GET CUCKED THIS JULY
On July 26th, in a secret location only found by direct messaging @Cuckzine on Instagram, you enter a hall of mirrors, your distorted reflection grinning back at you, as the echoed sound of blaring guitars hum in the distance. A sage, hunched over a stack of tarot cards, greets you as you amble through an arch and into an open sale of handmade pottery, second-hand clothes, and personalized prints. Down a descending ramp, you see flashes of strange light within a dark room filled with dancing strangers, all bowing to the drilling sound of electric guitar and pulsating drums.
“So this is Cuckfest,” you think to yourself as you push your way through the crowd of excited concertgoers.
array of photography, poetry, art, writing, and reviews that highlight local acts. It’s like a love letter to the scene. This is where it all started: one person’s love for local art and music in Boston, and an excuse to “share what you love with others” through hosting small shows, which soon became too big for their second-floor apartment. The shows and zine have grown to feature around ten bands at a time, drawing in an audience of around 200 to 400 people. The upcoming Cuck shows, which now occur two times a month, will be held at Spontaneous Celebrations in Jamaica Plain on July 12th and 26th in a mysterious house of God which can only be accessed by Cuckzine on Instagram.
MEET THE ARTIST: PETE MOULTHROP
Pete Moulthrop aka “Bearded Tales Of Woe” is an illustrator and sculptor whose work utilizes a combination of strange humor and the macabre to convey simple narratives and tickle the viewer’s imagination. You have likely encountered some of his work in the wild in the form of event posters around
—Jules Dasey for Cuckzine
WHAT IS MY SOUND?
Cuban Dominican Artist Yelena Rodriguez (known as La Rosa) has been taking over our very own local stages lately. Whether it be to grace us with her vocals, sitting in as a panelist, or taking home awards—the fire within this Latin star isn’t stopping any time soon.
Ever since the release of her single “Diabla,” she’s been working behind the scenes to rebrand herself as an artist in numerous ways. The work first began back in 2019 when she started making music and really putting herself out there. Reluctantly, she wasn’t singing in Spanish and only came across to listeners as R&B. That made the artist sit down and ask herself—”what is my sound?”
La Rosa is the first stage of her rebranding and she is fully diving into this new persona unapologetically. The push behind rebranding came from a business perspective. Friends stepped in for advice but also helped Yelena visualize herself into a light she always saw herself evolving into. Her surrounding community always loved her Spanish versions, which pushed the star to dig a little deeper and eventually stop looking for any titles to define her artistry. As La Rosa, Yelena is living in her truth as a Latin Soul artist and wants to display the depths of that within her passionate music.
Back in 2020, there were always jokes about
changing her stage name. One night after a studio session with Skip 2 Dip Dip, Yelena discovered a song titled “La Rosa’’ which he made just for her. The new song inspired an entire new revamping for the artist who already has plans for the next couple of seasons to display La Rosa more on the creative side.
“I wanna take some time to plan out my projects … which is why I haven’t dropped as much as I have been wanting to lately. Yeah, everyone else is dropping, but I know what’s best for me,” said Yelena.
This summer the artist plans on meeting new producers for collaborations.
Yelena has always realized the importance of a team and is looking for someone who understands her voice and sound to help her elevate musically. This summer it is in the works for Yelena to perform at festivals and shows, even while traveling to Miami, NYC, and Texas. Everywhere that the star visits has been very accepting and Latinheavy themselves with representation—so she is seeking to keep building those strong relationships within Latin platforms.
“I’m evolving music wise and as a human, as people watch they’ll notice a lot of changes when you grow it’s inevitable as things go on. I just hope things continue to elevate,” she said.
-------------------------------------------- POETIC PATTIE
RATED E FOR ETHEREAL
Through the cloud of the æther, a vision emerges…a youth-filled rap crew from Mattapan embraces legacy, and conquers all. Ethereal Visions (EV), the crew led by Ajary Alexandre (AJARY), commands attention and love with their wisened work and presence. With member ages spanning from 16 to 21, their youth belies their commitment to craft and care. From performing for causes and organizations (as they did for the Boston Ujima Project’s April Mattapan Neighborhood Assembly), to blessing stages at theatrical performances and concerts alike, EV continues to show up and show out as an integral part of Boston’s hip-hop community—and as a collective, they continue to explore healthy ways of coming together in brotherhood.
