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United We Excel Family Fun Day in Mesa on March 24

United We Excel Family Fun Day

Date:

March 24, 2012

Time:

12:00 PM - 4:00 PM

Location:

Dobson High School
1501 West Guadalupe Road
Mesa, Arizona 85202-7599

Fun for the entire family!!!

Bouncy houses, food, music, black business vendors, dance contest, basketball, face painting.

Interested in being a vendor, go to www.unitedweexcel.org or email tresha@unitedweexcel.org.

The mission of United We Excel, Inc., is to enrich the lives of African American families by fostering positive relationships through mentoring and providing experiences that facilitate cultural awareness.

United We Excel, Inc. is a non-profit organization providing positive experiences to encourage the youth of today to become the leaders of tomorrow.

National Association of Black Journalists-ASU to Host Tuskegee Airmen, Liquid Soul Media during Red Tails Event on Feb. 21

The National Association of Black Journalists-ASU (NABJ-ASU) invites the public to come out and meet Arizona's local Tuskegee Airmen as they discuss their accomplishments and how accurate Red Tails really was.

The Red Tails event will be held on Tuesday, Feb. 21 at 7 PM in Room 256 at the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication, 555 N. Central Ave., Phoenix, AZ

In addition, Liquid Soul Media, the Black-owned company in charge of marketing for Red Tails, will also discuss the strategies for promoting the film and how important the film is for Blacks in the industry.

Light Refreshments will be provided and a Q&A will be held at the conclusion of the event.

RSVP to the Facebook event by clicking on the link below:

http://www.facebook.com/events/273348429400333/

 

 

Lunch Time Theater at the Herberger in Phoenix to Present "Frederick & Ida" on Feb. 28 to March 2

PHOENIX – Go back in history and learn about the life of Frederick Douglass and his friendship with Ida B. Wells at Lunch Time Theater, February 28 - March 2, 2012 on The Kax Stage. This one-act play, Frederick & Ida, is presented by Grey Matters Productions.

Frederick Douglass, a former slave turned eloquent orator and writer, and Ida B. Wells, an anti-lynching activist and journalist; forged a friendship before his unexpected death in 1895. In a short time, he became not just a colleague but a mentor to her. This one act, written by Larissa Brewington, depicts one of the very last times Ida was honored to be invited to the home of Frederick and Helen Pitts Douglass.

Unlike most shows at Lunch Time Theater, Frederick & Ida will have two shows each day at 11:00am and 1:00pm. Bring lunch or pre-order lunch when you purchase your tickets. Lunch provided by Put A Fork In It Catering. Tickets are $6.00 and will be available online, at the door (if available) or call 602-254-7399, Ext. 104. For more information, visit our Website at http://www.herbergertheater.org/lunch_time_theater.

The Herberger Theater Center is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to support and foster the growth of the performing arts in Phoenix as the premier performance venue, arts incubator and advocate.

For more information, visit www.herbergertheater.org or call 602-254-7399, Ext. 106.

8th Annual Black History Month Storytelling Event on February 24 in Phoenix

Phoenix Metropolitan Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. and the J.W. Robinson Society of United Black Firefighters present

The 8th Annual Storytelling Event in celebration of Black History Month

FEATURING
Community Readers

Friday, February 24th
5:30pm to 7:30pm

Vernell Coleman Center
830 W. Tonto Street
Phoenix, AZ 85003

 

 

Faith Missionary Baptist Church to Host 3-on-3 Basketball Tournament on March 10 in Phoenix

Faith Missionary Baptist Church (FMBC) is hosting a 3-on-3 basketball tournament event on March 10 from 8 AM to 6 PM in Phoenix.

FMBC will be a hosting a raffle with gift certificates from sponsors such as Macayo’s, Hampton Inn, Improv, Castles and Coasters, Wet and Wild, and Golf Land just to name a few.

The Phoenix Police and Fire Department will be in attendance and along with special guest speaker Frantz Beasley of Az Common Ground.

There will be food, fun, kids area and entertainment - a day of fun.

The event is free but there is a $25.00 per team registration for the tournament. The first place team will receive $150 cash plus prizes.

