Arts vol 1 6 by Arts Today Ezine

Vol. 1.6 1.2 July Spring 24,2014 2014

Your Source for Art Appreciation.

s m a i l l i TL W ser&

a h C m r A the Sto R T S E ORCH pg.#14 Dr. Tracy

The Art of Self Lovepg. # 6

The Violinist Gaslight Theater pg. #10

Eugene R. Mari Evans pg.#24

Do you know a teacher who promotes the love of learning? Someone who is exciting, engaging and effective in the classroom? Maybe you are a student or parent or even a peer who knows a teacher who always go the extra mile to make learning meaningful, interesting and enjoyable. If so, nominate that teacher for a chance to win $1,000 through MindSpark Partner’s Exceptional Educator contest. MindSpark is an online parent/teacher exchange of educational resources that assist in preparing students for the workplace. When a teacher is nominated they will receive an invitation to submit their exceptional and original teaching resources to MindSpark Partner. The winning teacher will win $1,000. And, the person who nominated them will win $100! Help us recognize Exceptional Educators. It is simple to nominate!

Just visit our site at http://contest.mindsparkpartners.com/contest

Established 2014 Volume 1.6 St. Louis, MO www.the-arts-today.com/ Layout/Design www.bdesignme.com

IN THIS ISSUE: Featured:

Poet

Eugene R. - “Mari Evans ”

pg. 24

Musician

TL Williams & Storm Chasers

pg. 14

Cartoonist

John Jennings

pg. 36

In The News - Freeman Bosley........................pg. 4 Featured Article - The Art of Self Love..............pg. 6 The Violinist..................................................... pg. 10 Live,Work, Play ................................................pg. 20

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Volume 1.6 July 24, 2014

In The News Regional Opposition Growing to Upcoming State Sales Tax BY FREEMAN BOSLEY

There is a sales tax rolling your way this August that may be slowing down to a creep. Early this year the Missouri House and Senate passed a joint resolution HJR 68 which amends the constitution allowing for a 3/4 cents increase in the sales and use tax in our State. What’s interesting about this tax is that it’s for transportation projects. This sends up a red flag to the community because if the state is looking for money for transportation projects it should be raising the gasoline tax not the tax on food and other daily items that are needed by the everyday person. In this day and age everyone knows that the user pays. If you use your ATM card there is a fee. If you call information there is a fee. If you download a song there is a fee. People understand this concept. So it follows that if you want to tax people to build roads, streets and bridges you tax the people that use them. That’s the people that drive the cars, trains, trucks and buses because they are the ones using the system. The best way to get to these people is at the pump. You make them pay a little more for the gasoline they buy so they can help maintain the transportation system that they use. Instead they want to fund this tax on the backs of poor people and the elderly on fixed income. This region is already experiencing some serious transportation issues. The transportation workers who drive the buses and Metro Link trains can’t get a raise or decent pension. The union has been fighting with Metro management over this issue for the last several years. As if that wasn’t enough the people who ride public transportation can’t get a break. Metro announced several months ago that it’s going up on its fares. An elderly lady was on television last week talking about she could barely afford to use public transportation and now they want to go up on the fare to ride the bus. The State sales tax is a bad idea. It’s being promoted as proposition 7 but that’s an unlucky number for us. If you vote for this proposition you will be throwing craps. Statistics have shown that sales taxes are regressive and negatively impact the poor and elderly in greater numbers than the rest of us. The people pushing this tax tell you that there are commitments made to the St Louis region and that if it passes the State will provide funding for transportation issues in St Louis other than bridges and highways. Don’t believe this propaganda. If the State was serious about its commitment to the St. Louis region then the projects and the money to be spent on them would be spelled out in the resolution authorizing the tax to be placed on the ballot but it’s not. The State and your elected officials forget that over 40% of the revenue in the state comes from the St. Louis region. When we had stronger elected officials there was unity and clout. When we passed a tax the specific provisions were spelled out. When the state wanted more money for transportation they pg.

Your Source for Art Appreciation

couldn’t get past strong elected officials like Paula Carter, Jet Banks and Charles Quincy Troupe. They forced the State to pick up the responsibility of paving and maintaining streets like MLK, Natural Bridge, and Page. It’s because of them that the state paved highway 70 which hadn’t been maintained in 20 years. We still enjoy today the work that these leaders did. If the government wanted this tax passed they should make specific commitments in the language on the ballot. This tax uses vague and general terms subject to interpretation. But there is one thing perfectly clear and that is the Highway Transportation Commission has the sole discretion as to how this money is spent. This proposition is coming up on the ballot in August and it’s going to have a major impact on our community if allowed to pass. I know that the only time you want to get to the polls and vote is when Obama is running. But Washington DC is 1000 miles away and politics is local. For the first time in recent memory the region appears to be united in defeating this tax. For those of you that need white people to tell you what to do the Post-Dispatch are against the tax. For those of you that have to hear it from somebody Black the St. Louis American is against it. Normally it’s the week before the election that people start taking positions on issues like this but the opposition against this tax is mounting. The city’s election board is predicting a 20% voter turnout. That’s too low the people who are pushing this tax are counting on a low voter turnout.

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Be wary of anyone trying to get you to vote for this tax because they don’t mean you any good. You’re too near me not to hear me.

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.

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Volume 1.6 July 24, 2014

Artof Self-Love:

The

Re-Creating Authentic Impressions and Expressions -

By Dr. Tracey McCarthy, Psy.D., DCFC, J.D., M.A.

