Liberated Muse Goes Mobile

Enjoy LiberatedMuse.com on the go with your smartphone. Our new easy to navigate interface makes keeping connected a seamless experience. Try it today!

Be Sure to Come Check Out Liberated Muse's Return to the @Artomatic

In 2009, Liberated Muse members took to the stage at the Artomatic in promotion of the first anthology in the Liberated Muse series and to showcase the talents of the online network's very talented community members. Fast forward three years and we return!

Tomorrow-- Saturday, June 16 at 2pm on the People's (Orleans) stage at the Artomatic, Liberated Muse members perform for four hours of non-stop entertainment.

The second anthology in the Liberated series-- Betrayal Wears a Pretty Face-- will also be sold with writers from the book reading their pieces.

Featured performers include singers Nia Simmons, Cherie "Kalicoh" Latson, D. Marq and the group 8orMas who will be accompanied by the talented Bangladesh Project out of Baltimore, MD. Singers Teisha Marie and Quineice who were featured in the Liberated Muse showcase at the Artomatic in 2009 return.

Hosted by Liberated Muse's Khadijah "Moon" Ali-Coleman who will also perform during the event, the showcase also will feature poets Serena Wills and Porscha Felicity Coleman who will perform spoken word pieces.

Check out the video below that highlights the 2009 showcase:

Buy the Second Book in the Liberated Muse Anthology Series

View the trailer

Buy the book on Amazon.com

Liberated Muse Community Poem #5

Sun Salute

Her limbs, like branches stretched high in sun salutation, extend upwards

eyes closed, warm beams raining down, forming a blanket of warmth

Beautiful, spontaneous, fresh and alive

Her time has come

She has arrived

In this moment and for all time

She is completely free

Mulch of the world's sorrows

Fed, sustained then released her

To unfurl, straighten

Erect and proud

She is completely free

-------------------------------

The LiberatedMuse.com community poem is a frequent activity where members of the network lend verses to create an original poem. Liberated Muse creator Khadijah "Moon" Ali-Coleman, Jimmy DiLorenzo and Sandy Hoar contributed to this poem, titled, "Sun Salute".

Visit the poetry forum on LiberatedMuse.com here.

Liberated Muse Member Maceo Thomas Runs for DNC Delegate

Maceo Thomas

In 2008, Liberated Muse Productions was started after the LiberatedMuse.com network was created. Khadijah "Moon" Ali-Coleman and Maceo Thomas partnered to form Liberated Muse Productions to produce the Capital Hip Hop Soul Fest that ran for three successful years before Khadijah and Maceo parted ways in 2010 to produce arts projects and events in the visual and performance arts arena on their own.

Since moving to the District in the mid-2000's, Maceo has been an active member of Ward 7, organizing events to promote community awareness and fellowship, including the monthly Capital Canvases for a Cause which raises monies for area nonprofits while promoting an independent visual artist show. His work as an arts advocate is often coupled with his work as a community organizer.
Maceo is ardent supporter of the democratic process and was very active in the 2008 presidential election. During the Potomac primary, he served as a precinct captain and on election day, he worked the polls in Virginia Beach.  Finally, in protest of the congressional threat to DC autonomy, Maceo chose to be arrested with DC Mayor Vincent Gray and other political figures and advocates in April 2011 in front of the US Capitol.

Maceo Thomas arrested in April 2011 for protesting on behalf of DC

 
Given his prolific work in the community and as an active Democrat, Maceo is running for delegate to the Democratic National Convention. He says,

Maceo Thomas (right) is an active Democrat running for DC delegate

"Also, I am running with a group of committed neighbors from across the city on a slate.  The slate is called 51st State for Obama.  We are a group of committed citizens who hope to represent DC well in Charlotte.  Local DC politics has made the news in some not so great ways lately due to ethical issues,  Members of our slate have proven records of working toward transparent DC government.  Also, we have members of the slate who are committed to getting DC a real vote in Congress and DC Statehood.  Along with me, my slatemate Jeffery Richardson, was arrested last April in a show of civil disobedience in front of the Capitol in support of governing autonmony for DC.  The other thing, we're all just regular people committed to our communites. So, I ask that you vote the entire slate.  I will be able to get enough votes to win by receiving votes from my slate mates' supporters.  I ask that you do the same, so that we can send a powerful group to Charlotte to represent the citizens of the District."

