V-DAY Fort Worth approaches - save the date: March 21, 2009

It's amazing how fulfilling all these hours of volunteer organizing can be for me. I sit and incubate ideas, reveling in the possibility of bringing mujeres, girls, grrls, b-girls, songstresses, and others together for a full-on 100% grade-A womanist event in the 817.

The likes of which i have never experienced nor organized in kowtow(n) ever before. And i am truly psyched up.

Every day i meet a new woman, a new comadre (learn that word, dear gents), another member of the sistren of this city with whom i can collaborate, celebrate, divinate a more positive future for we of the xx chromosomal tendency.

I was several weeks ago languishing in an activist paralysis, wanting to make the right decision about whom should help kick-off the MAINSTAGE presentations at Casa Man~ana, where i'll be emcee-ing for 5+ hours. Then, as if a wind could bring a 21st century mary poppins to my doorstoop, a special woman showed up online, with a "friend request" on myspace. Asani Charles arrived, singing "Amazing Grace" in Choctaw, and doing spoken word like the best of the national-scene slam poets. I accepted her as "friend" and she accepted my invitation to be onstage for the WELCOME.

And Brazen Bellies, a multi-generational bellydance/tribal dance group, also greeted me with interest to grace our stage. And
Marcy Paul, who just happened to be in her office at the YWCA on a Saturday, has answered the call to join us. And others
have been summoned, women I emailed or phoned on a hunch: Kimberly of SOA (Starting Over Again), Sarah McClellan (fortworthfeminism blogger), Lindsey of Tolstoy House, and doctoral student Laura Seay who has observed the devastation of femicide in Congo--she's driving up from Austin to share her stories of the women in that African locale of horror and survivor courage.

This first-ever Whole Woman Festival promises to be an event of epic proportions. "Never doubt a woman, at least not to her face." I quote myself when no other words will do.

Okay, here's the scoop, my friends:

If you want to be in on this spectacle of March 21, go to our website: www.vdayfortworth.com and check out the links.

Please help us with outreach and promotion by telling all the women (and girls) you love about this Festival.

We have a "general" downloadable flyer on the website, which you may print off and distribute at will.

The dozen or so of us coordinating this confab are all madly scrambling to finalize the schedule of all our participants and contributing artists--it's a massive list of about 100 women.

The complete schedule will most likely be available on the website very soon. I do think, though, that the programme we distribute on the day of the event will contain all the info an attendee would need.

In brief, let me tell you what we will be presenting at this FIRST TIME IN FORT WORTH festival:

an art exhibit of work that is pro-woman (created by men and women);

vendor tables (of woman-owned businesses);

daytime musicians (who will perform in the outer or main lobby);

a "wellness" area which will consist of scheduled mini-sessions of tai chi and yoga, and a few other interactive practices;

a "red tent" area which will focus on spiritual meditation, open circle sharing and revealing, testifying and healing;

the mainstage presentations (the area i'm overseeing and emcee-ing) of women speaking, ranting, chanting, dancing, showing video, and singing. a variety show by women for women (and girls);

the evening presentation of "The Vagina Monologues" at 7:30pm;

followed by the Afterglow reception (which usually consists of soft music, chocolate, wine/champagne, and very happy women who have just finished a long day of activating one another).

As you can imagine, this will be hard to describe fully in one flyer...so, if you can, spread the word to your family and kindred spirits. the more, the merrier.

The only section of the festival that is NOT free is the "Vagina Monologues" show, which will be the only ticketed event. Tickets are $15 each.

Of course, other things will be for sale or donations will be sought (for SafeHaven, Battered Women's Foundation, and the women/girls of Congo, Africa)...so it will be good for attendees to bring extra $$.

Join the excitement and please SAVE THE DATE:

Saturday, first day of Spring 2009 - March 21st !!

817 FLAVORS hits the local airwaves via FW Cable Television this week!

Our new community-created half-hour show,
EIGHT HUNDRED SEVENTEEN FLAVORS,
will be airing on the
FW Community Television "Open Channel"
(specific channel number depends on your
on-ramp to cable--but for Charter Cable
subscribers, it's 28)

starting yesterday, Monday, February 16th.


The show will be airing repeatedly,
three days a week--at various times of the day--
until we have the subsequent episode prepared
and edited for broadcast.


*****************

EIGHT HUNDRED SEVENTEEN FLAVORS BROADCAST TIMES:

Mondays at 10am
Tuesdays 6:30pm
Saturdays at 3:00pm

******************

Check it out, and feel free to offer your feedback, comments, suggestions.


Yay--it's a launch!!


***********
EXTRA EXTRA!

We have scheduled a FREE screening of our
first episode, to happen at the Embargo Bar
(downtown FW) on Sunday, February 22nd, at 8:30pm,

followed by a live performance
by the amazing El Paso (now based in Oakland, CA)
band known as FUGA!!
(more info at: http://www. myspace. com/fuguista)

Yes, I know it's Oscar night, but please come out and
celebrate with us if you can...

Thanks for your interest and support.


big hug,


Tammy Gomez, Co-producer,
EIGHT HUNDRED SEVENTEEN FLAVORS

______________

FOR YOUR INFO:

Where To Watch Community Cable Television

Charter Cable
Open Channel-28

One Source
Open Channel-32

Verizon
Open Channel-37

AT&T Uverse
All three municipal channels and one FWISD
channel are available on Uverse channel 99.

Tune to channel 99 and click on the Fort Worth
Municipal-Educational tab.







Come celebrate the launch of a rad new 1/2 hour monthly
show for TV (and soon, on the interweb) about folks,
subcultures, art, grassroots organizing and other things
important to you in the 817!

See you Sunday, vatos y chulas! Embargo Bar downtown!

love,
Tammy

_____________________________

From: dEsErTeD pOeTiC

The flyer pretty much says it all so come on out...

Meet & greet the producers,cast, & crew of the community created TV show being called the best thing to hit cable access in days...or decades...or all time. We should be out there @ 8:30 & will air the show @ 9 PM followed by the badass fuguistas desde El Chuco...bring your revolutionary dancing shoes...el fandango se hace este domingo...no dejen de faltar!!!

Oscar-nominated screenwriter Guillermo Arriaga to visit UNT-Denton

In this order do I love and appreciate Arriaga's filmscripts as interpreted by Tommy Lee Jones and Alejandro González Iñárritu: "The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada" (2005), "Babel" (2006), and "Amores Perros" (2000). ("Amores Perros" reminded me of "Short Cuts" (dir., Robert Altman) and a couple of other multi-plot intertwining films, and "Babel" seemed like an internationalized version of "Amores Perros".) This opportunity to hear a living legend of contemporary screenwriting is a gift to the community that anyone who appreciates world cinema should not miss. Folks, these events are FREE! Thanks are due to the UNT administration for their effort in bringing Arriaga to little ole North Texas.


Oscar-nominated screenwriter Guillermo Arriaga to lecture at UNT

What: Writer and director Guillermo Arriaga visits the University of North Texas to give three lectures on filmmaking

When/Where: 6:30 p.m. Feb. 12 (Thursday) in Room 184 of UNT's Radio, Television, Film and Performing Arts Building, located on the corner of Welch and Chestnut Street

7:30 p.m. Feb. 13 (Friday) in the Lyceum of UNT's University Union, located one block west of Welch and West Prairie streets

9 a.m. to noon Feb. 14 (Saturday) in the ballroom (Room 34) of UNT's Gateway Center, located on North Texas Boulevard between Eagle Drive and Highland Street

Cost: Free

Contact: UNT-International at 940-565-2197

DENTON (UNT), Texas -- At a series of University of North Texas events Academy Award-nominated screenwriter Guillermo Arriaga will discuss the filmmaking process and how films can build broader international understanding. The series includes three lectures from Feb. 12 (Thursday) to Feb. 14 (Saturday). All three events are free and open to the public; registration is required for the Saturday event.

The first event, a guest lecture designed for UNT film students and faculty members, will take place at 6:30 p.m. Feb. 12 (Thursday) in Room 184 of the Radio, Television, Film and Performing Arts Building, located on the corner of Welch and Chestnut streets. Arriaga will discuss the process of developing the written word of a screenplay and transforming it into a film.

The second lecture, designed for the general public, will occur at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 13 (Friday) in the Lyceum of UNT's University Union, located one block west of Welch and West Prairie streets. Arriaga will discuss cross-cultural communication and the role of film in developing global interaction.

The second event is part of UNT-International's EncoUNTers speaker series, an international lecture series designed to bring speakers from around the world to UNT to promote cross-cultural understanding through an open exchange of ideas.

For the final lecture, Arriaga will host a master's class to discuss screenwriting and his experiences in cinema. The workshop, designed primarily for film industry professionals and aspiring writers, will take place from 9 a.m. to noon Feb. 14 (Saturday) in the ballroom (Room 34) of UNT's Gateway Center, located on North Texas Boulevard between Eagle Drive and Highland Street. Attendees must register for the workshop by calling 940-565-2197. There are a limited number of seats available and it is recommended that participants register before 5 p.m. Feb. 12.

A native of Mexico, Arriaga explores in his screenplays:

the challenges of communication
the importance of love
the consequences of our actions
contradictions within human nature
clashes among cultures

His films include "Babel", "Amores Perros" and "The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada". He has received Oscar, Golden Globe and Writers Guild of America award nominations and received awards from the Cannes Film Festival and the British Academy of Film and Television Arts.

