"The Ishakarahs, a local family of grassroots/ community artists, recently sustained major fire damage to their home on Capitol Street. In short, they are living without electricity. They need our help with electrical service restoration and permit costs.

For those of you who do not know the Ishakarahs, for over twenty years the family has been a major force in the African American artistic and grassroots organizing community. Where most would like to use the European term Renaissance people, they are more in tradition with the African term Griot, which means that they are painters, sculptors, poets, storytellers, drummers, historians and community activists.

I have known Baba Rahleecoh, Mama Akua Ishakarah, and all of their many children since I was in college, and even then they were on the forefront of arts and activism. Along with being superb artists, they have always coordinated and sponsored free community arts workshops so that children in the most poverty stricken neighborhoods could have access to the arts.

I, along with poet/activist/attorney June Hardwick and many others, urge our community to now thank the Ishakarahs by donating what you can to them in their time of need.

In terms of repairs, they need the following: two mattresses, ply wood, sheet rock, bricks, mortar, nails, 2x4¹s, flooring, joint compound.

June is currently trying to coordinate a benefit for the family. For more information, contact June Hardwick at [e-mail missing].

If you want to contact the Ishakarahs directly, their contact information is 2008 W. Capitel St., Jackson, MS 39209, (601) 352-4579, [e-mail missing].

This family of artists has dedicated their lives to improving the Jackson-Metro area through the arts. Let's see if we can now be there when they need us.