A fund-raising cultural program honoring two national heroes - Toussaint L’Ouverture of Haiti and American civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. - will be held at the York College Performing Arts Center, 94-20 Guy R. Brewer Boulevard, Queens, on April 6.
The event, which will mark the 205th anniversary of the death of the historic Haitian Revolution leader and the 40th anniversary of King’s death, was announced recently by Ron Daniels, president of the Institute of the Black World 21st Century (IBW) and founder of the Haiti Support Project (HSP).
HSP’s Model City Initiative to transform the Haitian town of Milot into a profitable tourism destination will benefit from the event. In addition, proceeds will help fund the IBW’s New York-based Youth Initiative Project, which teaches leadership skills to young people through community service.
There also will be a bit of star-power surrounding the affair. Former Mayor David Dinkins will be the chair of the benefit, which will be hosted by Congressmember Gregory Meeks and will have a VIP reception.
Invited guests include actor-activist Danny Glover and award-winning Haitian writer Edwidge Danticat.
Among the featured entertainers will be the Dixon Guillaume and Haitian Mass Choir, Camille Yarbrough and the Ancestor House Band, the York College Gospel Choir, Voix et Tambours D’Haiti, Sheps Hetep African Drummers and Dancers; Louis Reyes Rivera and Gaspard Louis, said Erna Letemps of the Voices of Haiti, the producer and director of the performances.
“Since the work of IBW is national and international in scope and we do a tremendous amount of work in Haiti through HSP, this seemed like an opportunity to forge an even stronger partnership between Haitian-Americans, African-Americans and all people of good will in pursuit of justice, dignity and self-determination for the people of Haiti and people of African descent in the U.S.,” said Daniels, explaining the origins of the event.
General admission for the performance only is $30. Reserved seating is $50, and patron/VIP admission - which includes the reception and a listing in the event journal - is $100.
The VIP reception will begin at 4 p.m. and the show will start at 5:30 p.m. For tickets, call Theater Mania at 212-352-3101, or 866-881-4111 toll-free. To buy tickets online, visit www.ibw21.org and click the link to the event.
Poetry at Tropical Paradise
“Pan, poetry and Caribbean Cuisine,” a Women’s History Month celebration, will take place Friday, March 28 from 7 to 11 p.m. at Tropical Paradise Restaurant, 1250 Utica Ave. (at Avenue D) in Brooklyn.
Pann-flutist Nyasha Rhoden, poet Rodlyn Douglas, the HighliteVibe Steel Combo, members of the Harmony Steel Orchestra and Women in Steel ensemble will take part in the special show. Tickets, which include a meal, are $35 in advance and $40 at the door.
For tickets and information, call Charlie’s One Stop Records at 718-783-2542, Tropical Paradise at 718-629-3500 or Barbara Sealy-Rhoden at 718-240-0264.
Ainsley Burrows feted
There will be an invitation-only Manhattan gathering this week to publicize poet Ainsley Burrows’ latest work, the album “Evolver.” At the affair, Burrows will perform with Sprala Swa, Ming, Faro-Z and Loose, who also worked on the entertainer’s fifth album.
The 10-track Evolver album’s socio-political commentary is presented through poetry, music and imaginative, original arrangements. The album is due to be released on April 16.
To buy “Evolver” and get information on Burrows, visit their web site at www.myspace.com/ainsleyburrows or contact TSO Productions at 718-421-6927 or by e-mail at info@tsoproductions.com.
Power breakfast Thursday
The Caribbean American Chamber of Commerce & Industry has scheduled a keynote speaker - New York Secretary of State Lorraine Cortez-Vasquez, the first Hispanic to hold the prestigious post - for its Special Business Leadership Power Breakfast Meeting on Thursday, March 20.
The morning session will be held at Brooklyn Borough Hall, 209 Joralemon Street, starting at 8:30 a.m. For information about membership information and the chamber’s small business development programs, call 718-834-4544, or send e-mail to rahastick@msn.com. And visit their web site at CaribbeanTradeCenter.com.
Rocking the web
The latest and hottest Haitian music happenings in New York and beyond can be found on the Rock Masters web site.
Among the events touted on the site this week is the “Pre-Easter Jump-Off” on Thursday, March 20 in Queens at Amazura, 91-12 144th Place in Jamaica, starring Carimi Zin and Krezi. There is also a show featuring the bands Zin and Zouti on April 18 at Mirelle’s Restaurant and Catering, 170 Post Avenue in Westbury, Long Island.
It is simple to get entertainment information each week: Just subscribe to Rock Masters weekly e-mail newsletter. Go to www.rockmasters.com to sign up.
This column is reprinted from the March 16 Sunday editions of The New York Daily News. If you have any items suitable for this column please e-mail them to jmccallister@nydailynews.com.