Alula Hunsen, an editor at the Boston Ujima Project, speaks with group members AJARY, Macky Ukiyo, Jassiel Chalas (Jassiel), and Rxot about solidarity and relationshipbuilding as they grow into their shine.
I’ll start with passing the mic to you, AJARY.
AJARY: Live and in effect, live and in effect. [laughing]
I’m curious about your vision for Ethereal Visions, and how you are holding onto that vision—holding onto the dynamic thing as opposed to holding onto the still image, as you would say.
who’s just jumping into music from here on out, understand that there’s gonna be a pipeline of support and encouragement as well as tools to build your resources and to really stay afloat, and that we’re going to be a part of that.
Rxot: To add on to that, solidarity for us is making sure we’re all relying on each other; building that pipeline so everybody has support to make dreams come true. Not just in art, but in life.
AJARY: To me, it’s unity in peace. Yeah. And unity as force. Solidarity is Haitian. Seriously. I’m a Zo.
How do you all approach conflict?
Jassiel: If there’s any disagreement, I just try to not get too emotionally invested in it. There’s gonna be disagreements and there’s gonna be lows; we never take things too personal, and I personally try to take accountability as much as I can. And apologize. And just make sure that it’s known that I still have respect for the other person.
What would you like to leave readers with?
Macky: Stay on pivot, ladies and gentlemen. ‘Cause it’s not gonna get any easier. It’s time to bob and weave a little bit. You know what I’m saying? I’m ready to show ‘em how I’m really like a butterfly with the best wings you’ve ever seen, Goddamnit.
AJARY: The vision that I have for EV is a vision that we all hold together—it’s a vision of a collective future, and we hope to introduce collectivity and solidarity in a more approachable fashion for youth in Boston. I was introduced to both concepts via a [Boston] Ujima meeting, and I thought they were very foundational to our own work—which is why we agreed to this interview. I honestly see [those concepts] as the future. It’s important that we, the people, are looking at each other as the resource and the assets to place the trust in, place the funds in, so we can continue to keep on moving up together.
What does solidarity mean to you all in Boston’s music landscape?
Macky: I hope that we are truly the last generation of Black Bostonian musicians to feel helpless. I’m standing on that. You’ve gotta think about the state of hip hop here. We were getting f*cked with back in the eighties, you feel me? By a plethora of different factors. It’s 2024 now. Anybody
Jassiel: Just do right by your people. Do right by yourself. Because the way you treat yourself, the way you approach the relationship with yourself reflects on everything. Life is your projection. It’s a projection of you. So yeah, just be on it with yourself and be on it with everything, but also enjoy all the fruits that life gives you. You feel me?
AJARY: Rest. Please. Message to the world. Take a breather, n*gga. I know you need it. There’s a lot of serious things going on right now, and if you can take a second to not rush, you’ll be better prepared to handle it all. Word up.
Check out the longer version of this interview on the Boston Ujima Project’s blog page! via www.ujimaboston.com/blog. And keep up with Ujima’s goal of fostering a communitycentered economy and cultural ecosystem in Boston, by and for working-class people of color, via their Instagram --------------------------------------- ALULA HUNSEN
THE SISTAS UPRISING FUND MICROGRANT FINALIST SHOWCASE
“The Sistas Uprising Fund” is a charity project by Sista Creatives Rising (SCR) that helps marginalized women and marginalized genders gain financial support through microgrants. Co-founded by Black disabled mother-daughter duo Claire Jones and Amaranthia Sepia, Sista Creatives Rising developed these microgrants to aid underrepresented creatives who have gone through immense hardship.
During SCR’s 2023 virtual film and art event, “Art & Mind: I Know Who I Am! Journeys of Women of Color & Femme-Expressing Creatives,” sponsored by Brain Arts Org, Dancing Queerly Boston, Mass Cultural Council, and The Puffin Foundation, we fundraised $1,453 to develop seven $200 microgrants. An eighth grant was provided by For All Things Digital. We are not a non-profit—we aim to raise funds so marginalized artists can thrive.
Through an open call, we chose eight artists who submitted to us with the theme “BIWOC & Femme-Expressing Creatives of Color.” The winners include: Caribbean Black Oil Painter Ashley Pemberton (@ AshleyPaint_), Columbia’s American MultiMedia Artist & Art Therapist Brenda Echeverry (@13.m.e & @artandsoulclinic), Native American Bead Artist Dr. Dawn Karima (@DawnKarima), African American Painter Amuri Morris (@Miss.Muri.Art), South Asian & Italian American Creative Sarena Brown (@SarenaBrownie), African American Multi-Media Artist Glynnis Reed (@ GlynnisReedStudio), African American Felt Sculptor Nastassja Swift (@Nastassjaebony), and African American Sculptor Tyra Barnes (@tyra_barnes_).
