Posts published in “Community”

DINING: "Black Chef Summer Series" Happening Now Through Sept. 7 in New York City

By goodblacknews on July 26, 2015

Calling all New York City-area foodies: the Black Chef Summer Series, founded by Chef Lance Knowling, Chef Maxcel Hardy, and Alize Beal is taking place at BluJeen Restaurant in Harlem, New York, from July 13 – Sept. 7.

The nine-week series highlights extraordinary African-American chefs with diverse and distinctive palates and skill sets. Beyond the opportunity to discover the cultural flavors of Harlem, guests have an opportunity to explore multiple courses and a signature cocktail. The Black Chef Summer Series will complement each magical and tasteful evening with 10% of proceeds going to both the Food Bank For New York City, and a charity of the chef’s choosing.

“Our guests can expect to indulge in delicious food, great people, and amazing wine. You will have the opportunity to meet and converse with influential professionals during the communal style dining experience. You get to build business and personal networks, so bring a lot of business cards,” says Co-Founder Beal.
Check out a snapshot of the featured chefs:
July 27
Chef James Robinson
As founder of Kitchen Cray, Robinson is committed to the community and creating accessible culinary experiences. In addition to private dining experiences, events and celebrity private chef services, he’s committed to making five-star dining an accessible and personal experience while utilizing his craft to teach underprivileged youth about healthy eating and open their eyes to a career in culinary arts.
Aug. 3
Chef Kenneth Collins
Born in Texas, Chef Kenneth Collins, of Chef Collins, has had success throughout the country. In Dallas, his cooking earned four stars for both Café Royale and Enjolie; following his time in Dallas three stars were awarded to his Hartford, Connecticut, restaurant, The Savannah. After The Savannah, his success continued in Tenafly, New Jersey, with America Bar and Restaurant, followed by New York City restaurants Ida Mae, and Smoke and Tour Restaurant & Catering.
Aug. 17
Chef Russell Jackson
Jackson, who hails from Los Angeles, will be serving up innovation. Having four restaurants launched under his belt coupled with a stint in Food Network Kitchens, Jackson remains active in the New York and San Francisco food scenes. SubCulture Dining is now a bi-coastal affair with a robust schedule and an ambitious agenda.
Chef Elle Simone Scott. Scott, a Detroit native and Brooklyn transplant, is a culinary maverick. Always drawn to creative food culture, Scott has been dazzling the culinary world since 2006, quickly becoming a highly sought after freelance food stylist and culinary producer. Scott has collaborated and contributed her unique styling abilities to Food Network, Food Network Magazine, The Cooking Channel, The Katie Couric Show, CBS Corp., ABC’s The Chew, and Bravo’s Chef Roble and Co. With a focus on beautiful and tasty dishes, Scott transcends the traditional role of a chef, working to share her gift and tell a story through food.
Sept. 7
Chef Richards
Culinary enthusiast Chef Richard Ingraham was born and raised in Miami. In 2005, he was offered what is now his current position as private chef for Miami Heat’s Dwyane Wade. He is responsible for the nutritional diet that keeps the star fit, toned, and healthy on and off the court.
To purchase tickets, visit Eventbrite.
article by Kandia Johnson via blackenterprise.com

Actor Jay Ellis and Artist Shantell Martin Team with AmfAR to Raise Awareness For “Countdown to a Cure for AIDS"

By goodblacknews on July 24, 2015

Jay Ellis and Visual Artist Shanell Martin with AmfAR Towel — Jay Ellis and Visual Artist Shanell Martin with “Be Epic, Cure AIDS,” Limited Edition AmfAR towel

My first memory of being directly affected by the death of someone who lost their life to AIDS was when tennis legend Arthur Ashe died. My father broke the news to me. It was one of those unshakeable things — nearly impossible to process and even harder to understand. In a lot of ways it hit my Dad pretty hard. My parents had gone to college at UCLA with Arthur and growing up in our household, they made sure we knew he was way more than an incredible tennis player… he was an activist that paved the way for so many. He was “a great kind guy,” their classmate and hero.
Arthur had certainly had his health challenges… but athletic superheroes weren’t supposed to succumb to an incurable disease at 49. It was unfathomable. The news of his death hit over twenty-two years ago… and sadly we still do not have a cure for a disease that affects the black community (Africans & African- Americans) the most. Statistically, we make up more than forty percent of all new cases… and Jay Ellis (“The Game”) and famed British visual artist, Shantell Martin, know its time to do something about that. Their collaboration with amfAR (the Foundation for AIDS Research) and its “Countdown to A Cure for AIDS” initiative is something I can really get behind.

