UC Recap – July 18th – July 23rd
If you are not frightened after the 4-day infomercial of intolerance, xenophobia and racism then you are, like far too many people in this country, sleepwalking towards tyranny. The rank hate, anger and bigotry on display at the so-called Republican convention was downright chilling. Fear – of crime, of Muslims, of immigrants, of Black protesters – was the guiding theme of the festivities as well as Trump’s entire campaign. Al Baldasaro, who is one of Donald Trump’s advisers, said on Tuesday that Hillary Clinton “should be put in front of a firing line and shot for treason.” Governor Chris Christie worked the crowd into a frenzied lather as they chanted “lock her up, lock her up.” This type of talk is dangerous and does not bode well for a country that is becoming more and more polarized by the nanosecond. We are on the precipice of despotism and massive, systemwide volatility. The incredibly shrill and absurdly tone-deaf opinion piece that ran in the NY Daily News recently caused a total uproar on social media. So much so that the writer of the piece, Ann Votaw, has since deleted her Twitter account. Please read my response to the ugly Op-Ed. Anita Abedian of the Village Voice took us to Harlem to find out how a group of artists are fighting discrimination with street art. Rebecca Baird-Remba of NY YIMBY revealed the latest proposed project for East Harlem, 1516 Park Avenue. Raymond Tirado, the last tenant in an East Harlem walk-up, fights to remain in his childhood home, while the landlord attempts to demolish and replace it with a luxury development. Check out the poignant video from Andrew J. Padilla, the creator of El Barrio Tours. Robert Sietsema of Eater NY put together a handy restaurant guide to East Harlem. Join the Museum of the City of New York and El Museo del Barrio for the third annual Uptown Bounce series of summer block parties. Mark your calendars, folks. The Sweet Spot Festival & Large UP present JAMAICAN INDEPEN-DANCE on August 6th from 2 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the West Harlem Pier on 125th Street. The funny folks at 8JTV are back at it. This time they expound on the ridiculous pick-up lines of the fellas from the block. Our Mood Music selection comes us to from Audubon, Nothing Like Them. 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.July 18th – July 23rd
