Arts Today Ezine Vol 6.3 by Arts Today Ezine

Revisiting

Ntozake Shange's

POETRY

LYNDSEY ELLIS

pg #74

OF MY FAVORITE LP'S BYJohn Coltrane

CHARLIE BRAXTON Vol 6.3

DECEMBER 3 , 2021

pg #10

THE WHITE HOLES OF AMERICA... DR. JERRY WARD pg #42

View this and past issues from our website.

THE IMPACT OF...

RE-AWAKENING...

LASHAWN DAVIS

pg. #18

pg. #96

pg.#52

PHYLICIA KIRK

BERNIE HAYES

FEATURED PHOTOG.

Thanks,

Giving

From our family to y

After a year of separation and uncertainty f continue to adjust to this new normal, we h safely connect with your families and/or friend

Wishing all good things in life Thanksgiving but a

pg.

yours this holiday season.

for many, we hope that 2021 was better. As we all hope that this Thanksgiving Holiday allowed you to ds to celebrate each other, and those who were lost.

e for you and your family not only on also in the year to come. Covid 19 Memo The Arts Today Ezine team would like to Thank You for your continued support, even now as many of us are being affected by the Covid 19 pandemic. Our hearts go out to those who have lost friends, family, jobs and other opportunities since the beginning. It is a situation none of us could have predicted or expected. But being a resilient peoole we believe that this too will pass. Until that time, we encourage you to continue being vigilant in your hand washing, maintaining safe distance and wearing face coverings. Remember to check out the local mandates for your area. We will do our best to keep you up-to-date on this and other situations that affect our community. With that in mind, we at Arts Today, attempt to provide information on resources and access to events that can be appreciated in a safe manner. Our magazine is offered online for virtual viewing, with the option to order paperback copies if you choose. Please note, if you order physical copies of our magazine, there might be a delay in receipt due to Covid 19. We thank you in advance for you patience and understanding as we all navigate these new ways of living. Take Care of Yourselves and Those You Love,

Arts Today Ezine

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Volume 6.3 DECEMBER 3, 2021

IN THIS

ISSUE:

...Listen people... Life is a giant, invisible scale with two sides; Good and bad You and your beliefs Are the weights The things you do each day Determine the balance Your conscience is a flawless Judge and jury; It only questions you when you're wrong...

The Temptations,

"You Make Your Own Heaven and Hell Right Here on Earth" (Regarding the last line of this quote from "You Make Your Own Heaven and Hell Right Here on Earth": "It only questions you when you're wrong" Sang by The Temptations on the recording. "The only question is what you want" Written by: BARRETT STRONG, NORMAN WHITFIELD, NORMAN J. WHITFIELD)

Established 2014 Volume 6.3 St. Louis, MO www.artstodaye.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.

pg.

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.

6 IN THE NEWS

INT. TRADE

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 OTHER NEWS following criteria: 1. 2. 3. 4.

NEWS LINKS

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.”

5 OF MY FAVORITE...

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

16 INFINITE SCHOLARS...

OP/ED

18 THE IMPACT OF PAST ...

PHYLICIA KIRK

24 LIVE/WORK/PLAY

CALENDAR

36 REED'S GAMING...

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

42 52

THE WHITE HOLES...

DR. JERRY WARD

FEAT. PHOTOG.

LASHAWN DAVIS

COVER PHOTO: Photographer: Brad Burkette Getty Images / 9/30/2016

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Volume 6.3 DECEMBER 3, 2021

IN THE NEWS

Export Opportunities in the Americas: Brazil, Canada & Mexico TIME | DATE | PLACE 8:00 am registration 8:30-10:00 am program Thursday, December 7, 2017 Please note NEW ADDRESS: World Trade Center St. Louis 120 South Central Ave. Suite 1200 St. Louis, MO 63105 REGISTRATION $20 REGISTRATION One-on-one appointments available following the program.

Learn about export opportunities in three major markets in the Americas region. Brazil is recovering from recent political and economic upheaval and reforms have seen growth in the energy and agricultural sectors in particular. Canada's economy has enjoyed greater than expected growth, outpacing all other members of the G7. Mexico continues to offer a wide range of opportunities for US exporters from industrial equipment and inputs to agricultural products. Speakers: Mr. Fabio Yukio Yamada Director, Missouri International Trade & Investment Office - Brazil Mr. Ludovic Ortuno Director, Missouri International Trade & Investment Office - Canada Ms. Gloria Garcia Director, Missouri International Trade & Investment Office - Mexico Click here to view speaker bios and learn more.

Contact John Hensley to schedule.

Otis BOYKIN - Inventor of the Pacemaker and Variable Resistor

pg.

Your Source for Art Appreciation

Volume 2.1 March 4, 2015

St. Louis Major Sponsor:

Proud to support the Arts & Cultural Scene in St. Louis. Click Here

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE

REVISITING NTOZAKE SHANGE... | LYNDSEY ELLIS .................. pg. 74 ART OF BEAUTY | SELF-CARE ISN'T JUST FOR... ....................... pg. 80

Please support our sponsors,

many offer events or programs with an emphasis on the arts and creativity.

CYBER MONDAY 2021 | A.T.E.Z ........................................................ pg. 84 FEAT. POET | CHARLIE BRAXTON ...................................................... pg. 88 THE RE-AWAKENING | BERNIE HAYES ............................................ pg. 94 DIGGING UP DESSA | MARIAH L. RICHARDSON........................ pg. 102 ART OF FOOD | TURKEY POT PIE .................................................... pg. 108 ART OF HEALING | NATIONAL DIABETES ....................................... pg. 116 CRISIS! MENTAL HEALTH... | A.T.E.Z. ............................................. pg. 122 FAITH INSPIRATION... | LISA DUNN ................................................... pg. 128 OPPORTUNITIES | A.T.E.Z. ................................................................ pg. 130 CAREERS | A.T.E.Z. ................................................................................ pg. 132

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Volume 6.36.3 Volume DECEMBER 3, 2021 December 3, 2021 www.the-arts-today.com

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OTHER

NEWS:

"HOUSE OF GUCCI"...

'BLACK FRIDAY' DRAGS...

59 ITEMS TO BUY...

W.H.O. WARNES...

TUSKEEGEE AIRMAN...

AFTER 40 YEARS...

THE NEW YORKER

CNN

WKRC LOCAL 12

REUTERS

MARKET WATCH

WHAS11

RITTENHOUSE VERDICT SHOWS HOW THE SECOND AMENDMENT THREATENS THE FIRST MSNBC

STL CITY & COUNTY... NPR- ST. LOUIS PUBLIC RADIO

METHOD MAN & STARS... CNN

NFL STAR JJ WATT... NEW YORK POST

US LABOR SHORTAGE... YAHOO NEWS

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COURT ORDER... YAHOO NEWS

FROM TONY BENNET TO KANYE AND JON BATISTE...

GMA C0-ANCHOR STRAHAN... YAHOO NEWS

REUTERS

WENDY WILLIAMS... YAHOO NEWS

RITTENHOUSE... YAHOO NEWS

RAPE CONVICTION ... YAHOO NEWS

GHOSTBUSTERS ... CNN

"THERE WAS NO TRAINING" TWO INJURED ASTROWORLD SECURITY... ROLLING STONE

SPACEX SENDS NASA... MSN

THE THANKSGIVING TURKEY SUPPLY CHAIN

MACY'S THANKSGIVING DAY PARADE... MACYS

THE MEN WHO HUNTED...

SUPPLYCHAINGAMECHANGER

MSNBC

MALIKAH SHABAZZ... YAHOO NEWS

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JohnCOLTRANE

he historical development of jazz can literally be traced by the evolution of certain instruments used to create the music. While there are all kinds of instruments that are used to create jazz, ranging from the standard (e.g. drum, bass, etc.) to the not-so-standard (for instance Trombonist Steve Toure has been known to blow and mean ass seashell). But when it come to instruments that helped to shape what we know as jazz no instrument, with the exception of the piano and the trumpet, has played as big a role as the saxophone.

