~ AN AFROCENTRIC GATEKEEPERS PALACE FOR INFORMATION ~


Otta Benga, Formerly Enslaved
The Epitome of a Nubian Knight

Otta Benga, Formerly Enslaved<br>The Epitome of a Nubian Knight

Followers of Nubian Knights Network
"Thanks For The Support Everybody!!!"

QUOTATIONS OF "BLACK"

"Whenever I use BLACK it relates to some history of Africans in that particular place. It’s the idea of the color BLACK as a metaphor, or as a representation of African-Americans. It’s the notion of BLACK- BLACKNESS - and all its other meanings in relation to the history of race..."

- Fred Wilson



"Most of my fortitude to continue doing the work comes from the moral outrage I feel about the injustices that Black people endure disproportionately daily."

- N. Abdul-Wakil



"In the end, what matters is not skin shade but pan-African consciousness. Loving your complexion, your nose, lips, hair length and texture, no matter what the politics or trends decide, and simply be. That's the problem with us (African folks). We're still learning how to love ourselves. So used to glorifying others and putting others first..."

- Dredlocks Tree

The REEL Black Same Gender Loving Filmography Resource (A 24/7 ONLINE FILM DATABASE)

The REEL Black Same Gender Loving Filmography Resource (A 24/7 ONLINE FILM DATABASE)
Click The Pic To Access The Film Library Database! (166 Films)
LAST UPDATE: Monday, December 3rd, 2012

Thursday, September 24, 2009

Kevin Wade Britt, Jr. , A Black SGL Brutha
From Hyattsville, Maryland Is MISSING!!
HAVE YOU SEEN HIM???

Kevin Wade Britt, Jr. (left) Is Missing. HAVE YOU SEEN HIM?

Anyone with any information
about Britt's whereabouts
is asked to call Officer E. Lindeman of the
P.G. County Police at 301-772-4900.





Kevin Wade Britt, Jr. (left) Is Missing. HAVE YOU SEEN HIM?
Elias Fishburn, IV (right) is Kevin's Partner
Who Reported Kevin Missing To The Police



The Prince George's County Police Department is looking for Kevin Britt Jr., a 23-year-old resident of Hyattsville, Md., reported missing by his partner, Elias Fishburne.

Kevin Wade Britt, Jr. left the Hyattsville, Md. home he shared with his partner at about 11:00am on Sunday, September 20th, 2009 to go to his office to attend to some paper work.

Elias Fishburn, IV, Britt's partner, put notices out on his and Britt's Facebook pages when after 24 hours, Britt had not been heard from, and announcing that Britt had been missing since Sunday and a report had been filed with the police.

"Your help in finding him will put a lot of hearts at rest," Fishburne said on Britt's Facebook page. "Also, if anyone knows of his blood type and Social Security number, they should call District III/Seat Pleasant, Prince George County Police Department."

Kevin who is originally from Talbot County, on the Eastern Shore of Maryland, works as a coordinating supervisor at Psychotherapeutic Services Inc. in Landover, Md., a mental-health services provider for Prince George County residents.




Posted on Fishburn's Facebook page are photos of Britt
and his four-door white Acura car which has Maryland license plates.


Anyone with any information
about Britt's whereabouts
is asked to call Officer E. Lindeman of the
P.G. County Police at 301-772-4900

Wednesday, September 23, 2009

SGL Film MISSISSIPPI DAMNED
At The 13th Annual Urbanworld Film Festival
Fri & Sat, Sept. 25th & 26th, 2009 ONLY in NYC!












Hey Black Family,

A goof friend emailed this to me TODAY and I need to get it out pronto as it is TIME SENSITIVE...

The MOST EXCELLENT film
Mississippi Damned

will be playing in New York City at the
13th Annual Urbanworld Film Festival



PLEASE SUPPORT AND CHECK OUT HIS FILM!
It's REALLY GOOD!
And a lot of social commentary!!






Date and Time:
Friday, September 25th at 12:30pm

Location:
34th Street AMC Loews

312 West 34th Street
(between 8th and 9th Avenues)
New York, NY 10001

Date and Time:
Saturday, September 26th at 5:45pm
Location:
34th Street AMC Loews

312 West 34th Street
(between 8th and 9th Avenues)
New York, NY 10001



Check out the Urbanworld Film Festival website
for ticket information and more details.





The Two SGL Sistahs Mississippi Damned




Actor Malcolm David Kelley







Jossie Harris Thacker, born and raised in Harlem, New York, began her career as a dancer. She moved to Los Angeles after landing a starring role as one of the acclaimed Fly Girls in Fox's hit TV show, In Living Color, opposite Keenan and Damon Wayans, Jim Carrey, and Jennifer Lopez. It was there Jossie became enamored with the craft thus making a natural transition into her acting career. Film credits include the soon to be released film: Boppin' at the Glue Factory, by director Jeff Orgill; Sergio Arau's film A Day Without a Mexican; and The Halfway Diner, an independent short film written by John Sayles. Jossie's television credits include: Chris Gerolmo's Over There for FX, NBC's ER and The West Wing, CBS's Close to Home, and ABC's Notes from the Underbelly. Jossie recently graced the stage as Margo in Carlos LaCamara's, Havana Bourgeois, a role written for her, which earned her riveting reviews from the L.A. Times and L.A. Weekly. Other memorable stage credits include the role of Desdemona in Othello starring opposite Charles Dutton and the role of Julia in Becoming Cuban, also by Carlos LaCamara.