Readers can view a comprehensive and interactive 3D virtual gallery hosted by Kunstmatrix embedded on the Sista Creatives website (www.sistacreativesrising. com), with image descriptions and alt text for disability accessibility and a 17-minute mini-documentary where each artist delves into their creative process and how the funds will help.
Here are some quotes from our finalists:
“I typically rely on sales in November and December to keep me afloat during the slow months of January and February. Unfortunately, my 2023 didn’t end as expected, and I experienced a drop in income … By March, I was three months late on my mortgage, two months late on my car payment, and behind on all utilities … Support from The Sistas Uprising Fund (is) monumental in helping me bring all my expenses current,” said Nastassja Swift.
“These funds will support me in building a space in my house that will be dedicated to my art-making. I’m hoping to make a studio area in my apartment because renting studio space elsewhere is not accessible due to the high fees and lack of COVID safety measures taken with other artists, alongside the nature of my dynamic disabilities, which sometimes make it difficult to leave my house. Currently, I’m using my kitchen table and a metal utility cart to make art, and it is not the most conducive to sharing a space with roommates, to how my brain works, or how my art works,” said Sarena Brown.
“Last year, I survived a violent attack and trimalleolar fracture that required emergency surgery, two months of traction, physical therapy, and I had to learn to walk again. Since I am immunocompromised, we are still taking every precaution available against Covid-19. Medical costs, loss of income, and the spiritual toll have been terrible. My prescription changed, and I have to buy new eyeglasses so that I can see to create using such tiny seed beads. I would like to create some visual prayers to restore balance and healing so that Hesaketamesse (Breath Giver) will have mercy on us and on the whole world,” said Dr. Dawn Karima.
Go to sistacreativesrising.com/2024recipients to check it all out, and consider donating to our PayPal Donation Page, tinyurl.com/SCRPayPalTips, so that we can continue our passion & community work! Follow us on Instagram and @ sistacreativesrising for updates and more content! ---- SISTA CREATIVES RISING
MASSACHUSETTS MINUTE
There’s a striking resemblance between Boston Rapper Michael Christmas and Baby Huey, a beloved figure in Chicago Soul music history. Regarded by some as one of the most prominent artistic talents of the late 60s, Baby Huey’s music is still received across headphones and stereo systems around the globe nearly five and a half decades following the posthumous release of The Baby Huey Story: The Living Legend.
But it’s not just the music that’s captivating. The charismatic look of Baby Huey, especially as he appears on the aforementioned album’s cover, has continually allured music fans. For Michael Christmas, this particular cover art has had him questioning whether or not he may have some Chicago roots.
Starting out as an occasional Twitter joke, the uncanny likeness of the two has now manifested itself into an album concept. Debuting in mid-June, Unsexy is Michael Christmas’s first full-length release since 2020’s Hiding. According to Christmas on social media, the project itself is heavily inspired by “70’s players and especially my eternal twin BABY HUEY” and contains some of his best raps to-date.
Michael Christmas first burst into the global Hip-Hop scene following the release of his 2014 project Is This Art?. What soon followed were national tours with Logic and Mac Miller, a slew of festival performances, and worldwide critical acclaim. The last several years of Christmas’ career have only gone on to cement his positioning as one of the most capable MCs that Massachusetts has to offer. Despite this sentiment however, he is nowhere near satisfied.
Unsexy is the most well-accomplished Michael Christmas project that we’ve heard thus far. Despite the insane allure of the project’s tracklist—which features the likes of Domo Genesis, Chris Crack, FELIX!, and Connis to name a few—what makes Unsexy especially distinctive is that Christmas is his most confident self. Fueled by 70s-adjacent soundscapes, irresistibly-catchy hooks, and a fiery-relaxed chimera of Hip-Hop stanzas, the entire project pieces together what makes Michael Christmas a revered rapper. Each track takes the listener on a journey. “Not the Birkin” begins with an addictive interpolation of Bill Withers’s “Something That Turns You On,” and explores the tether between materialism and love. “Pimp Juice,” which features Cleveland rapper/ producer Kipp Stone, centers around desire and packages an unrelenting spree of playful, yet poised, raps. The project’s climax is eventually found at its final moments with “Jugglin.’” Featuring Odd Future’s Domo Genesis, the duo of humorous MCs leverage the soulful soundscape to paint a more serious image of who they are at their cores (though Unsexy certainly has more than its fair share of comical moments).