Registered Democrats in the District of Columbia will be participating in a pre-primary caucus to select delegates for the national convention. The members of "51st State for Obama" are candidates dedicated to Obama, statehood, and DC ethics reform:

District 1 (Wards 1, 2, 6 & 8)
* Courtney Anderson (Ward 8)
* Markus Batchelor (Ward 8)
* Adam Bink (Ward 2)
* Phoebe Farris (Ward 1)
* Susan Meehan (Ward 2)
* Hector Rodriguez (Ward 1)
* Laura Shin (Ward 6)
* Jeff Richardson (Ward 6)

District 2 (Wards 3, 4, 5 & 7)
* Alexandra Beninda (Ward 3)
* Sylvia Brown (Ward 7)
* Franklin Garcia (Ward 5)
* Jaime Fearer (Ward 5)
* Julia Lara (Ward 4)
* Jon Mandel (Ward 3)
* Maceo Thomas (Ward 7)

See https://www.facebook.com/51stState4Obama for more info.

FLASHBACK VIDEO:





While Liberated Muse is not affiliated with the Democratic nor Republican party, we commend Liberated Muse member Maceo Thomas for his community work and wish him the best with his efforts to become a delegate.

Behind-the-Scenes Look at "In Her Words"

Enjoy this behind-the-scenes video, shot by filmmaker Biljana Milenkovic and edited by Khadijah Ali-Coleman, this video gets feedback from the cast about their experience portraying the cultural icons featured and give a glimpse of what's in store at the debut of the show "In Her Words" which debuts Saturday, Feb. 4 at 1pm at the Martin Luther King Memorial Library in Washington DC. Visit http://www.theyliveon.wordpress.com for more information.

On Liberated Muse This Week of October 10

Our Community Poem is Another Winner

Our third community poem didn't have more than two participants this time round, but, it was destined to be a poem of sweet and short brilliance that there is no complaint here. Regular contributors Chenyelu Bomani and Jimmy DiLorenzo created this poem I named "Complete Beauty":

Almond shaped eyes
kissed,
by shades of amber glazed sunsets.
A realization that she is not the voice in her head,
but, rather,
the one who recognizes the voice,
quiets her mind.
The setting sun warms her face
and a feeling of completness engulfs her very being.

Our Community Bloggers Have New Posts Up!

Our Liberated Muse members are an assortment of creatives and bloggers who have an array of new topics to discuss in this week's posts:

Alan King posted "Review of Rachel Eliza Griffith's 'Mule and Pear'"
Chenyelu Bomani "Gem Stones"

New Photos in the Gallery

Liberated Muse member DC's Own Entertainment Company uploaded photos from the recent event "The Revival". Visit their page to see the photos and to read a review of this ground-breaking event. Be sure to also view other photos members have posted in the gallery and add your own!



Meet Our Member of the Month: Nathan Seven Scott

Our October Member of the Month  is a motivational speaker, life coach and new author. Visit our main page to read more about our member of the month, Nathan Seven Scott and learn how you can order his new book that was released on Oct. 7.


We Are Looking For Sponsors for Our "In Her Words" Series

Contact us at LiberatedMuseProductions@gmail.com to learn more about the series and how you can become a sponsor.

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.

Call for Submissions for Liberated Muse Volume II: Betrayal Wears a Pretty Face

Call for Submissions for Liberated Muse Volume II: Betrayal Wears A Pretty Face
In 2009, Liberated Muse presented our first anthology How I Freed My Soul-- an anthology that featured the literary and visual art from members of our network and others from around the world. Our first anthology featured the visual art of Liberated Muse members and renowned artist Turtel Onli, mixed media artist Shanta Monroe, singer/photographer Angela Ballard and painter Mars Davis. Writers Serena Wills, Farah Lawal, Amy Blondell, DJ Gaskin, Margaux Delotte-Bennett and whole host of other phenomenal talents were featured as well. We had numerous events celebrating our book in 2009 that took place throughout the DC area and beyond. Now, we are back at it again.

