Wanda's Picks Radio Show, Friday, Sept. 28, 2018

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!


8 AM LSPC@ 40; AOUON @15 Gala, Wed., Oct. 3, 6-9 pm prisonerswithchildren.org
Vonya Quarles, A native Californian, lives in Corona CA.  She is practicing Attorney and co-founder of Starting Over, Inc., a transitional living and reentry service provider. A WKKF Fellow and member of All of US or NONE, she works on criminal justice issues that impact her community. Ms. Quarles hosts Prop 47 events and provides pro-bono post-conviction relief which includes Prop 47.  Ms. Quarles is a woman that has been incarcerated as a youth, and as an adult. Like many other African American women, she has far too many loved ones behind the walls.

www.startingoverinc.net

2. In her one woman show, "It’s Me I’m Running From," Alice Aida Ayers names and shames the horrors, makes you laugh at human foibles, marvel at her resilience, and be inspired by her courage. Performances are Sept. 29 in Sacramento & Oct. 4. in Oakland. Visit itsmeimrunningfrom.godaddysites.com

3. Sept. 26 was Marcus Gardley Day in the City of Oakland. Sept. 26 is also the return of the Cal Shakes production of his "black odyssey," Sept. 26-Oct. 7 http://www.calshakes.org/

We also play an excerpt from an interview with cast from other Gardley work, The House That Will Not Stand at Berkeley Rep.

Wanda's Picks Radio Show, Wed., Sept. 19, 2018

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!

1. Sgt. Yulanda Williams, President, Officers for Justice, joins us to talk about the Gala, Sat., Sept. 29 celebrating its 50th Anniversary.

2. Alice Aida Ayers, talented performer, singer, artist and writer, knows how to tell a story that will change how you think about your own life. Black, female, born in semi-rural poverty in the 1950s, in a culture blatant in its racism and sexism, the world was eager to convince her that she was destined to be used, abused, and discarded. In her one woman show, "It’s Me I’m Running From," Ayers names and shames the horrors, makes you laugh at human foibles, marvel at her resilience, and be inspired by her courage.This caged bird hasn’t just learned how to sing, she’s learned how to slip right through the bars. Performances are Sept. 29 in Sacramento & Oct. 4. in Oakland.

3. Liza J. Rankow, OneLife Institute, Founder & Spiritual Co-Director, Desert Rose join us to speak about TAKING THE ARROW OUT OF THE HEART
An Evening with Alice Walker & Desert Rose - World Peace Day at First Congregational Church of Oakland, 2501 Harrison.

4. Gayle Madyun and Ayodele N'Zinga join us to talk about Protection Shields: the exhibit at Oakstop, play opening this weekend at The Flight Deck and workshop at OneLife Institute Oct. 6, film available at protectionshields.net

Wed., Sept. 12, 2018, Wanda's Picks Radio Show

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!

Show link: http://tobtr.com/10965175

 
1. Wanda Ravernell, Ominra Institute and promoter and manager for Awon Ohun Omnira, (Voices of Freedom), joins us to talk about the 5th Annual Black-Eyed Pea Festival, Sat., Sept. 15, 11-6, on the front lawn at Oakland Technical High School, 4351 Broadway. It is a free event.
  
A former journalist who worked for 20 years in the newspaper business at the Alameda Newspaper Group, the Sacramento Bee and The San Francisco Chronicle, she also was an activist for minority journalists including developing and implementing a workshop for minority high school journalists. From 2003 to the present, Ravernell developed and implemented a Juneteenth ritual commemorating the Emancipation Proclamation using that included all the faiths of the captives who would become slaves during the Slave Trade Era. Beginning in 2009 to the present, Ravernell developed and implemented several lecture demonstrations drawing on the African traditional knowledge and applied it to African American history using a choir comprised members of an African American church and the Lucumi community, who also provided the musical framework and expertise of the sacred drum tradition known as Bata.

The choir, Awon Ohun Omnira (Voices of Freedom) received the 2010 Negro Spirituals Heritage Award from the Friends of Negro Spirituals, a nonprofit dedicated to the preservation of the music. In 2015, through Ravernell, the institute received a Certificate of Recognition from California State Assemblyman Nate Thurmond.  In 2014, Ravernell with Sauda Burch led the institute in developing and staging the first Black-Eyed Pea Festival, held in Oakland’s Mosswood Park. Concerned about the impact of the deaths of young, black men and women at the hands of the police, Ravernell, with Dennis Toabji Stewart, decided to bring healing through traditional music to the surviving families. They have worked with Cephus “Uncle Bobby” Johnson, the uncle of Oscar Grant who was killed by BART police in 2009 and Phelicia Jones with The Justice for Mario Woods campaign. Woods was killed by S.F. Police in 2015.

2. Judy Juanita, author and scholar, Homage to the Black Arts Movement: A Handbook, joins us to talk about her reading and panel discussion at AAMLO this Sat., Sept. 15, 2-4 p.m. on the Black Arts Movement and the 50th Anniversary of the School of Ethnic Studies.












