All About Zahrah

Zahrah Farmer-Castillo is the executive producer and host of Days With Zahrah, a traveling lifestyle show which airs on KRON4 in San Francisco. Through Days With Zahrah, Zahrah produced the programming for and oversaw the development of days with zahrah.com, a video based travel website with hours of programming. She also created, wrote and produced a dvd/book on “San Francisco Walking Tours” due in book stores this fall. Zahrah has also been a repeat guest on ABC's The View From The Bay where she provides best of the best travel expertise and tips for dining. Zahrah produced the start up programming for the Wedding Television Network, which includes a variety of shows with formats ranging from talk to magazine and documentary styles. She also hosted their wedding planner show called “Elements.”

At BET Zahrah was a producer for Teen Summit, where her work included producing a special feature on the 911 Tragedy and The “N Word.” Zahrah has worked as an assistant writer, and floor director for CNN. She has written and produced PSA spots, town hall meetings, magazine and talk programming for the National Medical Association, The Sinkler Miller Medical Association, The Ethnic Health Institute and Alta Bates Summit Hospital.  Zahrah has produced reality and home improvement shows, pilots, and demos for a variety of real estate, health, and mental health groups.  Through Days With Zahrah, Zahrah wrote, produced and hosted two real estate specials that aired on KRON4. Lastly, Zahrah has written commercial spots for The Sacramento Observer Newspaper and she has worked as a writer for Kaiser Permanente.

On Days With Zahrah, an empowerment show for women and young adults, Zahrah has worked with a variety of celebrities ranging from Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi, Danny Glover, Daryl Hannah and San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom to Dr. Maya Angelou, Magic Johnson, Marlo Thomas and Mos Def. 

Furthermore, Zahrah is an adjunct professor at Laney College teaching Film and television. A visiting Professor at UCLA’s Anderson School of Business’s Riordan program, Zahrah taught all aspects of production to students. In addition, she has also taught production to inner city kids at the American Film Institute, in Hollywood.  Zahrah also has worked as a tutor with students in East Palo Alto.

Born and raised in San Francisco, Zahrah Farmer obtained her Master's Degree in Producing for Television and Film from The American Film Institute.  She received her Bachelor Degrees from The University of California at Davis in International Relations and Spanish.

Niners Raiders Rivalry Revelry-Off and Running

Jerry Rice who played for both the Niners and the Raiders
with LaHitz' Jacquie Taliaferro

San Francisco 49ers Fans vs. Oakland Raiders Fans
by Jacquie Taliaferro & Jackie Wright


The NFL pre-season is well underway. The Super Bowl Champion Pittsburgh Steelers are looking in top form again with head coach Mike Tomlin primed to repeat a "winner takes all season."

Our own Bay Area teams are also looking to regain their Super Bowl winning ways. The 49ers with 5 Super Bowl rings and their East Bay neighbors the Raiders with 3 rings want to go all the way again. It is no secret that animosity between Oakland and San Francisco fans runs very high with both cities enormously proud of their franchises (Click Here and See Lahitz - You Tube-for a look at the fans' highlights or lowlights depending on who you ask.)

The 49ers-Raiders' game ended with a 21 to 20 win for the 49ers however it is the pre season and had fortune and planning been different, most likely a field goal kicked by the Raiders would have tied the game. Instead, the Raiders fell short going after the entire enchilada with a two point conversion attempt.

JaMarcus Russell QB for the Raiders looked good; pretty good. Former 49ers QB Jeff Gracia also did well, considering he was playing injured.

Starter and former first pick in the over all NFL draft, Alex Smith did a good job also, as did last year's Shaun Hill. However, it was the third string Quarterbacks that showed their emerging talent. Charlie Frye for the Raiders led them to a TD and finished the game looking very confident. Nate Davis for the 49ers, a rookie from Ball State, where he also broke many of Steelers' Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger conference college records, is coming out the pocket very strong.

Let's see how this season develops. Two little known QBs might be running the show.

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LaHitz Sports Columnist
Douglas Latham

'Tis the Season!'

