RezaRitesRi.com

by Reza Corinne Clifton

If you haven’t checked out my new site lately, VenusSings.com, here are snippets from a few of the newest posts:

Finally!! A Venus Sings Weekend on WRIU
I don’t know about you, but it has definitely felt like a long wait for me. Alas, without further delay, it is a VENUS SINGS weekend on WRIU!

On Saturday, June 20 from 9 - 11 AM (EST), yours truly, Reza Rites / Venus Sings / Reza Wreckage will be running Voices of Women on 90.3 FM in and Rhode Island or streaming live online at www.wriu.org.

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Phase 2 of Venus Sings Has Begun - Book Me Baby
by Reza Corinne Clifton
(aka Reza Rites, aka DJ Reza Wreckage, aka Venus Sings)

PROVIDENCE, RI - For those of you who were not present at the first two events to witness it personally, it is official: I am entering phase 2 of my Venus Sings adventure - live dj’ing gigs.

It started innocently enough: a request to dj for the wedding of two friends. Excited and flattered by the request, and safe and secure with my association, I accepted. Soon after, I accepted an invitation to perform/provide tunes for another friend, who was organizing a private and intimate affair for her inner circle.

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May 9 WRIU Playlist - Soul Ruled the World
by Reza Corinne Clifton

KINGSTON, RI - Yesterday, May 9, I was charged with hosting and running Voices of Women, a program on WRIU, 90.3 FM. VOW airs weekly, on Saturdays from 9-11 AM, thanks to the love and time put into it by Gail, Beth, Liza and me. Wanting to make things special, I themed the show - and preempted the selections I would weave into it - …If Soul Ruled the World….

The RI Young Professionals, Providence Black Repertory Company and Mu Theta Lambda Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. host the 3rd Annual All-White Affair: A Summer Eleganza at Waterplace Restaurant on July 9, 2009.

Providence, R.I. – Rhode Island Young Professionals (RIYP), an auxiliary of the Urban League of Rhode Island, in partnership with Providence Black Repertory Company and Mu Theta Lambda Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. will host its third annual All-White Affair: A Summer Eleganza on Thursday, July 9, 2009 from 6:30 PM – 1 AM. The event is part of Black Rep’s genre-defying music festival, Sound Session ’09. As a fundraiser and the only Sound Session event offering an upscale networking dinner and gala for business leaders, community champions, and up-and-coming professionals, the Eleganza will be held at Waterplace, a Pinelli Marra Restaurant and Lounge, downtown Providence, RI.

Drawing from the charm and beauty of Caribbean, Pacific, and other Island Cultures, Eleganza guests will be draped in all white attire, enjoying a carefully selected dinner from Downcity Providence’s premiere Restaurant and Lounge, Waterplace. With a Live Jazz by Reception by Gregg Mazel quartet at 6:30 PM and dinner served at 8, the latter part of the evening will be devoted to dancing and entertainment provided by surprise guests, live performers and Providence’s best DJ’s ½ PINT. Eleganza guests will be treated to a night of ‘decadence and elegance’ at our Summer Eleganza; All White Affair and at Sound Session 09. Sponsorship opportunities are available.

The All White Affair event has been a success for the past two year thanks to sponsors like Nappa Building Corporation, Rhode Island Hospital, Detroit Collision, and South Street Café.

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How to purchase All White Affair Tickets
Tickets for the 3rd annual Eleganza are available by calling 401-419-0088 or visiting RIYP’s Eleganza Home Page: www.riyp.org . Tickets must be purchase by Monday, July 6th 2009. All proceeds from the event will directly benefit programs and services offered by the hosting organizations: Rhode Island Young Professionals, Mu Theta Lambda Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. and Providence Black Repertory Company. All are 501(c)3 organizations. Sponsorship opportunities are also available.

About Sound Session ‘09
Providence Sound Session’ 09 is New England’s premier summer music festival. A multi-stage, genre defying event, Sound Session is produced by the Providence Black Repertory Company in partnership with the City of Providence, Department of Art, Culture & Tourism. 09 Festivities run from July 5 through July 12, 2009.

