Tag: bossip news for African Americans

King Charles and Queen appeared in great spirits this afternoon as they hosted a reception at Buckingham Buckingham to celebrate the 75th anniversary of HMT Empire Windrush’s arrival into the UK.

The newly-crowned King and Queen were joined by BBC News anchor Clive Myrie – whose parents were part of the Windrush generation and travelled to the UK in the 60s.

Other high profile guests at the event included veteran journalist Sir Trevor McDonald, former Loose Women panelist June Sarpong and Jamaican-born entrepreneur Levi Roots.

For the occasion, the Queen wore a stylish button-down green-and-white printed dress.

The royal completed her ensemble with a dainty gold pendant necklace and some pearl earrings. 

At the historic event this afternoon, the royal couple will unveil 10 new portraits of Windrush elders.

The King commissioned the pieces of artwork in 2022 when he was still the Prince of Wales. 

The subjects were carefully selected by the specially-appointed Windrush Portraits Committee – which was chaired by Baroness Floella Benjamin.

The portraits will pay tribute to the Windrush Generation and the lasting impact they had had on the UK.

King Charles is said to have personally selected Black artists to paint the portraits.

The former troop ship Empire Windrush landed in Britain on June 22, 1948, carrying people from across the Caribbean who had responded to an ad offering tickets for £28 (around £1040 in today’s money) to those wanting to work in the UK.

Between 1948 and 1970 more than half a million Windrush migrants from the West Indies left their homes to emigrate to the UK.

Those who came from former and current British colonies had an automatic right to settle in the UK, as the country recognised the reconstruction of the British economy required a large influx of labour from abroad.

Many of the migrants had fought for the UK in the Second World War and soon took up jobs as nurses, cooks, engineers, mechanics and more.

The appeal for new workers was primarily aimed at white Europeans, who had dominated immigration to Britain during the century before the Second World War and still played an important role after 1945. 

Working age adults and many children travelled from the Caribbean to join parents or grandparents in the UK or travelled with their parents without their own passports. 

Since these people had a legal right to come to the UK, they neither needed nor were given any documents upon entry to the UK, nor following changes in immigration laws in the early 1970s. 

Many worked or attended schools in the UK without any official documentary record of their having done so, other than the same records as any UK-born citizen. 

The Windrush scandal, brought about in 2012 by the Government’s ‘hostile environment policy,’ saw migrants who arrived from the Caribbean between 1948 and 1973 wrongly deported, detained or stripped of their homes and jobs. 

After the fiasco came to light, the Government pledged compensation for anyone who suffered, but there has been criticism that the response has been too slow. 

Earlier today, Queen Camilla held an audience with Colonel Ruth Weir – who is head of the Royal Australian Corps of Military Police – at Buckingham Palace. 

The royal also attended the Bees For Development Garden Party to mark the charity’s 30th anniversary.

During the garden party, Camilla helped to make a paper bee sculpture and also rubbed out a drawing of the insect to symbolise their destruction.

RankTribe™ Black Business Directory News – Arts & Entertainment

When Oscar-nominated director Lee Daniels thinks of those who inspired him, Patrik-Ian Polk easily comes to mind.

Known for telling groundbreaking stories centered on Black gay life — including the independent film Punks, which premiered at Sundance in 2000, and Noah’s Arc, which ran on Logo TV for two seasons from 2005-06 — Polk is a creative force who has chronicled (and continues to chronicle) the lives of underrepresented people while championing diversity way before “DEI” became a buzz term.

“[Polk] was way ahead of the curve, and he took the bullets for all of us when it just wasn’t accepted to do what he was doing,” Daniels, 63, says of Polk, 49. “His bravery is what I ran with in my career. I learned from Patrik that I wasn’t going to take no for an answer. When I say he really has inspired me — he’s a mentor.”

Polk has been a bold storyteller since he began his career at MTV Films and Edmonds Entertainment. After selling a college comedy to MTV that didn’t get made, the Hattiesburg, Mississippi, native went on to create Noah’s Arc. It began as a six-minute short film, followed by two more shorts.

“I was like, ‘Fuck Hollywood. I’m not even showing this to anybody because nobody’s going to do this gay Black show,’” he recalls.

After Polk shot a pilot, Logo picked up the series. Following a gay Black male friend circle, Noah’s Arc gave an underrepresented group a lens to be seen. Where else could one see gay Black love stories unfold on the small screen? Gay Black men kissing onscreen? Nearly 20 years ago? Polk was brave.

“I created this show because I wanted to see people like me in this format that I had grown to love after seeing Golden Girls and Sex and the City,” Polk says. “All these years later … people still tell me, ‘Your show raised me.’ So many people tell me that they were literally hiding in the closet watching the show because they didn’t want [someone to find out].”

Even though it was canceled, interest around the series never died, and Polk made the 2008 romantic comedy follow-up Noah’s Arc: Jumping the Broom.

