Genesis D.C. reopens at Club Lime, former Pier 9, on Wednesdays as city’s newest college night!

Since last year’s closing of the warehouse clubs in Southeast Washington, gay clubbers have been bereft of any long-standing, large dance nights. Genesis D.C., a weekly party that was held at the Edge/Wet in Southeast, will be restarting on Wednesday nights at Club Lime in an attempt to fill the gap.

A college night, similar to Thursdays at Apex, Genesis will be free to those 18 and older with a college I.D. and $5 for everyone else. Though the night is geared toward students, the promoters say that the general gay public is also welcome.

Excerpted from Washington Blade "LOCAL LIFE: Higher education" article by ZACK ROSEN dated Friday, April 27, 2007.

My days at what for the past few years has been known as the Club Lime date back to fall of 1972 when close friend Tom Wiley introduced me to the Pier 9. One year later, I introduced Pier 9 to Frank Gramarossa, my new best friend and college mate who I often refer to as my soul mate.

I wonder if young black males will experience the same racism, in 2007, at Genesis' Wednesday nights at Club Lime as I did in the 70's when white friends and I visited the Pier 9. Or the Lost and Found.

Friday's Photo of the Week . 27 April 2007

FLANEURISM: Walk Against Racism 2007 Project

Malcolm X. Park (Meridian Hill) . WDC

Sunday Photo Walk, 22 April 2007

2007 Fridays' Photos of the Week

23rd Annual International Gathering of Male Naturists . 17 - 26 August

Registration for Gay Naturists International (GNI)'s 2007 Gathering is now open! The 23rd Annual International Gathering of Male Naturists will run from August 17 to 26 in the spectacular resort that we've all come to know and love. You can join GNI and register right now on GNI's new, dramatically redesigned website at www.gaynaturists.org.

Shaw Skate Park at 11th & Rhode Island Avenue, NW, Open 24/7

Though I have photographed skateboarders at Freedom Plaza since the summer of 1992 I did not know that there was a Skate Park at Shaw Recreation Center until my Saturday, 21 April 2007 photo walk.

Constructed after September 2003 at the Shaw Recreation Center at 11th Street and Rhode Island Avenue, the Shaw Skate Park, according to one reviewer is a "fun park, not much too it (not surprising since it was built on an old tennis court) but its friendly to every type of biker/skater, and is free and open 24/7".

Click photo to access ongoing Shaw Skate Park - Shaw Recreation Center WDC and Shaw WDC photo sets.

JPG Breakthrough show at the SFAC Gallery thru 16 June

After a year of preparation, JPG Magazine finally opened its Breakthrough show at the SFAC Gallery on Friday 20 April. About 300 people showed up to drink wine and look at awesome photos. There are a few photos from the opening here as well as on Flickr by Jason.

The show includes the JPG Wall (which has as all 3,000+ photos submitted to the Breakthrough theme in 2X2" squares), a display playing a slideshow of the few hundred hottest photos (as chosen by the community), the 22 photos selected by the curators of the gallery, and a selection of JPG Magazines from past and present.

The show is open through June 16, so check it out if you're in town!

Click photo by Derek Powazek to read more of JPG/SFAC Show Opening Rocked! blog posting.

Black Artists of DC at artDC - Booth C2

Tonight is opening night of artDC at the Washington Convention Center and there's a swanky preview benefit party for Cultural Alliance. Look for Black Artists of DC in booth C2. They're taking orders for their very collectable portfolio of member artists during the fair. On Friday the fair is free and lots of BADC members will be there to discus their work. A sideshow and a table book of member artists work will be on view.

Photo credit: Two Friends - Portraits of Life Series by Barbara Blanco.

Thousands of Women Expected at 7th Annual Aqua Girl, May 10-13!

It’s hot. It’s steamy. And it happens only once a year. It’s the thrill of being amid thousands of women, coming together in one of the most beautiful and exciting locations in the world, South Beach, Miami, Florida, for a weekend of spectacular events.

