Busboys and Poets led 72 travelers to Cuba for the Havana Jazz Festival and the unveiling of the Langston Hughes statue, sculpted by renowned Cuban artist Alberto Lescay and revealed by Pulitzer Prize-winning author Alice Walker on Feb. 1, 2024, Langston Hughes' 123rd birthday. The group visited the Lizt Alfonso Dance Cuba Company, one of Cuba's most popular dance schools, and the Casa de las Americas, a Cuban institution promoting Latin American and Caribbean arts and culture. They also visited the Casa de África Museum, dedicated to educating Cubans about African history and culture, and the Centro Fidel Castro Ruz, which highlights the achievements of the Cuban Revolution and Fidel Castro's life. Additionally, they toured the Cuban Rap Agency, established in 2002 to promote and market Cuban hip-hop.

Khadijah Ali-Coleman presented her poem, "Black Is" during the event celebrating the unveiling of the Langston Hughes statue.

The group also visited the Casa Natal de Nicolás Guillén Birth-House, the birthplace of the Cuban poet Nicolás Guillén in Camagüey, now a small museum dedicated to him that offers a look into the artist’s books. Nicolás Guillén was a seminal figure in Cuban literature and culture, known for his Afro-Cuban poetry that celebrated the rhythms, language, and struggles of the Afro-Cuban community. He played a pivotal role in the Negrismo movement, which aimed to highlight and honor African heritage and culture in the Caribbean.

Guillén's work was deeply influential in shaping a national identity that embraced Cuba's African roots, making him an important cultural and political voice in the country. His poetry often addressed themes of social justice, racial equality, and national identity, resonating with the broader struggles for civil rights and independence in Latin America and beyond.

Guillén's relationship with Langston Hughes was one of mutual respect and influence. Hughes, a key figure in the Harlem Renaissance, and Guillén met during Hughes' visit to Cuba in the 1930s. They bonded over their shared commitment to social justice and the empowerment of Black communities through their art. This cross-cultural exchange enriched both of their works and contributed to a greater understanding and solidarity between African American and Afro-Cuban literary movements. Their friendship exemplified the international dimension of the struggle for racial equality and artistic expression.

Khadijah Ali-Coleman as 2023-2026 Poet Laureate of Prince George's County, Maryland presents poetry at the 2023 Juneteenth Celebration at the National Harbor

ABOUT THE STORY Mariah wakes up excited for the day. She gets to choose her music instrument for the school year and she can’t wait! This wonderful book introduces children to different percussive instruments while also introducing the connections between people and music all over the world. This is the first book in a series of books featuring different children from Ms. Rio’s class.
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Dr. Ali-Coleman has presented over 100 speaking presentations as a keynote speaker, conference presenter, actor, moderator, panelist and master of ceremonies. She has presented at speaking engagements for events hosted by Light City Baltimore, UMBC Black and Latino Alumni Association, Prince George's Community College, Maryland Arts Summit, Prince George's County Memorial Library System, DC Public Library System, National Harbor, City of Bowie, City of Laurel, Prince George's County Lynching Memorial Project, Creative Suitland, Marietta College, Morgan State University, and more. To book her for a speaking engagement, email info [at] liberatedmuse dot com.

My father's people hail from Gullah Island and extend on up through Henderson, NC. He grew up there in Henderson, born April 14, 1920. He headed north after leaving 8th grade, joining the army after lying about his age.  He left the army after a short stint and got himself a government job where he met my mother in Washington DC. He wore her down with his attentions until she finally decided to go out with him and marry him soon after. Me and my siblings were born in DC, but we moved to Prince George’s County when I was young. I’ve lived in Prince George’s County, MD now for over thirty-five years. Although both of my parents are gone now, I live in the house they moved us into decades ago. All of my children and grandchildren were born and raised here in PG. 

 -Jocelyn Alexander, college professor featured in the exhibit

The late Toni Morrison’s 1977 book Song of Solomon was a fictional tale about Macon “Milkman” Dead, an African American young man living a life of fruitless meandering until he began the search to learn more about his family’s history. In the book, Morrison’s characters discussed political ideology reminiscent of the views of prominent Black leaders like Martin Luther King, Jr. and Malcolm X. She also used the metaphor of flying to describe the act of trying to and finally finding oneself through one’s own family history. Inspired by this award-winning novel and the legacy of Toni Morrison, who passed away in August 2019, curator Khadijah Z. Ali-Coleman developed an exhibit that used Morrison’s flying metaphor to present select migration stories of five Maryland families.

The exhibit Flying towards Freedom: Migration Stories of Maryland Families focused on the migration stories of five families who moved from one part of the country to Prince George’s County, MD, as their final destination or a milestone moment within their family’s migration history. From the collage of memories chronicling a Prince George’s County resident’s family roots from the Gullah Islands to Temple Hills, MD, to Ali-Coleman's family's journey from Louisiana to DC to Prince George's County, this exhibit presented scrapbook-styled imagery of a people’s history told from their own perspective. The exhibit took place from February 2020 to April 2020 at the Oxon Hill Public Library.
 

