Trayvon Martin Is My Brother, Too !



By Kehinde Wiley

an excerpt from An Ode to Liberty

By Sojourner Ahebee

I.

I have a brother and he is brown
My mother tells her son that the world is his oyster
Lay claim to all around you, she begs
And he smiles and believes in dreams that can’t be scaled down.

As he gets older, like now, like 10 years old
My brother, who is brown, tall like the Sahara Desert on stilts,
Handsome like the Grand Canyon in a rainstorm
Has only the weapons of a violin and a painter’s brush
And a bedroom plastered with heroes to calm his fears of the things foretold.

Maybe not his fortune, doesn’t have to be
But the wails of a mother tied to the wails of another
Linking hundreds of death cries over lost sons,
Released in one year, cascading through one city
Ours
Can spook a little brown boy thinking about living.

I’ve been selected as a gold medal winner for poetry by the Alliance for Young Artists & Writers, representing the Midwest region where I attend school. Other notable past winners include Andy Warhol, Sylvia Plath, Truman Capote, Richard Avedon, Robert Redford and Joyce Carol Oates.

http://www.artandwriting.org/awards/nationalwinners

 The President’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities (PCAH) and the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) have partnered with the nonprofit Alliance for Young Artists& Writers to create the National Student Poets Program, the country’s highest honor for youth poets whose original work exhibits exceptional creativity, dedication to craft and promise. Five outstanding high school poets will be selected annually for a year of service as literary ambassadors for poetry, encouraging a wide range of youth to explore and develop new creative capabilities.

National Student Poets will be chosen from among the national medalists in the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards by a national panel of literary luminaries and leaders in education and the arts. Student Poets will receive academic awards and opportunities to present their work at writing and poetry events, and will be featured at the National Book Festival in Washington, DC, in cooperation with the Library of Congress. Awards will be presented in September 2012.

I’m keeping my fingers crossed.

I also would like to promote my poem “Listen to Africa”, which has been published as a poster for sale by the Syracuse Cultural Workers.  Here’s the link: http://syracuseculturalworkers.com/poster-listen-africa

*Painting-Kehinde Wiley

http://www.kehindewiley.com/

This is What Philly Brings-Denice Frohman; Gangsta Poetry

Again, it’s great to be home and reconnecting with Philadelphia’s vibrant poetry scene.  In honor of National Poetry Month I will highlight some Philly poets you need to hear. Day 1: Denice Frohman

http://phillyyouthpoets.org/issue/july-2011/article/denice-frohman

Athlete Meets Artist- Sean James and Misty Copeland

Dancers are the athletes of God.
~Albert Einstein

Sean James and Misty Copeland

Enjoy the Majesty: http://vimeo.com/31166940

Fela Musical at the Kimmel Center

My readers already know that I am a big fan of the musical Fela!  Last year, I saw a performance of Fela at the Bryn Mawr Film Institute; a performance which had been a simultaneous broadcast from London.  It’s still a must see.  Here’s my earlier review.  Read it and then go get your tickets to see the production which is now in Philadelphia at the Kimmel Center.

http://trumpetworld.blogspot.com/2011/02/see-fela-at-bryn-mawr-film-institute.html

Fela !

The Kimmel Center of Performing Arts

260 South Broad Street

Philadelphia, PA

215-893-1999

www.felaonbroadway.com

( *actual performance hosted at the Academy of Music)

2012 African Cup Of Nations- Allez Les Elephants-Go Cote d'Ivoire

You haven't seen a real soccer fan until you've seen an Elephant supporter

Ayub Ogada- Spendid

I listened, again, this morning to Kenyan writer Binyavanga Wainaina’s “How Not to Write about Africa” and this time I was pull into this piece by the background music.  I wondered how I had not first said OMG, who is this.  Well, it’s Kenyan musician Ayub Ogada.   He is splendid.  Listen.

The Geek Shall Inherit the Earth; Kick It With A Geek

If you’re a fan of Will.i.am, of the Black Eyed Peas, you know he is a technology fan. That’s why I wasn’t surprised to learn that he is even a bigger fan of promoting young people to explore the sciences and make their own inventions. Listen to following video to learn more.

Here is a link to learn more about the science program I Am First: http://iamfirst.dipdive.com/


And here is a great scholarship opportunity from Goggle for those interested in computer science, software development or computer technology in general.

As part of Google’s commitment to advancing computing and technology, they are providing scholarships to support students in their study of computer science.

The Generation Google Scholarship is a new program for aspiring computer scientists to excel in technology and become active role models and leaders in the field. Selected students will receive $10,000 USD (for those studying in the US) or $5,000 CAD (for those studying in Canada) a year for up to four years (or until graduation, whichever comes first) so long as they maintain criteria for renewal. Recipients will also be invited to attend Google’s Computer Science Summer Institute (CSSI) in the summer of 2012.

Who Should Apply?
Applicants must be high school seniors and meet the following eligibility criteria:
• Intends to be enrolled in or accepted as a full-time student at a university in the US or Canada for the 2012-2013 school year
• Intends to be enrolled in or accepted for enrollment in a baccalaureate Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Software Engineering, or related program
• Exemplifies leadership and demonstrates a commitment to and passion for computer science and technology through involvement in their community
• Strong record of academic achievement
• A student from an underrepresented group in computer science (African American, Hispanic, American Indian, Female, or a Person with a Disability)
• Demonstrates financial need.
For complete details, visit the Generation Google Scholarship site.
Deadline to apply: Monday, February 20, 2012 Questions? Email us at generationgoogle@google.com

For more information about student opportunities at Google, check out www.google.com/students

The Versatile Blogger Award- Sojo’s Trumpet ?

