Destination Newark Fall 2023 Issue

2 FALL 2023 | DESTINATION NEWARK

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LETTER FROM THE

PUBLISHER

PUBLISHER Sakina Spruell Cole scole@colemediainc.com EDITORIAL Kim Prime Managing Editor Susan Anderson Copy Editor Femi Lewis Writer Kayla Cole Writer

Dear faithful readers and supporters, Thanks so much for the continued support. We had a blast at the release party of the Summer 2023 issue featuring Newark-based movie star Tobias Truvillion. Thanks to our host sponsor Swahili Village and our champagne sponsor Le Kool. We couldn’t have made it happen without our regular support from Newark Beth Israel Medical Center, the New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC), and Equal Space.

We are equally grateful to bring you the Fall 2023 issue of Destination Newark. From entrepreneurs such as Justis Pitt-Goodson who is gracing our cover this issue to the multitude of muralists who have brought us beauty as we drive down the main passageways of the city, there are creators who make us proud to call Newark home. Whether you come here to live, to attend school, to Guests celebrated with us. work, to see a show or simply to pass through on your way to the next city, you must admit—Newark is doing big things. We are proud to bring you these stories during your stay.

Please read on and feel free to email us your story ideas.

fayemi shakur Contributor Rachel Fawn Alban Contributor Jenifer Braun Contributor ART Mary A. Brown Creative Director mbrown@colemediainc.com Todd Chapman Designer James Best, Jr. Designer EDITORIAL PARTNERS City of Newark Newark Beth Israel Medical Center New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC) Invest Newark Greater Newark Convention & Visitors Bureau (GNCVB) ADVERTISING advertising@colemediainc.com

Be well until next issue,

SAKINA Publisher

Send your questions to info@colemediainc.com FOLLOW US Facebook.com/DestinationNewark |

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Published by Cole Media Inc. 89 Market Street, 4th Floor Newark, NJ 07102 For more information contact Cole Media Inc. at info@colemediainc.com All rights reserved. © Copyright 2023.

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3 LETTERS TO THE PUBLISHER

7 NEIGHBORHOOD ARTS & CULTURE How Newark ­Became a City of Art 9 HEALTH HEALTHY LIVING 5 Reasons to Drink Water 11 YOUTH STUDENT SPOTLIGHT Achunike Okafor

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12 COVER STORY Justis Pitt-Goodson Draws Big Bucks and Celebs to Halsey Street

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22 FEATURE How ­Corporate America is ­ ebuilding ­Newark R

COURTESY OF NJPAC

26 FEATURE Where to Eat 30 ENTERTAINMENT Family Events for the Holidays

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RACHEL FAWN ALBAN

MARY A. BROWN

16 FEATURE Take a Mural Tour

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NEWARK BOARD OF EDUCATION

5 GOVERNMENT ASK THE MAYOR

Vol. 4 Issue 2

GABE RIBEIRO

4 TABLE OF ­CONTENTS

CONTENTS

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COVER PHOTO: MARY A. BROWN

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GOVERNMENT

ASK THE MAYOR

City of Newark Mayor Ras Baraka holds ‘Reading Under the Stars’ during the 2022 summer break to promote literacy skills to youth.

How does this affect the city in general?

Mayor Baraka: “As an educator and former Newark school principal, I know the connection between childhood reading proficiency, high school graduation, and life success with meaningful productive employment. So these scores are incredibly alarming to me. When children learn to read well early, and enjoy it, they benefit from lifetime access to new thinking, interesting ideas, and ways of living beyond our imagination.”

What is the Mayor’s office doing about this?

Mayor Baraka: “We are putting a full court press around this. We are putting a lot of effort into getting students to read on grade level by third grade. We have to address this because from Pre-K to third grade you are learning to read. From third grade and beyond, you are learning because you are reading. So, that means it’s difficult for kids to learn by grades four or five if they can’t read by third grade.”

I

n July, Mayor Baraka’s Brain Trust rolled out the below 10-point Actionable Plan for this school year:

Schools will…

1. Implement one-on-one high dosage tutoring embedded in the school day and after school.

2. Select books that reflect children’s cultural and ethnic background.

3. Incorporate more writing to improve reading comprehension.

Parents will…

4. Enroll children in free PreK-3 and PreK-4 programs, and ensure everyday attendance.

5. Read aloud and listen to your child read daily, and ask questions.

6. Get quality prenatal care and read books to unborn children.

7. Build vocabulary during all ages (newborn to third grade).

Community Partners and Non-profits will…

8. Ensure all afterschool programs have a reading component.

9. Develop literacy initiatives throughout the city .

10. Distribute books for family access to help develop home library. dN

City of Newark’s 2023 ‘Reading Under the Stars’ program .

Send your Ask the Mayor questions to info@colemediainc.com Facebook.com/DestinationNewark |

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PHOTOS COURTESY CITY OF NEWARK

It was recently reported that students have suffered a significant learning loss due to pandemic-related school conditions, resulting in Newark dropping to a 27% passing rate for all schools.

