Reverend Dr. John L. Scott Celebrates 50 Years

L-R: Rev. Dr. Allan Paul Weaver, Rev. Patrice Wilson, Rev. Dr. Gail Badger, Minister Noreen Jackson, Rev. Dr. Scott, First Lady Minnie Scott, Rev. Dr. Cheryl Lynn Womble, Rev. Iris Cole Crosby, Rev. Geraldine Harris, Pastor Calvin Kendricks, Pastor Gloria Winne, and Rev. Lee A. Arrington

Reverend Dr. John L. Scott Celebrates 50 Years as Pastor of St. John’s Baptist Church Harlem, NY

Luminaries from the Baptist Church and New York community leaders gathered to honor Rev. Dr. John Luster Scott at the Grand Slam Banquet Hall in Harlem on September 17, 2022 on his 50th anniversary of pastoring St. John’s Baptist Church in Central Harlem. Committed to the struggle for civil rights and service to humanity, Dr. Scott’s history of accomplishments is extensive. A life-long soldier on the civil rights trail, he has stood up against many injustices, among them the war in Iraq, the murders of Amadou Diallo and Sean Bell, and others as chair of the Social Action Committee. He has received many awards including The W.A. Jones Social Justice Award by National Action Network (NAN). He was inducted into The Martin Luther King Chapel at Morehouse College as a “King Fellow,” and recently cited as an “Outstanding Alumnus” Achievement recipient by New York Theological Seminary.

As a family-oriented people’s church, St. John’s produces community outreach initiatives including a Thanksgiving dinner that feeds all who come into its doors. The Wilson Major Morris Community Center, located directly across the street from the church, offers housing, a weekly lunch program, flea market, affordable snacks, and free Wi-Fi. Future plans include a seven-story residential building with an active community center.

Under his leadership, St. John’s Baptist Church continues as a congregation of loving and caring people, both young and old.

L-R: NYS Assembly Member Al Taylor, Rev Dr. Lee A. Arrington, Rev. Dr. Allan Paul Weaver, District Leader Maria Luna, First Lady Nettie Jean Weaver, Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine, Sharon Josephs, and Dr. Lisa Matthews L-R: First Lady Minnie Scott, Rev. Dr. John Scott, Rev. Al Sharpton, District Leader Maria Luna, Rev Dr. Lee A. Arrington, and Manhattan D.A. Alvin Bragg

Education

the art + science of learning

Bethune-Cookman University President Dr. Lawrence M. Drake II

Bethune-Cookman University Damaged by Hurricane Ian

The Daytona Beach, Florida university, evacuated prior to the Hurricane Ian’s landfall over concerns about the safety of their students, faculty, staff, and alumni. A category four storm, Hurricane Ian made landfall on September 28, 2022, leaving behind downed trees and other debris littering the beautiful campus and significantly damaging some buildings. Closed for over two weeks, classes resumed at Bethune Cookman (B-C U) on October 17th .

Bethune-Cookman University, founded by pioneering educator Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune, began as the Daytona Literary and Industrial Training School for Negro Girls in 1904. The school merged with the Cookman Institute in 1925 and kept growing, achieving university status in 2007. Today, over 2,700 students are enrolled in 45 degree programs.

Interim President Lawrence Drake said that students and faculty were eager to resume classes and campus life, despite this most recent challenge. “You know, one of the things that we are coping with as we bring our students back is the emotional trauma that something like this has created. And so we have extra counseling on standby.”

The school is working closely with FEMA and the US Secretary of Education to make any remaining repairs, according to Drake. “Secretary Cardona reached out and certainly has extended their help in any way they can. We are obviously working with FEMA through our state and federal lobbyists and we certainly are going to apply for FEMA support. We are trying to make our way back infrastructure-wise.”

The university is starting to develop its master plan to fortify facilities for future climate change driven weather events. To help defray costs of repairs and improvements, a fundraising campaign of tax-deductible donations has been created. A donation to this worthy cause, the B-CU Hurricane Ian Relief Fund, can be made by phone by calling 386.481.2966 or mail donations to: ATTN: Institutional Advancement Bethune-Cookman University 640 Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune Blvd Daytona Beach, FL 32114

Newark Board of Education Superintendent Roger León

Leading into the Next Decade: Where Passion Meets Progress

By NEED A BYLINE

Photos courtesy The Newark Board of Education

A TEN-YEAR STRATEGIC PLAN, THE NEXT DECADE: 2020–30

The Newark Board of Education began its transition to local control in 2018, beginning with the appointment of Superintendent of Schools Roger León. In the first year, after a forensic audit of the district, the superintendent and Board created and implemented a one-year strategic plan called NPS Clarity 2020, providing a bridge “from our past to our future.” That plan included a massive engagement effort, involving district employees, unions, local businesses, universities, foundations, elected officials, and civic organizations as well as parents and students. The discussion was to reestablish control and pride in the City’s public schools, and reaffirm the district’s commitment that Newark’s schools provide an excellent education for all of their students.

In 2020, in the depths of the pandemic, the Board and Superintendent León synthesized that work into a ten-year strategic plan, The Next Decade: 2020-30. “The length of the plan reflects the amount of work to be done,” Superintendent Leon says. He explains: “The Next Decade: 2020–30 is a comprehensive roadmap that guides the priorities and strategies that will best help us fulfill our mission and vision over the next ten years.”

The superintendent’s vision, as stated in the plan, is bold: “to build a new educational ecosystem that delivers a worldclass education to every child in the City of Newark.”

The plan depicts it in a full-page diagram showing students’ progression from “conception to cradle” to “age 3 to grade 3” to “the bridge to high school success,” and then to college and career. It shows that graduates “return, reinvigorate, and reinvest” in the schools; and that the district itself, as a model of continuous learning, will “research, reflect, and respond” as it evolves.

On the left side of the logic model are the twelve keys to unlocking this new educational ecosystem, and those keys are: parents, families, students, community, early childhood

First Annual Barringer High School Carpentry Graduation Ceremony

centers, elementary schools, magnet and comprehensive high schools, business partners, social services, elected officials, higher education, community and faith-based organizations, co-curricular and extended learning experiences, gifted and talented programs, adult and alternative education, and career, and technical education. On the right side of the diagram, but an integral part of the ecosystem, are the “game changers.” In the earliest years, the game changers are prenatal care, health care, daycare, and access to early childhood education; at age 3 to grade three, they are access to high school and wraparound services; at grade 6 to 9, access to higher education; in high school, access to college, college credits, dual enrollment, apprenticeships, internships, mentorships, and industry certifications; and thereafter, alumni associations, coaching, networking, and jobs. The keys and game changers are all interconnected, and all play a role in the plan to cultivate the relationships, resources, and opportunities every child needs to achieve their full potential in the 21st century.

The district’s high schools are the anchor, its center and greatest attraction in the transformation of the school system. Superintendent León’s high school redesign strategy includes reciprocal relationships between its comprehensive and magnet high schools, so each comprehensive offers the instructional program of a magnet partner in its own specialized academy. Premier academies have been established at the comprehensive high schools with higher education institutions and professional organizations in the areas of business and finance, allied health, teacher education, law and public safety, environmental studies, and engineering.

cont’d from page NA

Rally against Bullying

In addition, four new high schools have opened in the last three years: Newark School of Global Studies, with its diplomacy academy focused on Arabic and Chinese; Newark School of Fashion and Design, powered by Parsons School of Design; Newark School of Data Science & Information Technology fueled by Novartis; and Newark Vocational High School, with its culinary, travel and tourism, and graphic arts academies. This latter high school had been previously closed under state operation and is now flourishing under local control.