Polk — who has since worked as a producer and writer on BET’s Being Mary Jane and Showtime’s The Chi — also directed The Skinny, a 2012 gay romantic drama starring a then-unknown Jussie Smollett, and 2014’s Blackbird, which starred Mo’Nique and centered on a gay teenager (Julian Walker) wrestling with his religion and sexuality.

This year, Polk picked up his first NAACP Image Award for Starz’s P-Valley, where he worked as a co-executive producer and writer for its first two seasons. He’s not returning to the show, but for good reason; he’s booked and busy.

Polk sold a series to Amazon Prime Video this spring titled Trade. He also has a comedy series in development at Sony called New Money, which Gabrielle Union will star in and produce; he’s writing and directing a film about Luther Vandross based on Craig Seymour’s book, Luther: The Life and Longing of Luther Vandross; and he’s working on his first play, The Night Whitney Houston Died, which examines the singer’s life and death from the POV of a Black gay male fan. It will bow in London this year. Not to mention, Polk recently shot a new Noah’s Arc film, which will air on one of Paramount’s networks.

“It’s definitely the next chapter of these characters’ stories,” he says. “It’s nice to get to a point where I’m valued as a creative and so many doors are open.”

Still, the road to success has not been easy. Daniels recalls facing resistance when he wanted to hire Black directors on his Fox show Empire: “It was hard for me at that time to even get John Singleton a gig. They said, ‘No, John has done no television at all.’ And it took me forever to get John Singleton approved to direct an episode.

“This is crazy, what happened,” Daniels adds. “And then for me to help Patrik, they just shut it down. They saw this tall Black cat and he was gay. It was like, ‘No. No.’ And it crushed my spirit.”

Polk remembers when Punks, about a group of Black gay male friends, debuted at Sundance the same year that Greg Berlanti’s The Broken Hearts Club did. “The films are eerily similar, except his is very white and mine is very Black,” Polk explains.

“Ryan Murphy, again, we were all kind of coming at the same time,” he continues. “And now you look at where those two guys are now, and you look at where I am. All of us are kind of on equal footing in terms of talent, but doors opened for those two white gay men that never opened for me. I just continued to toil and do the work that was important for me to do until eventually the industry started to catch up. Suddenly all these things that were really not valued — being gay, being Black — suddenly diversity was in. It is the plight of the Black artist. The story’s not new.”

Polk also recalls hurdles that he and P-Valley creator Katori Hall dealt with while producing the critically acclaimed show. “Black creators in television always have to jump through so many more hoops … to prove that you’re worthy … which is why it took as long as it took to get P-Valley on the air,” he says.

Before the show’s first season, “essentially the show was canceled. The sets were thrown away. And then in the middle of the pandemic … they finally put it on the air,” says Polk, adding that the “ratings [were] much greater than anyone expected. And then they had to quickly regroup.” He later clarifies, “It’s part speculation. No one ever said, ‘Your show is canceled.’ But that is what I think was going on.” Starz declined to comment.

P-Valley follows a group of people at a Mississippi strip club, including nonbinary proprietor Uncle Clifford (Nicco Annan), who is in a situationship with closeted rapper Lil Murda (J. Alphonse Nicholson). Polk says it was important to bring their love story to life onscreen.

“It might be on the down low, but it exists all over. When they’re having this sex, it can be very realistic, which I’ve always pushed for in all of my work,” says Polk, who co-wrote a season-two episode with a sex scene that lit up social media. “Yea p valley lost me,” comedian Lil Duval tweeted, adding that the episode needed “a super gay advisory.”

Responds Polk, “When I saw this comedian tweeting this, I was just like, ‘No. No. It’s fine for you to feel like this show is not for [you]. But do you have to put this out there to your million followers? Fuck you. Then don’t watch it.’ Because the gay is here and it’s going to get gayer.”

This story first appeared in the June 14 issue of The Hollywood Reporter magazine. Click here to subscribe.

RankTribe™ Black Business Directory News – Arts & Entertainment

As the American Black Film Festival kicks off its 27th edition in Miami Beach, Fla. on Wednesday night, the company behind the fest, ABFF Ventures, is announcing a rebrand.

The events entertainment company, led by founder and CEO Jeff Friday and president Nicole Friday, will now be called Nice Crowd, evoking the brand’s dedication to spotlighting BIPOC culture and achievements while emphasizing the power of gathering.

In addition to the American Black Film Festival (ABFF) and the annual ABFF Honors ceremony, Nice Crowd will expand its annual offerings to include comedy, health & wellness, food and fine art-focused events. The first new event under the Nice Crowd banner will be “Because They’re Funny” (BTF), a comedy festival showcasing comedic talent within BIPOC communities that will launch this October in Washington, D.C.

“We are so thrilled to announce our new comedy festival, Because They’re Funny, which launches in Washington, D.C., the hometown of many of today’s most beloved comedians of color,” the Fridays said in a statement announcing the rebrand. “While we proudly reflect on this festival and the company’s many accomplishments over the years, we look forward to an even brighter future, with even more incredible event offerings, as Nice Crowd.”

