Lyrical Voices Presents A Night of Poetry & Arts 2/18/11 ~ Love & Other Ancestral Things...

LOVE & OTHER ANCESTRAL THINGS...

This will be a night where we celebrate LOVE and BLACK HISTORY MONTH!
Tai Allen will come from NYC to share his poetry with us for the evening.
Gina Levon Simpson is presenting a scene from THE MAAFA CELEBRATION performed by WAKILLAH CHASSAGNE. The MAAFA Celebration takes place every year at Mount Aery Baptist Church. It is a emotionally powerful and informative experience and an honor to bring it into our space.

Dj Buddha LuvJonz of www.LuvJonz.com spinning for the night.

There is a great night ahead of us so tell a friend to tell a friend and get your poems ready. IT'S ON!!! We are doing this anniversary style.

Admission is $5.00 before 10PM and $10.00 after.
9pm~1am

LOVE.
Shanna
www.PoeticSoulArts.net
http://www.shatamel.blogspot.com/

Honored By Bridgeport's Black Pride ~ 2011 Woman Who You Should Know

It seems that I haven’t wrapped my head around being honored. Poetry is something I have loved since I was young and Lyrical Voices is something developed out of a necessity to share my art and gather inspiration. While many have explained how they have been helped through this opportunity to listen and share their voice with me; I certainly never took credit for it. I still don’t take credit for this because Lyrical Voices is truly a community effort and my motivation is just as important as your presence and willingness to share your experience through visual art and poetry.

One thing I can say is that it felt good to have our efforts acknowledged. The support in that room was much greater than I imagined. Sitting at that table with my family and friends in full support of these visions I have was affirming. When they called my name and the room rumbled with cheer it was like being hugged with sincere love. That is what I would not trade for the world. There are so many people who walk through life wondering if they are loved or if their efforts are appreciated. There is no question that I feel loved in abundance and I felt that way for a long time. It is not something I take for granted or I expect but it is something that makes me thankful.

So many talented people meet me half way in maintaining these friendships that are so precious. Sometimes I look at you all and give thanks for being gifted for so much support and inspiration. Let’s continue to work and do all we can as artists and members of a community that wants to grow in positivity, creativity, and friendship. We have helped many people through helping ourselves by releasing these thoughts and ideas. I honor us. Thank you for honoring me.

Bridgeport’s Black Pride is very supportive of my work and they have been for a long time. This is another great way that they encourage my work and it means a lot. I never expected an Official Citation from the State of Connecticut and the fact that I was honored among so many great people who make huge contributions from their heart within and beyond this community was amazing. Thanks to Tantra, Chuma, Nathan P, Buddha LuvJonz, Patrice, Suselle, Alicia, Shanika, Shanna D., Aunt Carolyn, Grandmother, Crystal, Cynthia, Gina LeVon Simpson and all the others who took time to share this day with me as well as those who wished to be there and made sure to be present in spirit.

LOVE.
Shanna

Bridgeport's Black Pride Is Honoring Shanna as "Women You Should Know For 20111"!!! Sunday, January 16th @ 4 PM

Bridgeport Black Pride is honoring me, Shanna Melton, as one of the "Women You Should Know" for 2011. I am very proud as this organization has supported my work for quite some time now. TICKETS MUST BE PURCHASED IN ADVANCE, NONE WILL BE SOLD AT THE DOOR. January 16th, be there or be square. Thank you all forsupporting ...my visions and helping me stand in position for something like this. Much love.

Lyrical Voices 6 Year Anniversary Thank You! "It's Madness" Nathan P. Fundraiser Thank You!!! LOVE.

LYRICAL VOICES 6 YEAR ANNIVERSARY! THANK YOU!

6 Years! The past year has been triumphant to say the least. Phenix has completed his cd. Many have slammed and won or published their work. Others fell in love, got engaged, married, and pregnant. We watched Xavier evolve from an inability to walk into a walking, recording, creating man in constant motion. Some have pursued their visions of acting. Some have done something simple and complicated (simplicated, as coined by Alicia Cobb) as getting on the mic and saying things they no longer wanted to hold inside. We are constantly touching these visions that we may have once resigned to the role of a dream instead of reality. I say that is worthy of a beautiful celebration!

As a community and as individuals, we have faced many obstacles and there is a beauty in the way we survive them, purge them, and regain our composure so we can come together again. We say, “look where I’ve been, I have survived this, I hurt so much while that happened, check out how I healed with no idea of my possibilities”. We look at the people in front of us and sincerely say, “I haven’t always known I am beautiful, but I discovered it in the mirror this morning. I discovered it in the voice of my child, in the hug of a friend, in a gospel song, in a poem, in the adoration of a lover…I found my beautiful” That is what Lyrical Voices has become, this safe haven for ideas, beliefs, and growth.

I feel blessed to take part in this experience. I don’t know why I was chosen for such a task, but it has helped me blossom as an artist, a friend, and a leader. There has always been a fire in my spirit and Lyrical Voices ignites me each time I step in front of you all and free myself of energy that sometimes gets held onto so tightly it feels like it’s in my blood. It is a great feeling to have a place that reminds you of who you really are when the world makes it so easy to forget.
Happy Anniversary!!!!

Queen GodIs, we thank you for the love and energy you brought into this anniversary. Your words and spirit settle into the bone and we love your light. Ngoma, we honor you with true love and respect. Thank you for all your contributions to this artistic community. Thanks to all the poets who participated in our tribute to poets who came before us, Mind Evolution, Midnight, NuNuu, Frederick Douglass, Croilot, Buddha, and Tantra! It is our job to keep those words alive as I hope someone does our words in the future. Thank you for delivering this tribute with authentic passion and love for inspiration.
Thank You!!!
LOVE.
Shanna






THANK YOUR FOR ATTENDING "IT'S MADNESS!!! NATHAN P FUNDRAISER

Tantra and I spoke on how we can help Nathan P during this rough time and we decided to honor him for a night while raising money to help him with medical expenses as he deals with Lupus. When we put out the call for poets not one hesitated to donate their time, art, and products to create a full evening in celebration of this wonderful man. Queen GodIs worked it out so The B~Hive would donate the space and she helped bring the evening full circle in a way only she could...in a full circle of spirit!!!Thank you for being so supportive and gifting Nathan so much motivation to get better. He is a warrior for us as friends and artists and when he needs us we are showing up. It was humbling to sit in that room among poets who have been for so many years and who hold the same passion for art. Nathan spoke to me about how appreciative he is and I hear the love in his voice. It is an honor to be an artist among such great artists. Let's continue to work and help our brother heal.

If people who were unable to attend want to continue donations they can be sent to...
(checks payable to Nathaniel Pearson, Jr.)
Nathaniel Pearson, Jr.
c/o Diamond and Company (Attention Deb Williams)
444 West 49th Street, #3D
NYC, NY 10019

LOVE.
~Shanna



(Photo's provided by Baron ~ www.artistbaron.com)

Bridgeport Black Pride is honoring me, Shanna Melton, as one of the "Women You Should Know" for 2011!!!

Bridgeport Black Pride is honoring me, Shanna Melton, as one of the "Women You Should Know" for 2011. I am very proud as this organization has supported my work for quite some time now. TICKETS MUST BE PURCHASED IN ADVANCE, NONE WILL BE SOLD AT THE DOOR. January 16th, be there or be square. Thank you all for supporting my visions and helping me stand in position for something like this. Much love.