There’s no shortage of potency across Unsexy. There’s also nobody else out there who can replicate what Michal Christmas is capable of accomplishing with a pen and pad. His artistic vision, presence, and skillset have made him an enigmatic figure within this region’s music scene, and it’s safe to say that he isn’t about to slow down his greatness anytime soon.
Michael Christmas Is at His Best
music & audio
7/8 Ultra Deluxe, (T-T)B, Battlemode, Compact Disc Blood Pact @ O'Briens Pub 8pm 21+ $15
7/8 Punk Rockin' and Pastie Poppin' Boston's Monthly Badass Burlesque Punk Rock Dance Party! Started by Dinah DeVille in 2013, PRPP is Boston's monthly Bad-ass Burlesque Show and Punk Rock Dance Party! The Bloodstains and a bunch of hot babes invite you to join us for an evening of studded leathers, ostrich feathers, and everything in between. @ Midway Cafe 9pm 21+ $10
7/9 All 4 U: Boston's Queer Pop Party DJ Mr. 617 playing nonstop ass shakers, Garden Party live, Club VIM dj set @ Zuzu 9pm 21+ FREE
7/10 Poetry vs. Hip-Hop
After a SOLD OUT show in April, Poetry vs. Hip Hop is back by overwhelming demand! This time Team Boston takes on Team Atlanta! @ City Winery 7:30pm $30+
7/10 Fully Celebrated Orchestra with special guests Michael Boezi & The Stipulations + Ricky Stein @ Midway Cafe 7:30pm 21+ $10
7/11 Get To The Gig Boston presents: Invalids take on Japan & Texas w/ Snooze and Clout Chaser @ Warehouse XI 7pm
7/12 4th Wall presents: Pew Pew, Scaffolding, Jim E Brown w/ visuals by: Digital Awareness @ Capitol Theatre 9:30pm 18+ $10
7/18 The Ergs: 20th Anniversary of DORKROCKCORKROD
Celebrate the 20th anniversary of DORKROCKCORKROD with this all-star cavalcade of whimsy @ Crystal Ballroom 7pm
7/18 Joey's Home presents: House Party - HipHop meets EDM Showcase feat. DJ Nexus, Partyboy Woodz, Two3, Manny40handz and many more. Get ready to catch a live vibe and experience the power of music. Our mission is to inspire, entertain and bring people together by building a community through art and music. Remember, "home is where the art is."
@ The Jungle 8pm 21+ $10
(Call 617.547.8300 to take advantage of their Take Five promotion. Tix are only $5!)
Thru 8/4
Shakespeare on the Common Pack a picnic and head to this year’s Shakespeare on the Common for The Winter's Tale, an epic story of jealousy and hope starring some of Boston’s best talent! @ Boston Common 8pm FREE
7/19 Get to the Gig Boston presents: widowdusk | your arms are my cocoon | catalyst | godfuck @ Crystal Ballroom 8pm All Ages $20
7/20 Home Alone Fest Joeys Home Presents: Tori Tori, Neemz, Shaykh Hanif, Latrell James, BML J.R @ The Sinclair 8pm 18+ $25
7/20 Hustle x Bars The long awaited collab showcase! Bars Over Bars Media and Hustle Killer Present Infamous A, Jason Paul, Amir Maxx, DanielRobert, Justocyris, Tearfulwhisper, Janis, Kryptic @ Hustle Killer HQ 8pm-11pm 18+ $10
7/25 NICE, a fest! NICE, is a 4-day local music and art festival in Davis Square, Somerville, presented by Get To the Gig Boston. @ Crystal Ballroom $25$140
7/27 Cambridge Jazz Festival
The annual Cambridge Jazz Festival is back! Two-dayweekend fun with music, marketplace, beer garden, and more. Get your tickets now at https://bit.ly/cjf2024festival.
@ Danehy Park All Ages FREE
Thru 8/24 Gilman Park
Marketplace Small Mart and Winter Hill Brewing bring you the Gilman Park Marketplace, which will take place every other Saturday starting 6/15 through 8/24. We will be rounding up the raddest makers, artisans, and vintage vendors while Winter Hill will be serving up tasty libations to enjoy on a summer’s day!
