Magic City Post: Building An Intercultural Society

Well friends, check out my latest article on Building an Intercultural Society in the Magic City Post. I share thoughts about internalized oppression and how we as southerners have to take pride in our city despite our past. Check it out. It was also picked up by a national diversity blog--Diversity News Online.

Intercultural Communication Internship

Internship opportunities are available with The Byrd’s Nest, LLC consulting specializing in professional development, cultural diversity, intercultural communication.

Job Description: The intern (s) will work support Bettina Byrd-Giles, professional development consultant, by performing several of the following duties:

1. Help coordinate seminars, discussions, or events
2. Assist with social media (FB, LinkedIn, blogs)
3. Help with marketing and public relations
4. Research topics
5. May write summaries, descriptions, articles or abstracts
6. Communicate with clients, participants electronically and/or in person
7. May represent consultant at local events

Requirements:

1. Excellent writing skills
2. Experience in using Microsoft Office suite.
3. Current student at a college or university
4. Flexible attitude
5. Works well independently

Credits: Internship credit hours as agreed upon by instructor and Ms. Byrd-Giles
Compensation: Course Credit

Please forward resumes and letters of interest to thebyrdsnestllc@bellsouth.net.

For more information about the work of Ms. Byrd-Giles, visit:

http://thebyrdsnestllc.com/

http://theinterculturalpost.blogspot.com/
http://80salumna.wordpress.com/
http://theaccidentalmother.wordpress.com/

JCPA African-American Mission: Final Thoughts

I had the pleasure of representing Birmingham and the JCRC along with Joyce Spielberger this week to the JCPA African-American and Jewish Mission. Several people from across the country visited Birmingham to learn more about our social justice and civil rights initiatives. They came in twos--one Jewish, one African-American. Each came with the desire to learn from each other and to come away with ideas for their communities.

After seeing some local organizations on display, I was REALLY proud of Birmingham and of Alabama. We have had to work uphill from a bloody past. I think we have done a great job. Of course there is more work to do. Some of the initiatives that have helped Birmingham progress no longer exist or they are struggling to hold on. We need to fund Anytown, AL and the Heritage panels. We need to make sure Youth Leadership Forum and Leadership Birmingham are secure. Because of de facto segregation and socio-economic disparities, we have to orchestrate contact. It won’t happen on its own.

The group came away with the power of relationship building and how well our community seems to do that. We have many organizations that cross social and religious lines. Others were struck by the racist past and how it still haunts us in the present. Although I sometimes get overwhelmed by the fact that we always talk about the past, if we didn’t, we would be in denial. Denial is a dangerous state of mind. In Alabama, racism is thrown in your face all the time. In many states, it is hidden. Issues erupt and no one knows how to deal with them. We have had several organizations in place for years to address racism and religious intolerance.

I have enjoyed the opportunity to share this work with members of the Jewish community for over 20 years. I hope we continue to build on what we have started. Keep up the good work Birmingham.

African-American /Jewish Mission Service Project

he African American/Jewish Mission includes a service project as a culminating event. We connected with Urban Ministries, located in the Western section of Birmingham. They have a housing initiative that help people to spruce up their homes.

Learn more about Urban Ministries:





We met a wonderful woman who resided in what used to be Roosevelt City.







Some members of the group painted

African-American /Jewish Mission Civil Rights Trail

The African-American Jewish Mission toured part of the Civil Rights Trail by crossing the Edmond Pettus Bridge, visiting the Lowndes County Interpretive Center, and Dexter Avenue Baptist Church. Everyone was moved and inspired by crossing the bridge.

The group also had the opportunity to hear presentations by staff at the Southern Poverty Law Center and the Equal Justice Initiative. A few participants were particularly impressed by the SPLC's intelligence arm. Though I wasn't present, I understand from a few people that the group reacted to some of the issues that represent modern-day injustices. They ended the evening with a meal at the Fish Market Restaurant in Birmingham.

Rabbi Steve and Pastor Keni's prepared us for this historic journey over the bridge.

African-American /Jewish Mission: BCRI Visit

Day One of the African-American/Jewish Mission started at a cherished Birmingham institution--the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute. Participants toured the exhibits and were treated to presentations by Birmingham residents. A story that many of the participants had only read about came alive through exhibits and first-hand accounts.

