MLK Weekend

stuff to do

Saturday, January 13

• Young, Gifted & Black
  Young poets, emcees, singers, dancers, musicians and artists will be exhibiting their craft in its rarest form.
  4-7 p.m., $5, OrigiNation Cultural Arts Center, 11 Walnut Park, Roxbury/Egleston Square
  

Sunday, January 14

• Cardinal O’Malley Commemorates Martin Luther King’s Legacy
  The annual Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Evening Prayer Service will be held at 7 p.m. at Bishop Peterson Chapel, St. John’s Seminary, Brighton. His Eminence, Seán Cardinal O’Malley, O.F.M. Cap. will preside and the Archdiocese of Boston Black Catholic Choir will provide the music. A reception will follow the service. For more information, please contact the Office of Cultural Diversity — Black Catholic Ministries at 617-746-5810 or ldesroses@rcab.org.

• Film screening: Color Of The Cross
  Roxbury Community College. 5pm & 8:30pm.
• City of Boston Celebration: A Gift Of Song
  featuring Peabo Bryson, Opera House, 7pm, free
  
  

Monday, January 15

• Youth Action Summit (hosted by Project Think Different)
  9am-4pm, Cloud Place, 647 Boylston St, Boston, MA, 02116
• City of Boston Celebration: Oration by Governor Deval Patrick
  Noon, Faneuil Hall, free
• Stand with Martin, Stand for Peace: City of Cambridge Celebration
  1-3 p.m., with a vigil in front of City Hall, 795 Massachusetts Avenue, followed by a tribute at the YWCA, 7 Temple St.
• Museum of Fine Arts Open House: Beyond the Dream
  The civil rights movement's impact on art, access, identity, and creative voice, 10 am–4:45pm
  
• John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum
  Screening of the movie, The Piano Lesson (Noon-2pm) & A Tribute to August Wilson (2-4pm)
• “A Day ON, not a Day OFF” MLK Day of Service
  For families and kids of all ages. 10 a.m. – 2 p.m., Roxbury Prer CHarter School, 120 Fisher Ave. 3rd Floor, Roxbury
• Greater Boston Symphony Youth Orchestra Family Concert
  3 p.m., Walsh Theatre, Suffolk University, $3 students, $5 adults, RSVP: 617-725-0022 x25 or rsvp@afroammuseum.org.
• Dream With Us: Boston Children’s Chorus 4th annual concert
  Jordan Hall, 290 Huntington Ave., 1pm, $10
  
• Ties That Bind: A Different Kind of Musical Celebration
  The performance includes traditional spirituals, classical and readings of Langston Hughes, and is audience participatory, 4 p.m. at The First and Second Church, 66 Marlborough St., Boston. Tickets are $10, $5 for seniors, students and children 12 and under. Wheelchair accessible. More information, please call 617-445-7669.
  

when I'm in the hood I never discriminate

...when I kill kids they say shame on me...
...who the fuq told you to put their names on me?...

Some art transcends fantasy. The homie Pharoahe Monche has done it again. Peep the video for his song, When The Gun Draws [website], on his latest album. If you know son, then you may recall his Organized Konfusion days. Otherwise, you'll proably remember the Simon Says song at the very least. The video's style reminds me of the Eminem song he did with Dre back when he first really broke out. But the song itself immediately makes me flashback to Nas' I Gave You Power. Spoken in the first-person, it is a gun that tells the story and narrates its own tale of woe and worry. I remember when Guru spit, "instead of preaching death in my songs, I breathe life." I need more of that. Inhale.....

Without becoming inundated with all of the local woe and worry over gun violence, let's just say it [the video & song] makes a very strong point and leave it at that...for now. I believe I read something (somewhere) this week that said something like, Boston is a relatively safe place if you are white. And while an overwhelmingly large percentage of the homicide victims are Black males, it still affects us all. Psychologically, emotionally, and mentally. Mind, body, and soul all play a role in making the whole person. Yet, we are a people woven from many strands. Our diversity makes us beautiful. Our integrity and resilience makes us shine.

Yesterday, I sat and observed a group of women plan a performance and brainstorm the various angles from which they thought of addressing the many issues that affect their community. And through it all, it was clearly evident that street violence and the mental toll that is has on inner-city youth is a numbing reality. Our governor got sworn in and hours afterwards, he held a Youth Inaugural at the Shubert Theater. The same sentiments were echoed repeatedly just like they were last year; "Don't Wait Til We're Dead." Just like all of our societal ills (homelessness, global warming) and issues (education, healthcare) that need fixing, it is up to this generation to inform, prepare, and act...so that we do not continue the ever-revolving cycle of the next generation cleaning up the prior generation's mess. Exhale...Word.

craigslist + youtube = crack

maybe it's just me, but...

i need to chill out before i end up buying some used turntables and quitting my job. just think, aside from wal-mart, ebay, and target, where else has more value for your buck? you can get a job, post a job, sell stuff, buy stuff, get a date, find a crib, violunteer, and find a side gig. and some of the posts are mad funny.

yet, for some twisted reason i found these videos entertaining this week

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dtzZEUWN4X8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BT6ahWs0TR4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lIMj_ELa5oQ

Oh Word?

So in an effort to do more writing, i decided to fight any inclination to hold back. Thus, upon reading Alex Beam's article last week, I decided to write a rebuttal and submit it on the strength. Apparently, they printed it on Sunday.