RLP Spoken Word Poetry Stipend

Did you know that according to Americans for the Arts, Young people who consistently participate in rigorous arts programs are “four times more likely to be recognized for academic achievement, three times more likely to be elected to class office within their schools” and “four times more likely to win an award for writing an essay or poem.”  Did you know that in 2005, Jefferson County (Alabama) cut funding for GIA Grants (grants to individual artists), and in 2008 the Jefferson County Community Arts Fund for arts organizations completely… indefinitely.

To combat this issue, Real Life Poets, Inc (RLP) has established the Real Life Spoken Word Poetry Stipend.  This annual grant of up to $1000(*) is awarded to spoken word artists in Jefferson County between the ages of 14 and 22 who show exceptional promise in a career in spoken word poetry and creative writing.  The stipend is designed to encourage the entrepreneurial spirit and empower young people with the necessary tools to further their careers in the arts.  Applicants are encouraged to be as creative as possible, providing details on projects ranging from producing their works on CD or in print, to annual events that promote spoken word poetry.  The RLP Spoken Word Poetry Stipend guidelines and application are now available for download on our website (reallifepoets.org/stipendapplication.pdf).  Please review the guidelines for accuracy, and feel free to contact us with any questions. The application deadline is October 29, 2010.

About Real Life Poets, Inc.

Real Life Poets is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization whose goal is to mentor young adults, encouraging good communication and oratorical skills using spoken word poetry.  RLP consist of Emmy® Nominated (APT’s Mr. Dial Has Something to Say) spoken word artists, producers, veteran performers and writers, and initially gained notoriety through their community service, facilitating Operation Mustard seed (free dinner for the needy on 1^st Friday’s) as well as Operation Coats for the Cold (RLP Annual Winter Coat Drive).  RLP regularly provides spoken word workshops and mentoring opportunities to the youth in our community.

Imagine the impact on the life of a young person whose self esteem has been elevated by attending a RLP Spoken Word Poetry Workshop, or afforded the opportunity to fund and facilitate their dreams through the Real Life Poets Poetry Stipend.  RLP encourages young people to participate in the arts within our communities, and helps steer the young people in the direction of experience and opportunity while offering a great degree of supplemental education.  Please join us in this effort to change our community by encouraging entrepreneurship and the arts by donating to Real Life Poets, Inc.  We thank you for your consideration, and ask that you contact us directly regarding donations or questions.

Sincerely,

John Paul Taylor

Co-founder/Director

Real Life Poets, Inc

phone: 205/585-8271

email: johnpaul@reallifepoets.org

Real Life Poets, Inc is a 501 (c) 3 nonprofit organization.  All donations are tax deductible.

* Grant awarded is up to $1000 (not to exceed $1000).  Grant will pay for

the services or opportunity outlined in the application directly – no check will be made out to individual grant applicants.

Media Inquiries: Patrick Johnson Patrick@reallifepoets.org 205/837-3707 www.reallifepoets.org

Donations: John Paul Taylor johnpaul@reallifepoets.org 205/585-8271 www.reallifepoets.org

Ensley Rising Part 2 - Functions in the Junction This Weekend

The joint will be jumpin’ in Ensley this weekend, thanks to a lot of dedicated folks who work tirelessly, year after year, to make something happen in Ensley, of all places.

I say “of all places” because it seems to me that the broader community tends to ignore this side of town. Oh yes, many fondly remember the Ensley of yesteryear, when it was a fairly prosperous and independent slice of Birmingham, virtually a town within a city. The Ensley community had a number of distinct residential neighborhoods, all connected to the central downtown that boasted its own high rise, the 10-story Ramsay-McCormack Building.

When steel was king, the Ensley Works employed up to 28,000 workers. They kept dozens of Ensley eateries, clothing stores, and a wide range of other businesses humming along for decades, and the neighborhoods filled with laborers and managers. It was a vibrant community with a large ethnic mix of African Americans, Italians (including the Bruno family), Jews and Greeks.

So I know it’s hard for folks from the heyday to see Ensley as it is now, in decline — many business buildings closed and in disrepair, and rows of substandard or vacant housing –and grappling with the perception and reality of crime.

But it’s also why I take my hat off to the men and women who against those odds have worked hard to bring about the signs of rebirth and renewal going on in Ensley’s residential and commercial areas. And this new life are being celebrated this weekend with two important festivals.

The Function at Tuxedo Junction Festival is celebrating its Silver Anniversary on Saturday, July 23, at Erskine Hawkins Park. For 25 years, a small group of dedicated women and men stayed on the grind despite their circumstances and lack of broader financial support.

