Black Women’s Arts Festival Newsletter 9/27/09

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1) GREETINGS
2) WELCOME TO OUR NEW STAFF MEMBER, EBONY MALAIKA COLLIER!
3) SHOUT OUT FROM THE ROTUNDA’S GINA RENZI IN THIS WEEK’S CITY PAPER!
4) FREE ADVERTISING AT BWAF PAGES ENDS OCTOBER 1ST!
5) FACEBOOK AND OTHER SOCIAL NETWORKING LINKS


CONTENTS OF TABLE

1) GREETINGS

Greetings, Friends!

Can autumn really be almost over so soon? Hope you enjoyed your summer and that the cool weather is bringing clarity, calm, and opportunities to unwind and prepare to hibernate a bit in the coming months.
BWAF is going through its own changes, preparing to scale down a bit and get to the roots of what makes us special – and what has helped us grow over the years.
One of the most important things to do in business is to “grow slowly” (-Kelli O’Donnell of R Family Vacations), and I’m looking forward to producing BWAF again as I did in the early days, refashioning my early vision of it, and I hope you’ll be pleased with the results. Remember, I couldn’t do it without you – we can’t do it without you, and we thank you for your continued support. Look to future newsletters to learn about projects in the works, including updates about our Themed Journals, calls for artists, volunteers, board members and more.
Also as all nonprofits do, we urge you to donate. It’s not by miracles or energy alone that we have had 6 festivals to date. It’s also by money…your money! So please consider donating today (info below). We’re glad you’re on our team, and we appreciate your energy, however you’re able to share it with us.
And now…the news!


2) WELCOME TO OUR NEW STAFF MEMBER, EBONY MALAIKA COLLIER!

I am thrilled to announce that local poet and freelance event promoter Ebony Malaika Collier has joined the staff of the Black Women’s Arts Festival as the Listings Editor of the BWAF Pages as well as taking on other tasks in marketing and publicity.
Some of you have seen Ebony’s work on Facebook, which usually features her many announcements of events in the Philly arts scene, particularly in poetry and spoken word. Her interests are very diverse, and she has a classic, discriminating, yet curious and open aesthetic in seeking, and finding, the most interesting open mics and performance venues/opportunities in town.
Ebony will be posting many of our notices and events on Facebook, and we will soon be announcing our system for accepting listings.


3) SHOUT OUT FROM THE ROTUNDA’S GINA RENZI IN THIS WEEK’S CITY PAPER!

The Rotunda, one of Philadelphia’s most important community arts venues, celebrated its 10th anniversary this weekend. The Rotunda was also the first site of the Black Women’s Arts Festival, and remains, to me, our primary venue/home. Rotunda director Gina Renzi was interviewed in our fair city’s two alternative newspapers, the Philadelphia City Paper and the Philadelphia Weekly. Here is part of what was said in the former,

CP: You've spent a lot of a days and nights at the Rotunda. Do you have any memories that stand out?

GR: Every year we participate in as many festivals as we can. One that I think is especially mind-blowing is the Black Women's Arts Festival. At one of the first shows that they did, I remember saying to the organizer of the festival that I was just going to have to destroy the stage after the show — that it was so good that nothing could really top it.

It was almost like my version of going to church — I had a spiritual experience watching this woman performing for the public but absolutely baring her soul and crying on stage. It ended up being this show where it wasn't just a bunch of musicians, but it was catharsis — a real healing event. I don't know how much of that you'd see in a commercial venue, where I don't think people allow themselves to take off their masks. When the organizer burst into tears, others rushed up and hugged her. That's community. It wasn't corny, we all just kind of felt it.

Source: http://reviews.citypaper.net/articles/2009/09/24/the-rotunda-west-philly-10th-anniversary


Needless to say, this is a very high honor from a woman who has overseen thousands of events over the years. Even if we had been chosen among 30 of her most memorable, it would’ve been high praise, but the fact that she only chose one, and that we were it, left me speechless when I read it.
BWAF has been collecting comments and testimonials like this over the years (we use them in grantwriting and other fundraising efforts), but nothing has been as big nor as important as this comment to date. Thank you Gina, for this credit. May the Rotunda have 10 and more wonderful years, and may BWAF maintain a rich relationship with this center of community arts and culture. Congratulations!


