Holland, Dozier, Holland

"Band of Gold:

The Invictus Story"

While Motown ruled the R&B charts in the 60s, as the early 70s arose cracks began to form in the Motown foundation. Founder Berry Gordy, Jr. moved the company to Los Angeles to crack the movie industry, and several important acts from the label began to look elsewhere.

Perhaps most importantly, Motown's greatest songwriting team, Eddie Holland, Brian Holland and Lamont Dozier, split from the label to form their own new label, to be based in Detroit. Band of Gold: the Invictus Story, tells the glorious and tragic story of that label, including its dramatic rise and fall. It includes interviews with the Chairmen of the Board, Freda Payne and many of the stars that brought Invictus fame.

Check it out below (in 7 parts) and tell us what you think.

 

Posted September 23rd, 2012 by administrator

DOROTHY BRUNSMAN POETRY PRIZE

Each year we award the Dorothy Brunsman Poetry Prize ($1,000 and publication) to a writer living west of the central time zone. The contest also serves as our best pool for finding new voices. You need not enter the contest to submit to us, but our first allegiance is to manuscripts that come with a reading fee since they help to keep the press going. Like many small independent presses Bear Star is a labor of love. The editors do not make a salary from the contest.

Competition Information & Guidelines

• Manuscripts will be read in September, October, and November. Postmark deadline is 30 November 2012.

• Manuscripts should be between 50 and 65 pages in length.

• All work must be original and accompanied by a $20 reading fee. Previously published poems can be included in your manuscript if you retain the copyright (this is standard).

• Writer must currently reside in the Western States (those within Mountain or Pacific time zones, plus Alaska & Hawaii). Previously unpublished writers are welcome to submit!

• Any form or subject is acceptable. Use a plain 10-12 font.

• Rights revert to author upon publication.

• Simultaneous submissions absolutely fine so long as we are apprised of changes in manuscript status.

• Please do not send your manuscript by registered mail (doing so necessitates a 40-mile roundtrip drive to the P.O., very inconvenient for us). If you want to know whether we have received your work, simply enclose a stamped, self-addressed postcard.

• Winner notified on or before February 2013. Check web site for winner information or send a SASE marked “results.”

• Publication by Fall 2013 (with luck, in Summer 2013).

• Name, address, and phone number should appear on a separate cover sheet only.

• No manuscripts will be returned. They will be recycled. Please do not send your only copy. Please DO send SASE for contest results.

• Electronic submissions are strongly encouraged as they save us a trek to the mailbox. Using Submishmash—developed by writers for writers—is fast and easy. Click here to submit.

• If you are unable to submit electronically, mail submissions to:

        Bear Star Press
        185 Hollow Oak Dr.
        Cohasset, CA 95973

Good Luck!

And since you asked...
Manuscripts are judged in-house. Depending on volume, other readers are tapped, but they are always poets too. Since it is entirely likely that entering more than once means your manuscript will be read by one or more of the same readers as before, it is probably in your best interest to rework your material a little before resubmitting. In accordance with CLMP's code of ethics, friends and former students of readers will be automatically disqualified from entering the contest.

Save As Writers' International Competition CATEGORIES for U.S. Writers for Worldwide Writers U.K. Writing Competitions Entry Fee | Poetry | Entry Fee | Fiction |

DEADLINE 30th November 2012

ENTRY FEE £ 3

PRIZE £ 40

Description -->

POETRY

Poems are welcome on any subject, with a maximum of 50 lines.
PROSE
Stories may have any theme, with a maximum of 4000 words.

Closing Date: 30 November 2012
Entry fees - £3 per poem/story, £8 for three.

Entries can be either hard copy or electronic. If submitting hard copies please post them to:

Luigi Marchini
Chairman
Save As Writers
35 Spillett Close
Faversham
       Kent ME13 8QP

Your name must not appear on your hard copies but please include a covering letter with your name, contact details, and title of the pieces submitted.
Electronic copies must be sent to saveas@hotmail.co.uk and headed as either ‘Poetry’ or ‘Prose’.
In both cases all monies must be sent to the above address with cheques payable to ‘Save As Writers’.

The winners will be announced at the annual awards ceremony in February 2013.

http://www.saveaswriters.co.uk/
http://www.saveaswriters.co.uk/SACompetitions.html

 

Click on the link above and go to the contest official site

 

Submit Your Travel Article to the 52 Perfect Days 4th Annual

Travel Writing Contest for a chance to Win a Trip to Calistoga in Napa Valley Wine Country!

Enter Now!

Submission Deadline is November 31, 2012

———————————————————————–

2012 Hot Topic to Write About: Culinary or Wine Tourism.

The Three Things You Need to do to enter the
52 Perfect Days Travel Writing Contest are:

1. Send us up to 1,000 words on your perfect experience with Wine or Culinary tourism. Travelers love to add wine tastings as well as wine and food pairings to their itinerary.