In addition to opening four new high schools, four new elementary schools opened (Michelle Obama, Sir Isaac Newton, East Ward, and Ironbound Academy). Part of the plan, still under consideration, is the establishment of feeder patterns connecting elementary schools with partner high schools, with coordinated academic programs and continuous enrollment from pre-kindergarten through grade 12. This has already begun in some schools: students at Sir Isaac Newton Elementary School are guaranteed enrollment at Science Park High School, and students at the Michelle Obama Elementary School are guaranteed enrollment at University High School. The objective is to create at least one elementary school in every ward that is an automatic feeder pattern to a magnet high school with the option of attending a different school based on choice. This is why the expansion of all of the elementary schools through grade 8 was critical and now the following schools have joined the rest of the elementary schools in Newark with students enrolled through grade 8: Harriet Tubman, Roberto Clemente, Franklin, Salome Ureña, and East Ward. While this expansion has been critical in the middle grades, we know that under state operation prekindergarten seats were eliminated throughout the south ward and other schools throughout the city, denying seats in preferred district schools at an early age. However, the local control board has increased such seats in the South Ward and throughout the city, and enrollment is on the rise.

Perhaps the most distinctive part of the ecosystem is the Conception to Cradle to Grade 3 Consortium, a partnership of county, state, and city leaders in healthcare, social services, and education serving Newark’s youngest learners. The Consortium collaborates, plans, and pools resources to support the implementation of the game changers—prenatal care, health care, daycare, and early childhood education—with the goal that all children will be reading by grade 3. Its first initiative was to assign educators—Newark Public Schools employees—to the prenatal and obstetric units of the City’s hospitals to provide the earliest possible educational support to children, and their families. This is already underway. “It is intentionally a long road,” says Board President Dawn Haynes, “but we are well on our way.” She added, “Schools are opening or re-opening or expanding. Enrollment is the highest in decades. Graduation rates are at an all-time high. Students are receiving college scholarships at unprecedented levels. And, we are only at the start of Year Three of the strategic plan.”

The global pandemic took its toll on students and families, and quite frankly all of us, and the impact on student achievement is unlike any catastrophic event in our history. Research shows that in districts of color and lower-income communities, it will take over five years to make up for pandemic-related missed learning and learning loss. While this heightens the challenge, Newark’s plan remains steadfast and focused on the priorities and strategies outlined in the strategic plan. Interestingly, one strategy in The Next Decade is to develop a hybrid learning plan, and by Year 3 to share and document best practices of remote learning and develop a sustainable model for responsive training and technical assistance that supports staff, students, and parents. The pandemic forced the district to implement that strategy.

We encourage you to visit the district’s website and watch a three-minute video that invites prospective students and staff to the Newark Public Schools. Over a collage of school work and activities, the student narrator says with enthusiasm, “Calling our future! Calling all artists, believers, deep thinkers, pioneers, poets, those who shift the culture deeper into the real, the authentic, the true… those who believe in excellence and know there is still a long way to go… This is the place to be. Welcome to the Newark Public Schools! Let’s go to work!”

Where Passion Meets Progress.

Revitalizing Newark’s Revitalizing Newark’s Black Barbary Coast Black Barbary Coast

Lincoln Park Coast Cultural District’s 20th Anniversary Lincoln Park Coast Cultural District’s 20th Anniversary

By Barry Carter | Photos By Tamara Fleming By Barry Carter | Photos By Tamara Fleming

A A nthony Smith didn’t know what to expect. He was sitting in the middle of Newark’s Lincoln Park, on a sunny Monday morning taking direction on how to connect with the audience who would see this portrait. nthony Smith didn’t know what to expect. He was sitting in the middle of Newark’s Lincoln Park, on a sunny Monday morning taking direction on how to connect with the audience who would see this portrait. “I want you to think about the purpose of why you are “I want you to think about the purpose of why you are here,’’ said Tamara Fleming, a well-known Newark based here,’’ said Tamara Fleming, a well-known Newark based photographer. photographer. It was obvious to Smith, the executive director of It was obvious to Smith, the executive director of Lincoln Park Coast Cultural District (LPCCD). A Newark Lincoln Park Coast Cultural District (LPCCD). A Newark non-profit organization celebrating 20 years of work that non-profit organization celebrating 20 years of work that has transformed this neighborhood through the arts, has transformed this neighborhood through the arts, culture and music. culture and music. At the southern end of Broad Street, people leisurely At the southern end of Broad Street, people leisurely walked through the park on this day, some stopping to see walked through the park on this day, some stopping to see what was going on. A family set out a blanket for a picnic. what was going on. A family set out a blanket for a picnic. One child rode a bicycle, the other a scooter.. Nestled One child rode a bicycle, the other a scooter.. Nestled between the trees strings of bistro lights sparkle through between the trees strings of bistro lights sparkle through the park at night. Seasonal pop-up art will soon dangle the park at night. Seasonal pop-up art will soon dangle from the thick cable that connects them, another visible from the thick cable that connects them, another visible sign that there’s a lot to delight in this neighborhood sign that there’s a lot to delight in this neighborhood where 60,000 people gather annually for a three-day music where 60,000 people gather annually for a three-day music festival. festival. “When you’re in the community and you see it from “When you’re in the community and you see it from that lens, you see how beautiful the community is,’’ Smith that lens, you see how beautiful the community is,’’ Smith said. “You can see it as a gem.” said. “You can see it as a gem.” It is a crown jewel rooted in a rich historical legacy It is a crown jewel rooted in a rich historical legacy that cannot be forgotten. It’s an enclave Smith has tried to that cannot be forgotten. It’s an enclave Smith has tried to make better than it was before he became the organizations make better than it was before he became the organizations leader eight years ago. leader eight years ago.

Anthony Smith Anthony Smith Executive Director Executive Director Lincoln Park Coast Lincoln Park Coast Cultural District Cultural District

Surrounded by mansions and brownstones, the grassy shaded city square and neighborhood is one of Newark’s three original downtown parks. The others, Washington and Military anchor the northern end of the Broad Street. Lincoln Park, however, had notoriety during the early 20th century. It was known as the Coast, a nickname earned in the 1920s and 1930s when Black businesses and jazz clubs lit up the booming nightlife on Halsey Street. After performances in New York, jazz musicians made their way to the Coast, where Lincoln Park reigned as the center of African-American life. Within that historical footprint, Lincoln Park was also home to New Jersey’s first television station, WATV Channel 13, which debuted on May 15, 1948 from studios at The Mosque Theater, now known as Newark Symphony Hall. When Dr. Theresa Hooper Marshall, a longtime resident, opens the time capsule to this era, she has vivid childhood memories of wealthy families going in and out of the stately homes around the park. “I used to have my blanket and watch people in limousines from the big families, not knowing that area would deteriorate,” Hooper Marshall said. Lincoln Park lost its splendor and style when the 1967 Newark rebellion left the city in ruin. Residents fled to the suburbs, giving up homes that became abandoned and dilapidated. Urban blight set in and during the decades that followed, the landscape took on a new appearance with open air drug sales, prostitution, and a sense of hopelessness.

