Is "Otis" Overrated?

Jay-Z and Kanye West, arguably two of the most financially successfully hip-hop artists of all times, partner to bring the song "Otis". Is it overrated? Share your thoughts.

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LGBTQ Fundraising Group "Friends of Jadon" Present the "Wally B Trolley Tour"

Here is an event taking place this Saturday, August 6 featuring Liberated Muse member Wallace Boyd:

Dear Friend of Creativity

This is it: the show YOU have been waiting for. It promises to be unlike any dinner theater experience you've ever had!

All Aboard! Join Tour Director Wally B and guests for an evening of poetic storytelling, singing, and drumming about overcoming adversity through the power of creativity, compassion, and community.

A FORTY-DOLLAR ($40) DONATION IS SUGGESTED, WITH PROCEEDS BENEFITING THE WANDA ALSTON HOUSE, A HOUSING FACILITY FOR LGBTQ YOUTH ABANDONED BY THEIR FAMILIES.

"Young people particularly are vulnerable. Being different has forced them out of their homes," said Earline Budd, founder of Transgender Health Empowerment.

Wally B, a native of East Alabama and West Georgia, has experienced homophobia within his family and the larger society. He has intentionally practiced creativity, since 1997, to heal from the trauma. Having gone from hurting to healing to helping, he invites others to return to wholeness through creativity. His work has been featured in The Washington Blade, The Washington Post, and on National Public Radio.

He has taught writing, knitting, and spinning classes across the southeastern and mid-Atlantic states, including at The John Campbell Folk School in Brasstown, N.C.

When he is not performing, Wally B plays a trolley conductor in Washington, D.C.

The event is the first event of the LGBTQ Fundraising Group "Friends of Jadon" which specializes in raising funds to support under-served LGBTQ communities.

A light supper will be served from 6:30 to 7:15 p.m. The performance begins promptly at 7:30 p.m.

If you cannot attend the performance and would like to make a contribution, please make checks payable to "Transgender Health Empowerment", write "Wanda Alston House" on the memo line and send to T.H.E. Inc.; 1414 North Capitol Street, NW; Washington, D.C. 20001

-Wally B

Our Second LiberatedMuse.com Community Poem: 'Reflection'

Liberated Muse poets create Community Poem #2 (from top left: Jimmy DiLorenzo, Zaccai Free, Khadijah Ali-Coleman and Chenyelu Bomani)

 

 

 

 

This past Wednesday, WAMU reporter Jessica Palombo interviewed me to talk about the LiberatedMuse.com network and about arts in the DC metro area. Thank you to the few of you who responded to my call for those to come and speak to Jessica about what LiberatedMuse.com meant to you. Special thanks to Colie Williams for coming out the day of the interview. Jessica will be including music from Colie's new album in our pre-recorded radio interview. Stay tuned for the link to the interview and air date.

Colie made mention of having a ball participating in our first community poem that we created last week. Decided to do another this past week and the beautiful poem "Reflection" was created.  Liberated Muse poets Chenyelu Bomani, Zaccai Free, and Jimmy DiLorenzo added verses to my inital lines and voila. Check it out.


Reflection
Blooming petals of intellect tear away to betray the heart
Unprotected, pulsating, it pumps crazily with liquid fear"
Knowing it must reveal
How the shadows had formed
Reflecting only non verbal gesticulations
Of sacred volumes in that isolated space
Unbridled tomes
That occupy same time, same place
Illumination reveals the now open gate

searing epitaph, life

screams remember me

eternity yawns

But fear is revealed as a hoax when exposed by the light
Its chains are broken and calm rests upon the knowing
Where tranquility rode in the flood
Wave upon wave
Until only ripples made rhymes,
Immortal is the reflection,
Not found in mirrors.
by Liberated Muse poets Chenyelu Bomani, Zaccai Free, Jimmy DiLorenzo & Khadijah Ali-Coleman
© 2011

Liberated Muse Community Poem #1: 'Sacred Outpouring'

As an online artist community, you'd think we would have done this sooner, but, as they say, better now than never. On July 4th, I thought it would be interesting to begin our first community poem about the concept of independence and freedom. The instruction was not to assume that freedom has to mean only one thing or be about one event. Members were encouraged to be creative. I, along with members Margaux Delotte-Bennett, Chenyelu Bomani, Colie Williams, Ancient Tradition and Tony Spires created the poem below. I chose the name "Sacred Outpouring". Read the genesis of the poem and join LiberatedMuse.com to join our next one. Each poem will be included in our upcoming anthology, volume II in our series-- "Betrayal Wears a Pretty Face".

