When aaduna, Inc. established its Board of Directors, Sheila Applegate was an inaugural member and that was back in 2010. When  aaduna  launched its first issue in February 2011, Tamara Madison was an inaugural contributor.    Over the years,  aaduna  has collaborated with Ms. Applegate on a variety of public activities, and Ms. Madison...well, from poetry readings and workshops, Tamara has been an inspiration to what we do and how we present poets/writers to the public. And interestingly,  aaduna  has published the work of both of these extraordinary, talented, and creative women.   So, here is the deal.   Make a cup of tea; get another cup of coffee, or prepare your end of the day libation. Curl up in your favorite chair and click on this link. You will enjoy! Stay safe.   bill https://youtu.be/zg3-5cXnXxY

  NARRATIVE:   For those fans and supporters who have followed  aaduna  since 2010, you well know I initiated a creative-oriented interview component simply titled “Conversations.” In those early, heady days, those dialogues were a key component of the Rockford-Kingsley website driven by my involvement as a board member with that organization. At some point, those periodic “chats” transitioned to the aaduna blog and then went into an unexpected, unplanned hiatus. Now…that status has changed.   “Conversations” are back!   The inaugural re-born kick-off discussion brings together two powerful, inspirational women writers and eloquent literary voices in a shared conversation with me, a stance that is new to “Conversations” since in the past these chats were designed to be a one-on-one conversation.   I am pleased to share an edited and brief excerpt from my (bb) chat with Linda Gonzalez (LG,) and Dr. Nagueyalti Warren (NW.) bb: When Nagueyal...

  In these days and times, patience is all too often defined by our response to Covid, testing clinics, working from home, or trying to find work; arranging  our vaccine shots and not being able to see and visit with family, friends, adult children, the grands or loved ones residing in assisted living or nursing homes. And then there are the marriages, funerals, birthday parties that may be, at best, a drive-by or a Zoom. We try to re-regulate our lives as best we can to do whatever has become our personal “new” normal. And then many of us must bear testimony to the trial of Derek Chauvin. We are thrust to relive painful personal episodes and past trauma with police that rapidly rush to the forefront of our consciousness and re-ignite past pain and being dehumanized. So, some folks are beginning to prepare for an acquittal which has been the ongoing American history of white police officers degrading and killing Back citizenry especially African American males. So, with al...