Conversation with Chrystal Berche  (c) 2014 Rayven Young, Photographer VISIT:  http://aaduna.org/conversations/

Bill Berry, Jr.   When aaduna started, I did an interview process titled “E-Viewpoints” with contributors.  The purpose was to construct a wider audience for aaduna writers and artists while providing our readership with a better understanding and glimpse of the individuals who penned the poetry, fiction, and non-fiction and created the diverse array of visual arts.  For a variety of unplanned reasons, I took a hiatus from that initiative.  But now, I am back with “Conversations.”  The plan is to chat with current and previous contributors and delve into aspects of their background that you may find intriguing and uplifting.  I hope you become a regular follower of this series of “Conversations” and continue to enjoy the work of the individual that I have a chat with.  The intent is not to be “in your face” but enable you to savor the nuances, expectations, and challenges that aaduna contributors face as people, just like you and me.  ...

aaduna Board of Director member Sean Mcleod will bring his Sean McLeod Dance Experience featuring his NYC based Kaleidoscope Dance Theatre to Auburn, NY for its first full company concert in Auburn in 13 years.  McLeod promises a robust global influenced dance experience that will occur on October 3rd and 4th, 2014 at 7 PM in the West Middle School Auditorium, located at 217 Genesee Street, Auburn, NY.  Tickets are available via www.newyorkdancefestival.com If you live in the Central New York/Finger Lakes region or plan to visit, add this event to your social calendar for this weekend.     

  King crab fritters, one of the appetizers before the dinner on Friday at the LongHouse barn. Ellen M. Blalock | eblalock@syracuse.com            Former aaduna Board of Directors' member Dr. Patricia E. Clark and current Board member Ellen Blalock collaborated on a story initially published by  Syracuse.com regarding the recent 2014 LongHouse Food Revival. Check their story out: http://www.syracuse.com/entertainment/index.ssf/2014/09/longhouse_food_revival_of_molly_oneill_in_rensselaerville_ny.html#incart_river

aaduna Board of Directors (left to right)   Ellen Blalock, Billye Chabot, Madelaine Whalen (summer intern) Sheila Applegate, Bill Berry, Sean McLeod, Walt Aikman, Lisa Brennan   On Monday evening, September 15 th , the aaduna Board of Directors convened to hear and discuss the state of aaduna , analysis of the spring 2014 fundraisers, future capacity building plans, 2015 fundraising options, as well as plans to celebrate 2015 as the fifth year of publishing aaduna .   The Board also heard and discussed marketing initiatives, new features for “aaduna notes” and received a first hand account of the summer’s internship initiatives. aaduna BOD members:  Sheila Applegate, Billye Chabot, Sean McLeod This annual meeting concluded another year of exemplary service, guidance, and support from Board members.   They have our heartfelt thanks.   And if you do not know our Board, please visit www.aaduna.org and click on “Meet the Team.” ...

February 28, 2015 will mark the official fifth year of aaduna .   Time does fly! aaduna Premier Issue ~ Winter 2011, "Shamon's Vision," by David Roche, Photographer We first published  aaduna in February 2011 to bring emerging, new, and established voices and visionaries together in a diverse, pluralistic, multi-cultural literary and arts journal.     aaduna Summer 2011 Issue, "Father & Daughter Fishing," by Lisa Brennan, Photographer (c) 2011 We started aaduna to provide a positive and supportive avenue for people of color whose opportunities for getting their work published still had limitations and obstacles.   We started aaduna to promote work often overlooked or disdained by others.     aaduna Summer 2012 Issue, "Italian Ices," by Colette Fournier, Photographer (c) 2012 We started aaduna to be writer/artist friendly in all our business transactions while providi...

It started in the Auburn, NY post office earlier this afternoon.   A customer at the service counter was awash in muted earth toned clothes with a distinctive western type gear ambiance from the wide brim somewhat sombrero type hat to the boots to the corduroy pants with leather inserts along the backside and sides of the pants.   With a  nice flowing shirt, I noticed the weathered and tan hands though I could not make out facial features.   I was reminded of the Gauchos of the Pampas in Argentina because this customer immediately brought that image to mind.    The person was ahead of me as we exited the post office and I said that man looks like he rode in on a horse.   As I chuckled at my joke, I was determined to see what car he got into.   As I panned the parking lot to guess the vehicle, lo and behold, there were two horses hitched to the fence down where the mailboxes are located and the person was soon engaged with another customer i...