Lesley-Ann Brown's Discussions
Whaledreamers
1 Reply
Started this discussion. Last reply by adem medina cardona Sep 26, 2008.
New from the BBC
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Started this discussion. Last reply by Lesley-Ann Brown Sep 24, 2008.
Privatization of Land in Indigenous Communities in Latin America: Tenure Security or Social Security
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Started this discussion. Last reply by Lesley-Ann Brown Sep 20, 2008.
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A Poem for Lesley-Ann by Ayun
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| Say It Loud! Poetry Collective (from left to right: Brown, Qwin, Ayun, Teju, Sabita, Zanubia & Julia) |
To think of smiling as
a simple act of stretching ones mouth
so as to show contentment
that releases the drawn in lines
of a frown that was etched onto your brow
is never enough.
Life drew the lines on your face,
with each bout of sorrow
and of joy,
a simple act of stretching ones mouth
so as to show contentment
that releases the drawn in lines
of a frown that was etched onto your brow
is never enough.
Life drew the lines on your face,
with each bout of sorrow
and of joy,
that lights up the brown
of your dark face.
And the dark face that hosts solemn eyes
protest
of your dark face.
And the dark face that hosts solemn eyes
protest
what the world has determined you would be.
You carry an eternity of sorrows,
and still you laugh
Like the old black people
from the country I am from,
From deep within your chest,
the echoes of that forgotten time,
You carry an eternity of sorrows,
and still you laugh
Like the old black people
from the country I am from,
From deep within your chest,
the echoes of that forgotten time,
from before you were born but existed
roll out from your belly
and form a sound
of dry branches beating against each other
on warm days where the wind blows
and whispers all our names.
You can never only smile.
There is, always, too much
roll out from your belly
and form a sound
of dry branches beating against each other
on warm days where the wind blows
and whispers all our names.
You can never only smile.
There is, always, too much
in a smile that remembers,
always,
the perfect and the worst.
the perfect and the worst.
So when you smile,
and the smile rests comfortably
in you dark face,
and the smile rests comfortably
in you dark face,
remember, always,
that the sound of branches
beating against each other
on warm days,
escapes from your mouth.
that the sound of branches
beating against each other
on warm days,
escapes from your mouth.
Pre-order Decolonial Daughter: Letters from a Black woman to her European Son
Available from May 15th, 2018
A Trinidadian-American writer and activist explores motherhood, migration, identity, nationhood and how it relates to land, imprisonment, and genocide for Black and Indigenous peoples.
Having moved to Copenhagen, Denmark from Brooklyn over 18 years ago, Brown attempts to contextualise her and her son's existence in a post-colonial and supposedly post-racial world where the very machine of so-called progress has been premised upon the demise of her lineage. Through these letters, Brown writes the past into the present - penned from the country that has been declared "The Happiest Place in the World" - creating a vision that is a necessary alternative to the dystopian one currently being bought and sold.
You can pre-order here:
In the UK: You can order here
In the US: You can order here
Faith Ringgold: The Ancestors Came
From Youtube: Cecile Emeke’s film celebrates the life of artist and writer Faith Ringgold and the influence of her childhood in Harlem on her work.Faith Ringgold’s posters All Power to the People (1970) and United States of Attica (1971-2) are currently on display in the Tate Modern exhibition Soul of A Nation: Art in the Name of Black Power.
Lesley-Ann Brown's Page
Profile Information
- About Me:
- I'm rooted in Brooklyn (Flatbush Ave) & Trinidad & Tobago & the whole world. I've lived in Trinidad, Brooklyn, New York City, Maui and now Copenhagen. I have over 18 years of writing and NYC Publishing experience.My writing has appeared in the Source, Vibe Magazine and a few anthologies, including "Expat:Women's True Tales of Life Abroad" & "In Defense of Mumia". I've interviewed Daddy-O;Savion Glover; Kara Walker; Gary Simmons;Lady Saw and Paul Beatty among others. I have read my work throughout NYC and Copenhagen and was invited as a guest performer for Women in Film and Television's 2007 Award Ceremony. I also translate from Danish to English and have translated for the award-winning documentary Enemies of Happiness and have published here in Denmark as well. I am currently working on too many things to mention, not least of all, my life.
- Occupation:
- Writer
- Education:
- BA in Writing & Literature, The New School, NYC
- Contact Information:
- blackgirlonmars@gmail.com
- Research Interests:
- Caribbean History and Indigenous Cultures the world over. Pre-colonial and Post-colonial.
- Publications:
- Published in various anthologies, journals, magazines and newspapers.
- My Website:
- http://blackgirlonmars.blogspot.com
Immigrant Mother
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Bureau 39--Call for Submissions
Bandit Queen Press is Proud to Present
The first edition of the zine
Bureau 39: The Ultimate Weapon
This is an Open Call for Complete and Utter Submission:
Bureau 39 wants your creation:
Writing (creative or otherwise); illustration, photography.
Send in your creative response by July 31st , subject line "Bureau 39" to… Continue
Posted on June 23, 2008 at 3:41pm
The Mothers of Memory--Chapter 3
Years before the stumbling upon the so-called New World the Portuguese had already penetrated the Western coast of Africa to bring home gold dust, strange fruits and African slaves. They beat back the bush like a lion tamer with a whip and leave but nothingness in their wake. They conduct business with others who can not fathom the destiny of this trade. In this continent that is called Africa, humanity’s vanity falls to its knees in the presence of alien creations and lives are exchanged… Continue
Posted on April 6, 2008 at 5:00pm
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sound file
AtaBey_Song.wav
text file lyrics:
SONG_TO_ATA_BEY.doc
Song of Yoka Hu the celestial father spirit, the spirit of Life and Energy, the spirit of the Sun and the soul of the yuca plant
sound file
Yoka_Hu_song.wav
text file lyrics:
SONG_TO_YOKA_HU.doc
Song dedicated to the spirits of the four directions South, West, North and East
sound file:
Four_Directions_Song.wav
text file lyrics:
SONG_OF_THE_FOUR_DIRECTIONS.doc
Song dedicated to the fact that the menstrual cycle that manifests in the body of human women is reflected in the monthly lunar cycle of the Cosmic Mother
Sound file:
Sacred_Words_of_the_Mon_Ceremony.wav
text file lyrics
SONG_OF_THE_FULL_MOON_CEREMONY.doc
rooster clan visiting from next door (Governor's Harbour, Eleuthera, BAHAMAS)yes1, ...we've met b4 & i think it was in philly, maybe from pam africa. wonderful 2 c u here! holla@ me.
raiseculture
take care & be cool drew
on the environmental round table. we love to hear your comments
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