Michele Forman and Helen Shores Lee shared how their experiences growing up in Birmingham led them to careers that helped future generations have a broader experience. Michele was a producer on Spike Lee's Four Little Girls. She was inspired by Spike Lee's ability to tell stories of importance to through film. I happened to watch Do the Right Thing this past week. It is a film that is on the syllabus of most film schools.

The Honorable Helen Shores Lee shared how her father's work as a Civil Rights attorney eventually led her to law school. Through the law, she could seek justice and channel her energies. Through the law, she found a means of addressing injustices that left her powerless as a child.

Sal Kimerling outlined the role of the Jewish community during the height of the Civil Rights Movement. Through legal advocacy, financial contributions, and an unyielding commitment to social justice, individuals and congregations were fully engaged in the Movement.

The African-American/Jewish Mission: Setting the Tone

After a tour of Vulcan Park and dinner, members of the African-American/Jewish Mission congregated to establish the tone for the rest of the week. The mayor gave an historical perspective of Birmingham under Jim Crow, examples of passive resistance that included the help of a Jewish merchant in the Titusville neighborhood. The leader of the local Jewish Federation introduced representatives and gave participants an opportunity to share thoughts, questions and ideas.

One of the participants began the discussion with a scenario that is familiar to many of us. We literally and figuratively have a situation where communities live on opposite sides of the track. It gave Birminghamians an opportunity to talk about initiatives that have been in place for several years. We discussed decades of programs to address issues of race, religion and life circumstances. It was a great opportunity to introduce many successful initiatives.

As we showcased our Birmingham success stories, participants wanted to know more about cultivating personal and institutional relationships across cultures. I had forgotten how deeply these organizations impacted me. My emotions began to take over so the details of everyone's comments are a bit fuzzy. The fact that I have maintained many of the cross-cultural relationships that were facilitated through these programs began to overwhelm me. Hopefully, participants will comment on this post. So how did people in a divided community begin to build relationships across cultures?

Some comments from the group included:

1) A shared history of struggle connects the community across racial, religious, social and cultural lines. The comment originally related to the Civil Rights Movement, but as we were leaving, a participant added an interesting comment that African-Americans and Jews also have a history of slavery.
2) The community has faith-based institutions who have a social justice mission to address social issues faced by different religious communities. They are willing to share resources, both human and financial.
3) There are people who are willing to take risks.
4) Some of the aspects of southern culture and community lend itself to this type of work.
5) A participant shared the realization that the next generation can perpetuate or change our past. They have begun the work of eradicating racial divisions on their own terms.

Some group members also identified challenges:

1) Intragroup issues that prevent the work from being done.
2) Unwilling partners across community lines.
3) The realization that some factors of the past have not faded.
4) The perception of a paternalistic agenda and people attempting to change communities without buyin from the local community.
5) Keeping the dialogue going.

I look forward to tomorrow's visit to the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute. There is a gallery that chronicles the impact of the Movement on people around the world. Perhaps it will deepen the dialogue. I also look forward to hearing success stories from other parts of the country.

Please check out A Rabbi and A Pastor Go to Birmingham for additional perspectives on the trip.

Dinner at Vulcan Kicks Off African-American/Jewish Mission

I was so excited to read that the African-American/Jewish Mission kickoff would be held at Vulcan. It is absolutely, positively, unequivocally my favorite spot in Birmingham. I have included it on my list of places to visit in Birmingham as part of a personal mission to expand Birmingham's story. Of course the Civil Rights Movement and Birmingham's impact is significant on national and international levels, but unfortunately, people know little else about us. The first thing that many visitors say is that they had no idea that Birmingham was so hilly much less what valuable elements are in those hills.

Most Birminghamians fail to see the beauty and significance in Birmingham's creation. We participate in pigeonholing the city into a specific space and time. Even the President, on his election day, mentioned Birmingham and fire hoses despite a few visits that demonstrated different aspects of Birmingham. It is almost as if Birmingham is frozen in time as far as the media and the outside world are concerned.

Long story short, despite the fact that the Mission has a civil rights and social justice focus, we are starting our journey on Red Mountain, home to the ingredients to make steel. Despite Black Codes, Jim Crow and all that jazz, I would like for visitors to know that descendants of the Magic City share an industrial history. Though we won't have a lot of time to explore this aspect of our history, I am glad that they will at least be exposed to it. Participants won't have the benefit of family day at a plant where tour guides tell you the temperature that many of the workers endured while working with melted steel, but it is June so they will share in the heat and humidity.

