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People, Places and Things

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By Gwen DeRu

“REMEMBERING CIVIL RIGHTS ICONS CONGRESSMAN JOHN LEWIS and REVEREND C.T. VIVIAN”

TODAY…

**READ THE BIRMINGHAM TIMES. Get all the latest news!
**OPEN BLUES JAM, 7-10 p.m. at Brennan’s Irish Pub.  All musicians welcome.
**COMEDIAN MIKE JAMES at the StarDome Comedy Club.

FRIDAY…


**TRIBUTE TO CLEVE EATON LEGENDARY BASSIST– A Tribute to the Legendary Bassist Cleve Eaton starts at 7 p.m. featuring the Perfect Note All Star Jam Session at the Perfect Note Restaurant.

**COMEDIAN MIKE JAMES at the StarDome Comedy Club.

**MOVIE NIGHT: Check out some old, but good flicks/movies and show on a sheet in the backyard for the young and young at heart. Fun in the outdoors…any day!

SATURDAY…

**HOUSEHOLD HAZARDOUS WASTE COLLECTION DAY, 8 -11 a.m. in Jefferson County with locations in Bessemer, Irondale and Gardendale.
**BIRMINGHAM FREEDOM FESTIVAL 2020, 3- 8 p.m. online.
**COMEDIAN MIKE JAMES at the StarDome Comedy Club.
**FUN, GAMES, YARD AND HOUSE WORK including Uno, Monopoly, Solitaire. Weeding the pretty flowers in the beds, cutting the grass, cleaning the grill or just sitting outside if the weather permits. Things are changing soon.

SUNDAY…
**FAMILY TIME AND GOOD FOOD. Grilling in the backyard, movies in the backyard, parties in the backyard.

MONDAY…
**PLANNING AND MORE CATCH UP. Pull out that long to-do list and see what can be done during the week or weekend ahead. Making plans for the future and getting back to normal as best as you can.

TUESDAY…
**READ A GOOD BOOK… I KNOW WHAT THE RED CLAY LOOKS LIKE by Rebecca Carroll is a good one.  There are a few on the bookshelves, just lying around …or you can get an e-book.

WEDNESDAY…
**BIRMINGHAM’S BEST at the StarDome Comedy Club.
**WEATHER WATCHING FOR THE WEEK AND WEEKEND. Looking for the weekend and thinking of what to do that depends on good weather outdoors. Getting out of the house even if going nowhere…. Take a walk if the weather is good.

NEXT THURSDAY…
**READ THE BIRMINGHAM TIMES. Catch up on the news!
**BIRMINGHAM’S BEST at the StarDome Comedy Club.

NEXT FRIDAY…
**MOVIE NIGHT: Rent and Watch movies at Sidewalkfest.com.
**COMEDIAN ARNEZ J at the StarDome Comedy Club.

FOR MUSIC LOVERS…

**TRIBUTE FOR LEGENDARY CLEVELAND EATON – Perfect Note will host a Jam Session featuring the Perfect Note All Star Jam Session at the Perfect Note Restaurant to perform a Tribute to Cleveland Eaton.  Cleve Eaton is an international jazz legend. For 17 years he served as the personal bassist for Hall of Fame jazz legend, Count Basie. Before he performed with Count Basie, he enjoyed 10 years as the bassist for the Ramsey Lewis Trio. His time with Ramsey began in 1965. Cleve’s relationship with the bass began when he saw a bass case in the car of John Springer, a music instructor at Fairfield Industrial High. That is when Springer showed him it was a bass, and played it for him and that was when his love of the bass as an instrument began. Cleve would go on to note that of all the instructors he encountered as he rose through the ranks of the top bass players in the world, no one taught him more than John Springer.

FOR PRAYER SERVICES…
**INTERFAITH PRAYER SERVICES – Join Greater Birmingham Ministries (GBM) every Wednesday at Noon for Interfaith Prayer Service. People of faith and goodwill are invited to join GBM and the Alabama Episcopal Church for Noonday Prayer at Linn Park in Downtown Birmingham. Clergy are invited to wear clericals. Masks and social distancing will be observed. For more go to, www.gbm.org.

