Arts Today vol 4.2

Vol 4.2

April 29, 2017

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John

JENNINGS Featured Artist pg #94

View this and past issues from our website.

NOTE TO HBCU...

PATRICIA RACETTE...

DR. CARTER G...

pg. #24

pg. #30

pg.#38

DR. JERRY WARD

OPERA THEATRE STL

BERNIE HAYES

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Volume 4.2 April 29, 2017

IN THIS

ISSUE: Moline Acres Police Department College Scholarship Program in partnership with Infinite Scholars Program

6

IN THE NEWS POLITICAL HISTORY...

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The Moline Acres Police Department College Scholarship Program wishes to acknowledge some of the students in our city that have accepted the promise of a college scholarship for accomplishing the following criteria: 1.

2.

3.

4.

95 percent school attendance 3.3 or better cumulative grade average 22 or better composite ACT score No major discipline problems

INFINITE SCHOLARS

Through our mentorship program with Infinite Scholars, the Moline Acres Police Department wishes t OP/ED help fulfill the hopes and dreams of families in our community wishing to send their children to colleg The Infinite Scholars program uses it extensive nationwide network of 500+ colleges and universities t find a college scholarship for students who achieve the criteria above. The Moline Acres Police Department is committed to helping our students accomplish these criteria. The motto for this progra is “Our Badges Create Scholars.”

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30

Moline Acres is located in North St. Louis County, Missouri. To learn more, contact the Moline Acres Police Department at 314-868-2433 or Infinite Scholars at 314-499-6997.

A NOTE TO HBCU PRESIDENTS DR. JERRY WARD

SOPRANO PATRICIA RACETTE OPERA THEATRE STL

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Pictured are Moline Acres Chief of Police Colonel Ware, Police Officer Donaldson, and students Charmaine and Charles.

FEATURED ARTIST JOHN JENNINGS

AMERIEXIT PIERRE BLAINE

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LIVE / WORK / PLAY NATE JOHNSON

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AD SPACE

44

38 DR. CARTER G. WOODSON BERNIE HAYES

FEATURED ARTIST SELA ADJEI A writer is a writer not because she writes well and easily, because she has amazing talent, or because everything she does is golden. A writer is a writer because even when there is no hope, even when nothing you do shows any sign of promise, you keep writing anyway.

Junot Diaz, Professor of Writing,

Winner of the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction, 2008

Established 2014 Volume 4.2 St. Louis, MO www.the-arts-today.com/ Layout/Design www.bdesignme.com

NOTE:

As the publishers of The Arts Today Ezine we take care in the production of each issue. We are however, not liable for any editorial error, omission, mistake or typographical error. The views expressed are those of the contributors and not necessarily those of their respective companies or the publisher.

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COPYRIGHT:

This Ezine and the content published within are subject to copyright held by the publisher, with individual articles remaining property of the named contributor. Express written permission of the publisher and contributors must be acquired for reproduction.

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Volume 4.2 April 29, 2017

IN THE NEWS

CALL FOR APPLICATIONS for the Annual Fellowship Programme for people of African descent

GENEVA (21 March 2017) – The United Nations Human Rights Office today announced the opening of the application period for its annual Fellowship Program for People of African Descent.

The Fellowship Program is one of the key activities taking place during the UN International Decade for People of African Descent, which was launched to effectively improve the human rights situation of Afro-descendants worldwide.

Every year, the Program offers an intensive learning opportunity to people of African descent on human rights issues of particular importance to Afro-descendants globally. Topics include: human rights law, forms of racial discrimination, access to justice, and racial profiling, among others. Fellows learn about a wide range of UN anti-racism legal instruments and mechanisms, which can help them in combating racism and racial discrimination and in the overall protection and promotion of human rights.

Application Process:

“Through our Fellowship Program, we want to empower a new generation of advocates to combat racism everywhere, and to advance the human rights of Afro-descendants. While the abolition of slavery brought freedom, many of the deeply discriminatory social structures were never torn down and remain to this day. Our past Fellows are using their human rights knowledge to open new avenues for recognition, justice and development for Afro-descendants in their countries,” said Yury Boychenko, Chief of the Anti-Racial Discrimination Section at the UN Human Rights Office.

Following the completion of the three-week long programme, past Fellows have carried out human rights awareness and capacity building initiatives for civil society working to promote the rights of Afro-descendants in their respective countries. They have also supported civil society engagement with UN during fact-finding missions to their countries. A number of Fellows have successfully received grants for local projects; contributed to discussions about national plans of action on combatting racism; and lobbied for new anti-racism legislation.

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Applications and additional information are available at http://www.ohchr.org/EN/ Issues/Racism/WGAfricanDescent/Pages/ FellowshipProgramme.aspx). The Fellowship Program application period begins on March 21, 2017 and runs until May 31, 2017.

Applicants must be fluent in English, should have a minimum of 4 years of work experience related to promoting Afro-descendant rights and must be currently employed by an organization working on issues related to People of African Descent or minority rights. They must submit their CV and a letter from their organization, certifying their status.

Selected Fellows must be available to attend the full duration of the Program, which will be held in Geneva, Switzerland from 13 November to 1 December 2017.

Additional resources: Video of past Fellows: https://youtu.be/BSiCHpZ_6PA UN Decade for People of African Descent: http://www.un.org/ en/events/africandescentdecade/

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Volume 4.24.2 Volume April 29, 2017 April 29, 2017

IN MEMORIUM: Roger Wilkins, 1932-2017 Roger Wilkins, the civil rights legend, author, government official, journalist, and educator, died on March 26 in Kensington, Maryland, from complications of dementia. He was 85 years old.

A native of Kansas City, Missouri, Wilkins moved to Harlem at the age of 9 and later settled in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He earned a bachelor’s degree and a law degree at the University of Michigan.

Wilkins joined the Kennedy administration in 1962 as a special assistant to the director of the Agency for International Development. In 1965, he was appointed an assistant attorney general by President Johnson.

When the Democrats lost power after the 1968 election, Wilkins left government to work for the Ford Foundation. Beginning in 1972, Wilkins began a new career as a journalist, first for the Washington Post and then The New York Times. He was the author of Jefferson’s Pillow: The Founding Fathers and the Dilemma of Black Patriotism (Beacon Press, 2001).

In 1988, Wilkins joined the faculty at George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia, as the Clarence J. Robinson Professor in History and American Culture. He remained on the faculty for nearly 20 years until his retirement in 2007.

May 20th, 2017

Gateway Motorsports Park 700 Raceway Blvd.

Madison, Illinois 62060 Check-In: 4:30pm Event Start: 6:30pm

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Volume 4.2 April 29, 2017

OP / ED SECTION

Moline Acres Police Department College Scholarship Program in partnership with Infinite Scholars Program

The Moline Acres Police Department College Scholarship Program wishes to acknowledge some of the students in our city that have accepted the promise of a college scholarship for accomplishing the following criteria: 1.

2.

3.

4.

95 percent school attendance 3.3 or better cumulative grade average 22 or better composite ACT score No major discipline problems

Through our mentorship program with Infinite Scholars, the Moline Acres Police Department wishes to help fulfill the hopes and dreams of families in our community wishing to send their children to college.

The Infinite Scholars program uses it extensive nationwide network of 500+ colleges and universities to find a college scholarship for students who achieve the criteria above. The Moline Acres Police Department is committed to helping our students accomplish these criteria. The motto for this program is “Our Badges Create Scholars.�

Moline Acres is located in North St. Louis County, Missouri. To learn more, contact the Moline Acres Police Department at 314-868-2433 or Infinite Scholars at 314-499-6997.

Pictured are Moline Acres Chief of Police Colonel Ware, Police Officer Donaldson, and students Charmaine and Charles.

pg.

10

Editorial Rebeccah Bennett TRUTH: This is not the first time that this country has been run by a bigot.

It is not the first time that we have experienced political isolation and social rejection.

Founder and principal of Emerging Wisdom LLC.

A

nd it is not the first time that we have had to figure out how to metabolize our grief and fear in ways that did not immobilize us, but caused us to actualize our power to change the world.

PERSPECTIVE:

Right

and forefathers lived through horrors that were generational in scope and scale. They persisted through times when there was little chance of a better tomorrow, much less a better life – not even for their kids. Yet they responded to their lot in life by creating resistance movements, aid societies, educational and religious institutions, banks and co-ops, art forms, innovations and spiritual practices that continue to make our lives

now it might do us some good to call upon our ancestors for wisdom, strength and guidance. Our foremothers Copyright Š 2017 - All rights reserved.

better today. Remember that their blood is our blood. Their strength is our strength. They are the ROOTS and we are their FRUITS.

PRAYER:

We call upon our ancestors, those upon whom the sky fell.

We call upon our ancestors who experienced all manner of degradation, humiliation, violation and death. We call upon our ancestors, people who swung from trees and were forced to live on their knees. We call upon our ancestors, many of whom persisted, survived and endured without destroying themselves or others. May whatever it is that nourished and sustained them come more fully alive in us. Ashe.