“The neighborhood was off the grid,’’ Smith said. “It kind of felt like the community that was forgotten.” That is until community activists, legislators and stakeholders came together in the late 1990s. They met in each other’s homes to reclaim an iconic gateway no longer recognizable as Newark. The late Rutgers University Professor and historian Clement A. Price, who lived in Lincoln Park, was a key player. So were activists’ Fredrica Bey and the late poet and activist Amiri Baraka, who had the foresight for an organization that would restore Lincoln Park to its glory through the arts, culture and music. From those early charettes, the Lincoln Park Coast Cultural District was born in 2002 to reimagine the historical neighborhood with creative place making, a concept where art and culture bring about community change. Hooper Marshall, the founding chair, recruited Baye Adofo-Wilson, the first LPCCD executive director. He steered the hybrid organization toward housing and economic development to address issues impacting a

neighborhood with hidden treasures that needed to be unpacked and rediscovered. “This neighborhood had the bones historically to be an amazing community, but the whole ecosystem was broken,’’ said Smith, a Newark native, whose life has been dedicated to this work. The goal was simple: build a strong, resilient community through its people while taking the long road in redevelopment to ensure that Lincoln Park is around when future generations reside there. “You don’t want something that’s going to be gone in “Community-based organizations are our boots on the five years,’’ said Smith. “When people look back 20 years, ground. Organizations like Lincoln Park Coast Cultural they’ll say, ‘Wow, this is how you really build a sustainable District advocate for the needs of the community, dictate community.’’’ how we deploy our resources, and empower residents LPCCD was on its way before nearly shutting its doors and stakeholders to get engaged and take charge of their when the economy crashed in 2008. The recession affected own blocks. We also partner with the municipality such grant funding LPCCD received from foundations. Homes as City of Newark Office of Sustainability and Department it had built lost value and the organization’s debt seemed of Public Works. It’s a win-win for all.” insurmountable. To survive, even as it somehow built

When Lincoln Park Coast Cultural District issued the 68 units of housing during that time, LPCCD shifted call for partners to take back a desolate and dark space temporarily from its mission to design and develop a vibrant behind the historic New Ark Cathedral Church (known comprehensive arts district. “When we were crippled, I felt as La Vid Verdadera en La Catedral New Ark, Lincoln like we were on one leg, like a three-legged stool,’’ Smith Park) and Dryden Mansion, the Love Tito’s giving arm of said. “We were trying to figure it out.’’ Tito’s Handmade Vodka put resources in action. As a seed The organization generated revenue differently to funder, along with City of Newark Office of Sustainability’s maintain a neighborhood presence. It ventured into Love Your Block, Crawford Street Partners, and others, property management, job training and economic they helped the non-profit actualize the Lincoln Park empowerment programs and residents walked away with Gallery Without Walls Alley Reclamation Project. skills in weatherization, solar panel and geo thermal

Prior to the opening of The Willows at Symphony insulation. LPCCD launched a community farm along the Hall, “Little Five Points” was a dimly lit, desolate strip way, and kicked off the popular Lincoln Park Music Festival with little residential foot traffic leading to the park itself. Now, Lincoln Park has lighting, thanks to the Newark City Parks Foundation and PSE&G. PSE&G works with LPCCD by implementing LED technology with street lighting in the park and at identified intersections where there is an opportunity to improve the lighting. The enhanced lighting improves areas that were dark and supports LPCCD neighborhood safety initiatives. “PSEG and the PSEG Foundation are committed to helping build thriving and sustainable neighborhoods by empowering and investing in the many diverse communities we serve,” said Director of Corporate Social Responsibility and PSEG Foundation President Calvin Ledford. “We are pleased to help LPCCD improve the lighting in the park and help make the community safer for all.” PSE&G has also advocated, with the help of LPCCD, for Lincoln (L–R) Anthony Smith; Susan Austin, Director of Operations and Real Estate Development; and Mozell Baker, Finance AssistantLincoln Park Coast Cultural District Park area energy efficiency programs that can benefit residents, small businesses, non-profit, and government agencies throughout the city. The Newark City Parks Foundation, whose mission is to encourage the City of Newark to use their neighborhood parks by offering community-building programs that bring people into their local green spaces, installed semi-permanent bistro lights for the next three-years, which encourage residents to increase usage of our park. These key funders, along with the City of Newark’s Creative Catalyst Fund, The State of New Jersey’s Neighborhood Preservation Program, Valley Bank, Provident Bank, Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield New Jersey, TD Bank, Fedway, and many more support the organization and have anchored its programming to ensure the park and surrounding neighborhood come alive each season, like a good harvest. Kim J. Ford is a published journalist/content creator, producer of the annual Lincoln Park Music Festival; founder of BRND Marketing Group LLC and proud Lincoln Park resident.

that has been around for 15 years. We relied on our skill set to keep the engine moving forward,’’ Smith said. They strengthened relationships with residents using a 10-year neighborhood plan and leaned on its many community partners, chief among them Prudential Financial. This anchor institution in Newark has been with LPCCD from the outset, providing some $2 million in grants along with technical expertise from senior level executives to help the organization with strategic marketing and communication. But even with this corporate giant in its corner, challenging times lay head for LPCCD, a Black Indigenous People of Color (BIPOC) organization with limited resources. The Covid-19 pandemic struck, forcing LPCCD to regroup again and figure out the best course to sustain and grow the community. With every milestone and setback, LPCCD managed to forge ahead and develop more than 100 units of residential and mixed use projects totaling more than $40 million. “The Lincoln Park Coast Cultural District is a pillar in the Newark Community,” said Shané Harris, president of The Prudential Foundation. “We were one of their early supporters and remain committed to helping them elevate opportunities for residents through the arts and inclusive economic development.” Newark Mayor Ras Baraka, with his father’s insight, recognizes how critical Lincoln Park is to the city’s downtown development. In June, the mayor created the Newark Arts and Education District and Lincoln Park is included. “Since its inception, the Lincoln Park Coast Cultural District has been working diligently and with passion to bring about a transformation on the southern end of Broad Street that will leave an enduring footprint for generations to come in the Lincoln Park neighborhood,” Baraka said. “With the arts and cultural programming as the driving economic engine, LPCCD has not wavered over the last 20 years to create a vibrant community with housing that residents want to call home. “This is why I included Lincoln Park in the Newark Arts and Education District. That district will enhance the downtown arts and educational institutions, galleries, parks, public art, and restaurants that contribute to the city’s cultural legacy and inclusive economic development.” LPCCD is a destination now, a place for people to work, live and play.

LINCOLN PARK Revitalizing Newark’s cont’d from previous page Black Barbary Coast Lincoln Park Coast Cultural District’s 20th Anniversary By Barry Carter | Photos By Tamara Fleming (L–R) Anthony Smith and Warren R. Thompson, Jr., Community Organizing and Engagement Lead for Lincoln Park Coast Cultural District All one has to do is look around. Families walk their dogs and sit on the grass and residents frequent the neighborhood bodegas. The therapeutic community – Integrity House and Cura Inc—has always been there A nthony Smith didn’t know what to expect. He was sitting in the middle of Newark’s Lincoln Park, on a sunny Monday morning taking direction on how to connect with the audience who would see this portrait. utilizing the park when it moved into the mansions during the troubled years. Remember those bistro lights? LPCCD introduced them to the park last Christmas, and they are not going anywhere anytime soon. “We all need light. No one wants to be in the dark,’’ Smith said. “The lights shift the “I want you to think about the purpose of why you are trajectory of how people see themselves and what they here,’’ said Tamara Fleming, a well-known Newark based think.” They are welcoming, providing a sense of safety to photographer. the neighborhood. People can look out of their windows It was obvious to Smith, the executive director of and see who is in the park. Demographically, the Lincoln Lincoln Park Coast Cultural District (LPCCD). A Newark Park experience is home to 3,500 to 4,000 Black and non-profit organization celebrating 20 years of work that Latino residents, a diverse intergenerational mix of young has transformed this neighborhood through the arts, people, seniors, and artists. More projects, however, are in culture and music. the pipeline, namely a 60-unit development behind the At the southern end of Broad Street, people leisurely column façade that serves as an entry point to Lincoln Park walked through the park on this day, some stopping to see on Broad Street. The “I Am Lincoln Park” project is on the what was going on. A family set out a blanket for a picnic. way, too. It’s a touching video of residents and stakeholders One child rode a bicycle, the other a scooter.. Nestled who explain why Lincoln Park is important to them. between the trees strings of bistro lights sparkle through LPCCD is turning the corner again, giving hope to the park at night. Seasonal pop-up art will soon dangle residents who desire a walkable community with cafes, from the thick cable that connects them, another visible shops and boutiques. As the changes surface, Hooper sign that there’s a lot to delight in this neighborhood Marshall sees the organization she chaired until last year where 60,000 people gather annually for a three-day music as a major force that continues to blossom. festival. Smith does, too. As he was about to leave the park, he “When you’re in the community and you see it from that lens, you see how beautiful the community is,’’ Smith said. “You can see it as a gem.” mused, ““You see the work that you have done. To be sitting there, and have people walking by, inquisitive, asking what are you doing. It felt good.’’ Anthony Smith Executive Director Lincoln Park Coast It is a crown jewel rooted in a rich historical legacy And it should. Happy 20th Anniversary.Cultural District that cannot be forgotten. It’s an enclave Smith has tried to make better than it was before he became the organizations Barry Carter is an award winning journalist and columnist. leader eight years ago.