Jossie plays Charlene "Charlie" Stone in Mississippi Damned. This is her second project with director, Tina Mabry. She starred as Brooklyn in Brooklyn's Bridge to Jordan, the multi-award winning short film that aired on Showtime, BETJ, and Logo.

Jossie will be in attendance at both screenings at Urbanworld. At the Saturday show she will be joined by Exectuive Producer and Producer, Lee V. Stiff.



Q: What was your experience like working on Mississippi Damned?

A: In a word, my experience working on Mississippi Damned was priceless. For most African-American and Latino actors, such as myself, roles like "Charlie Stone" are rarely written for us. So naturally when I was presented with the opportunity to play this delicious, complex character I was both excited and scared all at once. As if Tina had not created enough drama, while I prepared to shoot my first Charlie scene's, which was also our first day of shooting, the crew and I found ourselves in the middle of a tornado. But something about half the crew huddled together in that small bathroom bonded us. From that day forward it was like working with family. I think we all quickly got the sense that we were creating something special.

Q: Charlie experiences a lot through out the course of the movie, how did you develop her character?
A: Yes, Charlie does experience a lot throughout the movie. She basically goes through hell and back. In terms of the work I did in developing the character, I think I would need a few pages for that but I'll try to take you through the short version of my process. First off, I tackled Charlie as I do every role. I read the script as many times as I possibly could which at the time was not that many as I had to contend with my biggest challenge which was keeping my son, Elijah, then 18 months old, busy every second of the day while my lil Jonah, kicked around in my belly, ready to make his entrance at any given moment. Tina made it very easy for me though. I love a good writer and dissecting Charlie was a high for me. With every clue she gave me about the character I wrote it down or stored it in my head. Then I created a bio for Charlie and asked myself, "how am I like Charlie?" and "how am I different then Charlie?" and there I began to find her voice and ultimately her spirit. Next, I began thinking, breathing, walking, talking Charlie.

In addition, I had to tackle what was going on socially and politically for woman during the 80's and again in the 90's. I had to get into the mindset of woman during that era which looked very different than the opportunities, the rights and support that are available to me as a woman today. I don't drink nor smoke so I did a little research on the affect of chain smoking and alcoholism, and lastly, I had to work on the way Charlie spoke. I was born and raised in Harlem, Charlie was from the south, two very different dialects. Needless, to say there were a lot of traps in playing this role. I did a lot of work avoiding those traps the best I could.

Q: What was the most challenging aspect of creating your character?
A: Although the goal for every serious actor should be to disappear yourself in the role I know personally that that is actually a lot easier said than done. Because I knew this was a real and significant person in Tina's life, it was very important for me to loose "Jossie" and allow the audience to experience "Charlie". Initially, I think the most challenging aspect of creating Charlie was knowing she was a true, breathing human being and more over a living relative of Tina's, as oppose to a character she had penned in her mind. I had to let go of that pressure. Once I did, I found myself having to deal with having a little more in common with Charlie than I really cared to admit. I found myself saying, "if not for the grace of God, who knows where or who I would be today". It was scary to see that had I not made the choices I made growing up I could've easily been walking in her shoes. There wasn't one night that I didn't get back to that little room, in that cramped hotel in the middle of nowhere that I didn't thank God for my life and couldn't wait to get back to it. It was a very therapeutic journey.

Q: Which character, besides your own, do you relate to the most?
A: I relate to the role of Kari the most. I've seen MD maybe three or four times now and every time I watch it, it literally moves me to tears. It's as though I'm watching it for the first time because in a lot of ways, I'm that little girl, except my hood was Harlem, and despite what I've been through growing up I've always had a fierce determination to do and be more. Kari's story takes me through an emotional journey that reminds me of where I come from, where I've been, where I'm going and that insane single-mindedness needed to get there. Tina has done an incredible job in making all her characters relatable in some way, no matter where you're from.

Q: What projects are you currently working on?
A: I recently starred opposite Danny Pino, of CBS's, Cold Case, in the Miami stage production of, Carlos Lacamara's, Havana Bourgeois. I did the Los Angeles production of it last year and was the only cast member with the exception of Ugly Betty's, Tony Plana, invited back for the Miami run of the production. Again, it was an awesome role and it's exciting to hear the industry buzz about major investors interested in taking it to the next level, perhaps Broadway!

Next, I'm preparing for a role in a feature film that is currently in works with a highly acclaimed Oscar nominated actor, I'll keep you posted on that one. Plus I have several other projects that are currently in the pre-production stage. This continues to be a great year and I expect 2010 is going to be even better.

