Boston Compass #152

Join United American Indians of New England (UAINE) at 53rd National Day of Mourning

Since 1970, Indigenous people have gathered at noon on Cole’s Hill in Plymouth to commemorate a National Day of Mourning (NDOM) while the US observes its thanksgiving holiday. Many Native people do not celebrate the arrival of the Pilgrims and other European settlers. The holiday is a reminder of the genocide of millions of Native people, the theft of Native lands, and the relentless assault on Native culture. Participants in NDOM honor Indigenous ancestors and the struggles of Native peoples to survive today. It is a day of remembrance and spiritual connection as well as a protest of the racism and oppression that Native people continue to experience. The NDOM protest was founded in 1970 by Wamsutta Frank James, an Aquinnah Wampanoag tribal member, when then MA Governor Sargent refused to allow Wamsutta to give a speech at a banquet commemorating the 350th landing of the Pilgrims, calling his speech “inflammatory”. The speech that Wamsutta instead delivered in Plymouth was based on historical fact instead of the hollow fiction portrayed in the thanksgiving myth. (The full speech can be read at UAINE.org)

Protesters will gather again on Cole’s Hill this year on Thursday November 24th. As Moonanum James, son of Wamsutta Frank James and the late co-leader of UAINE, said to the crowd at the 2019 NDOM:

“We will continue to gather on this hill till corporations and the U.S. military stop polluting the Earth. Until we dismantle the brutal apparatus of mass incarceration. We will not stop until the oppression of our Two-Spirit siblings is a thing of the past. When the homeless have homes. When children are no longer taken from their parents and locked in cages. When the Palestinians reclaim the homeland and the autonomy Israel has denied them for the past 70 years. When no person goes hungry or is left to die, because they have little or no access to quality health care. When insulin is free. When union busting is a thing of the past. Until then, the struggle will continue.”

*Interested in participating? Get on the NDOM Bus, which departs from “The Brewery” in JP at 10 AM on Nov. 24th. Details and Eventbrite reservations can be found at www.facebook bit.ly/NDOM2022. The event can be viewed virtually on the livestream by Sunny Singh of www.hate5six.com.

Notes From The Crew: Working On Work Culture

Happy November, friends! Always glad to be asked to write this here “Notes From The Crew” (NFTC) column because it’s truly the best way to hear directly from us—the volunteers, staff and leadership of Brain Arts Org, Boston Compass Newspaper, and Dorchester Art Project. Last NFTC, we heard from BCN Contributor Stephen about how we are now paying all contributors that help produce the newspaper, and how this is a major milestone for our organization. Surely we will mention it in the press, social media, and our mailing lists eventually, but NFTC readers hear about these big updates first, so kudos to YOU, family. For this month I

wanted to talk a little bit about the work culture here at Brain Arts Org, because it is something that we have been working on (naturally) in our 10 years as a nonprofit and has now actually become a program in itself and prioritized above all other efforts in the past two years. We have learned unequivocally that it is not worth doing our arts advocacy and cultural programs if we can’t ensure the health and wellness of our people first. Now, this is challenging work already (ask an HR head!) but it is especially hard for groups or initiatives that are limited to volunteer and part-time workers. I think some of these grassroots efforts and small businesses often care more about their people than their corporate counterparts do, but sadly, they possess only a fraction of the resources it takes to create and truly protect a healthy work culture.

continued on page 2…

LAYOUT DESIGN: Phoebe Delmonte: p.1,

Hannah Blauner: p.2,

Adrian Alvarez: p.6,

—Kisha James

For us, it became really clear during the height of the pandemic—once we expanded to 13 paid staff members (in addition to dozens of volunteers) we actually weren’t equipped to handle and care for everyone to the high standard we hold ourselves to. People left for other opportunities, some felt slighted or unappreciated and naturally, our programming suffered too. That is why above all the money and opportunities created for artists, the most positive thing to come out of these past two years is what we learned about capacity and wellness; in order to be truly aligned with the values and course of our mission, there must be alignment in recognition of capacity and wellness of our team for any meaningful programming to take place.

Now, I could go on for days about how this concept is tested and incorporated into our daily work, but this past weekend was a great example of achieving big change with small moves. On Saturday we had the pleasure of tabling at the Watertown Free Public Library Annual Zine Fest in Watertown Square, and in preparation for the event we had staffing, materials and other logistics to consider. We broke it into 2.5 hr shifts, allowing overlap for each volunteer so there was time for each person to experience the event, get a snack, take a breather, socialize with their peers before/after their shift and above all, enjoy themselves. I realize this may seem obvious, but for years we were prioritizing public engagement, connections with other artists, getting names on the clipboard (all

very important to further our ultimate goals as an org) to the point where we often risked stressing-out and harming our own people with long shifts and little compensation. Not anymore. Frankly, those connections and the engagement aren’t worth it if we don’t extend the same intention and care to our volunteers and administrators. This weekend, all participants had a healthy good time because we deliberately acknowledged the capacity of our team members to do activities with wellness as a focus. This is the only way.

Ultimately I am proud to share with you that I thought twice about staffing this event and made adjustments to avoid applying stress or pressure on our people. Our EIC, Kevin, was even going to bring materials at 9 am, then return for each shift throughout the day to check in with everyone. But what about Kevin himself? I need to look out for my peers as they do for me, because it all starts with us and the example we set as Brain Arts Org admins. I’m confident that making this type of thinking part of our daily wellness practice at Brain Arts Org will serve our mission more than any amount of public engagement would without it. Shoutout to the hundreds (if not thousands) of people who have volunteered with us since 2010, your contributions got us here, to the point where health & wellness is actually an arts program itself.

