More dumbness?
OBAMA is accused of playing the race card. Whoa...using his own black hands? That's strange - what was he playing before? The age card? Funny how folks don't want the black guy to talk about race. Pure dumbness. 100 % dumbness.
E-NOTES: WHEN THE NEWS IS NOT ENOUGH. THE BLOG OF E. ETHELBERT MILLER
Thursday, July 31, 2008
WHERE IS MAYOR LAGuardia TO READ THE FUNNIES? Hey Fenty!
BASH magazine is out. It's a monthly comic alternative. FREE
It comes out of Lexington , KY but you can get copies from in front the Starbucks on Columbia Road and 18th Street.
www.bashmagazine.com
BASH magazine is out. It's a monthly comic alternative. FREE
It comes out of Lexington , KY but you can get copies from in front the Starbucks on Columbia Road and 18th Street.
www.bashmagazine.com
In DC plans are being made to cut the hours of the branches of the D.C. public library system.
Why? With all the talk about educating young people and fixing the schools, it's amazing that we don't have stronger library advocates in this city. So now folks want to close the libaries on
Fridays. What is that about? How can there by joy in Fentyville?
Why? With all the talk about educating young people and fixing the schools, it's amazing that we don't have stronger library advocates in this city. So now folks want to close the libaries on
Fridays. What is that about? How can there by joy in Fentyville?
Here is a link to AMAL LAW GROUP. They are a group of Muslim Women Lawyers:
www.amallaw.com
An article about them can be found in Muslim Journal (August 1, 2008).
www.amallaw.com
An article about them can be found in Muslim Journal (August 1, 2008).
THE E MAG
Treve de blues.
- Leon Damas
Compassion is my art.
- Grace A. Ali
God makes stars. It's up to producers to find them.
-Samuel Goldwyn
WELCOME TO THE E MAG, AN INVITATION INTO THE WORDS OF OTHERS.
TODAY MY GUEST IS MARCUS RASKIN.
RASKIN:
A number of years ago 1994 to be exact, a distinguished
scientist,Professor Evelyn Fox Keller held an important conference at
MIT between scientists and those who saw themselves as developing the
new area of scientific concerns.
They were doing studies on the culture
of science,what scientists did in the labs,what the implications were
etc.. The scientists took these upstarts as an attack on knowledge and
the scientific project itself. So Keller offered herself as the go
between arguing that she was sick of attacks between the increasingly
antagonistic groups.
She felt that this was destroying the university
and not advancing knowledge, Well,she made her speech that it was time
to forget about the extremes and look for a new framework which
recognized that each side had to begin listening to each other, forget
the animus and get along in the interests of the pursuit of truth which
she argued was the basis of the University enterprise and the basis of
scholarship and science.
Of course the reality was multi varied but it was a
struggle over resources,something that big science needed. The days of
the lonely inventor scientist were long past and the pentagon was out
there offering big bucks to scientific projects.
Fourteen years later Barack Obama on a much wider platform presented
the same position. There was so much to be done: give up the old
animosities,understand the commitment to the truths: that we are all
part of the same world with common problems,needs differing a bit in
cultures and styles, etc. And everyone applauded saying that here
finally is a rational man who is prepared to put his life on the line
for the rhetoric of finding a new framework of relationships,where
empathy was not a buzz word and where an American leader seemed to
admit to past mistakes and call for joint help especially from the
haves,the West. It was a version of Bush 1's kinder gentler acceptance
speeches.
And further,there was the faint sound of the cracking of a whip which
people jump to as in Thomas Mann's Mario and the Magician or in stories
where the young follow the Pied Piper to the chagrin of the parents.
It goes without saying that human rights may be important but the cool
distant style of Jack Kennedy was much more to be emulated without
Kennedy's sardonic wisecracks.But never mind these are shadows that a
man who presents himself as the new American culture armed with
practical hope will transcend.
There are other realities which suggest that Obama transcendence is
paved with disaster. In his speech to the 200 thousand he makes a
mockery of the second world war,the 20 plus million of Russians and
Soviets who died at the hand of the Germans. This cannot play well in
Moscow where that war is seared into the memory and lives of a nation.
To believe that the Cold War started with the Berlin airlift is bad
history which does not take into account the attempts on the part of the
west to freeze out the Soviets with a currency reform which would
include Berlin. But these are past matters, what about now and the
future? That is,until Putin calls Obama and the American people to account.
Those who follow elections carefully on the national level know that
truth is secondary to getting elected. And that what politicians say to
get elected is far from the realities of how they govern. But certain
statements to nations and to one's own constituencies and internal
baronies that is what is said to Goldman Sachs, labor leaders, even
bishops and university presidents do matter.
Unless he learns to dance very well he will not be able to keep the 2 percent
he needs to do what he really cares about. And at the moment
he does not seem to be sure what that 2 per cent would go to.
When Obama is rightly applauded for not
wanting to go to war with Iraq, and then follows through with garden
variety war imperialism you know the nation is headed for continuing war
and disaster. Thus, in Afghanistan sending several more "brigades" to a
nation that is not charmed by the West,its purposes and humanitarianism
will merely escalate that war.
The idea that Pakistan is to be invaded
so that it does the "right" things on its borders will not make happy
those nations who believe in sovereignty as outlined by the UN. His
putative answer will be an increase in the defense budget because we
have other "responsibilities" and little wars to dealt with. This
results in fewer funds to deal with the US's domestic problems of
infrastructure and social welfare. It is not no child left behind,it
will be all children left behind as a case in point.
When he warns the Iranians to get rid of their plutonium, that they
are not going to get a better deal from him but at the same time now
sees an opening for "moving"to nuclear abolition he quickens the hearts
of the peace movement as other new converts to nuclear abolition want to
make the world and American power safe for nonnuclear wars. He hopes to
get the French to join in the fight against the Taliban and while both
Sarkozy and Obama see themselves as speaking for the future,both have a
very volatile public including fundamentalists that have a very
different view of reality.
And of course there is the Palestinian Israeli question. Israel is a
powerful client state of the US. The purpose of the client state is
always to go beyond what the "parent" wants, And so in this case it is
the Israelis who will continue to develop settlements and the United
States will go along,thus suggesting no changes in policy- a change
which could occur if James Baker and the old State department anti
Israeli lobby had a larger voice in policy.
And then there is the economy and the subspecies of that economy
from health care to environmental disaster? Who is prepared to pay for
radical changes?
Is there going to be a surtax on food? Is this the
moment to nationalize what is and has been the
national heritage? Can Obama and his advisers jawbone the oil,gas and
automobile industry into" Priusizing" America.
If Obama becomes president at least there will be tragedy and moments of
hope because different doors will open and the voice of the citizenry
will be heard. And that is certainly true even if McCain wins and is
faced because of multiple illnesses in having a regency for his
presidency.
Bio Note:
Marcus Raskin is the founder of the Institute for Policy Studies
http://www.ips-dc.org/
Treve de blues.
- Leon Damas
Compassion is my art.
- Grace A. Ali
God makes stars. It's up to producers to find them.
-Samuel Goldwyn
WELCOME TO THE E MAG, AN INVITATION INTO THE WORDS OF OTHERS.
TODAY MY GUEST IS MARCUS RASKIN.
RASKIN:
A number of years ago 1994 to be exact, a distinguished
scientist,Professor Evelyn Fox Keller held an important conference at
MIT between scientists and those who saw themselves as developing the
new area of scientific concerns.
They were doing studies on the culture
of science,what scientists did in the labs,what the implications were
etc.. The scientists took these upstarts as an attack on knowledge and
the scientific project itself. So Keller offered herself as the go
between arguing that she was sick of attacks between the increasingly
antagonistic groups.
She felt that this was destroying the university
and not advancing knowledge, Well,she made her speech that it was time
to forget about the extremes and look for a new framework which
recognized that each side had to begin listening to each other, forget
the animus and get along in the interests of the pursuit of truth which
she argued was the basis of the University enterprise and the basis of
scholarship and science.
Of course the reality was multi varied but it was a
struggle over resources,something that big science needed. The days of
the lonely inventor scientist were long past and the pentagon was out
there offering big bucks to scientific projects.
Fourteen years later Barack Obama on a much wider platform presented
the same position. There was so much to be done: give up the old
animosities,understand the commitment to the truths: that we are all
part of the same world with common problems,needs differing a bit in
cultures and styles, etc. And everyone applauded saying that here
finally is a rational man who is prepared to put his life on the line
for the rhetoric of finding a new framework of relationships,where
empathy was not a buzz word and where an American leader seemed to
admit to past mistakes and call for joint help especially from the
haves,the West. It was a version of Bush 1's kinder gentler acceptance
speeches.
And further,there was the faint sound of the cracking of a whip which
people jump to as in Thomas Mann's Mario and the Magician or in stories
where the young follow the Pied Piper to the chagrin of the parents.
It goes without saying that human rights may be important but the cool
distant style of Jack Kennedy was much more to be emulated without
Kennedy's sardonic wisecracks.But never mind these are shadows that a
man who presents himself as the new American culture armed with
practical hope will transcend.
There are other realities which suggest that Obama transcendence is
paved with disaster. In his speech to the 200 thousand he makes a
mockery of the second world war,the 20 plus million of Russians and
Soviets who died at the hand of the Germans. This cannot play well in
Moscow where that war is seared into the memory and lives of a nation.