Once again, football is upon us. All our teams are in first place, and the Super Bowl is still within our grasp. Summer in America. It doesn't get any better.

The San Francisco Forty-Niners played their initial pre-season game against the Denver Broncos, and managed to pull out a victory, mainly because the opposing coach, the embattled Josh McDaniel, went for the win, as opposed to the tie.

After going 7 and 9 last season, under Hall of Fame coach Mike Singletary, the "Niner Nation" is eagerly anticipating a playoff season, with or without their first round draft pick, Michael Crabtree, the All-America Wide Receiver from Texas Tech. Mr. Crabtree had a fabulous career at Texas Tech, with over 40 touchdowns in just two years and was considered a top four or five pick. Mr. Crabtree was drafted at number 10 overall; prior to the draft, Crabtree underwent foot surgery and was unable to workout for teams, thus his slide to the 10th spot. He has yet to sign with the Niners, because he feels he should still get top four or five draft choice money, not tenth. I can certainly understand his position, because this contract is not just for this year, but for possibly the next five or six.


The tenuous nature of a professional football player's playing days is such that you've got to get what you can get when you can get it, so I'm here to offer a compromise, to the club and the ballplayer. Come to camp, sign a contract that's normal for the tenth pick, include language that gives the Mr. Crabtree a huge Roster Bonus in the third year if he out performs his contract. Guarantee the fifth year. Put incentives in for touches and touchdowns. Mr. Crabtree needs to understand, no one has seen him run for a year, and to commit 40 million dollars to someone whose health is in question is not a sound business practice. And the Niners need to understand, if Crabtree comes back tough, he could be a Hall of Famer in wait.

Now, "git 'er done."

************************************************************************************************************
I'm Just Sayin'!
byJackie Wright

            Jackie Wright


Ok...Ok....Mr. McNabb! Mr. McNabb, I guess I'm going to have to practice what I preach, "forgive us as we forgive those who..."

You were not on my forgiven list by any stretch of the imagination, by any
McNabb Vick means necessary; no way Jose and Josefina! But with the way you are treating Michael Vick, I must move you to the top of the list.

I thought you were cute and all of that, great player, loved the way you had your Mom in the on the family wealth making plan, serving up soup and all of that, but I held the way you treated T.O. against you. McNabb and T.O., 'why can't we all just get along?"

For some reason, I just thought you should have been bigger than T.O.'s immaturity. My goodness with one glance anyone could see he was a hurting soul. McNabb, you just came across to me as the classroom teacher's pet egging on the bad boy just before the teacher stepped back into the classroom.

Anyway, we can put all of that behind us now. T.O. did get another chance with Dallas and you have welcomed Vick home. I loving you for that McNabb. I'm loving you for that! Hopefully, it's not just all P.R. Hype!

I don't care what all the mainstream sportswriters are saying about Vick. Could they just give it a rest, pleez! He did his time for the crime; so, stop crucifying him.

McNabb, McNabb, McNabb, you're the man! Kudos to you and your teammates for welcoming Vick in the fold. That's what I'm talking 'bout!

And while they have Vick making restitution to the animal kingdom on his time off by making speeches and donations, will some of those animal kingdom businesses also give back to the inner city communities through job creation and doing business with inner city businesses instead of tipping the community with chump change donations to nonprofits (It will be a rare thing to find that they are even doing that.  Check out the Greenlining Institute's report that there is a tremendous disparity in giving by foundations to minority led nonprofits.

I'm just sayin'!

I Heard That-Special to LaHitz Media

Rochelle Metcalfe

“I HEARD THAT”: LOVING BLACK WOMEN!
by Rochelle Metcalfe‚ Feb. 18‚ 2009
Review it on NewsTrust

When celebrating BLACK HISTORY Month, we must to discuss the Black family, BLACK LOVE - RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE BLACK MAN AND BLACK WOMAN! BROTHER LARRY UKALI JOHNSON-REDD, Bay Area Educator, Spoken Word artist, author “Loving Black Women” coordinated the recent Saturday afternoon “4th Annual African-American Spoken Word Festival” held in the Social Hall of THIRD BAPTIST CHURCH here in the City. The cultural enlightenment event, cosponsored by The Conversations on Africa, followed by a He Said/She Said dinner and Relationship Forum that asked the question “IS BLACK LOVE GONE? ARE WE AS A RACE DYING OUT? Mistress of Ceremonies San Francisco educator PAT WOMACK-CLARKE, moderated the dialogue between Johnson-Redd, and flying in from L.A., PEARL, Jr., author of “Black Women Need Love too!”