Learn more at www.Brain-Arts.Org

& CONTROL

Under late stage capitalism, rents have increased faster than worker’s wages for over four decades. Full time minimum wage workers cannot currently afford a two bedroom apartment in any state. The pandemic exacerbated the housing crisis, compounding evictions that have further displaced poor and working class communities. Beyond stagnant wages and corporate greed, there are other structures contributing directly to the decimation of affordable housing and the rapid gentrification of American cities – the police and big tech.

Development-directed policing refers to the practice of a premeditated police presence in areas of “urban renewal” for the monetary benefit of potential white residents and real estate elites. Between 2010 and 2020, the historically black Bed-Stuy neighborhood in New York lost 22,000 Black residents, while gaining 30,000 white residents. A study entitled “Policing Gentrification’’ analyzed neighborhood-level data in New York to capture policing’s relationship with three key components of gentrification: class, race and property value. The researchers found that “for every 5 percent increase in property values, neighborhoods experienced a 0.2 to 0.3 percent increase in discretionary arrests’’. Low-level policing does nothing to reduce crime, but enables police violence and carceral trauma. The enhanced surveillance and criminalization of these potential “trendy” neighborhoods are aided through the use of Silicon Valley technologies.

In 2018, an aggressive redevelopment effort by the city of Louisville known as “Vision Russell” ignited increased police surveillance in majority black West Louisville. The city implemented a “PlaceBased Initiatives Squad” policing model based on the removal of crime through the heightened enforcement of “nuisance” offenses, typically drug possession. In March 2020, Louisville police officer Kelly Goodlett falsified a warrant to conduct a no-knock raid of Breonna Taylor’s home, leading to her murder by officer Brett Hankinson. This raid

was a direct result of place-based policing meant to target her ex-boyfriend Jamarcus Glover whose home was located at the center of the renewal project. A month later Glover house was repossessed and bought by the city for $1. Development-directed policing hyper-criminalizes Black personhood to push racist urban renewal projects, removing entire communities for the benefit of new white residents.

Gentrification can be driven by policing models that target communities for removal, as well as profitable algorithms. The housing crisis has presented an opportunity for developers and property owners to drive up market rates aided with the illusion of unbiased technology. ProPublica reported a global technology platform that provides the real estate industry with data analytics called RealPage has enabled property owners to drive up rents. Their YieldStar software uses an algorithm to analyze client data, as well as private data on competitor’s prices to determine rent, to which the company states it can help clients “outperform the market 3% to 7%.” According to ProPublica, “Experts say RealPage...invites scrutiny from antitrust enforcers because of their use of private data on what competitors charge in rent and creation of work groups that meet privately and include landlords who are otherwise rivals, a red flag of potential collusion.” The rent optimization software that prices leases presents a mirage of a techno-democratic determinate hidden under collusion.

Both the tech and policing industries have contributed to the housing crisis by overlapping means, through the incarceration of communities and the complicity in soaring rents. To end homelessness in this country would cost $20 billion, an affordable price tag for the US. To the core capitalism is not about freedom alone, but importantly, the freedom to be free from others suffering. There should be guaranteed housing for all and a radical pivot from a system that would leave anyone with no shelter.

Dorchester is one of Boston’s most reputable neighborhoods. Not only is it a place rich in both culture and history, but it’s home to a myriad of creators, many of whom aim to intertwine the essence of their home into the fabric of their work. One of such artists is Gio Shyne, a rapper and vocalist who, time and time again, utilizes his music as a deep form of self-expression. Whether delving into the dark corners of his psyche, or uplifting himself when he needs it the most, Gio is no stranger to facing his inner-self when he steps into the booth. Nowhere does this ring true more than on his most recent release, A Reason To….

Resting just north of seven minutes in total length, A Reason To… is a collection of three songs which according to a recent Instagram post of his were assembled during a time where Gio “was really going through it the most and trying to find a reason to live.” Faced with overwhelming emotion and a desperate plea for the light at the end of the tunnel, this EP serves as his guiding light. With help from longtime collaborators Briefcvse, Christian Yoon, and Timbo who help shape the sonics of A Reason To…, Gio refreshes his mindset, taking happiness into

his own hands when all else seems to fail.

“Warm Sun” kicks off the project. From the song’s very beginning, ethereal production paves the way for Gio to overcome bouts of negativity by reminding ourselves of who we really are and what we’re capable of accomplishing. At times, the lyrics almost read as a pep talk in the mirror, shifting his focus away from helpness and toward control. “Vegas” quickly follows up on this sentiment, with shimmering guitar strings and piano notes that come together to create a magical soundscape for Gio to float atop. My favorite part of this project comes at the end though, with “Pink Sky. This song is a strong addition to his discography, as the Dorchester native reflects on the pure fact that his life is just beginning. Despite all of the turmoils that have brewed within, there’s still so much beauty out there to experience, and that alone is a reason to keep going. In the EP’s waning moments, listeners are met with the repeated line “dust it off again and try and be a better me.” Whenever life isn’t going our way, this is the mantra to live by, and it is one that has helped revive the Gio Shyne that we all know and love.

Hello readers! It’s been a very long time since the last iteration of this series. I have tons of stellar releases on my mind that didn’t make the cut so I ask for forgiveness for the 3-release limit on today’s iteration. Thanks for your attention and let’s get into the excursion.