Vendor Market will run 12pm6pm; Beer Garden will run 12pm8pm @ Space next to Gilman Square T Stop @ All Ages
Thru 8/30 Summer Concerts at Boston Public Library Come by on Wednesdays at 6pm and Fridays at 12:30pm (June to August) to hear a wide variety of Berklee performers in the Library’s Courtyard @ Boston Public Library
Freestyle Clinic Test your cypher skills with this rap community, every last Sunday of the month @ The Middle East 7pm 21+
Wally's Jazz Club Every Night!
At Wally’s, they have live music 365 days a year! They feature three different bands a night, one at 5pm, one at 7pm, and one at 9pm. The first set is typically a jam session and the second and third sets have different music themes depending on the day of the week: Monday: Blues. Tuesday: Funk, Wednesday: Funk, Thursday: Latin Jazz Salsa, Friday: Jazz, Saturday: Jazz, Sunday: Funk. Come vibe at one
of the oldest family owned and operated jazz clubs in existence!
Gentle People Podcast Enjoy a new podcast by local artist, Lilypad booker, and founder of the Mythological Meditation Society Jesse Gallagher
theater & performance art community
Opens 7/1 Janet Planet New England’s own Pulitzer Prize winning playwright Annie Baker makes her surreal feature film debut Janet Planet @ Coolidge Corner Theater @ Kendall Sq Cinema
7/8 Wide Angle BostonSummer Fling Join Wide Angel Boston on the patio of Sam Adams Brewery to mix and mingle with filmmakers! @ Sam Adams Brewery 6:30pm-8:30pm 21+ FREE
Opens 7/12 Kurasawa’s beloved, badass Seventh Samurai gets a 4K restoration for its 70th with the incomparable Toshiro Mifune leading the show @Coolidge
7/17 Cinemarina Grab your beach chairs and head down to the shipyard for a movie night overlooking the Boston skyline that will have you dancing to your seat. @ Boston Harbor Shipyard & Marina 7:30pm-11pm All Ages FREE
7/18 Desperately Seeking Susan Run, don't walk to Harvard Square for director Susan Seidelman’s in-person screening of Desperately Seeking Susan and grab a copy of their new memoir Desperately Seeking Something: A Memoir About Movies, Mothers, and Material Girls @ The Brattle 7:30pm $15 ($46.88 with book)
7/20 Office Killer Cindy Sherman’s stylish and off-kilter feature film debut Office Killer makes a rare appearance @Coolidge After Midnight 11:59pm $15.50
7/29 Total Recall No better Monday night than catching the 1990, scifi cult classic Total Recall starring Schwarzenegger @Coolidge 7pm $14.25
Thru 8/4 Boston French Film Festival is packed with powerful performances by some of France’s favorite female actresses including Marion Cotillard in Little Girl Blue, Juliet Binoche in The Taste of Things and Isabelle Hubert in The Crime is Mine @Museum of Fine Art Boston $15 (includes museum admission)
7/2 Smut Slam A fast-paced storytelling open mic based on REAL life, REAL lust, REAL sex. Consenting Slammers sign up on the night of to tell a 5-minute dirty story, based on their real lives, and a lucky 8-10 names will be drawn at random. A panel of celebrity judges will be on hand to evaluate your stories, and bestow the top three Slammers with a sack of sexy swag from Good Vibrations Harvard Square . You will also have the opportunity to win goodies from NJOY by submitting your anonymous questions and confessions! @ Arts at the Armory 7:30pm9:30pm $10 suggested donation
7/11 Roslindale Comedy presents: Emily Ruskowski an incredible comic with the funniest material around! @ The Square Root Cafe 8pm-10pm $10
7/22 Rikki Dixx Presents: Some Like It Hot Top (2000s Burlesque & Drag Event) Starring: Ava Ryss, Faelien Bean, Gwentialia, Hazel Hellcat, Indigo Switch, James Bondage, Mx Matched Socks, Rikki Dixx, Sherman, Thick Lizzy Weather D'lay @ Midway Cafe 8:30pm 21+ $10
Thru 8/4 The Great Gatsby The most famous, fabulous and tragic tale of the American Dream goes from book to film to musical in the American Repertory Theater’s Gatsby @Loeb Drama
Thru 8/10 Eliana Pipes' new play HOOPS celebrates the history of Black, Latine, and Indigenous culture via the hoop earring and all it symbolizes @ The Strand Theatre FREE with Pay-What-You-Want tickets Feel It Speak It Open Mic You can now find this community open mic at the Civic Pavilion on the Congress St side of Boston City Hall Plaza on every 2nd Sunday of the month! Visit @feelit_speakit on Instagram for more details.
