Saturday, May 14, 2011

PRESENT---Growing Up Daddy by Kraal KAYO Charles



If you were to put all that fatherhood encompasses in one word, what would that word be?

Love.  Responsibility.  Tolerance. Provider.  Protector.  Parent.  These were some responses I received after posing this question to a group of friends.  Although these were worthy answers, they just didn’t’ speak to me.

Then it came to me! 

PRESENT. 

The word is PRESENT.  PRESENT to read her stories at night.  PRESENT to help her with her homework or to color with her.  PRESENT to constantly watch episodes of Wow Wow Wubbzy on demand over and over and over again, when you would rather be watching Law & Order.  PRESENT financially, PRESENT emotionally, PRESENT in mind and body.  Like a high school student raising his hand at the beginning of homeroom I have to be PRESENT.  As an entrepreneur and traveling performer, fulfilling the promise of being PRESENT is something I struggle to accomplish every day.

Growing Up Daddy was written to continue the conversation of fatherhood in our communities- in America and to stress its importance. 

But I know I cannot do it by myself.  I need your help.  Please support Growing Up Daddy and spread the word that this play exists.  This is a call to action for fathers.  This is not just a play for me, this is a movement.

Be PRESENT with me, join the movement.



Urbintel, Inc in association with Real Dads Network
Present:

GROWING UP DADDY

......Written & Performed By
Kraal KAYO Charles

Directed By
Leslie “ButtaFlySoul” Taylor

Harlem School of the Arts
645 Saint Nicholas Avenue at 141st Street, NYC 10030.

All Seats
$25.00

click link to purchase tickets 

Saturday, June 11th, 2011 @ 8 PM

Doors Open 1/2 Before Show Time

GROWING UP DADDY
"Growing Up Daddy," the groundbreaking one-man play by spoken-word phenomena, Kraal “Kayo” Charles. In his semi-autobiographical piece, Kayo combines poetry, hip-hop and humor to explore what happens when an upcoming artist and businessman is on the verge of professional breakthrough... and then facing the dilemma of whether or not to embrace fatherhood. He recalls key experiences with the women in his life, the so called friends he looked up to and his strange Caribbean father.

Growing Up Daddy - An honest depiction of what every man endures when their passion is challenged by their sense of responsibility.

click the link to purchase tickets 

Tuesday, May 10, 2011

First Mother's Day w\o my mother by Nikki Beauchamp



Today is my first Mother's Day without my Mother. It is strange and confusing. It has reminded me of the hole that I have in my heart for her. I find that I evaluate all mother daughter relationships around me intently. I am constantly thinking what would my mom do, what would I do. I try not to personalize the ignorance of the people around me regarding this precious relationship with full acknowledgement that I too was this ignorant person.
The love of a Mother.... There is no other....
I feel like the pain of loss I feel inside is trapped in this eternal maze... and I am constantly searching for a point of releif without success. I wonder, often, if that day will ever come.
My own mind betrays me continuously, in the calls I attempt to make to her cell phone, the stops i want to make at her job, the bags and gadgets that I want to buy her thinking "she'll love this", the concerts that I want to email her about, and the random I love you's just to let her know I am there. Quickly, I remember "Oh she's not here".
So I guess if there is one thing I would like to share,,,, no matter how far or how annoying you think your mother is.... reflect on the fact that one day she may not be there for you to complain about. Cherish those 5 min phone calls out of your day, the holidays filled with memories that you carry with you, the random gift to let her know "I thought of you when I saw this", and the hugs and kisses that from the day you were born till the day you die, there will never be another like it.
On this day of honoring and celebrating the woman that has birthed you, nurtured you, raised you up, and molded you to the person you are today, let your Mother's know how much you love and appreciate them in my name.

Be Aware!

Peace Brothers and Sisters....

I swear... every day is a new learning experience...

We should all know that December 10th is National AIDS Awareness Day.

But did you know....

National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day, February 7th of every year, is a national HIV testing and treatment community mobilization initiative targeted at Blacks in the United States and the Diaspora. There are four specific focal points: education, testing, involvement, and treatment. Educationally, the focus is to get Blacks educated about the basics of HIV/AIDS in their local communities. Testing is at the core of this initiative, as it is hoped that Blacks will mark February 7th of every year as their annual or bi-annual day to get tested for HIV. This is vital for those who are sexually active and those at high risk of contracting HIV. When it comes to community and organization leadership, getting Blacks involved to serve is another key focus. We need Black People from all walks of life, economic classes, literacy levels, shades and tones as well as communities (large and small) to get connected to the work happening on the ground in their local areas. And lastly, for those living with HIV or newly testing positive for the virus, getting them connected to treatment and care services becomes paramount.

National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day
was founded by five national organizations funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in 1999 to provide capacity building assistance to Black communities and organizations. The founding five organizations are: Concerned Black Men, Inc. of Philadelphia; Health Watch Information and Promotion Services, Inc.; Jackson State University - Mississippi Urban Research Center; National Black Alcoholism and Addictions Council; and National Black Leadership Commission on AIDS.

Healthy Black Communities (HBC)
serves as the lead organization for coordinating communication via email, and regular mail; HBC develops the imagery of the initiative annually; designs and maintains the website; and ensures that orders and registrations are received and processed accordingly. HBC has been in this role for more than six years.

This initiative has had an array of national spokespersons: congressional leaders, faith based leaders, entertainers, actors, actresses, authors, radio personalities, and the list goes on and on. Some of the most notable spokespersons have been: President Barack Obama during his term in the Illinois Senate, Congresswoman Maxine Waters, Bishop TD Jakes, Radio Personality Tom Joyner, former NAACP President and CEO Kwesi Mfume, Congressman Elijah Cummings, Actor/Author Harper Hill, Screenwriter Patrik Ian Polk, and the list goes on.

For more information on National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day, please visit the website at http://www.blackaidsday.org/

Never be ashamed of who you are.

Be Informed. Be Safe. Live Happy.

Peace and Blessings Always.

Queen Rai

*Black Power*