Our Time PressThe Local Paper with the Global View

Seeks to Become Youngest Person and First African-American to Fly Solo Around the World
This spring, Barrington Irving, a 23-year old senior majoring in aerospace at Florida Memorial University, will trade his cap and gown for a brown flight suit, climb into a single-engine plane he calls “Inspiration,” and embark on a round the world flight that will make him the first person of African descent and the youngest person ever to fly solo around the globe.
Born in Kingston, Jamaica and raised in inner-city Miami, Barrington hopes his 5-week historic flight will inspire other young people to resist the negative influences of the streets and work toward their dreams. As a teenager, Barrington and his friends shared a sense of hopelessness about their futures, as there was little incentive or opportunity for minority youth in the inner city to pursue professional careers. He earned good grades in high school but saw a football scholarship as his only route to college. Then one afternoon, working in his parents’ Christian bookstore, Barrington began talking with a customer, a Jamaican airline pilot, Captain Gary Robinson, who invited him to the airport the next day to see the cockpit of the Boeing 777 jet he flew for United Airlines. That day changed the young man=s life forever.
Barrington was just 15 but had found his passion. He started spending afternoons and weekends at the airport, washing planes for private aircraft owners in exchange for half-hour flights or money he could use for flying lessons. Every evening he practiced flying on his own using $40 Microsoft Flight Simulator software. Focused on the dream of becoming a pilot, he turned down college football scholarships and enrolled in a community college where his tuition was partly covered by a Florida Bright Future Scholarship based on his high marks in high school.
Barrington spent every free moment thinking about aviation, doing odd jobs to pay for flight lessons and speaking to church, school, and community groups, such as “5000 Role Models,” about career opportunities for youth in the aviation field. Before long, his volunteer efforts were noticed by community leaders in Miami, who awarded him a joint Air Force/Florida Memorial University Flight Awareness Scholarship that would cover college tuition and flying lessons.
In 2003, Barrington enrolled in Florida Memorial University where he excelled in both academic and flight training courses. Over the next few years, he continued his volunteer work as he earned his Private, Commercial Pilot, and Flight Instructor licenses as well as his Instrument Rating.
In 2005, the young pilot founded a nonprofit organization, Experience Aviation, Inc., to address the significant shortage of youth pursuing careers in aviation and aerospace. Supported by a $10,000 grant from Miami Dade Empowerment Trust, a federally funded economic development group, he offered information and guidance programs to young people in South Florida that included touring planes at the airport and learning how to use a flight simulator. Given the success of that program, the Empowerment Trust increased its commitment to $75,000 to reach more youth in the community. Barrington used those funds to set up the first Experience Aviation Learning Center, using donated computers and Microsoft Flight Simulator software, at Miami=s Opa-locka Airport.
The Columbia 400 aircraft that will carry Barrington on his World Flight Adventure has its own story. In 2003, Barrington began calling aircraft manufacturers with the unlikely request to borrow, lease, or donate a plane he could use to make aviation history. When no one said yes, he decided to ask manufacturers of the various components to donate just one of their individual products to him; he also asked Columbia, an aircraft manufacturer, whether they=d agree to assemble the plane if he could produce the parts.

During the next year, with support and guidance from Miami Executive Aviation, he visited aviation trade shows throughout the country and secured more than $300,000 in donated componentsCthe engine, tires, cockpit systems, seats, and so forthCand Columbia built him the world=s fastest single-engine piston airplane, ready to be modified with extended fuel tanks a few weeks before the global flight. In addition, he received fuel support from Chevron that enabled him to train for the global flight and visit schools throughout the country.
Barrington also approached Microsoft, who offered to host a flight blog during the trip and donate free Flight Simulator software to students taking part in Experience Aviation programs. Two satellite communications companies have also donaed a tracking system that will enable students to join Barrington=s flight, in real time, through a download from the Internet. In addition, a software development company has created a lifelike simulation of Barrington in the cockpit of his plane.
Barrington is an inspiring role model for children and adults alike. Though he started his aviation career with few financial resources, he has continued to pursue his goals with the self-confidence of an entrepreneur who sees no limits to what he can achieve. Having left the city streets for a future in the sky, he hopes his World Flight Adventure will encourage other young people to leave their fears behind and reach for the stars.
Follow Barrington on his blog at http://barringtonirving.spaces.live.com/.  As of April 11 he was in Spain.