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Volume 4.2 April 29, 2017

Would you like a printed copy(s) of an issue mailed to your home?

Send your request to us by email **Remember to include the volume/issue** Cost may vary per issue.

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Volume 4.2 April 29, 2017

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Beaumont Class of 1978 Is sponsoring

Double Occupancy $149.99 per person Single Occupancy $209.99 per person

A Bus Trip to Tunica MS (With an excursion to Memphis TN)

Package Includes: 1. Roundtrip transportation from Saint Louis to Tunica/Memphis on Saturday May 20th 2. Overnight Stay at Resorts Hotel and Casino in Tunica, MS 3. Excursion to Beale Street in Memphis, TN 4. Memphis in May; World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest: May 17-20, 2017 5. Two Meal Vouchers 6.

$25 in slot play.

Return to Saint Louis Sunday May 21st

Payments can be made in $50 increments

1st payment to reserve your seat on the bus is due April 1st (non-refundable.)

To make payments or for more info contact Marietta Shelby at 314-799-5296 or email her at Beaumontclassof1978@gmail.com Bus will depart from Hanley Metrolink Station at approximately 12:30 am Saturday May 20th and return late evening Sunday May 21st.

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Volume 4.2 April 29, 2017

IVE WORK PLAY

Volume 4.2 April 29, 2017 St. Louis

M

y apologies for leaving you hanging for the first half of the month. Fortunately, the weather and the real estate market are both starting to heat up! The great poet Ralph Waldo Emerson said that the Earth laughs in flowers, and as we look at them blooming around us, there is no doubt that our planet is happy that Spring has arrived! I am excited that the weather is warmer, because that means that we will see more of our neighbors and friends. I hope that you'll join me in getting out to enjoy the wonderful events that St. Louis has to offer.

APRIL

17 thru

APRIL

23

Monday marks Comedy Shipwreck Open Mic at The Heavy Anchor in South City. This free event is a great way to start off your work week with a smile!

Pay a visit to the Saint Louis Art Museum on Tuesday to view Degas, Impressionism and the Paris Millinery Trade, a multimedia exhibition that includes 60 paintings and pastels depicting high-fashion millinery by artists, including Degas himself, who were all influenced by that celebrated artists' work.

A Taste of Wine Country continues on Wednesday at Green Door Art Gallery. Art works include watercolors by Patty Strubinger, assemblages

by Amy Wilcut, Missouri wood-turned pens by Sherry and Jay Phillips, jewelry by Michelle Wells and Lauren Nall, among others artists.

It's Karaoke night at The Roaring Twenties Complex this Thursday! You and your group of festive friends can take the stage with professional quality sound and lighting, vintage microphones, and over 180,000 songs to choose from.

The Organ & Brass Spectacular with organist and conductor Andrew Peters, along with members of the St. Louis Symphony Brass Section, will play a concert at the Cathedral Basilica on Friday. Jazz is a musical genre unique to America. We can honor this legacy at

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Local Events APRIL

the Greater St. Louis Jazz Festival: Tribute to Louis Armstrong.

The opening festival performance is sure to impress all that attend on Saturday at the The Touhill Performing Arts Center.

A Tribute to Dizzy Gillespie follows on Sunday.

Come and Celebrate one of the best festivals in St. Louis with the beauty and bounty of our planet at the 28th Annual St. Louis Earth Day Festival on the Muny grounds in Forest Park.

Normally this is a one day event, but this year you can join me on Saturday and Sunday! There will be plenty of activities for kids. Along with food, drinks, music and information about protecting our great planet!

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Volume 4.2 April 29, 2017

IVE WORK PLAY

For most of this week, from Monday through Sunday, you can take in the great outdoors and the breathtaking springtime landscape at the Augusta Plein Air Art Festival. Watch over 100 artists create amazing art outside. Take time also to revel in Augusta's, delightful sights, sounds, and tastes! Did you know that Augusta is Missouri Wine Country?

From Wednesday through Saturday, the First Robotics Championship innovates big-time at America's Center. High school students participate in "the hardest fun they'll ever have" under strict rules, with limited resources, and in an intense six-week time limit to build a robot that takes the First prize. t's back! One of my favorite productions and one that is esteemed around the world, The Lion King is coming once again to The Fabulous Fox from Friday through Sunday. With spectacular visual artistry, memorable music, and a meaningful story line, this production is like no other. Get your tickets today!

APRIL

24 thru

APRIL

30

Yes, we have a great rest of the month ahead of us! Please let me know if there is anything that I can do for you.

All the best. -Nate P.S. The latest Housing Report shows that in March, our median sales price is up 6.9% over March of last year! Let me know what questions I can answer for you. We would love to help you achieve your real estate goals!

Nate K. Johnson ABR,CRS,GRI Broker/Owner Real Estate Solutions 314-575-7352 Direct | 314-558-6025 Fax | 314-514-9600 x 102 nate@livingstl.com | www.livingstl.com

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Volume 4.2 April 29, 2017

BLACK COMIX RETURNS - African American Comic Art & Culture

A hardcover collection of art and essays showcasing the best African American artists in today's vibrant comic book culture.

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Volume 4.2 April 29, 2017

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You’re Invited to Audition!

Be part of the re-enactments at

Buffalo Soldiers & Bicycles: Their Spectacular Journey!

15th Annual Mary Meachum Celebration Saturday, May 6th www.marymeachum.org

Auditions: March 28th & 29th 6-8pm Urban League’s Vaughn Cultural Center, 3701 Grandel Square Vendors: If you have crafts or artisan goods to sell, come on out – tent provided!

To audition, perform or be a vendor Contact Angela: meachum@grgstl.org 314-865-0708

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Volume 4.2 April 29, 2017

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Note to HBCU Presidents and Their Boards of Trustees

An increasing number of HBCUs are under fire and surveillance.

On one hand, external events ---reductions of state budgets for higher education , the prospect of reduced support from the U.S. Department of Education and some philanthropic foundations, the merging of HBCUs with non-HBCUs --may compromise an institution’s ability to offer scholarships and to offer above average academic programs. On the other hand, internal affairs ----rapid turnover among presidents and top administrators, student unrest, votes of “no confidence” in presidents, unwise decisions regarding allocation of limited funds by boards of trustees and presidents, confusing models of shared governance, hesitation to mount long-term capital funds campaigns, inequitable salary freezes or reductions, decline in student enrollment, edgy re-branding of liberal arts schools as STEMspecific ones, acrimonious race relations (particularly when non-black faculty outnumber and out-strategize black faculty, delayed attention to crumbling infrastructure ----create “spectacles.”

Mass and social media delight in reporting and exaggerating “spectacles.” Finger-pointing, telling half-truths, or manufacturing blatant lies in the name of public relations retard progress.

Press, 2001) by W. E. B. DuBois. I hasten to caution that the book offers no panaceas or quickfixes for the kaleidoscopic problems that bedevil higher education and HBCUs in the 21st century.

The main profit from reading the book may be an increase in humility and plain common sense.

Even so small a benefit can inspire the minimizing of “spectacles.”

I am stunned by a passage in DuBois’s tenth critique “Wither Now and Why” (1960):

The great American world of which we have for centuries been striving to become a part and which has arisen to be one of the powerful nations is today losing its influence and that American Negroes do not realize. There was a time when as leader of a new democracy, as believers in a new tolerance in religion, and as a people basing their life on equality of opportunity, in the ownership of land and property, the United States of America stood first in the hopes of mankind. That day has passed (200).

So too has the day when HBCU presidents and boards of trustees can pretend to be innocent and cast blind eyes on the past and what is currently passing.

Jerry W. Ward, Jr. April 10, 2017

The more aggressive HBCUs may be able to negotiate with politicians and the public to minimize the damages caused by external events, but relatively passive institutions will suffer.

Internal affairs, however, constitute a different can of worms, a different Pandora’s box. Too often arrogance, ego-worship, Trump-inspired disdain for African American colleagues and students, refusal to honor the obligations of “power” and casual dismissal of the historic strengths of HBCUs portend undermining and collapse. Do a bit of cold, non-nostalgic fact-checking, please!

As a proud alumnus of a HBCU, who taught at HBCUs for 42 years, I send a modest challenge to HBCU presidents and their boards of trustees.

Read The Education of Black People: Ten Critiques, 1906-1960 (New York: Monthly Review Copyright © 2017 - All rights reserved.

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Racette

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: APRIL 24, 2017 Contact: OTSL website: www.ExperienceOpera.org

Soprano Patricia

St. Louis (April 24, 2017) – Legendary American soprano Patricia Racette will expand her celebrated operatic career by making her debut as a stage director in May 2018 at Opera Theatre of Saint Louis. Ms. Racette will direct an all-new production of Verdi’s La traviata, featuring sets by Laura Jellinek, costumes by Kaye Voyce, and lighting by Christopher Ackerlind.

debut as Germont. Christopher Allen will conduct.

