ORIGINAL EPISODE TITLE:

Roots, Remedy, and Media Arts: Erroll Lomba Visits Sonic Watermelons

***

ORIGINAL EPISODE DATE:

January 19, 2016

***

NAME OF GUEST: 

Erroll Lomba (Founder, Roots.Media)

***

ORIGINAL EPISODE SUMMARY

Roots, Remedy, and Media Arts: Erroll Lomba Visits Sonic Watermelons

Making movies and teaching lessons is one way to think about Erroll Lomba and the mission he is on. Tune in tonight to Sonic Watermelons to hear Erroll talk with Jose and Reza Rites about a documentary he recently produced, now online, and what it means to be involved in media arts and community engagement. 

***

CONTACT INFO FOR GUEST:

Twitter: @erroll_lomba 
http://roots.media 
@Erroll Lomba on Facebook.

***

MORE INFO ABOUT GUEST/TOPICS: 

Short Documentary
https://vimeo.com/139855975

***

SONIC WATERMELONS CONTACT INFO:

www.bsrlive.com/live-stream 
venussings.wordpress.com/about-sonic-watermelons-on-bsr/
www.facebook.com/SonicWatermelons
www.bsrlive.com/shows/sonic-watermelons
Twitter: @WatermelonRadio
https://soundcloud.com/sonicwatermelons

***

SONIC STAFF & VOLUNTEERS (EPISODE & PODCAST)

Michelle Arias
Reza Clifton
Jessica LaBrie
Jose Ramirez

Roots, Remedy, and Media Arts: Erroll Lomba Visits Sonic Watermelons, January 19, 2016

ORIGINAL EPISODE TITLE: 

From Refugee Camp to Project to Watermelons: Sokeo Ros Visits Sonic Watermelons, January 12, 2016

***

ORIGINAL EPISODE DATE: 

January 12, 2016

***

NAME OF GUEST:  

Sokeo Ros, Creator, Choreographer, Star, “From Refugee Camp to Project."

***

ORIGINAL EPISODE SUMMARY: 

Sokeo Ros (Creator, Choreographer, Star, “From Refugee Camp to Project."

It's Tuesday, January 12, 2016 - which means it's time for Sonic Watermelons! Today, we'll have music and the mighty three (Jose, Deejay Kellan, Reza Rites), but we also have a special guest: Sokeo Ros. 

Sokeo is a Providence-based dancer, choreographer and educator who is also a member of Everett Theatre in Providence. But he's also got his own thang going on right now: "From Refugee Camp to Project." Below is an excerpt describing the project. 

The work tells Sokeo Ros’ story in the aftermath of the Khmer Rouge genocide. In America, he finds himself courted by gangs, trapped in a ghetto, surrounded by poverty and violence and the explosive moods of his traumatized parents. Through hip-hop dance, traditional Khmer dance, personal narrative, and video, Sokeo takes us on his journey from Asia to America, from housing projects to artistic projects, and an epic return to the Cambodian village his family was driven from in the 1970s.

***

CONTACT INFO FOR GUEST:

@Sokeo_401 on Twitter 
Facebook.com/Sokeo
www.everettri.org

***

MORE INFO ABOUT GUEST/TOPIC:

Codex Prime and Victor Omoayo
https://soundcloud.com/codex-prime
@CodexPrimeCast on Twitter

***

SONIC WATERMELONS CONTACT INFO: 

www.bsrlive.com/live-stream 
venussings.wordpress.com/about-sonic-watermelons-on-bsr/
www.facebook.com/SonicWatermelons
www.bsrlive.com/shows/sonic-watermelons
On Twitter: @WatermelonRadio
On Soundcloud: @sonicwatermelons

***

SONIC STAFF & VOLUNTEERS (EPISODE & PODCAST)

Michelle Arias
Reza Clifton
Deejay Kellan
Jessica LaBrie
Kabir Lambo
Jose Ramirez

From Refugee Camp to Project to Watermelons: Sokeo Ros Visits Sonic Watermelons, January 12, 2016

ORIGINAL EPISODE TITLE: 

Close Encounters with a Woman Who ROCKS: Roz Raskin Visits Sonic Watermelons, January 26, 2016

***

ORIGINAL EPISODE DATE: 

January 26, 2016

***

NAME OF GUEST:  

Roz Raskin (of Roz and the Rice Cakes)

***

ORIGINAL EPISODE SUMMARY: 

Close Encounters with a Woman Who ROCKS: Roz Raskin Visits Sonic Watermelons, January 26, 2016

A woman with many projects, but a musical sound that many will recognize, Roz Raskin of Roz and the Rice Cakes joins us today on Sonic Watermelons, January 26, 2016, 7-8 PM, bsrlive.com/live-stream. Tune in to learn more about her new video, "Close Encounters," her connections with Girls Rock! RI, and what it's like rockin' in and outside of Providence, RI.  

Sonic Watermelons....because the world is a big place, with big ideas and lots and lots of music. 

***

CONTACT INFO FOR GUEST: 

www.thericecakes.com
www.facebook.com/rozandthericecakes
https://www.instagram.com/rozandthericecakes/
Twitter: @TheRiceCakes 

***

MORE INFO ABOUT GUEST/TOPIC: 

New Video, Close Encounters: 
https://youtu.be/z4q52btm09c

***

SONIC WATERMELONS CONTACT INFO: 

www.bsrlive.com/live-stream 
venussings.wordpress.com/about-sonic-watermelons-on-bsr/
www.facebook.com/SonicWatermelons
www.bsrlive.com/shows/sonic-watermelons
Twitter: @WatermelonRadio
https://soundcloud.com/sonicwatermelons

***

SONIC STAFF & VOLUNTEERS (EPISODE & PODCAST)

Michelle Arias
Reza Clifton
Deejay Kellan
Jessica LaBrie
Erroll Lomba
Jose Ramirez
Rachel Simon

Close Encounters with a Woman Who ROCKS: Roz Raskin Visits Sonic Watermelons, January 26, 2016

Original Episode Title:

Can One Organization Do It All? Learn About West Elmwood Housing and their Sankofa Initiatives

***

Original Episode Date:

February 9, 2016 

***

Name of Guest(s): 

1) Sharon Conrad-Wells, Executive Director of West Elmwood Housing Development Corporation; 2) Angie Bannerman Ankoma, Board Chair of West Elmwood Housing Development Corporation.

***

Original Episode Summary:

Can One Organization Do It All? Learn About West Elmwood Housing and their Sankofa Initiatives

Can one organization do it all? Today on Sonic Watermelons we're talking with Sharon Conrad-Wells and Angie Bannerman Ankoma about West Elmwood Housing Development Corporation, the Sankofa World Market, and the new Sankofa Apartment Project, which is underway now. From affordable housing to healthy eating, West Elmwood Housing is making a big impact and Conrad-Wells (Executive Director) and Bannerman Ankoma (Board Chair) are here to tell us more.

***

Contact Info for Guest(s):

www.westelmwood.org 
Facebook.com/westelmwoodhousing
On Twitter @WestElmwoodHDC

***

More Info About the Guest, Topics and/or Podcast:

West Elmwood Housing Development Corporation started in 1970 as a source of affordable housing and has evolved over the years into community development. Housing is more than just four walls and a roof. West Elmwood HDC addresses the physical housing needs as well as the environmental wellness, health, and social needs of the people it serves. A more recent offshoot of this is the Sankofa World Market. The Sankofa World Market has had two successful seasons where the community has access not only to ethnically relevant fresh foods but local artisans and resources.

Audio from the podcast also comes from the Reza Rites / Sonic Watermelons Archive:
https://soundcloud.com/rezaclif/angela-davis-final-podcast: On Monday, January 23, 2012, famed scholar, activist, and former prisoner (acquitted of charges including murder, kidnapping, and conspiracy), Dr. Angela Davis, spoke at RI School of Design. Her keynote address covered the topic of "Building Communities of Activism," while her interview with Sonic Watermelons Executive Producer Reza Clifton covered the history of race relations within the labor movement. 

