renaissance negresse Museletter February 11, 2011

renaissance negresse Museletter February 11, 2011

art | inspiration | community

brought to you by Cassendre Xavier

Friday, February 11, 2011

In this ediccione:

A) WHO IS THE RENAISSANCE NEGRESSE?
1) SOMETHING YOU CAN DO ABOUT EGYPT
2) JOAN HANNA & ANGEL HOGAN READING
3) BLACK WOMEN’S ARTS FESTIVAL SUBMISSIONS
4) FACEBOOK WALL
5) THINGS YOU PROBABLY WANT ME TO TALK ABOUT
6) CX DIRECT MAIL ORDER FORM
Z) BUT DON’T BE MEAN



A) WHO IS THE RENAISSANCE NEGRESSE?
Haitian/Chinese-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 (Est. 2002) and the Black Women's Arts Festival (Est. 2003). 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.]


1) SOMETHING YOU CAN DO ABOUT EGYPT
“There will be blood tomorrow, but I still have hope. I still have some hope left.” ~Amira Hanafi in Egypt. Please write to your representatives in America and ask them to stop funding Egyptian president Mubarak's regime. See if you can do it online if that’s easier. Thank you.


2) JOAN HANNA & ANGEL HOGAN READING
The Women’s Writing & Spoken Word Series at Moonstone Arts Center presents Joan Hanna & Angel Hogan

Hosted with live music by Cassendre Xavier
Always Includes a Mixed-Gender Open Mic!

Saturday, February 12, 2011
7pm – 8:30pm
$5 Admission
Moonstone Arts Center
110A S. 13th Street (at Sansom St)
Philadelphia, PA 19107
215-735-9598
Streaming LIVE at http://www.MoonstoneLIVE.com !


ABOUT JOAN HANNA

Joan Hanna was born and raised in Philadelphia. She is the new Nonfiction Editor for r.kv.r.y.com. Joan will also be the new Managing Editor for Poets’ Quarterly, summer 2011. Joan's poems have appeared in: Common Threads and Moldicum, the premier issue of Glassworks and her nonfiction story “Breathing” appeared in the October issue of r.kv.r.y. Joan has a BA in Writing Arts and is completing her MFA in Poetry and Creative Nonfiction at Ashland University. (Joan says on her blog: "My soul has always been grounded in poetry which has tangled its roots in non-fiction. I took a chance two years ago, quit my job, went back to finish my BA in Writing Arts and found myself in an MFA program for creative writing at Ashland University in Ohio. Sometimes when you jump off a cliff you land in soft places that change your life. Welcome to my changing life." Read more at http://www.writingthroughquicksand.blogspot.com. Joan is also celebrating her birthday this week!)


ABOUT ANGEL HOGAN

Transplanted from a rural horse farm to downtown Philadelphia in her teens, much of Angel Hogan's writing is fueled by her non-traditional upbringing, which she describes as “a heap of multicultural embarrassments.” After studying Literary Theory at Bucknell University, Angel traveled cross-country with a Chow-pit puppy in a diaper, and spent time at her Mom’s home in the Yucatan. As a toddler, her favorite foods were coffee and pan-fried liver. Angel currently works at the University of Pennsylvania and lives in West Philly with her cat Mamacita, and Sauce! the dog. She is a storytelling champ with First Person Arts. See more at: http://angelhogan.com


ABOUT THE SERIES

The Women's Writing & Spoken Word Series (Est. 2002) is a nurturing environment that celebrates women in the craft of multi-genre writing. All are welcome to attend and participate in the Series' Mixed-Gender Open Mic. For submissions and schedule information, please visit http://WomensWritingSeries.com. Submissions only: http://WomensWritingSeries.eventbrite.com), email WomensWritingSeries(at)yahoo.com, call 215-436-9702 or send a SASE (self-addressed stamped envelope) to: Women's Writing Series, POB 30204, Philadelphia, PA 19103-8204.
=========================================================

3) BLACK WOMEN’S ARTS FESTIVAL SUBMISSIONS
I checked and all is smooth sailing and running well with the submissions, available at www.BWAFphilly.org (where you can also learn more about Philadelphia’s 8th Annual Black Women’s Arts Festival) or at the specific submissions page http://BWAF2011submissions.eventbrite.com.


4) FACEBOOK WALL

From my Wall at http://facebook.com/cassEndrExavier...

Confidence, enthusiasm & loving self & others is more attractive than physical appearance, intelligence, talent, or even money."~CassEndrE Xavier's on iTunes!

"Learning to trust your intuition is an art form, and like all other art forms, it takes practice to perfect." ~Shakti Gawain, Living in the Light

Doreen Virtue Official Fan Page: "Trust this world and your experiences within it. Have faith in yourself, including your gut feelings, dreams, and desires."

"Trust your first response, your gut feelings and instincts; trust yourself, then act accordingly." ~CassEndrE Xavier is on iTunes, YouTube, Amazon & CD Baby!

Did you know you can SMS Subscribe to 50 of your Facebook friends? Make me one(Go to Settings, Mobile) and get my wacky, oft-inspiring updates as text messages!

