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Hotep!
As we enter into yet another Black History Month in America, I believe it's important that we evolve in the way we think about it. It's not only a great time for remembering and celebrating one brief chapter in our entire history, but also for putting it into context. That's the inspiration behind 2 of the opinion pieces this issue. Not only did Black History begin in Africa, as we all know, but depending on who you believe, it may well end there too. The article entitled Our Black Africanisms builds upon this thinking by taking notice of how our embracing of African culture and traditions has evolved over the years.
Our newest Blogger, Faythe Valentine, attended the preview of I Dream A World: The Harlem Renaissance In Europe last month in South Beach and she says the "New World Symphony is pulling out the red carpet and acknowledging Black Excellence" with this 2 week long event! Let's Show Up!
For the second time our Who's On the Move professional is Dr. Lisa Davis, past Council Woman of Miami Gardens, who's now serving as SOBEWFF's DEI Consultant for another year! With this lady, DEI isn't just a title, it's a license to do what she loves to do!
The Nights Out review this month features The Parker, which recently underwent a major renovation! I had the great fortune of attending The Spinners concert there last month, and was so impressed I just had to review it!
For the Dining Out review I feature Punjab's Indian Restaurant in Boca, and I conclude the Melbourne article this issue. I found them both to be worth checking out when you're in the area! Finally, all of the books posted each issue can be purchased from our Book Sponsor, Pyramid Books, by clicking on their cover photo! Let's show some Support!
Ken W. Burrough CEO & Publisher
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Raising a Secure Child
How Circle of Security Parenting Can Help You Nurture Your Child's Attachment, Emotional Resilience, and Freedom to Explore
Today's parents are constantly pressured to be perfect. But in striving to do everything right, we risk missing what children really need for lifelong emotional security. Now the simple, powerful "Circle of Security" parenting strategies ..
Who's On the Move!
Dr. Lisa Davis, Phd Returns To The 2023 South Beach Wine & Food Festival® As The Diversity, Equity And Inclusion Consultant
Miami Gardens, FL (January 12, 2023) – Dr. Lisa C. Davis, PHD, DEI Consultant will return to The Food Network South Beach Wine & Food Festival presented by Capital One (SOBEWFF®) in partnership and continuation of the Festival’s focus to increase diversity, equity and inclusion. This initiative is part of the Festival’s commitment to address the gaps in underrepresentation and inequity across the hospitality industry and to advance diversity and inclusion across the board.
As the former councilwoman and Vice Mayor of Miami Gardens, Dr. Lisa Davis, brings over 25 years of experience to this role having previously founded the Miami Gardens Wine & Food Experience, Sweet Freak Bakers Competition and currently serving the community in several leadership roles.
Dr. Davis has received several prestigious awards and honors from various organizations including the President Barack Obama's 2017 Lifetime Achievement Award and also served as 2nd VP of the Florida Black Caucus of Elected Officials and the VP of the Miami-Dade Black Caucus of Local Elected Officials during her political career.
In her role with the Festival, Dr. Davis is responsible for enhancing diversity, equity, and inclusion awareness through further diversifying the talent pool, customer base and ..
Continued on page
Driving the Green Book
A Road Trip Through the Living History of Black Resistance
Alvin Hall set out to revisit the world of the Green Book to instruct us all on the real history of the guide that saved many lives. With his friend Janée Woods Weber, he drove from New York to Detroit to New Orleans, visiting motels, restaurants, shops, and stores where Black Americans once found a friendly..
The Witches Are Coming
by Lindy West
In a laugh-out-loud, incisive cultural critique, West extolls the world-changing magic of truth, urging readers to reckon with dark lies in the heart of the American mythos, and unpacking the complicated, and sometimes tragic, politics of not being a white man in the twenty-first century.
The Body Is Not an Apology
The Power of Radical Self-Love
Humans are a varied and divergent bunch with all manner of beliefs, morals, and bodies. Systems of oppression thrive off our inability to make peace with difference and injure the relationship we have with our own bodies.
Nights Out @ The Parker
When I heard that The Spinners, Sonny Bivins Manhattans, and The Trammps feat. Earl Young were all performing at The Parker last month, I reached out to my contacts immediately, and as luck would have it, I not only scored two seats with the promoter and his wife, but an interview with two of the group's members!
(see the Jan. 2023 issue)
I hadn't been to The Parker for years, so I had planned on just valeting the car when I arrived and expensing the cost. But when I saw the parking was free, and the entrance was close by, I was like, yes!! Score One for The Parker!
Now when I got inside it took me a minute to realize that something was different, but the lobby was a lot larger than I remembered it, and there was also a new wraparound bar.
