While the world's attention was stolen by celebrities decked out in $10,000+ outfits and Sudanese blood diamonds, Israel used the distraction to begin its invasion of Rafah. The scenes of celebrities who have failed to use their extensive platform to mobilize against this genocide contrasted with fathers begging the remains of their slaughtered children to wake up. These people could use their platforms to levy significant pressure against Israel, yet so many of them chose not to. We need to presser them to stand up for what is right; here is how:
Dancehall Meets Hip Hop in Central Park 8/13 as @VPRecords presents their annual Free @SummerStage concert hosted by Ralph McDaniels & @DahvedLevy with performances by @therulernyc @Waynewonder25
@ShineHeadMusic and more #UndefinableVision #Music #News
Dancehall Meets Hip-Hop in Central Park NYC
Following Hip-Hops birthday on August 11th in the South Bronx. VP Records presents their annual NYC Summer Stage Concert titled this year “Dancehall Meets Hip Hop” on Saturday, August 13th, 2022 in Central Park at East 72nd Street
This FREE concert hosted by VJ Ralph McDaniels and Dahved Levy features some of the top artists of many memorable…
We’ve got a lot to celebrate during the next First Saturday on March 4!
In the spirit of Women’s History Month and two recently opened exhibitions—A Movement in Every Direction: Legacies of the Great Migration and Mary Enoch Elizabeth Baxter: “Ain’t I a Woman”— we’re honoring the pivotal role of women and nonbinary people in social, political, and aesthetic movements for liberation.
🔗 https://bit.ly/bkmfs0323
This event is free, but advance registration is required. Admission is subject to our capacity at the time of your arrival.
Bank of America is a proud sponsor of First Saturdays 25th Anniversary Season. Additional support provided by: Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso, Charles H. Revson Foundation, New York State Council on the Arts.
Luther Vandross resisted being called "the Love Doctor" because he elegantly expressed romantic emotions and yearnings without blatant sexual innuendos. His rich, velvety voice made difficult and sophisticated vocal techniques seem effortless. He interpreted popular love songs with his own unique style.
When you attended a Luther concert you came dressed up and he did not disappoint with the oppulance on display in his sets and costumes. One of the many highlights of his concerts was his marvelous ten minute rendition, “A House Is Not A Home“. He could melt every heart in the audience and transport them into another place and time.
Join us in our Luther Celebration featuring a Panel Discussion with Luther's backing vocalist, Cindy Mizelle, Luther's choreographer, James Ervin, a live performance by Keith Anthony Fluitt, a Fashion Show spotlighting Luther's timeless elegance, a Live DJ, and an inspiring weight journey with Graffiti Glamour founder, Alicia Mitchell on 4/17: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/luther-vandross-celebration-never-too-much-tickets-843474333437?aff=ebdshpsearchautocomplete
My very last comic for The Nib! End of an era! Transcription below the cut. instagram / patreon / portfolio / etsy / my book / redbubble
The first event I went to with GENDER QUEER was in NYC in 2019 at the Javits Center.
So many of the people who came to my signing were librarians, and so many of them said the same thing: "I know exactly who I want to give this to!"
Maia: "Thank you for helping readers find my book!"
While working on the book, I was genuinely unsure if anyone outside of my family and close friends would read it. But the early support of librarians and two American Library Association awards helped sell two print runs in first year.
Since then, GENDER QUEER been published in 8 languages, with more on the way: Spanish, Czech, Polish, French, Italian, Norwegian, Portugese and Dutch.
It has also been the most banned book in the United States for the past two years.
The American Library Association has tracked an astronomical increase in book challenges over the past few years. Most of these challenges are to books with diverse characters and LGBTQ themes. These challenges are coming unevenly across the US, in a pattern that mirrors the legislative attacks on LGBTQ people.
The Brooklyn Public Library offered free eCards to anyone in the US aged 13-21, in an effort to make banned books more available to young readers. A teacher in Norman, Oklahoma gave her students the QR code for the free eCard and lost her job. Summer Boismeir is now working for the Brooklyn Public Library.
