Voices Interpreting Company

02/27/2026

Lenard D. Moore is the most prominent Black haiku poet in America. He is a writer of more than 20 forms of poetry, drama, essays, and literary criticism - and has been writing and publishing haiku for more than 20 years! Most of his published works touch on specific African American themes... exploring memories, both joyful and painful, growing up in the rural South. Moore was among the first poets to write "jazz-ku," where he performed the poetry with jazz musicians and bands. Two of his haiku poems are featured below (imagine a jazz band riffing in the background):

"blues singer
my ear shifting
her autumn-night voice"

"bobbing and bobbing
on the jazz club wall -
the bassist's shadow"

According to an essay by Charles Trumbull "Black Haiku: The Uses of Haiku by African American Poets", African Americans have had a strong and constant presence throughout the history of North American Haiku. The work of black poets often spanned the gap between mainstream haiku and the social developments of the 20th century: the Harlem Renaissance, the civil rights movement, and the Black Arts and Black Power movements. Unlike Japanese haiku writings, African American (and Native American) poets approached haiku on the basis of oral traditions and often brought with them a sociopolitical agenda where strong emotions are aroused. There you go a little culture for your brain!

02/25/2026

"Živi život"
["Live life."] 💜

02/23/2026

We all have choices. The choices we make at this moment can affect, either positively or negatively, how our futures unfold. How about we attack today and this week with patience, empathy, acceptance and yes, love. Why not try it out? Have a great week friends!

02/20/2026

"The best day on which the sun has risen is Friday." - Prophet Muhammad [Shih Muslim: 854] In the religion of Islam, Friday is the holiest day of the week on which special congregational prayers are offered. The beginning of the holy month of Ramadan began Wednesday after the sighting of the crescent moon on Tuesday evening! Ramadan is the most sacred month of the year for Muslims, it is meant to be a time of spiritual discipline.

You can learn more about Islam and how friends participate in Ramadan traditions here >> khanacademy.org/.../a/introduction-to-islam-2
>> aljazeera.com/news/2026/2/15/ramadan-2026-fasting-hours-suhoor-and-iftar-times-around-the-world
>> ing.org/resources/for-all-groups/calendar-of-important-islamic-dates/ramadan-information-sheet/
(Or maybe have a friendly convo with your friends who observe 😉)

To all our Muslim brothers and sisters, may this Ramadan bring you success in all aspects of life. Stay blessed and keep smiling!!
جمعة مباركة (Jumu'ah Mubārak)
Mubārak Alaykum Alshahr مُبارك عليكم الشهر
May this month be a blessed one

02/18/2026

The word “night” in different European languages.

Most of them descend from the same Proto-Indo-European root *nókʷts, which explains why we see patterns like night (English), Nacht (German), nacht (Dutch), noc (Polish/Czech/Slovak), ночь (noch’, Russian), and natt/nat (Scandinavian languages).

Even the Romance languages, nuit (French), notte (Italian), noche (Spanish), noite (Portuguese), share a common origin from Latin nox, noctis.

02/18/2026

02/17/2026

"Mardi Gras is the love of life. It is the harmonic convergence of our food, our music, our creativity, our eccentricity, our neighborhoods, and our joy of living. All at once." - Chris Rose, New Orleans Journalist & Writer

To all our friends celebrating BIG today, Joyeux Mardi Gras! 👑 🎂 🎉

Cajun words/phrases for you to try out today:
💜 Allons [Ah-loh(n)] >> Let's go.
💚 Ça c’est bon [Sa say boh(n)] >> That’s good.
👑 Ça va [Sa va] >> How are you?
💜 Gris-gris [gree-gree] >> To put a curse on someone. Frequently used in jest, not in reference to actual black magic. A positive voodoo!
💚 Va-t-et-vient [Vah-teh-vee-an] >> Comings and goings; Bustling. Used a LOT during Mardi Gras.
👑 Lagniappe [Lahn-yap] >> Something extra.
💜 Pauvre ti bête [Pove tee bet] >> Poor little thing.
💚 Veiller [vay-yay] >> To spend the evening talking with friends. Cajun equivalent of “to shoot the breeze.”

02/17/2026

Hello to the year of the FIRE HORSE! In East Asia, Fire Horse years are seen as both auspicious and challenging - bringing both transformative opportunities, but also requiring careful guidance and wise leadership. (Major changes that break old patterns and inspire new growth.)

The Lunar New Year is an international holiday celebrated in many Asian countries (not all) and even in the U.S.! Globally, around 2 billion people celebrate the Lunar New Year.

🇨🇳 Huǒ Mǎ - 火马 [Fire Horse] in the Chinese zodiac occurs every 60 years. Today kicks off a 16-day Spring festival for all of our Chinese friends who celebrate Chunjie! Known for its intense, independent, and passionate energy, it is considered a powerful, "double fire" year that often symbolizes major social, political, or personal shifts and transformations.