***

Sonic Watermelons Contact Info:

www.bsrlive.com/live-stream 
venussings.wordpress.com/about-sonic-watermelons-on-bsr/
www.facebook.com/SonicWatermelons
www.bsrlive.com/shows/sonic-watermelons
Twitter: @WatermelonRadio
https://soundcloud.com/sonicwatermelons

***

Sonic Staff & Volunteers (episode & podcast) 

Reza Clifton
Deejay Kellan
Jessica LaBrie
Erroll Lomba

Sharon and Angie from West Elmwood Housing On Sonic Watermelons, February 9, 2016

Original Episode Title:

Celebrating Art with Monique Johnson

***

Original Episode Date:

February 23, 2016

***

Name of Guest(s): 

Monique Rolle Johnson

***

Original Episode Summary:

Monique was a big part of the "Race Matters" exhibition which you still have a chance to check out, here are more details: "Race Matters" an exhibit honoring Black History Month by celebrating racial and cultural diversity and examining the long history of horrible acts of racism across the nation and the world through the visual arts.

***

Contact Info for Guest:

http://portfolios.risd.edu/moniquerollejohnson

***

More Info About the Guest, Topics and/or Podcast:

Monique Johnson is a RISD alum who is currently teaching and creating art with a goal of social justice and change in the community. Race Matters is an art show consisting of approximately 20 artists who are using their art as a platform to show cultural diversity and the issue of race and social justice.

***

Sonic Watermelons Contact Info:

www.bsrlive.com/live-stream 
venussings.wordpress.com/about-sonic-watermelons-on-bsr/
www.facebook.com/SonicWatermelons
www.bsrlive.com/shows/sonic-watermelons
Twitter: @WatermelonRadio
https://soundcloud.com/sonicwatermelons

***

Sonic Staff & Volunteers (episode & podcast) 

Reza Clifton
Deejay Kellan
Jose Ramirez
Jessica LaBrie
Angellisa

Monique Rolle Johnson On Sonic Watermelons, February 23, 2016

Original Episode Title:

What is LOVESICK? Punk Rock takes over Sonic Watermelons

***

Original Episode Date:

March 1, 2016

***

Name of Guest(s): 

Josh (Drummer, Lovesick)

***

Original Episode Summary:

What is LOVESICK? Punk Rock takes over Sonic Watermelons

When we hear about kids from Providence, we mostly hear about the negative side of the city. The story of how a schoolyard friendship turned into on of the most rocking punk bands in the city's history could get buried under all of the negative press...but not these guys. LOVESICK rocks too hard to be overlooked. That's why they've been mentioned in Rolling Stone Magazine. That's why they're here today! 

***

Contact Info for Guest(s):

Soundcloud.com/lovesickpvd
YouTube.com/channel/UCWW8adS8PXATjY9SX7p_8Vw
Facebook.com/lovesickbank

***

More Info About the Guest, Topics and/or Podcast:

LOVESICK is a punk band from Providence comprised of Josh, Manny, and Nathan. Drummer Josh joins us on Sonic Watermelons to talk about how the band got it's start, early influences, and their upcoming EP release event happening at AS220. The 7-track EP will be released March 19th at their show at AS220 at 115 Empire Street in Providence. Opening acts include Way Out, Neutrinos, and Food Court. Show starts at 9 pm with tickets available through as220.org

Audio from the podcast also comes from the Codex Prime Podcast:
https://soundcloud.com/codex-prime
@CodexPrimeCast on Twitter

***

Sonic Watermelons Contact Info:

www.bsrlive.com/live-stream 
venussings.wordpress.com/about-sonic-watermelons-on-bsr/
www.facebook.com/SonicWatermelons
www.bsrlive.com/shows/sonic-watermelons
Twitter: @WatermelonRadio
https://soundcloud.com/sonicwatermelons

***

Sonic Staff & Volunteers (episode & podcast) 

Reza Clifton
Deejay Kellan
Jessica LaBrie
Victor Omoayo
Jose Ramirez

Lovesick On Sonic Watermelons, March 1, 2016

SONIC WATERMELONS PODCAST: SXSW and Touring with the Rice Cakes: Roz Raskin Returns to Sonic Watermelons, March 8, 2016

***

Original Episode Title:

An Hour of Music and Art Talk SXSW Style with Roz Raskin! 3/8/16

***

Original Episode Date:

March 8, 2016

***

Name of Guest(s): 

Roz Raskin

***

Original Episode Summary:

Hi friends, it's that time of year again; are you ready? No, I'm not talking about hay fever season. I'm talking about South by Southwest (SXSW), the three part "interactive," music, and film festival held annually in Austin, TX (sxsw.com). Who's heading to SXSW this year? Why do people get so excited? Is it true that the President and First Lady Obama will be in attendance? Join your regular Sonic Watermelons hosts, plus return guest Roz Raskin of Roz and the Rice Cakes, who will talk about what she expects when she heads down this year, and maybe sing about too during a live set! 

***

Contact Info for Guest(s):

www.thericecakes.com
www.facebook.com/rozandthericecakes
https://www.instagram.com/rozandthericecakes/
Twitter: @TheRiceCakes 

***

Sonic Watermelons Contact Info:

www.bsrlive.com/live-stream 
venussings.wordpress.com/about-sonic-watermelons-on-bsr/
www.facebook.com/SonicWatermelons
www.bsrlive.com/shows/sonic-watermelons
Twitter: @WatermelonRadio
Soundcloud: @sonicwatermelons

***

Sonic Staff & Volunteers (episode & podcast) 

Reza Clifton
Bryant Estrada
Deejay Kellan
Jessica LaBrie
Kabir Lambo
Jose Ramirez

SXSW and Touring with the Rice Cakes: Roz Raskin Returns to Sonic Watermelons, March 8, 2016

SONIC WATERMELONS PODCAST: 

The Extraordinary Rendition Band (ERB) Visits Sonic Watermelons, March 26, 2016

***

Original Episode Title:

An Extraordinary Visit From An Extraordinary Band: ERB Visits Sonic Watermelons

***

Original Episode Date:

March 26, 2016

***

Name of Guest(s): 

Extraordinary Rendition Band
Jess B (Lady J) 
Avi 
Mike 
Tori 
Jonathan

***

Original Episode Summary:

Is there a difference between the type of marching bands we know in high schools and the street marching bands who play at festivals and parties? Are there rules for who can join such a band or instruments that are rejected? Is there a difference between partying with marching bands in Providence and partying with them in Austin? Tonight on Sonic Watermelons, we'll talk with members of the Extraordinary Rendition Band (ERB) about how they rock, what's coming up, and why ERB is sharing their music and movement from coast to coast. 

***

Contact Info for Guest(s):

http://extraordinaryrenditionband.com/
Twitter: @ERBBand
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/extraordinary.rendition.band/

***

More Info About the Guest, Topics and/or Podcast:

“We try and play in support of organizations and causes and people and schools and revolutions.” “Much can be said with music and instruments rather than weapons and violence.” 

ERB shows run the range from art festivals and parades to clubs and schools to local protests and revolutions. Yes, music is the vehicle that drives their social activism, we learned, as band members noted the causes they hold dear. Adding a brass band to any situation will bring attention and a voice to the voiceless or under-represented.

So where can you check them out? “Name a street corner” and ERB has probably been there. As the Honk and street marching band festivals expand, ERB looks to bring their PVD brand of love all over the globe including - Rio this year. They invite you to go and party - or play - and to follow their activities online.