About Providence Black Repertory Company
Providence Black Repertory Company, www.blackrep.org, fosters a creative environment that celebrates the artistic contributions of black artists throughout American history. The company produces and presents artistic performances that bring people together, provoke thought, inspire hope, and create understanding. The Black Rep is an arts organization that provides a unique experience inspired by the cultural traditions of the African Diaspora in three key areas: theater, education, and public programs.

About Mu Theta Lambda Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.
Founded on December 4, 1906 at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York. Mu Theta Lambda Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., www.alphaphialpha.net, has continued to supply voice and vision to the struggle of African Americans and people of color around the world. Long standing at the forefront of the civil rights movement, Alpha men include Adam Clayton Powell Jr., Martin Luther King Jr. and the Honorable Thurgood Marshall. The fraternity through its college and alumni chapters serves the community through nearly a thousand chapters in the United States, Europe and the Caribbean.

About Rhode Island Young Professionals
Rhode Island Young Professionals (RIYP), www.riyp.org, is a member-based non-profit serving Rhode Islanders between the ages of 21 and 40. Founded in 2002, the organization is an auxiliary of the Urban League of Rhode Island and the Rhode Island chapter of the National Urban League Young Professionals. RIYP serves the League’s movement toward social and economic equality by providing a diverse membership with networking opportunities, workshops and resources aimed at nurturing personal and professional development. An active part of the Rhode Island community, RIYP is dedicated to offering and promoting services and programs that encourage meaningful participation in civic life. General body meetings are held the first Thursday of the month, 6:00p to 8:00p, at the Urban League headquarters, 246 Prairie Avenue, Providence, RI 02905; meetings are open to the public. For more information about RIYP, visit www.riyp.org.

by Reza Corinne Clifton

Click on the photo or here to read tips from Reza Rites on “Surviving as a Freelancer.” It was part of a series of workshops organized by Rhode Island Council for the Humanities.

PROVIDENCE, RI - On Wednesday, May 13, 2009 I participated in a workshop titled “Surviving as a Freelancer: Three project directors under the age of 30 share some tips for making ends meet.” It was part of the “Skill Share Workshops: Tips for Thriving on a Shoestring,” a free workshop series organized by Rhode Island Council for the Humanities. I shared the floor with Matthew Lawrence and Paul McCarthy, two fellow RICH grant recipient/directors and independent producers.

I immediately addressed the issues of whether to work for free and how to establish rates. Other do’s and don’ts I shared (with more detail and examples) included:

- Do work for free

- Don’t work for free

- Do maintain, create, or identify your specialty

- Do create take risks

- Don’t become fixated on things you don’t know

- Don’t pretend like you and your computer are friends; back up your back up.

To read the entire presentation, click on the photo above or here. To read other talks and presentations I’ve given, click here.

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Photos from the ‘2009 New England Dustoff’
A car show featuring Volkswagens, Audi’s and BMW’s

by Reza Corinne Clifton

SEEKONK, MA - With a panorama offering a range of crusty and dusty to waxed and stacked, and a day in April offering mid-July weather, the 2009 New England Dustoff came and went. This annual car show - my first - held at Seekonk Speedway in Massachusetts, was held this year on the 26th of April. Attracting people from all ethnic backgrounds, any age, and of each gender, this event offered visual stimulation as well as a haven for new philosophies: rusty can be just as valuable as shiny; Heidi Klum isn’t the German model being referred to; the do-it-yourself ethos doesn’t refer to knitting circles; and what’s beautiful may be outside, but it’s what’s inside that most flock to first.

To see more photos and captions from the event, click here.

For more information on the annual car show, the New England Dustoff, visit www.nedustoff.com. To see other RezaRitesRi photos click here.

by Reza Corinne Clifton

originally posted on www.VenusSings.com

‘Go Global or Go Home’ was the theme that drove my Voices of Women radio set on April 25, but was it a political statement or economic slogan as some interpreted?

KINGSTON, RI - It was a long, cold voyage, but my partner and I finally picked up cable several months ago after at least 4 years without it. Now, before you judge and deem me as a pure consumer-capitalist, let me explain it, briefly: I was sick of going to journalism conferences not necessarily aware of each minute aspect of every major news item of the day or recent past (oh no!!!). Now of course that’s not the worst area in which to have a deficiency…unless you’re trying to make it out here calling yourself a journalist.