The inaugural comedy festival will take place from Oct. 6 to Oct. 8, with events held at the Anthem Theater and other premier venues along The Wharf, a popular entertainment hub on Washington, D.C.’s southwest waterfront. BTF is presented in partnership with Events D.C., the official convention and sports authority for the District of Columbia. Cadillac is the festival’s presenting sponsor and exclusive automotive partner.

Of the new partnership, Events D.C. CEO Angie Gates said: “Not only will the festival bring new, emerging and fantastic talent by people of color to our city, but it will support our local creatives, our theaters and performance spaces, their employees and the nation’s capital as a whole. We love welcoming visitors to our diverse and inclusive city while celebrating creativity and having a great time.”

Founded in 1997, the American Black Film Festival (ABFF) showcases Black filmmakers, actors, writers and stand-up comedians with a focus on discovering new voices. This year’s opening night selection is Netflix’s conspiratorial caper film “They Cloned Tyrone,” which stars John Boyega, Teyonah Parris and Oscar-winner Jamie Foxx. The film, directed by Juel Taylor from a script he co-wrote with Tony Rettenmaier, will make its world premiere at the festival. ABFF runs June 14 to June 18 in Miami Beach, presented in partnership with the Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau, followed by a virtual program, available June 19 to June 25 on ABFF Play. Emmy-winning writer, actor and producer Lena Waithe serves as the 2023 festival ambassador.

About the rebrand to Nice Crowd, Connie Kinnard, GMCVB’s Senior Vice President of Multicultural Tourism & Development, stated: “This momentous occasion not only signifies growth and innovation for the organization but also highlights the immense inspiration ABFF has had on Greater Miami’s multicultural programming such as the Art of Black Miami. We welcome ABFF’s unwavering dedication in fostering meaningful connections and shining a spotlight on diverse talent. ABFF Ventures’ transformative impact to Greater Miami’s tourism landscape is truly remarkable and anything that grows their audience is also beneficial to the Miami and Miami Beach community.”

Following ABFF, the company will host an international screening series event in London, from Sept. 1-3. The ABFF Global Film Series visits a new city each year and is intended to “promote the universal appeal of Black content while encouraging collaboration between artists throughout the African Diaspora.” The 2023 edition will take place at the British Film Institute in the U.K. in partnership with S.O.U.L Fest.

The sixth ABFF Honors will be held in March 2024 in Los Angeles, saluting Black artists who have made significant contributions to the entertainment industry through their work and champion diversity and inclusion in Hollywood. The 2023 ceremony honored Kerry Washington, Courtney B. Vance, Janelle Monáe, Macro’s Charles D. King and Kasi Lemmons’ groundbreaking drama “Eve’s Bayou.”

Additional events — including a gathering of food enthusiasts, a festival centered on exercise and wellness and a multi-day gallery dedicated to showcasing contemporary Black art — are set to be announced for 2024.

RankTribe™ Black Business Directory News – Arts & Entertainment

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Juneteenth is named for and celebrated every year on the day when enslaved African Americans in Galveston, Texas were emancipated on June 19, 1865. In 2021, President Biden signed legislation establishing Juneteenth as an official holiday in the United States. But even before then, Juneteenth was the oldest, nationally-celebrated commemoration and continues to be marked with festivals, parades, church services, and get-togethers across communities and cities.

Below are events, listed in chronological order, to observe and celebrate Juneteenth across Manhattan.

YEP-NYC Annual Juneteenth Social Happy Hour at Harlem Hops

Join Young Education Professionals-NYC once again for an afternoon happy hour in celebration of Juneteenth at Harlem Hops! Enjoy happy hour specials on select brews and network with fellow NYC education professionals. This event is focused on literacy, especially within the Black diasporic community, so they will be collecting books (of any level) as long as they’re in usable conditions.

When: Thursday, June 15, 2023, 5 p.m.

Where: Harlem Hops, 2268 Adam Clayton Powell Junior Boulevard, New York, NY 10030

30th Annual Harlem Juneteenth Parade and Street Festival

The longest running Juneteenth parade in New York State will offer African American history and culture with through local vendors, health screenings, educational presentations, youth sports and basketball tournament with trophies, legendary live entertainment, book readings, giveaways, and fun for the whole family.

When: Saturday, June 17, 2023, 11 a.m. parade, 6 p.m. festival

Where: 116th Street, between Lenox Avenue and 5th Avenue, New York, NY 10026

Central Park Conservancy‘s Juneteenth in Seneca Village

This Juneteenth weekend, the Central Park Conservancy invites you to celebrate traditions in Seneca Village’s landscape through art-making with The Studio Museum in Harlem, Sugar Hill Children’s Museum, and Shanequa Benitez; self-care and movement with Harlem Yoga Studio, Asase Yaa, and Emotions Physical Theatre; contemplative reflection with music from Mother Zion Church and jazz virtuosos IAMKHEMESTRY; and laughter from renowned comedians Seaton Smith, Joyelle Nicole Johnson, and Ethan Simmons-Patterson.

