Mack Dennis - "Cousins are Cool" (version 2) Men's Story Project

Mack Dennis, 70, is a poet, actor, playwright, author and activist. A retired San Francisco radio producer/announcer. A former civil rights activist and member of the Black Panther Party. Mack's stories of growing up in segregated Louisiana and his activist role in the civil rights movement simultaneously entertain and educate audiences across the nation. He has written 3 chapbooks of poetry, recorded a spoken word CD, and performed his one‐man show, 'Raising Sane,' throughout the Bay Area. He is an Oakland Arts Department Spoken Word award winner, has been a member of six National Poetry Slam teams, and was New Orleans first Slam Master in 1998. In 2000 he toured the U.S. with National Poetry Slam Team San Jose and Slam America. He opened for Sage Francis at the Fillmore in 2007. His new book, 'Freedom,' supported by the Oakland Arts and Culture Department, was published in 2008. 'A Day With Mack Dennis' at Berkeley Community College was filmed and shown throughout Black History Month on the community college television network, and he also recently participated in a documentary about the Black Panthers and Oakland community colleges. Mack has shared the page and stage with such greats as Sonia Sanchez, Amira Baraka, and Saul Williams; his favorite appearances, however, are meeting with young people at public schools and universities in workshops and performance, inspiring them to express themselves through poetry and spoken word.


The Men's Story Project (www.mensstoryproject.org) is a replicable community arts & dialogue initiative in which local men critically - and publicly - explore social ideas about masculinity for the purpose of health and justice. The MSP mission is "to strengthen social norms that support healthy masculinities and gender equality, and to help eliminate gender-based violence, homophobia and other oppressions that are often intertwined with masculinities, through ongoing events of men's public story-sharing and community dialogue." In each MSP production, approximately 15 local men share stories about their own lives, highlighting men's stories that are less often heard; breaking silences on issues including sexism, racism, homophobia, and violence -- and their links with masculinity norms; celebrating men's beauty and strength; and stimulating collective discussion on what contemporary masculinities can be all about. Presentations are multi-medium (e.g., slam poetry, monologues, music, dance), followed by audience discussion. The project was initiated in the San Francisco Bay Area in 2008.

Category:

Nonprofits & Activism

Tags:

• Mack Dennis
• slam poetry
• Black Panthers
• gay men
• homophobia
• HIV
• AIDS
• unlearning
• manhood
• masculinities
• men

[sparklysloane]

Really u STOL our name!!!!