Ebony Soul 2013-2014 19-Month Wall Calendar; Photographer Anthony Ragland PUSHES The Envelope, Yet Still Maintains A Sexy, Stylish and Succulent Multi-Hued Portrait of Black Men

                                               

Official Website: EbonySoul.net

FINALLY!!!! It's been a looooong minute since photographer Anthony Ragland has released a new calendar of sexy Black men. His last and previous calendar was the 2010-2011 edition!

Unlike most calendars, Anthony takes a different approach by creating calendars that typically overlap from one year and into the next - generally he creates TRUE 18th-month calendars. And by "TRUE" I mean you get to flip to a new model once a month for 18 months!! There's none of that bullshit where some calendars CHEAT by condensing the last 4 months of the current selling year onto 1 page and then turn around and call it a 16-month calendar when it is not, as an example.

I had met up with Anthony (for the first time) and we had lunch at Grand Central Station back in May 2012. He showed me the new calendar, and of course, it was off the chain!! And being a fan of Anthony's work you know I had him sign the cover to my copy of the calendar...

  

Now that we are in calendar season, and the NEW EbonySoul.net website is up and running, I wanted to do this blog entry on the calendar.

As usual, and as I have been saying for many, many years now, Ebony Soul is the PRE-EMINENT top of the line producer of Black male calendars. I like other calendars such as Spirit of Black Men (which is published by the Shades of Color company which, by the way, also produced the previously awesome and now defunct ONYX calendar), Black Men and City Gym Boys, but this time around he really pushed the envelope by having some of the models pose nude -- and no there's no private parts revealed -- yet Anthony's photography once again TASTEFULLY shows his VISION of Black men as sexy, stylish and very succulent! There are too many calendars out there that are really just boring and ordinary especially the nude ones -- NOT EBONY SOUL! Ebony Soul, in my mind,  continues to be the KING of Black male calendar for 10 YEARS NOW!

For the record, Anthony does not pay me to do this, nor do I endorse something that I don't like or not passionate about (especially to my Nubian Knights Network readers)... with that said, out of the 19 models this time around there are a few models with a photographic look by Anthony that exceptionally exude  sexy, stylish and succulence...

ROD's Top 7 Favorites Bruthaz Are: 

RONNIE (January 2013)

I Made This Image Garayscale (Black & White)

But It Is A Color Image In The Calendar

 ARTHUR (August 2013)

The Loose Belt, Shirt & Blue Sky

Really Make This Image Stand Out

 WALT (September 2013)

What Can I Say? - WALT Is Just Exuding Succulence...

 CROSS (October 2013) 

WOW! Can I Have a Pair Of Those Plum Colored Undies???

 WILSON (December 2013)

Wilson Is Tied With Dwight As My TOP, TOP Favorite.
AAAHHHHH!!! Book Reading...

 KENIKA (April 2014)
This Image Was More About The Photography For Me

Than The Model Because of The Sepia Tone Look

And The Water Streaming From The Showerhead

And The Streams & Beads Of Water On KENIKA's Body

DWIGHT (July 2014)

 IF I Had To Make A Hard Choice

DWIGHT Would Be The Top Winner Here

ULTRA SEXY & SUCCULENT

The Ebony Soul 2013-2014 19-Month Wall Calendar

is 12" x 12" in size and is available for $19.99 by clicking below at

 

OR

++++++++++++++++++++++

Other Black Male Calendar Considerations...

Spirit of Black Men 2013 Wall Calendar 

(12" x 12" - 12-Month) 

 

Click Image To Purchase

 

Black Men 2013 Wall Calender
(12" x 12" - 12-Month)

Click Image To Purchase

City Gym Boys 2013 Wall Calendar

(12" x 12" - 12-Month)

Click Image To Purchase

 

Joe Pressley's Community Vision For GMAD... Renewal Into The Next 25 Years

Community Vision

 

 by Joey Bernard Pressley

(A Guest Nubian Knight's Perspective)

The recent resignation of Tokes Osubu from New York City’s Gay Men of African Descent (GMAD) has prompted me to think very seriously about the future of the Black gay/same gender loving (SGL) community and the vision needed to confront and address our needs as we work to move forward.  It has also generated my interest in becoming GMAD’s next executive director.  A position for which I would consider applying the moment the organization’s Board of Directors elects to initiate its search process.  

