GOOD LUCK TONIGHT, ALYSE!

Alyse winning Preliminary Swimsuit!

In only a few short hours, Miss America 2010 will be crowned! As soon as I finish up my homework, I'm heading over to Inga's to set up camp in front of her big screen TV and cheer the beautiful Miss NY 2009, Alyse Zwick! My Vegas source (Kim Cantoni) has kept me abreast as to Alyse's performance, and as expected, she's as fierce as ever! We're so proud, girl! Tune in to TLC at 8p EST tonight to watch!

WORK IT, ALYSE!

Looking Ahead: Women's History Month

The talented Brooklyn-based author and illustrator Melanie Hope Greenberg, just sent me the following information on the upcoming Women's History Month festivities to take place in Brooklyn. I hope you can attend!

WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH CELEBRATION: Brooklyn Honors Local Artists and Literature, March 2010 with Six Author-Illustrators, Three Bookstores and a Gallery

* Mar. 4 Thur. 6-8pm SUPERFINE EXHIBITION - OPENING RECEPTION 

Artwork from picture books by illustrator/authors SELINA ALKO, MIRIAM COHEN, PAT CUMMINGS, MELANIE HOPE GREENBERG, AILEEN LEIJTEN, and MEGHAN MCCARTHY   Exhibition:  March 2- March 14    

LOCATION: 126 Front St. (DUMBO) Brooklyn NY 11201 718.243.9005

* Mar. 6 Sat. 10:30am GREENLIGHT BOOKS presents SELINA ALKO and AILEEN LEIJTEN

LOCATION: 686 Fulton Street, Brooklyn, NY 11217 INFO: 718.246.0200

* Mar. 13 Sat. 10:30am GREENLIGHT BOOKS presents MELANIE HOPE GREENBERG and MIRIAM COHEN

LOCATION: 686 Fulton Street, Brooklyn, NY 11217 INFO: 718.246.0200

* Mar. 14 Sun. 11am - Noon BOOKCOURT presents a panel discussion featuring illustrator/authors SELINA ALKO, MIRIAM COHEN, PAT CUMMINGS, MELANIE HOPE GREENBERG, AILEEN LEIJTEN, and MEGHAN MCCARTHY. 

LOCATION: 163 Court Street Brooklyn, NY 11201 INFO: 718.875.3677

 

* Mar. 20 Sat. Time: TBA GREENLIGHT BOOKS presents MEGHAN MCCARTHY 

686 Fulton Street, Brooklyn, NY 11217 INFO: 718.246.0200

* Mar. 21 Sun. 4-6pm P.S. BOOKSHOP Group Story Time with illustrator/authors SELINA ALKO, PAT CUMMINGS, MELANIE HOPE GREENBERG, AILEEN LEIJTEN, and MEGHAN MCCARTHY. 

LOCATION: 147A  Front Street, Brooklyn, NY 11201  INFO: 718.222.3340

  

* Mar. 27 Sat. 10:30am GREENLIGHT BOOKS presents PAT CUMMINGS 

LOCATION:  686 Fulton Street, Brooklyn, NY 11217 INFO: 718.246.0200

Emergency Clothing Drive in Brooklyn for Haiti Earthquake Victims

I received the e-mail below as a forward from a friend, and wanted to pass on the information to anyone interested- sorry for the late notice! Please stop by if you're free!

As we all turn our thoughts and prayers to our brothers and sisters in Haiti, this message comes to you in the same spirit of humanity, seeking to help, assist, and serve. The men of Epsilon Chapter, Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. have organized an emergency clothing drive which will take place on MONDAY JANUARY 18th from 11am-4pm in Brooklyn, NY. We are asking for any gently used clothing or new underclothes that can be sent to assist those in need and help with the overall disaster relief effort.

This is not a Que thing. It's not a Greek thing. It's the right thing to do. All are welcome. Feel free to represent your frat, sorority, university, block association, or just come as you are. The most important thing is getting a substantial amount of donations to help make a difference. What better service on Dr. King's birthday than to help those in such dire need?

 

The address is:

The Academy for Business and Community Development

141 Macon St. (Macon at Marcy Ave.)

Brooklyn, NY

All we ask for is for a little bit of your time and a few articles of clothing. Please let's make this happen. Forward to as many networks as you can so that we can generate a great response.

Hope to see you Monday,

--
Charles F. Coleman, Jr.
The Underdog
Basielus, Epsilon Chapter

Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc.

01-07-E

The Search for Miss Brooklyn 2010 is ON!

ARE YOU:

Between the ages of 17-24?

Interested in scholarship assistance to fund your education?

Passionate about your community?

Eager to share your talents?

Then be sure to visit the Miss Brooklyn Website and fill out an application for information on how to become Miss Brooklyn 2010!

Haiti Earthquake Relief

Catastrophic tragedy with the magnitude of this week's earthquake in Haiti has a way of overloading our minds. Truly, we can't even begin to comprehend a disaster of this scope, and with the death toll estimates between tens of thousands and hundreds of thousands, the damage is just too much to fathom. Most will experience a fleeting feeling of thankfulness for the safety and well-being of ourselves and our family, but with so much going on, it's easy to move on without much additional thought. The impact of this tragedy is all too real, however, for our Haitian brothers and sisters here in Brooklyn and across the US who cannot reach their loved ones, who are not sure if their families and friends are among the survivors. It's easy to feel powerless and perhaps a bit complacent in the face of such a tremendous tragedy. Modest donations to charitable groups can sometimes feel like drops in a well, but your small donation, plus my small donation, plus the small donations of others help fund the desperately needed relief-efforts of humanitarian organizations. 

Below are a few options for those looking to give but not sure where to begin:

The Mayor's Fund to Advance NYC is accepting donations, 100% of which will be directed to agencies DIRECTLY involved in relieving earthquake victims.

The U.S. Fund for UNICEF is absorbing all associated administrative costs so that 100% of every dollar you give to the U.S. Fund for UNICEF will support UNICEF's relief efforts for children in Haiti. 

No middle men. No cuts for executive salaries. Just your donations, going to the people who need them.

Write Your Senator to Ensure Compliance with NYS Arts Education Mandates! Now easier than ever!

You'd think that if something was a LAW, then a publicly-funded institution, like a PUBLIC school would be inclined to comply. Right? I mean, schools don't break laws, do they? Do they?

In short, yes. They do. Nearly every day. Right here in our own great city of New York, in our own beautiful borough of Brooklyn. The New York State Standards for Arts Education (a 40 or so page document that I've read- thanks to my Drama in Education teacher) lays out a pretty clear and cohesive set of MANDATES (not guidelines or suggestions) of how arts departments are supposed to be run in NYS public schools. The requirements are rigorous, but appropriate for optimal benefit for the students and the school, both. But these mandates are not being followed. Sometimes pretty blatantly, and sometimes by cutting corners and glossing over details.

Who's to blame? Thoughts on this vary. Teachers can only work with the resources they provide. School boards cannot be in every class for every art lesson, so knowing what's really going on ALL THE TIME isn't feasible... Adequate support and reinforcement is lacking from policy makers... All are true, but none fully address the solution. Healthy arts programs depend on support and commitment at EVERY level, and the parents and community have to do their part, as well. The action and agendas of legislators should be determined by the interests of their constituents, so keep quality arts education off the back burner by letting your legislator know that you care.

Click here to let your senator know that NYS Arts in Education Mandates MUST be implemented in your area!

And while you're at it, check out the awesome "Arts Bill of Rights" on the Center for Arts Education NYC's website: Every Child in Every School | The Center for Arts Education of New York