POWERING PROGRESS

EMPOWERING PEOPLE > POWERING LIFE

PSEG is committed to fostering access to fair and equitable opportunities throughout its communities.

Fairstead’s planned new affordable housing development coming to Essex Plaza, 1060 Broad Street

DEVELOPMENT IN THE COAST

Equitable and Affordability Calls For Collaboration & Partnerships

By Kei-Sygh Thomas

As Lincoln Park Coast Cultural District celebrates 20 years of transforming a low-income neighborhood with blighted buildings and a barren park into an urban eco-village, one fact is clear - the growing community is a testament to the sustainability of community-driven urban development.

Lincoln Park Coast Cultural District centers revitalization of the emerging arts and cultural district around equity and inclusion. With residents, local businesses, and artists at the center of planning, development is a collaborative process. As such, developers interested to pursue projects in the area partner with Lincoln Park Coast Cultural District. This is how they protect the thriving arts community and keep equity forefront for years to come.

Collaborative community-driven development gave way to partnerships like the one with Fairstead, a real estate company who describes themselves as a purpose driven developer. “This commitment comes to life by revitalizing affordable housing, creating great new places to live, embarking on impactful long-term sustainability strategies, providing critical on-site social services programming, and fostering meaningful community partnerships,” said Brett Meringoff, Managing Partner of Development at Fairstead.

When Fairstead began the process of acquiring the Essex Plaza portfolio site, they were eager to connect with community partners dedicated to Newark’s future and support the vision of a dynamic Lincoln Park neighborhood. Fairstead and LIHC Investment Group announced ground-up development for a mixed-income housing building at Essex Plaza earlier this year. The

Hanini Group’s Packard Lofts at 1002 Broad Street

proposed development is a six-story, 365,000 square-foot mixed-use building with 241 apartments, ground level commercial space, and underground parking. Fairstead believes having a strong mix of homes at different affordability levels is paramount to support the future of cities. Ethical development to address the affordability crisis and create new housing for opportunities for the city’s growing workforce is critical.

The Essex Plaza portfolio includes Essex Plaza One, a 450-unit senior housing tenement at 1060 Broad Street. Built in 1926, Essex Plaza One was an industrial office building before it was rehabilitated as senior citizen housing in 1977. Fairstead and LIHC plan to invest more than $27 million for renovations and on-site support services for Essex Plaza One, likely the largest face lift the property has seen in over four decades. Seniors can expect new energy efficient appliances and other upgrades to make their apartments feel brand new and accessibility features for those with immobility challenges. They will have internet and cable access covered by rent, too. Renovations are underway and the response from

residents has been incredible, according to Fairstead. Lincoln Park Coast Community District welcomed several community-driven real estate developers on successful projects to the Lincoln Park neighborhood over the years. The Newark YMCA, BCM Affordable Housing, and Ingerman built The Willows at Symphony Hall in 2017. All 60 units remain affordable “This commitment comes to life five years later and a quarter by revitalizing affordable housing, of them are fully furnished for tenants who have a mental creating great new places to live, illness or disability. Ingerman embarking on impactful long- is intentional about leasing to practicing artists, showing term sustainability strategies, their commitment to protect providing critical on-site social the thriving arts community. Right next door to The Willows, services programming, and developers Cor10 Concepts fostering meaningful community LLC, along with Community Asset Preservation Corporation partnerships,” -Brett Meringoff (CAPC) in conjunction and C+C Architecture is building Lincoln Park’s first shipping container housing. The development located at 393 Halsey Street, Newark, NJ will serve as springboard to utilize Newark as the model to address the need for quality affordable housing with container construction. Around the corner, Elnardo Webster is slated to develop the blighted West Kinney corridor at 442 Washington Street and 1007 Broad Street respectively.

Photo Courtesy Cor10 Concepts LLC

Architectural plans for 393 Halsey Street On East Kinney at Broad Street, the Hanini Group turned the former Packard car dealership showroom with 1920s Art Deco lines into lofty apartments, just across from RPM’s 999 Broad Street development, with its outdoor space, fitness center, WiFi workstations just a short walk from the Prudential Center and Newark Penn Station. All the developers hold a seat on, and if new are encouraged to join, Lincoln Park Coast Cultural District’s “Friends of Community Advocacy” roundtable, which meets monthly around strategic community building and organizing techniques to engage the neighborhood stakeholders for purposes of neighborhood improvement.

Though Lincoln Park Coast Cultural District’s operates with community at the center of what they do, a $100,000 grant from the Wells Fargo Regional Foundation helped them document the vision forward. With the help of residents, stakeholders, and Community Asset Preservation Corporate, Lincoln Park Coast Cultural District released their 10-year plan for comprehensive resident-driven neighborhood development. The plan outlines new development of affordable and market-rate housing, support for local businesses, programs to foster entrepreneurship, and initiatives to empower residents. Community partnerships with real estate developers like Fairstead, Hanini Group, BCM Affordable Housing, MCI Real Estate Development, Elnardo Webster and others can make this all possible.

“We know that there is nothing more important than someone’s home – it’s the foundation for everything you want to achieve in life and a proven determinant of a person’s health,” said Meringoff. “We have a strong focus on social responsibility and we strive to have a positive impact for our residents, our communities, and the planet.”

Kei-Sygh Thomas is a freelance reporter living in Newark, NJ.

REBUILDING CITIES ONE COMMUNITY AT A TIME

FAIRSTEAD.COM

Prudential Financial headquarters in Newark, NJ

PRUDENTIAL The Rock In Lincoln Park 20 Years of Community Partnership

By Anthony W. Schuman

There is a shared history between the neighborhood that came to be known as Lincoln Park and Prudential Financial Inc. which dates back to 1875 and the founding by John F. Dryden of what was originally called The Widows and Orphans Friendly Society, then the Prudential Friendly Society. At that time, the neighborhood was known as South Park, in the old third ward, home to the South Park Calvary United Presbyterian Church, a historic church built in 1853 and located at 1035 Broad Street in the Lincoln Park neighborhood. It is said that President-Elect Abraham Lincoln delivered an address on the steps of the church during a half day visit to Newark en route to his inauguration. The park was renamed for the President after his assassination in 1865. The Lincoln Park of yesteryear was the place to live for industrialists such as bootmakers Isaac Bannister and John S. Peshin, jewelry manufacturer David Dodd, German brewers Christian Feigenspan and Gottfried Krueger, Henry Kessler, of the Kessler Institute, and Governor Franklin Murphy, owner of the Murphy Varnish Company. John F. Dryden, founder of The Prudential Insurance Company of America was no exception. The 13,000 square foot Dryden mansion was – and still is – an architectural masterpiece with its three-story winding staircase, Greek classical elements, hand carved molding and fireplaces, lustrous parquet floors, high ceilings, a flat roof with a geometric style stone balustrade, and stained-glass transoms above the first-floor windows. The mansion’s entrance is flanked by polished marble columns and surmounted by heavy pedimented portico with Doric entablature. As we say in “The Coast,” it is fabulous!

