Puerto Ricans Not Welcomed?!

I didn't realize that there aren't any statues depicting a single Puerto Rican in New York City. Puerto Ricans should not be the only group tring to make this a reality:

Heroes, Poets and Even a Dog, but No Puerto Ricans

From leafy paths twisting through Central Park to the small triangles gracing neighborhood vest-pocket havens, most New Yorkers can find statues that speak to their heritage and history. There are liberators and doughboys aplenty, enough likenesses of Columbus to lead several small armadas and stern-faced statesmen and long-gone writers known only to graduate students.

Some aren't even for humans. Balto the sled dog is enshrined in Central Park for leading a pack that delivered desperately needed medicine to a snowbound Alaskan town. And some honored by statues aren't all that valiant: a confused coyote who wandered into Van Cortlandt Park in the Bronx a few years ago is immortalized in bronze. (Never mind the curious case of "Civic Virtue" - a fountain in Queens featuring a man trampling two temptresses - which is best left alone for now.)

Despite this variety, Felix Matos Rodriquez says he hardly notices New York City's statues. It is not that he disdains history - on the contrary, he directs the Center for Puerto Rican Studies at Hunter College. He just wonders why in a city that has attracted generations of Puerto Ricans, there is not a single statue of a Puerto Rican.

It's good to see that the Center for Puerto Rican Studies at Hunter College is involved. As an undergrad, I minored in Black and Puerto Rican Studies and wanted to add it as my third major. My last 1-1/2 years were frustrating and tiring and I never got up the nerve to make the necessary changes. I'm going to see about updating the fight for a statue whenever possible.

Meanwhile, more from the article:

[Mr. Matos Rodriguez] and a group of Puerto Rican civic leaders think they have found the perfect person for that large-scale tribute: Dr. Ramon Emeterio Betances, a physician, abolitionist and patriot who forged a Puerto Rican national identity in the nineteenth century in defiance of the island's Spanish rulers. They want to place a statue in Central Park, a formidable task since no historical sculptures have been erected there since 1959.

Dr. Betances spent most of his life in exile seeking freedom for Spain's colonies and the creation of a confederation of the islands in the Antilles. He spent part of his time in New York City and, though he died in Paris in 1898, he was considered enough of a luminary here that the urn with his ashes was accorded the rare honor of being lain in state at City Hall on its way back to Puerto Rico in 1920.

To the Cuban and Puerto Rican patriots of Dr. Betances' era, New York was full of intrigue and dreamers plotting the overthrow of their colonial overseers. Many lived in Chelsea and worked in pharmacies, stores and cigar factories; they printed newspapers that appealed to noble motives and sought to stir the passions of their countrymen. Some of the greatest of the era passed through New York and set up political parties, like José Martí, the poet and apostle of Cuban liberation who worked with many Puerto Ricans.

Address for Mailing Books to Project Apollonia

Project Apollonia news

Books can be mailed directly to:

Ray Smith
Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity Inc.
Attention: Project Apollonia
17311 NW 47th Ave.
Miami Gardens, FL / 33055

They will be forwarded to Costa Rica.

Thank you for your consideration. If possible please trackback if you do a post.

Thank You,

David

Damn!

UPDATE: OK, it's not my fooling around with Donald's code — I just reinstalled his original code and am still getting the same problems trying to leave comments and getting notices of "uninitiated strings...blah..blah..blech"

Going to catch a movie in the village after listening to some cool (& real!!) jazz by a master.

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I'm having major problems with MovableType right now. I get tons of errors every time I post. And Dave just let me know that readers can't leave comments. I should have known since I haven't received any in about a month. Why ain't nobody done tell me!! :-(

Any donation of tech help would be greatly appreciated.

President Keith Boykin?

Update from Keith:

WHO: Keith Boykin, American Candidate
WHAT: Campaign Kickoff Announcement
WHEN: Tuesday, June 8., 2004 at 6pm SHARP!!
WHERE: New York Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgendered Community Center, 208 W. 13th Street (b/n 7th Avenue and Greenwich), New York City take the #1,2,3,4,5,6, A, L, M, or N train to 14th Street (the A to 14th or L to 8th Ave & 14th will get you the closest to the Center)

Boykin is working with his partner, Nathan Williams, as his campaign manager. They are believed to be the first black gay couple ever to appear on reality TV. The campaign will begin on Tuesday, June 8, 2004 in New York City.

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I don't know about this. While I think Keith is presidential, I don't trust these reality shows. There's always the possibility that they'll make you look foolish, or you'll freeze, or make yourself the butt of many, many jokes.