On the other hand, and to open up the flood gates of finger-pointing, typecasting, and ridicule, one of my nonnegotiables if we were going to finally agree to cable was that we had to include movie channels. But how would the content of HBO or Showtime help me with the conference issue the way programming on BBC or CNN would? I’ll clear it up right away: That wasn’t the point; I just wanted some fun. More than that, though, I’ve received inspiration for my Venus Sings slots on Voices of Women, a show that airs weekly on WRIU (90.3 FM in and around RI or at www.wriu.org) from 9-11 AM (EST) on Saturdays.

With respect to what it is inspiring me, I have to give credit to HBO in particular, for they’ve got me hooked like stolen fish on not one, but two series: ‘The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency’ and ‘Alice.’ Both shows are set outside of the U.S., with Detective Agency (we’ll call it for short) based on characters, storylines, and the cultural nuances of Botswana - a small country in the Southern region of Africa - while Alice is based on the adventures of a woman who has recently moved to Sao Paolo, Brazil. Alice, by the way, mainly airs on HBO Latinoamerica.

Besides playing into the part of me that holds a fondness for studying and analyzing different cultures and people, I’m drawn into the two programs by the independent, adventurous, multifaceted protagonists in each show - women who take chances, listen internally, and embrace and walk the uneven road of change.

And perhaps it is because of the intersection that currently joins my career and sense of self - or maybe it’s just good programming - but watching, I often end up feeling that their experiments are my experiments; their mishaps are my mishaps; their small successes are my small successes…And their music is my music.

So no, Go Global or Go Home was not a political statement or slogan, at least not this time. It was a shout-out to my two new favorite shows, and to everyone who feels connected to the world - through music.

Sunshine and Laughter,
Reza Rites

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My Health, My Community’s Health

by Reza Corinne Clifton

An excerpt from the 2009 Minority Health Edition of She Shines Magazine, “From the Editor.” Pictured here is the cover from the magazine featuring work by RI-based artist, Simone Spruce-Torres.

PROVIDENCE, RI - If health in America were reflected in a medical condition, my guess is it would probably be prediabetic. Notwithstanding the “America is sick” belief, there are disparities in outcomes based on race, ethnicity and zip code that simply won’t go away. How will we ever get there?

Imagine a United States in which chattel slavery ended almost as soon as it started – or at least one in which the end of the Civil War actually ended the practice of discrimination in America.

Imagine a U.S. in which every teacher saw every student as a vessel to fill – with hope, confidence, intellect and ability.

Finally, imagine a U.S. in which every doctor saw in each of her or his patients a person to treat, cure and regard as her/his very own parent, spouse or child.

These are some of the thoughts that stayed in my sub consciousness, from the minute I began considering and selecting the pieces I’d weave into this edition of She Shines to the very last period I typed on my screen. A patchwork of contradictions regularly darted through my mind – as well as aloud in interviews and at a conference on Health Reporting sponsored by the National Association of Black Journalists: Insured versus Denied; Specialist versus Attending; Fear versus Prevention; Holistic versus Prescription; Yours versus Ours; Life versus Death.

…

For more information about She Shines, visit www.sheshines.org. To keep reading this article or to download the entire issue, click here.

Reza Corinne Clifton’s work can be read and heard at www.RezaRitesRi.com, www.VenusSings.com, www.SheShines.org, and on WRIU, 90.3 FM (www.wriu.org). She is an online publisher, freelance writer, and radio producer whose most recent project, The Rhode 2 Africa, gained her critical acclaim in the community for her exploration of African communities and cultures that are now based in Rhode Island and Massachusetts. Pieces of the project aired on WRIU, and community events were held in Providence, Rhode Island. Interviews, photographs, a video and other information about the project are located on RezaRitesRi.com.

