April 16, 1999
By Brigitte Glover
"The sun is shining, the weather is sweet make you want to move your dancing feet . . . " Bob Marley
As I welcome the warmth of springtime in San Diego, I give thanks for the efforts that are being made in various communities to encourage cross-cultural interaction, education and mutual respect. Organizations which recognize the contributions of indigenous people and work consistently for the preservation of tradition are those which will help us move beyond all perceived barriers.
April 18th we will celebrate Earth Day and the beauty of oneness at the Multicultural Earth Day Worldbeat and Centro Cultural de la Raza collaborative effort, featuring performances by Ballet Folklorica en Aztlan and Ballet Folklorico de San Diego, steel drumming, the Worldbeat Children's Theater, Afro-Brazilian music and martial arts, Afro-Cuban jazz by Agua Dulce, and plenty of reggae, African and Latin rhythms, including Zionic, Tippa Irie, Ras Sojie and the One Love Band.
April 24th is Chicano Park Day - come together in recognition of the 29th Anniversary Celebration which will include reggae, funk, Afro-Cuban jazz, Salsa with live performances by Agua Dulce, High Vibe Galactic, B-Side Players, Ballet Folklorico, workshops, cultural exhibits, film and guest speakers.
On May 21, Downtown's Gallery 504 will proudly feature poetess Angela Boyce, performing in the African and Caribbean rhythms of her ancestors. The daughter of Barbadian immigrants, Angela was born and raised in California but remained close to her traditional West Indian roots. The natural quality of her storytelling stems from the oral traditions of Bajan culture in combination with the hip hop culture of the States. She will be reading original works from her new CD, "Lamentations." For further info call DubArts Studio 619/296-6862. Gallery 504 regularly features open mic nights, poetic guests and jazz. Call 619/234-8335 for Galley information.
June 5th is the Global Family Reunion featuring Pato Banton, Bunny Mystic, Peppa B with special guests at the Reincarnation Building, 1041 J Street, San Diego. Contact the Worldbeat Center at 619/230-1190.
Look forward to the release of the Reggae Free Mumia compilation CD which will include donated material from reggae artists such as Sister Carol, Quino of Big Mountain, Ras Shiloh, Brian Jordan, Revelations, THC, Boom Shaka and many others. Mumia Abu-Jamal is an African-American political prisoner on death row in Pennsylvania who was wrongly convicted of killing a Philadelphia police officer. Mumia is an award winning journalist whose talk show exposed police brutality and misconduct. Local, national and international reggae artists join forces for justice on behalf of Mumia as do the activists participating in the "Millions for Mumia" demonstrations held around the world on April 24. Call Elliott Lieb of Trade Roots Reggae 619/299-7824 for details on the CD or the International Concerned Family and Friends of Mumia Abu-Jamal at 415/821-0459 for demonstration information.
Please email me with your conscious events and activities which promote community activism: contactbrigitte@yahoo.com.
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