Locals get creative with fundraising
A gay commander in chief: Le Vent du Nord plays Ready or not? One Longfellow
See Bob Higgins on page 4
See Maureen Dowd’s column on page 4
FRIDAY, JANUARY 7, 2011
VOL. 2 NO. 240
PORTLAND, ME
See Music Calendar, page 16
PORTLAND’S DAILY NEWSPAPER
699-5801
FREE
In search of the ‘creative economy’ beast BY CURTIS ROBINSON THE PORTLAND DAILY SUN
Imagine you’re on a game show, “Jeopardy! For Nerds,” and somebody takes “mythical economic systems for $200, Alex.” “This trio of widely heralded benefit-distribution systems has been questioned by young people for years...” Buzzer. “What are Santa Claus, the Tooth Fairy and a creative economy?” And that’s right, of course, with the possible exception that many young people can still identify direct financial gain from Santa and the bunny. So if the “creative economy” is such a mythical beast that Loren Coleman won’t have it in his Cryptozoology Museum, why do we keep chasing it?
Column
see CREATIVE page 5
Performance takes the stage on Art Walk BY MATT DODGE THE PORTLAND DAILY SUN
First Friday Art Walk always has its share of creative spectacles: local arts and crafts, students sales and unique installations are frequent highlights of the monthly event. But tonight, performance art takes the stage with at least three stops along the Art Walk offering poetry, theatre and live music. Portland Stage Company (25A Forest Ave.) brings live theatre to Art Walk with Portland Stage Unplugged featuring the Affiliate Artists of Portland Stage. The troupe offers quick-hitting, two-minute doses of live theater for Art Walkers to drop in on, with performances ranging from musical theatre standards to poetry and short scene from classic plays and movies. “It really runs the gamut,” said Daniel Burson, Portland Stage literary manager. “Part of the goal of the evening is to keep it super diverse so if you want to stay for a see ART WALK page 3
ABOVE: Ibrahim Mohamed Noor, owner of Hip Hop Culture at 785 Congress St., said the new clothing shop is attracting customers from across Maine. Personal experience drove some of his business strategy. “I had a hard time myself getting my clothes, I had to order them,” he recalled of his experience as a Somali immigrant to America. RIGHT: Dave Math (left), owner of Brooklyn’s Finest at 656 Congress St., stands with customer Jibril Koshin. The store has been a hit with customers like Koshin, who said, “They bring a lot of new stuff into the community from New York so you can get it here easier and cheaper.” (DAVID CARKHUFF PHOTOS)
Hip hop shops find their niches From Brooklyn and Somalia, two new hip hop-oriented merchants are bringing cultural awareness to a short stretch of Congress Street BY DAVID CARKHUFF THE PORTLAND DAILY SUN
As a Somali immigrant to America, Ibrahim Mohamed Noor remembered how he felt searching for clothes that would fit. “Always, it was challenging, when I was young and I came into this country and everything was different, I was scared to go into the stores because I didn’t speak English, and the people there I think they might not welcome me. One of the reasons for me to go into the urban stores is I felt comfortable asking questions,” Noor said. The cultural barrier wasn’t the only obstacle, he recalled.
“I had a problem buying clothes, I had to go to Boston or New York, if I would go to the mall, the stuff they had didn’t fit me, it was cut different.” — Ibrahim Mohamed Noor, owner of Hip Hop Culture “I had a problem buying clothes, I had to go to Boston or New York, if I would go to the mall, the stuff they had didn’t fit me, it was cut different,” Noor said. Now, as owner of a new urban clothing store, Hip Hop Culture at 785 Congress St., Noor said he sees other customers who are searching for the right fit. see HIP HOP page 6