New Issue: sx salon (May 2012)

The May issue of sx salon is now available, featuring new poetry, an excerpt from Diana McCaulay’s new novel, interviews with Earl Lovelace and Sandra Pouchet Paquet, reviews and a discussion on “Elizabeth Nunez’s Anna Novels” with pieces from Stephen Narain, Donette Francis and Elizabeth Nunez.

sx salon 9 (May 2012)
Introduction and Table of Contents

Reviews
Pao, by Kerry Young—Tzarina T. Prater
Caribbean Literature and the Public Sphere, by Raphael Dalleo—Faith Smith
Haiti: The Aftershocks of History, by Laurent Dubois—Jeremy M. Glick
The Afro-Latin@ Reader, edited by Miriam Jiménez Román and Juan Flores—Yvette Fuentes

Discussion—Elizabeth Nunez’s Anna Novels
The Resolution Will Not Be Theorized—Stephen Narain
The Boundaries of a Space In Between—Donette Francis
The Two Anna Novels: A Response—Elizabeth Nunez

Poetry
Arturo Desimone
Summer Edward
Erika Jeffers

Prose
Zachary’s Arrival, Part II—Diana McCaulay

Interviews
“This Is How I Know Myself”: A Conversation with Sandra Pouchet Paquet—Sheryl Gifford
An Interview with Earl Lovelace: Reflections on the 1970 Trinidad and Tobago Black Power Movement in Earl Lovelace’s Is Just a Movie—Sophie Megan Harris

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Disclaimer of Endorsement

The documents posted on this Web site may contain hypertext links or pointers to information created and maintained by other public and private organizations. These links and pointers are provided for visitors' convenience. I do not control or guarantee the accuracy, relevance, timeliness, or completeness of any linked information. Further, the inclusion of links or pointers to other Web sites or agencies is not intended to assign importance to those sites and the information contained therein, nor is it intended to endorse, recommend, or favor any views expressed, or commercial products or services offered on these outside sites, or the organizations sponsoring the sites, by trade name, trademark, manufacture, or otherwise.

Reference in this Web site to any specific commercial products, processes, or services, or the use of any trade, firm or corporation name is for the information and convenience of the site's visitors, and does not constitute endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by this blog.

1 Minute Book Review: Lantana Strangling Ixora by Sasenarine Persaud

Name of the book: Lantana Strangling Ixora

Author: Sasenarine Persaud

Publisher: Tsar Books

What's the book about? "This collection is as much about love and people in and out of relationships as it is about origins and the process of estrangement. The lantana is a flower of South American origin, and the ixora of Asian origin. The lantana, a creeper that grows profusely, often engulfing other plants, provides a ready metaphor for the consciousness of the Americas overcoming that of India in the Americas—the mainstreaming and divesting of yoga from its Indian origins being the most visible manifestation."

Why am I reading the book? Coupled with his knowledge of classic Indian mythology, Persaud uses metaphors with a keen understanding of their limits as well as their ability to communicate complex emotional states. The tragedy of the Indian diaspora and the loss of vibrant histories are balanced only by his urbane wit and compassion.

Quote from the book:

There were times in the morning
we questioned the bloom
of the previous evening, watering
canna lilies, clearing the live oaks'
acorns from our white wrought iron bench.

Where to buy: http://www.amazon.com/Lantana-Strangling-Ixora-Sasenarine-Persaud/dp/1894770722

***

I've modified this format from One Minute Book Reviews: http://oneminutebookreviews.wordpress.com/

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Geoffrey Philp’s Blog Spot receives a percentage of the purchase price on anything you buy through links to Amazon, Shambala Books, Hay House, or any of the Google ads or Google Custom Search.

***

Disclaimer of Endorsement

The documents posted on this Web site may contain hypertext links or pointers to information created and maintained by other public and private organizations. These links and pointers are provided for visitors' convenience. I do not control or guarantee the accuracy, relevance, timeliness, or completeness of any linked information. Further, the inclusion of links or pointers to other Web sites or agencies is not intended to assign importance to those sites and the information contained therein, nor is it intended to endorse, recommend, or favor any views expressed, or commercial products or services offered on these outside sites, or the organizations sponsoring the sites, by trade name, trademark, manufacture, or otherwise.

Reference in this Web site to any specific commercial products, processes, or services, or the use of any trade, firm or corporation name is for the information and convenience of the site's visitors, and does not constitute endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by this blog.