Invented in 1865 by a bored music student by the name of John Sax, the saxophone is a woodwind instrument that emerged as one of the principle instruments in the development of jazz music. In fact many of the music most innovative musicians (Lester “Prez” Young, Colman Hawkins, Charlie “Bird” Parker and John Coltrane were saxophonist. But among these great saxophonists one of my all time favorites is John Coltrane, whose innovative use of modes, eastern rhythms and ability to play multiple notes in a chord, forming what is widely known as sheets of sounds, never failed to move me to a calmer more peaceful mental and spiritual space no matter what song of his is playing. John Coltrane is the kind of musician that you listen to when you want to get a way from the stress and strain that the daily grind of trying to survive in this dog-eat-dog world can put on you. Listed below are five John Coltrane albums that I think are absolutely essential.

which is why this is one of the records where Trane explores various eastern rhythms and applied them to his music, given it that soothing spiritual effect that many of his fans know and love him for. In addition to the soul-stirring title tune, the record also yielded another one Tran’s beloved classic “Bessie’s Blues,” his tribute to blues singer Bessie Blues. Again the personnel remain essentially the same with the exception of Steve Adams who was replaced by Jimmy Garrison on bass.

A Love Supreme (Impulse, 1964): A Love Supreme is one big song that has five essential movements that were inspired by his study of Islam. They are: 1.) Acknowledgement; 2.); Resolution pt. I; 3.) Resolution pt. II; 4.) Pursuance; 5.) Psalm.

Of all of the albums mentioned here this is my all time favorite. I first heard this album when I was a sophomore at Jackson State University. My friend Randy Costley (RIP), who worked at the college radio station with me, asked me if I was hip hop John Coltrane. I told him yeah I had heard a few of his albums. Then he asked me if I had heard A Love Supreme and I said no, I had heard of it, but hadn’t had a chance to check it out. That’s when he told me that I hadn’t really lived until I hear that album. The next day he gave me a copy of it on tape and he was right. There’s something about that album that evokes a calm and peaceful mood in me every single time I hear it. Again it features the same personnel that were on the aforementioned LP. All of whom put in fine work but Jimmy Garrison’s bass vamp really standout in mind. In fact I can still hear the opening bass vamp to this day whenever someone mentions the album.

of my Favorite LP’s by

1. 2.

My Favorite Things (Atlantic Records, 1960): This was one of Trane’s biggest commercial hits. This was largely due to Trane’s innovative interpretation of the Mary Poppins’ song, “My Favorite Things,” which was issued as a single and was extremely popular song with young and old alike. But the LP also contained another classic Trane composition called Equinox. In addition the album featured Elvin Jones on drums, McCoy Tyner on piano and Steve Davis on bass, all of whom put in some fine performances.

Impressions (Impulse, 1963) this is one of Trane’s first recording for the Impulse label and in my opinion it ranks among his best. The reason why I like this record so has a lot to do with its use of eastern rhythms. Songs like the hauntingly serene India, the bluesy Up Against the Wall and the intricate title tune that still stands as on of jazz’s most complex standards. Impressions also features an expanded personnel: Eric Dolphy (Alto Sax & Clarinet); Jimmy Garrison & Reginald Workman exchange duties on the bass; as does Elvin Jones and Roy Haynes take turns playing drum with McCoy Tyner playing the piano. All of the musicians do fine work although I have to admit I am partial to Roy Haynes work with Trane simply because he’s such an aggressive drummer and brings a different energy to the group’s chemistry.

John Coltrane & Johnny Hartman (Impulse, 1963). This one of the few recordings that Coltrane did with a vocalist. And he couldn’t have picked a more perfect artist to record with than Johnny Hartman. Again the duo is backed his trusty sidemen McCoy Tyner, Jimmy Garrison and Elvin Jones, who all deliver fine performances. Johnny Hartman has the kind of voice that oozes seduction. Trane rich tone matches the melisma in Hartman s voice perfectly. Combine these two giants with a selection of timeless tunes like Afro Blue, Dedicated to You, Lush Life and My One and Only Love and you’ve got the perfect album for a nice evening with your significant other.

In addition to these five albums, I highly recommend viewing the Netflix documentary entitled Chasing Trane for greater insight into the greatness of Greatness of John Coltrane.

Crescent (Impulse, 1964) Ah this is a beautiful record. Around this time Coltrane was studying a lot of Eastern religions like Islam, Buddhism and Hinduism

~Charlie Braxton

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Volume 6.3 DECEMBER 3, 2021

Available -

NOW!

on lulu.com and Amazon.com pg.

The black

theblackrep.org

45th Anniversary Gala featuring... The Grammy Award Winning

Now numbering 16, The Fisk Jubilee Singers started as a nine-member choral ensemble created by George L. White at Fisk University in Nashville, Tenn. On October 6, 1871, they began their very first tour performing Negro spirituals originally sung by slaves before the American Civil War with intentions of earning money to help save their school. In 2021, 150 years after the original group was formed, the vocal group’s album “Celebrating Fisk!” was named Best Roots Gospel Album, earning them their first Grammy

Saturday, November 13, 2021 7:00PM - 11:00PM 560 Trinity Avenue University City, MO 63130

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Volume 6.3 DECEMBER 3, 2021

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 6.3 DECEMBER 3, 2021

OP / ED SECTION

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

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

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

pg.

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.

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:

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 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 6.3 DECEMBER 3, 2021

The Impact of Presidents & Each Generation When it comes to leadership in America, young millennials such as myself have experienced groundbreaking and even tumultuous terms. Born in 1996, I was too young to be aware of the scandals and drama of Bill Clinton and thus the presidential charades started with George W. Bush, serving from 2001-2009. Since then, each presidential term has had major moments in American history. As a young child, experiencing 9/11 was scary and confusing. Being on lockdown in elementary school, not understanding why all of the adults were panicking, left a vivid memory in my mind. Next was the hurricane in Katrina and the infamous claim from Kanye West that “George Bush doesn’t care about Black people”. I was at the age where I was just coming to understand the depth of race in America and beyond the tragedy of natural disaster, the after effects in New Orleans, a predominantly Black city, upset me. I was only 9 but seeing people that looked like me being left to fend for themselves amongst flooding and famine was heartbreaking. The disillusion I saw in adults for Bush and his actions in response to this catastrophe only seemed to continue for the rest of his final term.

excited that he had won but more concerned with going back to sleep. The impact of that moment did not hit me until I was several years older, closer to his reelection. My generation has not lived through enough presidencies to have an established idea of what that position looks like. For our parents and elders, it was a seat reserved only for white men. The importance of Obama in office is not lost on Millennials however, we are a generation of rapid change and progression. In the short 23 years I have lived I have not only seen a Black man take office but now a Black woman in the White House as well with Vice-President elect, Kamala Harris. The unimaginable to our grandparents became the possibility of our parents and the reality of my generation. It is important to share stories and sentiments of our times to truly appreciate the present that we continue to experience. ~Phylicia Kirk B.S. Biological Sciences, Florida International University

When speaking with my mother recently about her experience with presidents, she told me about how incredible it was for Barack Obama to be elected to “the most powerful position in the world”. We discussed the differences in reactions from Black people of different generations. She told me how my grandfather had a firm belief that a Black man would never be elected to the white house, seeing Obama’s election run as futile. He had lived a life full of staunch racism and discrimination, convinced that Black people would always setback and left back. This sentiment was shared amongst many in his generation, ones that had lived through the Civil Rights era. They felt that although there had been much progress for Black people, they would never see one achieve a feat as great as taking presidential office in their lifetime. In response to the election of Barack Obama, the elders of our community shed tears of joy that could fill an ocean. To them it was more than just history being made, but the unimaginable coming to fruition almost akin to when slaves found out they were freed. For the generation of my mother, the election still held tremendous weight. However, born with more opportunity than their parents, they held hope that change could be made. I distinctly remember going to bed early the night of the 2008 election because I didn’t understand the vote counting nor the excitement and importance of swing states becoming blue or red. As I was drifting off to sleep my mother screamed with joy, waking me up. She came to my room and told me that Barack Obama had been elected. Only 14 at this point, there was a stark difference in our reactions; I was

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Volume 6.3 DECEMBER 3, 2021

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A Date To Note:

21st

Januar y

and the Deathly Hollows Concert #1

St. Louis Symphony Orchestra|718 N. Grand Blvd.|St. Louis, MO 63103

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Volume 6.3 DECEMBER 3, 2021

“ “

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

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 6.3 DECEMBER 3, 2021

LIVE WORK PLAY

Volume 6.3 December 3, 2021 St. Louis Major Sponsor:

Proud to support the Arts & Cultural Scene in St. Louis. Click Here Good Afternoon, I hope that you are doing well. Chad Sugg said that we should Love the trees until their leaves fall off, then encourage them to try again next year. As I gaze at the trees out of my office window, I see the changes occurring. It is not what we would expect to see the first week of November, but it is happening. Of course, the last two years have not been what we expected, but they happened. Let's love the leaves that we have and not forget that there is another chance for them to try again next year. The same can be said for us humans. There is always another chance for us to get it right. Speaking of getting it right, my beloved St. Louis is getting a lot of things right for November. As usual, I have a few suggestions for us to get out and make it a special month. Let's stay safe and healthy while we revel in the season and give thanks to all of our blessings. All the best. –Nate

Local Events November

It’s First Friday again! Perhaps you’ll want to check out the Contemporary Arts Museum for their First Friday event and enjoy an evening of art, music, and culture in the Grand Center Arts District.