“There is nothing more truly artistic than to love….” - Vincent van Gogh

Love, that oft-mysterious and elusive feeling and expression is, perhaps, one of the most talked about, sung about, written about, and fantasized about notions, the world over. Because of the spiritual and psychological centrality of love to the human experience, love tends to be an underlying theme in the various creative arts. Many believe, in fact, that love is necessary to the very initiation, propagation, and progression of life itself. It is no surprise, then, that love is considered, by some, to be the utmost powerful and creative force in existence.

in the throes of divine experiences of love, people report beatific states of bliss, peace, joy, perfection, and harmony with the self and all that might be considered not self. It is, thus, no wonder that in our human dealings we are, likely, to pursue similar elated states with significant human others. Through our tangible human demonstrations of love, we appear in search of the intangible and sublime. However, many of our day-to-day attempts at love with self and others tend to fall short of the exquisite encounters many so deeply and intuitively desire.

While love is experienced as an internal, emotional, feeling state, it is most well-known by behavioral manifestation, by concrete action directed towards the self and others. As humans, we know, understand, and viscerally feel love by its performance, through its presentation to the senses. We, hence, tend to experience and exemplify love - this emanation of positive energy - through our ears, our eyes, and our express physical actions, connections, and exchanges.

In the womb, we are introduced to human love. Both parents transmit to growing organisms, in utero, the parental sense of love for the parental self, for the developing life, for the coparent, and for the human family. Parental transmission of the love construct continues throughout gestation and the remainder of life. The parental communication of the love construct is accomplished through both action and inaction and serves as the first human lesson of life. Although we are taught how to “love” self and others, we can only love others to the extent that we, actually, love ourselves. The degree of our self-love, also, signals to others our thoughts about how we believe we should be treated.

Neo-Freudian psychologist Erich Fromm postulated that beyond a mere feeling, love is a human creative endeavor and capacity. Fromm viewed love as rooted in knowledge, care, respect, and responsibility. Love, he believed, was a conscious commitment to a sequence of loving behaviors over time. Fromm’s pragmatic social psychological view of love moves humanity away from an ordinary starry-eyed focus on romance and Eros and prods us closer to conceptions of love divine. When contemplating divine love, our thoughts tend to reflect on transcendent encounters which are deeper and more compelling than any human or earthly interactions we have known. When

Through parental teachings, we internalize incalculable lessons about the self and the world, both positive and negative. As children, we tend to define whatever our parents or caregivers do as love, even if such flies in the face of true love. Parental displays impart messages regarding our human worth, even when such impartations are dangerously erroneous. These parental love mishaps occur because parental love is, frequently, grounded in hand-me-down intergenerational ideas of love that pg.

are unreflectingly taught to, and embraced by, parents. If one’s infancy and childhood are marked by consistent expressions of caregiver affection, positive attention, boundaries, benevolence, trust, tender care, devotion, patience, appreciation, honest engagement, dependability, and authentic acceptance, one is inclined to receive these expressions as true love and one is disposed to replicate these exhibitions in adult relationships with the self, family, friends, and romantic partners. Conversely, if an infant or child lives on a frequent diet of abuse, absence of parental or caregiver affection, negative attention, rigid or nonexistent boundaries, malevolence, distrust, insensitivity, inattention, neglect, disdain, apathy, impatience, chronic disapproval, deceitful engagement, unreliability, rejection, or unrelenting criticism, a child is apt to accept these expressions as true love and is, also, vulnerable to imitating such patterns in adulthood. Clearly, not all who are raised in healthy love manifest such with self or others and not all who are reared in deep suffering live in chronic internal or relational misery. Some who are nurtured in seemingly healthy love contexts may demonstrate very unhealthy relating and many who are deprived of authentic love, amazingly, rise above the pain of toxic care to profoundly love themselves and others. Regardless of the toxicity experienced, they seem hardwired to authentically give and receive love, by default, and to empathically negotiate the world. The development of healthy self-love is one of our greatest human challenges and triumphs. So, how can one learn to engage in authentic self-love when one has been long-taught otherwise? A first step involves understanding the inherent falsity of hurtful childhood love constructs. Many things we accept as love are not and are, simply, false constructions masquerading as such. Therefore, deceptive and distorted mental schemas of love must be uprooted by Cognitive Correction and replaced with mental images and realities of love built upon deep care, acceptance, loyalty, benevolence, affection, regard, tenderness, and mercy, for the self and others. Cognitive Correction is helped by honest Reflective Examination of one’s past and one’s present, of one’s personal history and the histories of those who served as “teachers” of false love constructs. One must admit to self that if one was a child of an alcoholic parent, a drug addicted parent, a chronically depressed parent, a severely impoverished parent, a narcissistic parent, an emotionally vacuous parent, a deeply wounded parent, a profoundly unfulfilled parent, a maltreated parent, a neglected parent, or a traumatically divorced or widowed parent, one was, perhaps, not in receipt of a consistent supply of nurturance that would support healthy love of self and others. After reflective self and other examination, one should delve into a deep space of Imaginative Empathy regarding the lovechallenged parent or caregiver. Imagine living the life of the lovechallenged parent. When one, figuratively, puts oneself in the position of a person who is addicted, depressed, severely impoverished, emotionally catatonic, abused, rejected, selfloathing, fearfully self-obsessed, or chronically unfulfilled, one is better able to imagine what such a person would have to offer in terms of true love. Copyright © 2014 - All rights reserved.