Calabash Jubilation! Begins Today

JUBILATION! 50 is a celebration of Jamaica's 50th anniversary of independence. The selection of authors and performers come from Nigeria, Ethiopia, South Africa, the UK, USA, and Jamaica.
May 25-27, 2012,  Jake's Resort Treasure BeachSt. Elizabeth, Jamaica.Authors
Chimamanda Adichie.The AdmiralWayne ArmondJacqueline BishopLoretta CollinsCarolyn CooperMichael “Ibo” CooperChristine CraigFred D'AguiarMarcia DouglasGarfield EllisCarolyn ForcheSteve GoldingVivien GoldmanColin GrantLaura HenzellPaul HoldengraberMelissa JonesSadie JonesRonnie KasrilsVictor LavalleShara McCallumAlecia McKenzieMaaza MengisteAnis MojganiOrlando PattersonPatricia PowellClaudia RankineOlive SeniorSeretse SmallSonjah Stanley NiaahIan ThomsonKerry YoungKevin Young

Please follow this link for the schedule: http://www.calabashfestival.org/2012/schedule.html

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Disclaimer of Endorsement


The documents posted on this Web site may contain hypertext links or pointers to information created and maintained by other public and private organizations. These links and pointers are provided for visitors' convenience. I do not control or guarantee the accuracy, relevance, timeliness, or completeness of any linked information. Further, the inclusion of links or pointers to other Web sites or agencies is not intended to assign importance to those sites and the information contained therein, nor is it intended to endorse, recommend, or favor any views expressed, or commercial products or services offered on these outside sites, or the organizations sponsoring the sites, by trade name, trademark, manufacture, or otherwise.


Reference in this Web site to any specific commercial products, processes, or services, or the use of any trade, firm or corporation name is for the information and convenience of the site's visitors, and does not constitute endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by this blog.

Poetry Friday: Cynthia James

May Shuttlecock

 
The day before, I’d left the gold leaf candelabras in Cantaro;
white holy ghosts wing-spanned the high blue apse of Santa Cruz;
I was confirmed again, crowned with cascading tulle, wild lilies
and forget-me-nots. ‘Twas May, the rains had not yet
washed away the yellow candles kindling tender fires,
and surfeited, I wondered how and why I’d sunk so low
within the vale to miss the Hubble view and give this up.
The old singer in the corner needed but a shuttle;
I went out and bought, passing the day soft, loud
pedalling the treadle’s lockstitch revolutions.
The next day my flight confirmed, I climbed the clouds,
suction-cupped my ears, swore against all birds, and landed
routinely at Pearson. By evening I’d trod fallen acacia crisps,
windblown bread crumbs, and yellow buttons helix-spiked,
kicking heads sprung in thawed and tilled dogs pats.

***

Cynthia James is a Trinidadian, living for the past 3 years in Toronto. She writes poetry and fiction and her work can be found in publications such as Callaloo,Caribbean Writer and The Oxford Book of Caribbean Verse.





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The Literary Hang 2012

By Juliet Emanuel


In 2012 the Literary Hang emphasizes publishing. Self publishers, small presses and larger companies are invited to participate.  This format allows all areas of publishing to display and promote their writers and their works. 

It also allows aspiring writers to explore any publishing options present on that day.  This event is proposed as one that promotes the creativity of Guyanese expression, in particular, and the Caribbean Diaspora, at large.


As part of the activities for the day publishers, accepted for The Literary Hang, may present their contracted writers during the day at their individual spaces. In addition, there will be a public reading by invited writers during the day.  


Part of that program will be an interview with the actors from the hugely successful 2011 adaptation of C. L. R. James' Minty Alley. All publishers will be responsible for the delivery, set up, sales and removal of all their own goods. GCA will not store any material or be responsible for any sales.


All genres of the published word, except pornography, will be considered for inclusion in the general activities of the day.  Magazines, graphic readers, e-books, children's literature, cookbooks, poetry, plays, videos and CD's of performances, novels, short stories and other prose are expected to form part of the offerings on display and for sale. This event is open to all ages and children are especially welcome.


There will be refreshments for sale.

The date of the Literary Hang is Saturday, June 9, 2012, at the Flatbush Reformed Church at the corner of Flatbush and Church Aves.  It will begin at 1 and end at 7 pm.

Interested parties must contact The Literary Hang Committee, Juliet Emanuel, Chair by e-mail, jaemanuel@cs.com or by calling Guyana Cultural Association of New York, Inc. The Secretariat at 718 209 5207, Claire A. Goring, 


Cultural Director.
The Literary Hang (TM) is a production of Guyana Cultural Association of 
New York, Inc.