Through his latest film, "The Burning Plain", Arriaga makes his feature directorial debut. The film stars Oscar winner Charlize Theron, Kim Basinger and newcomer Jennifer Lawrence in a romantic mystery about a woman on the edge who takes an emotional journey to uncover the secret of a past love and meets other characters along the way who are grappling with their own romantic destinies.

Prior to his work in the film industry, Arriaga was a renowned novelist in Mexico for works such as A Sweet Smell of Death and The Night Buffalo. His books have been translated into 18 languages including English, German, Greek, French, Hebrew and Romanian.

For more than 25 years, he has worked as a college professor and directed, produced and written short films, documentaries, television series, and radio and television commercials.

The lectures are sponsored by the UNT's Office of the President, Office of the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs and UNT-International.

For more information, contact UNT-International at 940-565-2197.

UNT News Service Phone Number: (940) 565-2108
Contact: Ellen Rossetti (940) 369-7912
Email: erossetti@unt.edu

This is how i often experience life...

...on the multiple tracks/monitors (spirit, emotion, rhythm, memory, sensation) of my being.



Andrew Baron, you are onto something.

I'm performing "stand-up poetic commentary" on Saturday, Feb. 7 - Paperbacks Plus in Dallas

This time Cesar Hernandez is stepping in to provide the improv digital projections, since Ramsey's in Guatemala. Hello Cesar! Can't wait to try out my new performance experiment in Dallas. Crazy, crude, crunk. And it doesn't rhyme. Show up early for vino, cheese, and USUALLY there's cake.
____________________________________________________

2009 WordSpace and Paperbacks Plus are proud to present

Dr. Hedwig Gorski and Tammy Gomez
Saturday, February 7
8 pm
Paperbacks Plus
6115 La Vista (in the cool Lakewood 'hood, baby!)
Dallas, Texas 75214
214-827-4860
FREE

For More Info: http://www.wordspacetexas.org

Contact: Karen X at kxatlarge@aol.com

WordSpace is Supported in part by The City of Dallas Office of Cultural Affairs.

◊

Dr. Hedwig Gorski is a Polish American gypsy-artist-poet. She coined the term "Performance Poetry" while living in Austin. She is the recipient of many awards including a Fulbright, works with the East of Eden band and teaches creative writing and theater at LSU. Her live radio broadcasts with her band have been re-issued on CD.

Tammy Gomez is a poet, playwright, author, recipient of many prestigious awards, grants and the creator of numerous performance and poetry events. She was voted by the Austin Chronicle as the "Poet Most Likely To Incite A Riot." Tammy is an original and powerful artistic presence, always evolving and reinventing her performance formats.

Maira Kalman - "And the Pursuit of Happiness"

From what I've gathered, this is Kalman's first post to her new blog project which will focus on American democracy.

I've loved Maira's work since I first happened upon her illustrated children's book "Stay Up Late", which is based on a David Byrne/Talking Heads song off of the LITTLE CREATURES album (1985). Right away, I imagined that she and I had the same quirky sense of humor and an appreciation of the absurd. (If you ever catch me in the children's section of bookstores or libraries, it's probably because I'm scouting for additional interesting illustrative/graphic design work being done for kids' books.)

Last year, one of the things that could reliably perk me up or send me to numbered clouds (9, for instance) was Maira's blog "The Principles of Uncertainty." It was zen meets jon stewart meets dali meets dalai. I loved it. These blogposts have been compiled for her new book "The Principles of Uncertainty", about which an Amazon.com reviewer says: "[It]...defies easy classification. Is it philosophy? Art? Memoir? Travel? Sociology? The answer is All of the Above (and more). This charming collection of text, paintings, and photography presents a "profusely illustrated" year in a life, with illustrated musings that range from a young Nabokov "sitting innocently and elegantly in a red chair" to two stuffed rabbits in the window at Paris's Deyrolles taxidermy to Kitty Carlisle Hart at home in her "pearly pink palace." Delightful, inspiring, and often very moving, this little charmer is a book you might find nestled on Wes Anderson's coffee table."

I bet that top-tier sculptor Richard Serra would probably love to be appointed as the first U.S. Minister of Culture, but personally I'd like to see Maira Kalman's name on the short list of considered appointees for this dream job. Like in my dreams...

Kendall, my friend, went to DC and all he sent me was a youtube link!

[Seriously, my good longtime poet-friend Kendall McCook traveled to Pennsylvania to meet his two sons and, together with them, road the rails down to DC for the inauguration. He lives a mere two blocks from me, and I'm vicariously thrilling about what he experienced on the Mall on January 20th. Join me in some good feelings...watch this slideshow of his trip. He's the fella in the cowboy hat and beard. Kendall is good people, por siempre...]

ANA SISNETT memorial celebration today in Austin @ 1pm

allgo celebrates the life of Ana Sisnett; artist, writer, activist, beloved community member and friend

Celebrating Ana. Join us Saturday, January 24, at 1:00 PM as we honor Ana Sisnett’s life and spirit.


Trinity United Methodist Church
600 E 50th St, Austin, TX

Ana transitioned gracefully on Tuesday, January 13, 2009 at her home in Austin, Texas, surrounded by her family and loved ones. Ana was a long-time ALLGO supporter and community member. Her visual art and spoken word performances inspired and moved many at ALLGO events. No one who ever heard her read her poem about how to eat mango was ever the same. She could often be seen at ALLGO events dancing salsa with her signature smile. She was a published poet and writer whose writings are included in several anthologies. She was also the author of Grannie Jus’ Come! a children’s book inspired by her childhood memories of Panama.


Her local, national and international activism included community media, anti-oppression workshops, HIV/AIDS awareness, and community technology training and access. As a "Technomama" during the '90s, Ana provided Internet trainings in English, Spanish and Portuguese throughout the world for organizations including the UN. As the Executive Director of Austin Freenet, Ana sought to ensure technology access for everyone. Her focus was on empowering women and communities of color around the world.


Ana will live on in our hearts and be a spirit of ALLGO for generations to come.


Ana Sisnett’s family requests that, in lieu of flowers, contributions be made to one of the following causes in Ana’s honor:

The Care Communities
7215 Cameron Road
Austin, Texas 78752
Web: http://www. interfaithcarealliance. org

Austin Free-Net
2209 Rosewood Ave.

Austin, TX 78702
Web: http://www. austinfree. net/

Contributions to cover Ana’s medical expenses and final arrangements may be made to:
Priscilla Hale
P.O.
Box 6149
Austin, TX 78762



What I earlier posted on Myspace about Ana:

A beautiful person has passed to the other side: Ana Sisnett ! Presente !
Category: Friends

I had the honor and privilege to work alongside Ana--as poet, media activist, and feminist--and her voice always rung true and loud for me, even as she spoke with a quiet, unhurried tone resounding with empathy and wisdom. Her tremendous grey dreadlocks were easy to spot among crowds of gente--at benefits, protests, cultural celebrations--letting me know that my amazing comadre was in our midst. Ana presented herself with dignity and calm assuredness that could never be mistaken for arrogance. The tremendous work she did as a cultural worker and feminist internet pioneer (she was proficient on the web long before I even knew what a MUD or homepage was) helps to etch her name into the history of Austin, Texas. Ana was from Panama, but grew up in the States. As author of the children's picture book, GRANNIE JUS' COME! and performer of her infamous "mango" poems, she had quite a following from Austin to San Antonio. I'll never forget that New Year's Eve, long ago, when I went to her home to do a special on-request poetry reading for her and a special German friend. It was the highlight of my evening, sharing love poetry for Ana in love. Go gently, as I'll always remember you, TechnoMama! qepd. (For more info, read the Austin American-Statesman obituary.)

Stay well and cherish each day, folks. Live lively, carrying on the work that Ana's legacy inspires us to continue. In her name, and keeping in mind all her gentle reminders, I find renewed strength to do what I am supposed to do: for comunidad, my gente, our planet, our own lives.

