Creating a space for black women's voices - Campus News

Creating a space for black women's voices - Campus News




Two graduate students recently created a club that lets black female students at NYU who are interested in dramatic performance network among women with similar interests.

Gallatin graduate student Geneva Thomas and Tisch graduate student Ebony Golden created the Black Women in Performance Studies Work Group, in which members can "explore black women performance methodology," said Golden.

This methodology, or technique, is a way of reflecting the "tradition we're coming from" on the stage, Thomas said. Mentioning the work of performers such as Ntozake Shange and Anna Deavere Smith, Thomas said this method of performance "centers the subject on black women, on our stories and our words, and it is heard in a black woman's voice."

Golden said the group is a solution to something that was missing in the Performance Studies curriculum at NYU.

"We noticed there's been a gap in experiential practice created by black women," she said. "So in our network, we can explore this in a way that is not controlled by people outside of black women."

Though based in New York and open to undergraduate and graduate NYU students and artists in the community, Thomas and Golden's group membership extends to the country's borders, from students at Duke University in North Carolina to the University of California campuses.

"There are black women doing this work all over the place," Golden said.

Thomas and Golden are currently planning a jazz concert in mid-December, along with a winter mixer to "exchange ideas," Thomas said.

"We're also planning a one-day symposium in spring, which will include a keynote speaker and panel discussion," she said.

The group is still being developed. Thomas and Golden are recruiting members and have recently created a Facebook page.

Tisch graduate student Ayanna Williams, who recently joined the group, thinks that all students at universities like NYU - especially those in minority groups - want to have their voices heard.

"It's not so much about separating ourselves as it is about being seen and feeling supported," she said.

"As of yet, there is not an organization like this on campus," Williams said. "We feel like we are filling a void by creating a support network, not only for us now but also for those students to follow."



Emma Davis is a staff writer. E-mail her at news@nyunews.com.

Working our Rainbows~~~ sistas doing big things in the world of performance

This sista is a poet, revolutionary, spiritualist, savior. Thank you sista tomeika nichole (http://www.myspace.com/tostarica501) for introducing me to her work and her light!

Woman Warrior Heals with Words and Wisdom- here is just a little bit about Sista Adama out of Atlanta, GA. Take a look at her website www.adamaspeaks.com and listen to her web radio show on wrfg.org.



After graduation from University of Florida with a B.A. in Psychology,
Presidential Awards, Scholastic, Leadership, and Organizational Awards and Honors, I returned to my birthplace, Atlanta, where I became a student
of Conscious Cosmic Citizenship and The Yunavasity of Cosmic Wisdom.
I began performing in 1984 with SOLAR at the New Orleans World Fair and as a solo performer in 1985 using the stage to minister to the hearts, minds, and souls of audiences through Creative Expressions of love, light, wisdom, and truth, in the media of rhythm, movement, verse, and sound.
Performances include appearances with the Staple Singers band in Piedmont Park, Black Family Reunion; with Positive Images Enterprises as model of Afrikan attire and spoken word at the World Congress Center, Atlanta Civic Center with Melba Moore, with Queens Historical Society as Queen Cadaka (Candace) in Queens of The Nile Now, Fox Theater, Egyptian Ballroom, Civic Center, Georgia Tech, Emory University, Georgia State University, Sisters Chapel,Spelman College, Clark Atlanta University, Morris Brown College, Morehouse College, Variety Playhouse, 7 Stages, Kingfest,KMLK Jr. Center for Social Change, Afrikan World Festival Detroit, MI, Sisterfire Festival with Aisha Khalil of Sweet Honey & The Rock,Washington D.C, New York, NY for Lenora Fulani, Presidential Candidate, National Black Arts Festival 1988,94,96 Renaissance Hotel with Phyllis Stickney, Chicago IL. International Brotherhood Conferenc, KAND,and radio performances and interviews with WDET Detroit, and WRFG Atlanta, in addition to numerous other community ceremonies, events, and activities.
I've worked as consultant for Wholistic Stress Control Institute, Inc. providing Life skills, Art of Being, and Poetry classes for imprisoned youth through Lorenzo Benn Youth Development Center, Metro Youth Detention Center, Dunbar Community Center, and over 2,000 Atlanta youth through the Department of Parks and Recreation in 1999. I also taught life skills to 4-12 year olds with Gate City Heritage Preparatory Day School, Horizons Private School, and in the Atlanta Public Schools. I worked as President and co-owner of Mother Earth's Adornments, Inc. committed to the adornment of the whole being, body, heart, mind, soul and more!¨
We maintained a retail outlet in Little 5 Points for 5 years housing both the "Beadery" specializing in custom adornments, creative consultation, repairs, and beads and findings from the world over and the "Eatery" specializing in strictly vegan cuisine, nutritional, dietary, and spiritual consultation, I produce and host a radio program with 89.3FM WRFG Atlanta called "The Meeting of The Inner Circle", providing inspirational, motivational, dealing with issues particularly, but not exclusively, pertinent to African Americans.
The program is formatted to introduce the music and works of local and national artists, musicians, healers, poets, authors, activists, as well as open phone lines to facilitate greater conscientiousness and communication with the listening audience.
I am an Inspirational Lifestyle Change and Wholistic Wellness Consultant providing spiritual, nutritional and dietary support to facilitate cleansing, healing, and regeneration of the body, heart, mind, and soul.

