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| My husband, Zaron W. Burnett, Jr. is
a writer too, and we often collaborate. He is the author
of a novel, The Carthaginian Honor Society,
the creator of the "Live at Club Zebra!"
performance series and co-author with me of We Speak
Your Names, the poem we did for Oprah's Legends
Weekend, and The Love Project, which we
did in collaboration with idris Ackamoor and Rhodessa Jones
of San Francisco's Cultural Odyssey. Years ago, he had a
clean shaven head when I casually remarked that I really
liked Bob Marley's amazing dread locks. "Well, I'll
grow you some," he said. And he did. That's not the
only reason I married him, but it's definitely on the list!
And yes, they're still growing. |
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| My daugher Deignan and me at an Xmas
dinner party at my house. It's one of the few times I've
ever worn my fabulous Legend's weekend earrings. I think
my friends enjoyed the showing of the earrings as much as
they did the homemade macaroni and cheese! |
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| I have two grandchildren, Michael who
is five, and Chloe, who is three. They both know a good costume
when they see one! |
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| This is a picture of E. Lynn Harris,
friend and novelist extraordinaire, me, Nikki Giovanni and
Julianne Moore from the Chicago based History Makers. They
asked me to interview Nikki, who I've known since I was a
kid, and E. Lynn gave a great party at his wonderful Atlanta
house to celebrate the occasion. Those statues we're holidng
like Oscars were gifts from The History Makers, Sister Moore's
visionary oral history project that has created a unique
library of history makers, and the people who love them! |
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| This is a picture of me and some of
my favorite writers and good friends following a presentation
we made at The National Black Arts Festival in Atlanta in
2003. Nikky Finney, a wonderful poet and author of The
World Is Round, and On Wings Made of Gauze,
in on my right. Ntozake Shange, the playwright who changed
my life with For Colored Girls Who Have Considered
Suicide When the Rainbow is Enuf...is on my left.
Next to her is Tayari Jones, one of my favorite novelists
and author of Leaving Atlanta and
The Untelling. |
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| I always participate in the National
Black Arts Festival in Atlanta and part of that is signing
my books at the Book Fair, sponsored by Medu Books in
Atlanta. Zaron's book, The Carthagenian Honor
Society, is sitting on the table beside me because
he was coming to sign later. And because I love that picture
of him on the front of the book! |
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| When Zaron and I got married, Susan
Taylor surprised us by showing up at the reception. Susan
has been a friend and great supporter of m y work since
I wrote my first piece for ESSENCE many
years ago. Having her there was a wonderful gift on a very
special day. I guess we could have been smiling wider, but
I don't know how! |
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| I do a lot of workshops and lectures.
This was a group photo taken after I did one with some young
women sponsored by Charis Books & More, Atlanta's wonderful
feminist bookstore. I think they taught me as much as I
taught them! |
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| My daughter Deignan and my grandson
with me at home in Atlanta in 2003. Michael and I look like
we have the same barber. |
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| My granddaughter, Chloe and me, taking
a look at the good luck bamboo. |
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| I don't like to fly, so Zaron and
I drive everywhere we go. On the road, for us, literally
means hitting the highway. We've driven from coast to
coast and a whole lot of places in between. The trips
have helped me to know and love this country better and
are always an adventure. This road shot was taken outside
our motel on Route 206, in Trenton, New Jersey. |
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| I am blessed to have such amazing friends.
Here Zaron and I are with four of them: Cecelia Corbin Hunter,
Walt Huntley, Jr., Mayor Shirley C. Franklin, and Ingrid
Saunders Jones. In their professional lives, each has achieved
so much I won't try to list their accomplishments, but personally,
I can't imagine my life without them. My friend, Sue Ross,
Atlanta's one and only photo griot, took the picture!) |
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Photo Credits: The photo of me and
Zaron with friends was taken by Sue Ross.
Other photos by Deignan
Lomax, Zaron W. Burnett, Jr., Charis Books & More and Medu Bookstore.
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