1. Common MetalsStaubitz and Waterhouse

From bronze to steel, this album will provide it. Jokes aside, Staubitz and Waterhouse’s Common Metals, comprised primarily of layered and unedited field recordings, truly immerses the listener in organic industrial chaos. The track by track length extends itself skillfully after each recording. This usually would turn my focus away, yet, when listening, I only find myself in full concentration. The duo’s versatility in releases solo and collaboratively is another impressive aspect and hopefully will entice you to listen to Common Metals.

2. A Basement Punks PhilosophyVomit Dolls

After a year of doing this series, I finally decided to feature a band here. While Vomit Dolls would be categorized in the traditional sense as “some super specific genre of Grindcore,” I think they really push the boundaries of what grindcore is as a whole. Vomit Dolls’s members are Spider on vocals,

Mudd on guitar, Razor on bass, and Gaudy on drums. The most present experimental exercise features percussive madman Gaudy hitting snares, toms and cymbals that remind me of the speedier drum and bass / breakcore tracks of underground electronic. The guitar and bass sounds intertwine with each other, presenting maximal distortion and compression pairing perfectly in each track. All the songs combined reach just less than 5 minutes in length. This short EP is definitely worth your listening whether considered truly experimental or not.

3. Unfamiliar Ceilings - Lina Tullgren & Alec Toku Whiting

Unfamiliar Ceilings features Lina Tullgren on violin and Alec Toku Whiting on Koto and bass Koto on tracks “47” and “polly chainsaw,” with Ted Reichman joining on synthesizers and effect pedals on track 3, “every finger an eye”. This is an all around masterful and fully intentional tape. Whether improvised or composed, Unfamiliar Ceilings blurs the already blurring line further. Gothic, concrete and electronic undertones show up throughout this wonderful EP and are always personally appreciated. Definitely give a listen to any or all of these releases, and I’ll see you next Excursion.

Released on October 1st, Chemical X is hella fitting for this spooky season. Racking up to 17 tracks with 38 minutes and 52 seconds of playtime, Chemical X is pretty compact. Chemical X is a peek into the dark vortex that is Retro Gmt’s mind as he journeys through the realms and dimensions of Planet X. Within the mind of the Prince of Rage Retro GMT, you will find his deepest fears and fantasies, heart breaks, but most importantly—his rage. Throughout the album Retro is accompanied by an entourage of unnamed comical homies with frequent appearances on the project’s transitions. All of this is facilitated by the illusive and mysterious substance Chemical X.

The project begins with a robotic warning to the listener, letting them know what they are getting into: “A world like no other, where they unveil the covers of reality and there they create a world of dreams. Be warned; everything you see is still real.” It then transitions right into the first song: a banger Chemical X. Throughout the project there are A LOT of bangers and Chemical X sets the tone. But as you get deeper into the album, the songs get darker and darker. What makes Retro and Chemical X stand out though is the abundance of punk rock inspired tracks. The songs are really good and dive deeper into Retros’ struggles with the darkness and his mental health. Some stand-out songs are “Forever & After,” “Y,” and “Die Alive”. Here’s a line from his interlude as an example of what discusses on the project: “Pain comes in too many forms to count… But will you overcome that pain or will you let it consume you?”

Chemical X is full of ragers and bangers, sorrowful ballads and vulnerable selfreflection. Retro is electric with his energy and flow, each bar is round, and the clip is never ending. The production is consistently dynamic in instrument choice and variation, full of dark melodies and psychedelic synth that allow you to see that this project was a labor of love and time. Retro has successfully created a project that places the listener in his shoes and mind, experiencing every step he took between high and lows of his journey. This album will leave you feeling reflective on your darkness and perhaps where it plays a role in your life. Overall Retro is on the way to putting his hometown Brockton on the map if he continues to make quality, standout music.

Last year, Boston based pianist Martin Gohary booked two sessions at PBS Studios in Westwood, MA, invited some long-time collaborators to join him, and told the engineer to hit record. Nothing was planned—no arranged compositions, not even a key or tempo. Martin’s goal was to use the freedom of unrestricted improvisation to allow everyone to play from their subconscious. Over the last year, Martin has been pouring over those recordings, selecting excerpts, and arranging them into albums. A total of nine albums are planned, and five have already been released. The two most recent albums, The Boxer and Monkey Business, came out in September and October and feature Martin on piano and Erik Van Dam on saxophone.

The output of the recording sessions could have been dissonant chaos front to back (the history of free jazz is full of such examples). It could have also been hours of aimless noodling. But instead, the tracks of The Boxer and Monkey Business lead us on an engaging, sometimes harrowing, melodic and thematic journey. Martin told me: “I listen to the material over and over again until a movie starts playing in my head…. When editing my improvisations, I think like a filmmaker. Where are my scenes? What am I visualizing? After making the cuts, I started to arrange the takes in the order of how I felt they could fit into an overarching theme.”

Martin’s cinematic approach to playing and editing come across beautifully in The

Boxer and Monkey Business. The album art and song titles start the journey by setting a scene for the listener’s imagination. The Boxer begins with the track “Training Montage” where Martin and Erik playfully dance around each other, tossing out melodic and rhythmic ideas for the other to react, reinterpret, and throw back. The next track “Hit Me!” takes a darker tone—the piano and sax are now taking jabs at each other; one throws a punch and the other ducks. The third and final track “Round XII” is an emotionally complex, roller-coaster of a ride through the final scenes of the match, which ends, not in a triumphant victory, but, like the album art, with a sense of uncertain contemplation. Monkey Business similarly evokes a cinematic, emotional journey. I will spare you all my tortured interpretation.

