Monday night was the third annual Trailblazer Ceremnony, at the Alhambra Ballroom, including Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer. Scott said he will fight for Harlem turf, but does he really mean it? See Columbia Spectator for more.
Award recipients Charlie King, Rodney Leon, and Muriel Petioni were honored for their commitment to the Harlem neighborhood in the spirit of the month’s celebration of community identity. Petioni, 94, chair and founder of the patron organization for Columbia affiliate Harlem Hospital, was met with a standing ovation in recognition of her lifelong work for medical care in Harlem.
“We’ve been fighting for a long time,” Petioni said. “Things seem to be getting better, but we’re still in for a lot of sadness.”
ATLAH World Church minister James David Manning shed light on this sentiment Thursday evening.
Standing before a packed house at his church’s Black History Month celebration less than five blocks away from the ballroom, Manning chose not to laud local black politicians, but to lambast leaders who he claims have undermined Harlem’s history and the issues that impact its residents.
At the helm of a pale green pulpit with slogans like “That’s What God Said” and “All Jesus, All the Time” written on the walls, Manning named Stringer, City Council member Inez Dickens (D-Morningside Heights), and City Councilman Robert Jackson (D-West Harlem) as among those who have betrayed aspects of Harlem’s culture.
“Not only do we have a large number of activists, but political appointees that are nothing more than puppets of ‘the Man,’” Manning said. “They’re all approaching the problem of this community from sometimes and oftentimes disingenuous objectives.”
“The business of the dark-skinned, kinky-haired people, the sons of great leaders, kings, and builders, doctors and generals and engineers of antiquity, will begin here tonight,” Manning said.
“It won’t take but a day to bring this community to its knees,” Manning said. “What have you people been thinking about? Who are your leaders? ... The business as usual in this community ends.” Time to wear your I Love Harlem Apparel.
So obviously, the tension continues in Harlem over the various mega-projects. These include Columbia University's expansion to West 133rd St., and the office building planned for Park Ave and 125th St. And don't forget to "Save the Record Shack," threatened now at W 125th St., across from Apollo theater. And don't forget the appropriate Apollo, and Save the Shack t-shirts.
The real estate bubble is dying anyway. Why destroy Harlem to create some more bad mortgage paper?
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