Third Baptist Senior Pastor REV. AMOS BROWN was to have blessed the food and as a participant, focus on African-American History from slavery to PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA, but arrived too late. NOTICEABLY dressed in an Obama jacket!

Celebrated Spoken Word participants (clean mouth, no profanity), included: both Johnson-Redd and Pearl, Jr.; SHAKEEL ALI, and from Sacramento - Lady Poet LaRUE LORETTA DUNCAN-FOWLER, PARADISE FREEJAHLOVE, Sacramento SLAM KING TERRY MOORE and JASMINE the JAZZIEST. The 4-hour Festal ended with a marvelous dinner catered by the “Best Cuisine West of the Mississippi” SOUTHERN HOSPITALITY CHEF LESTER CLARKE got it going on - of course Southern fried chicken was served - loved his CREOLE CORN and his wife, Moderator PAT’S SWEET POTATO PIE WAS TO DIE FOR!!!

The occasion was well organized! Brother Ukali, former Announcer on radio station KPOO, launched his journey through the many layers of Black Spoken Word poetry in praise of “our SISTUHS’ that also speak well of our Brothers”. Loving Black Women pages filled with Black Love Spoken Word poetry to all women he has loved all of his life - mother, aunts, sisters, cousins, girl friends of the past and his late wife CHINWE. Words of Commitment, praise for the Black woman - RESPECT! To uphold and embrace them NOT stray away, to strengthen the race - family - COME TOGETHER!

Among guests on the scene were a family of togetherness - Artist/photographer EUGENE AND LYNNETTE WHITE and their two beautiful well mannered teenage grand kids( children of daughter TRACYE TAYLOR) NATASHA TAYLOR and GRANVILLE TAYLOR (football linebacker/running back at George Washington High School here in the City - he wears his dad’s No. 34 (rain or shine the couple are always at his games to support and encourage him).

Felt great warmth to observe the family seated at a table together enjoying the meal and talking. Eugene’s artistry and Lynnette, author of several inspirational books, that day both works were for sale. I was moved to purchase one of Eugene’s prints, seen several years ago at a gallery showing, entitled “The Princess of the Blues” scene captured several of my favorite musicians on stage at BOOM BOOM ROOM - the late LOUIS MADISON on organ, trumpeter Oscar Meyers, saxman JULIEN VAUGHT, and THE STAR vocalist Princess the central figure in the print. Never met the lady but told she performs in Third Baptist choir. THRILLED to add Eugene’s work on my wall of musicians!

The couple travel extensively throughout the South in particular, and stop at their respective home town - Eugene, Ozan, ARK., and Lynnette -Galveston Island Texas. The couple settled here in late 60s where they met and married. August will celebrate 37 years. Eugene’s paintings are impressive, capture life images in Urban America and small towns, back southern roads - the haves and have not - paintings on their apartment walls, images of family.

During two week writing hiatus during the holidays, enjoyed Christmas dinner at their home in the quiet Haight Ashbury neighborhood near Stanyan, enjoyed Lynnette’s good cooking - AH, HER DRESSING WAS TO DIE FOR!

LORRAINE HANSBERRY THEATER GOT IT GOIN’ ON! A BLOCK BUSTER stage performance, NORTHERN CALIFORNIA PREMIER, “WAITIN’ 2 END HELL” a comedy/drama by noted PLAYWRIGHT WILLIAM A. PARKER of Sacramento, directed by renown BUDDY BUTLER, featuring actor ALEX MORRIS of L.A. The acclaimed drama is an ANSWER TO TERRY McMILLAN’S “WAITING TO EXHALE” which examined men’s foibles (minor failing or weakness in character and behaviors)! Checked out the BOLD performance Sunday afternoon within the beautiful, comfortable environment of PG&E auditorium, within the building located on Beale Street, near Market and BART.

