People, Places and Things

By Gwen DeRu

LET’S CELEBRATE MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR.’S BIRTHDAY
….AND BLACK HISTORY MONTH!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY…TO YOU… DR. CAROLYN BOLIVAR HAMEEN, LEBOISE DERU, LEKAMEREN DERU, JACARYS BRAXTON AND LEKOTA DERU!!  …MANY MANY MORE!!
 
“WISHING YOU THE BEST OF EVERYTHING!”

Don’t Forget….
BIRMINGHAM TIMES MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. SPECIAL – Pick up your copy of the Birmingham Times special edition TODAY!!

….Here are a few things for the season…
FOR THE BLACK HISTORY LOVERS…
29th ANNUAL MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. UNITY BREAKFAST – The MLK. Jr. Breakfast is Monday, 7:30 a.m. at the BJCC North Exhibit Hall.  This breakfast is held annually in recognition of the national holiday bearing the name of the slain civil rights leader – Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The speaker for this year’s breakfast is TANNER COLBY, Birmingham native, former Saturday Night Live writer and comedic biographer.  Colby, a New York Times bestselling author, was nominated for the Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Non-Fiction for his book, Some of my Best Friends are Black: The Strange Story of Integration of America. Colby has also written and co-written biographies about Michael Jackson, Chris Farley and Jim Belushi.  The book, Some of my Best Friends are Black, will be the centerpiece of a city-wide community dialogue project held in partnership with Ensley-based The Bethesda Life Center with support from the office of Joyce Vance, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Alabama. Details of the book project will be announced at the breakfast.

(Photo Credit: NABFEME)
MARC H. MORIAL SPEAKS AT SIXTEENTH STREET CHURCH – National Urban League President and CEO, Marc J. Morial will speak at the Sixteenth Street Baptist Church on Friday, 7 p.m.   Remarks will be by Mayor William Bell and Reverend Arthur Price, Jr., Pastor.
REFLECT & REJOICE: A TRIBUTE TO MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. – the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute and Alabama Symphony Orchestra will host a concert, Sunday, 3 p.m. with Michael Morgan, Conductor, Jeh Jeh Pruitt as host, Malik Kofi on Cello, Roderick George as Tenor, The Aeolians of Oakwood University and Lockhart Dance Theatre Youth Ensemble.  Call (205) 97555-2787 for more.

NEAR…..IN MONTGOMERY…..2015 MLK COMMUNITY CLEBRATION – ASU co-sponsors a musical event, 2015 MLK Community Celebration, to commemorate Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s vision and legacy, Wednesday, Jan. 21, 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. at Davis Theatre, 251 Montgomery St., Montgomery. The public is invited to the musical event. The event’s theme is “A Message for the Future, From Keepers of The Dream” and will feature the Montgomery Interfaith Choir.  Performances will be held at 10 a.m. and 6 p.m.  Call (334) 229-6755 for more.
MLK DAY OF SERVICE – Volunteer and help to clean up the preschool and the adjacent health center at 712 25th Street North, Birmingham downtown.  Call (205) 326-0564 for more.  They both provide services to the underserved.

FOR BUSINESS OWNERS…
2015 ALABAMA’S MONEY EXPO – The Money Expo is March 7, 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. at George W. Carver High School, in Birmingham with Honorary Co-Chairs Melvin Carrington Smith and Stewart H. Welch.  This financial educational expo will feature everything about money, including how to make it, grow it, keep it and share it with families and communities.
WOMEN’S AND GIRL’S BUSINESS NETWORK  – The Women’s and Girl’s Business Network invites you to attend a monthly networking meeting, TODAY, Noon,at Room 140 in Cudworth Hall on UAB Campus, 1919 University Boulevard.  Speaker is YOLANDA MARSHAL-NICKERSON, Author and Motivational Speaker  “You Are Bound for Success and Destined for Greatness.  Park in Deck #3 and bring ticket to be stamped.  Call (205) 934-8539 for more info.

