Posts Tagged ‘Women’s History Month’

Measuring Up

Friday, March 20th, 2015
Patricia Albright

Patricia Albright

Vocalist Patricia Albright was one of the first artists to sing for last night’s Women in Music event at the Community Folk Art Center.

Albright was accompanied by Brian Moore (right) on piano.

Albright was accompanied by Brian Moore (right) on piano.

Lady Sings the Blues

Friday, March 20th, 2015
Vocalist Sherri Williams in performance at CFAC.

Vocalist Sherri Williams talked about the impact of music on her family.

We saw five dynamic ladies participate in the Women in Music series last night at the Community Folk Art Gallery (CFAC). The featured vocalist was Sherri Williams.  Her set, complete with a visual slide show, reminded us how much our relationship to music has changed in terms of sharing and appreciating songs. Unlike today’s personal device/social media/digital download environment, back in the day we often listened to music as families, and did our own version of liking and sharing.  One particular cut Williams remembered hearing through her uncle’s collection was “For the Love of You” by the Isley Bros.  Her rendition of that classic, with Jeff Houston on guitar and Travis Reed on keys, ushered in a sweet wave of nostalgia that felt like a late summer cookout.

Before #Black Lives Matter, Black Lives Mattered

Wednesday, March 18th, 2015

Syracuse is extremely fertile ground for poets, writers and story-tellers. Here is a sound clip from a reading done by Jackie Warren-Moore (who we call our poet laureate) during the Apartheid & Identity event in Downtown Syracuse last week. Her tale illustrates that activism by women and social justice also run deep in our roots.

To find out how this story from her childhood ends, check her out during a public reading, or purchase a copy of her work.

Warren-Moore gave the reading along with Georgia Popoff and Vanessa Johnson.

Verse by Verse by Verse

Friday, March 13th, 2015
Warren-Moore, Johnson and Popoff shared their work at the Atrium at Clinton Square on Thursday.

Warren-Moore, Johnson and Popoff shared their work at the Atrium at Clinton Square on Thursday.

Lean In-and-Out: Follow A Leader

Friday, March 6th, 2015
“I am a storyteller, that is what I do.”
-Natalie Daise
Natalie Daise as Harriet Tubman (at the Community Folk Art Center).

Natalie Daise as Harriet Tubman (at the Community Folk Art Center).

Long before there was Sheryl Sandberg, Mayor Miner, County Executive Mahoney, or other female CEOs, we had Harriet Tubman. Remember the abolitionist/nurse/spy/Underground Railroad conductor spent her latter days in nearby Auburn, NY.   We feel the leadership strategies that solidified her reputation deserve further examination.

Last night we watched actress Natalie Daise slowly transform into Harriet Tubman during a one-woman show at the Community Folk Art Center (CFAC).   We learned several facts during the performance, including the fact that Tubman had a close relationship with John Brown, and was scheduled to be at Harper’s Ferry for the raid. Also Tubman’s original name was Araminta Ross.

Earlier in the week the show played at SUNY Oswego.

Daise, who originally got the theater bug while at Nottingham High School, perfectly captured Tubman in costume, idiom and song during the 1 hour-show.

It has been a while since we visited the Harriet Tubman Home, but we suggest that the newly designated National Park location capture Daise’s work in audio or video and preserve it as part of a permanent educational collection/display.

Happy Women’s History Month.