It’s that time again, our second annual Short Story Competition is now open for submissions, and this year we’ve bumped the first prize up to £500! What are we looking for: the best short story of up to 2,500 words. Stories can be any genre, but as we’re always on the lookout for the Best Short Story, we advise not sending bribes. They’re welcome, obviously, but we retain the right to keep them even if you don’t win.

Prizes:
1st Prize - £500
2nd Prize - £100
3rd Prize - £50

Closing Date: 27th January 2012
Judge: Douglas Jackson
Results: All three winning entries will be published in the April 2012 issue of Words with JAM.

 

ENTRY:

Stories can be up to, but not exceeding 2,500 words, excluding the title

 

You can submit more than one entry. First entry submitted is £6, or £10 for two

 

Please do not put your name anywhere on your prose as it will be judged anonymously

 

Please download and complete the entry form (see menu left)

 

By entering the competition you will be automatically entered into our email database to receive future issues of the magazine and newsletters. You can unsubscribe at any time.

 

 

To submit online  

Pay via Paypal and add the Paypal payment reference number to the top of the first page of your entry, above the title, and on the entry form. 

 

Attach entry form and story as a Word Document to an email with the subject 'Short Story Competition 2011' and send to submissions@wordswithjam.co.uk  

 

To submit via Snail Mail  

Write out a cheque made payable to ‘J Smith' for the correct amount in Sterling. 

 

Stick the cheque and a copy of your entry form in an envelope and post it (with a stamp on!) to 'Short Story Competition 2011’, Quinn Publications, 2 Malt Kiln Road, Newbiggin, Ulverston, Cumbria, LA12 0TU, United Kingdom 

 

Attach entry form and entry as a Word Document to an email with the subject 'Short Story Competition 2011’ and send to submissions@wordswithjam.co.uk

 

If you really want to submit the actual entry via Snail Mail, print it off on A4 paper, 1.5 line space in either Times or Arial and stick it in the envelope too, but it's preferable if you email it so we have a digital copy

 

Postal entries need to be postmarked 27th January 2012  to meet the deadline criteria. 

 

 

A FEW RULES

It is vital that you read the competition rules before submitting. There aren't many! CLICK HERE.

 

To pay online, CLICK HERE.

 

Wenlock Poetry Competition 2012

The 2012 Wenlock Poetry Competition is now open for entries!

1st Prize £500

2nd Prize £200

3rd Prize £100

CLOSING DATE 23rd January 2012

The instructions for entry are contained within the entry form. You can enter either by post or online.

ENTER BY POST

1. Download and print out Entry Form:

Entry Form (Word Document)

Entry Form (pdf)

or make up a Covering Letter titled WENLOCK POETRY COMPETITION 2012, stating your Name, E-mail Address, Postal Address, Telephone Number, and Titles of your poems. If the payment name is different from the author's name, please state the author's name clearly.

2. Send completed Entry Form or Covering Letter together with your poems and cheque or Postal Order in favour of WENLOCK POETRY FESTIVAL

to: Poetry Competition, Curlew’s Cry, Kenley, Shropshire SY5 6PA England

ENTER ONLINE

Number of poems

1 poem £5.00 GBP  2 poems £10.00 GBP  3 poems £15.00 GBP  4 poems £20.00 GBP  5 poems £25.00 GBP  Anthology £7.00 GBP

 

1. Make your payment by selecting the number of poems from the PayPal box on the right and then clicking Add to Cart.

If you would like a copy of the Anthology select it from the PayPal box and click Add to Cart again.

The PayPal payment screen will open in a new window.

2. Once you have completed your payment:

• Click here to open the email 
  or if you cannot open the link please send to lorna.poetry1@btinternet.com 
• Copy the poem(s) into the body of the email
• Add your full name and adress
• Add the PayPal transaction number (you will find this on your PayPal reciept email)
• Send the email. 

Watch Teaser Trailer For

Ava DuVernay's

"Middle Of Nowhere"

+ A Look At Its Official Poster

News   by Tambay | January 10, 2012

I'm sure this needs no intro at this point, given how much we've talked about it and its director here on S&A.

But a quick recap... Ava DuVernay's Middle Of Nowhere will make its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival in less than 2 weeks. 

Its official synopsis (which we already told you before) reads:

When her husband is incarcerated, an African-American woman struggles to maintain her marriage and her identity.

Cast includes Emayatzy Corinealdi, David Oyelowo, Omari Hardwick, Lorraine Touissaint, and Edwina Findley.