FOR ART LOVERS…
            BIRMINGHAM MUSEUM OF ART is presenting SMALL TREASURES: REMBRANDT, VERMEER, HALS AND THEIR CONTEMPORARIES, January 31-April 26 as the next exhibition welcoming small-scale masterpieces from the Dutch Golden Age.  SMALL PAINTINGS, BIG PARTY, on January 30, 6-9 p.m.  is an exhibition where you can see the exhibition, enjoy food and cash bar, sample beers and chocolates, take a tour of our Dutch galleries, hear live music and more.  DECODING BLACK ART, January 18, 3 p.m. is a talk with BMA Ford Fellow KELLI MORGAN, Ph.D. candidate of Kerry Marshall’s School of Beauty, School of Culture.  FIRST THURSDAY is February 5, 5-9 p.m. for the Small Treasures exhibition, tapas and cocktails with a film by Tim Vermeer as well as an art class and more.  KUNA KARAMU: AFRICAN CULTURE FESTIVAL is February 7, Noon-4 p.m. Free.  Celebrate the arts and cultures of Africa, go on a scavenger hunt, weave your own Kente cloth, or sculpt an African Pot, while enjoying African food, music, fashions and more with the entire family.  THE MARCH QUILTS: COMMUNITY SEWING DAYS are January 18 at 1 p.m., February 5 at 5:30 p.m. and February 22 at 1 p.m. FREE.  All ages can join the community sewing days as a part of The March Quilts, a project celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the Selma to Montgomery march of 1965.

FOR OUTDOORS LOVERS…,
JANUARY 17, SATURDAY, 9a.m.
Southeastern Outings Waterfowl Viewing Trip at the Wheeler National Wildlife Refuge (WNWR), Decatur, AL – Experience the thrilling sight of thousands of sandhill cranes, wild geese and ducks plus herons and other birds.  The Refuge has the largest concentration of wintering geese and ducks in the entire state of Alabama!  You don’t need to be a bird watcher to enjoy this outing!  Experienced birders leading the trip will share their knowledge with all.  This 35,000 acre refuge attracts thousands of wintering waterfowl each year.  WNWR is comprised of diverse habitat types including bottomland hardwoods, wetlands, pine uplands, shoreline or riparian woodlands, agricultural fields, and backwater embayments.  These habitats provide excellent feeding, resting, and roosting sites for wintering waterfowl and sandhill cranes, as well as nesting sites for migratory songbirds and many species of resident wildlife.  We are highly privileged to have as  guide Dwight Cooley, the Refuge Manager who will take us on refuge roads behind locked gates, various bays and sloughs where hundreds of ducks and geese in large numbers can be seen.  We’ll also see many other types of birds including bald eagles, huge flock of sandhill cranes which winter at the refuge each year.  The gated roads are closed to the public but will be open to our group.  Bring binoculars, a birding field guide and a spotting telescope with you if you have them.  The leader and Dan Frederick will each bring a spotting scope, and the refuge is willing to make available some extra pairs of binoculars to loan to participants on this trip.
This outing is rated easy with very little walking involved or climbing hills or walking through thick brush.  Dress for the weather because the wind at the refuge can be biting, blowing across open water on cold days.  Well-behaved, carefully supervised children age 10 and over who can remain quiet for extended periods of time (so as to not disturb the birds and bird watchers) are welcome.
There is a (possible) optional dinner after the birding trip depending on what time we finish bird watching.  Depart at 9 a.m. from the Hayden/Corner Park and Ride parking lot, or you may meet the group at 10 a.m. at the WNWR Visitor Center with driveway entrance on Ala. Highway 67 between Priceville and Decatur 2.7 miles west of the Highway 67 exit (Exit number 334) off I-65.  People can carpool from the Hayden/Corner Park and Ride meeting place up to the refuge. There is no limit on the number of participants we can accommodate on this outing.  For more information, call Dan Frederick at (205) 631-4680.

FOR MUSIC LOVERS….
WHITNEY HOUSTON  WORLD PREMIER MOVIE – Lifetime station on cable TV will show the movie WHITNEY, Saturday at 7 p.m.  Golden Globe Award winner and Academy Award nominee Angela Bassett makes her directorial debut with the Lifetime Original Movie “Whitney,” featuring Yaya DaCosta in the lead role with Arlen Escarpeta alongside her as Bobby Brown.

