In My Lifetime: Funny Stories of Life Experiences

http://outskirtspress.com/inmylifetime/

"Originally meant as a writing exercise to fight through writer's block, IN MY LIFETIME became a creative outlet and a labor of love.  From youth to young adulthood, these stories are meant to, not only make you laugh, but also to inspire...
Via Facebook Notes, this book takes a humorous look at one individual's life, and how you can arise above the bs..."

Celebrating the release of my THIRD book (FINALLY!!!) through my publisher Outskirts Press.  Spread the word, and BUY THE BOOK!  :)

Cinematically Speaking II: Mis Proyectos

As I have stated before in this blog, and in my forthcoming book "In My Lifetime: Funny Stories of Life Experiences",  my first love has been writing for film and television.  I had always been an artistically creative child, and finally came to the decision of becoming a screenwriter during my high school years (with the encouragement of one of my teachers).  Over the years, I have written many a screenplay, and have been working to eventually get my projects produced.  Though I have become sidetracked in recently years, veering off into the literary field, it was always my intent to return back to my cinematic roots, using that momentum gained from my literary success(es).

I was influenced by the films of the time; independent black films that were produced during the mid 80s and early 90s.  I was impressed by the works of Spike Lee, John Singleton, the Hughes Brothers, Ernest Dickerson, Mario Van Peebles,and some unknown others that existed.  I also remember growing up and watching the so-called "blaxploitation" films of the 70s being rebroadcast on local television.  I was inspired by movies like "Juice", "Boys N the Hood", "Menace II Society", "South Central", and "New Jack City".  It also helped that, at that period of time, you also had the rise of Afrocentrism as an ideology, as well as the rise of  'conscious' Hip Hop music.  All those factors together, along with encouragement from one of my teachers, solidified my desire to work in this field.

My first attempts at writing a feature length script were not entirely successful.  There was one project that I tried to write while still in high school, but never completed.  It was basically a "hood" movie, or Urban Drama, about local youth involved in the street life.  I really didn't know what I was doing; too many characters, not enough character development, inconsistent storyline.  At that time, I was too busy trying to imitate what I saw on the screen, and wasn't using my authentic voice. I was trying to do too much at once, and was never successful at it.  I eventually scrapped that project, but kept a number of the characters, and used them in some of my other projects, whether cinematic, or in series television.  My second attempt after that ended miserably; a project about racism within the Latino community.  I had actually finished that particular script, and let it marinate after the first draft.  Then when I actually read the draft...I thought that it was absolute garbage, and threw it out.  I'm STILL trying to rework that project as I write this...

Third time's a charm.  I had written a particular script called "Suicide Amy", an Urban Drama about the tragic life and violent death of a young innercity Afro Latina as told from the perspective of her male best friend who witnessed her demise.  I was very proud of that script when I wrote it; still being a kid of 18/19 at the time.  It helped me to share my voice on the plight of society, and also helped me to exorcise some of my own demons that caused me to face my own issues with attempting suicide.  That was the first script that I had completed, and felt happy with.  I still treasure that script, and hope to one day produce it.

I was able to follow up that project with a coming-of-age Urban Drama called "Achieve The Dream".  That project focused on two urban Latino young adults trying to reach their goals and achieve their dreams of getting out of the streets; one to take care of his young family, and the other to make a career for himself in the music industry.  This project is more of an ensemble piece, and I think it worked out very well.  I loved that project as well, as I was able to combine my love for music (Hip Hop and Latin Freestyle), as well as being able to tell a story true to my upbringing.  Knowing so many musically creative people as a youth, I felt that that particular story needed to be heard.  For lack of a better comparison, it's kinda like a Latino version of "Juice" and "Beat Street".

One of my favorite projects to date is a love story that I wrote called "Fiesta Girl".  It's an Urban Love story based off of some song lyrics that I wrote when I wanted to get into music.  An Afro Latino love story set to the beat and rhythm of Latin Freestyle and poetry.  Rebounding from a broken heart, a young Afro Latino male decides to hang out with his friends one night at a house party to lift his spirits.  There he meets a beautiful Afro Latina woman, and they set their sights on each other, hoping to take this instant romance to it's highest possible level.  Will their love survive?  Will they be able to keep their skeletons in the closet? Will they let their personal demons ruin this relationship...?

