June 13 – June 18
We began the week with a heartfelt and touching piece by Maury Matos about his childhood best friend, Merlin German. Merlin fought in Iraq and was gravelly injured by an improvised explosive device, suffering burns on 97 percent of his body. After two years of surgery, he died on April 11, 2008. On April 30, 2011, the street they grew up on, St. Nicholas Avenue and W. 189th Street, was renamed Sgt. Merlin German Way. Though Merlin German is gone, his memory, strength and courage will never be forgotten.
The inaugural Led Black Book Club event featuring Jon Michaud at Apt. 78 was a rousing success. On a dreary Saturday afternoon, we had an incredible turnout to discuss literature in Washington Heights. If that is not evidence of the seismic shift taking place Uptown, I don’t know what is.
Speaking of books, Word-Up (4157 Broadway); Uptown’s very own pop-up, community book store is now officially open. Vantage Residential is providing the space with organizational support from NoMAA. That is where you come in. Your job is to patronize, support and spread the word. This bookstore belongs to us all and could possibly become a fixture on the Uptown scene if we, and only we, make it happen.
Uptown was definitely in effect at the Being Latino event held at the Heineken Headquarters in Midtown recently. First of all, I have to say that Heineken Headquarters is amazing with a beautiful full service bar in the middle of their corporate office. Secondly, I have to shout out Lance Rios and the entire Being Latino crew for putting together one classy event. Not only did I get to network with a diverse crowd of progressive folks but I also got to hang out with one of my literary heroes, Junot Diaz as well as Uptown native, the über talented actor, Elvis Nolasco.
As always, keep checking us out at www.uptowncollective.com.
Led Black
Editor-in-Chief
The Uptown Collective
The UC’s mission is to become “the” definitive, transformative and community-based force impacting the arts, culture, business and New York City’s overall perception of Upper Manhattan. Its objective is to reset, reboot and positively redefine Uptown’s artistic, political, cultural and business spheres via the online space as well the collective’s initiatives and functions.
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