Wanda's Picks

Today we continue our conversation about the case of Albert Woodfox, Herman Wallace and Robert King, collectively known as The Angola 3. Presently, Albert Woodfox's case is up for review and dismissal, yet he has not been released. This morning we addressed Woodfox's legal teams' procedural direction and Woodfox's safety at the institution as his release looms near. We are joined by: Robert King and Gail Shaw, who share portions of letters and conversations with Woodfox. Other concerned comrades and friends besides, King, the only exonerated member of A3 and recently published author, www.kingsfreelines.com, www.angola3.org, www.a3grassroots.org; and again, Dr. Shaw, co-founder of www.itsabouttimebpp.com, an organization which preserves and promotes through exhibits and educational conferences, the legacy of the Black Panther Party for Self-Defense; along with Geronimo ji jaga, former political prisoner, humanitarian, and co-founder of the www.kujifoundation.org; and Malik Rahim, Louisiana State Congressional

This morning we spoke with Michael Mable, younger brother of Albert Woodfox, one of the men known as The Angola 3, incarcerated for over 36 years,nearly all of it in solitary confinement. His case has recently been overturned in the Lousiana courts, yet state prosecutors are resorting to intimidation and slander to keep Woodfox behind bars. We have been hosting comrades and friends: supporters of A3 and this morning is the first opportunity we've had to talk to a family member. In this hour long conversation, we hear about Woodfox the surrogate father to his younger siblings in a poor single parent household, where his mother had to provide for the family. Visit www.angola3.org to find about more about the case and to get names and addresses and phone numbers to write the court. To get in contact with Albert Woodfox: #72148 Camp D, Eagle 1 Louisiana State Penitentiary, Angola LA 70712, USA and Herman Wallace, the other still incarcerated member of A3:#76759 Camp D, Eagle 1, Louisiana State Penitentiary, An

This is a busy weekend in the San Francisco Bay Area: Conference on Race: Nov. 14-16 at the Marriott Convention Center in Oakland; the Green Festival in San Francisco; the 35th Anniversary of Dimensions Dance Theatre, Vukani Mawethu Choir's Gala dinner, and Black Rep's 44 Anniversary Gala and Community Award's program, tonight, 11/14. I'll speak to Dr. Mona Vaughn Scott and her son, Sean, monies raised will go to the Music in the Community program and breast cancer awareness. Well that was the plan last week and then 8 AM dawned and things changed. Robert King, author, activist and the only exonerated member of Angola 3 was joined in the studio by: Ron Chisom, People’s Institute for Survival and Beyond, Mwalimu Johnson, Advocate, Capital Post-Conviction Center in New Orleans, and Jackie Sumell, Artist, The House that Herman Built. They updated us on the case of A3 member: Albert Woodfox, who had his final hearing Wednesday, Nov. 12. Visit angola3.org. This discussion was followed by an interview with artist,

Today we will give an update on Hurricane Season in Texas, paying special attention to those areas where the devastation hit hardest and what organizations are responding to the disaster. We'll update listeners on any new developments in Albert Woodfox's case, with further reporting Friday, Nov. 14. During the second half of the show, we will also discuss what is going on in the Democratice Republic of the Congo--Patrice Lumumba land, King Leopold country, a place that has not know peace in almost 50 years. Exploited after its first democratically elected Prime Minister, post-colonial rule was killed by the west, turmoil in the area: Rwanda in particular and the country's vast mineral resources has made it a haven for international plunder. We hope to have representatives on our show today who can clarify the issues for us. Next we'll talk about Dafur and Southern Sudan and the continuing massacre there.

Today we were joined by Robert H. King, www.Angola3.org, author of a recent autobiography: "From the Bottom of the Heap;" Parnell Herbert, Deputy Min. of Justice, Millions More Movement/Houston: http://www.mmmhouston.net/loc/, Coalition for Justice (210) 732-8957 www.coalitionforjustice.net; and Geronimo ji jaga, former political prisoner, international human rights activist, Kuji Foundation http://www.kujifoundation.org They will be speaking about the case of Albert Woodfox, recently found innocent of all charges leveled at him over 30 years ago by the Louisiana judiciary October 8, yet he has not been released. The international connection between revolutionary movements and subjugation, silencing and murder of African people worldwide in prisons is made by world-traveler, scholar and historian, Dr. Runoko Rashidi, who joins us briefly as he gets ready to journey to Rio de Janeiro for a conference next week. The next guest is Sean San Jose, theatre director at Intersection for the Arts, the oldest alternati

Today we'll be speaking with Willie Ratcliff, publisher of the San Francisco Bay View newspaper about Election 2008 and Barack Obama's victory. He will be joined by Nene St. Louis, visual artist, activist, playwright, and director.

