the renaissance negresse museletter
art | inspiration | community
brought to you by Cassendre Xavier Enterprises
February 5, 2010
In This Issue:
1) WHO IS THE *RENAISSANCE NEGRESSE?
2) BLACK WOMEN’S ARTS FESTIVAL UPDATE
3) NEXT SHOW: FREE LIBRARY OF PHILADELPHIA 2/24
4) RENAISSANCE NEGRESSE CATALOG
5) NEW WRITING (EXCERPTS)
6) RAW VEGAN UPDATE
7) RUNNING CLUB UPDATE
8) LATEST INSPIRATIONS (LINKERY DEVICES AKA “LINKAGE”)
9) WHAT MY FRIENDS & ESTEEMED COLLEAGUES ARE DOING
10) INSPIRATION LINE IS BACK! (215) 436-9702
1) WHO IS THE *RENAISSANCE NEGRESSE?
Haitian-American multi-media artist Cassendre Xavier coined the term “renaissance negresse” in 2002. A musician, writer, actress, and visual artist, Xavier (who sometimes works under the names Amethyste Rah and Amrita Waterfalls) says the term describes a black woman who is skilled or gifted in 3 or more arts. Xavier is a recipient of a Leeway Transformation Award for her work as a community cultural arts advocate, having founded and directed several Philadelphia arts initiatives including the Women’s Writing & Spoken Word Series (2002-2006) and the Black Women’s Arts Festival (2003- Present). She is originally from Brooklyn, NY and has resided in Philadelphia since 1990. [*“Negresse, Negre: In the French- and Spanish-speaking Caribbean Islands, these words often have a connotation of affection, entirely non-racial in meaning. ‘Ma petite negresse, mon negre, are equivalent to ‘My dear, my darling, my sweet.’” – From Masters of the Dew, a contemporary classic novel by the Haitian author Jacques Roumain, translated by Langston Hughes and Mercer Cook.]
2) BLACK WOMEN’S ARTS FESTIVAL UPDATE
Latest newsletter dated January 21, 2010: http://bwafphilly.blogspot.com/2010/01/black-womens-arts-festival-newsletter_21.html or http://tinyurl.com/ycrmkqt or visit www.BWAFphilly.org Click “News”.
3) NEXT SHOW: FREE LIBRARY OF PHILADELPHIA 2/24
Cassendre Xavier in Song and Poetry at The Free Library of Philadelphia
The Literature Department of the Free Library celebrates Black History Month with Cassendre Xavier, a musician, author, visual artist, and actress. Ms. Xavier is the founder and director of Philadelphia’s annual Black Women’s Arts Festival and recipient of a Leeway Foundation Transformation Award for her work in art and change. You can learn more about Ms. Xavier’s various recordings, publications, appearances and other projects at www.cassEndrExavier.com.
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
7:30pm FREE
Free Library/Central Library
Montgomery Auditorium
1901 Vine Street, 19103
Info: 215-686-5322
Event link: http://eventful.com/philadelphia/events/cassendre-xavier-song-and-poetry-/E0-001-027888659-0 or http://tinyurl.com/yeowjwf.
For my complete schedule of appearances, please visit www.cassEndrExavier.com.
4) RENAISSANCE NEGRESSE CATALOG
For information about, and to order my 8 musical CDs/downloads, 2 spoken word guided meditations, and/or 6 print and e-books from various outlets or directly from me, please visit http://cassendrexavier.blogspot.com/2009/10/cx-direct-order-form-renaissance.html or http://tinyurl.com/yj6l2k4. (Please note, I have discontinued making stationery for mail order and will only sell these at special fairs and events.)
Until February 7th, 2010 (my birthday!), CD Baby will donate $1 toward Haitian earthquake relief for every CD and album download sold. View the Cassendre Xavier Music Gallery at CD Baby: http://cdbaby.com/all/cassEndrE or http://tinyurl.com/y89qaxj.
5) NEW WRITING (EXCERPTS)
Affirmations Work Chronicles - Payment for Work, and more.
To read these and other excerpts from present and future CX print and e-books, please visit http://artivistpublications.homestead.com/Excerpts.html or http://tinyurl.com/yzod377.
6) RAW VEGAN UPDATE
Latest Green Smoothie Raw Blog: 1/3/10 http://cassendrexavier.blogspot.com/2010/01/green-smoothie-raw-blog-1310.html or http://tinyurl.com/ya2td3f
My book Expanding Your Capacity for Joy: a Raw Vegan Comfort Book, Sourcebook & Journal is now on sale for $14.95 (originally $24.95), and sold at Arnold’s Way Raw Vegetarian Café, Store & Education Center in Lansdale, PA. “You did a very good job – it’s very good.” –Arnold Kauffman on Expanding Your Capacity for Joy. The e-book version is only $5 (originally $24.95). Coming soon: more books on the raw vegan lifestyle. More on CX’s raw journey in my Green Smoothie Raw Blog (or year 2007 in www.cassendrexavier.blogspot.com) More books at www.cassEndrExavier.com.
