Bits and Pieces current news + topics

Collected by Leslie Nash

In 1926 Arturo Alfonso Schomburg, a Black Puerto Rican historian and collector, journeyed to Spain to research and explore centuries of Black life in Europe, including that of painter Juan de Pareja who was an enslaved studio assistant to the famed Spanish painter Diego Velázquez. Pareja and his work as an artist intrigued Schomburg.

In 1650, Velázquez painted a portrait of Pareja so lifelike that the painting, carried by its subject, traveled around Rome for comparisons. Pareja gained his freedom, but not much more is known about him. A Metropolitan Museum of Art exhibition (April 3rd - July 16th, 2023) explores the art of this little-known and for the most part, unrecognized artist of the Spanish Renaissance. On display is Pareja's most famous painting, The Calling of Saint Matthew, a 1661 religious scene in which he inserted a self-portrait making direct eye contact with viewers, a tradition incorporated into paintings by other Old Masters including Raphael and Velázquez.

In Schomburg's research, he “wrote explicitly that he wants African American communities to understand that Juan de Pareja is part of our collective legacy of Black excellence,” said Vanessa K. Valdés, an educator and scholar on Schomburg's life who co-curated the exhibition.

Summer is a great time for children, but it’s a challenging time for working parents. Parents need to plan for summer and NYC Mayor Eric Adams’ administration has come to the aid of New York’s working parents again.

Summer Rising—a free program for New York City public school students in grades K through 8—provides a safe, fun, and enriching experience. Summer Rising includes a full day (8am to 6pm) of in-person academics combined with social-emotional learning, art activities, field trips, and sports.

Last summer, students participated in a variety of programs including “World Explorer,” which focused on the food, language, and culture of different countries. They played ping pong and kickball; took part in nutrition classes, and learned to cook with fresh vegetables; they went on trips to the Bronx Zoo, the Aquarium, Lincoln Center, NY Liberty basketball games, and visited the BioBus.

The Summer Rising session runs from July 5th to August 18th for students in grades K-5, and from July 5th to August 11th for students in grades 6-8. Students receive breakfast, lunch, and a snack; and students with disabilities receive the support they need. Priority for the 110,000 Summer Rising seats will be given to students in temporary housing, foster care, and with 12-month IEP.You can enroll your child now at: https://www. schools.nyc.gov/enrollment/summer/ grades-k-8

The weather is warming up. Does a day cruising on the Hudson River sound enticing? If the answer is yes, you should take a look at Black-owned Big City Tourism. A new venture on the newly-christened ferry, the Franklin Delano Roosevelt, and in partnership with New York Waterways runs tour cruises from Pier 78 in Manhattan.

Big City Tourism CEO Kareem Holmes desired to tap into New York’s huge tourism market. “I realized the bottom level of tourism are immigrants and African

Americans selling the tickets for these big companies, pushing all the money to the top, but [the companies] wouldn’t really give anything back,” he said. “I knew there was a place we needed to have a Black-owned business, so I created Big City Tourism so we can have something fresh.”

The tours are one and a half hours long and cost $39.99 for adults. The tour travels down the Hudson, around lower Manhattan, under the Brooklyn Bridge, and then cruises by the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island.