Out of this amfAR collaboration comes a limited edition beach towel. Designed exclusively for amfAR to help raise awareness and find a cure for HIV/AIDS, the towel’s design features Martin’s black & white illustrations and the inscription, “Be Epic, Cure AIDS,” a nod to amfAR’s “Countdown to a Cure for AIDS” initiative, aimed at developing the scientific basis of a cure by 2020.
amfar-towel-whiter-1

This summer, I can’t think of a better accessory. This towel is exclusively sold at Scoop NYC locations and on amfAR’s website: http://shop.amfar.org/shantell-martin-amfar-towel.html for $40 with 100% of the proceeds supporting research to find a cure for HIV/AIDS. Let’s all do what we can.

Did you know:

Nearly 37 million people are now living with HIV. 2.6 million are under the age of 15.
In 2014, an estimated 2 million people were newly infected with HIV.
220,000 were under the age of 15.
Every day about 5,600 people contract HIV—more than 230 every hour.
In 2014, 1.2 million people died from AIDS.
Since the beginning of the pandemic, nearly 78 million people have contracted HIV and close to 39 million have died of AIDS- related causes.
As of March 2015, around 15 million people living with HIV (41% of the total) had access to antiretroviral therapy.

Learn more about amfAR here: http://www.amfar.org/about.html. If you don’t know her work already, find out more about Shantell Martin and her amazing art: http://www.shantellmartin.com/about/.
And Jay Ellis and his fascinating transition into the acting world: http://www.jay-ellis.com

Lesa Lakin GBN Lifestyle Editor — *article by Lesa Lakin*
*GBN Lifestyle Editor*

Chris Rock Takes Time to Speak at Chicago Youth Detention Center

By goodblacknews on July 23, 2015

Chris Rock Detention Center — Chris Rock, Sam Jones, JTDC Superintendent Leonard Dixon, and staff members of the JTDC. (Photo/JTDC staff)

Having garnered more than 16 million weekly viewers, and multiple Television Critics Association, Critics Choice, and Emmy award nominations, nearly everyone is eagerly anticipating the second season of the mega hit TV series, Empire.
But as we clamor to grasp its standing in pop culture, lost in the mist of the growing body of Empire lore has been scant consideration of the significant contributions some of its star performers are making in the lives of many Americans.
For instance, Empire’s Chris Rock departed from an exceptionally rigorous day of production to address youth at Chicago’s Juvenile Temporary Detention Center.
The facility is the largest youth detention facility in the nation, reportedly housing between 250 to 350 youth a day and employing more than 600 employees. Situated under the auspices of the Circuit Court of Cook County, the largest circuit court system in the nation, it is quite arguably the epicenter for juvenile detention in the United States. And Mr. Rock’s visit with the youth was symbolic of a perfect hybrid of pop culture and social justice consciousness.
Mr. Rock spoke candidly about the need for the youth to accept responsibility for their behavior and to resist the temptation to blame others for their current circumstances. In so doing, he specifically warned against a seemingly popular inclination to blame black fathers. Exceptionally genuine and compelling in nature, Mr. Rock lamented that too often black fathers are denounced for the perilous conditions facing many black youth, without being afforded deserving credit for their favorable contributions.

Chris Rock Takes Time to Speak at Chicago Youth Detention Center

By goodblacknews on July 23, 2015

LAPD Officer Mary O'Callaghan Gets 36 Months in Jail for Assault Caught on Video

By goodblacknews on July 23, 2015

Mary O’Callaghan‘s sentencing comes amid intense scrutiny and criticism nationwide of police use of force. The last 20 months of her sentence were suspended, meaning she’ll likely spend a little more than a year in county jail.