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ANTHONY ALVAREZ

ARTS & CULTURE

NEIGHBORHOOD

A City of Art

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i t h a m is s i o n t o develop a first-class public art program, Four Corners Public Arts was initiated in 2019 through a public-private partnership convened to support public arts initiatives in Newark’s Four Corners Historic District. ­Centrally located on Treat Place between Branford Place and William Street, Four Corners Public Arts evolved out of a common interest to give care to under-acknowledged areas of the city through the arts, with the goal of cultivating creative communal spaces that strengthen the local creative community.

In the first phase, the focus was on two

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neglected alleyways proximate to residential buildings, local small businesses, and educational spaces—Treat Place and Beaver Street.

Part of the program’s impetus was an ongoing and urgent request from local businesses to enhance the economic viability of a neighborhood that had long seen disinvestment.

The partnership hired Lead Curator Rebecca ­Pauline Jampol, Co-Director of Project for Empty Space who led the cohort from 2019 through the program’s completion in 2023. The public-private partnership includes The City of Newark, Invest Newark, Newark Arts, ­Newark Downtown District, and local developers ­Paramount Assets and RBH Group.

@DestinationNewark

—fayemi shakur

@DestinNewark

fayemi shakur serves as Arts and Cultural Affairs Director for the City of Newark. She also oversees the city’s public art program and developed the Creative Catalyst Fund, providing funding support to individual artists and small to midsize arts organizations. As a writer and cultural critic, her work has been featured in The New York Times, CNN Style, and MFON: Women Photographers in the African Diaspora among other books and publications. In 2019, she founded A Womb of Violet, a project-based collective that celebrates the work of Black women writers, poets and artists.

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Sound the Rainbow (2023)

our Corners Public Arts has now become a model for neighborhood-focused activations, spurring multiple collaborative art projects throughout downtown while contributing to economic development.

Stores like Source of Knowledge bookstore that once locked their back doors have re-opened these entries and initiated book sales, food sales, seasonal plantings, and parklets in the alleyways. Local schools now use the spaces for parades and youth activities during the week, while spontaneous weekend festivals pop up around the murals during the warmer months.

These activities contribute to local economic impact and improve the quality of life for the people who live and work in the neighborhood, which was a key goal of stakeholders from the inception of the program. Treat Place, Beaver Street, Halsey and Branford Place and Broad and Edison Street have become a destination for arts and entertainment, attracting residents, workers, families, and tourists to photograph murals, take selfies, and spread the word among friends and colleagues. The locations have often been used as backdrops for films, photo shoots, and music and dance videos.

A robust website chronicles the various stages and contributions of the projects over time at fourcornerspublicarts.org that includes murals by local and international artists.

—fayemi shakur

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Source of Knowledge Bookstore outdoor event.

Before ANTHONY ALVAREZ

F

Four Corners of Art

RACHEL FAWN ALBAN

@SOURCEOFKNOWLEDGE / INSTAGRAM

ARTS & CULTURE

After Murals | Market | Music on Treat Place Newark, NJ (Summer 2021)

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5

HEALTHY LIVING

Reasons to Drink Water

HEALTH

D

rinking water is not just for summertime.

During this fall and winter season, be sure to stay hydrated. It regulates body temperature, helps with digestion, delivers nutrients to cells, cushions your organs and joints and helps your body get rid of waste. Additionally, a study by the ­National Institutes of Health suggests that adults who stay well-hydrated live longer, appear to be happier and develop ­fewer chronic conditions.

Dr. Likhitha Musunuru of RWJBarnabas Health Medical Group offers these 5 helpful tips to stay hydrated and healthy:

1. Daily, men should drink at least 124 ounces and women should drink at least 92 ounces of water according to the U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine. You may need more when exercising, sick or in humid atmospheres.

Dr. Musunuru offers these food s­ uggestions if you are looking for ways to increase your fluid intake beyond drinking water:

Foods that Increase Fluid Intake ■

Decaf Coffee or Tea

■

Soup

3. Plain water is the best kind of hydration, but other beverages,

■

Seltzer (flavor It yourself with fruit)

such as milk or seltzer, can add to your hydration goals.

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Low-fat or No-fat Milk

4. Fruits and vegetables contribute to hydration as well. Try

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Fruits including watermelon, ­s­trawberries, oranges and peaches

■

Veggies including zucchini, lettuce, cucumbers, celery and tomatoes

2. Have a glass of water as soon as you

Dr. Likhitha Musunuru

wake up and every time you eat.

­ atermelon, cucumbers, blueberries, strawberries and w oranges.

5. Try adding your own fruits or herbs such as blueberries, basil, cucumbers or mint leaves, rather than buying flavored water.

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DEPARTMENT HEALTH SPOTLIGHT SLUG

Is There a (Black) Heart Doctor in the House?

PHOTOS COURTESY OF NEWARK BETH ISRAEL MEDICAL CENTER

Newark Beth Israel has one of the nation’s top 15 heart transplant centers.

