Go. See. Marcus. Now Playing at the American Conservatory Theater in San Francisco

Tarell Alvin McCraney




I saw it tonight. You won't regret it. Get your tickets today.

"Marcus" or "The Secret of Sweet"

October 29–November 21, 2010
A.C.T.
405 Geary Street
San Francisco, CA 94102
415.749.2228

West Coast Premiere

By Tarell Alvin McCraney
Directed by Mark Rucker

"A don't-miss event of the season"
—San Francisco Chronicle


www.act-sf.org

Oakland Chapter of the National Coalition of 100 Black Women, Inc. Presents their 15th Anniversary Benefit Gala - "Linking, Leveraging and Leading"

Saturday, November 6, 2010
6:30 p.m.
San Francisco Marriott Marquis
55 Fourth Street
San Francisco, CA

Celebrity Host: Nikki Thomas, KBLX 102.9 Radio Personality


Get your tickets online at:

www.onehundredblackwomen.com

CDA Consulting Group
510-653-4085

2010 Corporate Leadership Award Recipients

AT&T
Wells Fargo
Catholic Healthcare West

Last Chance to Catch Carl Lumbly in "The Sunset Limited"

To kick off the season we bring one of the most insightful writers of our time, Cormac McCarthy (The Road, No Country for Old Men) together with two of the most powerful actors in the Bay Area, Carl Lumbly (Jesus Hopped the ‘A’ Train, Alias, Cagney & Lacey) and Charles Dean (White Christmas, Awake and Sing!). A startling encounter on a New York subway platform leads two strangers to a run-down tenement where they engage in a brilliant verbal duel on a subject no less compelling than the meaning of life.

"Sunset Limited Pulses with Urgency", "Lumbly makes the words sing…English stages the interplay as a tense psychological cat-and-mouse game and brings it to a compelling climax." - Robert Hurwitt, San Francisco Chronicle

SF Playhouse
533 Sutter Street
San Francisco, CA 94102
415.677-9596

"For Colored Girls" Soundtrack Now Available For Pre-Order on Atlantic Records

I was thrilled to review the Soundtrack to Tyler Perry's upcoming movie, "For Colored Girls" (courtesy of Atlantic Records). In a nutshell, here is my review:

The songs from the soundtrack of "For Colored Girls," were expectedly “soulful” with a bit of eclectic-ness. Starting with the beautiful symphonic string tonality and spoken word which was indeed a mood setter and the revisit at soundtrack’s end, places an emphatic exclamation mark to a strong statement.

The playlist line-up includes ballad divas and is interspersed with “new women on the block” that provide a little edginess. The soundtrack whets the pallet in anticipation of an emotionally strife and tumultuous film. After listing to the album, I find it necessary to view the movie that follows the biorhythms and attempts to give visual clarity to this soundtrack that moves my soul.
Pre-Order now on Amazon and Atlantic Records.

Soundtrack becomes available on November 2.

List of Tracks:

1. “Main Title” – Loretta Devine, Kimberly Elise, Whoopi Goldberg, Janet Jackson, Thandie Newton, Phylicia Rashad, Anika Noni Rose, Tessa Thompson, Kerry Washington with Joshua Bell, Aaron Zigman & The Hollywood Studio
2. “Longer & Stronger” – Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings
3. “All Day Long (Blue Skies)” – Estelle
4. “What More Can They Do” – Laura Izibor
5. “Sun” – Lalah Hathaway
6. “Ansomnia” – Zaki Ibrahim
7. “Settle” – Gladys Knight
8. “La Donna In Viola” – Karen Slack, Andrea Jones-Sojola & The Hollywood Studio Symphony Orchestra
9. “Sechita (A Senhora em Amarelo)” – Anika Noni Rose & Carondelet Percussion Ensemble
10. “Stand Up” – Macy Gray
11. “Without A Fight” – Janelle Monàe
12. “Four Women” – Nina Simone, Simone, Laura Izibor & Ledisi
13. “I Know Who I Am” – Leona Lewis

Retired KPIX Newswoman Barbara Rodgers Inducted Into Knoxville College's Hall of Fame

Knoxville College President, Dr. Horace Judson, presents Barbara Rodgers with her Hall of Fame medallion and certificate.



The inaugural Robert H. Harvey Knoxville College Alumni Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony was held Friday, October 15, 2010 at the Knoxville Marriott Hotel, Grand Ballrooms.

Congratulations, Barbara!

See video below:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HjCwdakKLYg

Professor Charles Ogletree in San Francisco

Photo: Charles Ogletree at Alexander Book Company, San Francisco

Harvard Law Professor Charles Ogletree was in San Francisco yesterday discussing his new book, "The Presumption of Guilt: The Arrest of Henry Louis Gates."