Off to the right there were two new restrooms identified by large black-and-white portraits of Mickey Rooney and Eartha Kitt on the door. And to the left, it was Elizabeth Taylor and James Earl Jones. (All four once performed there.)
Past one restroom was The Place To Be, a private hideaway downstairs for the big $$$ Patrons. And beyond the other restroom was the Haller Club I assume. For an extra $40, us regular folk can not only gain access to it, but a few other perks including food and drinks!
Beyond the clubs were the lower lobbies where everyone waited for the doors to open. And when they did, it was soooo nice to see that they hadn't messed with the legroom, because we all needed room to party that night! The Legends were in town!!
Dream A World: The Harlem Renaissance In Europe
By Faythe P. Valentine
Black History Month is upon us and New World Symphony is pulling out the red carpet and acknowledging Black Excellence and all that support this brand by introducing I Dream A World: The Harlem Renaissance In Europe. The two-week music festival will focus on a musical tour through Europe during World War 1 and World War II, as you meet black musicians like Ada “Bricktop” Smith and Josephine Baker, amongst others who transformed art and culture on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean.
The music festival, which is from February 3-15, 2023, starts out with an already sold out “Welcome to Bricktop’s: A Night of Jazz and Blues in 1930’s Paris”, where the audience is encouraged to wear their favorite party ensemble from the 1920’s or the 2020’s while sipping on their favorite cocktail. Sopranos Julia Bullock and Louise Toppin will share music by Billie Holiday, George Gershwin and Cole Porter. This event is scheduled for Friday, February 3, 2023 at the New World Center, Truist Pavillion.
On Saturday, February 4, 2023 and Sunday, February 5, 2023, one of New World Symphony’s very first piano fellows, conductor William Eddins, will return to lead current fellows to the music by Scott Joplin, Maurice Ravel and Samuel Coleridge-Taylor. This event will take place at The Michael Tilson Thomas Performance Hall.
On Tuesday, February 7, 2023, Grammy-Award Winning Saxophonist and Bandleader, ..
Continued on page 70
I
Visual Thinking
The Hidden Gifts of People Who Think in Pictures, Patterns, and Abstractions
With her genius for demystifying science, Grandin draws on cutting-edge research to take us inside visual thinking. Visual thinkers constitute a far greater proportion of the population than previously believed, she reveals, and a more varied ..
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Performances!
the
Heavy An American Memoir
In Heavy, Laymon writes eloquently and honestly about growing up a hardheaded black son to a complicated and brilliant black mother in Jackson, Mississippi. From his early experiences of sexual violence, to his suspension from college, to time in New York as a college professor, ..
People We Meet on Vacation
by Emily Henry
Poppy has everything she should want, but she’s stuck in a rut. When someone asks when she was last truly happy, she knows, without a doubt, it was on that ill-fated, final trip with Alex. And so, she decides to convince her best friend to take one more vacation together—lay everything on the table, make it ..
Continued from last month .. the waitress.
The Etouffee came out first, and it was so pretty. The rich, brown roux was loaded with shrimp, onions, celery, and bell pepper, and it looked real sexy spread out over that bed of white rice. But the taste! Oh my goodness! It was just as good as it looked!
What really blew my mind though was the Cornbread that came with it! I've never had any like it and it's hard to describe, however, I'd drive all the way back up there just for some more of it! I'll have to ask Chef Kevin what makes it so good on my next visit!
The next dish to hit the table was the Fried Catfish, and it was equally amazing. It was not only fresher than what I've found down here in South Florida, but I could tell it had just been coated, seasoned, and fried! And while that was impressive enough, what really blew my mind here again was the tartar sauce that came with it! Even it was made from scratch!! And it was so good that I had to ask for more to dip my fries in!
Now when I say it only got better when the Dirty Rice came out .. again, I'm not exaggerating! It was by far the best I've ever had! Even better than what I've had in New Orleans! In fact, I'd drive all the way there again just for a large serving of it too!
Last but not least was the most ..
Continued on page 67
Escape 2 Melbourne!
Dining Out @ Punjab's Indian Restaurant
Most of these Dining Out articles have been pretty challenging to write. Mainly because they all bring back memories that end up reviving my senses .. especially my tastebuds! And this review of Punjab Indian Restaurant in Boca Raton is no exception.
A fairly large, ornate venue, it's attached to an Inn that I wouldn't stay in, however, inside it's as beautiful and authentic as the cuisine itself. Although it was empty when we arrived, several to-go orders were picked up while we were there, so that put us at ease.
