Harlem

The Apollo Theater, on West 125th Street in New York City, is by general agreement the greatest theater in Harlem. Since 1935, The Apollo has hosted a legendary Wednesday night “Amateur Night” pitting about a dozen contestants a week against one another. Amateur Night at the Apollo launched the careers…

James VanDerZee’s Funerary Portraits fully embrace loss while contemplating life — Going to elementary school in Harlem made the Harlem Renaissance a go-to moment in history for my art teachers. It is here where I learned that aspects of culture, history, and a society’s dispositions can all be translated through art. Art starts conversations, it welcomes our interpretations, and it holds…

5 years ago, when HBO’s Insecure dropped I knew my Sunday nights would never be the same. It was transformational seeing a storyline written, produced and starring a dark skin Black woman navigating the ups and downs of life as a young millennial. The show, during its five-season run, circled…

Written April 2022 — Walking down 125th street is like walking down almost any other street in New York; buildings to each side brandish names: Krispy Kreme, FedEx, Bank of America, H&M. Suddenly, at the corner of Adam Clayton Powell Jr Boulevard, the street opens to reveal the Adam Clayton Powell Jr State Office…

A novel about African American soldiers returning after WWI, the Great Migration north, and the world of 1930’s Harlem. It’s also about a mother’s love. Gone Missing in Harlem (TriQuarterly 2021) is one of the most impressive books I’ve read this year. It tells the story of an African American…

On the weekend of May 13th GreatnessWasWhen took a trip out to New York City to partake in two significant events. Shoutout to all the partners and investors who made the events possible, turned out to be a fantastic experience and a great time to build an organic network. …

As America seeks answers for tomorrow, the archivist is there — A long time ago, a young man went looking for Harlem. As the subway rumbled while passing through the underground system of New York City, the young man asked a porter, “Sir, do you know where Harlem is?” The porter replied, “Sure, Harlem. …

Back in NYC, February 2022 I’d often find myself wandering around the city in the middle of the night when all the stores were closed. One night I found myself in Harlem at 3am. I started asking the crack dealers and crack smokers where I could sell my food stamps…