To believe that the Cold War started with the Berlin airlift is bad
history which does not take into account the attempts on the part of the
west to freeze out the Soviets with a currency reform which would
include Berlin. But these are past matters, what about now and the
future? That is,until Putin calls Obama and the American people to account.
Those who follow elections carefully on the national level know that
truth is secondary to getting elected. And that what politicians say to
get elected is far from the realities of how they govern. But certain
statements to nations and to one's own constituencies and internal
baronies that is what is said to Goldman Sachs, labor leaders, even
bishops and university presidents do matter.
Unless he learns to dance very well he will not be able to keep the 2 percent
he needs to do what he really cares about. And at the moment
he does not seem to be sure what that 2 per cent would go to.
When Obama is rightly applauded for not
wanting to go to war with Iraq, and then follows through with garden
variety war imperialism you know the nation is headed for continuing war
and disaster. Thus, in Afghanistan sending several more "brigades" to a
nation that is not charmed by the West,its purposes and humanitarianism
will merely escalate that war.
The idea that Pakistan is to be invaded
so that it does the "right" things on its borders will not make happy
those nations who believe in sovereignty as outlined by the UN. His
putative answer will be an increase in the defense budget because we
have other "responsibilities" and little wars to dealt with. This
results in fewer funds to deal with the US's domestic problems of
infrastructure and social welfare. It is not no child left behind,it
will be all children left behind as a case in point.
When he warns the Iranians to get rid of their plutonium, that they
are not going to get a better deal from him but at the same time now
sees an opening for "moving"to nuclear abolition he quickens the hearts
of the peace movement as other new converts to nuclear abolition want to
make the world and American power safe for nonnuclear wars. He hopes to
get the French to join in the fight against the Taliban and while both
Sarkozy and Obama see themselves as speaking for the future,both have a
very volatile public including fundamentalists that have a very
different view of reality.
And of course there is the Palestinian Israeli question. Israel is a
powerful client state of the US. The purpose of the client state is
always to go beyond what the "parent" wants, And so in this case it is
the Israelis who will continue to develop settlements and the United
States will go along,thus suggesting no changes in policy- a change
which could occur if James Baker and the old State department anti
Israeli lobby had a larger voice in policy.
And then there is the economy and the subspecies of that economy
from health care to environmental disaster? Who is prepared to pay for
radical changes?
Is there going to be a surtax on food? Is this the
moment to nationalize what is and has been the
national heritage? Can Obama and his advisers jawbone the oil,gas and
automobile industry into" Priusizing" America.
If Obama becomes president at least there will be tragedy and moments of
hope because different doors will open and the voice of the citizenry
will be heard. And that is certainly true even if McCain wins and is
faced because of multiple illnesses in having a regency for his
presidency.
Bio Note:
Marcus Raskin is the founder of the Institute for Policy Studies
http://www.ips-dc.org/
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Sad facts: AIDS
African Americans with HIV - 500,000-600,000.
These numbers are more numerous than in seven of the 15 "target countries" in the Bush Administration's global AIDS initiative.
Washington, DC has the highest prevalence of HIV infection of any American jurisdiction - 5 percent, or about 1 in every 20 residents. Nearly as high as Uganda.
Center for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 38 percent of all new infections in African American from 2001 to 2005 were in women.
African Americans with HIV - 500,000-600,000.
These numbers are more numerous than in seven of the 15 "target countries" in the Bush Administration's global AIDS initiative.
Washington, DC has the highest prevalence of HIV infection of any American jurisdiction - 5 percent, or about 1 in every 20 residents. Nearly as high as Uganda.
Center for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 38 percent of all new infections in African American from 2001 to 2005 were in women.
Sometimes you know why newspapers are free. This morning a reader of The Examiner had his letter published. He listed questions he felt the press never asked Obama. Check this one:
Why did you dedicate your book to the black father who deserted you, and not to the white grandparents who made major sacrifices on your behalf?
So what's the price of gas these days?
Why did you dedicate your book to the black father who deserted you, and not to the white grandparents who made major sacrifices on your behalf?
So what's the price of gas these days?
WHEN WILL PEOPLE STOP ACCEPTING THIS?
Delta Air Lines is doubling to $50, the fee for checking a second bag.
The airline is also raising fees for checking special items. I'm glad I don't own a surfboard.
Now check this!
First-class passengers, international travelers and elite members of Delta's frequent-flier program will still be allowed to check two bags at no charge.
First-class and elite travelers can check up to three bags at no charge on international flights. A third bag will now cost a coach-class passenger traveling overseas $150.
This is nothing but class warfare. Shouldn't the people who have more pay more?
It's bad enough they have the good seats.
It's a good thing folks don't own the sky and clouds. They would make us pay just to look out the window at them.
I think Delta should give every COACH passenger $500 if their luggage is not in the baggage claim area 15 minutes after landing. Let's run this airline like the pizza chain it appears to be. They are already treating our bags like extra toppings.
THE E MAG
Treve de blues.
-Leon Damas
Compassion is my art.
-Grace A. Ali
God makes stars. It's up to producers to find them.
- Samuel Goldwyn
WELCOME TO THE E MAG, AN INVITATION INTO THE WORDS OF
OTHERS. TODAY'S GUESTS ARE SHYREE MEZICK AND THOMAS SAYERS ELLIS.
Thomas Sayers Ellis is teaching a writer’s workshop in the District of Columbia this summer. The first workshop took place Monday, July 21st and will continue through the end of August. What follows is a conversation between Shyree Mezick and Thomas Sayers Ellis about the workshop, Line March.
Shyree: Is this the first workshop you have conducted in D.C.?
Thomas: Yes
Shyree: You are a D.C. native, correct?
Thomas: I am an ex-patriot round these swamps.
Shyree: What is the title of your workshop?
Thomas: Line March: Verse-ing and Re-versing Natural Talk Into Prosody aka prose & song .
Shyree : What is the goal of this workshop?
Thomas: My goal is to go, to go without known, so as to discover the goal, all of its hula and hoops. I want to rescue the folk mouth from the corporate brain.
Shyree: Any comments about the first workshop you conducted last night?
Thomas: The problem with American Poetry is that there is not enough VERNACULAR in it, published American Poetry, all of it, mine too.
Shyree: Any suggestions as to a solution to the problem stated above?
Thomas: It's simple we have to destroy "the schools." We have to write resistance into the aesthetic behavior (again), which is not the same as writing "about" resistance and those who resist. We need a lyric and, eloquent and percussive, that worries the mouth that leads the mind, the talk that talk, back into the written word. It's time for a total restructuring of the type of thinking that dictates the way we agree in English. It's time for a poor folks logic. Shout out to Dr. King and his line and its many marches. Amen?!
Shyree: What did you notice about the participants in your workshop last night?
Thomas: Their hesitancy to fight (me & each other & the I & pronouns), and how well-behaved their sentences were. Most of the stanzas looked like lawns, nice ones.
Shyree: Can you explain the assignment for next week, briefly?
Thomas: That assignment is a way of forcing the poet to change the way he/she thinks mid line; it's a way of forcing the poet to consider a composition in which more than one speaker-sense and sense of speaker is active, perhaps thinking and feeling, separated and competing for attention in the host container, form. That assignment is a stretcher, a call to keep your goddamn guard way down and way up. It made my last name hurt when I assigned it.
Shyree: What is your advice, to those in your workshop, to execute this assignment?
Thomas: Be messy, be life and fail, fail passionately and hard. Fail the page full of clay then yawn, then rest, then carve. Writing is respiration.
Shyree: Last token of advice for the writers in your workshop, who are writing for the first time.
Thomas: Don't be quiet. Let's create mistakes, wrong and enjambed utterance. Who knows what we might discover. First time in a workshop is the right time in a workshop. I wish it were my first time. I wish I were them. I teach like I am jealous of the student and maybe I am. I teach like (like) write it, ha ha. Advice has vice in it so why add such. I teach courage.
BIO NOTES:
Thomas Sayers Ellis was born and raised in Washington, D.C. He is presently an Assistant Professor of Creative Writing at Sarah Lawrence College.
Shyree Mezick is an organizer who does literary and artistic outreach and events for the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities.
The Ellis workshop takes place Mondays at the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities. For more information contact:shyree.mezick@dc.gov
Treve de blues.
-Leon Damas
Compassion is my art.
-Grace A. Ali
God makes stars. It's up to producers to find them.
- Samuel Goldwyn
WELCOME TO THE E MAG, AN INVITATION INTO THE WORDS OF
OTHERS. TODAY'S GUESTS ARE SHYREE MEZICK AND THOMAS SAYERS ELLIS.
Thomas Sayers Ellis is teaching a writer’s workshop in the District of Columbia this summer. The first workshop took place Monday, July 21st and will continue through the end of August. What follows is a conversation between Shyree Mezick and Thomas Sayers Ellis about the workshop, Line March.
Shyree: Is this the first workshop you have conducted in D.C.?
Thomas: Yes
Shyree: You are a D.C. native, correct?
Thomas: I am an ex-patriot round these swamps.
Shyree: What is the title of your workshop?
Thomas: Line March: Verse-ing and Re-versing Natural Talk Into Prosody aka prose & song .
Shyree : What is the goal of this workshop?
Thomas: My goal is to go, to go without known, so as to discover the goal, all of its hula and hoops. I want to rescue the folk mouth from the corporate brain.
Shyree: Any comments about the first workshop you conducted last night?
