Architect Brian Phillips from architecture firm ISA presents proposal to convert church near 46th and Spruce into apartments (Photo by West Philly Local).

Developers presented a plan to the Garden Court Community Association (GCCA) last night that would convert the Good Shepherd Community Church near 46th and Spruce into apartments and add another smaller building on the property.

The proposal, made to a standing-room-only crowd, was met with mixed reviews. Preservationists welcomed the adaptive reuse, while many neighbors near the property at 314-316 S. 46th St. opposed the plan.

“We simply can’t absorb any more high-density housing in this area,” said Eric Santoro.  Continue Reading

The seminal documentary on Black gay life, Emmy Award-winning director Marlon T. Riggs’ 1989 Tongues Untied uses poetry, personal testimony, rap and performance (featuring poet Essex Hemphill and others), to describe the homophobia and racism that confront Black gay men. The stories are fierce examples: the man refused entry to a gay bar because of his color; the college student left bleeding on the sidewalk after a gay-bashing; the loneliness and isolation of the drag queen. Yet they also affirm the black gay male experience: protest marches, smoky bars, “snap diva,” humorous “musicology” and Vogue dancers. Preceded by: Anthem (Marlon Riggs). This screening is part of Lightbox Film Center’s new series, Queering the Lens, a selection of groundbreaking nonfiction films that re-imagine or “queer” the form of documentary.

Tickets: https://lightboxfilmcenter.org/programs/tongues-untied

Poet-tree En Motion Spring Performance Series: “Movement, Word, Sound and Live Arts!” is 7-9:30 p.m. Wednesday, June 12 at The Rotunda, located at 4014 Walnut St. in West Philadelphia. Doors open at 6:30 pm. The free community arts event will feature a moving meditations class and spoken-word ritual, sonic immersion/sound journey and live painting. The event is free, but donations are appreciated. For information, email plumdragoness@gmail.com or visit www.facebook.com/groups/116980678334215 and www.therotunda.com.

Plum Dragoness (Gabrielle de Burke) is the Poet-tree En Motion event organizer and founder who will give a movement meditation workshop utilizing yoga, chi gong, tai chi and kung fu. See her also perform her unique style of spoken-word “flowetry” and give a dance performance fusing Chinese internal arts and ritual folkloric dance.

Healing arts practitioners Iron Gump and Adrian King will lead a shamanic healing sound journey for those attending the Poet-tree En Motion event. Hear them play flutes, bells, gongs, strings, dijeridoo, drums and more.

Steve Shorts is an artist who combines mixed-media muralism with social
sculpture into a blend of fine art, restoration construction and community service. See him do live painting at the Poet-tree En Motion event June 12.

Reiki master Scott Soniq will play crystal singing bowls during the shamanic sound healing meditation.

The Poet-tree En Motion ongoing multidisciplinary arts showcase, now in its 12th year, will feature healing arts practitioners at the June 12 event at West Philadelphia’s The Rotunda.

Last month we reported that Penn Book Center, one of the oldest independent bookstores in the area, will close its doors at the end of this month. But here’s some good news: the store owners, Ashley Montague and Michael Row, have recently reached an agreement with their landlord, the University of Pennsylvania, that will allow them to stay open through the end of August. During this time, the owners will try to work out a new business plan that would hopefully allow the store to stay open and prosper in the future.

After the news of the store imminent closing broke, Montague and Row received a lot of support from community members. Over 5,000 people signed an online petition generated by Penn’s English Department asking the university to help save the store from closing. Many folks even offered business ideas which the owners say they are excited to explore.  Continue Reading

The national oral history recording project StoryCorps is coming to record at The Porch at 30th Street Station from May 28 through June 26.

The StoryCorps MobileBooth (Photo by Ryan Dorgan).

You can reserve a recording spot (there is a limited number) tomorrow, May 14, beginning at 10 a.m. by calling the project’s 24-hour reservation line at 1-800-850-4406 or by visiting WHYY.org/storycorpsPHL.

StoryCorps’ MobileBooth allows two people to record a conversation between them about “who they are, what they’ve learned in life, and how they want to be remembered,” according to the project. A StoryCorps facilitator will help with the interview. Here are some tips for effective interviews.  Continue Reading

Celebrate Family. Fitness. Freedom! 2019 Uhuru Health Festival and Flea Market

When: Saturday April 27, 2019, 9am-5pm

Where: Clark Park, 43rd and Chester Ave, West Philadelphia

On April 27th, join the African Peoples Education and Defense Fund (APEDF) for our 8th Annual Uhuru Health Festival & Flea Market in West Philly’s beautiful Clark Park with a powerful theme of Family. Fitness. Freedom! The festival will feature fitness workshops, free health screenings, live entertainment and special guest speaker, Chairman Omali Yeshitela, founder and leader of the Uhuru Movement and special guest APEDF President, Ona Zene Yeshitela.

The day long festival will also feature free health resources and information from a large number of organizations including: Refugee Health, Penn Dental, The Wedge Mental Health, Urban Bush Babies and live music by Rugrat, Raw Life Crew, Mel the Artist and more!

The Uhuru Health Festival & Flea Market is an economic development project of the African People’s Education and Defense Fund (APEDF.org).

Vendors and Volunteers wanted! Call 267-875-FLEA (3532).

uhuruhealthfest.blogspot.com

uhurufleamarket.blogspot.com