Image Weavers: In Honor of the Spirit of Toni Cade Bambara

By NaOme Richardson

Toni Cade Bambara (TCB) touched the lives of many. Among the many are members of ImageWeavers, the Philadelphia Black and Brown Women’s Media Arts Collective

Image Weavers formed in 1994 as a media arts collective with a dual mission.

1.  Make visible that which has been invisible for too long, the lives and creative works of women of color;
2. Support the artistic development of women media artists through workshops, screenings, and independent productions.”

This mission resonated deeply with Toni Cade Bambara’s (TCB) personality and life affirming purpose. Consequently, TCB opened the door to learning how to express oneself through words and images for several women who were members of Image Weavers. She created a sacred space for those women who needed an avenue to hone their creative writing skills and to develop their artistic voice by offering them valuable feedback. Through taking TCB’s scriptwriting workshops at Scribe Video Center in the 1990’s, their entrance into her world of expressing through images and words, encouragement and sharing was duly rewarded.

We remember TCB through the lengthy personal letters with detailed commentary that she wrote in response to our scripts, short stories and poems. This profound laborious act of generosity with her time and expertise is embedded in our hearts and our spoken memories nineteen years after she became a cherished ancestor.

Barely two weeks after Image Weavers’ first public exhibition of works on January 27, 1995, TCB lovingly embraced and anointed Image Weavers in success by becoming our “pro bono agent/promoter.”

“February 10, 1995

My dear Sistus, Thank you so very much for allowing me to screen some work last week at the Smithsonian’s “100 Years of Black Film” conference. Nadine Patterson masterfully assembled clips from 5 projects (SILENCE, SHIZUE, IDA LEE, SANGRE DE TORO, and MAMA’S GIRL) as I requested from both the makers and from Nadine (Patterson). My purpose was and still is to persuade a major institution to establish an archive called “First Works” and to purchase and house contemporary works from practitioners such as yourselves…

Toni Cade Bambara

Although shown under horrendous conditions—trickle-in audience defying the snowstorm and stomping their books and making noise, plus lack of understanding between me and the projectionist as to what tape was to be shown when (I was to lecture as clips from Scribe’s “Community Visions” screened silently behind me, then shut up while ImageWeavers’ stuff played with sound, then do hard sell to the African American Dept. of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History and others who see the wisdom of establishing an archives of contemporary works)—the tape nonetheless captured the attention of filmmakers success as Camille Billops (THE KKK BOUTIQUE AIN’T JUST FOR REDNECKS) and critics such as Ed Guerrero (FRAMING BLACKNESS: THE AFRICAN AMERICAN IMAGE IN FILM) and Manthia Diawaria (BLACK CINEMA; AFRICAN CINEMA) as well as exhibitors such as Carl Erickson (who is currently doing in Roxbury what I hope we will duplicate all over the country, namely, reviving old movie houses and showing Black independent products), not to mention the conference coordinator, a bright young sister by the name of Rhea Combs and the sister in charge of the division Niani Kilkenny. Panelists throughout the day made reference to ImageWeavers as an idea (a young Black collective) and as subject matter, remarking on the variety of genre and modality and expressing an interest in seeing the works in entirety. Several conferees—such as cultural critic Greg Tate of The Village Voice, and Leasa Farra-Frazer, editor of Black Film Review—who’d not been in attendance during the screening, nonetheless inquired about “them Philly sisters we keep hearing about.”

Toni Cade Bambara’s Hands
©Susan J. Ross

So with your permission, I would like to approach the Afro Museum here and elsewhere and carry the tape around acting as an IW pro bono agent/promoter. And perhaps we can add to the tape  as projects reach completion. I am thinking most particularly of Poindexter’s YO MAMA. Meanwhile, as soon as you folks come up with a logo I’d like to have generic biz cards made for you as my contribution (people drove me crazy asking for the address)—I gave a c/o Scribe response… I cannot say enough how very honored I am to know you and to watch you make history as both individual practitioners as  an exemplary model of collective.
Respectfully & Affectionately,
Toni”[1]

As a result, those ImageWeavers who were personally touched by TCB share a common memory – the granting of permission to be and to do.  They in turn embraced forging ahead to boldly produce the works that she helped mold with her suggestions and questions including but not limited to: Nikki Harmon, C. Tina Morton (Severed Souls), Nadine Patterson (Moving With The Dreaming), Sarah C. Poindexter, and Aishah Shahidah Simmons (NO! The Rape Documentary).

Then there were those Image Weavers who met Toni Cade Bambara through her writings, including her first novel The Salt Eaters, her ground breaking and timeless anthology, The Black Woman, her short story collections (Gorilla, My Love and The Sea Bids Are Still Alive), numerous articles, and several films (in partnership with Louis Massiah, Pearl Bowser, John Akomfrah, Nadine Patterson and others) that were bequeathed to the African Diaspora and beyond.

My personal memory of TCB’s is as one standing back looking on not yet brave enough to step forward. However, her initial presence occurred long before I met her personally.  She came into my life through my reading of The Salt Eaters, a novel whose title lingers on in my memory of her for a couple of reasons:

• the boldness of her language since I was never allowed to say, “damn” with any approval from my mother while growing up much less curse out right; and
•  her daring to record the thoughts and actions of life among African Americans, along with the hurts of realizing life sugar was not truly sweet.

Perhaps TCB’s supportive spirit visited with some members of Image Weavers this summer.  The idea that Image Weavers members should return from their almost two decade hiatus occurred almost exactly twenty years after our very first meeting this past July 2014  during the Third Annual Black Star Film Festival.  An annual film festival brilliantly and masterfully organized by Maori Karmael Holmes.

After discussing the feasibility of bringing the members together, the work began. Invitations were sent and it happened.  The Reunion took place at Nikki Harmon’s home on October 25, 2014. The following Image Weavers attended: Nikki Harmon, Asake Denise Jones,Yvonne Jones, Tina Morton, NaOme Richardson, Stephanie Yarborough, Anula Shetty, Miyoshi Smith, Aishah Shahidah Simmons, Roxana Walker-Canton, and Mee Lin Youk,.  In the spirit of TCB, we had great food; we shared our current projects; and we talked

about our creative visions and creating a webpage to encourage, motivate and share thoughts and works.

We pay homage to Sister Toni Cade Bambara for being a doorkeeper who ushered us through when we were searching for the door to our own creative journeys.

ImageWeavers roll call: Zakiyah Ali, Denise Brown, Halima Brown, Charlene Gilbert, Meryl Hamilton, Nikki Harmon, Charlene Horne, Denise James, Sherri Denise James, Denise C. Jones, Yvonne Marie Jones, Barbara Kigozi, Evelyne Laurent-Perrault, Valerie Linson, Gail Lloyd, Alicia Mason, Taniyiki Marie, Carole Metellus, Wanda R. Moore, Crystal Morales, C. Tina Morton, Lisa Nelson Haynes, Portia Thuli Nxumalo, Ryva, Nadine Patterson, Sarah C. Poindexter,  Charita Powell, NaOme Richardson, Anula Shetty,  Aishah Shahidah Simmons, (the late)Barbara Smith [2], Debra Smith, Karen Smith, Miyoshi Smith, Nadine Stanley, Carmella Vassor, Roxana Walker-Canton, Gwen Watson, Tamara Xavier, Stephanie Yarbrough, Mee Lin Yuk.