2010
Hiero World: an interview wit’ Tajai of Souls of Mischief and Hieroglyphics
Souls of Mischief has been one of the major architects of the Bay Area sound in rap music since the early ‘90s. “93 til Infinity” off of their debut album shot the group to meteoric success on the national radio charts and got them booked all over the world for concerts. Let’s hear what Tajai has to say about their newest release, “Montezuma’s Revenge,” and Hiero business in general.
January 21, 2010
Former KPFA broadcaster Nadra Foster facing trial Feb. 5
On Aug. 20, 2008, Nadra Foster was beaten mercilessly by Berkeley police inside of “progressive” radio station KPFA after being accused of trespassing at the station where she had volunteered for over 10 years. Pack the courtroom for her trial on Friday, Feb. 5, 9 a.m., 7th & Washington, 4th floor, Dept. 111, Oakland.
January 18, 2010
Review of ‘The Book of Night Women’
Under the system of lifelong forced servitude, Black people could be tortured to death at a moment’s notice with impunity. White oppressors could sense that at some point the coin will flip. This mirrors today, where police continue to kill Black people with impunity.
‘Cannabis: Legalize It or Not’
Many young males in Black and Brown neighborhoods all across the country feed their families with the proceeds made from illegal growing and distribution. What will it mean if more marijuana users buy their “weed” from clubs instead of the streets?
January 12, 2010
Rob Redding fired from Green 960 AM after Bay View newspaper interview
After I interviewed program director and XM Black radio talk show host Rob Redding about the need for more Black talk radio, his show was canceled on Green 960 AM. It’s 2010, and Black people are still not “permitted” to speak our minds in the court of public opinion. Give a piece of your mind to Green 960 AM (KKGN) Program Director John Scott by calling him at (415) 975-5555.
January 4, 2010
Trouble at the East Bay Express
Due to the recent reconstruction of solidarity with, and change in perception of, the local progressive/liberal radio community as displayed in the recent article about 94.1FM KPFA written in the East Bay Express, I am hereby forfeiting and de-recognizing my 2005 East Bay Express Award for “Most Listenable Radio DJ” for my weekly program, The Friday Night Vibe, which is broadcast at 94.1FM KPFA.
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