NOVEMBER

Afterward, you could stop in at the National Blues Museum to hear the smooth sounds of Cheri Evans. While your downtown, wash it all down with a delicious burger from the Hi-Pointe Diner, it’s right down the street.

thru

NOVEMBER

If you’re looking for some comedy, head down to the Stifel Theater on Friday to see Rickey Smiley for some laughs. The 100 Black Men of Metropolitan St. Louis has been hosting The Kingdom Men Empowerment Conference all week, and you›ll find me at the State of The Black Male program this evening at Harris Stowe State University.

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If you feel up for a run or walk on Saturday you can participate in the Veteran’s Day 5k to support the St. Patrick›s Center at Soldier›s Memorial. (That›s me and St. Louis Blues Hall of Famer Bernie Federko!) If music is more your style check out the Cherokee Street Jazz Crawl on Saturday. You›ll enjoy a full day celebration of local music and dance styles taking place in Cherokee’s bars, shops, and in the open air.

where they are featuring An Evening of Ballet Stars on Saturday. Big Head Todd and the Monsters are coming to The Pagent Saturday night so it’s a great opportunity to grab some dinner at Mission Taco or Salt + Smoke.

Saturday night offers quite a few fantastic outdoor, socially distanced options. Head to Laumeier Park After Dark Saturday night to explore the park by moonlight and enjoy live music, fire pits, and a night market. Saturday is also the annual Fall Fire Festival at The Green Center in UCity. There will be bonfires, smores, food trucks and family-friendly fun. Schlafly Brewery also has the Full Moon Festival on Saturday with bonfires, live music, a pig roast, and of course their seasonal favorite beverages. You’ll find me and my lovely bride supporting Cope24 at their Gala on Saturday night. COPE24 is emphasizing the need to make parenting and child development education secondary only to the core subjects in our high school system. Teaching the kids of today to be the parents of tomorrow. If you want to stay indoors as we settle into fall weather you might want to check out the ballet at Touhill Performing Arts Center

Almost Home of St. Louis is hosting

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Volume 6.3 DECEMBER 3, 2021

LIVE WORK PLAY

a Virtual Fundraiser on Thursday and Friday. Their programs support young mothers to become the provider they are meant to be. They have other ways to volunteer virtually through a wish list or by facilitating a life skills class. The annual Holiday Boutique at Longview Farm Park is happening this Saturday. It›s a great opportunity to shop from local vendors for unique items. If I’m not out showing homes Saturday afternoon I may check out the K-Pop Festival and Taste of Korea over in Clayton. There will be dance crews from all over the midwest performing and an assortment of Korean dishes and beverages.

NOVEMBER

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I’d also like to see Beyond VanGogh: The Immersive Experience this month. It›s over at the Starry Night Pavilion at St. Louis Galleria and it›s so popular they recently extended the dates. Saturday is also a great night for comedy as Katt Williams will be performing at the Chaifetz Arena downtown at SLU. If you have a desire to help others this month consider volunteering with Epworth. They offer a variety of services for youth in crisis and have been in the St. Louis region since 1864. Their annual fundraiser, the 19th annual Wine Dinner & Auction, will be held on November 13th and there are also ways to volunteer on their website.

NOVEMBER

How about some theater on Saturday night? The Center of Creative Arts (COCA) is hosting Kaleidoscope Crown by playwright Ashleigh Akilah Rucker. The play tells the story of a young girl who awakes with a shocking new ability, with every new feeling her hair is catapulted into multicolor tresses. How about a Bluesy Brunch on Sunday? Be.Be is returning to the National Blues Museum after delivering a stellar tribute to the queen of soul, Aretha Franklin. Her luxurious voice (and style) is guaranteed to soothe you while enjoying mimosas and popular brunch dishes. Sunday is National Take a Hike Day so we may head out to Babbler State Park in Chesterfield for their guided hike.

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Volume 6.3 DECEMBER 3, 2021

LIVE WORK PLAY

Start your week off right by returning to the 80’s on Monday night for The Fixx over at Delmar Hall. Indoor activities this week sound like a good idea as we see temps dropping. The University Theater of SLU will be performing A Midsummer Night’s Dream this week at Xavier Hall on the main stage. Of course, it was set in Greece, so while you’re in Midtown, perhaps you’ll stick with the Southern European theme and grab some pizza at Vito’s Sicilian Ristorante or just the Southern theme and have some delicious spicy fried chicken at Southern. Wentzville School District English Language Learner (ELL) elementary school teacher, Julie Turnipseed, will be holding a book signing on Wednesday to introduce two of her new books. The event will be held at the Bake House in Wentzville and 10% of the proceeds will go to Stray Paws Rescue.

15 NOVEMBER

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21 NOVEMBER

Friday night is the annual Shop the District Holiday Gift Market over at the Delmar Maker District. This is a great way to support local artisans and get some early shopping done. Another event to get us ready for the upcoming holiday season is happening this weekend. Laumeier Sculpture Park is hosting Mud and Merlot where you›ll learn the basics of clay construction and create a holiday wreath. And since we are on the holiday topic, The Polar Express train ride is coming back to Union Station this year starting Friday. Maybe you›re thinking turkey right now and not Polar Express but this is an event that is sure to sell out so make your plans early! Friday also kicks off the Holiday Lights Drive-Thru Experience at Grant›s Farm. This magical tour includes Clydesdale sightings and a drive by the Busch family home all decked out in lights. Once I wrap up some appointments on Saturday I plan to head over to the Field House Museum to see the Exploring Missouri’s Struggle for Statehood exhibit. This exhibit explores the many facets of the Missouri crisis on both a national and local level. Learn about the history of Missouri leading up to its battle for admission, the history of slavery in Missouri and its lasting effects on the region. Saturday night sounds like a great time for comedy so you may find me over at The Improv Shop for The High Note, a classy night of silly music comedy.

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Volume 6.3 DECEMBER 3, 2021

LIVE WORK PLAY

As we begin the holiday season let’s make time to help others. One suggestion is to support the St. Louis Area Food Bank through donations, virtual food drives and volunteering. Let›s make it a holiday season for all to count their blessings with plenty of food on their table. On Tuesday Maryville University presents another installment of their St. Louis Speaker series by hosting historian Walter Isaacson. Walter has written biographies on Albert Einstein and Steve Jobs and has served as CEO for Time Magazine. They also have several interesting speakers coming in 2022 that I might want to check out. Thanksgiving Day is home to one of the most popular race days of the year, Turkey Trot STL. It’s a great day to run, gobble, nap. You can participate in Eureka, St. Charles, Downtown or Virtually.

22 NOVEMBER

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30 NOVEMBER

If you are out in Chesterfield you can participate in their Turkey Trot at the Chesterfield Amphitheater. Olivette will kick off their Turkey Trot at Stacy Park and Sunset Hills’ Turkey Trot will be on the trails and Minnie Ha Ha. The Arnold Gobble Gobble 5K will also be held on Thanksgiving Day at Arnold City Park along the Meramec River and Kirkwood Webster hold their Turkey Trot beginning at Summit Produce. I’m exhausted thinking about them all but ready for the bird. If you missed running at one of the events on Thursday perhaps head to Town and Country on Friday and run off some of the pumpkin pie at their Turkey Trot at Longview Farm Park. Are you hosting a crowd on Thanksgiving Day? Do you wonder how to get all of the food prepared when the oven is host to the bird? This slow cooker scalloped potato recipe is fantastic and cooks your side dish without taking up oven or stovetop space. Give it a try, you won›t be sorry! This weekend is the opening of the Market on McPherson in the CWE. The market will be open for 4 weekends and features local and regional makers, artists, and vintage dealers. Let’s all stay safe & support local! I look forward to seeing you soon. All the best. -Nate P.S. Here is the latest housing report for your review. Let me know if there is anything that I can do for you. -Nate Nate K. Johnson ABR,AHWD,CIPS,CRS,GRI,SRES Real Estate Solutions Group Redkey Realty Leaders 314-575-7352 Direct | 314-514-9600 Office nate@livingstl.com www.livingstl.com

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Volume 6.3 DECEMBER 3, 2021

DISPLACED

&ERASED

The history of Clayton, Missouri's uprooted black community. emmakriley.com

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Socks that heal broken a he a rts DONATE Socks for Courtney is a fund-raiser/Sock Drive in memory of Courtney Adavia Kemp

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Volume 6.3 DECEMBER 3, 2021

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Volume 6.3 DECEMBER 3, 2021

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TIME

REED’S GAMING WITH Reed, Ishmael. The Terrible Fours. Montréal: Baraka Books, 2021. ISBN 978--77186-23-1 $22.95

mong living American writers, Ishmael Reed is a superb iconoclast. He smashes all the cognitive idols identified by Sir Francis Bacon and a few that Bacon failed to identify.