Dawning Poem - Inauguration Day, Jan. 20, 2009

6:57 a.m.

there are some mornings, in the course of human life,
when the body will not sleep. will no longer lie prone.
as if by invisible fishing line, i too have been pulled from rest.
when my body knows, it is time, why do you lie there,
there is a new day to be dawned, a new day to be alive,
a new day to get started the work of a new day.

today is such a day.

my body has stirred, perhaps from the bark of a yard dog,
perhaps from the sound of cars moving in unison.
just like everyday, those sounds have sounded in my midst.
but today, my body yearns for a beacon, a bugle call,
to remind me that this is a day to not linger with sleep.

i have had such mornings before.

when i was in nepal, high up in the mountains of Himalaya,
my body would be roused by 5am, my mind briskly churning
with anticipation for the views i could see as soon as
the morning sun would deign to start warming, start shining.
to be in bed was impossible, as my spirit rushed ahead of me,
pulling on clothes, lighting a morning candle,
drawing open the curtains, peeling open a fresh day.

so, too, when i was trapped in my own bedroom closet last year.
at the first sign of dawn, the possibility of renewed light
through the opening beneath the door that miserably confined me,
this light had surely been worth waiting for, but in due time,
the waiting is over. the light starts beaming through,
the body surges with energy, and reserves of ambition you never
thought you could have now push you to get up,
wipe the sleep from your eyes, and get to work chiseling,
get back with increased fervor to the work of carving
one's way out of darkness.

i am excited. heart beating fast, i am thrilled.
it is 7:01 a.m.

and i am not a morning person.

though i am a quick-thinking, hard-working woman,
i have a penchant for deep-sleeping well past sunrise.

but here, in my 4th decade, i am awake
like the most exhuberant child:

hours before the holiday parade,
the first one awake on christmas day,
blinking in bed on birthday morning, wondering
whether the cake will be chocolate or not,
the first day of school with the smell of my new shoes
and freshly sharpened #2 pencils ready for use.

it is dark yet in this room, i could lay back down,
it is not too late to get some more sleep,
i could sneak in a cat nap and be up again later.
i could shut down this awakened state,
and resume dormancy in bed.

but it is now 7:05, and there are people on a lawn,
the hugest green belt in d.c. they have been there for hours,
standing and singing. i think i can hear their song.
their heartbeats have wakened me, and my own pulse is
now racing in unison with theirs.

as well, there are whispers of greeting in family hallways,
footsteps to the the kitchen, as households pull them selves
together for not just an ordinary day.
somehow, the coffee is perkier, more aromatic,
almost jumping out of the pot into our cups,
and we will drink of the morning like we haven't
in so many many a year.

a baby is being born.
a birthday is to be celebrated.
a party is happening soon.
friends just called from the airport.
grandmas coming for the weekend.
you're starting a new job.
today you close on the house.
your son is coming back from iraq.
you fly out in an hour to pick up your adopted daughter.

this is the day that
the hisbiscus blooms,
new software gets released,
a desired email arrives from your lover,
you will be handed a diploma,
you are honored with a medal of service,
you are toasted at a banquet

it is all happening at once,
the anticipation and the rush
towards that sunlight of the day,

and you are there with it, basking in its brilliance,
dispelling all shadows and feeling the promise
and beauty of today.

sleep is for the weary, and weariness is in that bed
and not your body. you feel like jumping on your bike
and breathing in a fresh air, you want to grab the chalk
and draw a huge 'good morning' in the middle of the road
or string balloons from your tree to your neighbor's tree
across the street, you want to wear something special
or you want to hold up a sign--standing in the median
of a busy boulevard--that says something bold,
or grab pots and pans and bang them in a parade or
ask the funny man down the street to please play his bugle
or invite all the children to join you for ice cream,
or sing a loud song and share the words with your friends
or honk your car horn like you're leaving a wedding,
or running running fast
like there's someone waiting with their arms to receive you--
or releasing hundreds of doves in a peace ceremony.

that is our work for this day.
get up and join the others.
feel your excitement, enjoy the surge.
hold hands with everybody, even if just in your mind,
and smile a radiant smile that adds to the light.

we have our hearts on the same page, so let's begin
to cajole a fresh change.
we will work together, alongside like family.

i cannot wait to join you and that is why, dear people,
i am now fully awake.





by Tammy Melody Gomez

scene from "Good Morning, U.S.A." (a dream and call to action)

Latina in black braids to her waist, stands amidst daytime traffic,
holding a sign which reads on one side:
"will NOT work for petty change"
and on the other:
"WILL work for RADICAL change!"

[slow pan across the horizon of the planet, as it breathes a huge sigh of relief]

817 FLAVORS -- it's a wrap, folks_success in the city

[the crew of EIGHT HUNDRED SEVENTEEN FLAVORS, relieved and happy, after our first live taping on Sunday, Jan. 18th in FW]

says co-producer Cesar Hernandez: GRACIAS...to all the cats who worked with us...independently as strict profecionales...couldn't/wouldn't have been as smooth as it was...all the audience members that came out were graciously patient...intrigued i hope...see you on TV.

says camera operator John P: The show went great and it couldn't have happened without everyone working as a team. Until next time....

says co-producer Tammy Gomez: oh, wow, how to begin. house was packed. folks in the good vibe, and all the cameras set to roll, with content that pushes people beyond any self-created boundaries so we push to a new re-created boundless concept of comunidad. theater meets music meets grassroots activism meets visual arts meets talk in the street. a very good time was had. we gave away an Eaton Lake Tonics cd, a Crystal Casey cd, and 7 tickets to the next Q Cinema film screening.
talk about promoting local arts and artists. we doin' this 360 degree-style. puttin' you on top...just wait 'til this joint is thrown up on the 31. canal treinte y uno, amigas y amigos!

MANY THANKS TO THE FOLLOWING PERSONAJE:

natalia "nati" dominguez
mark "theater jones. com" lowry
rodrigo "on the street" pessoa
suzette "go green! green go!" rangel
carlos "dj sol*los" juarez
tony "goodwin" diaz
tay, syntax strange, cristina, crystal casey, tony ferraro, john p,, todd and Kyle, kelsie torres-pelham, FW Cable Television's Rick Leal, doro garcia, ramiro, and Arts Fifth Avenue!

TOGETHER, we makin' the fort aka cowtown aka 817 show the flavor of its true selveseseseseseseses.

love ya truly!

Join our studio audience: live taping Sunday, Jan. 18th for 817 FLAVORS

We will be filming in front of a live audience (that would be YOU and your friends) this Sunday at Arts Fifth Avenue in Fort Worth. Seating is limited...get at us if you want to be part of the experience. Of the community, for the community. RSVP for a spot...

From soundculture project images

JOIN OUR STUDIO AUDIENCE:

SUNDAY, JANUARY 18th - 6:15 doors open (taping @ 7pm, don't be late)

ARTS FIFTH AVENUE
http://www. artsfifthavenue. com
1628 5th Ave, Fort Worth, TX 76104.
(northwest corner of Fith Avenue and Allen Street in the heart of the Fairmount Neighborhood--minutes off of I-35 and I-30)

EIGHT HUNDRED SEVENTEEN FLAVOR - "new project for tv uplifts local talent, voices"
Original rhyme: Syntax Strange
Original audio mix: Spewcataclism
Original video: Cesar Hernandez aka DesertedPoetic

"Vagina Monologues" in FW - AUDITION NOTICE

[Calling all women (teens and older) to participate as performers in the audacious play "Vagina Monologues". I performed the "Bosnian rape victim" monologue in 2005, when we produced the show at Texas Wesleyan University. My co-performers were women from various backgrounds who shared in the empowering spirit of the play. I highly recommend this experience to any woman who wants to work and play alongside some of the most amazing gyno-mite in Fort Worth!]

V-Day Ft. Worth is holding auditions for its 7th annual production of Eve Ensler's legendary "Vagina Monologues", which will be performed at Casa Manana on Saturday,
March 21st, 2009, in Fort Worth.

The performance will be the culminating event of the Whole Woman Festival, which will take place in the morning and afternoon of March 21st--also at Casa Manana.

AUDITION INFO:
Where: Westside Unitarian Universalist Church, 901 Page St., Ft. Worth
(For detailed directions: http://www.westsideuu.org/Locations.htm)
When: January 18th, Sunday, 1:00 - 4:30 PM
What: You may bring in a one minute excerpt from any monologue. Or you may do a cold reading from provided selections. Walk-ins will be welcomed, or you may prefer to schedule an audition time (see contact info below).

For more info, and to access the "Vagina Monologues" script, go here.

Rehearsals: Minimal rehearsals will take place on Sundays starting Feb. 8th.

Please contact Beth Bontley, director, at:
Bethbontley@aol.com or by phone at 817-923-2366.

Manuel Diosdado Castillo, Jr. - passes to the other side at the age of 40

This morning I opened some email to find that MANUEL DIOSDADO CASTILLO, JR., the founder and director of San Anto Cultural Arts--which helps underserved youth through mural-building, a teen-produced newspaper, and media education projects--has died after a brief struggle with cancer.

Manuel or "Manny" as we all called him, was only 40 years old.

I met Manny when he was drumming in a garage punk band at a tiny club off Sixth Street in Austin back in the 1990s. He was friendly and laidback cool, though he was ferocious on drums.

His band, Cleofus Trujillo Trio, played at one of the best parties I've yet to throw, when I lived on rural land on the periphery of Austin's city limits. Again, Manuel was alot of fun, and very kind to me.

Over the years, whenever I chanced to run into him in San Antonio, he was always eager to share stories about his projects at San Anto Arts. He kept inviting me to do a poetry workshop or performance for the youths, but my schedule was not on the same page as his, unfortunately.

His death is a great loss to the music and nonprofit and Westside working-class communities of San Antonio and beyond. A few years back, when Ram Ayala, the owner of Tacoland (legendary club where the Sex Pistols and other infamous bands played), was murdered, Manuel bolted into action by organizing a huge memorial show at Tacoland the very next day.

Manny usually had more than one musical project going at any given moment.

In 2007, I stopped in at Ruta Maya Coffeehouse to rendezvous with compas Karimi, Laura Varela, and la Vicki, when I got to catch the end of his set with the go-go-booted soul singer Suzy Bravo. Wow.

I had been hoping for his band, Snowbyrd, to play in Fort Worth sometime, and he'd almost made it happen last summer on their way south from a gig in Kansas, but alas...

