Category Archives: education

MIST Harlem launching new series this month

MIST Harlem (My Image Studios, LLC), the country’s first minority-owned entertainment center, has released their schedule to us announcing new series this month. Check out the details below on the upcoming series:

Uptown Thursday Nights Comedy Series
This series will begin Jan 17 with a headline event that launches a 16-week series of premiere local comedians. To purchase tickets, go here.

MIST Inspirations
The first and third Mondays at MIST will be reserved for Monday Inspirations. This series will launch similarly with a headlining Gospel artist in a full MIST house, Monday, Jan 21. The bi-weekly series will then run for 16-weeks on first and third Mondays, in the center MIST Theater from 7:30-9:30 pm. Gospel artists for the series will be booked from premier local artists (tri-state) and special guests who may be in the area for other engagements and promotions. For tickets, click here.

Creatively Speaking Film Series
Creatively Speaking is a curated film series offering a diverse forum that highlights independent film by and/or about people of color. The film series began early December 2012 and will run monthly at MIST Harlem with a collection of shorts, documentaries and narrative films that tell stories that present realistic portrayals of people of color rarely seen in the media, and appeal to varied audiences, crossing multiple cultural, geographic and socio-economic divides.

Hue-Man Bookstore Pop Up at MIST
Hue-Man enjoys the reputation as a top-flight organization and was the go to place for any and every author of Color. Visit the Pop Up inside MIST on West 116th Street between Lenox Ave and Fifth Avenue.

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Harlem’s Democracy Prep Public Schools to host ‘Inauguration of a DREAM’

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This January 21st, Democracy Prep Public Schools, which operates six charter schools in the Harlem area, will be hosting “Inauguration of a DREAM: a Celebration of Education, Service, and Democracy” from 10 am to 4 pm at the Harlem Armory. This event is free and open to the public. It will feature live music, guest speakers, food, door prizes, and community service opportunities to commemorate Martin Luther King Jr. Day. This event will coincide with the second Presidential Inauguration of President Barack Obama.

If interested in attending this event, please RSVP by January 15 at Eventbrite.com.

Democracy Prep is a growing network of six free, open-enrollment, high-performing no excuses public charter schools committed to preparing scholars for success in the college of their choice and a life of active citizenship. Teachers and staff currently educate more than 1,500 scholars in grades K-12 at six schools across the Harlem neighborhood. To learn more about Democracy Prep Public Schools, visit their website.
Inauguration_Newsletter

East Harlem school to lead peaceful march in honor of Martin Luther King, Jr

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On Monday, January 21, 2013 at 10 a.m., Manhattan Country School, located at the base of East Harlem on East 96th Street, will lead a peaceful and inspirational march through the streets of New York City in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Having chosen the route and theme of the march themselves, MCS eighth grade students will stop at several points along the march route to give public speeches they have written addressing contemporary civil rights issues. This year’s march theme is “In 25 Years: Reflecting on the Civil Rights Struggles of the Past, Looking Toward Justice for Tomorrow.”

The public is invited to attend and can join at the beginning of the march or meet along the route to hear student speeches, sing freedom songs, and participate in a unique event that is educational and uplifting.

2013 MLK March Route:
Starting time & location: 10 a.m. at Gracie Mansion
(East End Avenue and 89th Street)

1. Gracie Mansion (East End Avenue and 89th Street)
2. ASPCA (424 East 92nd Street, between 1st and York)
3. 92nd Street Y (92nd Street and Lexington Avenue)
4. Dream Charter School (232 East 102nd Street, Between 2nd and 3rd)
5. The Museum of the City of New York (1220 5th Avenue, between 103rd and 104th)
6. Manhattan Country School (7 East 96th Street, Between Madison and 5th Avenues)

Ending time & location: 1 p.m. at Manhattan Country School
(7 East 96th Street, between Fifth and Madison Avenues)

For more information about the march, contact Corris Little at clittle@manhattancountryschool.org

Latest Manhattan Rental Market Report, how does Harlem make out?

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I came across an interesting clip from Brick Underground about renting or selling during the Winter months, which then lead me to a Manhattan rental report and from there I tripped over housing stats about Harlem. If you’re an owner of property in Harlem, you’ll enjoy this news. If you’re a person looking to rent in the Harlem area, this is info could be bad news for your endeavor.

According to the 2012 November issue of Manhattan Rental Market Report, “Harlem is the only neighborhood that saw increases,” which is unusual because during the cold season the real estate market typically slows down for both selling and renting; and numbers are flat. But not for renting in Harlem. The numbers are up, according to this report. Here are the Harlem stats:

Non-Doorman Studios (3.1%)
Doorman Studios (4.4%)
Non-Doorman One-Bedrooms (3.5%)
Doorman One-Bedrooms (2.6%)
Non-Doorman Two-Bedrooms (2.0%)
Doorman Two-Bedrooms (1.2%)

To learn more about the Manhattan Rental Market Report, go here.

Doug E. Fresh, Kangol Kid To Serve Honor Students Dinner In Harlem

According to AllHipHop.com, rap pioneers Doug E. Fresh and Kangol Kid of UTFO will honor a number of students tomorrow (December 18), in Harlem.