We are now putting out a call for writers and visual artists to submit work for consideration for our upcoming anthology Betrayal Wears a Pretty Face. The theme of betrayal must be implied in your submission-- whether it is betrayal of trust, love or expectation. Your story or artwork of betrayal can lead to a story of triumph or lend a heavy lesson to bear. The idea of betrayal is not merely something that we feel within relationships of friendship and love. Our political leaders may betray us. Our teachers may betray us. We may betray ourselves.

Your submission of betrayal can be in the form of original essay, short story, poetry or prose. Your entry can not exceed 5, 000 words and may be edited if selected for inclusion. Visual art submissions must be submitted in jpeg form and be your original work.

There is no submission fee. Entries selected for inclusion will not be paid, however authors and artists will receive a free copy of the anthology* and free tickets to Liberated Muse events. Selected authors and artists will also be included in upcoming performance tours promoting the book.
Submit your work to LiberatedMuseProductions@gmail.com for consideration. Submission deadline: June 15, 2011.

*Free copy received once one copy is sold

To Haiti, With Love 2011

Last year in February 2010, Liberated Muse members came together at the Potter's House, located in the Adams Morgan community in Washington, DC to perform and raise monies for Yele.org to go towards rebuilding efforts in Haiti after the devastating earthquake that killed about one million people in the tiny island. The earthquake took place a year ago today.
We raised over $300 for Yele.org that day and many of us created artworks in remembrance of the people of Haiti that we later sold or donated on our own to contribute to the efforts in Haiti. But, there is still a need for aid.
The Nonprofit Times writes:

"As the one-year anniversary of the quake approaches this month, charities rallying to rebuild the country should be moving into recovery mode. Instead, despite all of the money pouring in and aid organizations on the ground, the nation is gripped in a cholera outbreak. The deadly bacterial infection spreads through contact with feces-contaminated water, and runs rampant in unsanitary conditions.

The country dodged a bullet with Hurricane Tomas this past November not being as destructive as was originally predicted. However the lingering water from its flooding is an added danger in the cholera outbreak. Coupled with poor sanitation in the tent cities in Port-au-Prince, the infection has caused more than 2,000 deaths and sparked protests among frustrated locals.
Doctors Without Borders has been treating cholera in Africa for years, so when it was first found in Haiti this past October, Jennifer Tierney, development director, said the charity began treating all patients with symptoms as if they had the disease. An emergency response team of 75 international staff and 400 national staff was created specifically to deal with the outbreaks.

At presstime the organization had treated more than 29,000 patients for Cholera-related symptoms throughout Haiti, including 16,000 in the Artibonite region where it originated. The New York City-based charity had more than 1,000 members of its Haitian staff working solely on the outbreak.

"It is so unique to Haiti," Tierney said. "It has really panicked the population and put an additional strain on the work. There is the potential here for there to be a huge outbreak, and the water from the hurricane (Tomas) has exacerbated the problem."

The American Red Cross, headquartered in Washington D.C., launched a massive immunization campaign in the months prior to the outbreak, according to Julie Sell, ARC's Haiti delegation spokesperson. More than 900,000 people were immunized for a variety of diseases, and officials believe this helped to somewhat deter the outbreak from being worse. The cholera outbreak has just extended the organization's disaster response mode, Sell said. Of the $476 million raised for Haiti as of Sept. 30, only $183.5 million has been spent thus far.

"That is a large amount of money to be spent in nine months, especially in a country as poor as Haiti," she said. "In addition to addressing emergency needs, we also want to invest in programs that will make a lasting difference. Every time we have an emergency pop up like Tomas or cholera, it just extends the needs of emergency relief."
The organization is providing more than 660,000 gallons of clean water per day, and the need for such supplies will only be greater as the Cholera situation escalates.