"All of life is a meditation, most of it unintentional." ~Joseph Campbell, The Power of Myth

I didn't log onto FB for days so I didn't see all the wonderful birthday messages on Feb 7 (191 to be exact). I am overwhelmed with appreciation. Thank you! I am even more motivated now to post inspiring things for you to read. Enjoy your day!

"Your thoughts and beliefs of the past have created this moment, and all the moments up to this moment. What you are now choosing to believe and think and say will create the next moment and the next day and the next month and the next year." ~Louise L. Hay

I just found out my guitar hero Gary Moore died on Feb 6, the day before my birthday. I had a dream of sharing the stage with him one day, as I did with the recently passed Tom "T-Bone" Wolk (bassist & music director of Hall & Oates). I am very sad and tempted to give up dreaming, but I know that's never the answer to, or lesson in any difficult experience. R.I.P. Gary Moore. You are already sorely missed. Incidentally, they both died at 58, of heart attacks (Wolk confirmed, Moore suspected), and in the month of February. 58 is way too early to die of anything.

I just saw someone I used to work with from 1994-1998. I told him that 2 days ago I turned 42. He said I look younger now than I did then. Score for raw vegans!

"Success is focusing the full power of all you are on what you have a burning desire to achieve." ~Wilfred Peterson

SMS Subscription Awards (Frequent short status w/no link): Amira Hanafi in Egypt,Kelli Dunham,Steve Lower's Daily Philly Weather,Debra D'Alessandro,Paulo Coelho

"To succeed in life, you need two things: ignorance and confidence." ~Mark Twain
Paulo Coelho says, "What other people think of you is none of your business."

"I take loving care of the earth, and the earth loves me in return." ~Louise L. Hay

Doreen Virtue Official Fan Page says, "Your intuition guides you through all situations safely, provided that you listen to it."

"To succeed, you need to find something to hold on to, something to motivate you, something to inspire you." ~Tony Dorsett

"Success means doing the best we can with what we have." ~Zig Ziglar

If God/dess is love and God/dess is everywhere why don't we see love everywhere? Because we haven't expressed it enough ourselves yet. Love is inside us. ~CX

"Even atheists recognize God when it's being expressed; they just call it other things: talent, love, compassion, brilliance." ~Cassendre Xavier is on iTunes!

Doreen Virtue Official Fan Page says: "You are a being composed of light, love, and intelligence."

"Up, up, up, up, up, up goes the spire of the steeple/God's work isn't done by God, it's done by people." ~from the Ani Di Franco song/CD "Up Up Up Up Up Up"

The more I buy Thank You cards, the more wonderful things happen for me to send them. I just performed and saw an old friend/former employer. He saw that in the years we'd been apart, I'd released 3 live albums and 3 studio ones. Guess how many CDs he walked away with? 7 (6 of my musical ones, which he purchased, and 1 guided meditation CD I threw in for free)! Guess who's getting a Thank You card next week? :-)

Ever want to call a friend but worry you might be interrupting them having sex? Once, in the Olden Days, I called a friend & spoke into the machine, “Hey. Hey, are you having sex? You’re having sex aren’t you?” then I wouldn’t shut up. Next day, he was a wee miffed. Turns out he *was* having sex & my hilarious monologue was a little less than helpful. Lesson: Turn everything OFF but your bootknockery partner!

Former Women's Writing & Spoken Word feature (and designer of the WWSWS logo, and my former co-worker at an independently owned academic bookstore) Amira Hanafi has decided to stay in Egypt and tell us all why. Please send her light, love, and your total support!

"Nothing attracts wealth like Thank You. (Not only material wealth, but emotional and spiritual as well.) Everything good loves a Thank You." ~Cassendre Xavier

"For more good in your life, give thanks &count your blessings often. Stock & often send paper/postal Thank You cards; they create miracles!" ~Cassendre Xavier

Doreen Virtue Official Fan Page says, "Your guardian angel continuously talks to you&gently offers advice&guidance. You need to quiet your body&mind to listen."

Malcolm S. Forbes said, "Victory is sweetest when you've known defeat." So,
single/recovering folks&survivors can look forward to the sweetness of healthy love!

People are often afraid to ask-the Universe/God, other people-for a favor, a job, love. Don't be afraid to ask! The worst that can happen is...you don't ask!-CX

I, the "Subway Siren" since 2005, am singing 3-6pm at Designated Performance Area #2 of Philly's Suburban Station, 16th & Market-Concourse near SEPTA Sales!

Paulo Coelho says, "Avoiding problems you need to face is avoiding the life you need to live."

"The fastest way to 'change' someone is to love them completely and unconditionally; accept them as they are, as if they will never change." ~Cassendre Xavier

Posted daily:
Steve Lower’s Daily Philly Weather and

“What are some nice things that happened for you today?”


5) THINGS YOU PROBABLY WANT ME TO TALK ABOUT
POETRY CHAPBOOK CONTEST UPDATE
The poetry chapbook contest for the Black Women’s Arts Festival will continue as soon as we (I) find one or two people to design the system of, and process submissions. We already have 3 poetry judges at the ready (Tara Betts, Tamara Oakman, and Stephanie Durann.