One of my more recent projects is a Sports Drama called "Second Chance Points".  It's about female basketball players searching for opportunity and redemption in both their professional and personal lives.   The story revolves around the main character as she goes from teenage phenom to professional athlete, and the trials and tribulations that she and her fellow players face; lack of support, team mismanagement, disrespect, personal crises.  She is entering the last year of her contract, and the team wants to do everything in their power to get her to re-sign with the team.  The team has been so poorly mismanaged during her career there, that she questions her desire to even continue playing the very game she dearly loves!  Will she re-sign with the team?  Can they convince her to stay?  Will she give up the game entirely?

This film is actually quite special to me.  I LOVE basketball, and one of my goals when I got into this field was to write a basketball movie.  I originally was trying to write a basketball movie about male ballers, but I ended up reading a particular article about the lack of quality roles written for Black actresses, and actresses of color in general, and felt the need to write this film.  Also...I was a HUGE fan of the American Basketball League (ABL) when it was still operational.  I was hoping to use their players to star in the film, if not get the league to finance it.

Lastly, I have another Sports Drama called "Knuckle Up".  This project revolves around the life of a professional female boxer as she battles her opponents in the ring, and her personal demons outside of it. A tough innercity sista is given the opportunity to make something of herself as a professional fighter.  Being quite rough around the edges, her manager brings in one of his old former fighters to help train her.  Will she listen?  Can she succeed?  Will the two be able to get along with each other?  Will she be able to dominate the sport as predicted, or will she let her demons cause her to spiral out of control?

People who have read this script have compared it to "GirlFight" and "Knockout".  Not bad company to be in.  Considering that I wrote it in reaction to the aftermath hype that came after the airing of "Million Dollar Baby" (which I didn't care for, and felt was overrated), I'll take that as a huge compliment.  During the whole 'female boxer era' of movies, I never saw one that featured a Black actress (save one in a film festival that I volunteered for).  Since I didn't really see one, I wrote one.  :)

So there you have it.  Those are the projects that I currently have in my stable that are complete, and ready for production.  I still have others that I cam currently working on, and hope to complete soon.  I am now trying my hand at some action films, using African Martial Arts and Afrocentric themes.  Once they're completed and protected, I'll tell you all about them.,

Stay tuned.....

Nuestra Herencia: Alonso De Illescas

Alonso de Illescas, the African slave from Senegal that regained his freedom and established a kingdom of Esmeraldas in Ecuador in 1553 at the age of 25. The Spanish had to fight and beg him. in fact the Spanish priest and negotiator Miguel Cabello de Balboa openly acknowledges that Alonso de Illescas was a man of superior qualities. 

(click here for more: http://kwekudee-tripdownmemorylane.blogspot.com/2012/10/african-descendants-in-ecuador-afro.html)
 
Alonso de Illescas was born about 1528, in Africa in the region of Senegal. At the age of about 10 years, he was captured by slave traders and taken as a slave to Spain. He was baptized and confirmed in Seville with the name of Enrique. He later took the name of his master, the merchant Alonso de Illescas.
 
He had the opportunity to learn the language of the Spanish, their way of living, raising children, engaging in war and even entertainment. He became proficient in the use of weapons and musical instruments typical of the great families of the time.
 
Around 25 years or so, he was brought to America by the family of Illescas, who managed a sort of joint enterprise between Seville and Lima. In October 1553, sailing from Panama to Lima, the merchant ship that carried Alonso de Illescas, had great difficulty by currents and adverse weather and ran out of supplies.
 
After passing through the rough whether and getting to the Cape of San Francisco, at the height of Portete Cove, in the province of Esmeraldas, the ship that had on board 17 black slaves and six 6 black free men, was pushed to the reef where it ran aground due to the strong wind and turbulent waves. This helped blacks including Allonso to flee into the jungle. The Spanish tried to recapture them, but had no success. From there Alonso and other escaped slaves went to Portoviejo to enjoy their free lives.