La traviata marks Ms. Racette’s return to OTSL, where she appeared early in her career as Donna Elvira in Don Giovanni in 1993 and in the title role in 1994’s Iphigenia in Tauris. Both were important opportunities for Ms. Racette, who would then make her Metropolitan Opera debut in La bohème in 1995.

Ms. Racette, a consummate artist who has performed leading roles at major opera houses around the world, most notably as a favorite of the Metropolitan Opera and the San Francisco Opera, is best known as one of today’s most renowned singing actresses. Her captivating portrayals of heroines from the height of Italian opera and her fearless performances in major new American operas have won worldwide acclaim.

As The Huffington Post has noted, “In this moment, Patricia Racette commands the stage with an authority that is reminiscent of Tebaldi and Callas… Racette suspends time and transports the witness to rare heights of lyrical enchantment.”

In addition to her continuing her own performance engagements, her debut as a stage director follows a gradual expansion of her career, including her increasing role as a much-sought after master class artist. Most recently, she piloted an intensive seminar with the San Francisco Conservatory called “Integrative Artistry” in January 2017. Thanks to this highly successful pilot, there are now plans for the program to be presented in a number of cities across the United States in the year to come. The seminar’s mission is to help artists better draw upon their uniquely personal interpretive thumbprint as they bring to life the story of each character they portray. It is this same philosophy that Ms. Racette plans to incorporate into her directorial vision for La traviata.

Ms. Racette’s recent performances include the title role in Salome at the Metropolitan Opera, Los Angeles Opera, and Pittsburgh Opera, as well as her role debut in Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk with the English National Opera, and celebrated performances as Giorgetta in Il tabarro with Royal Opera House, Covent Garden and Minnie in La fanciulla del West at The Santa Fe Opera.

Her new production of La traviata will open at Opera Theatre of Saint Louis on May 19, 2018 and will receive eight performances through June 23, 2018. The production will feature soprano Sydney Mancasola and tenor Geoffrey Agpalo, two former OTSL Gerdine Young Artists, as Violetta and Alfredo, with Joo Wan Kang making his OTSL

“

For me, La traviata in its purest form is a story encompassing the tumults of love marked by beauty, passion, and sacrifice alongside the ever-present struggle to maintain honor and true nobility of character. I so look forward to collaborating and discovering what each one of these talented young singers has to say as they reveal their unique imprints on this indelible and timeless story, Ms. Racette commented

”

on the upcoming production.

ExperienceOpera.org Copyright © 2017 - All rights reserved.

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PATRICIA RACETTE... cont.

Opera Theatre has a well-known track record of introducing audiences to extraordinary singers with major performance debuts. By engaging Ms. Racette for her directorial debut, the company continues its long history of also launching other artists into new creative roles in opera. OTSL provided American debuts for stage directors Jonathan Miller and Graham Vick, for example, and provided early opportunities for such stage directors as Robert Carsen, Mark Lamos, Nic Muni, Stephen Wadsworth, and Francesca Zambello. More recently, the company has offered the acclaimed directorial debut of designer Isaac Mizrahi (A Little Night Music, 2010), the first opera from Grammy Award-winning composer Terence Blanchard and Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Michael Cristofer (Champion, 2013), and the first opera libretto by Pulitzer finalist Rajiv Joseph (Shalimar the Clown, 2016).

“

We are thrilled that Patricia Racette is returning to Opera Theatre of Saint Louis, and we are simply honored to be presenting her debut as a stage director, said Timothy O’Leary, OTSL’s

”

General Director. “I have been deeply moved by her

performances onstage over the years, and it is now a special privilege to be collaborating in this new way.”

Opera Theatre’s Artistic Director James Robinson commented, “I have had the enormous pleasure of

directing Patricia over the years, and the one thing that always struck me was just how completely aware she is of all the inner workings of staging an opera, from scenery to lights to costumes to how a scene is constructed and executed. I have also seen Patricia working with young singers in masterclass settings where her ability to communicate and inspire is nothing short of – well – ‘directorial.’ So it was perfectly natural that I asked if she might want to expand the great work she is already doing as a singer and take on her first directing assignment. She confided that this is something she had been thinking about for a while and enthusiastically said

yes.”

Ms. Racette added, “My collaborations with James

Robinson over the years have confirmed that he not only has the eye of a director but the heart and mind of a true musician. His style of collaborative inclusion has been – and continues to be – the cornerstone of my respect and enthusiasm for his work. I will always happily be on my 'usual side' of the stage with him in the director's chair, and I am thrilled that he had the idea to welcome me into the realm of a director!”

La traviata is part of Opera Theatre’s 2018 Festival Season. OTSL has previously announced one other title in the upcoming season, Huang Ruo and David Henry Hwang’s An American Soldier, which will have its world premiere as a full-length two-act opera after being initially presented as a one-hour chamber opera as part of Washington National Opera’s American Opera Initiative. The other operas in the season will be announced in May 2017 when tickets for the new season go on sale.

Opera Theatre’s 2017 Festival Season runs from May 20 – June 25, 2017, and features Puccini’s Madame Butterfly, a new performing version of Ricky Ian Gordon and Michael Korie’s The Grapes of Wrath, the American premiere of Philip Glass and Christopher Hampton’s The Trial, Mozart’s Titus (La clemenza di Tito), and the young artist concert Center Stage, which this year will honor the legacy of Music Director Stephen Lord as he prepares to become Music Director Emeritus.

Tickets and information are available online at ExperienceOpera.org or by phone at (314) 961-0644.

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About Patricia Racette

About Opera Theatre Saint Louis

Soprano Patricia Racette has appeared in the most acclaimed opera houses of the world including the Metropolitan Opera, San Francisco Opera, Lyric Opera of Chicago, Canadian Opera Company, Royal Opera House, La Scala, Paris Opera, Theater an der Wien, Teatro Liceu, and the Bayerische Staatsoper. Established as a great interpreter of Janáček and Puccini, she has gained particular acclaim for her portrayals of the title roles of Madama Butterfly, Tosca, Jenufa, Kátya Kabanová, and all three lead soprano roles in Il Trittico. Her repertory now expands to include triumphant portrayals of Strauss’s Salome, Minnie in La Fancuilla del West, Katerina in Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk, and Elle in La voix humaine. She has been a favorite on The Met: Live in HD series as both leading lady in Madama Butterfly, Tosca, and Peter Grimes as well as the celebrated host for multiple other productions.

Opera Theatre of Saint Louis is one of the leading American opera companies, known for a spring festival of inventive new productions, sung in English, featuring the finest American singers and accompanied by members of the St. Louis Symphony. As of its 2016 Festival Season, Opera Theatre has presented 25 world premieres and 26 American premieres — which may be the highest percentage of new work in the repertory of any U.S. company. Described by the Sunday Times of London as “one of the few American companies worth the transatlantic fare,” Opera Theatre of Saint Louis annually welcomes visitors from nearly every state and close to a dozen foreign countries. Although the size of the theater typically limits box office income to less than a quarter of the budget, the company has consistently produced work of the highest quality while never accumulating a deficit.

A champion of new works, Ms. Racette has created roles in a number of world premieres, including Leslie Crosbie in Paul Moravec’s The Letter at The Santa Fe Opera, Roberta Alden in Tobias Picker’s An American Tragedy at the Metropolitan Opera, the title role in Tobias Picker’s Emmeline at the Santa Fe Opera (broadcast on PBS/Albany Records audio), Love Simpson in Carlisle Floyd’s Cold Sassy Tree at the Houston Grand Opera, and most recently, the title role in Tobias Picker's Dolores Claiborne at the San Francisco Opera.

Opera Theatre also has a long tradition of discovering and promoting the careers of the finest operatic artists of the current generation. Among the artists who had important early opportunities at Opera Theatre are Christine Brewer, Susan Graham, Nathan Gunn, Patricia Racette, Thomas Hampson, Jerry Hadley, Dawn Upshaw, Matthew Polenzani, Sylvia McNair, Erie Mills, Dwayne Croft, Kelly Kaduce, and Lawrence Brownlee. Opera Theatre has always been known for distinguished leadership: founding general director Richard Gaddes was succeeded in 1985 by general director Charles MacKay, with famed British stage director Colin Graham as artistic director and Stephen Lord (1992 – present) as music director. Timothy O’Leary was named general director in October 2008 with acclaimed stage director James Robinson succeeding the late Colin Graham.

Upcoming projects include concert appearances as Salome with the Minnesota Orchestra, command performances of her cabaret album Diva on Detour in Vail, her role debut as Magda in Menotti’s The Consul, a role and house debut in Weill’s Street Scene for Madrid’s Teatro Real, and a return to Barcelona’s Teatro Liceu for Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk.

Born and raised in New Hampshire, Ms. Racette studied jazz and music education at North Texas State University. Among her recognitions are an Opera News Award, the prestigious Richard Tucker Award, and the Marian Anderson Award.

