*New* Black Gay Media Campaign

Today, New York State Black Gay Network launched a new ad campaign in New York City buses, subways, and other prominent media spots in black communities across the city along side launching their WeAreAPartOfYou.org website. Under the project title Campaign to Save Black Men's Lives, the Network held a a press conference on 125th and Broadway where two of its three striking billboards have gone up.

In a press release, Executive Director Mark McClaurin says that "Black gay men have always been a part of every aspect of the Black community, it's not a matter of acceptance from the community of some foreign presence, it is about acknowledgement, love and respect from our own for us. If we want to stop the spread of HIV, Black gay men need to know that their lives matter in the very communities in which they live."

I think this is campaign is hot and inspiring. And not just because Network worker-bee Kenyon is my old roommate and dear friend, or because I'm going to be jumping off a black LGBT theatre company at the Networkhis fall.. oorrrrr because the design concept (color themes and rhyme) is on fi-yah!! Okay so maybe its a confluence of all dat. But really this is just so awesome and affirming. To be black and gay in this city is tuff, we all know this by now. With this blitz adds a little something to look up to as we walk by screaming "I AM SOMEBODY!"

this will go a long ways for us protecting ourselves! and gettin' inclusion from our community.

I am Gay and This is Where I Pray, hmmm... sounds catchy. :)) I likes.

Work it out, Network! Work it.

In Her Memory

saw the show last nite... we need to truck busloads of young ppl, girls and boys, to see this show. Props to piper for performing and speaking her heART.

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In Her Memory
A solo performance work written and performed by Piper Anderson

Directed by Wema Harris

Sound Design by Celena Glenn
Set Design by Crystal Clarity

Show Dates:
August 19th 8pm
August 20th 6pm

*Post-show discussion after each performance.

Where: American Place Theatre/Blackout Arts Collective
520 8th Ave 22nd Floor
Btwn 36th St & 37th St

Tickets are $10 General Admission $8 Students

Limited Seating so don't wait to get your tickets. Selling NOW on
Theatremania.com.

In Her Memory is the story of a young woman who finds herself at a
crossroads after a cousin is murdered by her husband. This tragic
death forces her to rethink her own choices in life and love. In the
process she calls on her ancestors for clarity, strength, and the
courage to leave violence behind. Based on a true story In Her Memory
is powerfully told through poetry, testimonial, movement, and a ritual
of rememory. Healing, Transformative, Celebratory, and Painfully
honest you don't want to miss this performance experience.

For more information www.piperanderson.com

CASTING CALL

From one of my main grrls to whom i'd give my theatre life.. the one, the only, c. sala hewitt. if you have the time and can make the commitment, make art/work with her. you'll never be the same. :))

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ACTORS AND POETS—AUDITIONS CALLED FOR SHORT QPOC FILM

Wardrobe & Stylist also needed!

Casting 8 feature roles and extras for short film "Good Looking Out": the story of two women in love and what they must do to survive in their urban neighborhood and in their new home together when harassment, politics, and police threaten to disrupt their peace. Written/Directed by C. Sala Hewitt

This is an unpaid, non-union student film. Build your film reel! Food will be provided. Actors must be available October 7, 8, and 9 for shooting.

Auditions will be held on:

Thursday, 8/24, 2:30pm—4:30pm

Friday, 8/25, 11:00am—2:00pm

Monday, 8/28, 6:00pm—7:30pm

Go to 303 W42nd Street, Suite #315. Email saladarity@yahoo.com. Type "Audition" in the Subject. Include your name, phone number, day you would like to audition, and character you're auditioning for.

Actors should bring headshot/resume, plus a monologue. Poets should bring a piece of poetry with the theme of community empowerment, policing, black liberation, or anti-violence.

CHARACTERS FOR CASTING:

IRIE: A lithe "gay boy"-looking, Black or BLatina/o BOI or AG or butch lesbian (fill in label or don't), who looks early 20s. Irie's clean-cut and fresh-looking,but straight from the hood and still in the hood. New to the world of activism, and right now for her there's no compromises.