The play REDEFINES the Black Man’s place in society - “WHO DA MAN in the household - what it means for the Black family. BRIEFLY - would describe as SHOCKING, RAW, DEEP...BROTHERS TELLIN’ LIKE IT T’IS! Profuse use of the N-Word! Profanity. Music of James Brown - “It’s a MAN’s WORLD”...wouldn’t be nothing without a woman”..The question - WHY DOES A WOMAN NEED A MAN, OR FOR THAT MATTER A MAN NEED A WOMAN....Lennie Williams’ lyrics heard “Cause I love you!”

In Essence “Waitin’ 2 End Hell” is about a husband (Dante portrayed by Alex Morris) who loves his wife of 20 years, showered her with anniversary gifts; she tells him before friends she was TOO BUSY to shop for him! She’s a powerful advertising executive, he a Parole officer. As the play proceeds learn she has an outside affair - hubby true blue - waiting, begging for intimate LOVE - DENIED!!!

TOUCHÉ to STANLEY WILLIAMS, LHT Artistic Director to bring this BOLD PIECE to the stage - a discussion for TODAY, that will get couples to start talking to each other! The play ends March 1! BE READY TO EXHALE, BUT DON’T LEAVE THE THEATER UNTIL IT’S OVER - The outcome will leave you questioning and discussing it among theatergoers, your mate, for days to follow!

PARTY NOTES ON THE RHYTHM AND BLUES CLUB ACTION! Founder/Producer BOB GRAHAM CELEBRATES HIS BIRTHDAY this Sunday; rarely does he let his hair down! Stopped in recently for Acquarius Birthday celebration to join A SPECIAL LADY celebrating her birthday - BRENDA ADAMS, a courageous woman who had been ill for months, missing at the club, there Sunday sharp in red leather, flashing a pretty smile, surrounded by handsome husband PHIL ADAMS, NORMAN BROWN, JANET THOMAS, BEVERLY BREAUX. Brenda’s favorite band REED FROMER & FRIENDS OFF THE HOOK, GOT MY GROOVE on the smooth dance floor!

Also those who celebrated birthdays included: RUTLAND “DOC” HODGES, DOROTHY JONES, HORACE SPIKES, LINZLEY SYKES and ONIE WASHINGTON. HANGING out in the lounge two HOPE TO DIE BUDDIES - R&B Club dancer AARON DUNN AND CELLPHONE MAN JULIUS BANKS - Boy, you’d think he’d want to party with the good looking ladies on the scene - NAW, he’d rather talk on his CELLPHONE! Hey my brother, YOU CAN DO THAT AT HOME!!!

HEY, IT’S NICE TO BE NICE AND TO ALL OF YOU OUT THERE...LOOK FOR ME...I’LL BE THERE...
E-mail Rochelle at iheard@earthlink.net
HELLO MY FRIENDS!

ROCHELLE’S ENTERTAINMENT CALENDAR - February 18, 2009

DON’T MISS ‘I HEARD THAT’ FEATURED EVERY WEDNESDAY @WWW.BEYONDCHRON.ORG -- SIGN up for DAILY headlines:
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EVERY Wednesday Rochelle guest appearance (11:30a), BLUES/w NOEL, 9-noon, radio station KPOO 89.5 FM.

GET YOUR GROOVE ON! CHICAGO STYLE GENTLEMEN STEPPERS EVERY THURSDAY NIGHT @ LAKESIDE Lounge, 338 East 18th St., Oakland. INFO: (510) 452-2254.

EVERY MONDAY VELMA’S BLUE MONDAY BLUES JAM, 7 p.m., Host: Ed Ivey and Johnny Domino, 2246 Jerrold Ave., San Francisco.

