Black Arts Movement Photographer joins Ancestors: Kamau Amen Ra

 Marvin X's last pic of Master Black Arts Movement photographer Kamau Amen Ra (RIP) at the Berkeley Flea Market

5/22/16

On KPOO Radio's interview with Marvin X, News Director Harrison Chastang suggested a permanent exhibit for Black Arts Movement photographer Kamau Amen Ra. Marvin X replied, "Harrison, you know I had the exact same thought a few minutes before you called to interview me. So we plan to make his work a permanent exhibit in the Black Arts Movement District, downtown Oakland."

Kamau Amen Ra. RA. RA. RA.

Two Sundays ago at the Berkeley Flea Market, I asked Bay Area Black Arts Movement legendary master photographer, Kamau Amen Ra, to take photo of myself and Quitta X.

 


I did not know it would be the last time he would photograph me or the many cultural and political events over the last five decades. He arrived  in the Bay Area from Chicago during the 1960s, part of a group of Chicago artists that included musician Donald Rafael Garrett, Black Arts West Theatre worker Ethna X. Wyatt (Hurriyah Asar), percussionist Tacuma King, et al.

After arriving at the Berkeley Flea Market last Sunday to conduct my Academy of da Corner (yes, on my birthday, May 29), a kind sister came by to inform me Kamau had joined the ancestors. I went into silent shock, absorbing  the news of his death along with trying to enjoy the day of my birth. For sure, I know life is joy and pain, so I always expect the duality of life.


Even now, Tuesday, May 31, I am paralyzed with the loss of BAM photographer Kamau Amen Ra. After all, it was only a few days ago that we lost another Black Arts Movement worker, Gerald LaBrie, aka Abdul Sabry, former editor of the BAM classic Black Dialogue Magazine. At 6:30PM, I will be interviewed by Harrison Chastang, News Director on KPOO Radio, 89.5FM, www.kpoo.com.

The beauty of Kamau Amen Ra's personality is expressed in his photos:

Black Bird Press News & Review: THE MOVEMENT, BAMBD People's Newsletter: Letters and Notes on the Black Arts Movement Business District, Oakland CA

Black Bird Press News & Review: THE MOVEMENT, BAMBD People's Newsletter: Letters and Notes on the Black Arts Movement Business District, Oakland CA:







Chairman Mao and W.E.B. DuBois, the greatest intellectual North American Africans produced.
DuBois became a citizen of Ghana, West Africa. As great as he was, when Chairman Mao introduced
him before a million people in Tiananmen Square, he turned to Mao and said, "Chairman, thank you
for the great introduction but in my country USA, I'm just a nigguh!"



DuBois departed the USA to become a citizen of Ghana, West Africa. Ironically, he criticized Marcus Garvey's Black to Africa Movement. Many North American Africans are leaving the USA for Ghana and other nations in Africa, among them Marvin X's daughter, Muhammida, who now lives and works in Accra, Ghana and has no plans of living again in the USA. She told her dad, "They may not have electricity 24/7 in Ghana but they don't have white supremacy 24/7. Nobody follows me around in the hotels and expensive stores! Dad, you need to get your behind to Ghana!"

muhammida el muhajir, black arts movement baby 2.0 

Brand Marketing, Product Manager, and Tech Startup Founder in Brooklyn, New York 

Muhammida El Muhajir is a global brand marketing and media consultant, entrepreneur and filmmaker with extensive travel/study/work experience abroad including Europe, Asia, Latin America, The Caribbean, and Africa (Ghana, Senegal, Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa). She has established a solid reputation and network in her field for her visionary strategies for innovative brands such as Nike, Diesel, Gatorade, Volkswagen, and Sony Japan.

As the former Music Marketing Manager at sports powerhouse, Nike, Inc., El Muhajir spearheaded pioneering marketing campaigns and programs with industry heavyweights, Eminem, Outkast, Alicia Keys, Pharrell Williams, and Island Def Jam Records.

Through the creative agency, Sun in Leo, she produced the acclaimed ‘Street Stylez ‘ international fashion tour in Sao Paulo, Tokyo, and Paris as well as the ground breaking documentary, “Hip Hop: the New World Order” exploring the global impact of hip hop establishing El Muhajir as an expert voice on international trends in music, fashion, art, and culture.

