Our Time PressThe Local Paper with the Global View

By Linda Armstrong

Black Women, Let’s Talk Hair
Would you ever think that the topic of Black women’s hair would be enough to create a play around? Specifically, a one-woman show, written and performed by the same person. Well, it turns out that Venus Opal Reese has written and is performing in Split Ends at La MaMa E.T.C., located at 74A E. 4th Street, between 2nd Avenue and the Bowery in Manhattan from Feb. 1-11.
Now, this production isn’t just Reese giving her views on Black women’s hair or sharing her stories about her own hair. She actually interviewed many women, asking each 25 questions about their hair. For instance, asking them when they felt betrayed by their hair. The answers that she received and will share in the show are not stereotypical responses, but have a much more broad scope.
This play promises to be much more than a debate about the beauty of kinky or straight hair. Reese, in a recent interview, shared that the play will look at how Black people have “pimped” other Black people to make it. She has quite different views on Madame C.J. Walker than most people do. Reese shares the production will have dramatic and humorous moments. “I bring out the history of Black hair in America through rap and slides, and the political history of it. I also dance. I do storytelling. I’m also a mime,” this creative artist said.
Addressing who she has geared the play towards, Reese explained, “Progressive thinkers, people interested in empowering Black women. I’m writing for a Black audience, not a white one. Many times, Black women are not honored or heard. We’re always positive and negative, you’re either the hoe or the saint, it’s much more complicated than that.”
“I want audiences to experience deep engagement, to laugh, to cry, to see themselves, to be challenged, to be inspired by their own beauty, and the complexity of our beauty. It’s about us accepting and loving ourselves,” said the playwright/performer.
Tickets are $15 for adults and $10 for seniors and students with valid ID and can be purchased by calling 212-475-7710 or visiting http://www.lamama.org.
Dutchman is Gripping Theater
You only have until Feb. 24th to see the revival after 40 years of Amiri Baraka’s (aka Leroi Jones) dramatic production, Dutchman at the Cherry Lane Theatre. This production, which is brilliantly directed by Bill Duke, comes across as Baraka wrote it, as an “in your face” type of play. It has some very powerful performances by its lead actors, Dule Hill (Clay) and Jennifer Mudge (Lula). The entire production takes place on a D train ride and from the time you enter the theater, even before the play starts, you feel as if you are in a D train station as you hear the sounds of trains moving, stopping and leaving the station.

There are also large screens that literally shows you trains coming, pulling getting off and people walking up and down the platforms. Of course, once the play starts, these screens open to reveal an old-time D train. Clay is sitting down reading a book and a white woman is standing at the station. They spot each other, she boards the train and starts coming on to him from the moment she comes into the car. What happens after that I will not share, because you have to see it to believe it. Let’s say that things between them get hot and heavy, even though other people are boarding the train, but nothing is really as it seems, which Clay brutally finds out in the end.
Baraka’s plays always grab the audience by the throat and holds on. This production is the type of thing you’ll think about for a while. You’ll try to figure out the message and why Baraka chose to write such a production. This is one playwright who always slaps you into reality, whether you want to be there or not. I’ll just say that this play definitely deals with racial hatred.
Cherry Lane Theatre is located at 38 Commerce Street. For tickets, go to www.cherrylanetheatre.org or call 212-989-2020.
AUDELCO Awards: 35 and Counting
The AUDELCO Awards, which recognizes the best in Black Theater, whether it is Black actors in a Broadway production or the work of Black playwrights, technicians, costumers, set designers, etc., will celebrate its 35th year in 2007. I know it’s early, but please add to your New Year’s Resolutions to support Black Theater and one wonderful way to do that will be to plan to go to the 35th Annual AUDELCO Awards this November.
Prior to going, make sure you come prepared. Go and see a lot of Black productions or Black actors in shows, so this way you know the outstanding performers and productions that will be up for this coveted award. The AUDELCO is Black Theater’s equivalent to the Tony Awards on Broadway, but every year the theater is barely filled. Make the 35th Anniversary one to mark the record books. Let all of us commit to come together and recognize what our own are doing. The awards that productions and talent receive are called “The VIV” after Vivian Robinson, one of the late founders of the AUDELCO Awards. The AUDELCOs were first started as a means to develop audiences who would support Black productions and Black theater. Many famous actors, have won VIV Awards and have often shared how special it was to get acknowledged by their own. One such actor was Obba Babatunde. The AUDELCO Awards are so important to our theater community, a part of our society, which should be completed and supported by us because this is where our stories are properly told.
Please support Black Theater and commit to attend the 35th Annual AUDELCO Awards in November 2007. For more information go to www.audelco.net or its e-mail address: audelco@aol.com or contact AUDELCO at 212-369-6906.