I was also concerned that the food would be average with the prices being so reasonable, but after our appetizers came out, that all changed. Not only were our Samosas hot, crispy, and spicy, but the Chutneys that came with them were amazing. They gave us mango, tamarind, and onion, and I'd pay $$ to take some of each home with me next time.
When my Tandoori Chicken came out it was sizzling hot, and there was plenty of it. Being no stranger to the dish, I'd say it was some of the best I've had in South Florida. And it only got better the next day. Also impressive was the Kashmiri Naan. It was hot, soft, and full of minced fruit and nuts, like I like it. Between it and the chicken, I'd bet they have an actual Tandoori Oven in the kitchen!
The Curry was excellent too. I don't care for Lamb, but the sauce looked so good that I had to sample some, and it was great! So Punjab has made my list, and I can't wait to go back to see if it has staying power!
The Joy of Saying No
A Simple Plan to Stop People Pleasing, Reclaim Boundaries, and Say Yes to the Life You Want
Are you still playing a role you learned in childhood to please others, such as the Good Girl/Boy, the Overachiever, or the Helper? Though these kinds of roles may have gained us attention and affection, they prohibited us from ..
Black History Begins In Africa!
They say you can find an "expert" to back up anything you want to believe. Well, I found Dr. Jania Hoover, and she's a high school social studies teacher and department chair in Texas with 16 years of teaching experience in both public and private schools. She has designed curriculum for, and currently teaches courses on U.S. history, African American history, Native American history and racial issues in American society.
Back in February 01, 2022 she wrote an article in Education Week entitled, Black History Should Start in Africa, and it confirms my belief that Africa ought to be central in our celebration of Black History in America. Without attempting to repeat what she asserts, the following is a reprint.
"Whether you’re teaching a Black history or U.S. history course, any teaching about Black people must begin in Africa. That is where the history of mankind, and the history of Black people in America, began. Teaching about Black people in America must start with Africa in order to understand what it means for Black people to be in America. Since The New York Times published “The 1619 Project,” helmed by journalist Nikole Hannah-Jones, many teachers might be tempted to start with that date. While 1619, and the era of enslavement that followed, is important, it’s even more important to remember Black history ..
Continued on page 57
Nobody's Victim Fighting Psychos, Stalkers, Pervs, and Trolls
Deeply personal yet achingly universal, Nobody's Victim is a bold and muchneeded analysis of victim protection in the era of the Internet. This book is an urgent warning of a coming crisis, a predictor of imminent danger, and a weapon to take back control and protect ourselves—both online and off.
.. the Festival’s marketing and media partnerships. Last year, Dr. Davis’ efforts in this regard, enhanced the relationship between the Festival and the Community.
"I’m excited to return for another year as the Festival’s DEI Consultant," said Dr. Lisa Davis. “I am thrilled to work with the Festival’s Team and connect them with more talent, marketing and media partnerships. The returning and new chefs and restaurants will take the Festival’s diversity and inclusion to another level. Together, we have opened the door and created opportunities. The Festival is committed to provide even more opportunities across the board and the talents and partners are ready to deliver.”
did not begin with enslavement. Black people have a culture and history that reaches back before the chains.
Beginning with the year 1619 defines Black history based on connections to—and oppression by—racist systems and people. Oppression is a part of African American history. However, starting there ignores a full and complete story that existed before Africans came to what would become the United States. Starting with African history helps students come away with a fuller understanding of slavery and its complexities. Many texts used in schools do not meaningfully incorporate Africa, so if teachers want to bring in additional information, they will have to find it on their own."
She goes on to detail 4 ways for teachers emphasize Africa, and then she concludes: "In recent months, debates and legislation targeting so-called critical race theory in the classroom have sparked increased attention to how we teach about Black people and their role in U.S. history, but these conversations are not new. Many students and teachers already understand the need to teach a much fuller and more complex history than currently exists. There is no way to tell a complete history of the United States, or of Black people throughout that history, without starting in the place where humanity began."
This is the inspiration behind the article I called Black Africanisms. Our tendency to focus on the details of our small chapter in American history obscures and corrupts an appreciation for our entire Black history, which not only begins, but may very well end in Africa.
The Beauty in Breaking A Memoir
Michele Harper is a female, African American emergency room physician in a profession that is overwhelmingly male and white. Brought up in Washington, D.C., in a complicated family, she went to Harvard, where she met her husband. They stayed together through medical school until two ..
