Except for inroads made in the first 10 - 15 years after the revolution, what is black has been heavily stereotyped; and nowadays there are no black actors to speak of on Cuban television, which is easy to see by tuning in. [Alden Knight] is best - known for his performance poetry - especially that of Cuba's mulatto National Poet, the late Nicols Guill'en our kind of Langston Hughes, the two of them having been contemporaries and friends. He regrets that it makes little sense in 1995 to perform Guill'en's classic 1964 poem of social redemption for the black Cuban: "Tengo [I have] is the sum total of what was achieved in this country for blacks, for the poor... and now it's been lost. I have said that when that poem can be read again in all honesty. We shall have regained what we had won by the end of the 1960s. When we were poor but equal. She and her sisters - three doctors and a philologist who specializes on Africa - were known since they were little as the daughters of Lilliam and Unan Emilio. The four were born and raised in Santiago de Cuba, the island's second and most Caribbean city, renowned for its history of rebellion, heroism and hospitality, as well as its more predominantly black population.
What roles do Caribbean Migrants play in the electing of Caribbean American officials and can Caribbean Americans only win in heavily populated Caribbean communities? Have they become a force to be reckoned with as it regards politics? These and other related questions have been foremost on the lips of many as more and more Caribbean Officials are elected into political positions in their communities. The recently held elections seemed to have further the theory that that Caribbean Americans are strongest in these areas where there is a large Caribbean community, as two more Caribbean Nationals joined the list of a growing number of Caribbean Americans now in politics. Jennifer Williams's one resident of Miramar believes the Caribbean Americans have their best chance in heavily Caribbean populated areas. "It is not that they can't win anywhere else but in these areas their votes are sure. "More Caribbean people, regardless from which island they are from, would much rather be represented by people they can relate to and someone who they believe shares similar issues," she said. "Who better to know of the different problems we experience than a Caribbean City Commissioner and we expect that they will be there to help us resolve some of these problems," she said.
With many of our local elections already gone and the presidential election fast-approaching, I sat back and took a long look at the candidates that ran for the various seats. I noticed something that truly startled me. There was not one candidate of Caribbean descent in any of the many elections that took place on September 3. Although it's a sad commentary on what's happening in the Caribbean community, it is also a chance for the community to make changes for the future. So many of us are American citizens of Caribbean heritage and have all right to run for election. Caribbean-Americans could be a very influential enclave in this town, not only economically, but politically as well. Hispanic candidates turned out in droves. In practically every race there was at least one Hispanic candidate. Black Americans also managed a strong showing. Most notable, with Arthur E.
One basic but tremendously important strategy is becoming and staying involved in our daughters' education. Our girls need to be told and reminded that all professions are open to them and that they must begin from an early age to prepare for these professions. Historically, girls do not take as many math and science courses as boys do, yet many top-paying professions require these subjects. Let your daughters know that math, chemistry, physics, etc., are not boy' exclusive domain but that girls have the aptitude to do just as well in these areas. These are women whose lives speak eloquently of courage, determination and achievement. Contemporary women also provide striking examples of qualities our own daughters can emulate. Within our churches, schools and communities are countless women with stories worth sharing.
There are three reasons why I think we have missed the Windrush boat. The first is that we have not really controlled this event but allowed it to be run by `caring' local authorities. I never really understood why we should wait for grants from the council to construct our own memorial of significant anniversaries. This dependent or entitlement mentality has meant that we are always waiting for a handout to make things work. The irony of this is that those who came on the Windrush were in search of a better life where their own efforts counted for something compared to dread of their colonial existence in the Caribbean.
My companion and I chose the same things, so I can leave 'the person' out after this sentence. Sorry mi dear. Next, I had a Scelta Di Pasta Farfalle Bella Casa, which basically means Bow Tie Pasta with wonderful things from the house. As I am not a lover of Bow Tie Pasta - not wanting to ruin my dinner by eating a man in full suit and, yes, bow tie -- I opted for my favourite, Fettuccine. A small bowl arrived, just perfect for the occasion. The sauce -- a tomato basil mixture with loads of delish mushrooms and artichokes enhanced with bella crema and sprinkled with freshly grated parmesan cheese -- was absolutely perfetto. I followed that with Agnello Alla Rosmarino, which is a Parmesan Crusted Lamb, marinated in Rosemary and Garlic Au Jus with Potato. The lamb was exactly as I ordered it - medium rare - and it was, to tell the truth, melt-in-your-mouth good. I have to tell you, it's as if the gods just didn't want me to divulge this little Italian secret. This morning, all settled in to begin the procedure it takes to write one of these Thursday reviews, I could not find the notebook I had so carefully written all my information in this last time. Hello. I was suicidal. Not again, thought I. The possibility of having to visit Hedo III yet again sent shivers throughout my body. But I persevered. Hours later all was found, buried on my desk which is unfortunately covered almost to the ceiling in notes, papers, CDs and heaven only knows what else.
On March 1st and 2nd, The Riverside Church will open its doors to metropolitan New Yorkers for a Haiti Festival - a cultural and spiritual celebration of Haiti. The "Haiti Festival" will kick off Friday, March 1st with a workship service and live performances by Haitian folk and roots musicians. The Festival will continue on Saturday as Riverside Church is transformed into a traditional Caribbean marketplace alive with the rhythms and folklore of Haiti.
The term "world beat music" is less than a decade old. The music is a genre defined by the heads of a number of small London-based record labels who found that their records from Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean were not finding rack space. Major record stores had no obvious place for these unclassified sounds. The average listeners have not. Today the major record chains - Spec's, Best Buy, and others - have responded to buyers' demand to make available music from Africa, Cuba, Jamaica, Brazil and Latin America. Finding releases from Senegal's Kouding Cissoko or Baaba Maal is no problem. Finding the Afro-French, hip-hop sound of Les Nubians is simple; so finding the music of Nacio from Dominica, Gilberto Gil from Brazil, or Bamboleo of Cuba.
This year's Miami concert is a continuation of this ongoing goodwill project, bringing together a host of internationally renowned celebrities, reggae, R&B, and hip-hop artists in an all-day Carnival event with food, arts, crafts, and a vast array of entertainment. Proceeds from the event will benefit the Wyclef Jean Foundation and be donated to charitable organizations. Proceeds from last year's Miami Carnival were given to VHI's "Save The Music" and Oeuvres de Petites Ecoles de P. Bohnen (through Fondation Artistes Creation, a not-for- profit Haitian organization). "Guantanamera," a single from "Wyclef Jean Presents the Carnival," featuring Celia Cruz and Jeni Fujita, was nominated for the Best Rap Performance By A Duo or Group. The following year, Wyclef Jean's single, "Gone Till November," was nominated for a Grammy in the Best Rap Solo Performance category.
Wyclef Jean - the trailblazing hip-hop artist and Haiti's answer to Jamaica's Bob Marley and Ireland's Bono - last month unveiled an ambitious new philanthropic effort aimed at bringing the power and wealth of his own celebrity - and the collective muscle of the Haitian Diaspora - to bear to help his native land. Wyclef christened the emerging non-profit "Yéle Haiti" during a tour of Haiti last month, in which he announced plans to help fund the reconstruction of schoolhouses and a vast scholarship program, among other initiatives.
