Speech Thomas

“I applaud Ice Cube, Gary F Gray & Dr. Dre because they know how to tell a great story! The accurate portrayal of a Hip Hop producer’s heart…. wanting to make something special…well done. The vicious sharks that swim in music industry waters…greatly exposed. The acting, promotion and soundtrack… superb! In a country where excellence in black film on the big screen isn’t seen enough, it’s proudly exhibited here.

But from the perspective of the ancestors, they got some explaining to do. Centuries of struggle by our men, women and children who were thoroughly desolate with only one hope. The hope that through their perseverance, future generations would have it better than they did. Many died for that very reason.
That’s the African-American legacy.

It was just two weeks ago, we all were discussing how soiled America still is from the horrors of slavery and the following systematic racism.

Blacks for hundreds of years purposely portrayed in every advertisement, news article, play, TV show and movie as dangerous, vile, uncaring, simple, roguish brutes, with intelligence a tad higher than a monkey. Year after year, decade after decade, century after century… And here we are today – as white trigger happy cops shoot blacks. It doesn’t matter if they’re unarmed, cuz in the minds of so many, blacks are always armed with centuries of dangerous propaganda. And a lie can run around the world twice before truth can get her shoes on!

And in comes Hollywood pushing yet ANOTHER movie with that same ole narrative… “Straight Outta Compton!” With the convenient subtitle – “The worlds most dangerous group.”

Is that literal or it’s figurative? None of them came from the most dangerous of street life but Easy E. right? I often hear that they’re dangerous because of Cube’s defiant lyrics & fierce determination to speak “truth” to power. Ummm, that sounds honorable.

But I’m sure I can come up with a few more suggestions more appropriate than NWA. The Black Panthers for instance might be better suited for such an honor. With fierce determination they defied an entire system at risk of their very lives! They REALLY fought for justice and most paid the ultimate price. An epic bio pic that shows how these brave young men and women organized change for all races and genders, showing true devotion mixed with legal prowess… that’s a film suggestion! And can I get a witness that NWA’s “F** the Police” is only the prevailing anti-police brutality anthem BECAUSE the music industry championed it. It didn’t take the FBI long at all to see that NWA was ultimately a harmless group because their other songs & political savvy was thoroughly misguided and non-directional. As opposed to the earlier & less popular “F** the Pigs” that the Black Panthers often shouted as they persevered through police harassment as actual freedom fighters, not as drug dealers and pretend thugs. Historically there were activists that started as thugs but TRANSFORMED into purposeful revolutionaries.

I’ve heard some say, the title “most dangerous” is as far as MUSICAL groups are concerned…. Ummm wouldn’t PUBLIC ENEMY better fit that definition? But see a movie like that would simply be too dangerous, it might cause people to do more than ooo and aaah over the financial success of a music producer & rapper who made nice movies and headphones. It might cause REAL change.

NWA may be the most dangerous, but not because they fought against a racist and oppressive system… but because they were effective ambassadors of that very system! I like to call it white supremacy on wax! Who else could have done such a great job at spreading the age old message that blacks are morally sub-human? Many things white supremacists say about blacks is what NWA confirms in their most popular songs. And yes, in 2015 Twitter is going nuts praising the film and much of the hiphop world is bowing down to NWA as heroes in the genre. But I applaud a good number of blacks that “don’t believe the hype”!

Bio pics about rap artists are few and far between, but take notice to WHICH rap movies Hollywood green lights for major motion picture release? And have you ever thought about WHY these particular movies?

Biggie’s Notorious, Eminem’s 8 Mile, 50 Cent’s Get Rich or Die Trying and NWA’s Straight Outta Compton! Most of which come straight outta Jimmy Iovine’s & Dre’s storehouse of thuggery, and celebrate the “American Dream” thru gritty accounts of drug deals, crack addicted communities, strip clubs, friends that deceive each other and gun battles gone wrong. And then the inevitable transformation from rags to riches. As they live happily ever after (in their death though). Oh yeah, Biggie was about right, that if you’re black…you’re nobody til somebody kills you!

To quote Public Enemy… “Burn Hollywood Burn!” They’re pretty much about money and judging by this past weekends ticket sales… THEY’RE WINNING! Stay tuned for a Tupac, Ice T and whomever else da cap fits bio pic for us all to swoon over!