Today we feature during the 8-8:30 segment Majeedah Rahman Healthy Babies Project--she also teaches at Contra Costa College; Robert Stewart, musician/composer and one of my former students at Muhammad University of Islam; this segment will look at the Obama campaign and what the future holds for black people and our country and the world when he is elected; during the 8:35-9:00 segment we feature the director, Baayan Bakari and several members of the Equinox cast: Tiara, Will E., Melvina, and Jasmine. The film, set in Oakland looks at how a young man who enters a rites of passage program as a boy, becomes a man and how his maturation process in this "Boys to Men" program changes his household for the better. Issues tackled are alcoholism, spousal abuse, juvenile delinquency, adoption and the African concept of the "village and the extended family. Friendship is also explored, as a precursor to romance. The next half hour or so we have cast from the wonderful TheatreWorks production of August Wilson's final pl

This morning we will have on the air three dynamic persons, all cultural workers: Kokomon Clottey and Aeeshah Clottey, co-founders of the Attitudinal Healing Center in Oakland. In the second half of the program we will feature, Ezili Danto a.k.a Marguerite Laurent, JD. The Clotteys are authors of Beyond Fear :Twelve Spiritual Keys to Racial Healing and Kokomon from Ghana, West Africa has captured the richness of his culture and the essence of Mindful Drumming in his latest book, “Mindful Drumming: Ancient Wisdom for Unleashing the Human Spirit and Building Community. Kokomon and Aeeshah Clottey are founders of the Attitudinal Healing Connection (www.ahc- oakland.org), a nonprofit organization with the mission of eliminating violence and fear by supporting creative and educational programs that transforms the spirit and build peaceful and loving communities for all humanity. They also serve on the Board of The Peace Alliance Foundation founded by Marianne Williamson. In addition, Kokomon is a musician with

Today we highlighted the Oakland Community School, the first charter school in the State of CA and a model promoted by then Gov.Jerry Brown--yes, unbelievable that this same man, as CA Attorney Gen. is promoting the trial of the SF8. We had Billy X, itsabouttimebpp.com, Melvin Dixon, the Commemorator and the Lil' Bobby Hutton Literacy Program and Naomi Banks, former student on the air. "The Down Memory Lane Reunion," is 10/25, 12-5, at the old school site: 6118 International Blvd., Oakland. We also had Naima and Alixa, climblingpoetree.com who have a new show: Hurricane Season, Oct. 24-25, at La Pena Cultural Center, 3105 Shattuck Ave., in Berkeley, 7:00 doors, 7:30 show. They will also take "Hurricane Season," to Cell Space in SF, 10/30, 7:00 doors, 7:30 show. They are performing poetry at the "Wonders of Cannibis" Festival its second day, 10/26, which also features Dead Prez, at Golden Gate Park in SF, CA. My other guests were, Avotcja & Modupue, which features musician Jon Jang, and others, performing

Today we had an exclusive interview with Troy Anthony Davis' sister Martina Correia, who has been standing for justice for her brother for 19 long years. Mr. Davis is scheduled once again, for execution Monday, October 27, by the State of Georgia if a stay is not granted. Davis turned 40 October 9, and though witnesses have recanted, and the absence of DNA prove his innocence, the 8th Amendment of the Georgia State Constitution, states it's okay to kill and innocent person as long as the courts feel he has received a fair trial. Mr. Davis is from an upper middle class black family, his dad retired military, and police officer. He graduated with honors from high school, a year after he was scheduled to graduate because he was caregiver for his sister who had MS and was paralyzed from the waist down. Since his incarceration, his dad has died--diabetic coma, the stress of a son on death row too much for him to take. Martina Correia diagnosed with cancer March 2001, has been on chemotherapy for all these years af

