The World Organization of Pride and Power will host the First Annual World Pride and Power Conference in an effort to foster unity, empowerment and inclusion in LGBT communities of African descent and their allies. Why should you wait? You should attend if you are a person of color, an activist, a poet, a writer, a politician, or a businessperson. You must attend whether you are a wise old man or a young man. You must attend if you seek inclusion and want to connect and commune with your own kind.
Tashia Asanti
I had the absolute privilege of speaking with one of the Founders of the Conference. Ifalade Tashia Asanti! Tashia Asanti is an award-winning activist, journalist, fiction writer, filmmaker, poet, and initiated Yoruba/Ifa priestess. Tashia is the author of two bestselling books, The Holy Gate: A Spiritual Guide to Living Powerfully and The Seer: Legacy of Stone and Spirit.
Azaan: I know you’re an award-winning journalist, poet, author and filmmaker, what are some of the other things you’re involved in?
Tashia: One of my deepest passions is African history (before slavery) and African spirituality. I have founded a Yoruba temple in Denver, the first Ifa temple in the State of Colorado. Our membership has expanded to several states. We organized an international conference in 2003. The healing work of my temple brings me indescribable joy. Another of my passions is being a grandmother. I am lucky to have grandchildren at a young age and therefore my partner and I get to do many fun activities with our three grandchildren. This is also one of the greatest pleasures of my life. I’m also working on the sequel to my first novel and I’m still touring and promoting my first novel, The Seer. I’m also working on the film adaptation of The Seer…
Azaan: Tell me about the WPP Conference, when did you get the idea to create it and why?
Tashia: There was, in my humble opinion, a gap in the services that other LGBT organizations provided to our community. Many organizations seemed to cater to a single audience. He wanted to create an agency that would cross social, class, and cultural boundaries, one that would unite, empower, and heal SGLBT and other communities of color. I also wanted to create an organization that would reach out and build bridges with organizations in the African Diaspora and connect our struggles with the struggles of our brothers and sisters on the African continent. I firmly believe that we have a lot to learn from his work and vice versa.
Azaan: Who are some of the conference organizers and what roles do they play in the community?
Tashia: I invited conference organizers from 14 US cities and 9 countries. This model is already being imitated by other groups. The organizers are social justice activists, journalists, agency heads, mothers, fathers, partners and supporters of the vision and mission of the World Organization of Pride and Power.
Azaan: As the conference organizer, I’m sure you have a vision and high expectations, what are your goals for the conference?
Tashia: To facilitate a conference meeting that will increase unity, empowerment, and inclusion among SGLBT people of African descent and other communities of color.
Azaan: Who would like to reach; Is there a specific age group, education level, financial background, etc.?
Tashia: Anyone and everyone who identifies as bisexual and transgender loving the same gender and everything in between, as well as our allies and supporters.
Azaan: As a passionate activist, what is your goal for the community as a whole?
Tashia: Doing my part to make ours a more whole, healthy, and unified community where individuals and families can thrive and coexist in peace and cultural understanding.
Azaan: Some of the featured guest speakers are world-renowned spiritual teacher, best-selling author Dr. Malidoma Some, and nationally-renowned civil rights activist and author Michael Eric Dyson, who are some of the other speakers? guests?
Tashia: Carrie Broadus, one of my heroes, whose activism and dedication in the field of HIV/AIDS has saved thousands of lives. Cleo Manago also laid the groundwork for working around the idea of “same gender love” and affirming our culture as SGL people of African descent from an Afrocentric perspective.
Azaan: Tell me about some of the workshops and the highlights of the conference.
Tashia: Highlights from the Pride and Power World Conference include:
Historic pan-African forum of SGLBT pride and world power with anti-racism activists, journalists and workers discussing major issues affecting African Americans and effective strategies for cultivating productive responses to oppression and discrimination;
Amazing Keynote Speakers from Around the World – Guest speakers include
• Sheryl Swoopes, WNBA basketball star,
• Best-selling author and television personality-Dr. Michael Eric Dyson,
• New York Times bestselling author and renowned spiritual teacher–Dr. malidoma some’,
• The amazing Bishop Yvette Flunder,
• Cultural Gatekeeper, health educator and founder of AmASSI Cultural & Mental Health Centers-Cleo Manago,
• Carrie Broadus, HIV/AIDS pioneer,
• West African Activist and Spiritual Teacher-Rev. Davis Mac Iyalla and
• Director of Behind the Mask South Africa-Thuli Madi!
