Dancing Down Colonialism is a two part series that will take place during the time of amerikan holidays Columbus Day and Thanksgiving, holidays rooted in colonialism, genocide, and cultural appropriation. The series is sponsored by the Community Organizing Collective (CYOC) and the Tree House Collective

For more information please contact:
Taina Asili: 215.726.9942 or Priyank Jindal: 267-240-5579

Oct. 10th 6:30pm @ AFSC (1501 Cherry St.)

Join us for a discussion on the history of the San Carlos Apaches, the lives of Native women, and their current struggle to reclaim their sacred mountain the Mt. Graham Sacred Run with Tribal Councilman Wendsler Nosie and Tribal Representative Theresa Nosie of the San Carlos Apaches.

Oct. 11th 7:30pm @ the Rotunda (40th and Walnut)

Join us for a night of cultural resistance through amazing Ceremony, Dance and Music by Native artists from Philadelphia and Arizona.

.

Anti-Colombus Day Show featuring:
OLLIN YOLIZTLI CALMECAC (from the Aztec language Nauhatl meaning the school of the blood moving in the heart) is a Aztec Dancers and Pre-hispanic Cultural Group and will be performing a ceremony and dance for the fall equinox.

The APACHE ELEMENTS are an Apache hip hop group coming to us all the way from San Carlos, Arizona.

LUMINOUS FLUX is our very own Philadelphia based female hip hop duo representing Tsalagi and Lenapi Nations.

Sunday Nov. 20th, 7:30pm at the Rotunda 4014 Walnut St. Philadelphia
Dancing Down Colonialism: Word, Dance & Film to Free Our Puerto Rican Prisoners of War

Dancing Down Colonialism brings together revolutionary freedom fighter, visual artist and healer Dylcia Pagan, award winning PBS Documentary the Double Life of Ernesto Gomez Gomez, and the Native American Xicano Indio Cultural Arts Centers Aztlan dancers to explore the similarities between colonization and incarceration; linking the struggles for their culture, land and life between oppressed people; and affirm indigenous people’s rights to self determination. It will be particularly looking at the struggle to free the remaining 3 Puerto Rican Political Prisoners of War. Dancing Down Colonialism will take place during the time of the controversial American holiday Thanksgiving, a holiday rooted in colonialism, genocide, and cultural appropriation. This event is co-sponsored by the Community Youth Organizing Committee (CYOC), the Human Rights Coalition, ICFFMAJ, and Centro Juan Antonio Corretjer, and is the second event in a series addressing colonialism and indigenous people’s struggle.

Featuring:
DYLCIA PAGAN, keynote Speaker, former Puerto Rican Prisoner of War, artist and healer.
Award-winning documentary The Double Life of Ernesto Gomez Gomez.
The Native American Xicano Indio Cultural Arts Centers Dancers Aztlan.

There are many things I love about Philadelphia. Lately, top on the list has been the Philadelphia Film Society. My membership as an “extra” ($50 a year) entitles me to at least 20 invitations to free screenings, discounts to the Film Festival and occasionally some free stuff. Last week I saw Everything is Illuminated and In Her Shoes and tonight I’m off to see Ushpizin. If you buy a membership ($125 a year) at the Best Boy/Best Girl level you get a free 10-pass to the Film Festival in the spring. It’s a pretty awesome deal.

My cousin Dan, a devoted foodie from whom I have taken many restaurant/market tips over the years, lived in Center City, but refuses to go into the new DiBruno Bros. market at 18th and Chestnut. He instead drives down to the Italian Market for his sandwiches and cheese. At first I thought this was really kind of silly behavior, because they are owned by the same family, and stock the same stuff, really what’s the difference? But I recently came to discover a big difference–pricing. I bought a panini down at the Italian Market pronto store a couple of weeks ago, an amazing combination of cheese and pesto, tomato and prosciutto for $5.99. A reasonable price for an incredible sandwich. But upon visit to the Center City location, I noticed that they charge a full dollar more for the exact same sandwich. I know, you’re saying, “why is this girl flipping out over a lousy dollar?” I probably shouldn’t worry about it (or really even be eating this sandwich) but I find myself indignant over the principle of it all. I don’t think I that 25 blocks should prompt a pricing differential.