The original festival organizers were determined to restore pride to a neighborhood. “Back then, Tuxedo was a low-income area that was mostly housing projects,” says Magnolia Cook, chairwoman of the Function at the Junction organizing committee. “So our community resource officer at the time, Mr. James Cotton, said ‘Let’s do something to celebrate what happened here, to honor the great musicians who came from Ensley.’

“‘Tuxedo Junction’ was known around the world because of Erskine Hawkins’ song. We are so grateful to him for putting Birmingham on the map the world over. So we decided to have the festival around the time of his birthday (July 26),” Cook says. “Up until the time he died, Erskine Hawkins came home every year to perform in the parade and the festival.”

For 25 years, the little group has pumped out this concert series that now attracts as many as 10,000 people annually. Headliner acts have included the BarKays, the Zapp Band, and of course, the Temptations, whose lead singer, Eddie Kendricks, was born in Ensley. This year’s headlining group is Lakeside.

As always, The Function at Tuxedo Junction starts with the parade at 10 a.m. and goes throughout the day with music, food and fun until 10 p.m. The Annual Parade leaves at 10 a.m. from Bethel A.M.E Church on Avenue D between 14th and 15th Streets Ensley and ends at Erskine Hawkins Park.

The musical lineup includes:

The Christian Heart Gospel Singers
Praise Dancers
The Golden Hummingbirds of Birmingham (gospel)
The Pillars (gospel)
The Reminder Band
Season to Please
Birmingham Heritage Band (jazz)
Force Five Band
Velvet Touch Band
Roots Posse (reggae)
Kalu (blues/jazz)
Lakeside

The Silver Anniversary festivities will take place virtually across the street from the new Tuxedo Terrace, a HOPE VI development of the Birmingham Housing Authority that is a vast improvement to the neighborhood.

Other improvements planned for the area include:

• More new housing in Sandy Vista by the Bethel Ensley Action Task Force (BEAT);
• A multi-million dollar push to restore and adapt the Ramsay-McCormack building into senior housing, a project guided by Main Street Birmingham;
• Heritage development and historic preservation activities at the old Nixon Building, another Main Street project, and other historic sites;
• A park, walking trails and potential future housing developments at a new park planned near Village Creek, spearheaded by tireless members of the Village Creek Society in Ensley, and guided by the City’s Urban Planning division;

The Function at Tuxedo Junction has this year spawned another event to build on the success of Ensley merchants in the downtown business district.

Jubilee on Avenue E is a Main Street Birmingham celebration in the heart of the business district on Friday, July 23, from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m.. It starts with an unveiling of an historic marker in Downtown Ensley, and continues with jazz music featuring Jose Car, and continues with more music, arts and fashion organized by WE ARE Rtists. You can download the event flyer here.

This event highlights the downtown renewal led mainly by its strongest catalyst, lawyer Antonio Spurling, who has bought and renovated several buildings in downtown Ensley. Its newest Ensley merchant, David Bowers of TriBeCa, the fashion store is also adding to the mainstay businesses such as Cotton’s clothing store and Gilmer’s Drugs. Learn more about the happenings in the business district on the merchant’s website and about Ensley on its Facebook page.

There is so much more to tell, about meetings with Ensley community leaders who are passionate about doing more to revitalize the area. But that’s for another newsletter, as I have run kind of long here.

But if you can make it out to Ensley for the weekend festivities, I’m sure you will have a good time. I look forward to seeing you out there.

Have a great day!

Vickii

Local restaurant and community garden a hit with celebrity chef Jeff Henderson

Food Network Celebrity Chef and Motivational Speaker Jeff Henderson made the best of his visit to Birmingham with a trip to the Civil Rights Institute, the West End Community Garden and Ga Briella’s Restaurant in the Fourth Avenue Business District.

After visiting the Jefferson County Youth Detention Center, where Chef Jeff dropped some much needed knowledge and a stern conversation to around 20 young men, the popular chef made his way to Hot 107.7 for an hour radio show.  After the interview Chef Jeff returned to the West End Community Garden where he saw his first peanut plant. After the garden visit the popular chef dropped in to check out the Civil Rights Institute and ended up at Ga Briella’s Restaurant to grab some home cooking for lunch.  After lunch Chef Jeff told one of the family members “I wish I knew about this place two days ago!  I can eat here everyday!”

Are You Birmingham?