3. Rev. Liza J. Rankow , Founder and Spiritual Co-Director, One Life Institute, joins us to talk Taking the Arrow out of the Heart, a celebration of World Peace Day with Alice Walker and Desert Rose, Lynne Holmes and Yusuf  artistic ambassadors for peace from South Africa who are also joining us this morning via Skype. The event is Friday, Sept. 21, 7-

Rev. Rankow is an interfaith minister, educator, activist, and writer. Her work centers the personal and collective healing that is essential to authentic justice and social transformation. Liza has provided counseling and offered classes and workshops on spiritual development for over 25 years. As a scholar, her main interest is exploring the powerful synergy between mysticism and social change. She draws great inspiration from the teachings of Dr. Howard Thurman, and is producer and co-editor of the six-CD audio collection, “The Living Wisdom of Howard Thurman,” published by Sounds True in 2010.
Founded in 1999 by world music composer, Lynne Holmes, Desert Rose is based in Cape Town, South Africa and is widely regarded as leading composers, producers and performers of Universal Sacred World Music. In 2005 Lynne Holmes teamed up with her life partner, Yusuf Ganief, and started an exciting journey through diverse cultures and faith groups from Sufism, Gregorian Chanting to ancient languages including Aramaic, Sanskrit, Hindi, Hebrew and Gurmukhi.

The duo is at the heart of Desert Rose, constantly exploring the creation and emergence of universal world music that allows the listener to access their inner worlds, facilitating healing and shifting consciousness. Yusuf is currently the leading multilingual world music vocalist in Southern Africa and together with Lynne have performed to standing ovations throughout the world.

Lynne Holmes, (Music composer, Director, Pianist, and Keyboard/Harp player), is the winner of numerous awards including performing as a soloist with the National Symphony Orchestra for National Television at the age of 13. One of her performance highlights was composing and performing for Nelson Mandela in 1995. She has composed and produced 18 world music albums and received a 5-star rating for her album, ‘Silence of the Music’. She is recognized locally and internationally as one of the leading composers of sacred world music. Her last 3 albums reflect her love for the Sikh traditions and teachings.

Yusuf , lead multilingual vocalist and group manager, was born from a mother with Scottish descent and a father with Javanese descent, but was brought up with the spiritual teachings and traditions of Sufism, passed on from generation to generation by his ancestors who were brought to SA in the 1600’s as political exiles by the Dutch. At age 10 he joined a traditional Sufi group and became known in his community for his solo recitals.

In 2008 Lynne recorded him as a soloist on the album, The Prayer. It became a local hit and gave birth to Desert Rose as a live performance group. Since then his personal spiritual path has developed him into a sacred multilingual vocalist singing in Sanskrit, Arabic, Gurmukhi, Aramaic, Hebrew, Hindi, French, Spanish and English. In 2007 he gave up his professional career as CEO for the Cape Town Festival to pursue his dream as a sacred world music singer. 

Desert Rose has been internationally acknowledged as ambassadors for peace, non-violence, interfaith and Climate Change awareness. Since 2013 they have been the only musicians invited as part of the International Interfaith Movement for the UN at the annual COP (Climate Change) conferences. They constantly strive to develop live performances, workshops and retreats to further their promotion of peace, social responsibility and common humanity through a unique universal musical signature. They follow a personal path of universal spirituality incorporating daily meditation, yoga, sacred chanting, veganism.
Visit https://www.desertrosemusic.co.za/

Cal Shakes presents: The War of the Roses through Sept. 15 at the Bruns Memorial Ampitheatre in Orinda

Cal Shakes stunning production of The War of the Roses by Eric Ting and Philippa Kelly, directed by Eric Ting, continues through Sept. 15.  It is an amazing adaptation of William Shakespeare's Henry VI trilogy and Richard III.  I was not intimidated when I learned that the show was about 4 hours long. However, I did approach my seat cautiously and at intermission, when I looked at my watch, I could hardly believe two hours had passed.

I loved it. The time literally flew by. I loved Aldo Billingslea's character, Earl of Warwick, Kingmaker. Note, I am a Billingslea fan—he walks on water and levitates (smile). His Warwick is a great strategist given what he had to work with—the boy-King Henry (Joseph Patrick-O’Malley), a softie. While Queen Margaret (Aysan Celik) . . . wow such a beast. She is crazy-well-played by Celik. Her Queen is unbelievably fierce-- brutal. The woman kills children, roasts them, then serves them up to a parent on a platter. Richard Plantagenet, Duke of York (Jomar Tagatac) is undone. He is such a great father—love his interaction with his boys. How dare Margaret weep when her son, Prince Edward or Ned (Marie Sadd) who might have been another’s child, is killed.

I was happy the Queen has to live with her wrongs. In a story with little justice, this is one for the home team-- if one exists in The War of the Roses.  When I saw Richard III at African American Shakes, I did not know why Queen Margaret was mad. Roses clears up all that missing history.

These white people are insane— okay, I said it. Now why would I suggest anyone spend her hard earned 4 hours on such a saga? Well, it helps explain the lineage #45 is a part of. He comes by it honestly, as do the Brett Kavanaugh-esque phenomena. Both are "fake" human beings. No sensate presence in their collective being. If the goal is to be all-powerful, then the only character who wants it more than Richard is Margaret, but she’s a woman and well, easily outranked and undone.