Tuesday, September 22, 2009

African Cultural Event
Singing, Drumming and Dancing (Bembe)
In Honor Of Elegba, Ogun & Ochossi
Sunday, Septemebr 27th, 2009

Click The Pic To See Enlarged Version


Sunday, September 27, 2009

from 2 PM until 6 PM


Egbe JagunJagun

will sponsor an

African Cultural Event

Singing, Drumming and Dancing

(Bembe)

in honor of

Elegba, Ogun & Ochossi


at the

Adam Clayton Powell Jr. State Office Building
163 West 125th Street
(Between Lenox Av/Malcolm X Blvd
and
Adam Clayton Powell, Jr. Blvd
Art Gallery – 2nd Floor
Harlem, New York

(Photo I.D. Required To Enter The Building!)

For more information please call 212-283-4035
or send an e-mail to
egbejagunjagun@yahoo.com

Sunday, September 20, 2009

Woodrow Wilson Rockefeller Brothers Fund Fellowships


Dear BMI Colleagues:

Below you will find information about the Woodrow Wilson Rockefeller Brothers Fund Fellowships. Please pass this information on to your students.

Announcement:
The Woodrow Wilson–Rockefeller Brothers Fund Fellowships for Aspiring Teachers of Color were created to help recruit and support individuals of color as K–12 public school teachers in the United States. Through this fellowship, we hope to prepare greater numbers of highly qualified teachers of color in public school classrooms around the country.

This Fellowship includes:
• a $30,000 stipend to apply toward the cost of a master’s degree
• preparation for teaching in a high–need public school
• support and mentoring throughout the three–year teaching commitment
• guidance toward teaching certification
• lifelong membership in a national network of Woodrow Wilson Fellows who are intellectual leaders

Only current seniors are eligible to apply for the WW–RBF.
Applications are
accepted through October 26, 2009.

Details:
http://www.woodrow.org/fellowships/teaching/wwrbf/index.php


Interested U-M applicants should contact:
Dr. Henry O. Meares
Assistant Dean, School of Education
hmeares@umich.edu, 734 323-4237


Sincerely,

Jermaine Wright
Associate Director, CUNY Black Male Initiative
The City College of The City University of New York
160 Convent Avenue at 138th Street
North Academic Center (NAC) Building, Room 4/154
New York, New York 10031
(212) 650-5394 (telephone)
E-mail: jwright1@ccny.cuny.edu
Website: http://www.cuny.edu/bmi
or http://web.cuny.edu/academics/oaa/initiatives/bmi.html

"Besouro" (Beetle) (2009)
An Afro-Brazilian Film Set in 1920s Bahia
About Legendary Brazilian Capoeira Fighter Besouro Mangangá



Official Website: besouroofilme.com.br/


One Version of the Besouro Poster



Hey AFRICAN FAM,


A friend of mine dropped this film to me via email which looks like a little jewel with a big heart about the African Diaspora and I wanted to share this with y'all! I'm hoping Besouro (Beetle) comes to the States. Because I live in New York City the chances of us New Yorkers seeing it is much greater. I really want to see this film. One of the videos below is the theatrical trailer and the other video is a sneak peek of more footage from the film and a behind-the-scenes look of the choreography. As a budding filmmaker the fight choreography sequences with the camera movements were particularly gratifying to watch!! Whhuuuuhhhhhooo! LOL!

ROD (aka BIG ROD)




Synopsis/Background Info:
One of the biggest productions in the history of Brazilian cinema, Besouro (Beetle) is a film about the life of legendary Brazilian Capoeira fighter Besouro Mangangá from Bahia in search of his mission.




Besouro is confirmed for a theatrical release in Brazil in October 2009 with international launches to follow. Directed by João Daniel Tikhomiroff, Besouro is an action movie set in 1920s Bahia, the story of a legendary Capoeira fighter who uses the power of Candomble (an Afro-Brazilian religion) to fight the harsh conditions which, even post-abolition, the African population endured in Brazil. With action director Huan-Chiu Ku (Kill Bill; The Matrix; Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon) the film promises spectacular stunt sequences and a soundtrack featuring Gilberto Gil, Naná Vasconcelos, Rica Amabis, Tejo and Naçao Zumbi’s Pupillo.




Besouro (Beetle) - Theatrical Trailer (2:26)




Besouro (Beetle)
Film Footage And A Behind-The-Scenes Look (4:02)



UPDATE (Saturday, July 2nd, 2011):


I just found out this week that Besouro is now released on DVD through an independent company called Ikano Filem Sdn. I got my copy from Amazon.com



Now I should point out that the Besouro DVD has been in and out of stock and that there are different versions of the film. I have the Besouro [2010, Brazil] [Official Slipcase Edition] which Amazon had 5 in stock at the time that I ordered. I went back a day later, and saw that only 1 was in stock. Since then it's hit or miss if Amazon has it. If you SEE IT, BUY IT!

There' also the
Besouro [Import] (2010) version. I don't know and can't verify if the later version has the special features or not, or if the quality of the disc transfer is the same as the slipcase version that I have. Keep checking Amazon, or check your own DVD merchant resources.

