We Need More Black and Latina Girls Living Like Queens

                                                 Rochelle from the movie Brooklyn Castle

I’m still on a psychological high from my time in St. Louis. The HHCF squad really came together with the World Chess Hall of Fame and the St. Louis Chess Club to do some really powerful things. Of all the things that are on my mind though, the biggest priority is making sure more girls (but especially Black and Latina girls)  play chess.

My last talk was to a co-ed group of kids at a juvenile detention center. I have a daughter and a son the same age as these kids on lockdown. It troubled me deeply to leave. When I got back, I started thinking about how important it is that more girls learn and stick with the game. I’m not even talking about on a competitive level (but that would be awesome!). I mean just more casual female players of the game.

I wrote a two part series last year about kids I knew who suffered from gang violence in Oakland and San Francisco. You can read PART 1 HERE and PART 2 HERE .

One of the main things those stories taught me is that there are many young women out there who are direct and indirect victims of violence and they have no outlet.

When I first started HHCF I always planned to do huge events for women. Few realize the second event after the HHCF Kings Invitational was a Queens Invitational- but it never happened. The short version is, nobody wanted to sponsor a chess event for girls.

It was not an easy “sell”.

A few years later, we finally did pull it off and it went well, but not as good as it could have been. I hope to do an HHCF Queens event on a larger scale in the fall of 2013.

A girl playing chess at a John O'Connell High chess tournament

The main thing I see today, as an obstacle to teaching at-risk, gang intentional or gang impacted girls chess is simply their immediate situation. What I mean is, their immediate situation is so dire, so crazy, so violent and unforgiving that they don’t seem to be able to make the time to even learn the game. I’m specifically talking about teen girls here.

But for teen girls who are in tough areas, but not in “the system” I think there is MUCH we can do with chess to inspire and guide them to better lives.

The other issue I see with inner city girls is that many feel chess makes them unattractive. When I say this, I don’t mean that playing the game makes them look ugly to boys. Its actually WINNING in chess that makes them unattractive.

I have seen this first hand: Boy likes girl. Boy likes chess. Boy teaches girl chess. Girl likes chess. Girl eventually wins in chess. Boy now likes another girl. First girl quits chess so boys like her.

The social pressure a teen guy feels to win all the time against girls is silly and immature. But I have seen girls quit playing chess and watch their boyfriend play with his friends (who she can also beat) rather than play herself.

We need to teach girls that they were not put here to play second fiddle when it comes to using their mind. We need to teach boys to value intelligent women and not see them as a threat, but as a blessing in our lives.

I have a mantra I repeat to every girl I can as often as I can say it: The world is a cold and unforgiving place for an uneducated woman.

I tell them to look around them and see the women they know who are suffering. Then I ask them to ask the women they trust and are close to one question...”Did you ever go to college?”

                                       Every parent should make their daughter read this book!                                                        

It has been my personal observation, that a woman's level of suffering and education often go hand in hand. This does not mean that educated women do not suffer (many do). But uneducated women are almost sure to suffer deeper and more often than their educated sisters. For me this is not just an American issue, its a global issue. We need to teach our girls about the history they have in the game and their duty to uphold it through action! Through consistent play and sharing of the game with their friends.

I work hard to make sure girls know and love chess. Not for trophies and medals (though its always beautiful when they get them!). But for self confidence, for trusting in the power of their own mind and the life strategies that come from thinking and living like a queen.

If you agree, please share this with a girl or woman you care about. Then play a game of chess, or teach the game of chess to girl important to you.

Much Respect,

Adisa  

PS. Super shoutout to Jen Shahade, Rochelle Ballantyne, Natalia Pogonina, Phiona Mutesi and Alexandra Kosteniuk and all the women out there who play chess and inspire others to follow their lead.

 

HHCF and World Chess Hall of Fame Take Over St. Louis + Adisa Interviews GM Maurice Ashley

LISTEN TO THE INTERVIEW HERE: www.bishopchronicles.com

There are certain times in your life, where you feel it coming together. Right now is one of those moments. Shortly before I started Hip-Hop Chess Federation I interviewed Grandmaster Maurice Ashley for my second book Lyrical Swords Vol. 2: Westside Rebellion. The book also included interviews with RZA, GZA, Afrika Bambaataa and many others.

I met him face to face through Jen Shahade in NY at a HHCF/9Queens event with the RZA. He was very supportive of the momentum we had. I told him then that there was no purpose in me doing what I did if he, Jen, Josh Waitzkin and others did not exist. I explained that HHCF for most serious chess players and fans is misunderstood. That I point people in their direction, knowing that you (meaning Maurice, Jen, Josh, and other GM's, WGM's etc.) do all the true heavy lifting.