***

Audio from the podcast also comes from the Reza Rites / Sonic Watermelons Archive:  In 2012, Feminist media activist, Jamia Wilson spoke to Sonic Watermelons Executive Producer (and former college classmate) Reza Clifton about her work traveling and training women and writers on getting their voices heard through traditional and digital media. Wilson, who is now Executive Director of Women, Action and Media (WAM), at the time was Vice President of Programs at Women's Media Center, an organization that convenes panels, issues reports, leads grassroots campaigns, and trains members of the media to address issues of women’s representation and general diversity. In the short clip, Wilson and Clifton discuss different strategies and ways that artists can become involved in social justice causes and campaigns and policy and systems change. Click here for more information:  https://soundcloud.com/rezaclif/interview-with-jamia-wilson. For more information about Wilson and WAM, visit http://www.womenactionmedia.org/ 

***

Sonic Watermelons Contact Info:

www.bsrlive.com
venussings.wordpress.com/about-sonic-watermelons-on-bsr/
Facebook: @sonicwatermelons
Twitter: @WatermelonRadio
Soundcloud: @sonicwatermelons

***

Sonic Staff & Volunteers (episode & podcast) 

Reza Clifton
Deejay Kellan
Jessica LaBrie
Kabir Lambo
Jose Ramirez
Melissa Slaiger

ERB Visits Sonic Watermelons, March 26, 2016

SONIC WATERMELONS PODCAST: 
STEAM Box RI Visits Sonic Watermelons, March 15, 2016

***

Original Episode Title:

The Day the Robots Went to Japan and More on SXSW: Steam Box Visits Sonic Watermelons, March 15, 2016

***

Original Episode Date:

March 15, 2016

***

Name of Guest(s): 

Roberto Gonzalez, STEAM Box Founder and Director
Julie, STEAM Box Student
Estrella, STEAM Box Student
Amara, STEAM Box Student

***

Original Episode Summary:

From "diffusing virtual bombs," coding and programming computers, and sending teams to Japan, you might think that Steam Box is a branch of the CIA. In fact, they're a three a year old organization working to "buil[d] employable skills through Technology in Youth Driven Programs." Or at least that's what they're Twitter account says.

We'll learn more, plus squeeze in tidbits about South by Southwest (SXSW) TODAY on Sonic Watermelons, Tuesday, March 15, 2016.

***

Contact Info for Guest(s):

www.steamboxri.com 
Twitter: @STEAMBoxRI
Facebook: www.facebook.com/STEAMBoxRI 


***


More Info About the Guest, Topics and/or Podcast:

This July, STEAM Box will bring a cadre of youth on a special trip to Japan - with your help. “The next evolution of our STEAM Box Animated Design program will take place in Tokyo, Japan. This July, a STEAM Box student from each generation (elementary, middle and high school) will travel to Japan to develop skills catered to their passions. We'd like to raise enough funds to bring each of them on the once-in-a-lifetime educational journey of their dreams.”  To learn more about their trip and to view donation options, visit www.gofundme.com/steamboxvsjapan.

**Photos courtesy of STEAM Box (Facebook Photos)

***

Audio from the podcast also comes from the Reza Rites / Sonic Watermelons Archive: 

“Afrofuturism, Education and Digital Literacy: A Conversation with Cornelius Minor and Reza Rites” was a series of podcasts and an article shared almost a year ago (May 2015) on VenusSings.com, Sonic Watermelons, Vimeo, and Soundcloud. In a 2011 TED Talk, scholar Ingrid LaFleur defined and summarized Afrofuturism as “a wide range of media” that allows for “imagining possible futures through a black cultural lens.” Minor, who helps trains teachers as a Staff Developer at Columbia University’s Teachers College Reading and Writing Project, and Reza talked about digital media, building relationships with students, and ways in which Afrofuturism can support and connect to these and other classroom needs. To find/hear more of the podcasts (on Soundcloud and Mevio) and to read the accompanying article on VenusSings.com, visit http://bit.ly/24d2NpP.

*** 

Sonic Watermelons Contact Info:

www.bsrlive.com
venussings.wordpress.com/about-sonic-watermelons-on-bsr/
Facebook: @sonicwatermelons
Twitter: @WatermelonRadio
Soundcloud: @sonicwatermelons

***

Sonic Staff & Volunteers (episode & podcast) 

Reza Clifton
Deejay Kellan
Jessica LaBrie
Kabir Lambo
Jose Ramirez
STEAM Box

STEAM Box RI Visits Sonic Watermelons, March 15, 2016

SONIC WATERMELONS PODCAST: 
Jared Paul Visits Sonic Watermelons, April 26, 2016

***

Original Episode Title:

From Bigging Up Bernie to Packaging Records: Jared Paul Visits Sonic Watermelons

***

Original Episode Date:

April 26, 2016

***

Name of Guest(s): 

Jared Paul, Slam Poet, Spoken Word Performer, Hip Hop Artist

***

Original Episode Summary:

What does it mean to be an activist and an artist? What is life like when you're picketing or campaigning by day and rapping and reciting poetry by night? Today on Sonic Watermelons, we'll be talking to poet, hip hop artist, labor and justice activist, Occupy Providence member, and Bernie Sanders enthusiast Jared Paul!! Hear more about his new record, his life performing and protesting for the people, his views on the elections and the primaries that took place today (LIVE BROADCAST) April 26, 2016, in RI, "vegan cooking" and more.

***

Contact Info for Guest(s):

www.jaredpaul.org
Twitter and Instagram: @JaredPaulLive
Facebook: www.facebook.com/JaredPaulLive
Bandcamp: https://riotousoutburst.bandcamp.com/album/jared-paul-get-my-ghost-ep
https://blackboxtapes.bandcamp.com/album/jared-paul-get-my-ghost

***


More Info About the Guest, Topics and/or Podcast:

Jared Paul is writer, performance artist, and community organizer from Providence, RI. He is a two time Individual World Poetry Slam Finalist and an eight time coach of the Providence National Youth Slam Team. Jared has toured throughout the U.S., Canada, and Europe, playing alongside acclaimed poets, musicians, journalists, and speakers such as Amy Goodman, Saul Williams, Our Lady Peace, Paul Hawken, Immortal Technique, Anti-Flag, and Atmosphere. His work appears in poetry collections and alternative teaching guides such as Write Bloody’s Learn Then Burn 2 and We Will Be Shelter, and UnCommon Core on Red Beard Press, as well as in the Providence Journal, Socialist Worker, Motif Magazine, Driftwood, The Agenda, and more. He is a TEDx presenter, and has been a featured poet at South By Southwest music festival, the Greenbuild World Expo, Netroots Nation, Post Secret, and more. In January 2014, Jared was part of the largest protest-related class action settlement in U.S. history, Schiller v. City of New York, whereby after a decade of fighting, plaintiffs and the New York Civil Liberties Union defeated the NYPD and set precedent in Federal Court against the constitutionality of “Group Probable Cause."

*** bio extracted from a May 9, 2016 Facebook event page: https://www.facebook.com/events/814910188639498/

***

Audio from the podcast also comes from the Reza Rites / Sonic Watermelons Archive: 


President Obama Visits Cuba and Danay Suarez Talks to Reza Rites: A Bilateral Analysis and Discussion on Diplomacy, Music, and Mixtapes is a podcast produced by Sonic Wateremelons’ Reza Corinne Clifton, with translation help from Reza Clifton, Tamara Diaz, Bryant Estrada, and Jose Ramirez. It was produced following President Obama’s trip to Cuba, as he was the first president to do so, reportedly, in nearly 90 years. However, it features an interview with Cuban hip hop artist and world music singer Danay Suarez, who Reza interviewed in 2015 after the Afro-Latino Festival in NYC.. To hear the full 12-minute segment on soundcloud, visit: http://bit.ly/21KH7Qh; to read the full write-up and other VenusSings.com posts, visit: http://bit.ly/1QVBIxW. 

*** 

Sonic Watermelons Contact Info:

www.bsrlive.com
venussings.wordpress.com/about-sonic-watermelons-on-bsr/
Facebook: @sonicwatermelons
Twitter: @WatermelonRadio
Soundcloud: @sonicwatermelons

***

Sonic Staff & Volunteers (episode & podcast) 

Reza Clifton
Deejay Kellan
Jessica LaBrie
Kabir Lambo
Jose Ramirez
Eric Vazquez (Danay Suarez)
Lalaboy PR (Danay Suarez, Afro-Latino Festival)


Jared Paul Visits Sonic Watermelons, April 26, 2016

Phil Eil Visits Sonic Watermelons, April 12, 2016

****

Original Episode Title:

We have freedom to access information but do we really? Phil Eil tells us a story or two about the FOIA.