I’ve read that GMAD founder, the Reverend Charles Angel, was a tireless, outspoken and fearless activist who stood in the forefront of several organizing efforts in the New York City gay and people with AIDS communities including, the National Coalition of Black Lesbians and Gays, ACT-UP, and the People with AIDS Coalition. In those Silence = Death days, he understood the vital importance of advocacy, a clear vision and establishing a set of goals for addressing a community’s broader needs. It was a holistic approach to activism rooted in a proud African heritage, progressive Christian teachings and his belief in psycho-spiritual growth.  It was from this set of beliefs that GMAD grew, and continued to grow even after Charles Angel’s untimely death from AIDS complications in 1987, three years before I discovered GMAD via its Friday night forums.  These forums often brought a hundred or more Black gay men to The Lesbian and Gay Community Services Center in Greenwich Village.

Organizations such as GMAD, many of which are more than two decades old, were founded as psycho-social-political entities designed to celebrate and empower Black gay/SGL men. GMAD employed its holistic approach to create a much needed safe space for its constituents to look at the intersecting issues in our lives.  In the 1990s, these well-intentioned organizations sought funding to combat HIV/AIDS. This shift transformed them into AIDS service organizations that, by necessity, narrowed their scope and vision.  As the unpaid director of GMAD in 1991, I was involved in securing one of the first grants for the organization thinking that it would create a pathway to growth and facilitate a greater response to the devastation levied by AIDS on our community.

Given this ongoing devastation, it stands to reason that our organizations must maintain a powerful response to the epidemic; however, being pigeonholed as only an AIDS service organization restricts the ability of Black gay/SGL institutions to effectively speak for and to the myriad needs of their constituents. Black gay/SGL men are as concerned about employment as they are about HIV prevention and treatment. We are concerned about the impacts of climate change and hate crimes, a woman’s right to choose as well as marriage equality and our presence in the military.  Black gay/SGL men are equally concerned and impacted by lack of access to healthcare, education, housing, criminal justice issues and income inequality.  Working with faith-based institutions, combating stigma, homophobia and addressing the social, economic and behavioral cofactors related to the rise in HIV/AIDS infections will be ongoing work for GMAD.  At the same time, I see GMAD standing shoulder to shoulder with other progressive organizations working in coalition to promote a fairer, more just society and world.

Our organizations need new funding streams that will enable us to become active participants and thought leaders in these arenas.  As an expert in community organizing and policy analysis, with years of experience in organizational management and fund raising, I would seek to diversify GMAD’s revenue supports so that its efforts would reflect the broader needs of its constituents. An initial first step moving forward is for GMAD to engage in a strategic planning exercise designed to assess strengths and weaknesses and to redefine its vision and related mission. Stakeholders engaged in this process would include past and current staff and funders, policymakers, community leaders and of course a diverse representation of New York’s Black gay/SGL men. The organization would work directly with Black gay/SGL men via ongoing participatory engagement to develop agendas and strategic plans reflective of the community’s priorities and work with legislators and public officials to shape policy and legislation responsive to identified needs.

I recognize that this vision is broad and ambitious, but it is also one of more personal concerns.  I think about my 9 year old nephew.  What if he shared with my husband and me that he is gay?  What world would he face?  Simply put, I would want our society to embrace and support him.  I would look to GMAD, and organizations like it, to stand without equivocation or shame in demanding that all of us, including my dear nephew, have the equal and unmitigated opportunity to celebrate our lives, and have the space to act as partners in bringing about transformative social, economic and political change.
    
Respectfully,

Joey Bernard Pressley
(October 16th, 2012)

My Quick Thoughts On Kal King and Tariq On... The L.A. Complex 2nd Season Finale: "Don't Say Goodbye"

Don't know if anyone saw the 2nd season finale ("Don't Say Goodbye") of The L.A. Complex, but it was quite a ride to see the Kaldrick King (aka Shawn Duggan) character (played by actor Andra Fuller) grow in his story arc. After his domestic abuse of if the Tariq character (played by Actor Benjamin Charles Watson) I didn't know if I could have compassion for Kal.

 Actors Benjamin Charles Watson and Andra Fuller

 

I was most struck by his admission of having a Black man -- his father -- re-enter his life and make him be a better person. You usually don't see that in series television for Black men.

Though deep down I would have liked some reconciliation -- no, a relationship with Tariq and Kal, it was probably for the better as a more realistic storyline and not cheapen the characters with a fairytale fake ending. I still FEEL for Tariq because he will STILL be left with those emotional scares for quite some time. And as bruthaz alluded to in a previous thread, the writers didn't get into a story arc of Tariq's struggles of get his life together from the traumatizing domestic abuse from Kal.