WHAT CAN YOU DO TO HELP HAITI?
I was doing a search on organizations that could benefit from aid and are actually on the ground doing valuable, quantifiable work towards helping those in need. I came across an article on the site Mother Jones and found this list compiled by Mac McLelland who is actually dispatched in Haiti and has seen these groups in action. Here are his suggestions with his own testimony following their name.
KOFAVIV (Commission of Women Victims for Victims) and FAVILEK (Women Victims Get Up Stand Up)
Founded and run by Haitian rape survivors, both of these organizations assist victims with medical, legal, and moral support, in addition to building a movement against sexual violence. Visit them here and (through an American partner) here, respectively.

Partners in Health
The group cofounded by American superdoctor Paul Farmer has been battling health care problems in Haiti since 1987, and now it's at the forefront of the cholera response. The J/P Haitian Relief Organization, Sean Penn's charity, is also teaming up with PIH to tackle the disease.

KONPAY (Working Together for Haiti)
Provides assistance and support to grassroots environmental, women’s, and human-rights groups. Since the quake, KONPAY has also fought to get Haitian voices included in foreign-run relief and reconstruction meetings. konpay.org.

Institute for Justice and Democracy in Haiti
In addition to providing legal support to Haitians and creating a force of Haitian human-rights lawyers and advocates with its partner, Bureau des Avocats Internationaux, Boston-based IJDH publishes extensive reports that keep a light on conditions in the displacement camps.

PACT
Somebody gave me a pair of this company's organic man-panties recently, so I can personally attest to their awesomeness. But more important, every pair you order from the Winter Lights collection gets a solar-powered lantern donated to a displaced woman or family in Haiti.
Do you have more suggestions to add? Have you been doing your own personal work towards aiding Haiti? Do you have a story to share about the impact of last year's earthquake on your family or friend circle? Share with us your story in today's forum.
-Moon

Be An Active Member of Liberated Muse

We are looking forward to collaborating
with you in 2011. We will be calling for artists to perform, writers and
visual artists to contribute to upcoming online and print publications
and patrons to attend our events, which include a Spring season of
Running: AMOK, the return of the Capital Hip Hop Soul Fest and our
monthly benefit concert series. We are always looking for volunteers, marketing specialists, tech crew and other help as
well. Email us at LiberatedMuseProductions@gmail.com for more information on how to get involved!

Weekend Picks, New Members & Such

 This Weekend there are a bevy of selections for you to choose from. Here are two of our picks:

Friday, Jan. 7---> Urban Landscapes, From DC to Denmark
Photographer Kimberly C. Gaines presents her Artist Reception for her current exhibit Urban Landscapes: From DC to Denmark. This multi-talented artist will answer questions about her process, share her story about her work and engage with visitors about her ongoing work. Below are quick details and visit her blog for more info.

Digital Photography by Kimberly C. Gaines

December 1, 2010 – January 22, 2011

Tubman-Mahan Art Gallery
The Center for Green Urbanism
3938 Benning Road, NE
Washington, DC

Curated by Authentic Contemporary Art

Artist Reception: Friday, January 7, 2011, 6:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.

Saturday, Jan. 8-->The Ass Chronicles

Before you get offended or intrigued for the wrong reasons, understand that this play is intentionally meant to get your mind a-spinning. 

Written and produced by Maryland-based playwright Empress Joyner, "The Ass Chronicles" is a liberating, healing and comedic depiction of the struggles, loves and woes of a woman's life through dealing with her "ass" against the world. The production is made up of several monologues, some of which deal with social issues such as rape and mutilation. Other monologues deal with issues about sex, love, childbirth and puberty. A recurring theme throughout the play is the butt's use as a tool for female empowerment and the ultimate embodiment of individuality. Visit the play's Facebook page for more information.