The last time I saw him was in late July of 08, when Ramsey and I rolled through San Anto (NOBODY in San Antonio says "San Antone" by the way) on our way home from Mexico. Manuel was leaning on the bar at an old school conjunto joint where a live band was plunking out the Mexican polkas as couples scooted across the smoke-filled dance hall. He embraced me warmly and offered to buy me a longneck, but alas Ramsey was impatient and smoke-intolerant out in the parking lot.

Some opportunities just never make...

Rest in peace, Manuel. I'll bet there are dozens of San Anto graf writers incanting your name with aerosol colors upon the broken plaster and concrete walls of the barrios tonight...

http://www. mysanantonio. com/entertainment/San_Anto_Cultural_Arts_founder_dies. html

Web Posted: 01/06/2009 9:26 CST

Arts leader Manuel Castillo dies at 40


By Elda Silva - Express-News Staff Writer

Though not a visual artist himself, Manuel Castillo changed the face of San Antonio.


The executive director of San Anto Cultural Arts, an organization responsible for more than three dozen murals on the West Side, Castillo died Tuesday evening after a short battle with cancer. He was 40.


The graduate of Holy Cross High School was a founder of San Anto Cultural Arts, which grew out of Inner City Development, a nonprofit group run by former City Councilwoman Patti Radle and her husband, Rod.


“He seemed happiest when he brought the community together to do good things — to share food together, to share art together, to share music together, and he did so much of that through San Anto,” Patti Radle said.


After news of Castillo’s death, Radle was among his friends who gathered outside the squat, neon-green house that is home to San Anto Cultural Arts. At the vigil, some mourners tucked bouquets into the chain-link fence. Others simply stood in the yard illuminated by streetlights and shared memories.


“He’s always been a guy who took good risks and had an amazing love for what it meant to be community,” said artist Cruz Ortiz, a close friend.


Castillo knew the importance of being grass-roots, Ortiz said, although he never used that word. He kept his programs quiet and low-key, much like himself.


“But you walk around these streets, they all know what the impact was,” he said.


Castillo enlisted friends including Ortiz and artist Juan Miguel Ramos to get San Anto Cultural Arts off the ground. The organization’s first mural was celebrated with a blessing in 1994. In 1997, San Anto Cultural Arts was established as a nonprofit organization, and Castillo was hired as executive director.


“I had some idea of doing public art murals because there wasn’t anything like that going on in the city,” Castillo said in an interview in 2007.


In addition to the mural program, San Anto has a media arts program and publishes El Placazo, a community newspaper featuring articles, poetry and art.


Castillo also was a mainstay on the San Antonio music scene, most recently as the drummer in the experimental rock band Snowbyrd.


“I’m dealing with it,” said a somber Chris Lutz, who sings and plays guitar in Snowbyrd. “The greatest and loudest lead drummer in San Antonio underground rock has left the planet.
”

The band recently recorded a seven-song album. A tribute show is planned for Friday at Limelight.


Radle said she used to tease Castillo by referring to his band as his wife.


“He just loved his band so much, loved music so much, loved drumming and loved what music did for people,” she said.


Arrangements are pending with Castillo Mission Funeral Home.


Express-News staff writers Elaine Ayo and Hector Saldaña contributed to this report.

Holiday happenings tomorrow, Saturday, December 13th, in the Metroplex, Texas

ALL these events and performances are going down tomorrow, Saturday, December 13th in the DFW. Lots to choose from, so get out there (carpooling and combining destinations in one trip is highly recommended)...


International Festival of Lights
East Fort Worth Montessori Academy
501 Oakland Blvd. - 817-496-3003

"a season celebration of peace through cultural diversity" from 4-8pm

featuring: PANTAGLEIZE student theater performance, international foods and music,
fair trade/student world market, sunset labyrinth walk, and drumming with Baba Kwasi

$5 admission includes light refreshments

_______

3rd Annual LATIN AMERICAN CHRISTMAS CONCERT / NAVIDAD LATINOAMERICANA

DFW International Community Alliance is proud to announce North Texas' third annual Navidad Latinoamericana with two concerts.
December 13 at 7:30 pm at Holy Trinity Church: 3811 Oak Lawn Ave, Dallas, TX 75219

(to be presented a second time on the following Saturday, December 20, 2008 at 7:30 pm, at Mary Immaculate Catholic Church: 2800 Valwood Parkway--just east of Josey Lane--in Farmers Branch, TX 75234)

In Navidad Latinoamericana a variety of Latino musical ensembles present the inspiring traditional Christmas rhythms of villancicos, aguinaldos and posadas from Latin America and Spain. Tickets are $5 for adults and are available at the door. Children 10 and younger are FREE.

For more info.: www.dfwinternational.org
_______

Butterfly Connection presents
REINDEERS UNPLUGGED (a new play co-scripted by Rob Bosquez and Kate McDougall)

at the Rose Marine Theater
1440 N. Main St., 817-333-4028

Admission: $8-15 - starts probably at 7:30pm, but call first.
______



Sceneshop presents
A FIFTH OF CHRISTMAS (otherwise known as "Steve McGraw's Christmas for Grownups")

at Arts Fifth Avenue (1625 5th Avenue @ Allen St. - 817.923.9500)
8pm - $10 - not a family show - IF YOU'RE INTO CASH BARS AND RAUNCHY THEATRE FARE, then THIS is your show

_______


This gallery gift show promises to have some funky, crafty, hand-made schtuff that's a far cry from the generic crap for sale in all the shopping mauls. Check it out!

San Anto's CineFestival 2009 - call for entries - deadline Tomorrow!

31st Annual CineFestival Call for Entries
Deadline: Mon., Dec. 8, 2009


CineFestival en San Antonio, the nation’s oldest and longest-running Latino film festival, is seeking films for its 31st annual celebration, which will take place from February 5-8, 2009 at the historic Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center in San Antonio, Texas. The theme for this year's festival is “New World Onda: Building a Dynamic Media Society.”

CineFestival is seeking the best Latino features, shorts, documentaries, animation, experimental films and youth works for its 31th annual festival. The call for entries deadline is Monday, Dec. 8, 2008.

The four-day event, which kicks off on Thursday, Feb. 5, 2009, will feature screenings, workshops, panel discussions, networking opportunities, gala celebrations and musical performances. Sunday will be a seniors and family-friendly film day. Innovative uses of new technology will also be highlighted through competitions, demonstrations of new cameras and software, and the involvement of youth filmmakers from video programs throughout San Antonio.

CineFestival will also feature the prestigious Premio Mesquite audience award and juried awards for Best Feature, Best Short, Best Experimental Film, Best South Texas First Film, and Best San Antonio Young Filmmaker.

CineFestival is ACCEPTING SUBMISSIONS postmarked thru December 8th. For information on how to submit a film or to download the Call for Entries, visit the CineFestival Web site at cinefestivalsa.org. A link to the Withoutabox submission form can also be found at cinefestivalsa.org. For more information, contact Sandra Pena Sarmiento or Victor Payan at cine@cinefestivalsa.org.

The Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center is 501(c)(3) non-profit organization founded in 1980 to preserve, promote and develop the arts and culture of the Chicano/Latino/Native American peoples for all ages and backgrounds through public and educational programming in six disciplines: dance, literature, media arts, theater arts, visual arts and music. For more information, visit www.guadalupeculturalarts.org or call 210-271-3151.


Links:

2009 CineFestival Homepage: http://www.cinefestivalsa.org
Downloadable Submission Form: http://www.cinefestivalsa.org/images/pdf/cf09_entry_form.pdf
Withoutabox.com Submission Page: http://www.withoutabox.com/login/6820

Deathlist Mag's usual suspects send up Beat poetry @ party this Sunday in Dallas

[I absolutely trust the DEATHLIST mag crew to always serve up something irreverent, sometimes distasteful, usually snarky, and NEVER dull! Joey Cloudy makes me snicker. If I can get there, I'm wearing something Beat-y.]

Beat Generation!

Host: Deathlist Mag
Location: Paperbacks Plus, 6115 La Vista Dr, Dallas, TX 75214
When: Sunday, November 16, 7:00PM
Phone: 214 827 4860

"I hope it is true that a man can die and yet not only live in others but give them life, and not only life, but that great consciousness of life." -Jack Kerouac

Free * Wild * Anticipated * Turtleneck-y * Wine-like * Non-rhymed * Pub(l)ic


Local Writers read their favorites of the Beat Generation

Readings by...Joey Cloudy, Opalina, Carlos, Johnny O, Gayle Bell, Mike Clay, and many more.

Music by Swirve (yay, Chris & Tamitha Curiel)!

