Kuma2.net Blog

How to Write a Press Release
Saturday, Oct. 14, 2006; 9am-10am
Learn how to write a Press Release that gets media attention. We’ll discuss everything from creating press releases to respond to emergency situations to those that are generated for upcoming events. Also to be discussed: how to create press events around an issue that will keep the press and community engaged. Please bring ideas about specific topics you’d like to promote. All trainings are FREE and open to the general public.

Black LGBT Media Training: How to Talk about Family, Faith and Marriage
NY/NJ/PA
Saturday, Oct. 14, 2006; 10am-12pm
GLAAD (www.glaad.org) is partnering with the National Black Justice Coalition (www.nbjc.org) to teach individuals how to tell their own stories and personal truths through the media. This primer will teach media terminology, protocols and interview techniques. All trainings are FREE and open to the general public.

Location:
Liberation in Truth Social Justice Center
11 Halsey Street
Newark, NJ 07102
(973) 621-2100
www.litufc.org

Cave Canem Gay, Lesbian and Bisexual Faculty and
Fellows Reading
Sunday, October 15
1 p.m. – 5 p.m.
Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture
515 Malcolm X Boulevard
New York City NY
FREE

Fellows and Faculty will read in support of the Black
Gay & Lesbian Archive of the Schomburg Center for
Research in Black Culture. The reading will feature
faculty members Cyrus Cassells and Cheryl Clarke with
Fellows Samiya Bashir, Jericho Brown, Erica Doyle,
Monica Hand, Duriel Harris, Reginald Harris, John
Keene, Dante Micheaux, Mendi Obadike, Kamilah Aisha
Moon, and Venus Thrash. The event is FREE and open to
the public.

For more information go to www.cavecanempoets.org

Share The Vision Productions

Presents

A Fund Raising Dramatic Staged Concert Reading

Of

Dissent At the Rock
A Gospel Musical

Times Square Arts Center
The Rock Theater
300 West 43rd Street At 8th Ave
New York City

Friday October 13th And Saturday 14th
 Showtime 7:30

Donation $15.00

Reception To Follow

-Information-

(212) 561-0705 Or Email:  Dissentattherock06@yahoo.com

Synopsis

Dissent At The Rock is a Gospel Musical dealing with the hypocrisy and homophobia at Solid Rock Church, and its negative effects on the congregation.

Dissent explores the problems, issues and challenges of Solid Rock’s members and how they overcame them.

Freedom, an active and long-time member of the church plans a protest to counter the homophobic and hypocritical sermons being espoused from the pulpit by the church leader, Pastor Samuels, Senior. The insensitive and negative messages were directed toward a large portion of the gay and lesbian, women and the youth members of the church.

  The organized protest evolved into one of national notoriety and the case is invited to the Judge Eloise Creech’s National Television Court Show.  The court proceedings expose surprises for Pastor Samuels and the congregation alike.  As the play progressives, we witness the transformation of Pastor Samuels, the church members and the community.

 This original production will feature various genres of gospel music, from traditional to contemporary.  Dissent At The Rock will have you laughing, crying, and giving praise, as it takes you on a heartfelt journey through hypocrisy, truth, compassion, understanding and love. This musical is full of unforgettable characters, music and a thematic richness that speaks directly to the audience.  This musical will stimulate and challenge what you thought you knew about the Bible. It addresses biblical and social-political issues that would not only separate the church and family, but also the nation. In the final analysis you will be entertained, enlightened, and there is a real message to take home.

Best Lesbian Erotica 2008 – Guidelines for Submission

• Submit short stories, novel excerpts, other prose
• Poetry will be considered, but poetry submissions are not encouraged
• Unpublished material will be considered
• Previously published material will also be considered, provided it was or will be published between 9/1/2006 & 12/31/2007
• Include a cover page with: Author’s Name, Title of Submission(s), Address, Phone/Fax, and Email Address
• All submissions must be typed & double-spaced; number the pages
• Each submission should be a maximum of 5,000 words
  You may submit a maximum of 3 different pieces of work
• Submit 2 hard copies of each submission
• No email submissions will be accepted, but you can email queries to tristan@puckerup.com
• All submissions must include a self-addressed stamped envelope (SASE) or an email address for response. No manuscripts will be returned
• VERY IMPORTANT: I cannot accept any submission that is being simultaneously submitted to another annual erotica anthology (for example, The Ultimate Lesbian Erotica, Best Women’s Erotica, etc.)
• I accept submissions throughout the year, and the final deadline for me to receive your submission each year is April 1. If you submit, you should expect to hear from me (be accepted or rejected) by the end of September. The anthology is published each year in November by Cleis Press.

Send all submissions to:

TRISTAN TAORMINO
P.O. BOX 395
GREENVILLE, NY 12083

(do NOT send submissions via EXPRESS MAIL or registered mail, priority or first class only!)

