Tuesday, December 03, 2019

Kamala Harris statement to her supporters on ending her presidential campaign

Kamala Harris released the following statement to her supporters via medium.com after suspending her presidential campaign.

Eleven months ago at the launch of our campaign in Oakland I told you all: “I am not perfect. But I will always speak with decency and moral clarity and treat all people with dignity and respect. I will lead with integrity. I will speak the truth.”

And that’s what I have tried to do every day of this campaign. So here’s the truth today.

I’ve taken stock and looked at this from every angle, and over the last few days have come to one of the hardest decisions of my life.

My campaign for president simply doesn’t have the financial resources we need to continue.

I’m not a billionaire. I can’t fund my own campaign. And as the campaign has gone on, it’s become harder and harder to raise the money we need to compete.

In good faith, I can’t tell you, my supporters and volunteers, that I have a path forward if I don’t believe I do.

So, to you my supporters, it is with deep regret — but also with deep gratitude — that I am suspending my campaign today.

But I want to be clear with you: I am still very much in this fight.

And I will keep fighting every day for what this campaign has been about. Justice for The People. All the people.

Our campaign has been about fighting for people whose voices that have not been heard or too often ignored.

We will keep up that fight.

Let’s remember: we were the first to put the injustice of inadequate teacher pay on the national agenda.

We will keep up that fight.

We were the first to demand justice for our children, declaring we would take bold executive actions to stop gun violence.

We will keep up that fight.

We were the first to demand justice for women with a plan to block unconstitutional state abortion laws.

We will keep up that fight.

And our campaign uniquely spoke to the experiences of Black women and people of color — and their importance to the success and future of this party. Our campaign demanded no one should be taken for granted by any political party.

We will keep up that fight because no one should be made to fight alone.

And I believe our campaign showed every child in America — regardless of their color or gender — that there are no limits to who can lead and hold positions of power in our country.

In that way — this campaign has been so much bigger than me.

I am extremely grateful to the hundreds of staff who moved and uprooted their lives and sacrificed time away from their families. I know our fight has been personal for each of them.

Of course, I could not have done this without my husband Doug and my entire family and friends who gave up so much to embark on this journey with me and have supported me every step of the way.

And I am grateful to the thousands of volunteers and contributors who chipped in, who knocked on doors, who made calls and who put their faith and trust in me. It has been the honor of my life to be your candidate.

And I want to be clear: although I am no longer running for President, I will do everything in my power to defeat Donald Trump and fight for the future of our country and the best of who we are.

I know you will too. So let’s do that together.

Let’s keep fighting for the America we believe in, an America free of injustice. An America that we know we can be unburdened by what has been.

Thank you.

— Kamala

National Museum of African American History and Culture’s Alvin Ailey Photography Collection Is Now Available to the Public

On the 30th anniversary of Alvin Ailey’s death (Dec. 1), the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture is making available the collection of more than 10,000 photographs chronicling the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater from 1961 to 1994. The Jack Mitchell Photography of the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater Collection includes 8,288 black-and-white negatives, 2,106 color slides and transparencies, and 339 black-and-white prints depicting private photo sessions, repertory by Alvin Ailey and a wide range of choreographers and iconic solo performers.

Jack Mitchell’s collection documents the dance company’s evolution while capturing the true idiosyncrasies and physicality of movement through still images. The photography showcases the innovative performances and groundbreaking artistry of Ailey, who shined a spotlight on the contributions and experiences of the African American heritage that inspired the racially diverse performances he presented that forever changed American dance and culture.

Acquired in 2013, the entire digitized photography collection has been recently made available to the public online via the Smithsonian’s Online Virtual Archives. The collection is jointly owned by the National Museum of African American History and Culture and Alvin Ailey Dance Foundation.

“To have one photographer as talented as Jack Mitchell capture the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater’s history allows us to really witness the groundbreaking and historic nature of Alvin Ailey’s dance style and his vision for a dance company,” said Spencer Crew, interim director of the National Museum of African American History and Culture. “It’s particularly difficult to capture the essence of performing arts in photography, yet this collection showcases the ephemeral nature of the performances that made the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater so special to so many audiences around the world.”

Mitchell’s photography vividly illustrates the evolution of Ailey’s principal dancers, notable performances and Ailey himself. The collection contains photographs of over 80 choreographed performances by Ailey, including his debut piece “Blues Suite” along with “The River” and “Revelations,” one of Ailey’s most popular and critically acclaimed pieces that tells the African American story from slavery to freedom and remains one the most beloved works of modern dance, acclaimed as a must-see and applauded by audiences around the world. The collection also features portraits of Judith Jamison, who was Ailey’s muse, most notably for the tour-de-force solo “Cry,” and who he entrusted to become artistic director before his death. Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater’s other earliest and most revered dancers are featured, including Dudley Williams, Sylvia Waters, Masazumi Chaya and Donna Wood.