NPR Fires Analyst Juan Williams Over Comments Made on The O'Reilly Factor

NPR fired news analyst Juan Williams Wednesday night after comments made on Fox News' "The O'Reilly Factor" that Muslims dressed in Muslim garb on planes made him nervous.

During an appearance Monday on Fox's "The O'Reilly Factor," Williams said: "Look, Bill, I'm not a bigot. You know the kind of books I've written about the civil rights movement in this country. But when I get on the plane, I got to tell you, if I see people who are in Muslim garb and I think, you know, they are identifying themselves first and foremost as Muslims, I get worried. I get nervous."

Should Juan Williams have been fired?

Anita Hill Apologize?? Homey Don't Think So!

I've heard it all. By now, you've all heard about that crazy message that Virginia Thomas, the Caucasian wife of Clarence Thomas (yeah, the one that eeked his way onto the Supreme Court) left for Anita Hill, now a professor at Brandeis University, requesting an apology for her testimony about Clarence Thomas' sexual harrassment and country indecent jokes ("Who has put a pubic hair in my Coke?") directed at Anita Hill some two decades ago.

Well, Anita Hill did exactly what she should have done and turned the voicemail over to the FBI. Explain that, Virginia.

At the time of the hearings, Clarence Thomas referred to the inquistion as a "high tech lynching for uppity Blacks." Well, I say he still needs an old-fashioned butt-whooping for Uncle Toms.

Anita told the truth.

"Black Marriage Negotiations" - Have You Seen This Video?

I guess I was too busy trying to "pay bills" last week. Somehow, I missed this video which has gone viral.



Check it out:

(Parental discretion advised)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mgyg8vEHraE

"Don't Get Caught In South Central, While Drinking Your Juice in Da Hood" - TI Ordered Back to Prison

Rapper, T.I., has been ordered back to prison for eleven months following his arrest in Los Angeles last month.

Seriously, our criminal justice system is flawed. Clearly, what T.I. (real name Clifford Harris) needs is rehabilitation for his addictions. More jail time is not the answer.

Please let me know your thoughts. I'd love to hear from you.

www.ajc.com

SAVE THE DATE! DECEMBER 18, 2010 - Susan L. Taylor Comes to Fairfield, California (A Diamonds and Pearls Production)

www.apdiamondsandpearls.com

A Message From Tyler Perry

Subject: A Message from Tyler Perry - Something's Gotta Give

Hey there, I know I haven't written in a while, but I've been crazy busy
with 154 performances since the top of the year. I filmed two movies
this summer and I haven't had a break. It's all too much! Something's gotta
give here. I'm exhausted. Anyway, I wanted to talk to you about FOR COLORED
GIRLS.

We are only a little more than 3 weeks out from FOR COLORED GIRLS, which
opens on November 5th. Wow, time is flying! I wanted to talk to you for
just a second about this film. There has been a lot of Internet chatter
about me doing this film. I've heard everything from, "I'm glad he's
doing it!", to "How dare he touch this!". Believe me, I know that this is
sensitive material and I handled it that way. If you don't believe me
see for yourself on November 5th.

If you know anything about the book or play, FOR COLORED GIRLS WHO HAVE
CONSIDERED SUICIDE WHEN THE RAINBOW IS ENUF, which is what my film is
based on, then you know that it is one of the most powerful literary works of
this century. But, if you know it, you are also thinking like I was, "How can
I make this into a movie?"

After reading the play a thousand times and listening to these poems a
million times, it hit me. There was only one way to approach it. So
what I did was, I put these characters in the situations around the poems, so
that they could speak the dialogue of the book without it sounding like a
poem.

And I have to tell you, I wasn't sure that it could be done. But, after
listening to Phylicia Rashad, Thandie Newton, Kerry Washington, Macy
Gray, Kimberly Elise, Tessa Thompson, Whoopi Goldberg, Loretta Devine, Anika
Noni Rose and Janet Jackson say these words it was awesomely seemless.

The stories are about eight women who live in NYC and we follow them
through their lives; follow them through loving, losing, giving too much of
themselves, being hurt and betrayed, but most of all, we follow each of
these women as they find love for themselves.

This movie is powerful. It is incredible. The performances in it are
astonishing, but most of all this film will leave you lifted.

I don't know if you know this either, but never in the history of a
feature film has there been an ensemble of this many black women. That alone is
worth celebrating. I hope you are planning to see it on November 5th.

By the way, you don't have to be a colored girl to be able to relate to
and enjoy this movie.
Click the link to view the trailers:

http://tylerperry.com/fcg

See ya soon,

TP

Solomon "The King" Burke Has Died

Solomon Burke
(March 21, 1940 – October 10, 2010)

American Grammy Award-winning singer/songwriter died in flight yesterday between Los Angeles and Amsterdam of natural causes. He had been scheduled to perform in Amsterdam on Tuesday.

