Promoters of Drama as a Tool for Teaching Black Studies, Black Experience to all: Producer Woodie King, Jr. (left) and associate producer Kim Weston-Moran (2nd from right) welcome Amiri and Amina Baraka to a press reception for the King’s 2013 Black History Month Play Festival and tribute to Frederick Douglass, W. E. B DuBois and Adam Clayton Powell at Harlem’s Dwyer Cultural Center, last Saturday. Bro. Baraka offered scholarly perspectives to aid the actors in their portrayals, and to inform media and audience present. (Photo credit: Mel Wright)
The lives and legacies of three giants of American History — Frederick Douglass, W.E. B. DuBois and Adam Clayton Powell III — will take center stage at Woodie King Jr.’s National Black Touring Circuit’s Black History Month Play Festival, in separate performances occurring at various theatres, weekends, February 8 – 24.
“This year’s Festival examines American history from antislavery Abolitionists to the emergence of the NAACP to the height of the civil rights movement,” says King, who founded NBTC in 1974 and continues to produce and direct the series, supported by award-winning producer/actress Kim Weston Moran as associate producer. “It’s especially important for younger audiences to comprehend the relentless determination of these men as they faced inconceivable challenges in the pursuit of racial equality. They laid the framework for achievement by contemporary African-American political figures including President Obama.”
The Black History Month Play Festival will feature three-day weekend separate performances for each legend, and post-play discussions. At last weekend’s press announcement reception, the noted playwright/community activist/scholar Amiri Baraka reflected on issues faced by these African-American political figures and their respective contributions to history.
The Festival schedule follows:
February 8 – 10: Adam, a biographical drama on Cong. Adam Clayton Powell starring Timothy Simonson at the Dwyer Cultural Center, at 258 St. Nicholas Avenue. Written by Peter DeAnda and directed by Shauneille Perry, Adam is a dramatization of the words and thoughts of the Reverend and Honorable Adam Clayton Powell, Jr. Adam follows the handsome and charismatic Adam Clayton Powell, Jr. on his political journey as the Congressman who represented Harlem between 1945 and 1971.
February 15-21: He Who Endures, starring Ralph McCain as Frederick Douglass, will be presented at the National Black Theatre, 2031 Fifth Avenue (at 125th Street). He Who Endures, written by Bill Harris and directed by Ajene D. Washington, is set prior to the Civil War with Douglass questioning the direction the Abolitionist Movement with the Rev. Henry Highland Garnet, John Brown and slave-turned-rebel Shields Green. It co-stars Norman Marshall, Marcus Naylor and Leopold Lowe.
February 22 – 24: Dr. DuBois and Miss Ovington will be held at the Castillo Theatre, 543 West 42nd Street (between 10th and 11th Avenue). Co-starring Peter Jay Fernandez as W.E.B. DuBois and Kathleen Chalfant as Mary White Ovington. The play is written by Clare Coss and directed by Gabrielle Kurlander. It captures a moment of crisis between two esteemed founders of the NAACP in 1915 when DuBois submits his resignation.
Performances are Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30pm and Sundays at 3:00pm. Tickets: $20. For information: (212) 279-4200 or ticketcentral.com.
Petitioning season is months away and candidates for 2013 races are beginning to position themselves. With many open seats due to term limits and late deciders just entering campaigns, voters will have to pay close attention.
For months, state Senator Eric Adams – who made a strategic long-term plan to make history by running for Brooklyn Borough President – thought he was going to have Coney Island Councilman Domenic Recchia as a Democratic challenger. Just over a week ago, term-limited Recchia suddenly dropped out of the race. Recchia, who is chair of the City Council Finance Committee, is said to challenge Republican Congressman Michael Grimm. Brooklyn’s political punditocracy believes Recchia made a smart move. Recchia will attract national attention and campaign support against Grimm, who is under federal and House Ethics investigations for alleged fund-raising irregularities.