Award-winning DP Bradfor Young shot the film.

Here's your first-look at the film below - a teaser trailer, and full poster underneath it.

Presenting “Terra Firma”!

The Spring/Summer 2012

Collection by Mina Evans –

Lookbook & Backstage Video

Posted on Wednesday, January 18th, 2012 at 5:02 PM

By Damilare Aiki

We have had our eyes locked on Mina Evans ever since the Ghanaian label launched in December 2010 by Mina Evans-Anfom. Since then, the brand has blossomed with a budgening clientele and creative collaborations with Vlisco.
Here is the brand new collection from Mina Evans – “Terra Firma“. Mina tells us all about the inspiration and influences for this collection.

“Terra Firma” is a Latin word meaning “firm or solid ground”, the collection intricately incorporates the tie dye technique creating a luxurious marble effect accentuated with beads imported from Czech Republic.

The collection is inspired by the earth with dominant base tones of orange, beige, mustard and brown . Splashes of teal and white are added for softness through the use of raw silks and chiffons. Pieces in the collection include elegant form fitting dresses with impeccable detailing using hand picked embellishments – a signature of the brand.

The collection has been carefully designed to ensure a beautiful marriage of elegance and simplicity without compromising on style and glamour.

View the Collection

Check out the backstage scenes from the photo shoot

Contact: To get in touch with Mina Evans

• Call +233244228120
• E-mail info@minaevansonline.com | mina.evans.a@gmail.com | modemaisonpr@gmail.com
• Check out their Facebook Page
• Follow them on Twitter @mina_evans
• Log on to their Website

kwesiabbensetts: (c) Kwesi Abbensetts

Who is the joke and

who is the joker

 

from She Rox Lox

 

 

 

kwesiabbensetts:

(c) Kwesi Abbensetts

Who is the joke and who is the Joker.

Am I really of “Post-Black-ness”. Is that my new heritage.

“Post-black art is a phrase that refers to a category of contemporary African American art. It is a paradoxical genre of art where race and racism are intertwined in a way that rejects their interaction. I.e., it is art about the black experience that attempts to dispel the notion that race matters. It uses enigmatic themes wherein black can substitute for white.[1] Some suggest the term is attributable to the 1995 book The End of Blackness by Debra Dickerson.”

 

 

<p style="font-size:11px; font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: #808080; margin-top: 5px; background: transparent; text-align: center; width: 512px;">Watch In Perspective: Tricia Rose on PBS. See more from Need to Know.</p>

In Perspective:

Tricia Rose on

America’s growing inequality

July 29, 2011

The debt ceiling gridlock and the limited range of solutions being considered in Washington to solve our economic crisis are likely to worsen the enormous gaps in wealth, income and opportunity that already exist. While the politicians argue, we are careening toward establishing a society in which the lion’s share of money and opportunity is permanently consolidated at the very top. This goes well beyond balancing a budget: it goes to the heart of who we are and who we are going to be. 

According to the Congressional Budget Office, between 1980 and 2007, average household income for the bottom 80 percent has remained relatively constant, while the top 20 percent has doubled, and the top 1 percent has nearly quadrupled.

And just this week, a Pew Research Center study – based on U.S. Census data – revealed that, while the current recession has hit middle and working class people hard, it has hit minority communities hardest of all. While median wealth in white households has dropped 16 percent, it has dropped 53 percent in African-American households, 54 percent in Asian households, and 66 percent in Hispanic households.

The study reveals that white wealth now stands at 20 times that of black wealth and 18 times that of Hispanic wealth.

A different study on wealth gaps released last year described wealth as “what you own minus what you owe” which “allows people to start a business, buy a home, send children to college, and ensure an economically secure retirement.” Researchers warn that “without wealth, families and communities cannot become and remain economically secure.” And fewer people are feeling secure these days.

Stay with me here. With the top 20 percent owning 80 percent of the wealth, that would leave the remaining 80 percent to “share” the remaining 20 percent of the wealth. Put more bluntly, if wealth can be described as the thing that buys homes and gets our kids to college, nearly half of the American people are unable to do either as they have virtually no wealth at all.

While our cultural narratives often blame lazy workers and greedy unions, the fact is that the playing field has been rigged for a powerful few. Things like a 40 percent tax cut for those earning a million dollars or more since the 1960s and a 50 percent reduction in corporate taxes over the past 30 years have driven more resources to the very top.