***

Original Episode Date:

April 12, 2016

***

Name of Guest(s): 

Philip Eil, former/final editor of the Providence Phoenix, adjunct lecturer at the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD), freelance journalist

***

Original Episode Summary:

On today's show we speak with Phil Eil, a local journalist and the former - and final - editor of the Providence Phoenix, who has a passion for the truth. One area his passion has taken him is around the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). We have learned that this journey has had valleys and peaks. There are road blocks on the path to getting the truth and apparently our Goverment is a giant one. [Below is] an excerpt from a Vice.com article about his FOIA battle with the feds; the link to the full article will be posted below also. 

"If you took President Obama at his word, this was supposed to be a golden age for investigative journalism in America. On his first day in office, the Commander-in-Chief penned a memo encouraging executive agencies to adopt a "presumption in favor of disclosure" when processing Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests. The White House later rolled out the details of an "unprecedented level of openness" it was determined to bring to Washington. In 2013, Obama famously said he's running the "most transparent administration in history. It hasn't quite worked out that way."

Learn more about Phil Eil's work, his experiences with using FOIA, and his thoughts on all things RI TODAY on Sonic Watermelons.

http://www.vice.com/read/how-the-feds-blocked-me-from-covering-a-pill-mill-trial

***

Contact Info for Guest(s):

Twitter: @phileil
Facebook: www.facebook.com/Phillip.edward.eil

***


More Info About the Guest, Topics and/or Podcast:

Phil Eil, the former/final editor of the Providence Phoenix and adjunct lecturer at the Rhode Island School of Design, is currently a self employed journalist with pieces appearing in Salon.com, Vice.com, and The Atlantic. He is also a litigant in a lawsuit against the Federal Government. He spoke in detail about FOIA - the Freedom of Information Act - and what precipitated his court cases during the show, as well as spoke to us about a recent experience he had interviewing another journalist, Democracy Now’s Amy Goodman.  Learn more in this podcast episode of Sonic Watermelons, and by reading up on the following sites:

https://www.aclu.org/news/aclu-sues-drug-enforcement-agency-public-records-local-journalist-requested-3-years-ago

http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/?pid=27700

http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/editorials/2016/05/10/1-evidence-in-pill-mill-case-held-under-lock-and-key.html

http://forward.com/culture/339517/how-a-rabbis-granddaughter-became-the-host-of-democracy-now/#ixzz47QiOSA41


***

Audio from the podcast also comes from the Reza Rites / Sonic Watermelons Archive: 

The Reza Wreckage 10 in 10 - episode 1 was part of a short-run multimedia podcast series produced by Sonic Watermelons’ Reza Corinne Clifton.  In the attached, mini-podcast, Clifton talks to poet Kate Rushin about her artist in residency stay at the Providence-based arts organization, AS220, and about her work and perspective as a feminist woman of color and writer. To see the entire podcast, and to learn more, visit https://youtu.be/F623Yexnr8g; Follow Kate Rushin at www.katerushin.com or @ kate.rushin on Facebook. Visit VenusSings.com and www.AmbitiousBlackFeminist.com to check out Reza's work. 

*** 

Sonic Watermelons Contact Info:

www.bsrlive.com
venussings.wordpress.com/about-sonic-watermelons-on-bsr/
Facebook: @sonicwatermelons
Twitter: @WatermelonRadio
Soundcloud: @sonicwatermelons

***

Sonic Staff & Volunteers (episode & podcast) 

Reza Clifton
Deejay Kellan
Jessica LaBrie
Kabir Lambo
Jose Ramirez

Phil Eil Visits Sonic Watermelons, April 12, 2016

Original Episode Title:

Black, Lavender and Brown All Over: A Conversation about Rites and Reason Theatre and Africana Studies, April 5, 2016

***

Original Episode Date:

April 5, 2016

***

Name of Guest(s): 

Elmo Terry-Morgan, Artistic Director of Rites & Reason Theatre, Associate Professor, Department of Africana Studies, and Department of Theatre Arts and Performance Studies

***

Original Episode Summary:

The Black Lavender Experience is coming up and Mojoscape recently passed. If these things don't sound familiar to you, then today is your show! Tune in today, Tuesday April 5 for a conversation about upcoming plays and initiatives coming out of Rites and Reason Theatre at Brown University. With details and insights from our guest Professor Elmo Terry-Morgan, we'll hear about "theatre and conversations sparked by queer artists of color" and how academia and art come together at Brown and beyond to contribute to national and global dialogues around Blackness.

***

Contact Info for Guest(s):

https://www.brown.edu/academics/theatre-arts-performance-studies/elmo-terry-morgan

Africana_studies@brown.edu

https://www.facebook.com/Africana-Studies-Rites-and-Reason-Theatre-at-Brown-1654072804821563/

***

More Info About the Guest, Topics and/or Podcast:

On Tuesday, April 5, 2016, Professor Elmo Terry-Morgan joined Sonic Watermelons to enlighten us on the history and development of the Black Lavender Experience (BLX), Rites and Reason Theatre, and the Africana Studies Department at Brown University. Professor Terry-Morgan graduated from Brown with the class of 1974, so he brought his experience and anecdotes as a professor, as the artistic director of the Rites and Reason Theatre, and as a former student! Below you’ll find links for more information and background on 1) BLX2016, 2) Afiba and Her Daughters, their May 2016 production, and 3) on the two graduating seniors at Brown who will explore the intersection of science and social justice as part of their May 29 commencement talks.
 
More Info About the Guest, Topics and/or Podcast (Cont’d):

Learn more about BLX2016: 
https://m.facebook.com/events/238394419838107/
https://vimeo.com/42590946
http://events.brown.edu/events/cal/CAL-00147cc4-53c1670d-0153-c407992b-000028a2events@brown.edu/

Learn about the Rites & Reason May 2016 Production, Afiba and Her Daughters: 
https://www.facebook.com/events/1736596946613736/
Wednesday May 25 thru *Friday May 27 at 7PM and *Saturday May 28 at 11AM (*FolkThought will follow the 27th & 28th performances)

Learn about Brown University’s 2016 student commencement speakers
Sabrina Imbler and Jamelle Watson-Daniels
https://www.brown.edu/about/commencement/news/2016/04/senior-orators-explore-intersection-science-social-justice

***

Audio from the podcast also comes from the Reza Rites / Sonic Watermelons Archive: 

Who is present and privileged in how we talk about American history? Why is inclusion viewed as an attack on the majority? If part of American history includes oppressing specific groups and peoples, why isn’t it more commonly taught and made accessible? Click here to listen to Nuala Cabral, Denice Frohman, FAAN Mail Launch Campaign, #WishiLearnedinHS, a #rezarites/#sonicwatermelons podcast: https://soundcloud.com/rezaclif/interview-with-denice-and

*** 

Sonic Watermelons Contact Info:

www.bsrlive.com
venussings.wordpress.com/about-sonic-watermelons-on-bsr/
Facebook: @sonicwatermelons
Twitter: @WatermelonRadio
Soundcloud: @sonicwatermelons

***

Sonic Staff & Volunteers (episode & podcast) 

Reza Clifton
Deejay Kellan
Jessica LaBrie
Kabir Lambo
Jose Ramirez

Professor Elmo Terry-Morgan Visits Sonic Watermelons, April 5, 2016

Original Episode Title:

Sonic's Guide to Summer 2016! 5/10/16

***

Original Episode Date:

May 10, 2016

***

Name of Guest(s): 

Special reporting by Sonic Watermelons’  Team Members: 1) Co-producer Jose Ramirez; 2) Social Networking Coordinator Jessica “Jezebel PVD” LaBrie. 

