RezaRitesRi.com

Did you know that I’ve officially moved? That’s right! The new home for me, ‘Reza Rites,’ and RezaRitesRI is on IsisStorm.com.

The mission of ISIS STORM is to bring forth those voices that are being neglected; to be a vehicle to the generations of women who are fed up with seeing and accepting someone else’s definitions of who [we/they] are; and to give attention to the generations of women who are awakening to the realization that [we/they] are more than what [our/their] generation sees. It is our goal to bring the voices to the table that have long since been ignored, both ethnically and in gender. The way that we encourage these voices to be heard is through the power of art and writing.

Through various events, feature performances and workshops, folks are getting to know the refrain, “When I say Isis, you say…” But to be clear, Isis Storm is a collective of female poets, musicians, artists, writers, media producers and educators. It is also an emerging music label, publishing house, and media group where members of the collective can work to illuminate our causes and ideals.

As co-founder of Isis Storm (alongside hip hop artist Kalyana Champlain, aka 5th Elament), my motivations for moving RezaRitesRI are three-fold: a) to lead by example, b) to demonstrate my faith in the project, and c) to further the original RezaRitesRi.com aim of exposing my readers, friends, and family to “the voices of our ethnically, socially, and artistically diverse.”

I hope you’ll follow me and all the sisters of Isis Storm at IsisStorm.com, as well as my adventures in music at VenusSings.com and my work as health editor at UrbanHealthWatch.net and SheShines.org. You can also see current and archived work of mine at places like:

-> the John Hope Settlement Blog,

-> RIFuture.org, Rhode Island’s Progressive News, Opinion and Analysis blog,

-> WRIU and BSR, two student- and community-run radio stations in RI,

-> The new and old Rhode 2 Africa blogs, where I detail projects I’ve led or worked on dealing with the migration of Africans and African-Americans to RI,

-> Black Perspectives Now, an online project run by the producers of Basic Black on WGBH,

-> On the podcasts and photo pages of RezaRitesRi.com

Thanks for your support and hope we stay in touch!

- Reza Rites

PROVIDENCE, RI - For months in many corners of the country, individuals, groups, and power-breakers have been sitting around televisions, newspapers, computers, and cameras waiting to hear about reforms to the country’s system and delivery of health care. True to the complexities of the U.S. government, however, steps remain before full enactment, and the debates have continued loudly with political sport played comparably to an athletic one.

In other corners of the nation, however, it is the very existence of such exaggerated and personality-laden sparring and the nonstop adjusting of procedures and provisions that have caused, at it’s most innocent, a tuning out of the debate and, at it’s worst, a disinterest, distrust, and general apathy towards a system and process that can serve as a place where solutions are nestled. But with everyone being effected by pending health reforms, at Urban Health Watch we’re wondering if you are ready for changes that WILL touch your life?

More importantly, we’re wondering, “How Can We Help You with Health Reform?” Please let us know by taking our short, online survey by clicking here or on the picture above.

Join Urban Health Watch on Facebook. Share your ideas for discussion, post your own events, and be part of the solution

Celebrate the launch of an online magazine for New England’s “Ethnic” Professionals on Wednesday, March 3, 2010 from 6-9 PM at RISD Museum in Providence, RI. Music will be provided by me, Reza Rites / Venus Sings / DJ Reza Wreckage, but register by Monday, March 1 by emailing lwebb@ethniconline.net

PROVIDENCE, RI - Join me, Reza Rites/Venus Sings, Ethnic Online Magazine, RISD and a host of community partners on Wednesday, March 3, 2010, for a kickoff of Ethnic Online Magazine and the official RI launch party. Ethnic Online (EO) was launched in September 2009 to serve as “New England’s Magazine for Ethnic Professionals.” Sections of the magazine include those covering money, health, politics, and arts and entertainment.

The March 3rd event will go from 6-9 PM and will be held at Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) Museum, 224 Benefit Street in Providence. Music will be provided by me, Venus Sings, and the event is free and open to the public. However, registration is required by Monday, March 1st.

For more information see the flyer below or to RSVP, contact Ethnic Online Founder and Publisher, Leonard Webb, by emailing lwebb@ethniconline.net or by calling 781-652-0777.

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Rhode Island Young Professionals Invite You To Its 
7th ANNUAL  WINTER SOIREE.  
 
