Maryland Film Festival 2012

MFF billboard inside the Tent Village. Photo by Titilayo Akanke

Group gathering outside the Charles Theatre, one of the festival venues, after a film.

Photo by Titilayo Akanke

Morgan State University Director of the MSU Digital Media Center, Keith Mehlinger

waiting for the start of a film in the lobby of the Charles Theatre. Photograph by Titilayo Akanke

      The 2012 Maryland Film Festival provided an opportunity for film lovers to be immersed in the art form as they viewed films from countries around the world, networked, and gained an early perspective about what is new and unique in the independent film industry. Having experienced the most successful year since its inception fourteen years ago, the festival maintained its impeccable reputation for showcasing an eclectic array of films representing various genres and ethnicities. The Maryland Film Festival, unlike Sundance, Cannes, and some of the others, is not one in which films are judged for the purpose of receiving prizes or validation from a particular group. It is more of an arts event in which discerning audiences are seeking alternatives to the the types of productions that seemingly define the medium. According to festival director, Jed Dietz, "Because marketing movies in America is almost solely defined by a few big corporations, much of the creative energy around the world can only be seen at festivals--or though one of the new channels of distribution that seem to pop up (and disappear) daily."

     Some of the films showcased have compelling story lines that convey social or political messages, reveal profound life lessons learned by characters, or endow viewers with spiritual insight. Included among those that met those criteria are: two short films, I Am John Wayne and Fishing Without Nets; three features, Wanda, Supporting Characters, and Found Memories; and the documentary, Under African Skies.

I Am John Wayne
Directed by Christina Choe, I Am John Wayne, featuring actor, Jamir Daaliya as Taco, the central character, is the story of a young black man growing up in urban America and struggling to cope with the senseless killing of his best friend. His solace becomes caring for the horse of his friend as he continues his involvement in an equestrian program sponsored by an organization of Black cowboys in his area. Angry and still very distraught, on the day of his friend's funeral, he decides not to attend. Instead, he takes the horse without permission and rides through the city. He runs into trouble when the horse is stolen and spray painted by some teens with whom he has an altercation. In an emotional filled eighteen minutes, the film conveys social lessons about friendship and loss, political messages about the plight of urban teens in America, and spiritual insight about humanity.

From I Am John Wayne, a promotional photo depicting a scene of Taco riding through the city. 

Director and producer, Christina Choe (right) on stage during the follow-up discussion

after the showing of I Am John Wayne. Photo by Titilayo Akanke

Fishing Without Nets
     Fishing Without Nets, directed by Cutter Hodierne, (written by Hodierne and John Hibey) reveals the story of Somali pirates as they engage in abduction of vessels off the coast of East Africa. Filmed in Kenya and told from the perspectives of the pirates, the seventeen minute film depicts them bantering over the treatment of hostages, and attempting to recruit another young man who is struggling with the moral dilemma of whether to join the pirates or continue to eke out a meager living in his war torn, drought stricken Somalia. The young man, a central character, lives in abject poverty in a one room dwelling and has accepted money from the pirates to feed his starving family and purchase medicine for his sick daughter.

     Awarded the 2012 Sundance Jury Prize in Short Filmmaking, the Sundance Institute says, "by approaching a story of epic scope with an intimate perspective, this visually stunning film creates a rare, inside point of view that humanizes a global story."

Director Cutter Hodierne and co-writer, John Hibey on stage during a discussion 

following the showing of Fishing Without Nets. Photo by Titilayo Akanke

Wanda
Wanda, a 1970s film written and directed by and featuring actress, Barbara Loden, is the story of a young woman who makes all the wrong decisions in life which causes her to lose her children to her estranged husband in a custody battle, and subsequently begins a perilous involvement with Norman Dennis (actor, Michael Higgins), who appears to be a business man, but actually a cold and calculating thief and murderer. Poverty-stricken Wanda lives in a coal-town in Pennsylvania, and for a short while, escapes that life by going on the road with the professional thief who on one hand, abuses her, but on the other, teaches her some valuable lessons about life and survival. When things go terribly wrong with his big bank heist and Norman is killed, Wanda escapes arrest because while driving the get-away car, she gets lost on the way to the bank. By the time she gets directions from a police officer and arrives at the bank, the robbery has ended with Norman's shooting. With no place to go, Wanda returns to her home town.

