Author: EVERYBODY'S "Caribbean" Magazine

Hempstead Caribbeans with Clinton

CARNIVAL 2016Caribbean-Americans living in Hempstead, NY, site of the first presidential debate on September 26 between Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton, are voting solidly for Hillary Clinton based on EVERYBODY’S Magazine presidential poll.

Hempstead, a suburb of New York City, has middle and upper middle class nationals from Jamaica, Grenada, Barbados, Trinidad & Tobago and other islands. Many Caribbean-American entrepreneurs who are shippers, owners of restaurants and bakeries in Brooklyn and Queens dwell in Hempstead.

As part of EVERYBODY’S Presidential Poll based on our subscribers nationwide, 8 questionnaires were mailed to subscribers in Hempstead (zip code 11550) where the magazine has approximately 150 subscribers. Of the seven persons who responded to the questionnaire, they all indicated they are voting for Mrs. Clinton.

Based on the magazine’s poll Mrs. Clinton will get 96.7% of the Caribbean-Americans vote even more than what then Senator Barack Obama got in 2008.

The magazine presidential questionnaire was mailed to at least one subscriber in each zip code across the US where the magazine has a subscriber.  To get details of the survey order the September edition: www.everybodysmag.com.

J’JOUVERT MURDERS IN BROOKLYN

JO 6There were multiple shootings during this morning Caribbean Carnival in the segment called J’Ouvert. The event started at Grand Army Plaza and ended at Nostrand Ave @ Clarkson Ave, East Flatbush, Brooklyn, a prominent Caribbean neighborhood. On Empire Blvd. at least one person was shot and more in other areas along the J’Ouvert route.

J’Ouvert is organized by a different group and not the West Indian -American Carnival Day Association, the organizer of the carnival later today on Eastern Parkway. This year, for the first time, Mayor Bill de Blasio and Brooklyn Borough President Adams officially recognized J’Ouvert

The politicians or their offices promoted J’Ouvert in bad taste by having pre-teenage children grace the promotional poster. “Someone ought to tell them J’Ouvert is for adults not for little children,” Hilda, a J’Ouvertplayer,  remarked this morning.

With so much publicity on J’Ouvert most cops and the mainstream are asking what is J’Ouvert. The Mayor de Blasio and Borough President Adams may have unintentionally mislead the public by giving the impression that J’Ouvert is the main event and not the Carnival-Parade on Eastern Parkway later today.

There may have been 200,000 revelers in this morning J’Ouvert.

PHOTO: Yvette Rennie, longtime organizer of J’Ouvert this morning.

When EVERYBODY’S asked J’Ouvert organizer Yvette Rennie about the shootings, “I cannot talk about that now,” she said.

As early as Sunday afternoon East Flatbush looked like a war zone with hundreds of police officers at various intersections.

For photos of this morning J’Ouvert see our slide show.

 

 

 

NY DAILY NEWS FOCUSES ON MAG.

From 1920s Harlem to Brooklyn today, Everybody’s Caribbean magazine’s looks at the long history of New York Caribbean Carnival.DAILY NEWS SEP 16



By Jared McCallister
NEW YORK DAILY NEWS
Sunday, September 4, 2016, 4:00 AM


It’s been a long road for the New York Caribbean Carnival and the latest edition of Everybody’s Caribbean magazine looks at the event — from its Harlem roots and its Brooklyn rebirth under the West Indian-American Day Association — through the unique perspective of Everybody’s editor and publisher Herman Hall.

Costumed Di’Midas mas band member Kayla Williams dominates the cover of Everybody’s September issue. Hall, who worked with the West Indian-American Day Association in its early stages, has passionately crafted the issue to examine the beginnings of the New York carnival — from the traditional pre-Lenten indoor events in Harlem during the 1920s to its revival and growth in Brooklyn.

Brooklyn carnival pioneers Rufus Gorin and Carlos Lezama, the 1972 carnival journal cover created by masquerade designer Terry Evelyn, an article on early Brooklyn carnival by Wilfred Thomas and Hall’s cover story, “Let’s Make N.Y. Carnival Great Again,” are featured in the magazine.

There are rare photos of the first carnival on Eastern Parkway in Brooklyn and gatherings of WIADCA’s members are in the issue, in addition to an article on Caribbean-American voters and the leading presidential candidates — Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump.

