“ON TEACHING POETRY IN CHICAGO PUBLIC SCHOOLS” A POEM BY STEPHANIE LANE SUTTON. VOTE FOR HER TO WIN THE “WRITE BLOODY” POETRY COMPETITION BY LIKING THIS VIDEO ON YOUTUBE!!!

A response to the FOX news correspondent who asked “What Is It About Chicago Public Schools that Makes So Many of It’s Students Murder Victims?” - Stephanie Lane Sutton 

My friend Stephanie’s Poem - “On Teaching Poetry In Chicago Public Schools” is an amazing piece!!! I’m VOTING for her to win the Write Bloody poetry competition, and if you’re awesome you should too!!! I’m all about helping friends realize their dreams and her poetry is incredible!!! Voting instructions are super easy, and sharing would be great too!

1) Visit this link: http://youtu.be/oYko75RWdOs
2) “Like” (or thumbs up) the video on the youtube page
3) Share it with your friends

Every like on Youtube gets her closer to winning an incredible book deal!!!!!!

JASMINE MANS, ALYSIA HARRIS, JENNAH BELL - WAITING (POEM) The Striver’s Row

I can’t lie and say the first time I watched these ladies perform this beautiful piece of poetry and song during The Deans List 3 via LiveStream that I didn’t cry. The Striver’s Row is the most amazing groups of poets I’ve ever heard in my life, and Jennah Bell is an incredible singer. One day I hope to make a trip to New York and see them perform live, or if they ever make it as a group to Chicago I’ll most definitely be in the audience!!! (Had the pleasure of seeing Joshua Bennett of Striver’s Row perform in Feb. He was beyond amazing!)

more info on THE STRIVER’S ROW click here

“In police speak… Brown skin means bullseye…”

BRAVE NEW VOICES : PHILLY TEAM (Hasan, Joshua & Alysia) PERFORM THE POEM ” SEAN BELL “

Sean Bell, a young man age 23 of New York City was shot 50 times by NYC police and killed the morning of his wedding day in 2006. Bell was unarmed at the scene. His death sparked discussions questioning if the police had an vendetta against Black men. Bell’s murder brought back thoughts of the killing of Amadou Diallo whom also unarmed was shot 41 times by police in 1999. The Brave New Voices finales in 2009, saw two teams Philadelphia and New York perform two incredible pieces on the murder of Sean Bell.  This piece is from the Philadelphia team, and demands attention from start to finish. “Listen to the poem” 

RALPH LAUREN ‘RUGBY POETS CLUB’ PRESENTS ‘CHARIOT’ BY JOSHUA BENNETT 

An incredible poem + fashion seems like a winning combination here. Just a beautiful piece. 

RUSHED Anniversary “I AM BEAUTIFUL” EXHIBITION/RECEPTION I’m honored to be showcasing some of my photographs in this exhibition for the RUSHED ANNIVERSARY at HyPa Space Chicago. Their organization is a non-for profit that aims to build a sisterhood among young adults and women. And that is one thing women could definitely benefit from. I’m eager to view work from all of the other artists showcasing that night, and to be around a crowd that appreciates the arts in general. ( :  Rushed, Women Rushed for Womanhood, is celebrating its one-year anniversary by acknowledging women from Chicago through works of visual art. Rushed is a non-profit organization whose mission is to build a sisterhood among young adults and support stronger women. The night will include displays of visual art and sharing of poetry over light refreshments and music at the HyPa Space (www.hypachicago.org) of Hyde Park. Great networking with those in the creative arts industries—entertainment, fashion design, interior design, photography, and more!! A mature crowd, dawned in semi-formal attire, is welcome. HOST: Binkey MUSIC played by: DJ Protege & DJ Scenery WINE & APPETIZING REFRESHMENTS * The evening is sponsored by Walgreens and Kimbark Liquors. Suggested Donations You can donate $1 at http://rushed1yrgala.eventbrite.com/

RUSHED Anniversary “I AM BEAUTIFUL” EXHIBITION/RECEPTION

I’m honored to be showcasing some of my photographs in this exhibition for the RUSHED ANNIVERSARY at HyPa Space Chicago. Their organization is a non-for profit that aims to build a sisterhood among young adults and women. And that is one thing women could definitely benefit from. I’m eager to view work from all of the other artists showcasing that night, and to be around a crowd that appreciates the arts in general. ( : 

Rushed, Women Rushed for Womanhood, is celebrating its one-year anniversary by acknowledging women from Chicago through works of visual art. Rushed is a non-profit organization whose mission is to build a sisterhood among young adults and support stronger women. The night will include displays of visual art and sharing of poetry over light refreshments and music at the HyPa Space (www.hypachicago.org) of Hyde Park. Great networking with those in the creative arts industries—entertainment, fashion design, interior design, photography, and more!!