With Recchia out of the race, Adams — who has raised an impressive $420,000 – is virtually guaranteed the Borough Presidency, not simply due to lacking a challenger, but on the strength of his diverse bases of support. Once elected, Adams’ Senate seat will open up.
If you ever wanted to know what it feels like to be an almost-guaranteed shoe-in for two elected offices, just ask Jesse Hamilton. He knows. Hamilton, an attorney who has established himself in the rough-and-tumble world of Brooklyn politics, is running for the 35th District City Council seat presumably to be vacated by Letitia James, who is strongly leaning towards running as the first African-American woman to campaign for NYC Public Advocate.
There are several other active 35th Council seat challengers who have declared their candidacies with the NYC Board of Elections: former 57th AD Female District Leader Olanike Alabi, Laurie Cumbo, founding director of MoCADA, Brooklyn’s first Museum of Contemporary African Diasporan Arts; and Jelani Mashariki, local and international activist. Ede Fox, former Legislative and Budget Director for Councilmember Melissa Mark-Viverito and former Chief of Staff for Councilmember Jumaane D. Williams, has also expressed her intent to run.
It is too early to determine who will have financial muscle behind their campaigns based upon January 2013 filing deadlines, but Cumbo has amassed a war chest of $30,000 while Alabi had $10,000. Hamilton — who won reelection last year as Male District Leader for the 43rd AD — has just begun to ramp up his fund-raising.
Having paid his dues as a local political operative, Hamilton, a long-term member and current President of the Rosa Parks Democratic Club, will surely get the support of the Democratic machine. Though Hamilton is going for Council, he is also well-placed to get the Democratic Committee nod for the impending Senate special election should he choose to go for it.
So far, one other name has surfaced as a possible candidate for Eric Adams’ soon-to-be-vacated seat: 52nd AD District Leader Chris Owens. When asked, Owens said he “is open to discussions” and has not ruled out a run for the Senate seat.
If you happen to see Jesse Hamilton, remember to ask him “How does it feel?”
Other Local Races:
Term-limited Al Vann’s 36th Council District is being challenged by 58th AD District Leader Robert Cornegy, Rev. Robert Waterman, Kirsten Foy, Tremaine Wright and Carl Luciano. Rev. Conrad Tillard may also enter the race.
Assemblywoman Inez Barron is running for the 42nd Council District seat held by her husband, term-limited Charles Barron. Nikki Lucas and Christopher Banks have registered to run. Former Assemblywoman Diane Gordon is not entering the race, so far.
Darlene Mealy is running for re-election in the 41st Council district. Though not yet declared, challengers for Mealy’s seat possibly include “Uncle” Roy Antoine, Anthony Basheer Jones, Reggie Bowman, Bishop Robert Townsley and Latrice Walker.
Mercedes Narcisse, who has long been planning to run for term-limited Lew Fidler’s 46th Council seat, will be challenged by Assemblyman Alan Maisel. Narcisse has been endorsed by “Emily’s List” and has a $35,000 fund-raising head start over Maisel.
Students at Medgar Evers College were prescient regarding the eminent leadership crisis at the school. Mere days before President Pollard announced his resignation, a group called Students for Owens called for Congressman Major Owens to lead the college on an interim basis. “Yes, I would do it,” Owens said when asked. “It ought to be done.” Owens said new interim leadership is vital because the school is in danger. “I care a lot about this institution. I helped establish it,” said Owens. “I will cooperate with anybody who is selected and qualified to do it, but in the absence of anybody else I am certainly willing to do it.” He added, “It will be a lot of hard work for a short period of time, but Medgar Evers College is worth it.”
Students for Owens cite the congressman’s distinguished service to the college since its inception as a founder, state and federal legislative advocate, federal grants sponsor, distinguished lecturer and faculty advisor for the Medgar Evers College Society for Public Administration and for ADAFI, the MEC Student Newspaper. Students for Owens view his record, as well as intimate knowledge of key stakeholders, as critical to correcting Medgar Evers College’s greatest threat: a warning from the Middle States Commission on Accreditation for non-compliance under the leadership of President Pollard.
