Wanda’s Picks for April 24

by Wanda Sabir

jailhouse-lawyers-cover2, Wanda’s Picks for April 24, Culture Currents Happy Birthday, Mumia Abu Jamal! Happy Birthday also to Mother Earth on this Earth Day Celebration weekend. Obama: 100 days into his administration, time for change continues … read Dave Zirin’s take.

Celebrating the Life and Work of Rev. Diama Clark

The celebration honoring the work and memory of the life of Queen Mother Rev. Diama Clark, educator, philosopher and founder of the Association of Africans and African Americans, is Saturday, April 25, 2:30-5:30 p.m., at Beth Eden Baptist Church, 1183 10th St., at Adeline, in West Oakland. For information, call (510) 452-4180.

Youth Town Hall

The National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives (NOBLE) in partnership with the San Francisco Bay Area Chapter of NOBLE, presents “A NOBLE Focus on Crime and Justice.” Juvenile arrests for murder increased in the last year by 3 percent. Youth younger than age 15 accounted for more than one-fourth – 28 percent – of all juvenile arrests for violent crime offenses in 2007 and nearly one-third – 31 percent – of all property crime offenses. In 2007, females accounted for 17 percent of juvenile violent crime index arrests, 35 percent of juvenile property crime index arrests and 33 percent of juvenile disorderly conduct arrests. To learn more, consult the OJJDP Statistical Briefing Book. It was released on Oct. 24, 2008.

What can our communities do to stop the violence? What are the crime and violence issues affecting our communities? How can law enforcement and the community collaborate to address these issues? Youth and the community are invited to express opinions and engage in dialogue at a Youth Town Hall Meeting Saturday, April 25, 1 p.m., at Fremont High School, 4610 Foothill Blvd., Oakland. For information, contact Chapter President Joan Johnson at (925) 786-6055 or Training Chairman Johnny Davis at (510) 773-2793.

Soul Green Connections

kaylah-marin, Wanda’s Picks for April 24, Culture Currents Soul Green Connections will be mixing neo-soul, R&B, spoken word and live art every Friday in April and May with host Kaylah Marin, 7-10 p.m., at BollyHood Lounge, 3372 19th St. between Mission and Capp, San Francisco. Catch performers like Kaylah Marin, Colored Ink, Fiyawata, Alyse and more. For information, call (415) 819-1995 or email kaylahmarin@gmail.com. Shows benefit Grind for the Green.

Illumination Festival

The Fourth Annual Illumination Ball presented by Infinity Productions, Inc. will celebrate the arts and community in honor of Mary L. Booker, its founder. Ms. Booker has been an artist in residence in the Bayview Hunter Point neighborhood for more than 50 years. It will be an evening with special guests, musical entertainment, poetry and dramatic performances from “Weird Eyes” and Ossie Davis’ “Purlie Victorious.” The public is invited. Tickets are $100.

The event is at the Bayview Opera House, Ruth Williams Memorial Theater, 4705 Third St., in San Francisco, Saturday, April 25. The reception begins at 6 p.m., the ball, including dinner and program, at 7-11 p.m. Infinity Productions, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, highlights the rich tapestry of artistic talent among youth, adults and community elders. Infinity Production is a testament to the Bayview Hunters Point neighborhood’s artistry and the positive happenings in the community.

Hugh Masekela

hugh-masekela, Wanda’s Picks for April 24, Culture Currents South African trumpet legend Hugh Masekela celebrates his 70th year with a new CD, “Phola,” his 35th as a leader. He appears at SFJAZZ tonight in San Francisco at the Palace of Fine Arts. Visit www.sfjazz.org.

Justice for Oscar Grant Townhall Meeting

The Oakland Townhall Meetings are every Saturday, including tomorrow, April 25, 4:25-6:25 p.m., at Olivet Missionary Baptist Church, 807 27th St. at San Pablo, Oakland. The April 8 Caravan for Justice was a huge success, carrying over 700 people to Sacramento. Help plan the next one, in May, organize for the recall of Alameda County DA Tom Orloff and join the movement. Visit www.caravanforjustice.com, read Caravan for Justice II: The people take their demands to Sacramento and watch the video, Caravan for Justice II on this site.

On the fly …

And there is a lot more … like Berkeley Earth Day and the great plays at Brava Theatre in San Francisco. I think Baba Ken has something at Ashkenaz in Berkeley Saturday, April 25, and Liberation Dance is performing its premiere, “Animal Farm.” at ODC in San Francisco.

There is a Barbecue for the Parks at Mosswood Park in Oakland 12-2 tomorrow afternoon also. Check back for updates. Oh, at Laney College there is a play, a take off on Aesop’s fable, “The Ant and the Grasshopper,” this weekend. Tonight is opening night, 6:30 p.m. Next week, I’ll have May 2009 out in the San Francisco Bay View newspaper, so send me any announcements you’d like to get in before April 26.

The McCoy Tyner Trio is performing this weekend with special guest Bobby Hutcherson at the Palace of Fine Arts Sunday, April 26. Dee Dee Bridgewater is at Cal Performances on Saturday, April 25, also. Oh, LINES Dance Company is at Yerba Buena Center for the Arts Theatre through Sunday, April 26. I saw a notice when I went to the opening of a great exhibit, curated by children yesterday in the upstairs galleries. Impressive – stay tuned for more.

Also this weekend, in the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts screening room, is a film about Rasta musical legend Lee Scratch Perry. The New Living Conference is at the Concourse Exposition Center in San Francisco this weekend: http://www.newlivingexpo.com/2009/html_files/index3.php.

Wanda’s Picks Radio April 24

Today we are celebrating Mumia Abu Jamal’s birthday and his new book, “Jailhouse Lawyers,” with an introduction by Angela Davis. Learn more at www.CityLightsBooks.com. On the air are Linda Evans, Robert King and Tiny. There is a birthday book release party tonight at the Humanist Hall, 390 27th St., in Oakland, beginning at 6:30 p.m. The second interview honors the memory of Rev. Diama Clark, whose life is being celebrated April 25 at Beth Eden Baptist Church, 1183 10th St., in Oakland, 2:30-5:30.

Following this we are joined by Kaylah Marin, singer-songwriter, whose new CD is “Loving Life.” She also produces “Soul Green Connection” on Fridays, beginning tonight, Friday, April 24, 7-10 p.m., at BollyHood, 3372 19th St., between Mission and Capp, San Francisco. The event is a fundraiser for Grind for the Green.

Hugh Masekela, who is appearing in San Francisco this evening, was not able to make it, so we close with Avotcja, who will continue the Happy Birthday, Mumia, celebration in words and poetry beginning earlier in the broadcast. Avotcja and Modupue perform Monday, April 27, 8 p.m., in San Francisco at Yoshi’s SF, Fillmore at Eddy.

Bay View Arts Editor Wanda Sabir can be reached at wsab1@aol.com. Visit her website at www.wandaspicks.com for an expanded version of Wanda’s Picks, her blog, photos and Wanda’s Picks Radio. Her shows are streamed live Wednesdays at 6-7 a.m. and Fridays at 8-10 a.m. and archived on the Afrikan Sistahs’ Media Network.