Dr. Montgomery says “It’s really multidisciplinary as to how we address patients. We really evaluate patients completely. We address patients not only from their ess than 3% of cardiologists in the U.S. clinical aspects but also from other social aspects they are African American but you don’t may have (including) financial issues. All these things have to look any further than Newark, work together to help us properly serve our patients.”

New Jersey if you are in the market Kimberly says she is grateful for the treatment for a heart doctor who may be culturally aware. Dr. Matthew Montgomery specializes in Dr. Matthew Montgomery Fredrick received. “Knowing how comfortable Dr. Montgomery made my husband gave me peace of mind and advanced heart failure, mechanical circulatory support, assurance that he was receiving the best treatment.” heart transplantation and coronary interventions at Newark Newark Beth Israel has one of the nation’s top 15 heart transplant Beth Israel Medical Center’s Advanced Heart Failure and Heart Transcenters. Dr. Montgomery joined their team in 2020. He holds a Master’s in plant Program.

Public Health from Yale School of Public Health and a Master’s in BusiKimberly Prime, whose husband Fredrick was a patient at Newness Administration from St. Joseph’s University. He completed his ark Beth Israel Medical Center before his passing in 2022, says that it medical education at Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine and was important to her husband that his cardiologist looked like him. “He his internal medicine residency at Aria-Jefferson Health. dN called me right after his first appointment with Dr. Montgomery. He was so excited that his cardiologist was African American,” she recalls.

While 60% of African Americans have cardiovascular disease, If you have cardiovascular problems and need more information, contact according to the American Heart Association, fewer than 3% of cardithe Advanced Heart Failure and Heart Transplant Program at Newark ologists are Black, according to a study in the Journal of the American Beth Israel Medical Center at rwjbh.org/heart or call 973-926-7205.

Heart Association.

L

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STUDENT SPOTLIGHT

NEWARK BOARD OF EDUCATION / FACEBOOK

YOUTH

Off to Harvard!

Name: Achunike Okafor Age: 18 High School: Science Park High School (Newark, NJ) College: Harvard University

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A

chunike Okafor is a prime example of Newark’s excellence. He began his freshman year this fall at Harvard University, one of the country’s most prestigious Ivy League universities, after graduating from ­Newark’s Science Park High School with the highest GPA in the school district’s ­history. He was offered admission and scholarships to more than 40 schools prior to choosing Harvard, where he is studying neuroscience and film on a full scholarship.

Okafor dedicated his high school years to working hard and studying for at least seven hours every night, gaining him a 4.625 GPA at the time of graduation. He says that his goal was just to make it into college and was very shocked at the honor of having the highest GPA in the school district. He attributes his drive and goal setting to his father, an Algebra teacher, who taught him the importance of a college degree and hard work.

While in high school, Okafor participated in the International Baccalaureate program, which is a program designed to improve the world through education. He was also in the Audible Future Leaders program, which is a paid internship and college scholarship program available to Newark high school students. Okafor credits these programs for teaching him valuable time management skills that helped him balance school and social life.

When asked what advice he would have for students looking to achieve some of the same things he did, Okafor says, “Start early and work really hard because you may think you have time, and that’s not the case. Everything you do from freshman year and up, colleges are watching you” Okafor told NJ.com, “A lot of people from here become successful and never look back. That isn’t how I want my story to end. I want to come back and serve Newark to the best of my ability.” dN ­ —Kayla Cole

@DestinationNewark

@DestinNewark

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ENTREPRENEUR SPOTLIGHT

27-YEAR-OLD

PHENOM DRAWS BIG BUCKS AND CELEBS TO HALSEY STREET

MARY A. BROWN

by Femi Lewis

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S

ince BrownMill started in 2009, the partners have grown revenues to more than $300,000. In 2021, they transitioned from an e-commerce website and pop-up shops to a storefront on Halsey Street in downtown Newark that’s now attracting corporate partnerships and celebrity athletes.

BrownMill provides motivating fashion for men and women.

The brand is merging street fashion with a preppy aesthetic.

Although prominent messages such as “Think Bigger” can be found on t-shirts, the ­company is proving it’s more than just a catchy phrase.

“With the image we are portraying—positive, uplifting, and

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COURTESY OF BROWNMILL COMPANY

Destination Newark recently sat down with J­ ustis Pitt-Goodson to d ­ iscuss BrownMill’s growth and roots in Newark.

Co-founder Justis Pitt-Goodson at the BrownMill flagship store in Newark.

Here’s what he had to say: Why Newark? What’s so special about Newark?

astute—we are actively changing the narrative of Newark,” said co-founder and creative director Justis Pitt-Goodson, age 27. “It’s our positive energy that helps change the experience around retail in the area.”

The business has partnered with Audible to host the Newark Holiday Market to encourage support of other local businesses and artists. In addition, the BrownMill anniversary weekend has turned into an annual Block Party and Halsey Fest sponsored by the Newark Alliance, a collaborative of the top 20 anchor institutions in Newark (see page 22, “Are Big Businesses Really Spurring Inclusive Economic Growth in Newark?).

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The company is named after my grandparents.

