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A Philadelphia performing arts organization is celebrating Juneteenth with a twist on an old tradition: the house party. Running June 20 - 22, Intercultural Journeys' “The Re-Emancipation of Social Dance” is an interactive party-performance through five “living rooms”, inviting you to reclaim the freedom of dance. We talk with the show's curator and former Philadelphia Poet Laureate, Yolanda Wisher, and Intercultural Journeys' Executive Director, Carly Rapaport-Stein, about this performance and how Black Americans throughout history have built community through dance. Learn more, get tickets, and listen to their podcast on the history of social dance at reemancipatedance.org. And on Shara in the City, Shara Dae Howard hops on the El to try to catch a glimpse of all 50 murals in Steve Powers' “A Love Letter For You” series in West Philly. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices
2023 is the second year Juneteenth is recognized as a national holiday, which is based on the day in 1865, when enslaved African Americans were told they were free - more than two years after President Abraham Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation. African Americans have been celebrating this day since the late 1800s. Our guests discuss the importance of education, in addition to the celebrations of this significant date. Timothy N. Welbeck, Esq., Director of Temple University's Center for Anti-Racism and VanJessica Gladney, a History PhD Candidate at the University of Pennsylvania examine how to reconcile the fraught event and its cultural legacy. Then, a city-wide poem's voices of freedom and calls to action include Opal Lee, the grandmother of Juneteenth, Philadelphia poet laureate Yolanda Wisher, Marsha Wesley Coleman, Director of Learning and Development with Friends Services Alliance, Dr. Reverend Malcolm T. Byrd, organizer of the Juneteenth Schools initiative, and Vashti DuBois, founder of the Colored Girls Museum in Germantown. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices
In 1923, Scholastic founder and CEO Maurice R. Robinson deemed that artistic students should be celebrated every bit as much as their athletic peers. Robinson created the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards to recognize talented young artists and writers from across the United States. The program gained fame through the students who won its awards, many of whom went onto groundbreaking careers in art, fashion, film, and literature. They include Bernard Malamud, Ezra Jack Keats, Truman Capote, Richard Avedon, Andy Warhol, Sylvia Plath, Cy Twombly, Kay WalkingStick, Robert Redford, Stephen King, Ken Burns, Yolanda Wisher, Zac Posen, Lena Dunham, and Amanda Gorman. A century after Robinson laid out his vision, the program is still going strong. The Alliance for Young Artists and Writers, which administers the program, recently published A Thousand Familiar Faces: 100 Years of Teen Voices. The new anthology offers a look at life through young people's eyes, whether they're grappling with World War I, the Great Depression, the Vietnam War, or the September 11 attacks. You'll find memoirs, poems, and essays about teenage life, family, identity, grief, racism, and immigration. In this episode, Hannah Jones, Deimosa Webber-Bey, and Henry Trinder join host Suzanne McCabe to talk about A Thousand Familiar Faces. Hannah, who edited the anthology, is also an author. She won a Scholastic Award, herself, in 2004. Deimosa and Henry combed through the Scholastic archives to find the best of the best of student writing from the past 100 years. Deimosa is the director of Information Services & Cultural Insight at Scholastic, and Henry recently earned a master's degree in library science from Pratt Institute. → Resources A Thousand Familiar Faces: A new anthology of award-winning teen writing features works dating back to the 1920s. You can download it for free here. Scholastic Art & Writing Awards: Administered by the Alliance for Young Artists & Writers, the awards have fostered creativity among young people since 1923. → Highlights Hannah Jones, editor, A Thousand Familiar Faces “It was [surprising] how vital and important and immediate and fresh the voices from the '20s and '30s and '40s felt.” “I want every single one of these writers to just have their moment of being read by someone new.” Henry Trinder, researcher, A Thousand Familiar Faces “Poetry was a more dominant form as a means for expression for the teenagers in the '20s and '30s. As that went on, short stories became more popular, and now, it seems, essays have become much more popular.” “It was comforting to read these stories and see myself in them.” Deimosa Webber-Bey, researcher, A Thousand Familiar Faces “It was very satisfying to . . . come away that much richer in knowledge about Scholastic history, about teenagers, about the 20th century.” → Special Thanks Producer: Maxine Osa Sound engineer: Daniel Jordan Music composer: Lucas Elliot Eberl → Coming Soon Pride Month: Author Simon James Green Talks About Gay Club!