4) FREE ADVERTISING AT BWAF PAGES ENDS OCTOBER 1ST!

Hey. Do you do neat stuff, or does someone you know do? Would you like some free awesome advertising for yourself or that person? Is there anything cool going on in Philly that you would like others to know about? Can you recommend a good acupuncturist or day care center?
Do you have the best stylist in the world? Tell us about it!
We’re building the online version of the BWAF Pages – a Community Resource Directory and Coupon Book scheduled for release at next year’s Festival. We can only sell advertising when our website is chock full of valuable info. So until it is, we are going to be offering free advertising.
So, email us a 100 word “blurb” (ad” including the description of the product, service, artist, opportunity, class/workshop, resource, etc) plus contact info, and we’ll include it in the online version, which you can view at www.BWAFpages.com. Ideally, we will then attract actual paying advertisers to fund the publishing of BWAF Pages print edition, as well as using the advertising funds to also just keep BWAF staffed and growing.
Contact: info(at)BWAFpages.com or phone at 215.951.0330, ext. 2108.


5) FACEBOOK AND OTHER SOCIAL NETWORKING LINKS
Please take a moment to click on all our FB links and befriend us. Also, if you’re a black woman artist, or an ally of BWAs, please network with us and with each other – befriend befriend, befriend!

BWAF Facebook Profile (don’t forget to log in first): http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/profile.php?id=1303307631&ref=profile

BWAF Facebook Group (log in and then click): http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=53284687509

We’re on MySpace, too: www.myspace.com/BWAFphilly

You can always join our official email list by sending a blank email to: BWAFphilly-subscribe(at)yahoogroups.com
We invite and welcome your tax-deductible donation (we’re a 501 (c) (3) nonprofit organization) to the address below.

Thanks for everything and see you next time!

In art & community,
Cassendre Xavier
renaissance negresse
Founder & Executive Director
Black Women's Arts Festival (Est. 2003)

Contact:
Black Women's Arts Festival
3721 Midvale Ave
Philadelphia, PA 19129-1743
(215) 951-0330, x 2108
Email: info(at)BWAFphilly.org
Website: www.BWAFphilly.org
MySpace: www.myspace.com/BWAFphilly
Yahoo Group (or official mailing list): www.groups.yahoo.com/group/BWAFphilly
Join our Facebook Group!

© 2009 Black Women’s Arts FestivalÔ, BWAF, BWAF PhillyÔ. All rights reserved.

". . . Any Questions?" is at Gigi's this month!

Hi Cassendre it's Cheryl (Phoenix) of ". . . Any Questions?" Hope all is well. Megan (BeFree) and I were hoping you could help us out with something. This month's . . . Any Questions? is next Thursday and, because of a conflict with Rum Bar events, is happening at a different location. We're trying to get word out about the change to as many folks as possible, particularly those who found out about us through the BWAF. So, we wanted to ask if you wouldn't mind sending out a blast to your BWAF listing and contacts (and any others you'd like to share with) that this month's lounge will be on the 24th at Gigi's, 319 Market St. and will be from 7 to 11. It's free and will have plenty of drink and food specials.

I'm sending a message to both your Facebook and email accounts just to cover the bases. I'm also sending you a friend request and, if you accept, I'll be able to send you a cute little event invitation full of a lot of details about next Thursday that'll make it easier to share with others if you're able to help us out.

Okay, I've spouted enough. Thanks in advance for your help, and please come through and check us out next week.

Peace,
Cheryl

Cheryl



--
Very best,


Cassendre Xavier
renaissance negresse
(musician-author-visual artist-actress)
http://cassEndrExavier.com

Founder of Philadelphia's Annual Black Women's Arts Festival (Est 2003)
http://BWAFphilly.org
"Cassendre Xavier is...a sex kitten serenading in heels." - Debra D'Alessandro, WXPN Philadelphia