First Ever International Black History Month Film Festival

Queens Underground 718 is hosting a Red Carpet Multi-Genre Film Festival on Saturday, February 22, 2020 with exciting a vibrant show of talent from 12 countries and in collaboration with Artists, Small Businesses and Local Organizations. Vendors (10+), Food, Desserts, and Community Group manned tables (including the Central Queens Library, Queens Historical Society, Forestdale and Jamaica BID) will complete the evening- a Celebratory Red Carpet Night in Jamaica, Queens, NY.

Confident that the February Film Festival will have a packed house reminiscent of the October 2019 4-Day Festival, Queens Underground 718 is enjoying bringing multi-genres together to celebrate talent and making a difference for artists and the community at large.

Proud to have impressive Panel Review Members such as Industry Professional Kavika, Multi-Grammy Nominee Mikey Jay, B. Elise, Jyrah Productions, Spice Greene, producer and writer/director; performers Hide Inaba, Oxygen Box Band, The Koluchi Dance Troope, We$Money, Soleil, Jo Ann The Poet, Scorch, Fever Faye, Young Sayso, Switchakatony, Mr. Orange Live, One Single Rose, Maroj and Angiie3200; Local Visual Artists, Community Leaders and Creatives across the tri-state are all meeting on the Red Carpet (hosted by: The Air It Out Show, My Block TV, Queens Underground 718 TV and the Talk It Out shows) in the legendary section of Queens, NY.

Awards for Outstanding Community Service will be given to community members such as, Detective Tanya Duhaney, 113th Precinct and Deputy Taylor Jackson, 14th District, Senator Leroy Comrie, Randy Hall, Influence Wear Giveaways; Koleurz of Blaze The Mic and Rakim The Comedian for donating time and services.

Illustrious guests will join us to celebrate this 1st Ever Event including; Police Commissioner Shea and 1st Deputy Tucker of our NYC Police Department along with many of their staff members, Commanding Officers, Deputy Inspector Tavalaro (103) and Deputy Inspector Bohannon (113th Precinct), Senator Leroy Comrie and Councilman I. Daneek Miller, Industry Executives and heads of Community Organizations, among others.

Sponsors Include: The Jamaica Performing Arts Center, The Queens Public Library, Jamaica BID, The Queens Historical Society, Ridgewood Savings Bank, Poets & Writers, NYC Cultural Affairs, Glam Vive, Honeysuckle Magazine, Lark Johnson Creative Consulting, NYC Cultural Affairs, Aprylcadabra, Influence Wear, The Greater Jamaica Merchants Association and the L.I. African American Chamber Of Commerce. Exceptional Support has been given by the Southeast Queens Scoop, Queens Chamber Of Commerce and the St. Albans Civic Association.

Guest Tickets: http://www.queensunderground718.com or https://www.eventbrite.com

Film Festival Date: February 22, 2020

Poetry Workshop: 3:30pm

Event: 4:15pm - 10:00pm

Venue: Jamaica Performance Arts Center

153-10 Jamaica Avenue, Jamaica, Queens, NY 11432

Theme: Red Carpet

Information: Contact Adrienne Whaley, Exec. Dir.

QueensUnderground718@gmail.com

(917) 327-2245

Rep. Steven Horsford, Nevada's only black congressman endorses Biden

Rep. Steven Horsford, Nevada's only black congressman has endorsed Joe Biden for president.

“He is ready to do the job of president on Day one,” Horsford said of Biden in a statement. “And Joe knows Nevada. He campaigned with and served alongside (former President) Barack Obama during the eight years of his successful, scandal-free presidency.”

Horsford credited Biden with helping to “kill” the Yucca Mountain project, which would have dumped nuclear waste from across the country in Nevada.

He also praised the former vice president’s work with Obama on civil rights, labor and the economy, as well as Biden’s work on passing the Affordable Care Act.

Horsford is a member of the Congressional Black Caucus and was the first African American majority leader of the Nevada Senate from 2009 to 2013.

Brave. Black. First.: 50+ African American Women Who Changed the World

Published in collaboration with the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, discover over fifty remarkable African American women whose unique skills and contributions paved the way for the next generation of young people. Perfect for fans of Rad Women Worldwide, Women in Science, and Girls Think of Everything.

