Two River Theater, in partnership with the T. Thomas Fortune Cultural Center, is presenting Grammy-nominated poet, journalist, activist, author and jazz fan Kevin Powell for “What Would Dr. King Say Now? How to Heal America” on Sunday, January 19th at 2pm in the Joan and Robert Rechnitz Theater.
Kevin Powell, one of the most celebrated political, cultural, literary and hip-hop voices in America, joined WBGO News Director Doug Doyle to talk about his presentation and amazing career.
Why is this event in Red Bank so important to Kevin?
"One, I"m a native New Jerseyan, born and raised in Jersey City. I went to Rutgers University. I was a social worker in Newark, NJ before I moved over to New York to pursue my writing. Jersey is very important to me. It shaped me. I grew up in post-Civil Rights America in Jersey City so my friends were certainly African American, West Indian, Puerto Rican, but they were also Irish and Italian Americans. They were Jewish and Polish folks, so I grew up with a range of different people. In the spirit of Dr. King I think about that more than ever because I was learning about different types of people and what we may have different we should celebrate but also what we have in common, especially all the vitriol I see. It saddens me and hearts my heart to see us going backwards. There's no room for hatred and division in any form. There's no room for violence against people no matter what they are."
His presentation on Sunday will focus on ways we can all be better.
"Dr. King's point is that all of us are facing challenges and we got to figure out ways to bring people together. I think he would be saddened by the kind of things we see happening and the kind of stereotypes that are being perpetuated, the misinformation that's being put out there, people taking sides. I'm a point now and I feel Dr. King would feel the same way that it's not about red state, blue state, Democrat, Republican, progressive, liberal or conservative. I think what he would say is what kind of human being do you want to be?"
As an author, Kevin has written 16 books, including Grocery Shopping with My Mother, his third volume of poetry; The Education of Kevin Powell, his critically-acclaimed autobiography, which is being adapted for the screen; and his most recent title, The Kevin Powell Reader, which collects over 30 years of Kevin’s literary output.
Powell and his wife live in Brooklyn, but he grew up in Jersey City. Kevin credits his mom for introducing to the power of words when she would take him to a branch of the Jersey City Library when he was a youngster.
"My mother didn't know taking me to the library would foster my imagination and I would fall in love with words. When I was 11-years-old, going back and forth to the library, I discovered the fiction section."
That's where Kevin discovered the writings of Ernest Hemingway.
"What I read I was like wow if this is what a writer does, you know Cuba, Spain and his adventurous life, then I was like 'I want to be a writer!' This is after I wanted to be a second basemen for the Yankees. I still wanted to be a magician like Houdini. I wanted to be a weather man. You know how kids are, but something about the words got me. My mother is the reason why I have 16 books now."
Currently, Powell is working on a biography of the late iconic rapper and actor Tupac Shakur, who he interviewed several times as a founding senior writer for Quincy Jones’ groundbreaking Vibe magazine.
Powell says he has been listened to WBGO for many years.
"Over the last year or so, if you go to my most played songs, it would be 'Take Five' by Dave Brubeck, "All Blues" by Miles Davis, "Feeling Good" by Nina Simone, John Coltrane's version of "My Favorite Things" from The Sound of Music. There are certain songs that I come back to over and over again that just inspire me as an artist. I listen to a lot of jazz when I write. I love jazz music which is another reason why I gravitated towards WBGO. I love Hip-Hop. I'm a big Rock fan. I'm a huge Led Zeppelin fan, a huge Nirvana fan, a huge Red Hot Chili Peppers fan, but when I need to write, when I need to meditate, it's WBGO, it's jazz music. I'm a huge Frank Sinatra fan. My favorite Sinatra album with Antônio Carlos Jobim from Brazil when they were collaborating in 1996. It's breathtaking."
In 2008 and 2010, Kevin ran for the United States Congress in his adopted hometown of Brooklyn, New York. He admits he has no interest in ever running for political office again.
(There will be a pre-event reception at 1PM After the interactive program, Kevin will be available to sign copies of The Kevin Powell Reader, a collection of his writings.)
You can SEE Doug Doyle's entire interview with Kevin Powell here.