In the video, which can be seen by clicking here, O’Callaghan jabbed at Thomas’ throat with an open hand and threatened to kick her in the crotch. O’Callaghan then raised her boot and struck Thomas, whose body shook in response.
The recording captured Thomas — who asked officers for an ambulance more than 30 minutes before one was called — breathing heavily and repeatedly saying, “I can’t.”
A few minutes later, Thomas, a 35-year-old mother, lost consciousness. She later died.
A video from a dashboard camera in a different patrol car — also played during the trial — showed O’Callaghan smoking a cigarette as she peeked inside the car at Thomas, whose legs were tied with a nylon hobble restraint.
“That ain’t a good sign,” O’Callaghan said out loud in the video.

Omar Epps’ "Daddy Don’t Go" Documentary Tackles Absentee Fathers Stigma

By goodblacknews on July 23, 2015

Omar Epps and daugther (photo via blackcelebkids.com) — Omar Epps and daughter K’mari (photo via blackcelebkids.com)

Omar Epps has signed on to executive produce a feature-length documentary called “Daddy Don’t Go” which shines a light on those fathers who are trying to go against the statistic that 1 in 3 children are growing up fatherless.
Epps released this statement: “Being the product of a fatherless household, Daddy Don’t Go delves into an issue that’s close to my heart.
In the media, we’re always inundated with the notion that black men and/or men from impoverished areas are absent fathers. Though that may be true to an extent, there are also thousands of young men fighting to be active fathers in their children’s lives. This fact gets smothered in the media by rampant negative imagery of black men and fatherless children. Daddy Don’t Go chronicles the journeys of four such men and their respective battles to parent their children. It’s time men like these have a platform and a voice to challenge the statistics and common ideology about the issue of fatherhood.”
The project itself follows four New York fathers as they tackle fatherhood as best they can. Of course, fatherhood is never easy, and this project shows both the highs and the lows of that challenge, but in the end, it’s always worth it.
article via thegrio.com

Muslim Organizations Raised $100,000 To Rebuild Torched Black Churches

By goodblacknews on July 22, 2015

Church fire — (Source: Photo by John Tlumacki / Getty)

Muslim organizations have banded together to raise $100,000 in an effort to help rebuild Black churches in the South that were torched in recent months, the Huffington Post reports.
Three organizations — the Muslim Anti-Racism Collaborative, the Arab-American Association of New York and Ummah Wide — launched the “Respond With Love” campaign July 2 to raise funds, combating a false and long-standing idea of a Islam/Christianity feud. The campaign concluded at the end of the holy month of Ramadan, the Post writes, with a total of $100,470.
“ALL houses of worship are sanctuaries, a place where all should feel safe,” the campaign stated.
From The Huffington Post:

The fundraiser started off with a goal of $10,000, but they hit that target within hours, Linda Sarsour, executive director of AAANY, said to HuffPost in an email. They increased the target amount a few more times, and the support kept flooding in.
Faatimah Knight, a theology student and one of the campaign’s organizers, believes “Respond With Love” went viral because it contributes to a colorful, nuanced narrative about the Muslim community. “It awakens [in] some and confirms in others that Muslims are diverse and varied and that many of our concerns are domestic concerns,” Knight wrote in an email to HuffPost. “Also, Respond with Love is an anti-racism effort and there are many people in this country who are tired of racist rhetoric and racist motivated violence.”

Sarsour guesses the majority of the donors were Muslims, based on the surnames of the 2,016 people who donated. “Our campaign gave people the opportunity to take an extra step beyond just verbal solidarity,” Sarsour said to HuffPost. “Our campaign united people of all faiths, it resonated and the fact that it was lead by Muslims during the holy month of Ramadan gave the campaign more meaning and legitimacy.”

Sarsour told the Huffington Post she hopes the campaign will “encourage non-Black Muslims to support the BlackLivesMatter Movement.”
Authorities have not connected the recent swath of fires at Black churches in the south. At least one of the blazes was ruled an arson, although the FBI announced that 84 percent of church fires are not caused by arson.
article via newsone.com

First Lady Michelle Obama Teams Up With Wale for "Reach Higher" Education Initiative

By goodblacknews on July 21, 2015

First Lady Michelle Obama has tapped Wale for her Reach Higher education initiative that will promote higher education and career opportunities for young adults. The program will invite more than 130 college-bound students to the 2015 Beating the Odds Summit in Washington, D.C. These students will represent at-risk, special needs, homeless, foster and other underrepresented youth.