Feed us our illusions, Hollywood has no skin in the game, it’s just money to them. But don’t we as blacks literally have skin in the game?

It’s our SKIN that signals brainwashed cops to pull us over just because we didn’t use a turn signal. Or blow our brains out for trying to start our car while being questioned. Or get choked to death, spines snapped, or just walking home wearing a hoodie.

BUT SOMEBODY BLACK KEEPS PROUDLY DELIVERING THESE MOVIES TO HOLLYWOOD.

There’s gotta be a point where we WEIGH the pains we feel from years of being mis-represented against the joy we feel seeing another black thug soliloquy on the big screen! The pain lasts for years, the joy last 2 and a half hours. You do the math.

There’s gotta be a breaking point when we make a critical decision. Directionless expression or real freedom? I know, I know… no one screams when Scorsese does a gangster film, why pick on rappers? Because Jewish people aren’t making these movies WHILE simultaneously getting shot down in the streets by their own kind, arrested in astronomical rates and their rappers literally getting assassinated like they were in a Middle East war zone!

When is enough… ENOUGH!?

Consciousness didn’t start with NWA, J. Cole, Kendrick Lamar’s “To Pimp a Butterfly”, nor ?#?blacklivesmatter?.

It’s been in full effect since slavery and we must keep our eyes on the prize to reach the finish line!
On the big screen, these rappers are portrayed as bigger than life heroes and even somehow “freedom fighters”! But TRUE heroes like Julian Bond, Garvey, Harriet & Parks deserve a bio pic, because they served US all! But would we support it?

It NEVER was enough to have a conscious song or two on an otherwise “white supremacist” gangsta record. It’s not enough to have things “go in cycles”… (people say that to me all the time about music)
It’s about standing on the shoulders of those that stood before us until we get out from the ditch that hides our humanity!

Our values are so backwards that fathers, mothers, educators, intellectuals & activists don’t fill today’s memes and murals. Instead it’s Tupac, Biggie, NWA and maybe a Jay-Z. The murals you see painted in the ghettos, (I’ve even seen em in the outskirts of Africa!) Memes of these rappers floating around on the Internet and interviews at the end of albums with their “prophetic” words. 3D holograms of them in front of wooing crowds. Supposed martyrs packaged and shrink wrapped in a CD. “Heroes” of the people – celebrated, applauded, jailed and assassinated, with a level of admiration that you’d think they died because of political resistance or activism, but no. It’s simply a petty beef or a record executive hungry for more money.

We have so lost our way, that we celebrate their temporary success – in lieu of our own lasting success.

Behind the riches of every Ice Cube, Dr. Dre, Easy E. or Suge Knight are quiet little Jewish & White guys in polo shirts that are even richer than them.

They play golf and listen to Bach while they count their money. Meanwhile we wallow in these decadent, century old stereotypical, blaxploitation flicks and albums, their kids fly in private jets and vacation in Belize. Our kids suffer just walking to school.

Yes, Straight Outta Compton is very good and yes, these men have immense talent, but Italian mafioso refused to sell crack to their own communities. They insisted on separating their families from their illegal business.

We sell this “crack music” to our little kids and we infest the whole world with it!
It is NOT just entertainment. We are getting killed in real life. We influence Africa, South America and everywhere there’s poor people that need inspiration. It has never been simple entertainment and it has far out reached the block…. it’s racist propaganda. And it hurts the soul of humanity!

And by the way ITS NOT HONEST, it’s not what we see in the hood. It’s an embellishment of it, it’s “reality” on steroids, it’s someones story on performance enhancers! And the things that destroy these communities has become a Satanic virus, packaged and shipped out to every other community to infect those that were previously healthy.

That’s my problem with NWA – not the music (it’s brilliant) NWA endorsed the worse traits of the hood, promoted these traits and to justify their lust for fame they revised their purpose claiming it’s a noble freedom of speech movement.

And many have bought that revisionist history, poured it in our glasses & ummm that kool aid taste sweet! White supremacy is happy, blacks got our thug heroes and the world keeps on turning.
So, sit and eat your popcorn, sip a Coke, enjoy a well-deserved break from lifes stress.
I know I did. I also know I made Ice Cube, Dr. Dre Gary Gray and a host of white dudes a bit richer! I’m alright with that. May God bless em.