The running time of the film is 94 minutes. The special features of the disc consists of Making of, Art Direction, Direction of Photography, Behind-the-Scenes, Action Choreography and Sound Editing.

Because I've been busy with editing some dance theater pictures and attending the International African Arts Festival, I haven't had a chance to watch the film except for the first minute, and the quality of the transfer looks good. I'm chomping at the bit to watch the whole film, and will report back on the film's quality and the special feature extras.


UPDATE (Sunday, July 10th, 2011):

Finally got a chance to sit down and watch the whole film and it's DOPE! The film print transfer is really nice and zero problems with the disc
. NOW GO OUT AND GET IT!...


UPDATE (Wednesday, July 13th, 2011):

Short story...

After waiting over 2 YEARS for someone to exhibition the film in New York City, I finally got to see a film screening exhibition of a 35mm print of the film at the Museum of the Moving Image in Astoria, Queens, NYC 3 months ago on Sunday, April 17th, 2011. The theater was medium sized and was packed. It was so packed that they had to call the museum crew in to physically bring in addition seats and place them at the back of the theater to accommodate people Including me! LOL!).

The crowd cheered and roared and moaned at different points in the film. I really felt like a little kid seeing this film. Even though this film ould be considered a low budget movie by Hollywood standards, it's HEART, I THINK, is bigger than some of these $150-200 million dollar block/boom-bust-busters. A came away with a feeling I will rarely get to experience in my entire lifetime as a movie-goer of African descent. Why do I say that? Well, because I saw a group of people with skin complexions on screen that looked liked me, the protagonist/hero who reflected my aspirations/fears/mistakes/truths like me, and a film devoid of eurocentrity and so full of African affirmations that I just won't see from a major Hollywood film. I was so charged and pumped up after leaving the theater. It's hard to ever remember feeling like that from a personal Africnetric perspective.

Besouro is such an Africentric affirming film on soooooooooo many level. Depending on your perspective one may like the action/martial arts aspect of it incorporating the art of Capoeira, or perhaps root for the independence of a struggling Afro-Brazilian people from slavery in 1920s Bahia with the hope and leadership of the Besouro character (which is based on a real person and Capeiora fighter called Besouro Mangangá), or you may relate to the infusion of the African Orishas such as Exu, Ogum, Ossain and, Oxun, or you may vibe with the religious undertones of Candomblé and the overall mysticism of the film. Take your pick as I love the layering of all these elements in this film... And the extras of the DVD was awesome. Only got through one of them so far, and it was amazing!!

For me one of the best films in a long while... just different and un-American and non-formulaic in it's story-telling approach.
NOW GO OUT AND GET IT ON DVD! AND, IF YOU CAN SEE A FILM SCREENING SOMEONE, (WHETHER YOU HAVE THE DVD OR NOT), IT'S WORTH SEEING ON THE BIG SCREEN FOR MAXIMUM IMPACT!!!





Besouro and African Orisha Exu




Besouro Fighting Quero-Quero




African Orisha Oxun (Oshun / Ochun)




Orisha Exu and Besouro




Noca de Antônia, The Racist Overlord




Besouro




African Orisha Exu





Besouro and Dinorá

Thursday, September 17, 2009

Black SGL (Homosexual) Rap Video:
"Children of the Night" by Homo-Rapper Trudog

Click Da Pic: Trudog Records Official Website


My friend Trudog just completed his first video from his new and second CD album Trudog: Booty Ain't Got No Face
and rapping about the self-determination of Black men and homosexuality.

If you're interested in purchasing his CD you can go to the reputable online merchant CDBaby.com: Trudog: Booty Ain't Got No Face

Check out the music video below.
It's very, very cute! I LIKE IT!



Thanks in advance for your support!

Wednesday, September 16, 2009

(Red) Skins Trademark Battle
Goes To Supreme Court
An NFL Franchise Holds Onto Racist Tradition



Skins Trademark Battle Goes to Supreme Court,
Group Claims "Redskins" is Derogatory

By Jim Iovino

NBC New York News
First Published: Sep 15, 2009 6:58 AM EDT
Updated 11:18 AM EDT, Tue, Sep 15, 2009


The battle of the Washington Redskins' team name has reached the U.S. Supreme Court, but don't worry, you probably won't have to tape over the Redskins' logo on your favorite jersey anytime soon.

Lawyers for a group of Native Americans filed a petition for certiorari in the case that has bounced around courtrooms for years, according to Legal Times. The Native American group claims that the name "Redskins" is a derogatory term for Indians. They want the Redskins trademark, which was issued in 1967, canceled.

The latest ruling on the case by the U.S. Court of Appeals said the claims weren't allowed because the group didn't file in a timely manner, not because any court agrees or disagrees that the trademark is offensive or racist. So now the group's lawyers are asking the Supreme Court to review that decision.

But (the group's lawyers) asserted that the doctrine does not apply, because the law explicitly allows cancellations of trademarks "at any time." He cites a 2001 ruling by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 3rd Circuit in Marshak v. Treadwell, in which now-Justice Samuel Alito Jr. said trademark cancellation claims are not time-barred. "We hope that ruling will be of some help," said Mause.