These albums offer so much to anyone willing to dive into their intricacies and surrender to the journey. With every listen I uncover new brilliant nuances in the spontaneous conversation between piano and sax that is at the core of these albums.

The Boxer and Monkey Business are available on Martin Gohary’s Bandcamp page and on major streaming services. Be on the lookout for the next four albums in the series, and if you are in the NYC area, check out Martin’s next performance on November 17th at JACK in Brooklyn as part of the Radical Acts Festival.

Martin

take careful precaution when going out to public events!

Follow the venue’s requirements regarding vaccination/negative Covid tests! Always double check the event online just in case they need to cancel!**

11/08 Get2theGig Presents: Thank You, I'm Sorry + Perspective, A Lovely Hand to Hold @Cantab Lounge 7PM 18+ $12/15 @get2thegigbos

11/14 Disowned, Be Released, Done, Gnasher @O'Briens Pub 7PM 21+ $10-12

11/15 Lane, Class President, Sunglaciers, Betty Moody @Midway Cafe 7:30PM 21+ $5 @tinyoakbooking

11/17 Get2theGig Presents: Young Jesus @Cantab Lounge 9PM 21+ $13-15 @get2thegigbos

11/19 Public Speaking, Thalia Zedek, Luxury Deathtrap, Storax Sedan @O'Briens Pub 8PM 21+ $13

and Ellice Patterson are creating their own story and dismantling what ballet is and who is on stage to tell these stories. @Wimberly Theatre @abilitiesdanceboston

11/04 The Orchard comes home to Boston after it's Off-broadway debut in New York, combining live theatre and technology in the Arlekin Theatre Company's visionary take on Chehkov’s The Cherry Orchard. Tix available virtual or online at www.artsemerson.org @Arts Emerson $25+

funniest comedians. A true late night show. Enter through the hidden door on the side of the building, and walk into an abandoned classroom that we've transformed into a speakeasy. Every Saturday night!

@Cambridge Community Center 8PM + 10PM 21+ $15

Duck Duck Goofs Presents Goofs Underground: Comedy Under the Cantab Every Thursday enjoy local comedians, live music openers, and drink specials

@Cantab Lounge Basement 8PM 21+ $10

11/01 Industry Night at Garage

B! Local music labels and artisans come together to sell their wares at this big night presented by IBOOKTHINGS and Content Brakes. Expect live DJs, food, drink, charity raffle and a food drive! @Charles River Speedway 4PM All Ages FREE

11/01 Get2theGig Presents: Winter, Peel Dream, Magazine, Sailor Down @Lilypad 7:30PM All Ages $12-15 @get2thegigbos

11/02 Meteor Police, Black Beach, Circumstances, Anxious Wave @O'Briens Pub 8PM 21+ $10-12

11/03 Rosewater Records presents Dear Nora, going222jail, Bong Wish @Lilypad 7:30PM All Ages $13-16 @rosewaterecords

11/04 The Jim & Val Show a musical story-tell duo about love gained and lost. Open mic included!

@The Napoleon Room at Club Cafe 7PM 21+ FREE

11/05 Sal Baglio benefit show for Zumix Singer, guitarist and songwriter Sal Baglio returns to his home of East Boston @Zumix 7PM

11/05 LIVE JAZZ @EXIT Gallery All Ages $ome Cost @exitgalleries

11/05 Do-It-Yourself: Tour Booking Basics workshop with Maddy Simpson (of Sweet Petunia) This workshop is recommended for musicians looking to expand their audience base by dipping their toes into touring. An emphasis will be put on DIY touring through house concerts and untraditional venues, but more traditional venues and booking processes will also be discussed.

@Club Passim 1PM All Ages $50

11/06 Sunday Soul & Jazz Brunch Join us every Sunday for all you can eat soul food brunch buffet and live jazz featuring Boston's finest local talent! Reservations strongly suggested!

@Darryl's Corner Bar + Kitchen 11AM All Ages $20-26

11/06 Bars Over Bars & Boston's Big Four Present: Hiphop Showcase Vol. 10 @The Jungle 9PM 21+ $10 @thejunglecmc

11/07 Get2theGig Presents: Fracture Type, Bay Street, Alenka @Charlies Kitchen 8PM 21+ $5 @get2thegigbos

11/07 Experimental Electronic Music ft. D.U.M.E., Don Nothing, Limbc, Oxalis @Midway Cafe 7:30PM 21+ $5

11/09 Get2theGig Presents: Actor Observer, Life Itself, Kid Disaster, Moss Tongue @The Rockwell 7PM 21+ $15-18 @get2thegigbos

11/11 Bars Over Bars Presents: Krispy Clean Hiphop Showcase Vol. 8 @Krispy Clean Kicks 7PM All Ages $10

11/11 Clear The Floor rave night. BIPOC curated & center! Every 2nd Friday. @Union Tavern 9PM 21+ $20 @clear.the.floor

11/11 Soul Sessions Catch a vibe every Friday night as DCBK takes you on a weekly musical voyage through jazz, R&B, soul, and funk! Reservations required! @Darryl's Corner Bar + Kitchen 7PM 21+ $10

11/11 Illegally Blind Presents Tenci + Hour @Lilypad 5PM All Ages $12 @illegallyblindpresents

11/11 Constantly Terrified, GhostPlanet, Sepsistic, Horrible Earth, Eyes Pressed In @Sammy's Patio 7PM 18+ $12

11/12 Sunburned Hand of the Man, Matt Lajoie, Dyr Faser Kris Thompson's 60th Birthday @Lilypad 7:30PM 21+ $10

11/12 Savageheads, Innocent, The Massacred, Lifeless Dark, Eye Witness Savageheads record release!! @Brighton Elks Lodge 7PM All Ages $15

11/12 Boudoir presents LUV NRG Soundsystem Test Tour featuring an extended b2b set from Eris Drew & Octo Octa with Boudoir resident Mx. Blaire opening up the night. Please join us to commune amidst the powerful vibrations of love and dance music.

