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Omaha Star
Malcolm X Birthday Celebration Events
The
Proudly Serving Our Community for Over 80 Years
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Nebraska’s Only Black Owned Newspaper Vol. 85 - No. 18 Omaha, Nebraska
Friday, May 5, 2023
75 cents
Home grown: Author Spotlight: Alexandra Warren Excerpts from interview by Hopeful Heartbreakers Book Blog 2022
Innovator Award: The Malcolm X Innovator Award acknowledges individuals who have made great strides to enhance community connectedness and engagement in innovative ways through Inventing, Entrepreneurship and/or Grassroots Organizing. Equity Award: The Malcolm X Equity Award acknowledges a change agent and/ or community organization representative who is essential in the fight for social justice either at a national or regional/local level.
When she’s not in front of her computer, she enjoys traveling, spending time with family, watching sports, and clearing her DVR. Alexandra is a proud native of Omaha, Nebraska, but she currently calls Houston, Texas home.
1. Where did you get your love of books/storytelling/reading/writing/ etc come from? Since I was younger, I’ve always enjoyed reading. And as a high schooler, I remember writing little fictional stories that featured my friends as characters. But it wasn’t until after college, when I was finally able to read for fun again, that I fell completely in love with reading Black romance novels specifically and then writing them once I tried my hand at it. 2. Any author(s) that you feel influenced your writing? I wish I had a better memory so I could name names. But all of the authors I read who were writing Black romance in first-person before it became as common as it is today definitely allowed me to see what was possible when it came to crafting my style of storytelling. 3. Are there therapeutic benefits to modeling a character after someone you know? It’s actually not very often that I model characters after specific people that I know. But looking back on older works, I do find it therapeutic that I was able to honor my grandmother
Panelists: Dr. Franklin Thompson, Professor and Chair of Vivian Strong Historic Designation Committee Sherman Wells, Relative of Vivian Strong - Community Activist Community Awards (Names of awardees to be shared later):
Alexandra Warren is a contemporary romance author with over thirty works to date, all of which intentionally center Black love. She is also the co-founder of Girl, Have You Read…, a digital platform dedicated to Black romance written by Black authors.
Learn more about Alexandra by visiting her website www.actuallyitsalexandra.com.
FRIDAY, MAY 19th - 11am-1pm Luncheon Panel & Community Awards This year’s theme is “Celebrating the Champions of Tomorrow” which reminds visitors to recognize the collective social justice efforts of North Omaha’s past while honoring the impact of our future work together. This year we recognize these efforts through a luncheon featuring local historians who will take us back to the era of the late 1960s in recognizing the impact that the death of Vivian Strong had on our community; and additionally offer a charge to the community to seek out new ways to engage in social justice efforts in 2023.
Shabazz Courage Award: The Shabazz Courage Award acknowledges an individual who has been key in encouraging both social and academic change /progress and shown exemplary courage to ignite change in their community. Rowena Moore Award: The Rowena Moore Award acknowledges an individual or group who has pioneered social improvement and activism for by modeling a few different characters after her before she passed away. 4. What is the most difficult part of your writing process? Simply having the discipline to sit down at the computer every day and get the words out is a task in itself lol. But besides that, the most challenging part of the writing process for me is dealing with any scenes that are heavily emotional. They’re just as taxing to write as they are for y’all to read! 5. How do you research for your books? Google and YouTube are my best friends during the writing process. Or if there’s someone I know who has experience in a subject I’m trying to include in a book, then I’ll go to them with a list of questions. 6. What is your work schedule like when you’re writing? It varies depending on what stage of a project I’m in. In the beginning when it’s more free-flowing, I find it pretty easy to write without many parameters schedulewise. But as I get deeper into a project, it helps for me to write in 30-minute sprints with a 5-minute break in between for a few hours in the morn-
“If you want to achieve greatness, stop asking for permission.” ~Unknown
ing and then do the same thing in the afternoon. 7. If you could tell your younger writing self anything, what would it be? Stay consistent, and your tribe will find you <3 8. Which one of your books is your favorite? OMG that’s like picking a favorite child! But if I HAD to choose, my favorite for the moment is my most recent release, Two Minute Warning.