Everybody’s Caribbean magazine is available in print and digital versions by visiting www.everybodysmag.com/magazines

 

 

THOUSANDS VISITING NY FOR CARNIVAL

NY – SUNDAY, SEP 4:

Thousands of Caribbean nationals from the Caribbean, Canada, Europe and across the U.S. are in Brooklyn for one of the largest cultural festivals in the U.S., the annual “West Indian carnival on Labor Day Weekend, where approximately 1.6 million spectators will be on Eastern Parkway to view the carnival-parade on Labor Day Monday beginning at 11am.

The early part of the carnival-parade will be dominated by politicians and trade unions seeking votes since New York State Primary is Tue., Sep. 13th. Moreover, it is a presidential election year. Many politicians will be at the kick-off breakfast on the tennis court under a large tent on Buffalo Ave. The breakfast is by invite only; public officials and sponsors are invited.  Hillary Clinton was at the breakfast and carnival parade four times. Politicians attending the breakfast and walking down Eastern parkway are 99.9 percent Democrats. They are the ones the West Indian-American Day Carnival Association (WIADCA) invites.

For security reasons, EVERYBODY’S Magazine is not revealing the top personalities who will lead the carnival parade. It is public knowledge Mayor Bill de Blasio and wife will dance down Eastern Parkway and will be at the breakfast.

The J’Ouvert begins at 4am and ends around 8am. The start point is Grand Army Plaza, J’Ouvert then moves Flatbush Ave, then to Empire Blvd. At Empire Blvd. it goes to Nostrand Ave. where it ends at Midwood Street.

j'ouvert route

The Panorama held on Saturday night was won by D’Radoes; Pan Evolution and Crossfire came 2nd and 3rd respectively.

(PHOTO): The Mighty Sparrow enjoying a dish of Carnival Pealu, Trinidad style, at Charlie’s Records where a free carnival fete is held every Labor Day Saturday.

Want to learn about the origins of the “West Indian” carnival in Harlem and Brooklyn click “Magazine and Subscription.”

CHARLIES 16 2
CALYPSO TENT 1 16

The scene at Derrick Noel Calypso Tent on Labor Friday Night, Fri., Sep. 2.

MAYOR TIGHTENS SECURITY FOR CARNIVAL

 
J'OUVERT 1

Mayor Bill de Blasio of New York City, Brooklyn’s Borough President Eric Adams and New York City Police Commissioner Bill Bratton are asking the Caribbean community to ensure a safe J’Ouvert during this weekend Caribbean carnival.

A poster created by the City, and displayed in retail outlets in Brooklyn’s Caribbean neighborhoods reads, “The City of New York is partnering with Brooklyn Borough President Eric L. Adams and the NYPD for a safer J’Ouvert.”

On the poster are children less than 12 years old parading in carnival costumes, it seems on a sunny day.

Evidently nobody has told the mayor, police brass and Adams that children are not in J’Ouvert. J’Ouvert begins around 3am and ends by 8am, a time when children are sleeping.

It seems the City has its carnival priority and security mixed up. J’Ouvert attracts less people and participants are dressed in rags and painted in mud certainly not in colorful costumes.

J’Ouvert is not about children. The photos of little children pasted on the City’s J’Ouvert poster is misleading and in poor taste.

West Indian-American Day Carnival Association, organizer of this weekend shows at the Brooklyn Museum grounds and the Eastern Parkway carnival-parade on Labor Day, is not the organizer of J’Ouvert.

A separate group organizes the event. This year, and for the first, the City officially recognized the group.

At Last year’s J’Ouvert an Ivy League graduate, an aide to Governor Andrew Cuomo, Carey Gabay, 43, first deputy counsel to Gov. Cuomo’s Empire State Development Corp., was shot and killed in the J’Ouvert.

Gabay was one of thousands of brilliant people from across the nation who visits Brooklyn on Labor Day Weekend to show their Caribbean roots.

 

Because it was one of Governor Cuomo’s aides who were shot, this year elected public officials are appealing for a safe carnival.

“Those appeals are insulting to the Caribbean community since most of the killings over the years do not happen during the carnival or committed by revelers,” someone remarked yesterday. “Those crimes are committed off the parade route mainly by people who are not in the carnival.”

