Wanda's Picks Radio Nov. 14, 2008

This is a busy weekend in the San Francisco Bay Area: Conference on Race: Nov. 14-16 at the Marriott Convention Center in Oakland;the Green Festival in San Francisco in the Fashion Center in the South of Market District, 7th-8th and Brannan Street, 11/14-16; the 35th Anniversary of Dimensions Dance Theatre concert 11/15; the 22nd Anniversary of Vukani Mawethu Choir, and the group’s Gala dinner and first Community Awards Ceremony, also 11/15.

We’ll start with a continuation of our discussion with Robert King, author, activist and the only exonerated member of Angola 3. Other guests this segment are: Ron Chisom, People’s Institute for Survival and Beyond, Mwalimu Johnson, Advocate, Capital Post-Conviction Center in New Orleans, and Jackie Sumell, Artist, The House that Herman Built. They will be updating us on the case of A3 members: Albert Woodfox whose case had its final hearing Wednesday, Nov. 12. Visit angola3.org. This discussion will be followed by an interview with artist, Amana Bremby Johnson, whose latest sculpture will be unveiled Tuesday, Nov. 18, at the Joseph P. Lee Recreation Center, 1395 Mendell Street, on Tuesday, November 18, 2008 from 3:00 to 4:30 p.m. Jill, a representative from the San Francisco Art Commission will also be in the studio to talk about the work and how Amana was chosen, as well as, San Francisco county’s commitment, even in the lean times, to supporting community art projects like these. Art is not optional— it is integral to community life and its sustainability. Visit www.sfartscommission.org/pubart

The plan was to speak to Dr. Mona Vaughn Scott and her son, Sean Vaughn Scott about a community awards gala they are also hosting, along with Faye Carol who will be performing with her quartet, but Faye is not well and is saving her voice, and Dr. Scott called in too late and we were into the next segment of the show. The monies raised at Black Rep gala’s tonight will go to support the Music in the Community program along with a Breast Cancer Awareness Program. I was supposed to speak with Deborah Vaughn, founder and artistic director of Dimensions Dance Theatre, but she is also ill. I hope she feels better by tomorrow evening in time for the event-thus the freestyle between 9-9:30 a.m.

Considering the improvisational nature of the program today, I think it went well. We opened strong and closed even stronger as we reflected, Alex and Harriet Bagwell, along with Attieno Davis, all members of Vukani Mawethu on the legacy of Paul Robeson, James Madhlope Phillips and Mama Africa, Miriam Makeba, and how they used their voices to motivate communities –worldwide communities to action. Visit vukani.com.