A taste of THE ASS CHRONICLES:
* The Bump: Describes a young woman's journey through puberty
* What’s in a Word: A chorus of the many different words for butt
* Put A Robe On: A woman’s personal experience of molestation
* The Hot-n-Tot Venus Salute: A dedication to Sarah Baartman and an awareness of how women are mutilated and sexually exploited





The year 2011 has already started with a bang for www.LiberatedMuse.com.
We opened the New Year with our 700th member, a Facebook Fan page following of more than 1100 people and a fast-growing follow on Twitter.
Be sure to take the time to introduce yourself to some of our newest members in the artist community:

Nathan Johnson

8orMas

CClear

Terrance Stuber

Mr. Briggs

Erika focsimama Parker

Karen Jefferson

Stay abreast of upcoming events by visiting our Events section HERE
Upload your blog HERE
Add your photos to our gallery HERE

Be An Active Member of Liberated Muse

We are looking forward to collaborating
with you in 2011. We will be calling for artists to perform, writers and
visual artists to contribute to upcoming online and print publications
and patrons to attend our events, which include a Spring season of
Running: AMOK, the return of the Capital Hip Hop Soul Fest and our
monthly benefit concert series. We are always looking for volunteers, marketing specialists, tech crew and other help as
well. Email us at LiberatedMuseProductions@gmail.com for more information on how to get involved!

Liberated Muse in 2010

(In photo: Liberated Muse members who attended the 1st Reader's With Attitude Author's Pavillion in Richmond, VA. l to r: Moon, RJ Johnson, Sharon Lawrence, Mahoganee, Serena Wills)


Thank you for spending 2010 with Liberated Muse. For those who have been with us since the site's inception in 2008, I want to extend a grateful thank you for your support.

Liberated Muse is a space for creative folk to engage. Since 2008, the site has been the home space for connections and opportunities, where dozens of artists have corresponded and networked to create work, promote events and share with their community. This year, some of our achievements included:

• Feb. 2010: The 1st To Haiti, With Love Benefit Concert to support the nonprofit Yele.org after the devastating earthquake which killed hundreds of thousands in the small island country. To this day, the effects of the earthquake have been tremendous. The "To Haiti With Love" concert featured artwork by visual artist CHOKE and performances by Dionne, Enoch 7th Prophet, Head-Roc, Quineice, Teisha Marie and Anonamas ft/The Bangladesh Project. Stay tuned for further benefit concerts to support Haiti in 2011.
• Feb. 2010: Liberated Muse was a featured site in the 2010 Music Podcast Consortium's Cupid's Hunt Podcast Collaboration which was founded by Liberated Muse member Todd Grundy.
• March 2010: Liberated Muse's Khadijah "Moon" Ali-Coleman hosted the Author's Speak showcase at the 1st Reader's With Attitude Author's Pavillion in Richmond, VA. Several Liberated Muse members participated or attended, including writers Kevin Sabio, RJ Johnsonand Serena Wills, musician Afi Makalani, spoken word artist/rapper Sharon Lawrence and singer Mahoganee who was the featured musical act.
• May 2010: Liberated Muse's Capital Hip Hop Soul Fest served as a community partner for the highly successful AudioTrip event produced by Lil So So Productions.
• June 2010: Liberated Muse Productions presented the play "Running: AMOK" in 2010, presenting a preview of the play at Annie's Art Gallery which attracted a great turn-out and also featured a live concert featuring singers Dionne, Teisha Marie, Anonamas and Quineice who also starred in the 2010 season of Running: AMOK.
• July 2010: Running: AMOK debuted in the 5th Annual Capital Fringe Fest
• July 2010: Liberated Muse Productions presented the 3rd Annual Capital Hip Hop Soul Fest which featured numerous Liberated Muse members including Gods'illa, Substantial, Enoch 7th Prophet, Quineice, Anonamas, Colie Williams, and more.
• August 2010: Liberated Muse received a certificate of appreciation from the US Census Bureau for helping the Census Bureau in 2009 to reach citizens who had yet to complete their census form. The US Census Bureau was a 2009 sponsor of the Capital Hip Hop Soul Fest.
• October 2010: The Liberated Muse artist community re-launched after shutting down in August.
• November 2010: The Liberated Muse publication Liberated Muse Volume I: How I Freed My Soul was featured at the 2010 Black Age of Comics Convention in Chicago, Illinois. The Black Age of Comics Convention is founded by Liberated Muse member Turtel Onli.