The Literary Hang 2012 will be a gala celebration of the craft of writing and the book.





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Geoffrey Philp’s Blog Spot receives a percentage of the purchase price on anything you buy through links to Amazon, Shambala Books, Hay House, or any of the Google ads or Google Custom Search.






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Disclaimer of Endorsement


The documents posted on this Web site may contain hypertext links or pointers to information created and maintained by other public and private organizations. These links and pointers are provided for visitors' convenience. I do not control or guarantee the accuracy, relevance, timeliness, or completeness of any linked information. Further, the inclusion of links or pointers to other Web sites or agencies is not intended to assign importance to those sites and the information contained therein, nor is it intended to endorse, recommend, or favor any views expressed, or commercial products or services offered on these outside sites, or the organizations sponsoring the sites, by trade name, trademark, manufacture, or otherwise.


Reference in this Web site to any specific commercial products, processes, or services, or the use of any trade, firm or corporation name is for the information and convenience of the site's visitors, and does not constitute endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by this blog.

The Anancy Festival 2012: Caribbean American Heritage Month

The Anancy Festival 2012 will be held in four cities from the USA to Jamaica on Saturday, June 9, 2012.
The event takes place in the following for cities: Pembroke Pines, Florida; Orlando, Florida; Washington D.C. and Kingston, Jamaica. The event will be simulcast between each city giving attendees an opportunity to see performances at different locations. 
The Anancy Festival, named for Anansi, the West African trickster of folklore, is a celebration of Caribbean-American culture that’s geared toward children and teens. The festival provides a unique way for youngsters to learn about their cultural heritage and experience a rich collection of stories, music and dance. 
Anancy Festival 2012 details for each city: 
Pembroke Pines/Ft. Lauderdale, FloridaJune 9th, 2:00 pm – 5:00 pmSouth Regional/Broward College Library7300 Pines Boulevard, Pembroke Pines, FL 33024Admission: Free

Kingston, JamaicaJune 9th, 2:00 pm – 6:00 pmKingston and St. Andrew Parish Library2 Tom Redcam Drive, Kingston 3Admission: Free

Orlando, FloridaJune 9th, 2:00 pm – 6:00 pmThe Princess Theater15 W. First St. Sanford, FL 32771Door Prize: $100 Gift Certificate
Admission: FREE to children under the age of 2yrs.Children over 2yrs up to 18yrs is $3 and Adults $5College students with Student ID will be $3 (Pay at the Door)

Washington, D.C.June 9th, 9:30 am – 12:30 pmMLK Library901 G Street Northwest, Washington, DC 20001Admission: Free 
For more information about the 2012 Anancy Festival, visit the website at HTTP://WWW.ANANCYFESTIVAL.COM or Facebook page at HTTP://FACEBOOK.COM/ANANCYFESTIVAL
***
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Geoffrey Philp’s Blog Spot receives a percentage of the purchase price on anything you buy through links to Amazon, Shambala Books, Hay House, or any of the Google ads or Google Custom Search.




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Disclaimer of Endorsement


The documents posted on this Web site may contain hypertext links or pointers to information created and maintained by other public and private organizations. These links and pointers are provided for visitors' convenience. I do not control or guarantee the accuracy, relevance, timeliness, or completeness of any linked information. Further, the inclusion of links or pointers to other Web sites or agencies is not intended to assign importance to those sites and the information contained therein, nor is it intended to endorse, recommend, or favor any views expressed, or commercial products or services offered on these outside sites, or the organizations sponsoring the sites, by trade name, trademark, manufacture, or otherwise.

Reference in this Web site to any specific commercial products, processes, or services, or the use of any trade, firm or corporation name is for the information and convenience of the site's visitors, and does not constitute endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by this blog.

Workshop on Bullying in St. Martin Schools

"The St. Martin Book Fair Committee (BFC) is coordinating the workshop on bullying in schools and at the book fair," said Ari Sutton, a senior BFC member.

“How to stop bullying” is the name of the workshop that will be held at USM, Room 202, on Saturday, June 2, at 9 am – conducted by Eric Fenwick, a certified non-violence intervention counselor

“The workshop will help participating parents and teachers to identify and handle bullying whether it occurs in the classroom, on the playground, on BB or on Facebook and other online social media,” said Sutton.

On June 1, Fenwick will also participate in the “Meet the Writers” school program of the 10th annual St. Martin Book Fair.

