I Am White! or am I just “light-skinned”?
March 31, 2010 by dreamscape
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Imitation of Life Trailer One of the great Hollywood melodramas, IMITATION OF LIFE is directed with style and emotion by Douglas Sirk. A chance meeting throws together Lora Meredith (Lana Turner) and Annie Johnson (Juanita Moore), two struggling widows who both have troubled relationships with their daughters. Lora is a Broadway starlet intent on hitting the big time, which will come at the cost of her daughter Susie (Sandra Dee), while Annie’s daughter Sarah Jane (Susan Kohner) is a black girl with a pale complexion, who chooses to pass as white in order to avoid the hatred of a prejudiced world. As years of denial and unawareness pass, the two girls slowly revolt from their mothers, and the story moves to its emotional and tearful conclusion.
Imiation of Life
In 1959 there were many “fair-skinned” blacks who choose to pass as white for safety, opporturnity, etc. Fifty-one years later the decisions of our grandmothers/grandfathers continues to fuel the light vs. dark skinned issue within the black community. Think about the first time you realized that you were “dark-skinned” or “light-skinned”. Now, who pointed it out to you? Was it your mother, father, or another relative? We learned about our differences from our family long before we ever learned of a distinction from a classmate. “You have good hair.” “You have light eyes.” “Check the baby’s ears to see how dark she will become.” Sound familiar?
On April 9th, Dreammakers, Inc will screen “Imitation of Life” celebrating the 51st anniversary of this classic film that was one of the first to tackle this internal racial issue. The screening will take place at the historic Carver Theater. See this film again, or experience it for the 1st time.
Tickets for “Imitation of Life” are $5 in advance and $8 day of the show, and may be purchased online at www.dreammakersinc.org, in person at Spirit Filled Bookstore located at 1400 3rd Avenue West or at The Coffee Shoppe in Five Points West. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. The Carver Theater is located at 1631 Fourth Avenue N in Downtown Birmingham. All seating is unreserved. For more information, call (205) 789-3673 or visit www.dreammakersinc.org.
Healthy Kids Day 2010
On April 17, children from all over Birmingham will have the chance to participate in an array of healthy activities at the Birmingham YMCA Youth Center including:
• Sports and activity clinics (rock climbing, soccer, jump roping, boxing, basketball, football)
• Health screenings (Diabetes, vision, hearing, Body Mass Index, asthma and allergies)
• Fitness classes and challenges (Who knew kids could love Pilates & Yoga?)
• Nutritionally-sound cooking programs and demonstrations
• Music, arts, literacy and other programs enhancing the spirit, mind and body.
Healthy Kids Day is an initiative promoting healthy and active lifestyles to Birmingham’s children and families. With obesity among Alabama’s children reaching epidemic proportion, the goal of Healthy Kids Day is to celebrate wellness and to draw attention to local healthy eating and active living resources available to them throughout the community.
The YMCA already has coaches to run the activities, but they will need 10-15 volunteers ages 18 and up to help with the flow of the event!
Mayor’s First Annual Easter Egg Hunt at Linn Park on Saturday, April 3, 2010
(Birmingham, AL) – Mayor William A. Bell, Sr. and the City of Birmingham are EGG-cited to host the First Annual Mayor’s Easter Egg Hunt on Saturday, April 3, 2010. This free event will take place at Linn Park in downtown Birmingham from 11:00am – 12 Noon. Birmingham youth, ages 12 and under, are invited to take part in the festivities. Attendees will have a chance to see the Easter Bunny, participate in “Bunny Hop” sack races, and go on the hunt for hundreds of eggs filled with goodies!
The Mayor’s First Annual Easter Egg Hunt will also feature prize giveaways. Areas of Linn Park will be designated for different age groups including an area for children with special needs.
This event is weather permitting. For more information about the Mayor’s First Annual Easter Egg Hunt, contact the Office of Public Information at 205-254-2823.