@Charles River Speedway 6PM $ome Cost, tickets at door @entertheboudoir

11/12 KIDS LIKE YOU AND ME'S ANNUAL RAMA LAMA DING DONG FEST! featuring Germ House (RI), Children of the Flaming Wheel, Father Hotep (Amherst), Johnnie and the Foodmasters, and KLYAM DJ spinning doo wop! @O'Briens Pub 8PM 21+ $10 @theklyam

11/13 ONCE Presents: Sapling, Exit 18, Tiberius @The Rockwell 6PM 18+ $15 @oncesomerville

11/13 Artists for Artists Presents The Artist Takeover ft. hip hop artists like Cyph GTTB, Paula Feris, Luke Yetten, Nim K, Lawjq, Lila and more! Food, bar, and open cypher as well!

@The Jungle 7:30PM 21+ $10 @artists_for_artists_society

11/14 Get2theGig Presents: Bedtimemagic, Doom Beach, Deprogrammer Cult @Charlies Kitchen 8PM 21+ $5 @get2thegigbos

11/19 Linnea’s Garden, The Lights Out, Emily Grogan Band, Crow Follow @The Jungle 7PM 21+ $10

11/19 Genocide Pact, No/Mas, Vomit Forth, Sentient Horror @Ralphs Rock Diner 8PM 21+ $18

11/20 The Collective Takeover Showcase hosted by Gizzy Honcho + Greatness ASF ft. performances by Mourning Run, Sol Reav, Mikey Dzzz, Muda, Loko Da Demon, Flyhighuzi, Nim K, and more!

@The Jungle 7:30PM 21+ $10 @hustle_killer_hq

11/25 Get2theGig Presents: l.ucas + Notebook P @O'Briens Pub 9PM 21+ $13/15 @get2thegigbos

11/26 Move, Street Power, Fool’s Game, Killing Me, Break the Cycle, The World, Fraud @Upton VFW 5PM All Ages $15

11/25 Product of Waste @Brockton VFW 6PM All Ages Free

Bad For The Community Podcast Full of hot takes, local hip hop, and deep culture! Come for the reckless entertainment, stay for the laughs! New episodes every week! Listen on Spotify + Youtube. Follow on IG @bftcpodcast

It's Lit Boston Podcast has a new dope Spotify playlist called "It's Lit Boston Presents: VIBES FROM THE STATE" updated weekly with local new music you need to check out! I hear they take submissions too! Also on Youtube and Soundcloud

Master of the Chamber A Competitive Hip-Hop Event by THRILL Studios featuring the best local MCs around! If you miss them in person then check out each round on Youtube. Search "enjoythethrill" and look for THE CHAMBER. On IG @masterofthechamber

TheMUSEUM TV + The Soundlab present The Testing Lab a bi-weekly event where local musicians can perform their original music and get feedback from a panel of experts! Spots fill up fast so make sure to stay in tune @thesoundlabma or email thetestinglabma@gmail.com

performance art

11/03 thru 11/06 ANIKAYA presents: The Women Gather weaves together music, dance, storytelling, and ritual. The work centers women’s experience, with a conscious awareness of the diversity of gender presentation within women. @The Strand Theatre

11/04 Abilities Dance presents Inversion Instead of re-creating famous ballets, Andrew Choe

11/04 Theatre for One: We Are Here (Nairobi Edition) Hop on your computer to check out 6 virtual microplays by female writers/performers from Kenya by Octopus Theatricals' Artistic Director Christine Jones. Tix at www.artsemerson.org @Arts Emerson FREE

11/04 thru 11/06 VLA Dance presents: ALIVE Hibernian Hall and VLA DANCE invite you to the premiere of ALIVE: a dance theater experience with immersive elements, live music, dance, theater, aweinspiring visuals and costumes. @Hibernian Hall All Ages $20 @dancevla

11/05 Drag Brunch! Performances with music by DJ Beg Bick live in the South End! Call venue to make reservations after purchasing your ticket. @Bootleg Special 12PM All Ages $10/15

11/05 The Open Theatre is back in person as part of My Body My Choice, a national series of readings featuring women telling their stories via monologue. Tix at www. theopentheatre.com @St. John's Episcopal Church 7PM

11/10 The Chinese Lady is the subversive and poetic story of Afong Moy and her life as a side show act in a changing America from 1834-1879. Tix at www.centralsquaretheater.org @Central Square Theater $20+ 11/12 thru 11/13 The Harlem Renaissance Revisited with a Boston Flavor Presented by the Oscar Micheaux Family Theater Program Company. Call 857204-5312 for ticket information @Roxbury Community College 7PM $30, $15 for ages 12 and Under

Thru 11/19 In SpeakEasy Stage's show, English, The stakes are high for 4 Iranian students to pass their English exam and change their lives. Tix at www.speakeasystage.com @ SpeakEasy Stage $25+ @speakeasystage