We kickoff a new season of the Monument Lab podcast Future Memory with Yolanda Wisher and Trapeta B. Mayson, two renowned former poet laureates of Philadelphia. Wisher and Mayson are the creators of ConsenSIS, a project that summons “sisterly history” to preserve the past and present literary legacy of Black women and femme poets in Philadelphia. ConsenSIS is a part of Monument Lab's nationwide Re:Generation project, supported by the Mellon Foundation's Monuments Project. Co-host Li Sumpter speaks to Wisher and Mayson about ConsenSIS, their upcoming event, The Clearing (inspired by Toni Morrison), and the meaningful historic images and authors that guide their project's vision.
Today we are releasing episode #168 of PoemTalk, in which Amber Rose Johnson, Daniel Bergmann, and Yolanda Wisher meet up at the Kelly Writers House to talk with Al Filreis about Jayne Cortez's "She Got He Got". This poem/performance piece is comprised of a “She” half and an “He” half, she giving variations of hot, while he instantiates variations of cold.
Hosted by Al Filreis and featuring Yolanda Wisher, Amber Rose Johnson, and Daniel Bergmann.
Books, historic documents, and other artifacts do not just record the past; they can inspire us to create a better future. In this episode of The Rosenbach Podcast, Philadelphia Poets Laureate Yolanda Wisher and Trapeta Mayson tell us about what objects in The Rosenbach's collection they find particularly inspirational for their own literary work. Wisher and Mayson, both of whom also serve on The Rosenbach's Board of Directors, share their thoughts about The Rosenbach, and what listeners should expect when they visit in person or engage in a virtual program. Both Mayson and Wisher read poems they've written, and the episode also features music recorded by these two multitalented, interdisciplinary artists—including selections from Mayson's album “This Is How We Get Through,” a collaboration with distinguished jazz artist Monnette Sudler.
Recorded by Yolanda Wisher for Poem-a-Day, a series produced by the Academy of American Poets. Published on November 29, 2021. www.poets.org
This week's Flashpoint is focused on education and critical race theory. KYW's Jay Scott Smith sits with Kristin Leubbert, a local Philadelphia school teacher who has taught mostly Black and Brown students, explains why she is not afraid of critical race theory. The newsmaker of the week is Yolanda Wisher, the third Poet Laureate of Philadelphia as well as an educator who uses spoken word poetry focusing on her experiences as a Black woman as well as the collective Black experiences in Philadelphia. The Philly Rising Changemaker highlights Ron Curtis of Final Touch Academy. Curtis shares his story of once being incarcerated and opening his dream academy for those chasing their dreams. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Philadelphia-based poet, singer, educator and curator Yolanda Wisher is the author of Monk Eats an Afro (Hanging Loose Press, 2014) and the co-editor of Peace is a Haiku Song (Philadelphia Mural Arts, 2013). Wisher was named the inaugural Poet Laureate of Montgomery County, Pennsylvania in 1999 and the third Poet Laureate of Philadelphia for 2016-2017. A Pew and Cave Canem Fellow, Wisher was awarded the Leeway Foundation's Transformation Award in 2019 for her commitment to art for social change. Wisher taught high school English for a decade, served as Director of Art Education for Philadelphia Mural Arts, and founded and directed the Germantown Poetry and Outbound Poetry Festivals. She performs a unique blend of poetry and song with her band The Afroeaters and has led workshops and curated events in partnership with the Philadelphia Museum of Art, the Free Library of Philadelphia, and the U.S. Department of Arts & Culture. Wisher was part of the first cohort of artists with studios at the Cherry Street Pier on the Delaware River Waterfront. She is currently the Curator of Spoken Word and producer of the podcast Love Jawns: A Mixtape at Philadelphia Contemporary, a freestanding space for contemporary and performance art.
Who was Alice Dunbar-Nelson, and why do her life, literary works, and political contributions resonate in the modern United States? In this episode, learn about the remarkable achievements of Alice Dunbar-Nelson with Yolanda Wisher, a two-time Philadelphia Poet Laureate, performing artist, and Rosenbach Board of Directors member.
An extended Juneteenth mix featuring freedom songs by QUINCY SCOTT JONES, HUSNAA HASHIM, NOOR IBN NAJAM, JASMINE L. COMBS, KAI DAVIS, ASHLEY DAVIS, TRAPETA B. MAYSON & YOLANDA WISHER. Spun by VINCE ANTHONY. LJAM is produced by Philadelphia Contemporary. Find out more at http://bit.ly/lovejawns.