“According to educators, the instances of bullying among children in our schools in St. Maarten are on the rise and starting at an earlier age,” said Sutton.

“The BFC wants Mr. Fenwick to hear from teachers as well, about their experiences with addressing bullying in their schools,” said Sutton. Fenwick is also the Executive Director of Aunt Hattie’s Place, a residential foster care program in Maryland, USA.

Bullies are not born, they are created, said BFC workshop coordinators Merlyn Williams-Joseph and Leandra Edwards, both teachers on the island.

Another facet of the anti-bullying workshop is that the USM session will conclude with the launch of a year-long BFC collaboration with the Peace Is foundation, to address this issue, said Williams-Joseph.

The BFC workshop coordinators invited Fenwick because of his “extensive history of working with adolescents affected by sexual, emotional, and verbal abuse, and has had to deal with the issue of bullying both personally and professionally,” said Sutton.

In a telephone interview with Fenwick this week, he said that, “When children feel unaccepted and left out they often turn to bullying because they don’t understand the difference between fear and respect.”

“We have to keep stressing the consequences of bullying and involving parents more in the everyday lives of their children in order to combat this problem,” said Fenwick.

Fenwick said that he intends to focus on what causes children to become bullies, how children who are bullied deal with the pain of being bullied and most importantly what parents and teachers can do to prevent it.

“We have to identify and assist. We seek to teach children that you don’t have to humiliate someone else to bolster your self-image,” Fenwick said.

“Mr. Fenwick considers helping children his ministry, and looks forward to meeting teachers and children during his visit,” added Sutton.

Conscious Lyrics Foundation and House of Nehesi Publishers organize the St. Martin Book Fair, which takes place from May 31 – June 2, 2012, in collaboration with the St. Maarten Tourist Bureau, the Ministry of Education & Culture (MECSY), the Collectivity of St. Martin, and the University of St. Martin (USM).

Contact: Ari Sutton sxmbookfair@gmail.com

Shujah Reiph: 00 (590) 690.30.73.66 

Jacqueline Sample: Nehesi@sintmaarten.net

*** 

Disclaimer of Endorsement

The documents posted on this Web site may contain hypertext links or pointers to information created and maintained by other public and private organizations. These links and pointers are provided for visitors' convenience. I do not control or guarantee the accuracy, relevance, timeliness, or completeness of any linked information. Further, the inclusion of links or pointers to other Web sites or agencies is not intended to assign importance to those sites and the information contained therein, nor is it intended to endorse, recommend, or favor any views expressed, or commercial products or services offered on these outside sites, or the organizations sponsoring the sites, by trade name, trademark, manufacture, or otherwise.

Reference in this Web site to any specific commercial products, processes, or services, or the use of any trade, firm or corporation name is for the information and convenience of the site's visitors, and does not constitute endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by this blog.

Commonwealth Writers: Regional Winners for 2012

Commonwealth Writers announces regional winners for 2012 prizes

21 May 2012

Commonwealth Writers has announced the regional winners for the 2012 Commonwealth Book Prize and Commonwealth Short Story Prize. Representing Africa, Asia, Canada & Europe, Caribbean, and the Pacific regions, these new writers will now compete for overall winner which will be announced at Hay Festival on 8 June.

Commonwealth Book Prize

Regional Winner, Africa

Jacques Strauss, South Africa The Dubious Salvation of Jack V, Jonathan Cape

Regional Winner, Asia

Shehan Karunatilaka, Sri Lanka, Chinaman: The Legend of Pradeep Mathew, Random House

Regional Winner, Canada and Europe

Riel Nason, Canada, The Town that Drowned, Goose Lane Editions

Regional Winner, Caribbean

Alecia McKenzie, Jamaica, Sweetheart, Peepal Tree Press

Regional Winner, Pacific

Cory Taylor, Australia, Me and Mr Booker, The Text Publishing Company

Commenting on the winners, Chair of the Commonwealth Book Prize, Margaret Busby said, “We were wonderfully spoilt for choice among some strong regional contenders on the shortlist, and although we could not take every favourite further, the books that triumphed are a reminder of what the best fiction can be: moving, entertaining, enlightening, exciting, engaging our thoughts and emotions, while creating an intimate connection with someone else’s imagination. Here are novels with memorable characters, unpredictable situations, a sense of humour, books that give insights into cultures and histories not our own, crafted by writers who care about language, and its ability to renew and enrich our view of the world. ”

