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MOSAEC Hot Shots
Photo Gallery - February 2002
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Paying
Homage to Ancestors and Elders
By Ramona Prioleau
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January
31 – February 3, 2002: Langston Hughes Centennial Celebration, The Schomburg
Center for Research in Black Culture, New York, NY
Q:
How do you honor a man that has known rivers, spoken of dreams
deferred and captured the distinctive wit of Madam Alberta K.?
A: Invite politicians, activists, celebrities and poets of wide
acclaim to celebrate the centennial of his birth with words and song.
Q: How can you be the first to do so?
A: Begin your celebration late the night before and conclude
with libations poured upon a marble floor under which Langston Hughes'
ashes are buried at the stroke of midnight February 1, 2002.
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So was the beginning of a 4-day tribute paying homage
to Langston Hughes at the Schomburg Center that included the unveiling
of the Hughes commemorative stamp, a spoken word performance, a forum,
literary readings and music and dance performances.
The Hughes Gala was an invitation-only black tie
event. Even though I wanted to, I couldn't purchase a ticket and had
to rely on the benevolence of friends to attend. Worthwhile it was.
More than an opportunity to rub elbows with high-voltage folk, the
evening was also a chance to connect spiritually with others whom
Langston Hughes inspired. In high school, it was Hughes' cautionary
words of deferred dreams that encouraged me to take the necessary
steps along the road of self-actualization.
Because Hughes was a poet of the people, most of the
events were free and open to the community-at-large. The highlight of
the weekend was the literary tribute, featuring readings by elders and
upstarts. The take-no-prisoners language of Jayne Cortez's poetry blew
me away, especially her "I am NYC" and "Ode to
Langston." And Ruth Forman's reading of her work of fiction
revolving around a woman still in love with her deceased husband was
profoundly poignant and I found myself swept up in the tale.
If you were unable to attend any of the Hughes
centennial events, have no fear; the Schomburg filmed the 4 days of
activities.
~M~
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February 25, 2002: The Asian American Legal Defense and Education
Fund Annual Benefit, Pier Sixty, Chelsea Piers, New York, NY
Combining a celebration of the Year of the Horse
with its big-ticket annual fundraiser, the Asian American Legal
Defense and Education Fund took a moment to honor two in the community
who risked a great deal for others.
Over the past several months, David Lim, a Port
Authority Police Officer, has received well-deserved recognition for
his heroism on September 11th - deeds Lim refers to as "just
doing his job." When others fled the World Trade Center, Lim
entered the towers and directed others to safety. Realizing that Tower
1 was about to topple, Lim decided to leave but was trapped with a
firefighter while they were assisting an injured WTC worker. Lim is
one of the few survivors pulled from Ground Zero and even though many
have advised him to retire, Lim continues to serve the people of New
York.
While Lim's story has received widespread notice,
Fred Korematsu's tale of courage went unheralded for decades.
Following the bombing of Pearl Harbor in 1942, President Roosevelt
ordered the internment of Japanese Americans. Korematsu refused to
leave, was jailed and later convicted for violating the internment
order. Despite an appeal to the US Supreme Court, Korematsu's
conviction was upheld.
Upon the presentation of new evidence Korematsu's
conviction was overturned in 1983. For years, Korematsu declined to
speak of his act of defiance resulting in his daughter Karen learning
of his courage serendipitously. One day when a friend casually
remarked that Karen shared the surname of the person that challenged
the World War II incarceration of Japanese Americans, she investigated
only to discover that that person was her dad.
In 1998, upon awarding Fred Korematsu the
Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation's highest civilian honor,
President Clinton remarked that Korematsu should be remembered in the
annals of American history with the likes of Rosa Parks for his
courageous act. Befitting an elder of his stature, AALDEF awarded Fred
Korematsu the 2002 Justice In Action Award.M
February 2002
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January
31, 2002 at The Schomburg Center, New York, NY and February 25, 2002 at
Pier Sixty, Chelsea Piers, New York, NY
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© 2002 RLP Ventures, LLC
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