Greetings! Our continued prayers and best wishes for those families and individuals affected by the aftermath of the “event” that was Hurricane Sandy. We still give thanks to God for the blessing of life. For those in need of food support resources, visit www.city harvest.org.
Hurricane Sandy
- More than 1,000 FEMA community relations personnel are blanketing damaged neighborhoods, going door to door delivering information vital to recovery and encouraging residents with damaged property to register for assistance. They help refer survivors to the proper resources for any unmet disaster needs, but they do not assess or document damage. FEMA inspectors will contact survivors directly after they have registered. Individuals do not have to go to a Disaster Recovery Centers (DRC) to register with FEMA. Here are some alternatives:
- Apply for FEMA assistance 24 hours a day, seven days a week by calling the toll-free registration number at 1-800-621-FEMA (3362). If you have a speech disability or hearing loss and use a TTY, call 1-800-462-7585 directly; if you use 711 or Video Relay Service (VRS), call 1-800-621-3362. You may also register online at www.DisasterAssistance.gov.
- To find the DRC nearest you: Text “DRC” and a ZIP code to 43362 (4FEMA), and a text message will be sent back with the address. Also, check out the disaster recovery center locator at www.fema.gov/disaster-recovery-centers or by mobile phone at m.fema.gov.
- Activist-author Kevin Powell and April Silver of Akila Worksongs have done vital work on organizing critical information and services. Text “sandy411” to 33233 for updates, relief and resources, or visit www.kevinpowell.net/blog/2012/11/new-york-post-hurricane-sandy-inforesources/.
- Cornerstone Baptist Church is in need of cleaning products! Donations are accepted Tuesday to Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The Church is located at 562-74 Madison St. in Brooklyn. Visit www.WLIB.com for more information.
- New Hope Baptist Church is a local donation and distribution hub for FEMA in Newark, N.J. They are running low on supplies. Items greatly needed are blankets, bottled water, non-perishable food, diapers, flashlights and more. Please drop off or send to New Hope Baptist Church, 106 Sussex Ave., Newark, N.J. 07103. For more information, call 201-939-2900, option 9.
Theater
- The Apollo is producing a major project this February that will transform the theater into a classic Harlem nightclub with the audience sitting at tables so they will be right in the midst of the action. Harlem native Maurice Hines, who has long connections to the Apollo, will host, direct and choreograph the all-new revue, which will be a nod to the theater’s musical legacy as a center for popular music and jazz during its golden age. For more information, go to www.apollotheatre.org.
- “The Resurrection of Alice” is written and performed by Perri Gaffney, directed by Jackie Alexander. Arranged marriages are practiced among many cultures around the world. But surprisingly, through the mid-20th century, young girls even in the United States found themselves in arranged marriages to men who were usually pillars in the community and financially comfortable, but old enough to be their grandfathers. Now through Tuesday, Dec. 18, at the Billie Holiday Theatre at Restoration Plaza, Brooklyn. For tickets, call the box office at 718-636-0918 or 718-636-0919 or visit www.billeiholiday.org.
Music
- Mary Flowers Entertainment presents “Thanksgiving Celebration,” Saturday, Nov. 24, at 8 p.m., featuring Faith Evans and Tank. Apollo Theatre, 254 W. 125th St. For ticket information, visit www.apollotheatre.org.
- WBLS welcomes “Sounds of Reggae Concert” to Barclays Center, Brooklyn, featuring Ali Campbell’s UB40, Beres Hammond, Maxi Priest and Shaggy all performing as part of Jamaica’s 50th year of independence celebration on Wednesday, Dec. 12. For more information, visit www.wbls.com.
Exhibitions
- The “Harlem Is … Activism” exhibit is free and open to the public from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Corridor Gallery at the Interchurch Center (enter at 475 Riverside Drive). The finals days are Nov. 22 and 23. It includes a 30-foot photographic timeline of Harlem from the 1900s to the present, developed in collaboration with the Schomburg Center. For information, call 212-459-1854 or visit www.communityworksnyc.org.
- “Gordon Parks: 100 Moments,” curated by Deborah Willis, New York University. Through Dec. 1, Monday to Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Latimer/Edison Gallery, Schomburg Center, 515 Malcolm X Blvd. For more information, call 212-491-2200 or visit www.schomburgcenter.org.
Community
- Join the Rev. Al Sharpton and the National Action Network at the “House of Justice” at 106 W. 145th St. for a free Thanksgiving Day dinner on Thursday, Nov. 22. For more information, call 212-690-3070 or go to www.nationalactionnetwork.net.
- C.E.M.O.T.A.P. (Committee to Eliminate Media Offensive to African People) invites the community to the forum “The Storms of Life Are Raging” on Saturday, Nov. 24, at 2 p.m. Four respected community leaders will share ideas on what lies ahead: Professor James Blake, longtime activist professor at Borough of Manhattan Community College; Dr. Segun Shabaka, educator and activist; Basir Mchawi, organizer, activist and educator; and Milton Allimadi, publisher of Black Star News and organizer and director of New York City’s Guerilla Journalists. CEMOTAP is located at 135-05 Rockaway Blvd., South Ozone Park, just one-half block off the VanWyck Expressway. Admission is free. Call 718-322-8454 for additional information.
- The Board for the Education of People of African Ancestry (BOEPAA) invites you to join in the celebration of the life and legacy of Dr. John Henrik Clarke at its 20th anniversary, on Sunday, Nov. 25, 3 to 6 p.m. at Dr. John Henrik Clarke House, 286 Convent Ave, New York. Dr. Adelaide Sanford, Dr. Leonard Jeffries, Dr. Shelia Tranumn and Dr. James C. McIntosh, the newly appointed chairman, as well as members of the board will welcome visitors. Major repairs have taken place and additional changes are planned for the near future. Admission is free. For more information, call 347-907-0629.
Hear Imhotep Gary Byrd on 107.5 WBLS-FM daily with “Imhotep’s On-Air Guide to Black Events” and “Express Yourself,” Sunday evenings from 6 to 8 p.m., and on WLIB-AM with “The GBE Mind Flight,” Sunday evenings from 7 p.m. to midnight (simulcast on WLIB-AM/WBLS-FM from 7 to 8 p.m.). The full show can be heard on HD radio at WBLS-HD2. IGB is also heard on WBAI-FM 99.5 with the GBE 2.0 “Global Black Experience” and “Global Beat Experience,” Saturdays from 5 to 7 p.m. We are archived online with both shows at www.wbai.org. To reach us about your event, email igbexp@gmail.com; contact Imhotep Gary Byrd at Facebook; follow us on Twitter at GBELIFE; or call 212-592-3279.