For this, one should create a journal log of what one envisions regarding the parent’s challenged life. For instance, what would a self-loathing life look and feel like? In the exercise of Imaginative Empathy, one will realize that many parents were, simply, unable to receive true love or consistently express such to themselves or to anyone else. Any toxic care that a lovechallenged parent gives has nothing to do with what a child is entitled or with what a child needs to blossom. This empathic process does not absolve the parent of responsibility for harm; it helps to create a reality check whereby the one harmed can cease demanding a healthy love expression from one who will, perhaps, never be able to give such. This exercise helps to free both the one who harmed and the one who was harmed from emotional tug of war, from psychological blackmail, and from further developmental stagnation. It functions as a tool for moving beyond denial and towards a journey of simple acceptance and self-empowerment. The next step involves a Love Distortion Reflection where one, specifically, identifies each distorted love lesson learned. Was one taught that they were expendable, unlovable, contemptible, deserving of abuse or neglect, unworthy, or burdensome? What were the lessons and how were the lessons taught – through action, inaction, or a combination? It is helpful to write down not only the “love” lessons, but the methods by which the lessons were conveyed. Following a basic look at the distorted teachings, explore the consequences of the lessons. This involves making a written inventory of the impact of the lessons. How deeply did one internalize the emotional toxins? Sometimes, this reflection can be accomplished by exploring one’s adult feeling states. Does one feel chronically unworthy, depressed, unlovable, or burdensome? Is one overly self-critical or highly dependent on the acceptance of others for a sense of self-worth? Does one need to see others fail in order to feel good about the self? Does one ruminate over potential rejection? Does one have difficulty feeling empathy towards others? Does one feel empty inside? Does one feel inadequate or lacking in self confidence in multiple life areas? Does one feel wrought with fears of abandonment? Does one have no sense of life purpose or reason for being? Does one have chronic bouts of anger or rage? One can, also, explore behavioral and social patterns to better understand the possible impact of harmful lessons. Does one fail to adequately provide for one’s own self care and optimal health? Does one engage in self harm? Does one evidence difficulty with setting and accomplishing life goals and realizing one’s potential? Does one engage in repeated acts of deception in relating to others? Is one stuck in infantile patterns of associating with parents or significant others? Does one employ a pattern of superficial charm to attract others? Does one claim victimization when confronted about one’s hurtful behaviors? Does one, repeatedly, enter into platonic, work, or romantic relations where one is perpetually manipulated or manipulative? Does one, chronically, enter into relations where there are win/lose power imbalances? Does one displace emotions from one person to another? Does one enter into relations where one is perpetually abused or neglected or, contrarily, abusive or neglectful? Does one have difficulty with removing oneself from victimizing situations? Does one struggle with chronic selfishness? Does Volume 1.6 July 24, 2014 www.the-arts-today.com

one have difficulty with holding victimizers accountable for harm, whether a victimizer is the self or other? Does one have chronic problems with self-responsibility or self-accountability? Does one have difficulty deeply connecting with one’s child/ren? Does one require the use of mind or mood altering substances to function from day to day? Does one have a depleted store of emotions or an inability to freely express the wide range of human feelings?

(This question is essential, regardless of the Goal.) Since selfbenevolence involves treating oneself with kindness, mercy, and goodness, this Love Goal would include engaging in repeated and measurable acts of daily self-kindness and self-mercy.

After practicing an art such as self-benevolence for 90 days, add another 90-day Love Goal, such as self-acceptance. When practicing a Love Goal, it is suggested that you partner with Whatever the answers, write them down. By plainly, and a trustworthy person as an accountability companion. Let this concisely, giving written voice to distorted love foundations, trustworthy person know the nature of the original toxic “love” processes, and outgrowths, one is able to see any painful lesson, the teacher of the original lesson, the personal and social love dynamics and visualize areas of potential healing and consequences of the original lesson, and your plan for relearning remediation. This may be, particularly, helpful for those who have - including the specifics of your Love Goal. Create a simple plan a propensity for visual-spatial or visual-motor processing, which is for, succinctly, keeping your companion apprised of your Love the case with many males and visual artists. Goal progress once each month. This can work beautifully if the trusted companions are simultaneously practicing Love Goals. The step of Reinforcement Identification will help with recognizing obviously noxious and seemingly benign present-day Above all, know that love is a life-affirming, transformative, triggers which reinforce earlier indoctrinations of abuse, neglect, performance art that has the inherent power to heal even the, unworthiness, self-loathing, dejection, or loss. Present-day presumably, unhealable. When we, authentically, love ourselves, triggers should be written down. Triggers might be certain people, we are less inclined to engage in self-destruction. We are less certain places, or specific events. If one was taught lessons of prone to view abusive relationships as viable life options. We self-degradation, demeaning movies, music, or interactions might are, also, less likely to succumb to depression and anxiety. When trigger a reinforcement of the original degradation. Because it is we truly love ourselves, we are better able to see our potential, difficult to heal in the context of perpetual injury, one must find to serve as instruments of love and inspiration for others, and to ways to avoid or substantially limit toxic reinforcements. become creative incarnations of the deeply desired sublime. Benchmark Organizational Learning and Development (BOLD), Once adverse emotional and cognitive triggers are limited or LLC., Fort Lauderdale, Fla. drtraceymccarthy@live.com eradicated, one can begin the process of identifying potential healing balms. If you were to treat yourself benevolently, what nevolence involves treating oneself with kindness, mercy, and would that look like? If you were to prioritize your health and goodness, this Love Goal would include engaging in repeated live in optimal wellness, what would that look like? If you were and measurable acts of daily self-kindness and self-mercy. to refuse to be abused, what would that look like? If you were After practicing an art such as self-benevolence for 90 days, to assume self-accountability for your life, what would that look add another 90-day Love Goal, such as self-acceptance. When like? If you were to deeply feel love and empathy for another, practicing a Love Goal, it is suggested that you partner with what would that look like? If you were to accept your authentic a trustworthy person as an accountability companion. Let this self, without fear of rejection, what would that look like? If you trustworthy person know the nature of the original toxic “love” were to refuse to be manipulated or to manipulate, what would lesson, the teacher of the original lesson, the personal and social that look like? If you were to refuse to be depressed, what would consequences of the original lesson, and your plan for relearning that look like? If you were to treat yourself as lovable, what would - including the specifics of your Love Goal. Create a simple plan that look like? If you were to find healthy alternatives to raging for, succinctly, keeping your companion apprised of your Love expressions, what would that look like? If you were to refuse Goal progress once each month. This can work beautifully if the to depend on substances for your happiness, what would that trusted companions are simultaneously practicing Love Goals. look like? If you were to set and accomplish small and large life Above all, know that love is a life-affirming, transformative, goals, what would that look like? If you were to deal with others performance art that has the inherent power to heal even the, openly, honestly, and directly, what would that look like? If you presumably, unhealable. When we, authentically, love ourselves, were to engage fellow humans as direct extensions of yourself, we are less inclined to engage in self-destruction. We are less what would that look like? If you were able to cultivate mutually prone to view abusive relationships as viable life options. We meaningful, sincere, and connected relationships with two other are, also, less likely to succumb to depression and anxiety. When human beings, what would that look like? we truly love ourselves, we are better able to see our potential, to serve as instruments of love and inspiration for others, and to These types of self-love questions can be converted into Love become creative incarnations of the deeply desired sublime. Goals. Practicing and perfecting the art of self-love does not have to be hard. The final task is to identify a relatively easy Benchmark Organizational Learning and Development Love Goal to practice, each day, for 90 days. Each morning, (BOLD), LLC., Fort Lauderdale, Fla. drtraceymccarthy@live.com commit to doing two concrete and measurable actions in direct furtherance of the Love Goal. Write the Love Goal to be practiced on a piece of paper to carry with you each day or send it to yourself electronically (via text or email). Post the Love Goal, conspicuously, in your home or other appropriate space. An example of an initial Love Goal might be self-benevolence. In this instance, one would need to, first, consider what it means to be self-benevolent. What does it look like in concrete action? pg.