Policies like that have brought our nation to a profound fork in the road. In the past, at our best we’ve relied on our democratic principles to confront systemic injustices. So what will we do now?  Are we going to continue to crush the middle class and expand the poor or are we going to invest in the future for all?

__________________________

Evolution of Employment on the Railroad

African-Americans in US Railroad History

 Building & Working On And For The Railroads

During slavery, companies purchased slaves to work on the railroads. For example, it is documented that as early as 1838, a southern railroad company purchased 140 slaves for $159,000 to work on the construction of a railroad line in Mississippi. There were many slaves on the southern plantations who did more than agricultural work and manual labor in the fields. Some slaves were highly skilled as coopers, carpenters, mechanics, cabinetmakers, and masons. Many slave owners trained their slaves in these trades so that they could be hired out or sold for a higher price. There is scant documentation available to estimate the true numbers of slaves employed on the railroads. However, it is possible and likely that there were thousands of skilled tradesman and manual laborers used in the construction of the many miles of American railroad.

Fighting for Freedom

Civil War Soldiers

When Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation Act in 1863, the United States had made few provisions for the future employment of freed slaves. As a result, former slaves who left the plantations found limited opportunities other than those to which they had become accustomed: manual labor in the fields and factories or domestic positions such as cleaners, cooks, and servants. The newly found wealth generated by the Industrial Revolution increased the availability of such jobs.

The Evolution and History of the Union

Industrial Revolution

 American Railroad Travel Begins

The railroad sleeping car was developed during the industrial revolution. Within a few years, its success created huge increases in the transportation industry. This national need for labor provided free African-Americans with new employment opportunities in a new industry. The passenger railroad industry provided national travel for people even before the invention of the automobile and construction of the national highway system, and the advent of commercial air flight. The Pullman Palace Car Company built, owned, and operated the majority of the passenger trains during this era. These luxurious trains were known as "hotels on wheels" because passengers could amuse themselves with social activities and conversation in the lounge cars, eat meals in the dining cars, and rest comfortably overnight in the sleeping cars. Train travel was truly revolutionary because it allowed the common person a higher level of personal freedom and traveling comfort than ever before in history.

Pullman Porters

Ambassadors of Hospitality

During the heyday of railroad travel, the Pullman Porters were the workers aboard the trains. They provided service to and attended to the needs of the passengers. In the beginning, the Pullman Company hired only African-American men for the job of porter. The Pullman Porters and the excellent service they provided were integral and indispensable to the rise and success of the passenger railroad industry.

The Evolution and History of the Union

Pullman Porters

Service not Servitude

During the century spanning the years 1868-1968, the African-American railroad attendant's presence on the train became a tradition within the American scene. By the 1920s, a peak decade for the railroads, 20,224 African-Americans were working as Pullman Porters and train personnel. At that time, this was the largest category of black labor in the United States and Canada.

Founding of the Union

 American Labor History

The first March on Washington was planned in 1941

March on Washington 1941

Did you know...

A. Philip Randolph first planned a March on Washington in 1941 to protest against governmental hiring practices that excluded African-Americans from federal employment and federal contracts. Randolph understood that this type of racial discrimination was the reason for the economic disparities between whites and blacks in this country. Randolph proposed that African-Americans march on Washington to demand jobs and freedom. Because of this, President Roosevelt signed Executive Order 8802, which banned discrimination in the federal government and defense industries in June 1941.

March on Washington 1963

Talib’s Musicians:

Freedom of Expression

The legendary Talib Kweli sat down to give The Revivalist some straight talk on the dynamics behind his myriad of projects. From DJ’s to live bands, and from hip-hop to jazz Talib walks us through what it takes to be in his band and why a group without a DJ can’t be playing hip-hop…with a few notable exceptions. Talib lays loose into why he loves to play with a live band and what it takes to be a go-to musician for Idle Warship.

Photo by Deneka Peniston | Peniston Photography

 

Why do you choose to use a band instead of a DJ and what is your reasoning behind that choice?

Well, first off, I have a couple of different situations. I have Black Star with Mos Def, and then I have Idle Warship with Res. For Black Star, it’s just a DJ. For my solo music, it’s a DJ that’s surrounded and enhanced by the band. You’re not doing hip-hop music if there isn’t a DJ with the exception of a few groups. With Idle Warship, it’s straight-ahead live music. The reason is that each project has a different sound and a different energy. Black Star is really about the relationship between me and Mos Def on the mics. So it’s really the  two emcees, one DJ aesthetic. My solo music is hip-hop through and through. You get certain sounds and a certain energy that you just don’t get from a band. But I like when the music goes different places that hip-hop, frankly just doesn’t go, with the one DJ setup. I really enjoy the camaraderie and the sense of community onstage when you have a band and you have more people onstage. Idle Warship gives me a chance to take it all the way there. Right now, for me, that’s the most liberating thing I have going on.