Commonwealth Short Story Prize

Regional Winner, Africa

Jekwu Anyaegbuna, Nigeria, Morrison Okoli (1955-2010)

Regional Winner, Asia

Anushka Jasraj, India, Radio Story

Regional Winner, Canada and Europe

Andrea Mullaney, UK, The Ghost Marriage

Regional Winner, Caribbean

Diana McCaulay, Jamaica, The Dolphin Catcher

Regional Winner, Pacific

Emma Martin, New Zealand, Two Girls in a Boat

Chair of the Commonwealth Short Story Prize, Bernardine Evaristo said, “The five regional winning stories this year rose to the top of a pool of 2200 entries and are the result of vigorous debate among the judges. We discussed not only the quality of the storytelling but the context of their respective literary cultures including notions of stereotypes and ‘the prize-winning formula’. Our final choices encompass range, depth, beauty, unpredictability and re-readability. These short stories will take you on a journey that spans cultures, eras, generations, and diverse ways of being and seeing. To read them is to inhabit other worlds.”

Commonwealth Writers has partnered with Granta magazine to give regional winners of the Commonwealth Short Story Prize the opportunity to be published by Granta online during the week commencing 4 June.

John Freeman, Editor of Granta said: “The Commonwealth Short Story Prize introduces some of the best writers in the world, writers who bring a thrilling and essential glimpse of the world and the worlds that are within Britain. This is also what I hope Granta has been as a magazine. A Trojan Horse for writers you don’t know, but once you read cannot forget: writers who can make the ground beneath your feet a little more mysterious. I am pleased Granta can partner with the Commonwealth Short Story Prize to help carry this mission forward.”

Commonwealth Writers is a new cultural programme within the Commonwealth Foundation which develops, connects and inspires writers. By awarding prizes and running on-the-ground activities, it works in partnership with international literary organisations, the wider cultural industries and civil society to help writers develop their craft in the fifty four countries of the Commonwealth.www.commonwealthwriters.org is a forum where members from anywhere in the world can exchange ideas and contribute to debates.

To mark the 25th anniversary of the Commonwealth Writers’ Prize in 2011, the Commonwealth Foundation re-launched its prizes to form part of Commonwealth Writers. The prizes act as catalysts to target and identify talented writers from different regions who will go on to inspire and inform their local communities.

Lucy Hannah, Programme Manager (Culture) Commonwealth Foundation, said “These two new prizes are a really positive start toCommonwealth Writers. We had entries from a huge range of countries including Lesotho, St. Kitts and Nevis, and Samoa. We’ll now be helping our regional winners to gain a wider readership, develop their craft and to inspire others in their region.”

***
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Geoffrey Philp’s Blog Spot receives a percentage of the purchase price on anything you buy through links to Amazon, Shambala Books, Hay House, or any of the Google ads or Google Custom Search.

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Disclaimer of Endorsement

The documents posted on this Web site may contain hypertext links or pointers to information created and maintained by other public and private organizations. These links and pointers are provided for visitors' convenience. I do not control or guarantee the accuracy, relevance, timeliness, or completeness of any linked information. Further, the inclusion of links or pointers to other Web sites or agencies is not intended to assign importance to those sites and the information contained therein, nor is it intended to endorse, recommend, or favor any views expressed, or commercial products or services offered on these outside sites, or the organizations sponsoring the sites, by trade name, trademark, manufacture, or otherwise.

Reference in this Web site to any specific commercial products, processes, or services, or the use of any trade, firm or corporation name is for the information and convenience of the site's visitors, and does not constitute endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by this blog.

Adinkra Symbols in Jamaica

Geoffrey Philp, circa 1962

I grew up in Jamaica surrounded by Adinkra symbols. Notice the "grill work" on the gate. In fact, I think every Jamaican house has some kind of Adinkra symbol woven into the gate or over the window.

A window in the main house of Prospect Plantation near Ocho Rios,

 Jamaica.

A "Grill" in Negril.

It wasn't until I began working with several artists here in Miami that I realized what some of them meant. I suspect that many people in Jamaica pass by these symbols on their windows, gates, and security bars every day without realizing their significance.

As I was writing Marcus and the Amazons and working with the illustrator, Patrick Pollack, we decided to use Adinkra symbols throughout the book to highlight important traits in the characters.


For example, the main character, Marcus, named after Marcus Garvey--a holy warrior, has the symbol, NYAME YE OHENE: "God is King," on the front of his tunic.