My grandfather’s middle name is Brown and my grandmother’s name is ­Mildred–that’s how we got Brown Mill. When my grandfather came from the South during the Great Migration, he came to ­Newark­—Garden Spires to be exact. He worked really hard to provide for my family. He bootstrapped and worked two full-time jobs­—it’s an American story. Our essence is in Newark. There’s a lot of potential for the future and things happening now.

I’m happy to be a part of it. Newark is part of my family’s h ­ eritage and story. — Justis Pitt-Goodson

@DestinNewark

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ENTREPRENEUR SPOTLIGHT

@GABUNION / INSTAGRAM

Former NBA player Dwayne Wade sports BrownMill wear while yachting with wife Gabrielle Union and family.

BrownMill founders (eft to right): Taha Shimou, Kwaku Agyemang, and Justis Pitt-Goodson

In 2018, we got really serious about our business. We did a crowdfunding campaign with family and friends to support the growth of BrownMill. We are doing pretty well in business. We knew we could get an office space or a storefront. After going to college in Newark ­(Rutgers-Newark), I always wanted a store here. We opened during COVID-19. Landlords were looking. It was a risk but it was a good thing for us. Our biggest startup cost was $7000 for rent. But before that we were saving because we were doing well online.

— Justis Pitt-Goodson

This is a prime example of “if you’re ready you don’t have to get ready.” It happened organically. We were doing our thing as a business—day in and day out.

We were building. One day I looked at Instagram and Dwayne Wade was wearing our stuff. The stylist came in and bought some stuff. Carmelo’s stylist reached out as well and we sent some things. They weren’t forced situations—they presented themselves. You have to do the work and be consistent for that to happen.

Now we’ve built a brand and a system. Now it’s time to actively work on getting more celebrities to wear our brand. So you’ll see more of that in the near future from us.

— Justis Pitt-Goodson

Why do you call yourself and your partners the ‘three-headed sword?”

We are all sharp in different ways. As we’ve grown in this business, we’ve been smart and made the brand better. It’s great to have people challenge you. A business is not about you, but about how you win. I don’t always have the answer but others might. So we really aren’t a “three-headed sword” it’s more like a “five or sixheaded sword” because of the other people that work with us, too.

— Justis Pitt-Goodson Pitt-Goodson started the business when he was in middle school by designing bow ties that were sold to friends and family. By high school, Pitt-Goodson teamed up with his friends, Taha Shimou, and Kwaku Agyemang, to expand the business from bow ties to a lifestyle brand. Known as the “three-headed sword” Shimou, is serving as designer, and Agyemang overseeing sales to further develop the idea of Brown Mill.

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PHOTOS COURTESY OF BROWNMILL COMPANY

What steps did you take so that you were ready to open a storefront?

How did BrownMill begin gaining popularity with celebrities?

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ARTS & CULTURE

10 NEW MUST-SEE

MURALS Newark’s Vibrant Cultural Diversity Swaddles the City in Prolific Street Art

by Rachel Fawn Alban Artists have been busier than ever creating spirited public art works throughout Newark for the enjoyment of residents, commuters, and visitors. Here is a roundup of 10 must-see murals created in Newark in the last 12 months that reflect the city’s cultural diversity and tell stories relevant to the community.

PHOTOS BY RACHEL FAWN ALBAN

“Black Newark” (2023) Artist: GAIA and Ernest Shaw Location: Newark Symphony Hall Baltimore-based GAIA and Ernest Shaw’s mural honors performing artists who have contributed to the rich legacy of the historic venue and Newark’s arts community. Over 100 feet long, the mural wraps three sides of the nearly 100-year-old building. Depicted are iconic Newark natives Sarah Vaughn and Queen Latifa, salsa music legend Celia Cruz, beloved poet Amiri Baraka, and others. The back wall features Jimi Hendrix who was scheduled to perform at Newark Symphony Hall on April 5, 1968- one day after Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s assassination. After playing one improvisation that he dedicated to MLK, Hendrix left the stage.

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“Sankofa” (2023) Artist: Mohammad “Moh” Awudu Location: Treat Place Mohammad Awudu, contemporary artist from Ghana, painted this mural for the Sister Cities International Initiative which strengthens Newark’s connections with global cities through artistic exchange. Titled “Sankofa,” meaning “go back and get it,” the 4,000-square-foot, aerosol-painted mural celebrates the artist’s West African culture. The design centers a woman adorned in a vibrant turban, surrounded by African iconology and Islamic calligraphy. Some of the symbols represent unity, the supremacy of God, toughness, and perseverance.

“Sound the Rainbow” (2023) Artist: Local community members Location: Treat Place between Branford Place and William Street The year 2023 has been a record-breaking year in terms of anti-LGBTQIA+ legislation in America. Using public art as a form of resistance and solidarity, on Saturday, July 15, 2023, families and community members of all ages gathered and painted this two-block, 550-foot long asphalt Pride mural.

Reflecting design elements of the famous 6-color rainbow Pride flag and the new Progress Pride flag, “Sound the Rainbow“ is symbolic of inclusion, diversity, and love. It is a statement that everyone is welcome in Newark and deserves to be seen.