Adama

Click here to go to her site

678-760-9299

Greetings all,

Please check out an article on the Black Women in Performance Studies Work Group tomorrow in Washington Square News. Just click the link- http://www.nyunews.com/. Also if you have not joined the facebook page, please do so.

And please attend events by BWPSWG members...

JAZZ WITH A BLUE THREAD

Ayanna Williams featuring the Waterbabies and Ebony Golden (sharing poetic vibes)
Wenesday December 12th @ Ripple Bar
769 Washington Brooklyn
8pm, 2 sets

Look out next semester for...

The BWPSWG Winter Mixer and...

The BWPSWG First Annual One-Day Symposium
Featuring Works-in-Progress, Workshops and Panel Discussions

Take care,

Ebony Golden


I'm not really interested in the kind of drama that appeals to folks who attend the Negro cotillions or high society balls. I'm here to present community art as state of the art. I'm talking about using art as a tool of transformation; to provide a space for people whose voices haven't been heard. Understand what I'm saying? - Rhodessa Jones

visit www.goldendharma.blogspot.com

Calling Black Women for Ethnographic Performance Process

Calling Black Women for Ethnographic Performance Process

Greetings people,

It is that time. I have been in a bit of hibernation while I was cooking up a way to get you involved with a so fresh and so necessary improvisational, sista-circle, healing, performance opportunity.

I am Ebony Golden currently living in Manhattan and attending NYU. I call a few places home, most recently Durham, NC. While living in Durham I had the opportunity to study with and make trouble with some of the flyest sistas around. We made art with the people and shared it with the people. We healed ourselves everyday!

I would not be here at NYU right now if it wasn't for them. I am dedicating this process and this year at NYU to them: Mama Nia, Mama Asantewa, Mama Nayo, Mama Nana, Mama Jaki, Mama-Dr. Ahmad, Mama Pearl, Mama Dimples, Mama Theresa, Sista Kim Arrington, Sista Zachari, Sista Alexis Pauline Gumbs, Sista Jurina, Sista Alisha Gaines, Sista Serena, Sista Kriti, Sista Kai, Sista Shirlette, Sista Emily, Sista Kriti, Sista Kia/Mercedes, Sista Liz, Sista Amaris, Sista Namira, Sista Raina, Sista DeLana, Sista Nikki, Sista Alfreda, Sista Vikki, Sista Michelle, Sista Afyia, Sista Zelda, Sista Dannette, Sista Inga, Sista SimaFlower, Sista Paulette, Sista Manju

This process is in your honor along with my sistas from DC, TX, and in other spaces. You hold me up, thank you.

I am currently facilitating a performance project for Black women as a part of my Master's Thesis in Performance Studies based on black women's processes of healing from trauma, particularly historical and generational trauma. So how are your healing practices different from your mother's? How are they similar?

I am dedicated to my healing, the healing of the women in my family and extended family, and the world. This is a process we are creating everywhere, let's continue to tap in together and see what shifts.

This process that will have a few opportunities for performance, live and virtual, but mostly i am interested in articulating a poetics of womanist performance process and methodology that can be reproduced by us every where to heal ourselves and this world.

NEED
I need you to tell our story. A small group of sistas who are not afraid to undertake this work with me, whether they understand exactly where it is headed or not. Sistas who enjoy movement, music, writing, photography, people, good food, performing, making a fuss about us (black women), and who are not afraid to say we (black women) matter anywhere in this world.

NEEDS
1. 5-6 sistas to perform several times next semester
2. videographer/ photographer/ editor
3. choreographer
4. producer
5. stage manager
6. 'zine designer
7. web designer

NEEDS
1. voice recorders, tapes
2. gift cards (Target would be excellent)
3. performance space
4. video recorders, tapes, dvd
5. money, frequent flyer miles, train tickets, gas cards!!!

NEEDS

Your stories. Some of you are far away from me right now. But I would love to interview you about you and your healing process. Let's set up some time for phone interviews. I will be in TEXAS in December and NC in January so we can get together.

Every one is invited to NYC in May 08 to see a pivotal step in this journey. Can't wait.

oh and check out some of these sites to get an idea of what sistas are doing to inspire me: http://www.thatlittleblackbook.blogspot.com/, http://talitharise.blogspot.com/, http://bettertospeak.blogspot.com/, www.goldendharma.blogspot.com, http://atthekitchentable.blogspot.com/, http://brokenbeautiful.wordpress.com/, http://sweating-it.blogspot.com/,

Email me if you are interested!
Ebony Golden, MFA
Betty's Daughter Arts Collaborative, Director
furiousflower@gmail.com