Doug E. Fresh and Kangol Kid will serve 22 students from the New York Mosiac Preparatory Academy, during an evening of dinner and music, catered by Hip-Hop artists.

Doug E. Fresh will open his restaurant Doug E’s Chicken & Waffles restaurant, which is in the heart of Harlem. The event is being held to celebrate the students who made honor roll, in addition to raising funds and awareness for the Mama Luke Foundation, which is aimed at combating breast cancer.

The event is being sponsored by Rock and Soul Records, Kangol Headwear USA and Ice-T’s signature line of Azad watches. Those who cannot make the event in person, can watch the dinner and ceremony live on the Internet at: http://www.djdiamondtheartist.com.

Holiday Trunk Show with Alton Weekes and Deborah Gregory at Harlem Flo

Save the date of December 7th! That’s when Stationary Designer Alton Weekes will host his annual Holiday Trunk Show in Harlem from 5 pm to 9 pm. Joining Weekes will be Designer Deborah Gregory of the famous Cheetah Girls. This event is happening at Harlem Flo located at 2276 FDB at 122nd Street. See entire details below!

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My Image Studios Harlem officially opens November 28, view upcoming events


The New York Times reports today (Nov 26) that MIST Harlem, aka My Image Studios, located at 40 West 116th Street will open Wednesday, November 28. MIST Harlem is the “20,000 sq. ft. cultural entertainment center that features a 130-seat restaurant (Harvist) and three performance spaces presenting the best in film, live music, spoken word, comedy and more-performed by top established and emerging black & Latino artists from around the world.” Here’s an immediate list of upcoming events , which starts tomorrow, November 27. Take a look .

11/27 Middle of Nowhere Film Event
Special private screening and Q & A for the NY Women in Film and Television of Sundance Award winning director Ava DuVernay film, Middle of Nowhere.

11/28 Otelo Film Premiere
Otelo Burning directed by Sara Blecher, an award-winning documentary director and producer. Somewhere between City of God and Blue Crush, the film tells the story of a group of township kids who discover the joy of surfing. Filmed in Zulu with English subtitles, the film also includes music from South African Hip Hop artist Reason.
http://www.charged.fm/userevent/item/637/otelo-burning-premiere-event-at-mist-harlem

11/29 Elza Film Premiere
Elza, by Mariette Monpierre, is the first narrative feature film by a female filmmaker from Guadeloupe, the West Indies. It tells the universal story of a family in turmoil. Filmed in French with English subtitles, the film also includes music from French neo-folk-soul artistStévy Mahy.
http://www.charged.fm/userevent/item/642/elza-film-premiere–november-29-at-mist-harlem

12/3 Vaughn Harper Toy Drive and Benefit Concert
Celebrity toy drive and jazz concert fundraiser for Harlem Downing, a foster care agency. It is set for Monday, December 3. It is being organized by WBLS 107.5 radio personality Vaughn Harper.

Participate in coat drive by Harlem School of the Arts

The Harlem School of the Arts (HSA) is hosting a coat drive this month and part of next month through the organization New York Cares. HSA will be collecting new or gently used coats for men, women and children during its regular business hours of 10 am to 7 pm Monday through Saturday. HSA is located at 645 St. Nicholas Avenue between West 141st and 142nd Street or call 212-926-4100.

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Harlem RBI honored with Nonprofit Excellence Award


The winners of the 2012 New York Community Trust/New York Magazine Nonprofit Excellence Awards were announced yesterday, November 15th, in New York City and a Harlem organization received one of the three top honors. Harlem RBI, which uses the power of teams to coach, teach and inspire inner-city youth to recognize their potential and realize their dreams, received the Silver Prize Award. Richard Berlin, Executive Director and Kenneth Rosh, Board Chairman-shown in the photo below-accepted the award and a $10,000 prize. Harlem RBI won the Prize for Excellent Communications in 2008 and has now been recognized for its outstanding management practices.

The Gold Prize Award went to Red Hook Initiative in Brooklyn and the Bronze Prize Award went to Open Door Family Medical Center in Ossining, NY. Each winner also received scholarships towards tuition at Programs in Social Enterprise in Executive Education at Columbia Business School, valued at a total of $18,000.

The Nonprofit Excellence Awards honor outstanding management practices and encourage innovation and communications among New York’s diverse nonprofit community. A Selection Committee of 28 nonprofit experts choose these three organizations from an original group of 50 applicants.

Congrats to Harlem RBI! Way to go!

Listen up Harlem, go vote November 6


The big day is near. Tomorrow, November 6 is election day. It is time of us to go to the voting booths to cast our vote! If you’re a registered voter and not sure where to go to cast your ballot, use New York City’s Board of Elections (BOE) Polling Locator. It will tell you where to go by typing in your building number and street name. The BOE also has an app that will allow you to find your voting poll. Go here to download the app.

Most of us online have been expressing our political views for weeks. I know I have. The day is here where it’s now time for us to do the walk, not just talk. Get out and vote tomorrow! See you at the voting booth!