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ARTS & CULTURE

“L’enfant De La Divinte” (2023) Artist: Hans Lundy and Malcolm Rolling Location: 169 Clinton Avenue Local artists Lundy and Rolling are intentional about the messages in their energetic murals gracing walls throughout Essex County.

Painted on the recently sold Riviera Hotel, “L’enfant De La Divinite”, meaning “Children of the Divine,” illustrates healthy relationships between black fathers and their children. The artists are hoping to bring awareness for establishing family centers in black communities that focus on redemption and grace. Surrounded in a lush green environment, the mural site feels pastoral despite being on a busy street.

“Waves / Passaic (immigration and history)” (part 1: 2019, part 2: 2023) Artist: Eirini Linardaki Location: Treat Place Originally from Athens, Greece, artist Eirini Linardaki lived in Paris, Berlin, NYC, and cities around the globe before making her home in Newark. Created for Four Corners Public Arts, her mural addresses how waves of immigration have shaped and elevated Newark. Linardaki encapsulates these “waves” as multicolor patterns inspired by fabrics from the many cultures that have inhabited this land, beginning with the indigenous Lenni Lenape peoples. Using the Passaic and Hackensack Rivers in Newark’s origin story as a metaphor, the colorful patterns flow down the sidewalk like a mighty river before climbing up and across a wall on Treat Place.

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“Unity Gol” (2022) Artist: Diegumberrto Location: 529-531 Market Street Diegumberrto’s mural celebrates Newark’s local soccer communities and the local arena with illustrations of confetti throwing fans, focused soccer players, and Newark landmarks. “Soccer is a sport that unifies people of all ethnic backgrounds, cultures, and languages. The mural embodies the love of the game and adds a level of excitement as people gather to walk across the bridge to Red Bull Arena,” said the artist. Born and raised in Cañar, Ecuador, Diegumberrto moved to Newark in 2020.

Tame One Tribute (2022) Artist: RORSHACH Location: Newark Riverfront Park RORSHACH art collective, formed by two native-Newarkers, is known for blending figurative realism and abstract expressionist graffiti in bold color combinations. Located alongside several other legal graffiti walls in beautiful Riverfront Park, RORSHACH’s tribute to Tame One is a fitting memorial to the beloved hip-hop artist from Newark who died in 2022. Tame One was a prolific graffiti writer and a member of the Artifacts, Leak Bros, and hip-hop supergroup The Weathermen. Riverfront Park, which offers free events yearround, recently hosted the Brick City Jam Festival celebrating 50 years of hip-hop featuring DJing, graffiti, breakdancing, and emceeing produced by local artists.

“Fotos y Recuerdos” (2022) Artist: José R. Beltrán Ramos Location: Mt. Prospect Place between 2nd Avenue and Mt. Prospect Avenue José R. Beltrán Ramos, also known as “Flavor One,” painted this mural for Newark’s Sister Cities program which strengthens connections with global cities through artistic exchange. Painted on a 500-foot-long retainer wall located in North Newark, “Fotos y Recuerdos” – which means “Pictures and Memories” – features a filmstrip that spans the length of the block, using each frame to highlight landmarks, events, and traditions of the City of San Sebastián, Puerto Rico.

The imagery includes San Sebastián’s City Hall and History Museum, Hacienda La Fe Agricultural Museum, the Coquí frog that is native to Puerto Rico, the Gozalandia Waterfalls, and more.

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ARTS & CULTURE

“HOPE” (2022) Artists: Patricia Cazorla and Nancy Saleme Location: Intersection of Treat Place and Maiden Lane Cazorla + Saleme, creating contemporary Latin-American art, are a Venezuelan aunt and niece collaborative art duo who have been working in Newark for over a decade. Their work often appears whimsical, but beneath the surface they address challenging social issues surrounding migration, identity, and equality. HOPE is a mural installation that includes a typographic sculpture surrounded by colorful, boldly painted patterns on the sidewalks and walls. HOPE was designed during the pandemic when the artists considered the community’s needs. “Through the bright and fluorescent colors of HOPE, we commemorate our communities’ resilience and create a space for joy for all,” said the artists.

“Work and Serve the Hour, Lifting as We Climb” (2002) Artist: Noelle Lorraine Williams Location: Project for Empty Space at 800 Broad Street Work and Serve the Hour, Lifting as We Climb celebrates the contributions of five New Jerseybased Black women suffragists who advocated to pass the 19th Amendment allowing Americans the right to vote regardless of gender. Williams’ award-winning design is installed on the outside of art organization Project for Empty Space on Broad Street, a main avenue in the Newark Downtown District. This location is not only highly visible, but also historically significant. Many of New Jersey’s most prominent Black suffragists lived, worked, or volunteered in this neighborhood, as well as other parts of Newark, Jersey City.

Explore more murals with the interactive Newark Arts Public Art Map, featuring over 100 murals and installations throughout the City of Newark.