“Photographer Jack Mitchell was one of the great chroniclers of the performing arts, including his iconic work with Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater for over three decades,” said artistic director emerita Judith Jamison. “Alvin Ailey was a pioneer in opening doors for performers of all backgrounds, especially black people, to share their stories in performances that inspired, enlightened and brought together all of us. He was a genius of a choreographer who celebrated African American culture and the modern dance tradition in stirring masterpieces like ‘Cry,’ ‘Blues Suite’ and ‘Revelations.’ I am thrilled that the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture has made this treasured collection available so the public can further experience the artistry and the history of the company and our founder Alvin Ailey.”

Jack Mitchell and Alvin Ailey


Mitchell (1925–2013) was an acclaimed photographer who began chronicling the work of the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater in 1961. Ailey (1931–1989), one of the most influential choreographers of modern dance, dedicated himself and his dance company to creating ballets that not only accelerated the careers of young African American dancers, but also captured the attention of national and international audiences. Through Mitchell’s collaboration with Ailey, and later with Jamison, they were able to produce a unique body of lasting art, fusing the meaning and movements of dance and the techniques of photography.

Following its 60th anniversary, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater’s new season of performances begins at New York City Center Dec. 4 and runs through Jan. 5, 2020, with subsequent performances at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., Feb. 4 and a national tour continuing through May.

About the National Museum of African American History and Culture


Since opening Sept. 24, 2016, the National Museum of African American History and Culture has welcomed over 6 million visitors. Occupying a prominent location next to the Washington Monument on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., the nearly 400,000-square-foot museum is the nation’s largest and most comprehensive cultural destination devoted exclusively to exploring, documenting and showcasing the African American story and its impact on American and world history. For more information about the museum, visit nmaahc.si.edu, follow @NMAAHC on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat—or call Smithsonian information at (202) 633-1000.

About Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater


Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, recognized by U.S. Congressional resolution as a vital American “Cultural Ambassador to the World,” grew from a now‐fabled March 1958 performance in New York that changed forever the perception of American dance. Founded by Alvin Ailey, recent posthumous recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom—the nation’s highest civilian honor—and guided by Judith Jamison beginning in 1989, the company is now led by Robert Battle, whom Jamison chose to succeed her July 1, 2011. Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater has performed for an estimated 25 million people in 71 countries on six continents—as well as millions more through television broadcasts, film screenings and online platforms—promoting the uniqueness of the African American cultural experience and the preservation and enrichment of the American modern dance tradition. In addition to being the Principal Dance Company of New York City Center, where its performances have become a year‐end tradition, the Ailey company performs annually at Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C., the Auditorium Theatre in Chicago, the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts of Miami‐Dade County in Miami, The Fox Theatre in Atlanta, Zellerbach Hall in Berkeley, California, and at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center in Newark where it is the Principal Resident Affiliate, and appears frequently in other major theaters throughout the United States and the world during extensive yearly tours. The Ailey organization also includes Ailey II (1974), a second performing company of emerging young dancers and innovative choreographers; The Ailey School (1969), one of the most extensive dance training programs in the world; Ailey Arts in Education & Community Programs, which bring dance into the classrooms, communities and lives of people of all ages; and Ailey Extension (2005), a program offering dance and fitness classes to the general public, which began with the opening of Ailey’s permanent home—the largest building dedicated to dance in New York City, the dance capital of the world—named The Joan Weill Center for Dance, at 55th Street at Ninth Avenue in New York City. For more information, visit www.alvinailey.org.

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Monday, December 02, 2019

MasterClass Announces Misty Copeland to Teach Ballet Technique and Artistry

SAN FRANCISCO, Dec. 2, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- MasterClass, the platform that makes it possible for anyone to learn from the best, announced today that decorated prima ballerina Misty Copeland will teach ballet. Credited with both broadening the audience for classical ballet and invigorating the art form with a renewed energy, Copeland's MasterClass will offer an intimate look at how she's navigated challenges throughout her life and career to defy boundaries and become American Ballet Theatre's first African American female principal dancer. Now available exclusively at MasterClass.com, students can subscribe for unlimited access to all new and existing classes of 70+ instructors through the All-Access Pass. MasterClass categories include leadership, cooking, photography, writing, performance, and much more.

