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Outcry : A powerful play exploring the deaths of Emmett Till, Trayvon Martin, Amadou Diallo, Sean Bell from an inside perspective

Outcry intertwines the lives of Emmett Till, Trayvon Martin, Amadou Diallo, Sean Bell, Nicole Bell and Mamie Till in a dream that is void of tim

DaRuddest Jones

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Outcry : A Powerful Play Exploring The Deaths of Emmett Till, Trayvon Martin, Amadou Diallo, Sean Bell From An Inside Perspective

Have you ever wondered what it is to lose a part of your soul?

A child?

a spouse?

Have you ever wonder how the injustices of the American judicial system has affected black families throughout the history of this country?

So often the life of a young black man is taken for granted. Never does anyone think twice about Emmett Till, Trayvon Martin, Amadou Diallo, Sean Bell and so many of the other young black men lost to hate and ignorance. Its just crossed off as something that happen. Nothing more and nothing less. Does anyone bother to think about what the family has to deal with? Does anyone think about what it feels like to have a loved one killed for no reason other than being Black? Or the fact that young black men are societies favorite target?

Well if you have not, Thai Francis has!

Thai Francis is the writer of an AMAZING play entitled “Outcry”. “Outcry” explores the deaths of Emmett Till, Trayvon Martin, Amadou Diallo, Sean Bell from an inside perspective. From their perspective and from the perspective of loved ones.

-“Outcry” intertwines the lives of Emmett Till, Trayvon Martin, Amadou Diallo, Sean Bell, Nicole Bell and Mamie Till in a dream that is void of time 

Outcry cast and DaRuddest Jones

and structure. It explores the idea of screaming and not being heard, which is paralleled to crying out against injustice and being ignored. Through laughter, love, hurt and confusion we see the characters wrestle with the 

fact that they are not heard, despite the fact that they are screaming. The stories range from Emmett Till a 14 year old boy who whistled in 1955, to Trayvon Martin a young man who looked suspicious whilst wearing a hoodie in 2012. These stories are all interwoven in Nicole Bell’s nightmare.-

From reading the description of the play I was skeptical. I did not understand how all of these stories could relate. I as a writer could not understand how they could all be connected but after seeing the play I learned that I clearly don’t think outside of the box as much as I should.

The play opens with the characters asking the audience, “Can you hear me?”. Implying that societ doesn’t hear the screams for help. Society avoids the elephant in the room.

So powerful!

As the play goes on we meet each victim and get a view of what they could possibly have felt. We get a vivid picture painted of how they were killed. From this play I learned that Emmit had his eyes gouged out and I learned that Amadou had gunshots at he bottom of his feet. If these are not hate crimes I don’t know what is.

The entire time watching the play I fought back tears. Tears of hurt. Tears of passion. Tears of confusion. Tears of distress. Finally my tears came trailing down my face uncontrollably as I listened to the recording of Trayvon Martin being killed. The idea of listening to a CHILD losing his life at the hands of a animal digs deep for me. Its more than I can understand. A little boy was killed for walking while black and the murderer (George Zimmerman) was set free because according to

DaRuddest Jones & Anthony Thompsonlawyers, “Trayvon was armed with the sidewalk”.

This play walks you through the injustices placed upon people of color. It dissects the bullsh-t. It feeds you truth and reality. This play will have you on a roller coaster of emotions.

I am glad I was afforded the opportunity to experience this emotional creation. What it did for me was show me more vividly that we have a long way to go as a people. We need to invest in unity and strength. We need it more than ever!

Written by: Thai Francis
Directed By: Cleon Barrett
Produced By: Anthony Thompson

Cast
Allyson S. Wilson
Brandon McNeil
Danea C. Robinson
Kossim Osseni
Steven Marsh


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Black Excellence

Inside the 17th Annual ESSENCE Black Women in Hollywood® Awards

Hosted by Clifford “Method Man” Smith, the star studded event premiered March 15, exclusively on the Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN).

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17th Annual ESSENCE Black Women in Hollywood Awards
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 07: (L-R) Danielle Brooks, Nkechi Okoro Carroll, and Kathryn Busby attend the 2024 ESSENCE Black Women In Hollywood Awards Ceremony at Academy Museum of Motion Pictures on March 07, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Robin L Marshall/Getty Images for ESSENCE)

Get a look inside the 17th Annual ESSENCE Black Women in Hollywood Awards.

