Wanda's Picks Radio Show January 6, 2015

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!

Regina Y. Evans (photo: Malaika Kabon)

January is National Human Trafficking Awareness Month. We are joined by two abolitionists who use their art to bring attention to this human rights issue affecting boys and girls throughout America, with special attention to those victims and survivors in Oakland.

Zorina London

Regina Y. Evans, playwright, actress, performs her one woman story, "52 Letters," and Evangelist Zorina London, is Billie Holiday or Lady Day in her original work, "One Night of Day."  In One Night of Day, we meet Billie Holiday as she prepares for a performance. Her two friends, Lena Horne and Bessie Smith drop by the club. In the Green Room they try to raise Billie's spirits, but fail. In the performance which follows we see how Holiday takes the sorrow and transforms it; the pain leaves as she flushes is through her soul. Nina Causey plays the role of Lena Horne.

Doors open at 2 p.m. on both days at the Black Repertory Group Theater, 3201 Adeline Street, Berkeley. The plays start at 3 p.m.

Videos of last years program: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tuINBDFXx78
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=blNmfY_jvgg


Music: Michael White's "The Blessing Song"; Novalima's "Africa Lando" & "Tumbala" (Coba Coba); Robert Glasper's "Butterfly" (Double Booked); Jahahara Alkebulan's "Love and Defend Pachamama."

Guest Bios:

Regina Y. Evans, a native of Oakland, CA, is a Poet, Playwright, Actor, Entrepreneur, Modern Day Abolitionist and a Survivor Leader in the fight against sex trafficking. She is the Founder/CEO of Regina's Door, a social enterprise vintage boutique located in Oakland, Ca. Regina's Door trained and mentors survivors of trafficking through the workforce development program of the Bay Area Anti-Trafficking Love Never Fails organization. The boutique is also a safe haven and sanctuary for at risk youth, homeless youth and young artists and creatives.

Regina's Door was honored to receive the 2015 Oakland Indie Award for Social Changemaker.

Ms. Evans holds a Performing Artist Residency at the Flight Deck, Oakland, Ca. Her most current stage play, "52 Letters" (Writer, Producer, Director, Performer), a poetic stage play bringing awareness to the issue of sex trafficking in the United States, was honored to win a Best of 2013 San Francisco Fringe Festival Award. Additionally, Ms Evans has performed 52 Letters venues including the Berkeley Festival of Ideas (Excerpt performance, Berkeley Repertory Theatre, Berkeley, Ca), The Flight Deck, (Oakland, Ca), The Marsh Theatre (San Francisco, Ca), 2015 Freedom Summit (Santa Clara, Ca), UC Berkeley Conference on Human Trafficking (Berkeley, Ca), Love Don't Hurt Trafficking Awareness Community Event (Oakland, Ca), Rescue Is Not Enough Trafficking Awareness Event (San Jose, Ca), YWCA of Silicon Valley Anti Trafficking Freedom Week Event (San Jose, Ca), the Ignite Conference/UC Berkeley (Berkeley, Ca) Human Trafficking Freedom Seder, Beth Am Congregation (Los Altos, Ca), 2013 DIVAS Tell All series (The EXIT Theatre, SF, CA), and the 2013 DIVAfest, (EXIT Theatre, SF, CA).

Ms Evans is also the Writer, Producer and Director of Echo: A Poetic Journey into Justice, a stage play also focusing upon the issue of trafficking. The 2010 staging of Echo: A Poetic Journey into Justice was organized as a 100 percent volunteer community effort, and played to sold out performances for the entirety of its run (The Berkeley City Club, Berkeley, Ca). The play was sponsored by twelve local and national organizations including MISSSEY, Chab Dai and Not For Sale. In 2011, Ms. Evans was honored to receive an inspiring personal phone call of recognition from the White House stating President Barack Obama's gratitude for the community effort and awareness raising created by the play.

Ms. Evans is also the published author of two inspirational poetry books: "Nonnie And The Butterfly" and "Nothing Cool About Ten". 

As a Modern Day Abolitionist, Ms. Evans volunteers with Love Never Fails Anti-Trafficking organization. Love Never Fails was founded by Vanessa Marie Russell, and is committed to compassionately serving sex trafficking victims and survivors.