Copyright © 2017 - All rights reserved.

Opera Theatre of Saint Louis is funded in part by the Regional Arts Commission, Arts and Education Council, National Endowment for the Arts, and the Missouri Arts Council, with audience building programs supported by The Wallace Foundation.

Generous leadership support for the services of the St. Louis Symphony is provided by Jack C. Taylor and the Taylor family.

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Volume 4.2 April 29, 2017

Stand Against Racism

April 26, 2017

Stand Against Racism is a signature event of YWCA USA to build community among those who work for racial justice and to raise awareness about the negative impact of institutional and structural racism in our communities. In observance, YWCA Metro St. Louis is presenting a panel of experts to discuss how legal and economic issues impact people of color and in particular, women of color.

Malaika Horne, Ph.D. - Director, Executive Leadership Consortium Malaika Horne is founding director of the Executive Leadership Consortium, a former professor at Webster University in the School of Communications and Journalism and a previous managing director of Narcotics Service Council.

Yvonne S. Sparks - Assistant VP and Community Dev. Officer, Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis Yvonne Sparks is responsible for strategic planning and implementation of Community Development department initiatives. In addition, she serves on the advisory boards of the Creative Exchange Lab, Mission Center L3C and the United Way of Greater St. Louis’ Individual Development Account initiative.

Cheryl D. S. Walker - Attorney, Bryan Cave Cheryl Walker practices in the Real Estate, Construction and Financial Service Client Service Groups where her clients include real estate developers, construction contractors, quasi-government agencies, borrowers, lending institutions and various other business enterprises. As a member of Bryan Cave’s Technology, Entrepreneurial and Commercial Practice Client Group, she counsels new and emerging businesses on issues related to business organization and operation.

Wed., April 26 5:30-7:30pm Phyllis Wheatley Heritage Center 2711 Locust St. Louis, MO 63103

Panelists:

Light refreshments will be served.

Free Admission

Questions? Contact Mary Ferguson mferguson@ywcastlouis.org RSVP to http://bit.ly/YWCAStand

• • •

YWCA Metro St. Louis 3820 West Pine Blvd. St. Louis, MO 63108 (314) 531-1115 www.ywcastlouis.org

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Malaika Horne, Ph.D. Yvonne S. Sparks, MPA Cheryl D. S. Walker, Attorney

Baba Askia Toure' I am an innovative, epic poet, who created two major books, "From the Pyramids to the Projects" (Africa World Press, 1990), and "Dawnsong!," Third World Press, 2000). "Pyramids" won an American Book Award in 1989. And in 2003, "Dawn-song!" won the 2003 Stephen Henderson Poetry Award, presented by the African-American Literature & Culture Society, an assoc. of the American Literature Assoc. Since then, I've done other books, of which I'm truly thankful.

However, what I desire to bring before the Facebook reading body, is the fact that I've innovated the Nile Valley epic, in the volume, "DawnSong!," which was critiqued by Dr. James E. Smethurst, and also a young, Black female Ph.d graduate candidate...otherwise there was complete "silence" from the Black Literature Community, about the first Nile Valley epics written in the English language!

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Volume 4.2 April 29, 2017

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The Soul of Harmony: Book One: The Promise written and illustrated by Craig Rex Perry

About the Book The Soul of Harmony is a music driven, action adventure that follows the near capture of young Harmony Walker and her famous dad, blues and jazz musician John "Eazy" Walker. Seduced by promises of fame and fortune, Harmony enters into a pact with a mysterious woman and accepts possession of a Magical Mouthpiece, with the promise to return it in one year. Unbeknownst to the Walkers, the Mouthpiece was stolen from the Horn of Gabriel by the woman who is actually an evil demon in disguise named Demonica Shadows.

After one year of fame, fortune and travels, Harmony refuses to return the ancient artifact thinking the woman has forgotten about it, but the evil woman finds them and uses her demonic powers to change Eazy into an old man and sets about claiming Harmony's soul!

Narrowly escaping with their lives and finally understanding the power of the Mouthpiece, the Walkers run from the forces of evil that are waiting and watching for their chance to regain possession of the magical artifact!

“

Review:

The Soul of Harmony is a real treat, Perry's illustrations are simply stunning! This gorgeous art, combined with the mysterious adventure of a young girl named Harmony Walker, makes for a truly captivating read. Harmony is a story about family, music, and a girl's love for her father. Will Harmony be able to correct her mistake? I can't wait to read more.

”

- Rebecca Sims-Nichols

The book can be ordered from Amazon at: http://amzn.to/2kgUgoo or Barnes and Noble.com at http://bit.ly/2l8aXla

About the Author: Craig Rex Perry has been an illustrator and designer for over 30 years. With his signature style, he has worked for Global brands including Disney, Warner Brothers, Dreamworks, Hasbro, Gianni Versace, NIKE Addidas. His comics, illustrations, apparel design and graphics have adorned the pages of magazines, newspapers and consumer products.

Perry is a graduate of the School of the Arts in Chicago and Otis Parsons in Los Angeles. He has a long history of book illustration with Empak Publishing, Hyperion, Jump for the Sun, Disney, Warners and Dreamworks. The Soul of Harmony is first in a three book series.

Visit Rex online at www.rexstudios.net For more information, contact Rochon Perry at rperry@cedargrovebooks.com

website: www.cedargrovebooks.com | twitter.com/cedargrovebooks | facebook.com/cedargrovepublishing Copyright © 2017 - All rights reserved.

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Volume 4.2 April 29, 2017

Dr. Carter G. Woodson, in his book – ‘The Mis-education of the Negro’, published in 1933 byAssociated Publishers wrote: “Negroes sometimes choose their own leaders, but unfortunately, they are often the wrong kind. Negroes do not readily follow persons with constructive programs. Almost any sort of exciting appeal or trivial matter presented to them may receive immediate attention and temporarily at least liberal support.

When the bubble collapses, of course, these same followers will begin to decry Negro leadership and call the misrepresentatives of the group rascals and scoundrels. Inasmuch as they have failed to exercise foresight, however, those who have deceived them should not be blamed as much as those who have liberally supported these impostors. Yet the fault here is not inherently in the Negro, but in what he has been taught”.

That is the importance of this magazine. We outline the genuine, true story of our community, which some other publications and journals either ignore or fabricate.

We tell the stories of journalists who sometimes risked their lives to tell our stories. We reveal how crusading journalists such as Ida B. Wells of Memphis and Robert S. Abbott, the founder of The Chicago Defender spirited the great northern migration of Blacks from the South, to Chicago, Detroit, Cleveland and St. Louis.

In these pages you will find the authentic story of the African American’s role in World War II. Only during African American History Month will television and cable channels attempt to give credit and respect to the achievements of our people. Those who sacrificed their lives so America, all Americans could experience the land of hope, or ‘The Promised Land’, that is still in many cases separate and unequal, will be told in this magazine.

J. Edgar Hoover, former head of the FBI, threatened to endeavor to shut down the Black Press for telling the truth about conditions of African American men and women serving in the Armed Forces. Yet today, this publication and the Black Press, including Black radio and television, is the only vehicle for authentic African American History.

Despite all of the wonderful things this magazine represents, it is not yet supported by the African American population or the community at- large to the extent in which it deserves. If you want and cherish truthful information about your community, you must support this magazine and other African American journals and periodicals. It is in your best interest.

African American on- line magazines, newspapers and blogs are dedicated to bringing you not only social and civic news, the arts, activities of the church, civil and human rights and investigative reports about your community.

We are dedicated to celebrating our achievements in every publication, not just in February. Our presence is invaluable and it is up to you to preserve this institution. We need you and you need us.

Bernie Hayes

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Volume 4.2 April 29, 2017

A CHILDREN'S BOOK FROM THE CREATORS OF THE BLACK ARCHAEOLOGIST WEB SERIES RAY AND MICHAEL LAMBERT

BLACK HISTORY BOY WILL BE AVAILABLE NEXT WEEK On Amazon.com

A new and informative children’s book based on the childhood of the black history explorer, and hero of the Black Archaeologist animated series.

The book deals with how and why as a young boy Black Archaeologist got interested in, and the reasons he made the teaching of the history of black people all over the world his life’s mission.

BlackArchaeologist.com

I choose to reflect the times and the situations in which I find myself. How can you be an artist and not reflect the times?

(Nina Simone)

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Volume 4.2 April 29, 2017

AFRICAN AFRICAN FILM FILM FESTIVAL

FREE EVENT

MARCH 31 – APRIL 2 BROWN HALL | RM 100

FRIDAY, MARCH 31 | 7 pm Children of the Mountain Priscilla Anany, Ghana/USA, 2016, 101 minutes (Akan and Ewe with English subtitles)

Maman (s) Maïmouna Doucouré, France, 2015, 20 minutes (In French and Wolof with English subtitles) The 8-year-old Aida lives in an apartment in a Parisian suburb.