She has presented at The United Nations, Oxford University, The Brooklyn Museum, and UC Berkeley and her works have been incorporated into the curriculum at The New School, The University of Sheffield (UK) and Harvard University.



One of El Muhajir's endeavors, frank white, a Brooklyn cafe/gallery space was nominated 'Best New Coffeehouse' by Time Out NY magazine and noted in many global publications for its focus on design and cultural engagement.

El Muhajir pursued a Masters degree in International Relations at The University of Ghana and received a Bachelor of Science in Microbiology with a double minor in Chemistry and Communications from Howard University where she attended on a full athletic scholarship.
To complement her traditional marketing expertise with digital technology, El Muhajir completed a one year Fellowship at the Meltwater Entrepreneurial School of Technology (MEST) Incubator in Accra, providing Business Development to a portfolio of tech start ups from Ghana and Nigeria.
She currently works developing digital marketing strategies for clients in West Africa and will soon launch the beauty product review app, Beauty Radical.



 #nike
#jordan
#mosdef
#pharrellwilliams
#hiphopthenewworldorder

Education
Howard University
University of Ghana

Miles Davis - Round About Midnight (1967), Hapi b day, Miles Dewey Davis

Black Bird Press News & Review: THE MOVEMENT, BAMBD People's Newsletter: Letters and Notes on the Black Arts Movement Business District, Oakland CA

THE MOVEMENT, BAMBD People's Newsletter: Letters and Notes on the Black Arts Movement Business District, Oakland CA

Black Arts Movement Business District 

Calendar of Events

BAMBD Town Hall, Sunday, June 12, 3-6pm, Eastside Arts

 

San Francisco Juneteenth Festival, Saturday, June 18

Berkeley Juneteenth Festival, Sunday, June 19

West Oakland Juneteenth, June 25, San Pablo and Brockhurst

25th Oakland Black Expo, Saturday, July 23, 12-5:30, Frank Ogawa/Oscar Grant Plaza

City of Oakland Cultural Keepers, Tuesday, July 26, 6-8pm, Oak Center Cultural Center, 14th and Adeline

Black Arts Movement Theatre Festival, Sept, Flight Deck Theatre, Broadway

Donald Lacy's play Color Struck, Laney College Theatre, Sept.

Black Arts Movement South 51st Celebration, Dillard University, New Orleans LA

September 9-11, 2016

 

Marvin X will perform at Oakland's 25th Black Expo, Saturday, July 23, Frank Ogawa/Oscar Grant Plaza

   

#bayareablackexpo 

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Through the “B.A.B.E. Stop the Violence Campaign”, we are raising funds to assist various Bay Area Non-profit organizations who specialize in helping women and children (victims) of domestic violence and abuse. Statistics have proven that 1 in every 4 women will experience some kind of physical assault in her lifetime. It is important to bring this travesty out of the shadows and into the light. With your assistance, we can help those directly affected; their families and even their communities get the support they need. 

www.bayareablackexpo.com/Donation-creditcardform.pdf

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Marvin X  and the Black Arts Movement Poets Choir and Arkestra, featuring David Murray and Earle Davis, Malcolm X Jazz Festival, 2014, Oakland

photo Adam Turner

Marvin X is the author of 30 books, including poetry, essays, autobiography, memoir. He received his A.A., Sociology, Merritt College, 1964; B.A., M.A., English, San Francisco State University, 1974-75. He has taught at Fresno State University, University of California, Berkeley and San Diego, San Francisco State University, Mills College, University of Nevada, Reno, Laney College, Merritt College. He received writing fellowships from Columbia University (via Harlem Cultural Council) and the National Endowment for the Arts; planning grants from the National Endowment for the Humanities, via the Nevada Cultural Council. His archives were acquired by the Bancroft Library, University of California, Berkeley. Most recently, Marvin helped the City of Oakland create the Black Arts Movement Business District along the 14th Street corridor, downtown.

Marvin X at Yoshi's San Francisco Part II

THE MOVEMENT, BAMBD People's Newsletter: Letters and Notes on the Black Arts Movement Business District, Oakland CA

THE MOVEMENT, BAMBD People's Newsletter: Letters and Notes on the Black Arts Movement Business District, Oakland CA

Berkeley Juneteenth Festival, Sunday, June 19, 2016

Dear Friends, Supporters, Entertainers, Vendors and Program Editors:

Regarding the attached media releases, please consider promoting and covering the 29th Annual Berkeley Juneteenth Festival to be held on Sunday, June 19, 2016 from 11am-7pm (Alcatraz @ Adeline), in the city of Berkeley.