I'm the girl with the bows. I'm with my family in my grandfather's village in Cote d'Ivoire. It's all about memories.

We have all read books that have moved us forward in some important way and made us wonder about the world and our place in it.  After Gandhi: One Hundred Years of Non-Violent Resistance by  Anne Sibley O’Brien and Perry Edmond O’Brien is one of those books that made me want to go out and  change the world for the better because it gave examples of people who did just that.  Here is my review of this book almost three years ago. This is the best gift you can get to inspire a young person in your life to see the possibility of one’s actions making a real, moral difference:  http://trumpetworld.blogspot.com/2009/05/after-gandhi-one-hundred-years-of.html

I am revisiting this book today, because recently Ms. O’ Brien was kind enough to nominate me for the Versatile Blogger Award.  I thank her and here is a link to her blog- Coloring Between the Lines;  Reflections  on Race, Culture and Children’s Books  http://coloringbetween.blogspot.com/

The Rules

1. Thank the award-giver and link back to them in your post.
2. Share 7 things about yourself.
3. Pass this award along to 5  blogs you enjoy reading.
4. Contact your chosen bloggers to let them know about the award.

Seven things you didn’t know about me

1.       I am one of the 55 finalists for the 2012 Knight Foundation Arts Challenge/Philadelphia.   More than 1200 people applied.

http://www.knightarts.org/community/philadelphia/55-finalists-named-in-knight-arts-challenge-philadelphia

2.      I am from the Baoule ethnic group in Cote d’Ivoire and one of my heroines is Queen Pokou:
http://www.pascalmpeck.com/Paintings/Queen-Pokou.html

3.       I am now a major fan of Junot Diaz  and his novel The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao.  http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=97336132

     4.       I am also a major fan of  French tennis player Gael Monfils:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bW9zKEiy77A

      5.      I am also a Philly girl and no one represents us better than Jill Scott: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4QCXr79Rkcw

6.      I support the honesty and goal of the new film Pariah. Go see it. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rbBiTlGhrPY

7.      I love Korean food and my Korean language skills are coming along. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0t3ch-UAbo0&feature=relmfu

  Blogs I Enjoy

1.       Coloring Between the Lines;  Reflections  on Race, Culture and Children’s Books  http://coloringbetween.blogspot.com/

2.      Africa is a Country  http://africasacountry.com/

3.      Black Girl Flow  http://www.blackgirlflow.com/

4.      Girls’ State of the Union  http://womensmediacenter.com/blog/girls-state-of-the-union/

5.      Amnesty International    http://www.amnestyusa.org/

Remember the Golden Rule- Happy New Year

The Problem We All Live With-Norman Rockwell, 1963; In honor of Ruby Bridges

Southern Justice-Norman Rockwell, 1965; in honor of the three young Civil Rights activists who were killed while trying to register people to vote in the South-James Chaney, Andrew Goodman and Michael Schwerner

Negro in the Suburbs,  Norman Rockwell, 1967; Take note how each set of kids has a baseball mitt

I want to open the New Year with a post about the power of love and how as artists our work can be influenced by who we love and how the right kind of love can make us brave.  For many older people like my grandfather, who introduced me to the work of the illustrator and painter Norman Rockwell, Mr. Rockwell was a beloved, almost iconic figure, even for African-Americans who rarely were represented in his work which appeared on the covers of the Saturday Evening Post for more than 40 years.   I learned that the Saturday Evening Post and many publications at that time had an editorial policy that African-Americans could only be presented in subservient or menial positions.  When African-Americans did show up in Mr. Rockwell’s paintings we were there just as background.  

But he found in his third wife,  Molly Punderson,  the encouragement to open his eyes and make a big leap into the kind of  artistic work that makes a statement  and takes a stand.   Mr. Rockwell left The Saturday Evening Post and joined Look Magazine where he did the kind of illustrations I admire him for. 

Please click on the images to learn more about the subjects of the illustrations and give it up for the power of love. 

The Tables Are Starting to Turn- The World Has Spoken

I recently discovered Tracy Chapman and I adore her because she uses her talent to shed light, in a subtle, powerful way, on those who are too often overwhelmed to react against the weight of their obligations and disappointments.  Two years ago, I went to New York with my mom and Miss Trudy and Tante Mona to see a play called The Things of Dry Hours.  ( Here’s a link to my review: http://trumpetworld.blogspot.com/2009/06/things-of-dry-hours-at-new-york-theatre.html  )

The title of the play is taken from a great Gwendolyn Brooks poem called  kitchenette building.  Ms. Brooks,like Tracy,  is subtle and powerful in her presentation of why people sometimes fail to dream or  keep a dream alive. 

Happy Holidays. Power to the Imagination.  Power to the 99%.  Here is Tracy Chapman singing Talking About a Revolution.

Kitchenette Building
by Gwendolyn Brooks

We are things of dry hours and the involuntary plan, 
Grayed in, and gray. "Dream" makes a giddy sound, not strong 
Like "rent," "feeding a wife," "satisfying a man." 

But could a dream send up through onion fumes   
Its white and violet, fight with fried potatoes   
And yesterday's garbage ripening in the hall,   
Flutter, or sing an aria down these rooms 

Even if we were willing to let it in, 
Had time to warm it, keep it very clean,   
Anticipate a message, let it begin? 

We wonder. But not well! not for a minute!   
Since Number Five is out of the bathroom now,   
We think of lukewarm water, hope to get in it.
 

from "Selected Poems" © 1963 by Gwendolyn Brooks.
Reprinted with the permission of the Estate of Gwendolyn Brooks