Thirty-five years after Newark’s 1967 Uprising, the nonprofit Lincoln Park Coast Cultural District was created to return this once prestigious neighborhood to its former glory. As with the physical location of the John F. Dryden mansion, which still stands today in Lincoln Park, Prudential Financial’s footprint looms large starting with participation in the 1999 “charette” (planning session) for a new organization founded by community activists

seeking to reclaim 23 acres once dominated by dilapidated buildings and vacant lots and turn it into a sustainable arts district. Since Lincoln Park Coast Cultural District’s incorporation in 2002, Prudential’s role has not only provided seed funding for the new nonprofit but provided hands-on guidance and thought leadership through LPCCD’s formative years in the person of former Prudential Foundation program Officer Mary Puryear. Today, Prudential Financial holds a seat on our board.

After mission drift in survival mode during the mortgage crisis and great recession of 2008-09, Lincoln Park Coast Cultural District reset its mission in 2017 as “LPCCD 2.0” through the Newark Resilience Initiative. The Non-Profit Resilience Initiative and partner Prudential Financial Inc. created the Newark Resilience Initiative (NRI) to assist Newark-based non-profits develop financing and leadership capacity. Selected as one of only 15 nonprofits through a competitive application process, LPCCD received a year of customized consulting which led to the resulting “LPCCD 2.0 Re-Imagining Lincoln Park Sustainability” plan.

In 2021, the Prudential Foundation partnered with the Nonprofit Finance Fund to lead the $1M Newark Nonprofit Capacity Accelerator, which supports CDCs with services from Cause Effective, Institute for Nonprofit Practice, Nonprofit Finance Fund, Prudential Financial, and Taproot Foundation.

Thankfully, Lincoln Park Coast Cultural District was one eight organizations selected. Prudential Financial leveraged its relationship with Cause Effective to offer Lincoln Park Coast Cultural District value through intellectual support and board training in fund-raising and leadership. This assistance bore fruit in 2021 with the organization’s first-ever big-ticket fundraiser, entitled “The Lagniappe Experience”. For the staff and board, it was a muscle stretching exercise that would not have been possible without Prudential tapping into Cause Effective, which worked with leadership to develop, employ, and expand effective fundraising, governance and organizational strategies. Additionally, members of the LPCCD executive leadership underwent a sixmonth capacity building program under the Institute for Nonprofit Practice. LPCCD also participated in a probono program coordinated by Taproot where Prudential employees provided assistance on a communications strategy. Employees also helped with re-designing their website. Anthony Smith, LPCCD’ CEO, was paired with a Prudential Executive for mutual support and leadership development as part of the Nonprofit Accelerator.

And, of course, the arts. Lincoln Park Coast Cultural District (LPCCD) participated as a key partner in the unveiling of the beautiful Whitney Houston glass mosaic mural in the icon’s hometown, Newark, NJ. Anthony Smith, Executive Director, LPCCD and Keith Hamilton, Sr. Property Manager, The City of Newark, Department of Economic and Housing Development worked diligently for over three years with artist Maude Lemaire to identify the perfect location for the mural. LPCCD led negotiations for wall space with various developers and property owners before settling on the final location in Teachers Village at 45 William Street. The mural was made possible by Grammy Museum Experience Prudential Center and Prudential Financial, Inc. and the second of five murals planned for the city. The relationship between

The historic John F. Dryden mansion still stands in Lincoln Park

Prudential and Lincoln Park Coast Cultural District came full circle when in 2021, a new LPCCD initiative named the Lincoln Park Gallery Without Walls Alley Reclamation Mural Project, which launched behind the historic New Ark Cathedral Church (known as La Vid Verdadera en La Catedral New Ark, Lincoln Park) and the Dryden Mansion.

As Board Chair of Lincoln Park Coast Cultural District, I can attest to the immeasurable impact that Prudential Financial has had on our organization and the greater Lincoln Park neighborhood. Together, with Prudential Financial Inc., we look forward to the next 20 years in moving Newark forward in Lincoln Park.

Anthony W. (Tony) Schuman, professor of architecture at NJIT, is co-editor of Newark Landmark Treasures: A Guide to the Landmark Buildings, Parks, Public Art & Historic Districts in New Jersey’s Metropolis; and Board Chair, Lincoln Park Coast Cultural District.

SEEDING A COMMUNITY IN THE COAST

Key Funders and Partners Light the Way

By Kim J. Ford

Beans, snow peas, sugar snap, cabbage, and zucchini – more than a rose can grow from concrete in Newark’s Lincoln Park Community Garden, which has been supported by Whole Foods since 2018. Its Whole Foods Whole Cities Foundation actively supports local growers who strengthen the local food system. This year, the Lincoln Park Community Garden was a “tour-stop” for new Whole Foods Market CEO Jason Buechel. Lincoln Park Coast Cultural District’s (LPCCD) Whole Foods Grant included the “Influencer Grower Program” where one of the gardeners, renown Chef Sean Hassan, founder of Rhythm-N-Food, entered into LPCCD’s partner, Rising Tide Capital’s, Community Business Academy (CBA).

Upon graduation, participants are able to launch their “garden to table” food product idea or business within the space of a year. For the industrious Chef Hassan, the combined experiences will support the launch of his “Rhythm-N-Food Drive By Bistro” food truck. “Having an opportunity to learn how to grow my own food in the Lincoln Park Community Garden supported by Whole Foods–as opposed to shopping for it–really helped me understand how to care for veggies from seed to table. Now, transferring that knowledge through Rising Tide Capital’s CBA in order to grow my mobile food truck business is priceless.”

Building a sustainable community requires fresh food access and improved quality of life. In “The Coast,” we don’t just eat clean, we clean our streets also through the help of key partners like Keep America Beautiful. It’s the mission of Keep America Beautiful to end littering, improve recycling, and beautify American communities like Newark’s Lincoln Park.

For Earth Day 2022, Keep America Beautiful Newark Executive Director Malkia King led the charge by partnering with LPCCD, MARS Inc., Whole Foods, Passaic Valley Sewage Commission, Integrity House, Link School, and Link Community Charter School to clean the blocks and park, prep the garden for Spring planting season, and decorate outdoor planters painted by Link School students. On the importance of collaboration, King states

“Community-based organizations are our boots on the ground. Organizations like Lincoln Park Coast Cultural District advocate for the needs of the community, dictate how we deploy our resources, and empower residents and stakeholders to get engaged and take charge of their own blocks. We also partner with the municipality such as City of Newark Office of Sustainability and Department of Public Works. It’s a win-win for all.”

When Lincoln Park Coast Cultural District issued the call for partners to take back a desolate and dark space behind the historic New Ark Cathedral Church (known as La Vid Verdadera en La Catedral New Ark, Lincoln Park) and Dryden Mansion, the Love Tito’s giving arm of Tito’s Handmade Vodka put resources in action. As a seed funder, along with City of Newark Office of Sustainability’s Love Your Block, Crawford Street Partners, and others, they helped the non-profit actualize the Lincoln Park Gallery Without Walls Alley Reclamation Project.