DEADLINE: must be post marked by APRIL 1, 2007

SOUL BETWEEN THE LINES – Workshop #1
How To Write With Passion & Power
Tuesdays,  October 3 – November 14
  6:30 PM – 9:00 PM  
$250.00
FREE Soul Between The Lines Workbook (value $20.00)
FREE Half Hour, One-on-One Coaching Session (value $35.00)
Chocolate & Snacks Served at Every Session

Write What You Want, When You Want

Explore the Depths of Your Creative Spirit

Make Memoirs With Music & Meditation

Savor Sensational Stimulating Exercises

Ignite Your Ideas & Set Your Words On Fire

Break Through Writer’s Block Forever

Spirit, Visualization & Imagination

Enjoy Our Safe, No-Judgment Environment

Discover Unlimited Inspiration, Imagination & Insight

SOUL BETWEEN THE LINES – Workshop #2
 Write Your Book Now!!!

Saturdays, October 7 – November 11
9:30 AM – 12:30 PM  (Oct 7 only 2:00 – 5:00 PM) 
$250.00
Intimate, Intensive Sessions for Book Project Development

Limited Number of Participants
FREE Soul Between The Lines Workbook (value $20.00)
FREE Half Hour, One-on-One Coaching Session (value $35.00)
Coffee & Continental Breakfast Served at Every Session
How To Get Publication Power
Self-Publishing vs Traditional Publishing – What’s Best For You?
Take Your Work From Imagination To Realization
Begin With A Bang
Make Your Writing Unforgettable
Marketing Magic & Promotion Pizzazz
Agents, Answers & Aspirations
Individual and Group Feedback
Handouts, Worksheets, Weekly Assignments & More

Payment Plans Available. Register NOW for these exciting workshops.
Exact Silverlake/Echo Park location will be given to registered participants.
Please make checks payable to:
Heartland Institute for Transformation,

1555 N. Vermont Avenue, Suite 189, Los Angeles, CA 90027

  For further info call 323.661.3623 or email DRGheartland@aol.com

Dorothy Randall Gray is author of six books, including the best-seller Soul Between The Lines:Freeing Your Creative Spirit Through Writing  (Avon/HarperCollins). She is a board member of the International Women’s Writing Guild, a nationally acclaimed motivational  speaker and certified life coach.Her writing and personal development seminars have helped to inspire and transform thousands throughout the United States and abroad. 

Come see the new lesbian love triangle everyone’s talking about, The Engagement: A Snatch of Life in Three Acts. Performances run next weekend: September 22-24. Tickets $15-$22. 
Order your tickets in advance online. Priority seating for ticket holders. For information, click: www.snatchoflife.com

“The Engagement is a love story that explores the dynamics of female relationships—siblings, friends and lovers. It is a modern play that tackles many of the issues our society is struggling with including gay marriage and gay rights. It also addresses themes that are taboo even to the lesbian community—female on female abuse. The Engagement has something for everyone, regardless of your race, marital status, gender, or sexual orientation. It isn’t about driving a partition between people; it’s about forming a bridge between communities.” –Carolyn M. Brown and Denise E. Womack, Playwrights 

Do you know what today is?  It’s our anniversary. 🙂  Kuma is 8 years old today.  So to celebrate, we’re going to give you a little extra:

• 30 Poems and 7 Stories

Of course, you can help us celebrate by throwing a coin or two our way.

• Support Kuma

Even better, submit your own poetry / stories / essays / etc.

• Submission Guidelines

Tongues Afire: Creative Writing Workshop for Queer Women, Trans Women and Gender Non Conforming People of Color*
October 5, 2006 – December 14, 2006
Workshop Facilitator: R. Erica Doyle
What: Creative Writing Workshops
When: Thursdays, 6:30 pm – 8:30 pm
Where: Audre Lorde Project, 85 South Oxford Street; Brooklyn, NY 11217**

How much: FREE

How to Apply: Send an email with your contact information to
tonguesafire@gmail.com or call 347.451.0077 to register for the workshop. Space is limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis. Registration Deadline: Monday, October 2, 2006

Always want to write, but never seem to find the time? Looking for a supportive space to develop new work? These workshops, led by writer-teacher-performer R. Erica Doyle, are for writers of all levels, and will incorporate readings along with in–class workshop exercises in literary memoir, poetry, and short fiction. Participating writers will develop methods of constructive critique and strategies for incorporating writing in their everyday lives. Information on publication, funding, and reading opportunities will be shared. The workshop will culminate in a public reading at the Audre Lorde Project.