We are looking forward to collaborating with you in 2011. We will be calling for artists to perform, writers and visual artists to contribute to upcoming online and print publications and patrons to attend our events, which include a Spring season of Running: AMOK, the return of the Capital Hip Hop Soul Fest and our monthly benefit concert series. We are always looking for volunteers, as well. Email us at LiberatedMuseProductions@gmail.com for more information on how to get involved!!

-Khadijah "Moon" Ali-Coleman

JOB CREATION AND THE DISTRICT’S CREATIVE ECONOMY

Visual, Literary & Performance Artists, This is About Your Money!

“JOB CREATION AND THE DISTRICT’S CREATIVE ECONOMY”

Friday, December 17, 2010 - 10:00 a.m.
John A. Wilson Building – Council Chamber Room 500
1350 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, D.C. 20004
...
Councilmember Michael A, Brown, Chairperson of the Committee on Housing and Workforce Development, announces a public oversight roundtable on the creation of job in the District creative economic community. This roundtable continues the discussion on this important growth industry and its potential for substantial job creation and workforce development. The public oversight roundtable will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Friday, December 17, 2010 in Council Chamber, Room 500, of the John A. Wilson Building.

Those who wish to testify should contact Drew Hubbard, Committee Director, at (202) 727-8230, or via e-mail at dhubbard@dccouncil.us and provide their name, address, telephone number, organizational affiliation and title (if any) by close of business Thursday, December 16, 2010. Persons wishing to testify are encouraged, but not required, to submit 15 copies of written testimony. Witnesses should limit their testimony to three minutes.

(Thanks to DC Advocates for the Arts for the intel)

Liberated Muse Member Events This Month:

Black Nativity @ H Street Playhouse, featuring Liberated Muse Member Pam Ward

December 8, 2010 at 8pm to January 2, 2011 at 10pm – H Street Playhouse

AlphaBitch, featuring Liberated Muse Member Princess of Controversy

December 16, 2010 at 8pm to December 19, 2010 at 8pm – Studio W

 

Hillyer Open Mic Event (HOME) Hosted by Fred Joiner-featuring Liberated Muse founder Khadijah "Moon" Ali-Coleman

December 17, 2010 from 6pm to 9pm – Hillyer Art Space

 

Atlas Performing Arts Holiday Weekend Fest featuring Liberated Muse member Serena Wills

December 18, 2010 at 2pm to December 19, 2010 at 8pm – Atlas Performing Arts Center

Niko in "Soul Food Tuesdays", featuring artists represented by Liberated Muse Member Sonja

December 21, 2010 at 8pm to December 22, 2010 at 1am – B & L LOUNGE

 

Umoja on U: A Kwanzaa Celebration, featuring artists represented by Liberated Muse Member Diallo Sumbry

December 26, 2010 from 5pm to 9pm – The Lincoln Theatre

Do you have an event coming up?? Be sure to upload it in our Events calendar for FREE! Uploading your event makes it searchable via Google and garners a wide audience range that may extend outside of your regular fan base. Oh yeah, and it's free! Visit www.LiberatedMuse.com to upload your events, blogs, photos and videos. Invite your friends.

Job Opps for Creatives, Nina Simone Lives, and Liberated Muse in New York

Visit Felicia Pride's Backlist for Job Opportunities
Liberated Muse member Felicia Pride's company Backlist has a new resource online to provide paid job opportunities for educators and creatives. Check out this week's list of opportunities here. Job opportunities this week include work positions with the American Poetry Museum, O Magazine, the Metropolitan Opera and more!