FOR GIRLS…

**SHE CAMP – GirlSpring is hosting its summer camp, S.H.E. Camp, July 27 – 31, 9 a.m. – Noon for ages 9-12 and 1- 4 p.m. for ages 13-18. S.H.E. is Sisterhood, Humor and Empowerment. This program is dedicated to empowering girls and young women to make confident and powerful choices in their lives. Participants will develop the skills they need to express their own unique voice, encourage a positive self-image and the formation of healthy relationships. Register at www. https://www.girlspring.com/summer-camp/

FOR LOVERS OF ART AND MORE …

AT ALYS STEPHENS CENTER…

**OUTSIDE THE LINES: – AEIVA and Abroms-Engel Institute for the Visual Arts will host OUTSIDE THE LINES: Live Coloring Night, TODAY, 7 – 8 p.m. Join for a night to decompress and color, while enjoying a great conversation and Q&A with guest artist and UAB Department of Art and Art History Assistant Professor of Drawing and Bookmaking DOUG BAULOS. Work on your own favorite coloring page, or follow along as Doug teaches us how to create mailable art in the form of calligraphy flourishes. This Outside the Lines Coloring Night is presented in partnership with Alabama Audubon.

**BIRMINGHAM ARTS DRIVE-IN – Opera Birmingham, UAB Alys Stephens, Alabama Ballet, Alabama Symphony Orchestra, Red Mountain Theatre Company and WBHM are hosting AN EVENING OF THE ARTS, two nights of the arts, next Thursday and Friday in the parking lot of 16th Street and University Boulevard on UAB’s campus for the first BIRMINGHAM ARTS DRIVE-IN. FREE. You must register at: www.my.alysstephens.org/single/eventdetail, to attend one of the two nights – One reservation per vehicle. Ticket holders should arrive between 7 and 7:45 p.m. All remaining spaces will be released to a waiting list, first-come first-served. Vehicles will not be admitted after 8:15 p.m. The event will end by 9:45 p.m.

AT AVONDALE BREWERY…

**VIEWING PARTY – Avondale Brewery will host a viewing party on Friday. Visit www.avondalebrewing.com to register and details.

FOR THE COMMUNITY…

**HOUSEHOLD HAZARDOUS WASTE COLLECTION DAY – Saturday is the day to collection and get rid of your waste. Locations include: 1205 15th Avenue North, Bessemer, 940 Main Street, Gardendale, and 7952 Crestwood Boulevard, Irondale. The times for all locations is 8 a.m. – 11 a.m. or until capacity is met. Drop off ammunition, batteries, electronics, household cooking grease, motor oil, antifreeze, paint, paper shredded onsite, pesticides, herbicides, fertilizers, prescription drugs, tires (no rims limit of 8), white goods.

**BIRMINGHAM FREEDOM FEST – The Birmingham Freedom Fest is an annual Birmingham music and empowerment festival that celebrates unity and purpose as well as to celebrate the triumphs of Birmingham and its commitment to forging a united future. Visit www.freedomfestbham.com.

**COVID-19 TESTING SITES…Here is an update on the testing sites in Birmingham…

*JULY 29 -JOYFUL NEWS CHRISTIAN CENTER, 3106 27th Street North, 9 a.m.- 12 noon – The testing is for those with or without symptoms. Call 205-407-9696 to schedule appointment.

*AUGUST 5 – MACEDONIA 17th STREET BAPTIST CHURCH, 1405 13th Avenue North, 9 a.m. – 12 noon – The testing is for those with or without symptoms. Call 205-407-9696 to schedule appointment.

…ONGOING –  *LEGION FIELD: MONDAY – FRIDAY 9 a.m.- 4 p.m., TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT, CALL 205-92-COVID (205-922-6843) …*UAB Downtown Testing Site: TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT, CALL (205) 975-1881 (2117 University Blvd South, Birmingham, AL 35205) …*Cahaba Medical Care, West End Clinic: TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT, CALL (205) 679-6325 or visit cahabamedicalcare.com (1308 Tuscaloosa Avenue, Birmingham).

**BIRMINGHAM INITIATIVES – Here are a couple of initiatives that are taking place supporting the Birmingham community. Visit the links and learn how you can contribute, support or volunteer in the efforts. *To support Black and locally owned businesses in Birmingham, visit www.wokevote.us/restore. *Join the community in supporting Mayor Randall Woodfin and the City of Birmingham to re-envision a new monument in Linn Park – one that represents a vision for an inclusive future. Donate today to be a part of something monumental.  www.gofundme.com/f/monumentalbhm.

**JOB SEEKERS – Looking for a job…*GOOD JOB is a site for job seekers looking for employment match up. *YWCA is a site for job seekers looking for employment. * SERVISFIRST BANK is a site. *ALABAMA SAWYER is a site. *HALF SHELL OYSTER HOUSE is a site. *HINKLE METALS AND SUPPLY is a site. *EBSCO is a site.