MONIQUE: 21-year-old femme Black or BLatina or some combination heritage person (as long as you're comfortable claiming the colored side of ya.) She's an aspiring new actress, slightly spoiled, from an middle class background, but can keep it real.

ROBBIE: Local loiterer/corner man. Black male, preferably with locked hair, age range 20-27.

Muggers: 2 black males, age range 16-27

Cop: 1 Latino or Caucasian male age 27-40

Emcee: 1 Black or Latino male to play political activist at a community fundraiser

Poet: 1 Black or Latino spokenword female poet (political activist). Should have self-prepared material, and be willing to showcase poetry in the film.

Casting Director: 1 Caucasian male

Cast Extras include:

3 African--style Drummers

2 Middle-aged Black or Latino Domino players

5 Male catcallers of Arabic, Black, or Latino, descent

1 Caucasian male actor with muscular build

Several political event attendees

Multimedia message

I am unstoppable! Muah ha ha!

My Space

I've finally gotten on webspace.com, i mean myspace.com. lol. i feel so old school, like its 1999 and i'm the last brotha rocking a pager. regardless of my tardiness now is not the time to be shy yall - add me as your friend! it sucks having Tom as my lone friend. : \

is it just me or is myspace, firmly windows-ugly? yeah you can supe it up, but it still has a kinda rude interface. but you know i gotta hand it to the myspace folks. cause after i got over my initial frustration of having to find codes to supe my page up, one thing that has super impressed me is the implicit myspace desire for folks to learn basic html code. okay, so it can be as easy finding said site, picking out styles and tricked outness, then copy/paste it in the About Me section, but even still it's like html popular education up in this piece!

i'm sure i'm not the first person to feel this way, but you know since i just got on the bandwagon and all...

btw the fab pix were taken by my bud and gym partnah in crime. these pix, months of prodding from friends near and far, and my show opening (whose own site will be launched soon as well!) this fall have all finally compelled me into myspace. does this mean i have to delete my friendster? i so want to, but alas just cant bring myself to do it.

happiness...

Queer Kid Of Color

just got this in the inbox today, qk's mantra really caught my eye. don't see no rss feeds, but willin to give it a looksie. -dre

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www.queerkidofcolor.com

 

 

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rise up, my blk ppl, rise-the-fuck-up!

Keith Boykin posted this alert a couple days ago. Seems as though the U.S. Park Service has denied Pride in the City access to Riis Beach on Sunday. With last year's drama with the bathrooms being closed on the beach and now this effort to basically push Pride in the City off the beach on into the adjacent baseball fields, limiting the total number to 1500 (at first it was 150!), POCC has a press conference set for today.

Ms. Harmonica Sunbeam had this to say about the hole fiasco, "DESPITE THE FACT OF US GETTING THE PERMIT THE KIDS ARE GONNA STORM MISS RIIS ANYWAY! I SAY FIGHT THE POWER PEOPLE."

Touche.

A couple days ago in an mass email I sent out to let peeps know what was going on I wrote above the fwd "rise up, my blk ppl rise-the-fuck-up!" Now I'm a little torn about to what extent this rise up merits. While think its imperative that we fight for public space sigh... do we really have to fight for this though? i feel uncomfortable with that language... its the public beach for god sakes! PIC brings in $$$ to the city. HIV tests are had! blk ppl are havin fun! okay, so yes, the dragon is against us, so yes we do have to fight... sigh. But on the other hand, with all the good will of the beach party, HIV testing #1, the dance party on the beach #2, a break from the concrete city of new york #3, chillin out with fly blk folks the *new* #1..., there is the flawless strut that is, well, flawed. Not something that a lot of folks I know want to pozition themselves for which to fight. The comments under Keith's first posting speak to these internal community feelings and criticism.

I know for one that I will be at the beach and I will be the skinny little brotha with the baby pack and the tiny mussels with the fresh cut. So I don't have much room to talk. BUT, I do feel like a greater cultural, political moment of visibility and resistance is within reach for us blk folks in the life...

Maybe we just need a little sun (no shade) and beach time to get us going.

See ya at da beach!

...oh and blkout arts spot looks kinda cute for friday.