Hosted by Clifford “Method Man” Smith, the star studded event premiered March 15, exclusively on the Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN).

About ESSENCE Black Women in Hollywood Awards

The ESSENCE Black Women in Hollywood honors women who are making their undeniable mark in film and television and amplifies their strides in defining what it means to be a Black woman in Hollywood.

Honorees

This year’s honorees and entertainment industry trailblazers include Academy Award nominated actress & Grammy Award winner, Danielle Brooks, six-time Grammy nominated singer and leading-actress Halle Bailey, acclaimed screenwriter and showrunner of All American, All American: Homecoming and Found, Nkechi Okoro Carroll, and industry powerhouse & President of Original Programming for STARZ, Kathryn Busby.

Check out some photo highlights inside the 17th ESSENCE Black Women in Hollywood Awards

For more, please visit http://www.essence.com/bwih2024


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Culture

U.S. Virgin Islands Announces the Performance Line-up for St. Thomas Carnival Village Featuring Shaggy, Sizzla, Patrice Roberts, and Machel Montano

The Village will be headlined by Caribbean superstars Shaggy, Patrice Roberts, Sizzla Kalonji, Kes, and Machel Montano, who will kick off the six-night free Village concerts on Monday, April 29.

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St. Thomas Carnival Village

The U.S. Virgin Islands Department of Tourism and Division of Festivals has announced the performance line-up for the 72nd Annual St. Thomas Carnival Village.

72nd Annual St. Thomas Carnival Village

The Village will be headlined by Caribbean superstars Shaggy, Patrice Roberts, Sizzla Kalonji, Kes, and Machel Montano, who will kick off the six-night free Village concerts on Monday, April 29.

“The anticipation around this year’s St. Thomas Carnival is at an all-time high, and the Village night performers reflect the continued influence and growth of our territory’s three carnivals,” exclaims USVI Department of Tourism Commissioner Joseph Boschulte.

Center Stage

Adam O, Rudy Live, Temisha, Karnage, Blind Earz, VIO International, and Spectrum Band are among the performers who will take center stage to represent the U.S. Virgin Islands.

“Every year, our goal is to pay homage to the vast Virgin Islands and Caribbean culture that is at the cornerstone of these annual celebrations for natives and visitors alike,” added USVI Division of Festivals Director Ian Turnbull.

Haitian kompa band VAYB and Dominican salsa orchestra Chiquito Team Band will provide a cross-cultural immersion of sound, highlighting the diverse musical interests of Virgin Islands residents.

First-time performers

Rounding out the village are a few first-time performers in the territory, including TeeJay, Jada Kingdom, and Kollision Band, and returning favorites Edwin Yearwood and Krosfyah, and Grandmasters.

Kids Night Out Village Night

This year, the Division of Festivals will host its first Kids Night Out Village Night, with activities including the Toddlers Derby, Best Dressed Doll, and performances by TMK and OTB.

More information on 72nd Annual St. Thomas Carnival Village

For up-to-date information about the 72nd Annual St. Thomas Carnival, visit https://www.instagram.com/usvifestivals/.


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Culture

Online romances get a dose of reality in OWN’S all-new love & relationship series ‘The Never Ever Mets’ 

Hosted by Ta’Rhonda Jones, this 10-episode series features seven couples who have been virtually dating for some time and believe they may have found lasting love – only they have never met each other in person.

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The Never Ever Mets Series TV Show

OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network has announced an all-new relationship series that takes online dating into the real world, The Never Ever Mets.

About The Never Ever Mets Series

Hosted by Ta’Rhonda Jones, this 10-episode series features seven couples who have been virtually dating for some time and believe they may have found lasting love – only they have never met each other in person! Now, they’re meeting face-to-face for the very first time and sharing a house together for three weeks to see if their internet love can survive off the screen and in real life.

Synopsis

As all seven couples convene under the same roof, dating in person rather than through their computers or phones quickly proves to be the biggest challenge yet.

While many couples have been years in the making, some quickly find the in-person relationship is not what they anticipated.

To test the strength of their love connections, the group participates in a series of fun and flirty relationship activities, couples therapy and for some, a trip to the “boom boom room.” But visits from discerning loved ones, meddling opinions and tension from others in the house challenge their bonds even further. At the end of their stay, some will go home together…and some will be signing off for good.

Premiere

The series premieres on Friday, April 19 at 8pm ET/PT, on the OWN Network.

Check out the trailer below:


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