About Me
Myspace LayoutsOur goal to put Harrisburg on the map is well underway!
As the year began I was still basking in the glow of my meeting with Nikki Giovanni in December 05 at the American Literacy Corporation’s Annual Dinner.(www.mariaCjames.com/about) Things just went uphill from there. It started off with a celebration of the life and legacy of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. This year I celebrated at the Presbyterian Church in Carlisle, Pennsylvania where I debuted 1,000 Tears, which was written in collaboration with Gary Germany and recorded on my CD, FREEverse. This diverse event set the tone as February rolled around and Janice Moore and I planned Central Pennsylvania College’s (www.centralpenn.edu) first Black History Month celebration. We had steppers, poetry, music and soul food, thanks to contributions and support from the Governor’s Advisory Commission on African American Affairs.
In March the Dauphin County Library System asked me to encourage folks to “Get Caught Reading†and I was happy to oblige. The literacy posters featured me holding my favorite book, The Spoken Word Revolution, and hung in every library in Dauphin County and in the courthouse. In April, National Poetry Month, I performed at the Kline Branch, where I sometimes work as a sub.
Shortly thereafter, I completed my first CD, FREEverse, a compilation of spoken word and music, and we celebrated its release at California Fusion in Enola PA. Spoken Word Artist Cali Starks from Atlanta GA hosted the celebration. Cali and I were featured on Ms. Julala’s Spoken Word Hour on Burg City Radio. Word got around and I was asked to host FREEverse Poetry Night at the Crimson Frog Coffeehouse in Camp Hill. Poets from the city of Harrisburg, York, Lancaster, Philly and Baltimore have come to check it out. The house stays packed, thanks to support from 1400 the Touch, namely Shashaawn Dial, Lisa Clarke at the Sentinel, Brother Darryl at Burg City Radio, Fred Clark at WHBG and others.
April was a great month for publishing as well. I was honored to share the pages with Amiri Baraka, Sonia Sanchez and Rita Dove in Poetry Ink, published by Moonstone Press. I had the pleasure to meet Dr. Dove and have her autograph the book. I was published in two other journals, Magaera and Fledgling Rag as well.
Midsummer I became a publisher myself. I already published music on my CD, but now I am coeditor of The Central Pen, a literary magazine featuring the creative work of students, staff, faculty and friends of Central Pennsylvania College. I am so proud to have a wonderful dedicated staff of talented students.
By Summer’s end I became a ghostwriter, penning memoirs for movers and shakers in the Harrisburg area for a fee. Fred Clark’s biography should be completed by mid-2007. Need yours done? Lets chat.
The summer was packed with great events. I was able to perform in Egg Harbor, New Jersey where the spirits of my ancestors reside, and at the University of Pennsylvania where I was honored by the National Black Spoken Word Artist Tour for contributions to the Arts and Humanities.(www.myspace.com/nationalartists) My books, Rising Waters, sold out except for a couple of copies at Church World in Uptown Harrisburg.
Dad retired in March and by June he opened his business full time: Omari’s Place World African Museum and Gift Shop. We celebrated with African dance from Prazon, the Zambian Acapella choir’s smooth harmonies, and an afrocentric fashion show. (www.myspace.com/omarisplace)
This summer I performed American Music Fest and linked up with Jonathan Frazier, an excellent keyboardist and great friend who has created new arrangements of my songs that we performed several times.
At the 7th annual Women’s Speak Festival at Open Stage of Harrisburg, HD Steward directed, For Colored Girls Who Consider Suicide When the Rainbow is Enuff, in which I was “The Lady In Blueâ€. I was pleased to teach the play along with Zora Neale Hurston’s There Eyes Were Watching God, to my lit class at Central Penn. After that, and viewing the Broadway production of The Color Purple I feel a greater sense of strength and purpose.
By July it was time for Poetry Slams! I was the only Harrisburg local that got in the top 5 at the Heavy Word Poetry Slam in July. The Baltimore slam team took most of the honors that night. But, by August, I was running my own slam with the support of my mother, Mary James, The Harrisburg Chapter of the Links, and the Governor’s Advisory Commission of African American Affairs. We invited Def Poetry Jam’s Tommy Bottoms to perform and were pleasantly surprised to welcome Real Sex’s Malik daFreak, from the Punany Poets, Cali Starks, Baltimore Slam Team’s Ryan Mergen and other popular poetry heads. That event allowed us to raise more than $2000 for the Nanyuki Spinners, struggling single mothers in Africa. (www.agreatergift.org)
I slowed down the event planning for the Fall and concentrated on my personal goal of earning a terminal degree, a Masters of Fine Arts in Creative Writing. I attend Rosemont College in Rosemont, PA.(www.rosemont.edu)
By the way, my new penname was revealed in December, so in 2007 I will be publishing under the name Maria Consuelo, which is actually my name. I was named after my grandmother, whom I miss terribly.
I had a wonderful Christmas in Atlanta, GA with my Dad’s god daughter and her family. The kids formed a great singing group, NXN. It amazes me how Black folks live down there. The homes are incredible and the opportunities are endless. I enjoyed performing at Javaology with hostess, Queen Sheba and being blessed with that gracious southern hospitality. And KD, that Bad Mutha Clucka sandwich was off da hook!
On a personal note, I was so glad to be reunited with old friends from junior high and college, including my girl Nicole Rollolozo, fitness queen. (www.nicolefitness.com) Sadly, I had to say goodbye to good friend Dwayne Moore, who died at the age of 28. I think of him and his widow, Yvette, daily and keep her in my prayers.
In 2007 I will continue working on my degree, finish and publish Fred Clark’s book, produce another publication of The Central Pen, and possibly a new CD. Another exciting thing in the works is becoming a slammaster for Harrisburg’s national slam team. Keep your ears open for upcoming slams that could put you on the path to becoming a national slam poet!
Thank you for all of you that have helped to make 2006 a wonderful year!
Maria Consuelo
To which race of Middle Earth do you belong?
Elvish
Take this quiz !
Quizilla |
Join| Make A Quiz | More Quizzes | Grab Code