Last autumn, Medgar Evers College failed accreditation standards related to institutional planning, resources and institutional assessment, and assessment of student learning which impact the cCollege’s overall accreditation. The clock is ticking on remediation. “The appointment of an interim successor must be done with all due haste,” wrote Dr. Sallie Cuffee to Chancellor Goldstein on behalf of the Executive Committee of the Faculty Senate. “Dr. Pollard has resigned, and must go, now.”
The letter is a message of strength. “We know what is possible if we all work collectively to ensure the survival of our institution. Our response to Middle States must be comprehensive, one that will involve the entire college community in an assessment of its goals, initiatives and programs,” Cuffee wrote. “The college needs an interim successor and interim academic team that possesses leadership qualities and competencies which will inspire and raise the morale of faculty, staff and students as we collectively work to strengthen our accreditation and our institution, an institution that has left a legacy for thousands of students and one that must be preserved to ensure an continuing legacy.”
Local elected officials concur with Medgar Evers College students and faculty.
“I share in the community’s concerns about this transition period in the life of the Medgar Evers College community and strengthening the role in the education of our students. I wholeheartedly support any effort to identify an interim president who would help ensure this academic institution retains its accreditation under the Middle States Commission on Higher Education and provides the much-needed stability to the campus,” stated Congresswoman Yvette Clarke. “It is imperative that the leadership at the City University of New York and college community use this time to identify and assess qualified and committed candidates who will be considered to serve in this capacity..”
“I, too, support an interim president at Medgar Evers College,” said Councilwoman Letitia James. In a statement, James recounted a litany of issues. “Under the leadership of Dr. William Pollard – who became president of Medgar Evers College in August 2009 – Medgar Evers College cut back on spending for student services. Specifically, media reports cite that professors stated a writing center for students was eliminated, and tutoring services cut back. The dismissal or demotion of professors was also sharply criticized. This followed a ‘no confidence vote’ – made in December 2010 – in which a significant number of CUNY’s tenured professors expressed serious concerns about the state of the college following the elimination of the Center for NuLeadership on Urban Solutions, a think tank run by academically pedigreed, formerly incarcerated experts focused on prison reform policies.”
Councilwoman Letitia James and other elected officials have supported students and faculty in their efforts to address existing issues with the Medgar Evers Administration. In 2011, the students presented a petition to the administration. The students were primarily concerned with actions they believed were contrary to “the mission of the predominently Black institution of higher learning” and that sought “to dismantle the college’s community-based centers.”
“I am confident that Medgar Evers College will be able to refocus full attention on providing their students with the tools they need to succeed,” said James.
“I am optimistic that Medgar Evers College will leave this dark, turbulent period behind and will move on to the next chapter of building an educational institutional that central Brooklyn deserves,” said Assemblyman Karim Camara. “I am in support of an interim president. Certainly, that is the only way the College will be able to move forward and get back student and faculty morale that is needed as they go through the accreditation process.”
During a recent interview with radio veteran Rennie Bishop, state Senator Kevin Parker said he was so concerned about the Pollard Administration that he put a bill in the Senate that would have eliminated the CUNY Board and merged CUNY into SUNY. “I wanted them to see and understand how important it was for me,” said Parker. “I felt like, ‘If you are not going to take what I am saying to you seriously…’. As a member of the Higher Education Committee, a member of the Finance Committee and a member of the Senate, every single board member on the CUNY Board I voted for three times in each one of those committees. I approved their budget every single year. If I am approving people for their jobs and giving folks money, they certainly ought to be taking that seriously, and initially they were not taking it as seriously as they needed to.”
“I think we have gotten their attention,” Parker said. “I expect a different behavior from the CUNY Chancellor and the Board going forward.”