But, with NY primary falling each year a few days after Labor Day, politicians bond with the Caribbean community to get votes. Presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton did so when she ran for the US Senate.  Primary Day is September 13th this year. With so many public officials hoping to seek the mayoralty next year sensing that Mayor Bill de Blasio may be a one term mayor, they are pandering to NY Caribbean voters by using the carnival as their playing field.

In the meantime, the people who provide the music and glittering costumes are punished. Police have a curfew in places where steelband orchestras rehearse and costumes are made. They have to close by 11pm each night.

De Blasio familyThe Mayor, NYPD and other officials need to clarify if they are spending more resources on J’Ouvert or on the 3-mile carnival parade route which will attract more than 1.5 million revelers on Labor Day.

The statements by Mayor de Blasio and Commissioner Bratton asking for a peaceful carnival may have ignited passion. An unofficial police blogger calls this weekend carnival “A West Indian Day Death Pool.” The statement continues, “So what will be the final numbers for the 2016 celebration of a beautiful culture? This includes J’Ouvert and the parade.” NYPD is not responsible for the blogger actions and cannot identify any of its officers as the blogger.

PHOTO: Mayor de Blasio, his wife Chirlane and his two children, prance down Eastern Parkway when he ran for mayor.

Carnival Week in NY

Brooklyn is ready for this weekend’s carnival in NY. EVERYBODY’S Magazine gives detailed information about how the carnival started as indoor events in Harlem during the 1920s-1940s. The magazine tells you why the carnival ended abruptly in Harlem and  how it came to Brooklyn.

PHOTO: The executive members of the West Indian-American Day Association of 1972. (2ND PHOTO: Carnival in Harlem on Labor Day Saturday of 1950. The carnival was then known as the West Indies Parade.

WIADA 73There are rare photos of the first carnival on Eastern Parkway in Brooklyn. It was the year 1971. Before 1971, the carnival was held on small streets in Caribbean neighborhoods but 1971 was a turning point. The carnival events were held on the grounds of the Brooklyn Museum.

EVERYBODY’S September or Carnival Edition provides the dates of 2017 carnival worldwide. To get this historical edition in print and digital format, click “Magazine & Subscription” on our homepage.

Carnival Amsterdam News

STEELBAND DOCUMENTARY ON SATURDAY, NY

The New York City Premiere of Panomundo Part 1: The Evolution of the Steelpan will take place on Sat., June 25, 2016, at 2:00PM at ARTs East New York in Brooklyn. There will be a Q&A session with filmmaker Charysse Tia Harper following the 42-minute documentary. This event is in partnership with a Take Stock Inc. initiative called “Evolution of Steelpan” (EOS).

steelband“This is a very exciting time for us,” explains Harper, one-half of the filmmaking team. “We filmed the majority of the US portion of [Panomundo] Part 2 [Pan Worldwide] in Brooklyn and it is our pleasure to introduce the documentary to the community.”

Harper, along with British filmmaker Keith Musaman Morton, have spent four years making Panomundo: a feature-length documentary told in two parts about the history of the steelpan and its global influence. Part 1 focuses on the inception of the steelband in Trinidad & Tobago until its international recognition and Part 2 looks at the instrument’s influence in six countries: Canada, Japan, Nigeria, Switzerland, United Kingdom and the United States. This section is currently in post-production with an anticipated release later this year.

Part 1 premiered in August 2015 at the British Film Institute’s We Love Carnival Screenings in London. From there, it was shown around the United Kingdom until having its US premiere at Finger Lakes Environmental Film Festival in Ithaca, NY, in April 2016 and again screening at Virginia International PANFest in May. View the 2-minute trailer.

“We purposely chose June to have the New York City premiere because it is Caribbean Heritage Month and what better way to get more eyes on this film?!” asserts Harper. “This is also a way for the bands we interviewed to see an introduction into the history before they see how they have assisted in continuing evolution of the instrument.”

In addition to the film screening, Take Stock will present “Evolution of Steelpan” (EOS), a traveling production that provides information about music and culture’s immeasurable ability to influence society. The offering debuted in Miami in April 2016. The production primarily focuses on the steelpan (steeldrum) and its role in Caribbean culture. “EOS” aims to highlight notion of music as a kind of auditory allusion that transcends time connecting the universe. For this New York City premiere, “EOS” will showcase historical still images, live steelpan and guest speaker Dr. Kim Johnson, The Carnival Institute of Trinidad & Tobago.