Sacred Outpouring


On hills overlooking battle,
eyes forsee a vision unseen before

Combined whispered spells;
Wedded to a mystic song,
Being sung by old and young.

"Freedom isn't free," he said to me
"Are you ready for the battle that your dream will require?
You will be lifted high and sadness will consume you.
Is Freedom worth the sacrifice that your soul longs for?"

I watched a quilt of unity blanket those present
As voices merged, patterns of love infinite sprung forth.

"I am ready," I said.

Why should I sacrifice for my GOD given right, Freedom?
"Give me liberty or give me death."
No! I say, give me liberty or you die!

Don't just stand upon life's edge,
Immerse, immerse from toe to head.
Winter's snow brings heavy loads
Stripping the greenest of trees,
Sunbeams mark the seasons decreed...

Through walls of granite, carve Freedom's road.
Spirit voices on high swallowing eardrums,
Whispering choral harmonies into souls' hiding places:

"Know thyself,
Learn love,
Bring perfect peace,
Redefine freedom,
Your birthright... Reclaim it!

First nature...
Before ancestors' conception,
Older than the beginning.
begun of old
beaten and broken into a freedom song
cried out at times when there was nothing but wrong
and hope stood silently in the shadows
but in standing
turned my song
into a yowl
a sacred outpouring of sound
released

The Capital Fringe Fest Asks, 'Does Art Matter'

In a time of war, environmental disasters, and economic crisis, how does art in
the nation’s capital make a difference? Join Liberated Muse's Khadijah "Moon" Ali-Coleman and other artists located in the DC metro area for a candid discussion and networking opportunity to discuss "DOES ART MATTER". This annual conversation is part of the Capital Fringe Fest's Training Factory which takes place during the festive Capital Fringe Festival. Past participants in the discussion have included Liberated Muse member Princess of Controversy and Jessica Solomon, founding producing of The Saartjie Project.

Last year's participants included Jessica Solomon (far left), founding producer of The Saartjie Project and John Chambers, owner and founder of Bloombars (3rd from right). Capital Fringe Fest founder and Executive Director, Julianne Brienza (2nd from right) Photo by PinkLineProject

The Training Factory session will be at Fort Fringe (607 NY Ave NW) and begin promptly at 5:30pm-6:30pm.  Join us for an interactive discussion with area artists, art-watchers, and producers as we discuss art-making in DC and where it connects justice, protest, community and transformation. Visit the PinkLine Project to read about last year's discussion.

Juneteenth Celebration Features Liberated Muse Members

Juneteenth, also known as Freedom Day or Emancipation Day, is a holiday in the United States honoring African American heritage by commemorating the announcement of the abolition of slavery in the U.S. State of Texas in 1865. Celebrated on June 19, the term is a portmanteau of June and nineteenth, and is recognized as a state holiday in 37 states of the United States.  Juneteenth is the oldest known celebration commemorating the ending of slavery in the United States and has been an African American tradition since the late 19th century. Economic and cultural forces caused a decline in Juneteenth celebrations beginning in the early 20th century. The Depression forced many blacks off farms and into the cities to find work. In these urban environments, employers were less eager to grant leaves to celebrate this date. July 4 was the already established Independence Day holiday, and a rise in patriotism among black Americans steered more toward this celebration. -wikipedia

Join us for a Juneteenth celebration on Thursday, June 23 at 1pm in Washington DC at the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Library featuring LiberatedMuse.com members 8orMas, Master See and Colie Williams performing music and poetry celebrating our heritage. This mid-day performance is a wonderful free treat during your lunch break hour or summer break holiday.