Trump is evil as is King Richard, Queen Margaret, the Earl of Suffolk. There is not much to recommend much of the hysteria-torical characters revived for this “War.”  The problem is, these entities still walk the planet and so we have to beware. Though "War" reads like something from a TV script, these guys and dolls once peopled this place and today their philosophical heirs still hold enormous power.

Evil is not sensible, and Richard (Danny Scheie), is so cunning. I love it when Buckingham (Billingslea again) decides to cut his losses and leave his king while he still has his head.

I could see Roses again if I had four more hours to spare, which I do not (smile).  Oh the music, live accompaniment, costumes, literal metaphors like the roses-- red and white. The upper room or tower, the severed head -- all great moments. Queen Margaret's boyfriend, Earl of Suffolk (Lance Gardner) deserved to lose his head.

This is not a story for the faint of heart. It is also a story which makes one question one's stance on the death penalty. People are dying so quickly, judgement happens swiftly without sufficient evidence.  Courts are headed by crooked clerics-- the king just a figurehead.

I also loved Humphrey, Duke of Gloucester, Lord Protector (Stacy Ross).  The Duke is a loyal soldier to the end, even when he knows he is not going to get justice or see daybreak.  He loves his wife too and sees she is not spared either. The women in the House of Lancaster, the House of York, the Woodvilles . . . all have much to curse, and they do in the theatre aisles, on stage and as they step off into the shadows muttering.

Actress Sarita Ocón’s Eleanor, Duchess of Gloucester, when she is slapped; Catherine Luedtke’s Lady Elizabeth Grey, later Edward's Queen when she accepts his twisted proposal all have much to protest. The banter between King Edward and Lady Elizabeth is funny. The implications are not, but what a king wants, he gets. Edward is decadent and lewd.  He loves sex. This is a backstory I’d missed in Shakespeare’s Richard III.

King Henry (Joseph Patrick O'Malley), is no match for the villainy in his court. In the end, no one pretends anymore; they just run over him. When he agrees to give up his crown to his opposition; his naiveté is never more obvious. Doesn’t he known whom he was married too? His insight comes too late.

Richard is not subtle in his gradual take over, yet despite his double-talk, everyone is fooled.  He has no shame, even when his mother witnesses publicly to the aberration she's birthed. He absorbs curses because he knows he is undefeated and perhaps unbeatable if he can kill all his opponents before they get him. He knows he is not all powerful . . .well maybe not. Perhaps in the back of his mind he knows that eventually, someone he has forgotten or let slip through will be the full-stop to his journey. Lies don't become truths just because a person wants them too.

How this king continues to get an audience once everyone near knows his treachery is one of the reasons why the time flies. The audience thinks it can’t get any worse and it does. For some reason these Christians – Richard’s flock, still believe in redemption  Redemption and remorse are tied together philosophically-- Richard moves with stealth and intention. . . all of his moves are wrought from a paranoid sense of entitlement and self-worth.
Josh Pollock's live musical performance adds to the intrigue while the overall score for the evening is complex yet not hard to follow even as actors change hats and stockings as one character is killed and another born. The lighting and staging are so amazing: color, costume and scenic design combined with a soundtrack that chills one's spine as she turns in her seat as characters appeared from behind and next to her—

The use of the theatre space is indicative of the grand or epic narrative unfolding.  There is even an opening musical interlude to set the mood to capture errant but strategic cinematic moments during the production. The play becomes a film almost . . . it’s that reel (smile). Maybe, I might find 4 hours somewhere and get back before closing Sept. 15. Visit Cal Shakes for tickets and showtimes.

Wanda's Picks, Wed., Sept. 5, 2018

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!

1. Terah J. Lawyer, Project Coordinator, Impact Justice; Terri (host) and KC (the participant) join us to talk about The Homecoming Project from Impact Justice: Housing for People coming out of prison. Visit (707) 794-2151 tlawyer@impactjustice.org; www.impactjustice.org homecomingproject@impactjustice.org

8:30 am with Tom Booth, director, FOOD COOP, 9/12, 5:15 pm at YBCA.











9:00 Anjali Nayar, dir. SILAS, SF Green Film Festival selection on Sept.11, 6 pm. Free event at the San Francisco Public Library, Main Branch, 100 Larkin in the Koret Auditorium. Entrance on Grove Street (Civic Center BART).
silasthemovie.com

Case Study:

Women, Land and Corruption in Kenya

Case Study:

Liberian Ebola Outbreak

 Case Study:

HER (Health Reporting Kenya)

Case Studies:

Land Reporting in Liberia

9:30 AM: Bay Area playwright Jovelyn Richards & Bob Lane, retired lawyer and English teacher, join us to talk about 9-1-1 What’s Your Emergency?'s World Premiere September 8 @ 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm The play is an artistic response to gentrification, stereotypes, systemic racism and the personal narratives of humanity. Visit lapena.org

Link to show: http://tobtr.com/s/10963363