2010 African-American and Jewish Mission

On Sunday, June 20, 2010, Birmingham will host African-American and Jewish community leaders from across the country. The Jewish Council on Public Affairs has selected Birmingham as the 2010 site of an annual mission. The Mission is twofold: 1) To strengthen ties between African-American and Jewish leaders and 2) To address systemic poverty. A large portion of the Mission will include visits to popular civil rights and social justice institutions. They will visit places such as the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute, the Lowndes County Interpretive Center, the Southern Poverty Law Center, and Dexter Avenue Baptist Church. Their visit will culminate with visits to local community projects.

Components of the Mission reflect Gordon Allport's "Contact Hypothesis." The "Contact Hypothesis" is one of the most successful means of reducing prejudice or encouraging collaboration among people of different races, ethnic groups or religions. It is often much more sustainable than training or short-term dialogue groups. The contact hypothesis consists of the following components: 1) Pairing individuals from different cultures who are as similar as possible in every other way such as job function, position in the community, socio-economic status...). 2) Set goals and engage in an activity to achieve the goals. 3) Hold participants accountable for their activities. The movie Remember the Titans exemplifies this concept. Denzel Washington was faced with uniting two football teams from schools that had been desegregated. He matched team members by position and required that they get to know each other and work to maintain the winning traditions of both teams. If they did not carry out his requests, they were punished.

The 2010 African-American/Jewish Mission pairs individuals from two different cultures who represent their communities. The entire group will travel, dialogue and work together over a three-day period. In addition to visiting civil rights related institutions, they will hear presentations from local social justice organizations. A representative from Center for Faith-Based Initiatives and Neighborhood Partnerships will also make a presentation. The group will visit an inner city community and help refurbish a home for a family in need. They will spend time reflecting on the experience and strategize for future initiatives.

Though this post was written in the third person, I have the honor of being one of the representatives from Birmingham. Future posts will probably shift from two points of view--observer and participant. I am looking forward to seeing Alabama from the eyes of others and learning something new about the state that has been home to the last five generations of the majority of my maternal and paternal families.

Crossing Cultures in the Face of Disaster

Check out my latest article in Black Design News Network.

Crossing Cultures in the Face of Disaster

Jammin' with the Wailers at the Alys Stephens Center

A friend, who I see infrequently, called to see if I wanted to go to the Wailers concert. I said, "Of course." I didn't know what to expect. I love the Alys Stephens Center and its series of international music and performing arts. When we got there, the instrumentalists warmed up the crowd. I was trying to think if I had ever attended a Reggae concert. A raspy soulful voice joined the set. It was the lead singer. As soon as he was center stage, I began to think that I was going to have to move to the back of the room. There was no way that I could sit and listen to the Wailers. I was going to have to find a place to dance.

No sooner than the thought came to mind a young man came from no where and started dancing in the empty seats two rows ahead of us. The people behind him asked him to sit down. Well shortly after, the lead singer said, "Come dance with me." The young man and several of his friends ran to the front of the stage. They were joined by several others. I started having flash backs of Rugby Road Extended and one of the few fraternity parties I attended at UVA. However, the Alys Stephens Center has much better acoustics.

I saw my friend Efe, who teaches African dance. She joined the crowd. I ran to hug her. She said, "I knew this could not be a sit down affair." Some people either left the concert or moved to another seat. There was one couple that seemed irritated the whole night. How can you be at a Wailers concert and not even move a pinky? Is it physically possible? Had it been in my younger years, I would have started chanting, "No parking on the dance floor" or "If you didn't come to party than you should go home!" Even prominent university officials were jammin'.

The lead singer was electrifying. I have only seen one other performer who seemed as if the music was coming from the depths of his soul. I thought, "Is this guy channeling Marley?" The music started at his feet, his core and then came oozing out of his mouth.

He jumped around the stage all night wearing a wind breaker with the hood covering a knit cap. I was wondering how many calories he burns with each performance. I also thought at any moment he was going to jump into the crowd. The group performed for two hours with maybe a five minute break. It was amazing. The entire Center was alive.

What was your favorite concert experience?

Dia de Los Muertos in Birmingham

I used to pride myself on attending almost all of the cultural festivals in Birmingham. It is becoming impossible. Our city has grown to the point where there is so much going on, it is difficult to choose what to attend. Of course having a preschooler adds to the number of events we attend and type of events.

Bare Hands Gallery in Birmingham, AL has been hosting a Dia de Los Muertos celebration for seven years. I have been trying to get there for about three years. Tonight, all the forces of the universe were in alignment so I was able to attend. It was nice that two other friends were there to help with my son.