Visit Newark Arts at newarkarts.org/publicartmap to see more murals. dN

Rachel Fawn Alban (@fawn_photo/Instagram) contributed this article in partnership with Newark Arts. She is a freelance writer, photographer, and educator based in Newark, New Jersey. She writes about art and communities, and her work has been published in several media outlets and gallery spaces. Newark Arts provides leadership, direction, and technical assistance through partnerships with Newark’s many artists, arts administrators, community organizations, community development corporations, planning groups, economic development agencies, and government agencies as well as the general public.

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by Femi Lewis

I

GLASSROOTS.ORG

Are Big Businesses Really Spurring Inclusive Economic Growth in Newark?

t’s a common belief that big businesses often rob urban towns of cheap rent and don’t give anything back in return. Well, the large institutions in Newark have bonded together to make that sentiment untrue. Through strategic partnerships between the mayor’s office, locally-based Corporate America firms, and major non-profit organizations, anchor institutions are creating a city that is steeped in equity and inclusivity.

Formed six years ago, the Newark Anchor Collaborative has grown from a small group of seven “anchors” to a collaborative of 20 “anchors” under the Newark Alliance, which has a focus on racial equality and eliminating extreme disparities in wealth, employment, and income amongst residents and the local business community.

“There are so many opportunities for these institutions to redirect their spending to Newark small businesses and help grow them,” said President and CEO of Newark Alliance Evan Weiss in a PBS interview. “One way of doing this is to encourage larger businesses to buy local supplies and services. Something as simple as getting their catering orders from Newark small businesses rather than national chains is a victory.”

The vision of Newark Alliance is to work collaboratively to cement Newark’s status as one of America’s most diverse, prosperous, exciting, and equitable cities, serving as a national model for inclusive economic growth.

NEWARKWORKINGKITCHENS.COM

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

TOP 20 FOR INCLUSIVE GROWTH These institutions make up the Newark Anchor Collaborative, a community of executive leaders from leading public and private institutions anchored in Newark. They have pledged to commit to equitable growth in Newark, with an emphasis on racial equity.

1

Newark Public Library

2

Branch Brook Park Alliance

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3

Broadridge Financial Solutions

4

Essex County College

5

Newark Museum of Art

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AUDIBLE

Creating an Equitable Tech Hub and Beyond In Newark When Audible relocated to Newark in 2007, its mission was simple: to support the socio-economic growth in all of Newark.

Since then, the company has launched the Global Center for Urban Development to support various initiatives throughout Newark. The establishment of Newark Venture Partners provides investment support to early-stage startup companies while the “Live Local” program provides after-tax subsidies to Audible employees to encourage them to reside within the city. The “Hire Local” as well as the Audible Interns and Scholars programs enhance the revitalization of Newark through its workforce development and training resources. Topping it off, Newark Working Kitchens, Audible’s pandemic response program has partnered with local restaurants and corporations to deliver an estimated 1.3 million meals to residents.

Don Katz, Founder, Audible

HORIZON BLUE CROSS BLUE SHIELD OF NEW JERSEY Supporting Residential Revitalization and Youth Development

Through the Horizon Foundation of New Jersey, Horizon BCBS provides funding to several Newark-based organizations.

Recently, GlassRoots, Newark’s glass art learning center, received funding for general operation of youth development initiatives and creative artists residences, and the Newark School of the Arts received funding to enhance its Early Childhood Music and Movement Program. Over the last year, Horizon BCBSNJ has invested more than $1.5 million in grants in urban community development projects, rehabilitating housing, community-based programs and financial support for local families.

Gary St. Hilaire, President and CEO, Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey

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Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jesey

New Jersey Institute of Technology

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Newark City Parks Foundation

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New Jersey Performing Arts Center

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Audible

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ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

NEW JERSEY PERFORMING ARTS CENTER Investing in Arts Education and Redevelopment

NJPAC.ORG/EDUCATION-PROGRAM/ACTING

NJPAC is best known for showcasing creative performances from international, and national artists. However, its through its arts education programming that NJPAC is laying the foundation for future generations of artists in Newark. Beyond the stage, NJPAC is spurring economic development through its partnership with Center Street Owners on a $150 million project to transform NJPAC’s riverfront campus to include a mix of high and low rise residential buildings, townhomes, condominiums, restaurants, retail and cultural spaces. The project is expected to be completed in 2024.

John Schreiber, President and CEO, NJPAC

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New Jersey Performing Arts Center

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Newark School of the Arts

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Newark Symphony Hall

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University Hospital

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Public Service Enterprise Group

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PRUDENTIAL FINANCIAL Leading the Pack

Let’s start with the fact that Prudential Foundation’s Chair Lata Reddy is also the board chair of the Newark Alliance.

Beyond that, for the last decade, Prudential has invested over $1 billion in housing redevelopments in Newark to include the Hahne building in downtown Newark and Teachers Village. Prudential has also been instrumental in the growing arts community in Newark–investing more than $25 million in One Theater Square and consulting on NJPAC’s riverfront community. In addition, Prudential consistently funds the Newark Museum of Art for various educational and outreach programs that support the community.

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Lata Reddy, Chair, Newark Alliance Board Chair, The Prudential Foundation

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Rutgers University Newark

Rutgers University - Biomedical and Health Sciences

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RWJBarnabas Health

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United Airlines

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Prudential Financial

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Where to Eat?