***

Original Episode Summary:

The wonderful weather is finally upon us and with it comes the fun in the sun accompanied by many wonderful events including music festivals. Today we'll try to give you an easy guide to follow on how to get busy this summer!

http://rootspicnic.com

http://afropunkfest.com/brooklyn/

http://pvdfest.com

http://www.newportwaterfrontevents.com/reggae-festival/

http://thesteelyard.org

***

Audio from the podcast also comes from 2014-present reporting by Reza Rites: “Interview with Danay Suarez, Part 2: Different Festivals, Different Countries, One People," is an audio podcast produced by Sonic Watermelons Founder and Executive Producer, Reza Rites. Produced almost a year after she saw Cuban Hip Hop Emcee and World Music artist Danay Suarez at the Afro-Latino Festival in NYC, Reza’s interview with Suarez also came after meeting her in 2014 at the Latin Alternative Music Conference also in NYC. Why do these spaces and sites matter? How do festivals and the culture of festivals change from one country or continent to another? 

Learn more and hear Danay Suarez’s music, in the full #rezarites #venussings podcast and by searching and following Danay Suarez on Youtube, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and Soundcloud. 

Reza Rites Interview with Danay Suarez, Part 2
https://soundcloud.com/rezaclif/interview-with-danay-suarez-part-2

For more information about the Latin Alternative Music Conference:
www.latinalternative.com/

For more information about the Afro-Latino Festival:
www.afrolatinofestnyc.com/

*** 

Sonic Watermelons Contact Info:

www.bsrlive.com
venussings.wordpress.com/about-sonic-watermelons-on-bsr/
Facebook: @sonicwatermelons
Twitter: @WatermelonRadio
Soundcloud: @sonicwatermelons

***

Sonic Staff & Volunteers:

Reza Clifton
Deejay Kellan
Jessica LaBrie
Kabir Lambo
Jose Ramirez

Sonic Watermelons Summer Guide 2016 and Bonus Danay Suarez Interview

Original Episode Title:

Cocktails and Crowdsourcing with the Pinball Wizard Mike Maven-5/24/16

***

Original Episode Date:

TUESDAY, MAY 24, 2016

***

Name of Guest(s): 

Mike Maven, founder, Shelter Arcade Bar, Providence, RI.

***

Original Episode Summary:

You have this great idea for a business so you do what every self-respecting millennial would do: put together a little video, post it on Kickstarter or Indiegogo, then sit back and wait for the money to roll in. Well, that's not exactly how it works. Our guest on Sonic Watermelons tonight is Mike Maven and he has successfully completed a Kickstarter campaign to bring you the Shelter Arcade Bar, opening soon in Olneyville. Mike will give us the inside scoop on crowd-sourced funding  and what it takes to open a business in Providence. And he just happens to be half of the Providence-based duo The Silent Shoals so, as always, there will be music.  Shelterarcadebar.com

***

Audio from the podcast also comes from... 


PVDFest, 2016, Audio recorded by Jessica LaBrie: “The eleven members of Boston-based world music group Debo Band graced the One Providence Experience stage during PVDFest on June 4th. If you're having a hard time envisioning American soul and funk with a healthy dose of Eastern European brass band mixed with Ethiopian pop, we've got you covered. Enjoy this recording from their Saturday performance and prepare to have your mind blown.” Follow the band at www.pledgemusic.com/artists/deboband
 

Audio from the podcast also comes from... 

A 2012 interview of Taina Asili (who also visited RI recently to participate in the “All the Fridas” event during PVD Fest) by Sonic Watermelons Founder and Executive Producer, Reza Rites: “In this podcast snippet from my audio interview archives, Taina and I are talking about a Kickstarter campaign her band was running that year, and about how crowdsource campaigns and online fundraising support grassroots, mission-driven bands like hers. Catch Asili and her band perform on July 2, 2016 at an event called Break the Chains! Brooklyn Edition. It will feature Taina Asili y La Banda Rebelde, “Riot-folk” artist Evan Greer and “power” poet Cristy Road. Find more event details here: http://bit.ly/22YEL0L. Follow Taina Asili on Facebook and Twitter and at www.tainaasili.com. 

*** 

Sonic Watermelons Contact Info:

www.bsrlive.com
venussings.wordpress.com/about-sonic-watermelons-on-bsr/
Facebook: @sonicwatermelons
Twitter: @WatermelonRadio
Soundcloud: @sonicwatermelons

***

Sonic Staff & Volunteers

Reza Clifton
Deejay Kellan
Jessica LaBrie
Kabir Lambo
Jose Ramirez

Sonic Watermelons Podcast Mike Maven Taina Final

Original Episode Title:

*Hip Hop and Its Global Outreach: Kufa Castro Pontificates, 5/17/16

***

Original Episode Date:

Tuesday, May 17, 2016

Name of Guest(s): 

Kufa Castro, hip hop artist, poet, actor

***

Original Episode Summary:

*Hip Hop music has gotten into almost every nook and cranny of our planet, thanks to the hard work and dedication of it's sons and daughters who will not rest until their voices are heard. Kufa Castro is one of those kids and he'll speak to us about how Hip Hop has influenced his life. Join us as we converse with this multi-talented artist about acting, poetry and of course being a Hip Hop Emcee. 

For a taste of what's in store, check out www.soundcloud.com/kufacastro


*[slightly modified]

Contact Info for Guest:

Twitter: @kufacastro
Soundcloud: @kufacastro
https://www.youtube.com/user/kufacastro/videos

***

More Info About the Guest, Topics and/or Podcast:

Kufa Castro is a local actor, poet, and hip hop artist bringing his love for the genre to the masses, Born in the Dominican Republic, Spanish is his native tongue and what comes naturally in terms of putting thoughts into poetry and songs. From a young age, poetry and songs were an outlet of expression for him. His style defies categorization. He flows between Reggaeton and Spanish Hip Hop. As his fan base has expanded, he has worked to incorporate more English songs into his repertoire as a way to connect with those fans. Writing in two different languages is like tapping into different portions of your brain. Kufa notes that it's not a matter of translating but actually thinking differently.

Kufa has begun to branch out into acting and got his start on the AS220 stage locally and loved being able to display a whole other range of emotions through the words of others. Kufa can be seen in the Spanish production of the The Birdcage in the upcoming months.

***

Audio from the podcast also comes from the Reza Rites / Sonic Watermelons Archive: 

The Reza Wreckage 10 in 10 was a short-run multimedia podcast series produced by Sonic Watermelons’ Reza #rezarites Clifton. The attached mini-podcast features an interview Clifton did for the series with Omni Zona Franca, a group of artists that performs and presents a mixture of hip hop, dance, and ordinary and extraordinary sounds and movements. The trio was in Providence, RI in 2013 as artists in residence at the Providence-based arts organization, AS220; at the time, they were visiting from Cuba, where they were known and enmeshed in the arts and hip hop scene. More information about their visit is below, as well as ways to connect to their art: 

→ http://as220.org/omni-zonafranca-cuban-art-performance-in-providence/
→ https://www.facebook.com/omni.zonafranca
→ http://omnifestivalpoesiasinfin.blogspot.com/

*** 

Sonic Watermelons Contact Info:

www.bsrlive.com
venussings.wordpress.com/about-sonic-watermelons-on-bsr/
Facebook: @sonicwatermelons
Twitter: @WatermelonRadio
Soundcloud: @sonicwatermelons
iTunes: “sonic watermelons”

***

Sonic Staff & Volunteers

Reza Clifton
Deejay Kellan
Jessica LaBrie
Kabir Lambo
Jose Ramirez

Kufa Castro Visits Sonic Watermelons

Original Episode Title:

Santa Mamba: Bringing Extra Sazón From RI to the World

***

Original Episode Date:

Tuesday, March 22, 2016

***

Name of Guest(s): 
Santa Mamba
Gio Murillo
Aaron Wade
Nicholas Wade
Shawn Denault

***

Original Episode Summary:

Spices are one of the many things that sets apart Latin American countries from the rest of the world and makes people fall in love with the cultures! Santa Mamba uses a special blend of sazon and music to bring joy to the masses. It's best to share their own words as testament of what they're made of:

"Where many bands who fall under the broad classification of “Latin” consist of musicians with a shared ethnic heritage, our story is different. We all come from different places and grew up in different times. Some of us come from small American towns where there was little access to anything outside of mainstream pop culture. Some of us grew up in American cities with strong ties to Italian and Portuguese traditions. And we have members who were born in Latin American nations - Venezuela and the Dominican Republic. Due to our diverse backgrounds, it is remarkable that we’ve come together at all, and in such an unlikely place as Rhode Island."