I kept wondering, where in the world would a festival take place on 1st Avenue South and Richard Arrington Blvd (21st Street South)? I am on Richard Arrington Blvd daily, but I couldn't imagine they would close the streets. I find navigating Birmingham's city center very easy. It is on a grid pattern. The address sounded familiar. I had seen a production of "For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When the Rainbow Isn't Enuf" at that same intersection several years ago.

There were so many cars on Richard Arrington, that I had to cross the bridge to 1st Avenue North. I made a right on 22nd Street and as I crossed the bridge heading south, I saw it. In the midst of the dark sky and buildings that all seemed to blend together was a courtyard full of colorful lights that one usually only sees during the Christmas season. I also saw people in full costume parading down 1st Avenue South heading for a small white tent. I was definitely at Dia de Los Muertos.

As we entered the gates, I could smell incense. The music was an eclectic mix. Since I had my son with me, I wanted to make sure he ate so we made our way to the food tents. We ate paella from the Homewood Gourmet, tamales from Cantina and black beans and rice by Golden Temple. As we ate, we were entertained by live and recorded music.

I spent time chatting with people from a previous life as we waited for the itinerary to unfold. The center piece was the artistic display of alters. We looked at some of the altars along the back wall of the gallery and then stood in line to enter the building. As I was managing a backpack, a son who wanted a piggy back ride and conversing, I wasn't sure whether we could continue to stand in line without incident. The time passed by quickly as I saw former colleagues and students.

As we entered the doors, my son was fascinated by the lights. We named all the primary colors and then when we finally hit the door, there were lights and images of the departed everywhere. My son, who had been a bit timid most of the night, became fascinated with all the candles. One of the the altars had a musical theme. He named all of the instruments and attempted to play the drums. The installations and the lights decorated the hall from top to bottom.

Frida seemed to be a common theme or perhaps she just happened to be the one person that I recognized. I am not sure if it would be sacrilegious to say this, but she almost seemed to be a patron saint or a muse for the artists who created the alters. There was a huge portrait of her on the back wall and many smaller images just about everywhere.

As we entered the main gallery, I was struck by an installation that included an altar to a baby that had departed. It was so beautiful and sad. It included the baby's crib, high chair and a casket. The pastels were a contrast to some of the other altars.

As we exited the gallery to return to the courtyard, some of the entertainment had begun. Somehow I failed to notice the structures in the middle of the courtyard. My years of taking Spanish included stories of Dia de Los Muertos. However, I missed the fact that the courtyard was supposed to be a graveyard. Maybe it is because my son decided he could walk instead of riding on my back. He wanted to touch everything and it was easy to stumble over all the items on the ground. It dawned on me that we were in a graveyard simulation. We were on cement of course, but there were headstones and images one sees in a graveyard placed throughout the courtyard.

Since I spent most of my time nervous that my son was going to destroy something, I couldn't fully concentrate. I will have to go back to Bare Hands. You can still see the installation through November 14th.

SpeakYoSoul Live! Features: JASPECTS! The Polkadotted Stripe Tour!

DATE: SATURDAY 11/21/2009

TIME: 8:00 PM

LOCATION:


BOSS ULTRA LOUNGE
312 20th Street South, Birmingham, Alabama 35233
Phone: (205) 326-3673

COST: 15:00

CONTACT: speakyosoulbham@gmail.com


WEBSITE:
www.myspace.com/speakyosoulbham

www.urbanham.com


SpeakYoSoul Live! features Award winning Jazz/Hip Hop/NuSoul Artists JASPECTS-The Polkadotted Stripe Tour! CNN’s Black in America featured Jaspects in 2008. They’ve got soundtrack credits on the movie Hustle & Flow and have performed for Bill Cosby!Spinning all WAX will be Atlanta’s DJ Dynamite Dave Soul-2009’s Essence Festival Coca-Cola SuperLounge DJ.

SoulfulHouse Party follows!


MERCHANDISE WILL BE ON SALE!


COMMENTS ABOUT JASPECTS:

"Jaspects, on their newest release, The Polkadotted Stripe, it is obvious that they have seen both the birth of cool as well as the future of the funk in heavy doses".

SoulBounce


"Nominated for Indie Album of the Year 2009"

SoulTracks



"This album is very original with a mixture of sounds being used from hip-hop,electronica,r&b,and soul but from jazz musicians".