Today we will talk about the current exhibit at the Prescott Joseph Center: Breath of the Ancestors: Joy Holland and Casper Banjo, introducing Keith Hopkins. The exhibit is up through October 31. PJC is at 920 Peralta Street in Oakland and the gallery is open 9-5 Monday-Friday. Call (510) 208-5651. We will speak to Casper's neice, Akili Banjo about her uncle's work. We might be joined by other friends and colleagues. We will continue the conversation next Friday with other guests. Also on the air today are Joanna Haigood, Zaccho Dance Theatre, who is participating in Trolley Dances Saturday-Sunday, October 18-19, 11-3:30 along the T-Line or Third Street Rail. Visit http://www.epiphanydance.org/ We will close the show today with a conversation with playwright Shanique Scott, whose one woman show,"Prisons," premieres tonight, Friday, October 17, 8 p.m., and continues Saturday, October 18, 2:30 and 5:00 p.m. through Sunday, October 19, 5:00 p.m., at the Black Rep in Berkeley, 3201 Adeline Street, in Berkeley. Ca

Today we will be speaking with Robert H. King (International Committee to Free the Angola 3) about Albert Woodfox's case. He was in court earlier this week in New Orleans and there is pending good news on the case. After over 35 years in prison, 31-plus in solitary confinement, Albert might be a free man in less than a month. We will also talk about Troy Davis, who has a pending appeal to the federal Supreme Court. In the second portion of the program we will speak to the Lathan Hodge, producer of the latest film on the rap group, Public Enemy. This feature film documents the bands 20th anniversary tour and gives rare behind the scenes interviews and perspectives on a group which continues to change the way art is used as a vehicle for social change--a.k.a. revolution. The film will screen closing night, 6-8:15 p.m. at the 7th Annual Oakland International Film Festival. All screenings are at the Grand Lake Theater in Oakland. Visit www.oiff.org for the entire schedule.

Black Arts and Culture show featuring interviews, music, dialogue and other topical commentaries to savor for the rest of the morning and throughout the week. Both well-known and up and coming artists will be guests. We're not snobs...quality is not date stamped nor is the revolution on prime time yet....Tune in. This morning we featured Dr. Washington Burns, director of Prescott Joseph Center in West Oakland and Ayodele Nzinga, director of the Lower Bottom Playaz, Shakespeare in the Yard. The current show is: Ebony and Johnny, with shows 10/10 and 10/11 at 7 PM and Sunday, 10/12 at 2 PM. This interview was followed by one with African American artists featured in the Days of the Dead Exhibit at SomArts in San Francisco:Malik Seneferu, Kemit Amenophis & Patricia A. Montgomery, and Candi Farlice. The exhibit opens tomorrow evening 6-10 PM, with other special events planned like an artist talk November 1 and a closing party November 4. This engaging interview was followed by one with song stylist, Paula W

Since I started this segment of my weekly broadcasts, it's been rare that I have just featured prerecorded interviews. I guess I will just have to write the stories :-) That said, this week I will feature a segment from an interview with Dr. Ysaye M. Barnwell, a member of Sweet Honey in the Rock, who performed this past weekend at SFJAZZ. Yes, they were marvelous! Dressed in lovely black flared skirts, some of the women in boots, the tops jackets, tunics or two-piece affairs. They took us on an American journey, a soul journey, a cleansing and thoughtprovoking often painful journey during the concert at the lovely Davies Symphony Hall in San Francisco. There were empty seats in the orchestra. I don't know what it looked like in the balcony--it would have been nice if people were invited down to fill in the space, but it was full nonetheless. The extended set, which began late to accommodate those of us wading through the Love Fest ending just outside the doors on the streets of San Francisco's Civic Center, t

