University Of Pennsylvania (a creative mind set)

Maurice always had something positive and proactive going on in and for the community. In 1991 he hosted and moderated a Black Man conference at the University of Pennsylvania for 5 days. This conference consited of poety, music, plays, and real discussion on issues that had been plaquing our community. One such topic was moderated and lead by myself entitled " Are Black Cops Our Friends." The discussion covered the role of Black officer within our community, The lack of involment, and the mind set of being the ultimate authority instead of a servant to our community.

The discussion began with the question, Are Black Cops Our Friends'? There was a resounding yell of no! from the crowd and a constructive discussion began.
The Philadelphia Police does not and has not operated from an holistic approach in our community. Most times when our children see them operate in our community it is from seeing them responding to a disturbance, a murder, being abusive toward a citizen, or moving young men from one corner to another.

This has spawned much tension between the community and the department.
Using a holistic approach by having these officers participate in programs such as little leauge football, baseball, or basketball can have a more positive effect on the community and assist in the mentorship of young children.

Although this would not be a cure all it would lend more credibility to the police department becoming a intricate part of the community.

Pam Africa was in the audience from the (MOVE) organization who had a terrible ordeal with Mayors Frank Rizzo and Wildon Goode. Pam stated that they were constantly harrassed and confronted by Philadelphia Police so much that the were brutally attack by the police, shot at and ultimately having their house and neighborhood blown up with C-4 killing members in the house and firing up them as they attempted to leave the burning building. This was truly a heart wrenching story
delivered by her.

The discussion of Rodney king and personal stories rang through the room attempting to come up with solution that would make our experience with police better.

After the discussion we her the sounds of congas in the hall as we segwayed to the next discussion or performance. This was a lesson in true community service and organizing.

A Evening With A Master Griot

On September 6th I went to the Tin angel at Sarranos on 2nd street in Philadelphia to see on of the most influential musican/poet in my life time. Gil Scott Heron,
a true blast from the past and word revolutionary. Just like the Last Poets he brought words and music laced with social commentary to the masses of the black community and they loved him for it. A modern day moses of his day he came to Philly to share his classic's Winter in America, In the Bottle, The Revolution will not be televised, and losing Detroit. I got a chance to shake the hand of this legend, meet him face to face and to look into the soul of a man with so much insight of the world around him. I fashioned a lot of my music to his style of writing and delivery
due to listening to his Albums over and over again. Although his life has been peppered with troubles, he has always found a way to over come his demons and
sing about it.

Speaking Truth To Power

This statement was mentioned each time before we performed on stage. Maurice set up a college tour at Delaware State University, Rutgers in Camden New Jersey, Temple University, and Philadelphia Community College. This was the time to showcase our talent and give back to our community with our words. Maurice would like to close the show strong so he would have us go in a certain order which seemed perfect.

During this time I had a spiritual awaking to serve my community through service and writing. This gave me the idea to begin a small publication called " Grass Roots Magazine." Since every time we turned on the television all we saw was negative images of black men and women and never saw the positive work that was going on in our community. I even personally called news stations and news periodicals in attempts to get coverage and always received a Luke warm response.

Two of the papers that always gave us ink were The Philadelphia Tribune and The Scoop Newspaper. Junious Stanton of the scoop and Nikki Taylor of the Tribune kept our events and performances on radio and in print. I also need to mention WPEB Radio and Temple Radio who gave us the airwaves during this time.

Grass Roots was a free publication that spotlight positive people within our communities. The activist, entrepreneurs, positive children, Adults, and events.
The first person spotlighted was a entrepreneur by the the name of James who owns "Before and After Barbershop" which I am glad to say is still in business 15 years later. Located a block below Broad and Nedro and across from the AM/PM station.
James has kept this barbershop viable and a continued service to the community.

He also for a short time also opened up a eatery next door to the barbershop compounding his earning potential. This was not only exceptional then, it served as an example of what young black men need to look at in a era of reduced jobs and poverty.

The magazine also featured up and coming writers and street reporters who kept us informed with what was happening positively in the community.

Philadelphia Community College hosted the National Conference Of Black Writers every year. This was a place where we performed and sold our books and listened from the experts on writing. Authors such as Nathan McCall, Sonia Sanchez, Walter Mosley and a rare conversation with Gwendolyn Brooks. This Conference is a Philadelphia gem that needs to stay funded and expanded.

Moonstone Books ran by a book lover by the name of Larry on 13Th street between locust and Walnut street in Philadelphia was were he had 100 poets speak and read from their books. This was a big event every year where each writer would read, network, and sell their books to guess and one another. You would hear the beginners and the polished all day.