11/19 The Flavor Continues + Release Your Dance presents The House Exchange a house competition by the community for the community, a space for dancers to be immersed in the authenticity of club life and share exchange with one another. Open Cypher preliminaries start at 3PM. The actual competition will be in a “stalking” format. $200 Cash prize. @MOTA Fitness 2:30PM All Ages $10/15 @ theflavorcontinues

Comedy At The Jungle Peter Liu hosts a comedy open mic with a lineup of great Boston comedians every Tuesday @The Jungle 9:30PM 21+ $ome Cost

Duck Duck Goofs Presents Night School $4 Drinks. The

11/10 Japan's all-time favorite director Akira Kurosawa and actor Toshirō Mifune join forces in Sanjuro, the samurai movie that inspired Clint Eastwood's iconic career in westerns. Don't miss!! Tix at www.brattlefilm.org @Brattle Theater 6:15PM $12-14

11/14 Father Surrealist film Luis Bunuel’s sexy and satiric masterpiece, The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie screens

@Coolidge Theater 7PM $13-15 @thecoolidge

11/05 November Photo Meet Up by Women Artists In Action. Theme is cute & spooky. Attire should be family friendly and no nudity allowed as there are sometimes children in the area. Buildings can be dusty so wear a mask if you have a sensitivity.

@Medfield State Hospital 10:30AM All Ages FREE

11/05 Headstrong: A night filled with art, music, beverages and good people for a good cause Art from the Boston Button Factory resident artist, Ari Hauben will be on display alongside work by artist Jimmy McCaffrey as well as special guest artist, & director of the Boston University CTE Center, Dr. Ann McKee. A portion of the proceeds will go towards supporting the Concussion Legacy Foundatio.

@Boston Button Factory 6PM @arihaubenart

11/06 Artist Talk: Joiri Minaya with Camilo Alvarez Join Joiri and moderator Camilo in conversation to discuss Minaya's practice and body of work. This artist talk is presented in conjunction with Minaya's solo exhibition, The Great Camouflage.

@Coolidge Theater 2PM FREE @praise.shadows.art

11/06 Oaxacan Woodcarving Workshop Learn basic tools and techniques of this folk-art form, passed down through generations, from Oaxacan woodcarver Norbert Fabian @ Eliot School for the Arts 9:00AM–5:00PM $285

11/08 Vernon St Studios Benefit Bake Fundraiser Flatbread in Davis Square will be donating a portion of their sales to Vernon Street Studios to help support their Fall/Winter Open Studios on December 3rd & 4th. Meet some fellow artists, participate in a 50/50 raffle and of course enjoy some DELICIOUS pizza!

@Flatbread 5:30PM–9:30PM

All Ages

11/14 Designing with Canva: Digital Literacy Class During this two hour workshop you will learn how to use Canva – a free, graphic-design tool website with access to millions of graphics, photographs and fonts. This is a

great class geared towards artists, activists, creatives, business owners and alike.

@Somerville Media Center

12:00PM– 2:00PM FREE

11/19 Brickbottom Open Studios

2022 Please join Brickbottom Artists and Joy Street Studios in celebrating their annual open studios event where 60+ artists and artisans open their studios to the public.

@Brickbottom Studios 10:30AM–4:30PM

11/19 Virtual Chinese Brush Painting Classes: "Autumn Persimmon Series" Take a Saturday afternoon to relax, create, and meditate from your home with this class. Presented by PAO Arts Center. Classes taught in Mandarin, but Englishfriendly. Deadline for registration with mailed supplies: 11/6. Please allow 10 days for mailing and delivery.

Register at www.paoartscenter.org @2PM–3:30PM 18+ $15-45

The Great Camouflage by Joiri Minaya features three new largescale photographic collages; never before exhibited paintings, photographs, and wallpaper; and the video Sábila / Leche. In this exhibition, Minaya explores her relationship to changing landscapes as a migrant, a diasporic subject, all while grappling with the contested and intertwined colonial histories of the Caribbean and the Northeast United States. On view until 11/13 6PM-8PM @Praise

Shadows Art Gallery, Brookline

Project Room No. 2: Azadeh Tajpour is a multidisciplinary artist born in Tehran and based in Boston. This installation is based on camera footage that documents an encounter with a US border patrolman in front of a library, while he was preventing a family from meeting inside the library. Each piece in this installation represents a part of that footage. On view until 11/12 Wed-Sat 1PM-6PM

@BCA Mills Gallery

Shared Habitat Earth is an art exhibit and a call for action, and it is returning to Boston’s Waterfront! SHE suggests cross species respect, intercultural solidarity, and a shared sense of responsibility. It celebrates the beauty of nature and exposes the dramatic impact of human activity on the environment. On view until 12/10 Sun-Sat 7AM-10PM

@The Gallery at Atlantic Wharf

A Temple For The Queer And Unconventional Anukriti’s A Temple for Timeless Beasts, the newest exhibition in the 1:1 Exhibition Series at Boston Center for the Arts (BCA). Open Mic: Prayers for Queer Salvation: 11/5 7PM-9PM. Exhibition open until 11/12

Coast, this curated event features over 130 exhibitors, artists and publishers. With art installations, DJs, workshops, panels, and a chance to mingle with truly innovative artists and creatives of our generation, this year’s fair invites audiences of all ages to engage in an art-filled weekend to expand their ideas about print. First night is a ticketed 21+ preview party 6-9PM.