For more information, call LaToynia Hudson at 623-451-4471, Robert Hudson at 602-413-2697 or Alicia Springs at 602-513-1232.

 

Invisible Heroes: Not Your Normal Black History Month Program on Feb. 21 in Phoenix

Coretta Scott King once said, “I appeal to everybody who believes in Martin Luther King, Jr.’s dream to make room at the table of brother and sisterhood for lesbians and gay people.”  LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) African-Americans have been everywhere in our history though often they go unseen.  From politicians to poets, authors to activists, the stories of these heroes go unmentioned and forgotten because oftentimes we see their contributions as insignificant.
 
Invisible Heroes will resurrect some of these forgotten heroes.  You will not see these individuals mentioned at other Black History month programs but their stories are important and their stories should be honored.  This month we will shine the spotlight on several of these stories.
 
UGIMA (United Gay Informed Men of African-descent) is honored to present Invisible Heroes, an event that will honor LGBT African-Americans in history. The program will be held at the Mt. of Olives Lutheran church on February 21 from 6:30 - 8:00 PM.
 
For additional information please feel free to visit the UGIMA website at wix.com/ugimaphx/ugima or contact us at 602-845-9720 or ugimaphx@gmail.com.

 

11th Annual Jack in the Box Celebrity Shootout on March 3 in Phoenix

The 11th Annual Jack in the Box Celebrity Shootout, presented by Robert and Carole Machiz, will take place on Saturday, March 3rd at 2 PM.

Entertainers (celebrity names TBD) representing the television, movie and recording industries will descend upon downtown Phoenix to play in this charity basketball game at US Airways Center.

Tickets start as low as $9!

Click here to buy online today:

http://www.nba.com/suns/celebshootout/

All proceeds benefit Phoenix Suns Charities and Suns Nite Hoops.

Suns Nite Hoops is a program dedicated to young adults in need of vocational development, educational advancement and life skills enhancement. The goal of Suns Nite Hoops is to reduce crime, teach essential life skills, and direct young men toward furthering their education and employment opportunities by providing them with a positive alternative to drugs, gangs and violence.

A vast majority of Suns Nite Hoops participants are African American males.

Click HERE to see our coverage from the 2011 Celebrity Shootout!

 

Event subject to change without notice.

 

2012 Coalition of Blacks Against Breast Cancer Summit Today in Phoenix

Submitted by Karl Gentles

2012 Coalition of Blacks Against Breast Cancer Summit
February 19, 2:30 pm registration
3 - 5 pm program
Wellness Community
360 E. Palm Lane, Phoenix, AZ 85034
Refreshments will be served
RSVP to info@cbbcaz.org; More info by calling 602.320.0502
www.cbbcaz.org 

The Coalition of Blacks Against Breast Cancer (CBBC) will host a special meeting on Sunday, February 19, 2012 – the 2012 CBBC Summit. CBBC will celebrate the success of the 2011 efforts; provide an overview of the 2012 planned community outreach and education strategy; recruit volunteers as community health educators and ambassadors; and screen the short film, Beating Breast Cancer, a film that tells the stories of five African American breast cancer survivors.

The meeting is open to all supporters of the Coalition and individuals interested in the initiative. You do not have to be a survivor to attend this meeting. Please plan to attend and invite a friend or colleague.

If you are a member of a community-based organization or church, please provide this information to your leadership and request that a representative of the organization attend this important meeting.

African American Hula Teachers to Perform For the First Time at the Arizona Aloha Festival on Mar. 10 in Tempe

Tropical Polynesian Productions, led by Kumu Hula (Teacher of Hula) Kalena of Glendale, Arizona, will perform a Hula Kahiko (Ancient Hula) dance at the Arizona Aloha Festival in March 2012 at Tempe Town Lake with their sister Hula Halau (Hula School) Napua O’ Polynesia from Rhode Island, led by Kumu Hula Carolyn Castro of Providence.