October is Maafa Awareness Month and today we'll be joined in the studio by David Roach, CEO of the Oakland International Film Festival, which opens with Baayan Bakari's latest film, "Equinox," Thursday, October 9, at the Grand Lake Theatre in Oakland. We are joined by special guest this first hour by Mama Imahkas, who over 20 years ago repatriated to Ghana and has been creating ceremonies to welcome Africans on their return to the Motherland, the land of our origin. Visit oneafricaghana.com and livinginblack.com. For information about the Oakland Film Festival visit www.oiff.org for a listing of all the films and special workshops, lectures and parties. We'll also be joined by Keith Hopkins, one of the artists featured in the Maafa Commemoration Exhibit at Prescott Joseph Center, 920 Peralta Street in Oakland. The exhibit is up through the end of October. October 3, the exhibit opens and can be viewed before the play, Ebony and Johnny, which begins at 7 p.m., and during intermission. During the week, the or

Note: I had technical difficulties this morning and was unable to upload the interview with Dr. Rashidi. I will attempt to air a segment this Friday or transscribe the great interview for my web exclusives at http://wandaspicks.com He will be presenting a lecture and slide show 10/4, 4 p.m. at the African Children's Advanced Learning Center, 959 33rd Street (at San Pablo) in Oakland. Admission is $10 for adults, $5 for students with ID and free for youth under 18. This morning we spoke to Ajuana Black and John William Templeton, actress and playwright: Queen Califia: Ruler of California," which opened at the Buriel Clay Theatre, 762 Fulton Street, San Francisco. The play continues today through Thursday, October 2. The 10/2 performance is at 7 p.m. and today and tomorrow the performance is a part of an educational workshop series facilitated by Mr. Templeton. For more information call (415) 922-2049 or visit www.californiablackhistory.com. For Ajuana Black visit ajuanablack.fuzz.com or contact her at ajua

This morning we'll be speaking with participants in the Critical Resisitance Conference 10 at Laney College, 900 Fallon Street, Oakland, this weekend: our regular guest Robert H. King, A3,author of "From the Bottom of the Heap," (PM Press) along with other guests: Emory Douglas, former Minister of Culture for the Black Panther Party, Pam and Ramona Africa, MOVE 9, and the International Friends and Family of Mumia Abu Jamal, Hamdiyah Cook, All of Us or None and the California Coalition for Women Prisoners. Also this week we will visit with actors from a couple of San Francisco Bay Area companies: Berkeley Rep, which is currently in production with Yellowjackets. We'll be speaking to Amaya Alonso Hallifax and Jahmela Biggs. We will close the morning with a dicussion of the wonderful play, MacB, The MacBeth Project at the African American Shakespeare Company. For more details visit http://wandaspicks.com Closing: Freda Kahlo exhibit at SFMOMA, Kev Choice is at the Shattuck Downlow tonight, Sept. 26, Sacred S

This week we will have a live interview with musician/composer, Wallace Roney, who will be opening the San Francisco Jazz Festival, as a part of the "Miles From India" project. Roney, a protege of Davis, will offer listeners rare insight into the artist, the project and his own creative process. Last year, the concert was a hit and sold out quickly, so it has been moved to a larger venue, Davies Symphony Hall in San Francisco, Grove and Van Ness). Visit www.sfjazz.org From the archives will feature rare audio interviews from artists and revolutionary thinkers I've interviewed in the past ten or so years (2008-1998). Each show will be just an hour, but in that hour these artists and culture workers will share perspectives on life I treasure as I'm sure you will.

Black Art and Culture. The 51st Annual Monterey Jazz Festival kicks off this weekend: Sept.19-21; perhaps we can speak to a few artists making their debut this year and a veteran or two or at least feature a song. I'm not going this year, so folks will have to blog their reports, so I can share them on the air. From the archives debuts Wednesday, Sept. 17, 6 AM. I am featuring the interview with Patrice Rushen we weren't able to do justice Sept. 12. Tune in. If you miss a segment 'cause you're sleeping or otherwise occupied, listen later at the archives. Friday, we'll speak to actors from the play currently on stage, Yellow Jackets at Berkeley Rep. We'll also speak to Khalil Jacobs-Fantauzzi, candidate for Berkeley City Mayor, about Independence Day celebrations in Puerto Rico, Sept. 23. The first leader of an independent African nation, post-colonialism, Kwame Nkrumah's birthday is Sept. 20; we're going to try to connect with a couple of folks from Ghana to talk about his legacy then and now. Finally, if

Today we will feature a prerecorded interview with educator, composer, musician, Patrice Rushen. Visit patricerushen.com