Thomas: The problem with American Poetry is that there is not enough VERNACULAR in it, published American Poetry, all of it, mine too.
Shyree: Any suggestions as to a solution to the problem stated above?
Thomas: It's simple we have to destroy "the schools." We have to write resistance into the aesthetic behavior (again), which is not the same as writing "about" resistance and those who resist. We need a lyric and, eloquent and percussive, that worries the mouth that leads the mind, the talk that talk, back into the written word. It's time for a total restructuring of the type of thinking that dictates the way we agree in English. It's time for a poor folks logic. Shout out to Dr. King and his line and its many marches. Amen?!
Shyree: What did you notice about the participants in your workshop last night?
Thomas: Their hesitancy to fight (me & each other & the I & pronouns), and how well-behaved their sentences were. Most of the stanzas looked like lawns, nice ones.
Shyree: Can you explain the assignment for next week, briefly?
Thomas: That assignment is a way of forcing the poet to change the way he/she thinks mid line; it's a way of forcing the poet to consider a composition in which more than one speaker-sense and sense of speaker is active, perhaps thinking and feeling, separated and competing for attention in the host container, form. That assignment is a stretcher, a call to keep your goddamn guard way down and way up. It made my last name hurt when I assigned it.
Shyree: What is your advice, to those in your workshop, to execute this assignment?
Thomas: Be messy, be life and fail, fail passionately and hard. Fail the page full of clay then yawn, then rest, then carve. Writing is respiration.
Shyree: Last token of advice for the writers in your workshop, who are writing for the first time.
Thomas: Don't be quiet. Let's create mistakes, wrong and enjambed utterance. Who knows what we might discover. First time in a workshop is the right time in a workshop. I wish it were my first time. I wish I were them. I teach like I am jealous of the student and maybe I am. I teach like (like) write it, ha ha. Advice has vice in it so why add such. I teach courage.
BIO NOTES:
Thomas Sayers Ellis was born and raised in Washington, D.C. He is presently an Assistant Professor of Creative Writing at Sarah Lawrence College.
Shyree Mezick is an organizer who does literary and artistic outreach and events for the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities.
The Ellis workshop takes place Mondays at the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities. For more information contact:shyree.mezick@dc.gov
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Yo Mookie! Are you going to wear an Obama jacket over your Jackie Robinson shirt?
http://www.uptownlife.net/content/view/97/28/
http://www.uptownlife.net/content/view/97/28/
So you have no subscription to The New Yorker because you're an ObamaHead. Psst -in the latest issue there is an article about Tavis Smiley written by Kelefa Sanneh. I read it and smiled.
Is this satire too? You be the judge - open your hymnal to page 28. We will conclude our evening service with a reading of the article about Emily Dickinson found on page 68.
NO TEARS FOR TEER - ONLY JUBILATION!
Ethelbert and I was just reading about Barbara Ann Teer's funeral in The New York Times.
What a ceremony it must have been. Teer even had an elephant in the procession. I told Ethelbert that he should have a funeral like that. How does one bury a poet? I remember Langston having someone play - "Do Nothin Till You Hear From Me."
JOB FOR YOU:
Writing Positions Available NOW
Type: Part-time (2-3 Saturdays per month, 9:15 AM - 2:15 PM)Wage: $18.75/hr
Commitment: August 2008-May 2009
Openings: 19Location: Harlem, Brooklyn Heights, St. Johns LawSchool (Queens)Company Description: Legal Outreach is a non-profit educational enrichment program that prepares urban youth from underserved communities to compete at high levels by fostering vision, developing skills, enhancing confidence, and facilitating the pursuit of higher education.
Please see legaloutreach. org for more information.
Job Description: We are seeking experienced writers and teachers who will push our College Bound students — relentlessly and unapologetically — to become more competent writers. Saturday Writing Classes that need instructors this fall include the following:
(1) Freshman Grammar: Teaching applicants for this class should be grammarians at heart, comfortable with terminology such as participle, direct object, and adverb clause. Though provided with a text book as well as a developed curriculum, applicants should have ideas about how to infuse this class with the energy and excitement a good grammar lesson deserves. The freshman grammar class meets three Saturdays per month from September 2008-May 2009.
(2) Sophomore Essay Writing: Teaching applicants for this class should be able to instruct students about crafting effective thesis statements, introductions, and conclusions. They should also be able to discuss the use of supporting evidence and the opposing point of view in good writing. Though provided with a teaching manual and a developed curriculum, applicants should have ideas about introducing new and provocative essay topics to the class. The sophomore essay writing class meets two Saturdays per month from September 2008-May 2009.
(3) Junior Persuasive Writing: Teaching applicants for this class should be able to explore with students the different rhetorical strategies (i.e., definition, cause and effect, metaphor,narrative, classification, etc.) that are used in powerful persuasive writing. Though provided with a teaching manual and a developed curriculum, applicants should have ideas about how to inspire students to write passionately positional essays on a variety of controversial subjects. The junior persuasive writing class meets two Saturdays per month from September 2008-May 2009.
(4) Senior Writing: Teaching applicants for this class should be able to guide students through the college application process and assist with the writing of personal statements. The second semester will focus on writing a research paper. Though provided with a teaching manual and a developed curriculum, applicants should have ideas about how to inspire students to come up with great personal statement topics and be comfortable teaching students research methods and writing. The senior writing class meets two Saturdays per month from September 2008-May 2009.
Job Qualifications: Teaching applicants should be college graduates with professional experience in writing, teaching, or any related field.
How to Apply:Contact Information:
How to Apply: Email cover letter, resume, and writing sample to dfunai@legaloutreach.org.
Please specify which class you would prefer to teach.
When to Apply: ASAP
Contact:Daisuke Funai
College Bound Coordinator
Legal Outreach
402 W. 145th St.
New York, NY 10027
dfunai@legaloutreach.org
Writing Positions Available NOW
Type: Part-time (2-3 Saturdays per month, 9:15 AM - 2:15 PM)Wage: $18.75/hr
Commitment: August 2008-May 2009
Openings: 19Location: Harlem, Brooklyn Heights, St. Johns LawSchool (Queens)Company Description: Legal Outreach is a non-profit educational enrichment program that prepares urban youth from underserved communities to compete at high levels by fostering vision, developing skills, enhancing confidence, and facilitating the pursuit of higher education.
Please see legaloutreach. org for more information.
Job Description: We are seeking experienced writers and teachers who will push our College Bound students — relentlessly and unapologetically — to become more competent writers. Saturday Writing Classes that need instructors this fall include the following:
(1) Freshman Grammar: Teaching applicants for this class should be grammarians at heart, comfortable with terminology such as participle, direct object, and adverb clause. Though provided with a text book as well as a developed curriculum, applicants should have ideas about how to infuse this class with the energy and excitement a good grammar lesson deserves. The freshman grammar class meets three Saturdays per month from September 2008-May 2009.
(2) Sophomore Essay Writing: Teaching applicants for this class should be able to instruct students about crafting effective thesis statements, introductions, and conclusions. They should also be able to discuss the use of supporting evidence and the opposing point of view in good writing. Though provided with a teaching manual and a developed curriculum, applicants should have ideas about introducing new and provocative essay topics to the class. The sophomore essay writing class meets two Saturdays per month from September 2008-May 2009.
(3) Junior Persuasive Writing: Teaching applicants for this class should be able to explore with students the different rhetorical strategies (i.e., definition, cause and effect, metaphor,narrative, classification, etc.) that are used in powerful persuasive writing. Though provided with a teaching manual and a developed curriculum, applicants should have ideas about how to inspire students to write passionately positional essays on a variety of controversial subjects. The junior persuasive writing class meets two Saturdays per month from September 2008-May 2009.
(4) Senior Writing: Teaching applicants for this class should be able to guide students through the college application process and assist with the writing of personal statements. The second semester will focus on writing a research paper. Though provided with a teaching manual and a developed curriculum, applicants should have ideas about how to inspire students to come up with great personal statement topics and be comfortable teaching students research methods and writing. The senior writing class meets two Saturdays per month from September 2008-May 2009.
Job Qualifications: Teaching applicants should be college graduates with professional experience in writing, teaching, or any related field.
How to Apply:Contact Information:
How to Apply: Email cover letter, resume, and writing sample to dfunai@legaloutreach.org.
Please specify which class you would prefer to teach.
When to Apply: ASAP
Contact:Daisuke Funai
College Bound Coordinator
Legal Outreach
402 W. 145th St.
New York, NY 10027
dfunai@legaloutreach.org
THE OTHER CLINTON WHO WON'T BE OBAMA'S VP:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dxl4lQ8tmdM
Back in the day when there were no red or blue states. We were just ONE NATION UNDER A GROOVE.
Who gave up the funk?
A Race Koan:
What color is the White House?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dxl4lQ8tmdM
Back in the day when there were no red or blue states. We were just ONE NATION UNDER A GROOVE.
Who gave up the funk?
A Race Koan:
What color is the White House?
Too often when one looks back on race relations there is the discovery of too many inequalities.
Poor oppressed people often are the inheritors of things that have been discarded, used or simply broken. Second class schools and housing quickly come to mind. What is not needed is given to the servants or those who are poor. Many times these individual are of a different race.
