November 12, 2003
Deja Vu, All Over Again
I'll post again some time this week. Just tired and down and busy.
Check out these lovely people:
and of course all of the others on the right side.
I can't promise that my latest fixation won't be the focus for the next few posts tho... Sorry Lynne d.
November 13, 2003
Yo Soy Boricua!
I really should try to make this although I just got word of it. Of course, I probably won't attend because I just got word of it-
BORICUA COLLEGE WINTER POETRY SERIES PRESENTS
Heritage in New York Now
Diana Hernández, Willie Perdomo, Nancy Mercado, Gilda Rivera and Danzafiesta
Friday, November 14, 2003 * 7:30 PM
at Boricua College, 186 N. 6th Street, Brooklyn (L train to Bedford Avenue)
* For more info. call: (718) 782-2200
* Free & Open to the Public
Diana Hernández is a poet, singer/songwriter, painter and also a yoga instructor at Boricua College. After joining in Amsterdam "The Orgasmic Orchestra" as lead singer, she has been heard on WBAI, and has done poetry performance art at The Garage, joined The Barry Harris' Jazz Ensemble and developed her own Jazz Singer's Workshop. She has appeared in Long Shot, Alou! Voices from the Nuyorican Cafe Anthology; Avenue Be Magazine; Sound of Water and in her published chapbook Raw Lips Melao: A Nuyorican Rhapsody.
Willie Perdomo is the author of Where A Nickel Costs A Dime (1996), Visiting Langston (2002), and Smoking Lovely (2003). His work has been included in several anthologies and in the NY Times Magazine, Bomb, Russell Simmons’ One World Magazine, PEN America and on PBS documentaries Words in Your Face, The United States of Poetry, HBO’s Def Poetry Jam and B.E.T’s Hughes Dreams Harlem.
Nancy Mercado is a poet, educator, editor and author of the poetry book It Concerns the Madness. Her work has been anthologized in among others, From Totem to Hip Hop edited by Ishmael Reed , 911 An Anthology of New York City Poets, Identity Lessons and Aloud! Voices from the Nuyorican Poets Café. She organized the event “Word Power” at the NJ Performing Arts Center and for eleven years served as editor of Long Shot, an arts and literature publication.
Gilda Rivera and Danzafiesta: Gilda studied dance and education at the University of Puerto Rico, Columbia University and the University of Phoenix. She traveled worldwide representing indigenous dances from Puerto Rico and is presently a faculty member at Boricua College. After twenty-five years as a dance teacher, professional dancer and choreographer, she created the company Danza Fiesta: Baile y Teatro Puertorriqueño, to promote folk dance as a medium for educating people on the historical aspects of Puerto Rican culture.
* from Kalamu ya Salaam's e-drum list-serv.
November 19, 2003
Baby Steps to Equality
Everyone automatically compares Tuesday's Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court ruling with the Brown vs. Board of Education case. Really, it should be likened to the Loving v. Virginia decision. To me, the fundamental statement from that case is:
a basis ... is surely to deprive all citizens of
liberty without due process of law."
Chief Justice Earl Warren, June 1967
November 23, 2003
Because G-d Is NOT A Bitter Nutjob
... [W]hat of God exists in our society is not to be sanctioned by the state either in our courts or schools but emanates and exists in our hearts and ostensibly through our spiritual communities. If you are doing what you should be doing at home -- praying with your family, eating together, talking and LISTENING to each other, showing respect along with instilling discipline -- you won't need schools to act like spiritual babysitters. If your church is doing the work of feeding the hungry, clothing the sick, ministering to the ill, providing comfort for the brokenhearted instead of being judgemental vessels of political intrigue, endless choir concerts usurping the sermon and fashion shows, then your spiritual institution will be a hospital for the needy rather than a museum of calcified saints.
The Wisdom of J. Bernard Jones in response to more hateful, ignorant email forwards.
November 25, 2003
Whose Word?
While I won't go into detail about current personal matters, several bloggers have expressed sentiments about religion that I share. I previously posted a link dealing with religion. Here are two more:
Cobb asks Whose Word of God?
In the life of Christ we are 'living members'. I don't know how else to explain it other than by the understanding that Christ himself was at odds with the Scribes and the Pharisees who were the leaders of the church of the God of Abraham. What I'm saying is that Jesus himself had issues with the Bible thumping fundamentalists of His day. What he specifically didn't do in his ministry was to go around telling people how they were living in contradiction to the written word of God. And this more than anything angered the church leaders of his time, and they sought to trap him with trick questions about religious law. His commandment was about Love. Jesus wasn't a scold, and it is my belief that our calling to be Christlike does not also require us to scold, rather it calls us to Do Right.
Earlier, Laura talked about reverse backsliding
... [I]f I can say one thing about my experience in the queer and church communities, which really aren't supposed to be compared at all, it's this: I'm not very good at either.
Not So Secret Anymore
The Neistat Brother's solution to "Apple's dirty little secret?" Express Yourself!
November 26, 2003
Happy Happy
To all a Happy Thanksgiving. Make it a safe and enjoyable one.
Peace, Love & Blessings...
November 27, 2003
On This Date
Harvey Milk, Openly Gay San Francisco Supervisor
I give thanks for all of my families, friends and those who have come before me and left a legacy.
I love that quote from Milk, killed on this date 25 years ago.
November 28, 2003
Onward!
This year, there will be no public manifesto of measure - I'm just glad to have had another year to dream dreams and the constitution to take steps toward them, when I can.
With that, Donald makes a fabulous return. Do check out his new (?) gallery section. And remember World AIDS Day on Monday, December 1st.
November 29, 2003
Preview of World AIDS Day 2003
Not sure what I'll post for World AIDS Day 2003. My original plans called for 100 commentaries, links and/or images. I'll see.
Check out last year's post for commentary, links and personal stories about AIDS and its impact on our lives.