PROVIDENCE, RI ‐ The Rhode Island Young Professionals, an auxiliary organization to the Urban League of Rhode Island, announces its 7th Annual Winter Soiree, themed “Taking The Torch, Tomorrows Leaders Today.” Scheduled for Saturday, February 27th, 2010 at the Providence Marriott (1 Orms Street) from 6:00pm to 1:00am, the event will feature a night of decadence, grace, and stature punctuated by a live jazz ensemble, special dinner, a brief awards ceremony, and plenty of dancing.

Keith Stokes, Executive Director of the Rhode Island Economic Development Corporation, will be the keynote speaker for the evening. Prior to his appointment, Mr. Stokes served as the Treasurer of the RI Economic Development Corporation and worked as the Executive Director of the Newport County Chamber of Commerce for over 15 years. He will deliver a message focused on the importance of investing in young professionals. John Guice, Reporter at ABC 6 News, and RIYP’s very own, Reza C. Clifton (RezaRitesRi.com), will serve as the master and mistress of ceremonies.
 
All professionals, both young and old will be inspired and encouraged as the leaders of a new tomorrow. For more information, contact Raymond Watson at 401‐338‐7606 or at Rlwatson06@yahoo.com 

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by Reza Corinne Clifton

WASHINGTON, DC - On Thursday, January 28, 2010, Families USA, a national organization, began Health Action 2010 - its conference for consumer health advocates. The three day conference ended on Saturday afternoon, January 30 after being held at The Hyatt Regency Washington, on Capitol Hill, in Washington, DC.

According to Families USA, which is a Washington, DC-based nationally-serving nonprofit organization, the 2009 conference drew approximately 800 participants from more than 40 states.

This year’s conference featured a powerful group of leaders, informants, and advocates who talked about health reform legislation, field strategies for advancing the message about health equity, and strategies to keep constituents engaged. On Friday, January 29, yours truly, Reza Rites - in part representing UrbanHealthWatch.net - co-presented on the topic of “Getting Your Message Out: Strategies for Advancing Health Equity.”

It was day two of Health Action 2010 and after a 10:45 AM start and a preceding talk on engaging the traditional media, your RezaRitesRi.com/Urban Health Watch editor, delivered “Spread the Word in 2010: Health Equity Today, Tomorrow and Right Now,” a presentation which included statistics about diversity in the media to illustrate why advocates need to take matters into their own hands and tips on starting, maintaining and sharing new media projects and social networking accounts.

Photos and additional coverage of the conference are available at UrbanHealthWatch.net, but to catch a glimpse at what I shared, click here to download the presentation.

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Venus Sings at Funda Fest
Catch me, Reza Rites aka Venus Sings On Friday, January 22 at Spoken Word and Love Stories, a Funda Fest 12 event.

PROVIDENCE, RI - In case you missed it, the 12th year of Funda Fest began this week with its workshops, story swaps, school shows, and special performances. The annual cultural festival is organized by the RI Black Storytellers, a non-profit organization “dedicated to promoting the awareness, appreciation, and application of Black Storytelling in Rhode Island through performance, educational, and cultural experiences.”

Well the event continues tomorrow, on Friday January 22, with “Spoken Word and Love Stories.” The event will be hosted by spoken word poet, Christopher Johnson and dj’d by ME, Venus Sings/DJ Reza Wreckage. The event starts at 10pm, admission is $5, and it will take place at Brooklyn Coffee & Tea House, 209 Douglas Avenue in Providence, RI.

Join Johnson, me, and a host of other performers including a special preview performance by the Funda Fest 12 headlining performer, Grammy-nominated Christon Bacon, aka Christylez (pronounced Chris- styles) a progressive hip-hop artist out of Washington, DC. He performs for the Funda Fest Storytelling Concert and Market Place on Saturday, January 23, at 8 PM at the Michael P Metcalf Auditorium at Rhode Island School of Design, 20 North Main St in Providence, RI. For more information about the show visit www.ribsfest.com. For more about Funda Fest, click here.

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Venus Sings Radio

You know the deal: women, music, community.

Venus Sings Radio
Saturday, January 23, 2010
9 - 11 AM (est)

Hear it: 90.3 FM or www.wriu.org
Contact: www.VenusSings.com;
studio lines: 401-792-9030 or 1-888-303-9748

WESTERLY, RI - Funda Fest 12, an annual cultural festival organized by the RI Black Storytellers, begins on Sunday, January 17 with “Tales from Black History,” a Family Storytelling Concert. It starts at 1 pm, admission is free, and it happens at a new location: The Westerly Armory, 8 Dixon St in Westerly, RI.