In his plays, satirical essays, poems, and fictions we discover the power of writing to expose and dismantle stupidities. He entertains us. He enlightens us. His mirrors, as it were, motivate readers to experience the truth of things unseen as they get on with their ordinary lives. Or it may be that readers are so saturated with data that they see everything in order to see nothing. Like his literary ancestors, Reed disturbs the peace with his uncanny analyses of what many of us deem inconvenient: the tension between the actual and the real. One character describes America as “home. A country where truth and fiction were always trading places” (119). The Terrible Fours explores the hidden dimensions of America’s sordid political histories. It is easy to think of this novel as a collage, a verbal equivalent of visual compositions by Romare Bearden. Found items and some characters from The Terrible Twos (1982) and The Terrible Threes (1989) are rearranged with new bits of uncommon global information that Reed delights in collecting. Readers (secondary narrators) must co-conspire with Reed (the primary narrator) the plot that is essential for story into being. The effect is tantalizing. The novel is fundamentally a meta-narrative along the lines of Mieke Bal’s dense speculations in Narratology: Introduction to the Theory of Narrative, 2nd ed. (1994) regarding the relationship between primary fabula and embedded fabula. There is the printed text and the text manifested in the act of reading.

“Another possible relationship between the two texts presents itself when the two fabulas are related to each other. Then there are two possibilities.. The embedded story can explain the primary story, or it may resemble the primary story. In the first case the relationship is made explicit by the actor narrating the embedded story; in the second the explanation is usually left to the reader, or merely hinted at, in the fabula” (53-54). Readers who have an appetite for theory in all forms will find Reed’s novel to be a banquet, a feast of dialogic imagination. The Terrible Fours turns the weapons of iconoclasm against the conventional genre-expectations we might have for a novel. Reed’s strategies are purposeful, because he is always trying to liberate us from Plato’s allegorical cave. He takes what Clarence Major accomplished in Reflex and Bone Structure (1996) to a new level. The novel continues to elaborate the scatological themes of The Free-Lance Pall Bearers (1967), bringing into the twenty-first century what Reginald Martin in Ishmael Reed and The New Black Aesthetic Critics (1988) aptly described as Reed’s brand of syncretism and synchronicity. Reed’s gaming with time is familiar to readers who have followed his distinguished career. Readers who have not read Yellow Back Radio Broke-Down, Mumbo Jumbo, Flight to Canada, or The Last Days of Louisiana Red are not familiar Reed’s methods of inductive reasoning, and they may have to read The Terrible Fours several times to detect how the book immerses us in critical opposition to the status quo. In my blog “Ishmael Reed and the American War of Words” (1912), I suggested

“Trillions of words have been spent shaping and mapping the American mindscape since 1492, Reed’s sustained efforts to keep us somewhat honest about that fact have been commendable. His fictions, poems, plays, and recordings are a moral looking glass for envisioning what we might be. His nonfiction, however, is at once testimony and indictment of what we are.” After reading The Terrible Fours, I must change the last sentence to read “All of Reed’s work is testimony and indictment of what we are.” ~Jerry W. Ward, Jr.

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“

WE CAN NEVER WALK IN OUR OWN GREATNESS. IF WE KEEP SKIPPING BEHIND OTHER'S MEDIOCRITY! Mark A. Howard

”

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Volume 6.3 DECEMBER 3, 2021

Black Archaeologis

Video Short pg.

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Volume 6.3 DECEMBER 3, 2021

The WHITE HOLES of AMERICA “Cruelty has been refined to tragic pity, so that it is denied the name of cruelty. In the same way sexual love has been refined to amourpassion; the slavish disposition to Christian obedience; wretchedness to humility; a pathological condition to the nervus gympathicus , e.g., to pessimism, Pascalism, or Carlylism, etc.” Friedrich Nietzsche, The Will to Power, 312 (Spring-Fall 1887; rev. Spring-Fall 1888) Using Nietzsche’s eyeglasses to “read” the 21st-century “text” of the United States of America yields amazing results. One gains insights about the nation, its citizens and institutions, its fetid ideologies of disunion and divisiveness. For us, Nietzsche’s use of the word “refine” is a cloaked reference to “re-define,” the endless spin to which we subject language and make things mean what they never meant. We have a penchant for uncertainty and a lust for confusion. In the background we hear Donatien Alphonse François, Marquis de Sade, the vulgar proponent of absolute freedom, singing the praise of sexual violence derived from the innate violence that marks how the doctrine of discovery was used in the illicit appropriation of North America, used in the writing of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution, used to evolve deceptive and exclusionary propaganda about “democracy.” Refining and re-defining secure a uniquely American entitlement to pursue death, un-freedom, and gross unhappiness. The thoughts expressed above are deliberately crude and reflective of the profound evil from which there is no exit. They are most appropriate in any attempt to make sense of NBC’s “Dateline” (February 26, 2021) on the subject of collateral damage, the case of NXIUM and Keith Raniere. The program revealed many hidden dimensions of white collective character. It was a rare instance of white women making a desperate effort to interrogate white women with a modicum of honesty. As the British might say, the program was a “bleeding” mess. It defied the theory of how white holes behave and spilled the beans about the soul of white American folk. Insofar as the program addressed the matters of cult, the lies perpetuated about white female fragility, the multiple guises of master/slave relationships (especially in dealing with DOS [Dominus Obsequious Sororium] or master above female slave relations), and how “harm” can be refined to mean “bliss”

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---- insofar as the program deconstructed victim impact statements, it directed attention to lucid justifications for slavery and enslavement in the philosophy of Aristotle. In Aristotle’s Politics, Book I we find an illuminating proposition regarding masters and slaves “Let us first speak of master and slave, looking to the needs of practical life and also seeking to attain some better theory of their relation than exists at present. For some are of the opinion that the rule of a master is a science, and that the management of a household, and the mastership of slaves, and the political and royal rule, as I was saying at the outset, are all the same. Others affirm that the rule of a master over slaves is contrary to nature, and that the distinction between slave and freeman exists by convention only, and not by nature, and being an interference with nature is therefore unjust.” Aristotle argued his way to a conclusion which is sweet music to the ears of America’s most radical conservatives “Further ,as production and action are different in kind, and both require instruments, the instruments which they employ must likewise differ in kind. But life is action and not production and therefore the slave is the minister of action. Again, a possession is spoken of as a part is spoken of; for the part is not only a part of something else, but wholly belongs to it’ and this is also true of a possession. The master is only the master of the slave; he does not belong to him, whereas the slave is not only the slave of his master, but wholly belongs to him. Hence we see what is the nature and office of a slave; he who is by nature not his own but another’s man , is by nature a slave ; and he may be said to be another’s man who, being a slave, is also a possession. And a possession may be defined as an instrument of action, separable from the possessor.” Aristotle’s convoluted argument is like “race.” It is a bogus concept that has enormous power in the contemporary conduct of social life in the United States of America. What may frighten us is how much service Aristotle’s notion that the relation of master and slave is quite nature can render to fascism and white nationalism and the post-truth of white supremacy. He speaks from another time and space about how crucial it is to identify the underpinnings of NXIUM as one of the white holes of America. Just as theories about white holes are used in quantum mechanics to speculate about the BIG BANG, they are useful in speculating about female complicity in male toxicity. After all, it was a white female doctor, a woman who appears to have more than a demitasse of intelligence, who branded “consensual slaves” within the NXIUM cult and who proclaimed in the “Dateline” program that pain and harm are two different things. Really? As the paragon of a symbolic male, the doctor argued she

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Volume 6.3 DECEMBER 3, 2021

THE WHITE HOLES... cont.

was not practicing medicine. Indeed she did not. She practiced what the possessor does in dealing with an instrument of action. If one recalls pain-filled scene from the film Django Unchained, one has a good idea of what kind of human being the doctor pretends to be. In my chapter for Black Hollywood Unchained (Chicago: Third World Press, 2015), I concluded “ Django Unchained was perfectly timed to provide 165 minutes of violent entertainment and to cast light on the nature of America’s soul unchained. That soul, which we all possess, is incapable of authentic grief. It has ‘normalized’ violence. Violence is salvation. Our souls have mastered the art of indifference, and we are posthumanly happy to have a tragic catharsis on the plantation of life and to walk hand in hand with blind fatalities and unqualified love for our country. We are patriotic.” The “Dateline” program suggests we are insufficiently patriotic unless we confront and push back against the many white holes that function as inevitable pandemics in our nation. NXIUM is merely the tip of a most destructive white iceberg. We may not be able to enter white holes, but we can use critical metaphoric reasoning to name what occurs within them. ~Jerry W. Ward, Jr. March 2, 2021

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“Our only hope today lies in our ability to recapture the revolutionary spirit and go into a sometimes hostile world declaring eternal hostility to poverty, racism, and militarism.” Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

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Shop Online Today at NOrepublicansNEEDED.com

Wear Your Disgust on Your Tshirt

N e w s .T s h i r t s . C h a r i t y

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The Women of Africa VIDEO SHORT pg.

