We did it Uptown. We came together as a community for the #uptownUNIDOS fundraising extravaganza for our brothers and sisters in Puerto Rico and Mexico. Elected officials, community stakeholders, students and people from all walks of life stopped in to help others in need. Hometown hero Lin-Manuel Miranda dropped by in a huge show of support for the cause. In true Uptown fashion, we were loud, boisterous and we could not be contained. No matter the official response from Washington, we will not let those suffering in the Caribbean and Mexico down. We must do our part. In these dark days of the Trump tyranny, solidarity is the only way forward. Spreading love for one another will be the only way to manage the onslaught. Like Debralee Santos of this esteemed paper stated on Saturday, “We are own strength.” We are all we got and all we need. Liz Robbins of the NY Times penned a must-read piece on the plight of DACA recipients. Ever since you-know-who rescinded DACA these young lives have been upended. Shout out to the Northern Manhattan Coalition for Immigrant Rights for their crucial work in our community. Rebecca Bengal wrote an excellent article in The New Yorker about the photography of Katsu Naito, who moved to Harlem in the late 1980’s during the height of the Crack Era. Naito’s pictures strikingly captured the beauty, power and pain of the people of Harlem as they tried their best to cope with the ravages of crack cocaine. His stirring black and whites images have not lost any of their potency, urgency and immediacy. The Northern Manhattan Arts Alliance’s latest exhibit, Abre Caminos | Opening Paths explores the transformative role of art. You have until October 27 to catch this powerful exhibit at the Rio II Gallery (583 Riverside Drive 7th Fl). Speaking of exhibits, Inwood Art Works currently has their Focus on Photography show at The Stack (4857 Broadway) until October 29. Sherry Mazzocchi of the Manhattan Times gives us an inside look at the exhibit. Last week for our end of summer sale – use the Discount Code SUMMERBLUES for FREE shipping and a little token of our appreciation. 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.
October 2 – October 7
