“I’ve Known Rivers: The MoAD African Diaspora Stories Project” is up and running.

My poem “Poor People” can be seen here: http://www.iveknownrivers.org/stories/adaptation.htm.

Here’s a little background on the project from the website:

SAN FRANCISCO (September 12, 2005) – In Africa it is said that when a griot, or oral historian, dies, “a library has burned to the ground.” In recognition of the fabled tradition of the griot and in an effort to document stories of the African Diaspora, San Francisco’s Museum of the African Diaspora (MoAD) has embarked on a landmark project.

I’ve Known Rivers: The MoAD Story Project is an unprecedented effort by an international museum to collect, publish, and archive “first voice” narratives about people of African descent. In light of the recent devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina and its effect on the lives of thousands of African Americans, this project’s story-collecting mission takes on an even greater significance.

An international museum based in San Francisco, California USA, MoAD is scheduled to open in December 2005 and is poised to become one of the world’s pre-eminent cultural institutions. Unlike anything ever offered by a modern museum, I’ve Known Rivers: The MoAD Story Project will be similar in vision to the historic WPA Federal Writers’ Project (1936 -1940), which archived thousands of items, including essays, oral testimony, folklore, and authentic narratives of ex-slaves about life during slavery.

“We are excited about people everywhere sharing inspiring stories which explore our African roots,” said Emmy award winning journalist and MoAD Board President, Belva Davis. “These stories will create an international conversation about what it means for us as a global community to be connected to Africa.” International Call for Stories

MoAD has issued a global Call for Stories in an effort to collect, publish and archive authentic stories from throughout the African Diaspora. Stories should be submitted in the form of first-person essay, short fiction, and poem by published and unpublished writers as well as authentic voices from across the African Diaspora. Additionally, the stories must be related to MoAD’s four founding themes: origin, movement, adaptation, and transformation.

In partnership with User Logic and funded by the ATT Excelerator Grant, MoAD will begin publishing these selected stories on the museum web site starting Fall 2005 and continue leading up to MoAD’s grand opening in December 2005.

The most highly distinguished twenty-five stories from the entries submitted will be published online and considered for an inaugural hard cover book for the museum.

After the opening, the project will continue to collect and archive stories, creating one of the first international virtual archives of African Diaspora Stories by a modern museum. In addition, the I’ve Known Rivers: The MoAD Stories Project web site will serve as an online writer’s lab, providing the newest applications in instructional media to assist those in the general public to write their own African Diaspora stories.

It’s a great way to start the new year.

There will be more exciting times to come.

Sure it’s late- but I get to do whatever I want here. I was sitting around watching TV while trying not to play Monopoly on games.com (completely addictive and I’m trying to get everybody hooked. There’s a movie like that… it’ll come to me.) So I sat with my notebook next to me and wrote what my limited attention span could muster. Now I share it with you:

The closer we get to Christmas, the shittier the gifts get. I mean a jar opener? Really? Do people consume the bulk of their nourishment from jarred foods? How many olives can you eat? A jar, can , bottle opener. Who needs this? Are we really this lazy?

Law & Order was really good when it came out. Razor sharp writing, exquisite timing, compelling characters on every side. Smart. Development of characters on all sides.

Okay. I said there was a dirth of mental activity on my part. I’ve been busy. Law & Order, the original and SVU, had marathons over the holidays; I was partying with my friends; Monopoly. Come on. That’s a ton.

I’m working on a story that I have to finish this week… I’ll see how that goes and share.

I know it’s been a minute- but HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!
I’ve been busy getting myself into trouble and avoiding my work like the plague. I’ve been writing, only not posting and that, my friends, is ending now.
It’s a new year and a new perspective on life. (BTW, anyone who wants to hire me for American dollars-or euros- give me a shout.)

So I’m now trying (again) to change my layout, but it appears that my master’s degree hasn’t prepared me for code harder than Chinese algebra.

Alas, I will share some of my newest thoughts, ideas, rants, stories and such within the coming week.

Oh, and I’m trying out the google ad business too…. but right now it appears that my open letter to MJ and the frequent references to Dubai have steered the ads in an interesting direction.

Dear Michael Jackson,
I’ve been needing talk to you for a long time… this is really difficult. Well, part of it is that I love you so and I don’t know what to do to help you. But I’ve got to tell you. YOU NEED HELP. Living in Dubai isn’t going to solve your problems, particularly if you don’t speak or read Arabic or understand the customs. (Although I’m sure it’s beautiful and will come visit you anytime.) You once told me you were going back to Indiana. I think that would be best.
Or, Maybe you should talk to Oprah. I’m sure she’ll talk to you. You can move into one of her complexes. She’ll call Lil’ Richard, Maya Angelou, Toni Morrison, and Dr. Phil. You guys will talk it out, eat some ribs or something. Work out whatever is making you CRAZIER THAN HELL. Excuse me. But I’m so frustrated right now because your behavior is affecting me adversely. I need to hear your voice. You have such a beautiful voice and it’s at the peak of it’s maturity. Just when I want to give up on you, you give me “Butterfly”. It’s beautiful. Your voice is beautiful.
Please stop being crazy. Let the bass come out in your speaking voice. Stop having slumber parties with little boys. Stop wearing sheila’s in Arab countries and going to ladies rooms. STOP BEING SO CRAZY.
We’ll discuss it more when we talk.

Love,
Charity

Arabian fright: Ladies’
rest room hi-Jacko’d

BY MICHELLE CARUSO
DAILY NEWS WEST COAST BUREAU CHIEF

Jacko’s blushing – and this time it’s not just his rouge.
The Queen, er, King of Pop, disguised in an Arabic woman’s head scarf, got caught fixing his face in a ladies’ bathroom in a Dubai shopping mall Saturday.
Cops were called to the scene to resolve a dispute between Jackson, 47, and a shocked Tunisian woman who snapped his picture as he primped at the mirror. No arrests were made, according to The Khaleej Times.
Maybe the wigged-one couldn’t read the Arabic word for “women” on the rest room door, or maybe he chose the ladies’ lounge rather than risk powdering his cheeks in a Middle Eastern men’s room.
Dubai Police Col. Abdul Jalil Mehdi said he believed the pop star made an “innocent mistake” in using the ladies’ loo, the Times said
Mehdi did not comment on Jackson’s choice of head-wear – the traditional Emerati women’s scarf known as “Sheila.”
A 37-year-old teacher, identified as Latifa M., “screamed in shock and ran out of the ladies room” in the Ibn Battuta Mall when she realized Jackson was a man, the Times said.
But the school-marm shutterbug went back and snapped some pictures of the pop star with her cell phone camera.
Jackson chased after the woman and demanded the photos. She refused and asked for “compensation,” the Times said.
The ruckus attracted cops, who told the teacher her demand for money was illegal. The photos were “erased,” the Times said.
Jackson has been living in Bahrain as a guest of the royal family since his acquittal on child molestation charges last summer. He recently purchased a secluded $1.5 million property in the Amwaj Islands and plans to make his home there, according to reports.
In the U.S., Jackson’s official Web site, MJJSource.com, is down. His longtime friend and makeup artist Karen Faye posted a note to fans saying the site “is down because we have had no cooperation with Michael and his present team. … We were Michael’s voice, but if he doesn’t wish to speak or pay his bills for MJJSource, there is nothing we can do.”

I’d like to get comments answering the questions:
What are some things you wish you knew in your 20’s?