“A Movement of Young Professionals Moving Birmingham Forward”

Are you a Young Professional, Business Owner, Entreprenuer, Politician, Graduate Student, Promoter, Artist, Activist, Musician, Designer, Salon Owner, Culinary Professional or Real Estate Professional in the City of Birmingham? Are you a part of what makes “The Magic City” Magic? I know I am Birmingham, a visionary living and thriving in the Magic City trying to evoke change through social movements, political consciousness, opportunity and progression. I am the pulse of the city, the heartbeat that makes people stand up and notice. Join me and 10 Influential Tastemakers & Entrepreneurs as we spark the revolution that will change social networking in Birmingham, forever at one of Birmingham hottest most eclectic venues.   FLIRT located at 1612 3rd Avenue North in the heart of downtown. If you are a business owner, tastemaker or mover & shaker, join the I AM BIRMINGHAM movement. Coming September 2010 I AM BIRMINGHAM  Jam Session Edition featuring 10 of the hottest musicians in the city and in November I AM BIRMINGHAM “10 Women To Watch” our Soul Flower Edition.  For more information hit me up at facebook/perryvarner or perrydvarner@yahoo.com

Birmingham native Roy Wood Jr. needs your vote for the Last Comic Standing

Birmingham native Roy Wood Jr. will be on NBC’s The Last Comic Standing this week as one of the top 10 finalist for a chance at $250,000 and a shot at a national television show on NBC.

Don’t miss the Roy Wood, Jr. “Last Comic Standing” Viewing Party, Monday, July 12th @ 7:00 pm at Rogue Tavern
2312 Second Avenue North 35203.  Phone. 205.202.4151

Last Comic Standing Website: http://www.nbc.com/last-comic-standing

Birmingham News Article: http://blog.al.com/living-news/2010/07/birmingham_native_roy_wood_jr.html

Roy Wood Jr. Official Website: http://www.roywoodjr.com/

The Neo Jazz Collective, young and gifted

I have been hearing some great things about a local group of talented young musicians and singers assembled by Dr. Lud Yisreal.  The group is called the Neo Jazz Collective and over the past two weeks I have witnessed the talent of this group first hand.  Dr. Lud has assembled a loyal group of teens that have a love for music which is accompanied by ambition and a high level of respect for their craft.  I discovered this after joking with Isaiah Fogle, the 12 year old drummer from the group.  I asked Isaiah if he wanted me to show him how to play those drums and he quickly responded with a smile “Sure!  I can always learn something!”

The Neo Jazz Collective is a group of young, gifted, professional musicians ranging in age from 11 years old to young adults.  Despite band members’ ages, The Collective blends a well-seasoned mixture of jazz, R&B, funk, and neo-soul.  The Collective started in Fairfield, Alabama by its founder and director, Dr. Lud Yisrael in 2004.  The band itself spawned out of Dr. Yisrael’s frustration with professional adult musicians.  Most would not show up to rehearsal consistently, but appear for gigs to get paid.  His high standards for musicianship prompted Dr. Yisrael’s refusal to book anymore gigs until his adults cleaned up their acts.  Needless to say, that was the beginning of the end.

After going through a number of adult musicians, Dr. Yisrael knew something had to change.  He took dedicated musician, guitarist David Curtis and bassist Jabari Brown, his then 13 year old son, Yirmeyahu Yisrael on tenor sax and a keyboard with a drum machine and formed The Neo Jazz Collective.

The band quickly expanded to include trumpeter Whitney Mitchell who soon became the voice of The Collective, alto sax Jaron Ansari, and drummer Stephon Hundley.  All were 13 upon joining the group.  Dr. Yisrael’s eight year old son, Yah’ el Yisrael eagerly learned one song on piano which he performed at a benefit concert with the band. He wasn’t officially a member until he could learn all 12 songs on the show list.  He did and became the piano player for The Collective just before his ninth birthday.

Additional gifted musicians to join were then 14 year old bassist Sam Albright, 14 year old background vocalist Kristina Bren, 16 year old guitarist Jack Thomason, 13 year old background vocalist Israela Williams, and 11 year old drummer extraordinaire Isaiah Fogle.  The lastest members of the group are 18 year old drummer Yeager Smith, 16 year old trumpeter Brad Fancher, 12 year old background vocalist Kayla Wheeler and 12 year old background vocalist Roy Cox,  The young adult members of The Neo Jazz Collective are trumpeter Crystal Howard, alto sax/trumpet Lonnie Jones, drummer Carlos Fair, and bassist Emory Kidd.

The Collective is equipped with youth and diversity.  Their presence in music industry will significant for years to come.

www.neojazz.net

We should make it our business to leave our children a legacy.

As I watched the trailers for the upcoming movie “The Karate Kid” which stars Jaden Smith and Jackie Chan, I could not help but think of how Will and Jada Smith have set their young son up to become as successful as his heart desires.

