We have arrived at part two for the month of July in the Great Gas-Out. This Saturday - don't gas up - instead, gas-out. Let us continue our unified effort to make the corporations understand that it is our money that keeps them in business and it is our money that can shut them down. If we don't make them aware of that very fact, gas prices will continue to soar. This effort takes many months to make their receipts reflect a loss in profits, so please don't give up. Please inform your family, friends, and include a reference with any e-mail correspondence that you send.
No Gas On Saturday, July 26th, 2008
In an effort to prepare you for future Gas-Outs, here is a short schedule for the upcoming months:
August 23rd and August 30th
September 20th and 27th
October 18th and 25th
Solidarity and consistency are the keys to our success, and perhaps a return to the days when we could all afford to gas-up our vehicles. Here at The Renaissance, we thank your for joining us and hope that you will continue to support our efforts. Peace.
Finally!! I have something in Black arts and entertainment that I can feel good about. Stepping away from the barrage of negative images and derogatory stereotypes that are propagated by both black and white media outlets hails the National Black Arts Festival. The festival began in 1988 and is now celebrating it's 20th anniversary! What was originally a bi-annual event has evolved into a year round institution. The festival is a cultural celebration showcasing our diverse artistic talents in the areas of: dance, music, theater, film, literature, and visual arts. Its mission is “to develop, expose and educate audiences to the arts and culture of the African Diaspora and provide diverse opportunities for artistic and creative expression.”
Being an absolute fanatic over all things "indie" and loving to see my culture depicted in the glorious and positive light that makes me ever more proud to be a Black woman, I will be in definite attendance for as many events that I can squeeze into my schedule. I'm a bit dismayed that as I drive around my city and listen to the radio, I don't see very many advertisements posted nor do I hear much publicity given on the radio. It's a sad testament to our times when we are more apt to be exposed to culturally and racially demeaning images and words rather than those that are rich, uplifting and celebratory.
I'll be doing my part to practice what I preach, as regardshelping to build more positive images of Black America by becoming a member and only financially supporting the media and entertainment venues that depict me in the light in which I wish to be seen. As I take my foray into the festival and all it has to offer, I will take time out to highlight many of the events that I attend by commenting/reviewing and yes, posting pictures of them here.
The National Black Arts Festival will take place in Atlanta, GA July 18th-27th. Mark your calendars!
Once again, it is time to boycott the oil corporations, and flaunt our economic power. The boycott for this month will be:
Saturday, July 19th
and
Saturday, July 26th
Please do not make any gasoline purchases on those days. If you must do so, please do so sparingly. We must let the corporations know that it is our money that keeps them in business and it is our money that can shut them down. Without some type of input from the people, gasoline prices will continue to soar. We must tell our families, neighbors, and our cyber friends. Each time that you send an e-mail, send a link to this page , or to your page telling them about the project that is afloat. With your help, we can make much progress.
We are adding a new facet this month: progress report. If you find the time, please stop back on Sunday or Monday and let us know how you fared. Whether you succeeded or were forced to make a purchase, we'd like to know either way. We promise not to scold if you made a purchase. Sometimes, desire must fold to necessity.
If we all work together, and spread the word, we can make a difference. We thank all of those who have previously participated and we welcome those who decide to join us now. Peace.
As you may recall, this past weekend, I was “At Da Club” for the first time in many a year.In fact, it was the first time that I went and actually stayed until closing in an even longer amount of time.I realized that the club scene is no longer for me, but, even with that, it was a pleasurable outing:the women were gorgeous (albeit most too young for me), the music was loud, and the drinks were not “through the roof” expensive.I guess that I haven’t really said anything because just how expensive can a glass of ginger ale get to be?What club doesn’t attract women half my age?Notice that I said the music was “loud”.I can’t say that it was good.I recognized about ten songs out of about seventy, and the DJ, to me, hadn’t the foggiest idea how to spin.I absolutely love “Get Me Bodied”, by Beyonce, especially the video re-mix which is almost twice as long as the original.However, the song sounded like it was being sung by Alvin and the Chipmunks.The DJ failed to play the music at the proper speed.I’m glad to say that I didn’t dance, as I would have been tired after only one song, as fast as they were being spun.
Part of the allure of going to a club, is what happens after closing: standing outside watching the procession, as the party-goers leave the club.OK – watchin’ the honeys strut!You can do that inside the club, but, once you get outside, the lighting is better and you can really get a bird’s eye view of some of the finest women to walk the face of the earth.But, not here!!!We were not standing at the front of the club for more than two minutes before Philadelphia’s Finest showed up.They didn’t just show up, they showed out!!!
The club sits on a small street off the main thoroughfare with enough room for parking on both sides of the street, and room for only one car to get by at a time (a two-way street).In this small, short city block, there were no less than ten (10) police cars, parked all over the place.The officers got out of the cars with blackjacks in hands, ready to bust heads.They walked from one side of the street to the other, up and down, telling everyone to “Walk or be arrested”.Did I or did I not just explain the dynamics and beauty of standing by the front of the club after closing?You talk about putting a damper on things . . .I understand the concept: disperse the crowd which would produce less trouble.Had we all decided as one unit to “diva gaze” and “ab search” (for the ladies who wait outside), then, we may have been in violation of creating a public gathering without a permit.However, each of us who decided to stay and watch did so of our own doing and not at the urging of others, so if anything was violated, it was our civil rights.
Let’s leave MORGAN’S and head downtown.Center city Philadelphia has more clubs “per capita” than any other section, of any other city that I’ve ever had the pleasure to visit.I kid you not.Picture the block of Second St., between Market St. and Chestnut St. – that’s one city block.There are, at least, five (5) clubs and seven (7) bars on that one street.Add to that, Market St. on both sides of Second St., and Chestnut St. on both sides of Second St. – that would be approximately twenty (20) more clubs and bars.Traffic on Second St. is southbound and folks turn off Market St. onto Second St. - non-stop – until about 1:00am.The police block the street at that time, allowing only cabs to get through.You can still walk down the street, but driving is not allowed.
Ninety-nine percent (99%) of the clubs downtown are not minority-owned.I’ll bet that you can see the difference in MORGAN’S and the down town clubs already, can’t you?Well, there are no policemen with blackjacks in hand, telling folks that they will be arrested if they do not move along.There are no squads of police cars littering the area.There is one lone patrol car blocking half of the street so that only the cabs can pass.That’s the extent of crowd control in the area of the down town clubs.
Again – I can see the benefit of telling the crowd to move along: less potential for trouble.What I can’t fathom is the disparity between the manner in which people are treated in different sections of the city.I have stood outside the clubs down town without ever hearing a policeman tell me to move along.I have never witnessed a bevy of police cars in that section of the city for basic crowd control.
Those clubs, down town, are not minority-owned.
Did I mention that MORGAN’S is Black-owned, and has been since it opened over twenty years ago?
It sits in the heart of a section that we call Germantown, a Black ghetto.
If there are 1000 guests on any given night, no less than 999 of the patrons are Black.
It’s a Black club!
I guess that if the clubs are Black, that calls for “Black jacks”.Peace.