@Boston Center for the Arts All Day All Ages FREE

11/12 Boston Anarchist Book Fair

This event hopes to bring together people struggling to destroy capitalism, imperialism, patriarchy, heterosexism, transphobia, racism, colonialism, statism, fascism, slavery and all other forms of oppression. Come browse local authors and publishers! All workshops are also virtual to enjoy from home! Masks required!

@Democracy Center FREE

Breaking The Chains Mag Vol. 7. No. 1 The Woman Worker out now! The expanded organizing of women workers has the potential to bring class struggle front and center to the women’s movement in ways that have been repressed and elided over the last several decades. What do these developments mean for women workers in the struggle for socialist liberation? How do we utilize our history, a vast history of women’s leadership and initiative in the labor movement, to inform our work in the current context?

Snag your copy at www.breakingthechainsmag.com

COMIXSCAPE LJ-Baptiste, art educator and cartoonist, runs this vibrant comic book series featuring the adventures of a bright-eyed, perpetually preteen boy and his raccoon sidekick. Learn more and buy a copy www.comixscape.net @xscapistlj

Flight Or Visibility Cookbook

Unlike most cookbooks, this one has very few actual recipes. It is designed to empower readers to get creative in the kitchen, developing their own sense of flavor and spicing, balancing their meals, accommodating dietary restrictions, and using some basic tips and tricks such as cutting onions without crying! With illustration by Lavender Menace Press! Snag one at a show or hit them up for one on IG @flightorvisibility

How to Fight Hundutva from the Diaspora & more! Payal Kumar creates powerful, unique digital zines that are available for free online! Explore these beautiful pieces and learn tools of knowledge to expand your notion of a “zine”. www.riotlrrrkhi.contactin.bio

Middle of Nowhere (Part One)

11/04 Dunamis Presents: In Conversation with Mara Novembre Join us and Designer, Wardrobe Stylist and Entrepreneur, Mara Novembre. @GrubStreet 6PM $15 @mara.novembre

11/05 Experience a traditional Dia de Los Muertos celebration and honor your loved ones who have passed with live music, authentic Mexican food, ballet folklorica and an altar ceremony that dates back thousands of years. Tix at door. www.spontaneouscelebrations. org @Spontaneous Celebrations $TBA

11/20 Bartlett Square Makers Market is a summer/fall monthly market featuring local creatives, artisans, and craftspeople. The goal is to bring together the local artisans of JP in a safe, accessible space where people can meet, share their skills and materials, and learn from one another. @18 Bartlett Square, JP. Every 3rd Sunday 11AM to 3PM

community advocacy

11/25 Record Store Day At Tres Gatos Black Friday at Tres Gatos is part of Record Store Day, the celebration of indie record stores, the people who shop and work there and the incredible music they carry. Like other RSDs, it will feature hundreds of rare, limited and special release albums; unlike other RSDs, it also provides a perfect chance to get a head start on the holiday shopping season and the opportunity to find the perfect gift for the music fan on your list. Weather permitting, the event will take place outside and we will be offering free coffee and pastries. @Tres Gatos 9AM –4PM

Central Square Farmer’s Market open every Monday 12PM-6PM from until 11/21. Their footprint, like last year, includes Norfolk Street and Starlight to increase space for vendors and distancing for shoppers.

Melanin Owned Business Vendors Flea Market is back at a new location 1351 Hyde Park Ave every Saturday 12PM-5PM. Spoken Word open mics too! Contact 585-237-8487 for vending opportunities. Vendors of color please reach out! @m.o.b_vendors21

Lucy Parsons Center, your favorite radical bookstore and community space, is moving back to the South End (Into MakeShift’s former spot). They need your help fundraising to make the transition smooth and help keep this Boston staple going! To donate visit www.tinyurl.com/lpcfunds or check their social media @lucyparsonscenter

11/17 The Wellman Anti-Racism Effort Presents Social Issues in Optics and Photonics: a discussion group Accessibility and equity in optical technology: a case study @Democracy Center 4:30PM–6PM

All Ages FREE

BDS Boston recognizes that Israel has been involved in the oppression of not only Palestinians, but people in the Caribbean, Central, South, and North America, Africa, and Asia. Israel and the US have been jointly responsible for developing the infrastructure of surveillance and repression of people of color and immigrants. They are committed to building alliances with other groups to fight this oppression. Join the movement! @bdsboston

Cocoon Collective A weekly drop-in space for young women and girls affected by incarceration to receive academic support and mentorship as well as work on seasonal goals. Every Monday 4PM-5PM via Zoom. Email to join - info@sistersunchained.com

North American Indian Center of Boston Their mission is to empower the Native American community with the goal of improving the quality of life of Indigenous peoples. They honor Indigenous people who may or may not be part of a federally recognized or state recognized tribe, as well as the peoples whose tribes have been split by the U.S.-Canada border and the U.S.-Mexico border. Lookout for all kinds of awesome community events and gatherings! www.naicob.org @naicob91

opportunity

GRANT FOR DANCERS: Next Steps for Boston Dance This grant program aims to support Greater Boston choreographers creating original work in any dance genre and at any career level, post-college, to move forward and take a “next step” in their careers. Deadline to apply is 11/3/22

CALL FOR EXHIBITION

11/04 Boston Art Book Fair

A free, all-ages three-day art event uniting all levels of the arts community. As one of the largest Art Book Fairs on the East

This is the journey of two main characters; Andre and Tracey. The story is true to its title, as you are dropped in a random point of their lives. You literally navigate the timeline with them as their journeys intertwine. What seems like nothing, or nowhere, wherever you are... means something. Book created by Mechillwave. Grab a copy here and check out other cool wares! www.mechillwavecollection.myshopify.com @chillwvy