7/6 Select Markets presents: Vintage Clothing Pop-up Market Our biggest event of the year is here!! We stepped it up with 40+ vendors, tooth gems, tats, live DJs, free yerba, and more! @ Arts at the Armory 12pm-6pm
7/10 Boston Ujima Project presents: Afro Flow Yoga Workshop Join our circle for a workshop led by Afro Flow Yoga® certified teacher, Gina Onayiga and Jeff W. Jones. Afro Flow Yoga® was founded by Leslie Salmon Jones and her husband Jeff. Gina is also a licensed clinical social worker and aims to serve her community spiritual food that connects the mind to the body. @ Jo Mé Dance Studio @ 6pm-8pm FREE
7/13 Boston Little Saigon Night Market Night markets are outdoor street festivals that include food vendors, artisan/ merchandise vendors, games, entertainment and photo ops. They are found all over Vietnam and are beloved experiences by locals and tourists. @ Fields Corner, Dorchester @ 4pm9:30pm All Ages FREE
7/14 The Vegan Market The Vegan Market was founded in 2018 with a desire for a place for everyone to find vegan food and goods in one place. We want to create a regular marketplace for vegan makers, bakers, and cooks to convene with their biggest fans from around New England. Supporting small & local businesses is also super important to us! @ Arts at the Armory 11am-4pm All Ages
7/15 Ujima Fund Virtual Town Hall The Boston Ujima Project warmly invites you to join us at our town hall meeting. We’re excited to share updates on the Ujima Fund’s latest investments, introduce our delegates, and discuss our strategic plans. @ 6pm-8pm
7/20 3rd Annual Summer Slam
A free outdoor party with a shit ton of local vendors and vinyl DJs, hell yea! Ft. The Glitter Boys @ Herter Park 5pm-11pm FREE
7/21 Open Streets Boston: Jamaica Plain Centre Street from Lamartine to South Street will be closed to traffic to allow for block party festivities @ 10:30am-5pm FREE
7/27 Black Market Nubian presents: Summer of Love
For the past three years, our beautiful community has come together for an unforgettable block party in Nubian Square! From long-time neighbors to new friends, everyone gathered to celebrate, connect, and spread the love. Join us to shop, dance, connect and enjoy a day filled with culture, special musical performances, a new mural unveiling and more! Show up and show out in your flyest 70’s, 80’s & 90’s inspired attire to honor the dynamic synergy of Disco, Rap, House, and Club. @ Black Market Nubian 12pm8pm All Ages
7/28 Sol Fest Midsummer Feast and Fundraiser Mid-Summer Feast and Fundraiser feat. Erin Harpe, Country Blues Duo, and more. Farm-to-table buffet and barbecue, local farm fare, games, creative arts, cash bar, and mocktails. $20 kids, $35-50 sliding scale adults; tickets include food from 4-7pm @ Spontaneous Celebrations 3pm-10pm All Ages
Thru 9/1 FOUND presents: BLOCK PARTY Join us every Saturday from 12pm to 5pm (starting June 22nd) this summer at the FOUND in Central Square block party! To celebrate the extension of our two storefronts until the end of 2024, we’re blocking off Columbia Street (from Main Street to Bishop Allen drive) and throwing a block party all summer long! Enjoy food and beverages from local establishments with live music giving you a summer worthy soundtrack. @ 12pm-5pm
Thru 9/2 The Boston Parks Fitness Series Free All-Levels Bootcamp every Saturday at different parks from May 7 - Sept 2. All are welcome! For more information and cancellations, check FB and Twitter at @bostonparksdept and @healthyboston @ 9am All Ages FREE
What's Happening Boston
Follow for fun things to do in Boston! Use this resource to plan your week. Check their IG stories every day for unique events #bostonhapps #blackowned @whatshappening_boston
opportunities advocacy
Boston Liberation Center Open
Hours The Boston Liberation Center is a socialist, working class community center located right in the heart of Roxbury. Stop by to learn more about the work of the center and talk with the organizers, browse the community library, get some work done or just hang out!
Tues & Thurs 4-8pm, Fri 1-6pm, Saturdays 10-4pm.