I may be there to support the start of his "campaign" though.

* leave comments at his site, not here. I can't handle the potentially high traffic.

What is Loving Day?

VIA Alaina by way of Anil:

What is Loving Day?

On June 12th, 1967, interracial couples became legal thanks to the Supreme Court decision entitled Loving v. Virginia. Before that date, states had the right to separate and punish interracial couples. These punishments included imprisonment of up to ten years. Violations included marriage, sex, and living together. This issue is a part of the civil rights movement that is too often forgotten. On June 12th of every year, take a moment and reflect on your legal right to love a person of any race.

I'm in an inter-racial relationship (we met online 9/11 ... in 2000) and was born in 1967. Just a coincidence? Hmmm...

See You (and Keith) at The Center

Keith Boykin informs us that supporters only need to show up for his presidential kickoff between 6 & 7pm. I'll be there, so let me know if you're planning to attend.

Bonus: One More River to Cross, Keith Boykin's first book. He's currently working on his third (Respecting the Soul: Daily Reflections for Black Lesbians and Gays is his second). And don't forget his former boss's upcoming book.

If I had the guts

J. Bernard Jones shows his creative side:

No more naps! That sleepy head is finally dead.
Goodbye!
The Wicked Gipper's deaddddddd!

Reagan's gone where evil dunces go:
below - below- below.
Yo ho ho!

Donald to the Rescue!!

I needed help with a tech problem that rendered my site pretty much useless. Before I could even send out a note of panick, Donald came to my rescuse. Not only did he fix whatever the fuck I screwed up, he upgraded me to MovableType 3. I'm going to test it out once I return from my vacation. If its works s well, I'll pay for the upgrade and may even donate.

Let me remind everyone of his Virtual Rent Party still in progress. Help a brother out, rock to some cool tunes and just bask in the simple task of helping your fellow human being.

(Almost) Happy Together

Quentin Lee is obsessed with Ethan Mao. And so am I, despite reading about it just today.

Trailers are available for the taking. Hell, Lee encourages dissemination on Kazaa and Limewire. Download them here and/or here. (You'll need Quicktime from Apple.com)

* back to my long-needed vacation, see ya'll in about a week.

I Need Your Help In Pennsylvania

* still on vacation, but I want to help a brother out:

Keith Boykin needs your help in Pennsylvania.

I need your help again. I'm in Allentown, Pennsylvania on the Showtime reality tv show "American Candidate." I need to get as many people as possible to call 877-786-9119 by 4 p.m. on Thursday (June 17).

The call has to come from a Pennsylvania telephone number. It's toll free, and all you have to do is dial the number and the machine will tell you that your vote has been counted. Please call right now. It only takes a second. And please spread the word to everybody you know. Call 877-786-9119.

Please note this is a different telephone number from the number some of you may have called in New Hampshire.

For more information about my campaign and my platform, check out my new American Candidate website.

Steven G. Fullwood is a Busy, Busy Man

I was on vacation, otherwise I would have posted this from the faboo Steven G:

Ladies and Germs:

I will moderating (and reading from my new book FUNNY) on a panel called The Written Word: Three Authors/Three Worlds (even though there are actually FOUR of us) of black LGBT writers and performers this Monday in Harlem. This event is sponsored by Black Pride NYC and Hue-Man Bookstore. Come check us out! Details below.

The Written Word: Three Authors/Three Worlds
Hue-Man Bookstore & Cafe 2319 Fredrick Douglas Blvd
June 21, 2004 7 p.m.
212-665-7400

Featuring Laurinda Brown ("Promise Me"), Christopher David ("I'm On My Way"), Imani Henry (activist, writer, and performer), and yours truly!

Books will be available for purchase. Love to see you there!

Since I was on my first real vacation, I didn't bother to check email. I would have surely been in attendance like Donald, Bernie, and Kevin (who blogged about the event).

Steve is planning a signing for his new book, so I'll be sure to keep y'all posted.

P-Town, 2004

My only comments from my vacation time spent in Conn. & P-Town

click for a larger image to open in a new window
While waiting in line to see a screening of Brother to Brother, I felt like a fly in the ointment. I did enjoy myself and got some much needed rest and time with my baby (and a good friend) tho.

So it all worked out in the end. I'll mos def visit P-Town again.

Mermaids on Parade

Michael Cosentino has some great shots of this annual event in Brooklyn: There are parades, and then there's Coney Island's annual Mermaid Parade.