Our Time Press and the Bedford Stuyvesant community welcome “Fort Greene Music Scene” to the neighborhood.  “Fort Greene Music Scene” which opened in 1996 is a private music studio for children and adults offering many services, such as: piano tuning and repair, private piano and guitar lessons, children’s music and video production as well as Koolkidz parties and workshops. “Fort Greene Music Scene” is the home of “Musicskool Records” and the “Koolkidz” performance group.
After 8 years in Fort Greene and 4 years in Clinton Hill, they have been “pushed out” and have landed in Bed Stuy. Jivana P. Condak, Director of “Fort Greene Music Scene” and the “Koolkidz”, states that at least 50% of her enrolled students had always come from Bedford Stuyvesant. She would like to thank the community for it’s consistent patronage over the past 12 years and hopes that her new location on the corner of Greene Ave and Nostrand Aves will make it more convenient for Bed Stuy students and their families, while still being accessible to Clinton Hill and Fort Greene.
June 2006 commemorated the Tenth Anniversary of “Fort Greene Music Scene’s” Annual Spring Recitals, showcasing the talent of many Fort Greene, Clinton Hill & Bed Stuy future stars. Recently, star student, 11 year old, Julian Silva won first place at the New York Knicks Kids Talent Search during the Half-Time Show at Madison Square Garden on March 26, 2007 where he performed a classical piece on the keyboard called Solfeggietto (written by Carl P. E. Bach). The participants compete for an educational IRA and are also awarded money. The winner is picked by audience applause. “Fort Greene Music Scene” congratulates Julian Silva for a job well done and wishes him only the best for a bright and prosperous future.
“Fort Greene Music Scene” would like to thank their new neighbors: “The Herbert Von King Cultural Arts Center” at 670 Lafayette Ave. (located in Tompkins Park) for opening their doors to the “Koolkidz” singing group for rehearsals as well as “Magnolia Tree Earth Center” at 677 Lafayette Ave. for the privilege of restoring and renovating their old upright grand piano and bringing it back to life. Look out for upcoming events at both of these locations.
The new “Fort Greene Music Scene” is located at:  491 Greene Ave #3 (corner of Nostrand Ave). Phone/fax: 718 643 2817.
Call to schedule tunings, lessons, parties, workshops, auditions or to book the “Koolkidz” to perform.

A report released this month proves that the Bed-Stuy CSA is cheaper than both the organic produce retailers in NYC and neighborhood grocery stores.  Had members of the Bed-Stuy CSA bought the same produce at the Union Square Green Market, they would have paid $355 more.  Members would have paid $250 more at Whole Foods.  Additionally, members would have paid $27 more for non-organic produce from Foodtown on Fulton Street. 
While members would have paid $85 less to purchase their produce at Met Foods on Marcus Garvey Avenue, the report reveals that much of the produce available through the CSA was not available at Met Foods.  Furthermore, Met Foods does not carry organic produce.  Essentially, for $2 – $4 more per week, residents of Bed-Stuy can purchase pesticide-free, higher quality produce through the Bed-Stuy CSA.   The Bed-Stuy CSA is truly an opportunity for residents of varying income levels to have access to fresh, high- quality produce.
The Bed-Stuy CSA, a community-led program at the Magnolia Tree Earth Center, began in 2006 to provide residents with pesticide-free, fresh produce from a local farmer of color.  The program is essentially a vegetable club.  Residents purchase “shares” in Conuco Farm.  In exchange, members receive a weekly box of produce-enough to feed a family of four-from June through October. 
Full shares cost $400 for the year, or $350 for low-income families making under $25,000 per year.  This year, the Bed-Stuy CSA is also selling half shares for smaller households (recommended for households of 1-2 individuals).  Half shares cost $250 for the year, or $200 for low-income households.
 Ideally, members pay for their “shares” in full in early spring.  These payments provide Conuco Farm financial stability during the most expensive time of the year.  Instead of being forced to take out high-interest loans, Conuco Farm uses the CSA payments to purchase seeds, hire laborers, and make repairs in advance of the harvest season.  However, members may also pay in installments, or pay with food stamps throughout the season.
Conuco Farm, based in upstate New York and owned by Hector Tejada, a Dominican farmer, delivers the produce each Thursday to Magnolia Tree Earth Center on Lafayette   Avenue, across from Tompkins Park, for members to pick up that evening.
The program began to address the growing disparities in health and food and its lack of accessibility in Bedford-Stuyvesant.  One in three Bed-Stuy residents suffer from diabetes.  Heart disease is the leading cause of death and hospitalization in the neighborhood.  Both of these diseases can be prevented with exercise and a healthy diet high in vegetables.  However, fresh vegetables are virtually impossible to purchase in the neighborhood.  Considering these factors, the Bed-Stuy CSA and Conuco Farm are dedicated to filling this need.  The group aims to be accessible to low-income residents in the neighborhood-those who have been forgotten by local grocery stores for decades and have the least access to alternatives.
For more information about the Bed-Stuy CSA, including a copy of the price comparison report and its 2007 brochure and application, please call 718.387.2116 ext. 12, or e-mail bedstuycsa@gmail.com. The group also has a web site at http://www.bedstuycsa.wetpaint.com.

