Poetry Will Occupy the Nation’s Capital

Split This Rock, a progressive literary festival, will convene March 22-25 to honor the tenth anniversary of poet-activist June Jordan’s death and rekindle the OWS movement in the nation’s capital.

The biannual literary festival has evolved from a decidedly local group of D.C.-based poet-activists (DC Poets Against the War) who spoke out against the double wars that began in the Bush administration. It has grown into a world-class literary festival that’s considered a leader in the progressive literary movement.

“With activists in the streets all over the world,” says Sarah Browning, director of Split This Rock, “what better time to remember our sister-in-the-struggle, the visionary, revolutionary poet June Jordan, who died too young–10 years ago.”

Imagine Woodstock, only more urbane and diverse, instead of music (though some poets would argue that their verse is in fact musical) there will be poems of provocation and witness being mouthed from one of the most diverse poetry offerings–anywhere. The festival is multicultural, openly political, queer-friendly, and situated in handpicked facilities that are wheelchair accessible.

The complete article is published on Ms. magazine’s blog.

Recalling History, Reframing Haiti

I spotted this quote on the Web. I found it interesting that Mr. Wendell, a well-off Harvard man of the 1800s would say this about Haiti. It seems so ultra, ultra-progressive. Nonetheless, here’s my attempt at changing the conversation. God if you’re listening, how about a moratorium on natural disasters for us (meaning black people, or any people) for a little while. Many of us are still grieving Katrina…

“Some doubt the courage of the Negro.Go to Haiti and stand on those fifty thousand graves of the best soldiers France ever had, and ask them what they think of the Negro’s sword.”

-Phillips Wendell
Address on Toussaint L’Ouverture, referring to theWar of Haitian Independence, 1804.

Remember Maya Angelou before Celebrity?

I came across this interview with Maya Angelou from the 1980s, and it occurred to me that this is the woman whose voice and words I fell in love with. I read her autobiographies and world literally opened up to me. I don’t hear this person speak when I see her interviewed these days. Granted, she’s much older now and probably feels very secure in her contributions that she doesn’t need to posture as anything. It just bothers me that so many of my friends don’t know her beyond reading her poem at President Clinton’s inauguration. What a Renaissance Woman she is! Acting, directing, dancing, traveling, writing, etc.

How strange is celebrity: it’s a double-edged sword because most artists want to be able to live off of their art and often celebrity affords that. It’s a Catch-22.

Here’s the interview.

Obama’s Speech on Unemployment

In October, I left my job or I was fired. My position was terminated. However you slice it my future was uncertain. Surprisingly, I was clear-sighted through it all. I remember it was the tail-end of October. The trees were shedding much like the big and small companies around the nation. I was grateful that payday was the following week so that November’s rent wouldn’t be a concern. As a child, I moved around often. Being jobless didn’t scare me as much as having to telephone my landlord and explain what I had hoped to be a private moment of shame.

As soon as I collected my things from my office to begin my new life as a twenty-five year old with more time on my hands than I ever had in a long time, several questions popped in my head. What will I do about health insurance? What if my five year old gets sick? What if I get sick? What if I didn’t find anything? Did I have the stamina to go through the whole process of applying for unemployment or worst, social services?

As President Obama gears up for his speech on unemployment, here are some items I’d like to see included in the discussion:

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