Regarding the Center for NuLeadership and the symbiotic relationship between the community and the college, Parker said, “People need to understand that there is a certain historical context in which Medgar Evers got created. It is the only Historically Black college in the City University of NY system created by legislators. Principally, Assemblyman — now Councilman – Al Vann and Assemblyman Roger Green were a part of that process of bringing the college here. We are not talking about something that got done and we don’t know what the intention was. We know what the intention was. The people are still around who did it.” Parker added, “I think part of what Dr. Pollard failed to recognize is the community link.”
Senator Parker explained that “Part of the educational process for students at Medgar Evers has been learning outside of the classroom and creating a synthesis between community work and classroom understanding. It is that paradigm which has made Medgar Evers the kind of college many people wanted to go to. What you are seeing with the Center for NuLeadership was a lack of understanding the link between institutions like the Center for NuLeadership and Medgar Evers College. That is something we are mindful of as we pick the new leader of Medgar Evers College.”
Two questions remain: How can a lame-duck president, pressured to resign, manage the short- and long-term administrative decisions at issue without being inherently in conflict with the well-being of the institution? How can he be trusted not to do irreparable harm?
The community has made its decision: An interim president must be installed at Medgar Evers College immediately. The stakeholders have decided that interim president should be Congressman Major Owens. Both community and stakeholders are monitoring to see if Chancellor Goldstein and the CUNY Board are listening.
Now that the Super Bowl is over and done with, what will the Jets and Giants roster look like in the 2013-14 season? The Jets season was just one big circus, led by coach Rex Ryan. Ryan did not make any guarantees about his team making the Super Bowl as he did the previous 2 years, however his main concern for next year should be what moves does he and new general manager John Idzik need to make to get “Gang Green” back into the playoffs.
The Jets finished the season with a 6-10 record with put them nearly last in the AFC East. There are many holes coming up for Idzik to fill in such as the quarterback position. Mark Sanchez was just plain awful this past year and the Jets might look to sign a veteran QB or look to grab another quarterback in this April’s NFL Draft. Sanchez is owed $ 8.25 million dollars next year. Another player to watch out for is Darrelle Revis.
After his year was cut short due to a season-ending ACL injury, Revis is looking for a big fat extension from the Jets. Revis is still considered one of, if not the best cornerback in football. Jets management might not think so as Revis is entering the last year of his contract and is reportedly seeking a multi-year deal which will pay him roughly $16 million a year. That may be a bit more than what the Jets planned to offer him. Because the Jets are $22 million dollars over the salary cap, trading Revis may be difficult. But, if you’re going to do it, why not get a running back in return? I’m thinking Darrelle Revis for Tennessee Titan’s Chris Johnson perhaps. Just throwing it out there Mr. Idsik. The team may have to release some veteran players so they can flex their money around and acquire the pieces they so desperately need.
As for the Giants, it was a disappointing year for Eli Manning and company. After a hot 6-2 start, the “G-Men” lost 5 of their last 8 games and did not make the playoffs after winning it all in 2011. The team has started their off season house cleaning already, releasing key players such as linebacker, Michael Boley, defensive tackle Chris Canty, and even veteran running back Ahmad Bradshaw. Bradshaw was projected to make $3.75 million in 2013 and has 2 years left in his contract. Canty was going to make $6.25 million in base salary this season.
The Giants as a team were projected to be $4.7 million over the salary cap and the team had to create space to try and re-sign free agents such as Will Beatty, Stevie Brown, and Victor Cruz. It is unlikely that the team has finished revamping their roster since they want Cruz back and he wants to return to New York anyway and Hakeem Nicks is entering the final year of his contract and the team wants to keep him as well.
So for both teams it seems like a lot of holes to fill. The Jets have to convince themselves whether Mark Sanchez is the answer long-term for the team as their quarterback. Tim Tebow appears to be on his way out of New York. According to Rex Ryan, Sanchez will be competing for the starting job this season. For the Giants, it’s simple, do whatever it takes to get back to the Super Bowl. What a sight it will be if either team can make it next year being that the big game will be played in MetLife Stadium in New Jersey in 2014. It is expected to be an interesting and active off-season for both New York teams.