Hoopla and Libby/Overdrive, apps used to access digital library books, are now banned in Mississippi to anyone under 18. Some libraries won’t allow anyone under 18 to get any kind of library card without parental permission.
When librarians in Jamestown, Michigan refused to remove GENDER QUEER and several other books, the citizens of the town voted down the library’s funding in the fall 2022 election. Without funding, the library is due to close in mid-2024.
My first event since covid hit was the American Library Association conference in June 2022 in Washington, DC. Once again, the librarians in my signing line all had similar stories for me: “Your book was challenged in our district"
"It was returned to the shelf!"
"It was removed from the shelf..."
"It was moved to the adult section."
Over and over I said: "Thank you. Thank you for working so hard to keep my book in your library. I’m sorry you had to defend it, but thank you for trying, even if it didn't work."
We are at a crossroads of freedom of speech and censorship. The future of libraries, both publicly funded and in schools, are at stake. This is massively impacting the daily lives of librarians, teachers, students, booksellers, and authors around the country. In May 2023, I read an article from the Washington Post analyzing nearly 1000 of the book challenges from the 2021-2022 school year. I was literally on route to a festival to talk about book bans when I read a startling statistic.
60% of the 1000 book challenges were submitted by just 11 people. One man alone was responsible for 92 challenges. These 11 people seem to have made submitting copy-cat book challenges their full-time hobby and their opinions are having an outsized ripple effect across the nation.
WE NEED TO MAKE THE VOICES SUPPORTING DIVERSE BOOKS AND OPPOSING BOOK BANS EVEN LOUDER.
If you are able too, show up for your library and school board meetings when book challenges are debated. Send supportive comments and emails about the Pride book display and Drag Queen story hours. If you see a display you like– for Banned Book Week, AAPI Month, Black History Month, Disability Awareness Month, Jewish holidays, Trans Day of Remembrance– compliment a librarian! Make sure they feel the love stronger than the hate <3
This is no joke… First Saturday is back on April 1. 📣
Clear your calendar, gather your group and meet us at the Museum for a celebration of National Poetry Month and the fiftieth anniversary of hip-hop featuring a lineup of poets and artists who activate language’s power to connect and express.
This event is free, but advance registration is required. Admission is subject to our capacity at the time of your arrival.
🔗 http://bit.ly/3ySlvK4
Bank of America is a proud sponsor of First Saturdays 25th Anniversary Season. April First Saturday is presented by Mugler. Additional support provided by: Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso, Charles H. Revson Foundation, New York State Council on the Arts.
You Asked for Things to Do in Nyc this Summer,—and Here's What We Recommend
In this week's blog post, I choose to share some interesting information about my street summer time in America and Jamaica. Queens Brooklyn Bronx Manhattan
I'm going to share with you a little bit of my teenage life, coming from the Jamaican islands which hold different cultures of all types of nations. You will have to change your way of movement. Learn more about the big city. I love music most of my teen life. I go wherever it is happening. Backyard parties and indoor clubs were my play ground. This was the time before the big internet and social media. The police did not understand that we were smoking cannabis and drinking. Many people were out in the party. If you will see women dancing with men. No smartphone was around. We had home phones and call boxes. We set a time and meet up to party the next morning.
New York City Caribbean party night I talk it live. I remember taking an African American woman and asking her for a dance. She did not know how to move to the base of the beats. I noticed they grew to love the dancehall reggae music over the years. They learned how we Jamaicans talked and how we vibe. Big respect to all my Queens, Brooklyn, Bronx, and Manhattan women who love the sound of reggae. Summertime here in New York is my best time to see women show off their bodies. If you play your game right, you might find yourself in love with an American woman or another natural beauty nation.
when you are in New York City. Running around when the sun comes up in the summer, if you are into going to sea, do a search on Google. If you choose to go, be on your best behavior and follow the rule.
Summertime dating and meeting women in New York I like taking a woman to a reggae stage show if they are not Jamaican. I introduce them to Jerk Chicken, Roots drinks, and real high grades. Sometimes road trips are fun to do if the money is right, or you can just take the train or drive to Manhattan on forty-second street, where you have a Boardway live show.
outdoor movie clubs life, however you choose it, is up to you.