books, poetry, social justice, writing

Social Justice Inks – The Turn of the Year into the Forever of Justice

Photo by Brett Sayles on Pexels.com

Each year, we create an anthology and this year we are so proud of the passionate and absolutely honest “Social Justice Inks-Anthology of Poetry.”

It all started with a panel through Living Social. This included C. Miller, Chyrel J. Jackson, Lyris D. Wallace, and LaVan Robinson.

After this meetup an open mic was held and from then on it was all systems go to produce this anthology. After the open mic, it became obvious that the next step would be to publish the anthology. With a call for submissions and tremendous response, we worked together to make it happen. We are grateful for all the support, including that of ShugaShuga Publishing LLC, SistersRoc’nRhyme, Garden of Neuro Institute, and Living Poetry.

We offer the utmost gratitude to Zaneta Varnado Johns, who served with dedication as the co-editor. What an honor to have the help of someone so in tune to what needs to be heard. And if anybody has an editor’s eye, it’s Zan.

Contributing authors to Social Justice Inks were:

Bartholomew Barker, Binod Diwadi, C. Miller, Chanah Wizenberg, Christopher D. Sims, Chyrel J. Jackson,

Dan Brook, Doug Stuber, Elliot m rubin, Howard Moon, Indy Samra, Ivor Steven, Jaya Avendel,

Jia-Li Yang, Jill Sharon Kimmelman, Joan McNerney, Joni Caggiano, K. Ann Pennington, Karuna Mistry,

LaVan Robinson, Lisa Bolin, Lyris D. Wallace, Marisela Brazfield, Marjorie Maddox, Nanci Arvizu,

Norbert Gora, Nayanjyoti Baruah, Pratibha Savani, Rebecca Herz, Reena Nag, Richa Dinesh Sharma,

 Richard Fireman, Richard O. Ogunmodede, Robin Klammer, Robin Oakman, Rupa Rao, Sarfraz Ahmed,

Steve Anc, Susan Brearley, Susan Hering, Susi Bocks, Timo Schmitz, Yumica P. Thompson,

Zaneta Varnado Johns, Lisa Tomey=Zonneveld, and cover artist Kay Payne.

We are indeed grateful for the heartfelt contributions to this anthology, a true work of art.

Following the publication of Social Justice Inks we held an open mic for the contributors and guests. Today is the first day it has been shown, saving this until the turn of the years.

May 2023 bring us all a year of hope and action to make certain that we use the powers we hold to make a change for justice.

Blessings and Peace to You All.

Lisa Tomey-Zonneveld, Manager, Prolific Pulse Publishing LLC

Announcements, Poets & Events

Constellations by Richard Fireman is available & We Are Celebrating

Richard is looking forward to sharing his first book of poetry with the world and invites everyone to attend his book launch.

The Book Launch for “Constellations” will be held virtually on Sunday, December 18, 2022, at 4 p.m. EST

Free Tickets are available on EventBrite, link below.

You can learn more about Richard and his debut poetry book by going to Prolific Pulse and by watching these interviews:

Ready to purchase your copy of “Constellations?”

Available on Barnes & Noble Books A Million ABE Books Strand Book Store

Announcements, call for submissions, garden of neuro, non-fiction, writing

The Talk – The Walk – Every time you leave home words to live by

The Talk – The Walk – Every time you leave home words to live by

Last night, I watched the first episode of the Emmett Till Documentary for the second time. It’s the true story as told by people who knew this young man. Emmett Till was born in 1941. At this time in 2022 he would be celebrating 81 years of life. Instead, at the young age of 14 her was lynched in what Martin Luther King stated that it “might be considered one of the most brutal and inhuman crimes of the twentieth century.”

This incident resulted in a short-lived life because of prejudice. I believe that if a white child had whistled, it would have been laughed off as cute. In 2022 it would have been plastered all over social media as funny.

Therein lies one of many differences. The very most a white child would have gotten was a reprimand, or a talking to, but never a lynching. Never have his life taken.