Hatch Makerspace Workshops Tons of free with registration workshops all month long. From programming to sewing to making paper flowers, Hatch is a really cool community spot you have to check out! www.watertownlib.org/hatch

The Eastern Mass Abortion Fund provides assistance to people who live in or are coming to Eastern Massachusetts for an abortion and provides people with funding and practical support to access abortion care. They help them get onto MassHealth quickly or find doctors that will take their insurance. They negotiate with abortion providers and pay for callers’ bus or train tickets, car rides, hotels, childcare, and translation services.

www.emafund.org

PROPOSALS! Gallery 263 is taking pitches for their Spring 2023 art exhibition. Organize and present a well-curated exhibition of contemporary art from start to finish, with guidance and support from the staff. A successful proposal considers our unique, multi-functional space and engages our audience visually and conceptually. Open

Greenhouse Affect by Mehitabel Glenhaber

by Daniel Alejandro

Sitting by Meg Scribner

Demonic Hall of Fame by Ben Doane

Art by Anna F. Rodriguez AKA “Ella”

Presented by the Lucy Parsons Center

Brown Sugar Peanut Butter Cookie Skin

She’s the color of brown sugar

Peanut butter cookie

Brownie fudge latte

With Extra cream

She’s that extra kit kat sweet And melanin is s’mores warm

Her color is

Late summer night car therapy sessions

And Winter night cocoa dates

Sunrise drives into neo-soul backgrounds Back around her grooves Groove between Depths of her cinnamon mind Her beliefs

Belief in black greatness Black Love

Appreciation through reciprocation Appreciate this moment

Take a breathe

And she’s Not breath cause...

That’s an exaggeration

But

She’ll be reason I watching my breathing when she sleeps

And I don’t want to disturb her peace Cause her color is peace

R&b and incense

Glass of wine and a warm bubble bath

Piece of scripture

She’s prayer

The way she affirms you sounds like sermon And she can preach How can you not feel Godly Uplifted

When a mocha Goddess sings your name in praise The joy across her caramel grin is sweet to kiss Her laughs are black choirs

When the spirit hit And isn’t that intimacy Isn’t her color sacred?

Her color is chapel Temple

She is pyramid Holy land and have you prayed Have you given thanks Even when you don’t feel worthy How her color is calm Patient

When you don’t have patience for yourself She always gives you space and time For you to forgive yourself And isn’t that just a different hue Sweet like brown sugar going from living single To being mushy as Overton

Where To Find Us

REUSE REFUSE

CITY COMPOSTING GROWTH

2022’s environmental struggles have a fertile corner. Despite many losses, one practice seems to be spreading steadily: municipal food waste collection. Yesssssssssssssss.

This past summer I tried Project Oscar for the Project Oscar is a free, 24-hour access, compost dropoff pilot program run by the City of Boston.

https://www.boston.gov/departments/publicworks/project-oscar

Finding the nearest dropoff site was tricky, and signage was non-existant, but I did find it and have been bringing my food scraps over ever since. Recently the number of drop-off locations expanded from 5 to 15, including a site much closer to me (with better signage!).

Here’s how I collect kitchen scraps for Project Oscar:

3 – Torn brown paper bag

In the backyard bin, some at the bottom and more on top of each deposit. This reduces odors and sops up food sluice.

Even more recently, I learned Boston has a new curbside food waste collection program for residents. The first round is full, with openings in spring, but you can join the waitlist now: https://www.boston.gov/departments/publicworks/curbside-food-waste-collection

An increasing number of MA cities and towns are doing the same. Cambridge has offered residential food waste pickup since prepandemic, Ipswich processes their curbside collection at their transfer station, and Watertown rolled out their first bins this fall. Keeping food waste out of the garbage saves towns money by reducing trash pickup costs, and it’s better for the environment in many ways. Uneaten asparagus will create harmful greenhouse gasses in a landfill, but when devoured by the microorganisms in compost it sequesters carbon and puts nutrients in the resulting soil.

1 – Kitchen

Well-sealed jar under the sink. This keeps it accessible. I wash it regularly.

Not all food scrap collection programs accept the same items. Meat and dairy can only be broken down by compost systems that reach high enough temperatures, like the large compost piles run by businesses. “Anaerobic food digesters” can also process meat and dairy, using bacteria in an oxygen-free environment and creating biogas for fuel use. This isn’t the same as a composting process and has a very different output, gas instead of soil.

Boston’s curbside pickup program will eat your cheese and chicken bones, but Project Oscar is strictly vegetarian.

Each organization has a “What we accept” list on their website.

2 –Backyard

Kitty litter bucket with lid, inside plastic trash can with lid. You could do this on a porch or back stairs too.

Article: Rocks Docks & Blocks

ROCK: Nira Rock 22 Nira Ave.

I highly recommend trying out some form of composting or food waste collection. I haven’t had any problems so far and I live in Rat City.

Neighborhood: Jamaica Plain

By: Neil Horsky horskyprojects.com

Quite a cliff, I must say. Plenty of shade below and a view a-top. Orchard adds a touch.

DOCK: Jamaica Pond Pond St. & Jamaicaway Comes with adjacent classy gazebo and boat house. Rent a boat, stay a while why don’cha?

BLOCK: Minton Stable Community Garden Williams St. & Dungarven Rd. A peaceful garden with picnic table abutting a bit of woods. Tucked away. Do your thing.

Bosto

Allston