Harlem Junior Tennis and Education Program holds 52nd annual gala
Last week, tennis greats, celebrities, tennis fans and players came together to celebrate the Harlem Junior Tennis & Education Program (HJTEP) at its 52nd annual gala. Young players from the program, including graduating seniors, were also on hand, even showing off their skills on the small court placed at the center of the Ziegfeld Ballroom in Midtown Manhattan.
“This program has done so much for me. It’s helped me grow, not only as an athlete but also as a person. It’s taught me how to discipline myself by figuring out how to manage my time while playing competitive tennis and attending school. This is a second family for me,” said senior Eliasar Gonzalez, who has participated in HJTEP since the fifth grade. In the fall, Gonzalez will begin at the University of Dayton, and plans to try out to be a walk-on with the tennis team.
Long-time HJTEP coach Brian Spigner echoed the sentiment about the family atmosphere. “It’s a beautiful network,” he said. “I can give back to the community.” Coach Love Moore praised the individualized attention that participants receive, on and off the court. “I’m so honored to be a part of it,” Moore said.
While showing their on-court moves, HJTEP participants wore t-shirts that bore the organization’s acronym and the words honesty, journey, tenacity, excellence, perseverance. Lana Waterman, 16, has been with HJTEP for almost 10 years. “It really is a community,” she said. Lana and twin sister Lena both hope to attend Howard University and play on the tennis team. “I love going to practice four days a week,” said Lena. “When I think about winning tournaments in tennis, it makes me want to do better in school and get an A on a test.”
In addition to raising money, HJTEP also gave out awards that recognized impact on the organization. Hall of Fame tennis player Stan Smith received the Shining Star Award. Upon accepting, Smith shared information from the late Arthur Ashe Jr. about the importance of education. The James R. Kelly III Chairman’s Award honored vocal HJTEP supporter Michelle Blake-Wilson. The HJTEP Corporate Award was presented to Johnson & Johnson MedTech, which has supported the organization for more than a decade.
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Are we really ready for The Portal’s ‘pure window’ into different cultures?
“Let Me Tell You” is a series of columns from our expert editors about NYC living, including the best things to do, where to eat and drink, and what to see at the theater. They publish each Tuesday so you’re hearing from us each week. Last time, Things to Do Editor Rossilynne Skena Culgan highlighted ways to find some peace at free meditative experiences in NYC.
In 2024, we’re more connected than ever. Thanks to FaceTime, WhatsApp, Twitch, Facebook Live and Zoom, we can communicate with people around the world anytime at the click of a button. That’s why I was a little skeptical when I heard about The Portal, a new livestream art project connecting New York’s Flatiron District and Dublin’s city center.
How would this be any different than watching a live video of an influencer streaming their walk around Ireland, I wondered? Would busy New Yorkers actually pause to wave at strangers from across the globe? Would I really feel a sense of connection or would the experience feel voyeuristic?
It was harder than I expected to find the answers to those questions. I tried to visit The Portal twice last week, but each time, it was closed. That’s because the installation had to shut down after some naughty behavior. Apparently people in Dublin were seen flashing swastikas, mooning the camera and showing images of the Twin Towers in flames, according to the New York Post. And our side of the pond wasn’t without blame either, with one woman flashing the camera and another person seeming to reference the Irish Potato Famine, per Rolling Stone. Not cool, guys.
Now, The Portal has reopened with new precautions in place. Most notably, it’s only open from 6am–4pm NYC time (that’s 11am–9pm in Dublin). A black fence now surrounds the artwork, keeping people farther away from its lens. Plus, there’s a large pink sticker on the ground showing people where to stand to be seen. If you stand up against the fence, a Portal staffer will encourage you to move back so you can actually be seen on the livestream. Finally, if all of that fails and someone gets close to the lens, a sensor will automatically blur all footage until the person moves away.
It’s not exactly the completely open, 24/7 initiative that the artist Benediktas Gylys intended. By chance, I met the 34-year-old Lithuanian artist while visiting The Portal on Monday—the first day I finally found it open.
Standing in front of his multimedia sculpture in a plain black T-shirt, black pants and sneakers, Gylys expained what first inspired The Portal.
I really wanted to bring more peace, unity, and shifts of consciousness of humankind.
“I felt really depressed for a long time trying to understand what is the purpose of my life, and I came up with this idea to develop Portals just because I really wanted to bring more peace, unity, and shifts of consciousness of humankind just a little bit. So that my life could be more meaningful and would allow me to forget about myself and focus on something that is bigger than me,” he told Time Out New York.
Given that heartening goal, I had to ask how he felt when the issues cropped up, forcing him to change the design. Gylys describes himself as a witness who’s not here to tell people what to do with his artwork. But in a world where followers are seen as currency and views offer cultural clout, he doesn’t seem surprised by the bad apples.
“It shows our current state of humanity,” he says. “Lots of life, lots of joy, lots of laughter, and we have a handful of people from thousands of people, maybe like 10 or 15 people, who were very self-centered and trying to change the narrative.”
But the situation did give him pause.
