Do African Americans Walk in Spokane?

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37 years ago might see an African American downtown every month or so. You would give the Black power salute and say “What’s up brother?” Since then the African American population in Spokane has increased. Now you might see an African American downtown once a week but you will never see an African American on a walk through the neighborhoods. It did not encourage me to go for a walk. But since I have been diagnosed with diabetes, wife, doctors and friends have suggested that I walk. Then one day in January 2012 my friend Robert, an African American, asked me if I would accompany him on one of his daily walks.    See where the two Robert’s walked . . . .

Do African Americans in Spokane walk? If so, where? I would like to take your walk and post the photographs here.

Black Heritage Day January 30

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New Comedy Series: Key & Peele

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Comedy Central is presenting a new sketch series. Check out the sneak preview this Tuesday January 31 at 10:30 pm.

Samples of the series are available at Comedy Central online:

http://www.comedycentral.com/videos/index.jhtml?videoId=406088&title=new-sketch-series

ABOUT KEY & PEELE

Keegan-Michael Key and Jordan Peele present “Key & Peele,” an original sketch-comedy show coming to Comedy Central in 2012. In this new series these fresh, relevant comedic actor-writers, used to being on the outside looking in, will examine life in a provocative and irreverent way, through a combination of filmed sketches and live stage segments.

Whether it’s satirizing the President, spoofing Nazis, or ordering up some soul food, “Key & Peele” will showcase their chemistry, camaraderie and unique point of view, born from their shared background and experiences growing up biracial in a not quite post-racial world.

Interview of Key & Peele on National Public Radio:

Obama, Peele goes on to say, was the best thing to happen to black nerds everywhere.
“Up until Obama, it was basically Urkel and the black guy from Revenge of the Nerds — Lamar,” says Peele. “Other than that, we had no role models. So he made us cool.”

For ‘Black Nerds Everywhere,’ Two Comedy Heroes

Carl Richardson: On Point(e)!

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“Because words fail, I choose paint, ink, canvas, paper, film, pen, charcoal and/or a squeegee to five a voice to thoughts, feelings and emotions in me.”


Exhibition at Tinman Gallery January 27 – February 18, 2012
Open 10am to 6pm Tuesday through Saturday
811 West Garland Ave Spokane WA

Carl Richardson has been a professional artist and educator for 15 years. He received his Master in Fine Arts from Washington State University in 1994.

While there, he won a prestigious Rockefeller Foundation protege grant. He has participated in group and solo shows in Florida, Nevada, and Spokane. A favorite with studetns at Spokane Falls Community college, Carl is well-known for the energy and creativity he brings to his artwork. He is constantly combining media and images to find new ways of presenting the visual world. His work is characterized by expert use of vivid color, striking composition and haunting imagery.

The urban ballerinas are a clever juxtaposition of classic dance form with gritty urban forms. His previous series, Tisa, presented Maasai dance and tribal costume through ingenious screen printing techniques. Carl is always pushing the two-dimensional world to give up three-dimensional imagery.

Gallery: Carl Richardson

Black Heritage Day January 29

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Black Heritage Day January 28

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Starting Them Young

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Marva Collins is the teacher I was looking for all my life. She started a school on Chicago’s Westside one block from where we lived when I was growing up but it wasn’t until I got to Spokane after graduate school that I discovered her – too late for me and for my son.  We don’t know about these things until we start communicating with each other.  What are the resources in our community that could improve our children’s futures?

Take a look at Marva Collins’ approach:

http://www.marvacollins.com/

Black Heritage Day January 27

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Black HIV/AIDS in Spokane by Robert Williamson

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Every time I hear the word disproportionate in conjunction with African Americans I cringe.  The reason is, is the information that follows is never good.  Here are a some examples of what I am talking about:  There are a disproportionate amount of African American males incarcerated, there are a disproportionate amount of African Americans with high blood pressure, diabetes, cancer, heart disease, who are unemployed and live in the filthiest neighborhoods in America.  I am sure you get my drift.  This list is not conclusive.  We have a lot on our plates.  The list just got bigger.  Did you know that we have the largest rates of people who are newly infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)?  The following information comes from the Center of Disease Control. . . . .

The rate of new infections among Black NHs is approximately 6.0 times higher than White NHs in Spokane County and 6.4 times higher in Washington State.    Full story . . . .

Black Heritage Day January 26

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