Dr. Ali-Coleman served from 2019-2020 Scholar-in-Residence at Prince George’s County African American Museum and Cultural Center (PGAAMCC) where she also served as a teaching artist. She curated and presented her family history and that of four other families through the exhibit Flying Towards Freedom during her time at PGAAMCC.

As a teaching artist, she worked with students at Annapolis Road Academy Alternative High School. Annapolis Road Academy is one of two alternative academy programs in Prince George's County, MD with a primary focus on students in grades 9 through 10 who are experiencing behavioral and attendance concerns in the regular classroom setting. Dr. Ali-Coleman used a multi-disciplinary approach with the students, teaching the history of the Piscataway native people of Maryland and the Guinea people of Africa and their early existence in Maryland during colonial times. Using the drum as a centerpiece for learning and arts creation, she led the children in activities centered on identity, culture and communication, executed through designing drums and crafting spoken word pieces. She also facilitated a tribal drum workshop for families in the museum during the Kwanzaa season.

As a teaching artist and educator, Dr. Ali-Coleman has created and led educational programs for over 20 years at institutions such as The Hurston Wright Foundation and Montgomery Community Media (MCM). Her innovative approach to education includes the development of virtual media training curricula, youth mentorship programs, and media literacy initiatives.  In addition, Dr. Ali-Coleman has taught Communication Studies, Writing, and Fine and Performing Arts as an instructor at various colleges/universities, including the University of Maryland, Montgomery College, Morgan State University, Prince George's Community College, Community College of Baltimore County, and Northern Virginia Community College. She is currently the founder and lead instructor of Black Writers for Peace and Social Justice's Youth Media Academy.

The MSGSA Hoodie Living Memorial Walk took place on Friday, November 3, 2017 on the campus of Morgan State University. Participants designed hoodies on Thursday, November 2 and on Friday, displayed their hoodies during the walk. This event was part of activities taking place during the Baltimore Ceasefire, an initiative created by Erricka Bridgeford. This event was presented by the Morgan State University Graduate Association (MSGSA), coordinated by the MSGSA Community Programs and Social Justice committee. Thank you to all of those who participated in either or both days designing hoodies and walking in the living memorial yesterday as part of the Baltimore Ceasefire Initiative. Special thanks to Milreace Malone, Barbara Treasure, Anthony White, Letisha Jones, Shardae Fitzgerald, Colie Williams, Chaunarii Bennett, Anita Yawson, David Lawrence, Khari Dawson,Glenn Eichelberger, Chad Williams-Bey, Khadijah Ali-Coleman and those whose names not mentioned who showed up and contributed. Thank you for your presence.

 

Professor Khadijah Z. Ali-Coleman assigned her Fine and Performing Arts 101 students at the Community College of Baltimore County (CCBC) the task of researching Colombian artists and artforms. They then went on to create mini-exhibits comparing and contrasting Colombian artists/artwork with artforms and artists from the United States. Their exhibits were presented as part of International Education Week at the Community College of Baltimore County. Photos by Kira Moss and Khari Dawson. Video by Khadijah Z. Ali-Coleman.

Project Title: Colombia in the Twenty-First Century: History, Culture, Peace-building and Reconciliation. Implications for teaching: Spanish, Colombia and Latin America Across Disciplines.

In the summer of 2019, Morgan State University (MSU) sponsored  a Fulbright-Hays Group Project Abroad, an international professional and curriculum development program to Colombia, South America. With support from the U.S. Department of Education, MSU selected 14 educators for a five-week immersion program to study issues related to history, culture, and society, and to improve Spanish language skills. The focus was on peacebuilding, reconciliation, and national identity, with special attention to the African Colombian community and the effects of armed conflict on this community. Participants prepared to design and implement ways to enhance the teaching of Colombia's history, culture, and society at MSU, in Baltimore City, and at Maryland area public school districts and Local Education Agencies (LEAs). The program included lectures, seminars, field study, and research, and featured Colombian experts from various disciplines and organizations. Dr. Ali-Coleman participated and created curriculum activites for her students at CCBC based on her travels upon return.

The GRIND Conference took place on March 9, 2018 at Morgan State University. It was brought to you by the Morgan State Graduate Student Association with support from the School of Graduate Studies, the Department of Advanced Leadership and Policy Studies, Professor Wilbur Hicks, StudentMediaOnline.org,Liberated Muse Arts Group, The Creative Midwife and The Living Well. Dr. Ali-Coleman led the production of this event while serving as the Vice President of the Morgan State University Graduate Student Association during her doctoral studies at Morgan State University.