June 06, 2008

"OTHER, OTHER…" screening and panel at Hostos Art Gallery

I'll be speaking on a panel of recipients of the Urban Artist Initiative Grant (UAI/NYC) on Friday (see panel titled in bold below). Twenty minutes of rough scenes from Enemy Alien will be on view at the exhibit, which runs most of the summer.
-- Konrad

The Bronx Council on the Arts and Longwood Art Gallery @ Hostos proudly present:

OTHER, OTHER…
Curated by Wanda Raimundi-Ortiz
On view at Longwood Art Gallery from June 4 thru August 7, 2008 Hostos Center for the Arts & Culture
450 Grand Concourse at 149th Street
2, 4 5 trains and Bx1, Bx19 buses to 149th Street/Grand Concourse

Wednesday, June 4 from 5-9pm
Opening Reception and Bronx Culture Trolley

Friday, June 6
6:00pm – 8:00pm
The Importance of Intermediaries and Panelists in the Urban Artist Initiative process UAI Artists, Panelist and Representatives from the UAI coordinating committee will discuss the grantsmanship process, challenges and recommendations. Panel: Konrad Aderer, Alván Colón, Duron Jackson, Linda Walton. Moderator: Ted Berger

Saturday, June 7th, 2008
12:00 – 1:30pm - The Big Picture: The Changing Demographics of NYC – Impact on Culture -This panel will discuss recent and present demographic studies that provide a new perspective on the way the city will look in the future. It will discuss how these changes are reflected in the work of artists and the implications such changes present for the creative community and the broader community. Panel: Dr. Yasmin Ramirez, Tomie Arai, Dr.Anna Magonson, Omar Freilla. Moderator: Kinshsha Conwill.

1:45-3:15pm – Diversity and Class Within Diversity–Increasing demographic changes within diverse communities add to the complexities of understanding and recognizing the range of ethnicities and cultures. What are the implications for the arts community? Panel: Wallace Edgecombe, Juan Sanchez and Dread Scott. Moderator: Ron Kavanaugh.

3:30 – 5:00pm – Implications for Cultural and Public Policy – This panel will highlight ways cultural and public policy presently responds to changing demographics and suggest ways of responding in the future. It will also discuss our collective responsibility to work towards chance in public policy. Panel: Rocio Alvarez-Aranda, Kinshasha Conwill, Heather Hilzharno. Moderator: William Aguado.

5:30-7:00pm – Reception at the Longwood Art Gallery.

7:00pm- Performance at Hostos Performing Arts Center – Celebrando LaTorva Boricua – A salute to the 51st National Puerto Rican Day Parade and to the city of Lajas, Puerto Rico with Victoria Sanabria “La diosa de la trova” and Prodigio Clausdio, Maestro del cuatro. Admission $15. Box office and information: 718-518-4455

OTHER, OTHER…features works by 18 artists of African, Asian, and Latino ancestry working in drawing, installation, mixed media, painting, performance art, photography, sculpture and video, and represent a sampling of 2007 and 2008 Urban Artist Initiative Grant (UAI/NYC) recipients visual arts and media.

Participating artists Konrad Aderer, Karina Aguilera-Skvirsky, Keith Anderson, Tomie Arai, Cat Chow, Nicolás Dumit Estévez, Edwin Gonzalez-Ojeda, Skowmon Hastanan, Wennie Huang, Janelle Iglesias, Duron Jackson, Teru Kuwayama, Jessica Lagunas, Alfonso Muńoz, Juan Sanchez, Dread Scott, Shen Wei, and Injoo Whang

OTHER, OTHER… refers to the varying degrees of “Otherness” that artists of color reflect within the issues of multilayered representations (or misrepresentations), classification of identity and visibility.

Sponsored for Hostos Center for the Arts & Culture and The Bronx Council on the Arts

This exhibition is made possible with funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, New York State Council on the Arts-Visual Arts Program, AG Foundation and Carnegie Corporation

Free Admission

www.bronxarts.org
www.longwoodarts.org

Hostos Center for the Arts & Culture
450 Grand Concourse at 149th Street
2, 4 5 trains and Bx1, Bx19 buses to 149th Street/Grand Concourse
Bronx, NY 10451
Information: 718.518.4455

April 15, 2008

Demand Immediate Release of Palestinian Nonviolent Resistance Activist

******Please forward widely and act TODAY!**********

Early in the morning of Friday April 11th IDF troops invaded the home of the AbuMaria family and arrested Mousa AbuMaria. Mousa is a well known nonviolent activist and a co-founder of the Palestinian Solidarity Project. He has been a lead organizer in peaceful protest involving hundreds of Israelis and internationals and has been committed to nonviolence for several years.

When Mousa was arrested his family was not told of the reason of his arrest or his whereabouts.
When his lawyer managed to locate him it turned out he was being held in military jail but still no reason for his arrest was given. Only days later was his lawyer finally told that he was suspected of membership in a terrorist organization but when his interrogation did not turn up any evidence the prosecution has admitted that there 'may' not be enough evidence to put him on trial.

With no evidence against him and a long history of nonviolent activism Mousa's family should be celebrating his impending release. However, the Israeli military court system that presides over Palestinians in the Occupied Territories does not work that way and the prosecution has said they are considering putting Mousa in Administrative Detention, in which he has no right to trial. For Palestinians, when there is no evidence for a trial, they are simply jailed without one. The decision on whether Mousa will be placed in Administrative Detention will most likely be made TOMORROW.