Actor Andra Fuller as Kal King

It's still painful to see one Black man die at the hands of another (the end of the episode), but Kal's boyhood buddy (Rook) was being a friend as best he could, and though I don't agree with the method of CANCELLING another bruthaz' LIFE I understood he felt like he had no other options. And the angry Black man syndrome is tired, too, by the way.

Actor Benjamin Charles Watson as Tariq

Not sure if the show will come back for a 3rd season, or even if it does, not sure it would be with these set of characters because it looks like the writers have done all they could with all of them -- but as superficial as most of these characters were in this tv series, it was satisfying to know the meat of integrity for this series was Kal King (and Tariq and later Kal's father) driving a relevant and good story arc.

LINK: http://www.cwtv.com/cw-video/the-la-complex/dont-say-goodbye/

CALLING ALL DANCERS & OTHERS---- Auditions for Ramp to Paradise 2At The Kumble Theater (LIU Brooklyn Campus)Tues, October 2nd & Wed, October 3rd, 2012

                             

Click To Enlarge

THELMA HILL PERFORMING ARTS CENTER
PRESENTS
A RAMP TO PARADISE 2

HOLDING AUDITIONS AND CASTING
ALL ROLES FOR PRODUCTION OF
A RAMP TO PARADISE 2
In Tribute to THE PARADISE GARAGE

Walter Rutledge
choreographer/director
Alex Smith, Jr.
Executive Producer

 

OCTOBER 2nd & 3rd, 2012
5PM- 8PM
at the
KUMBLE THEATER
(Long Island University

Downtown Brooklyn Campus)
 

WE ARE CASTING ALL ROLES

FOR THIS NEW MULTI MEDIA DANCE/THEATRE PRODUCTION

OF THE LEGENDARY UNDERGROUND DANCE CLUB

WE ARE LOOKING FOR:
Trained dancers (ballet, modern, jazz, pointe and partnering)
"Old Way" Vogue Artists
Couples who Hustle
TS Girls who walk runway and face
Boyz with Bodies
And a Grace Jones impersonator

All are welcome to audition.

Dancers, please come ready to dance.

All others come prepared to show your talent.

For more info contact
Walter Rutledge at 917 744 2601 or
 walt_rutledge[at]yahoo.com

New Film On ADODI Filmed Partially in Philadelphia, PA (On Saturday, September 8th, 2012) As Filmmaker ROD PATRICK RISBROOK Visits... by Tracy Gibson

New Film On ADODI Filmed Partially

in Philadelphia, PA

As Filmmaker ROD PATRICK RISBROOK Visits...

 by Brother Tracy Gibson

(A Guest Nubian Knight's Perspective)

A dozen courageous Black Same Gender Loving men came together at the Songhai City Cultural Center at 3117 West Master Street {The heart of North Philadelphia}, to pay homage to Brother Rod Patrick Risbrook's new documentary: "ADODI - 25 Years And Beyond: Claiming the Legacy, Continuing the Legend...'' The film is set to be released in August of 2013.

The film tells the story of ADODI --a support group for Black men who are Same Gender Loving and who refuse to be stereotyped, categorized and put down, but who insist on being treated--and treat each other--with dignity, respect, LOVE, kindness and as men of Tomorrow today. Men who are and will lead our people in a positive direction and men who take responsibility for their sexual activities and actions, deciding to act as responsible adults--not immature children.

ADODI was founded in May of 1986 by Creative Arts Therapist Clifford Rawlins, also an artist, who opened his home to create a warm and loving atmosphere each week on Sundays, that helped nurture and educate literally hundreds of Brothers through the beginning stages of the AIDS / HIV Crisis. Clifford held us spell-bound during those heady early days as we were surrounded by his fantastically gifted art work, the art work of other Black artists and luscious jazz music as we learned survival tactics, and techniques to help us build vital self-esteem that would carry most of us on into another millennium and another generation. Many more of us would have perished if it had not been for ADODI.

A brief trailer of Brother Risbrook's film was shown at this recent gathering of men and the courageous attending Brothers took the time to talk about the up-coming National election and how they think President Barack Obama will fair; the history of the Black man and the Black woman in business; The history of the Black church movement in Philadelphia; the expectations of Blacks in the Arts and film; the potential of this particular film and how it was conceived; the vast potential for a new Black Renaissance that will not only lift Black people locally, but lift our hearts and spirits as a Black Diaspora internationally. There was also talk of the White Male's penis envy of Black men.

