UC Recap – September 19th – September 24th
September 19th – September 24th I love Uptown. For far too long people only saw this forgotten part of Manhattan through the prism of the past. That misguided myopia forces many to miss so much of what makes Uptown so damn special. Uptown is vibrant, dynamic and diverse. We don’t need to become another soulless neighborhood devoid of culture, color and verve. Dominique Browning penned a magnificent piece in the NY Times about falling in love with Washington Heights. In the wonderful missive, Browning waxes eloquent on all the things that make Uptown so extraordinary. Please hit up the site and check it out and share with abandon. Remember, Spread Love Its The Uptown Way! Christopher Brennan of the NY Daily News gave us the great news that the former home of Harlem giant, Langston Hughes, will be transformed into a cultural center after a successful fundraising campaign. The I, Too, Arts Collective, which is named for a 1945 Hughes poem, raised a whopping $130,000. This is a big victory that will keep the home of an Uptown icon out of private hands. More good news: Carl Campanile of the NY Post reported on the opening of the city’s first orchestra music charter school Uptown. The Washington Heights and Inwood Music Community Charter School is scheduled to open next year. Shout out to the WHIN Music Project for the vital work they perform in this community. Joel Lang of the CT Post wrote an excellent article on Harlem Culinary supernova, Chef Marcus Samuelsson. Harlem resident Alice Tan Ridley has been singing on the subway for 30 years. Well, she now has a debut album that highlights her beautiful voice. Susan Hartman of the NY Times penned a moving article on the trajectory of the soul singer. This past Sunday, September 18th, 20 teams and over 100 players took to the field for Vitilla supremacy at the 2016 Red Bull Clásico de Vitilla. Vitilla is a street version of baseball that originated in the Dominican Republic. Similar to stick ball, Vitilla is played with a broomstick and a bottle cap on a triangular field with two bases. Our Mood Music selection comes to us from the vivacious Jarina De Marco, Tigre. I challenge you to remain still while listening to the song. 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.