The Most Reverend Katharine Jefferts-Schori XXVIth Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church, joined the Right Reverend Orris G. Walker, Jr., Chairman of the Board of Trustees,  in a festive ribbon-   cutting ceremony for Interfaith

Medical Center’s newest facility, the East Building,  on their Atlantic Avenue campus.  
“This building will house our human resources, information technologies and finance departments,” said President  and CEO Edward Glicksman, “as well as clinical programs, mobile crisis unit and faculty practice and physician offices.”  
In his remarks, Reverend Walker  noted that Interfaith is the largest employer in Central Brooklyn and that “this is just a step in the journey to bring quality health care to this part of Brooklyn.”  He also thanked Congressman Ed Towns “for his behind-the-scenes work” in smoothing the way with the political establishment.
At a time when the  only hospital news seems to be closings and cutbacks, we asked several of the dignitaries what made Interfaith different.
Glicksman answered that “One of the things is the community support and the work and desire of our board every time there has been a challenge they’ve risen to support us.   Our staff provides high-quality care and our patients know that and they come back to us.  And that’s the best measure of a hospital’s success  if your patients come back to you.” 
Asked about the effect of the closing of nearby St. Mary’s Hospital, Glicksman said, “With that closing we’ve seen a 16% increase in emergency department visits and about 700 admissions of patients that used to go to Saint Mary’s.  Our big challenge is to handle the increased volume in our emergency department.”
Congressman Towns believes  “Interfaith’s leadership makes a big difference” and that the reason for success is that  “Interfaith is tied into the community and the community is very supportive.    This hospital is needed.  The staff recognizes it, the administration recognizes it and the community recognizes it. So we’re going to fight hard to make certain that this hospital continues to grow because it answers a great need.”
Asked about national health care, Congressman Towns said, “We have to begin to look at universal health care.  This is the richest country in the world and it should be the healthiest.  I think that when a patient walks into a doctor’s office the only thing the doctor should be allowed to ask is ‘Where do you hurt?’  Not ‘How am I going to get paid.’  Patients now in many instances need to have doctors that are  experts in their area and they can’t even get to them because the doctor will not take their insurance.  That to me is criminal,” concluded the congressman.

The much-slimmed-down Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz has been on a Healthy Brooklyn campaign and is obviously following his own advice to the point of refusing a small piece of his much-beloved Junior’s cheesecake.  “What’s more important in life than good health?” he asks and says that this ribbon-cutting  “should be an omen of what’s to come in Brooklyn.”  Evaluating  the hospitals in Brooklyn, Markowitz says, “Maimonides is strong, Methodist is strong, Brooklyn Hospital is out of bankruptcy and Coney Island Hospital is doing well.”  He cautions that   “Victory is challenged and that we have to continue to monitor the situation there  but notes that “Cumberland and Woodhull are meeting their goals.” 
With the new administration in Albany, he says that, “I hope that with Governor Spitzer in office that there will be a new focus on insuring that our hospitals are provided the funding to meet the needs of their patients.”

