Friday, March 29, 2024
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Culture Currents

Cultural happenings in SF and beyond.

Wanda’s Picks for April 24

Happy Birthday, Mumia Abu Jamal! On Wanda's Picks Radio, we are celebrating Mumia Abu Jamal's birthday and his new book, "Jailhouse Lawyers," with an introduction by Angela Davis.

A whole different politic: an inner-view of Sinista Z of East Bay Politix

A lot of artists call themselves "political," "revolutionary" and "conscious" artists but very few, including the internationally known ones, use their art to benefit people's street campaigns, political and social struggles.

‘Rebel Musiq’: an innerview of rapper Bicasso of the Living Legends

Two decades after Bob Marley's "Rebel Music," in 2009 Oakland, artists like Bicasso are the musical spokespeople for criminalized Black neighborhoods that are literally at war with the police; must I remind you of the cases of Oscar Grant and Lovelle Mixon?

Wanda’s Picks for April 17

"Love on Both Sides of the Wall: A Two Way Struggle" plays at the Lesher Center for the Arts in Walnut Creek April 17-18, 6:45 p.m. The production is topnotch, the story of the forgotten Children of the Movement.

‘Chasing Demons’: an innerview of DJ Twelvz

DJ Twelvz is one of the up and coming dj's in the Bay Area who has one foot in conscious circles and the other within street rap. In my opinion, this is where the movement needs to go.

Wanda’s Picks for April 10

I can't say enough about "Mrs. Streeter" at Black Rep in Berkeley. Did you catch my interview Friday, April 10, with playwright Merrill D. Jones and cast members? If not, listen on-line at Wanda's Picks Radio.

The Town in chaos: an interview wit’ rapper Beeda Weeda

While the world was watching downtown Oakland burn up in the aftermath of the police murder of Oscar Grant III, rappers Beeda Weeda and J-Stalin put their social commentary into 16 rhyming bars and came out with the Town masterpiece "We Ain't Listening," the remix. Listen at www.blockreportradio.com.

Pens and pistols: an interview wit’ Ebony Sparks, author of ‘Lessons Learned …’

Ebony Colbert Sparks is one of the most talented writers that I've met. She is the personification of "you can do anything you put your mind to."

Wanda’s Picks for April 2009

Dressed in black leotards, Jetaun Maxwell, dancer-choreographer, has a red ribbon, a strip of cloth representing the blood, the noose and rein society places on girls who seek freedom. - from Wanda's review of "Invisible Womb"

‘The Dark Side of the Rainbow’: A video exposing domestic violence in same-gender-loving relationships

We think the rainbow - the gay symbol - is all about fun and parties, but there is also a dark side that no one likes to talk about, such as abuse or racism within the GLBT community.

Wanda’s Picks for March 20

Guests on Friday's Wanda's Picks Radio are Tovi Scruggs, M.Ed., and Sharon Morrison Parker, directors of ASA Academy, who talked about an exciting conference next week: "MAN UP! First Annual Black Boys Conference: Extending the Arm of Brotherhood to Achieve Manhood" on Saturday, March 28.

Air cartoons: Rapper Azeem in his own words

Azeem is definitely one of the artists in the Bay's soundscape who puts the "c" in creative. He's the rapper's rapper, a creative lyricist, a conscious mind. Vote for him on BET at http://www.bet.com/OnTV/BETShows/deal/deal_ya_heard.htm??Referrer={626141E.

Three poems for Oscar Grant

Submit your creative expression - poem, photo, artwork, music, graffiti etc. - to the Oscar Grant Memorial Arts Project. Details follow the poems. Deadline is March 21

POOR’s poetry battle

The 2009 Poetry Luchador/Wrestling Battle of ALL of the Sexes was a multi-generational, multi-lingual, multi-cultural mash-up of art, gender, poetry, wrestling, language and theatre brought to you by your favorite revolutionary poets, media-makers, poverty scholars and cultural workers at POOR Magazine.

Wanda’s Picks for March 14

Kiilu Nyasha, Tarika Matilaba Lewis and Gail Asali Dickson are featured in the exhibit, "Woman Artists of the Black Panther Party," at the West Oakland Branch Library, 1801 Adeline St. The reception is Saturday, March 14, 1-3 p.m.

Black Is

Redevelopment comes in and out like thieves in the night turning the remaining community members into back-stabbing vultures and because we hate the very flesh that clothes our veins, we are pacified with deceiving gifts and fake promises of fair land distribution.

Snap shot: an interview with photographer Ayesha ‘Esh’ Walker

Photo exhibit and fundraiser Friday, March 13, 6-7:30 p.m., at Youth Radio, 1701 Broadway, Downtown Oakland: Help this young artist study in Egypt this summer.

Wanda’s Picks for March

Grammy Award winning South African ensemble Ladysmith Black Mambazo is coming to town March 12 at UC Berkeley.

Library renovation plans: process and product problematic

"How to Run Roughshod Over Neighborhood Wishes" is now playing in San Francisco, as a swirling whirlwind of deception engulfs the Haight-Ashbury neighborhood.

Saturday matinee benefit for the Bay View: ‘for colored girls …’

Saturday, Feb. 28, the Black Repertory Theatre generously set aside the matinee performance of "for colored girls who have considered suicide when the rainbow is enuf" as a benefit for the Bay View newspaper. Playwright Ntozake Shange was there in person. The performance sold out! Thanks, everybody!