Instagram: @booksbyalexandra TikTok: @actuallyitsalexandra Twitter: @__actuallyalex Facebook: /authoralexandraw YouTube: Alexandra Warren ★
SATURDAY, MAY 20th - 6-8 pm One-Time Performance Reading of the play “The Meeting” A one-time script reading of the play “The Meeting” by Jeff Stetson which takes the audience through a dialogue with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Malcolm X. Admission is free, but RSVPs encouraged to provide light appetizers and accommodation seating (limited to 100). Cast: Shomari Huggins --- Allen Stevenson --- Marquis Jefferson Directed by: Denise Chapman --SUNDAY, MAY 21st - 2-4 pm Bring Em’ Home Reentry Panel A Second Look at Justice and Reentry Efforts feat. relevant voices on issues around supporting returning citizens and prison reform activism. Panelists: Sterling McKoy, Founder - In the Trenches Paralegal Services - Returning Citizen served 17 years in Federal Prison Precious Jackson, Founder - Tillage Village - Returning Citizen served time in Federal Prison Also enjoy cultural performances and exhibits plus educational tours throughout the weekend. Light appetizers served at both the play reading and re-entry panel. For accessibility accommodations please contact joanna@malcolmxfoundation.org. ★
EDWARD POINDEXTER 277677 PO Box 22800 Lincoln, NE 68542
Publisher’s Pen Terri D. Sanders
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Transformation Change Agent Award: The Transformation Change Agent Award acknowledges a citizen returning from incarceration who has transformed their own life and/or reached back into the community and behind the walls to help others make positive life transformations. This award may also be given to individuals who have not been incarcerated but have made extremely significant contributions to serving this population in our community.*******
If you would like to send Ed Poindexter an encouraging word this is his address:
9. Can you tell us what you are working on now? I’m actually torn between a couple different ideas for what my next project will be. But once I decide, you can be one of the first to know by following me on social media 10. Where can readers find out more about you & your work? To learn more about me and my work, readers can visit my website, www.actuallyitsalexandra.com, or follow me on all the social media platforms listed below
the melanated community and the community at large.
sage in the music?
What’s going on…Marvin Gaye is one of my favorites and I play him on a regular rotation on ALEXA. Yes, II m ol’school and I listen to what the words are saying and what is the mes-
To know what is going on we have to communicate. Talk to each other, have an exchange, without judgement. The young should communicate with the old heads so each can know what is going on. Each has something to share relevant to the other. Back in the day is good, what about the future? Mercy mercy me… things ain’t what they used to be.. In communities we have storytellers. There are those who remember WHEN... and we can learn from when so that errors are not repeated with the same old results. What did you hear through the grapevine? Check it out. There is valuable informa-
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tion in the grapevine. We have to use discernment. Everything is not for everybody, but it is for someone. We have two ears and one mouth, listen and talk less, so you can learn…When it comes to community, listen. Opportunities are often heard. Keep your ears open. There is a lot going on in the community. Many opportunities. Be vigilant and remain on the post. Where do you fit in? How can you assist? This summer, what are the opportunities. Can you help a young person learn something? A skill, a trade, a business… Where can you go to get some of this? The Fair Deal Café used to be known as Black City Hall. Everyone young, old, politician, retired, working man/woman would come through and if you would sit and listen you could learn what’s going on. I feel like that time is back. Jackson’s Fair Deal is the spot in the community that people gather for food and the place where people meet up. Check it out. Sometimes you just have to give it up. Enjoy life. We only get one chance. We got to keep on dancin’… ★
“The only thing standing between you and your goal is the story you keep telling yourself as to why you can’t achieve it.” ~Jordan Belfort