Open House from 4-7pm today @ Studio 909, a new wellness center in FW

[On Arts Goggle night back in September--omigosh, is it already mid-November?--me and a friend stopped in at Studio 909 for a quick and friendly tour before closing time. It was too late to sample any of the healing demonstrations, but the kind couple who spoke with us welcomed us with glasses of complimentary wine and an invitation to return for a deeper immersion into their onda. Well, now that time has come, as the Studio 909 staff of healing practitioners and crafts-makers are hosting an Open House today, free and Open to all. Special reason to stop in: Mary Elizabeth, whom I just met a few days ago, is offering demos of Thai Massage. She's also going to be involved with V-Day FW in March 2009, as a coordinator of the event happening at Casa Manana. More to come on that...]


free * free * free * gratis * gratis * gratis * free * free * free

STUDIO 909 presents

an Autumn Open House at 909 West Magnolia Avenue (just a couple blocks west of Hemphill, stone's throw from Yucatan Tacos)

from 4pm to 7pm

w/

"Hors d'oeuvres and Delights" "Enjoy Free Samples and Demonstrations" of Feel Good Zaps * Quantum Biofeedback * Reiki * Thai Yoga Massage * Massage Therapy

"Door Prizes" and "Goody Bags"

STUDIO 909 - "creating wellness"
more info at 817.773.2264

TWU's SAY (Socially Aware Youth) host film & Iraq war veteran on Tuesday, Nov. 11th

Socially Aware Youth (SAY) at TWU present

FILM SCREENING AND GUEST SPEAKER DUSTIN ALAN PARKS, IRAQ WAR VET AND FOUNDER OF DFW FOR PEACE

When: Tuesday, November 11th (Veteran's Day), 2008, 6:00 PM
Where: Texas Womens University, CFO building, room 204
304 Administration Drive, Denton, TX 76204

Join Socially Aware Youth (SAY) at TWU for a free screening of the film "The Ground Truth"

With guest speaker: Dustin Alan Parks, former service member and veteran of the Iraq War, founder of DFW for Peace.

About the film "The Ground Truth":

"Hailed as "powerful" and "quietly unflinching," Patricia Foulkrod's searing documentary feature includes exclusive footage that will stir audiences. The filmmaker's subjects are patriotic young Americans - ordinary men and women who heeded the call for military service in Iraq - as they experience recruitment and training, combat, homecoming, and the struggle to reintegrate with families and communities. The terrible conflict in Iraq, depicted with ferocious honesty in the film, is a prelude for the even more challenging battles fought by the soldiers returning home – with personal demons, an uncomprehending public, and an indifferent government. As these battles take shape, each soldier becomes a new kind of hero, bearing witness and giving support to other veterans, and learning to fearlessly wield the most powerful weapon of all - the truth." -- IMDB


SAY (Socially Aware Youth) is a Texas Woman's University organization meant to raise awareness on current events, present new ideas, and educate each other in a discussion and/or debate.

Biweekly meetings will be held at TWU on the 1st and 3rd Thursdays of every month.
Time: 3:30-5:00 p.m.
Location: ASB 304 (TWU)

Lacey Escalante: Group Coordinator
Sheri Carter: Secretary
Heidi Scalice: Treasurer
Christina Perez: Events Committee Chair
Kami Fletcher: Advisor

If you have any questions, comments, or concerns about SAY, please contact Lacey Escalante at lshields@twu.edu

F6 Gallery in Arlington needs submissions for December show

"Call for artists, crafters, tshirt makers, etc, etc. We're now accepting submissions for our December show."

December show: The Gift Show
When: December 13th 8pm-midnight

What we’re looking for: small, affordable art (think Christmas gift-worthy), crafts (handmade goods, clothing, jewelry, accessories, etc), t-shirts (do you design/print t-shirts? Bring it on), other artsy merch.

Each Artist/vendor will have about 5 feet of space wide and up to 12 feet high to hang work either on the wall, or to bring their own table/booth and set up items for the show.

Deadline for submissions is: November 26th.

If you haven​’t shown​ at F6 Galle​ry befor​e,​ pleas​e send a brief​ bio and examp​les of your work to info@​f6gal​lery.​com.

If you have shown​ at F6 galle​ry,​ pleas​e send an email​ to info@​f6gal​lery.​com letting us know you are interested.

Space​ is limit​ed,​ and we’ll​ revie​w entri​es first​-come, first​-serve​!​

For more info about​ submi​tting​ work, go the FAQ page on the F6 Gallery​ website.

Other Arts presents master accordionist Guy Klucevsek on Saturday, Nov. 8th

Guy Klucevsek concert:
Saturday, November 8, 2008 at 2:00 PM
in the auditorium of the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth.
Please note that this is an AFTERNOON concert.

Blurb from Other Arts' director Herb Levy:

Guy Klucevsek (pronounced kloo-SEH-veck) has received international acclaim as one of the most original and unique artists in creative music. After years of study in the Pittsburgh and Los Angeles areas, Klucevsek first emerged to widespread notice as a recording artist in the mid-‘80s as a member of John Zorn-led ensembles. He has since performed in concert and on the recordings of such luminaries as Laurie Anderson, Anthony Braxton, Dave Douglas, Bill Frisell, Robin Holcomb, Kronos Quartet, Natalie Merchant, Pauline Oliveros, Present Music, Bobby Previte, Relâche Ensemble and many others. He has also produced a steady stream of albums as a soloist or leader (20 so far), beginning with 1987’s Scenes from a Mirage and extending through his upcoming 2009 release on Tzadik, Dancing on the Volcano. Sometimes described as a post-minimalist, Klucevsek’s musical palette encompasses classical, jazz, folk, and world music idioms while retaining an unmistakable singular identity, whether performing his own works or those by the many composers he has commissioned.

Without question, Klucevsek is a virtuoso, but his music never presents virtuosity as an end in itself, instead engaging listeners with its uncommon warmth, depth, beauty, and - yes - humor (might his album title Flying Vegetables of the Apocalypse provide a clue?). Klucevsek has also collaborated with numerous choreographers and theater artists including Ping Chong, David Dorfman, and Bebe Miller. His television and film credits include an appearance and performance on the long-running children’s series, Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood, and three John Williams scores for Steven Spielberg -- The Terminal, Munich, and Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.

Tickets for Guy Klucevsek are $20 for general admission; $15 for students and seniors, available at the door.

Other Arts thanks the Arts Council of Fort Worth; Meet the Composer; Canadian Consulate; Mor-Sel Foundation; Linden Realty, Periplum Artes de la Rosa; & individual donors for support of concerts in 2008.

For reservations, subscriptions, discount cards and more information about these & future concerts, please contact: otherarts@sbcglobal.net. Web site up soon at www.otherarts.org

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED. HERB (Other Arts) BRINGS SOME OF THE BEST MUSIC (ONE COULD NOT OTHERWISE FIND) TO OUR METROPLEX STAGES IN WELL-PRODUCED CONCERTS THAT PUTS THE MUSICIAN AND HIS/HER MUSIC FIRST.

Call for Papers and Presentation Proposals: New Destinations in Oral History

Deadline is TODAY, Friday, November 7th - sorry for the late notice.
___________________________________________________________

CALL FOR PAPERS AND PRESENTATIONS
2009 Southwest Oral History Association Annual Meeting
Co-sponsored by USC LIBRARIES/Special Collections/"LA As Subject"
Doheny Memorial Library – USC & California African American Museum

“New Destinations in Oral History”
March 27-29, 2009

The Southwest Oral History Association in partnership with LA as Subject at USC and the California African American Museum invites proposals for papers/presentations for its 2009 annual meeting “New Destinations in Oral History,” to be held March 27-29 in Los Angeles. As the entertainment capital of the world and an important historical nexus, Los Angeles is an ideal place to explore the intersection of oral history, music, and other media from films to migration stories--to oral history in new technologies and spaces--to oral history as social networks. The conference program committee hopes to bring together oral historians, performing artists, filmmakers, scholars, students and other practitioners in a multi-disciplinary, multi-format conference that will highlight the multiplicity of work centered around oral history, entertainment, music and performance. Paper topics and sessions may deal with any aspect of oral history work including interviewing, processing, digital and archival collection methods, and the use of oral history in publications, exhibits, films, and readers’ theatre.

We encourage submissions from the Southwestern states represented in our organization: Arizona, California, Nevada and New Mexico and the U.S./Mexico border regions, as well as those outside the area researching southwestern topics using oral history methodology. The program committee invites proposals from oral history practitioners in a wide variety of disciplines including the humanities, social sciences and applied sciences. We hope to address how oral history is being used by academic and community scholars, museums, historical societies, libraries, teachers, independent researchers, and filmmakers. We are seeking a variety of sessions representing oral history work being conducted through traditional and non-traditional methods in the classroom, community, public and media settings. We would especially like to see proposals describing technology and innovative media, as well as proposals in International languages (note: SOHA can only accommodate a limited number of languages. If you submit a proposal for a panel/ roundtable in a language other than English, please be prepared to provide translation services).

General Information

Submission copies: All applicants must submit one copy of their proposal via email and one paper copy via snail mail at the address listed below. Please include a two sentence abstract and a two sentence biography with your e-mail submission.
Time segments: Plan for a 90 minute session with 5-10 minutes for introductions, 15-20 minutes for each presentation depending on number of participants, and 20-30 minutes for comments and discussion.
Submission descriptions: Include title and one page description of your presentation.
Resumes or CVs: No longer than one page.
Contact Information: Include name, address, affiliation (if any), phones, and email.

Registration: All participants must register and pay the registration fees. A few scholarships and awards are available. Check the web site at southwestoralhistory.org.