The YWCA Central Alabama Brings Art and Passion to the Birmingham Botanical Gardens
In its fifth year, Art of Passion featured Lonnie Holley, a well-known southern artist who is also known as “The Sand Man” because of his handmade sand sculptures. Holley’s interactive demonstrations during the event proved to be a crowd favorite! Other premier southern artists who showcased their works at the event included: Larry Allen, Art Bacon, G. Bodile Balams, various artists from Black Belt Treasures, Meg Cook, Darrell Ezekiel, Tina Kay Hughes, Tobi Klein, Terri Jacobson, Mary Lembke, Aisha Lumumba, Royal Richard Miree, Palo Pallas, Toby Richards, John Sims, Richard Stembridge, Annette Squire, Sandra Traywick and Calvin Walton. The event also featured fine jewelry from Sanders Jewelry, a staple vendor at Art of Passion.
This year’s art spanned every possible medium from pottery to 3-D wall art to costume jewelry. Guests were able to learn more about the art from the artists themselves, who were available to answer questions and share their passion for the YW. There was something for everyone.
Malena Cunningham, Margaret Jones and Gwen Swain served as co-chairs of the event. Art of Passion committee members included Brooke Adams, Shayla Aguillard, Stephanie Alexander, Lajuana Bradford, Michelle Brown, Marquita Davis, April Deal, Sara Hamlin, Phyllis Johnson, Andrea McCaskey, Joyce Spielberger, Yolanda Sullivan and Rose Walker. A big YW thank you to the devoted committee members and all the volunteers who worked hard to make Art of Passion a success!
The YW would like to extend a special thank you to RBC Bank, the Presenting Sponsor of Art of Passion and the many corporate and individual sponsors who generously donated to this event.
If you are interested in making a donation to one of the YW’s programs, please click here.
Remembering Dr. King
March 25, 2010 by Urbanham
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The Rev. Samuel “Billy” Kyles, Memphis minister and an eyewitness to the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., will offer his personal account of King’s last days and hours as we remember Dr. King. Kyles will also speak about the impact of King’s activism on his own ministry and work worldwide on behalf of social justice and religious freedom.
Rev. Kyles is the subject of the 2009 Academy-Award nominated Documentary Short film, “The Witness: From the Balcony of Room 306,” presented by the National Civil Rights Museum and produced by Rock Paper Scissors. www.witnessroom306.com.
The event will be held Thursday, April 8 at 6pm in the Rev. Abraham L. Woods, Jr. Community Meeting Room.
BCRI to Host The Women Gather 2010
The Birmingham Civil Rights Institute (BCRI) will host area women in this spoken word celebration of poetry and music March 25 at 6pm. The Women Gather features multigenerational performers presenting original work. The first segment of the presentation will include work on the theme of “walking in their shoes” in conjunction with the 381 Days: The Montgomery Bus Boycott Story exhibition. The second segment will be “poet’s choice.”
Presenters include: Delores “Dee” Byrd-Smith, Evelyn Dilworth-Williams, Kwoyga Fagin, Shirley Ferrill, Priscilla Hancock Cooper, Jessica Lockett, Georgette Norman, Angela Rowe, LaQuita Singleton, Sanovia Muhammad and Aisha Young.
The event will be held in the Rev. Abraham L. Woods, Jr. Community Meeting Room at the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute. This is the fourth year BCRI has hosted the program.
The Women Gather @ BCRI on 3/25
The Mo’ Nique show has been canceled.
March 24, 2010 by Urbanham
Filed under Comedy, Community, Entertainment | Print
THIS SHOW HAS BEEN CANCELED
BIRMINGHAM, AL
Mo’Nique’s Spread the Love Tour with Rodney Perry & Tone-X scheduled for Friday, May 7th at the BJCC Arena in Birmingham has been canceled due to an unforeseen scheduling issue. For fans that purchased tickets to the show, refunds will be available at the point of purchase.