When: Saturday, June 17, 2023, 10 a.m. 

Where: Seneca Village Landscape, West Side between 82nd and 89th, New York, NY 10024

3rd Annual Juneteenth Freedom Fest NYC

Official Black Wall Street App is hosting a marketplace with live performances, music, free prizes and giveaways, raffles, Juneteenth merchandise, free games and trivia, bounce houses, kid crafts, food, and many other surprises.

When: Saturday, June 17, 2023, noon-7 p.m.

Where: 163 West 125th Street, New York, NY 10027

Annual Juneteenth Bar Crawl – Harlem Edition

The annual Juneteenth Bar Crawl will take place in Harlem where you will have the opportunity to party with a purpose and celebrate this holiday. The bar crawl will travel in groups to the different locations and schedule will be released closer to event date.

When: Saturday, June 17, 2023, noon-7 p.m.

Where: 100 West 125th Street, New York, NY 10027

Soul of the City: Juneteenth with Queen Esther

When: Saturday, June 17, 2023, 2-3:30 p.m.

Where: Museum of the City of New York, 1220 Fifth Avenue at 103rd Street, New York, NY 10029

Abrons Arts Center and Henry Street Settlement’s “Sound, Sun, Pleasure”

Abrons Arts Center and Henry Street Settlement’s Department of Integration and Community Engagement invite you to a day-long outdoor celebration of the beloved Lower East Side community over Juneteenth weekend. Free performances, activities, and food! This program is free and advance registration is encouraged.

When: Saturday, June 17, 2023, noon-7 p.m. 

Where: Abrons Arts Center, 466 Grand Street (at Pitt Street), New York, NY 10002

Good Vibes in the Park (Juneteenth Edition)

Good Vibes in the Park is a gathering centered around mental health, affirming safe-spaces, joy and relaxation as an affront to injustice. Imagine a lovely park day at the gorgeous Saint Nicholas Park in Harlem with meditation, performances, live music, some of the best Dj’s NYC has to offer, a live painting visual artist, live activations, and more.

When: Saturday, June 17, 2023, 2-8 p.m.

Where: St. Nicholas Park, Saint Nicholas Terrace, New York, NY 10030

Juneteenth Jazz Jubilee: Benefit Concert for Music on The Inside

Join the New York Society for Ethical Culture for a celebration of freedom, resilience, community, and the possibilities of good things to come. This benefit concert for Music on The Inside brings together formerly incarcerated musicians with top jazz artists for a rousing musical celebration of emancipation and the continuing fight for criminal and social justice in the United States.

When: Saturday, June 17, 2023, 7-9 p.m.

Where: Adler Hall at The New York Society for Ethical Culture, 2 West 64th Street, New York, NY 10023

3rd Annual Broadway Celebrates Juneteenth Concert

The Broadway League’s Black to Broadway Initiative presents the third annual Broadway Celebrates Juneteenth concert, a free outdoor event centered around Black artistry and community. Broadway Celebrates Juneteenth features Black performers, and allies, from a variety of Broadway shows performing their own works of art, with their song, dance, and poetry accompanied by live music. 

When: Sunday, June 18, 2023, 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m.

Where: Father Duffy Square, Times Square, 7th Avenue & West 47th Street, New York, NY 10036

Lincoln Center’s “To a Garden Luxuriously Verdant (Enameled with Countless Flowerings)”

A full-campus, evening-long multicultural performance and celebration of the fight for a more free America, on the eve of the 158th anniversary of Juneteenth Independence Day. The free event features performances by Aaron Diehl, Alicia Hall Moran, Martha Redbone, Burnt Sugar The Arkestra Chamber, Morley Kamen, Ronald K. Brown / EVIDENCE, and more. It will be presented amidst awnings of flowers across the space and a wave of petals atop the Hearst Plaza pool, and combines Spirituals, opera, folk songs, and more. 

When: Sunday, June 18, 2023, 7 p.m. performance, 9:30 p.m. silent disco

Where: 30 Lincoln Center Plaza, New York, NY 10023

Juneteenth Mingus Big Band at DROM

Charles Mingus was known for his outspokenness about issues of equality, freedom, the Civil Rights movement, and his organizing actions to fight economic injustice and discrimination in the music world and beyond. As we celebrate Juneteenth, the Mingus Big Band will highlight some of Mingus’ compositions with political and social activist roots, introduced by Jason Marshall and other musicians who will share their ideas about the songs and relevance to continuing struggles and hope.

When: Monday, June 19, 2023, two sets at 7:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m.

