Christopher Johnson Visits Sonic Watermelons Y Las Vidas Negras Importan *** Original Episode Title: *Spoken Word, Speaking Truth: A Conversation with Christopher Johnson, June 28, 2016 *** Original Episode Date: Tuesday, June 28, 2016 *** Name of Guest(s): Christopher Johnson, poet, playwright, actor, director *** Original Episode Summary: Christopher Johnson has spanned a wide spectrum of stages in Providence, from spoken word to writing and acting in plays and poetry nights. AS220, Everett, and Brown University have all hosted him and tonight we have the pleasure of his company. We will talk about his local productions as well as his exploits nationwide and what he has on tap for the near future. *** Contact Info for Guest(s): www.facebook.com/Christopher-Johnson-Spoken-Word-Artist-96403640897 https://soundcloud.com/tranzitthawt-1 *** Audio from the podcast also comes from the Jesse Williams 2016 BET Awards speech: On June 26, 2016, the television network BET held its annual awards program. Actor Jesse Williams was honored with the the Humanitarian Award; his acceptance speech went viral, immediately. To listen or read the full speech: http://www.bet.com/video/betawards/2016/acceptance-speeches/jesse-williams-receives-humanitarian-award.html http://www.democracynow.org/2016/7/4/jesse_williams_powerful_bet_awards_speech *** Audio from the podcast also comes from the Reza Rites Archive: Earlier this summer, July 8-10, 2016, the New York-based Afro-Latino Festival held its fourth annual celebration. This year, Day 1 of the festival featured a full day of information and education exchanges that included a Wikipedia Edit-a-thon, curated panels, a keynote luncheon, an exclusive film screening screening and dozens of performers. Some of the talks came with titles like “Transnational, Migration, Immigration & Human Rights;” “What Does A BlackLatinx Feminism Look Like;” “#BlackLivesMatter Beyond Borders: Race, Space & Consciousness in the International Decade of Afrodescendants Part II; and “Afrolatin@S, ¡Presente!: Representation And Cultural Heritage Consciousness,” which included Afro-Colombian Music Ethnographer, Geko Jones, as a panelist. Jones was also one of the musicians who spoke to Sonic Watermelons Executive Producer Reza Clifton during a series of interviews she did at the 2015 Afro-Latino Festival. At the time, Clifton interviewed Jones and “Uproot Andy” who make up the DJ-duo Que Bajo! You can hear their voices, and others, in today’s podcast, which includes part II of Reza’s digital mixtape, “Venus Sings and La Musica Mueve at Afro-Latino Festival, NYC.” The audio medley highlights, in order of appearance, 1) Los Rakas, Africana, played at Afro-Latino Festival (audience singing along and dancing),; 2) Geko Jones & Uproot Andy of Que Bajo!, Afro-Latino Festival, 2015; 3) Kafu Banton, Live Performance, Afro-Latino Festival, 2015; 4) Geko Jones & Uproot Andy; 5) Kafu Banton; 6) Geko Jones & Uproot Andy; 7) Kafu Banton; 8) Danay Suarez, phone interview, following Afro-Latino Festival, 2015; and 9) Kafu Banton, Live Performance. To listen to “RI Food Fight and Afro-Latino Festival on Sonic Watermelons” which features part I of “Venus Sings and La Musica Mueve at Afro-Latino Festival, NYC” click here: https://soundcloud.com/sonicwatermelons/ri-food-fight-and-afro-latino-festival-on-sonic-watermelons For more info on Afro-Latino Fest, Artists: http://www.afrolatinofestnyc.com/ https://www.facebook.com/events/983259308458947/ http://quebajo.com/ https://danaysuarez.bandpage.com/ http://losrakas.com/ www.facebook.com/KafuBanton507 *** Sonic Watermelons Contact Info: www.bsrlive.com Instagram: @sonicwatermelons Facebook: @sonicwatermelons Twitter: @WatermelonRadio Soundcloud: @sonicwatermelons iTunes: “sonic watermelons” *** Sonic Staff & Volunteers Michelle Arias Reza Clifton Deejay Kellan Jessica LaBrie