But even as I’m entertained by the film, I know that unless we change our dynamics and moral infrastructure as black people, WE really are the entertainment. The silly blacks that can’t realize the difference between an Arnold Schwarzenegger fiction and a propaganda missile aimed at the very demise of our freedom, dignity and culture.

GIL scott was right….The revolution will not be televised it will be screened in a theater near you.
Two thumbs up.”

-Speech Thomas

Board members and staff at Knotts Family Agency stand outside for a picture after their fundraising soiree that was held at Edwards Mansion on Saturday August 15 in Redlands. The evening consisted of Jazz, food, and wine. Pictured from left right are: James Knotts, founder/board member; Gwen Knotts, founder/CEO; and board members Danielle Mackey, Kay Fangerow and Ernestine Brown. Funds were raised support a cultural and educational enrichment program for youths in foster care.

LOS ANGELES, CA- The California African American Museum (CAAM) invites the community to attend CAAM’s fifth annual Shorts at CAAM Showcase and Industry Writers Panel on Sunday, August 30, from 11 a.m. until 6:30 p.m.

Shorts at CAAM Showcase will feature 15 short films created by independent filmmakers.  During the Industry Writers Panel we will hear from series creator, producer and director Issa Rae of the upcoming HBO comedy Insecure; actor, writer and executive producer Gary Lennon of the Starz series Power; and series creator, producer and director Diarra Kilpatrick of the NBC comedy-drama The Mysteries of Laura.  Dayna Lynne North, the writer and executive producer of VH1’s Single Ladies, will moderate the discussion. Each panelist will share their stories of how they were able to enter the Hollywood writer’s room. Additionally, they will discuss their experiences writing for projects that include film, television, online and stage.

This event is free and open to the public. CAAM is located at 600 State Drive, Exposition Park. Parking is $10 and located at 39th and Figueroa Streets. Take Los Angeles Metro’s Expo Line and exist the Expo Park/USC stop.  RSVP is encouraged at 213.744.2024.  For more information on CAAM visit www.caamuseum.org.

RIVERSIDE, CA— Are your hair care products making you sick? Healthy Heritage Movement Inc. (HHM), a not-for-profit organization whose mission is to eliminate health disparities within the African American community recently launched a community-based participatory research study in 2013. This study will examine this very question.

Is the Cost of Beauty (COB) Putting Black Women at Risk? The Inland Empire African American Wellness Collaborative (IEAAWC) Hair and Health Study is an important project that is investigating whether or not Black women are being put at risk as a result of the deadly chemicals that can be found in hair care products such as relaxers, dyes etc. The beauty industry is a multi-billion dollar industry and despite the emergence of the natural hair trend, black consumers still continue to spend an exorbitant amount of money on products such as; straighteners, hair weaves, wigs and extensions.

Emerging evidence for the COB research project suggests toxins found in some hair care products African American/Black women use may contribute to breast cancer. In addition, the research project also examines women in the Inland Empire, and their rationale for using hair relaxers and products that contain hormone altering ingredients.

“We would like to see legislation passed that regulates the hair care product industry with warnings about the potential dangers as a result of this research study,” said HHM Founder and CEO Phyllis Clark.

Joint participation of the COB program includes Loma Linda University and Quinn Community Outreach Corporation. The COB research project is sponsored by The California Breast Cancer Research Program. Since its inception in 2013, the health study has interviewed over 200 women and men throughout the Inland Empire, and 150 survey participants.

The COB research project has also submitted nine abstract publications and completed seven conference presentations; one article has been submitted for publication to the Behavioral Medicine journal and approval is pending.

HHM recently participated in the Nappywood 3rd Annual Los Angeles Natural Hair and Lifestyle Expo which took place in early August. HHM Founder and CEO Clarkserved on one of many panels that took place during the conference, along with other industry experts. Discussion of a broad range of health issues relating to overall health and wellness took place, including a need to retrain and reeducate stylists on natural hair processes, particularly in the African American community. These panels included health advocates, hair care innovators, cosmetologists and some of the top hair stylists in the industry. When posed with the question of what challenges these industry experts are faced with, one panelist expressed that cosmetology schools don’t equip you on how to care for hair in its natural state without the use of straightening chemicals.

Miko Branch, owner of Miss Jessie’s stated, “Embracing natural hair is creating a paradigm shift of a generation who is learning to care for their own hair, in turn eliminating the need for going to licensed professional stylists.”

