My name is Justin Desmangles i of the chair of the foundation celebrating the 41st year. [applause] for decades. I want to and extend my gratitude to an hour founder our founder who was one of the great artists, warriors of our time, ishmael reed is with us today. [applause] i also want to think our friends here the center for being so generous in in particular the director and to fellow board member presently the poet laureate at the center cisco jazz festival San Francisco jazz festival. [applause] the american book awards are hosted by the jazz center. Jazz has the uniquely american art form the american is a and the thread of telling it like it is to invite openly all cultures to develop and to seek peace with one another. And with that National Conversation that is exacerbated by a violent political crisis that has taken hold of the country in the rest of the world and with the viciousness of the american book awards and the before Columbus Foundation is it midways medicinal to he
Presence and persistence and devotion to this very worthy and necessary and urgent, and i would say even medicinal, organization. At the beginning of this year, in january, United States lost one of its most innovative and exciting writers, baracka. Twice winner of the american book award, who is a strong supporter of the before Columbus Foundation. In fact, his last appearance here in San Francisco was at a fundraiser at yossis, not far from here to raise money for the before Columbus Foundation. So, in our embrace, of the arc and an panorama of american art and history i want to dedicate my portion of the program to the memory of a poet and writer, ameri baraka. We have quite a harvest this afternoon. And were honored by the presence of many of the most fertile writers. Who offer illumination and insight, and as i mentioned, a few moments ago, some very strong medicine, and some very ill times. So, before we get into that, id like to start with a gentleman, good friend, who cant be w