2. Submissions should share in detail how to spend a perfect day, evening, weekend or week focusing on one of the following; wineries; tastings and tours, culinary explorations including culinary schools, foodie tours, B&B’s well known for their food or pairings and of course food movements in popular cities. Or share a day of exploring the best restaurants, food carts, wine bars a particular location has to offer.  Please provide a well-crafted, proofed and spell checked submission that offers a thought out experience. Make sure your story is unique, engaging and will excite our readers to also want to have this experience. Click here to check out the full submission guidelines.

3. E-mail your article and photographs for a chance to win a trip to Calistoga in Napa Valley Wine Country, a trip to Valle de Guadalupe in Baja Wine Country, a WordPress website by ZDDesign, or a BottleWise Rollup wine travel case.

   Need some article ideas?  Here are a few articles that should inspire your senses!

   Food – Time Stands Still in Miami
   Vino en Mexico? You bet your Grapes!
   Portland’s Food Cart Scene
   New York’s Best Fall Flavors
   San Francisco: Meet MexicoSeven Breweries in 2 Days
   Eastside Foodie Exploration in New York

    

   The possibilities are practically endless!

   The best four entries, as chosen by our editors, will each win one of our prizes, and will be published in full on 52perfectdays.com, along with numerous runners-up.
   Click here for full entry guidelines and rules.

Photo Spotlight:

MYLES KWESI HUTCHFUL

Beautiful photography from the lens of

Myles Kwesi-Hutchful, a Ghanaian photographer/filmmaker currently based in California.

 

 __________________________

Prêt-À-Poundo Interview:

Africa Fashion Week

Los Angeles

October 26, 2012

Posted by: Poundo

There can be no doubt that African Fashion Week Los Angeles was a success as a first step in the development of African fashion in LA. The event achieved its goal of gathering fashion designers from the continent and raising their profile stateside. Amongst the designers showing their pieces, creativity and exploration was the compulsory base. We spoke to a representative from AFWLA below.

Artwork by Michelle Robinson showcased at AFWLA. “IDENTIFLY” photographed by Aiza Lyn Redubla.

What is AFWLA? How would you describe it?
Africa Fashion Week Los Angeles (AFWLA) is a unique and innovative event focused on bringing investors into Africa, encouraging trade and export, and promoting African cultures. Our objective is to enhance the African textile and clothing industries by providing a platform for established and emerging African designers to showcase their talents to a broad audience. AFWLA allows designers to take advantage of global opportunities and gain international exposure while growing their businesses and boosting the African economy. Africa Fashion Week Los Angeles was founded in response to the growing need in the Greater Los Angeles area to have a cultural showcase that features dynamic African talent.

Who’s behind it?
AFWLA was founded by Nnenna Obioha and Onyinyechi Egeonuigwe. They were drawn into the world of fashion show production when they realized that the fashion industry plays an integral role in supporting and developing small businesses and promoting entrepreneurship. Ms. Obioha and Ms. Egeonuigwe’s vision is to bring African fashion to the international stage.

*Designer Tina Summer with a model wearing one of her creations photographed by Aiza Lyn Redubla

How long have you been in the fashion industry?
Onyinyechi, the Creative Director of AFWLA, has been involved in the fashion industry for several years. She has been involved in many aspects of the industry including working as a hairstylist for editorial spreads, runway shows, and commercial campaigns, and working in fashion show production.

Why did you decide to organize an African fashion week in Los Angeles?
The company chose Los Angeles because it’s a powerful diverse market that plays an major role in fashion trends, and we’re both based in LA.
 

*Fulani

Today, we have the emergence of many “African fashion weeks” in many cities. Should “African fashion” also be present in “regular” fashion weeks? What do you think about it? Is there any discrimination?
The non-representation of black designers in “regular” fashion weeks has allowed for us to create this niche. However, the ideal situation would be for these designers to have just as much press and representation as their Caucasian counterparts. We would just like to see more color in “regular” fashion weeks. This is also the case for black models. It’s important to us to promote the beauty that is the black woman. It should also be important to mainstream designers and “regular” fashion weeks as well.

What are you thinking of the African fashion industry today?
The African fashion industry has the potential to be one of the largest in the world. We have a great deal of diverse talent on the continent and in other parts of the world.

*Rue 114 photographed by Marcus Tremble

What are your hopes for the African fashion?
We hope that African fashion continues to grow and evolve. African fashion shouldn’t be just about “trendy prints,” which is why we continue to focus on promoting talented African designers.
What is your relation with the designers? What are the repercussions for them? Are you working with them after the exposition during the festival? If yes, how is it?
We have a professional relationship with our designers. We like to see them succeed as this is the main reason for AFWLA. The AFWLA team worked really hard to bring together a great network of people (press/media, vip guests, buyers and other fashion professionals) to enjoy each designers collections. We hope that they are able to use this network to continue their work and enjoy continued success.

