Mark Anthony Neal's Blog, page 346

School Installs Laundry Room for Students in Need

'More than 30% of students at Maya High School in Phoenix, Arizona experience homelessness — so the public charter school's principal installed a free laundry room for kids without access to clean clothes.' -- NowThis News 

Chef Kwame Williams Prepares Zero-waste Broccoli Coleslaw

'The average American household generates hundreds of dollars of food waste each year. In New York City, chef Kwame Williams shares tips on how to eliminate food waste while cooking. Plus, his recipe for zero-waste broccoli coleslaw.' -- PBS NewsHour 

A Musical that Examines Black Identity in the 1901 World's Fair

'In this lively talk and performance, artist and TED Fellow Amma Y. Ghartey-Tagoe Kootin offers a sneak peek of her forthcoming musical "At Buffalo." Drawing on archival material from the 1901 Pan-American Exhibition, a world's fair held in Buffalo, New York, the show examines conflicting representations of black identity exhibited at the fair -- highlighting unsettlingly familiar parallels between American society at the turn of the century and today, and asking: Are we all still part of the show?' -- TED 

What It's Like to Be Arrested on False Charges—and Jailed

'Chasity Hunter was on a Tinder date when she was pulled over for a routine traffic stop. The police ran her ID and found an outstanding warrant. “I didn’t know at the time that there were warrants out for me—I just had school tomorrow,” Hunter says. Later, she discovered that her aunt had falsely accused her of stealing a laptop.' -- The Atlantic 

Debra Martin Chase on Avoiding "Slave Fatigue" in 'Harriet'

'Debra Martin Chase (Harriet) joins Close Up with The Hollywood Reporter for this season's Producers Roundtable to talk about the film's focus on freedom and empowerment.' --The Hollywood Reporter 

Jason Moran: This Mondrian Painting is Actually a Jazz Score

'This episode of The Way I See It features artist, musician, and jazz innovator Jason Moran, whose music explores and expands the properties of jazz—he shapes his medium into a form that seems to breathe the air of our moment. In this series we ask extraordinary creative thinkers to choose a work that they love—Moran’s pick is Piet Mondrian’s "Broadway Boogie Woogie".' -- The Museum of Modern Art 

Finding Nicole Wray

'Nicole Wray's rollercoaster career proved that her voice and passion for music made her a force to be reckoned with. From working with the likes of Missy Elliott and Timbaland to being the first female Roc-A-Fella Records R&B artist, Nicole Wray's stamp on the early 2000s hip-hop and r&b music era is undeniable. Here is the untold story of Nicole Wray.' -- BETNetwork

'Almost Famous': 'I Was Poised to be the First Black Astronaut. I Never Made it to Space.'

'This is the story of Ed Dwight Jr., who was invited by his country to train to be the first African-American astronaut. Back in 1963, it was hot news. But the United States never sent Dwight to space. For decades, he has maintained that he was discriminated against during his time at the Aerospace Research Pilot School, a prerequisite to NASA run by the legendary pilot Chuck Yeager. Dwight is now a prolific artist, building memorials and creating public art honoring African-American history. His footprints cannot be found on the moon. But his fingerprints can be found on sculptures across the country.' -- The New York Times

Knowing your Enemy & Building Unity: A Conversation with Marian Kramer & Maureen Taylor

'"Part of the problem we have in this country is the lack of organizing and vision [...] people are confused about who the enemy are." Listen to a clear message from Maureen Taylor and Marian Kramer, frontline community members and experts who fight for our indispensable right to water in communities of the US.' -- The People's Forum NYC 

Talib Kweli And Don Cheadle Talk Kendrick, Miles Davis, Marvel, And Boogie Nights

'On this episode of People's Party , Talib Kweli and Jasmin Leigh sit down with legendary actor, director, producer, writer, and Avenger Don Cheadle. The conversation covers a wide swath of his career -- as the trio discusses the backstories of what led Cheadle to take the iconic roles he became known for over the years. Colors, Boogie Nights, Devil In A Blue Dress, Iron Man, Out Of Sight, Rosewood and Hotel Rwanda all come up in this wide-ranging discussion. Cheadle also speaks on his contact with Kendrick Lamar, asking him to star in his self-produced and directed biopic Miles Ahead, and we get to hear about some of the hilarious reactions he received from Brits about the Cockney accent he used while playing Basher in the Ocean's movies.' -- UPROXX Video