Over the years he and I would talk, or email, but we could never seem to catch up.

Thankfully, Jen Shahade introduced me to Susan Barrett from the World Chess Hall of Fame and she invited Hip-Hop Chess Federation out to do several panel discussions on the history of where Hip-Hop, chess and martial arts interlock and how we can use it to inspire children toward self-mastery and self-discovery.

L to R Alan "Gumby" Marques, rapper Asheru, Judge Jimmie Edwards, Susan Barrett of World Chess Hall of Fame, Dr. James Peterson, Mike Relm at Innovative Concept Academy

The events they set up were nothing short of amazing. We went to the famous ICA school ran by Judge Jimmie Edwards. We hosted a panel at the St. Louis Library, the Confluence Academy (also one of the best schools I have ever been to!)  and a juvenile hall detention center. To stand on Marilyn St. in Saint Louis between the World Chess Hall of Fame and the St. Louis Chess Club is like standing between Meeca and Jerusalem. The energy is electric.

Adisa Banjoko addresses Confluence Academy 

Among the other amazing things that happened though, is, Maurice Ashley interviewed me during the championships. It was a shock and I was truly nervous beyond words during the interview. But later the next night, I got to interview him. It was amazing!!! He talked about his early years as a young chess player, his time playing with Jay-Z and an amazing chess hustler set up match he had with jazz legend Wynton Marsalis. This stuff is simply beautiful. I hope you enjoy listening to it as much as much as we loved making it. St. Louis is a beautiful city and my experiences there made me a changed man. I understand chess culture better than I ever have.  

I want to thank a few people before I go and understand that the list is simply too long to really get everybody. But here it goes: Jen Shahade (you pulled the trigger on this, thank you so much!) Susan, Laura, Shannon, Amanda (great driving!), St. Louis Police Department (the two nicest cops I ever met after a fender bender was in St. Louie!), everybody at KMOX (Hi, Charlie and Debbie!),Matt Barrett, Mike, and everybody at the St. Louis Chess Club for their kindness to the HHCF squad and my family. You all opened by eyes to a new level of chess culture and duty to serve the community. Thank you for making me a better citizen of the world.

Ashley and Seirawan take on all comers at ICA in St. Louis

To my HHCF squad (The Furious Five): Mike Relm, Dr. James Peterson, Alan "Gumby" Marques, Asheru and Dr. Daaim Shabazz. You guys take the science and art of Hip-Hop, chess, martial arts and education to the next level. I could not imagine having a better experience in St. Louis than I had with you. Thank you for trusting my vision and bringing your best selves to the Live The Game event. A special shout out to Meek Gaborski (the titanium backbone of this organization) David Frazee Esq., Arash Daneshzadeh (HHCF's Education Director), LyRyan Russell, Elaine Moskowitze, Kay Hones, Pablo Fuentes,  T-KASH, Dlabrie, Shamako and Rahman, Josh Waitzkin, Joe Schloss, Dawn-Elissa Fischer, Davey D, RZA, Rakaa Iriscience, Ralek, Ryron and Rener Gracie, Denny Prokopos, Eddie Bravo and a lot of the real Hip-Hop, chess and jiu jitsu folks that really put it down for us back when nobody believed in the fusion of Hip-Hop, chess and martial arts.  

To Judge Jimmie Edwards at ICA, the St. Louis Library, to everybody at Confluence Academy and St. Louis Juvenile Detention Center I want to thank you for your open minds, for giving us a chance to speak to your youth and trusting that our vision could help. Any time you need us, please reach out. You all do amazing work and everybody at HHCF was left inspired beyond measure.

FOOD SHOUTS: Lesters, Bar Italia, Drunken Fish and PAPPYS (thanks for the extra bottle of sauce, but TSA gaffled it).

PHOTO CREDITS: Shots of ICA credit Daaim Shabazz. Photos of Maurice Ashley and Adisa Banjoko credit Mike Relm.

A look back at HHCF Chess Summer Camp

This was the best summer ever!! So much fun, so many kids...So many lessons taught, and learned....Enjoy your school year and we'll see you next summer!

                                         Every Friday we had a tournament...

                                          These two had some epic battles...

                                          This is how chess makes them feel!!

                                         Much thanks to everybody at 9 Queens!!

                                         HHCF kids, keep us smiling!