2016 Participants: Post on your social sites your performance/vending, "like us" on Facebook: berkeleycajuneteenth, and "share" with your contacts.

Vendor space is still open. Go to www.berkeleyjuneteenth.org and download an application.

Looking forward to a successful event!

Delores Nochi Cooper

Publicity Chair

Berkeley Juneteenth Association, Inc.

 

 

 James Sweeney (left) and Marvin X at last year's festival. Marvin will autograph books and display his archives of the Black Arts Movement at this years event.

photo Harrison Chastan 

Marvin X dialogue with University of California, Merced students

Today, May 25, 2016, Black Arts Movement co-founder Marvin X will dialogue (via SKYPE) with students at the University of California, Merced. Students in Kim McMillon's class Theatre and Social Responsibility are reading two one act plays by Marvin X, Flowers for the Trashman and Salaam, Huey Newton, Salaam. Students want Marvin X to hear them reading his dramatic works and talk with him about the Black Arts Movement and artistic freedom fighters.

Marvin X is the author of 30 books, including poetry, essays, autobiography, memoir. He has taught at Fresno State University, University of California, Berkeley and San Diego, San Francisco State University, Mills College, University of Nevada, Reno, Laney College, Merritt College. He received writing fellowships from Columbia University (via Harlem Cultural Council) and the National Endowment for the Arts; planning grants from the National Endowment for the Humanities, via the Nevada Cultural Council. His archives were acquired by the Bancroft Library, University of California, Berkeley. Most recently, Marvin helped the City of Oakland create the Black Arts Movement Business District along the 14th Street corridor, downtown.

He has two forthcoming books: Sweet Tea/Dirty Rice, New and Selected Poems, 2016, and Notes of an Artistic Freedom Fighter: Essays, Letters, 2016, Black Bird Press, Berkeley CA. 

 His writings appear in Ishmael Reed's The Complete Muhammad Ali

 His poetry appears in Black Gold Poetry Anthology

 This is his 13 Step manual to recover from the addiction to white supremacy
foreword by Dr. Nathan Hare

 Writers at memorial for Jayne Cortez and Amiri Baraka, New York University

 Marvin X Fan Club

 The Black Arts Movement Poets Choir and Arkestra, University of California, Merced, 2014

 Marvin X participated in the Sun Ra Conference, University of Chicago, 2015. Marvin X and Sun Ra worked together in Harlem, 1968, and later in the Bay Area; both lectured in Black Studies, UC Berkeley, 1971-72.

 Marvin and Oakland CA Mayor Libby Schaaf, a supporter of the Black Arts Movement

 Marvin X in conversation with Amiri Baraka, Lannan Foundation, Santa Fe, New Mexico

 His writings appear in the BAM Reader, also in the BAM Classic Black Fire

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 Marvin X appeared in Stanley Nelson's film

Director Stanley Nelson, Marvin X, Fred Hampton, Jr.

"Marvelous Marvin X!"--Dr. Cornel West

Marvin X and daughter Nefertiti at Laney College BAM 50th Celebration, 2014. In this inter-generational panel discussion, she urged her father to pass the baton! After working to pass legislation to establish the Black Arts Movement Business District in Oakland, he passed the baton to Dr. Ayodele Nzinga, his star student, also founder of the Lower Bottom Playaz, in residence at Oakland's Flight Deck Theatre on Broadway. She is scheduled to produce the Bay Area Black Arts Movement Theatre Festival in September.

Panel Discussion: Women and the Black Arts Movement, Laney College BAM 50th Celebration, 2014. Left to Right: Elaine Brown, Dr. Halifu Osumare, Judy Juanita, Portia Anderson, Kujichagulia, Aries Jordan. Marvin X, producer.

A scene from Marvin X's BAM classic Flowers for the Trashman, produced by Kim McMillon's theatre students at University of California, Merced. 

Students and Marvin X in Kim McMillon's class on theatre and social activism. "My students love Marvin X!" says Professor McMillon.