Our Black Africanisms
The first positive expressions of African culture that I can remember were the Afro and the Dashiki. But, because they were associated with the Black Power movement they were deemed to be antiestablishment and radical. Fast-forward to the 2000's and we now see Black graduates and ministers wearing kente cloth, Black executives and politicians in braids, dreads, and headwraps, Hip-hop artists doing mainstream commercials, and even the American Music Awards creating a new category for Afrobeats.
Given the rise of Afrofuturism in America and movies celebrating African culture, it appears that our embracing and celebrating of Africanisms is not only still occurring, but growing in spite of the fact that it's also caused us our share of grief. Going forward, I can only only assume that we'll continue to embrace, express, and celebrate even more of our African culture.
Many of us are already returning to the Motherland for business, getaways and to repatriate.
Interestingly enough, early Black ministers and intellectuals in America interpreted Zephaniah 3:10 in Scripture to mean that Black people dispersed all over the world would return to Africa (Ethiopia) one day.
But all you'll find today are the interpretations of Western scholars.
South Florida's Black Professionals Network is a proud member of ICABA, a member-based, global business network assisting professionals and entrepreneurs of color to attain their career, business and lifestyle aspirations.
South Florida's Black Professionals Network is honored to be featured among Discover The Palm Beaches, Black-Owned Group Tourism Businesses!
amazing dessert I've tasted since the Miami Gardens Wine & Food Experience back in 2015. This Pineapple Cake with Coconut and Pecan frosting drizzled with Caramel Sauce is the main reason I'm glad I don't live "closer" to Melbourne. Between it and all the other dishes on their menu, I'd definitely get the "can't help it's" way too often!
I only found out later on that everything is cooked from scratch by Chef Kevin, who was nice enough to come out and say hello! The place is named after his mom, who sings for the dinner crowd on some weekends. That gives me way too many reasons to make this spot a regular stop when I'm in town.
One of the more unique places we stopped by was part restaurant, part gun range. While we sat and ate, several families, both Black and White, passed by carrying fireams in their cases. I got a bit worried when it took a while for the food to arrive but when it did it looked homemade and it tasted great! Before we left, the waitress urged us to go check out the manatees one morning while in town. So the next morning we did!
On our way back from viewing the manatees we decided to stop by another restaurant that had caught my eye as we toured the town, Mustard's Last Stand, a Melbourne landmark specializing in hot dogs. I thought it was a local chain since we had passed by their two locations so many times.
But the one in Historic Downtown Melbourne is where we ended up at. And once we got inside, I got so intrigued by the decor, it took me a while to get to the menu! And when I did, that took me a minute too because there were so many options!
Just like Melbourne itself .. so many options! And these are only a few of them!
Branford Marsalis, will be guiding New World Symphony in sharing the story of James Reese Europe, a trailblazing musician who brought ragtime into the mainstream and is often recognized as “The Martin Luther King Jr. of music”. This event will also take place at the Michael Tilson Thomas Performance Hall. Other events that will take place during the 2week music festival are Transatlantic
Conversations: Black Renaissance Pianism Across the Pond; I Dream A World: Chamber Music in Historic Overtown; Concert For Kids: I Dream A World and Soundscape Film
Screening: The Harlem Hellfighters Great War.
This festival is sure to be a treat, as it also celebrates 35 years of The New World Symphony, which was founded by Frank Gehry. The New World Symphony also prides itself on inclusivity and develops their fellows in a 3-year program, which will lead them to the biggest concert halls in the nation and across the world. As New World Symphony prides itself on inclusivity, less than 2% of people in orchestras are black and less than 1% of the conductors are black. The audience is also 2% Black.
Come and be inspired by all of this Black Excellence. The tickets for the I Dream A World: The Harlem Renaissance In Europe start off at only $15 and festival passes are available starting at $100. Tickets can be purchased online at www.nws.edu/harlem and all events are taking place at New World Center, 500 17th Street, Miami Beach, FL 33139.
This Is How Your Marriage Ends
A Hopeful Approach to Saving Relationships
Filtered through the lens of his own surprising, life-changing experience and his years counseling couples, This Is How Your Marriage Ends exposes the root problem of so many relationships that go wrong. We simply haven’t been taught any of the necessary skills, Matthew explains.
American Sirens
The Incredible Story of the Black Men Who Became America's First Paramedics
The extraordinary story of an unjustly forgotten group of Black men in Pittsburgh who became the first paramedics in America, saving lives and changing the course of emergency medicine around the world
The Well-Gardened Mind
The Restorative Power of Nature
The garden is often seen as a refuge, a place to forget worldly cares, removed from the “real” life that lies outside. When we get our hands in the earth we connect with the cycle of life in nature through which destruction and decay are followed by regrowth and renewal.
