Remembering Amiri Baraka: A 90th Birthday Tribute - Poetry Libation

POETRY LIBATION 

BRIAN GILMORE

Native born Washingtonian, poet, public interest lawyer, and Senior Lecturer at University of Maryland - College Park.  Author of four collections of poetry, including 'come see about me marvin', (Wayne State University Press), a 2020 Michigan Notable Book Award Recipient.

ALAN KING 

An author, poet, journalist and communications professional who blogs about art and social issues at alanwking.com, Alan King is a Cave Canem graduate fellow, who holds a Masters of Fine Arts in Creative Writing from the Stonecoast Program at the University of Southern Maine. He is the author of two collections of poetry including, Crooked Smile (Plan B Press), and several outstanding films. He lives in Bowie, MD with his family.

LAINI MATAKA

D.C. based poet, Laini Mataka produced Black Ivory, her first record of poetry set to music, in 1971. That recording was followed by Me and a Friend. Her books, published by Black Classic Press, include Black Rhythms for Fancy Dancers, Never as Strangers, Restoring the Queen, and Being a Strong Black Woman Can Getchu Killed. Her latest book, on Black Classic Press is 'Return of the Kings'

KENNETH CARROLL

Kenneth Carroll is a native Washingtonian, a youth development specialist and literary activist. His writings have appeared in numerous literary journals, national magazines and newspapers. He was a 2021 nominee for the Pushcart Poetry Prize and the 2021 Blood Orange Review winner in fiction. He received the White House Humanities Award for his youth literacy work while director of DC WritersCorps. He is former director of the African American Writers Guild and has performed at the Kennedy Center, Nuyorican Café, Library of Congress, universities and cultural institutions around the country. His book of poetry is entitled So What: For The White Dude Who Said This Ain’t Poetry.” His latest chapbook is entitled The Jim Crown Drowning of Kenneth Carroll.” His plays have appeared in print and on stage, including in Ishmael Reed’s Conch, Woolly Mammoth, and the University of the District of Columbia Playwright Festival.

He is the proud father of a daughter and two sons.

NANA MALAYA "THE DANCING DIPLOMAT"

Actress, Dancer, Songstress, Storyteller, Poet, Writer Director/Choreographer

Nana Malaya has been performing since early childhood. Her versatility and expertise in the arts has lead to many, many diverse opportunities. Her first professional theatre experience was with August Wilson as a member of "The Black Horizon Theatre". This friendship and collaboration continued and she also served as actress and choreographer for this Pulitzer Prize winning playwright. The Nubian Theatre Dance & Music Company has provided the opportunity to portray many characters and to be a featured performer at many major venues including: The Lincoln Center, The Kennedy Center, The Smithsonian Institute, Wolftrap, The Anacostia Museum, Discovery Theatre, The Historic Lincoln Theatre, The Arc, The Lisner, &

more.

She has also toured and performed with Malcolm Jamal Warner, Phyliss Stickney, Stevie Wonder, Miriam Makeba, Phyliss Hyman, Bill T. Jones, Alice Coltrane & numerous others. Coverage by Essence and Heart & Soul national magazines, as well as featured on WJLA/Channel 7, Cable Channel 8 News, K.D.K.A, WQED/P.B.S., The Washington Post, The Informer, and others has been impressive.

Nana Malaya was declared "The Dancing Diplomat"... since she has performed around the world as far away as Glasgow, Scotland; Japan, Hawaii, Ghana, Barbados, Jamaica and many more. She has had the honor of being selected to perform for the King of Ghana, President Bill Clinton, Rosa Parks & others.

Nana Malaya has been a featured performer at many national and international Festivals; The International Circle of Artists, Three Rivers Arts Festival,, The Lincoln Center Festival Outdoors, The National Black Theatre Festival, The Olympic Black Arts Festivals, The Black Storytellers Festival, The Washington Folklife Festival, The Herdon Arts Festival, just to remember a few!.

Her film credits include: "Rhythm, Rhyme & Life" as a featured storyteller & songstress; "The Right Choice" as a featured young mother of a teenage pregnant teen, plus numerous performance videos and as an extra in "Dawn ofThe Dead"!

Nana Malaya also a professor of Drama, Dance and Creative Writing.

SASA AKIL

Poet, author, graduate of Howard University, 2021 Montgomery County Youth Poet Laureate, a potter, painter, poet, print maker, and bassist living and working in Wheaton, Maryland. Sasa has been featured in the Bethesda Magazine for her work as Youth Poet Laureate. She has also been featured in the Washington Post, as well as on WTOP for her work on the A Man Was Lynched Yesterday Project in 2020. She has won numerous awards in writing and performed poetry at the Kennedy What’s Going On Festival in 2023. Sasa is the founder of If All the Trees Were Pens Open Mic and recently published her first chapbook, the culmination of all my despair and the music that saves me. She received her Bachelors of Fine Arts from Howard University in 2024.

KELLY ELAINE NAVIES

Kelly Navies is an oral historian, writer, and poet. She coordinates the oral history initiative at the National Museum of African American History and Culture. Navies has degrees in African American Studies and Library and Information Science from UC Berkeley and The Catholic University of America, respectively.  Her oral history work may be accessed at the Southern Oral History Program, Reginald F. Lewis Maryland Museum of African American History and Culture, Washington DC Public Library’s People’s Archive and the National Museum of African American History and Culture. Finally, she is currently the First VP of the OHA.