Disregard the actual calendar; Uptown summers begin with the kick off of the Uptown Arts Stroll. This year, the opening reception of the Uptown Arts Stroll will take place on Wednesday, May 30 at the Sugar Hill Children’s Museum of Art and Storytelling. Don’t forget, folks, that the Uptown Arts Stroll is a month-long celebration of the arts Uptown. Hit up www.artstroll.com/ for all the cool stuff happening Uptown. June is looking like it will be a doozy. The good folks at Inwood Art Works are re-purposing the defunct Cliff Club on W. 202nd Street into Culture Hub, a pop-up community arts center that will be open from the first to the last day in June. Culture Hub is part of a vacant space activation program by Inwood Art Works with a goal to eventually create a permanent space for arts and culture in the Inwood community. Not only can you expect free Wi-Fi and a place away from home to work but there is also a full calendar of cool happenings at Culture Hub. Summer is here, folks, so get out and enjoy our wonderful neighborhood. By the way, check out our Park Portfolio series by Briana E. Heard that features many of Uptown’s outstanding green spaces. Shout out to the indispensable Word Up Books for the bringing the one and only Chris Hedges Uptown. For me it was a dream come true to meet one of my favorite writers and thinkers. It was a very special night for those in attendance as we were able to pick his brain on everything from Iran, to Israel, to mass incarceration. Chris writes a weekly column at www.truthdig.com every Monday that is must-read material for understanding the world we live in. Shout out to Jack Daniel’s for a simply awesome event at the Inwood Bar and Grill on Tuesday, May 22nd. Sabor Del Barrio was a festive and interactive celebration of Washington Heights and Hispanic culture. Not only were there free flowing libations and scrumptious fare but there was also live art as well as barbers giving folks haircuts. In addition, the event highlighted the work of Manny Pérez, Albania Rosario and José Salcedo. The audience was also treated to performances from Mozart la Para and Lenny Santos/DNA Latin Group. 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. May 21– May 26