To hear a person's truth as they see it gives us a better perspective on how others see the same things we see.

The was shown when I went to Passaic County College for a confernce named "Unsettling America". the confernce was a multi cultural approach toward poetry with workshops and performances by poets from all nationalities.
African American, Hispanic, Jamaican, Japanese, and Itailian writers displayed
their craft and taught at workshops.

The likes of Amiri Baraka and Quincy Troupe were the stand outs that day. They show me diffrent ways of delivering my work through word play and sound.

"We must use our words before we lose them".......Poetica

The Charles Blockson Reception

Charles L. Blockson has distinguished himself as a historian dedicated to black history. His commitment to black history extended to genealogy, and he published the seminal Black Genealogy with Ron Fry in 1977. Blockson also amassed one of the largest private collections of African-American history in the United States, a collection he donated to Temple University in 1984. In the mid-to-late 1980s, he compiled a number of African-American narratives in The Underground Railroad, and created an illustrated map of the railroad for National Geographic. He has likewise worked diligently to promote the preservation of landmarks central to African-American history. Blockson continues to lecture internationally and is considered one of the foremost experts on the Underground Railroad.

Maurice contacted me and told me that I had to arrive at a Literary reception in honor of Charles Blockson a Icon in the Philadelphia black literary circle in preservation of black writing. This place was amazing poets and vendors of black art and jewelry were stationed throughout the hall. Maurice lois and I were setting up our books and getting ready for the reception to begin. A reporter of an independent news paper began to interview us about Ralph Ellison and his impact on black literature with his book "The Invisible Man" Lois answered his question with shear precision and eloquence. Maurice turned the question into a small conversation just as a professor would and expounded on the importance of his work. Well when it came to him asking me the same question I had to be honest and tell him that I did not read Ellison's book. The report looked puzzled being as though I was in the midst of some of Philadelphia's most learned writers. How could I not have read this book?
Being polite he ask me what did I think of the state of black writing today?
I told him that I felt that black writing today is at stand still when it comes to
passing the history to our children. There is no knowledge of men like Charles Blockson who dedicates his entire life to it's preservation single handedly.
I feel we need to do a better job in promoting and reading old and new literature
to our children to give them a much better since of identity.

This satified tha reports and he smiled and moved on to someone else. Maurice on the other hand told me that I should have not stated that I didn't read the book but should have asked for a diffrent question all together. The moral I quess was to not look ignorant in a circle of intellectuals. Now you know I went out and bought his book right away and began turning pages immediately. I was not going to get caught up like that ever again. A list a poets were called upon to make a small comment
on black writing and read a poem. My speech was about the black education system and the need for African American history to be taught in schools. I then began to read this poem entitled "Black Destruction"

The destruction of a black civilization
is now the focal point of the nation
drugs crimes incarceration
the exploitation of explosive situations
drug dealing senseless killings of youths
the lives we're stealing
the graves we're filling
we to save our race
now who is willing
constantly striving always surviving another day
to make a better way
bureaucrats plot and scheme placing poison
in the black mainstream
beating us down, locking us down in cells
man made hell.
Thousands strong gone too long
for a society in which they once belonged
We must stop the destruction and demoralization
of a black nation and preserve our civilization.

This was my signature poem and it went over good with the many who attended.
After the reception I got a chance to meet the man of the hour. I was impressed
with his love for black books rare and out of print. This is what made me a collector
and inspired reader to this day.

Reflections of A Battlefield

It was Ten thounsand of us or more
sent to fight a blood war
in the middle of the night
we engaged in a fire fight
as the battle rose an fell
I felt the blazing heat of hell
I tried to keep calm and cool
and not to act just like a fool
an to myself I wondered why
as all around I saw men die
and on that blood soaked battle sod
I thought about my lord my God
and on that battlefield of pain
I felt that I was born again
Now I'm home safe and sound
with my family all around
and when I think about that day
I fall upon my knees and pray
to end the battlefield of strife
an to save another soldiers life.

Osayimwese Offers Music to Cease Fire Org

We are working on donating music to the Chiacago based group Cease Fire who is presently trying to stop violence amongst young black boys. "In the Killing Feilds of America" is a song that depicts the ungoing struggle violence in the black community. Help us fund good organizations that is trying to stop the genocide in our communities.

Buy a the MP3 @ www.cdbaby.com/cd/osayimwese

Poetic Ventures Site closed

Due to the Recession another business has to close. No Poetic Ventures is not over but It's time to move on from paid websites. It served me well for the last 15 or so years but now I will place all info in this blog. so follow me in a new direction.