🇰🇷 In Korea, the Lunar New Year (Seollal) is a 3-day event! Hwama 화마 [Fire Horse], or more commonly identified as the Byeong-O Year 병오년, signifies the 60-year cycle of the Red Horse. It represents maximum energy, speed, strength, and independence. While traditionally viewed with superstition as a volatile time, modern interpretations view it as an opportunity for growth and courageous, foward-moving action.
Saehae bok mani badeuseyo 새해 복 많이 받으세요 [May you receive many blessings in the New Year!]

🇻🇳 Tết Nguyen Dan (Tết Festival) is the Vietnamese Lunar New Year and the most widely celebrated holiday in Vietnam. 2026 is also the year of the Bính Ngọ [Fire Horse]. For many a Horse year is a reminder to keep moving, trust your inner drive and personal direction, and to embrace change!
Cung chúc Tân Xuân 恭祝新春 [Best wishes for the new spring]

From our family to yours, may the resilience of the Horse bring you strength and vitality in 2026. Happy Lunar New Year!🔥🐴

02/14/2026

“You're so beautiful
But that's not why I love you
And I'm not sure you know
That the reason I love you, is you
Being you, just you
Yea the reason I love you
Is all that we've been through
And that's why I love you”
― Singer & Songwriter, Avril Lavigne

Valentine's Day is today - a day to express your love to your love, your family, your friends, your fur babies, everyone! Honestly, we should be expressing our love to all these folks every day. for the rest of 2026; show your peeps your love as often as you can!

Below are some sweet ways to express your love in various languages:
Arabic: حبيب قلبي (habib gelbi) - "My heart’s love"
Spanish: Mi corazón - "My heart"
Turkish: iki gözümün çiçeği - "The flower of my two eyes"
Hatian-Creole: Ou se lanmou kè mwen - "You are the love of my heart"

To all who are celebrating today, Happy Valentine's Day, lovelies! 💜 💖

02/14/2026

In Brazil, they say that "o ano só começa depois do Carnaval" —the year only starts after "Carnaval!" The Carnival festivities ("Carnaval" in Portuguese) marks the end of the Southern Hemisphere's summer break and the return to regular school and work schedules... well, only after 4 days of nationwide partying! So, today is officially the first day of Rio de Janeiro's Carnival celebration! 🎉

What is Carnival? It is the merrymaking and festivity that takes place in many Roman Catholic countries during the last few days before the Lenten season. Large-scale parties, indulging, and fun (parades, masked balls, dancing) before a time of spiritual reflection, sacrifice, and restriction. In Rio de Janeiro, the epicenter of Carnival, parades with elaborate floats and the official showcase for Rio's samba schools (Sambódromo of Marquês de Sapucaí) attracts over 2 million revelers per day!

Some essential Portuguese words for "Carnaval" in Rio!:
🦚 Fantasia ➡ costume (the bigger, the better for Carnival)
🎉 Bloco de rua ➡ a street block (bloco) where groups of people form street parties and parades
💃 Samba ➡ the heartbeat of Carnival in Brazil. This lively and rhythmic dance form is an integral part of the festivities, with its origins deeply rooted in Brazilian culture

Sang by one of the most successful female Samba singers, this is a Samba anthem for all Sambistas ➡ Não deixe o Samba Morrer by Alcione
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z7xwVxCOYYI

When visiting Brazil and asked what you think of the place— obviously you truly want to get across how much you love it (because you do), say "O Brasil é lindo maravilhoso!" [Brazil is beautiful and wonderful!]

"Aproveite o Carnaval!" [Enjoy Carnival!]

02/10/2026

"Your dreams don't have to die, and you can keep going. You can have the tenacity and make that choice to keep going forward toward your dream..." "... your dream might not actually look like the way you originally envisioned it." - Simidele Adeagbo; Nigerian Olympic Skeleton Racer

The world is heavy and we understand it's hard (sometimes dangerous) to just BE. If you feel safe to, celebrate being you, keep going, live your dreams... BE great, friends! We already know you are.

Reading list for World-Changers & Justice Seekers:
🖤🤎 readinginpublic.com/lists/LHTiug_L4G44 ( )
Documentary watch-list:
🖤🤎 pbs.org/articles/10-must-watch-black-history-documentaries
Black-Owned Businesses
🖤🤎 catchdesmoines.com/blog/stories/post/black-owned-businesses-in-greater-des-moines/ ( )

**Be sure to support local all year long!**

02/06/2026

The official motto for the 2026 Winter Olympics and Paralympics is vibrant and inclusive = "IT's Your Vibe" places people at the center of the Games. "IT" represents Italy, the host country, where the "vibes" of Milano Cortina are already being felt! It symbolizes the energy and connections between community members, volunteers, athletes, fans - every person touched by the "Olimpiadi Invernali" [Winter Olympics]. The creative vision for the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games captures expressive gestures that reflect Italian talent, movement, and artistry. The "vibes" identity/motto has been created to pay homage to the excitement of competitive sports, as well as to Italian culture and creativity - fashioning harmony between the Games, the people involved and the place in which all of this is taking place.

Go into your Olympic weekend with this Italian proverb:
"Vivi e lascia vivere." [Live and let live] A mantra for peace and to live in "armonia" [harmony]: focus on your own path and let others walk theirs.