Sports Notes: (Baseball) Pitchers and catchers report to spring training in a few weeks. Spring training is underway for the Mets and Yankees. (Basketball) The Brooklyn Nets head to the nation’s capital to play John Wall and the Washington Wizards. The Knicks look to continue their winning ways of late as they head to Minnesota to play Ricky Rubio and the Timberwolves.
As we celebrate Black History Month, the contributions made acknowledging and appreciating our youth by musicians (now deceased) are remembered. Being artists, they captured with music and words the promise of youth –reminding us of our duty to them. But then that is the awesome ability of artists – to illustrating and transforming analysis and actions needed for life-changing results. And on this Black History Month in 2013 with thousands of our children being jailed and killed yearly, we sorely need to commit to change actions in order to change the results.
Whitney Houston, in the song “The Children Are Our Future”, the lyrics “I believe the children are our future – Teach them well and let them lead the way – Show them all the beauty they possess inside – Give them a sense of pride to make it easier – Let the children’s laughter remind us how we used to be–Everybody searching for a hero –People need someone to look up to–I never found anyone to fulfill my needs–A lonely place to be- So I learned to depend on me.”
Statistics show our children are in trouble. The question is can we stop depending on others and take responsibility for making a difference in their lives. The home is the place where the potential power is groomed. What are you willing to do as an individual?
Marvin Gaye in “Save the Children.” “When I look at the world it fills me with sorrow – little children today are gonna suffer tomorrow- oh what a shame, what a bad way to live – All who is to blame, we can’t stop livin’ – live, live for life – but let live everybody. Live life for the children.”
The message reiterates the fact that the children are the future and obviously we are responsible for saving them – thereby saving their future translates to saving the world. And adults taking responsibility for our lives so we can pass that on is essential to our youth. So join the Parent’s Notebook in the quest to reclaim responsibility for our lives and claim the power that comes with that so we can save our children.
Michael Jackson in “We are the World” “We are the world, we are the children – we are the ones who make a brighter day – so let’s start giving – There’s a choice we’re making – we’re saving our own lives – It’s true we’ll make a better day – Just you and me.”
While the song was created in a humanitarian project for Africa, the need is here today in this country, in our state and on our blocks. And it rates high on the list of reminders that more is needed from us as individuals, parents, family and community. In the coming weeks, we will look at some key hurdles that we (as a people) need to confront and resolve so we can heal and create powerful relationships for our sake and for our children’s sake. We’ll start with healing our relationships. Ideas and suggestions are welcomed. Send to parentsnotebook@yahoo.com.
PN Alerts!
*** Deadline Feb. 25, 2013 – Congressional Black Caucus Foundation (CBCF) is giving 43 scholarships at $2,500 to students studying medicine, engineering, technology, nutrition or another health-related field and have financial need. Applicants must be high school seniors or graduates or current postsecondary undergraduate level students; etc. with a minimum grade point average of 2.75 on a 4.0 scale. For more details:
www.scholarshipsonlikne.org/2013/02/congressional-black-caucus-general-mills-health-scholarship.html
***Other Scholarships available in 2013 – visit www.ScholarshipsOnline.org
***Roots Revisited launches its 29th year of celebrating Black History Month with its annual College Tours – Students 4th through 12th grades are eligible. For info on February tour and further information call 718-773-0246 or 718-574-5482.
*** Free Open House Weekend 2013 at the Apollo on Saturday, Feb. 9; Sunday, Feb. 10 12 – 5pm.
Featuring live performances, a Family Instrument Making Workshop, film screenings and other family workshops. Address: 253 W. 125th St. 212-531-5337
***A Call for all to help provide better opportunities for our youth now! Sign an online petition supporting The Youth Depot – a place that’ll bring together, and make more accessible, various Youth Service Organizations to equip and provide teens with the information, activities, sports, services and tools to become productive dynamic adults, and it WILL PRODUCE JOBS. It is the reformation of the village that is needed to raise our children. For further info on The Youth Depot contact Dr. Jackie at codycares@hotmail.com.