ECONOMIC DEVELRESTAURANTS OPMENT

THE YARD - NEWARK 55 Park Pl

The Yard - Newark is a blackowned, classic American food restaurant with hints of international flavor, located in the middle of Military Park on Park Place. With only the freshest ingredients from only local farms and vendors, these dishes are to die for. This rustic and cozy atmosphere creates the ideal place for a quick lunch or casual dinner.

RAMEN GAMI 1 Sussex Ave

Ramen Gami is a highly-rated Japanese-style restaurant that specializes in ramen, noodles, and sushi dishes. The environment of this location is often described as comfy and the service is explained as extremely courteous and helpful. Many even go as far as to say that this is the best Ramen place in the New Jersey and New York area!

Here’s what people are saying: I have been going here since they opened. I have never been disappointed, except when they are closed. The only thing they are missing is a biergarten in the back.

I’ve wanted to try this place, I was finally in the area so I ordered online and picked it up. Got the oxtail burger with a side salad. The burger was so good, one of the best I’ve had. It was like a smash burger kinda and was juicy and good flavor. Definitely gotta try more things here.

Went for lunch since it’s somewhat close to my office and was highly recommended by a coworker. OMG! Best ramen I’ve had in Jersey, I got a spicy tonkotsu with chicken and egg (I usually get tofu but unfortunately they didn’t have that protein option) and it was delicious. The broth felt “homemade” with the perfect amount of spiciness and was such a comforting meal! 10/10 recommend

Food was solid. Definitely recommend and returning for more. The Miso Raman was very good.

Fantastic food! Loved the brisket, salad, jerk chicken, yellow rice and shrimp empanadas. Great atmosphere with the park around you. Can’t wait to try their jazz brunch.

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Here’s what people are saying about these casual dining spots that have reinvented since the pandemic HOBBY’S DELI 32 Branford Pl #2723

TOPS DINER 500 Passaic Ave

Hobby’s Deli is a family-run, Jewish Deli that has been around since 1962. The Brummer family takes pride in their legendary corned beef, potato pancakes, homemade soups, fresh salads, and daily specials which include gazpacho, fresh salmon, chicken fajita wraps, and so much more. This restaurant is greater than ever since COVID and the public is over thrilled with their experience here every time.

Tops Diner creates a fancy yet casual feel from the moment you walk in the door. Not only is this a casual restaurant, but there is also a DJ and hookah bar that many believe adds to this lively and energetic environment. Since COVID, Tops has been recently renovated and has upped their service. It’s a short drive from NJPAC and the Prudential Center that you won’t regret. Call ahead and make a reservation though! It gets booked quickly.

Fantastic diner. I wasn’t expecting it to be this good. This isn’t your typical diner, there’s a DJ and hookah and all that!! Great music, amazing food, and great service, what else could you ask for? I tried the crab cakes, Cajun mixed grill, jambalaya pasta and peach cobbler.

Everything was delicious. I can’t wait to come back for brunch!

So glad Hobby’s is back after a long renovation. The food is just as excellent as always. The onion rings are a must order - so fresh and flavorful. They aren’t doing table service yet, you order at the counter then sit, but the owner said they hope to hire more staff to be able to do so soon.

Beautifully renovated, enormous, diner conveniently located off the NJ Turnpike, Rte 21, and Rte 280.

Close to NJPAC and Prudential Center. Service was great.

Bartender came to my table to inquire if 1/2 ounce of dry vermouth was what I preferred in my Grey Goose dry martini. Perfect and incredible attention to detail. Upon arrival, the drink was excellent!

This place is 100% legit. Great people, great atmosphere and great food. Really authentic, great meat

I was really excited to try this place because I have only heard great things. When they finally reopened after covid I had to check it out. I had the pastrami and corned beef on rye which comes with Cole slaw and Russian dressing. It was great! It definitely is a bit on the expensive side, but you get quality food and a big sandwich. I really enjoyed it and will definitely be going back to check out some other stuff on the menu.

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by Kayla Cole

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Maaaaaaan for a minute I didn’t recognize the place!! I haven’t been here post Covid. I remember waiting 20-25 mins just to be seated. It only took 1 min for me to get a table. The Place is sure bigger and maaaaaan the FANCCCCY!! The place looks more modern and very eye catching. dN

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ENTERTAINMENT SPOTLIGHT

ENTERTAINMENT

PHOTOS COURTESY NJPAC

Finding Their Place in History NJPAC’s Hip Hop Arts and Culture offerings brings hip hop’s next generation into the spotlight 28 FALL 2023 | DESTINATION NEWARK

T

he 50th anniversary of the birth of hip hop— which music historians date to the Bronx backto-school party hosted by DJ Cool Herc on August 11, 1973—was widely celebrated this summer. In Newark, the New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC) joined in the celebrations by ­presenting hip hop pioneers like Kurtis Blow on its stages—and by ­launching its tenth season of Hip Hop Arts and Culture classes for Greater Newark children and teens, offering a new generation the skills to make their own music, while sharing a bit of the history of the genre.

