Tapestry Charter School Welcomes Peggy and Barbara

Peggy and Barbara wanted to share this update from a special event that took place in March.

One of our most exciting presentations and signings took place on March 9, 2009 at the Tapestry Charter School in Buffalo, New York. The Dean of Students at the school is Joanne Cathcart. We were most delighted to see that the 9-11 grade students actually placed some of the readings from the Go, Tell Michelle book into dialogue, music and dance. It was quite thrilling to see that young people thoroughly understood and appreciated the contributions of women to the preservation of a truly historic moment through their letters and poems to the First Lady, Michelle Obama. They also included materials from the bios and photos from the Uncrowned Queens webpage. With two large screens on either side of the stage, faces of the women whose materials they were citing appeared on the screens. The Go, Tell Michelle book took on a different meaning with this wonderful presentation by students dancing and singing throughout the evening. Through song, dance and recitation, they reminded us of the power and creativity of youth. It also reminded us that the First Lady is devoted to helping young people succeed. When we took to the stage to discuss the book, we were very warmly received by a very attentive audience of students, teachers, parents and community members. The school purchased 100 books from SUNY Press to be sold on this occasion. We were also joined on this occasion by one of our Uncrowned Queens, Erie County Legislator, Betty Jean Grant who read a poem from her recently self-published book Falling Through the Crack. The website for the Tapestry Charter School is www.tapestryschool.org we look forward to working with them again.

Peggy

Update from Barbara

Betty Falato, Miriam Guichard, Lori Polin Jones, Aza Donna Smith, Regan Botts-Ruiz
with Peggy and Barbara at Busboys & Poets

Barbara sent us this latest update. Looks like she and Peggy have been keeping busy!

March was an incredibly busy month, with lectures and book signings in Harlem, Albany, Buffalo, Capitol Heights, Maryland, Galloway, New Jersey and Washington, D.C. And somehow, in between these events, we managed a second trip to Albany to be honored by Governor David and Mrs. Michelle Paige Patterson as New York State’s 2009 Women of Excellence in Education awardees.

In all of our travels and at every venue, we were excited, pleased and honored to meet so many people who love our book so much that they got copies for themselves, their mothers, daughters, sisters, aunts, cousins and sister friends! And I’m not just talking about women. Men also recognize the symbolism in the messages and see the women in their lives, who could easily have joined us on this journey. In fact, many have joined us – the number is growing daily.

A number of contributors joined us at several of our signings. What a treat to meet and greet our wonderful sisters of the GTM Sisterhood Network. This is the first time meeting these women but our connections were instantaneous as over these last few months, we have bonded as a result of our shared purpose.

We have previously posted photos of our meetings with contributors from the Buffalo, Maryland and New York City area and last week we had the pleasure of meeting four more contributors from the Washington, D.C. region. We rendezvoused at Busboys and Poets Book Store. This book store, restaurant and performance theatre, in itself deserves a special write-up as it is one of the most charming and unique, INDEPENDENT, book stores in the nation. We were pleased to have its owner, Andy Shallal attend our lecture and to have CSPAN’s Book TV there to film us. (Check their website, and this blog, for the scheduled airing of this program)

But, I digress! Peggy and I are very enthused and grateful for the support of the GTM Sisterhood Network. These sisters continue to lend their voices and use their connections to extend the word about “Go, Tell Michelle” to individuals and groups all across this nation. Together, they continue to confirm our belief that Michelle Obama has ignited a spark that will help to raise the volume of all women’s voices as we speak about the issues that are vital and important in our lives. Many of these are issues were articulated by the contributors who joined us in Washington on March 28th at Busboys. Many thanks to Regan Botts-Ruiz, Betty Falato, Miriam Guichard, Lori Polin Jones and Aza Donna Smith.

A very, very special thanks to two women, who really made our day! Karen May and daughter, Marissa Jennings. They set up a book signing and presentation at the People’s Congregational United Church of Christ, also in D.C. co-sponsored by the Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH). More is forthcoming about these ladies and their church and pastor, Rev. Dr. Michael Murphy in our next entry.

Barbara

Women of Excellence Award in Education

Congratulations are in order: Barbara and Peggy were notified by the Governor's office that they'll be receiving the Governor's Women of Excellence Award in Education. The ceremony is next Tuesday, March 24, with a reception to follow in the Red Room of the Governor's Mansion.

10th Anniversary of the Uncrowned Queens Institute

On Sunday, February 22nd at 2 pm, the coeditors of Go, Tell Michelle were joined at the Buffalo and Erie County Library by contributors to the book: Arlette Miller Smith of Rochester and Debra Johnson, Sharon Jordan Holley, Karima Amin, Shirley Sarmiento, Lillian Davis-Wilson, Deborah Seals, and Sharon Amos of Buffalo. The response to these readings was tremendous.

