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Summer is approaching - things are changing - lets doin it!...again!
Here is the summer plan for VoC: last practice at North High is June 14. Come early to watch the graduation livestream from the Blue Box. Grab your drum for the summer. we are going to hold space at the Soul of the Southside Juneteenth festival in the Coliseum Building. We finna bring all the drums up there and it will be drum circle/family reunion vibes from 12-4 on June 19. We will drum up the opening of the V3 athletic center over North on June 22. After that we are chilling for the rest of June. July 7 will be the second annual Floatilla of Negroes. More details coming soon! Doc Rahku and Hope are back on the Negro Floatilla Team. We will have one practice in July at Urban Ventures where Brotha Ase holds space every Tuesday for drum circle. If you want a weekly practice please go to that. We will have one practice in August at Urban Ventures. We will have some outdoor skating pull ups throughout the summer. We are considering attending Kankouran Dance Conference in DC - Labor Day weekend. We will support the Black Storytellers Annual Conference in September. If you have any additions to this summer schedule please let Kenna know at [email protected] Peace and Love!! Love and Peace!! Voice of Culture Practice is Back! A Black space for the practice of cultural arts: drumming, dancing, singing, telling stories (and skating) Every Friday unless not - check the schedule page to make sure 6pm door 27 at North High - (note that the entry door may change due to construction) (1500 James Ave N is the official address) park off 14th and Irving and text or call 612-481-6447 to get in 6:30 drum circle (we have SOME drums) 7:15 dance instruction + practice 8:00 close out in circle: singing and storytelling skate session after circle (bring your own skates BYOS) ends when we gotta get out *bring, water bottles, snacks to share, instruments, songs etc. let us know if you have questions: [email protected], 612-481-6447  We will purchase a duplex or a triplex over North and convert the first floor and basement into House of Culture, while retaining some of the space for artist housing.
The thrift store will be need and trade based, where folks can shop without money. People can put into the time bank that BodyPrayers is creating, including artistic tasks around the design of the shop. Cultural reclamation will continue to take place in the Voice of Culture manner, and extending into clothing, accessories, artifacts and instruments. We will make every attempt to restore cultural items to the folks they truly belong to. We will have boutique, vintage, handcrafted items and other art for sale in the traditional sense as long as the funds go directly back to the originators of said items. House of Culture will not be charging a percentage. Folks can put into the the BodyPrayers Reclamation of Time Bank (in development) Please reach out to Kenna for more info at [email protected] or follow @mxcottman on instagram.
Friday March 31, 2023 Liberty Church's Northside Healing Space 2100 Emerson Ave North, Minneapolis North 55411 *livestream by Brother Josh of Unicorn Riot **food by Ingridients, Lutunji's Palate, Robert from the Cultural Wellness Center, K's African Food, Pimento and more 1pm Program* Libation by Elder Vusi Zulu Circle/Testimony Special Music 2:15pm Lunch** 3:15 -6:00pm Healing Activities: altar, soundbath, yoga space, sensory room, movement, art DejaJoelle Tamiko French Myke Fisher Ashley Satorius Jayanthi RaJaSa Art/Collage table Miko Simmons, Seitu Jones 6:30pm Send Off* Dinner** Storytelling by the Black Storytellers Alliance Open Mic hosted by Tish Jones Drum and Dance led by Brother Ghana  My idea is to create a literal House of Culture in North Minneapolis, making Black space for Black people to do Black things. Spaces where Black people are, are needed because we create all the things! When it comes to culture, creativity, and community, Black Americans aren't only the designers, we are the blueprints. Our ways of knowing become the music the world listens to. The pathways to freedom that we created and continue to create become the dances everyone wants to learn. The stories we weave to keep our dreams alive become the fabric that America drapes itself in. At its core, House of Culture is a location in North Minneapolis, a creative center for the production of the cultural arts that will save our city. Some of the work we do there includes the reclamation of Black cultural artifacts, recycling of clothing and other resources for reuse in the community, Black liberation practices such as drum, dance and capoeira, community organizing around food and shelter justice, as well as community care operations and activiations. House of Culture is a Black space for Black people to do Black things (that will actually liberate all of us) The Voice of Culture>>House of Culture team is more that just these three members, but we are a nucelus of the organization. I am the original organizer of the group, and Yonci Jameson and Jayanthi RaJaSa are not only my team mates, but my siblings and children as well. We all fill many roles: singing, organizing, creating, driving, drumming, cooking, marching