"Misty has single handedly transformed ballet," said David Rogier, co-founder and CEO of MasterClass. "In her MasterClass, she not only teaches her balance of craft and artistry, but she also brings us into her world, sharing the stories that have made her the athlete and artist she is today."

In 2015, Copeland became the first African American woman to be promoted to principal dancer in American Ballet Theatre's 75-year history. She has been an advocate for diversity and, in 2014, President Barack Obama appointed her to the President's Council on Fitness, Sports and Nutrition. She was named one of TIME's 100 most influential people, and later interviewed by President Obama for TIME and Essence magazines to discuss race, gender, achievement and creating opportunity for young people. She is an advocate and volunteer for the Boys & Girls Club of America, where she first learned ballet, as well as an ambassador for MindLeaps, a dance-centered nonprofit providing vocational training to at-risk youth in post-conflict and developing countries. She was recently featured as the lead ballerina in Disney's "The Nutcracker and The Four Realms."

"As a mentor, it's important to me to set a positive example for athletes and artists and show that with the right work ethic, dreams are possible," said Copeland. "I hope students walk away from my MasterClass with a simple way of approaching ballet technique. But, more importantly, what it takes to be confident, to accept who you are and embrace who you want to be in the future."

Dancers and performers of all kinds will learn more deeply how they can embody characters, tell stories through movement, and own a stage with a dynamic presence. Copeland's MasterClass offers an intimate look at ballet artistry and technique, and diversity and inclusion in the world of classical ballet and her journey to becoming a principal dancer at American Ballet Theatre. In her class, Copeland will reveal the technical transformation she's worked on for the past year, how to work with different choreographers, the value of seeking guidance from mentors and how working with Prince resulted in a life-changing moment for her as an artist. Through detailed technical instruction and a 120-degree view, members will watch Misty perform a real-time solo variation from Swan Lake, as well as a partner variation with American Ballet Theatre soloist Calvin Royal III as they dance the White Swan Pas de Deux together for the first time. Misty will also break down a series of stationary and movement exercises at the barre, including plié and tendu, temps lié and, in a more advanced demo, rond de jambe. Misty will also share her hopes for preserving a legacy that empowers inclusion in ballet and encourages members to be a part of the conversation around diversity to help change the perception of what a ballet dancer should be.

Copeland's MasterClass joins the 70+ classes taught by world-renowned instructors on cooking, photography, writing, performance, and much more. Each MasterClass has digestible video lessons sized to fit into any part of your day and cinematic visuals with close-up, hands-on demonstrations that make you feel one-on-one with the instructor. The All-Access Pass gives you access to every MasterClass and new ones as they launch. Learn on the go with mobile apps or in the comfort of your home with Apple TV. Subscribe to greatness at MASTERCLASS.COM.

Montgomery, Alabama unveils Rosa Parks statue

A new statue of civil rights pioneer Rosa Parks was unveiled in downtown Montgomery on December 1, 2019.

“This depiction will inspire future generations to make the pilgrimage to our city, to push toward the path of righteousness, strength, courage and equality,” said Montgomery Mayor Steven Reed, who took office as the first African-American mayor of the city last month.

Gov. Kay Ivey and Reed took part in pulling down a shroud to unveil the statue at Montgomery Plaza at the Court Street Fountain, 30 feet from the spot where Parks is believed to have boarded the segregated bus where she refused to give up her seat to a white man on Dec. 1, 1955.

“We are here to be reminded of the struggle so future generations can do better, and be better,” Ivey said. “No one has ever stood so tall as did Rosa Parks when she sat down.”

Dec. 1 is now Rosa Parks Day, commemorating her arrest, which sparked the Montgomery Bus Boycott.

The statue of Parks depicts her standing, with her hands clutching her purse in front of her.

Granite markers at the site will honor four women who were plaintiffs in Browder vs. Gayle, the court case that led to a ruling that segregation on Montgomery’s public buses was unconstitutional.

The civil rights memorials are a partnership between the City of Montgomery, Montgomery County, the Alabama Department of Tourism and the Montgomery Area Business Committee for the Arts.

Montgomery County artist Clydetta Fulmer was commissioned to complete the work in conjunction with city and state bicentennial commemorations.

[SOURCE: AL.Com]

Sunday, December 01, 2019

Missing Black Woman Alert: Jarae Frink-Shepard is missing!

CHICAGO-Jarae Frink-Shepard, 22, has been missing from the South Side since Friday.

Police said she was last seen near 46th and Drexel, and was wearing a red jacket, red shirt, and tan pants.

She is a 5-foot-4, 145-pound African American woman, with brown eyes and black hair.

Anyone with information on her whereabouts should call Area Central Special Victims Unit detectives at 312-747-8380.