R. Erica Doyle is a writer of Trinidadian descent who lives in New York City. Her work has appeared in numerous journals and anthologies, including Best American Poetry, Ploughshares, Callaloo, Bum Rush the Page, and Ms. Magazine. She has performed her work at the Nuyorican Poets Café, Kennedy Center, Public Theater, St Mark’s Poetry Project, Bar 13, Bowery Poetry Club, and the Calabash Literary Festival in Jamaica. She has taught creative writing workshops at the 14th Street Y, the Brooklyn Public Library, Union Settlement, Sisterspace and Books, and in the New York City public schools. She is the recipient of awards and fellowships from the Hurston/Wright and Astraea Foundations and the New York Foundation for the Arts. She is a fellow of Cave Canem, a workshop and retreat for African-American poets.

* Anyone who identifies as a woman of color is welcome, including people of color who self-identify as women, dykes, bois, trans, butch lesbians, drag queens, bi-gendered, two-spirited, drag kings, femme queens, A.G.s, genderqueer, non-gendered, andro, crossdressers, gender-benders, gender fluid as well as other identities of peoples who face gender oppression because of their non-conventional gender expression.

** Directions: C train to Lafayette Avenue; G train to Fulton Street;2, 3, 4, 5, B, Q, D, M, N, R to Atlantic Avenue/Pacific Street)

Tongues Afire is made possible by support from the Puffin Foundation.
This event is funded in part by Poets and Writers, Inc.

Community Engagement Coordinator
Urban Bush Women
(Brooklyn NY)
Creative community organizer sought by Urban Bush Women to fill new position as Community Engagement Coordinator for 22-year old contemporary dance company active in community.
 

Must be a self-starter and strategic thinker with proven track record and willingness to become well-versed in Urban Bush Women’s community engagement methodologies and core values (Validating the Voice of the Individual; Using Dance as a Catalyst for Social Change; Building Trust through Process; Entering Community and Co-Creating Stories; Celebrating the Movement and Culture of the African Diaspora; Recognizing that Place Matters).

The Community Engagement Coordinator is expected to build upon existing partnerships with the YWCA of Brooklyn, New York City Housing Authority and the People’s Institute for Survival and Beyond, among others.

The Community Engagement Coordinator will also be expected to identify additional partners, steward these budding relationships, and cultivate new funding sources for programs.

The Community Engagement Coordinator will take the lead in handling logistics for Urban Bush Women’s annual Summer Institute.

He or she will work closely with the Artistic Director to develop and articulate program ideas and work closely with the Managing Director towards implementation including ongoing trainings of company members and supervision of company apprentices carrying on work in Brooklyn. 
 

Required Qualifications

• Commitment to and understanding of the use of arts and culture as uniquely effective community building and political action tools;
  
• Deep passion and commitment to advancing social justice in communities of color and working class communities;
  
• Demonstrated interest in social justice issues;
  
• Excellent oral and written communication skills;
  
• Entrepreneurial spirit;
  
• Commitment to nurturing healthy working relationships and communication;
  
• High comfort level in making public presentations;
  
• Willingness to grow in the position and willingness to travel in order to facilitate community engagement projects outside of Brooklyn.
  

Minimum of three years working experience in the following areas:  dance, community organizing, arts education, and/or political campaigns. Must be proficient in MS Word, Excel and Power Point.  Photography and graphic design skills considered a bonus.

Some database management skills required.
 

Salary with benefits: negotiable and commensurate with experience.
 

Please submit cover letter stating purpose, resume and writing sample of no more than 4 pages in length to Urban Bush Women, 138 South Oxford Street, #4B, Brooklyn, NY 11217, or in-@urbanbushwomen.org. No phone calls please. Applications will be accepted until position is filled.

Applications for Scholars-in-Residence ProgramDeadline: December 1, 2006

The New York Public Library’s Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture ( http://www.nypl.org/research/sc/sc.html ) is a national research library devoted to collecting, preserving, and providing access to resources documenting the history and experiences of peoples of African descent throughout the world. The Schomburg Center residency program assists scholars and professionals whose research on the black experience can benefit from extended access to the center’s resources.The fellowship program is open to scholars studying the history, literature, and culture of peoples of African descent from a humanistic perspective and to professionals in fields related to the Schomburg Center’s collections and program activities.

Creative writing (works of poetry and fiction) and projects that result in a performance are not eligible.

Persons seeking support for research leading to degrees are not eligible under this program. Foreign nationals are not eligible unless they will have resided in the United States three years immediately preceding the application deadline.

Fellowships are awarded for continuous periods of six or twelve months at the Schomburg Center with maximum stipends of $25,000 for six months and $50,000 for twelve months. Fellows are expected to be in continuous residence at the Schomburg Center and to participate in the intellectual life of the program.

Visit the center’s Web site for complete program information.

RFP Link:
http://fconline.foundationcenter.org/pnd/10004015/nypl