It’s no doubt that the children born into the Smith household are set for life but it seems the underlying issue here is “Let me give you the tools you need to succeed on your own.”  No matter how “old school” this may sound it is a practice that we as parents should always put at the top of our list.

According to interviews posted on BlackCelebKids.com Jackie Chan feels that the eleven year old Jaden is hard working and very respectful.  Here are two traits that will put any young person at the top of their game be it a child star or average student in the inner city.

If the Karate Kid movie lives up to the hype and has any of the success of the previous Karate Kid movies we could see Jaden locked into this role for the next five or six years which could deliver two more movies before his 18th birthday.  Don’t be surprised if you also find Jaden at the top of the movie game before he turns 20 taking on many of the action roles his father was rumored to participate in but never materialized.

As parents we have to make it our business to leave our children with the tools they need to build or continue a legacy.  While trust funds and property offer a great start the most important assets involve simply teaching our young people how to respect others and how to provide for themselves.  You can never go wrong by promoting hard work, dedication and respect towards everyone to your children.

Sources: BlackCelebKids.com

Five Points South is good for Birmingham

Five Points South has always been a great place for entertainment and late night social activities.  Be it the club scene, dining, live music or simply people watching Five Points South has continued to deliver a unique social atmosphere with plenty of diversity.  Even with the development of other entertainment districts throughout the Greater Birmingham area Five Points South continues to draw people in simply because it has been a pillar in Birmingham’s entertainment and night life scene for years.

Mayor William Bell has suggested that the city of Birmingham is interested in re-investing in Five Points South.  Later this month Mayor Bell will speak with Five Points South Merchants and Residents on ways to improve the area as entertainment seekers find their way back.  Parking and police presence are two of the main issues that merchants will push as ways to keep Five Points South booming each and every night.

In addition to city involvement, merchants have taken action to continue to add value to Five Points South. The Hotel Highland has made upgrades and continues to win over the patronage of travelers due to its unique decor and active Five Points South location.  Once people visit the hotel and notice all of the activity taking place in the area they immediately fall in love with the overall atmosphere.  The H Martini Bar, which many say reminds them of a New York City or Miami establishment, has also stepped up it’s game.  The bar delivers live jazz six nights a week which has become a rare find in the city.   Despite the cost of the high entertainment budget the H Bar is doing all if can to deliver quality entertainment to its patrons and hotel guest.  Performers such as Shaun Pezant, Elnora Spencer, Cleve Eaton, Norris Jones, Foxxy Fatts, Mike Ham, Keith Williams and Glen & Libba can be found performing at the H Bar on a regular basis.

James Little who serves as both the Merchant and Neighborhood President has done an excellent job in looking for ways to re-energize the district.  Currently the disapproval of a Chick-Fil-A Restaurant moving to the area has been the hot topic.  Merchants and residents feel Chick-Fil-A may not be the best fit for the area and that a drive through restaurant would take away from the specialty shops and foot traffic that are unique to the area.  In addition to these issues Little has sought out ways to reach diverse audiences through a series of special events and having merchant meetings in the various Five Points South establishments.   Restaurant Week, which will highlight the great dinning experiences found in Five Points South will take place this fall.  In addition to Restaurant week there are plans for an Art & Music Festival, Movies in the Park, the PapaJohns.com Bowl Street Festival and much more.

All is not peachy-king in the district which like many areas has its share of vacant buildings and office space.  Homelessness continues to be an issue as beggars approach pedestrians seeking out spare change. Although there seems to be less begging as a faithful few continue to ask for hand outs.   There are still many people in the area that believe Five Points South is not a safe place to visit due to past activities.  Many of these patrons have found solitude in locations on Highway 280 and Hoover despite living in the Loft District of Downtown Birmingham.  Officer Butch and his crew have done a great job in being present around the entertainment district since those days and crime activity has been reduced. Additional officers walking or riding bikes in the area, especially at night would be a quick fix for remaining issues.  Perhaps adding an additional fee to the Merchant dues to hire a private security company to patrol the area during peak times is an option.

Despite fears of crime and an occasional beggar the most challenging thing to Five Points South continued growth is the issue of parking.  Many people don’t realize that the city runs a parking deck in the Pickwick Plaza.  It’s only $4.00 to park in this deck Thursday - Saturday night and only $2.00 Monday - Wednesday.  Now this is a really, really good deal considering it cost around $25.00 to park in Atlanta and $40.00 for parking in Chicago.  For some reason we would rather circle the block for 30 minutes looking for a spot only to realize we have to park 4 blocks away from where we are going.  I suggest you pay the $4.00 and get on with the fun!

