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July 8, 2018
Sunday
Today is the big Sisterfire Festival day. We get a slow start, though, opting to skip the picnic. Instead we get carryout sandwiches and head for the 2 pm Narrative stage. Our…
Aug 11 2018
Aug 1 2018
Sisterfire Day 1
July 7, 2018
We stay in, relaxing and luxuriating with Law & Order and bits of movies on HBO – a big screen contrast to our tiny screen options at home (yes, we love TV). we arrange meetups…
Aug 1 2018
Washington, D.C.
July 6, 2018
Friday
We enjoy
the spaciousness
Of our King suite
A wall sized window
The lack of deadlines and alarms
And each other
Eventually
We extricate ourselves
From…
Aug 1 2018
Airport Vignettes
July 5, 2018
Wheeling through back corridors
Midway yields some surprises
4th floor theme: The Art Institute
Nat King Cole sings “Mona Lisa”
3rd floor: Buckingham Fountain
Dinah Washington’s lyrics
Include a…
Aug 1 2018
ShaZah: Wiggleworms at Navy Pier
July 1, 2018
Summer Morning
EXCESSIVE HEAT WARNING
We complain, but maintain
Entertaining those
Who value what we do so much
That they endure the heat
For as long as they can
…
Aug 1 2018
Mother's Day
May 13, 2018
Today I’m not internally demanding that I hear from my children today. K got hers in yesterday. It was such a gift to experience the expanded version of Baby Soul Jam. Hundreds of families partying…
May 1 2018
BEE at 20
April 28, 2018
Black Earth Ensemble's 20th Celebration
Received a invitation to come to the twentieth year celebration of Nicole Mitchell’s Black Earth Ensemble at Constellation Chicago. When I accepted the invitation to play, Niki seemed genuinely pleased.…
May 1 2018
Sitarsys at Oakton
April 21, 2018
We’re ready to play.
In her stage debut
Grandbaby Noni spits up
As Zahra causes a spill.
Half the band disappears
For the dual cleanup.
The music begins.
…
Mar 25 2018
Aretha
Aretha
You’ve been playing on my life’s soundtrack for a long long time
From Mother’s record club arrivals
I’ve Never Loved a Man
To college anthems
All I’m asking for is a little Respect
…
Feb 12 2018
Ella Jenkins
In 2017 Ella Jenkins was recognized by the National Endowment for the Arts as a National Heritage Fellow. This award was an acknowledgement of over fifty years of artistic and humanitarian work on behalf of the world's children. Ms. Jenkins…
Jan 30 2018
More About the Grammy Telecast
Janelle Monae has consistently presented herself as a strong, self-respecting, dignified black woman artist/activist. She did us proud Sunday night while introducing Kesha:
Tonight, I am proud to stand in solidarity as not just an artist, but a young…
Jan 30 2018
A Woman-Centered Grammy Salute
January 29, 2018
Although it was not apparent from the 60th Grammy telecast on CBS , quite a few women won Grammy awards this year. We were highly visible as presenters and performers, with many standout performances, among them …