Wanda's Picks Radio

We open the show with Dave Room and Jonathan Gramling speaking about "Take Back the Mic" kickoff at Ashkenaz Music and Dance Center, 1317 San Pablo Avenue(@ Gilman, in Berkeley, Thursday, May 20, 7:30 PM. Take Back the Mic is building the groundwork for the Bay Area eco-justice community to connect with mainstream media in a meaningful way. "Take Back the Mic Campaign" is a way to help communities tell their own stories and define themselves. Visit www.takebackthemic.com/ Duane Deterville is one of the artists participating in the exhibit, “Past Forward: African Spirituality in Contemporary Black Art,” through August 19, 2010 at the Sargent Johnson Gallery at the AAACC at 762 Fulton Street, in San Francisco. There is an artist talk, May 29, 2-4 PM at the AAACC. Both the talk and art exhibit are free. Duane is a visual artist, writer and scholar of visual culture. Our next guest is Marvin X, esteemed scholar, poet, playwright, teacher, is author of "Parables, Fables, Musings of Plato Negro," which has a debut reading/performance, Sat., May 15, 2 PM at the African American Museum and Library at Oakland (14th Street @ MLK Jr. Way). No where can one find a writer who produces work as quickly as El Muhajir (Marvin X). Amiri Baraka says of Al Muhajir, "Is Marvin X a Parable or Fable? I doubt Marvin X exists! I double doubt there is a Plato Negro!" The free event is also a benefit for Black Bird Press. Copies of Parable/Fable will be available for a $100 donation. Visit www.parablesandfablesofmarvinx.com Pamela Z,our final guest, is a composer/performer who makes solo works combining a wide range of vocal techniques with electronic processing, samples, and gesture activated MIDI controllers. She has toured extensively throughout the US, Europe, and Japan. Her new work, "Baggage Allowance" opens at Artaud Theater, now managed by Z-Space Studios, 450 Florida Street, San Francisco, CA, 94110 zspace@zspace.org , (415)626-0453. Also visit www.pamelaz.com