The bottom line is Five Points South is still good for Birmingham.  Opinions will be shared but it is a fact that people still love the atmosphere that defines Five Points South.  A little attention to the area will give Birmingham a re-energized and very inexpensive entertainment district that continues to deliver a great experience for anyone that visits.

To find out more about Five Points South and upcoming events in the area visit fivepoints.supportlocalflavor.com.

EPIC Elementary Archery Team Earns Highest Ever Score at State Tournament

EPIC Elementary Archery Team Only Birmingham School To Make National Finals in Louisville

The EPIC Elementary Archery Team scored a school record 2,633 points at last week’s Alabama State Archery Tournament held at the BJCC, and has qualified for the national finals.

The team, formed just three years ago, is the only school in Birmingham and Jefferson County to qualify for the National Archery in the Schools Tournament, slated for May 6-8, 2010 in Louisville, Ky.

The 21 fourth and fifth-graders who comprise the EPIC Eagles Archery Team are coached by physical education instructor Pete Bryan.   EPIC’s score ranked 11th statewide in the elementary school division, a good showing since the team is comprised of 4th and 5th graders and competed against some schools with mostly sixth-graders.

Several members of the EPIC Archery Team were among the top scorers in the boys and girls division at the state tournament, which attracted over 1,000 archers. Bryan, a bow hunter in his spare time, underwent an eight-hour certification course and, in January 2007, began integrating archery into his class with bows and arrows purchased with a grant.

”For a lot of these kids, it was the first time they’d ever touched a bow. A lot of them don’t have a lot have opportunities to participate in outdoor events,” Bryan said.

With Birmingham City Schools financially strapped due to cutbacks in state funding, EPIC is trying to raise funds to offset the nearly $2,400 bus transportation costs to Louisville for the students and adult chaperones. The team will be staying at a hotel in Louisville for two nights beginning Friday May 7, and is seeking donations. Contributions are tax deductible.

For details, contact Coach Bryan at fpbryan@bhamcityschools.org or (205)  231-7851.

The top 12 scorers, whose total accounted for EPIC’s national winning total, were:

1. Daunte Deloach at 253 points, which ranked 29th among the state’s 264 boys in the elementary division
2. Kennedy Foster at 234 points, ranking 44th among the state’s 175 girls in the elementary division
3. Austin Brundidge at 231 points, ranking 82nd among the state boys elementary division
4. Alexander Rouse at 226 points, ranking 100th among the state boys elementary division
5. Naja Williams at 221 points, ranking 64th among the state girls elementary division
6. Michael Moore at 220 points, ranking 111th among the state boys division
7. Alexis Nord at 215 points, ranking 72nd among the state girls division
8. Sonjee Givins at 210 points, ranking 79th among the state girls division
9. Nkechinyere Orji at 209 points, ranking 83rd among the state girls division
10. Aiyana Muhammad at 208 points, ranking 86th among the state girls division
11. Taylor Sellers at 203 points, ranking 90th among the state girls division
12. Chantrell Carter at 203 ponts, ranking 92nd among the state girls division

View of the City - A television show that will help Birmingham grow!

I took some time out of my day to watch the first episode of View of the City and I must admit this show is pretty entertaining.  Not only is it funny but very insightful in so many ways. The comedy news show, which makes light of Birmingham and surrounding areas including some of Birmingham’s public figures, is destined to win over the hearts of citizens.  By using the World Wide Web as one of its distribution mediums View of the City will reach out beyond the city limits and show the rest of the world that Birmingham is a diverse city with a sense of humor.  This is certainly a more appealing image than most people get when they think of Birmingham, AL.  Plagued by civil rights injustices, stereotypes and other negative stigmas View of the City offers a great new insight to the people of Birmingham and what the city actually has to offer.

Host Chris Davis does an excellent job keeping the shows guest on their toes by throwing away the old Q&A interview style and delivering quick witted responses and timely jokes.  Like a seasoned late night talk show host Chris finds a way to keep his guest laughing while entertaining the audience with a combination of serious and not-so-serious questions.

One of the best segments of the first episode is Eunice Elliot’s interview of the preacher that stands out on Lakeshore Drive with all of his signs preaching the good word.  If you are ever on Lakeshore Drive then you certainly know who I am talking about.  The first episode also includes an opening segment on former Mayor Larry Langford, an interview with Shelia Smooth and some very funny sketch comedy segments and commercials.  I must also let you know that the production on this show is magnificent.  Hollywood has nothing on this crew of dedicated writers, photographers and producers as you will see when you watch the show.

You can catch new episodes of View of the City every Sunday night at 6:00 pm on Channel 21 or just log on to www.viewofthecity.net.

Next Page »