However, audience and panel members both agreed with Ms. Clark who emphatically pointed out,“We don’t want to see salons eliminated altogether, but our expectations of them have changed.”

For more information about the COB hair health research program, contact Dede Kossiwa Teteh at dteteh@healthyheritage.org.

About Healthy Heritage

The Healthy Heritage Movement ™ (HHM) – Our Health ? Our Heritage ? Our Movement, HHM’s mission is to eliminate health disparities in the African American community by providing culturally relevant wellness programs and resources, peer navigation, and advocacy training.

HHM provides health education programs to decrease the disproportionate number of African Americans affected by chronic diseases: Cancer, Heart Disease, Diabetes, Hypertension, and Obesity.

Their healthy lifestyle Community Health Leaders (CHL) host conferences, classes, workshops and personal counseling.

About The Founder
Phyllis Clark is the Founder and CEO of The Healthy Heritage Movement Inc. (HHM). She is a very active health advocate, committed to the fight against cancer which is the #1 killer of African-Americans and the disease that took her mother at a young age.

As a volunteer for the American Cancer Society (ACS) since 2003, she is the Lead Legislative Ambassador for Congressional District 41, and the chair for the California African American/Black Team. She is also a member of the region’s Cancer Leadership Council. She has received numerous awards including the American Cancer Society prestigious Harold P. Freeman Award, and Volunteer of the Year award in 2007, to name a few.

She is a member of the Riverside Community Diabetes Collaborative (RCDC), the Network for a Healthy California, the Southern California Donate Life Network, and the California Partnership for Access to Treatment (CPAT). She is also a past Board Member of the Komen for the Cure Inland Empire Affiliate.

Ms. Clark recently earned her Masters of Business Administration in Marketing. She also holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Management from the University of Redlands School of Business. In addition, she has a Vocational Instructor Credential in Retail Marketing from University of California Riverside, and an Associate of Arts degree in Fashion Merchandising.

She loves spending time with her sons, grandson, extended family and friends, as well as church, swimming, enjoying music, museums and live theater.

@healthyheritage #costofbeauty #healthyhair #healthyhairisgoodhair

The following statement was issued Wednesday after two WDBJ- TV journalists were killed during a live broadcast in Virginia:

The National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) expresses its deepest sympathies to the families of Alison Parker and Adam Ward. Journalists go to work everyday to inform audiences of the news in their communities. Today, two journalists lost their lives in a senseless act of violence. The NABJ family sends its prayers and condolences to the WDBJ-TV family.

To read the story on what happened, just in case you missed it click here

Kathleen and Carl Dameron

By Kathleen Dameron

Hello my name is Kathleen Dameron and I am initiating this fundraiser.  Carl is my little brother.  OK he is taller than me, but he is still my little brother.  In December of 2014, Carl was diagnosed with fourth stage cancer.  To be specific he has CLL Chronic Lymphatic Leukemia.

Carl has spent the majority of 2015 in the hospital.  In March of 2015 after his first round of chemotherapy Carl caught a wicked infection and became septic.  All of his organs shut down and he went into coma and almost died. Carl was put on a ventilator and had many IVs and dozens of medicines.

Through his long months of illness, Carl was put on dialysis, lost the ability to walk and to feed himself.  After weeks of rehabilitation he can feed himself and walk short distances again.

Carl has a huge heart and a strong sense of helping others. He has volunteered for the Salvation Army providing free public relations services for 11 years. He has been very active in his community helping  & serving on many boards and providing free PR services to dozens of non-profit organizations.   Carl is credited with helping to bring about positive changes in the Inland Empire.

Wife Malaika and Carl at Loma Linda Universiy Medical Center

Yet, it must be a man thing, he is reluctant to ask for help in his fight against cancer and lung infection.  It seems to be a challenge for his ego.

Carl had a near death experience.  In fact, Carl had several near death experiences between March and June.  He has prayed and battled to stay alive.   He is slowly healing and contemplating going back to work.

In addition to cancer, he has black mold in his lungs because toxic mold is in his house. It was discovered after he was back in the hospital with a critical lung infection.

I respectfully ask you to come together and assist me in creating a safe home environment conducive to healing for Carl.

