Kuma2.net Blog

“Who’s going to tell our story if we don’t tell our story,” Lake said.”We frequently find that gays or lesbians show up in history books as half people, with parts of their lives left out. Once we know what we’ve done, we know where we can go.”

From the article Students recognize black gay leaders

In The People’s Hands (a grassroots literary zine)
Theme: Africana Women and Violence
Submission Deadline: March 5, 2007

Introduction: Africana (women of African heritage) share an interesting and distinct relationship with violence. Throughout h(er)story, and contemporary times Africana women have interfaced with police brutality, sexual assault, verbal attack, cultural brutality, academic dehumanization, reproductive injustice, political, and social disenfranchisement. Thank goddess, this is not the story of Africana women in total. We also experience and create love, joy, spirit, resilience, and fortitude that make our individual and collective journeys worth traveling.

The complex relationship Africana women share with violence is reflected in our relationships with other women, men, ourselves; and is wonderfully and heartfully highlighted in the songs we sing, the stories we share, the love we make, the poems we recite, the food we cook, etc. etc. In The People’s Hands, a SpiritHouse publication, was created to hear the voices of diverse communities. Submit work that explores your personal relationship with violence as an Africana woman or work in which explores this theme. Submit a literary creation that fits one or a combination of categories.

Please note: We will not use your submission for any other purposes than creating In The People’s Hands literary zine. We will not reproduce in total or in part your submission for any other purpose than the paper-based, and online publication of this project. After publication author retains all implicit and explicit publication rights.

Criteria:
Poetry – Two poems (maximum of two pages)
Short Fiction -1 story (maximum of four pages)
Essay – 1 Essay (maximum of three pages)
Visual Art – 2 pieces (please note one maybe chosen as the cover of collection)

Along with your creative work send:
Two sentence biography
picture (optional)
contact information (phone, email address)

All submissions must be sent to: InThePeoplesHands@gmail.com
In the subject line please type: Africana Women and Violence Issue

About the Sponsoring Organization, SpiritHouse–
SpiritHouse is a nonprofit grassroots community-based organization. We are part of a movement of progressive movements and organizations that endeavor to connect people to each other for the purpose of liberation, enlightenment, and fulfillment. We are independent. We are not supervised by any corporate, religious, or state bureaucracy. Our freedom allows us the flexibility to work and develop the partnerships of our choice. This gives us clarity and direction.

Grab your favorite beverage (hot chocolate with a dash of amaretto for me) and check out the latest update:

Skyeview – a new column/blog with a distinctive, global view. A frequent traveler, Skye documents her trips abroad and shares them with friends/family. We’ve convinced her to share them with you. As another sistah noted, Skye’s travelogues “succeed in weaving an awareness and appreciation of the topography of all the many places [she visits] with the socio/economic/political realities and dreams of the people.”

In OtherWords: Come Here And Be My Girl by Bralin

In Literatue: 7 new poems / 3 new stories

Saturday, February 10, 3:00pm.
Growing Up Girl Book Reading. Join Editor Michelle Sewell, along with local contributors Rasheedah Pillips, JScales, Natalie Illium, and Lisa Joyner in this  eclectic collection of essays, short stories, and poems that document the transition from girl to woman, as told by the girls and women who know the journey best. Sewell is an award-winning poet and screenwriter whose work has appeared on NPR, Black Entertainment Television, Sinister Wisdom, and Port of Harlem Magazine. 
_Big Blue Marble  Books Reading_ (http://www.bigbluemarblebooks.com/)
Saturday, February 10, 2007
551 Carpenter Lane 
Philadelphia, PA 19119
3:00 pm

db’s Annual Black History Month TV Schedule

This site has a calendar where you can see what coming on every day–in terms of special black history programing.  ‘Tis valuable information.

There are a lot of new specials . . . . for example:
Feb 6, 10:00p (E!)
BLVD of Broken Dreams : Destiny’s Child
In a place between heaven and Hollywood, dreams turntragic and fame goes sour fast. Destiny’s Stepkids done wrong.

