The M(N)STRY: “A File Ka” Online Chapbook

Today is All Saints Day, the morning after Halloween. I woke up inspired to write some poetry and below are drafts of the poems that resulted. I will eventually turn this into a chapbook, A File Ka for purchase. (Feature art by James C. Lewis) Orishanal NGLS In vent the wor d I’m bent […]

“Space:Queens” : Margaret Rose Vendryes

Welcome back to my Space:Queens blog series! For the past month, I’ve been participating on the advisory council committee and as a creative writing workshop facilitator for the upcoming No Longer Empty exhibition, Jameco Exchange, that is opening on May 21st at 89-62B 165th St. No Longer empty is an organization that works with […]

Modern Griots Reviews: Notes from #FunkGodJazzMedicine Conversations

Below are some notes from two of the three conversations from Funk, God, Jazz and Medicine: Conversation on Self-Determination: Black Radical Brooklyn: Past, Present, and Future *The history of Weeksville (James Weeks bought land in order to vote) and the four projects of Funk, God, Jazz and Medicine pointed out the intersections between race and […]

Modern Griot Reviews: #FunkGodJazzMedicine at Weeksville

Our society often focuses more on representation and showing images of oppressed people as proof we have “progressed,” but the other side of true moving forward for people who live in oppressive societies is self-determination, something that often gets ignored for the more superficial representation only politics. Self-determination is the freedom and ability to control […]

Modern Griots Reviews: Pop Up Exhibitons from CCCADI and Black Eye

Last Thursday I managed to attend two pop up exhibitions, one in Harlem from The Caribbean Cultural Center African Diaspora Institute (CCCADI), and the other in the Lower East Side, Nicole Vassell-curated Black Eye exhibit. The Spirit of El Barrio: Past, Present and Future exhibition was The Caribbean Cultural Center first in a series of […]

Modern Griots Reviews: Nick Cave’s Magical Horses in Heard.NY

As Ebony celebrated Katherine Dunham, Nick Cave was featuring dozens of Alvin Ailey dancers wearing 30 colorful horse “soundsuits” in his public performance piece at Grand Central station, HEARD•NY. Presented by Creative Time and MTA Arts, the 30 minute performances included a grazing pastoral music and dance sequence followed by a rhythmic choreographed dance, “crossings” […]

Moving on the Wires: The Liberator Magazine, El Anatsui, Anti-Robot Radio, Mother Tongue Monologues

*The Liberator Magazine released their latest issue, “The Last Generation of Black People.” My essay, “The Percussive Approach,” is one of the writings featured. Buy a copy here. *Accra dot Alt announced El Anatsui’s exhibition “Gravity and Grace: Monumental Works by El Anatsui” will be at Brooklyn Museum Also, go to Accra dot Alt for […]

Moving on the Wires: Guest Posts, Flying Lotus, Tamara Natalie Madden, DJ Spooky…

*I am officially opening up my blog for guest posts. If you want to submit news, music, art, film, literature, essays, etc. that include afrofuturist and/or afrosurrealist themes, feel free to email me at svfreebird87@gmail.com. *Flying Lotus will be releasing his album, Until the Quiet Comes, on October 1st and 2nd. You can pre-order it […]

Modern Griots: King Britt

King Britt is a Grammy-nominated electronic composer, musician and DJ. He is currently part of The Pew Center for Arts and Heritage’s music program, Noise From the 18th Floor. His curated playlist is Cosmic Culture: A Sonic Journey Into Afrofuturism, which includes music from the past, present and future of afrofuturism. Britt also premieres his […]

Moving on the Wires: Afrofuturism and Beyond

Cherie Ann Turpin, assistant professor of English at the University of the District of Columbia and blogger of Afrofuturism Scholar, recently premiered her radio show, At the Edge: An Afrofuturism Salon on Blog Talk Radio. The first episode was with Afroerotik owner, Scottie Lowe (be careful, not safe for work and kids). BBC recently did […]