Morningstar Promotions is part of the emergency response system that is needed for the high illiteracy rate, crime and negative images that runs rapid through our communities.
Sonseare Taggart - a concerned mother of 4 and many others who call her "Mom", realized the negative images that bombarded the youth around her daily. These images had such a profound effect on the actions, speech and overall living of the children she mentored everyday. Taking action and analyzing what makes the youth thrive, she put together a Promotional company that uplifts the youth and their talents.
Part of Morningstar Promotions is the Youth Authors and Poets division where children learn to write transcripts, learn to be self published, copywriting and marketing.
Morningstar also has focused on educating the parents. Edutainment is the key to teach so we will be hosting several musical artist, poets and speakers who are willing to come in and take part in making a change.
"A wise person leaves an inheritance for their children. How can you leave an inheritance of life, education and wealth if you have never obtained those things yourself? "It is our duty to lead our children to a decent future. We are lighting the way to higher expectations!"
- Sonseare' Taggart
'The Morning Star'
At the river end of the Grand Hall of the Canadian Museum of Civilization is a dome rising seven stories above the granite floor. Nineteen metres (62 feet) in diameter, the dome is adorned with the striking abstract painting Morning Star, the work of Dene Suline artist Alex Janvier. With the assistance of his son Dean, Janvier began painting in June 1993 and finished in September the same year. Morning Star covers 418 square metres (4,500 square feet).
The title Morning Star refers to the morning star as a guide or a means of finding direction.
Janvier explains:
"My people had used the morning star as a guide light in the early mornings of the winter hours. They would leave camp... maybe 4 o'clock in the morning and head in some direction... According to the stars in the sky, and especially that one, they pretty well have an idea the direction that they are going to."
Janvier similarly views his painting as a guiding light.
Features included in the painting reflect common aboriginal values and philosophies. The circle motif represents the circle of life: spiritual and physical, human and natural. Human life, for example, is believed to make a complete circle; a person dies and then life starts again. Likewise, the colours used are meaningful. Among the Chipewyan for example, white, yellow, blue and red are significant colours, seen more frequently than others. Among Native groups generally, these colors are often seen in regalia. In addition, the creation of four distinct areas of colour is important. The number four is significant for Native Peoples: 4 seasons, 4 cardinal points, 4 directions. Janvier refers to these as "Natural Indicators".
The painting is a commentary on the clash of cultures that took place after Europeans arrived in North America and encountered Native peoples. This is one of the major themes addressed in the Museum's permanent exhibitions.
The white central circle represents the morning star, the source of all creation. The geometric lines of colour radiating out from the centre (similar to the porcupine quillwork traditionally used by the Dene to decorate clothing and other objects) represent the various aboriginal cultures; each is a separate colour yet, when viewed together, they have the appearance of unity. That ring, representing the Native value system, is juxtaposed with a ring of more organic forms, representing the appearance of European ideas and beliefs. The juxtaposition of geometric and organic symbolizes the struggle between the two value systems.Each of the four distinct areas of colour in the outside ring represents a period in Native history.
A Beginning
On Saturday September 22nd 2007, Morning Star Promotions joined forces with another phenomenal organization: Inspired Citizens of Buffalo or ICB, for the very first Morningstar Promotions independent film viewing.
The Activist Film Turn Off Channel Zero was premiered. The Turn Off Channel Zero Movement is a joint effort of concerned activists, filmmakers, artists and media personalities who have come together to address Viacom’s negative portrayals of African-Americans. Their film takes specific aim at VH1, MTV and BET – all owned by Viacom. This film reaches deep into the black community and onto the front yard (literally) of one of the most powerful media moguls in the world - CBS and Viacom Chairman Sumner Redstone.
Along with the viewing of this film, Morningstar Promotions collaborated that weekend to help promote for ICB’s Annual Awards Ceremony which was held that Sunday September 23rd, 2007.
Date: March 17, 2008 3:10 PM
Reprinted From The Buffalo Challenger Newspaper
Professor Griff to Keynote Freedom Legacy Film Festival
Local filmmakers Doug Ruffin Jr. Karima Amin, Peaze, Kameron Wood, and Andrew Mitchell will be featured.
Professor Griff Will Keynote the Morningstar Promotion's "Freedom Legacy Film Festival", Friday and Saturday March 21 and 22 at the Screening room in Northtown Plaza, 3131 Sheridan Drive from 6-10 p.m.