     The vintage film was the selection of legendary filmmaker and member of the MFF board of directors, John Waters, who each year chooses a classic and hosts a discussion after the viewing. Wanda, the only feature directed by Loden, premiered at the 1970 Venice Film Festival and was showcased at the Cannes Film Festival in 1971. Laced with humor and irony, the film reflects experiences that are sadly familiar in the lives of some women. Though most women will not knowingly establish a relationship with a criminal, many can relate to Wanda's lack of self-esteem, and her search for love, acceptance, and a meaningful place in the world, all of which lead her to make poor choices in her dealings with men.

Actress, producer, writer, and director, Barbara Loden (promotional photo).

Supporting Characters

Written by Tarik Lowe and directed Daniel Schecter, Supporting Characters narrates a period in the lives of two best friends and business partners, Darryl (Tarik Lowe) and Nick (Alex Karpovsky) when their friendship is tested as they navigate through the film industry as editors. They disagree on the artistic direction of a particular work as they edit, and they have to decide whether money or loyalty to the principles and terms of their business partnership and friendship will govern their actions. The lives of Darryl and Nick are further complicated by ethnic differences and estranged relationships with the women in their respective lives. Supporting Characters is a film about making films as it has one of its story lines, the complications, pitfalls and nuances of producing movies. However, it is profoundly communicates the social and spiritual messages of how relationships define and impact lives. 

A scene from Supporting Characters (promotional photo).

Writer, actor Tarik Lowe, talking with MFF staff inside the MFF Tent Village. Photo by Titilayo Akanke

Found Memories

Found Memories, directed by Julia Murat, depicts Brazilian village, Jotuombo, populated entirely by elderly citizens who quietly go about their daily routines giving little thought to their uneventful existence, places in the world, or purposes in life. Still without modern conveniences and luxuries, the members of the town live very simple lives, unencumbered by many of the problems and concerns of contemporary societies. When a young female photographer, Rita (played by Lisa Favero), stumbles upon the village during an extended hike through the Brazilian Paraiba Valley and requests to stay for a few days in order to regroup, the aged citizens agree. She pursues her natural inclination and asks to photograph the town and its people, which after some trepidation, they also allow. Her documentation of their lives and community is a somewhat unwelcome disruption at first, but eventually evokes meaningful reflection that impacts every one's existence, including the youthful Rita.

     The mystique of the film is that it paints a fantastical possibility of an aged, self-sufficient clan who has shut out the world and its prejudice against age and ethnicity, and has rejected materialistic stipulations that define worth. Though Rita's presence interrupts their lives, Found Memories leaves viewers with the impression that some aspects of the villagers' lives may change, but the essence of their peaceful coexistence and undaunted spirits will remain.

Scene from Found Memories in which Rita photographs a

nude, Madalena (actress Sonia Guedes). Promotional photo.

Under African Skies

The documentary, Under African Skies, directed by Joe Berlinger, revisits the controversy sparked in 1984 when artist, Paul Simon, visited South Africa to record an album in defiance of an international cultural boycott protesting apartheid. The album, Graceland, which earned Simon a Grammy, showcased Simon's collaboration with a host of South African groups and musicians including Miriam Makeba, Hugh Masekala, Ladysmith Black Mombazo, and Stimela. In 2011, Simon returned to South Africa for a reunion with the musicians in conjunction with the twenty-fifth anniversary of the release of Graceland. The film features interviews with the musicians, political activists and organizational leaders, including those of the African national Congress (ANC), and other notables including Maya Angelou, Harry Belafonte, Oprah Winfrey, Whoopi Goldberg, Lorne Michaels, Quincy Jones, and Paul McCartney. Archival footage from the Graceland World Tour provides a backdrop of music for political analysis about the effects of aparthied, the historical events that finally ended it, the ramifications of Simon hiring black musicians, and the impact of his refusal to participate in the boycott.

Gathering of musicians during the recording of Graceland. Promtional photo.

Candid Moments from the Festival

Professors Darryl Wharton-Rigby and Keith Mehlinger in

 the lobby of the Charles Theatre between films. Photograph by Titilayo Akanke

Professor Wharton with director and Baltimore native, Sheldon Candis, producer of Luv which premiered at the festival. Luv is a somewhat autobiographical depiction of the the director's experience of growing up as an African-American male in an urban setting. The film features Common, and played to sold-out audiences each night.