*Rue 114 photographed by Marcus Tremble

How was this first edition? Are you happy with how it went down? Who were the emerging designers we should keep an eye on?
The first edition of AFWLA was fantastic. It definitely surpassed our expectations and confirmed to us the need for such an event. We are very happy with the outcome and we only want continued growth and success for the AFWLA brand. As for emerging designers you should keep an eye on, I would have to say all of them . They are all insanely creative. With continued hard-work and persistence, they should all find success.

Another Open Letter

About Nina Simone

(This One Spits Fire)

October 30, 2012

by Stacia L. Brown

 

By now, we’ve all read at least one angry screed or open letter regarding the casting of Zoe Saldana as Nina Simone. But just when you thought the topic had been entirely exhausted, here comes Aaron Overfield, the website content manager of NinaSimone.com, with a scathing criticism of writer/director Cynthia Mort, an appeal to the public to put discussions of Saldana’s “blackness” behind them, and a “talk-to-the-hand” rebuke to anyone who espouses the “don’t judge/wait and see/shut up about it” stance on the casting issue.

Says Overfield:

The most frustrating people are the ones who imply everyone should just shut up and “wait and see” or “leave them alone.” That kind of attitude and oppression is not in the spirit of Nina Simone whatsoever. Quite the opposite. Nina was vocal, defiant, a warrior, an activist. She would not have simply shut up and sat down. She would’ve shown up at the studio with a shotgun to speak with Ms. Mort and slapped the makeup off Zoe. So let’s get that straight first. We’re going to talk about this and those of us with strong, impassioned opinions are going to express them.

He goes on to state that, though the film’s production can’t be stopped, its more problematic notions should continue to be highlighted. Among those is the “straightfacing” of an out gay male, Clifton Henderson, who has been previously reported to be written as Nina’s love interest in Mort’s script:

It is also the first instance of Cynthia’s script exploiting a marginalized identity by essentially putting “straightface” on an out gay man. This is rather curious since Mort herself is a lesbian and you’d wonder how she’d feel being rewritten as a heterosexual woman under the guise of someone else’s “artistic license.” Would Cynthia Mort be pleased with someone rewriting her own history to the point where her sexuality becomes a trivialized inconvenience? I guess someone would have to ask her that. I won’t bother.

Welp.

Above all, Overfield takes umbrage with an issue that plagues many biopics, particularly black ones helmed by non-black writers and directors. The idea of buying the rights to someone’s life story, then altering it until it’s unrecognizable just because you can, is one that we should all find unsettling. Beyond casting Zoe Saldana, Cynthia Mort has show a blatant disregard for veracity, when it comes to being the first person to bring a version of Nina Simone’s life to the big screen. As Overfield reminds us, Mort hasn’t fact-checked, consulted Simone’s family, or shown any level of concern for respectfully rendering an icon’s lived experiences–and he believes one thing alone motivates that level of arrogance — privilege:

Cynthia Mort is not a black woman. That is a very crucial point here. I am a white man. I know that as a white man I do not have the authority to speak of the black experience because it is not my experience. I cannot and will not “speak” for black people or assume to know the intricacies of racism, as experienced by black people. The privilege and arrogance it takes to do so is disturbing and downright disgusting.

The entire open letter is certainly worth a read. In conversation with some of the other careful and thought-provoking write-ups on the issue, it leaves no stone of offense unturned.

Are you over the Nina biopic issue yet? Does this open letter re-fuel your anger?

HARRIET TUBMAN

thecivilwarparlor:

 In the first raid led by a woman during the Civil War, Harriet Tubman liberated 10 times the number of slaves she had freed in 10 years on the Underground Railroad.

On June 1, 1863, Tubman and Union Colonel James Montgomery steamed into the interior (South Carolina) with 300 black Union soldiers. The troops swept through nearby plantations, burning homes and barns as Union gunboats sounded their whistles. Slave men, women and children came streaming from the countryside, reminding Tubman of “the children of Israel, coming out of Egypt.” More than 720 slaves were shuttled to freedom during the mission.

(via abundance-is-my-divine-right)

Yasiin Bey x Fela Kuti

‘Water No Get Enemy /

New World Water’

October 25, 2012

Posted by: killakam

Half-a-Blackstar Yasiin Bey jumped on stage at a Hypnotic Brass Ensemble show in commemoration of what would’ve been Fela Kuti‘s 74th birthday last October 15. Yasiin sang parts of Kuti and the Africa ’70‘s Expensive Shit B-side (if you can even call it a B-side) “Water No Get Enemy” then went into some bars of his own from “New World Water.” Watch Jamaar J‘s footage of the show below, filmed at The Shrine Chicago.

[H/T Jusiilove]