I recall sitting in an auditorium on Howard's campus and listening to the Pan Africanist Walter Rodney. He was talking about Guyana and how with the change in government the Prime Minister or PM position was now a "black man's job." He added that the position was no longer one where power resided. I keep thinking about this as Obama makes his run to the presidency.
Has the office now become suitable for a black man? If so, why?
Well, maybe The New York Times today might provide us with a possible explanation. The following was on the front page of the Business section:
The White House predicted Monday that President Bush would leave a record $482 billion deficit to his successor, a sobering turnabout in the nation's fiscal condition from 2001, when Mr. Bush took office after three consecutive years of budget surpluses.
The worst may be yet to come. The deficit announced by Jim Nissule, the White House budget director, does not reflect the full cost of military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, the potential $50 billion cost of another economic stimulus package, or the possibility of steeper
losses in tax revenues if individual income or corporate profits decline.
ANOTHER CASE FOR THE O-FILES?
An out-of-work truck driver goes on a shooting rampage at a Tennessee church. A note is left in his car blaming the liberal movement. Scully! Mulder! Do you guys want to check this one out?
The news reports no mention of Obama but we might just want to "tag" this incident.
An out-of-work truck driver goes on a shooting rampage at a Tennessee church. A note is left in his car blaming the liberal movement. Scully! Mulder! Do you guys want to check this one out?
The news reports no mention of Obama but we might just want to "tag" this incident.
Monday, July 28, 2008
Here are a couple of news stories I haven't seen:
- A long interview with Maggie Williams (head of Clinton's campaign). Hey what went wrong?
- A comparison of Jacqueline Jackson with Michelle Obama. When was the last time anyone saw Mrs. Jackson? Hmmm. I better post a picture with this post. Wasn't she in line to be First Lady if Jesse had won? I always found this woman to be outspoken and beautiful.
Ichiro Watch:
.297 Average.
Not too many multiple hit games this year.
Still he is second in stolen bases.
Third in hits in the AL.
If he could hit close to .400 in August he could take the batting title.
Not impossible.
Kinsler the leader is only hitting around .326.
Mauer and Ordonez are the folks to watch.
.297 Average.
Not too many multiple hit games this year.
Still he is second in stolen bases.
Third in hits in the AL.
If he could hit close to .400 in August he could take the batting title.
Not impossible.
Kinsler the leader is only hitting around .326.
Mauer and Ordonez are the folks to watch.
Obama or The Return of the Iceman?
Watching Obama play basketball - hitting that 3 pointer overseas - the movement reminded me of George Gervin. The Iceman. Cool. Slender. Remember that finger roll? Wasn't that all Iowa?
Cool. Very cool. Like Obama collecting those delegates like they were points. Gervin's game was so sweet to watch. Oh, Obama now I know where I've seen that walk before, those moves.
MILLER MAIL:
In the mail today was the new issue of SENECA REVIEW.
Work by some nice friends: Amy Gerstler, Richard Kostelanetz, and Philip Lopate.
I also received a new book of poems by Lenard D. Moore. The title is A TEMPLE LOOMING.
The book was published by WordTech Editions: www.wordtechweb.com
In the mail today was the new issue of SENECA REVIEW.
Work by some nice friends: Amy Gerstler, Richard Kostelanetz, and Philip Lopate.
I also received a new book of poems by Lenard D. Moore. The title is A TEMPLE LOOMING.
The book was published by WordTech Editions: www.wordtechweb.com
SWEET BASIL
2008 has been an exciting year. OK - I'm still hurting from the New York Giants defeating New England. Let's not talk about that. We all know that game should have ended after Brady hit Moss for the TD. What was Samuels hands thinking when Eli threw that pass? Meanwhile the Obama campaign has been fun to watch and one can see the transformation of America. From Iowa to Berlin something sweet is happening. Maybe this sweetness will embrace Howard University and its new president. A number of universities around the city have new leadership. It seems to echo the joy that flows in Fentyville. No reason why all the developers should have all the fun.
I was sitting around talking to Ethelbert the other day. We laughed at some of the crazy rumors circulating out there about him. Good thing the guy is keeping a blog. I need to read it more. Anyway, we were talking about what black cultural and educational institutions could be doing.
Why be specific when its a general problem as well as a wonderful opportunity and challenge.
Plant the seeds and watch the sweet basil grow.
- A strengthening of our black cultural infrastructure; especially cultural and educational institutions. How many departments are underfunded and understaffed. One person units with small budgets. How do we defend black culture without our own Homeland Security Agency?
-Connecting contemporary culture to historical culture through classroom discussions and conferences. Undertaking "probes" that raise new questions and thinking out of the box around issue of race, gender and class. The search for a new intellectual vocabulary. The moving beyond terms like color line, double consciousness, diaspora and "get your hand out of my pocket."
- The training of a new generation of African American scholars to explore the creation of new paradigms and philosophical frameworks.
- The rebuilding of such programs like the H U Publishing Institute and the establishment of an MFA Creative Writing Program at a historical black college.
- Working with old organizations that have new leadership. Good example is the NAACP.
All African American students should be encouraged to become members. They should read regular issues of The Crisis now being edited by Jabari Asim. Give this guy a pocket watch and one might discover that his hairline closely resembles DuBois. Hmmm.
- Somewhere there has to be someone undertaking a serious study of the 2008 presidential campaign. All the major players should be interviewed. How did this historical moment that we are witnessing happen? Shouldn't Ken Burns be explaining this to us with a nice soundtrack by one of those jazz musicians that happen to live in Brooklyn?
- Here is a list of a few people who should be invited to a historical black college and given a one month residency. They would be responsible for giving 4 lectures, meeting with small groups of graduate students, etc.
Here is a list of star folks that could be on a team with Wade and Kobe. Can you imagine being able to talk with these individuals and rub shoulders:
Vincent Harding, Wole Soyinka, Salman Rushdie, Bill Clinton, Angela Davis, Juan Williams,
Alice Walker, Charles Johnson, Wynton Marsalis, Stanley Crouch, bell hooks, Bill Gates, Hank Aaron, Maggie Williams and Jackie Jackson (Jesse's wife).
- In DC all the major players dealing with African American culture need to host a summit.
Moorland-Spingarn Center, National African American Musuem, Anacostia Museum, African Studies, African American Studies. Where do we want to be in 25 - 50 years? What should we be doing? Will we be still asking the same question - where do we go from here? Let's hope not.
Sweet basil in my backyard. Consider how it grows like the lilies of the field.
- Hey Ethelbert - Don't Think Twice, It's All Right.
2008 has been an exciting year. OK - I'm still hurting from the New York Giants defeating New England. Let's not talk about that. We all know that game should have ended after Brady hit Moss for the TD. What was Samuels hands thinking when Eli threw that pass? Meanwhile the Obama campaign has been fun to watch and one can see the transformation of America. From Iowa to Berlin something sweet is happening. Maybe this sweetness will embrace Howard University and its new president. A number of universities around the city have new leadership. It seems to echo the joy that flows in Fentyville. No reason why all the developers should have all the fun.
I was sitting around talking to Ethelbert the other day. We laughed at some of the crazy rumors circulating out there about him. Good thing the guy is keeping a blog. I need to read it more. Anyway, we were talking about what black cultural and educational institutions could be doing.
Why be specific when its a general problem as well as a wonderful opportunity and challenge.
Plant the seeds and watch the sweet basil grow.
- A strengthening of our black cultural infrastructure; especially cultural and educational institutions. How many departments are underfunded and understaffed. One person units with small budgets. How do we defend black culture without our own Homeland Security Agency?
-Connecting contemporary culture to historical culture through classroom discussions and conferences. Undertaking "probes" that raise new questions and thinking out of the box around issue of race, gender and class. The search for a new intellectual vocabulary. The moving beyond terms like color line, double consciousness, diaspora and "get your hand out of my pocket."
- The training of a new generation of African American scholars to explore the creation of new paradigms and philosophical frameworks.
- The rebuilding of such programs like the H U Publishing Institute and the establishment of an MFA Creative Writing Program at a historical black college.
- Working with old organizations that have new leadership. Good example is the NAACP.
All African American students should be encouraged to become members. They should read regular issues of The Crisis now being edited by Jabari Asim. Give this guy a pocket watch and one might discover that his hairline closely resembles DuBois. Hmmm.
- Somewhere there has to be someone undertaking a serious study of the 2008 presidential campaign. All the major players should be interviewed. How did this historical moment that we are witnessing happen? Shouldn't Ken Burns be explaining this to us with a nice soundtrack by one of those jazz musicians that happen to live in Brooklyn?
- Here is a list of a few people who should be invited to a historical black college and given a one month residency. They would be responsible for giving 4 lectures, meeting with small groups of graduate students, etc.
Here is a list of star folks that could be on a team with Wade and Kobe. Can you imagine being able to talk with these individuals and rub shoulders:
Vincent Harding, Wole Soyinka, Salman Rushdie, Bill Clinton, Angela Davis, Juan Williams,
Alice Walker, Charles Johnson, Wynton Marsalis, Stanley Crouch, bell hooks, Bill Gates, Hank Aaron, Maggie Williams and Jackie Jackson (Jesse's wife).
- In DC all the major players dealing with African American culture need to host a summit.
Moorland-Spingarn Center, National African American Musuem, Anacostia Museum, African Studies, African American Studies. Where do we want to be in 25 - 50 years? What should we be doing? Will we be still asking the same question - where do we go from here? Let's hope not.
Sweet basil in my backyard. Consider how it grows like the lilies of the field.