FOR YOUTH AND SCIENCE LOVERS…

**MCWANE SCIENCE CENTER CELEBRATES 22ND BIRTHDAY …SAVE THE DATE – ITTY BITTY MAGIC CITY REOPENS AUGUST 5. Preschoolers are welcome. Bring Masks to explore the McWane Center. For more, mcwane.org/welcomeback.

THINGS TO DO…

…VACATIONS WITH BOOKS AND VIRTUAL TRIPS…. When you need to get away from ‘whatever’, the best way is with a good book. Well, maybe the next thing to being there in person. Many families are eager to get out of the house and hit the road for a summer trip. Make your summer travel plans safe and successful.

FOR BOOK LOVERS…

Here are a couple of books to read anytime, after washing your hands, before the news reports, during your down time or just to keep boredom away (with so much going on).

**BOOK: I KNOW WHAT THE RED CLAY LOOKS LIKE – The book “I Know What the Red Clay Looks Like: The Voice and Vision of Black Women Writers is written by REBECCA CARROLL who interviewed fifteen Black women writers about race, gender and their craft. An excerpt accompanies each interview from the author’s work. With eloquence and candor, the women tell their stories. The women are: Davida Adedjouma, Tina McElroy Ansa, Lorene Cary, Pearl Cleage, J. California Cooper, Rita Dove, Gloria Wade-Gayles, Nikki Giovanni, Marita Golden, June Jordan, Gloria Naylor, Barbara Neely, Gwendolyn M. Parker, Charlotte Watson Sherman and Barbara Summers.

**BOOK: FEMININE RISING – The book ‘Feminine Rising: Voices of Power and Invisibility” edited by ANDREA FEKETE and LARA LILLIBRIDGE brings together international poets and essayists, both award-winning and emergent, to answer questions with raw, honest meditations that speak to women of all races, nationalities, and sexual orientations. Feminine Rising is an anthology of unforgettable stories both humorous and frightening, inspirational and sensual, employing traditional poetry and prose alongside experimental forms. The book celebrates women’s differences, while embracing the source of their sameness – the unique experience of womanhood.

FOR TRAVELERS OF ALL KIND…

**VIRTUAL TRIPS – Travel online – A virtual trip can be a great way to explore destinations you might consider for a future vacation, or it may be a chance to see remarkable sights around the world that you wouldn’t get to experience otherwise.

**BIRMINGHAM BOTANICAL GARDEN VIRTUAL TOUR – Explore the Japanese Gardes at nwww.youtube.com/watch?v=VRC3m1AsMig&feature=youtu.be. For more, go to www.bbgardens.org.

FOR LOVERS OF FOOD…

**FOOD AND FARM FORUM -The 2020 Alabama Sustainable Agriculture Network (ASAN) Forum is scheduled for December 10-12 at Camp Beckwith in Fairhope, Alabama. There is a Youth Food and Farm Forum, as well. Sessions are 50 minutes or two hours in length, and can be anything from a panel discussion to hands-on demo, roundtable discussion to a traditional presentation. Categories for topics include: Farming (Beginning and Advanced levels), Farm Business / Marketing, Community Food Systems / Food Movement, and “Green Living”. Submit your proposal at :
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSc2rfoAVJCN2dLUQA6HNzBYulqMCo9xCPPp6WqQC-l-7xP-YQ/viewform. ASAN is a grassroots network of producers and supporters of locally, ecologically, and ethically raised food from throughout Alabama.

FOR COMEDY LOVERS…

TODAY THROUGH SATURDAY…

**COMEDIAN MIKE JAMES… at the StarDome Comedy Club. Mike James is an in-demand comic. He performs around the country as a corporate entertainer and can also be found on stage in some of the most prominent comedy clubs. Mike uses his improvisation skills and his life experience as a husband, father and generally very confused man to relate to his audience in a hilarious montage of miscommunication and everyday observations.

WEDNESDAY AND NEXT THURSDAY…BIRMINGHAM’S BEST! Check them out.