Wale is set to appear at the White House this Thursday to speak with the students and treat them to a show.
“I’m beyond honored and grateful to be involved in the First Lady’s ‘Reach Higher’ initiative and to have the opportunity to sit down with her, as well as perform for the kids of D.C.,” Wale said in a statement. “I believe that the youth are the first step in creating a better country, so to be involved in a program that aims to enrich their lives is truly the greatest reward. Having grown up in Washington, D.C., being invited to the White House by the first lady is a dream come true. Thank you to Mrs. Obama and her entire staff for this opportunity.”
Other participants at the Beating the Odds Summit will include Brown University student Manuel Contreras, Education Secretary Arne Duncan and E! News co-host Terrence Jenkins.
To learn more about the Reach Higher program, visit whitehouse.gov/reach-higher.
article by Dorkys Ramos via bet.com

Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture Collects Past Stories of Those Who Wrestled With Their Sexuality

By goodblacknews on July 21, 2015

Nora-Ann Thompson, 65, had three failed marriages behind her when she fell in love with a woman 20 years ago. Her family did not talk openly about sexuality. (EDWIN J. TORRES FOR THE NEW YORK TIMES)

By the time Nora-Ann Thompson fell in love with a woman, she was 45 years old and had three failed marriages behind her. The daughter of a black pastor in the Bronx, she had grown up in a family and a church that did not talk openly about sexuality, let alone homosexuality.

When she finally told her father, all he could say was “that cannot be; you need a man to take care of you and protect you,” she recalled. They never spoke of it again.

Ms. Thompson, now 65, is part of a new oral history project in Harlem that captures the experiences of 13 pioneers in New York City’s lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender communities. Their stories tell of the hardship and discrimination they faced within their own families at a time when expressing their sexuality was neither encouraged nor accepted.

All of those interviewed for the project are black, and range in age from 52 to 83. They include a transgender woman who was once homeless and took female hormone shots on the street and a transgender man who was shunned by co-workers after they learned of his medical history. Another man was taunted as gay by his sisters long before he moved to New York and came out.

Their stories will be shared Tuesday night at the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, part of the New York Public Library system. The project will become a permanent part of the center’s “In the Life Archive,” a trove of thousands of books, photographs, original manuscripts and other works produced by and about lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender New Yorkers. “In the Life” refers both to a phrase used for those lifestyles in black culture, and to the title of a 1986 anthology of black gay writers that was edited by Joseph Beam.

The new oral history project grew out of a February visit to the “In the Life Archive” by a group from a Harlem center for older adults run by Services and Advocacy for G.L.B.T. Elders, known as SAGE. As they pored over the historical materials, many of them saw their own pasts. There were exclamations of “Oh, I remember this place.” One man even picked himself out in a photo.

"Pretty" Docuseries by Antonia Opiah Explores What Beauty Means To Black Women Around The World (VIDEO)

By goodblacknews on July 20, 2015

There a lot of different ideas about what it means to be beautiful, and one new docuseries is hoping to explore every facet of it.
Pretty is something that is hard to define, but you know it when you see it. Depending on where you’re from that could look a lot different. Adding race to the equation brings in a whole new group of variables. As such, Antonia Opiah decied that it might be interesting to take a look at what beauty means to Black women around the world in her new webseries, Pretty.
According to Shadow and Act, the series debuted back in January. That means there are a bunch of episodes to get caught up on if you’re just finding out about it.

In Pretty, Antonia asks Black women from London, Paris and Milan what beauty and the concept of what is beautiful means to them. From the promo above, you get a taste of the fact that being pretty is more than just a certain set of physical attributes, it’s about what each woman brings to it. Some even share how their perception of beauty has changed over the course of their lives.
She doesn’t just speak to one type of Black woman, either. Antonia sat down with Brown girls of all complexions and backgrounds to show just how broad this subject can be. Pretty goes further beyond the surface as it also explores their thoughts on fashion, self-esteem and feminism among other things. Ultimately it all results in a tapestry of all the ways Black women are beautiful even when living in areas where European ideals are the norm.
If you’re tired of binge-watching Netflix, this docuseries is definitely an interesting break from the norm that will give you lots to ponder. Go to YouTube or un-ruly.com to see the entire web series.
article by Sonya Eskridge via hellobeautiful.com