Where: DROM, 85 Avenue A, New York, NY, 10009

Black Rodeo Disco Juneteenth Dance Party

A downtown disco dance party celebrating the Black West and freedom. Music by DJ SPINNA, DJ Huggy Bear and special guests The Wide Awakes & Friends, and immersive AR artist Membit.

When: Monday, June 19 – Tuesday, June 20 2023, 8 p.m.-2 a.m. 

Where: Le Bain, Rooftop, 444 West 13th Street, New York, NY 10014

RankTribe™ Black Business Directory News – Arts & Entertainment

King Charles today hailed the migrants who came to Britain from the Caribbean as part of the Windrush generation as “very special” as he unveiled 10 portraits celebrating their lives at Buckingham Palace.

Charles commissioned the portraits, all by black artists, to pay a “heartfelt tribute to the role they have played in our nation’s story”.

The 10 sitters, most in their nineties, attended a reception hosted by the King and Queen Camilla at the palace this afternoon along with their families and the artists who immortalised them.

They were joined at the reception by an array of prominent black Britons, including Baroness Amos, Baroness Lawrence, Sir Trevor McDonald, the actor Colin Salmon and the athletes Colin Jackson and Tessa Sanderson, as well as the prime minister of Barbados, Mia Mottley.

As the King and Queen toured the pictures, Charles told one of the sitters, Alford Gardner, 97, that the portraits will be “a most wonderful record of a very special generation”.

For Gardner, who came over on the HMT Empire Windrush in 1948 and spent his working life in the engineering industry in Leeds, it was an almost overwhelming experience.

Stepping off the Windrush, he said, felt like “yesterday”. He added: “Seventy-five years? It can’t be.”

Gardner, who served in the RAF in the Second World War as a mechanic before returning briefly to his native Jamaica, said his 20-year-old self would never believe that he would one day be standing next to his portrait in Buckingham Palace.

At school he had been terrible at English history but added: “I couldn’t see any reason to learn about these kings. They didn’t interest me. History? Now I’m part of it. I’ve met the King and Queen!”

Gardner, who has eight children, 16 grandchildren, 25 great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandchild, said racism had been rife in Britain in his early days.

He explained: “You couldn’t get away from it. It was staring me in the face. But I kept away from it. If there was any trouble, I was gone.”

Another sitter, Laceta Reid, 92, who came from Jamaica in 1957 and spent most of his working life in factories in Newport, Wales, said he had been told about the portrait project by a friend.

They talked about it in the pub one evening, and within a few days, he was having a meeting with the artist.

His portrait by Serge Attukwei Clottey is a dramatic picture which shows his suit merging with the background, to symbolise how Reid has made Britain his home.

Reid, almost lost for words, said about the first time he saw it in the palace: “I couldn’t believe it when I walked in here. Brilliant.”

He said Britain was a very different place when he first arrived. “You had to play tough with the teddy boys. I lived through it. I got to fight back. Back then it was very rough”, he added.

Linda Haye, 90, who came from Jamaica in 1958, worked across the educational system and also spent 20 years as a magistrate, said: “I had a great opportunity, and I grasped it. I never allowed racism to imprison me. Neither have I allowed my ethnicity to stop me from making a contribution and to achieve.”

The portraits will be on display at the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh from June 22 to October 26, and then the Queen’s Gallery, Buckingham Palace from November 10 to April 2024.

Last week, the King said he believed it is “crucially important” to “recognise and celebrate the immeasurable difference” of Windrush arrivals and their descendants ahead of a BBC documentary about the portraits.

The new show called Windrush: Portraits Of A Generation follows the portrait project, and the King said: “It is, I believe, crucially important that we should truly see and hear these pioneers who stepped off the Empire Windrush at Tilbury in June 1948 – only a few months before I was born – and those who followed over the decades, to recognise and celebrate the immeasurable difference that they, their children and their grandchildren have made to this country.”

The first wave of hundreds of workers from countries such as Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago arrived in the UK on June 22, 1948.

The documentary will also focus on stories from the group – who include Sir Geoff Palmer, who is being painted by Derek Fordjour; Jessie Stephens, who is being painted by Sahara Longe; and Carmen Munroe, who is being painted by Sonia Boyce – arriving in Britain and making their lives in the country.

Windrush: Portraits Of A Generation airs on BBC Two on June 22.

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RankTribe™ Black Business Directory News – Arts & Entertainment

Bonnaroo is this week, but there is still plenty to do instead of sweating in Manchester if you are staying in town, starting tonight with Diarrhea Planet with Twen tonight at the Ryman. Tomorrow night, there’s a Queens of Stone Age listening party for their eighth album In Times New Roman at Grimey’s. My So Called Band’s 90s Night is on Friday and NashFeels is on Saturday night at Brooklyn Bowl. Check out more events happening this week, down below.

The next few days will also feature events surrounding Juneteenth. The Smart, Funny and Black Juneteenth Jam at the National Museum of African American Music is on Saturday night, and the Bridge to Broadway 3^rd annual block party runs from 12 to 8 p.m. on Sunday featuring performance from Doug E. Fresh, Young Buck and two former WNXP Nashville Artists of the Month Tim Gent and Daisha McBride.