The event runs from 2:00PM to 4:30PM on Saturday, June 25, 2016, at ARTs East New York (534 Livonia Ave. Brooklyn, NY 11207); nearest subway exits are Junius on the 3 or Livonia Ave. on the L. It is FREE and open to the public with a suggested donation of any amount. Donations will be used to support the post production of Panomundo Part 2: Pan Worldwide and the “Evolution of Steelpan” (EOS) national tour.

OLIVER SAMUELS SALUTES MIGHTY SPARROW

The Mighty Sparrow was presented a citation by Oliver Samuels on behalf of Irie Jam at Monday’s Oracabessa Concert in New York City. The Memorial Day Concert, produced by Irie Jam Radio, saluted Sparrow.  Samuels remained in New York for an extra day after staging his 2016 play, “Guilt Trip,” in Queens, NJ, Brooklyn and Bronx. Herman Hall Communications the promoter of “Guilt Trip” will stagSPARROW AND OLIVERe the play in Boston, Silver Spring, Philadelphia and other cities in September-October.

Caribbean Hamilton Remains On US$10

THANK YOU PRESIDENT OBAMA FOR KEEPING

 WEST INDIAN ALEXANDER HAMILTON ON US$10
EVERYBODY’S MAGAZINE LETTER TO PRESIDENT OBAMA EFFECTIVE 

During 2015 Treasury Secretary Jack Lew proposed removing West Indian Alexander Hamilton, A U.S. Founding Father, from the U.S. $10 bill. Millions of Americans rejected Jack Lew’s idea and protested including EVERYBODY’S, the Caribbean-American Magazine.

Although Alexander Hamilton was born and raised in the Caribbean – Nevis and St. Croix – no Caribbean-American leader evidently joined the campaign to keep Hamilton on the $10 bill. On August 23, 2015, EVERYBODY’S Magazine sent a letter to Lew’s boss, President Obama, asking him “to reject Secretary of Treasury Jack Lew’s proposal.”

In April 2016, EVERYBODY’S published the letter it sent President Obama last August.

Many readers were not aware that one of America’s Founding Fathers was a West Indian. Some readers were impressed with our article and letter to President Obama; they ordered extra copies of the April edition. It’s not too late to get it.

Yesterday, April 20, Lew reversed his decision allowing Hamilton to continue gracing the $10 bill.

Did the April edition of EVERYBODY’S convince him?

Did the White House by forwarding EVERYBODY’S Magazine letter of August  23, 2015 to Lew caused Lew to change his plan?

Many groups and individuals are taking credit for influencing Lew to reverse his ridiculous idea including the cast, producers and patrons of the Broadway play,  “Hamilton.” We at EVERYBODY’S and Herman Hall Communications accept praise too.

This is not the first time that EVERYBODY’S has influenced a major decision in Washington, DC. In the early, 1980s when President Ronald Reagan sent his Caribbean Basin Initiative Bill (CBI) to Congress 400 copies of EVERYBODY’S focusing on CBI was purchased by the executive branch to forward to each member of Congress.  The bill was passed and that’s a reason one can now easily purchase Caribbean food items and rums in the U.S.  After CBI was passed EVERYBODY’S received a letter of thanks from President Reagan.

 Want to read EVERYBODY’S Magazine letter to President Obama! Want to read about the West Indian-Alexander Hamilton! Download the April edition for only $2.  www.everybodysmag.com

Had President Obama accept EVERYBODY’S idea to create a $25 bill – Donald Trump would not be complaining about Harriet Tubman.

Want to thank EVERYBODY’S Magazine! Download the edition for $2 or come to the Oliver Samuels play or order Publisher Herman Hall book, “Belvidere Estate – Fedon’s House.”

LARGE NY-CARIBBEAN VOTERS IN TUESDAY’S PRIMARY

In New York City as well as in the entire NY State Caribbean-Americans are expected to vote in large numbers in Tuesday’s presidential primary. It is the first time in decades that the NY State will have a say in determining both the Democratic and Republican presidential nominees for the general elections in November. Since NY State presidential primaries are held in the mid-primary season the Democratic and Republican candidates are usually predicted by the time the primary comes to NY.

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