HOT! HOT! Currently through March 1, LORRAINE HANSBERRY THEATRE Presents the Northern California premiere of William A. Parker’s uproarious comedy/drama, “WAITIN’ 2 End Hell,” in response to Terry McMillan’s “Waitin’ to EXHALE” at PG&E Auditorium, 77 Beale St., San Francisco. INFO: (415) 345-3980. * * *

February 21 - MOTOWN 50th Birthday Celebration with TWO DJ’S ON ONE STAGE - LADY BLUE BIRD and SILKY SMOOTH, 9pm @ VELMA’S LOUNGE, 2246 Jerrold St., San Francisco. INFO: (415) 505-8604.

February 21 - JACKIE PAYNE & Steve Edmonson Band, 8 p.m. BISCUITS & BLUES, Mason & Geary St., San Francisco.

February 22 - RHYTHM & BLUES Club MARDI GRAS CELEBRATION @ VERDI CLUB, 2424 Mariposa St., San Francisco. INFO: (415) 330-9994.

February 24 - BIRTHDAY GREETINGS TO ACE WASHINGTON, BACK ON THE CASE!

February 24 - GUITAR SHORTY, 8 p.m. @ BISCUITS & BLUES, Mason & Geary St., San Francisco.

February 27, 28 and March 1 - RANDY WESTON’S AFRICAN RHYTHMS TRIO @ Yoshi’s San Francisco.

February 28 - SOULFUL EARL THOMAS, 8 p.m. @ BISCUITS & BLUES, Mason & Geary St., San Francisco.

February 28-March 1 - JAZZ LEGEND alto saxophonist LOU DONALDSON @ Yoshi’s Oakland.

March 7 - HAPPY 60th BIRTHDAY TO MUNI’S FINEST- AARON DUNN of San Francisco! JULIUS BANKS AND FRIENDS are throwing Aaron a party tonight! INFO: (415) 240-6525.

March 9 - BIRTHDAY GREETINGS TO JAMES CALLOWAY of San Francisco.

March 13 - The WHISPERS, STEPHANIE MILLS, HOWARD HEWITT
8 p.m., @ The Paramount Theatre, Oakland. Ticketmaster 1-800-745-3000.
E-MAIL your event to iheard@earthlink.net or FAX (415) 586-6737.

LaHitz "Makes the Hit" with New Talent Keldamuzik

LaHitz Media showcases "Keldamuzik" at Velma's Wine Down Wednesday, October 29-for the inauguration of Velma's Home of the Sunday Blues and Jazz Club-monthly charitable event!

"We're excited about this opportunity for Kelda," said Jacquie Taliaferro. "Truly she is the 'Hardest Working Diva in Show Business.' From her reality show to her writing to her performance, Kelma draws from her life experiences and she loves to give the audience a good time."

"Wine Down Wednesday" at Velma's will kick off with a "3 in 1" Fundraiser. $10 suggested donation will help benefit "the Oakland International Film Festival," "the Year of Jubilee Foundation" and "The Golden Gate Chapter American Women in Television (AWRT) Belva Davis Diversity Scholarship. For more information about the organizations contact Jackie Wright at jackiewright@wrightnow.biz or 415 824.3990.

"It is great to be working with Velma," said Jackie Wright. "She has a heart for the community. Not only will she be opening up her club for monthly fundraisers; she has also launched "Velma's Music Mentoring Program" to assist young children in the Bay View to learn a musical instrument with one-on-one instructions from jazz and blues greats. It is a pleasure working with Velma who has a heart for the community and our music. Few people know that she had to fight racism to start the Jazz cruises that are a mainstay for many of the cruise lines. A lot of musicians are working and a lot of people are enjoying their work because of this compassionate and creative soul."

Wednesday's performance will include the San Francisco Premiere of the video "Squash It," a musical tribute to stop the violence and in memoriam of Bay Area Journalist Chauncey Bailey who was gunned down August 2, 2007 in the line of duty while working as the Editor for the Oakland Post.

Velma's Home of the Sunday Blues and Jazz Club is located at 2246 Jerrold Avenue, San Francisco, close to Bay Shore Blvd (between Barneveld and Toland avenues). 415 824. 7646.

More About Keldamuzik