- Hey Ethelbert - Don't Think Twice, It's All Right.
POLITICS IS A HELL OF A GAME:
It's really silly to follow the polls of the presidential campaign right now. No one will be thinking about a McCain July gaffe in November. Folks won't even be able to provide you with the names of the nations Obama recently visited come election day. Do you remember those school reports you had to do on how you spent your summer vacation? You sat holding your pencil trying to draft that first paragraph. You couldn't remember the beach or the August sand that had been in your eyes.
Nothing might matter until October. If a team like the New York Yankees won the World Series it could benefit McCain. Folks will want to keep the old memories alive before moving to a new Yankee Stadium in 2009. So one votes for McCain because the nation feels nostalgic. McCain could also get a post World Series election bounce if an underdog took the Series or a team with a working class image won.
How much did Obama benefit from the New York Giants defeating New England? Wasn't Clinton closing in on an undefeated season too? The big upset of a powerful team/ machine was just what Obama did. So maybe the next president will be selected not by anything he says - but by the mood of the country. A mood shaped perhaps by the way the ball bounces in the Fall Classic.
It's really silly to follow the polls of the presidential campaign right now. No one will be thinking about a McCain July gaffe in November. Folks won't even be able to provide you with the names of the nations Obama recently visited come election day. Do you remember those school reports you had to do on how you spent your summer vacation? You sat holding your pencil trying to draft that first paragraph. You couldn't remember the beach or the August sand that had been in your eyes.
Nothing might matter until October. If a team like the New York Yankees won the World Series it could benefit McCain. Folks will want to keep the old memories alive before moving to a new Yankee Stadium in 2009. So one votes for McCain because the nation feels nostalgic. McCain could also get a post World Series election bounce if an underdog took the Series or a team with a working class image won.
How much did Obama benefit from the New York Giants defeating New England? Wasn't Clinton closing in on an undefeated season too? The big upset of a powerful team/ machine was just what Obama did. So maybe the next president will be selected not by anything he says - but by the mood of the country. A mood shaped perhaps by the way the ball bounces in the Fall Classic.
BUILDING THE BELOVED COMMUNITY
Should there be shelters in Fentyville? Once again we turn to language. We should try and drop the word shelter from our daily vocabulary. People need homes and affordable housing -not shelters. Giving people shelter is like giving folks umbrellas. It's not about getting out of the rain or staying dry; it's about human dignity and having a place of one's own. Compassion needs to be directed to those individuals who have been chronic users of shelters. Closing the Franklin School Shelter at 13th and K Street is another attempt to develop downtown. Folks just need to be honest about that. Are we talking future cafes and shops? I'm certain there are no plans to build a new central library there.
It's important that people not be invisible to others. It's so sad to see human beings who have been living in the streets of this city for years. Hopefully, Mayor Fenty and the City Council can bring joy to Fentyville. What we do in DC should become a model for other urban cities. Do we have the desire and vision to build the beloved community?
Should there be shelters in Fentyville? Once again we turn to language. We should try and drop the word shelter from our daily vocabulary. People need homes and affordable housing -not shelters. Giving people shelter is like giving folks umbrellas. It's not about getting out of the rain or staying dry; it's about human dignity and having a place of one's own. Compassion needs to be directed to those individuals who have been chronic users of shelters. Closing the Franklin School Shelter at 13th and K Street is another attempt to develop downtown. Folks just need to be honest about that. Are we talking future cafes and shops? I'm certain there are no plans to build a new central library there.
It's important that people not be invisible to others. It's so sad to see human beings who have been living in the streets of this city for years. Hopefully, Mayor Fenty and the City Council can bring joy to Fentyville. What we do in DC should become a model for other urban cities. Do we have the desire and vision to build the beloved community?
FROM INDIA WITH LOVE? NEW DELHI OR NEW JACK CITY?
Oh, No!
Bollywood is connecting with Hip Hop. Snoop Dogg is in the new film SINGH IS KINNG.
Fusion, fusion, fusion. Another economic market that will be exploited? Check the YouTube near you. What would Asha Bhosle say about this?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Y-shHxcXi4
Oh, No!
Bollywood is connecting with Hip Hop. Snoop Dogg is in the new film SINGH IS KINNG.
Fusion, fusion, fusion. Another economic market that will be exploited? Check the YouTube near you. What would Asha Bhosle say about this?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Y-shHxcXi4
THE E MAG
Shonda Buchanan
Treve de blues.
- Leon Damas
Compassion is my art.
- Grace A. Ali
God makes stars. It's up to producers to find them.
- Samuel Goldwyn
WELCOME TO THE E-MAG, AN INVITATION INTO THE WORDS OF OTHERS. TODAY MY
GUEST IS SHONDA BUCHANAN.
BUCHANAN:
I crawl around the circle on the hard, cold ground, cutting my hands and knees on both the loose stones and the protruding rocks embedded in the earth; I have known some of these rocks for over nine years. When I settle my haunches, I recognize the hard rise of their shoulders lodged in my softness like cousins. I pull my knees to my chest, circle my arms around my legs and wait as the warmth of the first stone in the pit emanates heat.
Usually I am always sitting in the west of the sweat lodge, but Friday and Saturday, I am closer to the north door, and in the Saturday women’s sweat, I was right next to the leader, an elder Hispanic woman with beautiful fiery, but cautious cat eyes. I notice with trepidation that I keep getting closer and closer to the sweat leader. Before I came here this weekend, I had said I wanted to learn the ways of this ceremony more thoroughly, participating as a disciple, not just a partaker, learn fire keeping, or pouring water in each direction to honor our ancestors. But it is a lifetime commitment, working with the fire, the water and the stones. I don’t know if I am ready.
In the back of my head, I keep thinking what part of this will I tell to any man who might come to me, if he is not already of this tradition. Will he, the unknown man, be able to get with it, to incorporate it into what he thinks he knows of me as a mother, a writer and a teacher? What might any ordinary man who sees me in a grocery store or at a museum, use to discern me. There was one, but he soon fell away, like the ash of a dying fire against a small wind. He thought my way of praying strange, and besides, he had cheated on his wife twice, and was going through a recent separation. We both knew that he was playing at being a man. As I sat, and the rest of the people filed in, I knew it was wrong of me to pretend with him. He could never sit still this long; He could never keep a fire.
In the lodge, when the flap closes and the darkness engulfs us, my throat tightens. I want to leave immediately. There were too many new people. I wasn’t focused like usual. My stomach began to hurt, a small hard knot formed there as the sweat leader began to pour the sacred water over the rocks. The hot mist rose like powder above our heads and descended, lodging in every crack and crevasse. It was ninety-eight degrees outside; I’m sure it had to be about 115-120 in the lodge. I want to ask permission to leave, but not because of the heat. Something just didn’t feel right inside me. If I ask, it will be a first for me as long as I have been on this path. Why? I have never asked permission to leave because I think it would end the prayer I began with when I kissed the black earth with my forehead to enter.
The sweat leader, a frail elder from Mexico and his wife, a husky-voice Canadian, sat nearest the door. As we sing and pray, I can hear how hard it is for the people who have been sweating for years. It wasn’t just me. Their labored breathing sounds above the water spitting from the hot stones, the stone people, we call them. Several people ask permission to leave. The sweat leader pauses after he pours water: “Some people think it’s easy for the people who’ve been doing it for years. It’s not. We suffer too in this ceremony for the Creator.”
The knot in my stomach has calcified into a wedge of cold lava. I try to breathe it away, inhale the cedar and copal into my lungs and force it to thaw the pain. But it doesn’t. Then I could see how hard it is for Sarah-girl, a woman I have known for years. She had popped a disk in her back last week. She had completed her Sun Dance, four days and nights without food and little water, with an ear infection that turned into a staph infection. Half lying, half prostrated on my legs, she shifts uncomfortably in her small space. Her dren ched dress clings to her body. She doesn’t complain. If she can stay, I can.
I remember when I first began on this road almost fifteen years ago, without my knowing it, before I knew what a sweat lodge was, before I had tracked down my Native American ancestry to the Neuse/Coharie tribe of North Carolina, before I knew what it meant to pray with my face to the earth. Once I’d gone to in Joshua Tree National Park with my friend Kim, about three hours outside LA, and I met up with my first totem.
While my friend stayed near the car and the road, I climbed under boulders into a quiet little valley. I sat on the first rock and proud of myself for having gotten away from the city and to this very rock. Then my country upbringing kicked in, snakes, spiders, rodents. I had grown up around cotton tails and rattlers springing from underneath rocks and stairways. But I wasn’t quite ready to leave. In the middle of the valley sat a large craggy bould er about the width of an SUV. Sun shielded by clouds, I crawled on top and closed my eyes. I meditated, letting the wildflower quiet seep in.
Suddenly, I heard my name being called and thought, this is it. No, it was Kim. “Shonda,” she yelled, “Look.” I opened my eyes. Suddenly, I saw them. Four coyotes were coming towards me. I could hear my girlfriend at the road, above and behind me. I didn’t move. The fear started as an itch and then became a quiet panic, but I couldn’t move. I wasn’t supposed to. The coyotes split at the edge of the boulder, two on either side, never once directly looking at me, but I could see their sideways glances. Food, they must have thought. They disappeared into the far edge of the valley towards the open desert. That day, for me, the ceremony had begun.