Make sure to check out Santamamba.com for more details on this wonderful band and find out where you can see them next!!

***

Contact Info for Guest(s):

Twitter: @SantaMamba
Instagram: Santa_Mamba
Facebook: facebook.com/SantaMambaOfficial
https://www.santamamba.com
https://www.reverbnation.com/santamamba

***

More Info About the Guest, Topics and/or Podcast:

Santa Mamba has been bringing their unique combination of flavors to local stages since . That unique flavor comes from a variety of sources that combine seamlessly but reflect a world of influences. With members that hail from the Dominican Republic to Venezuela and the quiet northeast corner of Connecticut, they met locally and have brought their elements together in a way that clicks. They are able to react to the crowd and see what makes them move. A Santa Mamba show feeds on the energy of their fans and delivers it right back to them. 

The band is heading back into the studio in the upcoming months and they are planning out the structure of the upcoming album. As much as they try to make decisions on the direction of the album, there is room for discovery and passion can’t be planned. Listening to the guys interact, they vibe so well with each other and continuously bring their musical discoveries to the table for new inspiration. The synergy is real and comes through in the music they play. 

***

Audio from the podcast also comes from the Reza Rites / Sonic Watermelons Archives: 

“Special Guests, Big Celebrations and An Anniversary: Sonic Watermelons on BSR, Sep 21, 2011,” an episode which featured The Dubber, a Washington, DC born and bred, South Carolina-based “New World Music” artist with musical roots and involvement that spans from punk rock and hardcore to blues and reggae. He has toured the US and Europe and released multiple albums, and he is an artist exhibited in Music Moves, a photography and multimedia project created by Sonic Watermelons Founder Reza Clifton. Learn about #musicmovesreza by visiting www.venussings.wordpress.com/music-moves. 

Also “Rastafarian Philosophy Sample” pulled from an interview done by Reza Clifton with the reggae artist Queen Ifrica, who visited Providence in 2007 for SoundSession, a festival organized by the no longer-running Providence Black Repertory Company.  

***

Sonic Watermelons Contact Info:

www.bsrlive.com
venussings.wordpress.com/about-sonic-watermelons-on-bsr/
Facebook: @sonicwatermelons
Twitter: @WatermelonRadio
Soundcloud: @sonicwatermelons
iTunes: “sonic watermelons”

***

Sonic Staff & Volunteers

Reza Clifton
Deejay Kellan
Jessica LaBrie
Jose Ramirez

Sazon with Santa Mamba: A Sonic Watermelons Podcast

RI Food Fight and Afro-Latino Festival on Sonic Watermelons

Original Episode Title:

Choosing from the cream of the crop with Jim Nellis and RI Food Fights

***

Original Episode Date:

Tuesday, June 14, 2016

***

Name of Guest(s): 

Jim Nellis, Founder, RI Food Fights

***

Original Episode Summary:

With the nation sitting up and taking notice of the impressive food scene in RI, multiple James Beard Award nominated chefs, and festivals celebrating the abundant seafood, it'd be silly to take Little Rhody for granted when it's feeding time. Our guest tonight on Sonic Watermelons is RI Food Fights founder Jim Nellis, who will tell us about how he is using social media and a healthy dose of competition to make sure that you are exploring all of the options that Providence and the rest of Rhode Island has to offer.  Listen in tonight as we talk burgers, tacos, ice cream, cookies....are you getting hungry yet?

***

Contact Info for Guest(s):

www.rifoodfights.com
Twitter: @RIFoodFights
Facebook: @RIFoodFights
Instagram: @RIFoodFights

***

More Info About the Guest, Topics and/or Podcast:

Rhode Island may be the smallest state in the US, but many cultures reside here, and summer is a great time to check them out. One way to interact with diverse people and communities is through food, and that’s one of the reasons we invited Jim Nellis from RI Food Fights to talk to us in June 2016. Coming up August 1 is RI Food Fights’ “Iced Coffee Summer Celebration 2016” and their “2nd Annual Calamari Throwdown” (#BestCalamariRI), both of which Jim discussed during the June 14 interview, along with highlighting their recently held 3rd Annual Big Burger Blowout. 

***

Audio from the podcast also comes from the Reza Rites Archives: 

The New York-based Afro-Latino Festival just wrapped up its fourth year of celebration and education, July 8-10, 2016. This year featured dozens of performers including Nina Sky, Tito Puente Jr., Nickodemus, and Los Rakas, a duo representing Panama and Oakland - who Sonic Watermelons Executive Producer Reza Clifton interviewed in 2012. Reza also interviewed 2016 Afro-Latino Festival participants Que Bajo, who also participated in last year’s festival, the same year that Reza attended, interviewing a number of artists, recording live performance footage, and dancing, singing, and connecting. Included in this podcast is a preview and part I of Reza’s digital mixtape, “Venus Sings and La Musica Mueve at Afro-Latino Festival, NYC.” The audio medley includes, in order of appearance, 1) Uproot Andy/Que Bajo; 2) Danay Suarez; 3) Les Nubian, Live; 4) Les Nubian; 5) Les Nubian, Live; 6) Los Rakas; 7) Los Rakas, Africana, played at Afro-Latino Festival (audience singing along and dancing); 8) Los Rakas; 9) Los Rakas, Africana, played at Afro-Latino Festival (audience singing along and dancing);

More info:
http://www.afrolatinofestnyc.com/
http://quebajo.com/
https://danaysuarez.bandpage.com/
http://www.lesnubians.com/
http://losrakas.com/ 

*** 

Sonic Watermelons Contact Info:

www.bsrlive.com
venussings.wordpress.com/about-sonic-watermelons-on-bsr/
Facebook: @sonicwatermelons
Twitter: @WatermelonRadio
Soundcloud: @sonicwatermelons
iTunes: “sonic watermelons”

***

Sonic Staff & Volunteers

Reza Clifton
Tamara Diaz
Deejay Kellan
Jessica LaBrie


Reza Clifton's Album

RI Food Fight and Afro-Latino Festival on Sonic Watermelons

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

Christopher Johnson Visits Sonic Watermelons Y Las Vidas Negras Importan

SUMMER FESTIVALS, PART DEUX And Fall Flicks for Family and You: 
A SONIC WATERMELONS PODCAST

***

Original Episode Title:

Finding Your Roots with Afropunk, Film Festivals and More: Sonic Watermelons, August 2, 2016

***

Original Episode Date:

Tuesday, August 2, 2016

***

Name of Guest(s): 

Conversation with #SonicWatermelons’ team members Reza Clifton and Kabir Lambo.

***

Original Episode Summary:

Music, movies and art: these are all great past-times and hobbies, but they are also great ways to relax and release. That is why we're taking some time on today's Sonic Watermelons to talk about some of the events, gatherings, and big parties coming up in RI, New York, and beyond. We'll share dates and details about Afropunk, the Providence Latin American Film Festival, the next Roots Picnic and more. To get you warmed up, we'll share original reporting and synopses of previous and recently past events, like the Afro-Latino Festival and Art on the Ave. The world is a big place, with big ideas, and lots and lots of music. Learn more about where to find and have fun with it all: Sonic Watermelons on BSR, 7-8 PM, www.bsrlive.com/live-stream. 