 Standing by. Photo by Titilayo Akanke

Reflections and food between films at a Charles Street cafe. Photo by Titilayo Akanke

Dark Girls Documentary Film

     The documentary, Dark Girls, takes a candid look at "colorism," a prejudice within one's own ethnic group about skin color. Producers and writers, Bill Duke and D. Channsin Berry, are showcasing the film in a theatre tour that includes discussion after viewings. Taking a non-traditional route to showcasing the film, they have chosen the approach of stage play and concert producers, saying if plays and artists in concert can tour, a film can most certainly do the same. Showings of the film began on the East Coast in Baltimore, Philadelphia, and at the Apollo in New York City, and in upstate New York in Buffalo.

     "Is life different for women who are darker than most?" is the controversial question raised in the film. Because of the historical relationship of African-Americans with slave masters and white supremacy, it has been a longstanding, though negative aspect of the culture that light skin and straight hair have been the acceptable standards of beauty. In some circles, the "paper bag test" has been the criteria that determined acceptance or rejection. In securing careers, selecting mates, negotiating social circles, joining organizations, and in some cases, churches, the code was that one had to be lighter than a paper bag. Despite contemporary advances of African-Americans and greater acceptance of the diverse hues that characterize the race, the people in the film share painful experiences of distain, prejudice, and rejection related to dark complexions.

     As this bias is passed from generation to generation, children and teenagers have become the victims and perpetrators. In a psychological test similar to the infamous Doll Experiment of the 1940s in which black children repeatedly attributed positive characters to white dolls and negative ones to black dolls, a little girl in the film was instructed to give feedback about five drawings for which the only difference was complexion. The child equated the drawing of the light skin person to being smart and pretty, and that of the dark skin girl to being dumb and ugly. A teenager wished she could wash her color off because she felt dirty, and she hated her father because she inherited his dark complexion. Another asked her mother to put bleach in her bath water to lighten her skin. Still another teenager spoke of an instance in which she overheard her mother bragging about her (the daughter's) brillance and beauty, but added, could you imagine how much more beautiful she would be if she was lighter. After generations of attempting to eradicate colorism, it is still a pervasive issue for youth who inherit the physical predisposition for melanin rich complexions.

     Expert psychologists, historians, sociologists and others in the film point to several possibilities for addressing the issue. Colorism is a learned attitude that can be unlearned, according to one expert. There is nothing in human DNA that makes people inherently hate dark skin. As African-Americans and other ethnic groups continue to assimilate into American society, the perception of beauty must be continually challenged and redefined.

     People have to be self-assured and avoid becoming mesmerized by the standards perpetuated by mainstream media, and stop relinquishing power to social systems and political policies that do do not operate in their favor. There must be a collective effort to analyze images, understand their impact, work to heal wounds that have been inflicted, and change the awareness of self. Knowing history, defining goals and methods of repatriating culture, and realizing that the sum total of experiences helps determine identity are all key factors in addressing colorism. Families must play a role in combating negative attitudes. Black men must address the needs of family, community and Black women. Mothers must teach daughters that they are beautiful and to love themselves.

     Embracing and loving self should not be overlooked in combating colorism. "You are the keeper of your soul," says one interviewee. If you don't love and cherish yourself, how do you expect anyone else to...and loving oneself does not mean hating anyone else."

     Accordint to Berry, "the skin discussion is one we need to have once and for all...so we can eradicate it."

     Berry and Duke are currently working on another film, The Yellow Brick Road, which examines the experiences and suffering of light skin people. They maintain those of fair complexions have a story to tell as well, and pain is pain regardless physical appearance. Dark Girls received the Audience Choice Award at the Pan-African Film Festival, and is rescheduled to show in the Toronto Film Festival  in September. It is scheduled for release on DVD at the end of the year. For more information, visit www.officialdarkgirlsmovie.com.

