Maryland Hall looked sold out tonight for a special screening of Pip and Zastrow.  I arrived as the film began and there was no place to sit in the auditorium with 800 capacity seating.  The film was very well put together with strong graphics, gripping historcial video, and excellent story telling.  

Zastrow said it best “I represent the youth and the elderly”.   The film chronicled not only the friendship formed between Zastrow Simms and Pip Moyer during the challenges of the days following MLK’s assasination but, also followed their difficulties faced in present times with healthcare and neighborhood plight. 

The crowd was beautiful, filled with well dressed people celebrating the film’s success.  The reason for the word beautiful not one that is typically thrown from my lips, is the fact that the whole “tale of two cities” was busted wide open.  Annapolis was in full bloom, ebony and ivory in perfect harmony.  It sheds a little light on how the arts bring us together, and not in a contrived sense but, in a genuine method, one which creates interaction and demonstrates we are not that different.  If we take notice, we see the subtle cultural nuances that give us further individuality but, these should not be the somethings that make us as seperated as we have been.

Tonight was a victory.  Martin Luther King is smiling.  Keep it moving Annapolis. 

Next up…Friday night April 4th another special screening for the “Pip and Zastrow” at the Stanton Center on West Washington Street. 

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This Saturday night at Maryland Hall for the Creative Arts… ”Pip and Zastrow” an American Friendship   Award Winning filmmakers Victoria Bruce and Karin Hayes will present a special preview screening of their documentary film, Pip & Zastrow: An American Friendship – the true story of two boys who crossed racial boundaries during segregation in 1940’s Annapolis, Maryland and formed a life long friendship that took extraordinary turns.  The film follows the two characters with humor, compassion, and heartbreak, as Roger “Pip” Moyer and Joseph “Zastrow” Simms, WHO BY THE WAY IS FROM CLAY STREET, navigate through 60 years against the backdrop of the civil rights movement and a country that has yet to overcome deep seated racism and social inequity.  “When we first heard the story of Pip & Zastrow, how they met, became friends and the amazing things that happened along the way, it was just irresistable”, says Bruce.   By 1968, Pip, who had become the town’s young Mayor, and Zastrow, who was in jail, came together in the streets of Annapolis after the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.  Their very different lives had not dulled their friendship and the trust they’d built over the years enabled the two men to save the city from riots that erupted across the country.  CLAY STREET REPRESENTS…SATURDAY NIGHT at MARYLAND HALL for the Creative Arts, at 7pm.  Maryland Hall is located on 801 Chase Street,  Annapolis, MD 21401call for tickets at   410-280-5640  or log on at http://tickets.marylandhall.org Tickets:  $15 Adult  (seniors/children/MHCA — $10)   

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Party people in the place to be, we have made it through the first hurdle.  Special shout out to our alderman Fred Paone for casting the “I” vote on the Capital City Cultural District.   Can’t forget Sheila Finlayson, Dr. Classie Hoyle, Ross Arnett, Sam Shropshire, and Mayor Ellen Moyer for standing in and pushing us through the first round.  All in all, we have had a great team effort thus far and we are going to need it even more as we start to prepare for next weeks county vote.  
Stay tuned!  
Clay is Good 

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A very close homie of mine who goes by the name of Capital X will be embarking on a 54 day walk from the Trenton, New Jersey to Texas.  He will be walking to raise awareness for the tragedies that are occuring within our prison systems, specifically the death penalty, he and I do not always agree but, we have a tremendous level of respect for one another…X is my brother, he has been fighting to save the lives of people who have been plagued by drugs, gangs, violence…he is a true revolutionary, a citizen of the world, he was born, raised, and came of age in the midst of the crack epidemic of New York City…he is using Hip Hop Culture as a means of liberating those who have been trapped in the ghetto…below is a link to a short film that was produced by Sean O’ Grady of One Viisiion Productions out of Potomac, MD.   Take a look…BEWARE THO, there is some footage that may not be suitable for young children…

Whether or not I support his cause, I support his right to express how he feels.  Further, I have the upmost admiration for the levels that he is willing to take his beliefs.  He has led a much different life than I have, he had to make choices that I am sure are not far from those that the children of Clay Street have had to make. 

