Good morning beautiful people. I had a wonderful night last night. A wonderful long night that is. I picked up Umar from the hotel and took him to the event. Except it didn't go as smoothly as that sentence. I left off the part about me not being able to find the spot. It was at The Event Center on LaBrea and Plymouth in Inglewood. I know that area very well so I thought I was fine with just the cross streets and address. I easily talked myself out of going to the spot before I picked him up. What? That would be, as my mom used to say "just too easy."
Umar was cool with it though. He enjoyed riding with me and listening to Anita Baker. So did I. So we found the place. We were right in front of it as we were looking for it. I didn't know that it was sooo well hidden and tucked nicely behind a car lot. Who would think to look there. Apparantly no one knew this gem existed right in our own backyard. The Event Center is so beautiful. Large, I'm not good at estimating square feet, but trust me when I say large and just roll with me. Very clean. Please trust me when I say that because I don't give that away. Beautiful.
It was a classy event. Food and Socks hosted and if you know them you already know what a wonderful couple they are. They were beautiful together on stage. They presented awards to a few people. Ojenke was one. He founded and led the Watts' Writers Workshop back in the day and is a very influencial man among the poets and in his community.
Umar was the first feature to perform. He was one cool cat. Yeah, I meant to say that. Poems flowed from his head and landed on all of us. Poems in the rhythm of the 60's and the flow of anti war and education and messages to the black boys on the streets, and ooooooohhhh take me back poetry. And yes, I hoped he would do it and the audience did too and he did it. "Niggas are scared of revolution." He started that line and we knew the ride we were in for. "Niggas change clothes, change...but niggas are scared of revolution." We cheered. Thank you dear brother Umar. Thank you.
Then we watched a short video of the Watts Prophets and listened to people's responses to hearing their work and the impact they had and have on the community. Loved it. Loved watching the three men, fathers in city, healers of our energy, walk onto the stage and take it over with their drama, poetry, prose. Brothers Amde Hamilton, Otis O'Solomon and Richard Dedeaux.
We needed last night. We came out dressed in our gear, looked and smelled good. Hugged and kissed and ooohhhed and aaahhhed. We needed last night. Thank you so much to everyone who participated in the program last night. Thank you so much to Food and Socks who put it together and worked like crazy to pack the house. And the house, by the way, was packed.
After it was over, folks stuck around and drank, ate, took pictures, talked and vibed. At 12:30 Umar was like, "What's up? Where we goin?" Tuesday (an amazing poet and woman who runs Poet's Jazz House at Vibrations on Thursdays)told us that her high school reunion was poppin' at a hotel nearby so we crashed the Dorsey High reunion and danced and continued the great time. Yeah, it was a trip hanging out with Brotha Umar. At the. Dorsey. High. Reunion. Dancing. Grovin' really. Then after that he was like, "I'm hongry, what's up?" So a bunch of us went to Denny's to eat (and I broke my diet and had a French slam. Judge yourself 'cause I'm back on it today.)
A good time was had by all. It was a night I will never forget. Thank You, Mother/Father God for blessing me with all You've blessed me with. Thank You for the times. All of the times.
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