“I was also worried that it might interfere with my dream of having Portals in all countries around the world,” he said, adding that the team’s “subtle changes” are helping to keep the dream alive. “We still want to make sure that it’s a pure window into different cultures. So the question is probably to all of us humans: Are we ready to have this pure window together? Maybe it’s not the time. Maybe 20 years will be the right time to have it. So we are making subtle changes. Trying not not to stop the concept of the pure window, trying to find the sweet spot where it’s working.”
So the question is probably to all of us humans: Are we ready to have this pure window together?
This summer, he intends to connect The Portals in Dublin and New York with other Portals around the world in Lithuania, Poland, and Brazil. Then, he’ll continue building Portals in as many cities as possible.
That all begs the question that Gylys himself posed: Are we ready for this “pure window” to other cultures? My visit to The Portal gave me hope that we are.
I watched as 24-or-so New Yorkers did the wave, pumped their fists, danced, snapped photos and excitedly cheered in front of the screen. One couple kissed, and a man in workout gear coordinated a group session of jumping jacks. A young woman held up her wiry brown dog for the screen. An older man rolled up on his scooter. Some people challenged strangers in Dublin to games of Rock, Paper, Scissors. Some people held their fingers up in peace signs; others made heart signs with their hands.
One man repeatedly said in awe, “Wow! They’re in Dublin!? They can see us and we can see them?!” Someone else commented that the “technology’s not impressive. It’s just a cool art thing.” Another person called it “amazing.” I overheard someone else comment that, “It’s very cool. It’s like you’re interacting with people.”
Ultimately, I spotted a lot of smiles on a Monday afternoon in Manhattan—and that’s something worth appreciating.
Due to privacy laws, The Portal doesn’t collect or save the videos; the footage disappears immediately, minimizing the voyeuristic element I worried about. There’s no selfie mode, which takes away some of the narcissism of social media; you’ll only see video from the other city, not video of yourself. As for my question about how this would feel compared to watching an influencer walk around Ireland, I immediately noticed how different this was. It felt authentic in a way that social media does not. Though some people clearly sought out The Portal, many others stumbled upon it. Much to my surprise, I did experience moments of joy. It’s hard not to when doing jumping jacks and watching a low-stakes Rock, Paper, Scissors match.
There’s something magical in glimpsing someone across the world as you both go about your normal lives—commuting to work, picking up groceries, racing to catch a bus. Life, it seems, looks so different and yet so similar despite the miles between us. Gylys’ artwork truly offers a “pure window” to other cultures, and it’s up to us to keep that window clean.
DanceAfrica 2024 turns its focus to Cameroon
DanceAfrica, one of New York City’s most beloved Memorial Day traditions, returns for its 47th year on May 24 with three days of dance performances, dance classes, film screenings, art installations, the popular DanceAfrica Bazaar, and much more.
The nation’s biggest annual celebration of African dance, DanceAfrica 2024 will feature performances by the Billie’s Youth Arts Academy Dance Ensemble, DanceAfrica Spirit Walkers, and Women of the Calabash in the Peter Jay Sharp Building of the Brooklyn Academy Of Music (BAM) Howard Gilman Opera House.
Sponsored by Bloomberg Philanthropies, DanceAfrica 2024 is presented in partnership with other cornerstone Brooklyn cultural institutions, such as the Weeksville Heritage Center, Mark Morris Dance Center, Brooklyn Bridge Park Conservatory, Museum of Contemporary African Diasporan Arts (MoCADA), and African Film Festival.
The theme of this year’s festival is “The Origin of Communities/A Calabash of Cultures.” Per the promotional materials, the theme signifies a “dynamic celebration of the rich tapestry of African arts and culture, with a focus on the traditions and contemporary innovations of Cameroon, affectionately known as Little Africa.”
Cameroon is in Central West Africa and is a culturally, linguistically, and topographically diverse former German, French, and British colony. It got its name from the Portuguese at the dawn of global capitalism. The calabash, a member of the gourd family, has a variety of uses in many African countries, including as musical instruments. The hard outer shell, in particular, also holds symbolic meaning as a vessel of magic and the “cosmic womb.”
The festival kicks off at 6:30 p.m. on May 24 with a memorial tribute to the ancestors and elders through a traditional libation ceremony on the steps of the Peter Jay Sharp Building. DanceAfrica continues its homage to ancestors throughout the festival as a curated exhibition in the Memorial Room of the Peter Jay Sharp Building.
On opening night, the Brooklyn-based dance ensemble Siren: Protectors of the Rain Forest, led by Cameroonian Mafor Mambo Tse, will join the Billie’s Youth Arts Academy Dance Ensemble, DanceAfrica Spirit Walkers, and Women of the Calabash for a performance grounding the festival in essential Cameroonian culture.
Of course, DanceAfrica wouldn’t be DanceAfrica without its much-loved, open to all ages, dance classes and party. The DanceAfrica Community Class, co-presented by BAM and the Brooklyn Bridge Park Conservancy, takes place at Brooklyn Bridge Park (Pier 6 Liberty Lawn) on May 25.
