The Crystal News - February 2010

Volume XVII Issue II - Circulation..... Plenty!

HAPPY BLACK HISTORY MONTH!

This Month Pledge to: Honor Your Ancestors! Learn Something New! Support Black Businesses ! Support Cultural Events! Celebrate Your Freedom! Connect with Your Family! Teach Someone About Your Heritage! Donate or Volunteer to Help Haiti!

YOUR SUPPORT IS STILL NEEDED IN HAITI

T'Keyah Crystal Keymáh is among the people rallying to support earthquake torn Haiti. You can make a donation through performer Wclef Jean’s www.yele.org - Won’t you help?

NEW PRODUCTS COMING TO THE CRYSTAL SHOP

T'Keyah is not giving away cars but she is introducing to her online store, The Crystal Shop, a few of her ‘favorite things’. New products for sale will include Nag Champa incense, candles, natural soaps, salt lamps, health products, art, jewelry and of course ...more crystals. Shirts, autographed photos and books are still available as well. Check out the new wares at http://tkeyah.com/crystalshop.htm. A portion of the proceeds from all items sold in February and March will be donated to Yele Haiti (www.yele.org) for earthquake relief.

T'KEYAH IS CROWNED AT FAMU

T'Keyah is returning to her alma mater, Florida A & M University (FAMU), as part of the school’s Humanities department initiative to expose students in industry professionals. Keymáh will give master classes to theatre majors and even play the role of Mother Shaw in the Essential Theatre and Lyceum Series production of Crowns, directed by Dr. Valencia Mathews. A long-time supporter of the school, Keymáh has returned on numerous occasions to speak and perform and recently established The T'Keyah Crystal Keymáh Theater Scholarship there. Performances of Crowns will be held Lee Hall February 26-28, 2010. For more information, call (850) 561-2425 or go to http://www.famu.edu/index.cfm?a=headlines&p=displayEvents&events=351.

BOOKSHELF - Where I Must Go by Angela Jackson - Lyrical, penetrating, and highly charged, this novel displays a delicately tuned sense of difference and belonging. Poet Angela Jackson brings her superb sense of language and of human possibility to the story of young Magdalena Grace, whose narration takes readers through both privilege and privation at the time of the American civil rights movement.

NAJWA DANCE CORPS INCLUDES AUDIENCE IN CELEBRATION

For their February 20th performance, Dancealicious, at Malcolm X College, the Najwa Dance Corps encourages everyone attending the show to come dressed as one of their favorite legendary heroes, heroines, or characters of African descent. This should truly be an extravaganza to remember! Call 312-850-7224 http://www.najwadance.org.

Najwa Dance Corps Stock Photo - T'Keyah w/Orbert Davis - Dee Alexander

HOPE RETURNS

Chicago Jazz Philharmonic (CJP) presents From Ella to Mandela, Thursday, March 11, 2010 at 7:30pm at the Auditorium Theater, 50 E. Congress Parkway in Chicago. The first act features singers Dee Alexander, Terisa Griffin, and Maggie Brown, in tribute to Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughn, and Billie Holiday. The second act is an encore performance of the 57-piece orchestra’s Hope in Action. CJP co-founder Orbert Davis created this brilliant, stirring piece in honor of Nelson Mandela’s 90th birthday in 2008. The evening culminates with a grand chorus featuring Walt Whitman’s Soul Children of Chicago. Also featured are saxophonists Ari Brown and Ernest Dawkins and T’Keyah Crystal Keymáh who returns to deliver excerpts from Mandela’s writings during and after his 27-year imprisonment under apartheid ruled South Africa. Call Ticketmaster or go to http://www.ticketmaster.com/ChicaJazz-Philharmonic-From-Ella-To-Mandela-tickets/artist/1395675?tm_link=edp_Artist_Name

KUDOS KUDOS KUDOS KUDOS

Congratulations to: John Marshall Jones on his film The Guest at the Central Park West by Levy Lee Simon; Gabriel Sheffield and FAMU Alum Jasmine Harris on winning the Essence Magazine Will You Marry Me Contest; Sid on his intriguing new blog, Pallet Man News: http://www.snotcake.com/; & actress Keisha Nickole on the success of her Monday open mic, Verses, and on her New Bronzeville Theatre (formerly Kreativ Notions) http://www.bronzevilletheatre.org - go on girl woman!

NATURAL HAIR SPOTLIGHT

Actress Margaret Laurena Kemp (Children of God) has been wearing locs for nine years. She says that her hair is cool in the summer, a sweater in winter and a money saver too! Ms. Kemp is featured in T'Keyah Crystal Keymáh’s book, Natural Woman / Natural Hair.

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KENNEDY SENATE LEGACY CONTINUES

Victoria Reggie Kennedy recently announced plans for the Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the United States Senate, in honor of her late husband. The EMK Institute is being built on the campus of the University of Massachusetts, across from the John F. Kennedy Library in Boston, to foster civic education among young people, train the next generation of leaders, continue debate on the national issues Senator Kennedy cared about, and commemorate his 47-year career. http://www.emkinstitute.org

Senator Edward Kennedy 1932-2009

The Crystal News respectfully acknowledges the life and transition of: Willer Belle Billingsley, Alvin Bryant and Rodney Dix. We are blessed to have known their warm hearts, bright smiles and good works. We are inspired to follow their brave and noble examples.

Have you hugged someone you love today?

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Stay tuned... April: T’Keyah to M.C. St. Sabina fundraiser in Chicago.