For Graduating High School Students Living in the Kingsborough Houses (Weeksville), Brooklyn
Why the Joan Maynard/
James Weeks Scholarship?
The Joan Maynard/James Weeks Scholarship was initiated with a $50,000 endowment from Independence Community Foundation.
It is intended to provide an annual college scholarship for a young man and a young woman living in the Kingsborough Houses located across the street from the Weeksville Heritage Center.
The scholarship is a tribute to Joan Maynard for her unwavering dedication to saving and sharing the story of Weeksville, and to James Weeks for whom Weeksville is named.
ThefFoundation, a consistent supporter of Weeksville Heritage Center in its efforts to restore the landmarked historic site, and develops educational and public programs, sees the Joan Maynard/James Weeks Scholarship as a significant link between the preservation of Weeksville and neighborhood residents.
Contributions to the scholarship fund can be made to the Independcence Community Foundation/Joan Maynard James Weeks Scholarship Fund.

By Akosua Kathryn Albritton

e-Fencing
“““““““““`E-fencing is not referring to the sport of swordplay; rather, it’s the activity of selling stolen goods through the Internet.  Instead of going to pawn shops with hot merchandise, thieves innovate their craft by selling through online auction sites.  The Today Show aired a segment about e-fencing Wednesday, January 24, 2007.  There is a sizeable number of people who make their living as thieves.  Today Show had clips from actual closed circuit cameras taping teams of thieves taking merchandise from well-known retailers.  Some thieves have hand-held devices that allows them to change the barcode information to show a lower price for the goods when they go to check out.  Talk about proprietary software!  The merchandise is later sold on such sites as online auctions and clandestine locations.
Two people did on-air interviews under the condition of being shot in the shadows.  One interviewee explained the hand-held device.  It’s possible to reduce a price to a fraction of the original list and then sell the merchandise for the suggested retail price online.  For example, a product usually sold for $350 is reduced to $50.  It goes through checkout and the person pays for it.  When sold through the online auction site, the product’s suggested retail price is displayed.  Either the Web site offers only auctioning or does a combination of fixed price and bidding options.
eBay provided a written response to this phenomenon.  The company, which has partners and patrons across the globe, acknowledged the fencing opportunity and has implemented policies and procedures to spot fencing activity.  eBay realizes the major effort required to completely eradicate it and, therefore, stresses the need for developing trust and community.  eBay is not the only online auction enterprise.  In fact, it is a relative newcomer compared to online auctions that specialize in specific industries and commodities.  However, eBay is the most publicized.  Suggestions for auction enthusiasts and retailers include having cashiers well-versed in merchandise pricing and developing additional security measures on bar coding.  For buyers: get to know the sellers and ask the auction enterprises to investigate new and existing sellers-even on a random basis.
The Program’s Digital
Promotion Strategy
This columnist recently met a hip-hop artist/music producer.  He’s an office worker and writing tutor by day, and performer by night.  He’s Lateef Oseni and he says he “performs on average two to three times a week.”  While assessing English compositions, he revealed that he was part of the recent Wall Street Project Economic Summit’s Hip-Hop Showcase.  He’s busy working his show so well because he has a technology-powered public relations strategy.
Oseni maintains a My Space page (www.myspace.com/programmusic) where he uploads his beats, sounds and upcoming performance dates for his group, called The Program.  “Friends” populate his page that he found when he does searches for hip-hop fans and performers.  As a “Friend”, people exchange mail, notes and blogs.  He does the traditional PR activity that consists of networking at dates where he and other artists perform.  He distributes postcards and finds out about other performance venues.  Oseni also passes out free sample CDs.  To keep his site current he has his performances shot by digital camera and camcorder.  When he returns to his office, he uploads the shots to his MySpace page.
For those in the music business, this is old hat.  For others-new performers and fans-it’s quite fascinating.  For example, Lateef Oseni has a private recording studio in his home. Whenever he pads the walls with foam, the studio is in session.  He produces beats and records his rhymes using Pro Toolsc.  Pro Toolsc is recording software for PCs.  It comes with a stand and microphone.  Running cables from the microphone and a keyboard to the PC’s hard drive, a single artist or band is ready for a recording session.  The session is saved on the hard drive where it can be uploaded to a Web-site, burned to a CD or heard through the PC’s speakers.  Pro Toolsc allows users to experiment with mixing different music files to come up with a new sound.  The Program “has an eclectic sound with underlying strains of Old School and New School Hip Hop.”  When asked about putting up a Web site, Oseni said the website will be done later.  For now, the digital camera, camcorder, recording software, PC and the foam is moving The Program forward.
Have a story?  Know of a great Web site for review?  Do you have a question? E-mail me at akosua@plans4success.com.