in the streets, etc. Voice of Culture has been creating Black space for Black folks to practice our Black Cultural arts since before 2008. In a white dominated city that's perfectly fine killing Black people and letting us go unsheltered and uncared for, we quite literally have fed, clothed and sheltered ourselves under the umbrella of the practice of liberation. Our city barely acknowledges the Dakota people who are still living on this land, and feels comfortable whitewashing the legacies of our Black artists. There are too many culturally Black practices that are being "stewarded" by non-Black individuals and organizations, and "sharing" iconic and essential forms to the detriment of their healing powers for the Black folks that created them. We exist and practice our liberation not in protest, but in the knowledge that we are supposed to be here. We are unique in our fearlessness of standing up and loving our Blackness, and being unafraid to celebrate the greatness of Black people. It can be easy for people of difference to underestimate the importance of Black people having culturally exclusive spaces to practice our ways of knowing, being and surviving/thriving. My team and our larger circle of community in Voice of Culture have had over 10 years of practice gathering and harvesting our people while educating and explaining the necessity of Black spaces to non-Black people (and some Black people too!). We like on Dakota/Ojibwe land in the USA. Since the 80's I have focused my work in North Minneapolis - aka Northside aka "over North" Bde Ota Othunjwe (the city of many lakes) in Mni Sota Makoce (Minnesota). written for: The J.M.K. Innovation Prize builds on the Fund's longstanding areas of grant-making interest while remaining flexible enough for fresh and unexpected thinking. In 2023, Prize recipients will ideally present innovative concepts that fall within, in-between, or in a manner related to the Fund's three funding categories, which are:
ashy to classy...
we went from slapping the shit to riding the magic carpet together we went from showing to proving how to do it or that we can do it we went from walking up to riding up we were so happy to make it just a few steps up the mountain we went from ms to ma'am you look like you are having fun knowing their names is not the same as knowing their name we went from 9 or 10 to 6 kids back there and 1 up here ms kenna we went from giving up to having to be dragged off to one more run last run we walked all the way to the top (a few more steps up the hill) we went from mountains to molehills we went from JDC sandwiches to i thought we was getting tenders and fries but the chili is pretty good we went from i just don't want to fall to i want to flip, no i did a flip we went from day one to day ones those that been knowing each other since like five months because that's my brother, the longest being 1 year i live across the alley from them i live down there i live by you Jeremiah and Jeremiah I showed y'all all my former studios we drove around the block an extra time because you said you were enjoying the conversation we went from house to house because y'all live right by me we went from Northside to East almost to the river - the St. Croix we went there and back and then up and down our path behind us, we went from strangers to ops to siblings who expect the utmost loyalty we went from students to teachers to students to teachers we left with our keys we left with our dignity we left bumping war songs, songs full of so much anger we almost got the van flipped and we sang and sang and told each other what it all meant made it back safe over North classy as ever When the appropriation gets too heavy, I'll retreat into the safety of my own content. Our content.
That's why I wrote this anger song Now I have a go to when something else gets into my ear and I start to feel a way. LOL when I sent it to my work friend he said "you are a beautiful lady and you are using the n-word heavy" I really want to thank the Jackson Brothers, Ayana Muata, and other people from Mandeng Knights, the Afrobeat band that I pulled together in...it looks like 8 years ago: Fanga Story Reminds me why -- well a lot of things. Another good one when the non-Black of the world are slurping all our good soup. My positive song: https://soundcloud.com/mxkennax/talking-drum-talking-to-me?si=a2d9be3577dd4afab1310a29d43ab0ab&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing M and Y made me this beat two years ago and I was like wow its fast. Then last week Blu Bone released Wicked Womb and i said you know what. Yesterday WTF (the Women, Trans, Femme, NonBinary section of Voice of Culture) did a show at Higher Ground Academy. When we walked in Jess said "I used to go to school here, it was very African American". Now the school is mainly East African, like most of the staff and children. The Black woman, Ms. Hassan, who brought us in had a floor length daishiki dress on and told us there was a big disconnect. I'm not sure what she meant because we connected immediately and didn't want to let go. One kid was like "I don't want to leave" and I was like sir this is your cafeteria. There's a part of the "Say VoC" song that goes "like James Brown say: IM BLACK AND IM PROUD". We paused there , we rested there, we went back there, we Sankofa'ed there, we kicked it there so hard. We called and responsed there for a minute (in the Black measurement system iykyk) Like James Brown say... Greetings, I hope this message finds you well. Who am I hoping is reading this. Stop let me shift a few things...  