I Guess It Was My Destiny To Live So Long

Wed, Nov 6 at 7:30pm
BAM Strong, Harvey Theater
Tickets start at $34.50 (all fees included)

Jamila Woods, Tasha, and McKinley Dixon are all musicians and storytellers deeply rooted in Black literature. Not only do they have songs that operate as direct odes to Black literary icons, but all three of them also write and perform in styles that are steeped in Black storytelling and oral traditions. To have them all at BAM on the same night offers an immersive and expansive experience of both musical and literary-inspired excellence.

A Night of Poetry with Sarah Kay, Anis Mojgani, Clint Smith and Hanif Abdurraqib
Thu, Nov 7 at 7:30pm
BAM Strong, Harvey Theater
Tickets start at $40.50 (all fees included)

Sarah Kay, Clint Smith, Anis Mojgani, and Hanif Abdurraqib have performed a reading together annually for the past eight years, something that brings the four of them together to celebrate their friendship and the ever-evolving work they have created and continue to create. Not only has the show found immense success and a wide, eager following, it has also served—in line with the themes of this series—as an opportunity for both artists and audience to witness what a rigorous pursuit of care and friendship can do to further our artistic practices.

A Musical Journey of Black Neighborhoods
Created by Scott Woods and Dr. Mark Lomax II
Fri, Nov 8 at 7:30
BAM Fisher, Fishman Space
Tickets start at $40.50 (all fees included)

Author and poet Scott Woods—former president of Poetry Slam Inc. and co-founder of the poetry series Writers Block—collaborates with drummer and composer Dr. Mark Lomax II in an exploration of drum-centered solos and duets. 7 Villages features seven new and original multidisciplinary compositions of music, vocals, dance, and poetry, taking inspiration from historically Black neighborhoods. Each piece is a duet with drums, bookended by drum solos, in keeping with various African traditions.

Collaborative reading from June Jordan’s Directed by Desire
Mon, Nov 4 at 7:30pm 
BAM Rose Cinemas
This event is sold out

The 1981 documentary A Place of Rage, directed and produced by Pratibha Parmar, is an exuberant celebration of African American women and their achievements, featuring interviews with Angela Davis, June Jordan, and Alice Walker. Within the context of the civil rights, Black Power, and feminist movements, the trio reassess how women like Rosa Parks and Fannie Lou Hamer revolutionized American society. The film preserves a stirring chapter in African American history, highlighted by music from Prince, Janet Jackson, the Neville Brothers, and the Staple Singers. A collaborative reading from Directed by Desire: The Collected Poems of June Jordan will follow the screening.