The two will be the first African American Kumu Hulas to perform at the festival. Their performance will be on Saturday, March 10th at 3:45 p.m. Carolyn and Kalena are honored to have been given this opportunity to perform. They are known for their energetic and upbeat dances. Both have been dancing since childhood.

Tropical Polynesian Productions’ mission has always been “Keeping It Alive and Passing It On” and honors Kalena’s Polynesian ancestry. It is her desire to continue to perpetuate Polynesian culture through events, educational programs, classes, and seminars. She will travel out of state to conduct seminars, as well as perform.

Kalena teaches the following monthly dance classes, as well as 1- or 2-day seminars: Hawaiian (Ancient and Modern), Tahitian, Fijian, Tongan, Maori New Zealand, and Samoan. In addition to dance classes, she conducts Tahitian drumming and Samoan fire/knife dance seminars. She welcomes all shapes and sizes to participate and performance opportunities are available.

Kalena founded Tropical Polynesian Productions in 2007.
Kalena is currently teaching Polynesian dance classes at the Arrowhead Montessori, 14801 N. 83rd. Ave., Peoria, AZ. She teaches Polynesian dance to the preschoolers on Tuesdays. New classes start the first Thursday of every month. You may contact Kalena at 623-255-8491 and/or visit her website at www.tropicalpolynesianproductions.com for class location and times.

Carolyn Castro, Artistic Director, for Napua O’ Polynesia has been joyously leading this multicultural dance troupe since 1988. Napua O' Polynesia's dancers continue to perform throughout Rhode Island, the New England region, and nationally, too. Troupe members have competed three times at the International Hula competition in Honolulu, Hawaii.

Carolyn currently teaches on Saturdays from 3 pm to 5 pm, at the Carriage House Theater, 7 Duncan Ave, Providence, RI 02906. Carolyn will spear-head the 2012 season with seminars/workshops in RI. She can be contacted at 401-273-8928 for further information or visit www.tropicalisland-dancers.com.

For more information about the upcoming Arizona Aloha Festival, see their website at www.azalohafest.org.

 

Arizona Black Rodeo Coming to Rawhide in Chandler on March 3 - Two Shows! Get Tickets Now!

It's Rodeo time for Arizona residents! So everyone, make sure to join in on the fun!  The ARIZONA BLACK RODEO comes to town with two shows on March 3 at 1 PM and 7 PM.

The shows will be held at RAWHIDE at Wildhorse Pass in Chandler, AZ

Featured Events: Barrel Racing, Tie-Down Ropin', Steer Wrestling and Bull Ridin'

There will be a special tribute to The Arizona Buffalo Soldiers Chapters, so you can be sure to expect an afternoon and evening filled with fun and entertainment.

The Arizona Black Rodeo will offer great entertainment and will feature the nation's top African American competitors. Make plans to bring the entire family for an educational and cultural experience.

To purchase Advance Tickets visit azblackrodeo.com or the Arizona Informant Office, 1301 E. Washington Street, Ste #101, Phoenix.

For additional Ticket Outlets, call (602) 550-0034 or e-mail info@azblackrodeo.com.

Free Homebuyer Workshops at Greater Phoenix Urban League on 2nd Thursdays of Each Month

The Greater Phoenix Urban League (GPUL), Wells Fargo Bank, and the Women’s Council of the National Association of Real Estate Brokers Phoenix Chapter are co-sponsoring free homebuyer workshops in 2012.

Learn how to qualify for up to $15,000 in down payment and purchase incentives (limited time only)!

Refreshments will be provided.

The workshops will be held the 2nd Thursday of each month and the next workshop will be held Thursday, February 9, 2012, at 5:30-7 PM, at the GPUL facility, 1402 S. 7th Avenue, Phoenix.

The workshops are free to the public and RSVPs are encouraged.

For additional information, go to: www.wcofnarebphoenix.webs.com or www.wellsfargo.com/register.

You may also call Greater Phoenix Urban League at 602-254-5611 or Women’s Council of the Nation Association of Real Estate Brokers at 602-688-6327.

National Bestselling Author Kendra Norman Bellamy in Phoenix on Feb. 17-19

National Bestselling Author Kendra Norman Bellamy will be in Phoenix February 17-19.