That's what it is made for. Sesa im sitting here crying so hard. I got sick and i worked so hard the last week. I'm so mad, sad, glad, happy, angry, all the orishas on me right now. Everything that's making me cry: - Afro Puerto Rican Bomba and my sis my good sis Tearra Oso. Every single time I hear your music and be around you I learn something else about my/our ancestors. I can not think of how to express the 🙏🏾🤲🏾🙇🏾♂️ 🙏🏾🤲🏾🙇🏾♂️ gratitude that that I have for you being in my circle, my roda. -Jewel my big sister who my mom told me to watch after you and we have stayed connected to this day. YOu invited me to your space your place and I see how you show all of your true self to those girls. You took your shoes off and you showed them who you really really are and I know you do that every day. I love you so much. -Voice of Culture Voice of Culture Voice of Culture say VoC -Yvette Griffea-Gray thank you for saying yes to me every time -Titilayo Bediako thank you for always saying yes to me -DejaJoelle I'm so proud of you. You are so beautiful and you are one of my favorite people. -CeeJay mai sista thank you for believing in me, just like I have to thank Ann Johnson who also knows my heart when it comes to working with young people and creating spaces for Black children to learn. -Joy - you came!!! -Jacki Trelawny, Nicci Williams + mxkenna = we produced a nice little radio program, we understood the assignment with two out of three group members not having read it, we read the brief thoooooo -RollN Icyy MN - I am in a skate crew of bad ass Black women led by MonaLisa (YOU are in charge) -Yonci Peaceful my oldest child who I am seriously following in your footsteps, thanks for the setup I'm learning...M, MJ, MXmiles the original person who shows me everyday -Mom Beverly Cottman 80 years around the sun!! -Ancestors especially Dad - are you hearing all this??? I thought you used Ableton? Maybe you did an just never saved anything with it. J. Otis? Aunti Laurie (i know you don't want me to call you that), Kirk? Ancestors I have never met on this plane??? What if y'all show up like N"Jadaka??? I know y'all do. It would take me lifetimes to express what brought me to this moment. I have to keep remembering that my path is behind me. i have the ability to attract what i need -mmyykk
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It kinda started with the teacher's strike. I volunteered to come up to the park to do things with young people during the day. I've known Yvette for years so I was welcomed with open arms.
Then after the teachers went back to work, Joy approached me with "why don't you come do some yoga and cardio at North Commons?" We came up with the Afro-Wellness series and started in May. I'm really about culturally grounded heart health and healing for my Northside community. It's a sign of the respect my community has for me: the way Joy made space and got the materials I requested, the way the youth workers learned to set up the yoga room and the sound system. The way Ms Kris messes with me about having my shoes off every single time I come. We haven't had huge crowds...yet. Joy assures me that the numbers will pick up as the weather cools off. But whether its 2 people, 10 people, or just me and Joy jammin up in the gym, I feel wrapped up in love and surrounded with support at North Commons. |
FLOW 2022 was July 28-29-30... | after the rush comes a different kind... |
| Rituals to release:
| FLOW Social Media | |
Thank you for visiting Reclaiming My Time. I am Kenna, the current curator of FLOW Northside Arts Crawl. FLOW 2022 is here. You could use this page as a resource to know what's going on. Please consider downloading the app from westbroadway.org, or using the links there if you don't have an iOs device. Email me at [email protected] with FLOW related questions.
scroll through for more details and links! scroll down for the app QR code (iOS only)!
FLOW 2022 Lineup Dropping July 24 by Kenna Cottman
SCAN FOR THE FLOW APP
Dear Us,
It's gotten so dubious out here. Like J. Otis said. Let's be real careful this Juneteenth season. Like Namir said, lets watch from the hills. Let's abscond to the forest. Let's head to the lake, lie on the beach, float in the water. Last year I tried to spread my arms wide enough to gather everything, to do a big ol Kassa, keep everyone close. This year I'm actually refusing to participate, like my body said no already. I CAN'T! I mean I could, but I won't -- i'm not, i ain't! But y'all know what? Y'all know what? Y'all know what? My friend Junauda asked me if I was doing my Juneteenth Newsletter. And while it wasn't that (it was a convocation) now it is. Reminding me that this is a season to try a new adventure, gain a new skill. I hear my Dad asking me what I'm doing with my independence. I'm spreading the word(s) - I'm making the declaration. Reclaiming my time. Collecting my wages. Headed North.