Funda Fest continues all week, bringing workshops, story swaps, school shows, and public performances of spoken word, love stories, folk tales, and true stories from Westerly to Woonsocket, Providence to Newport. Headlining this year’s invited national guests is Grammy-nominated Christon Bacon, aka Christylez (pronounced Chris- styles) a progressive hip-hop artist out of Washington, DC.

”We are so excited to have Christylez with us this year. Several of us had seen him at the Smithsonian Folklife Festival in DC this past summer. He is a young guy with a lot of talent and a great mix of old traditions and new flavor. Christylez is a talented musician and a poet who understands the Black oral tradition,” says Valerie Tutson, FUNDA FEST Director. “We had invited him, and then found out he will be headed to LA right after he leaves Rhode Island.” Christylez has been nominated in the “Best Musical Album for Children” category for a collaboration done with Folk/Children Music Duo, Cathy Fink & Marcy Marxer.

Other updates to the schedule include to the event on Friday, January 22: Spoken Word and Love Stories hosted by Christopher Johnson. The event starts at 10pm and will take place at Brooklyn Coffee & Tea House, 209 Douglas Avenue in Providence, RI. Admission is $5.

To read the full press release about Funda Fest 12, click here. For up-to-the-minute updates and info about the RI Black Storytellers, visit www.ribsfest.org.

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12th Annual FUNDA FEST: A Celebration of Black Storytelling
January 17-24 2010
For more information, contact Valerie Tutson at 401.439.7122

Providence, RI—Rhode Island Black Storytellers, otherwise known as RIBS, invite you to join them in FUNDA FEST 12: A Celebration of Black Storytelling, January 17-24, 2010. FUNDA means to teach and to learn in Zulu and KiSwahili. For an entire week, Rhode Island will experience some of the best cultural arts programming across the state for the 12th year in a row.

Headlining this year’s invited national guests is Grammy-nominated Christon Bacon, aka Christylez (pronounced Chris- styles) a progressive hip-hop artist out of Washington, DC.”We are so excited to have Christylez with us this year. Several of us had seen him at the Smithsonian Folklife Festival in DC this past summer. He is a young guy with a lot of talent and a great mix of old traditions and new flavor. Christylez is a talented musician and a poet who understands the Black oral tradition,” says Valerie Tutson, FUNDA FEST Director. “We had invited him, and then found out he will be headed to LA right after he leaves Rhode Island.” Christylez has been nominated in the “Best Musical Album for Children” category for a collaboration done with Folk/Children Music Duo, Cathy Fink & Marcy Marxer.

“In addition to Christylez, we have a wonderful woman, Deborah Asante, out of Indianapolis. She has a children’s theatre company, and has been telling stories all of her life. She will be doing the Intergenerational Storytelling Workshop at the Providence Public Library on Saturday, January 23rd, and sharing some of her Love Stories for grown ups on Friday night, the 22nd”

The FUNDA FEST performers include RIBS tellers Len Cabral, Rochel Coleman, Raffini, Ramona Kolobe, and Valerie Tutson. Festival favorite, Teju Ologboni returns from Milwaukee. Local artists include Christopher Johnson, who will perform as a solo artist, and with the spoken word trio Spittin Images. Drummer Abdul Mateen will add his talents to the mix.

“This year, RIBS and FUNDA are looking to expand our circle of family and friends, “ Tutson explains, “ For several years, RIBS has been a part of the Expansion Arts Program through the Rhode Island Foundation. We have had the opportunity to work with some very fine cultural arts groups in the State. Our program is coming to an end and we had talked about finding a way to showcase these groups; to bring our communities together. FUNDA seemed like the perfect opportunity.” As a result, the Saturday night concert at the Metcalf Auditorium at RISD will include a mix of voices and performances including young African drummers from OASIS International, Thawn Harris, a Native American storyteller from the Tomaquag Indian Memorial and Museum, ECAS Theatre and music and dance from The Hmong United Association of RI. All these groups and more will be a part of the Market Place in the lobby.

It’s a full week, from Sunday to Sunday, from Westerly to Woonsocket, Providence to Newport. See part of the schedule below, and full up-to-the-minute details at www.ribsfest.org.