Featured CARTOONIST, ILLUSTRATOR, FILMOGRAPHER NEEDED!

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Volume 1.6 July 24, 2014

Violinist

The

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Within every child is the capacity to do something extraordinary.â&#x20AC;?

pg.

August 8th and 9th at 7:30 pm August 10th at 2:00 pm Gaslight Theater, Central West End 368 Boyle St., St. Louis www.thevioliniststl.org

By popular demand, The Violinist returns to St. Louis.

This time, with a whole new plot, new music, new cast. The story of Thomas, a thirteen-year-old boy with autism, takes audiences on a thrill ride of deception and murder, as a young boy must overcome all the odds to bring down the dangerous villains pursuing him.

Led by award-winning director, Kirsten Wylder, The Violinist combines inspiration, humor, danger and intrigue to shine new light on the face of autism. “I wanted to give these children, these families a voice,” said playwright Susan Berardi, mother of a fifteen-year-old son with autism. “Too often we look through them. But they have so much to offer, so many contributions to make.” One hundred percent of proceeds go directly to local charity, Action for Autism (AFA). Founded in 2008, AFA is dedicated to helping St. Louis families with children on the autism spectrum to better attain resources and reach their full potential. All money stays within a 250-mile radius of the metro St. Louis area. Says AFA Board President, Glenn Norton, “No one has ever done anything like it. The acting is superb. The story is the best you’ll see.” One in 88 children born today is diagnosed with autism. Berardi’s purpose was to raise awareness in a fun and entertaining way. “I’ve learned so much being part of this experience,” actor Mollie Amburgey offered. “I don’t know much about autism, but this show has opened my eyes and inspired me.” Director Kirsten Wylder agreed, “We’re all part of this because we believe in it and we want to make a difference.” Accompanied by a live string quartet, with original music written by local composer Robert Miller and award-winning L.A. composer Bryan Arata (Family Guy, Spiderman 3, Live Free or Die Hard), audiences will fall in love with the characters and the message: “Within every child is the capacity to do something extraordinary.” Tickets can be purchased online at www.thevioliniststl.org.

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Volume 1.6 July 24, 2014

e r a u q S n w o VerbQuake @ Crown Square r C @ e k a u rbQ

d in l e h e b l l ps wi m a c l l A VerbQuake is offering two one-day Saturday summer camps and a weeklong camp July 28th-Aug 2nd. 1 Allstcamps will be held in Old hnique . g u A tec h e t c 8 n 2 a y North at UrbArts. Teens will strengthen their writing using poetry and public speaking using spoken word performance techniques. Visit m l r u fo pJ caminformation. d perwith r g o n it h a w o w l k n UrbArts.org to pre-register for the camps today. Email info@urbarts.org for more Each camp concludes a poetry slam s e e e k e d o w u l p g s writing a book ona7/19. d a guest poet Te’ V.inSmith onc at cVerbQuake indiscuss swill anSpecial p u s m p g where the winner will be presented with a cash prize. m c k a h c a c er Ea spe /19. V m 7 c . i l m n n b u o o s u ti k p a y o m Crown Square is Word Missouri Arts Council, urdapossible by supportpfrom y and of Ideas—Incarnate atmade inforFoundation, g a boRegional Coun rMarketplace S t n e e ti y r i o a o r d w m g e s r n on Commission, Old North St. usiRestoration Group, &arUrbArts. discus org fo i Arts ngLouis . l r s l ti i i t u r ng two Arts o w s w s b h i r r t i i u on , M in f o @ ’ V. Sm ti hen the l e a t i T g d a t n n m e e u E r o o t p F s Camps will today. l guest& Times carnate Word s a i p c m e a p c S n call I314-621-3551) r the prize.(pre-register at UrbArts.org aors— h e s d I a c f o gister fo a e ith day (10 am—4 pm;a5pm wWhole placslam) t d e e t k r n July 28th– Aug 2nd: Weeklong (9 am—12 pm; Aug 2nd poetry slam @ 3pm) Saturday July 19th: poetry e s M e r p m e o r b . f l s l i t r & art-inc workshops& UrbArt  Writing, performance, revision & art-inc workshops w upporevision s  Writing, performance, y b e up, l o b r i s G s n o o p ti ra refreshments provided s Snacks and refreshments provided eprovided. made  No lunch provided. estoand m  No lunch Snacks i R T s i u & o L s p St. 51) 5 m h 3 t a r 2nd p 1 o C 2 g N 6 u A 4  Poetry slam starts at 3:00 Aug 2nd featuring camp participants 1 ; Old  Poetry slam starts at 5:00 featuring camp participants 3 m l r cal 12 p