ACT NOW to support Mousa.

Register your outrage to imprisonment without trial. Please write to the Chief Military Attorney,

Brigadier General Avihai Mandelblit , and demand that Mousa AbuMaria be released immediately.

Below is a suggested draft of a letter addressed to the Chief Military Attorney. Your own version should be emailed from gmail, yahoo hotmail or riseup to:

+97236080366@fax.tc

This will then be faxed to the Chief Military Attorney's office. Please cc PSP so we can keep track of the letters of support: palestineproject@gmail.com

Those who have a fax machine or do not have an email account at either gmail, yahoo, hotmail or riseup can fax the Chief Military Attorney's office directly at

972 3 608 0366

Sample letter:

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chief Military Attorney

6 David Elazar Street

Tel Aviv

Military postal code 9605,IDF

Fax: +972 3 608 0366

Monday 14th April, 2008

F.A.O: Brigadier General Avihai Mandelblit,

I am writing with regards to the arrest of Mousa AbuMaria on Friday 11th April, 2008 in the village of Beit Ommar, West Bank, Occupied Territories. His lawyers have informed the international community of the conditions surrounding his arrest and said that although there is currently not enough evidence to put him on trial, he may soon be placed in administrative detention.

I would like to highlight my concerns and call on you, the Chief Military Attorney of Israel, to ensure that Mousa is not administratively detained without charge or trial.

Mousa has for many years been a lead organizer in peaceful, non violent protest and worked alongside hundredss of international and Israelis activists in resisting the illegal occupation of Palestinian land. He is well known as a passionate advocate of non violent resistance and has many Israeli friends who can vouch for his peaceful political commitments and his character.

I, the undersigned, would like to see this issue addressed through the appropriate channels and ensure that he is released immediately.

Thank you for your time.

Yours sincerely,

(Insert name)

PSP http://Palestinesolidarityproject.org

March 02, 2008

Rising Up: the Alams screening at NYC Grassroots Media Conference

Alisha

Rising Up: The Alams
11 min | Konrad Aderer | 2005
In this short documentary we meet the Alams, a Bangladeshi family living in Coney Island, Brooklyn. Mohammed Alam, father to two young U.S.-born daughters, is one of 13,000 immigrants facing deportation as a consequence of Special Registration, a post-9/11 policy which targeted nationals of Muslim countries. But the Alams are not just victims. Learn how they fight back as members of South Asian community organization D.R.U.M. (Desis Rising Up and Moving).

My short documentary RISING UP: THE ALAMS is showing at the Grassroots Media Conference this Sunday at 12:15pm, Hunter College.

It's not just a screening but a whole conference, with tons of events & screenings going on. NYC folks interested in media & activism should check this out! I'll be speaking with a panel following the screening.

5th Annual Grassroots Media Conference
http://www.nycgrassrootsmedia.org
Speaking Truth To Power- Media Justice in Our Communities
Co-Sponsored by the Film and Media Studies Department, Hunter College/CUNY

Sunday March 2, 9am-6pm
at HUNTER COLLEGE:
68th Street and Lexington Ave
Enter at West Building (Southwest Corner, enter from street or directly from 6 train)

For Directions and Handicap access please visit:
http://nycgrassrootsmedia.org/08directions

Session 2: 12:15pm - 1:45pm

CALL FOR CHANGE SERIES: PRESENTED BY THIRD WORLD NEWSREEL
Call for Change is a vibrant series of short documentaries about various communities of color in New York City. Each documentary opens a window into a different aspect of life in the city: a Palestinian-American voting for the first time; Sikhs defending their civil rights to wear turbans and practice their religion; a Bangladeshi family fighting against deportation; domestic workers demanding better working conditions, and more.

*Q&A With The Following Filmmakers to Follow:

Kevin Lee, Filmmaker
Konrad Aderer, Filmmaker
Miriam Perez, Filmmaker
Neha Singh, Advocacy Director / Staff Attorney, The Sikh Coalition
Wanda Imueson, FUREE

here’s a list of the other Call for Change films:

JUST RALPH
11min | Clifton Watson | 2005

WORK & RESPECT
10 min | Domestic Workers United | 2005

SHE RHYMES LIKE A GIRL
7 min | JT Takagi | 2005

WALKING WITH FUREE
10 min | Miriam Perez | 2005

DASTAAR: DEFENDING SIKH IDENTITY
12 min | Kevin Lee| 2005

there’s more screening programs too; here's the full schedule:
http://nycgrassrootsmedia.org/sites/nycgrassrootsmedia.org/files/FilmSched08_4.pdf

REGISTER TODAY to save $10 off conference registration!
Your last chance to register at the pre-conference rate will be Friday at 5pm. Visit or stop by our ticketing locations:

Downtown:
Bluestockings Bookstore
172 Allen Street between Stanton and Rivington :: 212.777.6028

Brooklyn:
VOX POP CAFE
1022 Cortelyou Road 718.940.2084

Registration Rates:

$20 adults advance/$30 day of
$15/$25 student registration with valid ID
$10 Hunter Students with valid ID
$5 youth (18 and under)

GROUP RATES AVAILABLE! Please email mo@nycgrassrootsmedia.org or call 917.523.1045

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