Image Description: Graphics by Erica Warren and Steve Ackerman show colorful dinosaurs amidst a cityscape overgrown with plants. In the foreground two black teens walk together. Text reads "The Impact Theory of Mass Extinction, June 16-26, 2022 at the Avalon theater tickets on sale hobt.org"
Impact Theory debuts June 16-26, 2022 at the Avalon Theater!
Two black, queer, teens discover dinosaur bones in their South Minneapolis neighborhood! After being sucked into a prehistoric portal, they are taken in by a nurturing “queendom” of dinosaurs.
Experience the Avalon theater transformed into a prehistoric landscape. Musicians; puppeteers; and actors will bring our dinosaurs to life.
All performances are either free or pay as able. The market value is $30 per ticket. Masks required for all audience members.
Click to buy your ticket today!
Two black, queer, teens discover dinosaur bones in their South Minneapolis neighborhood! After being sucked into a prehistoric portal, they are taken in by a nurturing “queendom” of dinosaurs.
Experience the Avalon theater transformed into a prehistoric landscape. Musicians; puppeteers; and actors will bring our dinosaurs to life.
All performances are either free or pay as able. The market value is $30 per ticket. Masks required for all audience members.
Click to buy your ticket today!
Junauda Petrus-NasahImpact Theory’s playwright, Junauda Petrus-Nasah, is an acclaimed poet, playwright, screenwriter, and multi-dimensional performance artist. West-Indian descended and African-sourced, she grew up in Minneapolis’s own Phillips and Powderhorn neighborhoods.
Image Description: A photo of Junauda shows her smiling surrounded by leaves.
Image Description: A photo of Junauda shows her smiling surrounded by leaves.
The fact that web log becomes blog and video log becomes vlog.
A log is a list
a recollection of what had happened.
i write a log on the web is it a blog tho?
if the comments stay at zero?
A log is a list
a recollection of what had happened.
i write a log on the web is it a blog tho?
if the comments stay at zero?
This year I am in charge of FLOW. Its a true test of breath control, intentional breathing. Bringing life, connection. Highlighting vibrancy and people who generate positive things. Building on past learning, wisdom, gleaning.
Remembering that the only person I control really is my self - I'm only in charge of one person after all is said and done - and before it too. FLOWS have been a big part of my healing, my revealing, my unveiling of who I am, and what I want to do--what I am doing ; with my life, my relationships and in community and in MY community: NORTHSIDE.
FLOW...FLOW on.
Remembering that the only person I control really is my self - I'm only in charge of one person after all is said and done - and before it too. FLOWS have been a big part of my healing, my revealing, my unveiling of who I am, and what I want to do--what I am doing ; with my life, my relationships and in community and in MY community: NORTHSIDE.
FLOW...FLOW on.
A Convocation is a calling together of people, often to give out accolades and awards, except I'm Convocating Convocations so it's a Convocation of Juneteenths!
Juneteenth is commemorating a day in the past when a person said the words to other folks that declared a true thing to be true due to the actions of some other people on different days.
J. Otis Powell! is an ancestor who walks with me a lot and makes me laugh with their audacity so I learn my lessons well.
Dubious means sus, sketch, unreliable, flaky and not to be depended on. Mad questionable.
Holiday is a day of festivity and celebrating when no work is done. A vacation.
What exactly are you/am I celebrating?
Am I/are you not working? Especially if we are culture creators, culture bearers, emancipators, elaborators and abolitionists? Even if we are not?
The folks facilitating your/my Juneteenth are actually expecting your/my engagement. I'm expecting your/my engagement in my/our own liberation.
Join me as I CONVOCATE - yes CELEBRATE - INTONATE - INTIMATE - EDUCATE myself -AND REVELATE in my/our FREEDOM!
https://www.facebook.com/kenna.camara
https://www.instagram.com/mxcottman/
https://www.facebook.com/voiceofculture
Hatha style- Vinyasa flows slowed down tho... with good music and my signature easygoing teaching style. Zoom classes available always. Come into the studio for a vibe with incense and stuff. 612jungle.com. Click the pic for a link to the sign up page. Jolene teaches R&B Restore after which is Yin and a perfect companion. Soul and R&B Sundays at the Jungle keep it real.....chillllllllll. #EPMD
#POWERFEST by Kenna Cottman
Jamez Staples went to North like me. He installed these solar panels on the roof of our high school and now I can subscribe to get some of my electricity from them. I was chopping it up with Jamez when my xcel cut off. "My powers on," he bragged "I'm over North."
I got excited about getting more folks involved and now im part of of #POWERFEST. What I want to offer is more ritual and respect than anything else, but if you live over North imma still get you signed up for Community Solar.
