Community Calendar

Friday, August 16th

Camille Gainer Jones & Band Medgar Evers College, 1638 Bedford Ave, rain or shine, 7-10pm, FREE. This year’s Dr. Mary Umolu Jazzy Jazz Festival honors reggae legend Eddy Grant and features musicians from a wide variety of disciplines through August 30th. Tonight’s feature is drummer Camille Gainer Jones, a protégé of Michael Carvin’s with opening her up to all styles of playing and most notably being aware of the feeling and language of different styles and her sight-reading prowess.

Saturday, August 17th

9th Annual TAMA SummerFest

Tompkins Ave. between Halsey St. & Gates Ave., 12-7pm, FREE. This annual street party takes place on the avenue noted for more businesses owned by Black women than any other in the city. Enjoy music, food and fun for all ages, including: Yoga and Afrobeats fitness classes; the best DJs in Brooklyn; the VOICE of Brooklyn competition; family activities; local artists; dance party; beer & wine-tasting; Going Natural Hair Show; fashion show by avenue boutiques; back-to-school supplies and backpack giveaways, and more.

Bead On Bond Pop-Up Bead On Bond,

296 Bond St., 2-6pm, FREE. Treat yourself to a sensory experience in a welcoming bead haven. Anu-Essentials is the pop-up at Bead On Bond this month and will offer sniffs and sprays of its natural perfumes, resins, spritzers and more. And discover all sizes of beads and baubles and tools for making jewelry and other crafts. On offer are semiprecious gemstones and new and vintage gold and sterling silver, etc. For info call (718) 935-0331, Wed- Sun.

Sunday, August 18th

Word Play MoCADA House Nolan Park, Governor’s Island, Noon-5pm, FREE. MoCADA (Museum of Contemporary African Diasporan Art) hosts The Free Black Women’s Library at its summertime Governor’s Island residency. Join Ola Ronke’s library for a day of literacy, fun and games inspired by Black women’s literature, art, history and culture. Bring a book written by a Black woman to donate or trade. Play charades, Jeopardy and Pictionary with categories and questions inspired by Black women authors. Also Scrabble, Black Card Revoked, etc. Also, storytime for kids from 2-4. E-mail thefreeblackwomenslibrary@gmail.com if you’re interested in volunteering or competing.

Monday, August 19th

Get Free Summer Meals thru August 30th Hot breakfasts and hot lunches are waiting for people 18 and under at many city schools. Cold breakfasts and lunches are available at pools, parks and libraries across the city. All menus are subject to change, but are pork-free with no artificial flavors, colors or sweeteners. Visit www.schools.nyc.gov/summermeals.

Tuesday, August 20th

Bed-Stuy Property Owner Clinic Restoration Plaza Community Rm. 2, 1368 Fulton St., 6-7:30pm, FREE. Having a hard time keeping up with your property maintenance and taxes? The clinic can help with: Landlord-Tenant Mediation; Removing HPD Code Violations; HPD Financing for Repairs and Energy-efficient upgrades; Info on DEP water and sewer charges; NHS home repair loans and Foreclosure prevention; the SCRIE “Rent Freezing” program that your senior, income-qualified or rent-stabilized tenant might benefit from, at no cost to you, and more.
Please E-mail bedstuy@hpd.nyc.gov 48 hours in advance for any reasonable accommodations you, or someone you know, may need.
Wednesday, August 21st

Amida Care/Fit4Life in Ft Greene Park

A Night of Fitness & Wellness Bedford-Stuyvesant Restoration Amphitheater, 1368 Fulton St., 6:30-8:30, FREE. Amida Care and Alwayz Fit 4 Lyfe hosts an evening of fitness and wellness as part of the Live Your Life program. The program is designed to help members learn new ways of staying healthy, whether that’s nutritious cooking, meditation, yoga, art therapy or African and Latin dance. Join this free session that’s appropriate for all bodies and experience levels, and learn to thrive, mind, body and soul.

Sunday, August 25th

SpeakFreedom RestorationART 1368 Fulton St., 12-6pm, FREE. “Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter,” said Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Join the NYC Arts community in gathering together to allow our greatest asset – our collective voice – to affirm everyone’s right to be human and to be treated with human dignity!

15th Annual Fort Greene Summer Literary Festival Roulette Intermedium 509 Atlantic Ave., 3-5pm FREE. Celebrate a summer of storytelling with highly acclaimed poets and novelists: Tina Chang (Hybrida: Poems); Shira Erlichman, (Be/Hold: A Friendship Book); Ladan Osman, (Exiles of Eden); Nicole Sealey, (Ordinary Beast: Poems). Writer and poet Angel Nafis, (BlackGirl Mansion), is Master of Ceremonies. Enjoy the young dancers of Brooklyn Ballet and welcome the summer youth program writers, ages 6-18, who will also read. It all makes for an inspiring afternoon of literature, good times, and support. A reception follows at Greenlight Bookstore in Fort Greene with drinks, cake, and conversation.

MARK YOUR CALENDAR

Saturday, September 21st
Sistas’ Place Season Opener: Charles Tolliver All-Stars at 50! Sistas’ Place, 456 Nostrand Ave., 9 & 10:30pm sets, $75 per show. All tickets purchased in advance only. The Charles Tolliver All-Stars will perform, featuring trumpeter Charles Tolliver, saxophonist Gary Bartz, bassist Buster Williams, drummer Lenny White and keyboardist Keith Brown. Sistas’ Place is the peoples’ venue where “Jazz: A Music of the Spirit Lives and Culture is our Weapon.” For tickets and info call (718) 398-1766 or visit sistasplace.org.