NJPAC’s Hip Hop Arts and Culture program, which offers all-day Saturday classes during the school year and a five-week camp during the summer, introduces students to all the elements of hip hop: DJing, emceeing (or rapping), beatboxing, breaking (dance) and graffiti.

Each hip hop class at the Arts Center begins with a “community cypher”—a gathering of the class to welcome and center

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NJPAC arts education students were selected to perform as an opening act for Sugar Hill Gang at NJPAC’s outdoor summer concert series.

students for the work ahea—and Derick “D.” Cross, the program’s lead teaching artist, uses that moment to introduce students to pioneering hip hop artists like Run DMC or the New Jersey-born Sugarhill Gang, the first crew to turn a hip hop recording into a Top 40 hit.

“And most of our young people have no idea who they even were,” he says.

“They have heard of Queen Latifah—but as far as they know, she’s an actress.”

The hip hop arts trainings at NJPAC offer students a sense of the music’s history, both through this classwork and through the chance to make music with legends of the genre in person as they visit the Arts Center. This summer, Blow offered a masterclass (which culminated in him performing his earliest hit, 1979’s “The Breaks” with students joining to sing along); and a handful of students were selected to perform as an opening act for Sugar Hill Gang at NJPAC’s outdoor summer concert series, Horizon Sounds of the City. Debbie D., one the genre’s earliest female emcees, was embedded in the summer hip hop program as a “Pioneer in Residence.”

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Like all NJPAC arts training offerings, the focus of these classes is on giving students skills in order to empower them to tell their own stories through rap, dance and every other element of hip hop.

“We give them the subject matter, show them some how-tos, but we always want to make sure that their voices are honored and heard and at the forefront,” says Cross.

So when students demonstrate their skills for visiting hip hop legends—or their own families at each semester-ending performances—they don’t perform only hip hop classics, but their own beats, raps, spoken word poetry, and dances they choreograph themselves.

“We tell them: Take the information and do what you need to do to make it your own,” says Cross.

Registration for the Spring Hip Hop Arts and Culture Saturday class at NJPAC is now open for students ages 9 to 18; tuition scholarships are available.

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DEPARTMENT SLUG EVENTS

Get Festive

Dec 17

The holiday season is a time for family-friendly fun at the Arts Center PHOTOS COURTESY NJPAC

The New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC) goes big for the holiday season with special events and shows throughout November and D ­ ecember! Events range from classic holiday favorites to jaw-dropping performances and free community celebrations.

The holiday lineup at the Arts Center is chock full of ­family entertainment—a perfect option if you’d like to give your loved ones live performances as a holiday ­present, or just create wonderful family memories during the season.

Dec 15

New to NJPAC this s­ eason is a special screening of National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation on Dec 15 and a live conversation with its iconic star Chevy Chase. Bring your ­l­­ittle ones to clap and g ­ iggle along with their favorite four-legged friends when Paw Patrol Live! The Great Pirate Adventure returns to NJPAC Dec 29 and 30.

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Dec 26 Cirque Dreams Holidaze on Dec 26 is a one-of-a-kind performance; it’s the show-stopping singing and dancing of Broadway built around a fantastical circus.

Holidaze has your favorite holiday characters—toy soldiers and reindeer—plus aerial artistry, acrobats, jugglers and more. It’s a visual tour de force that will leave you spellbound and on the edge of your seat.

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In addition to multiple p ­ erformances in both of NJPAC’s theaters on Dec 23, the halls (and lobby) are decked and jolly with the popular Kwanzaa ­Family Festival and Marketplace.

This Newark tradition honors the seven principles of Kwanzaa with joyous programs such as free art workshops, dance performances, storytelling, face painting and a large Marketplace with vendors selling handmade and artisan crafts, jewelry and home accessories.

Dec 23

Dec 23 Dec 23 Other NJPAC traditions include Jazz & G ­ ingerbread, a ticketed event with all supplies included, for your family to decorate a g ­ ingerbread house while listening to the talented young artists from TD Jazz For Teens.

Also in the afternoon of Dec 23, Forces of Nature Dance Theatre—a contemporary dance company with traditional West African and n ­ eo-African influences—performs a powerful homage to the ancestors in the Victoria Theater.

For those who prefer the classics, nothing says Christmas like the music of Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker and NJPAC provides more than one way to hear the traditional score.

The State Ballet Theatre of Ukraine brings the winter wonderland of The Nutcracker to the Prudential Hall stage on Dec 17. One week later is NJPAC’s original The Hip Hop Nutcracker which remixes and reimagines Tchaikovsky’s

ballet with supercharged hip hop choreography. A ­successful national touring show for the past decade, The Hip Hop Nutcracker won a New York Emmy Award in 2021 for its PBS broadcast and last year, Disney+ streamed a new all-star version. The two live shows, at NJPAC on Dec 23, are hosted by hip hop legend Kurtis Blow who attracts legions of fans of all ages.

Dec 23 Visit njpac.org for information about NJPAC’s holiday season performances and community events.

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