Arts and Culture

Don’t Give Up the Fight – Ron San Miguel’s New CD Calls All to Action

Published

5 years ago

August 30, 2019

Music honors 400 African American sailors who were killed and injured in 1944 at Port Chicago (Vallejo) loading war bombs

The CD, Don’t Give Up the Fight is Ron San Miguel’s simultaneous love song to the world and cry for civil rights. From his passion for justice to the odes to his parents, San Miguel pours out his call for action to promote unity among humanity and a call to action against racism, sexism and division amongst communities. With every guitar strum and lyric San Miguel powerfully educates and inspires throughout 13 songs in an eclectic variety of country, folk, indigenous and contemporary music.

“In the song Don’t Give Up the Fight, San Miguel refers to the Standing Rock protectors of sacred lands and sings “We shall overcome Trump these next four years.’’ “It was Trump’s election in 2016 that really gave me the impetus to begin dus CD,” he said.

“Come on people now, we’re better than this! We can live in peace and bliss!” Sung in a West African language and English, in Elamba Tambo, San Miguel refers to an African Medicine Tree. The artist says the words for the song were divinely inspired, and came to him prior to falling asleep one summer night in 2014.

“I got out of bed and recorded: “Ele Ene E Elamba Tambo, Ele Ene E Elamba Tambo!” The next morning, I Googled those words and found that they made reference to an African Medicine Tree, People of the River, and People of the Mountain. So, I wrote verses about peace and harmony, to remind us that we are all one, and have roots in Africa.’ San Miguel states the song deeply resonates with his fellow West African friends and musicians.

San Miguel bravely reminds listeners of the many tragedies worldwide. In No Tears Left to Cry, he mourns the devastation in Aleppo, Syria due to civil war and the genocide in Darfur, Sudan.

Closer to home, San Miguel shares of his diverse neighborhood in The Fruitvale Barrio of Oak land, while Gangbangers in Blue speaks to police brutality and the code of silence many officers live by. In Occupy Your Heart San Miguel encourages the 99% to continue to fight for economic, political and social justice. While Alternative Facts focuses on the phrase used by U.S. Counselor to the President Kellyanne Conway during a Meet the Press interview on January 22, 2017, in which she defended White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer’s false statement about the attendance numbers of Donald Trump’s presidential inauguration

San Miguel delves deeper into history and honors the African American Heroes of Port Chicago, referring to the deadly munitions explosion that occurred on July 17, 1944, at the Port Chicago Naval Magazine in Port Chicago, California. Munitions detonated while being loaded onto a cargo vessel, killing 320 sailors and civilians and injuring nearly 400. Most of the dead and injured were enlisted African American sailors.

A month later, unsafe conditions inspired hundreds of servicemen to refuse to load munitions, an act known as the Port Chicago Mutiny. Fifty men—called the ‘Tort Chicago 50”—were dishonorably discharged, convicted of mutiny and sentenced to 15 years of prison and hard labor.

Widespread publicity surrounding the unfairness of the case resulted in the prisoners release after two years leading to the Navy desegregating beginning in 1946. The Port Chicago Naval Magazine National Memorial is dedicated to the lives lost in the disaster.

“It’s time for the world to know and the history books to show the injustice perpetrated on these sailors,” he sings in the Heroes of Port Chicago. In 2010, San Miguel performed at the National Memorial.

Since 1988, San Miguel has been a bilingual performer throughout the bay area and produced his first CD, Paint Me a Rainbow in 2013.

San Miguel dedicates his

latest CD to his parents, Celia Garcia and Leocadio San Miguel, Jr. “They live in my heart,” he said.

Don’t Give Up the Fight is a healing CD, reminding listeners to know their history’ and fight against repeating the ugliness. For more information visit: Global Roots Musica

Carla Thomas

Posts by Carla Thomas

Arts and Culture

Richmond Preps for Full Weekend of Cinco de Mayo Festivities

Cinco de Mayo festivities in Richmond and San Pablo are some of the bests in Bay, and organizers say that tradition will be alive and well at this weekend’s annual parade and festival. The action kicks off Saturday, May 4, with the 16th Annual Cinco de Mayo Richmond/San Pablo Peace & Unity Parade. The parade of floats, performances, and community organizations starts at 10 a.m. at 24th Street and Barrett Avenue and Richmond and ends at 12:30 p.m. at St. Paul’s Church, 1845 Church Lane in San Pablo.

Published

1 week ago

May 4, 2024

Oakland Post

Scene from the 2023 Cinco de Mayo parade from Richmond to San Pablo. Photo courtesy The Richmond Standard.

By Mike Kinney

The Richmond Standard

Cinco de Mayo festivities in Richmond and San Pablo are some of the bests in Bay, and organizers say that tradition will be alive and well at this weekend’s annual parade and festival.

The action kicks off Saturday, May 4, with the 16th Annual Cinco de Mayo Richmond/San Pablo Peace & Unity Parade. The parade of floats, performances, and community organizations starts at 10 a.m. at 24th Street and Barrett Avenue and Richmond and ends at 12:30 p.m. at St. Paul’s Church, 1845 Church Lane in San Pablo.