    

    

Dance Theatre of Harlem Ensemble

      Magnificent and spellbinding was the general consensus of viewers about the performance of Dance Theatre of Harlem Ensemble at Morgan State University's Murphy Fine Arts Theatre in Baltimore. The presentation included hip hop and contemporary movements, modern, jazz, interpretive, and Dunham, but maintained classical ballet as it foundation. Because of the company's cadre of loyal supporters and stellar reputation in the world of dance, a viewer commented that dancers and artistic directors from around the state were undoubtedly in the audience as they deemed attending the show mandatory.
   
The program opened with "Six Piano Pieces Harlem Style," a showcase of traditional ballet with acoustic piano accompaniment by Melody Fader. This segment was underscored by precise synchronization in various combinations of solos, duets, and group pieces.

     Choreographed and described by Robert Garland as "post-modern urban neoclassicism," the next segment entitled "Return," featured performances to the music of James Brown and Aretha Franklin. "Mother Popcorn" integrated modern, ballet, and classic James Brown movements popularized with the release of the song in 1969. The next dances, performed to Aretha Franklin's "Baby, Baby, Baby" and "Call Me," transitioned from up tempo and rhythmic to smooth and graceful. "Baby, Baby, Baby" began with dancer, Mayuko Shoka, performing a short, dramatic solo with no musical accompaniment and was accented by the stage and backdrop lit in scarlet red. As she was joined by male dancer, Frederick Davis, for a duet, music was introduced, lighting changed, and the piece was completed with other dancers joining. "Call Me," featuring dancer, Renee Bharath Kim, revealed the tender story of a young women being wooed by several men as she emoted to each on the lines, "I love, I love you, and I love you too." The mood shifted once again as the high energy instrumentation of James Brown's "Superbad" (originally released in 1970) and "I Got the Feelin'" inspired dancers to incorporate ballet, Dunham, 1970s dance steps, and a Soul Train Line.

     The mystic blue, dream-like segment, "In the Mirror of Her Mind," was choreographed by Christopher Huggins and performed to the "Symphony of Lamentation Songs" by Polish composer, Henryk Gorecski. Dancers, Alexandra Jacob Wilson, Fredrick Davis, David Kim and Jehbreal Jackson masterfully conveyed emotional turmoil and evoked empathy. The final act, "Contested Space," featured a contemporary musical composition of African drum rhythms and other percussions, jazz inspired strings, and synthesized riffs. Dancers matched the intensity of the rhythms by combining Dunham, ballet, and African inspired movements.

     "Incredible! I didn't even know the human body could do those things," an audience member commented as theatre goers socialized at the close of the event.

    Dance Theatre of Harlem Ensemble delivered a flawless presentation that unquestioningly upholds the company's reputation for cultivating some of the finest talent in the country. Dynamic, non-traditional costuming and superb lighting expanded the dimension of the show and accented the tone and mood of each dance. In general, lovers of dance and the performing arts no doubt left the theatre with a renewed commitment to hone their crafts and continue supporting the arts.

    
     Dance Theatre of Harlem, founded more than forty years ago, has maintained a focus of training young people in classical ballet and associated arts, providing arts education, community outreach and positive role models while it presents "a ballet company of African-American and other racially diverse artists who perform the most demanding repertory at the highest levels of quality." Artistic Director, Virginia Johnson, is a founding member and was the principal ballerina until she retired from the stage in 1997. Dance Theatre of Harlem Ensemble, under the direction of Baltimore native, Keith Saunders, is the second company of the organization. As the name indicates, the Dance Theatre of Harlem School is located in New York City's Harlem community. With scholarships and tuition assistance, every year, the school serves more than 500 students from the inner city and around the world, regardless of ethnicity or economic circumstances. For more information about the school, the company, or bookings, visit their website, www.dancetheatreofharlem.org.

Political Pundit Donna Brazile - Civility in the National Political Discourse

     As we prepare for the impending 2012 presidential election, political pundit, Donna Brazile encourages political discourse and examination of the issues, but advises that it is possible to do so without denigrating and attacking each other. In her recent address at the Weinberg Center Y of Central Maryland, Brazile paid tribute to the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, saying that if he were alive, he would rebuke those in the political arena contributing to and perpetuating negative dialogue.




     Brazile says although it is difficult to remain civil in this political environment, it is possible by adhering to several simple principles: faith, love, humility, and trust.