Nina Simone Lives On

So, last night, soul divas Ledisi, Jill Scott, Kelly Price and Marcia Ambrosius tackled the Nina Simone classic "Four Women" on the BET program "Black Girls Rock".

Amazing is an understatement to how beautiful the collaboration was. Check it out for yourself below and visit DC's own Saartjie Project to learn about their upcoming performance that was inspired by the song. If you are in a blogging mood, we would love to hear your feedback about the movie "For Colored Girls" that opened last week and also featured the song "Four Women" during its commercials, the song is on the movie's soundtrack. Write a blog on www.LiberatedMuse.com about the movie, we'd love to read it!

Liberated Muse in New York

Moon presenting in 2008

Liberated Muse's co-founder Khadijah "Moon" Ali-Coleman was in Bronx, New York this past Saturday to facilitate a workshop for the annual conference Mosaic Literary Conference. Moon has participated in the Mosaic Literary Conference as a facilitator since 2008, presenting various strategies on how to connect young people with literature. Participants in her workshop this year included a wonderful assortment of talented creatives, including author and activist Lora Rene Tucker, writer and arts therapist L'Oreal Snell, and spoken word artist Luis Bernard.


Liberated Muse Volume II: Book of the Creatives

The second book in the Liberated Muse series will profile ten successful visual, literary and performance artists who have created avenues for themselves, inspiring other artists following in their path. The book provides creatives-in-training with an in-depth look at how living an authentic life involves a willingness to take risks and stay authentic despite some of life's toughest hardships. Due for release Summer 2011. Call for literary and visual art for the anthology Liberated Muse Volume III: Insanely Free is COMING SOON. You can still buy the first anthology in the series, it's available here on Amazon.com.

Member of the Month, Floacist Listening Party & Join Our Network

Hey all! Happy Monday. Check Out Some of Our News...

November Liberated Muse Member of the Month

Chenyelu Bomani, a long-time LiberatedMuse.com member, is this month's Member of the Month. Chenyelu's musical background began as a child with various percussion instruments and he quickly discovered that he had an "ear" for music. Influenced by numerous old school Blues legends and the modern soulful sounds of R&B tempershis music with Jazz and Latin rhythms. Chenyelu produces a unique sound that has a wide appeal. Visit our main page at http://www.LiberatedMuse.com to learn more about Chenyelu

Floacist Listening Party- Nov. 4

The NuSol Renaissance presents
The Floacist
with
FLOETIC SOUL
An Exclusive Listening Party
with LIVE PERFORMANCES
THURSDAY NOVEMBER 4th


Formerly of Floetry,Natalie the Floacist, will release her album on November 9th in store
across the country. Mr. Briggs Management will feature an exclusive
listening party @
QUEEN MAKEDA
1917 9th St NW
...on November 4th with
giveaways, live performances and a host of special invited guests. Liberated Muse member Quineice will perform.

http://floeticsouldc.eventbrite.com/


Invite Friends to www.LiberatedMuse.com
Be sure to invite your friends to LiberatedMuse.com and/or join us on Facebook or Twitter. Thanks to you, we already have over 2, 000 members between our three networks.

Let's Play Your Music-- Singers, Rappers, Spoken Word Artists, We're Talking to You

A message to all members of Liberated Muse

Serena Wills, poet Musicians, Singers, Rappers, Poets-- Do you have a Reverbnation Music Player? If so, we would love to feature your music on our main page. Here's what you do-- let us know you are interested in having your music featured on the main page by: (1) Pasting your music player's embed code in our comment section HERE, making sure that it is NOT on automatic play when you copy and paste and (2) Adding a mini bio about who you are and your work-- no longer than five sentences and that's it! Mahoganee, Singer If you aren't a singer/musician, etc. but have an artist in mind who is part of our community and who you would like us to feature on the main page and they have a Reverbnation music widget, follow the steps above! Only Liberated Muse members or former performers in the Capital Hip Hop Soul Fest will be considered. Becoming a member is easy, just create a FREE profile today. (Photos above of Liberated Muse members Serena Wills, poet & Mahoganee, singer-- both performing at the 2010 RWA Author's Pavillion in Richmond, VA, produced by the Readers With Attitude book club & co-sponsored by Liberated Muse)