The daily life of Aida and the whole family is overwhelmed when her father comes back from Senegal, their country of origin, with the young Senegalese Rama whom he introduced as his second wife. Aida is very sensitive to her mother’s distress. She decides then to get rid of the new visitor.

Short Film, Sundance Film Festival (2016) Short Cuts Award, Toronto International Film Festival (2015) Jury Award, Leuven International Short Film Festival (2015)

76 Izu Ojukwu, Nigeria, 2016, 118 minutes (Igbo and English with English subtitles) Featuring Nollywood’s biggest stars, the film is a Nigerian historical fiction drama told from two points of view: that of a young pregnant woman and that of her husband, a soldier accused of being involved in the 1976 military coup and assassination of General Murtala Mohammed, the Nigerian head-of-state.

A woman gives birth to a child with cleft lip and other health complications. Her life becomes a nightmare as she is blamed for her child’s illnesses. She goes on a lonely journey to find a cure for him.

Best New Narrative Director, Tribeca Film Festival (2016) Best Film Directed by a Woman, Las Vegas Film Festival (2016) Best Film, Harlem Film Festival (2016) Best Film, International Images Film Festival for Women (2016) Audience Award, Film Africa (2016)

Film introduction and Q & A with the filmmaker.

SUNDAY, APRIL 2 | 7 pm The Return / Le Retour Yohann Kouam, France, 2013, 22 minutes (French with English subtitles) It has been a year since his big brother left, and Willy, 15, cannot wait for him to return. Willy thought he knew everything about Theo, but when he arrives back on the block, Willy discovers a secret about him.

Winner, World Competition, Zubroffka International Short Film Festival (2014) Best Youth Film, Kuku Interfilm Festival (2014) Alternative Spirit Award, Rhode Island International Film Festival (2014)

Best Feature Film, Africa International Film Festival (2016) Best Director, Africa International Film Festival (2016) Best Actor in a Lead Role, Africa International Film Festival (2016)

SATURDAY, APRIL 1 | 7 pm Akounak Tedalat Tah Tazoughai / Rain the Color Blue with a Little Red in It Christopher Kirkley in collaboration with Mdou Moctar and Jerome Fino, Niger/USA, 2015, 75 minutes (Tamashek with English subtitles)

Destino Zangro, France, 2015, 26 minutes (French with English subtitles)

An homage to the international recording artist Prince, the first narrative feature in the Tuareg language is the universal story of one musician’s struggle to make it against all odds, set in the winner-takes-all Tuareg guitar scene in Agadez, Niger. The film stars real life musician, Mdou Moctar.

Prix du Jury at F.A.M.E (2015)

Prix Claude Pinoteau, Festival National de Hyeres les Palmiers (2015) Best Script, Tangiers International Film Festival (2014)

The film festival is sponsored by the Department in African & AfricanAmerican Studies, the Program in Film & Media Studies, and the African Students Association of Washington University. It is funded in part by a grant from the Women’s Society of Washington University. Financial assistance for this project also has been provided by the Missouri Humanities Council as well as the Missouri Arts Council, a state agency, and an award from the National Endowment for the Arts. The event is also supported by the Saint Louis Art Museum. Saturday’s films are co-presented with the St. Louis Metropolitan Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.

SATURDAY, APRIL 1| 3 pm Stick Man

Daniel Snaddon and Jeroen Jasport, South Africa, 2015, 22 minutes (In English) This animated short tells the tale of a happy-go-lucky father’s epic journey to make it home in time for Christmas. Join Stick Man on an incredible adventure across the seasons as he runs from a playful dog, gets thrown in a river, escapes from a swan’s nest, and even ends up on top of a fire. Will he get back to his family in time for Christmas?

Orisha’s Journey

Abdul Ndadi, Ghana/USA, 2014, 6 minutes (In English) This animated film is a fantasy tale of a girl’s journey through the spirit world (“Orisha” denotes a spirit in Nigerian Yoruba cosmology) and the importance of remembering one’s roots. The film, set in a mysterious walking forest, explores the power of a child’s imagination and the deep meanings and manifestations of Africa.

Hair that Moves

Loïc and Mehdi have set up a little business filming local wedding celebrations and editing them in their minivan, aka their “audiovisual laboratory.” But when Mehdi starts to film the wedding of Leila, his pretty ex-girlfriend, destiny happens.

Sponsored By

EYE ON YOUTH

Maman(s) was provided by Bien ou Bien Productions. The remaining evening shorts and Rain the Color Blue with a Little Red in It are part of the African Film Festival, Inc. Traveling Series. Children of the Mountain, Orisha’s Journey, and Hair that Moves were provided by the filmmakers.

Stick Man was provided courtesy of Triggerfish Animation Studios and 76 was provided by Shoreline Films.

Seating is first come, first serve. No tickets needed.

FOR MORE INFORMATION

(314) 935-7879 or toliver-diallo@wustl.edu africanfilm.wustl.edu

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Yolanda Keabetswe Mogatusi, South Africa, 2014, 19 minutes (In English) What if one thing could transform your entire world?

How far would you go to reach your dreams? Buhle, a young township girl attending a prestigious English school in the North, gets tired of being late all the time and thus being excluded. So she sets out to enter a singing competition where she could possibly win a car and solve all her problems. But in order to even have a chance at winning with her favorite pop-star’s song, she needs one key element...hair that moves!

Following the screening, Q & A with animator, storyboarder, and illustrator Abdul Nadi, including a workshop on cartooning and animation.

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Featured

Artist

Submission

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Sela

Copyright Š 2017 - All rights reserved.

Adjei

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Sela Kodjo Adjei Artist/Academic From Atiteti (Volta Region, Ghana) College of Art, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (B.A, MPhil)

African Renaissance Dream Through Art, W.E.B Dubois Memorial Centre Accra, Cantoments, Chaired by Prof. Esi Sutherland-Addy, Cantoments, September, 2015.

9. Mandela: The Soul of his Earth, W.E.B Dubois Memorial Centre Accra, Cantoments, Chaired by Dr. Gyan Apenteng, December, 2015.

PhD Candidate: Institute of African Studies, University of Ghana, Legon) (PhD, Year 3).

10. 'Echoes From the Past', World Bank Office, Ridge Accra, September, 2016.

ART EXHIBITIONS

11. STORYMOJA Ghana Festival: One Blood One Story ''Creating a Smarter Africa'', W.E.B Dubois Memorial Centre Accra, Cantoments, September, 2016. (Funded and Supported by Dr. Auma Obama)

a) Group Exhibitions 1. Ibby-Golden Baobab Children’s Illustration Workshop Exhibition, W.E.B Dubois Memorial Centre Accra, Chaired by Meshack Asare, Cantoments, July, 2012.

12.

'Hunter Huntered': Narrating His(Tories) from our Perspective, Brazil House, Jamestown (Accra), Chaired

by Dr. Obadele Kambon, February, 2017.

2. IBBYInternational Congress, London, United Kingdom, August, 2012.

3. Ghana International Book Fair, Ghana National Theatre, Accra, September 2012.

4. Haverford College, Pennsylvania, U.S.A, October, 2012.

5. Bologna International Book Fair, Bologna, Italy, April, 2013.

6.

Arts Alive Ghana 2016 (International Art Day Exhibition), Ghana National Theatre, Organized by the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, Chaired by Dr. Osei Agyemang, Accra, April, 2016.

b) Duo Exhibitions 7. Usuthu! Usuthu!: A Response to Global Terrorism, Anti-Black Racism and Police Brutalities, Chopbar Restaurant, A&C Mall, East Legon, August, 2016.

(With Award Winning Sculptor Kwame Akoto-Bamfo)

Some of the notable personalities and organizations who have Sela's works in their private collections include: Prof. ElAnatsui (University of Nigeria, Nsukka), Prof. Ablade Glover (Artist/Academic/ Founder of Artist Alliance Gallery), Prof.

Emmanuel Akyeampong (Havard University), Wiz Kudowor (Ghanaian Artist), Dr. Auma Obama (Writer), World Bank Office, Johns Hopkins University, Prof. Kofi Anyidoho (University of Ghana, Legon), Prof. Esi Sutherland-Addy (University of Ghana, Legon) Chuma Nwokolo (Lawyer/ Writer, Nigeria Seth Clottey (Ghanaian Artist), etc.

Contact Details: Email:selaadjei@gmail.com grinstudiosgh@gmail.com Mobile: +233242125591

c) Solo Exhibitions 8. 'Dark Memories': Rethinking Neocolonialism, Racism, Black Power and the

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/

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2017 ST. LOUIS VISIONARY AWARDS F P

Featuring: Alison

erring

and Emily itts as Co-Hosts Monday,

April 24th

6:00 PM at the Sun Theater

2017 St. Louis Visionary Award Honorees: Nancy Bell | Shirley Bradley LeFlore | Sally S. Levy | Regina Martinez | Kat Simone Reynolds | Vivian Anderson Watt

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To: ibj1960 <ibj1960@aol.com> Sent: Mon, Apr 3, 2017 11:56 am Subject: "World War I: Missouri and the Great War" opens this Thursday!