He should not be living in his home because of the toxic mold.  No one should.  It is even more dangerous given that CARL has a very LOW IMMUNE system as he is on Chemotherapy and battles Stage 4 Cancer – Leukemia.

So Carl needs $20,000 to make his home safe to live in…. A home he can live in and not die in.  The family’s savings are gone and Carl hasn’t worked since February.  This means the family does not have the resources to fund this project themselves.

The black mold is in the kitchen, bathrooms, laundry room, hall and bedroom ceiling.  So that’s what needs to be torn out, cleaned out, then redone.  The leak in the roof must be fixed, the carpets must be replaced and the walls painted.

To begin the process Carl and his family must move out all of their belongings and live somewhere else for a month. Volunteers with the Salvation Army will help with moving out. Tom Brickley, president of Brickley Environmental has agreed to help with the mold remediation.  He needs materials. Habitat for Humanity will help with rebuilding after the mold removed.

What does Carl need to create an environment conducive to building his health and vanquishing the cancer and lung infection?

1. Money – to cover the costs, which are lower due to already, agreed donations of work from Brickley Environmental and the Salvation Army.

2. Materials – for both of these organizations.

3. Lodging in the community – while work is being done on our home.
   (Carl’s 14-year daughter is in high school, his 21-year-old daughter is at Cal State and his wife works full time in the community.)

4.    Your continued prayers for Carl to return to full health. At Loma Linda University Medical Center they acknowledge the miracle that he is alive and walking.

To Donate Click here:http://www.gofundme.com/7d24xnfw

Lou Coleman

By Lou Coleman

You will never, ever, get relief from the things that have you in bondage until you let them go. Don’t you see what the enemy [Satan] is doing in your life? He not only has control of your life, but he has control of your mind, and he keeps placing these strongholds in your mind and you keep accepting them. Until you stand up, and say “Enough is enough” Satan is going to keep right on walking all over you and interfering with your life. Don’t let the devil keep beating you up. And quit trying to figure it out, quit trying to do it the way you always have, quit trying to look other places for relief, give it to God. Imagine what it would be like for you to know that you’ve left your baggage at the foot of the cross. I tell you, it’s time to let go. Don’t let the past blind you or bind you. Don’t allow the devil to have any more control over you! Let go and let God. Let God set you free!

Listen; I know that sometimes we have problems or circumstances that we suffer through for years; and at times we have seen our families go through some stuff. But I want you to know that God will supernaturally intervene on your behalf and you can be totally set free and live a good life… But… you have to want a better life and you have to believe that God can do it. We need to all understand that once we have been saved and we are living righteously we have the authority through the blood of Jesus to bind the Devil and his entourage that are sent to buffet, control, and harm us. Not only that, we have the authority to lose freedom, peace, contentment and joy into our lives. Paul said in 2 Timothy 1:7, “God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.” I want you to know that you can bind any spirit that tries to interrupt, tear up, disturb, terrorize, control, or destroy you, and you have the authority through Jesus to loose mass confusion in the enemy’s camp. It’s time! It’s time for you to stand up for yourself and take authority over Satan. For God has given you everything you need pertaining to life. Use your power. And know that Greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world.  So get up and shake the devil off. Put him under your feet. Take a stand and tell the Devil “To Hell with You!” It’s time that you take back what is yours and proclaim the victory that Jesus has already won for you on the cross. Remember, Satan has already been defeated–he knows what his outcome is–he knows already where he is going, but it is his intention to take as many of us with him that he possibly can. What are you holding on to that you need to let go of?  You need to be healed. You need to be cleansed. You need to be restored. Let go and let God set your free!

Don’t you know that God has put at our disposal [ready for the taking] every spiritual good including mighty weapons to the pulling down of strongholds, casting down every imagination or speculations plus every lofty thought that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, arresting and bringing them to the obedience of Christ and hence denouncing every act of disobedience [2 Corinthians 10:3-6]. You must quickly place the enemy where he belongs; under your feet. Today power must change hands.  You must enforce God’s victory over the kingdom of darkness. Declare, by the decrees of heaven, that you cannot lose any battle, because you fight the wars of Jehovah Elshadai on a covenant platform… Start declaring, start decreeing, you shall live and not die. Amen!  Now I want to challenge you. Some of you right now have been holding on to memories where a father abused you. That baggage has gone with you into every relationship you’ve had as an adult. Some of you have hidden sin—a drinking problem that no one knows about, a deep struggle with pornography, a root of bitterness that has taken over your heart. For some it’s hard to let go of wanting things to be the way they were. For others it’s hard to let go of disagreements over past decisions. Whatever the situation is, I want to challenge you to decide that today you will let go and let God. You will trust that God will do what He said He would do in Matthew 11:28, “Come to me all you who are heavy laden and I will give you rest.”  I tell you, God will give you rest if you will just let go. Will you let go and let God? You can be freed from bondage and healed from brokenness and be full of joy for there’s power in Jesus. There’s healing in Jesus. There’s deliverance in Jesus. Let go and let God. Be free!