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by Reza Corinne Clifton

PAWTUCKET, RI - Sometimes when I’m out at a live show locally, I remember why I’ve never been hooked to American Idol: because that kind of talent exists in my backyard. That thought most recently crossed my mind last Saturday, April 25, when I attended a musical showcase at Mixed Magic Theatre - The MC’s R.A.P (Rhythm And Poetry) Sessions. Not only was I re-impressed with performers like Riders Against the Storm, Kalyana Champlain, and Yunus - two acts featured during the Rhode to Africa Concert Series and one whose work has accented a RezaRitesRi podcast - but I was appropriately amused by the wordplay of hip hop emcee (rapper) Waleezy, and downright titillated by the melodic, thematic, and metronomic variety displayed by the singer-poet-emcee, Genesis. Why, she even did a song/remix over Outkast’s breathtaking and convivial cult favorite, Spottieottiedopalicious, from their third album, Aquemini.

But kudos also goes to the host and creator of the night - Rudy Cabrera of Providence, RI - and to everyone at Mixed Magic Theatre. Part of the artistic and cultural renaissance happening in Pawtucket, Mixed Magic - under Ricardo and Bernadette Pitts-Wiley - have found the perfect balance between firmly cementing roots in a host community while sharing and attracting a broad base of supporters. Evidence of this includes recent performances by company members in Washington, D.C., and in their upcoming events. For more information keep reading below, visit www.mixedmagictheatre.org, or call 401-475-6675.

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The Blackstone Academy Charter School Presents

The Blackstone Tale of Don Quixote

Adapted and directed by Mixed Magic Theatre Artistic Director, Ricardo Pitts-Wiley
From the novel Don Quixote by Miguel De Cervantes

Thursday - Saturday
May 7th-9th
7:30 PM

Mixed Magic Theatre
171 Main St. Pawtucket

All Tickets $5
info: Call 726-1750

Miguel De Cervantes’ classic novel has been called the first true novel and in the eyes of many in the world, the greatest novel of all time. Cervantes uses an idealistic, insane knight and his devoted squire to portray many complex themes through a series of unforgettable incidents both tragic and comic.

In The Blackstone Tale of Don Quixote, director Ricardo Pitts-Wiley has adapted the novel and set it in contemporary Pawtucket and Central Falls, Rhode Island.

In the play, a man of the neighborhood, “Papi” has read Cervantes’ great novel to several generations of people. Now as an old man unable to care for himself, he has come to believe that he is the “Knight Errant” of his favorite book and must go on a mission to restore justice and honor to his beloved cities. A group of young people decide to take Papi through Central Falls and Pawtucket to reenact Don Quixote’s adventures before he is sent to a retirement home by the state.

The Blackstone Tale of Don Quixote will feature students from the Blackstone Academy Charter School located in Pawtucket. Teacher Gilbert Rodriquez will play the role of Papi.

The play is made possible by support from the Rhode Island State Council on the Arts and the Pawtucket Rotary Literary Project.

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Mixed Magic Theatre Presents

Misery’s Fiend: Frankenstein

Written by Ricardo Pitts-Wiley. Adapted from Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein. Directed by Jonathan Pitts-Wiley

Thursday - Saturday
May 14th- 23rd
7:30 PM

Mixed Magic Theatre
171 Main St. Pawtucket

$15 General
$10 Students & Seniors

info: 401-305-7333

Mixed Magic Theatre will present an adaptation of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein titled Misery’s Fiend: Frankenstein at its theater located at 171 Main Street in Pawtucket. Misery’s Fiend: Frankenstein retells the story in Mary Shelly’s own words of Victor Frankenstein’s irresponsible creation of a monster. Against a backdrop of the contemporary American culture it also shows how his actions continue to influence the modern world.

This production continues Mixed Magic Theatre’s page-to-stage theatre projects and its efforts to build more literate and arts active communities.

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Calling All Professionals, Entrepreneurs and Artists in Pawtucket, East Providence, North Providence, and Central Falls

The Rhode Island Young Professionals in collaboration with Mixed Magic Theatre, Slater Mill and Rosinha’s Restaurant present

CROSSING THE LINE: A Networking Social in Pawtucket.