By Akosua Kathryn Albritton

Just Eight Bucks
The US National Slavery Museum needs support.  The first kind of support is increasing public awareness of its existence.  The other kind of support is financial.  The museum is using viral marketing to get both kinds.  Bill Cosby is the selected spokesman to accomplish raising awareness, as well as eight dollars from every American.  In a thirty-second appeal, “The Cos'” jokes about how “every American was asked to give just eight bucks, but everybody didn’t.”  So he’s appealing to everyone again.  This spot is found on www.eightbucks.org.  The site uses Pay Pal to process debit and credit card charges.  The web site will accept donations larger than eight dollars, of course.  There is a page to e-mail the message to people in one’s address book, which is viral marketing.  Rather than expensive TV and radio advertising, Eight Bucks believes the power of viral marketing will be more effective.  There’s the Bill Cosby Green Screen Challenge to get amateur and professional videographers involved with the project.  Videographers who are skilled in Chroma key video compositing can use software such as Motto and Photoshop to create funny scenes behind Bill Cosby.  The green screen is what is used during weather forecasts.  The weather reporter only sees a green screen, while TV viewers see rolling clouds, mountains, and pictures of smiling suns across the United States.  So far, the works of Brett Atwood and Scott Stucky are featured on the site.  Other renditions may be found on www.youtube.com.  This campaign uses social media to aid the US National Slavery Museum.
How many people know about this museum?  No answer is given, but some information is offered.  The US National Slavery Museum is one of three slavery museums that focus on the tri-continental enterprise.  The US site is located in Fredericksburg, VA; another is in Liverpool, England; and the other is in a West African nation.  Virginia’s first African American Governor, L. Douglas Wilder, founded the Fredericksburg site.  Wilder pressed for the museum to be in Virginia due to owning more than forty percent of enslaved Africans. Four of the United States’ first five presidents were Virginians, and slaveholders and Virginia’s enslaved Africans grew most of the tobacco that financed the American Revolutionary War.  While still on storyboard, paintings, and 3-D graphics, the museum has hosted a gala, has an online gallery, and a shop.  Visitors to the web site will be intrigued by the online interactive museum.  To stay abreast of the museum’s progress, please visit www.usnationalslaverymuseum.org.
  And please, give eight bucks.  As Bill Cosby explains, “There are some wonderful people who sent much more, but they didn’t send it for you.”
Micro Museum
Located in Boerum Hill at 123 Smith Street, between Dean and Pacific Streets, is yet another Brooklyn treasure.  It’s the Micro Museum.  For over twenty years, this storefront operation has been making art and supporting artists.  Kathleen Laziza, one of the museum’s managers, calls it a living art center.  Media artists, visual artists, and performance artists use the space year-round for their events.  Opened to the public only on Saturdays between 12 noon and 7:00 PM, visitors pay a small fee to casually study video installations, time-based photography, or watch performances.  The other days of the week find Micro Museum staff busy booking hourly and weekly space rentals to artists for rehearsal or creating art, running children’s art classes, or doing one-on-one music classes.
Typical of many art houses, the place is under funded.  Laziza says, “The museum takes an entrepreneurial stance to maintain autonomy.”  They will sponsor bus tours and field trips of Brooklyn neighborhoods.  Under funded, however, does not mean lacking in creativity.  They also upload streaming videos to You Tube.  The Micro Museum has a cable show, “Spontaneous Combustion,” on BCAT, and collaborates with Improv Art to curate the annual International Not Still Art Festival.  In its twelfth year, International Not Still Art Festival showcases non-narrative art video, original music, and visual tablets.  The submissions come from around the world.  Most interesting is to observe the overlaying theme running through the submissions.  It’s as if the collective unconscious is at work.  One year, as an example, many offerings had a water theme.  The next festival is scheduled for October 6, 2007, featuring forty offerings with artists’ talks. 
Currently, the museum is running Spectrum: The Chakra Element.  To learn more about the exhibit and the museum in general, please visit www.micromuseum.com. 
Getting Local Biz to do e-Commerce
On Saturday, March 31, 2007, Brooklyn Community Board no. 8 presented a two-hour seminar to get local businesses and entrepreneurs up to speed on e-Commerce.  The panel included Linda Edwards, President of The Urban Tech Center, who did an easy-to-follow overview of e-commerce, which is online product and service transactions; Kelvin Alexander, Deputy Chief of Staff for State Senator Eric Adams (20th SD); and Jennifer Stevens, eBay Trading Assistant.  Kelvin Alexander spoke from the viewpoint of an entrepreneur engaged in eCommerce, and as the State Senator’s one-stop online business assistance provider.  Jennifer Stevens gave encouraging words for people who wanted to sell new and used merchandise.  Stevens told attendees that she has buyers from around the world who are interested in things you longer want.  In attendance was Councilwoman Leticia James, who made encouraging remarks.