***

Contact Info for Guest(s):

REZA CLIFTON: www.AmbitiousBlackFeminist.com - www.VenusSings.com - @rezaclif on Soundcloud, FB and Twiter - @3amblack on Instagram, FB and Twiter 

KABIR LAMBO: www.Sorry4TheBlog - @Sorry4TheBlog on Twitter - @sorry4 on FB - @thekabirreport on Twitter

***

More Info About the Guest, Topics and/or Podcast (click links to read archived tweets):

https://venussings.files.wordpress.com/2016/08/summer-fest-tweet_1.pdf

https://venussings.files.wordpress.com/2016/08/summer-fest-tweet_2.pdf

https://venussings.files.wordpress.com/2016/08/summer-fest-tweet_3.pdf

https://venussings.files.wordpress.com/2016/08/summer-fest-tweet_4.pdf

https://venussings.files.wordpress.com/2016/08/summer-fest-tweet_5.pdf

https://venussings.files.wordpress.com/2016/08/summer-fest-tweet_6.pdf

***

Audio from the podcast also comes from PLAFF and the film “Ixcanul” : 

ABOUT PLAFF: “The Providence Latin American Film Festival (PLAFF) is the largest Latin film festival in all of New England. [PLAFF] feature[s] films from Spain, Portugal and all Latin America.” Learn more by visiting www.plaff.org, by finding PLAFF on Facebook and Twitter, or by reading through the archived tweets corresponding with the live Sonic Watermelons episode (see above). 

ABOUT IXCANUL: “María, a 17 year old mayan girl, lives on the slope of an active volcano in Guatemala. An arranged marriage awaits her. Although María dreams of seeing the “big city," her condition as an indigenous woman does not permit her to manage her own destiny.” The film won the Golden Bear at the 2015 Berlinale in Germany, and as of last year, PLAFF was “the only venue in all of New England where you’ll get to see this unforgettable film.” See the trailer on the PLAFF page, or visit their IMDB page to learn more: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt4135844.

*** 

Sonic Watermelons Contact Info:

Web: www.bsrlive.com
Instagram: @sonicwatermelons
Facebook: @sonicwatermelons
Twitter: @WatermelonRadio
Soundcloud: @sonicwatermelons
iTunes: “sonic watermelons”

***

Sonic Staff & Volunteers

Reza Clifton
Deejay Kellan
Jessica LaBrie
Kabir Lambo


SUMMER FESTIVALS, PART DEUX And Fall Flicks for Family and You

Original Episode Title:

Back to School with James Monteiro

***

Original Episode Date:

Tuesday, August 9, 2016

***

Name of Guest(s): 

James Monteiro

***

Original Episode Summary:

The stores are stocked with notebooks, pens, and backpacks. The flyers are hitting our newspapers and stuffed in our mailboxes. If you have a kid in your house, they are probably scrambling to get that summer reading finished (started?) and dreading the start of a new school year.  

Back to School means something a little different for tonight's guest though. James Monteiro runs the Prison Bridge Program through College Unbound. We're going to spend our time talking about the program, it's impact on the students who participate, and the fellowship that James was awarded to keep his work going. Get your #2 pencils out and join us for another amazing hour of Sonic Watermelons.

***

Contact Info for Guest:

www.collegeunbound.org   

***

More Info About the Guest, Topics and/or Podcast:

A lot has been said about the school to prison pipeline. On Tuesday, August 9, 2016, Sonic Watermelons joined the conversation (again) by speaking with James Monteiro, the founder of the Prison Bridge Program through College Unbound. Monteiro’s organization assists individuals who are currently incarcerated and recently released from prison who are trying to obtain their post-secondary education - with the overarching goal of reducing recidivism. Just recently hitting a one-year anniversary, the Prison Bridge Program, says Monteiro, serves 80 students who are currently serving sentences and 14 students who have been released. Though they are unable to award degrees to incarcerated individuals, the program is able to offer up to 12 college credits for free to those inmates. In addition, the Prison Bridge Program can help students apply for college, find jobs, and connect to substance abuse counseling. More than just an education, the Prison Bridge Program offers a network for former prisoners who want to improve their lives and support their families. 

Monteiro, as a formerly incarcerated person, has a unique perspective on the power of education to transform a life. However, he also knows the statistics, like those shared in a 2013 study from the Rand Corporation, “a research organization that develops solutions to public policy challenges to help make communities throughout the world safer and more secure, healthier and more prosperous.” Among their findings is that inmates who participate in correctional education programs had a “43 percent lower odds of recidivating than those who did not.” 

Previous legislation that effectively eliminated the opportunity for incarcerated individuals to obtain Pell Grants, the costs to incarcerate men and women in RI, and the way to get started if you were recently or are currently incarcerated: these are all additional topics discussed during the August 9, 2016 conversation with James Monteiro and highlighted in Building Bridges, Dismantling Systems: James Monteiro Talks Education And Incarceration on Sonic Watermelons (The Podcast).

To access the Rand Corporation study, www.rand.org/pubs/research_reports/RR266.html.  

***

Audio from the podcast also comes from: 

The Sonic Watermelons / Reza Rites Archive: “Problems with Private Prisons and Students Against the Prison Industrial Complex: New Podcasts from Reza Rites and Sonic Watermelons” - http://bit.ly/2cvoMaD

Mighty Mystic, Concrete World - www.mightymystic.com - https://youtu.be/OWUT7YCXWEA 

***

Sonic Watermelons Contact Info:

www.bsrlive.com
venussings.wordpress.com
Facebook: @sonicwatermelons
Twitter: @WatermelonRadio
Soundcloud: @sonicwatermelons
iTunes: “sonic watermelons”

***

Sonic Staff & Volunteers

Reza Clifton
Deejay Kellan
Jessica LaBrie



Building Bridges, Dismantling Systems: James Monteiro Talks Education And Incarceration

Original Episode Title:

Talking Black Businesses and More with Lisa Ranglin: Sonic Watermelons, July 26, 2016

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Original Episode Date:

Tuesday, July 26, 2016

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Name of Guest:

Lisa Ranglin, President, RI Black Business Association

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Original Episode Summary:

What else can we do?

From the the counter-top sit-ins we saw during the Civil Rights movement of yesteryear, to the Black Lives Matter demonstrations we've seen recently across the country and globe, "what else can we do" is a question that many have asked following mass protests and direct action campaigns held for decades. Consider this for a contemporary look:

In the days and weeks since the killings of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile by police, social media sites and Black news spaces have posted about the need to support Black businesses and Black-owned banks as one way to do more to support and bring resources to the Black community. But here in RI, one question to ask is how are Black businesses doing?

Today we talk to Lisa Ranglin, President of the Rhode Island Black Business Association (RIBBA) to learn about what it's like to open and run a business in RI and what it's like when you are a Black or Brown person, woman, and/or other underrepresented entrepreneur? We'll also discuss the purpose and function of the RI Black Business Association, and we'll talk about the kinds of people, members, and/or partners that support RIBBA? We'll also talk to Lisa about what current candidates should consider from the point of view of the Black business community and we'll ask her about someone special in her life participating in the upcoming elections!

What else can you do? Tune in to Sonic Watermelons. 

***

Contact Info for Guest(s):

www.ri-bba.com 
www.twitter.com/ribbabiz
www.facebook.com/RhodeIslandBlackBusinessAssociation 
401-383-1179

***

More Info About the Guest, Topics and/or Podcast:

Three thousand, three hundred and sixteen: that is the number of Black owned businesses in RI, and one way to reach them is the Rhode Island Black Business Association (RIBBA) according to Lisa Ranglin, President of RIBBA. Ranglin joined Sonic Watermelons on July 26, 2016 to talk more about her organization and about the different challenges facing Black entrepreneurs and Black-owned business in RI and the services designed to avoid or overcome them.

Some of those challenges include the lack of access to capital and contracts, says Ranglin, despite various laws and policies requiring a minimum number of contracts be made to women and minority-owned firms. Ranglin says that even in the present year, Governor Raimondo talks frequently about attracting new businesses to the state at the same time that there is a need to invest in micro-companies that are already here in RI. 