Not only is Mo’Nique riding high on winning the Washington, DC, Boston, Los Angeles and New York Film Critics’ Awards, a SAG Award and a Golden Globe Award, having a top-rated late night talk show on BET and now an Academy Award, the highest honor an actor can achieve, but she is also readying herself to embark upon a highly anticipated comedy tour-Spread the Love Tour 2010. Joining Mo’Nique on this year’s Spread The Love Tour will be her BET late night talk show counterpart comedian and actor Rodney Perry, comedian Tone- X, who will serve as the resident Man on the Street for the tour, and DJ Ant. Fresh off her historic Oscar win and becoming only the 5th African-American woman in history to win an Academy Award, Mo’Nique is wasting no time continuing to take the world by storm and tickling funny bones all at the same time.
Click HERE to purchase tickets!
For a chance to win tickets check out the Urbanham.com Facebook Page!
We’re Back…PlayDate Birmingham Returns this Friday! Advance tix on sale now!
March 23, 2010 by Urbanham
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PlayDate Birmingham is BACK!
PlayDate Birmingham is BACK!!!
Come out and join us this Friday, March 26th for PlayDate at the Sheraton Downtown from 9pm – 2am. If you’ve been before, then you know how we get down! PlayDate IS the ULTIMATE GAME NIGHT! Board games, card games, video games and BEST OF ALL, Signature Games…RED LIGHT GREEN LIGHT, MUSICAL CHAIRS, SIMON SAYS, CINDERFELLA and MANY MORE!!! Prizes will be given to the winners!
If you haven’t been before, then what are you waiting for? Step out of the box and try something a little different! We know that you are tired of sitting at home, there are no good movies coming out this week and you know that you don’t feel like clubbin…so get up, get out and Play with us! PlayDate is for everyone!!! Don’t you wanna play?
PlayDate Birmingham Friday, March 26th Sheraton Hotel – Downtown Birmingham 2101 Richard Arrington Jr. Blvd N 9pm-2am $10 at the door
Purchase discounted advance tickets through Wednesday, March 24th at www.playdatebhamthereturn.eventbrite.com
Wanna Volunteer? email us at info@playdatebirmingham.com
For more info visit: www.playdatebirmingham.com
Follow us on TWITTER at twitter.com/PlayDateBham
Your body wants it now, but since you don’t want to seem “easy” you wait.
March 20, 2010 by ThatOneType
Filed under Lifestyles, Relationships | Print
What’s the appropriate time frame for giving up the goods?!?! The story behind this question is mainly asked by women who fear seeming “easy” to the male counterpart. But what is easy? Your body wants it now, but since you dont want to seem “easy” you dreadfully wait.
Now we’re not asking this question to those who have opted to wait til marriage (we know your view), but how can u calculate a perfect time? You can give it up on the 1st night and have a lasting relationship or u can wait 6 months and get dumped! As adults my opinion on the matter is that the time is right when the 2 consenting adults feel they are ready!
Some people not wanting to seem easy with someone they just met can decide to continue a sexual relationship with a side partner to compensate…So how is that viewed?
Soooooo if you decide that your rule is 6 months and you wait 6 months and he leaves you…Do you then say, “DAMN! I shoulda waited 9 months!”
Please share your thoughts.
Boy left at own birthday party for two days
March 19, 2010 by Urbanham
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Police in Warren, Michigan are investigating after a 3-year-old boy was left alone after his own birthday party.
Police said the boy was having a birthday party at Little Caesars Caesarland.
The manager of the store called police at 9 p.m. that night when they noticed the boy was there with no adults.
Officers were unable to find the boy’s parents.
The child was taken into protective custody, and he was placed into foster care.
On Monday around 1 p.m., corporate security from Caesarland contacted Warren police and said a male had been asking about his missing 3-year-old son.
“This is a disturbing and outrageous situation that the person responsible for the care of this 3-year-old child would take over 36 hours before inquiring as to the whereabouts of their child,“ said Warren Police Chief William Dwyer. “Our detectives will conduct a thorough investigation and then report their findings to the Macomb County Prosecutor’s Office for criminal prosecution if deemed necessary.“
Both parents live in Warren but are not married.
Warren police are questioning both parents, and said they may be charged with child abandonment and child abuse.