Panel Submissions: Submit panel title, and titles of individual papers. We suggest limiting presentations to three people plus the moderator. Presenters usually prepare papers/presentations and submit papers or summaries to the moderator in advance. Please include biographies of all presenters.
Roundtable Submissions: Submit panel title; a one page description of the panel discussion, and topics of individual presenters. Roundtables usually include 3-5 presenters, and a moderator/or commentator. A roundtable is a more informal approach, often with discussions going back and forth among the presenters during the presentation. Please include biographies of all presenters.
Single paper/presentation: Individual papers/presentations may be submitted. The program committee will compose sessions under shared themes for individual papers/presentations.
Creative Non-traditional proposals: These may involve music, drama or readers’ theatre, films, poster sessions or other creative means of presenting oral history projects. Please include biographies of all presenters.

Equipment Needs: Please state equipment needs. Participants may need to provide their own AV. SOHA will try to accommodate equipment requests but we cannot guarantee equipment.

Deadline: November 7, 2008
E-mail 1 electronic copy to:
(E-mail confirmation will be sent upon receipt)
Miguel Juárez, MLS, Program Chair
Migueljuarez.soha@gmail.com
If you have questions, call Miguel Juárez, SOHA ’09 Conference Chair at: 310-709-4608.

8th Annual South Dallas Dance Festival starts tonight

[I received the following announcement from the City of Dallas' Office of Cultural Affairs (OCA) about a 4-day dance festival happening at one of my favorite cultural spots in Big D, the South Dallas Cultural Center near Fair Park.]



SOUTH DALLAS DANCE FESTIVAL STARTS TONIGHT!

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 6 - SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 9
THE 8th SOUTH DALLAS DANCE FESTIVAL : NEW GROWTH!
Beckles Dancing Company
ARGA NOVA DANCE and the South Dallas Cultural Center invite you to the 8th annual South Dallas Dance Festival (SDDF 8), New Growth!

Events will start tonight (Thursday) at 7 pm with a Roundtable discussion on the relevance of dance in various pursuits - health, religion, art, self-expression. The Festival continues Friday and Saturday evenings at 8 pm with performances. A Praise Dance showcase will close the Festival on Sunday at 3 pm.

On Saturday at 1 pm, a master class in African Dance with guest artist Michelle Gibson will enliven the festival as it does every year. Additional events include a film and a reception. SDDF 8 is supported in part by the South Dallas Cultural Center, City of Dallas Office of Cultural Affairs, the James and Gayle Halperin Foundation, the Star System of donors to ARGA NOVA DANCE. For further information, call 214-886-2321.

GUEST ARTIST BIO

Michelle Gibson, choreographer, instructor, and performing artist received her B.F.A in Dance from Tulane University. Michelle, a New Orleans native, has also studied at the New Orleans Center for Creative Arts, the Alvin Ailey American Dance Center, the American Dance Festival, Jacob's Pillow, and the Urban Bush Women's, "Walking with Pearl Primus" summer intensive. Her motion picture credits include having been cast as a featured dancer in the Academy Award nominated film, Interview With a Vampire, the Academy Award winning film, Ray, and the movie Just My Luck with Lindsay Lohan. Michelle's live performances include Confederacy of Dances, The Kid From Elysian Fields, tours in Germany, Japan, and Amsterdam, E- Women Network, LINKS Incorporated, Drum Café' and also performing at the UNCF's Patterson Research Institute Annual Conference. Michelle is the Founder and Artistic Director of Exhibit Dance Collective and her choreographic credits include Funk Nation, Bourbon Suite Women, Origins of Life, The River May Cry, Orumulia's Voices, Passions of Juno, A Creole Mass, and award nominated pieces Women's Evolution and Orisha Suite. Michelle has had the privilege of training under the direction of Ronald K. Brown, Sean Curran, Marlies Yearby, Max Luna, Alton Geno, Lula Elzy, Doug Varone, Baba Chuck Davis, Baba Richard Gonzales and Donald McKayle. Michelle is currently an artist in residence with the Ashe' Cultural Arts Center, choreographer for Six Flags/WOW Entertainment Dallas TX, member of Drum Café, and educator and instructor with the Dallas Independent School District teaching grades 9-12.

Participating companies are: A Dance Expression,Beckles Dancing Company, Dallas Black Dance Theatre II, Dallas Hispanic Dance, Ella Lois Hudson Ensemble, Khemetic Origins Rites of Passage Systems, Lisbon Elementary School "Character Counts" Dance Company, Mary Lois School of Dance Performing Company, Moving Canvas Dance Project, Tina Mullone, Muscle Memory Dance Theatre, ORIZON "O.P.T." ft. R3venge of the Nerdz, Pearl C. Anderson Dance Ensemble, Phase 2 Dance Ensemble, Second Generation Dance Company (from Houston), SDDF Scholarship 2008 Recipient Lauran Spencer, Jhon R. Stronks (from Houston),The Hockaday School Dance Department, and W. E. Greiner Dance.

On Sunday - The Art of Praise Dance featuring: Beckles Dancing Company, Dallas Black Dance Theatre II, Dr. Cori D. Mooring, For His Glory Dance Ministry, Jubilee UMC Praise In Motion, Lisbon Developmental Dance Company, Ordered Steps Productions, The Men of Judah of Friendship West, Second Generation Dance Company (from Houston), and Friendship West Youth Praise Dance Community.

Thursday, Friday & Saturday November 6, 7 & 8, at 7 & 8:00 pm;
Sunday, November 9 at 3:00 pm.

Admission: $10; Seniors, Students, Members of Star System and
Dance Council $5; The Roundtable is FREE.

South Dallas Cultural Center located at 3400 S. Fitzhugh Ave.

Visit www.dallasculture.org/southDallasCulturalCenter.cfm or call 214/939-ARTS for more information.

what i feel @ once on this night of hope & optimism

hugs to all
from the north texas prairie,
feeling blissfully hopeful and lucky
(having just sidestepped two patrolling sqwad car chotas
as i sped happily away from my mama's home down
the avenue listening to steve miller 80s on the music radio,
for i suddenly somehow feel that i get to have the 80s back
as i lost them in 84 with the reagan years).
you can only know this bliss as a person of color
who has felt devalued through the haphazardly
implemented and foisted systemic devaluation of her
fellow brethren and sistren of color through the
decades of her life.
to have a black and a white family cheered on at the
podium at Grants Park on a night of ultimate hope
is the most amazing moment to witness in this ever-evolving
life of mine.

redefinition,
inversion, AND flipping of da quintessential
script are now mandates of the moment.

be loved, wherever you feel yourself to be:
atop a mountain, smiling in a valley,
cresting on the heart of hope.

peace be unto you, my dear comrade!

love,

T

Last Day for Early Voting - Friday, October 31st

Early Voting Ends Friday!
THE LAST DAY TO EARLY VOTE IS OCTOBER 31ST!
THE EARLY VOTING POLLS WILL BE OPEN FROM
7 A.M. UNTIL 7 P.M.


FOR MORE INFO: click here
or call Tarrant County Elections at 817.
831-VOTE.

If you wish to see the League of Women Voters' guide,
click here.



Avoid the lines VOTE EARLY! Take Your Voter Registration Card or ID!

Friday, October 31st - 7AM to 7PM

Vote at these locations / avoid Tuesday's long lines:

Diamond Hill Library, 1300 Northeast 35th Street 76106
Southside Community Center, 959 East Rosedale Street, 76104
Southwest Sub-Courthouse, 6551 Granbury Road, 76133
Tarrant County Plaza Building, 201 Burnett Street, 76102
Tarrant County Elections Office, 2700 Premier, 76111
Worth Heights Community Center, 3551 New York Avenue, 76110

_____________

Also, there's a party hosted by a party...

TARRANT COUNTY DEMOCRATIC Halloween PARTY
October 31st – Friday

The party will be at the RAHR BREWERY
--where 2 of the Presidential Debate parties were held--
at 701 Galveston Ave.
, Fort Worth, TX 76104
from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Halloween night.


Admission is free if you canvas for the Democratic Party
in costume earlier in the day, otherwise admission is $10,
which includes free beer, non-alcoholic drinks and snacks.


FMI: Contact the office of Lon Burnam,
Texas State Representative - House District 90
(817) 924-2008 lon@lonburnam.com

___________________

NOW, the GOATS!!!

And, whether or not you consider yourself to be a
TYPICAL AMERICAN, there are countless ways you can get ACTIVATED within your community to practice democracy ALL YEAR, EVERY YEAR.

Gadabout Film Festival 2008 - 1919 Hemphill right now!

Fort Worth's infamous 1919 Hemphill performance/collectivist space is an annual stop for the Gadabout Film Festival, and it's just a hoot-n-holler. Lots of fun, greatly entertaining short films, and typically the touring folks bring all kinds of zines, stickers, buttons, hand-printed tees, posters, and more for you to buy. Open your mind and your wallet (if you want) at the same time...

Ramsey's gonna get me one of the JUST SEEDS two-color posters! Hurray for friends who don't work on Thursdays!

Run, walk, bicycle there NOW!
This is independent film making.
(Gadabout Film Festival)

This is independent history teaching.
(Just Seeds art show)

This is independent music production.
(Halo Fauna music jams)

This is GONNA BE FUN!!!

International Music & Poetry Festival - FW Public Library - 5-7pm on Friday, Oct. 24

I'll be doing a 20-minute set accompanied by my friend and guitarist Ramsey Sprague. Hope to see you there.

FREE AND OPEN TO YOU, ME, AND EVERYONE ELSE.