What does the trademark battle mean for the Redskins? The Washington Post summed it up after the latest court ruling in May:

Attorneys for the National Football League franchise say the name is a sign of honor but are also fighting to protect millions of dollars' worth of sales of Redskins merchandise. If the team had lost in court, it could have continued to use the name on Redskins paraphernalia but would have faced a tougher time preventing merchants from infringing on its trademarks.

What does this all mean for Redskins fans? Not much at the moment. The group's lawyers said the Supreme Court probably won't take up the petition before the end of the year.
So, Chief Zee is free to scalp as many Cowboys as he wants -- for now.





ROD's Personal Remarks
From Boyhood To Manhood On This Matter

As a Black man living in America I totally understand why the name "redskins" is a racial slur which post owner Jack Kent Cooke and present owner Daniel M Synder dismiss as "nonsense".

I remember as a little kid playing with my Cowboys (green colored) and Indians (brown colored) 3-inch figure toys. I even remember seeing the ads for them during my early childhood when I was collecting comic books. The price of the collector series was something like $1.00 for the set or something like that; certainly not more than $5 duckets.



Anyway, through an obvious (to me years later) indoctrination or acculturation process as a young kid, I always had the cowboys beat up on the Indians because that was what you were supposed to do. And so whenever I was bored or had extra time inbetween my homework assignments, or watching tv, or playing with my friends, I'd break out the Cowboys vs. Indians and the Cowboys would win yet again.

I don't know how it happened, but one day I was old enough to realize, "wait a minute, why are the Cowboys (supposedly good guys) beating up on the Indians (supposedly bad guys)? What did the Indians do wrong that they deserved this treatment (that I'm participating in)? And the ultimate question I asked myself which hit home was "Why am I beating up (well, let's be real here, killing) the Indians whose skin of brown looks just like mine???

From that introspective and enlightening moment forward (I may have been 10 or 14 years old, I can't quite remember) you can best believe I had the Indians kicking the COwboys' asses from that day forward. I even remember throwing away the Cowboy toys slowly and keeping the Indians where again, whose brown skin looked like mine.




Around 1982 I started to take a big interest in pro football, the NFL. Like any other kid under the influence of sports, I liked a team because they were either popular, they were winning, or they had qool colors! In my case I became a Redskins fan because of all the above reason along with starting quarterback Joe Theismann throwing the ball through the air and down the field; running back John Riggins who in true NFC East fashion pounding the ball inbetween the gaps the guards ans tackles provided for him or running outside the tackle box.; and Hall of Fame coach Joe Gibbs running the team with the ultimate passion , charcter and humility. But honestly, what really took me over the top and making the Redskins my favorite team as a young kid was seeing a close-up of the helmet emblem which had this dark-skinned Indian on it. I was like, "WOW! Now that's fucking qool!!" And so ROD became a Redskins fan.

As much as I like the Redskins and have been a fan for over 25+ years now, I have struggled (as a fan) over the last 15 years of wearing my Redskins gear (jerseys, jackets, etc.) proudly out in public. I LOVE my team, but I also realize the name "redskins" is derogatory and that's what I'm torn about. Everytime I wear m gear I feel like I'm supporting the "redskins" insult (from a African-American perspective). I realized many, many years ago that the name has to change!!!!! The act of the matter is that if the team was called the "Blackskins" you can best believe that name would have been stricken down and banished eons ago. Because the Native American population in the United States is so small and their political power is not very strong and formidable, it has been heard for Native Americans to fight the Redskins NFL franchise and get the name changed. Though I'll tell you what, I have been following the case over the years, and my Native American bruthaz and sistahs have been fighting the good fight tooth and nail for many, many years now.



I sincerely hope my Native American bruthaz and sistahs get their wish. The Redskins organization need to stop with their white male privilege bullshit and their rhetoric around "we honor Native Americans" and just change the name of the organization. I came up with the name the Washington Shamans. If Native Americans tell you the name "redskins" is derogatory and disrespectful then why are you being stubborn like a bitch and holding onto the name??? DAMN!!

I was just reminded by my friend Bernard (Bejata) of how the Redskins NFL franchise has always been steeped in racist behavior going back to he franchise's found
er George Preston Marshall

Consider this excerpt partly from the
George Preston Marshall entry on Wikipedia.com:


Marshall was a very hands-on owner. For most of his tenure as the team's owner, he frequently micromanaged the team. The notable exception was during the Flaherty era—coincidentally, the franchise's first successful era.

However, he is best known for his intractable opposition to having African-Americans on his roster. According to professor Charles Ross, "For 24 years Marshall was identified as the leading racist in the NFL".[2] Though the league had previously had a sprinkling of black players, blacks were excluded from all NFL teams just one year after Marshall entered the league.

