25 years and Still Risin! The 25th Annual African American Celebration through Poetry, Saturday, February 7, 2015
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Dedication: To Maya Angelou, consummate poet, artist, human being and to Arnold White, Oakland civic artist, we dedicate this program and Arnold White, Oaktown Art-historian
Welcome: MaryGay Ducey – Branch Librarian
Host: Wanda Sabir
Libations—
blessing the boats
byLucille Clifton, 1936 - 2010
(at St. Mary’s)
may the tide
that is entering even now
the lip of our understanding
carry you out
beyond the face of fear
may you kiss
the wind then turn from it
certain that it will
love your back may you
open your eyes to water
water waving forever
and may you in your innocence
Featured Poets:
DnT ProductionsSuite
DnT ProductionsSuite
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| Tracy A. Todd, H. David Todd and Imani M. Todd |
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| Koren Clark |
Who am I?
School bell ringin'
School bell ringin'
How I learned how to create my own sunshine;
I'm thankin
and
I'm thankin
and
Two creations by Dr. Syed Malik Al Khatib (read by David Todd)
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| Paradise Free Jah Love |
Paradise Free Ja Love
"Good Morning Ferguson!"; "I Love Everything about You . . ."
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| Sakina Sulaiman |
Downtown TAYpresent poems inspired by Ralph Ellison's ¨Invisible Man,¨ that center around in/visibility and ẗo be.¨
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| Downtown TAY Crew |
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| Joy Elán and her daughter |
Black and Blue Bloods
I Am a Survivor
Sandra “Makeda” Hooper Mayfield
Screaming for Eric Gardner: A Black Man
I Will Never Forget
Damu Sudi Alii Ancestor Medley
Love Lost by Damu
Truth by Damu
Revenge by Damu
Prelude to Death by Damu
Black Classical Music by Kamau Seitu
The Answer by Dennis Omowale Cutten
Black People by Dennis Omowale Cutten
Zakiyyah G.E. Capehart -Bolling (poetry) and Bryant Bolling (musical accompaniment)
POEMS SONGS
Looking through My Eyes Children Are the Light Of the World
My Colin Cares For Me Jah Jah Really Knows
Earth's Rebirth The Creator Has a Master Plan
Lateef McCleod: “Father Madiba Shook My Hand.”
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| Lateef McCleod |
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| Charles Allensworth |
Charles Allensworthon the legacy of his Great-great Uncle, Colonel Allen Allensworth.
Some words about Allensworth Descendant Association
Some words about Colonel Allen Allensworth
Some words about the Buffalo Soldiers
A Buffalo Soldier Poem
A Buffalo Soldier Poem
Ellen Foster Randle, Ph.D. A Song (selection TBA)
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| Father and Son: Damu Sudi Alii; Jabari Alii |
"Who Am I?" and "I Need You To Understand" www.JabariAlii.com
Andrew Wilson: “Open Letter from Kaldrick Kim to Terrell Knight”
Andrew Wilson: “Open Letter from Kaldrick Kim to Terrell Knight”
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| Andrew Wilson |
Thanks!
OPL West Oakland Staff and OPL Administration, Friends of the OPL, all the Poets of course, Gene Howell, Jr. (donor), Charles Allensworth (donor), TaSin Sabir (errands and photography), Bilal Sabir & Delightful Foods: The No Cookie Cookie and to the ancestors who have blessed us along this 25 year journey . . . Ashay!
Mailing List:
Make sure you sign our mailing list. Don’t forget to sign up for the
Open Mic
Open Mic and fill out the evaluation forms for us please. (We will try to save time for it.)
Anthology Publication
Remember the AACP @ 25 Anthology idea . . . We’d still like that to happen. Email your poems to info@wandaspicks.com by February 28. If you know any poets who have made their transitions, we’d like to include their work too.
Happy Black History Month2015 (smile). Let the people eat cake!
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| Dr. Randall |
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| TaSin (photographer) and Kheven (journalist, playwright) |
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| Charles Curtis Blackwell, poet, visual artist (L) |
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| Bryant Bolling, Khalilah El Amin, the late Hubert Collins |
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| Rear of Brother Tahuti (deceased) |
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| Poet (Open Mic) |
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| Paradise |
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| Brotha Clint, poet (Open Mic) |
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| Sandra "Makeda" Cooper Mayfield (L) |
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| Poet (Open Mic) and Chess Champ |
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| Poet (Open Mic) |
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| Zakkiyah |
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| Brother Tahuti (d. August 2015) |
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| Andrew Wilson, poet, visual artist |
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| Father and Son, Damu and Jabari Alii |
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| What you say! |
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| Camisha Fatimah, poet, mother (Sakina's), teacher |
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| Sakina |
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| While we read Lucille Clifton's poem, Blessing the Boats, this young interpreter did ASL sign for us. |
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| Gene Howell, Jr., poet, playwright, visual artist |
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| Brother Allensworth |
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| Dear Hubert Collins (d. 2017) |
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| Hubert (center) |
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| Dear Monica Pree (d. 2017) |
All photos copyright: TaSin Sabir; Wanda Sabir