Raise Your Brown Black Fist: NYC Book Signing

Once again....IT'S ON!!!!

It's my homecoming.  I will be returning to the NYC area (BROOKLYYYYYYYYN) to be doing a book signing in my hometown.  It's something that I've been longing to do since my first book, and I'm finally able to take that opportunity now.  Please join me on Friday, March 23rd from 5pm to 9pm as I speak and sign my books for the general public.  Admission is FREE!!!  Come on through...spread the word...and bring a friend! 

DATE: Friday, March 23, 2012
TIME: 5pn to 9pm
LOCATION: The Marcus Garvey Center
                       5105 Church Avenue
                       Brooklyn, NY 11203

2 or 5 train to Church Avenue, B35 bus to Utica Avenue
OR
3 or 4 train to Utica Avenue, B46 to Church Avenue
The Marcus Garvey Center is located on the corner of Church Avenue and E. 51st Street.


Hope to see you all there!!!!  :D

Book Signing & Lecture: The Aftermath

It finally came and went, my big day.  I was able to FINALLY hold my very first book signing.  It was a bit of an error on my part the first time around when I got published.  I attended a few events and was able to vend at a few festivals, but never quite got around to actually having a lone event to promote my work.  With publishing the second book, I wanted to correct that mistake this time around.

I was able to get to Wisdom Book Center the night before, and helped Bro. Tehuti (the owner) set up the store in the seating arraignment that I envisioned.  He was actually quite impressed with the set up; I had my back to his inventory on the bookshelves, and had all of the seats facing me.  That way, while I'm speaking about my book, they can also see what he has in stock at his store, and also want to purchase something from him along with my own book(s).  That way, we both win; it will gain him some new customers that will want to come back.  I saw that same setup once on C-SPAN, on a program that they have called Book TV.  I always did want to try that set up....

The big day came (February 11th), and I arrived a good 45 minutes early.  I was able to set up my MiniDV video camera, chilled out a bit with Bro. Tehuti, and just waited for the people to come.

They were late...by almost an hour!  CP time, man...CP time....
People who told me that they were going to show up...didn't.
...OR they came really late.
Smh....

Since the event was three hours, I was going to spend the first hour and a half speaking.  Since the folks came late, I cut it down to 45 minutes.  The attendees were tardy, and it wasn't a packed house by any means...but it went GREAT!

I was able to provide a lot of information to my audience, I was able to get my points and views across.  Hell, I was even able to answer some audience questions both during and after my lecture.  I felt really good about it, and felt like I was able to really accomplish my goals.

Afterwards, I was able to sign and sell a number of my books.  I decided to stay past the 3pm deadline, with Bro. Tehuti's blessing.  It was a great day for both of us.  I felt very proud of myself, and was thankful to the brother for allowing me this opportunity to use his space.  I look forward to doing more book signings; not only at brother Tehuti's establishment, but at other locations as well.  Right now, I'm trying to set up book signings in DC, and in my hometown of New York City.  Stay tuned.....

Black History Month: the Diaspora Edition

The following is an excerpt of one of the essays included in my second book.  Since this is Black History Month, I thought that it would be appropriate to put here.  Please enjoy.....

Black History Month: The Diaspora Edition

"I'm still learning that the pen's mightier than the sword,
But we still need the help of Brown Berets and Young Lords...
My artifacts cannont be beaten by false attacks,
But step to me...I'll go down fighting just like the Caribs and the Arawaks."
-  Knowledge As Supreme; "Phunkee Honduran's Flow"
(c) 1995


BALTIMORE, MD-I remember a number of years ago (around 1999, or 2000) reading an article that was posted on the website called "The Black World Today" (www.tbwt.org). In the article, the author discussed how Black History Month should be expanded (content-wise) to include our heroes that are from the Caribbean, considering the growing number of people immigrating to the United States from the islands, and how their children (and others, for that matter)are taught very little about our heroes & sheroes that have done great achievements throughout history that are from the islands.  I would like to piggyback on that notion, and feel that we should include all of our heroes and sheroes throughout the Diaspora, Afro Latinos included.

You have some brothers and sisters who can tell you about our American heroes and icons; Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, JR., Harriet Tubman, Frederick Douglass, and Sojourner Truth are usually the most well known names that people mention during Black History Month.  People might also invoke the names of certain contemporary celebrity personalities to be included in Black History Month celebrations.  At the same time, how many people are aware of such brothers and sisters like Walter Rodney, Frantz Fanon, Dr. Eric Williams, or Shirley Chisholm?  How often do you hear people invoking the names of ancestral greats and freedom fighters such as Antonio Maceo, Jose Marti, and Maroon leader Carlota of Cuba, Sebastian Lemba  of the Dominican Republic, Rafael Cordero and Manzano from Puerto Rico?  Are there many people that are familiar with Touissant L'Oveture and Jean-Jacques Dessalines from Haiti?  What about Nanny and Cudjoe from Jamaica?   You also have Juan Gualberto Gomez from Cuba, a hero from her War of Independence from Spain.  Jose Celso Barbosa had also fought for independence from the colonial grips of Spain, specifically for Puerto Rico.  None of us took our subjugation lying down.  We've all fought against slavery, and we continue to fight against colonialism.