Can you elaborate more on live bands playing hip-hop and the different aspects of that?

People aren’t going to clubs to see live bands perform as much as they are going to hear one DJ spin the records. Hip-hop comes out of the fact that people didn’t have access to live instruments and access to live bands. The actual machines that you are playing the music out of, become the instruments. That’s really the definition of hip-hop. So without that instrument, you’re not technically doing hip-hop. I give The Roots a pass on that because Black Thought I think is the best emcee in the world; the best working emcee in the world, definitely. And Questlove’s knowledge of music surpasses the fact that they don’t have a DJ. He knows so much about music, that’s the exception to the rule. You know, without that DJ there is a certain energy, a certain type of sound that comes from hip-hop production. There’s a lot of hip-hop beats that you like, that move your soul that are out of tune. So it’s something you can’t get no matter which cats I work with. We’ll try to play some of the beats that  Hi-Tek made, that Ski Beatz made, that The Alchemist made, that The RZA made, and they’re out of tune, so the musicians have to find a way to play out of tune or play it differently. The audience that comes to a hip-hop show, they crave that. That right there, that small space that needs to be figured out. That’s what they come for; that quality of sound.

I try to educate my audiences and take them on journeys. My shows aren’t just my album played. It’s hard with hip-hop, not impossible, but hard to translate  from a live band.

What were you looking for in the musicians you picked to play with?

My only prerequisite is somebody who is ready and willing to learn, and work. Who loves it. In the end they have to love the music, that’s the most important thing for me. Most of the cats I end up working with are from jazz backgrounds, the cats who play in churches early morning, or cats who play in R&B bands. There is a lot of R&B talent in New York City that requires a band. I look for recommendations. Res from Idle Warship put me in touch with a few musicians. I went on recommendation. Ray Angry put together the initial Idle Warship line-up.

Can you talk about the musicians you picked and why their styles complements your style?

There’s a pool of musicians that I pull from depending on who is available. Definitely at the heart of it is Daru Jones from Detroit. I first saw him play with Black Milk. Ray Angry suggested I use Daru. Ray Angry started with Idle Warship four years ago. He suggested Daru, and Brian Cockerham, and a bunch of other cats. Ray was working with the Roots and with other bands, so he brought in some musicians. Daru recommended Yuki [Hirano]. Then Chris Morgan was on guitar. Ray is a hell of a keyboard player, he’s incredible. Yuki is one of my favorite musicians ever. It’s a joy to watch him play. Same with Daru. I realized that I would have to realign with Daru because I really liked the chemistry between Daru and Black Milk. But he was also working with Black Milk and I didn’t want to ruin that for him. So Ray Angry jumped in and filled in recommendations for when Daru was gone.

Daru recommended Louis Cato for when Brian couldn’t do a gig. Then we found out that there is nothing Louis can’t play. He’s an all around guy. Louis became a part of the team after that. He’s a real good go-to guy. The interesting thing is, he can play every single instrument well, but he can play drums better than all of that. He can sing, too. It just doesn’t stop. What’s crazy is, when I first started going on the road with him–I listen to a wide array of music–and he don’t know most of it. I’m talking about Prince, A Tribe Called Quest, things I would just assume a musician would know–he don’t know it. He’s younger than I am, he came up in the church. And it’s crazy to me that he plays this well without being influenced by all this other great music. It really just comes out of him.

Louis introduced me to Corey Bernhard. Corey is incredible as well. He went on the road with us to Europe. I love his playing style. I feel blessed having all these options and knowing all of these people.

How do you interact with the band on stage in terms of improvising and arranging the songs?

With the band I become an instrument within the ensemble. It’s more fun for me, to ebb and flow with it. The music is alive instead of just static on tape. That’s fun for me. The greatest thing about it is that if you make a mistake with the band, especially with talented cats, there really is no such thing as a mistake. It’s just something different, not a mistake anymore. With a DJ, you can tell sometimes. With a band, only other musicians would recognize a mistake with a band. I love being able to improvise with the band, and watch them take solos. That’s important in music. It’s important for everyone on stage to show their own thing. Hip-hop is jazz, just a more gritty, urban form of it. To me it unifies the camp that makes up my legacy.