Prior to the opening of The Willows at Symphony Hall, “Little Five Points” was a dimly lit, desolate strip with little residential foot traffic leading to the park itself. Now, Lincoln Park has lighting, thanks to the Newark City Parks Foundation and PSE&G. PSE&G works with LPCCD by implementing LED technology with street lighting in the park and at identified intersections where there is an opportunity to improve the lighting. The enhanced lighting improves areas that were dark and supports LPCCD neighborhood safety initiatives. “PSEG and the PSEG Foundation are committed to helping build thriving and sustainable neighborhoods by empowering and investing in the many diverse communities we serve,” said Director of Corporate Social Responsibility and PSEG Foundation President Calvin Ledford. “We are pleased to help LPCCD improve the lighting in the park and help make the community safer for all.” PSE&G has also advocated, with the help of LPCCD, for Lincoln Park area energy efficiency programs that can benefit residents, small businesses, non-profit, and government agencies throughout the city. The Newark City Parks Foundation, whose mission is to encourage the City of Newark to use their neighborhood parks by offering community-building programs that bring people into their local green spaces, installed semi-permanent bistro lights for the next three-years, which encourage residents to increase usage of our park.

These key funders, along with the City of Newark’s Creative Catalyst Fund, The State of New Jersey’s Neighborhood Preservation Program, Valley Bank, Provident Bank, Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield New Jersey, TD Bank, Fedway, and many more support the organization and have anchored its programming to ensure the park and surrounding neighborhood come alive each season, like a good harvest.

Kim J. Ford is a published journalist/content creator, producer of the annual Lincoln Park Music Festival; founder of BRND Marketing Group LLC and proud Lincoln Park resident.

by Tamara Fleming Photography, courtesy of Rutgers University-Newark

Kimberlee Williams Citi Medina in his home office in Lincoln Park

WORKING, LIVING & CREATING IN THE COAST Lincoln Park Is A Hub of Creativity

By Kim J. Ford

Four blocks that comprise Brunswick Street in Lincoln Park, Newark, NJ have existed since at least 1859, according to a map of Newark surveyed by Stephen Dod and published for B.T. Pierson’s Directory of the City of Newark. It is where Newark’s “Sassy” Sarah Vaughn was raised. A short walk from Brunswick Street, south of Pennington, Tichenor, and South Streets was 186 Thomas Street, where a young Sarah sang in the choir at New Mount Zion Baptist Church. Until the global pandemic years, Brunswick Street was also home to Hooferz Club, owned by Tony Award® winning American tap dancer, actor, and choreographer Savion Glover, a native Newarker. The Arts High School graduate and grandson of legendary New Hope Baptist church pianist, Anna Mae Lundy Lewis, opened Hooferz Club on Brunswick Street in Lincoln Park in a forgotten about structure that once housed one of the locations of Newark School of the Arts.

Newark School of the Arts was founded post-1967 uprising by two educators, Stella Lass and Saunders Davis, with a grant from Prudential. They purchased the Lincoln Park building in the 1970s and it has been one of the community’s anchor arts institutions ever since. In its current site on Lincoln Park Place overlooking the park, students from around the city come to the neighborhood to study sequential education in music, dance, drama, and visual arts.

The hallowed history of the Lincoln Park neighborhood and the arts typically hearkens back to its heyday of juke joints, jazz dives, radio stations, and record labels, yet there is a more current story to be told. A new generation of residents–native and new Newarkers alike–are creating and living in “The Coast.” Take power broker Kimberlee Williams, whose FEMWORKS agency is firmly entrenched in Lincoln Park and even operated for a time out of the historic Dryden Mansion. Kimberlee is founder of the first-ever TEDX Broad Street and Newark Global Shapers. “I was introduced to LPCCD’s (Lincoln Park Coast Cultural District) founder, Baye Adofo-Wilson by my mentor, African Globe Theater Founder Kabu OkaiDavies, back in 2003. When FEMWORKS was established in 2004, I knew Lincoln Park was where we needed to be and by 2007 it was our headquarters. Now, I am a proud homeowner of an LPCCD development too.” She’s doing the most in the best way–even growing her own veggies in the community garden in her beloved Lincoln Park neighborhood.

Lincoln Park resident Citi Medina’s imprint can be felt all over Newark and New Jersey. Holding court in what may be one of the most stylish duplexes in the city, his

Courtesy of Citi Medina

Citi Medina home workspace in Lincoln Park

Medina Citi Design Haus was tapped to lead the creative vision for the historic YES! Newark Amazon HQ2 campaign. This powerhouse has chosen Lincoln Park as home. “Lincoln Park has an energy around it, the history and richness can be felt. My creative agency, Medina Citi, began in this neighborhood,” says Medina. He continued, “Lincoln Park allowed me to do the work we love most in a neighborhood that surrounded me and supported my vision. My sharespace and incubator, = SPACE, which is for makers in our city, is something I hope to grow in our neighborhood.”

Humble giant and native Newarker Jeff Billingsley is CEO of Cobblestone Multimedia. An expert multitasker, Jeff helms his music, film & television production, and professional audio recording empire right in Lincoln Park, over breakfast I’d imagine. Jeff is executive producer of The Birth of Def, Who is Bob Sumner? documentary; and producer and music consultant for the award-winning feature film, Gimme Shelter starring Vanessa Hudgens.

Fashionista, entrepreneur, and founder of Off The Hanger Boutique Lynette LaShawn is a “daughter of Lincoln Park” having grown up on the historic High Street, now Dr. Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd. Lynette remembers, “As a child I enjoyed the landscape of Lincoln Park. The openness gave me a sense of freedom that I never knew I needed growing up. My fondest memory growing up in Lincoln Park was engaging with my friends and organizing activities for fun after school.” Her latest vision, High Street Original, is an upscale luxury cape line, named after her beloved, childhood neighborhood. “High Street Original is my tribute to my biggest inspiration and motivation. It’s an ode to my childhood and my late grandma, Daisy, who migrated from Georgia in the 60s with my mom and uncle to Newark.” Lincoln Park is not only the birthplace of a fashion diva and where the “Mural King” Rodney M. Gilbert gave birth to his beloved Yendor legacy, it is the home of Cement Gallery (in the former City Without Walls Gallery space) and arts education program Mighty Writers, which celebrates Newark and spreads the love of writing. Since 1983, the Lincoln Park neighborhood has been registered with the U.S. Department of the Interior’s National Park Service Register of Historic Places. The work that Lincoln Park Coast Cultural District has done over the past 20 years to shift the perception foreshadows a future that sounds amazing in this storied music and arts neighborhood and worthy of its national

Lynette LaShawn, Founder, High Street Original designation. Photo by Darryl Sheppard Kim J. Ford is a published journalist/content creator, producer of the annual Lincoln Park Music Festival; founder of BRND Marketing Group LLC and proud Lincoln Park resident. Photo courtesy of Newark School of the Arts

Photo Courtesy LPCCD Photo Courtesy Gensler

Lincoln Park Coast Cultural District Church Facade Future Architectural Plans Lincoln Park Coast Cultural District Church Facade

FROM SOUTH PARK TO LINCOLN PARK

The Lincoln Park Façade Project Has A Story To Tell

By Roger Smith, Assoc. AIA, LEED Green Associate

There is a plaque on the wall at the Lincoln Park Coast Cultural District office and the inscription reads “In February 1861, president-elect Abraham Lincoln passed through Newark on his way to the inauguration and spoke on the steps of the South Park Calvary Presbyterian Church in front of a crowd of approximately 25,000, at the behest of founders John P. and Elizabeth Jackson.” The question of whether President Lincoln actually stood on the steps of the old South Park Calvary Presbyterian Church or somewhere in the vicinity has been fodder for debate among historians for decades. In 1903 the church celebrated its semi-centennial (50 years) which means that next year when groundbreaking begins behind the façade, the milestone will coincide with its 170th anniversary.

