BonitaLPenn

I am reading Black Imagination by Natasha Marin. She asked people 3 questions 1. What is your origin story? 2. How do you heal yourself? 3. Describe/Imagine a world where you are loved, safe, and valued.  These were questions given to Black people, inclusive of everyone, everywhere. It's amazing how some could imagine and others could not. Says loud of this country. 

this is a young adult novel, many of the adults i know have read it. i started it last year, haven't finished yet. but will. i like the infusion of African traditions and practices with African-Futurism. 

Whoa, so glad i found these when i did. look forward to more discussion. 

thank you Troy, I will check out this interview, may have some good info to share at the workshops. all is well here, writing, organizing next book, doing some editing on the side (trying to find that side hustle so i can live off my retirement). looking forward to 2021 with a bunch of lit programs to plan. but all is well here in pittsburgh. checked out some of the Black Writer Weekend last week, inspiring.  

exploring the life and works of Wanda Coleman. will be teaching a poetry workshop where she is the focus. 

Harry, i enjoyed this piece, always been interested in the "what we don't see" but still is there. there are spirits in our DNA who speak to us, but we are not trained in how to hear them. places we go our ancestors are there. i find this especially true when i visit ocean shores, particularly places where the ships came in. i can hear the footsteps and voice of my ancestors. i truly enjoyed this piece. as a poet i would like to see this expanded into a series of poems. there are so many questions we have about "what we don't see" but is still there, great to see people exploring it and writing about it. many can connect with this. thank you. would you approve me sharing this piece in a workshop i have planned for 2021? it will have a focus on the Door of No Return, in how we are returning in many ways. this fits right in. 

Hi Maurice, not sure if you found the book you were looking for. Also, try "Blacks" by Gwendolyn Brooks. It has a large collection of her work. In addition, a very old "Jump Bad" an anthology of  Chicago poets presented by Gwendolyn Brooks and includes some of her earlier works, printed in 1988.  You will find some gems in that one also.