View in browser

JOIN US THIS THURSDAY, APRIL 6!

Explore the integral role St. Louisans played in World War I, both overseas and on the home front, in this new atrium installation! From driving social change in the trenches of France to erecting monuments throughout the state of Missouri, the aftermath of the Great War forever changed our region.

Opening on the 100th anniversary of the United States' entry into World War I.

Lindell and DeBaliviere in Forest Park Saint Louis, Missouri 63112

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DATE April 15th, 2017 6 PM - 9 PM LOCATION The Dark Room at the Grandel ADDRESS 3610 Grandel Square Saint Louis, MO 63103 MAP see google map

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For African American Youth & Young Adults Ages 13 – 24 Living in St. Louis City and County

FREE 6-WEEK EDUCATIONAL WORKSHOP SERIES

   

Get Educated About Substance Use, HIV/AIDS, & Hepatitis Design Community Prevention Social Marketing Campaigns Create Bonds as a Big Brother/Sister or Little Brother/Sister Receive Free Health Counseling, Substance Use Screenings, and HIV, STD, & Hepatitis Testing

LET YOUR VOICE BE HEARD! SPEAK PREVENTION THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA! FEMALE ONLY SESSION! FEMALES

DATES

Workshop Dates

Oct. 12, 13, 19, 20, 26, 27 Nov. 2, 3, 9, 10, 16, 17 **REGISTER BY OCT. 4TH**

Orientation

October 8, 2016

MALE ONLY SESSION! MALES

DATES

Workshop Dates

Jan. 18, 19, 25, 26 Feb. 1, 2, 8, 9, 15, 16, 22, 23 **REGISTER BY DEC. 31ST **

Orientation

January 14, 2017

TIMES

LOCATION

TIMES

LOCATION

11:30am – 2:30pm 5:30pm – 8:30pm (each day)

11:30am – 2:30pm 5:30pm – 8:30pm (each day)

UMSL ITE Building 4633 World Parkway Circle, St. Louis, MO 63134

UMSL ITE Building 4633 World Parkway Circle, St. Louis, MO 63134

For Additional Program Information call 314-516-8491

REGISTER ONLINE

Sponsors & Partners

www.ProjectY-ChatNow.org

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What do I do?

I help the college bound teens of busy parents write extraordinary college entrance essays. And, I provide perceptive leaders with trustworthy diversity & inclusion facilitation.

My book, Chop: A Collection of Kwansabas for Fannie Lou Hamer, is available at www.femininepronoun.com

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A top-notch ensemble makes verbal music in 'Seven Guitars'

By Judith Newmark, St. Louis Post-Dispatch

The Black Rep's 'Seven Guitars' Resonates with Dramatic Power

By Mark Bretz, Ladue News

Now through April 23, 2017 Emerson Performance Center at Harris -Stowe State University

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Volume 4.2 April 29, 2017

A

NOTE TO CONGRESS

Dear Congresspersons:

Either indirectly or directly, all of you are responsible for creating the political climate that encouraged American citizens, with the help of the Electoral College, to elect President Trump. In the spirit of trying to perpetuate a liberal democracy , citizens voted. A number of feel cheated. We have been cheated as the MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN mantra resounds throughout the United States. In this Republic , which can be little more than a metaphor for democracy, we are dismayed that the number of popular votes for a candidate counts for naught.

We shall continue to vote, especially in local and state elections. Mark my words. Some of you may wish to apply for one of the jobs your President has vowed to bring back to America. The grapes of wrath shall bloom.

Some of you shall lose your seats.

Those of you survive ought to attend to the work of restoring a modicum of confidence in the political process. American citizens are not ancient Romans in need of a circus. “The virtues of our system of federated governments, “ Carl L. Becker wrote in Freedom and Responsibility in the American Way of Life (1945), are indeed very great” (93). Noble words. Becker was aware, however, that “the most striking defect of our system of government is that it divides political power and thereby conceals political responsibility. The business of governing is entrusted to the President and the Congress, but it too often happens that no body of elected representatives can be held responsible or called to account for the formulation of policies or the enactment of measures to carry them through” (95). The defects you have been complicit in sustaining since 2000 have encouraged the slipping of democracy into fascism. In his first address to Congress, Trump made it clear, even unto the deaf, the dumb, and the blind, that such slipping is at the core of his political ideology. Weight his propositions. Do not pretend that you have not been warned.

The minority of Congresspersons who refuse to dirty their minds and hands with bad faith can profit from reading Fatal Invention: How Science, Politics, and Big Business Re-create Race in the Twenty-first Century (2011) by Dorothy Roberts. She has made a principled, comprehensive analysis of how President Trump’s dedicated racialization of our nation is a choice that, with your help, can destroy democracy. In her conclusion, Roberts provides a logical warning:

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Will Americans continue to believe the myth that human beings are naturally divided into races and look to genomic science and technology to deal with persistent social inequities? Or will they affirm our shared humanity by working to end the social injustices preserved by the political system of race? This is the most pivotal question facing this nation in the twenty-first century because the answer will determine the basic nature of the relationship between citizens and the government and with each other. One path is already leading to aggressive state surveillance, extreme human deprivation, and unspeakable brutality against whole populations on the basis of race. By obscuring this coercive control over poor communities of color, the new racial biopolitics permits the growth of a state authoritarianism and a corporatized definition of citizenship that endangers the democratic freedoms of all Americans. We must chose the other path of common humanity and social change if we are to have any hope for a more free and just nation.” (312)

Heed her warning. Either weed the garden or allow it to grow into a negative Eden of implacable dread.

Sincerely, Jerry W. Ward, Jr.

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The Missouri Department of Natural Resources

Scott Joplin House State Historic Site

Scott Joplin: A Centennial Reflection

April 1, 2017 marks the 100th anniversary of his death 2017

1917

Join us for an afternoon of music and historical interpretation as we commemorate the life and legacy of composer

Scott Joplin Saturday, April 1, 2017 3:00â&#x20AC;&#x201D;5:00 p.m.

The rosebud Cafe 2658 Delmar boulevard St. louis, Missouri 63103 Rsvp (314)340-5790

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An artist's duty, as far as I am concerned, is to reflect the times.

(Nina Simone)

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AmeriEXIT

By Pierre Blaine

The election of Donald Trump represents a throwback to the Nixon and Reagan eras of “law and order” rhetoric that worked to suppress progressive movements and squash efforts to fight racism and systemic oppression.

During 1865–1877, Southern whites used terror, violence, election fraud, and intimidation to thrwart the voting rights of blacks in order to gain control over state governments to assert control.

Historically, everytime blacks gain rights and movement toward a more perfect union, there is a backlash, a counter movement to take those rights away. The underlying unresolved issue is race and it continues to undermine the progress of the United States even in the 21st century. The sharecropping system in America imposed on blacks during Reconstruction, put blacks back into a slave form of servitude…and their families into a perpetual form of debt. White supporters of Reconstruction in Congress wanted to move the country toward guaranteeing blacks political and civil rights because under the Constitution blacks counted as 3/5 of a person. Congress responded by passing a Civil Rights Bill that gave freedmen the same rights as white men regardless of state laws.

American progressives have always pushed this country to fulfill the promise of what it means to be American. James Bevel, one of the lieutenants of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., made it clear – ‘I am an American’. What that means is that, ‘I

believe in the Constitution of the United States of America and the Declaration of Independence.’

The 24th Amendment to the Constitution prohibits the implementation of a poll tax as a prerequisite to vote in America. If you understand that, then Missouri’s recently passed Initiative for State issued photo ID mandate to be eligible to vote is unconstitutional. If the State of Missouri is not going to pay for individuals who cannot afford to pay for the ID, it is a violation of their right pg.

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to vote, if having it is a pre-requisite for them to exercise the franchise. There was no voting fraud in Missouri which made this Initiative necessary.

Is America in exit of its founding values? Yes, it is but our job as an American is to shine a light on it and move our country forward.

Maya lives… ‘I

am not afraid unlike you. You see, I am no coward…

You may try to kill me with your hatefulness, but still like air, I rise…

Even the press, the classroom, the platform, and the pulpit in many instances do not give us objective and unbiased truths. To save man from the morass of propaganda, in my opinion, is one of the chief aims of education. Education must enable one to sift and weigh evidence, to discern the true from the false, the real from the unreal, and the facts from the fiction.

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Pierre Blaine is author of Movement: Race, Power and Culture in America available on Amazon.com His next book signing will be April 12, 2017 at Harris-Stowe State University Library 6:00p.m. – 8:00 p.m.

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THE MOVEMENT !

