Call Me Black Woman

Call Me Black Woman...I'm a mother, daughter, lover, sister...Call Me Black Woman

Priscilla Hancock Cooper, President and CEO of the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute, presented her one woman show, Call Me Black Woman, on Friday evening, August 29, 2014 at the Birmingham Museum of Art.  The show also featured dancer Delores "Dee" Byrd Smith.

Call Me Black Woman, celebrating its 25th Anniversary, was kicked off here at the Birmingham Museum of Art.  The show is a compilation of her poems choreographed and performed to tell the story of Black female life. Grounded in the tradition of Maya Angelou, Nikki Giovannte and Ntozake Shange, Cooper and Smith embodied the rich history and experiences of the African Diaspora, patient to share, willing to challenge our perceptions and reflect memories not to long forgotten. See the pictures below.

"What if we came not from Africa, but to Africa?"

"Revolution, Black People"

Was it really that long ago, and it is really that different? ....There is blood in the soil....And now, our children give us back their history.

It Couldn't be Done without....Sponsors!

Bishop Snorton and the Phenomenal Women's Summit graciously thank those who helped to make this conference a success:

National Institute for Human Development, Inc

Miles College

AlaGasCo

Birmingham Region, CME Church

North Alabama Region, CME Church

Southeast Alabama Region, CME Church

Florida Region, CME CHurch

Councilor Steven W. Holt, Birmingham City Council, District 8

Regions Bank

Alabama Power

Fifth Episcopal District, CME Church

Troy University

Wesley Peachtree Group

Albright, Rainey and Associates, Lilly A. Rainey, President

BWC Consultin, Bridget Chislom, President

Saturday Morning Sessions: Looking in a Mirror Dimly (with Carolyn Carlisle)

Look at yourself in the mirror for 5 minutes. Look at the beauty, look at yourself. Then draw a picture of yourself.

In the crux of her presention at the Phenomenal Women's Summit presented by Bishop Teresa Snorton, Rev. Caroline Carlisle presented a session on overcoming abuse. Her presentation in a dimly lit room with candles, started by grounding everyone in terminology of the language of abuse victims and option. Women openly shared their experience and their desires to overcome, then were invited to do a simply task - observe and draw.

Each was given a mirror and a sheet of paper to see beyond themselves and what people have created them to be.  Then, each was encouraged to share their abstract portraits the assist in the healing processl by forcing them to be faced with themselves. Dr. Carlisle deposited positively back into the women who shared so that they could leave empowered to move forward in their lives.

Saturday Morning Plenary Session

The Saturdary Morning Session of 3rd Phenomenal Women's Summit presented by Teresa Snorton on Saturday, August 30, 2014 opended with the musical stylings and prayers of Rev. Lisa Snorton.  Ms. Carla Flakes set protocol by recognizing this year's sponsors and those persons who had a hand in bringing this conference to fruition.   Ms. Flakes then introduced the Speaker of the Hour, Dr. Monique Gardner-Witherspoon (see full article here).

Bishop Snorton then made announcements and invited everyone to introduce themselves by their fields.  Educations, Health Professionals, Law/Government Service, Non-Profits, Entreprenuers/Authors, Business/Finance, Ministry

See a few pictures below.

A Night at the Museum

In pulling apart and putting together our puzzles, we must wade through our history and culture through artifacts.  The Phenomenal Women's Summit participants explored this idea by spending time in the Birmingham Museum of Art on Friday, August 29, 2014.  The women took time to take in a meal, fellowship with each other and explore the exhibits on the floors of the museum.  See the pictures!

Photographs by Alpha Photography, the official visual chronicler of the Phenomenal Women's Summit for the 2nd year in a row.

Stand! The Documentary

Stand! Chronicled the untold stories of the Civil Rights movement, including the role of women and persons of other races in the Selective Buying Campaign.  The movie reminded us of the instrumental role of Miles College and the students in leading Birmingham to achieve harmony. Donna Dukes, daughter of Rev. Dr. (Frank?) Dukes, was the producer of the venture.

Stand! has one a Bronze medal Telly award, an award "honoring the best film & video productions, groundbreaking online video content and outstanding local, regional & cable TV commercials and programs.

Consider investing in the film so that it can be screened en masse beyond Alabama.  Check out more information at www.standthedocumentary.com.  Like on Facebook at this LINK.

Author's Corner

Every year of the Phenomenal Women's Summit, women of recently authored books are invited to make their work available for purchase and to be autographed.  The featured ladies were:

Help! It Still Hurts 

Dr. Cynthia Hinson Graham

God Hears Me

by Cynthia R. Ward

Lavon Morris-Grant