Our special guests for What Where When-sday talk to me about two more Juneteenth events you can check out this week, First, there’s the Black on Buchanan Block Party Saturday from 12 to 6 p.m. featuring food and a vendor village, live music and DJs and an Arts & Craft fair, all on North Nashville’s historic Buchanan Street. Mary Grissm of the Nashville Jazz Workshop joined us to discuss their involvement this weekend.

You might also attend the Music City Freedom Festival at Hadley Park on Saturday and Sunday from 12-8 p.m., which will feature local live bands, local vendors, family friendly events and local food trucks. Festival co-founder and organizer Julius Lamont Jackson joined me to discuss the event and how the idea came together.

Happy Juneteenth from all of us at WNXP! On Monday, 6/19, we will broadcast all Black artists in celebration of the national holiday.

More From WNXP

RankTribe™ Black Business Directory News – Arts & Entertainment

JUNETEENTH

Juneteenth Joyfest at Colonial Life Arena

Celebrate Juneteenth with an evening of music at Colonial Life Arena on Sunday, June 18, one day early. Juneteenth Joyfest: Decades of Joyful Noise will feature artists Yolanda Adams, Tye Tribbet, Jekalyn Carr, Le’Andria Johnson and Kelontae Gavin and the evening will be hosted by Jeffry Lampkin. Spend the night celebrating a holiday that deserves to be celebrated, doors open at 6 p.m. and tickets start at $42. More information at coloniallifearena.com. HALLIE HAYES

MOVIES

Drive-in movie night at Saluda Shoals Park

There are movie theaters, and then there are drive-in movie theaters — trust us, they aren’t the same. Something just feels so nostalgic about a drive-in movie, and on Saturday, June 17, you can experience it in all its glory at Saluda Shoals Park. Bring the whole family to watch “Minions: The Rise of Guru.” The movie starts at 8:45 p.m. with food available for purchase via food trucks starting at 6:45 p.m. Tickets are $15 per car. More information at icrc.net/parks/saluda-shoals-park. HALLIE HAYES

JUNETEENTH

Juneteenth at the Columbia Museum of Art

Still deciding how you want to celebrate Juneteenth this year? The Columbia Museum of Art has you covered. Join them all day for free admission to view exhibitions including Resurgence and Renaissance: Art of the Catawba Nation since 1973, Tina Williams Brewer: Stories of Grace, Bullets and Bandaids: A Veteran Anthology and Constantine Manos: A Greek Portfolio. Dr. Nancy Tolsen will give a tour of Tina Williams Brewer: Stories of Grace at 2 p.m. presented by CMA affinity group Friends of African American Art and Culture. More information at columbiamuseum.org. HALLIE HAYES

FASHION

Columbia Fashion Week

If you’re into fashion or love keeping up with the latest trends, you’ll be happy to hear that the annual Columbia Fashion Week is back June 19 through June 25. Industry professionals, designers and fashion enthusiasts alike come together to appreciate new styles, trends and designs from leading fashion designers in the industry. A series of events will be presented throughout the week including pop-up events, runway shows and designer showcases. For more information and the schedule of events, visit columbiafashionweek.com. HALLIE HAYES

PUNK

Bedlam Hour Reunion Show 

“Bedlam Hour … now, that’s a name I’ve not heard in a long time. A long time,” will say many a Columbia music scene lifer. But rest assured, Bedlam Hour, regardless of whether they claim the Grand Strand or Columbia as their true home, is true Soda City royalty. The 80s/90s seminal outfit are currently reuniting for their 40th anniversary after a lengthy hiatus to bring their positive, progressive, post-hardcore and ska-tinged punk rock glory to venues across the Palmetto State, including New Brookland Tavern on June 17. God bless ‘em. Soda City Riot, Brandy and the Butcher open. Tickets are $15, show starts at 7 pm. More info at newbrooklandtavern.com. KYLE PETERSEN

JUNETEENTH

SC Juneteenth Freedom Festival Parade

This is the 2nd annual SC Juneteenth Freedom Festival Parade, which bills itself as “the largest display of Black excellence in the Carolinas” and aims to live up the billing. Starting at 10 a.m., Black car clubs, bike clubs, drum lines and more will hit the historic Soda City Main Street on Monday, June 19th and showcase a vibrant, unyielding steadfast culture that is both central to our state’s history and has been systemically discounted for centuries. Happy Juneteenth, y’all. KYLE PETERSEN

JUNETEENTH

Seventh Annual Juneteenth Freedom Fest 

The Seventh Annual Juneteenth Freedom Fest will take place at Segra Park this year, where it will continue to showcase the overall achievement, perseverance and success of African-Americans in South Carolina with an eclectic day of programming and celebration that includes live music, vendors, a 50th hip-hop tribute and a host of other bits of revelry and performance. Admission is free, gates open at 1:30 p.m. Go to juneteenthfreedomfest.com for more information. KYLE PETERSEN