One of these days, I would like to do a reading tour of all the Adinkra symbols on historic sites and houses in Jamaica to see if people knew what their gates and windows were saying. Or did they just think it was a pretty design?


These lead me to ask


On the older houses, were the ancestors leaving us messages?
If they were leaving us messages, can we still read them?
Which symbols survived and why were they so popular?


Image Source: https://www.facebook.com/ABSOLUTELYJAMAICAN

***

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College Summit Florida Awards @ MDC

Gerard Robinson, Florida Commissioner of Education
Miami Dade College (MDC) will host the College Summit Florida Awards featuring Gerard Robinson, Florida Commissioner of Education, as keynote speaker, at11:30 a.m. on Monday, May 21, 2012, at the Wolfson Campus in downtown Miami.
Robinson will speak to 300 high school seniors and educators from 13 Miami-Dade and Broward high schools, all of whom are making a difference in creating a "college-going culture" in their schools. In addition to the Commissioner's speech, individual students and schools will be recognized by organizations such as Deloitte, The Children's Trust and Darden Foundation.
News media interested in covering the event will have a chance to interview local students, educators and guests between 10:45 to 11:20 a.m. and between noon and 1 p.m. with the commissioner, on the day of the event. All news media must schedule their interviews in advance with Vanessa Lillie at 816-217-7296 or vlillie@collegesummit.org. 
Other notables attending the event include Madeline Pumariega, MDC Wolfson Campus president; John Ise of The Children's Trust; Angela Woods of the Darden Foundation; representatives from the College Summit's partner schools; and Peter Pruitt, Deloitte's managing partner of the Florida/Puerto Rico offices.
About College Summit
College Summit-Florida uniquely combines a passion for inspiring students with precision measurement to deliver mean­ingful outcomes for the students and schools it serves. Nationally, College Summit trains high school principals, teachers, and the most influential students in lower-income communities to raise their college-going and success rates. College Sum­mit has grown from working with four students in the basement of a low-income housing project in 1993, to serving annually 30,000 students at partner high schools in 12 states and the District of Columbia.
College Summit Florida Awards featuring Florida Education Commissioner Gerard Robinson as Keynote Speaker
WHEN: Monday, May 21, 10:45 AM - 1:00 PMWHERE: Miami Dade College Wolfson Campus, Chapman Conference Center, Building 3, 300 NE Second Ave.
For more information, visit www.collegesummit.org.

Blog Disclosure Policy

Geoffrey Philp’s Blog Spot receives a percentage of the purchase price on anything you buy through links to Amazon, Shambala Books, Hay House, or any of the Google ads or Google Custom Search.


***

Disclaimer of Endorsement

The documents posted on this Web site may contain hypertext links or pointers to information created and maintained by other public and private organizations. These links and pointers are provided for visitors' convenience. I do not control or guarantee the accuracy, relevance, timeliness, or completeness of any linked information. Further, the inclusion of links or pointers to other Web sites or agencies is not intended to assign importance to those sites and the information contained therein, nor is it intended to endorse, recommend, or favor any views expressed, or commercial products or services offered on these outside sites, or the organizations sponsoring the sites, by trade name, trademark, manufacture, or otherwise.

Reference in this Web site to any specific commercial products, processes, or services, or the use of any trade, firm or corporation name is for the information and convenience of the site's visitors, and does not constitute endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by this blog.

New Book: Sunday's Child by Anne Lyken-Garner

Anne Lyken-Garner is the author of Sunday's Child - the inspiring, true tale of a little girl struggling to rise above appalling living conditions, poverty, violence, and abuse.


About The Book

Sunday's Child tells of the harrowing abuse of a little girl by her grandmother, and gives the reader a glimpse of the political and cultural climate of Guyana in the 1908s.

In a desperate economic crisis, Guyana resorts to food and energy rationing. Acclaimed author Anne Lyken-Garner's tale describes the experiences of a young girl who is forced to spend hours in food lines and relates the sadness and desperation that is part of her everyday life.

A soldier in Jonestown, where more than nine hundred people committed mass suicide, the young girl's uncle tells her of the dead bodies. However, she doesn't mention the one that has witnessed. When she loses the one person in her life who cares for her - and tries to save her - she knows in her heart that her life is about to end.

Sunday's Child will be released on May 22, 2012. 


Please visit the author's page on release day to purchase this book:
http://www.pulsepub.net/Anne_Lyken-Garner.html

Anne has also started an event on Facebook towards this release. You can join this event at the link below to ask her any questions about anything relating to Sunday's Child or her publishing journey.
 