Saying you can’t find qualified people of color isn’t enough, says Ranglin, especially when there are organizations like RIBBA and events like their Annual Awards Gala,, coming up this year on Friday October 7th, 2016. There are also a number of other initiatives, hashtags and activities that have risen up (#buyblack; #bankblack), inspired by the Black Lives Matter movement and/or a desire to better catalogue and, therefore support, Black-owned businesses and communities disproportionately affected by police brutality. More information on some of these efforts are below, including a page showcasing efforts by Sonic Watermelons contributor Kabir Lambo and his Sorry4theBlog site: 
http://sorry4theblog.com/category/bobri/
http://www.wusa9.com/news/local/dc/bankblack-boosts-local-business/312641514 
http://www.npr.org/sections/codeswitch/2016/08/30/491933320/for-some-african-americans-efforts-to-buyblack-present-challenges

****

Sonic Watermelons Contact Info:

www.bsrlive.com
www.venussings.com 
Facebook: @sonicwatermelons
Twitter: @WatermelonRadio
Soundcloud: @sonicwatermelons
iTunes: “sonic watermelons”

***

Sonic Staff & Volunteers

Reza Clifton
Deejay Kellan
Jessica LaBrie
Kabir Lambo

Lisa Ranglin Visits Sonic Watermelons

Original Episode Title:

#GetBlissed on Sonic Watermelons* 

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Original Episode Date:

Tuesday July 19, 2016

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Name of Guest:

Christine Paige, Owner 
Bliss Salon, Providence, RI

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Original Episode Summary:

Are you part of #teamnatural or do you play for #teamrelaxed? Are those extensions or is that your real hair? Those are just some of the questions that come up when the topic of hair comes up around Black women, other women of color, and...well, a lot of folks, actually. Today on Sonic Watermelons, we'll talk about some of these issues and we'll dive deeper thanks to our special guest, Christine M. Paige, licensed cosmetologist, master stylist and owner of Bliss Salon in Providence, RI.

Paige, who is an avid social media user (follow #getblissed and find her on Facebook under "Christine M. Paige" to follow her "Live" videos), has not only been sharing her skills and #blackgirlmagic through one-on-one appointments at Bliss Salon, but also through live hair demonstrations, model and runway styling, classroom teaching, mentoring girls and women, and more.

TODAY on Sonic Watermelons, we'll #getblissed and talk to Paige about what it's been like to open and run a business in RI; what kinds of changes she's seen in hairstyles, styling techniques, and how we view ethnic hair and textures; and what kind of information someone getting into cosmetology and hair should know. We'll also have fun covering topics like trends and techniques to think about for late summer and fall and whatever else we want to because the world is a big place with big ideas and lots and lots of music. Tune in LIVE, Sonic Watermelons, Tuesday, July 19, 7-8 PM, bsrlive.com/live-stream. 

***


Contact Info for Guest(s):

Bliss Salon
239 Atwells Ave.
Providence, RI 02903
(401) 228-3722
www.Blisssalon555.com 
blisssalon239@gmail.com 
www.facebook.com/christinempaige 



***

More Info About the Guest, Topics and/or Podcast:

Check out a Facebook Live video from Christine Paige, and you might think that nourishing and caring for hair is easy and something that anyone can do. But that’s not necessarily true, says Paige, especially when you’re talking about colors, chemicals, and coming back from breakage and damage. Paige should know; she’s a 15-year veteran master stylist, licensed cosmetologist, and the owner of Bliss Salon in Providence. 

Recently, on Thursday, September 15, Paige held a Grand Opening for the new location for Bliss Salon, which saw the business move from its (now former) Douglas Ave location to  239 Atwells Ave, still in Providence. The location might have moved, but the needs are still the same. Tune in to “Talking Hair and Getting Blissed: Christine Paige Visits Sonic Watermelons” to hear Paige discuss different topics and stories, including: 1) what it looks like running a business in RI; 2) what protective styles are and why they matter; 3) the do’s and don’ts of relaxers and weave; 4) why natural/curly hair care looks different; and 5) what the pitfalls are of doing certain styles and using certain chemicals at home.

***

Audio from the podcast also comes from the Reza Rites and Sonic Watermelons archives:

Remix/mash-up produced by Reza Clifton featuring the poem “Hair” written and performed by Qi Dada of the band Riders Against the Storm and and Macomé [Yoruba BPM Mix] of the compilation “ROUGH GUIDE TO URBAN LATINO.”

Mic-check - “Let's Talk Hair: Meet Mary Gwann and Learn About the Bazaar Going on this Saturday” - November 17, 2005 - Reza Clifton, Mary Gwann, Jose Ramirez

***

Sonic Watermelons Contact Info:

www.bsrlive.com
www.venussings.com 
Facebook: @sonicwatermelons
Twitter: @WatermelonRadio
Soundcloud: @sonicwatermelons
iTunes: “sonic watermelons”

***

Sonic Staff & Volunteers

Reza Clifton
Tamara Diaz
Deejay Kellan
Jessica LaBrie

Talking Hair and Getting Blissed:  Christine Paige Visits Sonic Watermelons

Film from the Latino Diaspora And Ronald Kevin Lewis Visits Sonic Watermelons

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Original Episode Title:

From Consumer to Producer: The Providence Latin American Film Festival Visits Sonic Watermelons* 

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Original Episode Date:

August 23, 2016

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Name of Guest:

Jose Ramirez and Ron Crosson
Providence Latin American Film Festival

***

Original Episode Summary:

The world is a big place with big ideas and lots and lots of music. That is the tagline of Sonic Watermelons, but remove the word music and replace it with movies, and we might be talking about the Providence Latin American Film Festival (PLAFF), coming up in September. Today on Sonic Watermelons, we talk more about PLAFF with Programming Coordinator and Treasurer Ron Crosson and Sonic Watermelons' own Jose Ramirez, who is serving in his first year as Co-Director of the festival.

What does the process look like to move from attending and consuming the culture and media at a film festival to curating, selecting and arranging the pieces of a festival? What is the process used to select a film and how do you get a team onto the same page? And what is the purpose of PLAFF and future direction of the organization and event? We'll talk about this and more TODAY on Sonic Watermelons, Tuesday, August 23, 2016. 

***

Contact Info for Guest(s):

www.plaff.org
www.facebook.com/Latin.American.Film.Festival 
www.facebook.com/events/211904795893636/

***

More Info About the Guest, Topics and/or Podcast:

Micro-filmmaking and discussions about Latinos in Hollywood: it’s that time of year again, friends - Providence Latin American Film Festival time. This year’s events run September 28 thru October 2nd, and in addition to the capital city, screenings are also happening at Bryant University in Smithfield and the Warwick Public Library (in city of said name).
 
PLAFF is in its 24th year and #sonicwatermelons team member, Jose Ramirez, has evolved from a guy who used to watch the films to being a co-director (alongside Saul Ramos). Ron Crosson, on the other hand, has been involved since 2000 and during times in which attendees and participants included. Danny Glover, Anthony Quinn, and Antonio Banderas.  

Learn about how film festival producers, like those part of PLAFF, and Latino filmmakers worldwide have interacted with Cuba and have dealt with questions of geography, identity and location, and hear about what’s coming up at this year’s festival in “Film from the Latino Diaspora and Ronald Kevin Lewis Visits Sonic Watermelons” the podcast.

***

Audio from the podcast also comes from the Sonic Watermelons archives:

The Tuesday September 20, 2016 live episode of Sonic Watermelons: “Breathe and Climb to the Top: Ronald Kevin Lewis Visits Sonic Watermelons.” #terencecrutcher #keithlamont 

****

Sonic Watermelons Contact Info:

www.bsrlive.com
www.venussings.com 
Facebook: @sonicwatermelons
Twitter: @WatermelonRadio
Soundcloud: @sonicwatermelons
iTunes: “sonic watermelons”

***

Sonic Staff & Volunteers

Reza Clifton
Deejay Kellan
Jessica LaBrie

PLAFF and Ronald Kevin Lewis on Sonic Watermelons

Sonic Watermelons can be heard / streamed live every Tuesday from 7:00-8:00 PM (EST) on BSR (Brown Student and Community Radio), The show is produced by Reza Clifton along with co-producers Jose Ramirez and Deejay Kellan and a team of volunteers and contributors. To listen live or find archive links (going back to 2010), visit http://www.bsrlive.com. Follow Sonic Watermelons on Facebook @SonicWatermelons, on Twitter @watermelonradio, and on all social media at #sonicwatermelons, 

Sonic Watermelons

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