NEXT FRIDAY THROUGH SUNDAY…

**COMEDIAN ARNEZ J…at the StarDome Comedy Club. ARNEZ J – Rapidly becoming one of the most talked about comedians, Arnez J’s charisma and physical agility are unforgettable. With the physicality of Jim Carrey, his brand of comedy has dubbed him “the Black Jerry Lewis”. Arnez was recruited by The Harlem Globetrotters after their scouts saw his very physical comedy routine and his local celebrity basketball games. An Atlanta native, Arnez began working the comedy circuit in Georgia and quickly became one of “Hotlanta”s” funniest newcomers. A finalist in the 1992 Bay Area Black Comedy Competition, Arnez was immediately noticed by the entertainment industry and was asked to make his first television appearance on Showtime”s “Comedy Club Network”. Numerous television appearances soon followed including The Keenan Ivory Wayans Show, Comedy Central, NBC’s “Friday Night Videos”, Russell Simmon’s “Def Comedy Jam”, and his own BET’s “ComicView Grandstand” 1/2 hour comedy special.

FOR ART LOVERS AND YOUTH…

**NATIONAL PERFORMANCE NETWORK SOUTHERN ARTISTS FOR SOCIAL CHANGE – A part of the Surdna Foundation’s “Radical Imagination for Racial Justice” initiative, this new program supports projects that connect artists of color with local partners and residents to collaborate and co-design with a community-driven objective. This grant opportunity will provide $25,000 project grants to artists of color engaged in social change in Alabama, Louisiana, and Mississippi. NPN’s Southern Artists for Social Change endeavors to build relationships between artists, individuals, institutions, and communities with the vision of advancing racial and cultural justice in the arts and philanthropy. A select set of grantees may also have the opportunity for a Participatory Action Research (PAR) component that focuses on a grantee project, in collaboration with the Highlander Research and Education Center, Othering and Belonging Institute, and/or Southwest Folklife Alliance. The deadline for application is August 1, 2020. Learn more at npnweb.org/programs/southern-artists-for-social-change/.

**OUR TOWN – The National Endowment for the Arts – Our Town – The NEA’s annual creative place making grants program supports projects that integrate arts, culture, and design with the goal of strengthening communities and effect social change. By partnering with local government and cultural nonprofit organizations, grants ranging from $25,000 to $150,000 are available. Our Town projects endeavor to bring attention to and elevate community issues, voices, history, and cultural infrastructure and are committed to artist support, diversity, equity, inclusion, and supporting respect for diverse beliefs and values. Our Town FY2021 invites creative placemaking projects and innovative partnerships that respond to evolving and emerging local community needs. These may include efforts to support artists and cultural organizations in addressing impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, artist unemployment, racial inequity, and other needs that may not be clear at this specific time. The deadline for application is August 6, 2020. Learn more at www.arts.gov/grants-organizations/our-town/grant-program-description.

**SOUTH ARTS EMERGING LEADERS OF COLOR PROGRAM – With the goal of fostering representative leadership, diversity, and equity in the arts, South Arts’ new Emerging Leaders of Color Development Professional Development Program has created a professional development opportunity for arts and culture professionals to establish networks that support their careers. Focused on the southeastern United States, this program aims to engage diverse emerging leaders and build a cohort of cultural torchbearers who are committed to the advancement of arts. Selected individuals will participate in a 3-day, 2-night executive-level professional development and team-building workshop at no cost to themselves. The deadline for application is September 15, 2020. Learn more at www.southarts.org/programs-conferences/emerging-leaders-color.

FOR MOVIE LOVERS…

**BLACK LENS FILMMAKER GRANT – The shared goal of amplifying Black voices in film, the Law Firm of Stacey A. Davis and Sidewalk Film Center + Cinema have partnered to offer a new grant that will award a $1,000 cash prize, a one-year Director’s membership to Sidewalk to the Sidewalk Film Center + Cinema (a $2,500 value), and one free year of access to Sidewalk’s education/outreach programs. This opportunity is open to filmmakers at any stage of their careers who reside in Alabama, identify as Black, and are over the age of 18. Applicants must be in development, pre-production, production, or post-production on a motion picture project. The deadline for application is August 1, 2020. Learn more at sidewalkfest.com.

AT THE SIDEWALK FILM CENTER + CINEMA…

** SIDEWALK EDU – INTRO TO ADOBE PREMIERE with DIONNA MCMILLIAN, July 30, 8-9:30 p.m. Learn to edit over Zoom. For more, kiwi@sidewalkfes.com.

COMING SOON…

**AUGUST 1-2 – FORMULA REGIONAL AMERICAS at Barber Motorsports Park.
**AUGUST 8 – WOODLAWN STREET MARKET
**AUGUST 29 – FAIRY TALE BALL with Childcare Resources.
**SEPTEMBER 6 – IPUSH FOODIE & MUSIC FEST at Ensley,.
**OCTOBER 9-11 – BARBER VINTAGE FESTIVAL at Barber Motorsports Park.

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 and gwenderu@yahoo.com.