Juneteenth Jubilee

Monday, June 19“Ted Hawkins: Amazing Grace” a film by Janice Engel with post-screening discussion 
1 p.m. $15/$25/$50 inclusive

Ted Hawkins was often called the world's greatest street singer. Abandoned by his parents as a boy, Hawkins came to California in his early twenties, determined to make a career for himself as a musician. When record deals didn't pan out and paying gigs failed to come his way, Hawkins would set up on the boardwalk of L.A.'s Venice Beach, singing to passersby for tips. In 1994, Hawkins was signed to a major record deal and released an acclaimed album, “The Next Hundred Years,” which earned rave reviews

and paved the way for a successful international concert tour. But just as Hawkins was enjoying newfound success, he died, on New Year's Day 1995. “Ted Hawkins: Amazing Grace” offers an in-depth look at Hawkins; remarkable life and career, with footage of Hawkins onstage, including performances with Charlie Musselwhite, and Pete Seeger, as well as interviews with family, friends, and fellow musicians Billy Bragg, John Doe, Mavis Staples and others. Harry Belafonte narrates. A fascinating discussion will follow the screening with the filmmaker Janice Engel and Hawkins’s manager Nancy Meyer.

Conversation with the Sage: Dorothy Randall GraySpeaks – 2:30 p.m. $15/$25/$50 inclusive

Dorothy Randall Gray is a teacher, poet, global activist and author of the bestseller Soul Between The Lines: Freeing Your Creative Spirit Through Writing, as well as Taste of Tamarinda, Muse Magic, Family, Creative Rituals for Daily Living, and The Passion Collection. Her work has been published in many notable periodicals and anthologies: The New York Times, Drum Voices, Heart&Soul, SisterFire, HealthQuest, and Conditions. She is a former NYU faculty member, National Public Radio commentator, poet in residence at Hunter College, and selected to represent the City of West Hollywood for 2023 National Poetry Month. For the 2018 PEN writer in residence program, Dorothy held an eight-week storytelling workshop at California State Prison, Los Angeles County. Dorothy is founder of the Heartland Institute for Transformation. In her commitment to global healing, she has served as a UNESCO delegate and conducted educational supply campaigns for African schools.

Chicago Blues musician Brother Yusef
3:30 p.m. $15/$25/$50

Brother Yusef is a self-taught musician, master solo guitarist, and unique vocalist. His performances are raw, honest, and as real as the genre has ever aspired to be. Honed over 30 years, he calls his multifaceted style “fattback blues” for its a rich mix of Delta, Chicago, and Texas blues with a hard-driving Louisiana stomp. Fattback blues combines traditional fingerpicking and slide guitar playing with contemporary urban blues, rock, and funk. He uses his right-hand thumb to beat out a percussive bassline and shuffle while the index finger plays rhythm and lead lines, creating a full band sound with a solo guitar. 

Brother Yusef’s musical interest was piqued as a young child at Holiness Church services in Bakersfield. The loud music of the church both scared and excited him. He remembers an atmosphere of lively and open celebration. Brother Yusef approaches the blues from a musical, spiritual and social context. “For African Americans, blues is survival, healing, and freedom,” he said.