Visit Liberated Muse at: http://www.liberatedmuse.com/?xg_source=msg_mes_network

Kanye West's New Vid Best Exemplifies Liberating One's Muse

What do you think about Kanye West's latest video which is actually a 30-minute short film? Featuring model Selita Banks, Kanye presents an artistic rendering of his past year's struggle with ego, social etiquette, loss and self-esteem. Do you love it or hate it? Are you over Kanye West after last year's shenanigans with Taylor Swift or is that old news? Share your comments below.

Liberated Muse in Chicago for the Black Age of Comics

Liberated Muse member Turtel Onli is founder of the annual Black Age of Comics Convention that celebrated its 13th year this year last week, Oct. 15-16. Maceo and I traveled to Chicago to support Turtel and to represent Liberated Muse at this annual event. Turtel had invited me to perform and share readings from the Liberated Muse publication Liberated Muse Volume I: How I Freed My Soul and Maceo was asked to facilitate an artist meeting that was held after the convention with illustrators who were at the convention displaying their work. We both arrived before the convention and got a chance to check out the city before the convention began.

For starters, Chicago is an arts town. However, you probably wouldn't know that because it hasn't received the attention that places like New York and LA receive as being art meccas. However, Chicago epitomizes an arts town. Everywhere you turn, there is a splendid example of artistry- from the architecture in the downtown area, to the sculptures sprinkled throughout the city from folks like Picasso, there is art everywhere. Performance art is abundant as well, as it should be. The Blues grew out of Chicago. Here are some shots I snapped while on a tour of the city.

On the 15th when I performed readings and my original tune "All of Me", I was part of the Bronzeville Art Trolley tour which took folks to different art galleries in the Bronzeville community in Chicago. The venue I performed at, Little Black Pearl, was part of the tour and folks got off the trolley car to come in and view art on the walls by illustrators from the Black Age of Comics. Little Black Pearl does amazing things in the community, providing after-school programming for youth in addition to showcasing art. Check them out here. I got to introduce these visitors to the Liberated Muse book and represent DC while I was at it. It was a blast. I performed with a Chicago-based keyboardist, Aki Antonia, who actually hails from Bronzeville. Regina Brown, a vocalist who tours as a support vocalist for artists like Gladys Knight, shared the stage with me prior to her amazing performance the next day at the Black Age of Comics Convention. Check out some of the photos below that Aki's son Atiba took of us performing. Also, be sure to visit Aki's blog here. She blogs about arts happenings in her community.

Me (Moon) and Aki Antonia at Little Black Pearl performing

Turtel describes the convention as a group exhibitions, lectures, vendors, signings, and workshops. The year's convention was amazing, featuring well-known author LA Banks and Black illustrators from across the country, including artists Eric Battle, Arie Monroe and Afua Richardson.

I got video of LA Banks giving an author's talk during one of the lectures and was inspired by her testimony of why no one should give up on their talents. Here is one video out of the four that I was able to get. Visit our site at http://www.liberatedmuse.com to view all four (each is less than 10 minutes)to hear her hilarious personal stories.




The world's first Black Age of Comics Convention was given in Chicago IL Feb. 1993. The term, "The Black Age of Comics", meaning creators & products derived from the Urbane, indie, or cosmic experience and independent creativity. It welcomes all positive creative professionals, innovators, students and fans.Turtel should be proud of his event-- Maceo and I had an incredible time. Here are some photos from the event. Make sure you plan to attend next year!

Me (Moon) and Maceo representing Liberated Muse in Chicago

Illustrators and Artists of the Black Age (photo by Maceo Thomas)

Artist Arie Monroe

Me (Moon) with artist Ken Ray

The Fringe by Steven Harris. Love this comic. Bought this t-shirt.

Read more about the Black Age of Comics here