Now that summer has reached full throttle, let’s celebrate it! This is the space for natural poems. Tonight is a space for poems that celebrate the water, the wind, the earth, the universe, animals, plants, and everything in between. We all know that Minnesota summers come and go very swiftly, our poetry can make it last a bit longer.
Fres Thao is an advocate for the Arts; believing Art is direct energy from the soul. As a Hip Hop pioneer of the Hmong American community, he has been an active lyricist, performer, producer and mentor since the early 90’s. Founding member of nationally dispersed Hip Hop group, Illegoaliens and Twin Cities based collective, Pupils of the Storm, Fres has released numerous albums, mixtapes and compilations including his recent full length album Mind Full Of. He was a recipient of the Minnesota State Arts Board Artist Initiative, accessing funds to create his “Mind Full Of” vinyl project; the first full length Hmong Hip Hop vinyl record album. He is in the process of writing an illustrated children’s poetry book.
RACBD is to create a “RONDO RENAISSANCE” on University Ave in St Paul (the Green Line – LRT) from Griggs to Rice Street. We are developing a Historic Rondo Arts, Cultural, and Heritage District to strengthen and expand the African American business community. We want to leverage the legacy and history of the Rondo community to build a distinct business district that draws present visitors and new visitors to existing and new African American owned businesses on the Avenue! ASANDC’s current work on identifying and supporting the growth of arts and cultural destinations in Saint Paul forms the foundation for this project. This project is a tool to bring alive the idea of utilizing art and culture as a community and economic asset to bring benefits to and opportunities to enhance current African American businesses and promote the growth of new ones on the University Avenue (the Green Line).
brilyahnt peace is a North Minneapolis native, currently exploring the solar—stars and spirit. A former student of the University of Minnesota and a (soon exiting) member of Voices Merging, she is on an ongoing journey to grow, heal, and speak. Poetry is her meditation and lifeline. Truth is her seed. Peace.
Leah Clark is a solo acoustic artist that passionately writes her own music. She’s been playing guitar and writing songs for over five years now and is looking to break out of her shell to share her music with anyone that will listen. In her free time she likes to swing in the park, spend time with family and friends, and take naps with her cat, Walter.
“My love for words began in elementary. I’ve been in special poetry/writing groups since I can remember because I’ve always been an “above average writer”. I also grew up surrounded by hip hop—so becoming an MC was almost inevitable. Though Just Cause is my first official project, I have been recording/writing rhymes since I was 14. I am finally at a point in my life where I feel comfortable with who I am as an artist and can actually afford to put myself out there. Let’s be honest here, being an MC is expensive.”
We are not quite recovered from this year’s Saint Paul Art Crawl. It may be the best weekend in the Twin Cities, but this coming weekend doesn’t look too shabby, either, and I think you might see some of the same faces out on the streets, with more than enough sights and sounds to make it worth your trip. The middle of the week doesn’t look to bad, either. Get out, because our shining faces on the city may encourage spring to shine on us, eventually.
Save the Kids (STK), founded in 2009, is an all-volunteer, national grass-roots organization dedicated to alternatives to, and the end of, the incarceration of all youth and the school to prison pipeline. STK is grounded in youth justice, transformative justice, and Hip Hop activism.
Last week, the Saint Paul Almanac received news that it has been nominated in five categories for this year’s Midwest Book Awards—in the Culture, Midwest Regional Interest: Text, Publisher’s Website, Reference, and Travel categories. There are many congratulations to be shared with hundreds of people who share their stories and acknowledgement of all the sweat and tears behind the sweet voices. So many voices, sometimes it is overwhelming—like everything we would like to tell you about what’s happening this week!
Welcome to single-sort, curbside recycling, Saint Paul! We are following the simplest of recycling adages: keep it simple and people will use it. If I can fit all of my recycling into one bag, will I have room for more art in another? Saint Paul is reducing, reusing, and recycling. I hope this affords us more creative spaces and the time to fill them with talent. I’ve listed a few examples here.
Celebrate National Poetry Month with a group of some of the most fabulous Twin Cities poets/activists/storytellers who will set the table with nourishing delicious poems that will leave you hungry for more. From radical love, to feeding the masses, to Burger King sex, to wannabe porn starification, these sexy poets have run the gamut in their perspectives on the subject. And, yes, don’t worry, we’ll make time to talk about microaggressions…because our performers are far from being one-dimensional! Special aphrodisiac surprises on the Black Dog Café menu, concocted by The Peoples Cook, to get you in the mood before and after.
Tonight we honor the reason we are in the room! April is National Poetry Month and, tonight, we honor the poets. Bring your favorite poem or poem number seventeen in your 30/30 series or just listen as we fill the space with new, old, polished, and imperfectly perfect poems from 6 p.m.-8 p.m. It is going to be great!
Help us to SAVE OUR STORIES by supporting Saint Paul Almanac’s literary and visual artists, and filmmakers.
We need your contributions so we may continue our work. Thank you!