Ross asserts that Marshall propelled the NFL to institute a "color barrier" akin to that of its baseball brethren. As a result of Marshall's prodding, owners like the Pittsburgh Steelers' Art Rooney (who had hired a Black player on his first team and strongly professed his belief that black and white were equal to him) and the Chicago Bears' George Halas (who also believed that Blacks should be able to play), fell into line. Of course, no one openly admitted that a racial line existed, but it was apparent that it did. Indeed, years later, Halas remained defensive of the thinly veiled policy. "The game," claimed the legendary league founder and coach, "didn't have the appeal to Black players at the time." Hence, from 1934 through the 1945 season, Blacks, excluded from the NFL, were forced to settle for less than financially-rewarding exhibitions or semi-pro leagues.

While the rest of the league began signing individual blacks in 1946 and actually drafting blacks in 1949, Marshall held out until 1962 before signing a Black player. Moreover, the signing only came when Interior Secretary Stewart Udall issued an ultimatum – unless Marshall signed a Black player, the government would revoke the Redskins' 30-year lease on the year-old D.C. Stadium (now Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium), which had been paid for by government money and was owned by the Washington city government (which, then and now, is formally an arm of t he federal government). Marshall's chief response was to make Ernie Davis, Syracuse's all-American running back, his number-one draft choice for 1962. Davis, however, demanded a trade, saying, "I won't play for that S.O.B." He got his wish, as the team sent him to Cleveland for All-Pro Bobby Mitchell. Mitchell was the first African American football player to play a game for the Redskins, and he played with the team for several years, initially at running back, but he made his biggest impact at wide receiver.

The Redskins became the final pro football franchise to integrate in 1962.


Saturday, September 12, 2009

One Black Gay Man's Take on Marriage Equality
By Steve A. Williams
(A Guest Nubian Knight's Perspective)


One Black Gay Man's Take on Marriage Equality

by Steve A. Williams

(A Guest Nubian Knight's Perspective)


Unlike many Black gay and same gender loving (SGL) men I believe in marriage equality- plain and simple. Many Black lesbian/gay/bisexual/trans/queer/same gender-loving (LGBTQSGL) people say there are other issues more important than marriage equality. Housing, education, health, violence are always the issues that are mentioned when the subject comes up. But when I ask why is there no agenda to address any of these issues in our community, I generally get no response other than there are more important things to deal with.

I think the lack of an agenda is a reflection of the lack of leadership in the Black LGBTQSGL community. Few of the issues raised by Black gay folks who don't support marriage equality are on the radar of most of our institutions. There is little past the ongoing cry for more dollars to fight AIDS which is a battle we are losing if you consider the statistics. Those of us who want marriage equality are not opposed to fighting hate crimes, combating poverty, or AIDS. Some say the absence of Black LGBTQSGL folks in news coverage of rallies and protests is an indication marriage equality is not a priority for us. We [Black folks] know all too well how selective the media can be when it comes to fair and accurate representation. Faces of color are often left out of the equation. However there are Black LGBTQSGL folks in the trenches fighting for the right to marry. The documentary "Jumping the Broom" shows several Black same-sex couples who discuss their desire to marry. There is also the Jordan/Rustin Coalition in California. Their website states, "The group was envisioned to engage the African-American community to work on marriage equality while building a movement of LGBT African Americans and allies who are committed to grassroots organizing." So, I don't buy the argument that we are not interested in marriage.

My support for marriage equality is not about validation. Nor do I see marriage as a preferred state of being. I just want to be treated as much an equal for my orientation as I do for the color of my skin. I am particularly dismayed that AIDS has not made Black gay men more keenly supportive of the right to marry. Many of us who have lost life-partners have also been victimized by the relatives of those loved ones in our time of grief. Relatives have intruded into the lives we built and homes we made, disregarded final wishes, challenged wills, even left some of us homeless. Who would not want protection from that?

And perhaps this is where the problem with marriage lies for us. Marriage means recognizing ourselves and relationships in very different ways. Marriage may be a whole new level of coming out we have not anticipated. And coming out means combating internal and external homophobia. Perhaps this is why so few of our leaders are in support of marriage equality. Maybe our leaders are wrestling with what family really means as many of us are. Maybe our leaders are leaving their life-partners at home during the holidays. And it is one thing to have your folks accept you as gay, bi, whatever. It is certainly another to have mom and dad be happy for you when you call and say your same-sex partner just proposed on bended knee.

As more states adopt laws providing the right to marry for LGTBQSGL people, those of us who want those protections now will become even more present, more out in the larger community. We will talk more openly at the water fountain about how we spent our weekends; we will hold hands in our places of worship, we will be more demonstrative of our love in public. There may be a kind of spill-over effect where Black gay folks who are out in some areas of their lives will be encouraged to be out in every corner of their lives. With the law on our side we will stand up for our rights and seek legal recourse in the face of discrimination. We will see ourselves as fully entitled. This process of re-conceptualization will cause us to view our lives and choices differently. We will want the same regard that is afforded our heterosexual relatives when they marry. We will require a seat at the table for our partners and invite our relatives and friends to share in our own rituals in our own homes. Marriage equality could be the beginning of the normalization of our own liberation to ourselves.