     "Dr. King taught us that faith is taking the first step, even when we can't see the stairs," Brazile said. "Love is the key to many or our problems. I will not let anyone occupy my heart with hate. When I get angry, I try to figure out how to make someone else's day better."

     Brazile says attend political debates, but remain humble enough to listen to opponents objectively. Respect those with whom we do not share views, and to quote an old adage, "disagree without being disagreeable." Figure out how to turn negativity into positivity. Rather than dwell on loses and failure, focus on opportunities. Distrust, one of the impediments to civility, must be conquered, and that will happen through dialogue. Name calling has to stop, but responding to it is also unacceptable for Brazile was taught, "it is not what someone calls you, but what you answer to."

     The political activist is passionate about the future of the youth, and is an advocate for the underserved and underprivileged. She encourages young people to work within the system to improve it, to vote, and run for public office. Brazile is particularly disturbed by denigration of those living in poverty, and says that dignity of those in economic distress must be defended and needs must be addressed.

     In the upcoming election, Brazile is confident that President Barak Obama will be re-elected. She looks at it from a mathematical perspective. If everyone who voted in 2008 votes for him again, he will receive enough votes. In framing the political discourse, she says it is important to discuss why we want President Obama re-elected, rather than why we don't want the republican candidate. She has faith that he can help put America back on track despite the gridlock that currently exists.

      Photos by Titilayo Akanke

     Donna Brazile is a political analyst who regularly appears on ABC's This Week, as well as an on-air contributor to CNN and NPR. She is a syndicated columnist, an adjunct professor at Georgetown University, and the author of the best-selling memoir, Cooking with Grease: Stirring the Pots in American Politics. She has been involved in the political arena for 42 years, since she was a child, and has participated in seven presidential campaigns. She is the founder and director of Brazile and Associates, LLC, a grassroots advocacy, consulting, and training firm based in Washington DC. She has received several honors for her work including being named one of Oprah Magazine's 20 Remarkable Visionaries, 100 Most Powerful Women (Washingtonian), and Top 50 Women in America (Essence). She also received the highest award for political achievement from the Congressional Black Caucus.

    

August Wilson's Jitney

Jitney, by August Wilson, was recently produced by Theatre Morgan and showcased at Morgan State University's Carl Murphy Fine Arts Theatre.

      Set during the 1970s in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, Jitney is the story of several struggling African-American struggling to earn livings as jitneys while coping with the issues impacting their lives. The protagonist, known simply as Becker (Roscoe Orman), owns the jitney service which has been been located in the same place for 18 years. He learns that the city is planning to condemn and demolish all the property on his block. Becker conceals that information for two weeks from the drivers,Turnbo (Grant Chism), Fielding (Grant E. Harvey), Youngblood (Brian Jamal Marshall), and Doub (Keith Snipes) until one of them inadvertently learns about it and tells the other men.

                                                                                                                    

    

     While the men are trying to decide what they will do when the place closes, Becker's son, Clarence (Jerome Banks-Bey), is released from the penitentiary after serving 20 years for a murder conviction, during which the two had no contact. Becker blames Clarence for the mother's death saying that Clarence's original sentence to the electric chair was more than his mother could bare. Clarence holds no grudge against his father and wants to reconcile, but Becker stubbornly refuses, calling his son "Mr. Murderer," and telling him he is "unfit to live in society."

          Further complicating the situation are the dynamics of the other men's personal lives. Fielding is near alcoholic who tries to hide his drinking. Turnbo is liar and gossip, always in every body's business and continuously starting confusion. Youngblood is Vietnam veteran working two jobs to provide for his son and the child's mother, Rena (Erin Stevenson). He wants to surprise her with the deed to a new home. However, Rena thinks Youngblood is spending so much time away from home because he is seeing another woman, and Turnbo feeds her insecurity.

     Shealy (Massimo Delogu) and Phillip (Gordon G. Torney), friends of the drivers, frequent the headquarters. Shealy, despite repeated reprimands from Becker, uses the establishment as the office for his number running business. Philmore frequently needs jitney services as he slyly circumvents the issues with the women in his life. Doub, Becker's partner for twelve years and long time friend, is the voice of reason and the peacemaker in the group. Before the men can enact their plan to challenge the take-over of the property, Becker is suddenly killed in an accident. Much to Clarence's chagrin, he and his father never reconcile.