Come practice with me/us on June 12, 2021 at 10am in North Commons park we gonna set up some drums and move with intention, honoring the Native land we got ova North.
I got excited about getting more folks involved and now im part of of #POWERFEST. What I want to offer is more ritual and respect than anything else, but if you live over North imma still get you signed up for Community Solar.
Come practice with me/us on June 12, 2021 at 10am in North Commons park we gonna set up some drums and move with intention, honoring the Native land we got ova North.
click the image to add songs to the playlist for my lil virtual house party tomorrow (Sunday 5/23 at 2pm)
Sunday Dinner with TruArtSpeaks
im having the sistet over and im hosting the music+dance breakout room at this virtual house party/family dinner/table talk. www.truartspeaks.org to sign up
Roll over in bed, grab your device and log into the Virtual Healing Space for a Sacred Morning practice to start your day. We will listen to soothing tones, hear affirmations to guide our thoughts, breathe together, ponder journal prompts and pull cards and read them together. Bring all your stuff or just bring yourself. Listen and zone or be a more active participant. Wake up early but slowly and remember your dream. Linger in the space between sleep and wake a little longer and stir that magic into your day. Come anytime during the hour, time is cyclical. A link to the zoom will be at www.voiceofculture.org on the calendar page too. Sacred Morning.
Direct link:
us02web.zoom.us/j/83251923819?pwd=dStoUm4za1BBVDhLU01Ha3g0MFJ2Zz09
Direct link:
us02web.zoom.us/j/83251923819?pwd=dStoUm4za1BBVDhLU01Ha3g0MFJ2Zz09
I am Hella Hella (ka.kemetic yoga 🧘🏾♂️) grateful for this opportunity that I have to do something that I’m passionate about; which is development of the Northside and increasing opportunities for youth, combined with making a few coins (as some may know I had an “income stream interruption”let’s call it ;) everything is truly connected (seed of wisdom YTT yoga training 612jungle baybee 🖤💛 ) because not only am I a former teacher of the current CEO of NAZ’s is now grown children, but I had a chance to share space with another person who works at NAZ who took my class when I used to teach at the U of M.
An-tea-whey...🙌🏾holla🙌🏾 with these opportunities. I feel like there are so many micro jewels not micro in their jewely-ness but micro in their size (but definitely full-scale joules) in terms of many tiny opportunities that I know are out there.
✌🏿💚
K
An-tea-whey...🙌🏾holla🙌🏾 with these opportunities. I feel like there are so many micro jewels not micro in their jewely-ness but micro in their size (but definitely full-scale joules) in terms of many tiny opportunities that I know are out there.
✌🏿💚
K
My respected family the Rakhu's are doing Better Family Life, MN. Ayanna let me know about this conference and I'm going to catch a few classes today (4/12 and tomorrow 4/13) and I'm going to watch some of these recorded conversations especially this one: www.youtube.com/watch?v=XKTochsv4uU (historical footage of the gathering!)
35th Anniversary BLACK DANCE - USA: A Celebration In Movement
ORISHA, DANCES OF CUBA: Tuesday, April 13
10:00 am – 11:30 am
7:00 pm - 8:30 pm
Orisha dances of Cuba (ALL LEVELS)
Juan Carlos Blanco, Instructor
Instruction in the dances of Cuba that honor the Orishas (forces and energies within nature), such as Shango, Yemaya, Oshun. Click Here to Learn More About Juan Carlos Blanco
10:00 am – 11:30 am
7:00 pm - 8:30 pm
Orisha dances of Cuba (ALL LEVELS)
Juan Carlos Blanco, Instructor
Instruction in the dances of Cuba that honor the Orishas (forces and energies within nature), such as Shango, Yemaya, Oshun. Click Here to Learn More About Juan Carlos Blanco
AFRO-DANCEHALL FUSION: Monday, April 12
7:00 pm – 8:30 pm
Afro-Dancehall Fusion (ALL LEVELS)
Stacy Letrice, Instructor
Afro-Dancehall Fusion integrates traditional West African, Dancehall, and African pop-culture dance styles, creating a colorful montage of dances of the African Diaspora.
Click to Learn More About Stacy Letrice
7:00 pm – 8:30 pm
Afro-Dancehall Fusion (ALL LEVELS)
Stacy Letrice, Instructor
Afro-Dancehall Fusion integrates traditional West African, Dancehall, and African pop-culture dance styles, creating a colorful montage of dances of the African Diaspora.
Click to Learn More About Stacy Letrice