Sunday, January 17, 2010:
Family Storytelling Concert
Woonsocket, RI
www.ribsfest.org for details and more info

Monday, January 18, 11:30 am, 1 and 2:30 pm:
MLK Amazing Grace featuring Rochel Coleman and Valerie Tutson
Providence Children’s Museum
100 South Street, Providence RI
Free with Museum Admission

January 19-22:
RIBS tellers and invited guests perform for Storytellers in the Schools
Statewide locations. For information, call Carolyn Martino: 401 351.8090

Thursday, January 21, 6-8 pm:
Family Storytelling Concert
YWCA Northern Rhode Island
514 Blackstone Street, Woonsocket, RI
Admission: $1/children .$50/adults

Friday, January 22:
Spoken Word and Love Stories
www.ribsfest.org for details and more info

Saturday, January 23, 12:30-5 pm:
Free Family FUN-Day
Providence Public Library
150 Empire Street, Providence
- 1:00-2:15 pm: Intergenerational Storytelling Workshop with Deborah Asante
- 2:30 pm: Family Storytelling Concert featuring RIBS and invited guests
- 4:00 pm: Story Swap: Tell your own story!

Saturday, January 23, Doors open at 7:30:
Storytelling Concert and Market Place (NEW VENUE)
Michael P Metcalf Auditorium at RISD
20 North Main St, Providence 8 pm
- 7:30 PM: Marketplace opens for Cultural gifts, tellers’ merchandise and more
- 8:00 PM: RIBS’ Featured tellers and Expansion Arts Partners take the stage
- Tickets: www.ArtTixRi.com; $10/advance, $15/door, RISD students free w/ID, RISD Museum members $10 w/ID at door

Sunday, January 24, 2010, 2:00 PM:
Family Storytelling Concert
Martin Luther King Center
20 Marcus Wheatland Blvd, Newport
Donations collected on-site

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FUNDA FEST is made possible with support from The Rhode Island State Council on the Arts, The Rhode Island Foundation, The Expansion Arts Program, Project Priscilla, and underwriting from the CITIZENS Bank Foundation.

Community Partners include The Providence Children’s Museum, Providence Public Library, The RISD Office of Minority Affairs, The Martin Luther King Center, Newport, The YWCA of Northern RI, The Westerly Public Library, ECAS Theatre, Tomaquag Indian Memorial Museum, OASIS International, The Hmong United Association of Rhode Island, and RezaRitesRi.com.

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This edition of “Take 5 with Reza Rites” was sent in the Friday, November 20, 2009 RRR e-newsletter. To receive the updates sign up above.

Take 5 w. Reza Rites (and Venus Sings):
Film Screenings, Live Music, and Newsroom Diversity

PROVIDENCE, RI – Well, I’m at it again: giving you more than the five links we talked about. That’s simply because there’s too much going on, some of which hopefully draws you in.

But what weaves all of these stories and links together?

They all embody the expression made famous by Cartman, a character from the animated fiction series South Park: “I do what I want.” These events, these opportunities, the producers, filmmakers and writers – they all saw a need and opportunity to make change and make room; to fight for independence, justice, and truth. And they went for it, individually or through teams, but with a vision that would not be blurred.

And so as silly as the show South Park and its character Cartman are, as me and many of my friends have concurred, “I do what I want,” is the ultimate motto, and a revolutionary one if you let it.

Sunshine and Laughter,
Reza Rites

P.S. Save the Date: Venus Sings Radio - Saturday Nov 28, 9-11 AM on WRIU

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Take 5 with Reza Rites

- Isis Storm at Black Rep: The People are the Panel, bell hooks is the Voice, and Good Times Continue Afterward – Saturday, November 21

- African Alliance of RI Annual Membership Dinner – Saturday Nov 21

- Hear New Kim Trusty, “I Will Be Waiting” – Online and on Sunday Nov 22

- Screening at URI, Providence Campus: RiP: A Remix Manifesto – Monday, Nov 23

- Jobs, Events, Volunteer Opportunities and More – The RIYP E-News Blast

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Bonus 5

- Interesting Articles: Racism, Sexism in Newsrooms, Congress

- Consider Taking a Quick Survey: How Can UrbanHealthWatch.net Help You?

- Opportunity/Call for Poets, Musicians, Artists and Performers: Rosa Parks Day, 2009

- Opportunity/Call for Poets, Musicians, Artists and Performers: Arts Education Project focused on RI Black History

- The Film and Music of Providence in Recovery

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Reza Corinne Clifton
Online Publisher, Freelance Journalist, Independent Producer and Music DJ

www.RezaRitesRi.com
www.VenusSings.com
www.UrbanHealthWatch.net
www.WRIU.org

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