February 6 10:00-11:30 p.m. ET (PBS)
INDEPENDENT LENS “Billy Strayhorn: Lush Life”
As Duke Ellington’s co-composer, arranger and right-hand man, Billy Strayhorn wrote some of the greatest American music of the 20th century. But as a gay man in the 40s and 50s, Strayhorn had to lead a discreet existence, while Ellington played to thunderous applause on center stage. This film tells the story of the unheralded man who changed jazz and popular music forever, maintaining artistic and personal integrity while challenging prejudice along the way.

the beginning of an East Coast run! see here:
http://www.redbonepress.com/2007/01/ana-lara-on-tour-part-1.html
it starts Tuesday, Feb. 6 at 7 p.m. with a joint
reading: AfroDominican writer Ana-Maurine Lara and
Haitian-American poet/playwright Lenelle Moise. this
promises to be special!
please pass the word!

RedBone’s newest author, Ana-Maurine Lara, will be
reading and signing Erzulie’s Skirt at 7 p.m. Tuesday,
Feb. 13, 2007 at Big Blue Marble Books, 551 Carpenter
Lane. in Mount Airy (Philadelphia). For info go here:

http://www.redbonepress.com/2007/01/ana-lara-on-tour-part-1.html

mark your calendars, pass the word—and i hope to see
you there!

Lisa

RedBone Press
P.O. Box 15571
Washington, DC 20003
(202) 667-0392 phone
redbonepress@yahoo.com
www.redbonepress.com

Jersey City Lesbian + Gay Outreach, Inc (JCLGO) and Spoken Word Artist Dujuana Sharese will host “A Peek Into The Harlem Renaissance” on Sunday, Feb. 11, from 2 – 4:30 pm. 

“This Black History Month program highlights African American artists in the Harlem Renaissance era that have been influential to today’s LGBT community,” according to Spoken Word Artist Dujuana Sharese, “Works from the following artists will be performed: Langston Hughes Countee Cullen, Zora Neale Hurston, Wallace Thurman, Alice Dunbar Nelson and Ethel Waters.”

Local artist—Dujuana Sharese, Darryl Hill, Gladys Mercado, and Taylor Siluwe—will perform the historic pieces.  Lynn Maffessoli will provide visual arts.

In addition to the performances, a piece of art from popular Jersey City artist Darin De-field will be auctioned. Darin, best known for his series of collages, is presently the curator of Nobisw Gallery group show “Plantation Lullabies,” in honor of Black History Month.

Tickets are $10.  You can buy at the door or contact Catherine Hecht for Advance Ticket Sales at 201.344.5233.

The event will be held at the Jersey City Museum, 350 Montgomery St., Jersey City.

Immediately following the event an Open Mic Reception will be held at Bar Majestic, 275 Grove St, Jersey City.  Anyone that would like to read, sing or talk about someone in black history that has inspired them is invited to participate.

Black Queer History Presentation February 15 @ 6:30
Location: Upstairs Cafe Garden Dining Room, University of Southern California

Don’t see your reflection in that history book?  Don’t believe the hype – Black Queer People WERE THERE!

Join Sisters of Sakia, the USC LGBT Center, and numerous members of our communities to talk about the contributions of Black LGBTQs from the 1800s to the present.

“Black QueerStory: Fierce, Gifted & Black Gays and Lesbians In U.S. History”

Prominent Queer Black activists, writers, educators and innovators have been present in every progressive and significant movement in African American History.  Central to this presence has been the creative contributions of Black Queer artists, who have provided the drumbeat for the march of progress.  The presence of Black Queer communities has also been significant in the larger LGBTQ movement.  In this workshop, we will explore Black LGBTQ contributions since the 1800s with a special emphasis on artistic contributions. We will also discuss methods and inroads for young, black queer artists and speak with those who represent the new face of artistic expression in our communities.

This will be an interactive presentation and workshop followed by an open discussion.

Co-Sponsored with the University of Southern California LGBT Resource Center
3601 Trousdale Parkway, Student Union 202B
Los Angeles, CA 90089-0890
Phone: 213.740.7619
Email: lgbt@usc.edu
Webpage: http://www.usc.edu/student-affairs/glbss