AFFIRMATION SONG ALBUM & GUIDED MEDITATIONS UPDATE
I’ve created a budget for the affirmation song albums I’ve been working on, as well as the last two Affirmations for Survivors guided meditation albums “Sexuality” and “Life Skills” to complete the series which began in 2007 with “Self-Love” and “Spirituality”. These are available in download and CD at http://stores.lulu.com/cassEndrE or in CD from me from http://cxdirect.eventbrite.com or by emailing cxmusic(at)gmail.com. These projects are gestating and waiting as the funds or other options are created. I’ll keep you postified (aka “posticated”)!

A STROKE OF LUCK
Around two weeks ago I posted on Facebook that I’d spent the day in the hospital being treated for what I thought were stroke or heart attack symptoms. Though the day was scary, starting with not being able to feel my fingers for several minutes and feeling weird cramps on the left side of my body, as well as chest pain and several of the “female” symptoms of heart attack, I was examined by at least 5 physicians, two nurses, and several technicians, was x-rayed, had bloodwork drawn, enjoyed hours of TV in the comfort and privacy of my own room, and learned that my symptoms were likely due to wearing my belt too tight (pinching a nerve that causes pain in my leg), acid indigestion/reflux, and my blood being low in potassium. Within hours I felt much, much better having received potassium at the hospital and since then I’ve been eating lots of yogurt (mostly from Trader Joe’s) sometimes mixed with a little molasses which also has tons of potassium as well as iron, calcium, and other things. If you have hypertension and or/are obese, I highly recommend doing the potassium thing to counteract the sodium intake. So, that’s it. No heart attack, no stroke, not even close to either, just scary-feeling symptoms. Oh, and in addition to upping my potassium, I must not lie down less than an hour after eating. Docs recommended also the website www.webMD.com for advice, not Google. And they said never to lie about when you have had onset of symptoms so you can get the drugs that will treat your symptoms, because you could make things worse. For instance, I’d Googled that if you’re actually having a heart attack or stroke there is a drug they can give you to stop clogging or something but it must be administered within 3 hours of symptom onset. By the time I’d walked to two hospitals (to find one with an emergency room), it was almost 3 hours and I kind of fibbed about when I started having the symptoms. I cannot stay in the fibborial state for long, so I fessed up to my first doctor that I had lied, and he told me why that’s really not a good idea. Turns out if given at the wrong time, that precious anti-clogging drug could’ve caused brain bleeding. So, never lie about what’s going on with your body!

RAW VEGAN UPDATE
I’ve been low- or off raw for weeks, gaining weight and my eating is pretty out of control. I don’t really know why or what I’m doing or what’s going on, but I’m not worried about it too much. Everything comes in cycles, and I’m not going to make things better by being extra hard on myself. I expect the tide to come around in favor of my being healthier and exercising, but for now, I’m dealing with basic life skill things such as working and paying my bills. I realize there is no work without health, though, and I want to practice what I preach, so I know I will have to get on that soon. Or not. I could also stay sick and out of shape my entire life, and still enjoy life and work and art. It’s all good. No worries. Except that I am worried. And not worried. All at the same time! And I’m not really “sick”. I’m mostly healthy, just have some thingies that quite frankly a lot of Americans have. It’s just hard to be the Queen of Self-Care when there are so many other stressors in one’s life. But it can be done. And this is why I write the books and things about being healthy, because if I don’t, I don’t have much to be accountable for. For the last two weeks, I’ve thought: I need another book! (The last one: Expanding Your Capacity for Joy: a Raw Vegan Comfort Book, Sourcebook and Journal, is available in print format at Arnold’s Way store, from me at http://cxdirect.eventbrite.com or by emailing cxwriting(at)gmail.com, and as an e-book at http://cxbooks.eventbrite.com). It has a chart in it for logging your progress in weight, diet, and even blood pressure numbers. I even used it back in the day when I was much more on my game. I plan to get back there again, step by step. It also has a list of black-owned raw vegan restaurants in the region, including two right here in Philadelphia!

LOVE, ROMANCE, AND TOTAL TOMFOOLERY
I’ve been private about the relationship thing for a few reasons, which I’ll probably say in my next or a future museletter, but doesn’t quite fit here. All for now. I hope I’ve addressed some of your curiositational devices!


6) CX DIRECT MAIL ORDER FORM
To view, print, and/or order CDs and books from me directly, please visit http://cxdirect.eventbrite.com, send a SASE to Cassendre Xavier, POB 30204, Philadelphia, PA 19103-8204, or email cxmusic(at)gmail.com.


Z) BUT DON’T BE MEAN
"Do whatever it takes to make your life more worth living. Anything at all. It can be illegal, immoral, unethical, or self-destructive.There’s only one rule to follow to make that kind of blanket permission work: Don’t be mean." ~Kate Bornstein, author of 'Hello, Cruel World: 101 Alternatives to Suicide for Teens, Freaks, and Other Outlaws' http://katebornstein.typepad.com

===================== Thank you, and good night :-) =================


renaissance negresse Museletter is © 2011 by Cassendre Xavier. All rightsen reservenitzken. www.cassEndrExavier.com