Rather than establishing hierarchies around our needs, Black LGBTQSGL people should consider what relationships exist between marriage equality and other issues of concern and consider what impact marriage equality may have on those issues. Again, I am not advocating everyone get married. Just that the rights and responsibilities that come with marriage are connected to some of our other needs and can be used to facilitate the justice that is our right as citizens.

September 11, 2009

UrbanSocialites | Status & Image Redefined
View The Publication Online & The Website

Click Da Pic To View The Latest Issue Online
http://issuu.com/urbansocialites/docs/urbansocialites

About Us...

UrbanSocialites
is at once an interactive Social community. It strives to enhance the cultural awareness of the urban-minded by profiling people of color in all genres. UrbanSocialites acts as a source of encouragement for the subjects of its profiles, as well as the subscribers exposed to them.


Our goal is to develop the Urbanite by defining individuality, stepping outside of the status quo and redefining the cultural limits of the subscriber's lifestyle. This community stands for diversity, holding no barriers to gender, race, or particular culture or subculture.

http://www.urbansocialites.com/


Friday, September 11, 2009

Caster Semenya,
The 18-Year Old South African Champ
Determined By Test That She's A Hermaphrodite
Having Both Male and Female Organs.




I wish people would leave her THE FUCK alone and let her compete!!!

So now that it is determined that Caster Semenay is a hermaphrodite (having both male and female organs), and doesn't fit neatly into a male or female "gender" or "sex" role by some of society's standards, "Semenay could be stripped of the gold medal she won in Berlin last month and her competitive future is in limbo".

WOW! Folks are FUCKING ridiculous! I say she should ne able to compete in male and female track races, and I hope she kicks everybody's ass in the process!... Read More

JUST KNOW I LOVE YOU, CASTER, JUST THE WAY YOU ARE!!!!!

ROD




Caster Semenya, forced to take gender test, is a woman ... and a man
BY Oren Yaniv
DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER

Updated Thursday, September 10th 2009, 1:50 PM


Caster Semenya Talks To Press
During The Team South African Press Conference.


Tests show that controversial runner Caster Semenya is a woman ...and a man!

The 18-year-old South African champ has no womb or ovaries and her testosterone levels are more than three times higher than those of a normal female, according to reports.

The tests, ordered by The International Association of Athletics Federations after Semenya's 800-meter victory in the World Championships, determined she's a hermaphrodite - having both male and female organs.

Semenya could be stripped of the gold medal she won in Berlin last month and her competitive future is in limbo, according to Australia's Daily Telegraph.

The athletics governing body is also expected to advise her to have surgery to fix the potentially deadly condition, the paper reported. The IAAF would not comment on the results that have yet to be released.

According to a source with knowledge of the IAAF tests, Semenya has internal testes - the male sexual organs that produce testosterone.

Testosterone is a hormone responsible for building muscles and for producing body hair and a deep voice.

Confirmation of the test results is sure to stoke the controversy that erupted after the university student's sensational track triumph.

She has been embraced in her home country - where she was declared "our girl" - and appeared on a magazine cover after a feminine makeover.



"I see it all as a joke, it doesn't upset me. God made me the way I am and I accept myself. I am who I am and I'm proud of myself," she told You Magazine, which ran a photo spread.

"I don't want to talk about the tests. I'm not even thinking about them."

Thursday, September 10, 2009

TWN - Third World Newsreel
TWN Workshops: The Fall 2009 Edition!
New York City





MISSION / ABOUT US...


TWN is a 501(c)3 nonprofit alternative media arts organization that fosters the creation, appreciation and dissemination of independent film and video by and about people of color and social justice issues.

It supports the innovative work of diverse forms and genres made by artists who are intimately connected to their subjects through common bonds of ethnic/cultural heritage, class position, gender, sexual orientation and political identification. TWN promotes the self-representation of traditionally marginalized groups as well as the negotiated representation of those groups by artists who work in solidarity with them.

Ultimately, whether documentary, experimental, narrative, traditional or non-traditional, the importance of the media promoted by the organization is its ability to effect social change, to encourage people to think critically about their lives and the lives of others, and to propel people into action.



www.twn.org/



| TWN Workshops: The Fall 2009 Edition!




Wednesday Night Workshop Series
(But not always on Wednesdays!)

Walk-in seminars on production topics you need - from production management, cinematography, new media production, sound recording and new camera technology. All Classes $20 ($10 low income) unless otherwise noted.


Wednesday, September 30th, 6:30 PM
PRODUCTION PLANNING AND BUDGETING WITH ANN BENNETT
Preparing to produce your film - from research to production and post and distribution, with a special focus on budgets. Led by Producer/director Ann Bennett, whose credits include WGBH, Blackside, WNET, HBO and who is currently the multimedia producer for Through a Lens Darkly.


Wednesday, October 7th, 6:30 PM
SOUND RECORDING: Tips for better results, and a look at New Gear! With JT Takagi
An intro to getting decent sound and a look at some of the more popular mixers, hard drive recorders and radio mikes, courtesy of Professional Sound Services.


