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Visible

Posted on October 10, 2014 by

its not the hoodies or the skittles BART rides not the wallet he pulled out or the comb the cell phone not the toy gun or the raised empty hands perhaps its the kiss of melanin the brown black velvet-ness … Continue reading →

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idenity

Posted on May 12, 2014 by

tempered, forged, amalgamated solid containing an internal logic no predicable ambient point not likely to melt in benign circumstance likely to reassemble in its original pattern coalesced from remnants stubborn essential parts determining a whole complete with its own center … Continue reading →

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Ralph Ellison’s Song

Posted on May 6, 2014 by

slain by ink again & again made invisible unseen conjured on the 11 o’clock news new mau mau’s jeans low wild threats to civility written on like a wall like an epitaph suffering on the margin blues after notes air … Continue reading →

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The Lower Bottom Playaz:FENCES at The African American Museum and Library at Oakland.

Posted on November 26, 2013 by

Lower Bottom Playaz, Inc, under the direction of Ayodele Nzinga, MFA, PhD present the 6th of the 10 play cycle on their march to be the first troupe ever to do all ten in chronological order. http://www.TalesofIronandWater.com

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FENCES: Art Without Borders–Wilson the Universalist

Posted on August 25, 2013 by

FENCES: Art Without Borders–Wilson the Universalist The Lower Bottom Playaz, the oldest North American African theater troupe in Oakland CA is presenting FENCES as a part of its commitment to August Wilson’s Century Cycle.  FENCES is perhaps the most familiar … Continue reading →

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Pragmatic Optimism

Posted on August 21, 2013 by

The figs did not ripen this year nor did the dreams of democracy in the land of the free the hard green fruit only skin and seeds absent the flesh necessary to sustain the living who are left with only … Continue reading →

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Unlikely Magicians

Posted on June 24, 2013 by

Theater offers you a chance to solve a character’s problem, enjoy his destiny, fight along side him against his fate. Theater gives a performer a place to spend the emotional currency stored in an their well of lived experiences, it gives you a place to go when it is necessary to vacate your own reality temporarily for the sake of being able to carry it when you are forced to return to it. Continue reading →

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First Funeral, 2013

Posted on January 27, 2013 by

Forever young never to be a grand father early in your day the work of you is done you were like the heat that never found the sun the shine resting in the diamond the tune up before the song … Continue reading →

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Oakland Bratton Venezuela 3.0

Posted on January 23, 2013 by

Guest Editorial by Jean Damu Was Oakland Police Consultant William Bratton involved in the failed Venezuela coup? And if he was, should Oaklanders be concerned? By Jean Damu Hundreds of Oakland residents turned out recently to voice their opinions about … Continue reading →

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Un-naturalized

Posted on July 20, 2012 by

are we the ones we

so need someone

when I was little

I waited for some one

to come then I decided

to be someone

Continue reading →

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