Artspark is a communitypowered event series based in the greater Boston area. Through dynamic live music events and community classes, Artspark creates a pipeline for artists and creative professionals to build success at all stages of their career. We aim to provide accessible music programming that takes the power and privilege out of the creative arts. Follow them at @artsparkboston
Experience Chinatown Arts Festival: Call for Performers
Pao Art Center is looking for musicians, dancers and others to perform at the festival this September. For all the details and to apply visit linktr.ee/ paoartscenter.
Black Film Space Short Film
Grant The Proof of Concept Film
Grant is seeking one short film script under 15 minutes/paes that aims to serve as a preview for feature film or episodic series. $10,000. Apply at linktr.ee/ blackfilmspace
Work with Boston Art Review
BAR seeks an Operations & Marketing Manager, a full-time hybrid position with benefits and a starting salary of $58-$60K. Visit linktr.ee/bostonartreview to apply.
Dunamis Boston Resource Roundup A thorough list of grants, jobs, events, opportunities and workshops for artists and creatives in the Boston area. Check it out at dunamisboston. org/resource-roundup
Call for Submissions: Bostoninspired art and writing The Quinobequin Review, a local print-only lit journal, is accepting submissions for their Fall 2024 issue. They are looking for contributions that investigate the relationship between where we live and who we are... the weirder and more specific, the better. Submit through the link in their bio on Instagram (@quinobequinreview). Submissions are reviewed on a rolling basis.
Design Gym Classes with ds4si Reading Groups, Mapping Public Infrastructures, Intro to Sneaker Restoration and Customization, Taiko Drumming, Civic Design,
Community Archiving…. This semester, da4si is deepening their collective study of aesthetic justice. Communities of color have long been asked to live in other people’s spatial imaginaries. Now is the time to engage BIPOC communities as co-designers of new community infrastructures!
Suffering For Your Art by Donna Martinez
Prep by Maya Escobar
So You Make Comics? by Eva Carrillo
YAMB by Bithiah Holton
@bithiahsart
Catalina's Transit Dispatches by Catalina Rufin @fairywarriorcat '
THE GLUTTON REPORTS
ITALIAN COMBO
Encased between Somerville and Cambridge like the vein of vegetable ash in semi-soft Morbier cheese, The Wine and Cheese Cask is a treasure chest for the palate. Found on the intersection of Washington and Beacon Street, the store offers a library of wine, beer, and spirits alongside a robust showcase of pre-cut and to-becut cheeses and meats. Some have even dubbed this specific cross section of the city as the “Greater Wine and Cheese Cask Area” or “GWACCA,” a small mecca to locals looking for eats from well-established institutions such as Savenor’s Market, Dali, and the Cask itself.
And while it is difficult to find online historical records of the store, you can find full-page ads for the “Wine Cask” in The Harvard Crimson that date back to 1970. Cheeses upon cheeses are advertised in the old listing, with promises to secure wheels at peak ripeness if a customer called ahead. More than fifty years later, you can still order at the store’s long-standing deli counter.
Whether you’re crafting a sammich or looking for raclette, you can rely on the Cask’s cheesemongers. Unsure of yourself and your dairy desires? Master Cheesemonger Andy will regale you with tales of producers as local as Lazy Lady’s secluded goat farm in Vermont and as far away as the breezy Parma countryside of Northern Italy. And as one Reddit user claims, the Cask’s deli counter is also the place to obtain “perfectly imagined sandwiches.”
The Glutton Reports: A popular and straightforward sandwich is the Cask’s Italian Combo, which can be made in less than 90 seconds. At $11 a pop, the portions are not paltry.
The assemblage is as follows. First, fresh ciabatta from Iggy’s is sliced open and splashed with housemade Italian dressing. A healthy heap of arugula, green peppers, red onion, and silky, marinated red pep
prosciutto, mortadella, and hot capocollo—and two slices of provolone. Behold man’s tasteful tribute to the supply chain. The cheesemonger closes the ciabatta like a chapter book and slices it in half before wrapping it up in deli paper and proclaiming to the store, “ITALIAN COMBO!”
You unwrap your gift. The Italian Combo is a house party with characters you want to bite at and explore, and every exchange is comfortable. The chew of the ciabatta and mélange of thin-sliced, salty meats is balanced with the soft, subtle cheese and varied vegetables. At times, you are left with nostalgia for the bite you just had. And maybe you can’t even stop yourself from eating a second half. At the last edges of the sandwich, there is a subtle excess of dressing. After your tongue has been wined and dined, this balsamic on bread is but simple communion.