With his newest plan to not lose the war, we can viscerally feel the “slippery slope,” the President George W. (Worst ever) Bush has placed this nation on.  As the United States careens downward and the winds of growing fascism whistle louder past our ears, it is readily apparent that the U.S can’t stay in Iraq but we’re to get out. This can only mean that we must leave but that would require a courage that is lacking in the leadership of this nation. The administration we now have running the country have the swaggering courage to order others to their death and order them to kill.  They have the courage and the will to order others to torture, the courage to lay waste to the United States Constitution and Bill of Rights as we know them, the courage to do away with all the freedoms that we were taught were the bedrock of this nation.  What they lack is the courage to acknowledge they were wrong.  Lack the courage to stop the disaster they’ve caused. 
More and more Americans and commentators are coming to agree with the millions who marched against the war in Iraq at its inception, agree with the French government that was ridiculed for its opposition, and agree that the United States has begun flirting with the fascism that we righteously question of other countries at other times.  Future generations will not only ask “How could the Germans have followed Hitler?”  They will also ask, “After all they’ve seen, how could the Americans have allowed their president to send 20,000 more to Baghdad?  How could they have allowed him to hold people captive, without charges, trials or chance of release?”
This can only mean that what is needed is a facing of reality and extraction of US forces.  There can be no more threat of descending into chaos, we’re already there.  No more threat of decreasing American standing in the world, we couldn’t get much lower than we are now.  The only real price left to pay is the loss of control of oil from the region.  And since that was the core reason for this debacle, it is the only reason now left to stay, but it’s not enough reason to continue the killing and the suffering, not enough reason to continue this bloody stain on the American fabric.  
Only a popular movement will give politicians the spine to stand up to the tyranny now running this country.  But this is a broken record we’ve been playing since the beginning of the war and frankly at this point, we still don’t see the mass movement of the millions needed that has signaled change in other nations.  Therefore this horror will continue.
And Parenting.
In a previous column on parenting in the African-American community, not enough homage was paid to the majority of parents who do all they can to properly raise their children and who, every day, endure challenges, hurdle barriers every which way they can just to survive.  Notice must be taken of the mothers we’ve seen, walking children to daycare at 7:30am every morning    They are dressed for work and the children have their clothes clean, hair done and skin oiled.  There are heroes and heroines all around us and we have to acknowledge, honor and support them every which way we can.
.And Survival
Speaking of survival in a cold and hostile world, while waiting on line for a chicken roti in East New York, we recently made a first-ever purchase (for journalistic purposes) of a bootleg DVD from a young Black man with an expert line of patter.  Having a background in service sales at the six-figure-plus level, we were appreciative of his skill, energy and product presentation.  It was readily apparent that if circumstances were different, he could easily be working for a major corporation that would be profiting mightily from having him on their team.
It was poetic irony that the DVD purchased was Will Smith’s The Pursuit of Happyness which chronicles the career of stock broker Chris Gardner, a “marginally employed salesman” who snares a Dean Witter Reynolds internship and becomes a top sales earner, later forming his own company.  Smith’s portrayal of a man contending with the daily pain, of survival is dead-on.