By Juan O’Neill
A love supreme, is the best way to describe Laurel Dumont’s unwavering passion and commitment to the creation of the CENTER FOR COLLABORATIVE CHANGE; Which is the newly established Newark based civic minded not for profit organization, that’s committed to aiding the City’s ongoing efforts towards implementing holistic and effective urban revitalization and community empowerment and development.
And where miss Dumont serves as Executive Director. It is also an apt description of the many supportive and excited guest in attendance last night at the Center’s inaugural [Fun]draising gala that was held at the cozy chic -Calcada Bistro located within the NJPAC arts complex. Which turned their outdoor dining area into an Art Gallery and performance space for the event. The chilly night air was muted with the love, warmth, and electricity of the beautiful people and public figures of all stripes Mayor Corey “Hollywood” Booker was on hand to show is appreciation and support for Laurel and the Center’s effort to take on the challenges and critical issues facing the city’s least fortunate residents. Barry Carter Star ledger Columnist and “man of the people was there, sartorial dapper in his grey Fedora and looking every bit of the retro –cool news paper hack ala Raymond Chandler Novel.
Julian Neals Chief Corporation Counsel for the City [R] ocked the event with his soulful –funk singing and bass guitar riffs as a member of the ‘Nick Pablo Thang’ band that played a funk version of John Coltrane’s a “Love Supreme”. Additional entertainment was furnished by the scintillating and poetically beautiful American Dance Theatre troupe of whose precision sync dance moves was worthy of a venue of their own.
The Integrity House Choir “raised the roof” as we say in “ Da -Hood” with their soulful Gospel House rendition of this “Light of Mind” Guest were treated to ‘Purple-tinis’ and a smorgasbord of tasty finger food, and well stock platters (fitting for a Roman Emperor/ress) of cheese, crackers grapes and blueberries.
They were also given t he opportunity to bid silently on original artworks and paintings featuring the late “King of Pop ” Michael Jackson by the artist Bernard whose artistic style echoes that of Jacob Lawrence, Andy Warhol and Leroy Neiman. The artist’s studio is in South Orange, but he is actively looking for affordable (preferably pro-bono) studio/gallery space in the Newark (Land lords help a Brutha Out!).
All in All the event was a ‘blast’ the band played, the guest danced, the Pols partied and the Lawyers laughed (there were many in attendance Thank god no body got hurt because a riot would have broke out between the lawyers seeking to defend the victims ha-ha. If you missed don’t worry you can send your donation to the Center and Laurel will send you a DVD of the event and an invitation to next years gala.
See there!
October 2nd, 2009 at 1:14 pm
I love Newark, not this post.
October 2nd, 2009 at 6:54 pm
I love Newark also,and I enjoyed this post.
Anon sir, what bothered you about Mr. O’Neill’s post?
October 4th, 2009 at 7:51 pm
Firstly, it’s has not been content edited for a professional blog like Glocally. I don’t understand the necessity to use Ebonics jargon moreover, place them in quotes. Is this an attempt to relate the event to Newarkers OR to present the event in “Newark terms” to the outside community (of which I thought the Glocally blog was attempting to attract). Additionally, it is an obvious cheerleader post for the non-profit itself. Not very objective in the sense that this is ANOTHER non-profit of Newark that is promising to CHANGE the City, ironically boasting these claims within it’s title. I would have preferred to see Mr. O’neil express the agenda and anesthetics of this event, which undoubtedly was pleasant, but then acknowledge the familiarity of a Newark non-profit launched in a “business as usual” tone.
October 5th, 2009 at 9:46 am
I agree. Cheerleader posts are not my favorite- It feels like an easy way out for the blogger, instead of taking the chance and reporting accurately.
October 5th, 2009 at 7:55 pm
Did anyone edit this? ::shakes head:: Come on, Glocally! “Raise the roof.” Seriously??
October 6th, 2009 at 2:41 pm
To all of the above,I respect and welcome your comments,and will take the responsibility of accepting fault for not scrutinizing my spelling. However, with respect to the comments about tonality, colloquialisms(” Ebonics”),and boosterism.Glocally is not a news paper and nor is a forum for serious dry and somber news coverage of local events. It should allow and must provide a venue for light hearted and whimsical coverage of entertaining events; even if those events are organized for the purpose of addressing serious issues that affect the City of Newark. Also, Anon’s comment about “Newark Terms” reeks of elitism,anti urbanism and paints a broad brush of generalization and stereotype! Maybe its a function of my age(over 40),but I fondly remember when urbanites had wit,flair and did not take themselves so seriously. Sadly to say everyday I’m reminded of the rapid regression of truly hip and authentically cool people who have not purchased their cool from off the digital shelf and from retail outlets that sell ersatz coolness via the trendy designer label of the season. ‘Lighten Up’ folks one digressive post does not signal the end of this great site. Finally, know that I write(spelling mistakes aside), with an irreverent tonality that often mixes standard language with slang,and/or verbal anachronisms(Daddy oh!,Groovy) and a flair for the unusual and dramatic. If this annoys or offends your dictates of style and content then don’t read my articles. Their are plenty of articles in the New Republic and Ann Coulter’s Blog. Peace love and a Great Big Hug!
