Having turned back the hands of time one hour with Daylight Savings Time, the night sky is upon us by 6 p.m. That doesn’t mean however that it’s time to go to bed, as the streets of Harlem are wide-awake and swinging. Just visit any of the trendy little coffee shops, such as Lenox Coffee, located at 129th Street off the corner of Lenox—that’s right coffee at 6 p.m.—or try and find a parking space.
Congratulations to Dr. Adelaide L. Hines Sanford, vice chancellor emerita, on the occasion of her 90th birthday! Sanford earned degrees from Brooklyn College, Wellesley College and Fordham University. In addition, she has also received four honorary doctoral degrees. Sanford became principal at the inner-city school Crispus Attucks in Brooklyn, N.Y. It was there that she earned an outstanding reputation for promoting cultural and educational excellence in student achievement. In 1986, Sanford won unanimous election to the Board of Regents of the University of the State of New York.
As chairperson of the Regents Committee on Low Performing Schools, Sanford played an instrumental role in shaping new educational policies that sought to close the gap of student performance among schools. She was elected to the position of vice chancellor in 2001 and re-elected in 2004. Many honors and awards have been bestowed upon Sanford for her work. She received the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation’s Humanitarian Award and distinguished alumna awards from Wellesley College and Brooklyn College. Her legacy continues to flourish nationally and internationally through the work of the Dr. John Henrik Clarke House, Elders’ House and the Adelaide Sanford Institute. Important to note is that tickets will not be sold at the door.
Word just in from the New York City Parks Department. NYC Parks’ Ebony Society invites you to submit your work for the exhibition “America: The Legacy of African-American Public Service” in the Arsenal Gallery in celebration of Black History Month.
The year 1619 marked the beginning of slavery and the slave trade in the 13 colonies, and the first African-American elected to office in America has been documented as early as 1768. Despite slavery, prejudice and Jim Crow laws, America has seen numerous influential African-American leaders, many of whom shaped the legal and justice system to provide equal rights to disenfranchised populations. From Alexander Lucius Twilight, elected to the Vermont Legislature in 1836, to President Barack Obama, African-American politicians challenged the country that once rejected them by developing and transforming American politics and society.
The Ebony Society asks artists to respond to and share their interpretations of the long and often little known lineage of African-American government officials—a tradition of public service and community impact that can be traced back as far as the nation’s origins—by submitting a work of art for display during Black History Month. All submissions should include a brief description of proposed artwork or artist’s statement, up to 15 images of representative work (do not send original work), an image checklist numbered to correspond to images with title, date, materials used and the dimensions of the work and the artist’s resume. The work can be incomplete at the time of submission, but if so, please provide a summary or sketch.
Submitted proposal material will not be returned. Exhibition proposals will be reviewed and selected by the Ebony Society. All media are considered, but please note that the gallery has a very limited capacity for three-dimensional work. Artwork is hung from moldings by use of monofilament and hooks. Applicants will be notified whether their work has been accepted for exhibition by Dec. 4. Proposals can be emailed to artandantiquities@parks.nyc.gov or mailed to Arsenal Gallery, NYC Parks & Recreation, The Arsenal, Central Park, 830 Fifth Ave., Room 20, New York, NY 10065. The submission deadline is Sunday, Nov. 22. The exhibition runs from Jan. 21 to Feb. 26, 2016. There is still time to gather your thoughts and your works—enter today.
The event I like is the one that will take place Sunday, Nov. 29, in which the New York Urban Rangers will give a class in modern survival skills, focusing on how to survive in the wilderness. Held from 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. at the Pelham Bay Nature Center in Pelham Bay Park in the Bronx, the Rangers will give tips, tricks and tools to enhance your knowledge of the natural world and prepare you for any situation. An outdoor skills program may be the perfect fit for you, and although the program is family friendly, it is recommended for ages 8 years and older. Learning the modern techniques that could help you survive in the wilderness just may save your life in today’s world—you just never know.
Think that’s just a little too much for you? Well, at least learn how to build a fire. The Urban Park Rangers will hold this class Saturday, Nov. 21, 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. at 116th Street, Riverside Park.
Pastor Kelly D. Scott will lead the fourth annual Feeding Families holiday event in Harlem on Thanksgiving, Nov. 26, at the Police Athletic League on 119th Street in Manhattan from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sadly, the crisis of poverty and hunger in Harlem and New York City continues to increase, with an estimated 1.4 million New Yorkers living in households that lack sufficient food, according to the New York City Coalition Against Hunger. Donations can be made payable to Way 2 Life Ministries Feeding Families, PO Box 1118, New York, NY 10027 or by visiting www.way2lifeministries.org and clicking on the donation link.
Because it won’t be long before it’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas—125th Street already has the Christmas lights up—you might want to add a stop by Macy’s on your list. The mega wonderland is celebrating 10 years of its Rwanda Path to Peace initiative and offering customers special commemorative designs to honor the decade-long partnership. Originally launched in 2005, Macy’s is proud to support the program, which provides an opportunity for the women weavers of Rwanda, who were devastated by the country’s long lasting civil war and genocide. Through Path to Peace, Macy’s has brought many of the colorfully designed woven baskets and other statement pieces representing the age-old art of Rwandan basket weaving to select Macy’s stores. Proceeds from the sale of the baskets provide both the Hutu and the Tutsi Rwandan woman with many life essentials as they help to rebuild their communities. For pictures of the merchandise and to learn more, visit www.macys.com and do a site search for “Rwanda.” It’s beautiful.
Until next week…kisses.