Wanda's Picks

Today's show was pretty phonomenal, the themes crisscrossing throughout as one guest touched on a theme resonating with previous guests such as place and home, what it means to be indigenous and why black people have to hold up their traditions and honor their heroes and each other via our culture: words, music, art and activism. In the studio we spoke to Joyce Hutton, niece of the late Bobby Hutton, the third person to join the Black Panther Party for Self-Defense, and its youngest member at that time, Emory Douglas, former Min. of Culture for the BPP, Alan Laird and Terry Cotton, both members of the BPP and friends of Lil' Bobby Hutton, murdered by Oakland police just two days after the murder of Martin King, April 4, 1968 (Hutton shot and killed 4/6/1968). Also joining them is Damon Eaves, blackpantherblvd.com which has organized the Bobby Hutton Memorial Benefit, opening Nov. 29, 7-10 PM at the Luggage Store Gallery, 1007 Market Steet, in San Francisco, (415) 255-5971. Next we spoke to Afro-Polynesian singer, choreographer Mahealani Uchiyama, who will appear, Sunday, Nov. 30, 8 PM, $10, at Ashkenaz Music and Dance Center, 1317 San Pablo Ave., in Berkeley. Visit www.mahea.com. Barry Shabaka Henley "Seth Holly," and Brent Jennings "Bynum Walker," cast in Berkeley Rep's staging of August Wilson's "Joe Turner Come and Gone," through Dec. 14, were up next. Visit www.berkeleyrep.org. We closed the show with a conversation with lyricist Jahi, who is opening for Wu Tang Clan, Dec. 3, 8 PM (doors open/show at 9 PM) at the Regency Ballroom in San Francisco on Van Ness Ave. The show is all ages, as are all the events listed here this week. Jahi will also perform at the Association for the Study of Classical African Civilizations Conference Friday, Dec. 5, 2008, 7-10 PM at ASA Academy in Oakland and 12/6. Visit www.myspace.com/hotbutteredflows. And for all the happenings in town: http://wandaspicks.com. Tune in Wednesday, Dec. 3, for Wanda's Picks Radio, 6-7 AM, PST.