May: Afro Brazil Mural Project

Prince George’s African American Museum & Cultural Center (PGAAMCC) will act as host to 6 Afro Brazilian muralists from Sao Paulo, Brazil. The United States Department of State is sponsoring the trip. The artists will assist in creating a series of murals with PGAAMCC at the Center for Visual & Performing Arts, Suitland High School. The muralist will arrive on May 28, 2012 and will have an itinerary that consists of tours of the county, meeting and greeting public officials, and an artist discussion at Hyattsville’s Busboys and Poets.

The artists will begin painting the mural on Wednesday, May 30, 2012 and the mural unveiling will be held Tuesday, June 5, 2012 at 1:00 p.m. at Suitland High School. The large scale mural will reflect African American culture and art forms. The PGAAMCC Culture Keepers will paint alongside the artists and learn about the connection African Americans in Prince George’s County have with Brazil in relationship to the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade as well as race relations. Culture Keepers is PGAAMCC’s After School program for middle and high school students.

As host, PGAAMCC, will provide educational and cultural experiences for the Brazilian artists to learn about the rich African American history, art, and culture in the county. This project received support from Museu Afro Brasil, Embassy of Brazil, United States Department of State in Sao Paulo, Wells Fargo, and the Prince George’s African American Museum & Cultural Center. Chanel Compton, Education Director for PGAAMCC, participated in the Cultural Envoy program in Brazil in 2011 and created the program and itinerary for the Brazilian muralists visit to Prince George’s County.

April: National Poetry Month

In Celebration of National Poetry Month, Culture

Keepers participated in a series of Spoken Word

Workshops in April. 

Special Thanks to The American Poetry Museum for

providing spoken word performer Bomani Armah

to instruct the workshops. 

Poetry by Culture Keepers...

"Confused"

By Malaaya Adams

Grade: 9th

Confused whether to be

Open like a book or closed like a locked door

Confused whether to be involved

or to ignore

Confused whether to speak up or

keep quite to stay out of trouble

Confused about what to be

Confused about what music

I should listen to

Confused about how to trust

Confused whether to catch up

or slow down

Confused about how to wear my hair

Confused about what to wear

Confused whether to dare

Should I care?

"Untitled"

By Eric Luis

Grade: 9th

My bass will be like a supernova

My rythym will be smooth like a stream

but also explosive like a roaring avalanche.

I want to be loud as a lion

but I'm quiet as a mouse.

So my music will be like a partner in crime

and I hope it won't leave like baloon to a 5 year old.

"I am Reign"

By Amari Nixon

Grade: 9

I am reign, I cover everything.

My dreams are the truth

Like aging, death, they will happen.

You see me so vividly, with grace as a swan

 you see me.

Amari Canyon is on top.

My Dream never stops.

"I Want to Love..."

By Darian Smith

Grade: 9

 My Art is like the line where the earch and water meet.

My love is like the snow touches rough skin

My dreams are like  the cloud in heaven.

"Dreams.."

By Jimmica Yarbrough

Grade: 10

Dreams so high like the summer weather.

I can do anything when I hold my head up high.

Stumble upon a rock, when I'm in trouble

may sink to the bottom like the titanic

the beauty of my dream

the cooling breeze the spring,

like the multiple colored wild flower, I know

when I look into the sky, and keep my

head up my dreams wont fall stiff or unleveled.

Like the 7 Kwanzaa Principles, that many follow

My dreams are where I reside with the

stars that sparkle oh so bright

If I keep trying I can soar high.

High, high is where I stand, I am a queen

in this once beautiful land.

Your dreams may be rusty but mine is

clean.

won't let anything stop me from reaching my dream!

"Flow Steady"

By Bryanna Rather

Grade: 9

I want to flow steady and constant like a river,

yet run wild and free like an animal

Be rich with minerals like the Nile

yet dull and dry like the Sahara.

Cool and pure like the Arctic yet knowing

and contminated like the Gulf.

I want to be at a stand still only

Occasionally with a slight sway like a tree.

Yet solid only moved by those who

are both willing and unwilling like a shell.

Hollow and molded, I want to be created

and to be known as one of the most

prized possessions to few, like a rare stone.

Or active and dangerous like Kilowaya.