Intersecting worlds…culture, social justice, volunteerism = a more embracing welcoming society
As I listen to “Legend, the best of Bob Marley and the Wailers….” Now playing, “Redemption Song.”
aaduna is a multicultural literary and visual arts journal, recognizing, valuing, promoting, and presenting the diversity of voices it all its iterations and flavas, as well as the creative imagery from the intriguing groundswell permeating the global community. With a mission to provide a publication platform for voices that are not routinely heard and visual work not typically seen, this online journal continues to provide a pathway for people of color, other traditionally denied folks, emerging and already recognized creatives in getting their work to an expanding world-wide public. It started in 2011. It continues today.
With that mindset, aaduna will not turn away from issues that challenge social justice or strategic actions that seek equity in all phases of human endeavor. Through the “aadunanotes,” there will always be a platform and outlet for creatives who might want to share their “cultural work” and social justice journey with our readership.
As a volunteer, unpaid organization with folks who have other responsibilities…family, employment, battling “19,” addressing social injustices, personal tasks and activities…we strive to always present a pathway that best positions our contributors and their work to the public. Sometimes on schedule. Quite often on aaduna time. Sometimes battling external hindrances. Sometimes trying to maintain commitment to the journal when other life issues point to a different direction.
aaduna moves on; re-invents itself; always looking how to make what we do better for submitters, contributors, readers, supporters, fans.
Quite often contributors and readers are patient. Sometimes the energy to read something different, mind expanding, provocative, driven by challenging words and mind-expanding visual images overtake the spirit and waiting becomes too difficult.
We understand.
In the next several days, we will launch the 2020 double issue. While I am always proud of what is accomplished with each issue, truth be told, this double issue embraced and overcame so many negative forces, obstacles and meddling hindrances that singularly or collectively could have spelled the demise of aaduna.
But
with a profound purpose and keeping our eyes on the prize…we are here. Always
our way. Always defiant to forces that say, “no” you cannot overcome. So…
Give us time. We are working feverishly to get the double issue to you. And on that point, here are opening stanzas from three double issue poet contributors as snippets to whet your imagination for things to come:
Caleb Ebenezer Akapo, from Essex, UK
 |
| Caleb Ebenezer Akapo (photo provided) |
Tower blocks
Well,
I’d fight, too,
Boxed
inside a block of flats
Brocken
down and ignored
In
Clapham, South London.
I’ve seen it all
Narrated
Grandma Bernie who lived
Two
doors down, bound to her arm chair
Until
the next visit from her care-giver.
Innocent
children
Will
grow here to know
Struggle
without a hand to help
And
yelp without an ear to hear.
***
Daniella Alejandra
Diaz from Johannesburg, South Africa
 |
| Daniella Alejandra Diaz (photo provided) |
My Daughter
My daughter will not be like her mother.
Not silent, not docile, not shaking
like the branches of trees
stripped naked in the dead of Winter—
by the greedy hands of a man,
reaching,
reaching until he finds the cold, wet remnants
of a woman,
shaking,
shaking until Spring.
My daughter will pack Mohammed Ali punches
in her responses to the—
Mami
ven pa’ca, come ‘ere
Lemme
take you home with me,
I
promise you’ll like it—
their gaze, the beginning of a violation
she will know
for the rest of her life.
***
Sashat
Nattat
from New Jersey, USA
 |
| Sashat Nattat (photo provided) |
Outside
Looking In
I
prefer it this way
Looking
in on a world that excludes me
That
does nothing less than use me
It
seems so perfect without me
Enjoying
the fruits of my labor
I
should just disappear
So,
it can continue to appear
To
be perfect
But
who would work for you?
Who
would you look at?
With
your scornful eyes
Hating
the very sight of me
Not
even knowing why
I
can be resentful
Despising
you for all you have
Staying
a victim
Blaming
you for what I lack.
Would
it be so wrong?
For
me to stay outside and you, in
Some
would call that a
Win
… Win
A
situation that solves
A nation of hate
***
The publisher of aaduna, bill berry, jr., remains actively engaged in social justice issues as chair of the Harriet Tubman Center for Justice & Peace, Inc. based in Auburn, NY Visit https://htcjp.org/news for updates and activities.
aaduna - an online adventure with words and images - a globally read, multi-cultural, and diverse online literary and visual arts journal established in 2010. Visit us at www.aaduna.org where we put measurable actions to our words.
aaduna-Inc Visit regularly for updates !
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