In the lodge, sweat pours from my skin and the salt stings my eyes. My legs are covered in dirt. My calves and arms are as slippery as eel skin. I shift to another rock and sit, breathing that new hardness into submission. I sit. And I sit.
Part of this ceremony is about the prayer but it is also about endurance. It is at once a reflection of your relationship with the Creator, and the relationship you have with yourself. You are not a person sitting there sweating out all the excess liquid in your body until the blood begins to wonder if it should follow. You are a rock in the fire. A part of the community breathing with one lung. I am a rock in the fire, I think, and slowly my knot begins to dissipate and I am only the prayer coming from my lips in the darkness.
And here is the perfect metaphor for life. For marriage, relationships and friendships. Learning to endure. But also learning when not to. Letting go. Whether it is family, blood kin, or the family you’ve woven around you on your walk through this life, you endure. But the sweat leader will let you leave because even the rock breaks in the fire. It is no t easy, sitting there with yourself, so close to the earth and sweating from every pour. The hush and stillness of movement; the crush of thighs and the rustle of clothe and limbs scrapping the ground. The next day, in the women’s sweat, I immediately sank to the dirt after a cloud of mist so hot it chilled the bone enveloped me, and I stayed there. Trying to get comfortable in my new position, I shifted, cutting both big toes on two sharp rocks to both sides of me, rocks I’d known for years. It was hard. It was supposed to be hard. It was a good sweat.
Shonda Buchanan is a poet and professor at Hampton University.
Sunday, July 27, 2008
THE E MAG
Treve de blues.
- Leon Damas
Compassion is my art.
- Grace A. Ali
God makes stars. It's up to producers to find them.
- Samuel Goldwyn
Welcome to the E-MAG, an invitation into the words of others.
Today my guest is Grace A. Ali.
ALI:
I have a love affair with the arts. It’s a romance that began with the literary word then blossomed to the stage, the screen, and the gallery walls. When my family moved from Guyana to the Washington, D.C. area, we became like so many other African, Latino, and West Indian immigrant families in the neighborhood: struggling and fighting to make ends meet.
There was no money for the theatre or for a dance performance – these things were luxuries we could not afford. And so for a long time I assumed the arts were meant only for the wealthy.
Now, as the founder and director OF NOTE, my work is rooted in improving access to the arts for low-income families and under-served communities. I live in Harlem and despite what you might hear or read in the headlines about this neighborhood’s latest million-dollar brownstone sale, Harlem remains a community still faced with many challenges: poverty, unemployment, sub-par public schools, and the ever-haunting presence of HIV/AIDS.
Because of financial challenges, many of Harlem’s low-income families are often unable to participate in the wealth of artistic performances and cultural programming New York City’s arts venues have to offer. Many of these families rarely experience, for example, a Broadway show like The Color Purple, or a jazz ensemble showcasing Wynton Marsalis at the Lincoln Center, or a dance performance with the Alvin Ailey troupe at the Joyce Theater.
OF NOTE began with a simple concept: create an online space to celebrate people of color in the arts, feature events, and prioritize work that demonstrated a commitment to global citizenship and social change. From this labor of love, the heart and soul of our mission was launched: to sponsor low-income families to attend performances at New York City’s arts venues.
For people of color living in under-served communities, access to the arts goes beyond entertainment. It is critically important that members of our community, both adults and youths, are motivated to value the arts as tool of empowerment—professionally and educationally.
I know this to be true from what I’ve experienced in my own family. My younger sister decided at an early age she wanted to be a dancer. She has such an innate talent and passion for dance. Although it was financially difficult at times, my mother and I made it a point to expose her to other dancers of color on the stage. We took her to live performances because we wanted her to have a clear vision of what was possible for her. It was important that she “see” the dream, not just dream it.
My sister is now a sophomore in college, continues to evolve in her art, and is taking steps towards starting her own dance company. She will tell you how important those live performances were to her own ambition and motivation—they transformed possibility into reality.
of note: celebrating people of color in the arts
I have a love affair with the arts. It’s a romance that began with the literary word then blossomed to the stage, the screen, and the gallery walls. When my family moved from Guyana to the Washington, D.C. area, we became like so many other African, Latino, and West Indian immigrant families in the neighborhood: struggling and fighting to make ends meet. There was no money for the theatre or for a dance performance – these things were luxuries we could not afford. And so for a long time I assumed the arts were meant only for the wealthy.
Now, as the founder and director OF NOTE, my work is rooted in improving access to the arts for low-income families and under-served communities. I live in Harlem and despite what you might hear or read in the headlines about this neighborhood’s latest million-dollar brownstone sale, Harlem remains a community still faced with many challenges: poverty, unemployment, sub-par public schools, and the ever-haunting presence of HIV/AIDS.
Because of financial challenges, many of Harlem’s low-income families are often unable to participate in the wealth of artistic performances and cultural programming New York City’s arts venues have to offer. Many of these families rarely experience, for example, a Broadway show like The Color Purple, or a jazz ensemble showcasing Wynton Marsalis at the Lincoln Center, or a dance performance with the Alvin Ailey troupe at the Joyce Theater.
OF NOTE began with a simple concept: create an online space to celebrate people of color in the arts, feature events, and prioritize work that demonstrated a commitment to global citizenship and social change. From this labor of love, the heart and soul of our mission was launched: to sponsor low-income families to attend performances at New York City’s arts venues.
For people of color living in under-served communities, access to the arts goes beyond entertainment. It is critically important that members of our community, both adults and youths, are motivated to value the arts as tool of empowerment—professionally and educationally.
I know this to be true from what I’ve experienced in my own family. My younger sister decided at an early age she wanted to be a dancer. She has such an innate talent and passion for dance. Although it was financially difficult at times, my mother and I made it a point to expose her to other dancers of color on the stage. We took her to live performances because we wanted her to have a clear vision of what was possible for her. It was important that she “see” the dream, not just dream it.
My sister is now a sophomore in college, continues to evolve in her art, and is taking steps towards starting her own dance company. She will tell you how important those live performances were to her own ambition and motivation—they transformed possibility into reality.
WWW.OFNOTEMAGAZINE.ORG
Treve de blues.
- Leon Damas
Compassion is my art.
- Grace A. Ali
God makes stars. It's up to producers to find them.
- Samuel Goldwyn
Welcome to the E-MAG, an invitation into the words of others.
Today my guest is Grace A. Ali.
ALI:
I have a love affair with the arts. It’s a romance that began with the literary word then blossomed to the stage, the screen, and the gallery walls. When my family moved from Guyana to the Washington, D.C. area, we became like so many other African, Latino, and West Indian immigrant families in the neighborhood: struggling and fighting to make ends meet.
There was no money for the theatre or for a dance performance – these things were luxuries we could not afford. And so for a long time I assumed the arts were meant only for the wealthy.
Now, as the founder and director OF NOTE, my work is rooted in improving access to the arts for low-income families and under-served communities. I live in Harlem and despite what you might hear or read in the headlines about this neighborhood’s latest million-dollar brownstone sale, Harlem remains a community still faced with many challenges: poverty, unemployment, sub-par public schools, and the ever-haunting presence of HIV/AIDS.
Because of financial challenges, many of Harlem’s low-income families are often unable to participate in the wealth of artistic performances and cultural programming New York City’s arts venues have to offer. Many of these families rarely experience, for example, a Broadway show like The Color Purple, or a jazz ensemble showcasing Wynton Marsalis at the Lincoln Center, or a dance performance with the Alvin Ailey troupe at the Joyce Theater.
OF NOTE began with a simple concept: create an online space to celebrate people of color in the arts, feature events, and prioritize work that demonstrated a commitment to global citizenship and social change. From this labor of love, the heart and soul of our mission was launched: to sponsor low-income families to attend performances at New York City’s arts venues.
For people of color living in under-served communities, access to the arts goes beyond entertainment. It is critically important that members of our community, both adults and youths, are motivated to value the arts as tool of empowerment—professionally and educationally.
I know this to be true from what I’ve experienced in my own family. My younger sister decided at an early age she wanted to be a dancer. She has such an innate talent and passion for dance. Although it was financially difficult at times, my mother and I made it a point to expose her to other dancers of color on the stage. We took her to live performances because we wanted her to have a clear vision of what was possible for her. It was important that she “see” the dream, not just dream it.
My sister is now a sophomore in college, continues to evolve in her art, and is taking steps towards starting her own dance company. She will tell you how important those live performances were to her own ambition and motivation—they transformed possibility into reality.
of note: celebrating people of color in the arts
I have a love affair with the arts. It’s a romance that began with the literary word then blossomed to the stage, the screen, and the gallery walls. When my family moved from Guyana to the Washington, D.C. area, we became like so many other African, Latino, and West Indian immigrant families in the neighborhood: struggling and fighting to make ends meet. There was no money for the theatre or for a dance performance – these things were luxuries we could not afford. And so for a long time I assumed the arts were meant only for the wealthy.
Now, as the founder and director OF NOTE, my work is rooted in improving access to the arts for low-income families and under-served communities. I live in Harlem and despite what you might hear or read in the headlines about this neighborhood’s latest million-dollar brownstone sale, Harlem remains a community still faced with many challenges: poverty, unemployment, sub-par public schools, and the ever-haunting presence of HIV/AIDS.
