Arts and Entertainment

Apr 16 2009

The story of a woman who didn’t back down

 Hollywood, CA -- “American Violet” is one of the most disturbing films you will see this year.

Based on a true story, this film tells the astonishing story of Dee Roberts, a 24 year-old African American single mother of four young girls living in a small Texas town who is barely making ends meet on a waitress’ salary and government subsidies.

Cynthia E. Griffin-  |   OW Managing Editor
Apr 10 2009

Works of African American photographers featured in exhibit

The images of 10 African American photographers, some of who shot photos in Los Angeles as far back as the late 1940s, will be featured in a new show on exhibit through April 12 at the California State University Northridge Art Galleries (CSUN).

Camera and Community features photographs by 20 photographers form the college of the CSUN Institute for Arts and media, which contains the archives of the Black Photographers of California and the Black Gallery.

Gail Choice  |   OW Contributor
Apr 10 2009

Non-stop action and drama

Nobody does it better than Keanu Reeves (“The Day the Earth Stood Still”) when it comes to non-stop action, “Street Kings” take his appeal to a whole new level. If you like shoot ‘em-ups, and ‘take no prisoner attitudes, then this movie is for you.

Apr 9 2009

by Thomas Cahill

Imagine meeting someone with the power to tell you everything that will happen to you in the future. He can see the good and bad, the ups and downs for the rest of your life. He has the power to tell all - including the exact time of your death.

Would you want to know?

In the new book, A Saint on Death Row (c.2009, Nan A. Talese / Doubleday, $18.95 / $22.00 Canada, 144 pages), author Thomas Cahill writes about a man condemned to die, how he got to where he was, and the lives he touched.

Gail Choice  |   OW Contributor
Apr 9 2009

NBC’s riveting cop drama

 Hollywood, CA -- As cop shows go “Southland” is dramatic, moving and hardcore, but that’s what you expect from this type of program. But what makes this drama stand out is the fact that it’s about the underbelly of Los Angeles and the street crimes we’re all too familiar with. And in some indirect way we’ll get an inside look at how Los Angeles police handle those devastating crimes, along with the sacrifices some officers make. It’s one of those dramas that is close to home and very believable making it worth watching.

Across Black America

Here’s a look at African American people and issues making headlines throughout the country.

California
San Diego college students and volunteers will carry out their sixth home restoration project on Wednesday, July 10 through Sunday, July 14. as part of the “Healing our Heroes’ Homes” (H3) program created by the nonprofit Embrace. The five-day effort will take place at the home of medically retired Marine Corps Capt. Sarah Bettencourt. Bettencourt served with many different units across the country during the Global War on Terrorism and developed a rare neurological disorder in 2008. With a focus to restore the homes of disabled veteran homeowners, H3 falls in line with Embrace’s mission to mobilize college-student volunteers and community members to serve less fortunate members of civilian and veteran communities. The project for the Bettencourts’ home includes kitchen and bathroom remodeling, building ADA-compliant disability ramps, widening their driveway to ADA standards, widening doorways and landscaping.
 
District of Columbia
The 2013 Smithsonian Folklife Festival will showcase its five-year community research project on African American identity with the program “The Will to Adorn: African American Diversity, Style, and Identity.” This multicity collaboration examines the history and culture of the aesthetics of African Americans. The festival will be held June 26-30 and July 3-7, outdoors on the National Mall between Seventh and 14th streets. “Whether we realize it or not, we are all dress artists. The way we compose our look is a creative expression of our ideas about who we are and who we aspire to be,” said Diana N’Diaye, program curator. “This program explores the diversity of African American traditions of style, but also teaches young people the importance of documenting their own culture and saving that information for themselves and future generations.”