Anchors Aweigh! – Deborah O. Brown, NBC 5’s director of station relations, chairs Rock the Boat!, DuSable Museum of African-American History’s second annual fundraising cruise. It happens Sept. 18 aboard the deluxe four-level Spirit of Chicago, which is docked at Navy Pier. The event begins promptly at 5:30 p.m. as nautical chic-attired guests arrive to pick up cruise credentials. They will be welcomed by Dr. Carol Adams, museum president-CEO, and joined by fellow passengers. From 6 p.m.-8 p.m., guests will sail along the scenic shores of Lake Michigan, dine from a Seafaring Grand Buffet Supper, sip cocktails, enjoy special entertainment and dance, dance, dance — all while experiencing one of Chicago’s most spectacular views. The ship returns at 8:30 p.m., “drops anchor” and guests will get their final fill from a Dock-Side Dessert Buffet ‘til 10 p.m. Tickets at $150 may be reserved online at www.dusablemuseum.org or call Diane McCain, development director, (773) 420-2727, for additional sponsor opportunities. Proceeds benefit DuSable’s exhibits and education programs. Bon voyage!
Brunch
Bunch – Diasporal Rhythms presents the third installment of its “ArtSmart”
series on Sunday at Norman’s Bistro, 1001 E. 43rd St., beginning with brunch
from 9 a.m.-2 p.m., followed by a two-hour workshop, Getting A Head, conducted
by Juarez Hawkins, painter, ceramist and sculptor. Hawkins, who has over 20
years of exhibition experience and 11 years teaching art, will demonstrate
techniques she uses to build figures from clay. Also on tap: a silent auction.
Tickets – $50 for brunch and workshop, $25, workshop only! – must be purchased
in advance. Hurry and call Dan Parker (773) 268-2209 or visit www.diasporalrhythms.net.
Sweet
Memories – Curtis Joplin and Troy Yates, both peacock proud members of Wendell
Phillips High School’s Class of 1951, are gearing up to celebrate with
schoolmates, friends and family at their 60-Year Class Reunion Dinner-Dance at
the Crystal Light Ballroom, 84th Street and Cicero Avenue, on Sept. 18. The
celebration starts at 4 p.m., then dinner at 5:15 p.m. and dancing with music
by Tracey “Dion” Williams. Others on the committee planning for the black-tie
optional $50 per person affair, themed Still on the Move, are Frank Brown,
Parnell Brown, Valjean Brown Hill, Ann Lyles Jackson, Marion Burnell Joplin,
Lorne Cress Love, Consuelo Neil Milburn, Josephine Torrence Norman, Clyde
Phillips, Cornelia Dawkins Phillips, Irma Bell Reed, Helen Edmonds Scates and
Mary Jo Heard Taylor. Mail a check payable to Phillips Alumni Class of 1951 to
Curtis Joplin, 8355 S. Dante, Chicago, IL 60619. Call (773) 721-5765 or (773)
978-4488.
Fashion
Focus – Join Alexandra Elderberg, president of eWomen Network and co-proprietor
of The Insurance People, at the Mid-America Club (high atop the 80th floor of
the Aon Bldg., 200 E. Randolph) on Aug. 18, 5:30 p.m-8:30 p.m., for The Spirit
of Giving, the inaugural fashion extravaganza to benefit I Am You, a local non-profit.
It was founded to provide an entrepreneurial training environment for young
girls and women between the ages of 14-24 who live in some of the city’s
impoverished communities and to teach teenage entrepreneurship skills through
creating clothing lines and running a retail outlet, the Red Dot Resale
Boutique, among other life-enrichment skills. Shawna Spencer is founder and
executive director of I Am You. Also sponsoring the event: the Thomlinson Law
Firm.
Donation
to the evening of fun and fashion is $50 and tickets can be purchased online at
www.spiritofgiving.eventbrite.com, by calling (773) 769-9080 or e-mailing
info@iamyounfp.org. There will be a live auction of fashions and accessories
designed by the students. Funds raised will cover some of the organization’s
expenses, such as general operating costs, fabric and notions, computers,
sewing machines and repairs, as well as outings where students will be exposed
to entrepreneurial experiences.