I think I’m about to take another tip from Dan, and become an exclusively South Philly DiBruno’s shopper.

And another photographer enters the mix…

This came out earlier today over the R5 Productions email list. It seems that Philadelpha’s notorious Department of Licensing and Inspection has taken down another independent venue. As a member of the First Unitarian Church, I was marginally involved when L&I hit us, trying to prevent us from hosting all ages shows in our building. If anyone can help or wants to get involved, please don’t hesitate to contact Sean (the email address is below).

The Department of Licensing and Inspection Strikes Again………..

This past Friday evening / Saturday morning Philadelphia’s Department of Licensing and Inspection, The Philadelphia Police and Philadelphia Fire Department raided and proceeded to shut down “The South Philadelphia Athen

Extra point if you tell us what this building is now.

I was recently listening to my Rollins spoken word CDs–getting pre-syched for his October appearance in Atlantic City, ‘cos I bought myself tix, dontcha know.

Pondering the peculiarity of a phrase often used over airport intercoms:

Thank you for flying the friendly skies. It’s like United has their own set of skies!

“We only fly in the friendly parts. That’s why we will not go to Philadelphia International Airport. ‘Cos we only fly the friendly places.”

Damn, I love our curmudgeonly rep. I mean, when Rollins is calling you aggressive or unfriendly, you know you got it going on.

There is a Wawa right around the corner from the hotel where my best friend and I are staying. Not being much of a coffee drinker, this shouldn’t matter to me all that much; but lately, I’ve taken to drinking Wawa coffee just because it amuses me. (Seriously.) I suggested we go get some, just because I’m having a sugar craving.

The following conversation occured:
Me: They also have coffee in the pots. ::points:: It’s all pretty good.
Random girl: There is a Starbucks right around the corner.
Me: Sure, I’d go there if I wanted to be drinking to the destruction of society.
Her: They’re a socially responsible corporation! You should read their Environmental and Social Policies on their website!
Me: ::gets my coffee::
Her: You know you’re just drinking powder and water!
Me: ::continues to get said powder and water that tastes damn good::
Her: What you read on their website will really change your mind. I’m sure it could make you like Starbucks!
Me: Or you could go fuck yourself and get out of my face.

Sorry, folks; but when you pick a random person to have a conversation with, you run the risk of picking someone who doesn’t give two shits about what you have to say. Hi! My name is Suzanne, and I don’t give two shits about Starbucks! Especially when I’m at Wawa, getting the beverage I am currently interested in consuming!

And for something a little more creative than your neighborhood bake sale:

Delone Catholic High School in McSherrystown, Pa.*, has a fun fundraising program called “Stop the Bop.”

Suggested by a few members of the student council, the school is playing Hanson’s 1996 hit “MMMBop” through the loudspeakers before classes begin, between periods and during lunch. The idea? Annoy students into donating; have them pay to stop the music.

The MMMBop marathon lasted four days until a $3,000 fund-raising goal was met.

EW quotes Taylor Hanson’s response to the stunt as remarkably good-humoured: “Believe me, you play anything over and over and it’ll drive you nuts.” The Hanson brothers also matched the school’s money with an additional $3,000.

Good show, boys.

* Okay, so this isn’t really truly a local Philadelphia story, but it was too good not to tell. ‘Sides, I haven’t seen any signs of “harrisburg.metblogs.com” coming down the pike, so we are legitimately the closest Metroblog to McSherrytown.

As Rita takes aim at another section of the Gulf Coast, I pull a small “phone info” tab from my blue jeans pocket that I originally pulled off the lower fringe of a neighborhood flyer. I spotted it out on the nightly dog-walk, as I spot so many details about my city and my surroundings.

The tab reads:

Benefit Porch sale—Bake Sale
Saturday September 24
10:30 AM…21st & Sansom

The full flyer has more detail. The benefit is intended for gulf coast evacuees, particularly those with, or seperated from, their pets. (Which is, of course, why these flyers were in the “Dog Park” and along my dog walking route.) The assortment of items listed for sale is what you’d expect: household items, clothes, knick-knacks, and yummy foodstuffs. The flyer also says you can bring items to sell for the benefit, if you so desire.

If you’re in the neghborhood, drop on by.