The event was cosponsored by the Buffalo and Erie County Public Library to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the founding of the Uncrowned Queens Institute. The program was conducted in the library's community space, the Ring of Knowledge. The program was titled "Uncovering the Past to Preserve the Future: A Decade of Progress." It featured the history of the Institute's development from its inception as a focus group of the women's Pavilion PanAm 2001 to the current expansion of the organization into the corporate structure, Uncrowned Community Builders, which encompasses Uncrowned Queens, Uncrowned Kings, and Uncrowned Queens and Kings in the Wings, a version for young community builders. The celebration not only part of the Library's African History Month celebration, but it celebrated the Institute's new partnership with the Buffalo and Erie County Library, which became the first Uncrowned Community Builders Affiliate in the nation. The Institute's development of a digital kiosk to further its digital literacy efforts as an example of the Institute's innovative strategies to collect and preserve local African American history was discussed. Many of the contributors to the GTM book are writers, poets, and musicians, and the Rochester/Buffalo group was no exception. The audience was treated to drumming, songs, and chants by the Daughters of Creative Sound—two of who's members contributed to the book. Contributors were also asked to read excerpts from their letters/poems. Poet, storyteller, and songstress Arlette Miller Smith concluded the readings and surprisingly opened her reading with the Negro spiritual, "Go, Tell It On the Mountain." She provided an absolutely stunning reading of her poem, "We In Anticipation of You," and closed with verses from the Negro National Anthem. A very lively book signing ended the program as the coeditors and contributors signed books and greeted the audience.

At every opportunity across this country, we will make every effort to include the contributors to continue the message of the Go, Tell Michelle Sisterhood.

Webinar Reminder

Today's League of Black Women Webinar with Peggy and Barbara will start at 1:00 EST. The dial-in particulars are noted below:

Log in: www.leagueofblackwomen.org/novemberwebinar
Call in: 517-417-5600
Password: 600752

Donna Brazile and other news

Peggy Bertram reports on last week's events and the ever-growing buzz surrounding Go, Tell Michelle.

At the University at Buffalo, Distinguished Speakers Series African History Month Celebration last Thursday, Donna Brazile, Democratic Political Strategist and commentator for CNN News, was the keynote speaker. At the close of her lecture, the Minority Faculty Association at University at Buffalo presented her with two gifts. One was a glass Buffalo and the other was a copy of Go, Tell Michelle. Ms. Brazile was thrilled with the book and we took photos with her at a later reception. Ms. Brazile said she would read the book and would also mention it to Michelle Obama.

Also, on Friday, the coeditors of GTM had a presentation and book signing for the Canisius College, Academic Talent Search, African History Month Program at Shanghai Reds. The event was attended by 200 students in the program, parents, and other dignitaries. What was extraordinary about this event was that other contributors to the book were also invited and the coeditors asked them to sign books as well. Other book contributors in attendance were Shirley Sarmiento, Patricia Clark, Georgia Burnette, Debra Johnson and Barbra Fletcher-Stephens.

League of Black Women Webinar

Join Peggy and Barbara as they discuss GTM as part of the 2009 League of Black Women (LBW) Webinar Series. The Risk and Reward LBW Webinar on Vision, Mission, and Leadership Values will take place on Wednesday, February 18 from 12:00–12:55 PM (CST) 1:00–1:55 PM (EST).

LBW webinars are free to its members and LBW Corporate Partners. You'll need to register if you are not already registered. Join now at the LBW website or call 1-708-754-1676. To register, email your "Count Me In" to: events@leagueofblackwomen.org.

Include the following information in your registration email:

Name
Title
Company/Organization
Preferred email address
Phones: Day, Evening, Mobile

Also be sure to tell them why you want to attend this remarkable webinar.

Event reminders for today and tomorrow

Today at 2:00 EST, Barbara and Peggy will be interviewed by Diane Williams, Arts Industry Program Director, on The Mississippi Arts Hour Radio Show . The interview will be archived as a podcast on their site.

Tomorrow, Barbara and Peggy will sign copies of the book at the Erie County (Pennsylvania) Historical Society. Contact the Historical Society at 814-454-1813, ext. 0, for time and location information.

Mark your calendars

The buzz is building and the events are lining up. Here's a partial list (it's growing all the time; we'll keep you posted) of the upcoming events* for Go, Tell Michelle.

*Those events that are confirmed have (confirmed) listed after the dates. As you'll see we don't have times for most of these events, so we encourage you to follow up with the organizations listed below, but we'll do our best to list them when we know them.

February 6

The Mississippi Arts Hour Radio Show
Diane Williams, Arts Industry ProgramDirector, 2:00 EST. Archived as a podcast.

February 7 (confirmed)

Erie County (Pennsylvania) Historical Society

Book signing and the launch of a special project of the Uncrowned Queens Institute.

February 13/14, in the evening

Albany, New York Black and Puerto Rican Caucus

February 13, a.m start time (confirmed)

Buffalo, New York Canisius College, Academic Talent Search

Book signing and presentation.

February 22

Buffalo and Erie County Public Library

Book signing and presentation.

February 24

Radio show with Batala McFarland, out of Minnesota.

February 28

Gladys Diji, one of the book's contributors, is having a large book signing at her home.

March 6

Book signing at the Barnes and Noble Books in Clarence, New York