Please refer to the flyer below for exact times and locations or visit www.kendranormanbellamy.com for more information.

Event details are subject to change without notice.

2012 A. Wade Smith Memorial Lecture on Race Relations Features Tim Wise on Apr. 17 at ASU Tempe

2012 A. Wade Smith Lecture on Race Relations
Featuring Tim Wise, leading anti-racist writer and activist

Tuesday, April 17, 2012, 6 p.m. lecture followed by booksigning
Neeb Hall, ASU Tempe campus

*There are no tickets for the event and no RSVP is required.  Seating is limited and doors will open at 5:30 p.m.*

Tim Wise is among the most prominent anti-racist writers and educators in the United States. Recently named one of “25 Visionaries Who are Changing Your World,” by Utne Reader, Wise has spoken in 49 states, on over 600 college campuses, and to community groups across the nation. He has also lectured internationally in Canada and Bermuda on issues of comparative racism, race and education, racism and religion, and racism in the labor market.

Wise is the author of five books, including White Like Me: Reflections on Race from a Privileged Son; Affirmative Action: Racial Preference in Black and White; Speaking Treason Fluently: Anti-Racist Reflections From an Angry White Male; Between Barack and a Hard Place: Racism and White Denial in the Age of Obama, and his latest, Colorblind: The Rise of Post-Racial Politics and the Retreat from Racial Equity.

He received the 2001 British Diversity Award for best feature essay on race issues, and his writings have appeared in dozens of popular, professional and scholarly journals.

Wise has provided anti-racism training to teachers nationwide, and has conducted trainings with physicians and medical industry professionals on how to combat racial inequities in health care. He has also trained corporate, government, entertainment, military and law enforcement officials on methods for dismantling racism in their institutions, and has served as a consultant for plaintiff’s attorneys in federal discrimination cases in New York and Washington State.
 
Support the A. Wade Smith Memorial Lecture
ASU seeks to increase the lecture series endowment to a level that will sustain it in perpetuity. To support the lecture with an individual or corporate donation, you can make a contribution online through the college's giving page. Be sure College of Liberal Arts and Sciences and the A. Wade Smith Memorial Lecture are selected in the drop down boxes.

Additionally, you can contact Matthew Whitaker or call (480) 965-0636.

For more information about the lecture series, please call (480) 965-6397 or e-mail clasevents@asu.edu.

 

White House Officials Host Hispanic Community Summit in Phoenix

Submitted by PhxSoul.com Correspondent Heather Jackson

Illegal immigration, the Dream Act, and Health reform are just some of the issues that plague the Hispanic community in Arizona and nationwide.

As they battle for rights and justice, the White House join them on the front lines. The Obama Administration sent White House officials to Phoenix on January 28 for their White House Hispanic Community Summit.

This gave the Hispanic community a chance to talk with officials personally and problem solve for some of the issues closest to them.

PhxSoul.com is particularly interested in the White House Hispanic Community Summit because our President is going to be making a strong push to win over Arizona during this election year.

African Americans and Latinos must put our historically strained relations behind us and work together to understand our similarities and differences. Ultimately, if President Obama can gain the confidence of Hispanics in our state, not only will he carry Arizona, but he can help us address and solve the problems that have long affected our communities.

And yes, we will keep you informed on President Obama's efforts to bond with African Americans in Arizona!

 

 

African American Men of Arizona State University to Host Dr. Molefi Asante During Carter G. Woodson Lecture Series on Feb. 28

Submitted by the African American Men of Arizona State University

The Carter G. Woodson Lecture Series is open to the ASU community and surrounding areas.

This year we are honored to host Dr. Molefi Asante.

African American Men of Arizona State University brings National presenters to head the lecture series designed to educate, stimulate, and develop the minds of our African American Men and Women.

The lecture series aims to connect African/African American history to contemporary issues. This event is free to the community and will be held February 28 on the Arizona State University campus at Old Main at 7pm. 

For more information, please call Emeka A. Ikegwuonu, Coordinator for African American Men of Arizona State University, at (480) 727-8390.