You know in Philippians 3:12-14. Paul’s ultimate goal was to know Christ completely even to the point of being resurrected with Christ. He said he had not arrived yet, but one thing he knew he had to do was to, “Forget those things which were behind him, and reach forth unto those things which were before…” Paul had to let go of his past in order to take hold of his future. Will you do it? Will you forget those things which are behind you and reach forth unto those things which are before you? Whom the Lord set free is free indeed! Dance in your freedom!

Every 4th Saturday from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. there will be a FREE community health and wellness fair at The Waterman Gardens in San Bernardino. Featured each Saturday there will be a mobile health care unit onsite from IEHP and Molina. There will also be groceries, food, and clothing giveaways. Mission 4Him Radio station will also be playing live music for your entertainment. The next event will be held this Saturday, August 22.

A Press Statement from Advancement Project –

Julian Bond

WASHINGTON – The Southern Poverty Law Center announced earlier this week that Mr. Horace Julian Bond succumbed to a brief illness on Sunday, August 15. The national racial justice organization, Advancement Project, released the following statement regarding the passing of the long-time civil rights leader:

“A man of wisdom, courage and strong conviction, Mr. Bond was an iconic jewel who will be sorely missed,” said Advancement Project Co-Director Judith Browne Dianis. “From co-founding the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee and the Southern Poverty Law Center, to serving as a state legislator in the Georgia State Senate and the Georgia House of Representatives, to his decade-long tenure at the helm of the NAACP, Mr. Bond was an impactful leader, educator and civil rights activist. While many were never his formal students at the many colleges and universities where he taught and lectured — Harvard, American University, Drexel, The University of Pennsylvania – we are all beneficiaries of his enduring lessons on organizing against injustice and structural racism.”

“In all respects, Julian Bond was legendary. In 1968, he was the youngest person, and the first African American, to have his name placed into nomination for Vice President,” said Advancement Project Managing Director and General Counsel Edward A. Hailes. “He withdrew because he didn’t meet the constitutional requirement of being at least 35 years old. Regardless of the formal title he held, Julian Bond continued fighting for marginalized communities. It is on his shoulders that young leaders, who have ushered in unprecedented focus and attention on police interactions with communities of color, stand.”

“Many people recognize Mr. Bond as a civil rights activist, but to me, he is revered as a strategic communicator, having served as communications director for the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee and host of America’s Black Forum, one of the longest running syndicated television shows in history,” said Advancement Project Managing Director for Communications Jennifer R. Farmer.

Marlo Wells

RANCHO CUCAMONGA, CA- Women with Voices is pleased to announce its first annual book fair featuring acclaimed authors, speakers, and entertainers. The fair will take place Saturday, September 26 from 10:30 a.m. until 3 p.m. at the Rancho Cucamonga Community Center, David Dreir Hall East and West located at 11200 Base Line Road. The fair is free to attend and open to the public.

“We’re thrilled to bring this caliber of book fair to the Inland Empire Region,” said Rena Neal, founder of Women with Voices. “We’ve received overwhelming response and look forward to a great event highlighting a roster of phenomenal authors and inspiring speakers.”

Confirmed authors include Angela Alexander (“Miracles in Action”); Annette Hubbard (“Oh! Sing Praises!”); Torrian Scott (“Running After Destiny”); Shamilla Pennington (“From Waiting on God to Waiting in God-My Faith Journey”); and Lori Bryant (“Anthology of Stories – When Life Happens”).

The fair will also feature live performances by comedian Mel Austin

Mel Austin

and gospel jazz artist Marlo Wells. Inquiries regarding vendor space or requests to read from published material as an author, poet or spoken word artist may be submitted to womenwithvoices@outlook.com.