    

      Overall, the production was superb. The actors delivered dialogue and performances that were rich with the subtleties and dynamics that evoke emotion from an audience. Shealy added humor as he repeatedly talked about the woman who still loved him even though they had not seen each other in 22 years. Becker's refusal to reconcile with his son was painful and difficult to accept. Brief appearances and the a cappella harmonies of the young Doo-Wop Boys (Tamauri Forest, Royal Simms and Jordan Lunsford), added charm and the youth dimension to the production. With more training, experience, and the maturation of their voices, they have a fine future in show business.

     Costuming was believable and the set design was good, but there were some minor problems with blocking. There were a number of times during the production when backs were turned to the audience as actors turned to listen to or acknowledge someone else on stage. Perhaps that is an old school rule of theatre that no longer applies; it was nonetheless, quite distracting. There were also instances when actors were obscured behind someone else as they delivered lines. In its entirety, the production upheld Theatre Morgan's tradition of delivering outstanding presentation, and honored the work of the distinguished the playwright.

     August Wilson is renowned for his ability to capture the essence and sanctity of African-American culture. His work reveals the plight of average, hard working men and women struggling against poverty and racism, and embracing the sorrows, bitterness, joys and triumphs of life. His body of work includes: Radio Gulf (2005); King Hedly II (2001); Gem of the Ocean (2004); Jitney (2000); Seven Guitars (1996); Two Trains Running (1992); The Piano Lesson (1990); Joe Turner's Come and Gone (1998); Fences (1987); and Ma Rainey's Black Bottom (1984). Wilson received seven New York Critics' Circle Awards, a Tony for Fences, and two Pulitzer Prizes for Fences and The Piano Lesson. Wilson joined the ancestors October 2, 2005 after succumbing to liver cancer.

Bob Marley in Detroit - 1979 - Excerpts from Press Conference

     On Bob Marley's last visit to Detroit in November 1979, as a staff writer for the Michigan Chronicle newspaper, I covered the concert at Cobo Arena, and the press conference afterward at the hotel (Book Cadillac). It was my first Reggae concert. Below are excerpts from the press conference which included a number of media representatives. 

Press: How will civilization react when the world is united?

Marley: When black people unite, then others will unite in a sense of righteousness...When the world is united, everything a cool...There will be no competition in the world. There will be no more country against country. People will deal with one good.

Akanke: In terms of revolutions, are Rastas waiting for Jah to come and change things?

Marley: Jah live in a man. We want people to understand that they are someone. Man make laws in America and everywhere, but some are not for the benefit of all mankind. We need truth in this time...When you talk about revolution, it's not a man thing. It's bigger than that. The revolution means one unity, one heart, one thing... We have to sing one song, as one choir. The only thing that can unite the people right now is themselves, which is Jah...

Akanke: What is the role of women in the Rastafarian Movement:

Marley: Women fight the revolution. Women is culture. You can't keep a woman from Rasta. She likes to put on prettiness, but if she is Rasta, she is ital. If you like how God make you, you live longer and you think better. You can't try to be the way society and the system try and make you. She is a mother, a nurse, she is everything.

On What Should African-American Focus for 2012?

     African-Americans face a plethora of issues that must be simultaneously addressed to ensure our continued survival and development. Those include health, economics, education, and community security. Ongoing health and nutritional crisis require improvement in preventative measures such as access to wholesome food and knowledge about good choices that promote optimum health, as well as affordable health care. Resources must be pooled for the development of businesses and institutions that promote economic growth and stability. Education must provide an academic foundation for higher education, facilitate skills development, and instill values that combat the negative influences to which we fall victim. We must secure and rid our communities of the violence, drugs, and other crime that denigrate and destroy us.

     With these seemingly insurmountable challenges threatening our survival and contributing to the continued deterioration of our families, communities, and institutions, how do we save ourselves? Obviously, as with any task or goal, we must look at steps that can be taken now and those that are more long term and future focused.

     However, in order to plan for the future, we must actively involve ourselves in immediate strategies that improve our conditions, empower us, and ensure a prosperous, healthy, and positive future? But what are they? On what should African-Americans focus for 2012?

