Thursday, March 28, 2024
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Culture Currents

Cultural happenings in SF and beyond.

Gangsta literature: an interview wit’ Frisco’s urban fiction novelist Fleetwood

My OG potna, Fleetwood from Frisco, just put out his second book, “Bloodtest.” It is an urban fiction novel that is based right here in the Bay Area. It is important for us to support the writers, media-makers and artists in our communities who tell our stories.

In memory of Elouise Westbrook, 1915-2011: A message to my community and extended family

It pains my heart to say that my great grandmother, Mrs. Elouise Westbrook, passed on Sept. 13, 2011, in the comfort of her own home in the city she loved, San Francisco. Even though she was never an elected politician, she was a force to be reckoned with in the political world. She had a voice that made people stop and listen.

Wanda’s Picks for October 2011

October is Maafa Commemoration Month. The term Maafa refers to the Black Holocaust, that period when African people were stolen and traded in the greatest, most widespread cooperative economic venture to date, which resulted in the displacement of human beings as commodities. The Kiswahili term Maafa extends that definition of loss and trauma, that is, PTSD or post-traumatic slave syndrome – the flashbacks, both conscious and unconscious, reoccurring instances of the atrocities 150 years after the end of slavery which have direct association to the brutality of chattel slavery.

Educating our community using community radio: Support KPFA

KPFA, 94.1 FM or kpfa.org, is a community station that needs and deserves your support. I am a broadcaster on KPFA with two weekly shows: The Morning Mix on Wednesdays from 8-9 a.m., which deals with community politics, and the Block Report every Friday from midnight to 2 a.m., where we play mostly music and do cultural interviews. Please donate during Wednesday’s Morning Mix, because your donation is your vote to keep the show on the air.

The Southeast Sewing Club, back by popular demand

The highly popular sewing class offered at the Southeast Community Facility, or “Sewing Club” as most locals refer to the class, is back by popular demand. Space is still available and residents are encouraged to drop in for the class. There are no requirements but to show up; however, if you have a project you would like help with – even a simple hem – bring it to the class.

Alice Walker fights anti-Palestinian bias

I want to start with the recent attempt by the Children’s Museum of Oakland to prevent Palestinian kids from showing their art. You wrote a very moving piece on your website. It was very personal. Could you just briefly outline what you wrote and your response to this censorship?

Oakland Freedom School encourages literacy in Black youth

Students learned many things about African and African American history, ranging from the classical African civilizations of Kemet (ancient Egypt), Songhai and Mali to the Black Arts Movement and the Harlem Renaissance. The African-centered curriculum is designed to encourage youth to read during the summer while building self-esteem and a strong cultural identity.

Hail to the new queen of Bay Area hip hop: an interview wit’ rapper...

Oakland has never had a dominant rapper who’s a woman in its long rap history. Today, the Sobrante Park bred Silence the Violence activist and rapper Queen Deelah is the one who is turning heads from the Town all the way to Austin, Texas. Recently while I was in Austin, I ran into Deelah, the transplant who had taken over the sleepy Texas city in a matter of months.

The Power of Choice: an interview wit’ musician Kev Choice

Kev Choice has finally dropped his much anticipated album, “The Power of Choice.” Known today as one of the most exciting up and coming musicians, in the not so distant past he was known as the bandleader for none other than the lyrical songstress and legend of our time Lauryn Hill.

Buy Black Wednesdays 6: We’ve made everybody else rich – now it’s our turn!

Turns out the freedoms we won weren’t enough; we also need discipline. No disrespect to other cultures, but when we got a little freedom, we did a jailbreak from each other and ran into the open arms of everybody else and made them rich! We ran to Chinatown to get Chinese food, we ran to Japantown to get sushi and Japanese food. We ran to the taco stand to get Mexican food.

‘Seven Guitars,’ a review

Tuesday, Aug. 16, 2011, was the opening of August Wilson’s play, “Seven Guitars,” directed by Kent Gash, at the Marin Theatre Company. I hadn’t seen the play in about 15 years. Wilson was alive then and he was work-shopping his latest – play five in the eventual 10-play cycle – at ACT-SF with the Lorraine Hansberry Theatre in a co-production.

Grassroots radio gives voice and life to democracy

Dear friends, attendees at the Grassroots Radio Conference: Thank you for your invitation. I join y’all today, this way, by necessity; but we are joined by our common love of radio, still a vibrant medium. This is a challenging time for all of us, whatever our field of endeavor.

Unleashing the African genius: an interview with legendary historian Ashra Kwesi

The African historian Ashra Kwesi will be bringing a level of scholarship to the Bay Area that hasn’t been seen since Professor Theophile Obenga moved back to the Congo. He will be speaking on Saturday, Sept. 3, 6 p.m., at the Joyce Gordon Gallery, 406 14th St., in downtown Oakland.

Just rock, or Black rock? An interview wit’ the rock band Peekaboo Theory

Although what we call rock began with musicians from the era of Chuck Berry and Little Richard, it has long been associated with being a white genre of music, characterized more historically by the music of Elvis Presley and the Beatles. That is the reason I wanted to do this interview with the Black Houston-based rock group Peekaboo Theory.

First Annual Allensworth ‘Scat to Rap’ Family Music Festival benefits emancipating foster youth

The West East Community Access Network Foundation (WE CAN Foundation) announces the First Annual Allensworth “Scat to Rap” Family Music Festival at Allensworth State Historical Park, 43 Palmer Ave., Delano, CA 93219, in Tulare County on Saturday, Sept. 10, 2011, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Buy Black Wednesdays: Money talk

Berkeley, Calif.: The most liberal city in America and the world, some say. And yet Berkeley High School, with over 3,500 students and 250 teachers, has only eight Black teachers. Scandalous!

The People’s Lunch Counter in Texas: an interview wit’ organizer Seidah Williams

Seidah Williams, an organizer with the People’s Lunch Counter, says PLC provides an atmosphere that nurtures and develops self determination by the way of community and home gardening, holistic health and wellness, and political education. PLC's Black August Course honors fallen freedom fighters.

Backpack giveaway to provide tools for success to 3,200 San Francisco kids

The MAGIC Program’s Back-to-School Celebration and Backpack Giveaway, the largest of its kind in San Francisco, will kick off the academic year Saturday, Aug. 13, by distributing health information, school uniforms and 3,200 new backpacks stuffed with school supplies to kids and teens.

Keeping promises: Malcolm X teacher James Lowe returns to classroom with Experience Corps

Mr. James Lowe is a man who believes in keeping promises. He taught fifth grade at Malcolm X Academy in Hunters Point for 22 years. He promised that two years after retiring from teaching, he would be back at Malcolm X as an Experience Corps volunteer. This fall, James will keep that promise.

Wanda’s Picks for August 2011

How well indeed the creator saw fit to have the Muslim population worldwide join the hunger strike started by brothers in the Security Housing Unit (SHU) at Pelican Bay July 1, which continues in other California prisons, including I heard at the Central California Women’s Facility (CCWF).