Featuring RAQUEL SALAS RIVERA, 2018-19 Poet Laureate of Philadelphia & co-editor of Puerto Rico en mi corazón, a collection of bilingual broadsides of contemporary Puerto Rican poets + YOLANDA WISHER, 2016-17 Poet Laureate of Philadelphia, author of Monk Eats an Afro, & Curator of Spoken Word at Philadelphia Contemporary + HUSNAA HASHIM, 2017-18 Youth Poet Laureate of Philadelphia & author of Honey Sequence. Spun by DR. BRUCE CAMPBELL JR. aka DJ JUNIOR, an Associate Professor in the School of Education at Arcadia University who runs his own independent record label, Record Breakin’ Music. "This ain't no Sunny D sh!t" is a line from Husnaa Hashim's poem "Orange Juice."
Poet, singer, and educator, Yolanda Wisher masterfully alchemizes the beauty of people and place into poetry, connectivity, and story.
In one of her last podcast interviews for Artblog Radio, Imani Roach speaks with Yolanda Wisher, poet, educator, community advocate and Curator of Spoken Word at Philadelphia Contemporary (PC). Wisher talks about her beginnings as a writer, fueled by a mother who was a voracious reader and forceful advocate for her as a writer when she was in elementary school. The wide-ranging conversation explores why Wisher has a studio at Cherry St. Pier; how she figured out that poetry could be used for social change; her (not widely known) work as a singer and her upcoming podcast series for PC, which will enlist Philadelphia poets and DJs and include poetry recitation and music, and not so much conversation. This great conversation was recorded at Moore College of Art and Design's TGMR Radio, and is 38 minutes long.
In one of her last podcast interviews for Artblog Radio, Imani Roach speaks with Yolanda Wisher, poet, educator, community advocate and Curator of Spoken Word at Philadelphia Contemporary (PC). Wisher talks about her beginnings as a writer, fueled by a mother who was a voracious reader and forceful advocate for her as a writer when she was in elementary school. The wide-ranging conversation explores why Wisher has a studio at Cherry St. Pier; how she figured out that poetry could be used for social change; her (not widely known) work as a singer and her upcoming podcast series for PC, which will enlist Philadelphia poets and DJs and include poetry recitation and music, and not so much conversation. This great conversation was recorded at Moore College of Art and Design's TGMR Radio, and is 38 minutes long.
Guest Host Vanesse Lloyd Sgambati speaks with Cristal Franklin, Niece of Aretha Franklin about behind the scenes at the funeral of Aretha Franklin and Cristal's clothing line. https://cfranksoriginal.com/. Yolanda Wisher, former Philadelphia Poet Laureate shared her thoughts on “What is Philadelphia Reading?”
How can poetry connect to and grow with a neighborhood? How can cultural workers blend their academic and creative efforts to better serve both their communities and themselves? How might we build more intergenerational community spaces in the places that we live and work? In episode 48 of the Imagine Otherwise podcast, Cathy Hannabach interviews Philadelphia Poet Laureate Yolanda Wisher about poetry as a community engagement practice; blending academic, artistic, and activist experiences in one’s everyday work; and how building a world where everyone is able to find and utilize their gifts is key to her way of imagining otherwise. Transcript and show notes: https://ideasonfire.net/48-yolanda-wisher
POET YOLANDA WISHER Welcome to the Contemporary Black Canvas podcast! In our first episode, we interview Yolanda Wisher, the 2016-2017 Poet Laureate of the City of Philadelphia. Find out what drew her to poetry, whether she prefers to write in rhyme or free verse, and the secret behind the infamous typewriter–all this and much more! […] The post Ep 1. Poet Yolanda Wisher appeared first on Contemporary Black Canvas.
Hosted by Al Filreis and featuring Patricia Spears Jones, Charles Bernstein, and Yolanda Wisher.
Yolanda Wisher, Charles Bernstein, and Patricia Spears Jones join Al Filreis to discuss Akilah Oliver's "Is You Is or Is You Ain't."
Yolanda Wisher is the 2016-2017 Poet Laureate of the City of Philadelphia. Wisher is the author of Monk Eats an Afro and the co-editor of Peace is a Haiku Song. Her work has appeared in Ploughshares, Fence, Chain, MELUS, and GOOD Magazine and the anthologies Gathering Ground and The Ringing Ear. Wisher is a 2016 Hedgebrook Writer-in-Residence, 2015 Pew Fellow, Center for Performance and Civic Practice Catalyst Initiative grantee (2015), Leeway Art & Change Award recipient (2008), and the inaugural Montgomery County Pennsylvania Poet Laureate (1999). She holds an M.A in English/Creative Writing-Poetry from Temple University and a B.A. in English/Black Studies from Lafayette College. Wisher founded and directed the Germantown Poetry Festival (2006-2010) and served as Director of Art Education for the City of Philadelphia Mural Arts Program (2010-2015). She currently works as Chief Rhapsodist of Wherewithal for the U.S. Department of Arts and Culture.