The parade’s Grand Marshall this year will be community organizer Diego Garcia, owner of Leftside Printing.

The festivities continue Sunday with the Cinco de Mayo Festival along 23rd Street, which last year drew over 100,000 people, according to the 23rd Street Merchants Association. This year’s festival will again run from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. between the intersections of Rheem Avenue and Clinton Avenue. It will feature two entertainment stages, one sponsored by La Raza 93.3 FM at 23rd and Rheem, and another sponsored by Radio Lazer FM at 23rd and Clinton.

Both events are important for the city and the region’s Latino community.

San Pablo Mayor Genoveva Calloway, who co-chairs the parade alongside John Marquez, president of the Contra Costa Community College District Board of Trustees, says Saturday’s festivities are about bringing the Richmond and San Pablo communities together in unity.

“This truly connects the spectators and people in the parade as one,” Calloway said. “The parade showcases the real communities of Richmond and San Pablo – our nonprofits, schools, horse riders, classic cars and trucks, our local businesses. All of these people represent the heartbeat of our community.”

Rigo Mendoza, vice president of the 23rd Street Merchants Association, said that at its heart, Richmond’s Cinco de Mayo Festival celebrates the date the Mexican army’s victory over France at the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862.

But John Marquez started up the popular festival to bring the community together and also to exhibit the community’s businesses and culture to visitors, Mendoza said. The gathering was also a way to promote peace in the community.

Oakland Post

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Art

Mario Van Peebles’ ‘Outlaw Posse’ Screened at Oakland’s Grand Lake Theatre

Published

1 week ago

May 4, 2024

Oakland Post

Film director Mario Van Peebles, who also stars in “Outlaw Posse,” appeared at a press conference held at RBA Creative on MacArthur Boulevard hosted by the Oakland International Film Festival. Photo By Carla Thomas.

By Carla Thomas

The Oakland International Film Festival hosted a screening of “Outlaw Posse” at the Grand Lake Theatre on Monday. Special guests included director/actor Mario Van Peebles and his co-star, Oakland native Scytorya Rhodes. The film is Peebles’ second western, the first being ‘Posse,’ 13 years ago. Filmmaker Van Peebles shared his passion for independent artistry and producing projects with his son, Mandela, who also starred in the film, along with Whoopi Goldberg and Cedric the Entertainer. Next week, The Post will publish an in-depth interview featuring Peebles’ reflections on his work, future projects, and continuing his father’s legacy and Rhodes on her grandfather, a real-life cowboy.

Oakland Post

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Arts and Culture

Kedrick Armstrong: New Music Director for the Oakland Symphony

The Oakland Symphony Announced Kedrick Armstrong as its Next Music Director. In addition to conducting the orchestra’s public concerts, Armstrong will also actively participate in the Oakland Symphony’s many education and community engagement programs, designed to inspire a love of music in people of all ages.

Published

3 weeks ago

April 20, 2024

Oakland Post

Kedrick Armstrong is the new music director for the Oakland Symphony. Photo credit Scott Chernis.

By Post Staff

The Oakland Symphony Announced Kedrick Armstrong as its Next Music Director.
In addition to conducting the orchestra’s public concerts, Armstrong will also actively participate in the Oakland Symphony’s many education and community engagement programs, designed to inspire a love of music in people of all ages.

Armstrong is the successor to previous music director and Conductor Michael Morgan, who passed away in 2021 after a 30-year tenure at the Symphony.

Armstrong will open the Oakland Symphony 2024-2025 season on October 18.

Armstrong, who is 29 and hails from Georgetown, South Carolina, is currently the creative partner and principal conductor of the Knox-Galesburg Symphony.

The Chicago Tribune has praised Armstrong for his ability to “simply let the score speak for itself.” He enjoys a wide range of repertoire, spanning early music to premiering new works, using his joy and curiosity for all music to cultivate understanding and collaboration within diverse communities.
“I am deeply honored and grateful for the opportunity to serve as the new music director of the Oakland Symphony,” Armstrong said. “As a Black conductor, I find it humbling to stand on the shoulders of both Michael Morgan and Calvin Simmons,” the most recent and the first African American music directors of the Symphony, respectively.

Armstrong led three programs at the Symphony between 2022 and early 2024, which showcased his broad knowledge of the classical repertoire and enthusiasm for spotlighting diverse voices.
On his Oakland Symphony subscription debut on Feb. 16, Armstrong led the world premiere of “Here I Stand: Paul Robeson,” an oratorio by Carlos Simon on a libretto by Dan Harder, commissioned by the Oakland Symphony.

Armstrong was selected unanimously by the Oakland Symphony’s board of directors and musicians after an extensive two-year search. “The search committee was overwhelmed by Kedrick’s scholarship and curiosity about all kinds of music, from classical and jazz to gospel and hip-hop,” said. Dr. Mieko Hatano, executive director of the Oakland Symphony. “We are thrilled to have him join us at the Oakland Symphony.”