Amazon Customer


"Loving how Jaspects have incorporated electronic with they're established jazz sound on The Polkadotted Stripe".


Last.Fm User


ATLANTA, Georgia (CNN) -
Today, Jaspects, an Atlanta-based group of young musicians who were born in the hip-hop era, fuse rap and jazz melodies to introduce younger audiences to jazz.

CNN



CREDITS:

Individually, Jaspects' works have appeared in the 2005 major motion picture "Hustle & Flow," on Chamillionaire's platinum albums "Chamillitary" and "Sound of Revenge," on Carlos Santana's "All That I Am," and with platinum recording artists David Banner, Wyclef Jean, Big Boi ("Kryptonite"), and Mary J. Blige ("Just Fine"). Collectively, Jaspects has shared bills with: Dwele, Bilal, Mike Phillips, Herbie Hancock, Eric Roberson, Stevie Wonder, Brian McKnight, and rap phoneme Drake. Jaspects has also collaborated with Grammy-nominated artists Janelle Monae, PJ Morton and Anthony David, in addition to Kedar Entertainment act Algebra, and Good Music's Fonzworth Bentley.

The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts featured Jaspects in January 2009 as a headliner for the Millennium Stage Series.



DIRECTIONS: If traveling towards Downtown Bham, take 20th Street. BOSS is just a few blocks from UAB and ONA’s Music Room on your LEFT. (RIGHT) if traveling to the Southside from downtown.

Celtic Knotwork and Kite Making Seminar

The Birmingham International Center (BIC) will offer "Unique Techniques" on October 23, 2009. Teacher, Frank Crowley, from the Irish American Heritage Center in Chicago, will give a workshop for elementary teachers from 10a - noon and one for middle/high teachers& artists 2 - 4p. Learn Celtic mythology, knotwork and the Book of Kells October 23rd. All sessions will take place at the BIC 1728 5th Avenue North 35205.

Visit http://bic-al.org or call 252-7652 for times and registration information.

Marketing to Diverse Communities

If you build it, they will come. NOT! We frequently build programs that we think are great or offer products that are "no brainers". Why wouldn't everyone rush out to buy the product? You have even offered discounts or free items, but the fish just aren't biting. Join The Byrds Nest, LLC for a workshop on attracting culturally and ethnically diverse customers, participants, and/or patrons. This workshop is designed for marketing coordinators, program coordinators, event planners, and outreach coordinators. Bettina Byrd-Giles will be the facilitator.

November 10, 2009
9:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.
The Birmingham International Center
1728 5th Avenue North, Birmingham, AL 35203
Cost: $ 25.00
Click here to register.

International Business After Hours

The Birmingham International Center sponsors a monthly gathering of internationally-minded people for "International Business After Hours" or IBAH. The series features topics, companies and individuals with an interest in international business topics. Last night featured a multinational corporation based in Alabama--Command Alkon. Command Alkon's business interests span the globe.

The next IBAH will be held on October 22, 2009. It is $ 10.00 for non-members and free to students. Visit http://www.bic-al.org/ for more information or follow BIC on twitter @BhmIntlCntr.

Birmingham International Center Spotlight on Ireland

The Birmingham International Center (BIC) kicked off its salute to the Isle of Ireland on last Friday. Guests were greeted by a menu of Beef Wellington, Irish soda bread and Guinness beer. Martin Rouine, the Consul General of Ireland, members of the Alabama Celtic Association and the BIC leadership set the stage for what to expect for the year. Finally, the evening was topped off with traditional Irish music by Chulrua, a duo consisting of the famous Paddy O'Brien and Pat Egen. Local dancers accompanied the duo. Alabamians can look forward to activities such music lessons, dance lessons, a geneology discussion, in school performances and a professional development workshop for teachers.

Click here for upcoming BIC events.

South Africa and the World Cup

Nichelle Gainey launched a new blog entitled, "Sports Woman." Though she will write about various sports, her first blog entry is dedicated to the World Cup. Nichelle was tapped by the World Cup 2010 committee to represent U.S. interests in marketing and international development.

PAVO magazine highlights Birmingham's Art Scene

On Saturday night I had planned to drop by Rojo for an hour to celebrate the launch of PAVO Magazine. They advertised free food and discounted drinks so I thought, "The James' are watching the Alabama game, so why not drop in." I saw a couple of people I knew including a person who I practiced Yoga next to every Sunday for several years, but we had never had a conversation.