Signing

Book

Power is the capacity to reach or realize goals and influence policy which develops into laws which shape the social, political, and economic environment. Race Matters, History Matters, Blacks Matters and Truth Matters and truth crushed to the earth shall rise again. Inherent in the culture of opposition in America is the notion that each and every individual has certain inalienable rights that among them life, liberty and the pursuit of happinessâ&#x20AC;Ś

Harris Stowe State University

Library 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM Purchase NOW on Amazon!

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12 2017 Apr

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Greetings everyone! I hope you are well. Just a personal note from me to say I would love to speak at your college, university, high school, corporation or company, or community. As some of you know I am the author of 12 books, including The Education of Kevin Powell: A Boyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Journey into Manhood; I do work like this across America and globally, as both a speaker and change agent bringing all kinds of people and communities together for real and honest dialogue, for practical solutions and action steps; and I am a co-founder of BK Nation, our non-profit that focuses on civil rights and human rights for all people.

Here is a link for my full BIO: http://www.kevinpowell. net/about.php And attached are details about some of my topics. I would love to work with you.

I thank you all, Kevin Powell

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Featured

Artist

Submission

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John

Jennings

Associate Professor Visual Studies SUNY Buffalo tumblr: http://jijennin70. tumblr.com/ Copyright Š 2017 - All rights reserved.

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CAM City Wide “Open Studios

10.09.16

10th Annual Open Studios STL This year marks the tenth anniversary of Open Studios STL, featuring over 200 St. Louisbased artists and art spaces; sponsored by the Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis.

The Jewelry, Poetry, Art, Carvings, project sketches and ideas of artisan David A. N. Jackson will be on display in The 2nd Floor Boutique 5555-5557 Etzel Avenue 63112 and in workshop display areas of the location. “This marks my first year of participating in OPEN STUDIOS (2016) so I hope to make it exciting, thought-full, thought provoking, & on point.

Portions, illustrations, and considerations of continued dialog are being created in reflection, response, and interreaction to what the world

and current climate environs asks, expects, and demands of Black/ African-n-America artists and persons of color. There are and will be some extra arts & music expression for you to InJoy by members, musicians and friends of PEPAA –(the Progressive Experimental Positive Arts Association).

Stop on by. Shop and buy. Sit, Look, Listen, and Chill Out.

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Aliyah ~LotusMoon~ NOW on SoundCloud

Listen!

nagchamp009 pg.

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t e e w T t e e w T t e Twe t e e w T t e e w T t e Twe t e e w T t e e w T t e Twe t e e w T t e e w T t e Twe t e e w T t e e w T t e Twe Follow us Tweet t e e w T Tweet t e e w T t e e w T t e e Tw t e e w T t e e w T t e e Tw @ArtsTodayez

#artstodayEZ

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“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’ “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’ “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’

Matthew 25:34-40 NIV

We seek to impact the world with the love of Christ one life at a time!

Hopelessness and desperation are on the rise in a world where the greatest segment of the population possesses the least amount of resources.

We need your help! Please help us fight this epidemic by sending your tax deductible donations/contributions to: For His Glory Ministries of St. Louis P.O. Box 1942 Maryland Heights, MO. 63043 http://calvarychapelslc.com/homeless-ministry/ For other ways in which you can help please contact Pamela Ford at pamelaford98@gmail.com or 314-216-0744. pg.

106

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Portfolio Fundraiser Moves to Artist's Studio Janet Riehl's "Women & Wardrobe: The Riehl Collection" exhibit has finished it's successful run at The Portfolio Gallery and Education Center. It brought in $2,000 to help with much-needed building repairs. Many people went home with framed ($150) and unframed ($50) prints they love, and a good time was had by all.

Folks have said they would have loved to have seen the show, and were sorry they missed it. Janet has decided to host At Home evenings on Wednesdays from 5:30 to 8:00 p.m. so you can! Come visit, enjoy the work, and of course buy whatever calls to you.

Any profit realized will continue to benefit Portfolio Gallery.

If you'd like to come, please contact her at janet.riehl@gmail.com.

Janet and Robert Powell, director of Portfolio Gallery and Education Center appeared on Fox 2 news. http://fox2now.com/2014/07/29/women-wardrobe-and-art-on-a-cell-phone-atportfolio/# Janet and her art was featured in the Alton Telegraph. http://www.thetelegraph.com/news/home_top-lifestyle-news/50095336/Artists-workmakes-Riehl-results#.U-Tbf1Ao7qC

Come on out! Meet some new people and enjoy some playful, colorful, and sensuous art inspired by African Women.

pg.

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OLIVE BAR ROOFTOP O P E N TO N I G H T Click to RSVP COMPLIMENTARY ENTRY 10PM-11:30PM(ladies) and 11:00 (Men)

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John Jennings Associate Professor Visual Studies SUNY Buffalo tumblr: http://jijennin70. tumblr.com/

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ART OF FOOD

Wellington Well, Well

The dish this month was one of my favorite dishes to make while I was working in San Diego. Salmon Wellington is one of those dishes you will want to try and pull out when you're feeling adventurous. Or even when it's time to impress your beau or your future in-laws. In your mushroom butter you can use any combination of mushrooms you'd like. (I like to use chandeliers and baby fellas.) If you're not a fan of mushrooms that's fine, Google 'compound butters and choose your favorite. The butter in this dish is very important because it helps keep the salmon moist and juicy while it's cooking inside of the pastry dough. Once all the prep work is done, it's such a simple dish to put together.

You'll even be impressed with yourself when you're done. h to put together.

You'll even be impressed with yourself when you're done. ~Léna O. A. Jackson To contact me, get more recipes, find out about events I’m apart of, or to even order some of my food: www.facebook.com/gspDore www.instagram.com/gspDore gspDoreinfo@gmail.com

Salmon Wellington 4 ct Salmon, 4-5 oz each 2 sheets Puff Pastry Dough, thawed Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Roll out both sheets of puff pastry and cut each sheet in half. On a baking sheet, place a piece of parchment paper down & spray the top with non-stick cooking spray. Place 4 of the puff pastry dough on the parchment paper. Spoon a few tablespoons of the creamed spinach down the middle of the pastry sheets. (You want the line of spinach to be slightly shorter than the piece of salmon you're using & less than half the width of it as well.) Pat dry the salmon fillet and place it directly over the creamed spinach. Next take your mushroom butter and spoon it on top of the salmon in a thin layer.

Mushroom Butter 2 C Butter 1 1/2 C Mushrooms, mixed & chopped 2 Tbsp Italian Seasoning 1 Tbsp Oregano Take your mixture of mushrooms and finely chop. In a medium saucepan, melt butter and add shallots & minced garlic. Next add chopped thyme leaves, chopped rosemary leaves, salt and black pepper. (Alternatively you can add 3 Tbsp Italian seasoning & 1 Tbsp died oregano.) Sauté for 3-4 minutes and set aside to cool. Once cooled off, combine softened butter with the mushroom mixture. Set aside in refrigerator until ready to use.

Carefully place a stretched piece of puff pastry on top of the salmon piece to cover it. Using a fork, pinch the edges all the way around. (If the pastry is too soft, it will stick to the fork. Dip the fork in cold ice water and continue creating the design on the puff pastry.) Brush each wellington with egg wash or spray with your desired cooking spray. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until pastry is golden and puffed. Once done baking, let the salmon wellington stand for 10 minutes before cutting & serving.

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Creamed Spinach 32oz+ Spinach, raw 3 Tbsp Garlic Cloves, minced 3/4 C Heavy Cream 3/4 C Whole Milk 1/2 C Butter 1 C Shredded Cheese (Italian Cheese Mixture, Parmesan or Gruyere) 1/4 C Shallots, minced 2 tsp Salt 1 tsp Black Pepper, freshly ground Melt butter in a 6 to 8 quart pot over medium heat. Stir in garlic and shallots & sautĂŠ until tender. Slowly whisk in heavy cream and milk until smooth. Season with salt & pepper to taste. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce to a simmer and stir periodically. Next add in your raw spinach. Cover and increase the heat to medium, which will steam and slightly wilt the spinach, approximately one minute.

Remove the lid and stir (using a wooden spoon or rubber spatula) the hot cream sauce from the bottom over the top of the spinach. Continue until spinach is completely wilted. Set aside and let cool.

pg.

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Roasted Asparagus & Blistered Tomatoes 1 bunch Asparagus, ends trimmed 1/2 C Cherry Tomatoes, halved a.n. Salt and Black Pepper 2 Tbsp Lemon Pepper Seasoning 1 tsp Garlic Powder 1 tsp Onion Powder 1/4 C Shredded Parmesan (optional) a.n. Vegetable or Extra Virgin Olive Oil Toss asparagus & tomatoes with oil and spices. Place on a baking sheet, be sure to spread asparagus spears out. If using, sprinkle cheese on top of the veggies. Bake for 15-20 minutes, along with your Salmon Wellington at 400 degrees F.

Doré

Bon Appétit, Copyright © 2017 - All rights reserved.