RELATED: DanceAfrica celebrates the African Rainforest
The outdoor DanceBazaar at Ashland Place and Lafayette Avenue starts on May 25. African, Caribbean, and African American food, fashion, artifacts, jewelry, and crafts will again be on offer.
DanceAfrica echoes many West African societies with its Council of Elders, an event staple that returns this year on May 26. Members of the DanceAfrica Council of Elders discuss the connections and relationships between Africa, its cultures, those in the diaspora, and those who are part of the DanceAfrica community as participants and/or attendees.
On May 27, the DanceAfrica Family Class, DanceAfrica Physically Integrated Movement Class, and DanceAfrica Masterclass will take place at Mark Morris Studios. The family class will explore the fundamentals of Cameroonian dance and the latter, which will also be streamed for virtual participants, does a deeper dive, highlighting how dance forms from Cameroon “celebrate community and aspects of daily life, providing a unique window into the culture, history, and traditions of its people.” The masterclass, as the name implies, promises a more immersive experience of Cameroonian dance for intermediate to advanced dancers.
The festival’s second day will be capped by an opportunity for festival-goers to attend the Late Night Dance Party with a DJ at the Adam Space/BAM Cafe. Starting at 10 p.m., it will feature a mix of Afrobeats, funk, soul, rock, jazz, and hip-hop.
DanceAfrica also offers a visual component, including a mixed-media work, “Le course 2,” by Salifou Lindou, curated by Museum of Contemporary African Arts (MoCADA). Composed of acrylic, pastel, and collage on canvas, it “explores the perceived conflict between notions of challenge and play.” Festival-goers may also want to listen to MoCADA’s companion podcast, “MoCADA Digital Presents: The Independents | Cameroon,” which showcases the culture that grew out of Cameroon’s fight for independence.
Finally, America’s largest African film festival, the New York African Film Festival (NYAFF), again joins forces with DanceAfrica this year. Through May 31, BAM Rose Cinemas will screen NYAFF films that amplify Cameroonian life and culture. See the full list of films at BAM.org/filmafrica.For more details about DanceAfrica, visit BAM.org/danceafrica.
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Biden beckons Black Americans
President Biden continued his tour to bolster his sagging poll numbers with African Americans during a Detroit visit at the local NAACP branch’s annual Fight for Freedom Fund Dinner this past Sunday. As with his earlier speeches at the National Museum of African American History and Culture and as commencement speaker at Morehouse College, Biden’s message was just as explicitly clear in Detroit: “The nation…needs all of you.” And so does the president if he is to carry a state that was so decisive to his victory in 2020.
“Because of your vote,” he said, “it’s the only reason I’m standing here as president of the United States. You’re the reason Donald Trump is the defeated former president and you’re the reason Donald Trump is going to be a loser again.”
There was no mention of his primary opponent in his address at Morehouse, which he kept focused on the graduates and the school’s history and tradition as a pioneering HBCU. “I got more Morehouse men in the White House telling me what to do than I know what to do,” he quipped to laughter. “You all think I’m kidding, don’t you? You know I’m not. And it’s the best thing that’s happened to me.”
Inevitably, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr,. one of the school’s most celebrated alumni, was evoked. “Dr. King’s legacy had a profound impact on me and my generation, whether you’re Black or white. I left the fancy law firm I had just joined and decided to become a public defender and then a county councilman, working to change our state’s politics to embrace the cause of civil rights,” Biden said.
In keeping with part of his mission at Morehouse he noted that “in addition to the original $7 billion investment in HBCUs, I’m investing $16 billion more, more in our history because you’re vital to our nation. Most HBCUs don’t have the endowments. The jobs of the future require sophisticated laboratories, [and] sophisticated opportunities on campus.”
While he spoke at the commencement, which was covered by several national outlets, some graduates were adorned with items indicating their silent protest, some turned their backs, and one held a Palestinian flag. A Congolese flag was also held on stage behind Biden as he spoke.
To some degree, the president acknowledged the protests, declaring that the war in Gaza was a humanitarian crisis. “What’s happening in Gaza and Israel is heartbreaking,” he began. “Hamas’ vicious attack on Israel, killing innocent lives and holding people hostage. I was there nine days after seeing pictures of tying a mother and a daughter with a rope, pouring kerosene on them, burning them, and watching as they died. Innocent Palestinians caught in the middle of all this: men, women, and children killed or displaced in desperate need of water, food, and medicine. It’s a humanitarian crisis in Gaza.”
He said that’s why he called for an immediate ceasefire and to bring the hostages home. “And I’ve been working on a deal as we speak, working around the clock to lead an international effort to get more aid to Gaza [and] rebuild Gaza.”
When he arrived in Detroit, he was greeted by a louder chorus of resentment with some chanting “Say it loud, say it clear, Biden we don’t want you here.” And “Biden, Biden you’re a liar, we demand a ceasefire.”
Unlike his remarks at Morehouse, Biden delivered a full-throated assault on Trump, calling him by name. “Trump isn’t running to lead America. He’s running for revenge,” Biden said.
Biden will meet and greet President William Ruto of the Republic of Kenya this week. It will be interesting to see what Biden has to say about Kenyan officers slated to be deployed to Haiti to quell the turmoil there.
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