Because of financial challenges, many of Harlem’s low-income families are often unable to participate in the wealth of artistic performances and cultural programming New York City’s arts venues have to offer. Many of these families rarely experience, for example, a Broadway show like The Color Purple, or a jazz ensemble showcasing Wynton Marsalis at the Lincoln Center, or a dance performance with the Alvin Ailey troupe at the Joyce Theater.
OF NOTE began with a simple concept: create an online space to celebrate people of color in the arts, feature events, and prioritize work that demonstrated a commitment to global citizenship and social change. From this labor of love, the heart and soul of our mission was launched: to sponsor low-income families to attend performances at New York City’s arts venues.
For people of color living in under-served communities, access to the arts goes beyond entertainment. It is critically important that members of our community, both adults and youths, are motivated to value the arts as tool of empowerment—professionally and educationally.
I know this to be true from what I’ve experienced in my own family. My younger sister decided at an early age she wanted to be a dancer. She has such an innate talent and passion for dance. Although it was financially difficult at times, my mother and I made it a point to expose her to other dancers of color on the stage. We took her to live performances because we wanted her to have a clear vision of what was possible for her. It was important that she “see” the dream, not just dream it.
My sister is now a sophomore in college, continues to evolve in her art, and is taking steps towards starting her own dance company. She will tell you how important those live performances were to her own ambition and motivation—they transformed possibility into reality.
WWW.OFNOTEMAGAZINE.ORG
Here are links to my friend Uta's websites:
www.utakogelsberger.com
www.picturing-paradise.eu
Uta and I met several years ago in Vermont. I always felt some of her work was breathless...
www.utakogelsberger.com
www.picturing-paradise.eu
Uta and I met several years ago in Vermont. I always felt some of her work was breathless...
PICTURING POLITICS 2008: Artists Speak to Power
Helga Thomson, Renee Stout, Jose Ruiz, Rick Reinhard, Judy Byron and others. Curator- Rex Weil.
Exhibition Dates: August 15 - September 27, 2008
Opening Reception: Friday September 5th. 6:00 - 9:00 PM.
Arlington Arts Center
3550 Wilson Blvd.
Arlington, VA
www.arlingtonartscenter.org
Metro stop: Orange Line, Virginia Square.
Helga Thomson, Renee Stout, Jose Ruiz, Rick Reinhard, Judy Byron and others. Curator- Rex Weil.
Exhibition Dates: August 15 - September 27, 2008
Opening Reception: Friday September 5th. 6:00 - 9:00 PM.
Arlington Arts Center
3550 Wilson Blvd.
Arlington, VA
www.arlingtonartscenter.org
Metro stop: Orange Line, Virginia Square.
Don't blink or you'll miss it. But right on page 17 of The New York Times in a little box are excerpts from a conversation overheard between Barack Obama and Tory leader David Cameron, at the House of Parliament on Saturday. This little box provides more insight into Obama and his leadership style than all the newspaper coverage this year.
In speaking to Cameron, Obama talks about the need during the day to have big chunks of time to just think. He is also aware of how one should avoid trying to micromanage and solve everything. How many of our leaders probably spend more time looking at polls instead of just thinking?
IN THE NEWS TODAY:
A fascinating article on the front page of The New York Times looking at literacy and the future of reading. What does it mean to read in this digital age? How do we begin to measure digital literacy?
Clearly, reading in print and on the Internet are different. On paper, text has a predetermined beginning, middle and end where readers focus for a sustained period on one author's vision. On the Internet, readers skate through cyberspace at will and, in effect, compose their own beginnings, middles and ends.
A fascinating article on the front page of The New York Times looking at literacy and the future of reading. What does it mean to read in this digital age? How do we begin to measure digital literacy?
Clearly, reading in print and on the Internet are different. On paper, text has a predetermined beginning, middle and end where readers focus for a sustained period on one author's vision. On the Internet, readers skate through cyberspace at will and, in effect, compose their own beginnings, middles and ends.
An excerpt from THE WHITE TIGER by Aravind Adiga:
Never before in human history have so few owed so much to so many, Mr. Jiabao. A handful of men in this country have trained the remaining 99.9 percent - as strong, as talented, as intelligent in every way - to exist in perpetual servitude; a servitude so strong that you can put the key of his emancipation in a man's hands and he will throw it back at you with a curse.
You'll have to come here and see it for yourself to believe it.
Every day millions wake up at dawn - stand in dirty, crowded buses - get off at their masters' posh houses - and then clean the floors, wash the dishes, weed the garden, feed their children, press their feet - all for a pittance.
Never before in human history have so few owed so much to so many, Mr. Jiabao. A handful of men in this country have trained the remaining 99.9 percent - as strong, as talented, as intelligent in every way - to exist in perpetual servitude; a servitude so strong that you can put the key of his emancipation in a man's hands and he will throw it back at you with a curse.
You'll have to come here and see it for yourself to believe it.
Every day millions wake up at dawn - stand in dirty, crowded buses - get off at their masters' posh houses - and then clean the floors, wash the dishes, weed the garden, feed their children, press their feet - all for a pittance.
Saturday, July 26, 2008
Sports:
I spent the afternoon watching a baseball game on television. The Yankees defeated the Red Sox. It looks like it could be a NY/NY World Series this fall. A wonderful way to say good-bye to the old Yankee Stadium.
Ichiro is in a slump. Average dropping way below .300.
I still need to get out to the new Nationals ballpark. Geez it's almost August.
If the US brings home the Gold Medal from the Olympics it might be because of a healthy D. Wade. How do you stop him, Kobe and James?
I spent the afternoon watching a baseball game on television. The Yankees defeated the Red Sox. It looks like it could be a NY/NY World Series this fall. A wonderful way to say good-bye to the old Yankee Stadium.
Ichiro is in a slump. Average dropping way below .300.
I still need to get out to the new Nationals ballpark. Geez it's almost August.
If the US brings home the Gold Medal from the Olympics it might be because of a healthy D. Wade. How do you stop him, Kobe and James?
E & H:
Yesterday I received an email from Felicia Mitchell. We met many years ago when I was a visiting professor at Emory & Henry College in Emory, Virginia.
Mitchell is the editor of HER WORDS: DIVERSE VOICES IN CONTEMPORARY APPALACHIAN WOMEN'S POETRY (The University of Tennessee Press, 2002)
Here is a link to her blog: http://feliciamitchell.blogspot.com
Yesterday I received an email from Felicia Mitchell. We met many years ago when I was a visiting professor at Emory & Henry College in Emory, Virginia.
Mitchell is the editor of HER WORDS: DIVERSE VOICES IN CONTEMPORARY APPALACHIAN WOMEN'S POETRY (The University of Tennessee Press, 2002)
Here is a link to her blog: http://feliciamitchell.blogspot.com
A LETTER FROM ANYA ACHTENBERG:
Dear Friends, Dear Writers,
I am writing to announce that my novella, The Stories of Devil-Girl, has recently been published by Modern History Press and is available through Amazon, and directly through me at readings and workshops. Those who know me have heard me discuss it as being the crossing for me from poetry into prose, and from autobiography into fiction.
But, most importantly right now, I am asking that you take a look at the description of my novella, The Stories of Devil-Girl, at http://anyaachtenberg.com/?page_id=63 and BUY A COPY!!
If you don't, you just may miss out on a new classic.
Here's some information on the book:
The Stories of Devil-Girlby Anya Achtenberg128 pages. Modern History Press, 2008.
Devil-Girl is a storyteller smaller than a stain and larger than life, a mythic figure roaming the globe. Born into Brooklyn housing projects and the nightmares of her immigrant family, she becomes a runaway in the human marketplace of the streets of New York. Accompanied by her sense of outrage and sense of humor, ghosts of the ancestors and her prophetic vision, she moves from silence through rage into deep alliance with the marginalized.
“Poignant and fierce, this book is moving, beautifully written, and urgently relevant.”
-Kathleen Spivack, Author, Director: Advanced Writing Workshop
“Stunning and original! Powerful ‘make it new’ language that creates-through the runaway energy and precise detail of the storytelling voice-a disturbing world in all its particularities, only to transcend it by grappling with what’s at stake in the larger world.”
-Stratis Haviaras, Founder and former editor of Harvard Review”
Thanks so much!!
Anya Achtenberg
Dear Friends, Dear Writers,
I am writing to announce that my novella, The Stories of Devil-Girl, has recently been published by Modern History Press and is available through Amazon, and directly through me at readings and workshops. Those who know me have heard me discuss it as being the crossing for me from poetry into prose, and from autobiography into fiction.
But, most importantly right now, I am asking that you take a look at the description of my novella, The Stories of Devil-Girl, at http://anyaachtenberg.com/?page_id=63 and BUY A COPY!!
If you don't, you just may miss out on a new classic.
Here's some information on the book:
The Stories of Devil-Girlby Anya Achtenberg128 pages. Modern History Press, 2008.
Devil-Girl is a storyteller smaller than a stain and larger than life, a mythic figure roaming the globe. Born into Brooklyn housing projects and the nightmares of her immigrant family, she becomes a runaway in the human marketplace of the streets of New York. Accompanied by her sense of outrage and sense of humor, ghosts of the ancestors and her prophetic vision, she moves from silence through rage into deep alliance with the marginalized.
“Poignant and fierce, this book is moving, beautifully written, and urgently relevant.”
-Kathleen Spivack, Author, Director: Advanced Writing Workshop
“Stunning and original! Powerful ‘make it new’ language that creates-through the runaway energy and precise detail of the storytelling voice-a disturbing world in all its particularities, only to transcend it by grappling with what’s at stake in the larger world.”