am— s.org o 9 t ( r g A n b r o l U k er at istpoetry st: Wee(10 am—2 pm; 3pm poetry-islam) rkshops 1 o g w -reg5pm u c Saturday July 19th: Half-day (1:30 pm—4 slam) Saturday Aug 2nd: Half-day, accelerated A n (prepm; – n & art o i July 28th s i v e r ,  Performance & revision workshops & art-inc anceworkshops )  Writing, performance,, prevision, provi rm o m s f t a r l n s e e y r m t g h Writin Snack and refreshments provided d refres 5:00 poe  Snack and refreshments provided n  No lunch provided. ;  a m s p k c 4 a ded. Sn 10 am— i ( v o y r ring cam a p u d t h a e c l e n f o s u h l d p Aug 2n orksho  No 19th: W w 0 c 0 : n i 3 t t r a starts ision & a m v a e l r s d , y e e r c d t i n ts prov m—2  Poe a n erforma e 0 1 m ( h s d e celerate and refr c s a k , c y s a t a n n d S . articipa d: Halforksh p n w 2 provided p c g n m i u a A t c r turday aturing on, & a a i e s S f i v 0 e 0 r : 5 , ts at slam) rmance o y f r r t e e nts pro p e lam star o , p m g 0 h n s 0 ti : i e r r 5  W 4 pm; UrbArts.org|info@UrbArts.org|314-621-3551 and ref —info: k c m For more a p n S 0 . 3 : parti provided p f-day (1 l h a m c a H n c : u g l h t  No uly 19 featurin 0 0 s : p 3 o t h a s starts n work o i m s a i l v s e y r r t  Poe mance & d e ts provid n e m h s ticipants e r r f a e p r p d n m a ring ca u t a e f 0 0 rts at 5: a t s m a l ry s

6 4 1 3 | g r o . s t r A rb

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Word Wins 3rd Annual

rth n Old No t Ures. Visi lam poetry s ke at a u Q b r e V nal o i g e R , l nci

VerbQuake Championship,

SAINT LOUIS, Mo. -- April 19, 2014 -- Kirkwood High School’s poetry slam team – K-Word – wins third annual VerbQuake Grand Slam and Hazelwood West student Truth B Told captures individual championship. Poems critiquing government inaction on immigration policy to the sexual objectification of women were seared into the consciousness of over 100 audience members in the 90 minute competition. Fifteen youth poets representing five high schools in the St. Louis region competed for top honors of VerbQuake champion at the Missouri History Museum.

In the team competition, K-Word earned 115.6 points out of 120 points beating Hazelwood West Slam Cats with 106.5 and Cardinal Ritter College Preparatory with 91.1. The fourth place Cleveland Naval Junior ROTC did not compete. The Kirkwood team -- comprised of Anna, Peter, Maggie, Euphone’ and Elise – infused their poems with social commentary that challenged m) two group poems. Spoken word poet Freeman Word coached K-Word in its first year in the competition. and engaged, 3poffering @ m a l s poetryKirkwood teacher Mr. Dominic Pioter sponsored the team.

ided

Indie VerbQuake champion Truth B Told scored 29.4 out of 30 possible points, edging out her Slam Cats teammate Faith who earned 28.8. The individual competition featured representatives from K-Word and Slam Cats as well as Gateway STEM and Central Visual and Performing Arts. Poetic Slang coached Truth B Told. Hazelwood West teacher Mr. Chris Holmes sponsored Slam Cats.

VerbQuake is a poetry slam competition, critical literacy, and performing arts program for high school teens throughout the St. Louis nts UrbArts administers the program and high schools are free to participate. In 2014, VerbQuake coaches facilitated ticiparegion. parworkshops at 16 high schools and had 14 registered to compete in the spring tournament. The top four teams and 7 individual poets advanced to the grand slam.

pm;

hops

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m The VerbQuake committee is considering hosting the Spring Tournament in Old North St. Louis in the Crown Square try slaplanning e o p 0 0 : 3section of the neighborhood. The location of the Grand Slam is to be determined. The next VerbQuake competition will be in July 2014 as a part of the VerbQuake Poetry Slam Camp at Crown Square, funded in part by the Marketplace of Ideas grant made available through the Incarnate Word Foundation.

ovided

ticipants

Truth B Told Wins Indie Award!

1 5 5 3 1 2 6

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Volume 1.6 July 24, 2014

HEALTH ■ MIND ■ BODY ■ SPIRIT ■ CULTURE ■ BONDING

Girls Holla Back!

