A Lil Recession Can’t Kill Our Community Pride

Bed-Stuy’s Project Re-Generation (PR-G), a community program that helps employ at risk teens and beautify local homes, is sponsoring a free and fun event on Saturday, July 18th:

A Lil Recession Can’t Kill Our Community Pride

THOUSANDS OF BED-STUY AND CROWN HEIGHTS RESIDENTS AND BUSINESSES TO PARTICIPATE IN ANNUAL COMMUNITY PRIDE DAY

This year’s CPD will take place on July 18, 2009 in Von King Park, 670 Lafayette Ave. Brooklyn, from 11 a.m. – 6 p.m.

Community Pride Day (CPD) is an annual day of fun, games and entertainment for attendees. With a threefold mission of inspiring community pride through fun activities, connecting youth to local youth programs and giving local businesses a venue to market and showcase their products and services, CPD is always an impactful day. In The Past, activities included a community clean-up scavenger hunt, a large children’s play pen, free school supply give-aways, a live DJ, and tons of free food. This year’s theme is “Our Community in 5D” (Smell, Touch, Taste, See, and Hear).

1. To Register Click Here to register through FaceBook to Register Click Here
   
2. To view pictures from 2008 visit: www.prgscpd2008.shutterfly.com
3. To become a 2009 sponsor, please contact Laurel Brown at (718) 684-1014 or LaurelB@PR-G.org
   

Family friendly and free. We're there. Love their headline.

Brooklyn Steppers at the Guggenheim

The Brooklyn Steppers at a rally for car-free Prospect Park.
Photo: Streetsblog

Bed-Stuy's Brooklyn Steppers were the only New York band chosen to march in Obama's inauguration parade and have performed everywhere from Madison Square Garden to appearances on The Tonight Show. Even though their director stepped down after a recent scandal, they're still going strong. Which is a good thing considering our neighbourhood needs programs like this one to help the kids with too much time on their hands and little to no resources or funds to do anything about it.

Videos can be seen on their myspace page. Their website has a call out to local kids to join their amazing band:

JOIN THE BROOKLYN STEPPERS MARCHING BAND
• Heavy Academic Focus with most members going onto College!
• FREE Musical Training and Academic Tutoring!
• Travel around NYC and USA to perform!
• NO Musical Experience Necessary!
• Kids 8-18 Welcome!

Contact:
For more information call:
718-467-1700 (x 171) OR (x 173)

thebrooklynsteppers@yahoo.com

On August 14th from 8pm-12am, the Brooklyn Steppers will be performing at the Guggenheim Museum's new concert series: It Came From Brooklyn:

With comedian Leo Allen serving as MC, the August 14 concert kicks off with a special performance by the Brooklyn Steppers Marching Band, followed by opening band High Places, whose warm optimism and intricately layered songs have been described as “short studies in escaping urban claustrophobia” (Mike Powell, Pitchfork). Later, the Walkmen will fill the rotunda with the hypnotic ebb and flow of ramshackle guitar and upright piano, with bursts of beautifully anguished songcraft. Novelist Colson Whitehead reads selections from Walt Whitman between performances.

Tickets go on sale July 14 at guggenheim.org/brooklyn: $45 for non–members, $40 for members.

Ticket prices are unfortunately rather steep. Or perhaps I'm still in poverty mode - as I don't get paid until the end of the month. Although perhaps the fee is reasonable for 'escaping urban claustrophobia' or for the 'anguished songcraft.' Note: the Brooklyn Steppers need no wordy embellishment to sell their wares. Anyway if you have the funds it sounds like a special night out.

Hope Looks Like This

Not long after we moved to this neighbourhood, someone deliberately knocked down the young saplings in front of our local playground with their car. While the plots for trees on the inside of the playground were never filled. The cement animals were beheaded and maimed, tarred and mutilated. After several run-ins with groups of angry pre-teens while playing there with my son, we gave it a wide berth. And we called it "The Trash Playground," for good reason. Nearly four years later, the trees are back. The trash cans are empty, and while the animals are still without heads and limbs, the tar has been cleaned off. Things are looking up.

Imposter/Predator

Big Joe suggested I hide this person's identity as we have no idea who posted this flyer and whether these claims against this person are true or simply slander. One thing we do know, the posterer doesn't know how to spell 'immigrant,' and is very, very angry.

Benefit for SafeWalk and RightRides

A free safe walk/ride home, what more could you ask for? From their website:

RightRides offers women, LGBTQ and gender queer individuals a free, safe, late night ride home on Friday and Saturday nights from 11:59 PM - 3 AM, (early Saturday or Sunday morning) in up to 45 NYC neighborhoods across four NYC boroughs. To call for a ride, the dispatch number is (718) 964-7781 OR (888) 215-SAFE (7233)

I've blogged about their great service before, support the people that make it happen while listening to fun music and eating vegan sweets:

Benefit for SafeWalk and RightRides
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
8 pm - midnight

Featuring Lady Bright, the Rude Mechanical Orchestra, Old Hat, and the
Eskalators! There will be music, baked goods (vegan and non), beverages,
informational tables, fun!

All funds will go towards RightRides' operational costs. SafeWalk is a
program of RightRides for Women's Safety that offers anyone a free, safe
walk to any destination in northern Brooklyn on Friday nights.

$6-10 sliding scale
Silent Barn
915 Wyckoff Ave
Bushwick/Ridgewood, NY
L to Halsey or M to Myrtle-Wyckoff

www.rightrides.org/templates/programs.php?page=bike_patrols
www.twitter.com/safewalk

Found Dog!

With all the 'lost dog' notices lately, it's heartening when someone actually finds one of them. Here's an email I got today:

Attached is a picture of a beautiful, well-behaved dog that was found early this morning by the A train stop near the park.

If you happen to know the owner, or are looking for a very cute and well-behaved addition to your family, stop by Peaches on Lewis Avenue between Decatur and MacDonough.

This is also a reminder to check out Peaches, a local restaurant I've heard great things about. Now that I'm employed, we intend to do exactly that in the near future...brunch perhaps?

Sho Shin Immortalized

Marcus Garvey + Vernon Ave.

I don't know if the person depicted in this street art actually exists, but it's a wonderful portrait either way. This could be a homeless person, although it reminds me of the ancient Chinese women who pick through the city's recycling. I've always been fascinated by these women and wanted to photograph them but felt it would be invasive. This portrait feels celebratory. I wonder who the artist is. Anyone know?

*reader 'Marquis de' informs me that another street painting by this artist was profiled in the NY Times blog 'The Local.' And that the artist is "Gabriel Reese, known better in street-art circles by the name Specter."