Please spread the word! Thanks.

GHETTO PLAINSMAN book party @ Spiral Diner on Monday, October 20th in FW

There had been at least two previous opportunities to hear local activist/writer Jarid Manos read from his first full-length publication, a memoir titled GHETTO PLAINSMAN (Temba House Press, 2007). (By the way, Jarid wants us all to be aware that he is not FROM the ghetto, but, rather, fell deeply into the ghetto as part of his path to adulthood and wholeness.) The first reading was at the Arlington coffee spot MochaLux, on a Saturday night. Needless to say, it was not the perfect venue and time for the launch of a quietly-probing revelatory work, read--as Jarid speaks--softly, hastily. I couldn't hear a word from where I sat, and decided to leave it at that.

The next time he gave a public reading from GHETTO PLAINSMAN, it was as the featured writer for the "Open Mic, Open Minds" series at 1919 Hemphill in February. I had to work that night, so I missed the reading, but heard it went well.

So--when I learned that Jarid was slated for a reading at the FWCAC (Fort Worth Community Arts Center) on Tuesday, March 11th, I knew not to miss this one. The FWCAC is a gallery space--a quiet non-smoking venue--so I hoped this environment would be a suitable backdrop for Jarid's unplugged presentation.

I arrived a bit late, as transportation was a bit challenging to secure, but Jarid happened to be taking a small break just after having started his reading. He stepped over to welcome me, as I rolled my wheelchair into place next to Gabriela and Tabalo, noticing that there were alot of familiar faces in the small audience of about 15 folks.

Temba House publisher Greg Johnson sat near the front, and kept offering suggestions for specific passages to read. Jarid paused thoughtfully between these passage readings to elaborate on certain points and to respond to any questions or comments.

As Jarid read aloud from his book, I felt as if a huge blanketing map of buffalo grass was unrolled over us, drawing us into a great plains ambience. The excerpts vividly described moments of Jarid standing--always alone, always questioning himself and the condition of his surroundings--amidst expanses of acreage pocketed with prairie dog holes, or on asphalt lots, sparkling with broken glass and seedy but amiable urban survivalists. I could feel myself there, standing in his jeans, in his wind-flapped flannel shirt with a broken arm in an itchy cast. I could feel myself there, commiserating with the earth, feeling depletion beneath my feet.

GHETTO PLAINSMAN reads as the soliloquy of a loner who, after descending into the deepest of hells, comes to relinquish his anguish in order to make pact with the land and its inhabitants--whether buffalo or bird, homeless derelict or drug-dazed passerby. This deal is a promise to self as well as to them. A promise to strive towards wholeness, recovery, reclamation, and a resurrection of sorts.

/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Booksigning party with Jarid Manos

MONDAY, October 20th

Spiral Diner - 1314 W. Magnolia Ave.

7PM.

Free and open to you and me and everyone else.

See you there.

Bring your copy of GHETTO PLAINSMAN for Jarid to sign, or buy one there at the Spiral Diner.

Sponsored by FW Weekly.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

///////////////////////

Jarid is a respected ally and comrade here in the 817, and as writer, I have to say that he has penned a wonderfully compelling memoir.

I got a migraine headache sitting up reading the proof copy of this book early last year--it was that good....i just couldn't
put it down...!



Poem #140 of 365

Jarid, I blame you for the headache,
if someone must be at fault,
for I sat and lay in bed reading
your manuscript at 5am today.

I got it from Greg yesterday
and didn't think I'd take the time
to get my eyes up in the book
because I've been so tired lately.

Yet, I woke up so early feeling good,
but didn't want to get dressed, so I
reached for GP and devoured it for
two hours straight.

I recall the various positions in bed. I shifted
with the book in hand to stay comfortable,
on my belly, on my back, sitting up,
but something locked in my neck.

And yet, I couldn't pull away, your story
answered questions and brought others,
so I flipped and turned here and there
to learn about you more.

And, too late, the pain started rising,
in my shoulders and my neck, so tight
and stiffened with contortions
was my body in reading repose.

When the headache came full force,
I cussed my curiosity and my
lascivious reading tenacity and
pressed my temples and walked
the floors, trying to come back
to my senses, get away from the pain.

I never recovered that day or night, though
I had brief spells of rest and latent ache. And
now I fear to resume the read, and Greg
thinks me superstitious, although I beg
to differ.

Lastly, I want to offer a back cover blurb:
"Reading this book gave me the worst
headache of this century, and it was
worth the pain."

Someone, though, please tell me how
it ends.



copyright 2007 tammy melody gomez

Recommended: for this weekend in D/FW

FRIDAY, October 17

Modern til Midnight - Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth - 7pm tonight. $15 a person, FREE for Modern Members. Gets you in for a last-chance glance at Kara Walkers Retrospective exhibit, as well as the Hubbard/Birchler "No Room to Answer" exhibit. Modern Cafe hours have been extended for this shindig, and beverage bars will be set up on the outdoor sculpture terrace.

Live music line-up and schedule:

Baby Dee
7–7:40 pm

Stumptone
7:50–8:30 pm

Telegraph Canyon
8:50–9:30 pm

Mount Righteous
9:30–10:10 pm

Dove Hunter
10:10–10:50 pm

Mucca Pazza (large-scale puppet and stilt-walkers performance troupe from Brooklyn)
11 pm–midnight

_________________________

SATURDAY, October 18

* Free Day and Family Festival at the Kimbell - great opportunity to see the amazing "The Impressionists" exhibit (on loan from the Art Institute of Chicago) for FREE.

* Other Arts music event at the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth - $20-25 per person, tickets at the door only.
8:00 PM

Animator Pierre Hebert and composer Bob Ostertag will perform a live animated film "Special Forces" in the auditorium of the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth. "Special Forces" is a recent work from 2007 inspired by the civilian victims of wars. Performing as Living Cinema, this duo has performed throughout North and South America, Europe, Asia and the Middle East. None of the animation you see is pre-recorded; Hebert draws on blank paper and captures these images (sometimes augmented by newspaper photos) with a digital camera connected to a computer that processes the images into an evocative animated multi-media collage. Ostertag's accompanying score transforms sounds from computer games into an original score, also performed live. Living Cinema's work has developed enormously over the years, as has the software system they use for transforming still images into animation (Jitter).

from "Between Science and Garbage," loosely focused on the subject of recycling (2001)


Here is a youtube URL for a second excerpt from their first DVD "Between Science and Garbage."
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xVk0QqY9A6s

Tickets for "Special Forces" are $25, $20 for students and seniors, available at the door.
For more information: otherarts@sbcglobal.net

* Indie design house HOUSE OF DANG is celebrating their second year with a "2-Year Anniversary Party W/ Disqo Disco & DJ Schwa" - 219 Bryan Street Dallas, TX 75204. Call 214.827.1146 for more information. Throw your bicycle on the TRE and ride the train to Dallas. Biking to Bryan Street from Union Station ain't far at all. FREE.

State Senate District #10 Candidate's Forum - Thursday, October 16 in da Northside

The Chicano Luncheon meets this Thursday, October 16, 2008, from 12 noon to 1:p.m. at La Trinidad United Methodist Church (1300 Gould Avenue at Northside Drive) in Fort Worth.

Topic: State Senate District #10 Candidate's Forum
Guest Moderator, Edith Jones of the League of Women Voters
All three candidates confirmed: Wendy Davis, Kim Brimer & Richard Cross

Should be an informative Luncheon.
Open to the public - $6 includes a cheese enchilada plate, cup of iced tea, and dessert.

For more information, contact Renny Rosas at chicanoluncheon@gmail.com.

GREAT NEWS about the Chicano Luncheon:

You can now watch previous installments of the Chicano Luncheon, archived as video files on the City of Fort Worth website. Just type "Chicano Luncheon" in the search field for AVAILABLE VIDEOS, hit enter, and another window will open with the Chicano Luncheon selections from which to choose.

Thanks to Community Cable Television (CCT) producer Rick Leal for making these programs available online.

Second Tuesday Poetry Series - tonight at Benbrook Public Library

SECOND TUESDAY POETRY SERIES Presents
"Best Poems of the 20th Century"
featuring Dr. Jeffrey DeLotto.

7 p.m., Tuesday, October 14, 2008 

Benbrook Public Library
1065 Mercedes, Benbrook, TX 76126
817.249.6632

Go to www.benbrooklibrary.org for directions.
 
For this month's 2nd Tuesday Poetry Series, TWU's Dr. Jeffrey DeLotto will present his list of some of the most important poems for the 20th Century. Dr. DeLotto will discuss why he chose the poems, which will be read aloud by those in attendance.  All are welcome to bring their own 20th Century favorites to read and discuss as time allows,
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 
Dr. DeLotto's Top 10 List: 

"The Second Coming,"  - W.B. Yeats
"The Road Not Taken"  - Robert Frost
"The Idea of Order at Key West"  - Wallace Stevens
"In a Station of the Metro" - Ezra Pound
"The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock" - T.S. Eliot
"Dulce et decorum est" - Wilfred Owen
"Do Not Go Gentle into That Good Night" - Dylan Thomas
"A Far Cry from Africa," - Derek Walcott
"Daddy" - Sylvia Plath
"Like a Rolling Stone" - Bob Dylan
-----------------------------------------------

About Dr. Jeffrey DeLotto: A Virginia native who grew up in Miami, Florida, he earned his Ph.D. from Florida State University. He has taught at Texas Wesleyan University since 1983, previously having taught writing and literature at Yarmouk University (in Jordan) and Texas Tech University.  He also taught as a Fulbright Scholar during the 1992-93 academic year at the University of Plovdiv in Bulgaria.  His scholarly interests lie primarily in Nineteenth and Twentieth Century British  literature.
 