    Mama Imani Humphrey
   Founder, Director Aisha Shule/W.E.B. DuBois Preparatory Academy
    
     We are so broken as a people, and we have lost our focus. We need to focus on developing our unity. We must study our environment, the politics of cities and states, social relations, and how we interact with each other. We need to figure out why we hate each other, why we don't treat each other right, and why black women are denigrated. We need to take a historical approach with our studies, and I would like to see a curriculum developed around these elements. We also need to focus on cooperative economics and develop our businesses and restore our communities.

   Atiba Sanyika
   Tailor and Fashion Designer, Sanyika International
    
     The first thing that comes to mind is survival. With so many homes and institutions being lost, survival is crucial. When I look at the worldwide economic picture, things are desperate. We have to continue to provide for our families, and keep our communities and institutions viable. In order to move to the next level, we have to find creative ways to survive, then move to a point beyond simply existing. We have to look back into our history and see what it took to survive through the Middle Passage, through slavery and through war and imperialism on the continent. We have to look at what it took to survive on the continent before slavery. We had to grow food, use skills such as carpentry and sewing, which is what I am doing right now. Each of us has to examine our own lives and see what skills we have and what we can contribute. Sankofa comes to mind. We have to look back and apply what we have learned so we can go forward.

                                     Dr. Nubia Kai 

                                Assistant Professor Howard University Department of Theatre Arts

     We need to take to the streets in mass protest. We need a mass movement similar to the Civil Rights and Black Liberation Movements to put an end to the exploitation and social disparities based on class and race, neo-slavery through the prison industrial complex, and injustice. The way the capitalist system is structured, many people cannot buy homes, and are so far in debt, they will never pay off their debts. A more feasible system would be socialism in which the major industries are owned by the people, and health care and education are free. We need to take Occupy Wall Street to another level. It may sound unrealistic, but that's what I would like to see us do.

    Malik Yakini
    Executive Director, Detroit Black Community Food Security Network
    Co-Founder, Nsoroma Institute, African-Centered Chartered School

     There are so many things that we need to focus on that it's hard to name one thing. There is a four-fold global crisis facing humanity: ecological, economics, crisis in the food and water system, and social justice. Currently, the predominate mode of providing food for the majority of the western world is an industrial agricultural system which damages the environment, damages the health of people because of lack of nutrients in the food, and creates a great deal of food insecurity. As the human population continues to grow, that method of food production is unsustainable. So given the four-fold crisis that humanity is faced with, African people have the responsibility of creating sustainable systems that will ensure our survival and development.

Dr. Ahmad Rahman
Associate Professor of History, Director of African and African-American Studies
University of Michigan, Dearborn
    
     We have some issues. Black people should begin to look at methods for bringing about social change outside of voting for a president every four years. Black people have developed a mode of thinking that voting will be our method for change, and if our candidates do not get into office, we are inactive four years until it's time for another election. Voting and demonstrating can be effective tools for ushering in social change, but Black leaders need to examine other ideas and implement other strategies. Dr. King used civil disobedience, marches and demonstrations, but he did much more than that. He and others in The Movement developed an agenda around the issues affecting us and mobilized thousands in a way that brought our concerns to the forefront in attempts to resolve them.




   Titilayo Akanke - Writer, Tutor, Literacy Advocate,
    LAACEI (Literacy Advocates and Contemporary Educational Innovators)
    Graduate Student, Writing Tutor, Morgan State University

      After we examine the many issues facing us, we have to get involved with those groups and causes for which we feel most equipped to make contributions and offer possible solutions. In the words of Kwame Toure (aka Stokely Carmichael), "Organize, organize, organize." Each of us should join an organization that is working toward the goals that we wish to see realized, and if the organization does not exist, start one. It might sometimes seem overwhelming when we look at all the problems in the world, and those in our immediate communities. No one person or organization can solve all problems, and humankind will always have multiple issues that plague us. However, collectively organizing toward a particular goal or resolving an issue can make a difference in the lives of many, and perhaps significantly reduce the negative conditions that bred the problem.

     What do you think? Join the discussion by posting your comments on the blog page or emailing your comments and photo to titilayoakanke@gmail.com or ttakanke@hotmail.com. You can also post on my Facebook page (Titilayo Akanke) or send me a tweet @TitilayoAkanke.