ROCK

Hillmouse with Featherpocket at Art Bar

Hillmouse is the musical alias for Columbia singer, songwriter and guitarist Tyler Gordon. Gordon’s most recent release, “See You In The Car” is an intriguing collection of tunes, mostly because his songwriting is so full-throated and passionate that it’s difficult to figure out why he’s not more well-known. “See You In The Car” is an eight-song dynamo, a salvo of deeply heartfelt Americana rock, whatever that means these days. Every song rocks in its own way, the guitars bristle with life and Gordon is an emotional, effective singer. Check out his Art Bar show with Featherpocket and take in the simple, straightforward qualities of his music. Showtime for the June 18 show is 8 p.m. Visit artbarsc.com for more info. VINCENT HARRIS

JAZZ

Akilah Renee at Chayz Lounge

Can we just take a sec and give a big shoutout to Chayz Lounge? All they’ve been doing is carving out a distinctive, high-end spot for contemporary jazz and soul for years, putting on at least two shows a week, every week, and bringing in some of the best regional, national and local talent that the overall jazz and R&B scenes have to offer. Their show with singer/guitarist Akilah Renee, called “The Songs Of Soul” is no exception. You can expect to hear hits and classics by Erykah Badu, Norah Jones, Jill Scott, Bob Marley and more. Showtime for the June 16 is 8 p.m. and admission is $30. Dressy attire is required. Visit chayzlounge.com for more info. VINCENT HARRIS

JAZZ

Live in the Lobby Jazz: Jenna McSwain at the Koger Center for the Arts

The Koger Center for the Arts’ “Live In The Lobby” jazz concert series continues with a performance by Jenna McSwain. McSwain is a dazzling vocalist with a true talent for swing-era jazz, with a little bit of New Orleans soul thrown in. In fact, the singer is a Columbia native, but she’s called The Big Easy home for more than a decade. Don’t miss this intimate, up-close show with a talented singer performing some of the most beloved jazz tunes ever written. Showtime for the June 16 show at the Koger Center is 7:30 p.m. Visit kogercenterforthearts.com for more info. VINCENT HARRIS

Looking ahead

June 28-July 2: Dear Evan Hansen at Koger Center for the Arts

Sept. 9: First 2023 home football game for Gamecock football at Williams-Brice Stadium

Sept. 9: Soulja Boy at The Senate

Sept. 14: Mt. Joy at Township

Oct. 10: Jonas Brothers at Colonial Life Arena

RankTribe™ Black Business Directory News – Arts & Entertainment

	Art	Music	Film/Theater	Community
Wed, June 14	But, Why Are You Here? Russo Lee Gallery 11 a.m. Free Black artists are honored  with new Juneteenth exhibit	Santa Fe Klan Moda Center 7:30 p.m. $35 Renowned Mexican rapper and songwriter known for powerful and introspective lyrics	The Best of Worst Cinema Sessionable 10:30 p.m. $10 Weekly screenings of hilariously bad films	Resume Help Kenton Library 12:30 p.m. Free Experienced volunteer giving one-on-one help with word choice, accomplishments and resume improvement
Thurs, June 15	Whole Cloth Painting St. Rita Catholic Church  9:30 a.m. $200 Learn to create wholecloth painted quilts using acrylic textile paints and original photographs	Bryson Tiller McMenamins Crystal Ballroom 8 p.m. $60 Acclaimed songwriter known for soulful R&B sound and lyrics	The World’s End Cinemagic 12 a.m. $10 A group of friends reunite for a pub crawl, only to discover an apocalyptic twist	Portland Pride PDX Waterfront 11 a.m. Free Annual LGBTQ+ celebration since 1975, featuring a parade, festival and thousands of participants and supporters
Fri, June 16	Don’t Shoot 511 NW Broadway  9 a.m. Free A two-day event celebrating Juneteenth through art, education and social justice	One More Time 45 East 10 p.m. $25 A tribute show for iconic French electronic duo Daft Punk. Ages 21+.	A Midsummer Night’s Dream Portland Center Stage at The Armory  7:30 p.m. $25+ Shakespeare’s enchanting comedy explores love, magic and misadventures in an enchanted forest	Portland Beer Week Portland, OR 5 p.m. Prices vary 10 days of beer celebrations in Portland featuring limited-edition brews, events and specials citywide
Sat, June 17	Summer Solstice Festival Parallax Art Center 10 a.m. $100 A festival featuring art, a drag brunch, music, face painting and more	Reggae Mix Plate Pioneer Courthouse Square 4 p.m. $45 A vibrant celebration of Islander culture featuring legendary artists, dance, food, crafts and family fun	Brains On Live! Revolution Hall 2 p.m. $20+ A science show for kids celebrating the wonders of our brains with magic, games and more	Portland Pride Bar Crawl Twenty First Ave Kitchen & Bar 4 p.m. $15 Celebrate LGBTQ+ diversity and equality with a night exploring Portland’s inclusive bars
Sun, June 18	Willamette Park Class Bottle & Bottega 12 p.m. $62 Learn how to paint Willamette Park with instruction from an artist	Hayley Lynn Domaine Serene Wine Lounge at Sentinel 4:30 p.m. $20+ Portland based artist that captivates audiences with her voice and heartfelt performances	Ben Schwartz & Friends Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall 7 p.m. $40 Schwartz comes with friends to entertain Portland folk	Summer Solstice Ceremony Earth Space PDX 2 p.m. $30 A magical outdoor gathering with healing ceremony, meditation, crafting, gratitude and connection
Mon, June 19	Illustrated Storyworld Portland Art Museum 1 p.m. $450 A five-day camp for 11–14 year olds exploring graphic novels and zines with hands-on projects	Karaoke From Hell Dante’s  9 p.m. Free An original live karaoke band, rocking in Portland for 25 years	Comedy Open Mic Cheerful Tortoise 9 p.m. Free Five-minute comedy sets, including a feature comedian	Getting Started with iPad Apple Pioneer Place 1:30 p.m. Free 60-minute session to learn navigation, settings customization and iPadOS features. Accessibility options available.
Tues, June 20	Camps for All The Spiral Gallery 10 a.m. Free A fun camp with art classes meant for all ages	Heart Attack Man Hawthorne Theatre 7 p.m. $19 A dynamic artist creating energetic music that combines punk, rock and emo influences	Regal Summer Movies Express Regal Theaters Varying times $2 All summer long, catch kid-friendly movies at Regal Theaters for low prices	Jennifer Ackerman Powell’s City of Books 7 p.m. Free Listen to the author talk about her book What an Owl Knows