To read more, feel free to purchase a copy of  my book "Raise Your Brown Black Fist 2: MORE Political Shouts of an Angry Afro Latino" to read the rest of the article. 

AfroLatinos: The Untaught Story

Representing for my peoples at Creador pictures!!!  It's finally about to arrive!!!  The documentary series "AfroLatinos: The Untaught Story"  is about to become a reality!  I have been blessed to know the creators of this documentary series (albeit mostly online), and will do everything that I can to help promote their work.  Please help to support this film!!!!

Raise Your Brown Black Fist: Lecture & Book Signing

MARK YOUR CALENDERS!!!!!!!!

February 11, 2012.....the start of my ascension.

On Saturday, February 11, 2012, I will be holding my first lecture and book signing of the year, based on my two books.  I am very excited about it, and am really looking forward to it.  Of course, I'm looking to do more this year, as well as vending opportunities and other speaking engagements.  The location for the book signing will be as follows:

Wisdom Book Center
5116 Liberty Heights Avenue
Baltimore, MD, 21207

The event will be from 12pm-3pm.  The first half of the program will be lecturing about my two literary works.  The second half of the program will consist of me signing copies of my books for those that wish to purchase them.

Come one...come all!!!  Bring a friend, and tell as many people as you can!

Clemente In Context/Clemente En contexto

On December 10th, I was fortunate enough to be able to participate in a great event here in Baltimore.  The Reginald F. Lewis Museum is displaying an exhibit about the life of baseball great Roberto Clemente, and had asked me to participate in an event that they wanted to do as part of the exhibit.  Naturally I jumped at the chance to do it.

Clemente In Context was a panel discussion about the life, legacy, and struggles of Roberto Clemente, and what that means to African Americans, Afro Latinos, and issues of race as they stand today.  Joining me on the panel:

Modesto Lacen- Actor
Danny Torres- Sports Journalist
Miriam Jimenez Roman- Educator, author, activist
Juan Flores- Educator, author, activist
Clarissa Mendez - Activist, advocate
moderator: Michelle Joan Wilkinson--Reginald F. Lewis museum; Dept. of Collections and Exhibitions

The panel was quite well received, and very informative.  The audience was well engaged by the panel, and were really appreciative of the information that was provided.  It took a while for the audience to finally trickle in, but I enjoyed the opportunity to participate nonetheless.    It was quite comfortable being on the panel; we all warmly greeted each other, and no one came with an ego.  It was great for me, considering that I'm already friends with Miriam and Juan.  I had actually participated in their conference on/about Afro Latinos last month in November back in NY (Afro Latin@s Now! Conference), so it was great for me to get to see them again.  I really enjoyed meeting the other panelists, and hope to continue a long lasting friendship with all of them.

After the panel discussion, I had a lecture based on my book(s).  I have to admit, I was a bit nervous in the beginning; this was my first actual lecture since becoming a published author.  Once I started talking, however, I just went with the flow.  I have to admit, I personally felt like I babbled a little bit, but I think I did a pretty good job.  Maybe next time, I'll use index cards to keep me more focused on what it is I'm trying to say; it felt like I was jumping subjects a lot (imho).  My lecture lasted for about an hour, plus a (very) short Q&A afterwards (like I said, I babbled a bit).

After the lecture, the event was capped off with a book signing in the museum's Gift Shop.  I had copies of both of my books, Juan and Miriam had copies of their book, "The AfroLatin@ Reader", and Danny had copies of some articles that he had written about Roberto Clemente; he even donated the proceeds of the sales of the articles to the Lewis Museum.  It was great to experience all of this, and I was glad to meet people that were impacted by both what I had written in my books, and what I had stated during my lecture.  I was glad to have met people who identified with what I was saying, and had experienced that same struggle that I did.  In return, they thanked me for being able to articulate what they have felt (in some cases, for a very long time) in a book format for the masses to see.  A few of them worked with children, or specifically in the educational system, and wanted to connect with me to have me come and address their students at some future date.  This was all great for me, because it showed that a lot of my hard work and activism is finally starting to pay off.

So...December 10, 2011 will forever live in infamy for me.  This was truly a great experience, and I hope that it is a start for better things to come.

Raise Your Brown Black Fist 2: MORE Political Shouts of an Angry Afro Latino

"Once again...IT'S ON!! Back with a fresh set of essays and verses, this second volume of RAISE YOUR BROWN BLACK FIST continues to help bridge the gap between the Black and Brown communities, and gives voice to the little known "Third Root" of Latino culture.  Extending the "Black Thoughts" article series into one complete volume, a new perspective is now given.  Whether still breaking it down in layman's terms, or still spittin' it in a Hip Hop vernacular, this second volume continues to deal with these issues from a different perspective.  Keep the fist raised!"

  http://outskirtspress.com/brownblackfist2

ISBN #: 978-1-4327-8354-9

Available for sale now at Outskirts Press, Amazon.com, and Barnes & Nobles