October 6th, 2009 at 2:52 pm
OOPs I did it again,( I left out [it] and used the wrong ‘their’ instead of There(are plenty of serious articles).Its time for me to buy new eye glasses so that I can spot and catch those spelling and grammar errors.
Sorry Charley!
October 6th, 2009 at 3:04 pm
To all of the above,I respect and welcome your comments,and will take the responsibility of accepting fault for not scrutinizing my spelling. However, with respect to the comments about tonality, colloquialisms(” Ebonics”),and boosterism.Glocally is not a news paper and nor is a forum for serious dry and somber news coverage of local events. It should allow and must provide a venue for light hearted and whimsical coverage of entertaining events; even if those events are organized for the purpose of addressing serious issues that affect the City of Newark. Also, Anon’s comment about “Newark terms” reeks of elitism,anti urbanism and paints a broad brush of generalization and stereotype! Maybe its a function of my age(over 40),but I fondly remember when urbanites had wit,flair and did not take themselves so seriously. Sadly to say everyday I’m reminded of the rapid regression of truly hip and authentically cool people who have not purchased their cool from off the digital shelf and from retail outlets that sell ersatz coolness via the trendy designer label of the season. ‘Lighten Up’ folks one digressive post does not signal the end of this great site. Finally, know that I write(spelling mistakes aside), with an irreverent tonality that often mixes standard language with slang,and/or verbal anachronisms(Daddy oh!,Groovy) and a flair for the unusual and dramatic. If this annoys or offends your dictates of style and content then you can refrain from reading my articles. Their are plenty of serious and conservative articles in the New Republic and Ann Coulter’s Blog that may suit your journalistic tastes. Peace love and a Great Big Hug!
October 7th, 2009 at 1:08 pm
I hear you, Mr. O’Neill, however, I respectfully disagree.
Your tone seems to suggest that Newarkers are/should be homogeneous. Anon is “anti-urban” because he doesn’t think unpolished posts should be published? In your opinion “hip” in Newark means:
1. no tech toys (since these are “purchased cool”),
2. Ebonics (the true sign of “hipness”)
3. Good Taste
Signs of intelligence are equivocal to elitism in your world. Except for you of course – you sound quite intelligent (albeit misguided in my opinion) – yet you still claim to be “cool?”
October 7th, 2009 at 10:53 pm
Au contraire lluvGlocally, You too seemed to have missed the essence of my reply. I did not accuse Anon of being anti urban on the basis that he/she dis agrees with my intentional use of slang, I just recoiled at his general indictment of Ebonics(which by the way is a dialect similar to British Cockney, Irish Brogue, Caribbean Patois), as the defacto language of Newarkers. And his/her insistence that posts about civic fund raisers should be straight laced and somber. I’m perplexed that you would think I equate “intelligence” with elitism hardly! However, I detect a hint of effrontery cloaked in Middle Class mores about what constitutes proper language and cultural norms with respect to statements such as ” albeit misguided in my opinion”(lol).Regarding your comment about my suggestion that Newarkers should be alike, nothing is more bland(to me) in an urban setting than ethnic/cutural homogeneity,(this is whats killing New York City slowly but surely the emergence of suburbanites re claiming the birthplace of their parents and grandparents and remolding it into a vertical suburb(yikes!),thus I am not nor ever will suggest that we all think and act alike. I like Iphones and Ipods and portable tech but these do not make one hip
which in reality has devolved into a stereotype of a 20 something tech geek/creative type rocking a Che Guevara shirt(no idea what he did) khakis and Chuck Taylors living and or hanging out in Williamsburg,or some other neo hip spot designated by marketers. Finally my ‘cool List,’Pharrel Williams, Jay Z James Dean, Miles Davis, Michael Bluble, Brad Pitt, George Clooney, John Ortiz, Pink, Oueen Latifah, Mary J. Blige, Will Downing, Terrence Howard, Jeffrey Wright, John Coltrane, Thelonius Monk ,Cornell West, Prince Bilal Ali(my brother),Mos Def, Jane Moheit, Anita Oday,Sinatra, Sammy, Dean, Pat Riley, Michael Man, Michael Saltzman(creator of Glocally), Sean Connery in the role of James Bond, Steven Soderberg, Jim Jarmuch, Bugs Bunny, The Pink Panther(animated), Benecio Del Toro, David Bowie, Jackson Pollock Drip Painting, Basiqiat mixed media, Walter Mosley Elmore Lenoard, Einstein, Sting, Seal, Tish(ex wife) June(Mom deceased) Willem Dafoe, President Barack Obama and yours truly. See cool is subjective, but its not linguistically,or culturally and aesthetically inhibited. I agree to disagree(lol).