Black Archaeologist

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Dec. 5 2021

@ 7:30 pm

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Volume 6.3 DECEMBER 3, 2021

Featured

Photography Submission

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LaShawn Davis

Hill

BIO {

L DavisHill Photography (LDHP) is dedicated to helping you create tangible memories that will last a lifetime. We are all unique, unique in our beauty and our desires, LDHP relishes in this fact, it allows LDHP to customize your personal experience and truly make it your own. Your experience and final product means as much to LDHP as it does to you. There is love, care and attention to detail poured into every aspect of the process of composing, capturing, producing and creating tangible memories that you will have for a lifetime to look back on, hang on your wall, display on your desk, carry in your wallet, share with family and friends...etc. L DavisHill Photography (LDHP), loves everything entailing the entire photography process. LDHP loves meeting new people, hearing their visions and working with them to capture it and bring it to life! LDHP loves the creative process of photography, exploring different locations, creating in familiar surroundings and all the endless possibilities. LDHP loves interacting with its clients, the intimate moments, the funny moments, the cute and quirky moments, the fun moments, the emotional moments even the bloopers. Most of all, LDHP loves the elation, excitement and tears of joy on a client's face upon reviewing & receiving the tangible memories they allowed LDHP to help them create. email: ldavishillphotography@yahoo.com facebook: ldavishillphotography

www.ldavishillphotography.com

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Volume 6.3 DECEMBER 3, 2021

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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REVISITING

Ntozake Shange’s

POETRY

In Light of Standing Up for Black Women

April was an interesting month this year. It’s taken me and many people I’m connected with through a wide spectrum of emotions in a very short period of time. In less than 30 days, I’ve laughed, raged, and cried both tears of impossible sadness and sweet joy more than I have during the last half of 2020. I could blame it all on hormones, or spring fever, or the luminous pink moon that recently lit up the night sky. But, I’d like to think it had a lot more to do with the current string of events—Tishaura Jones becoming St. Louis’s first Black woman mayor, the highly anticipated Derek Chauvin verdict, the back-to-back transition of three hiphop legends, and perhaps the most impactful for me, the police killing of Ma’Khia Bryant in Columbus, Ohio. Ma’Khia Bryant’s tragic death isn’t the only recent one of its kind. Many of us are also mourning Daunte Wright of Minnesota, Adam Toledo of Illinois, Isaiah Brown of Virginia and countless others who’ve lost their lives from police shootings. And, while I’m not diminishing the weight of any of these misfortunes, I’d be lying if I said that Bryant’s death still hits different.

Not that all families of slain Black boys and men receive the same outcome as George Floyd’s killer. Still, time and lack of results confirms that Black women and girls endure the pain of losing one of our own, coupled with those the slap-in-face moments afterward when public disregard for our lives is all too evident. This twofold offense hurts like a ton of invisible bricks being dropped onto the chest, each one heavier than the last. #SayHerName seems to keep falling on deaf ears and closed hearts.

But, thank the heavens for National Poetry Month. For me, reading poems is the outlet that encourages selfpreservation, emotional release, and substantial renewal. This year, I’ve leaned into

more of the great Ntozake Shange’s work. From the earthiness of Wild Beauty, to the multi-layered of Nappy Edges, to the rawness and musicality of the poetic monologues in for colored girls, her poetry has been a source of vitality in these past few weeks.

The way Shange writes opens me. It’s simple as that. Her perceptions, the color in which she saw the world, and the passion she used to portray the timelessly complex lives of Black women is a testament to her genius at giving voice to melanated sisters throughout the country. Her poems continue to aid in my self-discovery in ways that I never thought possible. And, they help me sit with the hard feelings that result from witnessing Black women and girls being constantly dismissed in the media and, all too often, in our own communities. I feel deeply blessed to know I may have frequented the same streets of St. Louis that Shange had when she lived in the city during her early days. In so many ways, she represents the many layers of Black womanhood that are worth rooting for, celebrating, and yes, especially vindicating.

Upon hearing the news, I couldn’t help but recall Breonna Taylor, Atatiana Jefferson, and Sandra Bland among the numbers of Black women who’ve succumbed to police violence. The wall of grief for these young women widened inside me as I wondered if Bryant’s family will ever get answers and the justice they deserve. Copyright © 2017 - All rights reserved.

~Lyndsey Ellis is a fiction writer and essayist who’s passionate about exploring intergenerational resilience in the Midwest. A VONA and Hurston/Wright Foundation Alum, Ellis was a recipient of the San Francisco Foundation’s 2016 Joseph Henry Jackson Literary Award and 2018 Barbara Deming Memorial Fund for her fiction. Her work has appeared in Catapult, Electric Literature, Joyland, Entropy, The Offing, Shondaland, The St. Louis Anthology and elsewhere. She’s a prose editor for great weather for MEDIA and The Account: A Journal of Poetry, Prose & Thought. Ellis lives in St. Louis, Missouri. Her debut novel, Bone Broth (Hidden Timber Books), is out spring 2021.

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AVAILABLE ONLINE: ONLINE:

2018 marks the 50th anniversary of Martin Luther King death. Here is my new book "My Mother. Barack Obama. Donald Trump. And the Last Stand of the Angry White Man," honest look at America 50 years later on race, sexual violence, guns, more.

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Volume 6.3 DECEMBER 3, 2021

THE TEARS OF MOTHER EMANUEL

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

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ART OF BEAUTY

Self-Care

f you’re like most men, you don’t take care of yourself as you should. According to research published in the Journal of Health Psychology, men are three times more likely than women to ignore their health needs, and this neglect can lead to long-term problems like hypertension and diabetes. We have to take care of ourselves.

Self-Care is actively directing your time and focus on yourself. This could be daily, weekly, we all need to create time where stressors are put on the back burner. This can help with mental health which is something we all need since the past year has brought uncertainty, seclusion, and loss for many. Recently, one in three adults in the United States reported symptoms of anxiety or depression since the start of the pandemic in 2020. This means that it is even more important to make the practice of self-care a priority.

Isn't Just For Women regimen that benefits individual situations and lives. Some items we had in mind are: Get Moving – starting a workout/exercise regime causes the body to release endorphins that trigger a “feel-good” sensation which is similar to those of morphine. These activities do not all have to be gym-related, it can be as simple as getting out of the house for a walk around the neighborhood. The fresh air and vitamin d from the sun along with the sounds of nature are healing. Recite Affirmations – We’ve all heard about the power of the tongue and the words we speak. Affirmations are positive statements that you speak out loud that will help battle negative thoughts and help reprogram your thinking patterns. This allows the laws of attraction to bring positive people and situations our way. Affirmations are individual to the person reciting them, you know your dreams and desires, speak them into existence and line your thinking up with it. This also goes along with

Self-Care for Men Yes, men, we know that self-care has mainly been marketed to women in the past, but as we mentioned above, self-care is to help improve the mental, emotional and physical health of a person. Male and female alike.

meditation on those positive healing thoughts. Self-care can include anything that helps you stay physically and mentally well, even during stressful times. What does self-care look like for a man? We’re glad you asked! We can take this in baby steps and gradually build a

Start Journaling – Journaling helps the brain to search for positive things instead of focusing on the negative. Journaling regularly over time will re-wire your brain in a way that will benefit every area of your life. Journaling also allows for introspect, gives space to write down goals, track progress, and keep yourself accountable.

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SELF-CARE ISN'T... cont.