The AQUA FOUNDATION FOR WOMEN, a 501(c)(3) non-profit foundation, produces and benefits from Aqua Girl, which is organized by a team of dedicated volunteers working throughout the year to bring the annual event to life.

AQUA GRIL traces its beginnings to the year 1999. That year, Alison Burgos and NYC’s legendary women’s producers, Shescape, gathered a committee of women from around South Florida to produce an exciting one-night event to benefit breast cancer. The event, Sweet Charity, was an extraordinary dance event bringing together over 800 women and raising over $15,000 for two local breast cancer organizations, Cancer Link and Gilda’s Club.

In 2000, Sweet Charity grew into an entire weekend of events and Aqua Girl was born.

Whether you join for a day, one party, or spend the entire weekend, Aqua Girl 2007 is an event you do not want to miss!

Tickets & passes on sale NOW!

Purchase your tickets in advance and pick them up the Aqua Girl Welcome Center, located at the Doubletree Surfcomber.

Should you wish to volunteer you will receive one complimentary admission to the Saturday Pool Party or Saturday Night Dance Party and one complimentary AquaGirl® T-shirt.

Here is as list of sponsors.

Visit 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005 and 2006 photo galleries.

With Doubletree Surfcomber Hotel as the host hotel, other travel arrangements may be accessed here.

Click above photo by Dale Stine Photography to visit Aqua Girl 2007 website.

Media Contact:

Sharon Kersten, Kersten Communications
1815 Bay Drive
Miami Beach, FL 33141
Tel 305.867.0933
Cell 305.458.3639
Communicating With Integrity

Why I Marched at the Voting Rights March

Though the turn out was far less than what many had expected, perhaps due to the rain and cold weather, the DC Emancipation 2007 Voting Rights March was a huge success by all acclaims.

When asked why I marched, my resounding response is "I march for millions of black men who can not vote!".

On Election Day 2000, nearly 1.4 million voting-age black men - more than one in eight - will be ineligible to cast ballots because of state laws that strip felons of the right to vote.

I am sure that the number of black men in the system are higher now than they were in 2000.

My concern, a few weeks ago, pertaining to the IMUS mess had more to do with the fact that the Rutgers women's basket ball team would allow a white man to so affect them. And, then when I reflected on how many educated black women are so quick to be conditioned to label black men as drug addicts or alcoholics but, "of less value than white men" I had a better understanding of why the words of Imus may have affected them so much.

Since, many have been conditioned to put so much stock in what white men say.

While I have never referred to any woman as a 'bitch' or a 'whore' nor do I disrepect women, many disrespect me and, in most cases, regard me and other black men as 'less than ... ."

I marched for the black men who can not vote.

DC Labor Chorus performs at Voting Rights March Assemblance Rally

In June 1979 longtime union singer, songwriter and educator Joe Glazer invited fourteen labor musicians to a three-day gathering at the George Meany Center for Labor Studies in Silver Spring, MD. Thus began the annual Great Labor Arts Exchange (GLAE), which continues to be the core engine of our activities.

Since then the GLAE has grown to include many different forms of labor art and culture. Incorporated in 1984, the Labor Heritage Foundation, here is a list member Labor Choruses.

On Monday, 16 April 2007, the DC Labor Chorus performed at the DC Emancipation Day Voting Rights March Assemblance rally which took place at Freedom Plaza.

Contact information is as follows:

DC Labor Chorus
c/o Elise Bryant
Silver Spring, MD 20903
301-431-5408
ebryant@nationallaborcollege.edu

South Florida's Dining Out For AIDS . Thursday, 26 April

This Thursday, April 26 Care Resource, South Florida's oldest and largest HIV/AIDS community organization, presents Dining Out for AIDS for the third year in a row.

Pick one of the restaurants from the list and go out and have a meal as usual, a portion of your check will then be donated by the restaurant you visit back to Care Resource to provide services for those living in South Florida living with HIV/AIDS, it's that simple.