His poetry collections include Voices at the Door (Maverick Press) and most recently, Days of a Cameleon (Xlibris 2007) His work has been widely published in many journals and reviews, including the Taj Mahal Review and the Concho River Review. In addition to his involvement in Metroplex poetry societies, Dr. DeLotto enjoys sailing, herb gardening, and cooking.

Harvard Educational Review - Call for Proposals - due October 20th!

[The following anuncio came to me via Dr. Roberto Calderon's (UNT-Denton history professor) "historia" listserv.]

CFP l Harvard Educational Review l Symposium l Latino/a Students Undergraduate Experiences l Deadline: 10.20.08

Harvard Educational Review
Latino/a Students Undergraduate Experiences
Symposium in the Harvard Educational Review

Proposals due October 20, 2008

The editors of the Harvard Educational Review invite students, researchers, practitioners, administrators, and policymakers to submit proposals for manuscripts appropriate for publication in a forthcoming symposium that will focus on the undergraduate experiences of Latino/a students.

The symposium will focus on the experiences of Latino/as in higher education to call attention to the needs and interests of this growing population of students in the United States whose educational opportunities and successes will help determine the future of our nation. This symposium underscores our conviction that ensuring equality of opportunity as well as equality of success requires looking beyond the college gates to the experiences of students inside these institutions. We seek to inform educational policies, practices and future research that will help promote college access and persistence to degree for Latino/as as well as advance their individual development and learning.

We seek two types of submissions for this symposium:

Scholarly submissions may include qualitative or quantitative studies, theoretical pieces, or essays, and should not exceed 9,000 words. We ask scholars to include implications for policy and practice in post secondary education as well as K-12 schooling where applicable.

Personal essays by current or former Latino/a undergraduates should address important aspect(s) of their undergraduate experience, and should not exceed 3,000 words. We ask students to construct narratives that will be instructive to those wishing to have a positive impact on Latino/a student success.

We seek studies and commentaries on Latino/a students social and academic experiences in a variety of institutional contexts, including, but not limited to, two-or four-year institutions, Hispanic-serving institutions, historically black colleges, and predominantly white institutions.

Proposals of up to 500 words should be submitted, along with author CVs for scholarly submissions, by October 20, 2008 to HER_manuscripts@gse.harvard.edu. Authors whose proposals are accepted will be invited to submit full manuscripts for consideration by February 18, 2009. Please direct all queries to HER_manuscripts@gse.harvard.edu.

Laurie Anderson in Dallas, free stuff to do in FW--tonight

Of course, without a doubt, I'd love to be in the audience for Laurie Anderson's new show, presenting tonight at McFarlin Auditorium in Dallas. But I lack the bucks and the car to get me there. I hear that Lou Reed will be performing alongside Anderson too. Que lastima that I have to miss this one...read on for more, including notes on what I possibly may be doing tonight.


If you didn't know that Laurie Anderson is the first resident artist for NASA, or that she is shacking up with VU frontman Lou Reed, perhaps a little reading is in order...

ONE SHOW ONLY - TONIGHT - tickets no longer may be purchased online, but call the TITAS office directly at 214-528-5576 for ticket info.

LAURIE ANDERSON - presenting "Homeland"
When: Sunday, Oct. 12, 8 p.m. to 10 p.m.
Where: McFarlin Memorial Auditorium (SMU), 6405 Boaz Lane, University Park
Cost: $14 - $59

Blurb from the online promo:

"One of the seminal artists of our time, Laurie Anderson's genre-crossing work encompasses performance, film, music, installation, writing, photography, and sculpture. 'Homeland' is a series of songs and stories that creates a poetic and political portrait of contemporary American culture. The stories and songs that make up Homeland are marked by a political urgency and, as with all of Anderson’s work, are personal and utterly unique. 'Homeland' is a tour de force of spoken word, music, and technology."
___________________________________

I've been an Evelyn Waugh fan since I was a high school kid who took a fancy to fancy uses of English. "Masterpiece Theater" never struck me as nerdcore--heck, that genre term didn't exist back then--I simply thought it good drama in impeccable British English. I remember, though, having to haggle with my family about commandeering our tv set (back then, most families only owned one per household) for 1-hour increments to be able to catch up on my favorite MT series episodes, of which "Brideshead Revisited" was one of the best. I guess that's probably when I was first introduced to (and temporarily fell for) Jeremy Irons, he the actor so often cast in roles of gloomy, doomed, unrequited lovers.

You can catch the latest adaptation of the Waugh classic at the Modern Art Museum today at 4:30pm. I'm definitely going to be there.

Later, there's one more presentation of the Fort Worth Theatre's adaptation of "Much Ado About Nothing" outside on the east-facing stage at Arts Fifth Avenue, 1628 5th Avenue, in the Fairmount Neighborhood, at 8pm. Free and family-friendly.

Finish off the night--you might see me--at the Chat Room Pub (out on Magnolia St.) for this week's (someone just told me this has been happening on Sundays) installment of "Bring Your Own Vinyl." One of the Chat's bartenders apparently brings his record-player and lets folks spin 3 of their pre-selected songs from vinyl lps (maybe 45s and 78s too, one wonders?) they bring in from their precious vintage collections. I think I'ma show up with a Nina Simone, Krzysztof Komeda, and Meat Puppets trio of songs tonight..
Chat Room Pub, Sundays, sometime around 7pm (so I've heard), FREE.

Why vote?

WHY WOMEN SHOULD VOTE



This is the story of our Grandmothers and Great-grandmothers; they lived only 90 years ago.

Remember, it was not until 1920 that women were granted the right to go to the polls and vote.

The women were innocent and defenseless, but they were jailed nonetheless for picketing the White House, carrying signs demanding the right to vote.

And by the end of the night, they were barely alive. Forty prison guards wielding clubs and their warden's blessing went on a rampage against the 33 women wrongly convicted of 'obstructing sidewalk traffic.'

(Lucy Burns)
They beat Lucy Burns, chained her hands to the cell bars above her head and left her hanging for the night, bleeding and gasping for air.

(Dora Lewis)
They hurled Dora Lewis into a dark cell, smashed her head against an iron bed and knocked her out cold. Her cellmate, Alice Cosu, thought Lewis was dead and suffered a heart attack. Additional affidavits describe the guards grabbing, dragging, beating, choking, slamming, pinching, twisting and kicking the women.

Thus unfolded the 'Night of Terror' on Nov. 15, 1917, when the warden at the Occoquan Workhouse in Virginia ordered his guards to teach a lesson to the suffragists imprisoned there because they dared to picket Woodrow Wilson's White House for the right to vote.

For weeks, the women's only water came from an open pail. Their food--all of it colorless slop--was infested with worms.

(Alice Paul)
When one of the leaders, Alice Paul, embarked on a hunger strike, they tied her to a chair, forced a tube down her throat and poured liquid into her until she vomited. She was tortured like this for weeks until word was smuggled out to the press.

http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/collections/suffrage/nwp/prisoners.pdf

So, refresh my memory. Some women won't vote this year because--why, exactly? We have carpool duties? We have to get to work? & Our vote doesn't matter? It's raining?

___

One woman's comments on documentary film on the suffragist movement:

"Last week, I went to a sparsely attended screening of HBO's new movie 'Iron Jawed Angels.' It is a graphic depiction of the battle these women waged so that I could pull the curtain at the polling booth and have my say. I am ashamed to say I needed the reminder.

All these years later, voter registration is still my passion. But the actual act of voting had become less personal for me, more rote. Frankly, voting often felt more like an obligation than a privilege. Sometimes it was inconvenient.

My friend Wendy, who is my age and studied women's history, saw the HBO movie, too. When she stopped by my desk to talk about it, she looked angry. She was--with herself. 'One thought kept coming back to me as I watched that movie,' she said.
'What would those women think of the way I use, or don't use, my right to vote? All of us take it for granted now, not just younger women, but those of us who did seek to learn.' The right to vote, she said, had become valuable to her 'all over again.'

HBO released the movie on video and DVD . I wish all history, social studies and government teachers would include the movie in their curriculum I want it shown on Bunco night, too, and anywhere else women gather. I realize this isn't our usual idea of socializing, but we are not voting in the numbers that we should be, and I think
a little shock therapy is in order.

It is jarring to watch Woodrow Wilson and his cronies try to persuade a psychiatrist to declare Alice Paul insane so that she could be permanently institutionalized. And it is inspiring to watch the doctor refuse. Alice Paul was strong, he said, and brave. That didn't make her crazy.



The doctor admonished the men:
'Courage in women is often mistaken for insanity.'

Please, if you are so inclined, pass this on to all the women you know. We need to get out and vote and use this right that was fought so hard for b y these very courageous women. Whether you vote democratic, republican or independent party - remember to vote.

History is being made."