Take Your Vitamins - Add supplements like CBD or Adaptogens like ASHWAGANDHA which are plant extracts that aid in relaxation and stress relief. Additionally, other supplements assist with testosterone levels, cholesterol levels, and the maintaining of a

healthy weight. Moisturize and Pamper – Add facial and body moisturizing to your nightly routine. Get a good night time routine going, with essential oils, sounds, and chamomile tea after a great bath/shower will have you ready to catch those z’s. Sleep is the most important aspect of self/care. Good sleep will help you “charge” your brain and body so that you can feel refreshed, maintain a healthy weight, improve energy, improve productivity, and help you look well-rested and younger. If you find you’re having trouble falling to sleep or staying asleep due to racing thoughts look at your external environment and make sure that it is peaceful for optimal sleep. Reading a good book before bed can also help quiet your mind and relax you. And this goes without saying, shut off all distractions and put an hour into yourself. That means no TV, phones, or social media. Step up regular Upkeep - Get a facial, haircut/lining, manicure, and pedicure regularly- it can be as regular as once a month (some can be done yourself at home). Don't just look good, be well overall... Treat yourself, you deserve it!

pg.

Dec. 9, 2021 at 7:30 pm

The Fabulous Fox 527 NORTH GRAND BLVD. ST. LOUIS MO 63103

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Volume 6.3 DECEMBER 3, 2021

Shopping

Back to Work2021 C Y B E R M O N DAY

Shoppers, on your Mark!

Monday, November 29th is back to work for many following Thanksgiving. People are back to work and work is normally pretty slow which allows for lots of web browsing and shopping list checking. Cyber Monday is one of the busiest online Gift ordering periods (besides Black Friday) to catch deals and complete Christmas shopping. Kick off or complete your holiday shopping with these 10 hot deals:

1 2 3 4

Apple Pencil, 1st Generation $80 (Amazon)

Insta Pot 8 Quart 7-in-1 Multicooker

Apple Airpods Pro on sale $189 (Best Buy)

$59 (Walmart)

Microsoft Surface Laptop Go - 12.4" Touchscreen $549.99 (Best Buy)

Get Set!

Make sure to check delivery dates if you plan on giving items as Christmas presents. Since logistics are behind due to Covid 19 there may be delays. Alternatively you can utilize ship to store and customer pick up options where available.

Beats Studio Buds $99 (Amazon)

IRobot Roomba j7 Self-Emptying Robot Vacuum $649 (Amazon)

Oculus Quest 2 VR Headset $299 (Amazon)

Fire TV Stick 4K Max $35 (Amazon)

Black Diamond Heavyweight Screentap Gloves $33.71 (Moosejaw)

Go!!!

(on break) and Order! You have eight long hours ahead of you. ~Shontel Shelton

Mealtime Magic Maya Interactive Feeding Baby Doll $34.64 (Target)

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Volume 6.3 DECEMBER 3, 2021

My main point here is that if you are the child of God and God is a part of you, then in your imagination God suppose to look like you, And when you accept a picture of the deity assigned to you by another people, you become the spiritual prisoners of that other people.

John Henrik Clarke

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Volume 6.3 DECEMBER 3, 2021

Featured

Poetry

Submission

Fantastic Dreams Embers Among the Ashes is a stunning collection of poetry written in a non-traditional haiku form that deals with contemporary social, economic, cultural and poitical issues. Infused with powerful lyricism and poetics rhythms that recall the sway of samba, the swing of jazz and the power of the blues, this book promises to be Braxton’s best book to date.

(For Baudelaire & Jean-Pierre Labarthe) Baudelaire called to me in a dream last night He said he was still alive After all these years of searching He finally found himself

You can purchase your copy by clicking the book below:

Dead to the world Now please he said Don’t go looking for me again I didn’t Crazy how she can still call The tunes in my head Fast like a samba slow like a bossa nova or steady like a rocking reggae floating on a cottony cloud to cope in a senseless society do I stop making sense? I don’t Get around much anymore I am old My bone creak My muscles and tendons tighten Like a python around my joints My hand is shaky when I grab my pen but It’s not over I’m not over… I’m not done

pg.

Charlie

Braxton

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Volume 6.3 DECEMBER 3, 2021

The Changing Same (For St. James)

I dream in sequential soliloquies Sequined with sad songs Sung and sometimes screamed In hushed dark tones Known as the blues See you can’t tell me a time When I was down And when and if I was Down that is Didn’t I get up on the good foot And dance in the face of you fools Whose fancy farts befoul the earth With the heavy stench of your endless greed Oh yeah you can hold your nose And fake the funk but you can’t front On the future Thought you knew I’m da man girlfriend Umph Hit me like St. James in the 70s Dun dun dun dunhhhhhhhhhhhhh Hey HEEEEEEEEEEEYYYYYYYYYYYY Case if ya don’t know Now ya do

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Declaración de la Libertad “Self-definition is the first step toward self-control!” Haki R. Madhubuti

and I refuse to be subject to you and the psychotic experiment tethered to your warped hyperbolic hypothesis of all the sick things that you think

my life

I am

is not

I am definitively not….

your personal playground

YOU!

it is no magical wonderland left behind for you to rip and run over like a gang of kindergarten convicts finally released from some deep dark hole inside their head I am not a toy, your toy or any type of plaything here to amuse you with a quick wink, a sullen smile and a cheap fuck in the backseat of a stolen jeep parked on property stolen by you and your crooked ass comrades I am not your whore my flesh is not here for your lustful fetish nor am I a slave chained and submitted to your emotional whips and whims

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Black Friday Consumer’s minds Are the playground Of capitalism The wonderland of Wally world where Tongues wag at Fallen price tags While wallets wander Off into a retail Sunset A fat cat banker’s Wet dream manifesto DING Thank you And please Come again

by Charlie Braxton pg.

#BlackDollsMatter

Buy Now!!!

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Volume 6.3 DECEMBER 3, 2021

The Re-AWAKENING

assume most persons are familiar with D. W. Griffith’s 1915 horribly racist film “Birth of a Nation”. Now in 2021 perhaps we

will find the reawakening of a nation with persons who never took action before, on the front lines of the demonstrations, protests and marches. We find ethnically, cultural diverse adults and students confronting attitudes towards prejudice, and exploring issues of selfworth, self- image, cultural pride and personal observations. “No justice, no peace” is the slogan that was used to protest ethnic violence against African Americans by Whites, but now it includes Latinos, Native Americans, Asians, and the LGBTQ community. The protesters, many of them with trans-led LGBTQ advocacy group No Justice No Pride. Certainly, police brutality directed toward Black people in the U.S. is not new. The chant and hashtag “say their name” brings attention to the brutal killings of Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, Eric Garner, Trayvon Martin, Michael Brown and many others. The police killing of George Floyd sparked widespread protests and reignited efforts across the U.S. to remove Confederate and other statues viewed as symbols of slavery and racism. Some monuments in cities were vandalized or torn down by protestors, or removed by public officials. pg.

Recently, lawmakers in the House on passed the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act, a modification bill that would ban chokeholds and alter professed qualified immunity for law enforcement. It would also ban no-knock warrants in certain cases, mandate information collection on police encounters, prohibit racial and religious profiling and redirect funding to communitybased policing programs. The Bill is waiting Senate approval. Former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin is now on trial on three charges in the death of Floyd. The defense is planting a seed blaming Floyd for his death, citing controlled substances in his body but the expert scientists acknowledge the cause of Floyd’s death was Chauvin’s knee on Floyd’s neck and back that prohibited him from breathing. Let’s await the jury’s verdict. Most progressive people understand that what has happened in the past, effects what is going on in our present, so the group Coalition against Police Crimes and Repression (CAPCR) has been holding town halls to gauge public safety. Co-chair John Chasnoff said he found police do not necessarily make people feel safer, while health care, education and jobs do.

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THE RE-AWAKENING... cont.