St. Louis’ Award Winning Intergenerational Approach to HIV/AIDS Prevention Program for African American Females In an effort to reduce new cases of HIV/AIDS and drug use among African American females in St. Louis, the Missouri Institute of Mental Health (MIMH) developed a FREE series of prevention workshops complemented with fun-filled communications activities for girls ages 12-17 and one of their adult female family members.

**Orientation & Health Fair:** **August 2nd from 10:30am - 3pm** Workshop Dates: August 6, 7, 13, 14, 20, 21, 27, 28

September 3, 4, 10, 11, 17, 18, 24, 25 Workshop Times: 5:30 - 8:30pm (all sessions)

Location:

New Northside Conference Center 5939 Goodfellow Blvd. St. Louis, MO 63147 *To determine the effectiveness of the program, participants will be asked to complete one survey before the program starts; one on the last day; and one 3-months after the program has ended. *Sponsored by the Missouri Institute of Mental Health through funds from the Department of Health and Human Services, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Center for Substance Abuse Prevention

Girls Holla Back! Registration Mailing Form August-September 2014 (Please Print Clearly)

Date:____________________

Name of Female Youth:_______________________________________________________ Age:_____________

Name of Female Parent (Guardian):_______________________________________________________________

Address: ___________________________________ City:________________ State:_______ Zip:______________

Phone:(_______)___________________________Email:______________________________________________ How do you prefer to receive program information? [ ] Mail or [ ] E-mail *How did you hear about Girls Holla Back? [ ] Radio (Station?______________) [ ] Bus/Billboard [ ] E-Blast [ ] Website [ ] Facebook [ ] Twitter [ ] Friend/Former Participant [ ] Other (_______________________) Mail To: Girls Holla Back!, c/o MIMH, 4633 World Parkway Circle, St. Louis, MO 63134 or fax to (314) 516-8405. For more information, contact us at (314) 516-8487 or girlshollaback@mimh.edu.

**You may also register online by visiting www.GirlsHollaBack.org**

ENGAGE EMPOWER EDUCATE FACT: College is possible through the UMSL Bridge Program The award winning UMSL Bridge Program continues to provide unique and comprehensive college preparation services to students and families in the St. Louis community. Come and be a part of the 100% college attending track record of participating high school students transitioning to college successfully through the UMSL Bridge Program! Saturday Academy Participation Requirements Must be in grades 9th - 12th

SATURDAY ACADEMY Class Dates: 1st and 2nd Saturday of the month from October through March Class Time: 8:00 am - 12:00 pm

Cumulative GPA of 2.5 or higher Enrolled in or have completed Algebra Enrolled in a St. Louis metropolitan area high school

APPLICATION DEADLINE August 29, 2014

To apply visit our website: http://www.umsl.edu/precollegiate For additional information please contact us: Main Office Phone: (314) 516-5196 Email: precollegiate@umsl.edu Copyright ÂŠ 2014 - All rights reserved.

www.the-arts-today.com

Volume 1.6 July 24, 2014

WAT Gettin’ Mo

Storm Chaser ORCHESTRA feat.

The

pg.

Featured

Musician

Submission

TL Williams will be the entertainment at the

Infinite Scholars Program

Award Reception to be held Friday, September 5, 2014.

Location: Brookes Bible College 10257 St. Charles Rock Road St. Ann, MO 63074

TCH Money

Debu t Life I Album: n You r Mi Ava ilab d 20â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s le

Time:

7:00p.m. to 10:00p.m.

Attire:

After Five

Cost:

$25 dollars

Tickets can be purchase at Brookes Bible College, and Infinite Scholars Program Office 314.499.6997

NOW

For more information contact AnQor Media Group @ 312.884.1569 or info@anqormediagroup.com -T. L. Williams www.whoistlwilliams.com Debut Album: Life In Your Mid 20's available Now! Facebook.com/tlwilliamsmusic @T_L_Williams thetlwilliamschannel @tlwilliamsofficial

www.whoistlwilliams.com

Brookes Bible College

Outback Steak House

Radio - One

www.the-arts-today.com

Volume 1.6 July 24, 2014

pg.

www.the-arts-today.com

Volume 1.6 July 24, 2014

LIVE WORK PLAY

SUN

CLICK HERE to Watch

HERE IS ST LOUIS II 6.

Nate K. Johnson ABR,CRS,GRI Broker/Owner Real Estate Solutions nate@livingstl.com www.livingstl.com

13.

20.

I hope that you are doing well. It has been said that August rushes by like a dessert rainfall. I believe that the same thing can be said about July- it’s gone already. Well, there are still a few days left in July, and plenty of things to do in St. Louis to enjoy them. I’ve got a few suggestions for you, as well as some great ways to kick off August! I hope to see you there!

continued pg 22.

pg.

27.

St. Louis Craft Beer Week

CALENDAR OF EVENTS MON

TUES 1.

WEDS 2.

THUR 3.

10.

14.

15.

21.

22.

16.

23.

17.

24.

July FRI 4.

SAT 5.

11.

12.

18.

19.

25.

26.

Food, Glorious Food! SOHA Studio-Cbabi: Do You! St. Louis Craft Beer Week

28.

29.

St. Louis Craft Beer Week

23rd Annual St. Louis Tap Festival

30.

31.

23rd Annual St. Louis Tap Festival

23rd Annual St. Louis Tap 23rd Annual St. Louis Tap Festival Festival 2nd Annual St. Louis InterFeast in the Park national Film Fest.