Lincoln Park’s South Park Calvary Presbyterian Church is one of the oldest anchor institutions in the Lincoln Park neighborhood and symbol of freedom for Black, Indigenous and People of Color in Newark. It was a house of worship where Black ministers were often invited to preach while it also served as the home to Newark’s largest woman’s club – the Contemporary Club. It was Newark’s first racially integrated presbyterian church and an architectural marvel to behold. John Welch (1824-1894), the Architect for the High Street Presbyterian church and orphanage currently located on the NJIT campus, designed the exquisite 1850s Greek Revival edifice which has served as a gathering space for the community, even after the destructive fire in 1992. The fire leveled the building, but the gracious façade remained. Structurally unsound, it languished for years until it was conveyed to upstart non-profit Lincoln Park Coast Cultural District, which began restoration around 2008, just before the economic downturn. Next year, Lincoln Park Coast Cultural District, along with Gensler and partner Baldwin Equities will break ground on the site behind the façade, on what will become a new mixed-use project with approximately 60

Photo from Library of Congress South Park Presbyterian Church

new residential units, amenities, retail space and a new home for LPCCD offices.

“Baldwin works to identify unique characteristics in in each project that will enhance the community and resonate with the history and culture of the neighborhood. No two projects are alike” says Avi Benamu, Co-Founder of Baldwin Equities. Benamu continues “Baldwin sat down with LPCCD and designed a project that is not only practical and efficient, but has the potential to change the Lincoln Park Neighborhood and set LPCCD on a path of becoming financially independent.”

The next chapter of Lincoln Park will be defined by its evolving identity as a community – a community grounded in its rich history, culture and the arts. We hope this project will breathe new life and purpose into an iconic Newark landmark as well as anchor and preserve the rich legacy of the Lincoln Park Neighborhood for generations to come.

Roger Smith is a Principal and Design Director at Gensler (a global architecture, design and planning firm) in Morristown NJ. Roger is also the Co-Director of Gensler’s Center for Research on Equity and the Built Environment and a member of Gensler’s Global Race and Diversity Committee.

Roger Smith is Design Director and Principal at Gensler, a global architecture, design and planning firm.

Actor Gbenga Akinnagbe (center) with Yameen Allword and Philly festival fans; festival director Kim J. Ford and LPCCD executive director Anthony Smith Lincoln Park Music Festival’s House Music Day

The Arts Brings Residents and Tourists to Play and Chill in Lincoln Park

By Jonique Waddy

The Lincoln Park Coast Cultural District (LPCCD) non-profit unique business model in which community development meets the arts, culture, and wellness succeeds in attracting potential residents back to the neighborhood to live and play. LPCCD thoughtfully plans, designs and builds a comprehensive art and cultural district in the Lincoln Park neighborhood appealing to residents and visitors alike. The Lincoln Park Music Festival speaks to the soul of the community, with good vibes surging throughout Newark’s wards with all roads leading downtown for the annual fête. Tens of thousands of attendees pack the park during the two weeks at end of July and first weekend in August when the festival is in full swing. Attendees from throughout the tri-state region enjoy a full season of celebration through public art, films, poetry and music that explores multiple genres including Gospel, Jazz, House, Hip-Hop, and Rhythm & Blues. “If the weather cooperates, in 2023 we’ll finally

launch Lincoln Park Caribana” says Kim J. Ford, who serves as festival director. “There is just not enough stage time during the last weekend in July to program all the wonderful cultures of the African diaspora!” Take Yameen Allworld for instance, a tourist from Philadelphia and a self-proclaimed “hip hop head” attended the 15th Anniversary Festival for the first time after learning about it from Newark Happening’s Philadelphia promotions. Yameen, along with eight of his friends, stayed at the Tryp Hotel in downtown Newark, Step 4 Step Soul Line Dancing takes center stage at Lincoln Park Music Festival which made it easy for them to walk around downtown and explore the city. Allworld, a plant-based foodie, was most impressed with the wide range of restaurants offering vegan options, “The local vegan restaurants were off the hinges!,” he said and made the overall experience “satisfying and worth the hour and twenty-minute drive.” This was also a season of firsts. Yogi Fest, previously held in Essex County’s South Mountain Reservation, premiered in Lincoln Park. According to Yogi Fest founder and

Yogi Fest by Tyrone Daye in Lincoln Park DJ Danny Krivit on House Music Day at Lincoln Park Music Festival

Newark native, Tyrone Daye, “It means a lot to me doing it in Newark because it’s where I’m from. I was the first Black male yoga teacher in Newark back in May 2020, so it was only right that the Yogi Fest was done in my city.” Another first was NJPAC’s Music and Movement series, in partnership with Newark City Parks Foundation, which encouraged residents to get “Back Together Again” with friends, family, and community at free weekly Wednesday afterwork activities in Lincoln Park featuring salsa, jazz, hip hop and aerobic dance.

A first time ever, outdoor exposition of the global soul line-dancing phenomenon in partnership with Step 4 Step Soul Line Dancing and neighborhood anchor institution Newark Symphony Hall. Though rain threatened to put a damper on the event, the spirit of dance triumphed as hundreds of soul liners in color coordinated t-shirts stepped in the name of fun, never missing a beat while enjoying nibbles from local food trucks. Said Chris Sabin, the Director of Communication and Social Impact & Community Engagement for Newark Symphony Hall, “We are better together. Newark Symphony Hall understands that sharing resources with our neighbors, such as Lincoln Park, and our partner Step 4 Step helps tell the story of how we are all parts of the city’s art community, and the intentionality helps bring smiles to everyone and shows more of Newark to the world.” Lincoln Park even turned into “Rodney’s House” for one evening, which celebrated the life and artistic spirit of the late Rodney M. Gilbert, whose Yendor Productions was headquartered on Spruce Street near Washington Street now named Rodney M. Gilbert Way.

While the arts drive tourism, Lincoln Park Coast Cultural District continues to stay mission aligned by

facilitating the integration of arts, culture and community well-being. Its Lincoln Park Music Speaks Artist Re-Grant Initiative gave ten artists micro-grants to “finish that project” by 2022. Funded in 2021 by New Jersey Arts and Culture Relief (now Renewal) Fund in response to the negative effects of COVID-19 on the arts community, LPCCD regranted $15,000 to local artists to actualize showcases, album projects, and support local curators like Newark Pride Inc., The Newark Times’ Live & Direct showcase and Porchfest Newark which in turn showcase dozens of local acts around the city. Lynne Toye, executive director of the New Jersey Arts and Culture Renewal Fund understands how the arts, music, and cultural events and programming LPCCD offers impacts the neighborhood. Toye states “The arts, music, and cultural programming bring people together and provide shared experiences. The organizations that provide cultural programs are making them more accessible than ever, providing access for so many New Jersey residents to enjoy the vibrant arts and culture we have throughout the state.” As the Lincoln Park neighborhood continues to appeal as a destination to visitors and residents alike, in its twentieth year, Lincoln Park Coast Cultural District is still doing the work West Ward Councilman Dupré L. Kelly to ensure the delivery of residential and neighborhood services for the advancement of economic development through entrepreneurship and creative industry job growth through the lens of the arts. Now, that’s homegrown place-keeping for sure. Jonique Waddy is published blogger and founder of Kissing Cameras multimedia production house.

Culture

music, art + literature

survival!By James Frazier Newark News & Story Collaborative Health ideas for wellness Black Theater Companies Pivot, Present | In-person Theatre is Back

Frustrated with the lack of diversity in American theater, Ricardo Mohamed Khan and L. Kenneth Richardson conceptualized the Crossroads Theatre Company. Since its founding in 1978, Crossroads has produced over 100 works, many of them premiere productions by African and African American artists, including The Colored Museum and Spunk by George C.