The event was sponsored by the Black Millionaires Network and offered a chance for the filmmaker, a good Brother from Brooklyn, New York, to discuss his film {which is still in production}, and meet with some of the people that are part of the heart of its' creation--The ADODI Brothers themselves. {Earlier in the day, three ADODI Brothers, including myself, were interviewed on film as part of the production}.... The Brothers who attended this event had the courage to not be defined by there own fears nor by their supposed oppression, nor by the exclusivity, marginalization, discrimination and homophobic attitudes we often face from our own Black community and even our own Black families and Black churches. We had the courage to move forward and attend an event in the heart of North Philadelphia which is stereotyped as a violent, miseducated and oppressed neighborhood when in fact while there may be some aspects of North Philadelphia that are like that, there are and always have been Brothers and Sisters in North Philadelphia who have struggled for decades to improve the schools, improve living standards and improve the lives of Black North Philadelphia residents.

There were 38 empty seats at this event, but they were filled by our Ancestor's strong forthright, forward-moving and supportive spirits as the night went on and everyone enjoyed each other's company and the delicious vegetarian food prepared by Sister Atiya Ola, who catered the event and who owns a vegetarian restaurant at 4505 Baltimore Avenue in West Philadelphia...

When the film is released, this writer plans to help the producers and director get it seen widely throughout the country because the story of ADODI is close to my heart and it is a story that needs to be told.

SPECIAL THANKS

To Ado Ernest Duncan

For Taking The Photos
& Shooting The Video Interview

CHILDREN OF KILLERS by Katori HallAt The Castillo Theatre In New York City September 21st - Ocotber 28th, 2012 (Limited Engagement)

                         

Official Website: http://www.castillo.org/show-children-of-killers/

Castillo Theatre Presents The U.S. Premiere Of

CHILDREN OF KILLERS

by Katori Hall

Author of the Olivier Award-Winning Play THE MOUNTAIN TOP

Directed by Emily Mendelsohn

September 21 - October 28th, 2012

Synopsis:

Set 15 years after the Rwandan genocide, Children of Killers follows a group of teenage friends as many of their fathers are being released from prison where they have been serving time for their roles in the mass killings of their Tutsi neighbors. How are these innocents — young people who don’t even remember their fathers — going to live with their brutal legacy; is it possible to move beyond it, or will they be shaped by their tragic heritage?

"With its dedication to fierce, thought-provoking political theatre that forces audiences to look into the mirror and question and confront themselves, I knew this would be the perfect home for the first American incarnation of the play." - Katori Hall

Read more at: Off-Broadway World.com
   
Featuring:
Raphael Agbune, LaTonia Antoinette, Edgar Cancinos, Kimarra Cannonier, Franceli Chapman, Suzanne Darrell, Khadim Diop, Sidiki Fofana, Naja Jack, Rain Jack, Lorenzo Jackson, Lauryn Simone Jones, Melech Meir, Niara Nyabingi, Andrea Rachel, Mariel Reyes, Starshima Trent, Terrell Wheeler

Get your tickets online today at  www.castillo.org or call our box office at 212-941-1234
 

For group rates contact Gail Peck at 212-356-8449 or gpeck@allstars.org

Castillo Theatre

543 West 42nd Street

(between 10th & 11th Avenues)

New York, NY 10036

GOOGLE MAPS

PRESS RELEASE

The Castillo Theatre is opening its 29th season with the American premiere of Children of Killers by award-wining playwright, Katori Hall. Ms. Hall comes to Castillo fresh from the London and Broadway triumphs of The Mountaintop, her play about the last night of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and from the premiere at the Signature Theatre of Hurt Village, a play set in the projects of her hometown of Memphis. The Mountaintop won the Olivier Award for best play in 2010. Hurt Village won the 2011 Susan Smith Blackburn Prize. Ms. Hall is pleased that Children of Killers is being presented to Castillo’s diverse audience, and has said, “With its dedication to fierce, thought-provoking political theatre that forces audiences to look into the mirror and question and confront themselves, I knew this would be the perfect home for the first American incarnation of the play.” The production is directed by Emily Mendelsohn.

Set 15 years after the Rwandan genocide, Children of Killers follows a group of teenage friends as many of their fathers are being released from prison where they have been serving time for their roles in the mass killings of their Tutsi neighbors. How are these innocents — young people who don’t even remember their fathers — going to live with their brutal legacy; is it possible to move beyond it, or will they be shaped by their tragic heritage?

Originally commissioned by the National Theatre in London, Children of Killers was inspired by a trip to Rwanda in 2009 when Hall attended a genocide studies conference and spoke with victims and perpetrators of the genocide. The play was developed in part through a workshop conducted by Ms. Hall and National Theatre director, Anthony Banks with students in Castillo’s youth theatre program, Youth Onstage!, in the summer of 2010. It has received eight productions in Britain and 40 productions in Portugal.