St. Louis Craft Beer Week

Art in Motion

St. Louis Craft Beer Week

2nd Annual St. Louis International Film Fest.

www.the-arts-today.com www.the-today.com

Volume 1.6 July 24, 2014

LIVE WORK PLAY

FEAST IN THE PARK

If you are looking for something to do this weekend, you might consider heading to a couple of block parties. On Friday, the 25th of July, check out Live in the Alley: A Creative Block Party , which is an event sponsored by TOKY, that promises music food and fun in Midtown! On Saturday you can head downtown for the visual and culinary experience of Art St. Louis’ opening block party and art picnic: Food, Glorious Food! Afterwards, come over to the SOHA Studio to check out Cbabi: Do You! , which is the latest work by Cbabi Bayoc. Saturday is also the kickoff of St. Louis Craft Beer Week! This is your chance to see what’s on tap while talking to brewers and other beer enthusiasts at a variety of venues all week long! Special release beers, and food pairings will be just a part of the week-long celebration.

Come and see a different type of tap aficionado perform, educate, promote and celebrate tap dancing at the 23rd Annual St. Louis Tap Festival, which kicks off on Monday, July 28th, and runs through the weekend. On Wednesday night, the St. Louis Science Center will be the place to see dinosaurs and enjoy live music, food & drinks at Art in Motion. On Friday, August 1st, you can Feast in the Park with delicious fare from over a dozen culinary entrepreneurs, enjoy live music and tour Laumeier Sculpture Park! Also on Friday, the 2nd Annual St. Louis International Children’s Film Festival kicks off 10 days of

feature films, shorts, animation and more for kids and adults of all ages! On Sunday, in preparation of football season, you might find me enjoying a few local brews at the Schurcipefones Festival, the closing event of St. Louis Craft Beer Week! I can’t pronounce it, but I’m still looking forward to taking part in the libation and education, along with live music, food, activities for kids, and more! On Thursday August 7th, you can experience a Taste of Magic and enjoy food & drinks at the Magic House to benefit the Field Trip Scholarship Fund that helps kids in need enjoy the museum at no cost. Also on Thursday, five bucks will get you in to see electronic music producer Parisian as he kicks off LAB, a new quarterly music series at The Luminary, which blends artistled projects with current exhibits. On Friday, the 8th, don’t miss the monthly Sauce Magazine’s Food Truck Friday event at Tower Grove Park. This month’s featured artist is Western Satellites. On Sunday, you can check out the full moon from on top of the Compton Hill Water Tower as it will be open from 5:30- midnight so you can enjoy the 360 degree views of St. Louis! There are only seven of these types of towers remaining in the country, three of them are in St. Louis. Also on Sunday, you can check out SWV at Ballpark village as park of the Fox Sports Midwest Live District Rhythm Series. pg.

Food Truck Fridays Tower Grove Park

Third Free Friday

Third Degree Glass Factory

On Friday, the 15th, the Third Degree Glass Factory is hosting their Third Free Friday event. Enjoy samples of Ray’s Kettle Corn, along with food, drinks, dancing, music, art making and more! If you are looking for something else to do with the kids, you can check out Emerson Free Family Night at The Magic House and check out 100 exhibits for the low price of free for the whole family. Also on Friday, you can join me at the Missouri Botanical Gardens for their Around the World Wine Dinner where we will enjoy a four course Argentinean dinner paired with wines from the region. On Sunday, Alive Magazine’s 6th Annual Top Chef Ultimate Burger Competition will be hosted downtown at Soldiers Memorial. Plenty of food, drinks, live entertainment, and washers, yes, the game of washers will be on hand for your amusement.

the Western Satellites

A Taste of Magic

On Wednesday, the 20th, bring the kids to Wee Wednesday at the St. Louis Art Museum, which includes an hour long gallery tour, story time, and hands on art project. Oh yes, it’s free, wee! On August the 23rd, in honor of my birthday, join me at the best festival of the year in St. Louis, the International Institute’s Festival of Nations in Tower Grove Park. Music, dancing, food and drinks from all of the world will be found, along with me and my big headed babies! It looks like another great month to be in St. Louis! Hopefully you will join me in participating in some of the great opportunities that are offered in our region. Take care, and let me know if there is anything that I can do for you. -Nate Copyright © 2014 - All rights reserved.

SWV@ BallPark Village www.the-arts-today.com

Volume 1.6 July 24, 2014

This Month’s

Poetry

Submission

Mari Evans' Workswomanship: A Kwansaba for Her 95th Birthday Poeting throne & shackle's seesaw ntu utile

dulci, "I am a Black Woman" rescued

images from dish water, floors and pimp-

stained flicks of fare. It was easy

“Taken at Maya’s home in Winston-Salem, NC in 1985, this is one of hundreds of thousands of photos, books, letters, mags, newspapers, pieces of realia, art works & other memorabilia in the Eugene B. Redmond Collection at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (www.siue.edu).”

as grief. Needy as respite. Renew-able

as dues-tithing blues. New bardic--&

goddess-built--doorway of our (!yes) return. Happy Birthday Sister Mari Eugene B. Redmond, July 16, 2014 (East St. Louis, Illinois-eredmon@siue.edu)

pg.

Eugene B. Redmond Mari Evans’ Workswomanship: A Kwansaba for Her 95th Birthday

Poeting throne & shackle’s seesaw ntu utile dulci, “I am a Black Woman” rescued images from dish water, floors and pimpstained flicks of fare. It was easy as grief. Needy as respite. Renew-able as dues-tithing blues. New bardic--& goddess-built--doorway of our (!yes) return. Happy Birthday

Sister Mari Eugene B. Redmond, July 16, 2014

(East St. Louis, Illinois

eredmon@siue.edu)

www.the-arts-today.com

Volume 1.6 July 24, 2014

pg.

R A T S ALL M O TO R S , I N C .