Event:
http://www.facebook.com/events/385124968204320/

Where and How to Buy
Sunday's Child is available as a Kindle download from Amazon and a Nook download from Barnes & Noble. It will also be available in PDF and EPUB format from Pulse online bookstore. The PDF version will be viewable on all PC and laptop systems, as well as smart phones, and the EPUB version will be viewable on all eReaders: Kindle, Nook, iPad, Sony Reader, BlackBerry and Playbook.

A special discount will allow readers to purchase an electronic copy (EPUB or PDF) for only $1.99, using the promo code: FFSCALG


Simply enter the code in the appropriate field while ordering a copy of Sunday's Child from Pulse online bookstore: http://www.shop.pulsepub.net

***
Disclaimer of Endorsement

The documents posted on this Web site may contain hypertext links or pointers to information created and maintained by other public and private organizations. These links and pointers are provided for visitors' convenience. I do not control or guarantee the accuracy, relevance, timeliness, or completeness of any linked information. Further, the inclusion of links or pointers to other Web sites or agencies is not intended to assign importance to those sites and the information contained therein, nor is it intended to endorse, recommend, or favor any views expressed, or commercial products or services offered on these outside sites, or the organizations sponsoring the sites, by trade name, trademark, manufacture, or otherwise.

Reference in this Web site to any specific commercial products, processes, or services, or the use of any trade, firm or corporation name is for the information and convenience of the site's visitors, and does not constitute endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by this blog.

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A Matrix Jingle: Shoot the Sheriff/ Architect

If Neo in The Matrix 3

Had shot the Architect, he'd have been free.

Then, he wouldn't have had to die,

He'd have become RastafarI

***

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Haitian Flag Day @ MDC

Haitian Flag Day

Haiti Rebuilds: A Journey of Hope

Friday, May 18, 2012

10:25 A.M.- 12:30 P.M.

Lehman Theatre, Room 5120

History of the Haitian Flag

The flag of the Republic of Haiti was adopted on May 18, 1803. Haiti had been a colony of France since 1697, but the people rebelled in 1803 and Haiti achieved independence on January 1, 1804.

The Haitian flag is a red and blue bicolor; for state occasions, the Arms of Haiti are added to the center of the flag on a white background. The colors red and blue were chosen from the French flag.

The Haitian arms depict a royal palm in the center topped with a red and blue cap of liberty. There are also six blue and red flags, two smaller red banners on the sides, rifles with bayonets,  cannonballs, a drum, an anchor, green grass, and a white banner reading “L’UNION FAIT LA FORCE,” meaning “Union is Strength.”


Haiti is located in the Caribbean Sea. Christopher Columbus sailed to Hispaniola in 1492. Haiti and the Dominican Republic constitute the island of Hispaniola, located east of Cuba; Haiti occupies the western third of the island. Haiti’s capital city is Port-au-Prince.

***

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Celebrations at Virginia Key Beach Park: May 19, 2012

Royal Visit, Malcolm X Birthday, and "Memory Day"

at Virginia Key Beach Park

By Gene Tinnie

Not many days come along quite like Saturday, May 19, 2012, in Miami, Florida, when, on the birth date of the late Malcolm X (who would have been 87), a special “Memory Day” for the sharing of oral histories and memorabilia at Historic Virginia Key Beach Park (HVKBP), 4020 Virginia Beach Drive, off Rickenbacker Causeway, will begin with a traditional symbolic Leaf Ceremony of reconciliation and healing, conducted by a visiting African king at 10:00 a.m.

"Memory Days,” were a vital part of the broad community effort which began more than a decade ago to reclaim and restore the historic beach, saving it from exclusive private development and establishing it as a historic and environmental landmark.  These were special days set aside at the park (which was still closed down) for the sharing of recollections, reminiscences, and articles of memorabilia (snapshots, brochures, etc.) of the park, particularly in its heyday as Miami’s only “Colored Beach,” which were recorded on video  as a permanent record of important history which is documented nowhere else.

Saturday’s Memory Day renews this popular event, which also provides the fun and surprises of a “family reunion” atmosphere, and is designed to include the oral histories of younger generations as well.  These valuable stories, from spiritual rebirths (baptisms) to first kisses, to historic gatherings, to Splashdown parties, are all more valuable than ever today, as the entire Historic Beach Park is about to become the “indoor/outdoor museum” which the community envisioned more than ten years ago, beginning with displays and features which require as much accurate information as possible.