He began as a gospel singer and moved into soul and blues before launching a successful career in Rock and Roll. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2001.

Among his many hits, is the most famous, "Cry to Me" which he recorded in the '60s and appeared later in the '80s on the soundtrack for "Dirty Dancing."

http://www.thekingsolomonburke.com/

Albertina Walker, "Queen of Gospel" Passes Away In Her Hometown of Chicago

Sunrise: August 29, 1929

Sunset: October 8, 2010

Albertina Walker began singing at an early age and was greatly influenced by Mahalia Jackson. Mahalia Jackson took her on the road when she was a teenager. "

She was given the title "Queen of Gospel Music."
www.albertinawalker.com

BABJA Seventh Annual Young Journalists Scholarship Gala

Barbara Rodgers with high school student Ashley Williams and KRON TV4 anchor, Pam Moore at the Seventh Annual Young Journalists Scholarship Gala held at Scott's Seafood Restaurant in Oakland on Saturday, October 2, 2010. KCBS radio reporter Bob Butler was honored at the event for his contributions to broadcasting and journalism. Bob is also a National Vice President with AFTRA and Vice President-Broadcast with the National Association of Black Journalists.

For more information and to support Bay Area Black Journalists Association (BABJA):

http://www.babja.org/

Bob Butler Honored by Bay Area Black Journalists

KRON TV4 anchor Pam Moore and retired CBS5 anchor Barbara Rodgers congratulate KCBS Radio reporter Bob Butler on being the honoree at the Seventh Annual Young Journalists Scholarship Gala presented by the Bay Area Black Journalists Association (BABJA). The Gala was held at Scott's Seafood Restaurant in Oakland on Saturday, October 2, 2010. The recipient of this year's Chauncey Wendell Bailey, Jr., Scholarship was Reginald James, a student at Laney College in Oakland. The scholarship is named for Chauncey Bailey who was killed in August of 2007 by a group that was dissatisfied with the expose he was writing about them.

Save the Date, THURSDAY, October 21, 2010 - A Town Hall Meeting with Charles Ogletree

A Town Hall Meeting:
Charles Ogletree
Author of The Presumption of Guilt: The Arrest of Henry Louis Gates, Jr. and Race, Class, and Crime in America

Sargent Johnson Gallery (1st Floor)
762 Fulton Street @ Webster, San Francisco
Thursday, October 21, 2010 6PM-8:30PM


The Sargent Johnson Gallery, Mark Hilton Plummer, Infin8 Sync, and Julian Davis are delighted to host "A Town Hall Meeting with Charles Ogletree." Mr. Ogletree is a preeminent legal scholar at Harvard University, where he is the Jesse Climenko Professor of Law and the director of the Charles Hamilton Houston Institute for Race and Justice.

A Bay Area native, Professor Ogletree has the distinction of having taught both President and Mrs. Obama, during his illustrious tenure at Harvard. He will be discussing his latest book, "The Presumption of Guilt: The Arrest of Henry Louis Gates, Jr. and Race, Class, and Crime in America." Mr. Ogletree will discuss what we can learn from the arrest of his colleague and client, Henry Louis Gates, Jr., and the racial profiling of black men, prominent and otherwise.


Preeminent Bay Area attorney John Burris will also join us. Mr. Burris recently represented the family of Oscar Grant after his tragic death at the hands of BART police officer Johannes Mehserle.


The admission for this event is $5 or free with the purchase of a book!

No charge for seniors and students. (No one turned away for lack of funds.)

African American Arts and Cultural Complex, San Francisco

I Am A Black American (don't tell nobody)

What is it about race that just plain makes some White folks uncomfortable? I had lunch today with a couple of ladies of the Caucasian persuasion. One of the women, started telling a story about a group of women whom she gets together with quite often. Women that she's been friends with since her child was in grammar school. Women who start these "mother's groups." I said that I never really got into those groups because when my daughter was in grammar school, it wasn't very diverse and I didn't think the other mothers were ever quite comfortable letting someone as, well, diverse, as me get that close to them. It was fine for my daughter to play with their kids. Everybody wants their kids to have "exposure," right? My daughter used to say, "Mom, I wonder why they don't invite you to join their book club, you're always reading!"

Anyway, when I mentioned the "R" word - race, my lunch mates practically croaked on their "croque sandwiches." For crying out loud, while we have a Black president, we also still have the KKK - oh, and don't leave out the Tea Party.

So, don't pretend that race doesn't matter or that nobody notices because the bottom line is that I am and always will be a Black woman, African American (born a Negro) and I'm not going to conceal it or apologize about that to anyone.

Race. The conversation that still needs to happen.

Racism. The gift that keeps on giving.