-Stratis Haviaras, Founder and former editor of Harvard Review”
Thanks so much!!
Anya Achtenberg
Friday, July 25, 2008
THE BROOKS BROTHER WITHOUT A SUIT OF AN IDEA:
Instead of folks being upset with The New Yorker, there should be a demand that David Brooks (NY Times) only write articles about John McCain. Geez. As soon as Obama opens his mouth all Brooks hears is rhetoric. Maybe the guy should clean his ears before November gets here. What does he expect during a presidential campaign? Yes, it's rhetoric fool! It's eloquence. Listen Up! What is McCain saying Brooks? Tell me? Every Brooks article about Obama is beginning to sound the same. I suggest editors at The New York Times use the Brooks space for cartoons. I need to know why I'm laughing.
Instead of folks being upset with The New Yorker, there should be a demand that David Brooks (NY Times) only write articles about John McCain. Geez. As soon as Obama opens his mouth all Brooks hears is rhetoric. Maybe the guy should clean his ears before November gets here. What does he expect during a presidential campaign? Yes, it's rhetoric fool! It's eloquence. Listen Up! What is McCain saying Brooks? Tell me? Every Brooks article about Obama is beginning to sound the same. I suggest editors at The New York Times use the Brooks space for cartoons. I need to know why I'm laughing.
DID WE MISS THIS?
In today's Washington Post there is a " Letter to the Editor" from Regis Le Sommier and Laura Haim. They are members of the foreign media. In their letter they mention that in an interview Obama made the point that if elected he would hold a summit in the Muslim world to address the growing gap between Islamic nations and the West. Where did this news disappear to?
In today's Washington Post there is a " Letter to the Editor" from Regis Le Sommier and Laura Haim. They are members of the foreign media. In their letter they mention that in an interview Obama made the point that if elected he would hold a summit in the Muslim world to address the growing gap between Islamic nations and the West. Where did this news disappear to?
Quotes of the Day:
Afterward, we network commentators from the older generation wondered about the meaning of what we had witnessed. Whatever magic Obama has with youths in the United States seems to translate overseas, at least in Berlin. We had a sense of being part of something new without being able to describe what it was.
- John Kornblum, commentator for the German network ZDF
Obama's trip has demonstrated that this candidate can play on the global stage. His message was exactly what Europeans have yearned for from an American president. The question is whether America is ready for it. We should and must be.
- Nancy Soderberg, represented the US (Clinton Administration) at the UN
Afterward, we network commentators from the older generation wondered about the meaning of what we had witnessed. Whatever magic Obama has with youths in the United States seems to translate overseas, at least in Berlin. We had a sense of being part of something new without being able to describe what it was.
- John Kornblum, commentator for the German network ZDF
Obama's trip has demonstrated that this candidate can play on the global stage. His message was exactly what Europeans have yearned for from an American president. The question is whether America is ready for it. We should and must be.
- Nancy Soderberg, represented the US (Clinton Administration) at the UN
MARK YOUR CALENDAR: September 14 -24, 2008.
The Hyman S. & Freda Berstein Jewish Literary Festival.
www.washingtondcjcc.org/litfest
The Hyman S. & Freda Berstein Jewish Literary Festival.
www.washingtondcjcc.org/litfest
BUTTON UP BEFORE IT TURNS COLD IN NOVEMBER:
Hey,
Want a free Obama button?
MoveOn's giving them away totally free--no strings attached. Of course you can make a $.
I just got mine, and wanted to share the opportunity with you. YEP.
Click this link to get a free Obama button:
http://pol.moveon.org/obamabuttons/?id=-8449446-WodWiVx
Hey,
Want a free Obama button?
MoveOn's giving them away totally free--no strings attached. Of course you can make a $.
I just got mine, and wanted to share the opportunity with you. YEP.
Click this link to get a free Obama button:
http://pol.moveon.org/obamabuttons/?id=-8449446-WodWiVx
SHOT DOWN AGAIN?
When asked to comment on Obama's speech in Germany, McCain had that look in his eyes that reminded me of a defeated boxer who thought he was still in the ring. 100 years after Jack Johnson won the heavyweight title will some in America begin to secretly hope for a young white Republican to win back the White House in four years? McCain is the old Republican Party - a war hero but it's the Vietnam War. Look at Obama in Germany yesterday linking himself to World War II. Obama isn't a war hero but he comes close to being a superhero in these times when people want to hope again. Looking at the crowd in Berlin was like watching a movie set. One was just waiting for Superman to appear, out of the sky. And there he was - Obama walking out to speak as if he was on a fashion show runway. What a big screen moment. McCain shot down again. How long has it been since we've seen people in another country waiting to see and hear a US President? Oh, and want about all those American flags being waved overseas again? Obama is doing what Reagan did and that's resuscitate America's image abroad. It's a slick move for the Obama folks to plan a series of ads to run during the Olympics. The triumph of Obama in Germany is a Jesse Owens moment without Hitler. After a year of Batman, Ironman, Hulk, Hancock and Hellboy - I think we might be ready for ObamaMan. The only person who can defeat him in November is Captain America. I've seen and listened to McCain. He might be a Maverick but he's not Captain America. With the economy creeping towards Gotham, who will protect us from the growing despair? It appears America has found its Dark Knight and his name is Barack Obama.
When asked to comment on Obama's speech in Germany, McCain had that look in his eyes that reminded me of a defeated boxer who thought he was still in the ring. 100 years after Jack Johnson won the heavyweight title will some in America begin to secretly hope for a young white Republican to win back the White House in four years? McCain is the old Republican Party - a war hero but it's the Vietnam War. Look at Obama in Germany yesterday linking himself to World War II. Obama isn't a war hero but he comes close to being a superhero in these times when people want to hope again. Looking at the crowd in Berlin was like watching a movie set. One was just waiting for Superman to appear, out of the sky. And there he was - Obama walking out to speak as if he was on a fashion show runway. What a big screen moment. McCain shot down again. How long has it been since we've seen people in another country waiting to see and hear a US President? Oh, and want about all those American flags being waved overseas again? Obama is doing what Reagan did and that's resuscitate America's image abroad. It's a slick move for the Obama folks to plan a series of ads to run during the Olympics. The triumph of Obama in Germany is a Jesse Owens moment without Hitler. After a year of Batman, Ironman, Hulk, Hancock and Hellboy - I think we might be ready for ObamaMan. The only person who can defeat him in November is Captain America. I've seen and listened to McCain. He might be a Maverick but he's not Captain America. With the economy creeping towards Gotham, who will protect us from the growing despair? It appears America has found its Dark Knight and his name is Barack Obama.
Thursday, July 24, 2008
Maybe these two things are connected. You tell me.
1.
Last night there was a "Kaboom" outside my house. I raced outside to find neighbors looking at a big tree that had been knocked down by the storm. One guy was happy it missed his new truck.
Someone remarked about how they wanted the tree cut down years ago. I stood around listening to the oral tradition for a few minutes and then went back inside. I wondered how long the tree would simply stay there. It's been almost a year and I've been waiting for someone to repair the lights in my office. Go figure.
Anyway around 3AM - more noise in the street but this time it's organized black voices. Guys cutting the tree into sections and clearing the street. Oh, the joy of living in Fentyville. I kissed my Blackberry and went back to sleep.
2.
I come across an essay on the internet about police brutality in the black community. The writer wondered if it will end when Obama is elected president. Geez - who would even entertain a thought like that without a coon stage to perform on. I think it's so silly for someone to think Obama 's election is going to make me tuck my shirt in or put more lotion on my ashy elbows. But what if next year around 3AM in the morning the black president stops by and presents me with a jar of Vaseline? Oh, for my elbows and lips? Oh, yes we can!
1.
Last night there was a "Kaboom" outside my house. I raced outside to find neighbors looking at a big tree that had been knocked down by the storm. One guy was happy it missed his new truck.
Someone remarked about how they wanted the tree cut down years ago. I stood around listening to the oral tradition for a few minutes and then went back inside. I wondered how long the tree would simply stay there. It's been almost a year and I've been waiting for someone to repair the lights in my office. Go figure.
Anyway around 3AM - more noise in the street but this time it's organized black voices. Guys cutting the tree into sections and clearing the street. Oh, the joy of living in Fentyville. I kissed my Blackberry and went back to sleep.
2.
I come across an essay on the internet about police brutality in the black community. The writer wondered if it will end when Obama is elected president. Geez - who would even entertain a thought like that without a coon stage to perform on. I think it's so silly for someone to think Obama 's election is going to make me tuck my shirt in or put more lotion on my ashy elbows. But what if next year around 3AM in the morning the black president stops by and presents me with a jar of Vaseline? Oh, for my elbows and lips? Oh, yes we can!
ARE YOU WALKING AROUND WITHOUT YOUR KORB?
Poet Douglas Korb's new book is out. Obtain your copy of THE CUT WORM
Small Press Distribution
http://www.spdbooks.org/root/pages/serp.asp?Title=&submit=Search&Author=Korb
EVERYONE NEEDS A KORB.
Poet Douglas Korb's new book is out. Obtain your copy of THE CUT WORM
Small Press Distribution
http://www.spdbooks.org/root/pages/serp.asp?Title=&submit=Search&Author=Korb
EVERYONE NEEDS A KORB.