As a Survivor-Leader and Abolitionist, she is also a member of The S.H.A.D.E. Project (Survivors Healing, Advising and Dedicated to Empowerment), a survivor run consulting/advocacy project, founded by Social Justice Advocate and Survivor Leader Sarai Theolinda Smith-Mazariegos, established to empower survivors of sexual exploitation and domestic sex trafficking. 

Ms. Evans is also a board member of the non-profit Seek and Save, founded by Social Justice Advocate and Humanitarian Mark Fisher. Seek and Safe serves Bay Area at-risk youth by providing mentoring and much needed resources including household goods, bill payment, and groceries.

Ms. Evans has traveled extensively throughout the world and resided in Sydney, Australia for 15 years, before returning home to the United States in 2006, where she operated and owned The Diva's Closet Vintage Clothing Boutique which catered to a celebrity clientele including Beyonce, Cate Blanchett, Deborah Mailman, Claudia Karvan, Bridie Carter, and Georgie Parker. The boutique was also a costume and red carpet styling resource for the Australian theater, music, television and movie industries. Her dresses were seen at Cannes Film Festival, MTV Awards, Aria Awards, Logie Awards, and AFI Awards.


Zorina London has lived a very interesting life; she’s a former Beauty Pageant winner, Model, Variety show choreographer / lead dancer, TV Show Host, and Playboy Bunny. Yes, Playboy Bunny! After winning a local beauty pageant, and being crowned “Miss Knights Of Honor” in 1973, Zorina later became a Playboy Bunny at the San Francisco Playboy Club. There she began her professional singing career, being billed as “The Singing Bunny”.

 Zorina “Alisha” London (born Carolyn A. London of Manny Louisiana), better known as “The Black Pearl of Asia”, hails from San Francisco CA. and now resides in Taipei Taiwan. Currently employed at Taipei’s “ORTV” (Overseas radio and Television), a Missionary / English teaching company, where she uses her skills as an Actress, Song Writer / Producer, and Gospel / Inspirational Recording Artist. Zorina gave her heart to the LORD in 1992 and has now given her life completely to the LORD using all of her gifts and talent to Glorify GOD. She looks forward to being used by the LORD in the lives of those that are hurting and in need all over the world.

Asia has become Zorina’s second home, and the people of Asia have become her second family.  She has even been given a Chinese name “Hei Zhen Zhu” which means “Black Pearl”. The Black Pearl is a very rare, and a very special pearl through out all of Asia, and so is this Charming, Multi Talented vocalist and performer Zorina London. Is she a great Vocalist and Performer? Yes! Is she only a Vocalist and performer? No! This anointed Renaissance woman is also a Gospel Playwright  (Having her first play “Restoration” considered by Broadway), Director, Actress, Poet, Author, Song Writer and, Dancer. To add to her credits Zorina is a Motivational Speaker for the youth of Taiwan (she has also been called upon to speak at public schools- junior high and high school in San Francisco CA.).

The LORD has used Zorina London in the U.S.A. as well; she is a Congressional Award Holder, a Recipient of two Certificates of Honor, one from the city of San Francisco, the other from the Church for the Fellowship of all People, also in San Francisco. These Awards were presented to her for her help in the Community and her concern for the people using the Arts as a vehicle to enlighten, to inform and to bless them. For the pass seven years she has held the position of International Outreach Representative / Assistant Creative Director for Black Repertory Theater in Berkeley CA. Having her performances broadcasted through out North America, South America, Europe and Asia, at the age of 55, it was prophesied; Evangelist Zee is on her way to becoming a household name, and a force to reckon with for the Kingdom of Heaven!

Nina Causey

Ready for Big Leagues...singer Nina Causey has stellar potential, she has been singing and playing the piano since the age of four she earned her bachelor and masters degrees in music from, respectively, Roosevelt University in Chicago and The University of Illinois in Urbana, IL and also studied classical piano for twelve years at The American Conservatory of Music in Chicago. "Gordon Raddue"

Nina is truly an extraordinary performer. Her rich performing experience has included being the opening act for many of the entertainment giants of the world, including The Temptations and The Drifters.
Recent Performances:

Broadway Grill Cotton Club appearance as
Lena Horne, Burlingame, CA

Featured as a jazz/blues vocalist in concert with her
three piece combo @ Angelica's Bell Theater, Redwood City, CA