A mature crowd, dawned in semi-formal attire, is welcome.

HOST: Binkey

MUSIC played by: DJ Protege & DJ Scenery

WINE & APPETIZING REFRESHMENTS * The evening is sponsored by Walgreens and Kimbark Liquors.

Suggested Donations You can donate $1 at http://rushed1yrgala.eventbrite.com/

An incredible poem for Black Women from Mr. Joshua Bennett.  I’ve heard nothing but good things about this piece and I see why.  Thank you very much sir! 

missjessb:

truth . 10 things i want to say to a black woman

by Joshua Bennett

31 Dec 2010 / Reblogged from missjessb with 3 notes

FOR COLORED GIRLS (FILM)   NOT A REVIEW!!!  Last night, a group of female friends and I went to view Tyler Perry’s movie adaptation of Ntozake Shange’s “FOR COLORED GIRLS…” on its second day in theaters.  For Perry to take on a play of such harsh issues that means so much to women worldwide, must have been difficult. I was skeptical the whole time, after falling in love with Shange’s written words in the original poetic play, I was not convinced that Perry could pull if off.  As his characters seem to be all the same, and his storylines aren’t all that different either. For example “Down and out, abused black woman, meets good Christian man, and falls in love” which is awesome but it’s in every MOVIE!  This is not a review, but after seeing his adaptation of “For Colored Girls” I have to say that Perry did a pretty decent job bringing this to the big screen, even my friend who knows the “For Colored Girls” piece by heart and was a main skeptic of his directing was satisfied with the work for the most part. Some parts could have been better, but I would be glad to go and view it again. Which I’m doing tomorrow with my African American Culture&Lit class, and possibly seeing it a few times after that…. I’ll work on finding my actual book, which I read a few years ago during my Black Arts Movement course, I have no idea where it is.  I feel the piece is relatable to all women, not just women of color, some people have been calling the title racist, but I feel they have failed to understand the true meaning behind it.  ”COLORED WOMEN” are women of all colors, the women of the play identify by colors of the rainbow “red, green, blue etc” and I don’t see the racism in that at all.  The film might be a little hard on men, except for one male character who is really awesome, Perry tries with showing that NOT all men are bad, some women might feel that way (but that’s their issue) I’m excited to re-read it again, where now I’m able to understand the words and meaning better than I did a few years ago, some way this piece has inspired me to pick up a pen again and complete some written stories of mine (that are years old)…. it seems like an important part of myself that i’ve neglected and not just because of picking up the camera.  I miss the first thing, I’d originally fallen in love with. It’s probably all I will talk about for a while…. 

FOR COLORED GIRLS (FILM)   NOT A REVIEW!!! 

Last night, a group of female friends and I went to view Tyler Perry’s movie adaptation of Ntozake Shange’s “FOR COLORED GIRLS…” on its second day in theaters.  For Perry to take on a play of such harsh issues that means so much to women worldwide, must have been difficult. I was skeptical the whole time, after falling in love with Shange’s written words in the original poetic play, I was not convinced that Perry could pull if off.  As his characters seem to be all the same, and his storylines aren’t all that different either. For example “Down and out, abused black woman, meets good Christian man, and falls in love” which is awesome but it’s in every MOVIE! 

This is not a review, but after seeing his adaptation of “For Colored Girls” I have to say that Perry did a pretty decent job bringing this to the big screen, even my friend who knows the “For Colored Girls” piece by heart and was a main skeptic of his directing was satisfied with the work for the most part. Some parts could have been better, but I would be glad to go and view it again. Which I’m doing tomorrow with my African American Culture&Lit class, and possibly seeing it a few times after that…. I’ll work on finding my actual book, which I read a few years ago during my Black Arts Movement course, I have no idea where it is.  I feel the piece is relatable to all women, not just women of color, some people have been calling the title racist, but I feel they have failed to understand the true meaning behind it.  ”COLORED WOMEN” are women of all colors, the women of the play identify by colors of the rainbow “red, green, blue etc” and I don’t see the racism in that at all.  The film might be a little hard on men, except for one male character who is really awesome, Perry tries with showing that NOT all men are bad, some women might feel that way (but that’s their issue) I’m excited to re-read it again, where now I’m able to understand the words and meaning better than I did a few years ago, some way this piece has inspired me to pick up a pen again and complete some written stories of mine (that are years old)…. it seems like an important part of myself that i’ve neglected and not just because of picking up the camera.  I miss the first thing, I’d originally fallen in love with. It’s probably all I will talk about for a while….