Hip Hop can save lives, it saved mine, it saved X’s. 

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What’s up party people?  Today was quite a day…around 1pm I rolled up to the House of Delegates to get my 2 cents in regarding House Bill 1054, which as you know would treat youth centers like schools in terms of penalties.  It was interesting experience no question.  I sat with a few other concerned Clay Streeters, several real movers and shakers, I won’t name anyone by name because this is no question something that the enterprenuerial population would be the loser and usually they aren’t good at being losers.  (insert your “they already are losers” comment here) 

Delegate Ron George was the one spearheading the movement, he had all the other delegates from Anne Arundel agreed on the bill.  Ron is also a jeweler, you probably heard his name now that I have put it in that context, he’s got a shop downtown Annapolis.    See most delegates have other jobs, they don’t really make that much dough for the work they do, they GRIND for 90 days in late winter/early spring and for that they get a small pack of loot.  Its got to be the power people, because the money sucks. 

The politics involved were real heavy.  There was 8 of us at 1pm, they tried to starve us out, meaning they put us on last so, we didn’t get our turn till almost 6pm.  I had been told this is the modus operandi because they know most won’t be able to hang the whole day.  Ahem, NOT ME.  See we had to go before the judiciary committee, yes I am boring you with details, and that committee is made up of people from around the state.  The chairman Mr Vallario is an OLD ASS defense attorney,  you see where this is going don’t you… 

We sat at a table with mics that was surrounded by all these other delegates from around the state.  The most mainstream imagery I can compare to is like the Roger Clemens hearings.  We spoke to them, gave our piece of the story, most centered on the crime that occurs in the vicinity of the youth centers.  It was pointed out that you can see the Stanton Center from our window and that the game gets pitched outside of there every day.  We mentioned the murders, the kids who are and have been corrupted because of the lack of male role models in the neighborhood.   It all comes back to the deadening impact that the “enterprenuerial spirit” delivers. 

We were met with BULLSHIT.  We were told that the judges do not enforce the rules as they stand now, we were told to put more police on the streets, we were told get cameras, we were told to form neighborhood associations, we were told that this won’t work. 

WHY DOES EVERYONE WHO DOES NOT LIVE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD SAY THE SAME SHIT????   WHY DO THEY THINK THAT WE HAVE NOT TRIED THE OBVIOUS???? 

 I am seriously holding back here, the tongue is bit something fierce right now.  In fact I typed about a page long PSA geared towards the idiots that sit here and state the obvious…its the equivalent of telling an alcholic “its easy, you just don’t drink” or to an obese person “just eat small meals”…you see where I am going with this? 

….. 

7pm tonight I dipped over to First Baptist Church where Habitat for Humanity, Homes for America, City of Annapolis, Pennrose Properties, were making their presentation about what is to come with Obery Court and College Creek Terrace.  Honestly, I thought it was going to be much more explosive then it was, small fireworks but not the display that I anticipated. 

There were probably 60-70 people in the building.  Presentations were made (we have the plans that were displayed here on the site click the Revitalizaion Plans tab up top) and a question and answer session followed.  There were some heated moments as several community members voiced concerns about the process by which displaced people would be allowed to return and to how one would be able to afford a Habitat for Humanity home.  The important part is though, there will be no reduction in the number of low income housing, the same number of units that are there now, will be there when the project is completed. 

Lack of trust, that is what stemmed from all of the concerns that were raised.  Clay Street, Annapolis for that matter, okay lets go there -America, has a long history of poor communication between the black/white - poor/rich.   Only time will tell if the powers that be behind this whole revitalization are doing the right thing. 

Cue “time keeps on slipping, slipping, into the future…”

Peace from Clay Street the busiest neighborhood in Annapolis. 

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