So, let’s do that fast forward to today. I was talking with a black mother of two yesterday. One is an adult son and the other is an eleven-year-old daughter. I was telling her about The Talk project we are working on in the Garden of Neuro. She thought it was a great idea and offered more input. She informed me that this is about more than a talk but a whole life, day-by-day, when your child is reminded about how to hold up their character in society. When her children walk out the door, they have rules to live by. The rules that black children follow are not the same rules that white people tell their children. I know. I am a white parent.

The white parent says, look people in the eye to show confidence. The black parent says, be cautious about looking white people in the eye as they may say you are threatening to them.

The white parent says, offer your hand to shake a man’s hand. The black parent says, don’t be the one to offer a handshake, but shake the hand if it is offered.

The white parent says, stop by the store on the way to school and pick up a treat. The black parent says, stop by the store on the way to school, get your treat quickly and take it to the register. And be sure to keep your hands where they can be seen.

Emmett Till went into a store and whistled. It cost him his life. It was not his fault.

Flash forward to Trayvon Martin, who is 2012 lost his life at the age of 17. He was walking down the street, an innocent young man— shot because he was walking while black.

What is the difference between these two young men? One death was 77 years ago and the other was ten years ago. Another has and will continue to happen until things change.

Did you know that Emmett Till had “The Talk” given to him? Yes, he did. His own cousin spoke about it in the documentary. That’s the point. The talk about how to conduct oneself when walking out the door, and add social media indoors today— It is, as my friend stated yesterday, more than a talk, but a life you have to live and breathe each day.

Some may wonder why this white woman wants to hear about a talk that BIPOC have with their family members and friends. Anyone who truly knows me knows that my life has never been about black and white. It has always been about people. It has always been about my study of people and concern that people learn to get along. It is important – and I will speak from my own sociologist experience – that we understand what is going on in others’ lives, so we can be more compassionate, so we can make this a better place to live, so that we can be a part of the warm, love-filled environment that was meant to be. And if I appear to wear rose-colored glasses, so be it. Give me ones with purple frames.

I want to read these stories that I cannot tell. I want to know what people of color are dealing with day by day. I want to be inclusive in this life. And this is why I want to read these stories.

Do you have a story to tell? Please send it to the Call for Submissions for The Talk. This is open to BIPOC and their families and friends who have experienced the talk, the way of life, the rules for living. We want to hear them.

By the way, my friend also said something that I have been saying for a long time. The young people these days are going to change the world, and it will be a better place where we will get along. Let’s start with the talk and let’s be a part of that change.

Click here to go to Garden of Neuro Call for Submissions for The Talk

Announcements, books, poetry, Poets & Events, writing

If These Walls Could Talk

If These Walls Could Talk

If these walls could talk
they’d tell mom’s stories
of her younger years
and the adventures of
family and friends
throughout our lives

They’d tell of wonders
how that first date would go
while sister curled my hair
and put makeup on
my 12 year old face
while I perspired in her dress

They’d offer witness of each brother
who came home on military leave
to celebrate accomplishments
and share family life
and visits to old buddies

They’d tell of phone calls
from far away, from old friends
who never forgot relationships
were more important than things

These walls would tell of tears
laughter, hugs, kisses goodnight
and all the life held in between
these floral papers, these quiet walls
if only, they could talk

Lisa Tomey-Zonneveld (c)

Memories of happy times in our lives are such blessings. I wish there had been a record of all the stories my mother alone would tell. As I am working on recording these, to the best of my memory, tears come and my heart warms. Later in his life, I recorded stories of daddy and his telling of his World War II service. I treasure that tape and the document created.

As I was working on Caring for Souls, what helped me is to look at old photographs of growing up. This has brought up so many memories that I am continuing to work in this process for another book.

Sometimes, we end up being the one who has been involved with caring for others or having others care for us. Mom did not care for having to be cared for, but it happened just the same. It was the love that was shared between and outside the walls that built these kind of relationships.

Are you caring for someone now? Please share in the comments. I want to hear about it, if you are comfortable.

May all your walls be covered with memories via photos, art, and more.