Wednesday, October 14th, 6:30 PM
VISIONS AND LIGHT WITH LARRY L. BANKS ** FREE **
Director of Photography Larry L. Banks, with credits on features such as Juice, Strapped, and Fly by Night, and working with Spike Lee and Forest Whitaker, will talk about his approach to cinematography. Having started as an electrician, and then becoming a gaffer before moving into DP work, Banks' vision is very much impacted by his work with light. Now also the Chair of the Long Island University Media Arts Department, Prof. Banks will show clips from his work, and also talk about getting into the business, the union and moving into directing his own films.


Tuesday, October 20th, 6:30 PM
NEW APPROACHES TO FUNDRAISING
** FREE **
Grants, investors, loans, house parties - how are people raising money now - with various guest speakers. Includes: Shaady Salehi, of Active Voice, on strategies such as their successful "Prenups" program, which helps forge more productive relationships between the media artist and its funders.


Tuesday, Oct. 27th - New Media Series
PART 1: WEB 2.0 WITH THE HIP-HOP ASSOCIATION
Blogging, websites, podcasts, RSS - an introduction to the use and rationale for the various social media. Best practices, how-to's and why-to's and where to find the help to get started.


Wednesday, Oct 28th - New Media Series
Part 2: TRANSITIONING TO NEW MEDIA PLATFORMS WITH ANN BENNETT
It's not enough to make your film for theatrical and television broadcast - you have to plan to have your production work on various media platforms simultaneously. What do you need to know and plan for, and how to get the info you need to "catch up".


EDITING: Final Cut Pro and DVD Studio Pro Workshop

6 week course on Saturday Afternoons This Fall - STARTS SATURDAY, OCTOBER 3rd!
Learn to edit through examining films, exploring media literacy principles - and learning Final Cut Pro and DVD Studio Pro, in a 6 week course on Saturday afternoons from 1-3 PM. The class costs $300 and an application and pre-registration is required. Registration includes free entry to the Wednesday Night Workshops. Taught by filmmaker Alonzo Rico Speight. For application/ info, email: workshop[at]twn.org.
All editing classes are on Saturdays at 1 PM.

ALL CLASSES TAKE PLACE AT:

Third World Newsreel
545 Eighth Avenue, 10th Flr
between 37th and 38th Streets
1, 2, 3, A, C, E, N, R, W to Times Square
212 947-9277 x 15
email: workshop[at]twn.org

COMING SOON:

Web 2.0 WITH THE HIP HOP ASSOCIATION
Blogging, websites, podcasts, RSS - an introduction to the use and rationale for the various social media. Best practices, how-to's and why-to's and where to find the help to get started.

NEW APPROACHES TO FUNDRAISING ** FREE **
Grants, investors, loans, house parties - how are people raising money now - with various guest speakers.

TRANSITIONING TO NEW MEDIA PLATFORMS: WITH ANN BENNETT
It's not enough to make your film for theatrical and television broadcast - you have to plan to have your production work on various media platforms simultaneously. What do you need to know and plan for, and how to get the info you need to "catch up".

Register Now! Email: workshop[at]twn.org


email: twn[at]twn.org
phone: 212.947.9277
web: http://www.twn.org

TWN is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization dedicated to fostering the creation, appreciation, and dissemination of independent media by and about people of color.

TWN is supported in part by The New York State Council on the Arts, The New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, The National Endowment for the Arts, The Ford Foundation, The North Star Fund, The Funding Exchange, The Asian Women Giving Circle, Materials for the Arts, as well as individual donors.

Wednesday, September 9, 2009

Fire & Ink III: Cotillion
Writers Festival, Writers Conference
For SGL People of African Descent
October 8-11th, 2009 in Austin, Texas



“Mixing ‘page’ and ‘stage’ poets with fiction writers, filmmakers, playwrights, journalists and academics at all stages of their careers, the groundbreaking Fire & Ink: A Writers Festival for GLBT People of African Descent, held in Chicago in 2002, helped introduce a wide range of writers to each other and their work in ways previous, mainly non-black writers’ gatherings and small literary salons could not match.”


–“Out No Doubt,” Black Issues Book Review

In 2009, Fire & Ink III: Cotillion will bring together hundreds of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender writers of African descent whose work spans the genres, including fiction, nonfiction, poetry, screenwriting, playwriting, multimedia arts and performance arts. Join writers, readers, thinkers, scholars, editors, publishers, curators, audio and visual artists, students, teachers, media professionals and art lovers from around the country to:

CREATE a body of writers dedicated to reversing negative trends in cultural, literary and artistic marketplaces, while creating more positive, powerful arenas for those expressions.

TEACH, inspire and encourage each other while creating lasting alliances.

DISCUSS the position and importance of Black LGBT literature, culture and artistic expression in the context of national and world literature and artwork.

DEVELOP
and implement strategies to encourage universities, libraries, mainstream and independent bookstores and other venues to integrate more LGBT literature and artwork created by writers of African descent within and outside of traditional curricula and offerings.

PLAN
, share and implement professional and artistic opportunities.