RankTribe™ Black Business Directory News – Arts & Entertainment

The decision was made despite receiving passionate arguments from pro-LGBTQ residents and activists at the packed City Council meeting which stretched beyond three hours. As a result, flags would not be displayed outside City Hall, libraries, and parks. 

“We are confirming the neutrality of the City of Hamtramck we decided to stay neutral,” said Mayor Amer Ghalib to FOX 2 earlier. “Flags that pertain to any religious, racial, ethnic or sexual-oriented group (would not be allowed). Exceptions are the American flag, state and city flags, POW MIA.”

“It is clear that you are either ignorant, hateful and or spiteful,” said a transgender speaker.

“I think the elephants in the room, the thing that we are not talking about, is that homosexuality is a sin,” said one man.

“I am a Lebanese person and I support the American flag,” said Hassan Aoun, a Dearborn activist. “We are not going to sit here and tolerate you guys coming and saying, ‘Oh it’s Pride Month. You’re gay? No problem.’ Don’t sit here and throw it down kids’ throat, my throat, or anybody’s throat.”

But many say at the local level, it should vary from community to community.

Read more here.

A new ordinance approved by the Detroit City Council Tuesday would require businesses within the city to accept cash payments during transactions. If businesses didn’t comply with the rule, they would be fined.

She came up with the idea after an experience at Plum Market in the Ally Detroit Center building. The idea marinated within the city council for weeks before being voted on during Tuesday’s meeting. It also appeared to have support from the public.

Read more here.

A woman’s death is under investigation after she was found in the middle of a Southfield road with severe head trauma, sources said.

Kanu had been at a party before she was found in the road. “It becomes a question of how did she get there, who is she, and why is she there?” said Southfield Deputy Police Chief Jeff Jagielski. Police tracked down the two people who were in the vehicle with Kanu, and they have been cooperating with the investigation.

 A couple of alleged illegal dumpers in southwest Detroit were caught after their truck got stuck on Tuesday.

The contractors with employer Gamboa Construction, tell us they’ll plan to fight it saying they had to dump it – because they were stuck and needed to lighten the load. Apparently the crew caught was actually hired by a resident to fill in low spots with topsoil in the area, but took it to the wrong spot owned by the Detroit Landbank then got stuck.

Michigan GOP leader ordered to pay legal fees for Detroit lawsuit

In an order signed Monday, Wayne County Circuit Court Judge Timothy Kenny said the Oct. 26 lawsuit in which Karamo was the lead plaintiff was “rife with speculation, an absence of facts and a lack of understanding of Michigan election statutes and Detroit absentee ballot procedures.”

“Plaintiffs merely threw out the allegation of ‘corruption in Detroit’ as the reason for disregarding the Michigan Constitution in this state’s largest city,” Kenny wrote in his order. He ordered the plaintiffs to pay the $58,459 in legal fees incurred by the Detroit clerk’s office.

Live on FOX 2

We get a break from the rain Wednesday with temperatures expected to hit the mid-70s with a slight breeze. Plan on some showers sweeping back in Thursday.