Newsy
Names – Happy b’day to Jackie Taylor, major domo of Black Ensemble Theater,
celebrates “her 60th” with family, friends and fans on Wednesday at The Spot,
4437 N. Broadway, and to former U.S. Sen. Roland W. Burris, Rev. Sen. James
Meeks, Natalie Yvonne Moore, Melody Spann-Cooper, Beverly Reid Scott, Amy
Hilliard, Buddy Guy, Birdge Givens, Robin Robinson, Stephanie Neely, Stella
Foster, Matt McGill, Sandra Finley, Diann Bishop, Landis, Phyllis Banks, Sheri
Lynn Smith, Yvonne Lane, Jackie Craig, Ald. Walter Burnett, Johnny Blair,
Richard Porter, Lun Ye Givens March, Roxanne Atkins, Rikki Jones, Marvin Gray,
Krystal McAllister, Keisha Smith, Bomani Obadele, Vivienne Cornell, Patricia
Crenshaw, Barbara Samuels, Ranoule Tatum, David Ibn Sharrieff, Aman Wilkes and
twin brothers, Bryce and Benjamin Daymond ... Sax man Geof Bradfield plays A
Tribute to Charlie Parker on Sunday, 7:30 p.m., hosted by Hyde Park Jazz
Society at its “new home,” South Loop Hotel’s L26 Restaurant. And on the next
Sunday, check out Ava Logan on vocals. As always, entry cost is only $10, $5
for students.
Breakfast
Bonus – U.S. Cellular’s Greg Hinton, program chair of Chicago Chapter of the
National Association for African Americans in Human Resources, and Airies
Davis, chapter prez, are in final mode for Monday’s Kraft Foods-sponsored
breakfast, EXCELerate Through Peer Mentoring, discussing strategies and hearing
real world examples. The speakers, top-level HR Kraft execs, are Karen J. May,
Diane Johnson May and Sandra Stenico. The free event, 8:30 a.m.-10:30 a.m.,
will be held at Kraft offices in suburban Northfield. Register online at
www.naaahrchicago.org.
Touchdown!
– It’s 14th annual Nike-sponsored Chicago Football Classic time, Alabama
A&M Bulldogs v. Hampton Pirates on Sept. 3 at Soldier Field; kick-off at
3:30 p.m. Four community stalwarts – Larry Huggins (Riteway-Huggins
Construction Co.), Tim and Everett Rand (Midway Wholesalers), the three
co-founders, and Bill Garth (Citizen Newspapers) – are major spearheads of the
yearly scholarship event that attracts sports enthusiasts from across the
Midwest. Among weekend activities: presidents’ reception, golf outing, Friday
night madness, pep rally, pre- and post-parties, HBCU college fair, battle of
the bands, The Classic, and Sunday brunch and cruise. For tickets or more info,
call (773) 874-8000 ext 4025.
Reunion
Union – Dorothy Tucker, CBS 2 news reporter, Cong. Danny K. Davis, D-7th Dist.,
and Herb “Kool Gent” Kent receive special honors “for outstanding contributions
to the community” when Austin Reunited Together hosts Austin High School
1970-1980 Alumni Classes’ 50th Birthday Gala on Saturday, 5 p.m., at Columbus
Park Refectory, 5701 W. Jackson Blvd. The “all-white affair” will feature
entertainment by Ultimate Concept Band, says Greg Faulkner, gala co-chair. ART
is a non-profit organization whose mission is to expand community opportunities
via education, civic improvements and networking. There’re limited seats so
RSVP ASAP. Call Nachee Miller at (301) 213-5437 or e-mail
AustinReunited@yahoo.com.
This just
in– Members of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority are mourning the passing of their
dear soror, Elizabeth Darden, 114, a former teacher at Howalton Day School. A
memorial service will be held and High Tea served on Saturday noon at the
AKArama Foundation Community Service Center, 6220 S. University ... And a
memorial service for Al Tyler, the visual artist who died in late June, is
Saturday, noon-3 p.m., at the South Side Community Art Center, 3831 S.
Michigan. A School of the Art Institute of Chicago grad and an artist for more
than 60 years, Tyler also operated a gallery and was a 30-year employee of the
City of Evanston. His works are included in important private and public
collections. The longtime resident of Rogers Park presented samplings of his
life's work during each African American History Month. Condolences to his
family.
Copyright
2011 Chicago Defender