Only 59,xxx miles

Very Clean

2011 Hyundai Elantra GLS

Air/tilt/cruise/power

Only 60,xxx miles

options/cd player

Air/tilt/cruise/power

Priced to sell

options/cd player

Safety/emissions/up to

Safety/emissions/

Priced to sell

3 year warranty

up to 3 year warranty

Safety/emissions/

2006 Buick Lacrosse CX

2006 Acura TSX

up to 3 year warranty

100 VEHICLES FOR SALE

OVER KEVIN TAYLOR (314) 427-6550 office (314) 698-8291 cell (314) 423-9133 fax sales@allstarmotorsinc.com kevin.taylor.sales@gmail.com

WE SELL VEHICLES FOR CASH. PRICES ARE NEGOTIABLE. 9201 ST. CHARLES ROCK RD. \ ST. LOUIS, MO. 63114

MAKE ME AN OFFER. www.Allstarmotorsinc.com

www.the-arts-today.com

Volume 1.6 July 24, 2014

soul session: 1. related to an internal search for deep meaning in your life 2. an honest evaluation of your feelings, motives and values 3. an opportunity to build a stronger relationship with yourself and your purpose

Spaces limited! Register online at

pg.

Soul Sessions Meditations & Conversations

with

Selena J.

Stressed out and canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t relax enough to get clarity or direction for your life? The next 4 weeks is your time to Relax, Recharge, and Replenish in order to Rediscover, Redirect and Reinvent yourself! Learn, practice and deepen your meditation experience, and engage in Q&A-Style discussions to help you expose, unpack & release your baggage.

Every Tuesday of July from 7-9 PM 1430 Washington Ave. #106 63101 (15th Street Entrance)

www.the-arts-today.com

Volume 1.6 July 24, 2014

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

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.

www.the-arts-today.com

Volume 1.6 July 24, 2014

pg.

www.the-arts-today.com

Volume 1.6 July 24, 2014

pg.

FUNK

The great god Shango in the African sea reached down with palm oil and oozed out me. Henry Dumas, “Knees of a Natural Man” (1989) Dumas’ Rebirth in Word-Deed Awake as a quake, dreamin’ Henry wrought Hank into “Ankh,” Dumas into “Samud.” Named his poems “sabas” & “ikefs,” his friends “Headeye” & “Jonoah,” his settings “Sweetwater” & “Harlem,” his vessels “afro-horn” & “soulboat,” his heroes “Probe” & “Sun Ra” & his brothas “Fon” & “cosmic arrows.” EBR, “Arkansippi Memwars . . .” (TWP 2013)

Writer

Henry Lee Dumas (1934-1968)

Writer Henry Lee Dumas (1934-1968)--whose posthumously published works include “Ark of Bones,” “Jonoah and the Green Stone,” “Knees of a Natural Man” (poems) and “Echo Tree”--would have been 80-years-old today (July 20). Born in Sweet Home (Arkansas), and raised in Harlem from the age of 10, he was a teacher at Southern Illinois University’s Experiment in Higher Education (East St. Louis). Among his colleagues at EHE were Katherine Dunham, Edward Crosby, Joyce Ladner, Oliver Jackson, Hale Chatfield and yours truly. As literary executor of the Dumas estate (with the consent of his widow, Loretta Dumas), I have received invaluable support from Toni Morrison, Amiri Baraka, Maya Angelou and James Baldwin (among scores of others) over the past 46 years. Morrison, who called Dumas “magnetic” and “a genius, an absolute genius,” published his works while an editor at Random House, noting that a “very deserved cult” had grown up around him. One “cult” member, the late Jayne Cortez, referred to collective efforts to keep his work before a reading-listening-studying public as “the Henry Dumas Movement.” The Henry L. Dumas Foundation, whose goal is to create a namesake Library and Cultural Center, has been established in Sweet, Arkansas. HD is patron saint of the East St. Louis-based EBR Writers Club which turned 28 this year. --EBR

www.the-arts-today.com

Volume 1.6 July 24, 2014

pg.

RELIA focus

John Jennings centers his life on provocative questions: How can we show the work of underrepresented artists, especially those who do comics? How can we go beyond the racial stereotypes of traditional comic art to show the rich expression of black artists, past and present? And how can we help UB students see that creating art is a possibility for them, to recognize that “art is everywhere” and acquire what Jennings calls “visual literacy?” - Read More

And more:

www.the-arts-today.com

Volume 1.6 July 24, 2014

OPPORTUNITIES

pg.

www.the-arts-today.com

Volume 1.6 July 24, 2014

URBAN LEAGUE

OF METROPOLITAN ST. LOUIS, INC

2014

Back to School & Community Empowerment Festival

August 2, 2014

@ 9:00 am â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 12:00 pm

Chaifetz Arena 1 South Compton Avenue (Saint Louis University) St. Louis, MO 63103

CONTACT: Linda Harris 314 615-3600 ext 647

For more information click the image above.

pg.

ART

e h T

of Self-Defense

Want to get your license to carry a concealed weapon?

Not an experienced shooter?

. .

Learn HOW to shoot a hand gun safely, even if you have never shot a gun.

Earn your certificate to receive your Missouri CCW Private Lessons from a Patient Licensed Instructor.

Women Only Classes Available

Instructor,

Ernest Jones (314)791-6820

www.the-arts-today.com

Volume 1.6 July 24, 2014

S.L .A .M. St. Louis Art Museum

ART COLLECTIONS

EXHIBITS

Admission to the Museum is free every day. Hours: Tuesday–Sunday, 10:00 am–5:00 pm | Friday, 10:00 am–9:00 pm | Closed Monday

w w w. s l a m . o r g One Fine Arts Drive - Forest Park, St. Louis, MO 63110-1380 314.721.0072 pg.

EVENTS

A big Thank You to our CONTRIBUTERS