Web site Snapshot
Use The Black Web Portal, a search engine and portal site, www.blackwebportal.com.   The site is 100% African-American owned.  The search engine and portal features a celebrity and model gallery; national calendar of events; and major headlines, discussion channels, press releases, and classifieds.  The FAQ page explains, “This site has been designed to be your window (a portal) into Black information on the web and on the street.”

By Keith L. Forest

Community Board 3 (CB3) chairwoman Beatrice P. Jones announced that she will not be seeking re-election. The announcement was made Monday, April 2, at the CB3 monthly meeting.  Ms. Jones, a longtime Bedford-Stuyvesant resident, has held the current position for the past three years.  “This appointment was only temporary and was only supposed to last a year,” stated Ms. Jones.  “I stayed three.” Jones will remain an active board member. However, she is looking forward to spending more time at her Bed- Stuy daycare center, Good Samaritans.  A nomination committee has been formed.
In addition to the announcement, the monthly event, which took place at Restoration Plaza, included an amazingly condensed agenda. 
The first item on the agenda was a presentation by Lesley Ester Redwine, director of External Affairs for Achievement First.  Introduced by Education Committee Chair Mildred Vann, Ms. Redwine shared with the community the non-profit charter school’s plans for opening a new high school in the Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood. Ms. Redwine sees this opportunity as a way to further enhance Bed-Stuy’s economic base by creating job opportunities.  Charter schools, which are considered a great alternative to the overcrowded public school systems, are not required to hire United Federated of Teachers members.
The next item on the agenda was from the Transportation committee, chaired by Rev. Robert Waterman. Rev. Waterman introduced Scott Codey, legislative manager for the Citizen’s Committee for NYC, whose organization is offering small grants to support traffic relief throughout New York. “Our goal is to band together community-based groups to focus in on a few neighborhood concerns related to traffic,” Mr. Scott stated. “We want residents to tell us what their concerns are and let’s work together to help resolve them.”
 The proposed grant will give qualified community-based organizations the resources needed to conduct studies and reports in hopes of securing the necessary infrastructure needed to correct the faltering traffic conditions. According to Mr. Codey, these items could include traffic bumps, stop signs, and, as in the case of the “Safe Routes to School Program,” visibility improvement and safety for neighborhood school routes. The deadline for this grant has been extended until April 15. 
  For the past few years, CB3 Consumer Affairs Committee, chaired by Hardy “Joe” Long, has been reaching out to the State Liquor License Association (SLA) for a meeting. The committee has been seeking clarity regarding the issuance and procedure of obtaining a license.  On March 12, 2007, their wish came true when committee members sat down for a one-on-one discussion with SLA’s new CEO, Joshua Toas, and Commissioner of Government Affairs, Thomas O’Connor. Mr. Long happily reported that the meeting was a success. According to Mr. Long, SLA, which recently underwent major administrative changes, is looking forward to strengthening its ties with community boards throughout New York.
Amalgamated Bank, touted as America’s labor bank, has its sights set on Bed-Stuy. Executives from the 90-year-old establishment, including its CEO, Derrick Cephas, held a public hearing to discuss and seek receiving a letter of support for its plans to open its first Brooklyn branch at 1245 Fulton Street.  The full-service facility will offer a variety of products and services and, according to Mr. Cephas, “job opportunities for local residents.”  CB3 board members voted 34 to 1 in favor.
Other agenda items and announcements included an update from the Block, Civic & Religious Committee’s upcoming expo. The event is scheduled to take place May 15 at Boys & Girls High School, and will include joint block watch training and citywide agencies workshops. CB3 Youth, Parks and Recreation Committee, chaired by Mr. Marion Little, will host a youth conference to discuss gang prevention on May 16.  Designed to educate youth on what to really expect when they join a gang, the conference is expected to include testimonials from former gang members, as well as gang- prevention police officers. 
Community Board 3 monthly meetings take place the first Monday of every month at Restoration Plaza, 1260 Fulton Street.  Keith L. Forest is a freelance publicist, writer, and proud Bed-Stuy homeowner who lives and works in the beloved community.  His current blog space seeks to celebrate the people and places that make up this great community, while addressing issues such as gentrification, predatory lending, and other ill norms that seek to exploit, discredit, and harm the area and its people.