Wednesday, April 29
6:30 PM – 9:30 PM

Rosinha’s Restaurant
Hope Artiste Village
999 Main St., Pawtucket, RI

For more information, contact me, Reza Rites, at 401-497-5246.

For more information about the Rhode Island Young Professionals, Mixed Magic Theatre, or Slater Mill, visit www.riyp.org, www.mixedmagictheatre.org, or www.slatermill.org.

RICJ ANNOUNCES WINNERS OF ANNUAL JOURNALISM AWARDS
Winners to Be Presented at 21ST Annual Metcalf Awards Breakfast

Recipients include RezaRitesRi.com, She Shines Magazine, and WRNI - three outlets that do or have featured the editorial work of Reza Corinne Clifton (Reza Rites).

Providence, RI, April 21, 2009 – Recruiting urban youth for nursing school, touting the accomplishments of RI women, a sailing team competing against the odds, African neighbors putting down Rhode Island roots and food from the around the globe in our backyard, are the focus for winners of the 21st Annual Metcalf Diversity in Media Awards to be presented Thursday, May 14, 8:15 a.m. at the Temple-Downtown restaurant in Providence.

Rhode Island for Community and Justice is proud to announce the following winning individuals and media outlets.

–>Broadcast: Dana Neugent for the “Be A Nurse” video.

–>Print, Daily: Gail Ciampa and the Providence Journal for the “Taste of
the Neighborhood” Food Series

–>Print, Weekly/Bi-Weekly: Jewish Voice and Herald – Community News Series

–>Print, Monthly/Quarterly: Northern Rhode Island YWCA – She Shines Magazine

–>Internet: RezaRitesRI.com for “Rhode to Africa” Podcast

–>Radio: Megan Hall and WRNI radio for “ Clagett Regatta”

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Established in 1988 to honor the late Michael Metcalf, publisher of the Providence Journal, awards are given for Print, Broadcast (Radio and Television) and Web/Internet media. A final category was added recognizes unusually outstanding effort in any media. Entries are judged by a local, independent panel convened by RICJ. The annual competition is the only award in Rhode Island to recognize journalists and the media for their stories promoting diversity.

WJAR TV 10 General Manager, Lisa Churchville will emcee the breakfast festivities and RI PBS President, Bob Fish is honorary chair. Established in 1988 to honor the late Michael Metcalf, publisher of the Providence Journal, previous awardees have included: Stephanie McKenna, Providence Journal; Joseph Fitzgerald, the Woonsocket Call; Jaime Remillard, the Observer; Valerie Tutson, Cultural Tapestry, Cox Communications; and WELH Brown Student Radio.

RICJ is a social justice organization dedicated to fighting bias, bigotry and racism and promoting understanding and respect among all races, religions and cultures through advocacy, conflict resolution and education.

Tickets to the awards breakfast are $40 per person. For additional information contact Ann Clanton at Rhode Island for Community and Justice at 401 467-1717 Ext. 101. For more information about Rhode to Africa, click here.

by Reza Corinne Clifton

originally posted on www.VenusSings.com

PROVIDENCE, RI - I love music; don’t you??!! It is my insulin, earl grey tea, and “pleasure principle” - if I may borrow a certain Jackson’s expression and song title. It is with this in mind (and Santogold in ear) that I proportionately pound away at these keys to deliver a proclamation that likely moves no one as heartily as me:

My next two dates for hosting and producing Voices of Women on WRIU are tomorrow, April 25 and Saturday, May 9. VOW is a weekly program run Saturday mornings from 9:00 - 11:00 (EST) by one of four hosts: Liza, Beth, Gail, and me (Reza, aka Reza Rites, aka VenusSings.com).

WRIU can be accessed by radio in and around Rhode Island at 90.3 FM or anywhere in the world by using an internet-equipped computer and visiting www.wriu.org. It is the state’s largest noncommercial station, and it is run by students, community members, and those who, like me, are alumni and former student-dj’s.

For more information about WRIU, visit www.wriu.org. To tag along during my musical adventures, keep checking back in to www.venussings.com or check out RezaRitesRi.com for all my current projects, publications, events, etc.

Sunshine and Laughter,
Reza

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