After I spent the first hour killing the fajita bar and drinking unsweet tea, the publishers started the program. It started as a traditional, let me thank everyone yada yada yada and then some poetry reading. Then a woman who had interviewed me for the magazine pulled out her cello and started rockin' with a band. More poetry reading. Then Sharrif Simmons entertained us with spoken word and his acoustic guitar.

A guy who I had a conversation with while standing in line for the bathroom, got up with a thick stack of papers to read his poetry. I was thinking, "This would be a great time to leave." However, I was intrigued by this hip hop group that was setting up while he was talking, so I stayed. To my amazement, the poet's piece was called, "Duran Duran Buttons" or some other eighties reference that intrigued me. It was great.

The hip hop group had a DJ whose set up seemed elaborate to me. He had two turn tables, an equalizer, a Mac laptop. Eventually, the place exploded with a house mix and samples from the Transformers. I was thinking I'm not going home anytime soon. One of the emcees introduced the group as he revealed a green t-shirt. "Hello. We are The Green Seed. "

So an hour "let me show my face" turned into a three hour experience. Good luck PAVO. If your magazine is anything like your parties, we are in for a treat.

Female Beatmakers

I've had the pleasure of finally interviewing someone who I think is an amazing artist(musician and graphic designer). Ry Nea Sol! (aka MsBeatJunkie), she's a female producer/beatmaker from Birmingham, Al:

Aquarius Rising: So, when did you start making beats?

MsBeatJunkie: In 2000, while I was in college at Jacksonville State University.

Aquarius Rising: You majored in Psychology with a minor in Communications. Did you participate in any extracurricular activities that involved music?

MsBeatJunkie: Yes, I was a member of the Jacksonville State University Mass Choir and also the Campus Ministry worship leader.

Aquarius Rising: Wow, so what was your motivation to start producing your own music?

MsBeatJunkie: I didn't hear any music that sounded like what I felt, what I heard in my thoughts on the radio and i hadn't heard of any female producers out there.

Aquarius Rising: What devices did you start out with to create the beats you wanted to hear?

MsBeatJunkie: (She smiles) Fruity Loops aka (FL Studio) and a keyboard.

Aquarius Rising: What did your first beats sound like?

MsBeatJunkie: They were actually dirty south hip hop beats because that's what I heard around me at the time. The word spread that I was producing. I started to get calls and requests to make beats for national and local christian hip hop recording artists.

Aquarius Rising: Do you still make dirty south beats?

MsBeatJunkie: My music changed when I
started listening more closely to what was inside of me. I am far from the commercial tones of crunk and snap. To me, my music is "organic soul, futuristic boom bap" (laughing). I am influenced by many genres. I also implement the art of sampling like many producers, but did not always sample.

Aquarius Rising: Which artists influence your creativity?

MsBeatJunkie: Pete Rock,Madlib,Jdilla,Tonex,Sun Ra...

Aquarius Rising: Sun Ra was a very eccentric musician. Why Sun Ra?

MsBeatJunkie: Sun Ra made music based on what he felt whether you liked it or not. J.Dilla was the same way; both were led by the music.

Aquarius Rising: Technology has become so advanced now. Are you still using just the software and a keyboard?

MsBeatJunkie: (laughing)Yes, but I have other toys too. I love software though, and mixing it with various hardware allows me to be even more creative.

Aquarius Rising: Are there any female producers that you admire?

MsBeatJunkie: The Angel, she is a female producer that you dont hear alot about. I discovered her years ago while watching this movie called "Boiler Room". I was intriqued because the beats in every scene were so tight and organic; so hip hop that I had to find out who produced them and when I found out the producer was a "girl" I really got on it because I dreamed of producing movies for film and tv as well. She's really talented.

Muhsinah (mu-seen-nah), Georgia Ann Muldrow, and Angie Stone are other female producers that I like as well.

Aqaurius Rising: Have you worked with any Birmingham artists?

MsBeatJunkie: I've produced some tracks for spoken word artist Shaun Judah and have had studio sessions with Byron The Aquarius; both are very talented artists. I am currently working with other artists in the city and outside of the city.

Aquarius Rising: Have you faced any challenges as a female beatmaker?

MsBeatJunkie: Of course! Being dismissed in some way or another because of my gender.

Aquarius Rising: So, where can we find evidence of your skills?

MsBeatJunkie: http://www.myspace.com/offbeatmusiq