Meet the Musicians:

Ray Angry (Keys), Daru Jones (Drums), Louis Cato (Bass & Drums), Corey Bernhard (Keys), John Cave (Guitar), Brian Cockerham (Bass), Brady Watt (Bass) Yuki Hirano (Keys) Chris Morgan (Guitar)

Interview by Meghan Stabile and Kyla Marshell

__________________________

Aduke

 

__________________________

Ayobamidele Aladekomo popularly known as Aduke is a Nigerian born performing artiste, a singer, songwriter, guitarist, dancer and actress. This talented young girl set to storm the world with a unique blend of artistry from the cradle of Scoale music.

She hails from Ekiti state, born to a dentist father and lawyer mother. She’s the last of two children, art is life for her and music is the core of her passion. Like she says, Her art is in her heart. At a very early age, she had passion for deep philosophical thoughts and words coupled with the love for rhythm. Music was not far fetched for her. Her low range voice and style of singing was not encouraged in the religious institution but she set out to be the brand she believed was real and appealing. SHe has basic training in theatrical practice. She heads a band named SSV (Sticks, strings and Voices) and debuted her first show in 2010, with Aduke and Fwendz ‘an evening of poetry and conscious music featuring Kafayat Quadri, Sage Has.son, Sistasoul, Adewale Oreshade’, She has performed at literary events and art festivals in Nigeria.

Aduke is a graduate of history and Strategic studies from the University of Lagos. The single ‘Made in Lagos‘ is a song that addresses rural / urban migration which is a common trend in major cities all over the world, inspired by real life situations. Listen up and enjoy!

Aduke – Made In Lagos

  Aduke - Made In Lagos (1.7 MiB, 273 hits)

>via: http://www.360nobs.com/2011/12/360fresh-aduke-made-in-lagos/

Levis Reading Prize
VCU Department of English

	We Don't Know We Don't Know  Nick Lantz

The Department of English at Virginia Commonwealth University is pleased to announce The 2011 Levis Reading Prize has been awarded to Nick Lantz for his collection We Don’t Know We Don’t Know, published by Graywolf Press.

This year the Prize committee would also like to recognize two finalists, Nicky Beer for her collection The Diminishing House (Carnegie Mellon, 2010) and Daniel Johnson for How to Catch a Falling Knife (Alice James, 2010).

Previous prizes have gone to Peter Campion for his collection The Lions, Katie Ford for Colosseum, Matthew Donovan for Vellum, Joshua Weiner for From the Book of Giants, Ron Slate for The Incentive of the Maggot, Spencer Reece for The Clerk's Tale, David Daniel for Seven-Star Bird, Susan Aizenberg for Muse, Steve Scafidi for Sparks from a Nine-Pound Hammer, Nick Flynn for Some Ether, Joel Brouwer for Exactly What Happened, Sandra Alcosser for Except by Nature, and Belle Waring for Dark Blonde.

In memory of Larry Levis, the distinguished poet and teacher who was our colleague until his untimely death in 1996, the Department of English at Virginia Commonwealth University aims to encourage poets early in their careers by sponsoring an annual award for the best first or second book of poetry. Now with over a decade of wiiners, the award continues to raise the cultural appreciation of great poetry while advancing the careers of emerging writers.

The Levis Reading Prize is presented on behalf of VCU's MFA in Creative Writing Program. Sponsors include the VCU Department of English, James Branch Cabell Library Associates, Friends of the Library, the VCU Libraries, the VCU Honors College, Barnes & Noble @ VCU Bookstore, the VCU College of Humanities and Sciences, with additional funding provide by the family of Larry Levis.

Entries may be submitted by either author or publisher, and must include three copies of the book (48 pages or more), a cover letter, and a brief biography of the author including previous publications. (Entries from vanity presses are not eligible.) The book must have been published in the previous calendar year. Entrants wishing acknowledgment of receipt must include a self-addressed stamped postcard.

The annual entry deadline is January 15th. Materials received after that date will be returned unopened. Because we cannot guarantee their return, all entries will become the property of the VCU Department of English.

Judges come from faculty of the VCU Department of English and MFA Program in Creative Writing.

The winner receives an honorarium of $1500 and are invited, expenses paid, to Richmond to present a public reading in the following fall.

To enter, please send materials to:

Levis Reading Prize
VCU Department of English
900 Park Avenue, Hibbs Hall, Room 306
P.O. Box 842005
Richmond, VA 23284-2005

For further information, contact Emilia Philips, Levis Fellow: phillipsea3@vcu.edu