Exceptional Row House at Bryan Square / Capitol Hill

Exceptional & meticulously maintained row house with all the bells & whistles in sought-after Bryan Square. New in 2004, 4-level, 3BR/3.5bths & huge separate 2-Car Garage. Custom built-ins, spectacular roof deck w/Capitol views, inviting eat-in kitchen, granite counters, gas range, f/p, LCD Flatscreen TV conveys and so much more... Shows like a model! Must see!

Edward Poutier and Beth Hughes

present

1319 Independence Avenue, SE, WDC

OPEN HOUSE 29 April . 1 - 4 pm

Your Agent: EDWARD & STEWART, LLC
Phone: 202-333-6131
Office: Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage

Tokunbo of TOAD Entertainment Jamming at Sunday's Malcolm X Park Drum & Dance Circle

Almost as much I once looked forward to Sunday tea dances at the gay bars in the 70's and 80's or the Winter Party Festival Beach Party at South Beach I found myself this past few weeks wishing that the spring weather would return so that I could revisit Malcolm X. Park for its ritual Sunday drum and dance circle.

When I heard last week that the weather for the upcoming weekend would be 'back to spring', since people have acquired a "nasty little habit" of living vicariously through me and will make me their 'weekend project to oversee' I made sure not to give any advance indication of my intention to join in with Sunday's MXDD- MXP-WDC-22April2007.

Though I captured the Malcolm X. Drummers and Dancers at the 2006 Adams Morgan Day Festival my last documentation of the Sunday jam session took place a few weeks before on 20 August.

In what I refer to as movement - choreophotography I document the drum and dance circle at Malcolm X. Park the same way that I captured musical events at the 2007 Smithsonian Folklife Festival or the WP07 - Beach Party - South Beach - 04 March 2007.

In the process of my movement - choreophotography session I ran into Tokunbo Aderdele jamming at Sunday's Malcolm X. Park Drum and Dance Circle.

I met Tokunbo many years ago when he and I, both, worked as caterers with Occasions Caterers. During which time he was a student at Georgetown University and worked part-time in the catering industry.

When I inquired on Sunday if he still catered he said that he did not and that he now owns his own entertainment company.

Established in 2004, Toad Entertainment is a talent and management company and an agency of over 30 professional performing artists and bands.

TOAD ENTERTAINMENT has provided entertainment for events for City of Singer/West Palm Beach in Florida, Women's Museum of Art D.C., Dept of Education, and various venues, restaurants, and clubs around the east coast area including our own metropolitan area here in D.C. among others.

For more information contact Tokunbo at TOAD Entertainment.

Click photo to view Tokunbo Aderele photoset which is part of my Malccolm X. Park Drum & Dance Circle 2007 collection.

I can't wait to take Justin Sailor of the Hometown Invasion Tour to the Malcolm X. Park Drum and Dance Circle when, in July, he tours WDC.

Floating Lab Collective / Protest on Demand / Dupont Circle - 21 April 2007

As part of last weekend's MULTIMEDIALE Festival of Art, Politics and New Media on Saturday, 21 April 2007, The Floating Lab Collective performed Protests on Demand at Logan Circle, Dupont Circle, Washington Circle and Henley Park.

Click photo to view 21 April 2007 Floating Lab Collective Protest on Demand at Dupont Circle photoset.

Dinner at Midnight Express

Out taking pictures during my 21 April 2007 Saturday Photo Walk I happened upon this fireman barbecuing in front of the DC Fire House, Engine 16, at Franklin Square.

Located on 13th Street between K and L Streets in NW WDC I learned in December 2006 is known as Midnight Express.

When taking this series of photos on Saturday, 21 April 2007, I introduced myself by saying "Guess who's coming to dinner?"

And explained further, that when researching its history for an ongoing DC Fire House at Franklin Square photo project I had learned is known as Midnight Express.

Thanking him for the opportunity I said that I would contact Midnight Express regarding the images that I took of him.

In fact, as a result of his images I now launch the Dinner at the Fire House project.