7) RUNNING CLUB UPDATE
In November, I moved to Drexel Hill (Upper Darby area), Pennsylvania, and this has stopped my weekly runs with my friends in center city. Not sure what to do about this right now, as I’m pretty overwhelmed with just my daily obligations and traveling “to town” to run my errands, do gigs, go to the BWAF office to work, check my PO box, and so forth. So, I’m in town, but not living in town anymore. I’ll keep you posted.
8) LATEST INSPIRATIONS (LINKERY DEVICES AKA “LINKAGE”)
Barbara Sher makes it her business to save “geniuses”, and she believes we are all geniuses. She helps us get in touch with what we really want to do in life. Her book “Wishcraft: How to Get What You Really Want” changed my life.
Barbara Sher on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=barbara+sher&search_type=&aq=f or http://tinyurl.com/yaqbdok. Barbara Sher’s YouTube Channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/BarbaraSherWishcraft or http://tinyurl.com/yglgxpq. Website http://barbarasher.com/.
Louise Hay is a teacher and bestselling author of many books including her most famous “You Can Heal Your Life” (now a full-length movie). In her 80s now, Ms. Hay has spent most of her adult life teaching people that our thoughts create our reality. She’s a pioneer of the “affirmations” method and is the founder of the personal improvement powerhouse publisher Hay House.
Louise Hay on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=louise+hay&search_type=&aq=f or Louise Hay’s YouTube Channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/HayHousePresents or http://tinyurl.com/yft5ba2. Website http://www.louisehay.com/.
In searching YouTube for affirmations for prosperity and abundance, I found author/speaker/coach Jon Mercer and his “Attract Anything” video series. I have found them very helpful, especially in re-forming my original ideas of lack and competition versus abundance and creativity.
Jon Mercer’s YouTube Channel: http://www.youtube.com/attractanything or http://tinyurl.com/y8mxcm8. Website: http://attractanything.com/.
Goddess Leonie creates an annual dream/work/play book recommended by personal growth expert Lilou Mace, whose posts I also sometimes on YouTube. I found her website and was very inspired by her work. It is a brilliant example of how a write and artist can use technology to combine her dreams and create vibrant commerce. Her books are brightly colored and available in e-book form. You order this incredibly inexpensive book, then take the download to an office supply store which then prints and binds it for you at very little cost. Brilliant. She’s in Australia and sells her books worldwide. Goddess Leoni’s website is: http://www.goddessguidebook.com/. Check it out and be inspired!
9) WHAT MY FRIENDS & ESTEEMED COLLEAGUES ARE DOING
Monica McIntyre/Past Is Present
Monica has created, with a cast of 7 other women, a collaborative stage piece called Past Is Present. Two shows Saturday, February 06, 2010.
Info:
"Past Is Present" – A fresh daring collaborative exploration honoring African ancestry, celebrating the present, and embracing the future; incorporating: Photography, Videography, Choreography, Poetry, Music, Acting, Storytelling, Chanting, and Healing Arts.
Featuring: Saida Agostini, Lillie Ruth Bussey, Darlene DeVore, Fatimah Loren, Monica McIntyre, Nikki Powerhouse, Deneane Richburg, and Jennifer Turnbull.
Come be inspired, challenged, and healed!!
This amazing event takes place on:
Saturday February 6, 2010
@ The Walking Fish Theater
2509 Frankford Ave, Phila, PA 19125
215-427-WALK
Two Shows: 6:30pm and 9pm (Please arrive 30mins early)
$10/advance (while supplies last), $15/door (If you'd like to buy tickets offline email: cellomama(at)msn.com or call 215-360-2865 for more info.)
Link to order online: http://pastispresent.eventbrite.com/ or http://tinyurl.com/yd7qges.
Bo Westcott/Affirmation Songstress
Bo first found me on YouTube because of my affirmation songs. She started leaving really nice comments about them, and I saw that she also is a writer and performer of affirmation songs! I’m really inspired by her wonderful work and hope to work with her someday. (We’re Facebook friends if you’d like to network :-) Bo Westcott’s YouTube Channel: http://www.youtube.com/boadrienne or http://tinyurl.com/ylfexuo. Website: http://www.manifestourreality.com
Film Baby. A great place for a budding filmmaker to dream about making product, and a great place to sell it, whether DVD or download, when it’s done!
http://www.filmbaby.com/
10) INSPIRATION LINE IS BACK! (215) 436-9702
I’ve brought back my inspiration line. Often I call and talk and/or sing into the phone and include my latest gig or someone else’s. Call anytime and leave messages if you wish. This number also serves as my booking voicemail number, so you can leave professional messages inquiring about a future book as well.
Make yourself a beautiful day!
Cassendre Xavier (aka Amethyste Rah, aka Amrita Waterfalls)
renaissance negresse (musician/author/visual artist/actress)
http://cassEndrExavier.com
Founder & Executive Director of Philadelphia’s 7th Annual Black Women’s Arts Festival http://BWAFphilly.org.
Join my Facebook Group! http://www.facebook.com/#!/group.php?gid=81610690951&ref=ts or http://tinyurl.com/ybcp6g2.
Follow me on Twitter! http://twitter.com/cassendrexavier or http://tinyurl.com/yjt4dkj.
© Copyright 2010 by Cassendre Xavier. All rights reserved. http://www.cassendrexavier.com