But readers, be sure to take proper spiritual precautions (and avoid the Amontillado). Frequent the Cask too often and you may start dreaming of spooning a buttery brie into your mouth like it was creamy, yellow wedding cake. You may even begin to describe certain cheeses as “nutty.” And when it’s far too late, the cheesemonger will appear to you like The VVitch’s Black Phillip and ask, “Wouldst thou like to live deliciously?”
RE-IMAGINING MATTAPAN TOO ESSENTIAL TO CLOSE
Editor's Note: The following article is being reprinted as part of a collaboration between the Boston Compass and Teens in Print, a writing program created to amplify the marginalized voices of eighth to twelfth grade Boston students. This piece was originally published on the Teens in Print website in May 2024, and was edited for length and clarity.
From visiting community gardens in Mattapan to riding on bike trails forbidden from being constructed in fear of connecting communities, neighborhood outings with organizations like the Boston Ujima Project bring communities together to solve important issues affecting all of us.
On a sunny Saturday morning at the end of April, a group of bikers gathered at Mattapan station for a bike ride. With the evening being filled with smiles and laughs, my colleagues Ketura, Gloria, and I had the opportunity to explore the neighborhood of Mattapan riding bikes while listening to our guide Shavel’le Oliver share unheard stories of the reimaginings of Mattapan being birthed into a reality.
a DJ on set, a station where you can help paint a community mural, and a place to buy your tree, the garden had far more to offer than just camaraderie. After exiting, Shavel’le explained to us that empty lots seen around the city for years in neighborhoods like Mattapan were exactly what the garden existed as before, a product of the city’s neglect. Shavel’le explained that empty lots around the city are direct outcomes of the City of Boston neglecting these spaces. When we mobilize and come together, she said, neglected spaces can transform into community gardens that have the power to feed a community while combating other issues such as food insecurity and food deserts in the Boston area.
At around 11:45 am, riders gathered at the Mattapan station being greeted by Shavel’le, the organizer of the bike ride. Shavel’le helped riders navigate through not only bike paths but also how to work a bike’s gears when going up steep hills and bridges. Biking from Mattapan, the tour took riders down River Street stopping by a community event taking place inside a community garden, hidden behind a line of condos. Parking our bikes by the entrance, everyone quickly toured the garden. With
After visiting the community garden, Shavel’le led us into the Neponset Greenway Trail beginning back at the Mattapan station where we would ultimately be spending the rest of our time together. On the trail, bikers rode through Mattapan, passing behind a playground and cruising along the Neponset River. As we made our way through the end of Mattapan, we found ourselves in the intersection of a trolley crossing between Lower Mills and ended our bike tour in Milton down the street from a Bank of America.
MYA BENTICK
MEET THE ARTIST AMYA MESHELLE
was Amya Meshelle, a multidisciplinary LGBTQ visual artist, painter, and creative who was born and raised in inner-city Brockton MA.
Through my work I aim to highlight emotional themes, creating discourse and connection through shared vulnerability. Living as a biracial, queer and disabled artist—I’ve often struggled with my mental health and identity. Art has become an outlet for self expression and a way to communicate with myself and others.
Growing up, I was always drawn to artistic outlets but didn’t have the knowledge and resources to truly navigate ways to incorporate art into my life. I didn’t understand that making art and being a creative was something I could do as a career, until the COVID-19 pandemic. The world saw a massive influx of creative expression through the lens of small businesses, and individual creatives sharing their work online. I, alongside many other
people, was inspired to learn new skills and turn their hobbies or interests into lucrative businesses and careers.
At first, I decided that I wanted to try something new, not expecting to fall in love with painting and the art of creating. I loved how good it felt to have something that was for me, and the way art has pushed me to be a better version of myself by motivating me to fulfill a greater purpose through my passion. Art for me is more than just a hobby or skill set, it’s a vessel for communicating big emotions, and vital to maintaining my sense of self. Through experimenting with different mediums ranging from painting, stamp making, photography, graphic art and more, I’ve come to realize how limitless creating can be, and how labeling myself as a Visual Artist & Creative allows me the freedom to maneuver in my creative expression instead of boxing me into a category of expectation.
AMYA MESHELLE
The featured artist for the Boston Compass’ June issue (#170)