Black
Culture is Alive and Well in Cleveland, Part II
Among the abundant
evidence of black Cleveland’s rich civic life we promised more detail about is
today’s wine-tasting hosted by The President’s Council Foundation. The event, which is being held today from
6-8 PM at the Tavo Martini Loft & Restaurant, 850 Rockwell Ave, is intended to be the Foundation’s first
annual salute to African-American Entrepreneurs. Tonight’s event will celebrate
the life of the late John Bustamante and will include the inaugural John
Bustamante Emerging Entrepreneur of the Year award.
Proceeds from the
event will help support the Foundation’s Emerging Entrepreneurs Program, which
has supported the growth and development of more than over 120 Northeast Ohio
African American entrepreneurs over the last 12 years. Individual tickets are
$50.
• • •
Also taking place
tonight is the second performance of “The Compromise”, a work of historical fiction that had its
world premiere last night at Oberlin College’s Hall Auditorium.
The
play is set at Tuskegee Institute in 1895 and reimagines the relationship
between the two titans of black America at the dawn of twentieth century:
Booker T. Washington and W. E. B. DuBois.
The cast combines Oberlin students, local residents, and
professional artists, including former Cuyahoga County Commissioner Peter
Lawson Jones as Washington. This play helps commemorate Oberlin’s 175 years of
admitting African American students, as well as the importance of continuing
the discussion about the commitment to African American education in the new
millennium.
The performances tonight and tomorrow begin at 8PM. Tickets
range from $4-$11. The play is directed by Oberlin alumnus Justin Emeka, [‘95]
who is currently Visiting Assistant Professor of Theater there.
Jones,
incidentally, is a busy actor this weekend.
Between his Oberlin stage performances he is moderating a panel
discussion at the Greater Cleveland Urban Film Festival. He also appears in two
of the films screened there today.
• • •
Case’s Social Justice Institute is host to POWER UP! -- the inauguralSocial Justice Institute Student Leadership Conference, tomorrow at the University’s Thwing Center, 11111 Euclid Ave.
The driving force
behind the conference is SJI’s passionate belief that inter-generational
exchange between youth, students and practitioners is crucial for promoting
social action.
Co-sponsors are
Case’s Office of Inclusion, Diversity and Equal Opportunity, the American Civil
Liberties Union of Ohio, and the Diversity Center of Northeast Ohio.
Jonathan Lykes, founder of the statewide action group Ohio Youth Voices, will be the keynote
speaker.
Conference presenters will lead
discussions on the how-to's of building movements [Joseph Worthy of the Children’s Defense Fund], grassroots
organizing [Trevelle Harp, Northeast
Ohio Alliance for Hope] and legal strategies [Shakyra Diaz, Cleveland ACLU of Cleveland].
The conference is
free.
• • •
The 2012 African American Philanthropy Summit will take
place tomorrow at Tri-C’s Corporate College East, 4400 Richmond Rd,
Warrensville Hts.
The half-day event, hosted by African
American Philanthropy Committee of the Cleveland Foundation, is designed to provide valuable
information and resources regarding giving circles made up of individuals,
member organizations, churches, and businesses.
The opening session
will be presented by leading professionals in black philanthropy.
Honorary chairpersons
for the program are Inajo Chappell,
Esq., partner, Ulmer & Berne LLP; Margot Copeland, executive vice
president, KeyBank, and Steven Minter, former
CEO at the Cleveland Foundation and currently executive in residence, Cleveland
State University.
Register for the
8am-1pm program here.
• • •
Finally, the
Cleveland Chapter of Top Ladies of
Distinction will honor Debra Adams Simmons,
Plain Dealer editor, and Randell McShepard, RPM International,
Inc. vice president of community affairs for outstanding community service and we
are pleased to salute them.
Wayne Dawson of Fox 8 News will serve as m.c. for
the 11am luncheon at Landerhaven.
Tickets for the
luncheon are $40; proceeds support our programs. Contact
Cheryl Williams for further information at 216.295-0107 or ecw20608@hotmail.com.
• • •
And don't forget to check out the Greater Cleveland Urban Film Fest or the Tri-C Jazz Fest.