CAPCR recently presented a two-part series looking at “modern” policing. How did it begin with industrialization? How did its myths differ from reality? How did that basis lead us to where we are today and how does that point the way forward? This series was designed for organizers and activists who need to better understand why police do what they do, in order to be more effective in pushing for change. With the passing President Joe Biden’s $1.9 trillion Covid relief plan that included up to $1,400 stimulus checks to many Americans, and billions of dollars for states and municipalities, schools, small businesses and vaccine distribution, perhaps there can be a “Rebirth of America”. Will there be a “Re-Birth of this Nation”? With national recognition of Juneteenth, and the Black National Anthem played at NFL games, discussions about struggling schools, family separation, and a lack of opportunities as a direct result of being disproportionately stopped and harassed and punished by police, who knows where this may lead? ~Bernie Hayes

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“

”

Making the simple complicated is commonplace; making the complicated simple, awesomely simple, that's creativity. -- Charles Mingus

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Volume 6.3 DECEMBER 3, 2021

SLPL

Happenings

November 30: Comic Strips: The Forefather of Graphic Novels Online Event 6:00 - t:00 PM

December 1: Craft Corner Machacek Library 12:00 - 2:00 PM

December 2: Chanukah Menorah Lighting Schlafly Library 5:30 - 6:00 PM

December 2: A Time to Heal - The Village Healing and Writing Circle Central Library 6:00 - 7:00 PM

December 4: Central Writers Group Online Event 10:00 - 11:00 AM

St. Louis Public Library | 1301 Olive Street | St. Louis, MO 63103 | 314-241-2288

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Volume 6.3 DECEMBER 3, 2021

DIGGING

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DESSA

his is a play that I enjoyed really digging into and sifting amongst the layers to find the heart of this gem of a story. In Digging

Up Dessa, 12-year-old Dessa and her mother begin a new life with Dessa’s father. A life that is shrouded in grief and heartbreak. They move. To a less than ideal area that is basically a construction site. Dessa’s mother turns to writing so-so jingles to earn a living and Dessa turns to science. And she also turns to her only friend, the ghost of an 19th century woman of science, Mary Anning. Whose only remembrance is a tongue twister, “She sells seashells by the sea shore.” This fresh play features the historical findings of a rich past of paleontology which is a boneyard of old, white men. Men who have been supported and, in many cases, propped up by women’s scientific discoveries. After an emotional outburst in the science museum, she is shackled to a boy classmate for the science fair (who is also the son of the museum director). A young man who is being pushed to live the life his father wants and give up his dreams of becoming a sound engineer. Dessa seizes

the opportunity to compete in the fair and sets out to win it and right the wrongs of all the women who have been shut out of history. A tall order for a one lonely girl. The plan is for Dessa and Nilo, at the urging and supervision of Mary Anning, to use the construction site as a place to dig for fossils. And to their disbelief, they find one. And just when the big moment that Dessa has planned, Nilo takes the selfish approach and like so many white men of science before him takes credit. Dessa is devasted. All her hard work and on top of that she must deal with what really happened when her dad died. With no science fair to fill her thoughts she only has her grief. I believe that this is the real story of the play, but it feels as if we as an audience must dig for it. It is not as obvious as the arc of the issue of girls and STEM. But this find, the story of what and who her father was, is the real gem. As her and her mother excavate the truth, we are moved by the emotion and the strength of the mother and daughter. We root for their healing and survival in such a trying time. Digging up Dessa is the first show of the 49th season of Metro Theater Company. The play written by Laura Schellhardt and directed by Julia Flood. The ensemble is perfectly cast with Alicia Reve’ Like as the mother, John Katz as Nilo, Lizi Watt as Mary Anning, and Rae Davis as Dessa. Playing at the Grandel Theater (you can attend if you follow the COVID protocols for in person performances) and streaming at metroplay.org, the show runs from October until November 7, Fridays at 7pm, Saturdays at 4pm, Sundays at 2pm, and 10 am school day performances. This is a show that you’ll be alright with hearing about kids playing in the dirt. Don’t miss it!

~Mariah L. Richardson

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Volume 6.3 DECEMBER 3, 2021

ART OF FOOD

Prep: Cook:

AllRecipes.com - Sweetface 1905

pinterest.com/Belle of the Kitchen

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Still Have Leftover Turkey? Liven it up in a creamy

Turkey Pot Pie

20 mins : 50 mins

Servings: 8

Keep celebrating and enjoying loved ones over filling meals without all of the fuss and prep time. Put those leftovers to work creating simple, after all, they've soaked up all of the seasonings from the holiday meal. This easy and delicious Pot Pie meal can be used to give new life to leftover rotissery chicken and turkey. Just add crescent rolls and a few vegetables that fit your tastes. Yield: 1 9x13-inch casserole Ingredients: •

2 (8 ounce) packages refrigerated crescent rolls

•

1 pound cooked, cubed chicken breast meat

•

1 pound chopped, cooked rotisserie chicken

•

2 tablespoons butter

•

1 (16 ounce) package frozen mixed vegetables

•

1 (15 ounce) can sliced potatoes, drained

•

1 (10.5 ounce) can condensed cream of chicken soup

•

1 (10.5 ounce) can condensed cream of mushroom soup

•

½ cup milk

•

salt and ground black pepper to taste

Directions:

Step 1 Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line the bottom of an ungreased 9x13-inch baking dish with one can of crescent roll dough, pinching the seams together. Set second can of dough aside.

Step 2 Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add chicken, frozen vegetables, and sliced potatoes. Cook, stirring frequently, until vegetables are thawed and mixture is heated through, 5 to 7 minutes.

Step 3 Meanwhile, warm both cans of condensed soup in a separate pan over medium-low heat. Slowly add milk and cook, stirring frequently, until combined and heated through, about 3 minutes.

Step 4 Add the soup mixture to the chicken mixture, then pour into the baking dish. Top with the second can of crescent roll dough; do not pinch the seams on these. Cover lightly with foil to prevent the crescent rolls from browning too quickly.

Step 5 Bake in the preheated oven until heated through and rolls are golden brown, 40 to 50 minutes. About 568 calories; protein 40.4g; carbohydrates 41.1g; fat 25.7g; cholesterol 102.6mg; sodium 1185.7mg.

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Volume 6.3 DECEMBER 3, 2021

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Volume 6.3 DECEMBER 3, 2021

ART OF HEALING Your Ad or Article could be here!

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Volume 6.3 DECEMBER 3, 2021

DID YOU KNOW??

November is National Diabetes

Awareness Month pg.

116

Diabetes Mellitus: Refers to a group of diseases that affect how your body uses blood sugar (glucose). Our bodies

use this glucose as energy for cells that make up muscles and tissues. It also serves as our brain's main source of fuel. When the body is unable to correctly convert sugars (glucose) to fuel, this condition is called Diabetes Mellitus which there are various types.

Chronic diabetes includes Type 1 and Type 2. Pre-diabetes and gestational diabetes are diabetes conditions that could potentially be reversed.

Diabetes Mellitus Symptoms are:

•Frequent Urination, especially at night •Feeling very thirsty •Loss of weight without trying •Change in bowel habits •Feeling very hungry •Blurry vision •Numb or tingling hands or feet •Very dry skin •Sores that heal slowly •Experiencing more infections than usual. •Nausea, vomiting or stomach pains (Type 1) •High glucose levels found during 24 and 28 weeks of pregnancy (Gestational Diabetes)

If you experience any of these symptoms, please see your primary care physician for testing and a plan to control your symptoms.

Prediabetes - Occurs when blood sugar levels are higher than normal, but not high enough to be classified as diabetes. Prediabetes can be the precursor to diabetes unless appropriate measures are taken to prevent progression. Gestational Diabetes - Occurs during pregnancy, but may resolve after the baby is delivered. Type 1 Diabetes - Juvenile Diabetes or Insulin-Dependent Diabetes, is a chronic condition where the pancreas produces little or no insulin. Genetics and some viruses may contribute to Type 1 diabetes. This form usually appears during childhood, adolescents, or young adults. Type 2 Diabetes - Adult Onset Diabetes is another chronic condition that is characterized by high blood sugar, insulin resistance, and relative lack of insulin. Lowering blood sugar (A1C Levels) can help control Type 2 Diabetes. This can be done with changes to your diet, increasing exercise, and limiting sugar intake.

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Volume 6.3 DECEMBER 3, 2021

Mother Wit by Malaika B. Horne

Yes! Please send me Mother Wit by Malaika B. Horne $16.00 • ISBN: 978-1-4809-4550-0

Ship ___ at $16.00/book $ SUBTOTAL $ ** Shipping and Handling $ TOTAL DUE $

* Please add $3.99 shipping & handling for the first book ordered and $1.00 for each additional book. Shipping is USPS First Class.

Order from your bookseller or direct from:

DORRANCE PUBLISHING CO BOOK ORDER DEPARTMENT 585 Alpha Drive, Suite 103 Pittsburgh, PA 15238 ! Please add me to your mailing list. To order call

1-800-788-7654

or visit our website at

www.dorrancebookstore.com or cut along dotted line and mail to address listed above along with credit card information or check or money order.