World Pride & Power Awards honoring veteran and emerging leaders of color in the SGLBT community presented by the one and only Jade Esteban Estrada and another surprise guest;
Conversations in Tongue & Spirit: The Ultimate Spoken Word Concert with featured performances by celebrated poets, Emanuel Xavier and Samiya Bashir, and other TBAs;
Eleda Evening Discussion Circles for Siblings hosted by Ken Johnson, Cleo Manago and Rev. Benjamin Reynolds; Eleda Evening Discussion Circles for Sisters hosted by Ifasade Queen Hollins, Onifa Adeola Karade and Torrena Dye.
First-run movie screenings including the African SGLBT presence in Hawaii, the documentary Standing in Truth, Black Women & Breast Cancer and more.
Black is Back Fourth World Party with performances by innovative artists;
An authentic interfaith service and guardian healing ceremony celebrating Dagara, Agape, Buddhist, Native Indian, Yoruba and Liberation Theology hosted by the one and only Dr. Malidoma Some’ with Gayle Fuhr (Buddhist), Iyanifa Onifa Adeola Karade (Priestess of Ifa), Jan Ford (Agape), Joey Criddle (Native Indian) and other TBAs;
Innovative workshops on racism, media, anti-violence, holistic health, publishing, film and television, spirituality, relationships, sexuality and more!
Azaan: How long is the Conference and what does each day consist of?
Tashia: 3 and ½ days and each day is designed to take participants deeper into self-reflection and collective introspection.
Azaan: Tell me about the documentary Standing In Truth.
Tashia: This is an in-depth documentary featuring some of the brightest minds in our nation. Tim Daniels, Tadhi Coulter, and Brother Rory have designed a film that will touch all viewers, regardless of age, cultural identity, and spiritual background.
Azaan: Tell us about some of the many awards and the selection process.
Tashia: The awards committee received dozens of nominations from around the world. We were deeply moved by the work that many have done behind the scenes with little or no recognition. We select recipients whose work hasn’t always been recognized by the mainstream, but has had a transformative impact on the communities around them. We are very honored to honor the first World Pride & Power Award recipients at our 2008 conference.
Azaan: Bishop Yvette Flunder is an absolutely incredible woman, can you tell me about the award she received and the impact of her mother’s passing?
Tashia: Bishop Fluunder is an amazing force in ministry and in the LGBT community. His work touched thousands and the fact that he has remained an approachable leader despite his success and notoriety speaks volumes about the depth and power of his work. And I can only imagine the pain of losing the mother in the midst of the endless work of the activist life. But I think such a loss would strengthen one as well as humble one in the face of the reality of our human existence.
Azaan: What does it mean to you as a person to create the WPP Conference?
Tashia: It means that I will improve in the process and that I will have the deep blessings of reconnecting with many old friends and meeting many new friends as well. It means that I will be transformed by the work as much as I hope that this work will transform others.
Azaan: One of the main goals of the conference is to create unity and inclusion among decent African American people and communities of color, what can you add to that? What do you want the world to know?
Tashia: I want the world to know that we cannot afford to be divided. That we must find bridges between us. And that we must move in a way that is kind, supportive, and giving if we are ever to be healed people and empowered communities.
As Tashia continues to raise the bar, we are called to do and become many things. Number one, anything we can believe in and focus our attention on, we can achieve! We can do absolutely anything and become anyone! Number two, it is our inherent responsibility as SGL, LGBTQ people to strive to build and sustain a better community. As people of color, we have been segregated for far too long. It is time to break the chains of separation and unify.
Sign up today! It’s not too late! Make your check or money order payable to World Pride & Power Organization, 9249 S. Broadway, #200-423, Highlands Ranch, CO 80129 Want to become a World Pride & Power sponsor?
The World Organization of Pride and Power is proud to offer this first look at the list of powerful winners of the distinguished World Pride and Power Awards:
• Bishop Yvette Fluunder,
•Carrie Broadus,
• Cleo Manago,
•Jeffrey Rey,
• Thuli Madi,
• Reverend Davis Mac Iyalla,
• Dr. Lisa Powell,
• Barbara Smith,
• Stephanie Dakara Wynne,
• Emmanuel Xavier,
• Monique Davis and June Cummings,
• Angela Odom,
• Ifas by Linda Reina Hollins,
• Rayceen Pendar A’vis,
• Iya Omilade Ashara Ekundayo,
• Iya Osunaye Karen Nanina Ra Heard,
• Azaan Kamau.
Congratulations to all of our award winners!
In Memory of Rev. Mother Ruth Langston 1933-2007
“I believe that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the last word in reality. That is why good, temporarily defeated, is stronger than evil triumphant.” Martin Luther King Jr.