Wolfe, Jitney by August Wilson, Sheila’s Day by South African writer Duma, Ndlovu and many more. Crossroads received the 1999 Tony Award for Outstanding Region-

Newark Mayor Ras J. Baraka al Theatre in the United States in recognition of its 22- Queen Latifah year history of artistic accomplishment and excellence. “My father’s heritage is East Indian; my mother is

African-American and so they were bringing together two cultures,” said Kahn. “That’s ethically as well as geographically. Growing up, there was never a sense that we were solely identified by being Black kids in

Camden, New Jersey. Yes, we were Black in Camden, but our roots are global. What I’ve always wanted to tell people through Crossroads is that it’s about our roots. As Black people in this country we should not forget or even allow people to think this is all of who we are.” He continued, “There’s much more! The sense of a connecting, having a theater like Crossroads that connects to many different communities in this country and around the world is in order for us to redefine who we are on a larger level.” Across the Hudson River, one of the pioneering institutions integrating artists of color and women into the mainstream American theater, Woodie King Jr.’s New 24 Hour of Peace Federal Theater (NFT), faces major changes. Founded in 1970, NFT began as an outgrowth of a theatre program called Mobilization for Youth. The theatre’s first season opened in the basement of St. Augustine’s

Money Church on Henry Street. Many performers benefited from early successes on NFT’s stage—the late Chadbuiness, finance + work wick Boseman, Debbie Allen, Morgan Freeman, Phylicia Rashad, Denzel Washington, LaTanya Richardson Jackson, Samuel L. Education Ricardo Kahn Crossroads Theatre Company Jackson, Issa Rae, and many more. Woodie King Jr. retired from leadership of the illustrious theater at the end of June. “During the first part of the pandemic, March 2020, the art + science of learning I had been thinking about retiring,” King revealed. “Then the pandemic increased in time. The offices closed down. Then people needed to have shots. I said, ‘Wait a minute, I don’t want to go back to work. I’m 83 years old. So, what should I do?’ I thought, I needed a young person to run it. And that person was Elizabeth Van Dyke, our artistic director. She’s experienced and understands how to communicate with this generation. And getting that younger person to run it and work with me over the last year and five months, solidified it for me.” As millions of people quarantined last year, theaters around the world temporarily closed their doors and we were forced to stay at home without live entertainment. For the first time, the theater found the need to compete with social media and streaming platforms. NFT embraced change, deciding to shift theater to the digital space with pre-recorded and live

Labor Day weekend in Newark means “24 Hours of Peace.” From Friday, September 2 at 6pm to Saturday, September 3 at 6pm, stars and superstars performed and an aura of peace, love, unity, and joy settled on the gathered crowds from around the city.

Ten years ago, then Newark City Council Member Ras J. Baraka, representing the South Ward, began the tradition in that ward. When he became mayor, he continued the event citywide.

Co-host with Mayor Baraka this year was Golden Globe, Grammy, and Primetime Emmy Award-winning, Oscar-nominated Rapper, Singer, and Actress Queen Latifah. Headlining the Saturday show Singer/Songwriter, Author, Music and TV Producer Faith Evans, a graduate of Newark’s University High School, wowed the audience. Popular artists Fabolous, CL Smooth, and Co-Founder of 24 Hours of Peace Hakim Green filled out the day’s sensational roster.

Performances on Sunday by Rowdy Rebel, Fivio Foreign, G Herbo, and 2Rare ended the weekend on a hip-hop high note. The annual event advocates a violence-free community by creating a “time-out” for 24 hours, promoting community-building for parents, children, artists, business owners, and faith and community-based organizations. The event-goers also had access to retail and food vendors, community resource information, poetry session, town hall meeting, Hip-hop and mental health forum, and a midnight movie. “The 24 Hours of Peace event is more than an occasion to enjoy entertainment, food, poetry, and movies,” Mayor Baraka said. “It is a time for our residents to unify, to get access to important resources and information, to share ideas and solutions at a town hall meeting and join together to end violence and move a peaceful Newark forward.”

Christian McBride Issac Delgado

Alain Perez Maria Schneider

Fantasia

Nikki Giovanni

Represent! A Night of Jazz, Hip Hop and Spoken Word featuring Christian McBride, Rakim, Nikki Giovanni and more

Terence Blanchard

Nov 10 @ 7:30PM

GRAMMY®-winning jazz trumpeter and composer Terence Blanchard is joined by The E-Collective and Turtle Island Quartet.

Fantasia & Jazzmeia Horn

Nov 10 @ 8PM

A night of powerhouse vocals with GRAMMY® winner Fantasia (American Idol) and Sassy Award winner Jazzmeia Horn.

Dee Dee Bridgewater & Savion Glover Interpretations

Sat, Nov 12 @ 3 & 7:30PM

Icons Dee Dee Bridgewater and Savion Glover come together for an evening of jazz, dance and improvisation like you’ve never seen before.

Yellowjackets

Sun, Nov 13 @ 7PM

Get in the jazz-fusion groove with Yellowjackets’ sophisticated arrangements, tight rhythms and expansive improvisations.

Rakim

Terence Blanchard

Trouble No More Performing the iconic album Eat a Peach featuring special guest Dumpstaphunk

Sun, Nov 13 @ 7PM

The Allman Brothers Band’s Eat a Peach will be performed in its entirety by the incredible musicians of Trouble No More.

Carolyn Dorfman Dance Jazz Legends and the Power of NOW!

Nov 16 @ 7:30PM

Carolyn Dorfman Dance premieres Jazz Legends and the Power of NOW!, with a live jazz performance by Regina Carter.

Issac Delgado & Alain Perez

Fri, Nov 18 @ 8PM

The GRAMMY®-winning duo Issac Delgado and Alain Perez perform their dazzling style of salsa and Cuban jazz.

NJMEA All-State Jazz Band and NJMEA All-State Jazz Choir

Fri, Nov 18 @ 7PM

Hear the next generation of jazz artists as NJMEA Jazz Band and Jazz Choir perform with special guest Christian McBride.

Maria Schneider Orchestra

Sat, Nov 19 @ 3 & 7:30PM

NEA Jazz Master, GRAMMY® winner and acclaimed composer/band leader Maria Schneider returns to NJPAC.

Represent! A Night of Jazz, Hip Hop and Spoken Word with Rakim, Speech, Chuck D, Nikki Giovanni, Mayor Ras Baraka, The Last Poets, A Christian McBride Situation and many more.

Sat, Nov 19 @ 8PM

For one unmissable night, NJPAC’s City Verses unites the leading voices in jazz, hip hop and poetry.

Dorthaan’s Place: Vanessa Rubin Trio

Sun, Nov 20 @ 11AM & 1PM

Join us for Dorthaan’s Place, the legendary jazz brunch series at NICO Kitchen + Bar — starring vocalist Vanessa Rubin.

Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Vocal Competition

Sun, Nov 20 @ 3PM

Hear the next generation of powerhouse jazz vocalists at “The Sassy Awards,” honoring the legacy of Sarah Vaughan.

Represent! A Night of Jazz, Hip Hop and Spoken Word is presented by NJPAC & City Verses. City Verses is conducted in partnership with Rutgers University-Newark. Support for this program was provided by a grant from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. American Song series at NJPAC is presented, in part, through the generous support of the Blanche and Irving Laurie Foundation, the David S. Steiner and Sylvia Steiner Charitable Trust, the Joan and Allen Bildner Family Fund, and the Smart Family Foundation/David S. Stone, Esq., Stone & Magnanini.

Buy tickets today at njpac.org or call 1.888.MY.NJPAC! • For full jazz lineup visit njpac.org/jazz New Jersey Performing Arts Center • One Center Street • Newark, NJ