Roxey Ballet Frankenstein

When I think back to my grade school education I regret not exploring the Performing Arts more.

I remember Earl Carhart telling me to consider the stage, unfortunately my interests were elsewhere.

Fast forward to my adulthood, where I am using my access to be a cheerleader for all genres of Art.

Earlier this year I met Filmmaker Katherine Elisabeth Clark while promoting her Pop Up Anthology film viewings.

http://www.popupanthology.com/

Later Katherine introduced me to the Roxey Ballet based out of Lambertville NJ.  I visited the studio for the series "BEER AND BALLET" FRANKENSTEIN sneak-peek.

Have a listen to my chat with Founding Director Mark Roxey

https://soundcloud.com/trenton365/mark-roxey-of-roxey-ballet

The open studio event gave visitors a chance to see and hear a bit about the forthcoming performance while enjoying some light refreshments.

I hope you will attend one of the performances and here is a little motivation.

The following images were captured by Kevin Duddy Photos

Community Conversations

Most people would agree that stress levels are high at the moment.  Whether those feelings are brought on by the season, a national election, global news or just everyday life.  Either way STRESS will KILL YOU!

I want to be clear, I am not making a case for or against guns.  However I am making a case for us to have conversations around gun violence, Law Enforcement, and the policies that govern both.

Earlier this year I was taken by emotions around the news of gun violence and made this post on my personal Facebook page.

Jacque Howard

July 8 · Trenton · 

I have questions and I know/hope others do as well.

I would like to talk with, cry with, debate with, discuss with my "social media" friends and networks about how we learn from these recent events, look into our past, acknowledge our present and design/implement our future.

My network is a group of multi-generational, multi-cultural, multi-ethnic, multi and non-faith community members and I am thankful that you are in my life, whatever the capacity.

Get in touch if you would like to connect.

As I contemplate my version of "conversations" that will take place in a safe space dealing with hard subjects like racism, sexism, classism, violence, mental health, marijuana and other subjects, I am thankful others feel the need to have these as well and are taking actions!

Angeline Dean and Darren "Freedom" Green hosted an event at Mercer County Community College's Kerney Campus in Downtown Trenton thorough My Eternal Family where the website states:

"It is our desire to educate men, women, and children on the dominating power of who God says they are.  We believe that all individuals are created "Full."  It is therefore the vision of MEF Inc. to provide the necessary training, teachings and skills that will birth maximum potential, cultural competency, and gifting.  Through these trainings, whole individuals will produce whole families and become productive citizens. Genesis 1:26-28"

Approximately 75 people gathered at MCCC's Kerney Campus for the event billed as "Community Conversations."  Author and Educator Dr. James Braxton Peterson led the discussions which included a question and answer segment.

In addition to these efforts, Inspirational Speaker, Life Coach and Self-Help Blogger Ayana Iman will host one of her #AuthenticConvos at the Grounds For Sculpture on November 5, 2016.  

More information is available on the website www.ayanaiman.com

In closing I believe it behooves us to make every effort to build a better community and this starts with conversations!

Trenton Literacy Movement at Hedgepath Williams School

There are no shortages of individuals, organizations and businesses working with the City Trenton to address literacy in NJ's Capital City.

One of my personal efforts, Library Boxes of Trenton aka #lbot is about to launch the next step in this grassroots effort.  More information can be found on the Library Boxes of Trenton Facebook Page.

The week of October 9th I met with ~6 representatives of the Trenton Literacy Movement - TLM to hear about the efforts they have been working on for approximately 4 years.  At this meeting I learned a bit of the history, some of the players, the goals and most importantly why they are committed to literacy efforts.

In short "TLM is an umbrella organization born out of the commitment of the NAACP Trenton Branch to educational equality.  TLM seeks to galvanize the greater Trenton community to partner with Trenton Public Schools in addressing Trenton's literacy crisis."  Highlighted points of the organization can be read via the image captured below of a handout from the event.

The event coordinated in partnership with Random House Publishers/Books began with a welcome and introduction by Interim Superintendent Lucia Feria.  After some brief comments Chief of Staff Francis Blanco delivered a message from the Mayor Eric Jackson followed by comments from Author Mary Pope Osborne.

Hedgepath-Williams School located in Trenton's East Ward is named after 2 families who fought segregation in Trenton's public schools in 1944, which became the precursor to the Brown v. Board of Education case that prohibited racial segregation of school systems throughout the United States. 

My visit also gave me some time to chat with Principal Mrs. Talaya Stoddard-Wilson about the biking culture in Trenton, stay tuned.

Trenton NJ Youth Stat Meeting Oct 2016

Ayana Abdul-Raheem, Trenton NJ Youth Stat Coordinator invited me to this public event held at the Trenton Board of Education Main Office located at 108 North Clinton Avenue.

Like many other communities throughout the USA, Trenton has an issue with the illegal activities of the youth.  These actions are categorized as Runaways/Missing, Assaults, Weapon Offenses, Curfew Violations and others.

One could point to any number of reasons for this, some of those include a lack of services and programming due to budgetary cuts, reduction in staffing/person power, lack of financial resources in the home, mental and physical health issues, these and many more are effecting the lives of these individuals and the communities where they live.

Approximately 100 people mainly Law Enforcement, Educators and Service Program professionals were in attendance.  After a brief introduction, Ayana delivered a power point presentation describing the program, organizational structure, partners and the very alarming statistics.

Speakers included Juvenile Officers Arlene Miranda and Steve Smith, Aneisha Walker and Armstead Johnson of Mercer Street Friends, Terrence Stokes of the Trenton Board of Education and Detective Sargeant Bethesda Stokes.  In their own words through personal experiences, each expressed the importance for this to be addressed immediately and that a lack of focus would have drastic effects on the lives of so many youth, the communities in which they live and society as a whole.

As a person of faith I am often looking for spiritual references to help with my own understanding of a situation.  I think about the body and the need for it to function as a whole.  The legs without a torso are of little use likewise no oxygen means no life.  In this reference discarding any youth will prove catastrophic to the structure of society here in Trenton and if that progresses then beyond the less than 7.5 sq. mi. city limits.  Law Enforcement will tell you "spill over" has been happening in surrounding communities for many years, (going both ways might I add) therefore this is now a regional problem if not worse.

Details regarding the costs of the program were not discussed however in the past this has been an area of concern as documented in 2013.

http://www.nj.com/mercer/index.ssf/2013/05/trenton_officials_trying_to_ra.html

Ayana made it clear that the efforts of the current Youth Stat Administration were operating under very specific guidelines and I encourage you to contact her for the details and to answer any questions.

Ayana Abdul-Raheem
Youth Stat Coordinator

Trenton Police Department
Youth Services Division - 3rd Floor
225 North Clinton Avenue

609-989-4097
aabdulraheem@trentonpolice.net

Have listen to our brief chat after the event.

https://soundcloud.com/trenton365/ayana-abdul-raheem-youth-stat

In closing, I left with a strong sense that this is not a Law Enforcement problem, this is a societal problem and all members of society need to respond.  I understand that one size doesn't and will not fit all, but we as members of society need to do our individual parts to seek out how we can build a better community.

If you would like to discuss my efforts please email me: trenton365show@gmail.com