#black-community

#black-community

Two Brampton teachers are turning their lunchtime heart-to-hearts on what it's like to Black in the classroom into a podcast, shining a light on the importance of representation and bringing their lived experience into their school.Alyssa Gray-Tyghter and Andre Mattrasingh, who both work at Cheyne Middle School, first met about three years ago around the time that Mattrasingh became a permanent hire at the Peel District School Board.

Black Spirits Legacy and Pronghorn present the Liquid Forum and the Taste of Black Spirits to highlight Black-owned brands and industry leaders, February 24-25.Many consumers are unaware of Black-owned spirit companies and their products.The Liquid Forum and TOBS will create more awareness and access to these underrepresented brands.

The mural stands 10 feet tall and stretches more than 7,800-feet along Crenshaw Boulevard in the heart of South L.A. It features striking images of Frederick Douglas, Harriett Tubman, the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and a host of other heroes of the Black community."Our Mighty Contribution," as the artwork is known, has stood as a powerful representation of African American history and neighborhood pride since it was completed in 2002.

It was an hour into class, and the performers were feeling themselves.Thighs jiggled.Bellies bounced.Butt cheeks clapped.Twenty-three-year-old actress Sammy Mendoza tittered nervously, a chorus of giggles trailing her acrossa North Hollywood studio.Suddenly, the music stopped."There's nothing funny about how much ass is in this room, and how hot it is," instructor Cera Byer snapped.

Wednesday, March 22, 2023 by Chad Swiatecki
Arts stakeholders and local preservationists are pushing the city to make good on a 2021 resolution to improve and invest in a portion of East Austin known as the African American Cultural Heritage District.The group's work, which is aimed specifically at preserving and enhancing five music and arts venues in the district, comes as the city is preparing a request for proposals that will lead to the development of the city-owned land that includes the Victory Grill and Kenny Dorham's Backyard music venues.

Just hours before the start of the preliminary rounds of the Golden Gloves centennial tournament, the back room of Cicero Stadium is a crowded jumble of ambition and nerves.At the center of the rectangular cement room full of folding tables and chairs stands one of the most revered figures in the tournament who has never taken a punch.

The parents of a South Carolina ninth grader said in a federal lawsuit that a teacher pushed their daughter into a wall after she ignored demands to acknowledge the Pledge of Allegiance as it was broadcast over her high school's intercom.The 15-year-old student, Marissa Barnwell, and her parents said that the school district did not respond to their inquiries about the episode, prompting them to file a federal lawsuit last month.

Former Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn endorsed U.S. Rep. Jesús "Chuy" García for mayor on Thursday, spurning his former gubernatorial running mate Paul Vallas.Quinn flirted with a mayoral run this campaign cycle but dropped the bid."'Chuy' García has an unrivaled record of delivering for Chicago, and he understands the urgency of now.

Mayor Lori Lightfoot urged Black residents to support her campaign for reelection or risk losing the seat and told people who don't support her not to vote in a vivid display of the city's racial politics during appearances Saturday on the South and West sides.After a swift social media backlash, Lightfoot's campaign released a statement Saturday evening declaring that she "urges every Chicagoan to exercise their rights and get out to vote," a reversal from her prior statement.

The 11th annual Bethesda Film Festival kicks off this evening in downtown Bethesda.Seven short documentaries by local filmmakers highlight stories about history, nature, and social justice.Screenings of all seven films will take place on both Friday and Saturday evening at 7 PM at the Imagination Stage (4908 Auburn Ave, Bethesda), and will be followed by a discussion with the filmmakers.

By Rebecca Kaplan, Oakland City Councilmember At-Large-
On February 2, 2023, a press conference was held where I, along with Mayor Sheng Thao, Councilmembers Fife, Reid, Ramachandran, Jenkins, and Gallo, Ray Bobbitt and others in the African American Sports and Entertainment Group (AASEG) leadership, business and community leaders, appeared to announce an historic event.

I understand how you must feel right now.The possibility of being the mayor of Chicago, this massive, shiny and troubled metropolis, is likely intoxicating.I know my father, Bernard Epton, known as "Bernie," had such feelings in 1983.The way popular history characterizes him now, a consequence of his role in the '83 campaign against Harold Washington, is not who he was in the years leading up to that election.

By Rebecca Kaplan, Oakland City Councilmember At-Large-
As the City of Oakland Councilmember At-Large who also serves on the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum Authority (OACCA) Board, I with pleasure share our interest to host cricket games at the Oakland Coliseum.The coliseum is a large and well-located venue, in the heart of a region with a strong and growing cricket fan base.

Toronto's Cynthia Appiah captured a bronze medal Saturday in the final World Cup monobob race of the season in Sigulda, Latvia.Appiah, 32, finished tied with China's Qing Ying with a two-run time of one minute 47.10 seconds.American Kaillie Humphries finished first in 1:46.52 while Germany's Kim Kalicki was second in 1:46.96.

The Brooklyn Academy of Music has announced the 2023 cohort for its year-long artist in residence program, selecting four artists and three artistic collectives.All spanning multiple genres and disciplines, the selected artists include The Bessies, Black Diaspora, Christopher Myers, Pioneers Go East Collective, Postell Pringle, Michelle Rodriguez, and Christopher Rudd.