Only a few days left people. The People’s Theatre Project’s (PTP) annual benefit is going down on June 21st at the venerable United Palace. The PTP is all about creating community and empowering people via the arts. The performance will feature social justice inspired performances by New Yorkers of all ages. VIP ticket holders will attend a pre-show cocktail party with a silent auction and a chance to meet the honorees, Junot Díaz and Dr. Dodi Meyer. Proceeds from the event will support People’s Theatre Project’s arts engagement programs. Make sure you are in attendance for what promises to be a powerful night of night of art and inspiration. The Dominican film industry has been growing by leaps and bounds. Serious cinema is being made in the Dominican Republic. The only problem is that many of those outstanding films never make it to the United States. So you either have travel to Quisqueya or buy a low quality bootleg. Enter the Dominican Film Festival in New York. Now in its fifth year, the festival has been highlighting the best that the Dominican film industry has to offer in the capital of the Dominican diaspora, Washington Heights. Check out our handy dandy guide to the festival, which runs from June 22nd to the 26th. The Awesome Sauce award goes to Representative Filemon Vela of Texas for so eloquently putting into words how so many of us have been feeling as of late. His open letter to Trump is entitled “Mr. Trump, you’re a racist and you can take your border wall and shove it up your a**” and is an absolute must read. Ross Keith of the NY Daily News reported on the Harlem tribute to the late great Muhammad Ali. The Jumel Terrace Historic District is steeped in history. Marjorie Cohen of Brick Underground gave us an awesome article on the neighborhood. Nathan Tempey of Gothamist reported on the wild car chase that took place Uptown recently. John Ortved of the NY Times took us on a sartorial sojourn to Harlem Haberdashery. Real Hip-Hop fiends can now rest easy. Chazmere’s latest opus is now available and it represents a new way forward for NYC Hip-Hop. The album rocks from beginning to end and provides ample food for thought. 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. June 6th – June 11th
