THE REBIRTH EDITION
Editor’s Take
BY NJEMILE Z. ALI
Finding Black Men as Heroes in Media: Following is a list of Black men in media that we thought lived heroic lives. After looking back over the list,
Black ACE Happenings
The Black Arts, Culture & Entertainment ecosystem is bursting with activity, with events geared toward local, regional and national audiences...
About Our Hero
BY NJEMILE Z. ALI
“Daddy, you ready to change clothes?”
“I ain’t been nowhere yet.”
Born 12/12/1925, 98-year-old Granddaddy Joseph maintains his dry sense of humor.
Next Level Publications Group
For all you communication needs, our team specialists will help you present your best self, producing next-level documents of all types…
For the Love of Literature
Mr. Baldwin
BY KHADIJA POUNSEL
Many Black male authors have penned classics—groundbreaking, stunning and excellent...
New Book Releases
Heroes of Sports & Justice
BY SHAUNDALE RENA
Picture this … A young child growing up in Philadelphia hangs onto the words of his ancestors—their hopes and dreams on one side, their horrors on another...
Writing Biz
Future Trends for Black Male Authors
BY ERYKA PARKER
Black male authors can capitalize on recent changes in the publishing industry, particularly through independent publishing, artificial intelligence (AI) and digital platforms…
The Power of Family Legacy
Remember, Honor and Share Your Family History for Future Generations…
Treasures of the African Diaspora
BY ZAKIYYAH ALI
The Coleman Center for the Arts: A Hidden Jewel in Rural Alabama
My Hero of Film: Spike Lee’s Crooklyn Was My Brooklyn
BY JEANINE DeHONEY
Jeanine’s timely essay about Spike Lee’s 1994 film, Crooklyn, flows seamlessly between the story that unfolds onscreen and her own life growing up in Brooklyn...
The Coming of SAVE Institute
BY ATIBA JONES
Atiba Jones is a passionate advocate for the power of agriculture and youth development as engines for Black liberation. He is also a poet and spoken word artist.
Self & The Black Sheep
BY MIKE “JUST CHILL” PRINGLE
Michael “Just Chill” Pringle is a poet and graphic designer from York, Alabama who writes to express his creativity with pen and pad. His message is letting people know that everything is going to be ok...
The People’s Lawyer
BY SHAUNDALE RENA
Lee Otis Johnson grew up in Houston. In his younger years, he had been convicted of theft and spent time in the penitentiary...
Big Poppa’s Stories
BY GLORIA ELDER
Storyteller extraordinaire, Gloria Elder’s story, “Walk a Mile in Her Shoes” appeared in the April issue of KIZA. Known to her family as “Glow Glo,” Gloria has been telling stories for more than 25 years…
Inside this Issue
BY NJEMILE Z. ALI
In this light and breezy summer edition of KIZA BlackLit, we pull back the curtain a bit on the people who bring the magazine to your inbox each season…
Black ACE Happenings
The Black Arts, Culture & Entertainment ecosystem is bursting with activity, with events geared toward local, regional and national audiences…