On the death of Anton, after overcoming some internal rivalries, Alonso de Illescas, was recognized as the new leader.
Account by Miguel Cabello de Balboa has it that Alonso who once invited to a great feast with the chief Chilianduli with Indians in the village of Dobe, surprisingly at the apex of the party killed 500 Indians, and became the new lord of the people.
They made forays into a vast area reaching Portoviejo instilling fear to the Spanish, who vainly tried to subdue the multiple attacks.
 
Allonso was a skilled negotiator and knew how to win the friendship of the Indians, making appropriate partnerships, particularly with the tribe of the chiggers. For the Indians there was no choice but to agree and accept the newcomers.They therefore supported Alonso and his free blacks in the fight against enemy tribes, especially the dreaded Campaces. As a sign of alliance the Indians awarded their women as a trophy to the black warriors of Allonso to marry, giving rise to a new breed in of people in South America "the Sambo of Esmeraldas." Later in 1599 the painter Andrés Sánchez Gallque, by order of Judge Juan del Barrio, painted the "Chiefs of Esmeraldas Blacks" and sent the large portrait of the King of Spain, Philip II.
 
Alonso was cunning, brave in war, with his quite literary abilities in Spanish language also quickly learned the local languages. With the Spanish colonizers he maintained a relationship that could define as "hate and love," in order to preserve their autonomy while leveraging their friendship.
He established his people in the headwaters of Atacames, called San Martin de la Campaces, the mouth of which was the historic meeting with the priest Miguel Cabello de Balboa, in the month of September 1577.
 
Alonso de Illescas was told by the catholic priest that he had the king's (king of Spain) pardon and has been appointed as Governor of Esmeraldas. Alonso took appointment appointment letter from Balboa and told him he appreciated the King`s offer but added that before he accepts, "I had to talk to my people."
In fact he left with his entourage. Later he came with all his people, promising nothing because the Spanish ship appeared in the bay, from Portmore, causing distrust. They thought it would be another betrayal of their people to the Spanish. Alonso and his black followers did not show up anymore. The Spanish left.
 
When Miguel Cabello de Balboa returned to Atacames River again, he found rafts shattered and plants uprooted, a clear sign that the relationship was broken and he could be danger.
The priest Miguel Cabello de Balboa, along with his colleagues, decided to take the road along the coast to Bahia de Caráquez, as he constantly watched from afar by the Indian pals of Alonso. There were follow up Portoviejo help, then finally reached Guayaquil and Quito on February 10, 1578.
The blacks were indeed free in their new land and resisted any attempt to subjugate them to the Spanish.
 
Miguel Cabello de Balboa openly acknowledges that Alonso de Illescas was a man of superior qualities. He wrote to King telling him that it was not so easy to subdue a man who was well prepared and knows how to defend in all fields.
 
Alonso, married a daughter of Chief Chilianduli and had other women. The children were educated along Spanish families, were taught the use of weapon and also in the manufacturing of weapons. Three of his famous children were Enrique Alonso, Alonso Sebastian, Balthazar. One of his daughters was captured by Captain Andrew Contero, made a slave, sent to Guayaquil and married to a slave of the same Captain. Another daughter named Mary got married to Gonzalo de Avila, they had a daughter, Magdalena.

Writing from the Womb Workshop

Representing for my sister Alicia Anabel Santos, workshop coordinator!!

"My most humbling and significant role is around supporting writers in doing the work... the task of tending to the work... the discipline of the writers craft... the process of giving birth to something you work so hard for. I realized recently that everything that I have done in my life, on my writers journey, discovering my voice, leading women spaces has led me to transforming the Writing from the Womb workshop and facilitating it in a much different way than I have in the past."

http://wp.me/p3qxYP-Ko

Sunday, March 23, 2014
11am
D.U.B. Center
563 West 183rd Street
New York, NY

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Two Nations, One Island

Tuesday, March 13, 2014
12pm to 2pm
City College of New York (CCNY)
New York, NY

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