Visa [ ] MC [ ] AmEx [ ] Disc. [ ] Signature

Yes! Please send me Mother Wit by Malaika B. Horne $16.00 • ISBN: 978-1-4809-4550-0

Ship ___ at $16.00/book $ SUBTOTAL $ ** Shipping and Handling $ TOTAL DUE $

* Please add $3.99 shipping & handling for the first book ordered and $1.00 for each additional book. Shipping is USPS First Class.

Order from your bookseller or direct from:

DORRANCE PUBLISHING CO BOOK ORDER DEPARTMENT 585 Alpha Drive, Suite 103 Pittsburgh, PA 15238 ! Please add me to your mailing list. To order call

1-800-788-7654

or visit our website at

www.dorrancebookstore.com or cut along dotted line and mail to address listed above along with credit card information or check or money order.

Visa [ ] MC [ ] AmEx [ ] Disc. [ ] Signature

NAME: ADDRESS: CITY: PHONE: EMAIL:

STATE:

ZIP:

Exp. Date

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NAME: ADDRESS: CITY: PHONE: EMAIL:

STATE:

Exp. Date

ZIP:

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Volume 6.3 DECEMBER 3, 2021

MENTAL ! s i s i

dur

Mental Health is just as essential to life as physical health, without them, there is no “health”. Mental Health conditions include our emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It is affected by past events, current events/stressors, and affects how we think, feel, and act. The Covid Pandemic has worsened global Mental Health. This disruption was noted by the W.H.O.’s survey to 130 countries in October of 2020.

The survey took place from June - August 2020. It was found that despite telemedicine being available in many countries, “89% of countries reported in the survey that mental health and psychosocial support is part of their national Covid-19 response plans, only 17% of these countries have full additional funding covering these activities” ("COVID-19 disrupting mental health services in most countries, WHO survey", 2020).

We are not OK! Mental Health Services were already spread thin before 2020, “As the pandemic continues, even greater demand will be placed on national and international mental health programmes that have suffered from years of chronic underfunding.” ("COVID-19 disrupting mental health services in most countries, WHO survey", 2020). Funding is not the only roadblock, there is also the stigma that is placed on the person with the mental condition and their family. The negative impact of Covid 19 on our economy, health, and mental health is of concern to many. The lockdowns, number of deaths, uncertainty, unpreparedness, mixed guidelines, unemployment, financial losses, isolation, lockdowns, and chaos are among the factors that have led to a rise in emotional distress, anxiety, and depression. It is felt by everyone, from the doctors and nurses on the front lines, to the elementary student struggling to keep up and focus on learning. Since the start of Covid 19 there is a marked increase in the number of people reporting Mental Health issues. The International Committee of the Red Cross (IRCR) released in a study on World Mental Health Day that over 51 percent of respondents surveyed across seven countries reported that the global health crisis has negatively impacted their mental health. And those that had Covid 19 are reporting long-term health and mental health issues which adds to the already skyrocketed numbers. This increase in mental health conditions has spiraled into a rise in self-medicating with substances and alcohol causing increased addictions, which leads to even higher incidents of overdoses and suicidal ideations. Mentally, the world is in a crisis! Some things we can do individually are: Pay attention to your body and patterns, note any changes in:

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L HEALTH

ring a pandemic • Amount of and/or lack of Sleep • Increase in Anxiety or feeling anxious • Increase in paranoia or fear • Increase in sadness • Increased feelings of loneliness

If you notice these feelings or issues last a few days, disrupt your everyday life and make you feel miserable, it’s time to reach out to a physician or other mental health professional to schedule an appointment. If it is after hours, utilize social media to reach out to friends/family you’re close to. If you work you can also reach out to your Employee Assistance Program (EAP). You can also contact other organizations like the Red Cross, the National Alliance on Mental Illness, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services (SAMHSA), or the Anxiety and Depression Association of America. If you’re feeling suicidal, or are thinking of hurting yourself or someone around you contact your primary care physician or mental health professional. Or seek help from the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (1-800-273-8255) or by web chat at suicidepreventionlifeline.org/chat. Improve mental well-being by: • Only focusing on things we can control • Start speaking/thinking positive affirmations • Use essential oils/scents to help your brain recall pleasant memories/thoughts • Create and maintain routines • Make Priorities • Keep busy • Exercise Regularly • Limit Screen Time • Eat Healthy • Avoid tobacco, alcohol, and drugs • Reach Out or connect with friends/family • Make time to relax/recharge ~Shontel Shelton COVID-19 disrupting mental health services in most countries, WHO survey. (2020). Retrieved 2 November 2021, from https://www.who.int/news/item/05-10-2020-covid-19-disrupting-mental-health-services-in-mostcountries-who-survey

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Volume 6.3 DECEMBER 3, 2021

Follo

Read Article Elaine Young Artist

Independent Lense

Now at Independent Lense

OBS held the St. Louis premiere screening on Decade on Fire at our African Liberation Day/Malcolm X Celebration this year. Vivian Vasquez (the Bronx) joined the post-screening discussion. The award-winning film has made its way to PBS and Independent Lens. It is a powerful piece of work.

Watch Now

Organization for Black Struggle PO Box 5277 St. Louis, MO 63115

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Volume 6.3 DECEMBER 3, 2021

Keyon Harrold December 1 – December 5 Jazz St. Louis 3536 Washington Ave, St. Louis

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Volume 6.3 DECEMBER 3, 2021

orking with therapeutic foster children for 10 years exposed me to the damage abuse and neglect can have on the psyche of a child. Heinous crimes against children make the

headlines and spark rage in physical and emotional courts around the world. Often, the stories that make headlines spur us to guilt when we think about the emotional scraps and scars we carry from our childhood. We bury our wounds. We ignore the hurtful words spoken in the heat of the discipline or discourse. One day, we roll over and find we are trapped in the cage of our past, unable to find release. I have found that writing, then creating a new story can change our vision of ourselves and others. There is a powerful and necessary move within the African American community, finally, encouraging those in mental or emotional distress to seek a reputable therapist. Gone are the days, hopefully, when the tribe encourages that mentally ill family member to have a drink, get laid or “go somewhere!” We are finally seeing the rising acceptance of therapy. Shannon Evette, Pastor of the virtual Sanctuary offered a session called, Therapy and Jesus. A virtual revival connecting the Faith we have in our Savior and the work we need to do to achieve emotional and mental well-being. I attended. As a child with severe headaches, I used writing to get the pain out. Eventually, I used journals to express what was locked in my soul. When I moved from Springfield, Ohio to St. Louis, met Shirley LeFlore and joined CAEL, the Creative Arts and Expressions Laboratory. It was then that my journals, full of despair, pain and confusion became playful and passionate poems. Pushed even further, CAEL gave our writing voice and drama and chorus and community. We performed that which once had caused us such anguish. I did not know I was just scratching the

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surface with this great gift of ministry. On January 2nd and 3rd, I attended the Women on Fire virtual conference and met Dorothy Wilson. She invited writers to contribute to an anthology called Live Your Faith Out Loud. I have joined 31 Christian writers telling our stories of faith and voice and how we have survived the journey. My soul and spirit connected a challenging mental and emotional experience with the hope and healing power of the Holy Spirit. The poems I shared and the narrative transformed the sorrow of the past to a new vision for the future. I never realized, because I grew up in a fully functional, happy Christian home, how much my buried sorrow had built barriers and strongholds to my success. My mountains of journals and gallons of ink are not wasted. They will produce beauty from the ashes. As I continue to explore my soul issues, brick by brick I can dismantle everything that hinders my success using my passion, poetry. As an outreach, write customized poems for grieving families, as well as for times of excitement and celebration. I am Soul X Sighted and I am Living My Faith Out Loud. Lisa Watkins Dunn, aka, Soul X Sighted has been a published poet since the 1990s. She was named Poet Laureate of the St. Louis Black Pages in 1995 and an Antioch Writers’ Workshop Scholarship Recipient. For the past five years, the National Council of Negro Women, Clark County, Springfield, Ohio section has commissioned her to write a poem, giving her creative voice to the Mary McCleod Bethune history. She’s performed at Clark State College, in ministry at St. John Missionary Baptist Church and for Dr. PK’s XTreamFX Midnight Prayer Call. You can order the Live Our Faith Out Loud book using this link: https://tinyurl.com/xyne3kp3

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OPPORTUNITIES

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CAREERS

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Arts Today Ezine Vol 6.3

Articles inside

FAITH INSPIRATION... | LISA DUNN

DIGGING UP DESSA | MARIAH L. RICHARDSON

ART OF BEAUTY | SELF-CARE ISN'T JUST FOR

THE RE-AWAKENING | BERNIE HAYES

ART OF HEALING | NATIONAL DIABETES