Interchange: 25th Annual African American Celebration through Poetry

25 years and Still Risin! The 25^th Annual African American Celebration through Poetry, Saturday, February 7, 2015

Dedication: To Maya Angelou (1928-2014), consummate poet, artist, human being and to Arnold White (1938-2014), Oaktown civic leader, historian and artist.

Welcome: MaryGay Ducey – Branch Librarian

(at St. Mary’s)

may the tide

that is entering even now

the lip of our understanding

carry you out

beyond the face of fear

may you kiss

the wind then turn from it

certain that it will

love your back may you

open your eyes to water

water waving forever

and may you in your innocence

sail through this to that

from http://www.poets.org/poetsorg/poem/blessing-boats

Featured Poets:

DnT Productions Suite

Tracy A. Todd, H. David Todd
and Imani M. Todd

Who am I?
School bell ringin'

                How I learned how to create my own sunshine;
                                         I'm thankin
                                                  and

Two creations by Dr. Syed Malik Al Khatib (read by David Todd)

Paradise Free Jah Love

Short clip from a CD on Arnold White; Maya Angelou

Paradise Free Ja Love

"Good Morning Ferguson!"; "I Love Everything about You . . ."

Sakina Sulaiman

Sakina Sulaiman: "it takes pain to create life"

Downtown TAY present poems inspired by Ralph Ellison's ¨Invisible Man,¨ that center around in/visibility and ẗo be.¨

Downtown TAY Crew

Joy Elán and her daughter

Joy Elán

Black and Blue Bloods
I Am a Survivor

Sandra “Makeda” Hooper Mayfield

Screaming for Eric Gardner: A Black Man

I Will Never Forget

Damu Sudi Alii Ancestor Medley

Love Lost by Damu

Truth by Damu

Revenge by Damu

Prelude to Death by Damu

Black Classical Music by Kamau Seitu

The Answer by Dennis Omowale Cutten

Black People by Dennis Omowale Cutten

Zakiyyah G.E. Capehart -Bolling (poetry) and Bryant Bolling (musical accompaniment)

POEMS SONGS
Looking through My Eyes Children Are the Light Of the World

My Colin Cares For Me Jah Jah Really Knows

Earth's Rebirth The Creator Has a Master Plan

Lateef McCleod: “Father Madiba Shook My Hand.”

Lateef McCleod

Charles Allensworth

Charles Allensworth on the legacy of his Great-great Uncle, Colonel Allen Allensworth.

Some words about Allensworth Descendant Association

Some words about Colonel Allen Allensworth

Some words about the Buffalo Soldiers
A Buffalo Soldier Poem

Ellen Foster Randle, Ph.D. A Song (selection TBA)

Father and Son: Damu Sudi Alii; Jabari Alii

Jabari Alii

"Who Am I?" and "I Need You To Understand" www.JabariAlii.com

Andrew Wilson: “Open Letter from Kaldrick Kim to Terrell Knight”

Andrew Wilson

Thanks!

OPL West Oakland Staff and OPL Administration, Friends of the OPL, all the Poets of course, Gene Howell, Jr. (donor), Charles Allensworth (donor), TaSin Sabir (errands and photography), Bilal Sabir & Delightful Foods: The No Cookie Cookie and to the ancestors who have blessed us along this 25 year journey . . . Ashay!

Mailing List:

Make sure you sign our mailing list. Don’t forget to sign up for the

Open Mic

Open Mic and fill out the evaluation forms for us please. (We will try to save time for it.)

Anthology Publication

Refreshments. Thanks to FOPL, Gene Howell, Jr.
and Delightful Foods

Refreshments. Thanks to FOPL, Gene Howell, Jr.
and Delightful Foods.

Patrons (Monica Pree on right)

Downtown Tay Ensemble

Brother Tahuti

Dr. Randall

Douglass

Young Guest (Joy Elán's daughter)

Jabari Alii

Remember the AACP @ 25 Anthology idea . . . We’d still like that to happen. Email your poems to info@wandaspicks.com by February 28. If you know any poets who have made their transitions, we’d like to include their work too.

Happy Black History Month 2015 (smile). Let the people eat cake!