Harriet Tubman guided the way.

Rosa Parks sat for equality.

Aretha Franklin sang from the soul.

Serena Williams bested the competition.

Michelle Obama transformed the White House.

Black women everywhere have changed the world!

Published in partnership with curators from the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, this illustrated biography compilation captures the iconic moments of fifty African American women whose heroism and bravery rewrote the American story for the better.

They were fearless. They were bold. They were game changers.

BUY THE BOOK

Charles Vernon Bush: First African American to graduate from the U.S. Air Force Academy

Charles Vernon Bush was the first African American to graduate, in 1963, from the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colo.

Bush entered the Academy with two African American classmates, reporting as a cadet in June 1959.

Even before entering the Academy, Bush was making history. In 1954, he was selected by Chief Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court Earl Warren for appointment as the first African American page of the court.

He distinguished himself as a squadron commander, a member of the Academy’s debate team, and a member of the Cadet Wing champion rugby team.

Having received academic course credits from Howard University, Bush was accepted into a special joint Academy/Georgetown University master’s program, commencing with graduate courses in his senior year, which included his oral comprehensives in the Russian language. Graduating with a Bachelor of Science degree in 1963, Bush received his Master of Arts degree in International Relations from Georgetown University in June 1964, and was inducted into the Georgetown chapter of Pi Sigma Alpha, the National Political Science Honor Society.

He then attended Air Intelligence Officers School, and served at Westover Air Force Base, Mass., where, among his other activities, he taught undergraduate political science courses at American International College. After becoming fluent in the Vietnamese language at Sanz Language School in Washington, D.C., he was assigned to Vietnam in 1967 as an intelligence officer.

In Vietnam, he was responsible for the deployment and operations of six intelligence teams operating from a number of sites, including Saigon, Bien Hoa, Nha Trang, Pleiku, Da Nang and Can Tho. The teams were involved with significant intelligence operations, particularly involving the attack on Tan Son Nhut Air Base during the Tet Offensive of 1968, and the defense of the Marines and South Vietnamese at the Battle of Khe Sanh.

Returning to the United States in May 1968, Bush was again assigned to Headquarters Air Force Special Projects Production Facility, at Westover AFB, Mass., as chief of the technical analysis division. He resumed teaching political science courses at American International College. In 1970, Bush resigned his commission and then attended Harvard Business School, majoring in finance. Bush received many accolades in both his military and civilian careers. While in the Air Force, he received the Bronze Star Medal, Joint Services Commendation Medal, Air Force Commendation Medal with one oak leaf cluster, and the Air Force Outstanding Unit Award.

Bush passed away at his Montana home on Nov. 5, 2012.

Then-Academy commandant, Lt. Gen. Mike Gould, said “A member of the Class of 1963 and the first African-American graduate, Mr. Bush’s courage and commitment to enhancing diversity in the United States military will pay itself forward for many generations.” Gould continued, “The Academy family is truly proud to call Mr. Chuck Bush one of our own.”

Inaugural class at LeBron James' school to receive free tuition to Kent State University

The inaugural class of LeBron James' I Promise School in his hometown of Akron, Ohio, has received some amazing news.

All 193 students, who are high school juniors, will be receiving free tuition to Kent State University. The kids, who were visiting the Kent State campus, erupted in cheers when they were told of the news, while their parents, watching from a live feed in a separate room, burst into tears.

The students will be guaranteed free tuition for four years as well as one year of a free room and meal plan.

The students will be eligible for the package as college freshmen for the 2021-2022 academic year. To be eligible, they must be admitted to Kent State, fill out required financial aid forms and have completed a required number of community service hours each semester.

To remain eligible, students need to remain in good academic standing, take part in a required number of community service or volunteer hours and complete a minimum number of credit hours per year.

"We have so many options, and I just know that so many kids in my community just don't have many options," James said. "So for me to be able to be in a position where I can give these kids options to decide what they want to do with their future, it's probably the best thing I've ever done."

WATCH THE ANNOUNCEMENT

[SOURCE: CNN]