Oral history gathering will take place from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Providentially, the day is also an opportunity for people to share their memories of Malcolm X as well.  Malcolm X did not enjoy the same kind of widespread acceptance as his fellow fallen hero Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., but this in some ways made him an even stronger and more credible voice in the African American community, and he was certainly no less of an important historic figure.  His remarkable rise from family tragedy and the life of a street hustler to a globally respected and dedicated activist for human rights is a story that has been too little known and too often misunderstood or misrepresented, as so often happens with some of the most inspired and inspiring leaders.

It is therefore only fitting that a day with so much meaning and so much to offer should be launched in such a special way, as an African King, H.M. Nii Dr. Kpobi Tettey Tsuru, III, of the Traditional Area of La, Ghana, West Africa, which includes the capital city of Accra, culminates his third goodwill visit to South Florida at HVKBP, where he has long desired to pay tribute to the local history and community, bringing a message of reconciliation and reconnection as we strive to overcome the continuing consequences of more than four centuries of the Atlantic “slave trade,” slavery, and colonialism. 

Finally, certainly not to be overlooked, this special day, and this important ritual invocation of ancestral strength, knowledge, and spiritual guidance (the King is also a Christian minister) will all start by honoring and giving thanks to the land itself and its original inhabitants with a Native American Opening of the Way ceremony conducted Carib Tribal Indan Queen Mrs. Catherine Hummingbird Ramirez, who played a key role in the saving of the Miami Circle sacred site, where she continues to hold weekly prayer vigils on Tuesday evenings. 

As a day of history, reconnection, and fun, Saturday, May 19 at Historic Virginia Key Beach park will be history-making in itself and is sure to be fondly remembered by generations to come.

Contacts: Gene Tinnie, 305-904-7620 or Michelle Swaby, 305-960-4618

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Haiti After the Earthquake

This is the first in a series of discussions focusing on the impact of natural and man-made disasters on culture and the role artists play in the aftermath of abrupt ruptures with the past. Panelists will discuss what was lost culturally in Haiti, what was saved, and how regional and international financial and philanthropic intervention drives new paths of creativity and the dissemination and interpretation of culture.


PANELISTS:

• Alexandra Barbot, Artist, Director, Haitian Historical Museum and Archives
• Philippe Dodard, Artist and Director of the National School of Arts in Haiti
• Jean-Germain Gros, Associate Professor Political Science and Public Policy, University of Missouri, St. Louis
• Babacar M’bow, Independent Curator, Managing Editor, Encyclopedia of the African Diaspora
• Gregory Vorbe, Artist
• 
  

HONOREE:    EDWIDGE DANTICAT 


Author Edwidge Danticat will receive the Dodard “Work of the Year” award for her attachment to and promotion of Haiti, its people and culture. For over 10 years, Philippe Dodard, one of Haiti’s leading artists, has dedicated a painting to a fellow Haitian working in the humanities as an expression of solidarity in the struggle for a better tomorrow. Dodard stated, “Edwidge Danticat's body of work has provided. Breath, Eye and Memory" in an articulation of what we all have in common ----our humanity making thereby the world a much better place. As our country re-engages once again in its quest for a better tomorrow Danticat's work and life provide an example to all of us particularly the young generation. She has articulated with brilliancy our hopes and dreams, our tears and bursts of laughter.”



ON VIEW: THE LUMINOUS BREATH OF THE HUMAN SPIRIT: DONNA KARAN AND PHILIPPE DODARD


This exhibition on view from May 16 – June 20 focuses on the interactivity between fashion designer Donna Karan and Haitian artist Philippe Dodard.  Known for his fusion of Caribbean mythological iconography with Modern art, Dodard’s strong graphic ink wash paintings inspired Donna Karan’s Spring 2012 Collection.  The MOCA exhibition brings together dresses from the Donna Karan Spring 2012 Collection with Dodard’s paintings.





Moderated by Bonnie Clearwater, Executive Director and Chief Curator, Museum of Contemporary Art. Introduction by Daniel Fils-Aime, Chairman, Haitian-American Historical Society.


Admission is free. Seating is limited. For reservations and information, call 305 893 6211 or visit www.mocanomi.org.


The discussion will also be streamed live on MOCA’s website. www.mocanomi.org/live-stream


To submit your own questions for the panel, email us at MOCAPanelDiscussion@gmail.com


Image source: http://www.mocanomi.org/?p=2423