The Passage Project

Postcards from the Edge: A Benefit Brought to You by Visual AIDS

Image courtesy of Visual Aids.

Postcards from the Edge is back bigger than ever. This years for Visual AIDS will feature 1,600 works of art. A few years ago I had the opportunity to work behind the scenes processing postcards for the show. It was a wonderful experience seeing the project come to life and working with an incredible group of people.

Image courtesy of Visual Aids.

All postcards are $75. Think about it. You could have your very own Kara Walker, Jean Foos, Yoko Ono, Dirk Roundtree, John Waters, Catherine Opie, Carrie Ann Weems, Jeff Koons, Cindy Sherman and Kiki Smith. So worth it.

The benefit will take place at Metro Pictures located at 519 West 24th Street. The entrance fee for the preview party tomorrow night is $75 and runs from 6 to 8 p.m. The actual sale is Saturday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. with a $5 suggested admission. For more information check out their website.

Notes From the Diaspora, 12/10: Human Rights Day, Tuskegee Airmen at Inauguration, Film Slingshot Hip Hop

This regular section of The Passage Project is the spot to find abbreviated notes on news and events throughout the African Diaspora.

Politics
World

Today is Human Rights Day and the United Nation's has scheduled a number of events to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Declaration of Human Rights. This morning they will be awarding The United Nations Prize in the Field of Human Rights to Louise Arbour, Ramsey Clark, Dr. Carolyn Gomes, Dr. Denis Mukwege and Human Rights Watch. There will also be a panel discussion titled “Reclaiming The Vision: The Universal Declaration of Human Rights Today”  with Prof. Philip Alston, Larry Cox, Michael Ratner, and Prof. Patricia Williams.  

Want more? International human right's champion Amnesty International is organizing the 2008 Global Write-a-thon December 5-14 to mark the occasion. From their website: Write letters on behalf of prisoners of conscience and human rights defenders at risk of severe human rights violations.

Visit Amnesty's website to read a Q&A about the program and to learn about event supporter musician Serj Tankian of the band System of a Down.

Washington D.C.

Surviving members of World War II's Tuskegee Airmen have been invited to attend the inauguration of Barack Obama January 20th. The troop included elite pilots, flight instructors, navigators, radio technicians, air traffic controllers and other grounds crewmen. 

 

Troops being briefed in 1945. Image courtesy of the Library of Congress.

They were awarded the Congressional Gold Medal at a ceremony at the U.S. Capitol on March 29, 2007 by President George Bush. Their other honors include Distinguished Honor Crosses, Legions of Merit, Purple Hearts, Silver Stars, the Croix de Guerre and the Red Star of Yugoslavia.

From 1942 to 1946, the all black air troop trained at Tuskegee Army Air Field in Alabama and Moton Field at the Tuskegee Institute. To visit The Tuskegee Airmen National Historic Site at Moton Field, visit the offical website of the National Park Service.

  
Dr. Roscoe Brown Jr. receives Congressional Gold Medal from President Bush.

  Image courtesy of the Slingshot Hip Hop website.

Film
Dubai

Award-winning documentary Slingshot Hip-Hop, directed by Jackie Reem Salloum, will be screening in Dubai at the DMC Ampitheater December 12th at 8 p.m. After the screening there will be live performances by DAM, PR (The Palestinian Rappers), Fredwreck and the Narcicyst.

The film tells the stories of several young men and woman living in Palestine who are using hip-hop to explore the everyday lives, politics and hardships of their communities in Gaza, the West Bank and Israel.  To see the trailer or to purchase the film's recently released soundtrack and t-shirts, please visit the official website.

Slingshot Hip Hop will also be screened in New York City January 7th. Details coming soon.

Hurricanes Continue to Cause Destruction Throughout Caribbean & Gulf Coast--How You Can Help

 

Yves Beauge image of flooded homes in the Central Plateau region of Haiti courtesy of World Vision.

The 2008 hurricane season is expected to come to an end November 30th and the Caribbean, Cuba and Gulf Coast have already be pounded by several storms. Hurricane Gustav, Hannah and Ike have cost hundreds of lives and destroyed communities in Haiti, Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Turks and Caicos, as well as Cuba. Power is still out in parts on Louisiana, and the agriculture and fishing industries are tallying their losses. Hurricane Ike is moving through the Gulf of Mexico toward Texas and is expected to reach the Corpus Christi area Saturday morning.

The following organizations are working with communities the Caribbean, Cuba and Gulf Coast:

New Orleans
Habitat for Humanity/NOLA
Common Ground Relief

Caribbean
UNICEF
World Vision

Of course, there is also The American Red Cross, and International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Cresent Societies.  I volunteered with them in the days following Hurricane Katrina and also volunteered with the progressive-minded Common Ground in 2005 during the week of Thanksgiving in both New Orleans and Houma. Volunteers from across the country worked with Louisiana residents to gut, clean and rebuild homes. On Thanksgiving day, tables were brought in and dinner was served on the streets of the Ninth Ward for community members and volunteers.

The website for CNN is also a great resource for hurricane relief programs. You can learn more various ways to help in the website's section Impact Your World. There you will find a list of organizations doing extraordinary work throughout the world.

When picking an organization to donate to or volunteer with, please do your research and find out what organization works best for you. (Though they are doing wonderful work, The American Red Cross has been plagued with problems regarding mishandled funds since September 11th, 2001. While volunteering there, I heard additional stories involving the misuse of funds.)