The Following idependent film-makers from the Buffalo area will be featured: Doug Ruffin, Jr. and Karima Amin, ("Prisoners are People Too"), Kameron Wood ("The Waterfront: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow"), Peaze ("Ask God First Edutainment - Scarface for Life"), and Andrew Mitchell.
National speaker, community activist and one of the founding fathers of Public Enemy, Professor Griff and Steven Muhammad will be the guest speakers. This will be a weekend of entertainment, edutainment and change. On Saturday March 22 Professor Griff will conduct a session on "Hidden Messages In Movies."
The cost is $8 for the weekend and refreshments will be available for purchase. There also, will be give-aways throughout the weekend. Morningstar Promotions is part of the emergency response system that is needed for the high illiteracy rate, crime and negative images that runs rapid through our communities.
Sonseare Taggart, a concerned mother of four and many others who call her "Mom", realized the negative images that bombarded the youth around her daily. These images had a profound effect on the actions, speech and overall living of the children she mentored everyday. Taking action and analyzing what makes the youth thrive, she put together a promotional company that uplifts the youth and their talents.
Part of Morningstar Promotions is the Youth Authors and Poets divisions where children learn to write transcripts, learn to be self published, and learn about copywriting and marketing.
Public Enemy’s Professor Griff comes to Buffalo next week to lecture at the Freedom Film
Festival
It’s been a cruel winter for Professor Griff: Last month a gas leak caused his house and studio in Atlanta to burn down. He and his family lost everything—clothes and valuables, book and record collections, lectures, studio equipment, the artifacts and memorabilia collected over the course of a career that reaches back more than 20 years.
Griff’s most famous role in that long career is Minister of Communications for Public Enemy, the pioneering hip-hop
revolutionaries fronted by his childhood friend, Chuck D. But Griff (born Richard Griffin) has made his own name in the world as well, separate from but always in pursuit of the same agenda that drove Public Enemy: empowering black people, countering media dissembling, fighting the powers that be.
Griff comes to town next Friday and Saturday to deliver a lecture and screen the documentary he helped to make last year, Turn Off Channel Zero, which deals with the
African-American stereotypes that populate the dominant American media. The film is part of Morningstar Promotion’s Freedom Film Festival, which takes place March 21 & 22 at the Screening Room (in the Northtown Plaza, 3131 Sheridan Drive). Other
filmmakers include Doug Ruffin, Jr. and Karima Amin of Prisoners Are People Too, Kameran Woods and Andrew P. Mitchell. (The program runs 6-10pm both days, and Griff’s lecture is on Saturday evening.
Upcoming Events
Morningstar Promotions (Queen Sonseare)
will be hosting on Monday June 9th.
"Understanding the Present Global African Family"
Saturday June 7th
"Shared Wisdom"
@ The Juneteenth Headquarters 1517 Genesee St.
from 7 -9 pm
There will be an after event social to follow
@ Musicians Big 6 Club
600 E. North St.
(716) 896-6600
Sunday June 8th
"Knowdledge of Self Through Expression"
@ R-Healin Center
1057 Kensington Ave.
from 3-6 pm
(716) 836-1293
Monday June 9th
"Understanding the Present Global African Family"
@ The Frank E. Merriweather Library
1324 Jefferson Ave.
from 6-8 pm
(716) 883-4418
Tuesday June 10th
"Words of Wisdom: Poetry For the People"
@ The EM Tea Coffee Cup Cafe
80 Oakgrove St.
from 7 -9:30 pm
(716) 884-1444
Wednesday June 11th
"Knowdledge of the Africian American Journey"
@ The Delavan/Grider Community Center
877 E. Delevan
from 6-8 pm
(716) 896-7021
Thursday June 12th
"Understanding Images"
@ The Buffalo Museum of Science and outdoor lawn
1020 Humboldt Pkwy
from 5:30 - 10:30 pm
(716) 852-4562
Friday June 13th
"Genetic Wisdom: Soul Power"
@ the Langston Hughes Institute
25 High St.
from 7-10 pm
(716) 881-3266
For more info contact:
Ras Jomo (716) 892-2150 accesstoafreeka@hotmail.com
Rose Salley (716) 807-1105 r.nikasal@yahoo.com
