aaduna captivates at The Seward House Museum’s October 2021 First Friday
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| Seward House Museum, Auburn NY, October First Friday Event |
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| bill berry, publisher, and CEO of aaduna reads from his performance piece, “The Intricacies of a Madman,” at the Seward House Museum First Friday Event, October 1, 2021 |
bill berry, publisher, and CEO of
aaduna shared his dynamics of being “mad” within the conceptual framework of
race, culture, societal acceptance and trying to be human in 21st
century America. Reading from his performance piece, “The Intricacies of a
Madman,” bill supplemented that work with his essays, “The Artificiality of
Celebration,” followed by “A Different Face of Diversity.” bill also offered up
short news briefs that addressed the achievement of African American woman
judge, Saundra Brown who serves as the Senior Judge of the U.S. District Court
for the Northern District of California; Albert Einstein’s view on racism as a
“disease of white people” articulated at Lincoln University in 1946; the defacement of George
Floyd statues in NYC and New Jersey by members of the Patriot Front, a “white
supremacist group,” and the 2021 return of Waterfront California beachfront
property to the descendants of the Bruce family that is now worth over $75
million dollars. As with many Black families, the land was “stolen” from them
by the local government’s use of imminent domain with the assistance of the Klu
Klux Khan that deterred the potential of generational wealth for Black folk who
were the primary guests at Bruce Beach up to 1924. Current governor of
California, Gavin Newsom signed the documents that returned the land to the
rightful owners.
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| Karen Faris, Rochester, NY based poet, writer, and mixed media visual artist |
Karen Faris, Rochester, NY based poet,
writer, and mixed media visual artist presented her performance poem, “Sermon
From the Mountaintop.” She delivered this work as part of the restaging of Anna
Halprin's “The Blank Placard Project” led by Rose Pasquerello Beauchamp from
the University of Rochester's Dance and Movement department. Presenting other
work that intrigued and moved the audience, she also read from her 2020
chapbook, The Death of Compassion, printed in partnership with aaduna,
Inc. A perennial fan favorite, Ms. Faris did not disappoint with her riveting
and poignant stage presence. Faris can be reached at
karenfarisauthor@gmail.com.
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| Berny Williford "PChop Willi" |
Berny Williford, master keyboardist and vocalist provided the rhythmic grooves that soared through various idioms of musical tapestry. His originality and interpretation of R&B and jazz classics provided the perfect musical archway for a pleasant autumn evening. Platformed on the museum’s South Porch, words and music created an enjoyable evening for those in attendance and Berny’s musical renderings complemented the ambiance of the garden setting and the lyrical and empowering words steeped in poetry and prose.
Under the late afternoon sunlight and fall crisp air, October's First Friday was a delightful affair of words and music, music and words. We thank the staff at the Seward House Museum and all who attended this wonderful event!
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aaduna - an online adventure with words and images - a globally read, multi-cultural, and diverse online literary and visual arts journal established in 2010.
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