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MAKE ME AN OFFER. www.Allstarmotorsinc.com pg.

116

Rickkita Edwards teaches Core:Cardio & More @ North Co.Rec Center

every Mon-Wed- Fri.

5:30 PM-6:30 PM

She also teaches "WaistNWeights" every Mon

@ Faith Miracle Temple

7:15 PM-8 PM

Contact me today for personal training sessions!

314-566-9125 I.G WaistNotFitness | FB WaistNotFitness | Email:WaistnotFitness1@yahoo.com Copyright Š 2017 - All rights reserved.

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“Acting White”

Share your Story Dear friends: I have been asked to write a chapter in a book that will address colorism in education. My chapter will focus on “acting white.”

Specifically, when I was growing up, I was a “smart” student. My top performance in school, doing homework, raising my hand to answer questions, etc. often drew the accusation from my African American classmates and friends that I was “acting white.”

Now, I know there are psychologists out there who say this is not true and does not exist. But alas, it was absolutely true for me. I have written about this in past works. I will do so again for this new book. I do know that many young folks today who continue to have such allegations hurled at them so feel free to share this email with whoever and have folks email me directly.

I did a survey on this very question about 7 years ago and the results were consistent with my experiences decades ago. I’d like to update my earlier survey. I would love to hear from anyone out there who has a similar/related story either involving yourself or someone you know. I would like to include your story in the chapter. I will conceal your identity if you request.

Do you have a story to share? If so, please email to me at: norwood@wulaw.wustl.edu.

“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”

Margaret Mead Kimberly Norwood , Professor of Law | Washington University School of Law pg.

118

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News, Podcasts and More!

pg.

120

Destined For The Dreamer

An Easter Basket of Messages & Memories

Arkansas Separates MLK Holiday and Robert E. Lee Recognition Copyright Š 2017 - All rights reserved.

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ART OF HEALING

Your Ad or Article could be here!

Contact us if you have a contribution to the ART OF HEALING.

pg.

122

RICKKITA EDWARDS

CARDIO-CORE & MORE AT NORTH COUNTY REC. CENTER

TIMES: MON WEDS FRI 5:30 PM - 6:30 PM

She teaches a class 2 Mondays a month at Faith Miracle Temple 7:15 pm - 8:00 pm.

(ALL CLASSES ARE FREE)

COMING SOON! WAIST-NOT FITNESS PERSONAL TRAINING #GETWAISTEDBYRICKKITA

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Ajuma Muhammad Author of 101 Proven and Effective Strategies for Empowering Black Boys

WATCH NOW!

1 0 Strategies

f o r E m p o w e r i n g B l a c k B oy s 1. Black boys should maintain a healthy relationship with God. 2. Black boys should honor and always respect their parents.

3. Black boys should embody greatness in everything they do.

4. Black boys should take pride in their history and culture.

5. Black boys should empower their community through leadership and service.

6. Black boys should be role models in their communities.

7. Black boys should honor, respect and protect the black woman.

8. Black boys should work to establish an economic foundation in their communities.

9. Black boys should travel internationally to better understand their place in the world.

10. Black boys should love themselves!

www.ajuma.org

pg.

124

Copyright Š 2014 by Ajuma Muhammad

Book of Poetry by

Lenard D. Moore

th on 30 iti d Ed ite ry Lim ersa niv

An

http://www.mountainsandriverspress.org/Home.aspx

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Donations for the fourth season of the black history animated series,

Black Archaeologist.

CLICK GOFUNDME LINK BELOW TO DONATE https://www.gofundme.com/black-archaeologist-season-4

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PREMIUM BLACK CAR SERVICE

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SEDANS & SUVâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S AVAILABLE CALL 314.565.8907 FOR YOUR FREE QUOTE.

pg.

128

Walking the Blue Line: A Police Officer Turned Community Activist Provides Solutions for the Racial Divide

By Terrell Carter Bettie Youngs Book Publishers

$15.00 paperback

“As I recall my experiences, I find it incredulous that people in law enforcement honestly believe and say that a racial divide and racial profiling don’t exist. An officer’s mind is divided: first, between the police and the general public and second, between the police and minorities.”~ Terrell Carter Walking the Blue Line follows the author’s experiences growing up as a black child in St. Louis, MO, a racially charged city still trying to overcome its divided past, and his five year journey as a law enforcement officer which led him to reevaluate his views on citizens and police alike. Readers are taken on a compelling journey as he details personal stories of the challenges of navigating this new world, including how he had to testify against a former partner for falsifying a major drug arrest.

Terrell details the thoughts and tactics of police officers based on their training in the police academy and lessons they learn on the streets and how this information can help citizens better understand why officers do what they do while still holding them accountable for protecting and serving their communities.

Walking the Blue Line can be ordered from www.terrellcarter.net, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and traditional booksellers.

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Sycorax's Daughters

~ Edited by Kinitra Brooks, PhD, Linda D. Addison, Susana Morris, PhD. Forward by: Walidah Imarisha

A powerful, revealing anthology of dark fiction and poetry by Black women writers. The tales of what scares, threatens and shocks them will enlighten and entertain you.

Sycorax’s Daughters’ stories and poems delve into demons and shape shifters from Carole McDonnell’s “How to Speak to the Bogeyman” and Sheree Renée Thomas’ “Tree of the Forest Seven Bells Turns the World Round Midnight” to far future offerings from Kiini Ibura Salaam’s “The Malady of Need”, Valjeanne Jeffers’ steampunk female detective in “Mona Livelong: Paranormal Detective II” and others.

These thought-provoking twenty-eight stories and fourteen poems cover creatures imagined— vampires, ghosts, and mermaids, as well as the unexpected price paid by women struggling for freedom and validation in the past—slavery to science-fiction futures with transhumans and alternate realities. Leave the lights on and join these amazing authors as they share their unique vision of fear.

Tiffany Austin - Tracey Baptiste - Regina N. Bradley - Patricia E. Canterbury - Crystal Connor - Joy M. Copeland - Amber Doe - Tish Jackson - Valjeanne Jeffers - Tenea D. Johnson - R. J. Joseph - A. D. Koboah Nicole Givens Kurtz - Kai Leakes - A. J. Locke - Carole McDonnell - Dana T. McKnight - LH Moore - L. Penelope - Zin E. Rocklyn - Eden Royce - Kiini Ibura Salaam - Andrea Vocab Sanderson - Nicole D. Sconiers - Cherene Sherrard - RaShell R. Smith-Spears - Sheree Renée Thomas - Lori Titus - Tanesha Nicole Tyler - Deborah Elizabeth Whaley - L. Marie Wood - K. Ceres Wright - Deana Zhollis

Review:

“

Sycorax's Daughters introduces us to a whole new legion of gothic writers. Their stories drip with history and blood leaving us with searing images and a chill emanating from shadows gathered in the corner. This anthology is historic in its recognition of women of color writers in a genre that usually doesn't know what to do with us.

”

- Jewelle Gomez, author The Gilda Stories

About the Editors: Kinitra D. Brooks, Ph.D. is an associate professor of English at the University of Texas at San Antonio. Her research interests include contemporary African American and Afro-Caribbean, black feminism, and horror studies.

Linda D. Addison grew up in Philadelphia and received a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics from Carnegie-Mellon University.

She is the award-winning author of four collections including How To Recognize A Demon Has Become Your Friend. She is the first African-American recipient of the HWA Bram Stoker Award® and has published over 300 poems, stories and articles.

SUSANA M. MORRIS, PhD. is an associate professor of African American literature at Auburn University and co-founder of the popular feminist blog, The Crunk Feminist Collective.

Sycorax's Daughters is available for Preorder on Amazon until March 10. Follow this link. http://amzn.to/2lsxgz3 ~~ Rochon Perry Publisher, Cedar Grove Publishing website: www.cedargrovebooks.com twitter.com/cedargrovebooks facebook.com/cedargrovepublishing

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OPPORTUNITIES

pg.

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CLICK HERE TO VIEW AD

The Bernie Hayes Show Talk and interviews about affairs of the day with a St. Louis slant.

The Bernie Hayes Show can be seen: Friday’s at 9 A.M. Saturday’s at 10:00 P.M. Sunday’s at 5:30 P.M.

PUT SOMETHING CLEAN ON YOUR TV! Copyright © 2017 - All rights reserved.

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Closing in on my goal for “Fire this Time” - if everyone would do two things 1) support the making of this film with just a $20.00 donation and 2) encourage 2 of your friends to do the same - it will allow me to license some additional footage and photos - you can donate now by going here: http://www.cmt-tv.org/#!join-the-team/c1195 CMT-TV.org is a 501c3 non-profit organizations thus your donations are tax deductible - thank you - the making of this film will help me attract more resources which will allow real community filmmaking in STL -Phillip W. Johnson Producer of the #Ferguson Film Fire this Time

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CAREERS

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SPONSORS

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Over 30 Issues Published

Thank You!!

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