oronde ash

, Male

Raleigh, NC

United States

Profile Information:

About Me:: James Baldwin accepted his responsibility to write truth as he saw it. Artists like Mos Def strain with the frustration of informing folks who no longer find value in the commerce of truth. Like James, Mos Def understands he has an obligation to teach the unconscious among us and "shine a light into the darkness,'cause there's a lot of darkness out there." So these are my words, my life shining, passing on what it was for this black boy becoming a man, becoming a human being in America.
Occupation:: Author/Educator/Speaker
Education:: B.A., Mass Comm., Spanish Minor, North Carolina State University, '98
[ ], Education and Psychology, NCSU Graduate School, 1998-99
Contact Information:: orondeash@mac.com
Box 33332
Raleigh, NC 27636
Research Interests:: Identity Formation in Adolescents
Black Male Adolescent Development
Nigressence
Critical Consciousness
Media as Pedagogy
Publications:: Fall 2008
"17 to Life: A Black Boy Memoir (On Accepting Love, Defining the Self & Living Free)"

Spring 2008,
"Blogger's Delight, Vol. I: Love and Redemption"
ISBN 978-0-9774126-4-8
Link:: http://www.youtube.com/user/bygINCpresents
Another link:: http://www.bygpowis.blogspot.com

Comment Wall:

Maximilian Forte

Fantastic page! A very warm welcome Oronde, it's a great pleasure to see you in this network, and you are off to one powerful start. Though it seems you mastered a lot of the features here quickly, and beautifully, let me know if you encounter any problems with using the site. I am not the moderator, let alone "leader", but I am the window dresser and administrator, so if there is anything I can do to help, just let me know.

May 7, 2008
Lesley-Ann Brown

Welcome Oronde! I have watched the first installment of your series and am blown away! I would love to post it on my blog...let me know your thoughts on this. This is really good--lots of exciting stuff happening all around.
Be well,
the lab

May 8, 2008
Arenahi

Takahí! Hello! welcome to the site.

May 9, 2008
Lesley-Ann Brown

Hey Oronde, I put the first video, along with my recommendation of your writing, on my last blog entry. Hope you like it.
All the best,
the lab

May 10, 2008
Maximilian Forte

I am watching the videos, about half way through now. This is very tough work, inspiring and often like a punch to the gut. The stories are very, very memorable. One of the questions that came up in one of your last videos is why would people go to Brooklyn (here we could add districts in Toronto, Montreal, London, etc.), and why do they believe the lies of "streets paved in gold"? That is an excellent question for me, having grown up in my own version of Brooklyn, from parents who left Rome (and no matter how tough life can be in Rome, Rome is Rome is Home)...right next to a 16-lane highway and I am still partly deaf from that upbringing, as are my brother and father. I have no idea why people would come from St. Vincent, Trinidad, or Rome, and give up what they had to get much less, or to get new grief. Tell me, what can be so tragic about life in St. Vincent that anyone would want to leave it? Have you considered returning or have all the bridges collapsed from neglect by now?

May 10, 2008
Lesley-Ann Brown

That is such a good question and one that I explore through the story of my father. I really recommend Samuel Selvon's The Lonely Londoners.. Oronde, you've been quiet recently: What's up? Hope to hear from you soon.
Best,
lab

May 13, 2008
Maximilian Forte

Thanks so much, not just for your comment, but for being the very first person to upload videos to this network--what a treat, thanks so much again.

May 13, 2008
Lesley-Ann Brown

can you skype? i'm not sure about the messengering thing. i'm on yahoo...been tinkering about all morning on my computer. if you got skype, that would be cool. then we can talk over the computer for free. if you have a mic and speaker on your computer then we're good to go. just download the program.
let me know,
lab

May 18, 2008
Melinda Maxwell-Gibb

Good evening, Oronde. I spent all of four days on St. Vincent (I went with a group of scholars from the University of Puerto Rico for the Islands In Between/Eastern Islands Conference (Kingstown). My dear friend and doctoral advisor, Mervyn Alleyne, made sure that the last day was spent on a day trip into Carib territory. We ended up in Sandy Bay and I made contact with the King and Pierre families (incredible the matriarchal heirarchies...only the women would take time to speak!). These were the two places I got to experience, but have made plans to return, thanks to the graciousness of both families, to continue my research. And by the way, Max is right about the state of affairs regarding the roads and bridges in the Carib territories...but great efforts are being made to rebuild at this time. I found your country and people both achingly beautiful and humbly proud. A good source for information is one of your islands great elders, Edgar Adams (he is an incredible human being and a great source for local history). You can contact him at R&M Adams Book Centre at 5 Grenvillle Street in Kingstown: Tel: 784-457-2278, 457-5174 Fax: 784-485-6945. Being an elementary level teacher, the idea of a children's book is an exceptional idea (I didn't find any while I was there!). Wa do. M.

May 20, 2008
Scott M Fitzpatrick

Yes - not on St. Vincent, but I've been working on Carriacou for several years with colleagues from the UK and The Netherlands - we're here now in fact working on a 6 week project. We're also planning work on several other islands in the Grenadines, including Mustique.

Jul 27, 2008
Caracoli

Thanks for the addition to your circle

Jul 30, 2008