Located at the All Stars Project’s performing arts and youth development center on West 42nd Street, the Castillo Theatre (Dan Friedman, artistic director; Diane Stiles, managing director) brings experimental political theatre, dealing with contemporary and historical social issues, to the heart of New York’s commercial theatre district for a diverse audience drawn from the many communities that make up NYC. Since 1983, Castillo has staged well over 100 productions — from multicultural and avant-garde plays, to musicals and improvisational
comedy.

Children of Killers is being presented in conjunction with Performing the World 2012, an international cross-disciplinary, experiential conference being held at the All Stars Project, October 4-7. Children of Killers opens on September 21 and runs through October 28th.

Performances are Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 2:00 p.m. at the Castillo Theatre, 543 West 42nd Street (between 10th & 11th Avenues). Tickets are $35 for adults, $10 for students and seniors. Group rates are available. Tickets can be purchased through the Castillo Box Office at 212-941-1234 or www.castillo.org.

Playwright Katori Hall is available for interviews.

Contact Gail Peck at 212-356-8449 or 917-371-5008; or via email: gpeck@allstars.org.

ROD PATRICK RISBROOK Photographic|Imagery Feat. @ The 2nd Annual BEDSTUY PRIDE 2012 Herbert Von King Park (aka Tompkins Park) Sunday, August 26th, 2012 (12PM - 6PM) Brooklyn, New York City

              

 My Official Website: RodPatrickRisbrook.com

  

Audre Lorde Project‘s

Safe OUTside the System Collective (SOS)

Presents…

The 2nd Annual BEDSTUY PRIDE 2011
Sunday, August 26th, 2012
12PM - 6PM
@
Hebert Von King Park

(formerly/aka Tompkins Park)
(Lafayette Avenue between Marcy & Tompkins Avenues)

Hey Y'all,

I'll be one of the featured vendors at the 2nd Annual Bed-Stuy Pride event where you can meet me in person, chat a bit, and be able to purchase some photographic prints from my varied body of work.

See you out there Sunday... SAY CHEEEEEEEEEEESSSEEE!

ROD

 My Official Website: RodPatrickRisbrook.com

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Sonia Cheruvillil
Telephone: 718.596.0342 ext. 11
Email: bedstuypridemedia@alp.org
The Audre Lorde Project (www.alp.org)

2nd Annual Bed-Stuy Pride 2012:

Challenging Violence and Building Resilience

Sunday, August 26th at Herbert Von King Park, Brooklyn

12PM – 6PM

Bed-Stuy Pride is an annual festival held in the heart of central Brooklyn that cherishes the diversity of our communities and recognizes the importance of creating safer spaces for lesbian, gay, bisexual, two-spirit, trans and gender non-conforming (LGBTSTGNC) people of color. Our communities experience greater violence related to both race and marginalized expressions of gender and/or sexuality including increased stop and frisks by police and stranger based violence. Transgender people of color are 2.38 times as likely to experience police violence and 1.85 as likely to experience discrimination [avp.org]. Organized by the Audre Lorde Project‘s Safe OUTside the System Collective (SOS) --- Bed-Stuy Pride is an opportunity to remind the residents of central Brooklyn of our histories and celebrate our communities.

Traditionally, pride marches all over the world (and especially in New York City) have been in recognition of the historic Stonewall riots. Contributions of transgender women of color like Marsha P. Johnson, Sylvia Riveria, and Miss Major --who were central to these historical riots are forgotten or ignored completely. Bed-Stuy pride is a chance to center these stories and provide the context of resistance and justice inherent in pride.

Bed-Stuy Pride highlights its commitment to safe neighborhoods and communities. On Sunday August 26th, there will be performances from local artists, interactive art installations, and community leaders. There will be a Freedom Tent [Inspired by 1968 Mississippi Freedom Schools] where skill-based workshops will be held including Navigating Gendered Public Space, Health and Wellness, Erotic Poetry, and much more will be offered throughout the day.

Free childcare, and Interpretation provided.

Want to get inlvoved in Bed-Stuy Pride? Here's how...

• Volunteer! Email us at bedstuypride@gmail.com

• Endorse! Go to www.alp.org to become an endorser

• Spread the word! Join the ALP Facebook group, share on twitter, tumblr and other blogs.

For more information on Bed-Stuy Pride or to schedule an interview please contact Sonia Cheruvillil Telephone: 718.596.0342 ext. 11; Email: bedstuypridemedia[at]alp.org

PICTURES FROM LAST YEAR'S 1ST ANNUAL BED-STUY PRIDE (2011)...