HERE ARE A FEW MORE THINGS GOING ON…
THIS WEEKEND… TODAY…
**ASHLEY AND THE KEEPERS at Ona’s Music Room.
FRIDAY…
**URBAN MYSTIC & VICK ALLEN featuring MIZ BARBIE DOLLE, 8 p.m. at Archibald and Woodrows in Tuscaloosa.
**KELLEY ONEAL AND THE KAYOBAND at Ona’s Music Room.
**NINE POUND PUSSY UNPLUGGED (members of: Nashville Pussy & Nine Pound Hammer) BLAINE CARTWRIGHT (of Nashville Pussy) EARL CRIM (of Nine Pound Hammer) with Special Guests: BEITTHEMEANS THE PRIMITIVE TALK at The Nick on southside.

SATURDAY…
**ONA WATSON AND CHAMPAGNE at Ona’s Music Room.
**TIDE AND TIGER LOUNGE, 8 p.m. on Graymont Avenue across the street from Legion Field.  Open Tuesday through Sunday.
**SISTER HELEN, SHARIFF SIMMONS, and FIFTH NATION
at The Nick.

GIFT OF LAUGHTER….IN THE ‘HAM… AT THE STARDOME AND IN DA HOOD… …LAUGHTER FOR THE NEW YEAR…
(Photo Credit – Dayton Local)
**AT THE STARDOME…DON’T MISS… DON ‘DC’ CURRY, this weekend… Widely known as the star of numerous stand-up comedy tours (including the highly lauded “Royal Comedy Tour,” of winter/spring 2010) playing huge theatres at home and abroad and headlining special engagements at the nation’s hottest comedy clubs, Don “D.C.” Curry’s talents are far more than meets the eye at a single glance. At second glance you’ll see him co-starring in major studio pictures or taking the duties of leading man in indie feature films. Look again and you’ll see him touring the country as the lead in a hit stage play or serving as the front man of his own R&B and Blues band. Take yet another glimpse (or listen) and you’ll hear him shining as a skilled voice-over artist on hit TV shows like Boondocks. Bottom line, DC Curry is a very versatile, and extremely funny man.
COMING SOON…, SMOOTH JAZZ – January 22, STEVE McGREW – January 23-25, TONY ROBERTS – January 30 – February 1, DL HUGHLEY – February 6-8, FINIS HENDERSON – February 13-15, SHERYL UNDERWOOD – February 20-21, MIRANDA SINGS – February 7-8   (Tell Bruce that Gwen sent you.)  Enjoy some good laughter and fun times while you eat some great food with your friends. For more, call (205) 444-0008.
**MORE LAUGHTER…COMEDY IN DA HOOD at the New Tide and Tiger on Graymont Avenue. Comedians are invited!  Call (205) 503-3880 for more.
**February 17-18 – A. G. GASTON CONFERENCE – Economic Empowerment through Enterprise Development AT THE BJCC.
**MARCH 5-9 – BRIDGE CROSSING JUBLIEE in Selma, Alabama.

NOW…. BIRTHDAY SHOUT OUTS!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU… LEKAMEREN DERU, KACARYS BRAXTON, LEKOTA DERU, JANICE BELL, DEIDRA PERRY, CHARLES MCCAULEY, RENEE KEMP-ROTAN, KYLE WHITMIRE, PHYLLIS CONNELL, BETTINA BYRD GILES, MICHAEL GOULD, EVERETT SPRUILL, DR. CAROLYN BOLIVAR HAMEEN AND TO ALL CELEBRATING!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ALL YOU BIRTHDAY BALLERS…MANY, MANY MORE HAPPY BIRTHDAYS!!  ENJOY!!
Well, that’s it.  Tell you more ‘next’ time.
(People, Places and Things by Gwen DeRu is a weekly column. Send comments to my emails: thelewisgroup@birminghamtimes.com or gwenderu@yahoo.com.)